Schubert: Symphony No. 9; Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4

On this CD:

1. Symphony No. 4 in A major ("Italian"), Op. 90
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Klaus Tennstedt

2. Symphony No. 9 in C major ("The Great"), D. 944
Composed by Franz Schubert
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Klaus Tennstedt

Tracks:

Brandenbutg Concerto No.3 In G First Movement
Overture No.3 In D Second Movement
Violin Concerto In E First Movement
Prelude In C minor
Jesu Bleibet Meine Freude (Chorus From Cantata No.147)
Overture No.2 In B minor Minuet And Badinerie
Oboe Concerto In D minor Second Movement
Brandenburg Concerto No.4 In G Third Movement
Musical Offering - Fuga canonica
Easter Oratorio - Overture
Minuet In D minor
Kommst Du Nun, Jesu, Vom Himmel herunter(From Choral Prelude BWV 650
Brandenburg Concerto No.1 In F Second Movement
Art Of The Fugue - Contrapunctus 9
Concerto For Flute, Violin, Harpsichord And Strings. Triple Concerto - Third Movement
Overture No.4 In D - Réjouissance
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Water Music - Alla Hornpipe
Xerxes - Ombra Mai Fu (Largo)
Messiah - And The Glory Of The Lord
Concerto Grosso In A Minor, Op. 6, No. 4 - Larghetto Affettuoso
Organ Concerto In F, Op. 4, No. 4 Allegro
Water Music - Air
Messiah - For Unto Us A Child Is Born
Concerto Grosso In B flat, Op. 3, No. 2 - Largo
Salomon - Sinfonia, Act 3
The Choice Of Hercules - While For Thy Arms
Water Music - Allegro (Suite No. 1)
Suite No. 5 In E - Air With Variations
Jephtha - How Dark, O Lord
Organ Concerto In F, Op. 4, No. 5 Alla Siciliana - Presto
Mi Palpita Il Cor (Solo Cantata) S'un Di M'adora
Water Music - Andante Allegro Da Capo
Concerto for Trumpet & Orchestra in E-flat: First Movement
Symphony No. 94 in G: Surprise Symphony-second movement
Concerto for Violin No. 2 in D: Third Movement
Flute Trio No. 31 in G: Second Movement
Symphony No. 31 in D: Hornsignal-First Movement
String Quartet No. 17 in F, Op. 3, no. 5: Serenade Quartet-Second Movement
Sinfonia Concertante in B-flat for Violin, Cello, Oboe, Bassoon and Orchestra-Third Movement
Concerto for 2 Horns & Orchestra in E-flat: Second Movement
Symphony No. 88 in G: Fourth Movement
String Quartet No. 77 in C: Kaiser Quartet-Poco adagio cantabile
Notturno No. 1 in C: Second Movement
Symphony No. 98 in B: Londoner No. 4-Fourth Movement
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - first movement
Piano Concerto in A - second movement
Flute Concerto in D - Rondeau
Serenade - Minuet
Violin Concerto - first movement
Symphony No. 40 in G minor - first movement
Clarinet Concerto - second movement
Turkish March
Divertimento - Minuet
Horn Concerto No. 3 in E-flat - first movement
Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67-First Movement
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27, no. 2: Moonlight Sonata-First Movement
Overture
O welche Lust (Prisoners' Chorus)
Ha, welch ein Augenblick (Pizarros's Aria)
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37: Second Movement
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, Op. 61: Third Movement
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13: Pathétique-Second Movement
Sympony No. 6 in F, Op. 68: Pastorale-First Movement
Fantasy for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra in C minor, Op. 80: Choral Fantasy - Finale
German Dance No. 1 In C
Impromptu Op. 90, No. 3 In G-Flat
Heidenroslein
Ave Maria
Der Lindenbaum
Quintet In A 'Trout Quintet' - Andante
Mass No. 6 In E-Flat - Kyrie
Die Schone Mullerin Des Mullers Blumen
German Dance No. 2 In G
Piano Sonata In B-Flat
Nachtgesang Im Walde
Winterreise - No. 15: Die Krahe
German Mass - Zum Sanctus (Heilit, Heilig Ist Der Herr)
Symphony No. 8 In B Minor 'Unfinished' - Second Movement
Waltz No. 1 in E-flat, Op. 18 Grande Valse brillante
Nocturne in E-flat, Op. 9, no. 2
Etude in G-flat, Op. 10, no. 5
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21-Second Movement
Mazurka in D minor, Op. 33, no. 2
Prelude in D-flat, Op. 28, no. 15 Raindrop
Etude in C, Op. 10, no. 1
Nocturne in D-flat, Op. 27, no. 2
Impromptu No. 4 in C-sharp minor, Op. 66 Fantasy Impromptu
Scherzo in B minor, Op. 20
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35-Third Movement
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11 - Third Movement
Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor - first movement 113.String Seranade - Waltz
Violin Concerto - second movement
The Sleeping Beauty - Waltz
Capriccio Italien, Op. 45
Swan Lake - Waltz
Eugene Onegin - Polonaise
The Nutcracker - Waltz of the Flowers
Orchestral Suite No. 4 - Mozartiana - Third Movement
Swan Lake - Dance of the Swans
Symphony No. 6 in B minor - Pathétique - Third Movement
Hungarian Dance No.5
Lullaby
Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op. 68 - Third Movement
Intermezzo in E-flat, Op.117, no. 1
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, Op. 77 - Third Movement
Waltz, Op. 39, no. 15
Concert for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in B-flat, Op. 83 - Second Movement
String Quintet in G, Op. 111 - Second Movement
Symphony No.4 in E minor, Op. 98 - Third Movement
Intermezzo in A minor, Op. 76, no. 7
Hungarian Dance No.1 in G minor
German Requiem Selig sind die Toten (Final Chorus)
Die Fledermaus - Overture
Kaiser Waltz, Op.437
Thunder And Lightning Polka, Op. 324
Roses From The South Waltz, Op. 388
AnnenPolka, Op. 117
Vienna Blood Waltz, Op. 354
Eljen A Magyar Polka, Op. 332
Wine, Women and Song Waltz, Op. 333
On The Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz, Op. 134
Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg - Overture
Tannhauser - Die Pilger sind's (Pilgims' Chorus)
Tannhauser - O du mein holder Abendstern (Wolfram's Aria)
Lohengrin - Act 3 Prelude and Bridal Chorus
The Flying Dutchman - Jo-ho-he Traft ihr das Schiff (Senta's Ballad)
The Flying Dutchman - Steuermann, lass die Wacht (Sailors' Chorus)
Die Walkure - Wintersturme wichen dem Wonnemond (Siegmund's Aria)
Die Walkure - Ride of the Valkyries
Siegfried Hoho! Hoho! Hohei! Schmiede mein Hammer (Siegfried's Forging Song)
Tristan und Isolde - Liebestod
Thus sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 (excerpt)
Don Juan, Op. 20
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64, I.Nacht
Don Quixote, Op.35, first movement: Introduction
Salome, Op. 54, Dance Of The Seven Veils
Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59, Finale: Hab' mir's gelobt ihn lieb zu haben
Piano Concerto 2 In C minor, Op. 18 - First Movement
Vocalise, Op.34, No. 14
Prelude In G Sharp minor, Op. 32, No. 12
Piano Concerto No. 4 In G minor, Op. 40 - Third Movement
Symphony No. 2 In E minor, Op. 27 - Third Movement
Piano Concerto No. 1 In F sharp minor, Op. 1 - Second Movement
Rhapsody, Op. 43 On A Theme By Paganini
Hungarian Rhapsody No.2
Liebestraum No.3 in A-flat
Piano Concerto No.1 in E-flat - third movement
Angelus
Mephisto Waltz No.1 (Dance in a Village Tavern)
Prelude and Fugue on B-A-C-H
Dante Symphony - Finale. - Purgatorio - Magnificat
Les Préludes
Boléro
Daphnis et Chloé first movement: Nocturne
Rhapsodie Espagnole
Shéhérazade - first movement: Asie
Ma Mère l'Oye - fourth movement: La Belle et la Bête
Introduction and Allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet, and String Quartet
La Valse
Slavic Dance No. 1 in C, Op. 46, no.1
Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 'From the New World' - second movement
Humoresque, Op. 101
Slavic Dance No. 8 in G minor, Op. 46, no. 8
Serenade for String Orchestra, Op. 22 - second movement
Romance for Violin and Orchestra In F minor, Op. 11
Symphony No. 7 in D minor - third movement
Melodie (Songs My Mother Taught Me)
Carneval Overture, Op. 92
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B minor, Op. 104 - third movement
Symphony No.4 In A, Op. 90. Italian - First Movement
Frühlingslied In A, Op. 62, No. 6
Wedding March (From A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61)
Duetto In F, Op.30, No.6 (From Songs Without Words)
String Symphony No.9 In C. Schweitzer Symphony - Third Movement
Concerto For Violin, Piano And String Orchestra No. 1 In D minor - Second Movement
Symphony No.3 In A minor, Op.56 Scottish - Third Movement"
Notturno (From A Midsumment Night's Dream, Op. 61)
Rondo Capriccioso, Op.14
String Symphony No. 12 In G minor - First Movement
Venetian Gondola Song In F Sharp minor, Op.30, No.6
Scherzo (From A Midsumment Night's Dream, Op. 61)
Violin Concerto In E minor, Op.64 - Third Movement
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 1, Op. 46 - Morgenstimmung
Holberg Suite, Op. 40 - I. Prelude. Allegro vivace
Holberg Suite, Op. 40 - IV. Air. Andante religioso
Arietta, Op. 12, no. 1
Homage March from Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op. 56
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 2, Op. 55 - Solveig's Song
Wedding Day at Troldhauen, Op. 65, no. 6
The Last Spring, Op. 34, no. 2
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 1, Op 46 - Anitra's Dance
Nordic Melody Op. 63
Notturno, Op. 54, no. 4
Elegie, Op. 47, no. 5
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 2, Op. 55 - Arabic Dance
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 - Allegro
Symphony No. 3 in E flat, Op. 97 - Rhenish - first movement
Traumerai (from Kinderszenen, Op. 15)
Mondnacht (from Eichendorff-Liederkreis, Op. 39)
Aufschwung (from Fantasietucke, Op. 12)
Triolett, Op. 114, no. 2
Tanzlied (No. 1 from Duets, Op. 78)
Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120 - second movement
Frühlingsgruss
Abschied (from Waldszenen Op. 82)
Dichterliebe, Op. 48 - Im wunderschonen Monat Mai
Manfred Overture, Op. 115
Romance in F sharp, Op. 28, no. 2
Die Rose stand im Tau
Liebesgarten (from Four Duets, Op. 34)
Warum? (from Fantasiestucke, Op. 12)
Kennst du das Land, Op.79, no. 29 (from Lieder der Mignon, Op. 98a)
Von fremden Landern und Menschen (from Kinderszenen, Op. 15)

Album Description

An extraordinary 20-CD collection of great works by Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Ravel, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff, J. Strauss, R. Strauss, Schumann, Wagner, Dvorak, Grieg and Liszt. It also features worldrenowned artists such as Sir Neville Marriner, Martha Argerich, Ivo Pogorelich, Hermann Prey, Reiner Goldberg, Sylvia Sass, Jochen Kowalski, Peter Schreler and many more. This exquisite, copper metallic, deluxe boxed set is the perfect gift for the classical music neophyte.

Customer Reviews:

Mill. Classical review.......2007-05-13

This is a great set of recordings for the money, the only problem was I've had to clean some of the CD's before they played correctly.

classical music for the unitiated.......2007-04-01

This set is a good way to start listening to classical music. It's very well produced and easy to listen to. I purchased it to use as part of my world history high school class. It would have been nice to have some bio information on the composers. However, the product is exactly as advertised and good value for the money. The students were intrigued by how many of the excerpts they had heard before.

Some little gems there that I had forgotten!.......2007-03-30

Although I studied classical music at school, I had all but forgotten it until I bought this set. I heard several tracks I haven't heard for over 30 years, and I had been humming Brahms's 'Hungarian Dance no. 5' for years without ever knowing what it was and it was on the disc, so that was nice.

I found it to be a very good selection overall, but I felt too much had already been heard on TV, which of course is what lots of newcomers to classical music might appreciate. I managed to find about 2 hours of tracks that I wanted to keep, which works out quite expensive per disc, but I did find some wonderful music I had completely forgotten about, so it was worth it. All in all, it represents good value, and I have only knocked one star off as so much of it had been used in adverts.

It is definitely a good introduction to classical music, and it has made me want to listen to more of it, so I don't regret this 'expensive' purchase one bit!

Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [20 CD Set]

A very helpful collection.......2007-03-24

I define this set as an excellent way to find out who you like, and who you don't, among 20 of the important composers. It opens the door to purchasing more complete pieces by composers you do like, and can save a lot of time and money in the process.
To criticize the set for not containing more composers, or more than just snippets of those who are in the set, is missing the point: it is a helpful introduction to finding your way in the huge maze of classical music. It succeeds admirably in this.
Sound quality is uniformly very good on an audiophile system.
Highly recommended.

Excellent!.......2007-03-08

A great way to start a classical music collection. It's nice to have a full CD of each composer. It makes it easy to keep track of selections/composers I already have and what composers I still need to puchase to complete my collection.

Average customer rating:

A Grand symphonic adventure

Symphony (25) Favorites

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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25 Classical Favorites
25 Mozart Favorites
25 Concerto Favorites
25 Beethoven Favorites
25 Thunderous Classics

ASIN: B0000058IU
Release Date: 1997-07-01

Tracks:

No. 6, 'Pastorale' - Ludwig Van Beethoven
No. 29 In A Major, 1st Mvt. - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
No. 39 In F Major, Scherzando - Michael Haydn
No. 40 In G Minor, Minuet - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
No. 94 In G Major 'Suprise', Andante - Franz Joseph Haydn
No. 41 In C Major, 'Jupiter', 1st Mvt. - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
No. 34 In C Major, Finale - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
No. 5 In B Flat Major, Andante - Franz Schubert
No. 4 'Italian' 1st Mvt. - Felix Mendelssohn
Symphonie Fantastique 'Scenes From A Ball' - Hector Berlioz
No. 9, 'New World' Largo - Antonin Dvor
No. 6, 'Pastorale', 4th Mvt., 'Thunderstorm' - Ludwig Van Beethoven
No. 5 In C Minor, Andante - Ludwig Van Beethoven
No. 8 'Unfinished' 1st Mvt. - Franz Schubert
No. 2 In C Major, Scherzo - Robert Schumann
No. 9, 'New World', 4th Mvt. - Antonin Dvor
No. 5, 3rd Mvt., Waltz - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
'Classical Symphony', Gavotte - Sergey Prokofiev
No. 2 In E Minor 1st Mvt., Allegro - Sergei Rachmaninoff
No. 3, 'Organ Symphony', Finale - Camille Saint-Sa
No. 1 In C Minor, Finale - Johannes Brahms
No. 5 In E Major, Finale - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
No. 9, 'Choral Symphony' 3rd Mvt., Adagio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
No. 7, 1st Mvt. (Extract) - Ludwig Van Beethoven
No. 5 In C Minor, Finale - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Customer Reviews:

A Grand symphonic adventure.......2005-07-26

This album provides a quick exposure to some of the best movements in the best symphonies. Many of the tracks will sound familiar. They are played well and have good sound quality.
As a novice musician, i have great appreciation for it.

George Szell: Decca & Philips Recordings 1951-1969

Average customer rating:

Lots of Szell Brings A Re-evaluation
George Szell is best known from his Columbia recordings

George Szell: Decca & Philips Recordings 1951-1969

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Classical | Styles | Music

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The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Clifford Curzon: Decca Recordings, 1937-1971, Vol. 3
CARL SCHURICHT Decca Recordings 1949-1956
Ernest Ansermet: Decca Recordings 1953-1967
Pierre Monteux Decca & Philips Recordings, 1956-1964
George Szell Plays and Conducts Mozart

ASIN: B0009A41XS
Release Date: 2005-08-09

Customer Reviews:

Lots of Szell Brings A Re-evaluation.......2005-09-21

Kudos to Decca for bringing together in one convenient set George Szell's recordings that were made for the Decca & Philips labels from the early 1950s and to mid 1960s (minus those recordings where he acted in the role of accompanist, ie: those with pianist Curzon). These recordings are very well known and have been collector's items for many years, so to have them together in a mid-price box is self recommending.

The Philips recordings were issued a few years ago as a 2-CD set in their "Early Years" series while a few of the Decca recordings have already been released as singles in their Classic Sound series (both series saw very spotty distribution Stateside). I detect very little change in the sound quality in these new Decca Classic Sound versions, though the couplings from CD to CD are better programmed here than they were before (Philips had to cram alot of music on those 2CDs).

The most-recommendable recordings in the bunch are Szell's Mozart 34, Dvorak 8, Beethoven Egmont, Mendelssohn Midsummer's Night and Brahms 3. Here, the usual Szell trademarks are fully on display: tight rhythms, crisp articulation and finely graded dynamics. However, I was unexpectedly disappointed in two recordings long held to be top Szell & basic repertoire recommendations: the Beethoven 5 and Sibelius 2.

The Beethoven 5 has always been touted as more relaxed and in better sound than Szell's CBS 5th with Cleveland. But comparing this new Decca re-issue to Sony's recent "Original Jacket" issue of the Cleveland 5th, I didn't find that to be true at all. The Sony version now stands - to me, at least - as the better representation of Szell in this warhorse, both as an interpretation and in recorded sound. Indeed, the Concertgebouw recording suffers from an extremely lackluster and sloppy second movement that probably could have used a retake. Something just isn't right here - conductor and orchestra are not on the same page of the playbook...which is not what one expects in a recording by such a strong-willed technician as Szell. As an overall performance, this Concertgebouw recording is now easily surpassed by Szell's Sony effort, not to mention alternate versions by Kleiber, Karajan, Bernstein and others (but, again, you need to hear the Szell/Sony in the Original Jackets remastering, not the earlier Essential Classics version).

As for the Sibelius 2, we have a situation where poor intonation and hesitant execution in the orchestra knock this version off the pedestal of received opinion. And, with Szell's live Tokyo performance with Cleveland now widely available, his Concertgebouw version comes in direct competition with - Szell himself, and in a much better and much more cohesive recording. With the "if only he had recorded this with Cleveland" caveat removed, the choice is now clear - get the Cleveland version if you want Szell in Sibelius 2. That recording remains a top recommendation, though Ormandy, Maazel, Vanska and even Karajan have all brought their particular strengths to this piece as well, strengths that are much different than Szell's forte(s). There's plenty of room at the top when it comes to great recordings of great music.

Having lived with both the Beethoven and Sibelius for years, it's a bit disconcerting to have to make the above observations, but there you have it.

For the rest of the set, it is good to have Szell's interpretations of Tchaikovsky and Schubert on hand in such good sound. But truth be told, there are better versions out there of these works as well, the Tchaik 4 in particular (which in Szell's hands hangs fire in the least-expected places). The Baroque recordings included here are testament to a long-gone era when the standard Baroque works (worques?) were made acceptable to orchestral audiences by beefing them up to quasi-Wagnerian proportions. And even here, Szell is bettered by his contemporaries like Adrian Boult and Karl Richter in similar repertoire. A Baroque curate's egg if there ever was one.

Having said all of the above, I can still safely recommend this set to just about anyone interested in Szell or the repertoire on offer. Yes - work to work, there are better versions available, some from Szell himself. But *overall,* this set will provide plenty of pleasure and musical excitement to everyone save the anti-Szell wing of the classical music zealotry.

Enjoy.

George Szell is best known from his Columbia recordings.......2005-08-31

George Szell (1897-1970) is best known from his recordings made in the 1950s and 60s for Columbia records, mostly with the Cleveland Orchestra, many of which are now on Sony Classical. But he also made a number of recordings during the same period for Decca and Philips in Europe, with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam; Vienna Philharmonic, and London Symphony, all of which are included in this box. If you think of Szell as a cold, calculating technician - and he could be in some of his Columbia recordings - he has precision here in spades, but also warm sound, perhaps partly from the remastering for this release.

Szell's Concertgebouw Beethoven Symphony 5 is MUCH BETTER than his Cleveland recording. The precision is there, but it also sings, and is warmer than the Cleveland recording (Sony, coupled with Symphony 2). Szell's Vienna EGMONT is one of the best recordings of the work, if not THE best recording of the stereo age, even 36 years after it was recorded. The Sibelius 2 (also with the Concertgebouw) is warm and fine in every way. The Concertgebouw played beautifully for him, and it shows.

The Mendelssohn MIDSUMMER NIGHT's DREAM, Schubert ROSAMUNDE, Mozart Symphony 34, Handel WATER MUSIC and ROYAL FIREWORKS MUSIC are all excellent, too. Some may have favorite performances, but I cannot imagine anything better than Szell's Concertgebouw Mozart 34: perhaps Bohm (DG) and Krips (Philips).
The 5th disc has two classic mono recordings of the early 1950s:
Dvorak's Symphony 8, and Brahms 3, both with the Concertgebouw. The sound is just fine: beautifully remastered, and Szell's performances very solid and musical.

As you can tell, I'm very happy with this, and would advise anyone with $30.00 spare change to pick it up at their first opportunity.

Classical Music Start-Up Kit, Vol. 2: 1825-1945

Average customer rating:

Classical Music Start-Up Kit, Vol. 2: 1825-1945

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Classical Music Start-Up Kit, Vol. 1 (1500-1825)
Prehistoric Art (Art in History)
Ancient Roman Art (Hodge, Susie, Art in History.)
Ancient Egyptian Art (Hodge, Susie, Art in History.)
The Story of Stonehenge and Other Megalithic Sites (Dover Pictorial Archives)

ASIN: B00005YCX6
Release Date: 1996-01-04

Tracks:

Scherzo - Jeno Jando
Waltz In C# Minor - Peter Nagy
Song Without Words, Op.102, No.5 - Peter Nagy
'The Fountains Of The Villa D'Este' - Jeno Jando
Scherzo - Jeno Jando
'March To The Scaffold' - Pinchas Steinberg
Finale - Adrian Leaper
Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 (Excerpt) - Adrian Leaper
The Moldau (exc) - Slovak PO/Barry Wordsworth
Final Movement Of Symphony No.9 'From The New World' - Stephen Gunzenhauser
'Bydlo' - Jeno Jando
'Flight Of The Bumblebee' - Balazs Szokolay
'Polovtsian Dances' - Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
Finale - Adrian Leaper
Finale - Takako Nishizaki
'Liebestod' - Johannes Wildner
Finale - Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
Intro To Also Sprach Zarathustra - Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
Uranus, The Magician - Adrian Leaper
'Jeux De Vagues' - Alexander Rahbari
'Sunrise' - Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Chorus
Adoration Of The Earth (Finale) - Alexander Rahbari
March From Love For Three Oranges Suite, Op.33: March - Andrew Mogrelia
Scherzo - Alexander Rahbari
Finale - Alexander Rahbari

Average customer rating:

Marches - CD 1

Marches: The Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: Compendia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | 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

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Stars & Stripes: America's Greatest Hits
Marches: Greatest Hits
Fiedler's Favorite Marches
Tchaikovsky: The Greatest Hits
American Anthems

ASIN: B000003QWZ
Release Date: 1994-04-13

Tracks:

Ride Of The Valkyries
Pictures At An Exhibition - Promenade
Aida - Triumphal March
The Nutcracker - March
Pomp And Circumstance
Symphonie Fantastique - March To The Scaffold
A Midsummer Night's Dream - Wedding March
Symphony No. 9, Choral - Alta Marcia
March Militaire No. 1
Entry Of The Gladiators
Love For Three Oranges - March
March Joyeuse
Symphony No. 1, Titan - Funeral March
Radetsky March
National Emblem March
The Washington Post

Tracks:

Coronation March
The Ruins Of Athens - Turkish March
Les Troyes - Marche Troyenne
Marche Slav
Swan Lake - Wedding March
Symphony No 3, Eroica - Funeral March
Babes in Toyland - March
West Side Story - America
The Carnival Of The Animals - Introduction And Royal March Of The Lion
Carmen - March Of The Toreadors
Carmen - March of the Smugglers
Colonel Bogey March
American Salute
Semper Fidelis
El Capitan
Seventy-Six Trombones
Americans We
Lassus Trombone
The Stars And Stripes

Customer Reviews:

Marches - CD 1.......2006-03-12

Fabulous pieces. It all started with hearing Pomp and Circumstance by Elgar ont he radio...

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FABULOUS SELECTION OF CLASSICAL MUSIC

Classics for Relaxation and Meditation

Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Meditation: Classical Relaxation (Box Set)
Most Relaxing Classical Piano Music in the Universe
Bach for Relaxation
Rachmaninoff for Relaxation
Chopin For Relaxation

ASIN: B000000LOH
Release Date: 1995-04-16

Tracks:

BWV 992: Jeusus Is Always My Gladness
Concerto In B Flat Major: Adagio
Organ Concerto In G Major: Largo
Moonlight Sonata In C Sharp Minor Op. 27-2: Quasi Una Fantasia (Adagio Sostenuto)
Mass In E Minor: Kyre Eleyson
Piano Concerto No. 26 In D Minor K537: Larghetto
Symphony No. 8 In Minor D 759: Andante Con Moto
Fantasy Op. 73: Tender And With Expression
The Moldau: Sympohic Poem
Valse Triste: Op. 44, 1 From 'Kuolema'
Oboe Concerto In C Major K314: Adagio - Mozart
Piano Concerto No. 21 In C Major K467 'Elvira Madigan': Andante

Tracks:

Souvenir De Florence In D Minor Op. 70: Adagio Cantibile - Tchaikovsky
Raindrop Prelude In D Flat Major Op. 28 - 15
Symphony No. 4 In A Major Op. 90 'Italian': Andante con molto
Love Dream No. 3 In A Flat Major Op. 62
Lullaby - Berceuse Op. 105
Berceuse: Lullaby Op. 57 - Chopin
Wind Quartet In E Flat Major Op. 88-2: Andante grazioso
Cello Concerto In G Major: Romance
Concerto For Flute, Harp And Orchestra In C Major K299: Andantino - Mozart
Sonata In C Minor Op. 13 'Pathetique': Adagio cantabile - Beethoven
Divertimento No. 1 In B Flat Major 'Chorale St. Antoni': Andante - Haydn _

Tracks:

Stabat Mater Op.58: Virgo Virginium Praeclara - Dvorak
Divertimento No. 1 In B Flat Major: Chorale - Haydn _
Consolation In E Major - Liszt
Symphony No. 5 In D Major, Op.107 'Reformation': Finale
Execution Transcendante: Evening Harmony - Liszt
Overture In D Major: Air BWV 1068 - Bach
Orfeo ed Euridice: Dance Of The Blessed Spirits - Gluck
Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major Op. 15: Largo - Beethoven
String Quartet No. 62 In C Major, Op.76, 3 'Emperor': Adagiop cantabile - Haydn _

Customer Reviews:

FABULOUS SELECTION OF CLASSICAL MUSIC.......2001-05-16

Whether or not you are a fan of classical music, the truth is that everyone enjoys a few hours of peace and relaxation. This CD provides a wide selection of music from famous composers like Mozart to lesser known classical composers, which makes it the perfect CD to play on your stereo during those rare moments of peace. Play it while reading a favorite novel, or just simply sit down and meditate with the help of this classical CD. Beethoven's widely popular "Moonlight Sonata" for the piano and Chopin's extraordinary "Raindrop" are just two examples of musical pieces that will not only calm but enrich your life. With a total of three discs included at a phenomenal value, this is one CD that you cannot afford to pass up.

The Instruments of Classical Music, Vol. 6: The Cello

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A great CD showcasing a GREAT INSTRUMENT

The Instruments of Classical Music, Vol. 6: The Cello

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Instruments of Classical Music, Vol. 1: The Flute
The Instruments of Classical Music, Vol. 5: The Violin
The Instruments of Classical Music, Vol. 2: The Oboe
The Instruments of Classical Music, Vol. 10: The Guitar and Lute
The Instruments of Classical Music, Vol. 3: The Trumpet

ASIN: B000001VMN
Release Date: 1990-06-04

Tracks:

Melody in F, Op. 3 No. 1
Ave Maria
The Flight Of The Bumblebee
Traumerei
Songs My Mother Taught Me
Carnival of Animals: The Swan
Berceuse
I Masnadieri - Prelude
Symphony No. 9: Finale - Introduction
Cello Concerto No. 1 in C: Allegro Molto
Song Without Words
Suite in D: Overture
Concerto In D: Vivace

Customer Reviews:

A great CD showcasing a GREAT INSTRUMENT.......2002-09-24

My brother bought me this CD when I started studying cello, and it provided an excellent collection of different celistic styles. All of the tracks are tuneful and many showcase virtuosic playing -- the listener gets a real feel for the variety and depth of the cello's sound.

Tracks:

Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67: I. Allegro Con Brio
Symphony No. 4 in a Major, Op. 90 "Italian": II. Andante Con Moto - The London Symphony Orchestra
Garcarole, From: "The Tales of Hoffmann" - Philharmonic Orchestra
Carmen Suite No. 1: Les Toror
"Four Seasons" for Violin and String Orchestra Fall, Op. 8/3 in F ... - Rainer Kussmaul, Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra
Divertimento No. 1 in B Flat Major: II. Chorale St. Antoni
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G Major, BWV 1049: I. Allegro
Ave Maria (After J. S Bach)
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 Op. 46: Morning - Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
Excerpts from "The Nutcracker", Ballet Suite Op. 71A: II. March - South German Philharmonic Orchestra
Canon in D Major - Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra
"Hallelujah", From Messiah
Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550: I. Molto Allegro - Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

Thus Spoke Zarathustra - Prelude
Barber of Seville: Overture, Excerpt - Munich Symphony Orchestra
Lovedream No. 3 in A Flat Major - Josef Bulva
Beautiful Blue Danube, Waltz Op. 314 - Vienna Opera Orchestra
Peter and the Wolf - Main Theme (Peter) & Coda
Meditation, From "Thais"
Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, "From the New World": IV. Allegro Con Fuoco - Slovak Philharmonic
Children's Corner (Suite for Piano 1908): Golliwogg's Cakewalk - Peter Schmalfuss
Swan, From: "Carnival of the Animals"
Master Singers of Nuremberg Overture
Etude No. 3 in E Major, Op. 10/3: "Tristesse" - Peter Schmalfuss
Symphony No. 5 in B Flat Major, D. 485: I. Allegro - Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra

Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 5, 8, 9; Mendelssohn: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5

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For a non-devotee, a pleasing collection
Toscanini conducts Schubert & Mendelssohn
Good, sometimes transcendant performances
Sparkling Schubert & Mendelssohn from Toscanini

Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 5, 8, 9; Mendelssohn: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 5

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Arturo Toscanini & NBC Symphony Orchestra Vol. 7
Brahms: The Four Symphonies
Arturo Toscanini: Great Symphonies, Vol. 6
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Arturo Toscanini: The Complete Philadelphia Orchestra Recordings 1941-42

ASIN: B00000JPCF
Release Date: 1999-08-10

Tracks:

Symphony No.5 In B-Flat Major, D.485: Allegro
Symphony No.5 In B-Flat Major, D.485: Andante Con Moto
Symphony No.5 In B-Flat Major, D.485: Menuetto: Allegro Molto - Trio
Symphony No.5 In B-Flat Major, D.485: Allegro Vivace
Symphony No.9 In C Major, D.944: The Great: Andante - Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Symphony No.9 In C Major, D.944: The Great: Andante Con Moto
Symphony No.9 In C Major, D.944: The Great: Scherzo: Allegro Vivace
Symphony No.9 In C Major, D.944: The Great: Finale: Allegro Vivace

Tracks:

Symphony No.8 In B Minor, D.759: Unfinished: Allegro Moderato
Symphony No.8 In B Minor, D.759: Unfinished: Andante Con Moto
Symphony No.4 In A Major, Op.90: Italian: Allegro Vivace
Symphony No.4 In A Major, Op.90: Italian: Andante Con Moto
Symphony No.4 In A Major, Op.90: Italian: Con Moto Moderato
Symphony No.4 In A Major, Op.90: Italian: Saltarello: Presto
Symphony No.5 In D Minor, Op.107: Reformation: Andante: Allegro Con Fuoco
Symphony No.5 In D Minor, Op.107: Reformation: Allegro Vivace
Symphony No.5 In D Minor, Op.107: Reformation: Andante
Symphony No.5 In D Minor, Op.107: Reformation: Chorale: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Customer Reviews:

For a non-devotee, a pleasing collection.......2005-12-07

The newly remastered sound in the Toscanini "Immortal" series has brought me back into the fold, but not nearly to the breathless extent as true devotees. To a younger generation it's hard to grasp the absolute worship of Toscanini during his lifetime, yet it can't be denied. Here we have performances of 5 symphonies conducted briskly enough that they fit on two CDs. Does this imply that some of the music is too rushed? To my ears, yes. The first movement of the Schubert "Unfinished" and the two middle movements of the Schubert Ninth fairly fly by, and I hear no compensating reason why. Yet the Mendelssohn "Reformation," so often a dull duty to sit through, greatly benefits from Toscanini's kick in the pants.

The NBC Sym. wasn't a virtuoso ensemble, and nothing here sounds extraordinarily well played--one must acknowledge that razor-sharp precision was a Toscanini goal, however. It's heard to good effect in the "Reformation," hwich also has good sonics. The rest are never less than clearly recorded, without much glare or edginess.

My personal favorites here are the three Schubert symphonies, but particularly the Ninth, which Toscanini takes fairly broadly through the first movement, too fast in the middle movements, and thrillingly fast in the finale. The Fifth is buoyant, although it could use a dose more charm. The Unfinished is played for outright drama, a valid approach even if it takes a moment to adjust to Toscanini's speed up. The Mendelssohn "Italian" is pushed and faceless (Or was I getting fatigued by too many quick laps aorund the track?); it also suffers from wiry-sounding strings.

All in all, I'm not sure this level of music-making would be considered extraordinary if we didn't know befoehand that the Maestro was presiding, but even for a non-devotee this is a satisfying collection in the best sonics ever.

Toscanini conducts Schubert & Mendelssohn.......2003-12-02

There's no question that Toscanini brought out nuances in the music of Franz Schubert and Felix Mendelssohn that other conductors have missed. This compilation is a clear, definitive demonstration of Toscanini's mastery of this music.

One of the bonuses of these digitally-remastered versions of the historic RCA Victor recordings is a clarity seldom heard in the peformances before. Too often these recordings suffered from either shrillness or artificial stereo enhancements. BMG has gone back to the original sources, the magnetic tapes, and carefully mastered them for optimal sound.

The performances are consistently outstanding. Schubert's fifth symphony is a light, lyrical work that is absolutely delightful in Toscanini's hands. It uses a fairly small orchestra and was recorded in Carnegie Hall on March 17, 1953, when RCA was achieving great results with its single-microphone "New Orthophonic" process.

The eighth symphony was recorded in Studio 8-H on March 12 and June 2, 1950, the final year that the NBC Symphony Orchestra performed there. Without a studio audience present, the studio had remarkably good sound and the RCA engineers achieved wonderful results, as this recording demonstrates. The performance is absolutely awesome, particularly in the almost eerie second movement. Toscanini clearly shows that Schubert achieved much in the two movements he completed before abandoning the symphony during its third movement.

The performances of Schubert's ninth symphony by Toscanini were generally exceptional. I've long admired the November 16, 1941, recording with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the February 9, 1953, recording with the NBC Symphony Orchestra. Toscanini maintains great intensity and excitement throughout the piece, clearly showing how Schubert was looking ahead to the development on romanticism.

Mendelssohn's fourth symphony, which the composer subtitled "Italian," is an absolute delight. It has seldom been played with such beauty, serenity, and dexterity as by the NBC Symphony in this February 1954 recording, one of the last great performances by the orchestra under Toscanini.

The fifth symphony, which celebrates the Reformation, is a work of great dignity and power. Toscanini skillfully grasped the drama of the music and builds the famous "A Mighty Fortress" chorale in an overwhelming manner. This Carnegie Hall recording from December 13, 1953, is one of Toscanini's best.

Good, sometimes transcendant performances.......2003-07-03

I have said several times elsewhere that these 24-bit remastered Toscanini CDs are among the best-sounding of all Toscanini reissues. I should also mention that, for the most part, the performances are also superb. This set is no exception. I am not totally convinced of his swift, taut reading of the "Unfinished" symphony's first movement, but the second movement has seldom been performed with such depth of feeling and delicate beauty. Likewise, his performance of the Mendelssohn "Italian" symphony seems to me a bit harsh in places, perhaps caused by the tenseness of the string players, but is overall a fine reading. On the other hand, Toscanini's vision of the Schubert 5th was decades ahead of its time, light and airy, much like the Fischer-Dieskau and Harnoncourt recordings.

The Schubert 9th here is NOT the later recording, but the 1948 performance, which is actually a shade better, closer in concept to the exciting Philadelphia Orchestra performance but without the tragically wrong-headed slowdown of the basses in the closing measures. In short, a slightly faster version than you may be used to, but quite valid in its own way. (Even the Austrians of the Vienna Philharmonic admitted that Toscanini's Schubert, though unconventional, was valid.)

The Mendelssohn 5th Symphony, "Reformation," is quite simply one of the old man's greatest performances of any music. He actually conducts this symphony a little SLOWER than most conductors today, building the chorale theme in the last movement with inexorable drama and power. You simply must hear it to believe it!

Sparkling Schubert & Mendelssohn from Toscanini.......2001-07-23

For those accustomed to the Viennese whipped-cream & chocolate approach to Schubert, Toscanini's interpretations will come as a shock. Toscanini saw Schubert's symphonic works as rooted in Classical structure and compositional technique, coupled with Schubert's extraordinary melodic gifts, rather as works pointing to Schumann and the later Romantics.

This 1953 version of Schubert's Fifth Symphony is the only one made by Toscanini, who performed publicly it for the first time shortly before the recording session. Always concerned with instrumental balance, Toscanini pared down the string section so as not to overpower the woodwinds. The result is a leaner Schubert Fifth than in most recordings, with fleet playing from the strings and better intonation from the woodwinds than one usually hears from the NBC Symphony.

Toscanini's 1950 recording of the ubiquitous "Unfinished" Symphony is more turbulent than most versions, with the battle between the minor and major tonalities of the first movement clearly being won by the sides of darkness. Where the first movement is turmoil interrupted by occasional lyricism, the second movement is just the opposite, and Toscanini's approach to the work underscores that point.

The Ninth was Toscanini's favorite of Schubert's symphonies, judging from the number of times he performed it. His three recordings of the piece (1941, with the Philadelphia Orchestra, 1947 with the NBC Symphony, and this version from 1953), differ in tempo, approach to transitions, and balance between orchestral sections. Yet Toscanini's vision of the work remains essentially the same: Structural and harmonic clarity are paramount. Whereas most conductors use the work as an excuse for random, and radical, tempo changes, Toscanini's plays the work in a relatively straight line. This is especially noteworthy in the coda of the first movement, where Toscanini sustains the main tempo until the end.

Unlike the Schubert, these performances of the Mendelssohn Symphonies derive from concert broadcasts and rehearsals recorded during Toscanini's final season as a conductor. For the most part, however, the playing is as polished as in the Schubert. (One notable exception is near the beginning of Mendelssohn's "Reformation" Symphony, where there are a few incidents of poor woodwind intonation.) The Mendelssohn Symphonies are approached in much the same way as the Schubert, more "Classic" than "Romantic" (of course, neither composer would have been concerned with such musicological terminology). Nevertheless, in terms of symphonic music, Toscanini's interpretive approach pointed to the high Classical era of Mozart and Early Beethoven.

A note about the sound: Until recently, few conductors have been as poorly served by recording technology than was Arturo Toscanini. The first LP issues of his work, which even then sounded sub-par, were made worse in the mid-1960s with the introduction of fake-stereo reissues. The first CD issues in the mid-1980s were little better, with excess reverb and audible edits. The mammoth complete Toscanini reissue of the early 1990s treated the recordings with the respect they deserved, but the sound was still limited. As for this RE-reissue, the sonics are dramatically superior to all earlier issues. Utilizing the best technology now available, RCA has done the right thing by hiring a musician--conductor Ed Houser--rather than whiz-bang technicians to supervise the remastering. The NBC Symphony Orchestra now sounds better than ever before, with greater clarity, smoother strings, fuller winds, and less distortion during fortissimos. Even this version of Schubert's "Unfinished," which was recorded in NBC's cramped Studio 8-H, has a fullness and body, if not actual warmth, that has not been heard previously from this source.

For those wanting to hear non-traditional, but faithful and powerful performances of these works, this issue is a must.

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