Italian Opera Overtures

On this CD:

1. I Vespri siciliani, opera (Les vêpres siciliennes) Overture
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Tullio Serafin

2. La Traviata, opera Prelude, Act 1
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Tullio Serafin

3. La Traviata, opera Prelude, Act 3
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Tullio Serafin

4. La forza del destino, opera Overture
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Tullio Serafin

5. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor) Overture
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Philharmonia Orchestra
Conducted by Tullio Serafin

6. Aida, opera Prelude, Act 1
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Philharmonia Orchestra
Conducted by Tullio Serafin

7. Norma, opera Overture
Composed by Vincenzo Bellini
Performed by Philharmonia Orchestra
Conducted by Tullio Serafin

8. La cenerentola (Cinderella), overture
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by Philharmonia Orchestra
Conducted by Tullio Serafin

9. Linda di Chamounix, opera Overture
Composed by Gaetano Donizetti
Performed by Philharmonia Orchestra
Conducted by Tullio Serafin

10. Don Pasquale, opera Overture
Composed by Gaetano Donizetti
Performed by Philharmonia Orchestra
Conducted by Tullio Serafin

Tracks:

Air 'On the G String' - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Morning - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Canon In D - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Gymnopedie No.1 - City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
II. Andante - Stephen Hough
Viens, Mallika - Mady Mesple
In Paradisum - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
Clair De Lune - Dame Moura Lympany
II. Andate - Yehudi Menuhin
The Swan - Osian Ellis
II. Lento E Largo - Tranquillissimo - Zofia Kilanowicz
II. Andantino - James Galway
II. Largo - Yehudi Menuhin
Nimrod - London Symphony Orchestra
Blow the Wind - Pie Jesu - Jocelyn Pook
Variation 18 - Cecile Ousset
Pavane Op.50 - Gareth Morris

Tracks:

Zion Hort Die Wachter Singen - South German Madrigal Choir
Adagio In G Minor - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Minuet - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. Largo - Andrei Gavrilov
Meditation - Hans Kalafusz
I. Adagio Sostenuto - Dame Moura Lympany
Belle Nuit, O Nuit D'amour (Barcarolle) - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
II. Andante - Nigel North
II. Adagio - Jack Brymer
Intermezzo - Philharmonia Orchestra
I. Moderato - London Chamber Orchestra
O Mio Babbino Caro - Montserrat Caballe
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves' - Sinfonia Of London
II. Adagio Sostenuto (Opening) - Cecile Ousset
Nocturne - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. Adagio (Opening) - Julian Bream
Adagio For Strings Op.11a - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Entr'acte To Act III - Orchestre National De France

Amazon.com

You want relaxing classical music that'll soothe your soul but won't lull you into sleep? Here's a double CD for you. The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World ... Ever! does its best to cover both well-worn classical favorites (Bach's "Air on the G String," Pachelbel's "Cannon," Debussy's "Clair de Lune") and some eclectic left-field choices (an excerpt from Górecki's Symphony No. 3, Jocelyn Pook's "Blow the Wind," and Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. The performances of most of these excerpts are top-notch--artists include Sir Neville Marriner, James Galway, Jacqueline du Pré and the Philadelphia Orchestra--and there's enough variety here for everyone. --Edward Garabedian

Customer Reviews:

Lives Up To The Title, Fine Variety Of Genre's........2007-02-04

This CD is a great way to enjoy a large variety of Classical Composers & many of their best known pieces. Vivaldi's "Four Seasons," is an all time favorite. There are vocals, Piano pieces, & some fine Violins. I found the latter the most enjoyable. Here you can find Rodrigo & Pachelbell. Samuel Barber's haunting Adagio will make your skin tingle. This may not be to everyones taste, but if you wish to relax? Give this a couple of listens.

Good for relaxing pregnant women.......2007-01-17

I stumbled onto this album whilst searching bit torrent websites for classical music. I don't normally listen to classical music but thought it might be relaxing for my pregnant wife. After hearing the quality of the performances, the arrangement, and the recording I decided to buy the album from amazon. All the songs you would expect from a "best album in the world" are there and they are not boring to listen to like a lot of other classical albums. I now play this album in the car constantly and the wife requested it be played at the hospital during the birth.

Too much opera.......2007-01-10

If it wasn't for the opera this would be a great CD.

Does what it set out to do, very well.......2006-11-15

So i'm a classical music veteran, someone who prefers to collect a complete work, rather than classical compilations. I probably would not have listened to this album at all if my dad didnt buy it for me as a gift. By now, i own the complete works that over half of the excepts on this disc come from. I am a purist if ever there was one.

That said, i totally adore this set because i have learned to take it on its own terms. These discs weren't meant for expert classical listeners, so a review from that sort of mindset is useless. This set was meant for pure, easy listening, and for a basic starters kit for classical newbies. Most of all, it was just meant to do what the title says, to relax the average human being. classical expert or not.

Yes, some of these pieces have been altered or shortened, like Mozart's Flute and Harp Concerto Andantino, but they have been edited for a good enough reason: the full versions would have been too long to flow with the rest of the album. And also, the full versions contain so much development that they don't become easy listening anymore. The shortened versions work in the context of the album. Most essentially, the shortened versions on the discs still convey the main flavor the composers were going for. The melodies and themes remain unchanged.

To sum up, it is true that when i want to actually listen deeply to classical music, this album would never be a choice. I would want to hear the complete works like the composers intended. But at certain times when i simply don't mind about that stuff, when i just need to loosen up and free my mind of stress with some nice melodies, this set does the job well enough.

Last but not least: being a purist and a classical buff, i am very particular about performance quality. I was very glad to find that EMI did not get lazy about this. All the artists are world-class, and all the performances are at least exceptional. Some performances are even quite excellent, like the Clair De Lune, which is one of the best i've heard. (Credit to Dame Lympany, the pianist.)

So once again, recommended for its stated purpose, to relax. I am a purist, a classical buff, and i still enjoy this disc. That says something.

TRULY The most relaxing and beautiful music ever written........2006-11-10

This album along with Volume 2 are now the two most valued albums in my music collection. I have all of the songs contained on these two albums but they are scattered through at least a dozen different albums and several are not performed by artists such as those that recorded this album and Volume 2.
SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!!!!

Average customer rating:

perfect selection for commencement/ graduation
Great Starting Point for Classical Music Novices
**An Exquisite Album**
Samples
Great Sampler!

Simply the Best Classical Anthems

Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Anthems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Thunderous Classics
Thunder & Lightning
25 Thunderous Classics
Time Life Presents: Classical Thunder
Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

ASIN: B00004SUVI
Release Date: 2000-04-25

Tracks:

Requiem: Dies Irae
Carmina Burana: O Fortuna
The Planets: Mars
The Ride Of The Valkyries
Chorus Of The Hebrew Slaves
Fanfare For The Common Man
Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1
Aida: Grand March
Summer - Four Seasons: Presto
Te Deum: Prelude
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra
Toccata And Fugue In D Minor
Symphony No. 5: First Movement
Spartacus: Adagio
Sabre Dance
Symphony No. 40: First Movement
Zadok The Priest
Turandot: Nessun Dorma

Tracks:

Also Sprach Zarathoustra
Romeo And Juliet: Dance Of The Knights
Requiem: Dies Irae
1812 Overture
Piano Concerto
Spring - Four Seasons: Allegro
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
The Royal Fireworks: La Ruissance From Music
Flight Of The Bumble Bee
Symphonie Fantastique: March To The Scaffold
Carmen: Overture
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Jerusalem
The Planets: Jupiter
Symphony No 9, 'Ode To Joy'
Swan Lake: Scene
Enigma Variations: Nimrod
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini [Variation 18]
Pictures At An Exibitions: Promenade
Symphony For Organ No 3: Finale, Symphony For Organ No 3

Customer Reviews:

perfect selection for commencement/ graduation.......2007-06-11

We were concerned after reading some other reviews that this version of Pomp and Circumstance wouldn't be the correct movement or the full length version. This selection has the song for graduation AND the extended length, so it gives plenty of time for processionals. If this is what you need, this is the CD to get.

Great Starting Point for Classical Music Novices.......2004-08-13

"Simply the Best Classicial Anthems" is exactly what the title indicates. This is a collection of what the CD says are "36 of the most powerful classics on Earth". My review of this CD comes from someone who is a Classical Music Novice. I'm familiar with some of the composers, musical styles, musical periods, and some of the terminology that is key to understanding Classical Music. By no means am I an expert. I have basically popped in this two CD collection into my player and have enjoyed the sounds it produces. If you are in the same category as I am or maybe just wanting to be introduced to Classical Music - this is going to be a very good CD to have in your collection. For the more seasoned Classical Music fan, this could be either enjoyable or overkill.

The CD contains 36 songs composed by the legends of Classical Music Composers from the past. The bulk of the works come from Composers in the the 19th and 20th century, but there are works from the Romantic and Classical eras of the late 18th and early 19th century (such as Beethoven and Mozart). In general you will find most of the major names of Composers you would expect to find - names such as Tchiakovsky, Handel, Verdi, Strauss, Elgar, and Bach are all there. The only major composer who I would have expected to see on this CD that I don't see is Frederic Chopin. The composers of the late 20th century are not included on this collection - so you won't see Leonard Bernstein or John Williams on this set. While these Composers are excellent, I do think style of the tracks on this collection pre-date their style.

The recordings themselves are done by the great Orchestras around the world. For the most part, European Orchestras were used to deliver the tracks. There are a few exceptions: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra delivers "The Ride of the Valkyries"; The Toronto Symphony Orchestra delivers "Dance of the Knights"; and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra delivers Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture". Some of the European Orchestras that are well known include: BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra, Choeur Philhamonique de Strasbourg, and more. Also included are performances by well known names in the Classical space such as Marie-Claire Alain (Bach's "Toccate and Fogue in D Minor" and Saint-Saens' "Symphony for Organ No 3"), Piero Toso (Vivaldi's "Allegro From Spring - Four Seasons"), and Placido Domingo appears on Puccini's "Nessun Dorma".

The 2 Disc collection contains a total of over 2 hours and 6 minutes of music. The selections that are included in the set will sound very familiar to you when you play them. You probably have both heard and seen the names of tracks such as: Oref's "O Fortuna"; Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man"; Beethoven's "First Movement from Symphony Number 5" and "Ode To Joy"; Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance", and Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture". Many of the other tracks will also sound familiar, but maybe not so much by name - such as Wagner's "The Ride of the Valkyries", Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathoustra"; Grieg's "Piano Concerto", and "Dies Irae" (versions included by Mozart and Verdi - you can compare the two and judge for yourself). As for the Discs themselves, I think most of the casual fans will like the selections on Disc Two better, but Disc One is still very good. On a sidebar, the Israel Philharmonic's version of "1812 Overture" is by far the best you will hear - particularly at the end, the booming drums create almost a 3 dimensional vision of fireworks being launched into the air.

There one big negative on this collection is some of the recording quality. The clarity of the recording is there, but some of the recording levels leave a lot to be desired. On some of the softer parts, it is barely audible without significantly turning up your volume. This is very evident on "O Fortuna" where you will hear almost dead silence during from the 30 second to 1:30 mark of the track unless you crank your volume up. Same with the first few seconds of Strauss' "Also Sprach Zarathoustra" and Tchiakovsky's "1812 Overture". When the volume is cranked up you will hear them - but then the other sections will be way too loud. I'm surprised with modern technology that this couldn't be addressed better.

The liner notes are pretty thin. You do get the Composers, Performers/Orchestras, and recording dates. There isn't any more details than that and you won't learn anymore insight on the tracks than this information. Despite some of the shortcomings of the liner notes and recording volume, I still think this is an excellent place to start and do recommend this CD if you are a novice to Classical Music and are looking for a great place to start listening to what the Classics have to offer.

**An Exquisite Album**.......2004-02-21

Simply The Best Classical Anthems

Simply The Best Classical Anthems is a compilation album of `36 of the most powerful Anthems on Earth'. But, it is also said to be something else. It is said to be a gateway. A gateway to another world. A world where our imagination can run free without being shackled down by any borders or boundaries or rules or limits. A world that we have all seen or perhaps more accurately have all heard of but for many of us a world that we have never dared to enter. Never dared to enter because of fear. The fear of being ostracised and shunned by our community.

THE MYTH
`Classical Music!', I can hear some of you cry. `That isn't another world. That's just music for the upperclass, the high-brow, and the pompous.' Surprisingly, I too felt this way for a long time until I accepted the invitation made to me by Simply The Best Classical Anthems. I always felt that Classical Music was nice to listen to as background music for a Levis ad or a Car ad but I would consider people strange if they chose to hear it on its own. However, after having listened to this album I realised how wrong I was in my assumptions.

THE TRUTH
Music as with all forms of amusement helps to take you away from where you are now. It helps to relax you when you are stressed with anger; it helps to give you strength when you are vulnerable; it helps to keep your spirits up when you have faced tragedy or loss. It helps. And, for me the type of music that best conjures up the most passionate emotions (love, hate, courage and anger) at our most testing times is Classical Music.
How? I don't know.
Why? I don't know.
I can only promise you that in my experience it does.

THE CHEST
The album, in visual terms, is very difficult to overlook amongst the plethora of records that may surround it. This is because the album has a very distinct purple sleeve cover. Not any kind of purple mind you but the Cadbury's kind of purple. The kind of purple that carries with it an invitation. An invitation that if accepted promises you a treasure inside.
And since, I have always enjoyed the treasure within the purple Cadbury's Dairy Milk wrapper, I asked myself why would an album carrying the same invitation promise to be anything different? Thus, I parted with my tuppence worth and went back home to open this purple chest of promised treasures.

THE PROMISED TREASURE
As you may have guessed, the contents of the album are somewhat different to the contents of a Cadbury's bar. When I opened the album, I was presented with two compact discs. At first glance, there did not seem to be anything special about them. They were just your average, everyday, run of the mill compact discs. To tell you the truth, I was a bit disappointed because I suppose I had hoped for something more.
However, looks can be deceptive. (Afterall, a Cadbury's Dairy Milk does not seem very appetising until you taste it!) And, also come November each year, I am always bemused and surprised at how the shabby contents of a cardboard box can both light up the sky and light up the faces of the neighbourhood. Thus, I pushed aside my assumptions and I ignited the discs (not literally of course, I just pressed the play button on the CD player). And, I let the fireworks begin.

THE KEY
From the very beginning, you will feel like you have unlocked the doorway to something special. And, after a full two hours of listening to both discs, you will feel like you have been taken out of this world and transported to another. Welcome to the world of Classical Music.

GUIDANCE
In the beginning, continue to listen to both discs in one go (i.e. one after the other). After a while, you will know which tracks you enjoy listening to the most. For those tracks you enjoyed the most make a promise to yourself that you will listen to the whole of the piece from which that track came from.
Good Luck on your quest if you choose to accept it.
Ride amongst the Valkyries, listen to the Flight of the Bumblebees, and use The Planets to keep you on the path.

I am not a good reviewer because as with all of my reviews I refuse to comment too much about what is inside the product but rather more about what effect the product has had on me. (Me, me, me. Vain & Egotistic, I know, so my friends and family keep telling me). But, I just want to cause a raucous about the product, enough not to spoil but enough of a raucous to let you experience it for yourself.

So my final words are:
Simply The Best Classical Anthems is an invitation. An invitation to the world of classical music. A world where you can begin a never-ending quest of curiosity. A curiosity that will always be rewarded with fulfilment.

Do you accept such an invitation?

Hope you found this review helpful.

Samples.......2003-11-23

The samples are too short and the quality leaves a lot to be desired. Having said that the choices are wonderful and the price is great. If you're looking for a overview of the best of classical music then this is for you. However if it's quality you're looking for then spent the extra money and look at other choices.

Great Sampler!.......2002-03-20

This is a good sampler, since it covers what you would want in a classical music CD. Looking at the tracks, it has the classic hits, such as "Ride of the Valkyries," "Toccata and Fugue," "Fanfare for the Common Man," "'Jupiter' from `The Planets,'" "Eine Klein Nachtmusik," and "Hallelujah Chorus."

There are also some new pieces that I have fallen in love with, such as "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra," "'Promenade' from Pictures at an Exhibition." The compilers did an interesting double take by including both Verdi's and Mozart's "Dies Ire." I'm not sure which is better.

This music is good for the brain and good for the soul. There is a power and passion that the blaring and glaring music that makes up most of the FM band. I'm reminded of the religious man who said that there is no music in hell. Probably because they wouldn't appreciate it there.

Tracks:

An Untold Story: Assaggio No.1 In G Minor - Johann Helmich Roman
The Legend Of Casanova: Tambourins I/II From Daro - Jean-Philippe Rameau
I Yield To Love: Cello Concerto No.3 In D Minor - Leonardo Leo
Eternal Damnation: Overture From Les Fetes De Polymnie/Overture From Platee/Overture From Zoroastre - Jean-Philippe Rameau
The Doge's Decree: Concerto In C Major - Antonio Vivaldi
A Venetian Virgin - Alexandre Desplat
San Cremori At Dawn: Concerto In C Major For Harpsicord And Strings - Giovanni Paisiello
A Lover's Duel: Overture From La Madrilena - Vicente Martin Y Soler
A Terrible Mistake: Concerto A 5, Op.9, No.4 - Tomaso Albinoni
A Secret Lover?: Sinfonia From The Opera Farnace - Antonio Vivaldi
Marriage Is A Safe Haven: Concerto A 5, Op.9 No.4 - Tomaso Albinoni
Trailing Guardi: Sonata For Violin And Bassocontinuo, Op.5 No.11 In E Minor - Arcangelo Corelli
The Noble Pig: Concerto Per Quartetto No.8 - Francesco Durante
Paprizzio's Arrival: Concerto A 5, Op.9 No.2 In D Minor - Tomaso Albinoni
Inquisitor Pucci - Alexandre Desplat
: Concerto A 5, Op.9 No.4 - Tomaso Albinoni
A Big Idea: Harpsicord Concerto In B Flat Major - Francesco Durante
A Nom De Plume/Carnivale!: Concerto A 5, Op.9 No.6 In G Major/Bouree From Les Plaisirs Champetres - Tomaso Albinoni
The Plume's Nom Is Casanova! - Sonny Kompanek
Dancing At The Doge's Ball: Riguadon From Water Music Suite, No.3 In G Major/Bouree From Music For Royal Fireworks/Loure From Tafelmusik1 - George Frideric Handel
One Step Closer To Heaven: Concerto A 5, Op.9 No.4 In A Major - Tomaso Albinoni
Casanova's Confession: Sonata Op.5 No.7 In D Minor - Arcangelo Corelli
The Hanging: Violin Concerto 'Il Cimento Dell'Armonia E Dell'INvenzione' Op.8 No.11 In D Major - Antonio Vivaldi
A Great Escape: Overture From Zais/Overture From Nais/Overture From Achante Et Cephise Ou La Sympathie - Jean-Philippe Rameau
My Place Is With Casanova: Overture From Le Temple De La Gloire/Overture From Zais/Sonata For Violin And Bassocontinuo, Op.5 No.7 In D Minor - Arcangelo Corelli
All's Well...:Concerto A 5, Op.9 No.4 In A Major - Tomaso Albinoni

Amazon.com

The action in this tale about the 18th century adventurer and (at least in popular lore) seducer is set in Cassanova's native Venice in the mid-1700s, so it makes sense that the soundtrack would be loaded with Baroque pieces. The Venice-based Tomaso Albinoni is featured prominentaly, along with heavyweights such as Antonio Vivaldi, Jean-Baptiste Rameau, and George Frideric Handel, and lesser-known composers such as Arcangelo Corelli, Francesco Durante, and Alexandre Desplat. Er, actually Desplat is a contemporary French film composer who also released his score for the couldn't-be-more-different Syriana shortly after Casanova came out. Of the two pieces he penned here, "A Venetian Virgin" is in pure Baroque style, while "Inquisitor Pucci" betrays a more modern film-music vibe. Meanwhile, orchestrator Sonny Kompanek rearranged a couple of the tracks and authored the tense "The Plume's Nom Is Casanova," which doesn't sound embarrassing sandwiched between pieces by Albinoni and Handel. Overall, it would have been nice to get longer excerpts from the pieces--many feel chopped into too-small fragments--but the music's innate grace and elegance can't be beat for a period film. Or for any film, really: Vivaldi's Concerto in C Major ("The Doge's Decree") will be familiar to buffs, who will remember it featuring prominently in the Dustin Hoffman-¬Meryl Streep showdown Kramer vs. Kramer back in 1979. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Sheer Beauty for the Ears.......2006-07-25

For those that purchased this CD, I need not get into how masterfully infectious the movie was. After the first viewing, I found it charming, but after the second, I was hooked by the witty, clever story holding fun twists all along the way. So while I could go on and on about the movie and all of its wonderful aspects, the score was simply priceless. Apt in every scene, and all done with incredible baroque music that I had never had the opportunity of hearing before the film.

The disc walks you through the movie with no changes that I could tell from the original score. The only omission I found was that the song dubbed "Casanova's Theme" is played in much greater length in the closing credits, and that didn't seem to make it to the CD. Not a terrible loss.

Authenticity can sound great as well!.......2006-07-11

As an avid baroque music listener and performer, I can attest to the delightfully pleasing performances on the soundtrack as well as the painstakingly accurate performance practices utilized in the recording of this soundtrack.

The producers of this film fortunately went to the trouble of hiring some of the top period performance musician-specialists in the country (perhaps in the entire world) to record the soundtrack to Casanova. I know, because several of them were faculty members of the Oberlin Conservatory Baroque Performance Institute who went AWOL to Hollywood in June 2005 for the recording sessions. We all forgave them, and were actually quite excited that period music performance was having its day on the silver screen.

Do not miss this exquisite potpourri of wonderful baroque composers' works performed as closely as humanly possible to the way that they heard their works during their lifetimes! The film may not have been intended to be historically accurate (part of the fun), but the music certainly ended up that way. Not only that, but it sounds heavenly (unlike Casanova's antics) and up-to-date, not musty and old as if it were sealed in a museum case.

a little world of baroque sound.......2006-02-26

Lots of interesting baroque music unknown to me and
put together in dramatic sequences that add zest and
class to the listening experience. Also wonderful to
play in auto while driving thru boring country or in
slow moving traffic!
This CD will get a lot of play from me.
5 Stars!

Wonderful relaxing music........2006-02-25

Saw the movie and had to have the soundtrack. Great music to relax by. When you need to get away from the cares of the day the classics can't be beat. The producers of this movie certainly chose wonderful music to accompany it.

-.......2006-02-18

Good music but each is too short.
The original version of each may be better.

Average customer rating:

King of overtures on display
Dynamic Rossini
High Excitement
Amuse-Bocuse for the Ears!
All the Rossini I need!

Rossini: Overtures (14)

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Famous Overtures
William Tell & Other Favorite Overtures
Suppe: Overtures
Mendelssohn: 5 Symphonies; 7 Overtures
Strauss: The Best of Vienna

ASIN: B00000425N
Release Date: 1995-06-13

Tracks:

Overtures: Guillaume Tell - G. Rossini
Overtures: Il signor Bruschino - G. Rossini
Overtures: Il viaggio a Reims - G. Rossini
Overtures: La scala di seta - G. Rossini
Overtures: La gazza ladra - G. Rossini
Overtures: Il turco in Italia - G. Rossini
Overtures: L'Italiana in Algeri - G. Rossini

Tracks:

Overtures: Il barbiere di Siviglia - Gioacchino Rossini
Overtures: Torvaldo e Dorliska - Gioacchino Rossini
Overtures: La cambiale di matrimonio - Gioacchino Rossini
Overtures: Otello - Gioacchino Rossini
Overtures: Semiramide - Gioacchino Rossini
Overtures: La Siege de Corinthe - Gioacchino Rossini
Overtures: Tancredi - Gioacchino Rossini

Amazon.com essential recording

Rossini's Overtures are absolute jewels of the Classical period. He used them as his musical "calling cards," and with the exception of William Tell, there's absolutely no relationship between the overture and opera it introduces. The famous Barber of Seville overture, for example, was used previously for two tragic operas, including one called Elizabeth, Queen of England! All they were supposed to do was entertain the audience and let them know that the real business was about to begin. And that's just what they've been doing ever since. This comprehensive collection, at two discs for the price of one, will keep you in Rossini for a good, long time. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

King of overtures on display.......2007-03-07

This 2-disc set contains 14 overtures by the master of this musical form himself, G. Rossini. The music quality is good - standard for digital, the orchestration is clear, and each CD provides about 1 hour of good, lively music. The choice of music is also great, making this set a great buy.

Dynamic Rossini.......2005-04-26

For Rossini lovers, this album gives you a sample of Rossini at his best. The dynamic range of the composer, his verve and vitality delivered in the most popular overtures ever written.
The quality of the recordings is very good, and should satify any and all Rossini fans. I love to kick back, with a set of ear phones and absorb the incredible sound and muscularity of Rossini. Well worth the price of admission.

High Excitement.......2005-03-02

I originally bought the LP versions way back before CDs were introduced. High excitement is the best way I can describe the performances. I have heard nothing since to equal Chailly's energetic read. I haven't gotten this CD version yet, but the first volume one did have better quality miking then the second volume. The price makes it worth just buying the CD instead of trying to digitize my LPs.

Amuse-Bocuse for the Ears!.......2004-09-10

Just as amuse-boche is meant to entertain and tempt the tastebuds for the coming courses in a gourmet meal, so does the overture function in the operatic banquet.

Rossini is one of the greatest overture composers, and here is collection of fourteen of his best!

They are soaring and delightful. Especially captivated by some that were new to me, causing one to want to followup with the opera-- a brilliant way to cause interest in operatic world. These included the likes of Otell, Semiramide and Le Siege de Corinthe.

Amazing and vibrant double CD collection!

All the Rossini I need!.......2003-06-30

As far as I'm concerned, I don't need to search the field for any other Rossini overture CDs--this 2-CD set has it covered. Chailly's interpretations of these pieces are wonderfully exuberant, and the National Philharmonic plays with precision and flair. These CDs have become the standard I use to judge other recordings of Rossini overtures. Granted, they're not perfect: As another reviewer pointed out, Chailly takes some passages differently than we're used to hearing them (the end of the Barber of Seville overture is faster than usual, for example). However, the orchestra is so competent and the conductor so assured that these small, occasional differences are refreshing rather than annoying. As well, there are (very) occasional moments where the orchestra slips a little out of synch, but only because they're having so much fun playing the music. This is Rossini the way it was meant to sound--playful, melodious and energetic to the end.

Average customer rating:

Fantastic
Famous Overtures
Spectacular
Excellent
The best Overture Album !

Famous Overtures

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

William Tell & Other Favorite Overtures
Rossini: Overtures (14)
Opera Overtures & Incidental Music
Favorite Overtures
Suppe: Overtures

ASIN: B00002MXN4
Release Date: 1999-11-09

Tracks:

Light Cavalry - Suppe
Ruslan and Lyudmila - Glinka
La Traviata - Prelude, Act I - Verdi
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg - Prelude, ACt I - Wagner
Les Francs-Juges - Berlioz
Le nozze di Figaro - Mozart
Egmont - Beethoven
Oberon - Weber
Academic Festival Overture - Brahms
Pique Dame - Suppe

Tracks:

Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna - Suppe
Il barbiere di Siviglia - Rossini
Prince Igor - Borodin
Carmen - Prelude, Act I - Bizet
Der fliegende Hollander - Wagner
Leonore No 3 - Beethoven
Hansel und Gretel - Humperdinck
Khovanshchina - Mussorgsky
Poet and Peasant - Suppe

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic.......2006-06-30

First of all anything with Sir Solti's name on is worth purchasing. Solti has such a way with interpreting music! If you like overtures this CD is for you. It has the best overtures here in one collection. With orchestras like chicago, london, and the vienna you cannot argue with the performances. There are a few "weaker" ensembles, but when compared with the other ensembles there are few that will not sound weak. Again any work Solti has done is worth purchasing!

Famous Overtures.......2005-08-16

Did not like the way these musical pieces were "interpretted".
Did not like the tempo and in one piece one of the instruments played a portion which I would say they played a flat instead of a natural note. This is based on hearing the same pieces played by someone else, it's just my opinion.

Spectacular.......2003-09-25

Not only does it include some of the most famous overtures, but they are played in such an exciting style, full of life and passion. The Suppe overtures are superior and the Wagner overtures are wonderful as well. There is not a bad point to this recording - highly recommended!

Excellent.......2002-06-11

This is an excellent collection of overtures, especially of Von Suppe's overtures. Solti truly brings out life in these pieces.

The best Overture Album !.......2000-02-28

If you like overtures, here is the album. Never have these been performed so musically and with such excitement. The orchestras involved vary in their abilities, yet the Chicago, Vienna, and London Symphony perfom with style. Solti loves this music and it shows.

Average customer rating:

Overtures, The Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: Compendia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Gospel | Compilations | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

25 Thunderous Classics
Baroque: The Greatest Hits
Famous Overtures
Tchaikovsky: The Greatest Hits
Stars & Stripes Forever and the Greatest Marches

ASIN: B000003QWY
Release Date: 1994-04-13

Tracks:

Light Cavalry
The Barber Of Seville
The Bartered Bride
The Flying Dutchman
Egmont
The Marriage Of Figaro
Poet And Peasant
1812 Overture

Tracks:

Mastersingers Of Nuremburg
William Tell
The Italian Women In Algiers
Russlan And Ludmilla
Merry Wives Of Windsor
The Hegrides (Fingal's Cave)
Die Fledermaus
Orpheus In The Underworld

Average customer rating:

well-crafted music, but not a disc you'll return to
Worthy music
Helping to bring Salieri out of the shade
Surprisingly delightful

Salieri: Overtures

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Salieri: The 2 Piano Concertos
Salieri: Symphonies, Overtures
Cecilia Bartoli - The Salieri Album
Cannabich: Symphonies Nos. 59, 63, 64, 67, 68
Michael Haydn: Symphonies

ASIN: B00004SSJE
Release Date: 2000-05-16

Tracks:

Il Talismano
Eraclito E Democrito
Cesare In Farmacusa
Il Ricco D'un Giorno
La Secchia Rapita
Axur, Re D'Ormus
Les Danaides
Don Chisciotte Alle Nozze Di Gamace
La Grotta Di Trofonio
Il Moro
Armida
L'Angiolina

Customer Reviews:

well-crafted music, but not a disc you'll return to.......2006-10-09

Milos Forman's film Amadeus has consigned Antonio Salieri forever to be thought of in direct comparison to Mozart, so let's get that out of the way first. I think it's fair to say that next to Mozart's opera overtures, these seem a bit one-dimensional; but only because they are Italianate, not because Salieri was the barely competent pretender that Amadeus portrays him to be. Salieri was a good composer, and his overtures are constructed very much like Verdi's overtures would be in the next century: the presentation of melodies is emphasized, and the more Germanic preoccupation with counterpoint and formal complexity is deemphasized. So again, if Salieri's music is simpler than Mozart's in this genre, that is mostly a matter of the Italianate style vis-a-vis the Germanic, and not of the inept craftsmanship with which the film so unfairly charges him.

Having granted Salieri credit where credit is due, however, it must also be recognized that these overtures are not the timeless masterpieces that Mozart's mature opera overtures so unfailingly are. After all, composers of the Classical era generally did not aspire to the production of timeless masterpieces: they thought of themselves not as Heroic Arists (a notion that didn't develop until well into the 19th century, with Beethoven as an early exception), but as craftsmen, much the way a chef or a carpenter thinks of himself today. Mozart in his day was very much the odd man out in making his own aesthetic ideals a higher priority than accessibility and immediate audience comprehension, and indeed his stubborness in this regard ultimately cost him permanent employment and a steady income, forcing him to get what work he could as a freelancer.

The first half of the album is hit-or-miss, some of the overtures actually being a bit weak. But there are a couple strong ones as well, and as the album progresses we hear consistently effective, dramatic music. There is a good deal of Sturm und Drang, minor-key pathos to much of it (Salieri was Beethoven's teacher, after all), and the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra plays the pieces ably.

In short, this disc is worth hearing for enthusiasts of Classicism, and for those interested in acquainting themselves with the actual, historical Salieri; but in the end these are only minor works from the period.

Worthy music.......2005-10-20

It is unfortunate that Antonio Salieri (1750 - 1825) is known now almost exclusively for being the nemesis of Mozart in the Peter Schaffer play and subsequent film 'Amadeus'. Salieri was certainly much more than the thwarted, second-rate composer. Perhaps he was not in Mozart's league so far as composition power goes (although the best of Salieri certainly stands up as worthy in comparison with many of the major composers of his time), but he was a respected composer in his own time, and perhaps more than for his composition, he was respected as a teacher and court musician. Salieri counts among his pupils Beethoven, Schubert, Liszt and even Mozart's second son.

His operas tended to follow a particularly popular formula, with dramatic flairs and stories easily accessible to the people. He drew inspiration from historical works, from mythological and fictional works, as well as works of popular circulation. Salieri even used some libretti from Lorenzo de Ponte, perhaps better known now as a librettist for Mozart.

This disc includes overtures of twelve operas (Salieri wrote nearly 50 operas, several of which were not premiered until the 1990s). They include pieces from his dramatic operas as well as his comic operas. The power in these is certainly evident. Perhaps the best of the lot is 'Cesare in Farmacusa (Tempesta di Mare)' and 'Axur, Re d'Ormus', an opera also involving de Ponte, and reworked from an earlier attempt to do a French opera into an Italian one.

It is a mistake (reinforced by 'Amadeus') to classify Salieri as an Italian composer - he lived most of his life in Vienna, and was criticised by the Empress at one point for being too much of a German composer. Salieri's works such as 'Don Chisciotte alle nozze di Gamace', the overture of which is included here, certainly shows his strength in writing toward the German.

This disc is a fun disc to listen to. There is nothing earth-shattering or new here, but these pieces are good compositions, and the performances by the Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava), under the direction of Michael Dittrich, is exemplary. This is one of those often-overlooked Eastern European orchestras that has incredible performance ability; they have had international touring experience as well as a number of recordings for Naxos, who is to be praised for bringing less popular music to the general public in an affordable way.

Helping to bring Salieri out of the shade.......2002-04-30

I have read with interest the preceding reviews of this CD, and they seem to alternate between declaring Salieri an unacknowledged genius and totally worthless! (The Gramophone review, by the way, fell more into the latter category.) The truth lies somewhere in between. He is certainly no Mozart, but nonetheless he did write some very beautiful music which is surely worth hearing.

Like a previous reviwer, I was particularly impressed by "Cesare in Farmacusa" (1800), an overture in the "tempesta di mare" ("storm at sea") style, which has an incision and power that look ahead to Beethoven's thunderstorm music from the "Pastoral", and by "Ricco d'un giorno" (1784), a spirited and lively piece which is probably the most "Mozartian" item on the disc. There are some interesting moments in the other pieces, including "Les Danaides" (1784), which resonates with Gluck and even seems to look ahead to the Commendatore music in Mozart's "Don Giovanni". Worthy of note as well is the festive overture to "L'Angiolina" (1800), which is a setting of Ben Jonson's "The Silent Woman", which incidentally also inspired Donizetti's "Don Pasquale" and Strauss' "Die Schweigsame Frau".

All in all, a very nice disc which helps to bring Salieri out of the shade and is certainly worth exploring for anyone interested in the music of the late Classical and early Romantic periods.

...

Surprisingly delightful.......2000-05-17

Poor Salieri! After the job done on him in "Amadeus," one expects from his music nothing more than well-wrought pieces with no touches of genius whatsoever. Well, balderdash to that prejudice, as is demonstrated by the Naxos release of a dozen of his (8.554838). Here, try this at a party. Without identifying composer or piece, play a few minutes of each cut and see if your audience can identify the former. I think I personally would have guessed at Haydn or Telemann on several of them. After all, this was the man who gave instruction to Schubert and Beethoven at one time or another and was certainly praised in his time by those who did know better.

Tracks:

Merce, Diletti Amici - O Tu, Che L'alma
Scena, Coro E Brindisi
Mamma...Quel Vino E Generoso
Lamento Di Federico
Improvviso
Come Un Bel Di Dimaggio
Oh! Fede Negar Potessi
Fontainebleau, Foresta Immense
Amor Ti Vieta
Cielo E Mar
Epilogo
Vesti La Giubba
Dio, Mi Potevi Scagliar
La Danza

Customer Reviews:

Triumphant return of Flor's Mendelssohn.......2005-06-01

At last Claus Peter Flor's Mendelssohn symphonies, overtures and piano concertos (with Edelmann) have returned. On the basis of these recordings (all previously issued) Flor, who is probably in his early 50s now, is still one of the better Mendelssohn conductors out there.

In particular, his Symphonies Nos. 2 and 5 have been hailed by critics on this side of the Atlantic for their beauty, proportion and Mendelssohnian sensibility. His other symphonies are also good and his collected overtures have been revered on both sides of the Atlantic by critics from Gramophone (which gave the overtures a rosette) to American Record Guide (which continued to promote his works even after they were out of print).

Flor's regualr partner in these performances, the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, is a European band of the second rank. While not being confused with the more well-known orchestras in Vienna, Berlin or London, they perform universally well in these CDs in recordings that sound better than ever.

This is a very good collection of Mendelssohn's symphonic music and piano concertos that will rank with the best recorded boxes including Abbado and Karajn. In musical terms is far exceeds the collections led by Masur, Ashkenazy and the newer Naxos cycle of mixed quality.

Collectors that have never heard Flor conduct (or have never heard of him) can rest assured that this is a worthy alternative collection in this music. If this grouping and this price are attractive, go for it.

Average customer rating:

Excellent performance and recording
Very Nice
Sparkling Performances

Rossini: Complete Overtures

Manufacturer: Umvd Labels
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Tchaikovsky: Complete Suites for Orchestra
Debussy, Ravel: Orchestral Works
Saint-Saëns: Les 5 Symphonies
Mendelssohn: 5 Symphonies; 7 Overtures
Vivaldi: The Masterworks (Box Set)

ASIN: B00009KV0W
Release Date: 2003-08-12

Customer Reviews:

Excellent performance and recording.......2007-02-02

If you like Rossini, this is an a must-have recording. Sure, he tended to write the same pieces over and over again, but they are utterly delightful. These performances by Neville Marriner and his personal orchestra are precise, and the fun inherent in many of these works does not get lost in the shuffle. The orchestra is blessed with excellent woodwind players; just listen to the oboe on some of the really fast passages.

Nice recorded sound. I really don't have anything bad to say about this entire package. It's almost a desert island recording for times where Mahler or Beethoven might be a little (or a lot) heavy.

Very Nice.......2005-03-17

Yes, these overtures may be cliched, but every classical collector should probably have them. Marriner, as usual, gives great performances, and the sound quality is very good.

Sparkling Performances.......2003-09-15

I only have glowing things to say about this set of Rossini overtures. First of all, Rossini's overtures are brilliant gems. They are light, fun and full of life!! Secondly, Marriner's conducting is marvellous. The performance sparkle like precious diamonds. Everything is very enjoyable, there's not a single boring number, unlike many other discs you purchase. And to top it off, it comes at a terrific bargain price. 3 very full CDs - 75 mins, 30 mins and 65 mins - of top notch music at seven dollars a piece is incredible.

Average customer rating:

Worthy music
My God... You moviegoers ruin everything...
NOT A MURDERER!!!!
One of the most underrated composers in History!
Murderer

Salieri: Symphonies, Overtures

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Salieri: The 2 Piano Concertos
Hoffmeister: Symphonies
Paul Wranitzky: Symphonies
Rosetti: Symphonies
Carlos Baguer: Symphonies

ASIN: B000056KNF
Release Date: 2001-02-27

Tracks:

Cublai, Gran Kan De' Tartari: Ov in D
Twenty-Six Vars On 'La Folia Di Spagna'
Angiolina, Ossia Il Matrimonio Per Sussuro: Ov in D
Sinf Veneziana in D: I. Allegro Assai
Sinf Veneziana in D: II. Andantino Grazioso -
Sinf Veneziana in D: III. Presto
La Locandiera: Ov in D: I. Allegro Assai -
La Locandiera: Ov in D: II. Andantino -
La Locandiera: Ov in D: III. Presto
Sinf 'Il Giorno Onomastico' in D: I. Allegro, Quasi Presto
Sinf 'Il Giorno Onomastico' in D: II. Larghetto
Sinf 'Il Giorno Onomastico' in D: III. Minuetto: Non Tanto Allegro - Trio
Sinf 'Il Giorno Onomastico' in D: IV. Allegretto E Sempre L'istesso Tempo
Falstaff, Ossia Le Tre Burle: Ov in D

Customer Reviews:

Worthy music.......2005-10-20

My God... You moviegoers ruin everything..........2005-01-13

It's nice to know that you need a movie to awaken you to classical music. If you had been introduced to Salieri in any way other than the Milos Forman film, you would realize the truth. Amadeus is a MOVIE... just like TITANIC is a movie. FICTIONALIZED ACCOUNT OF HISTORICAL FACTS...While adding in elements of fiction to enhance the DRAMA.. Salieri is a good composer. I suggest that you do your research, pal. Do you know that he and Mozart once shared a bill? Now, ANYONE can safely say that had they been enemies, they would not have dreamed of having their operas performed together.. Music is a personal thing for those who create it. But anyway, Salieri deserves to be noticed.

NOT A MURDERER!!!!.......2004-12-07

Salieri was in fact a pioneer of music. It was never proven that he murdered Mozart. Salieri's pupils included Beethoven, Schubert and Liszt. He helped found the Academy of Music in Vienna. The movie Amadeus is probably loosely based on an opera called Mozart i Salieri which dramatized their competition and jealousy. Salieri does not get the credit he deserves for his contribution to classical music as a composer. Salieri is a wonderful addition to anyone's classical music collection.

One of the most underrated composers in History!.......2004-11-17

This CD digs into the ignored music of Antonio Salieri. I am fed up of reviews comparing this composer to Mozart. Calling Salieri a murderer of Mozart is utterly incorrect. Probably, the reviewer who made this statement does not know that 'Amadeus' is a movie based on a myth.

Murderer.......2004-01-11

I don't see how anyone can try to immortalize his works after seeing the movie Amadeus. He was a conniving, evil, egotistal man. I will never buy anything with his name on it. He is the murderer of a musical genius. I love Mozart and any of his true fans will never purchase anything with the salieri stamp on it.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

Recommended Music:

Jungle City Twitch

Bach: Organ Masterworks

Anton Webern: Complete Works, Opp. 1-31

Music: St. Anger [Import] [CD-single]

Ambient Collection V.5

Los Tres Grandes [Box set]

A Nos Amours [Import]

30 Below Funk [Explicit Lyrics]

After Fajr [Live]

American Legends: Enrico Caruso

After The Fall

20 Supersucessos [Import]

Back Again [Clean]

White Christmas: A Christmas Festival

Undercurrent Blues