Berlioz & Tchaikovsky: Romeo & Juliet

On this CD:

1. Roméo et Juliette, for alto, tenor, bass, chorus, & orchestra ("symphonie dramatique"), H.79 (Op. 17)
Composed by Hector Berlioz
Performed by Boston Symphony Orchestra with Jose Van Dam, Jean Dupouy, Julia Hamari
Conducted by Seiji Ozawa

2. Romeo and Juliet, fantasy-overture for orchestra in B minor (3 versions) Fantasy Overture
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky

Conducted by Seiji Ozawa

Tracks:

Aida: Grand March
Babes In Toyland: March Of The Toys
Semper Fidelis
Suite No. 1, Op. 43: Marche miniature
Yankee Doodle
Up The Street
The Damnation of Faust: Rakoczy March
Caucasian Sketches: Procession Of The Sardar
Sambre et Meuse
The Ruins Of Athens: Turkish March
Colonel Bogey
Dixie
American Salute: When Johnny Comes Marching Home
Strike Up The Band
Radetzsky March
Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1
Algerian Suite: French Military March
Mlada: Procession Of The Nobles
Valdres March
National Emblem March
The Stars And Stripes Forever

Customer Reviews:

Album matches content hype.......2007-05-31

I intially bought this album for a few selections I had heard from Classical 102.1 (KDFC-FM). I was pleasantly surprised that the entire album has a very satisfying collection of the greatest marches. I am very pleased with this album, and would recommend it for anyone who likes a broad range of famous marches.

Fun.......2007-01-21

This CD would make a great gift for anyone who enjoys marches. Some of the marches are popular, others are not. All are well-performed and can be enjoyed - LOUDLY!

invigorating!.......2006-12-05

Great recordings of stirring music. I like to play it loud while my kids and I clean house. It makes it go by fast.

Totally awesome!.......2005-03-27

My father was a Marine in the ETC, he told me stories about how they went floor to floor checking for bad guys humming this music. I think it is great music to listen to, I really like track 3, it says so much in the title alone. I hope everybody like this music as much as I do!

Average customer rating:

Very nice performance, good recording and great price.
The Best "Sinfonie Fantastique" for the Price
Undoubtedly the best "Fantastique"
Awesome
Brilliant Berlioz from Muti/Philadelphia

Symphonie Fantastique

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Stravinsky: Rite Of Spring, Fireworks, Petrouchka / Ozawa, Tilson Thomas, Chicago Symphony
Chopin: Preludes & Nocturnes

ASIN: B00000JQY3
Release Date: 1999-08-10

Tracks:

Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14: I. Reveries - Passions
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14: II. Un bal
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14: III. Scene aux champs
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14: IV. Marche au supplice
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14: V. Songe d'une nuit de Sabbat

Amazon.com essential recording

Muti's perfectionism is everywhere clear in his stirring, crisp leadership of this many-layered, flavorful work. Some have argued that it's a bit over-the-top; we call that exciting. This is not to say that in the more elegant moments, we don't get some beautifully sculpted, feathery sounds. And clearly, each section of the orchestra was ideally rehearsed: the strings are lush, the winds reedy and spicy, and the brass wonderfully aggressive. Wow! --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Very nice performance, good recording and great price........2007-06-15

I really enjoyed this performance as much as wonderful sound quality, clear and clean on most subtle dynamics. Everything is in place nothing is overemphasized.

The Best "Sinfonie Fantastique" for the Price.......2006-05-10

I concur with what other reviewers have said on this page: this is one of the most exciting versions of Berlioz's classics around. The Philadelphia Orchestra, whose beauty of tone is often praised, can also get whipped up to a lather by the right conductor and score, and having heard Muti in concert many times with the Orchestra, I can say he had that effect more often than did (and do) the Orchestra's other august music directors. A comparison of this performance and the fine old recording with Ormandy on Sony shows just how much more energized the players are here for Muti. The last movement has some truly hair-raising moments in it, moments in which ensemble might have slipped if a lesser body of musicians were involved.

The "Marche au supplice" fourth movement, however, shows even better what kind of performance this is. The tempo speeds up ever so slightly about halfway through; something that doesn't accord with reality, maybe--after all, a march to the scaffold would proceed with military precision--but the accelerando bespeaks a live-performance kind of rush on the part of the musicians that rarely happens in studio recording sessions. There are lovely sounds, of course, in the second-movement ball scene and the third-movement tone painting of the countryside. But let's face it: most music lovers can't wait for the last two movements, which are the real payoff in this symphony. And in this performance.

The recording, very full and lifelike, is one of the best EMI made in Philadelphia. At the price, this is clearly the best "Sinfonie Fantastique" available, and it's worth more than many (many!) full-priced recordings.

Undoubtedly the best "Fantastique".......2006-04-15

Even after hearing this symphony constantly growing up, I never once found myself notably drawn in by the music. While I liked to listen to it and was impressed by its historical significance, it never struck my fancy as anything other than background music. Sure, the music itself is loaded with plenty of stuff to enjoy, but I never heard any interpretation of it that showcased it enough and really delivered some actual substance to the hype of this Romantic masterpiece.

However, this recording slams it in your face.

This is by far the most intense reading of the work to date. Dynamics are finally maximized here and Muti layers the voices of the orchestra with perfection. The brass playing is incredible throughout and when they really bring the heat in the March and the Witches' Sabbath, you will literally be set aflame. I can't imagine a better recording of these last two movements as they bring complete death and destruction here. And as one reviewer has already pointed out, Charlie Vernon delivers a performance here that you will not hear on any other recording of this work. He comes bearing many bass trombone gifts and all we can do is calmy sit back and bask in his generosity. Listening to him destroy the pedals in the March will never get old. Thank you Charlie Vernon, thank you.

As far as comparing them to other recordings goes, I much favor this to the famous Ormandy recording on Sony Classics that I just frankly find bland and rather uninspiring. I also don't understand why they split up the last movement into four tracks on that CD. Trivial yes, but it is just very annoying to me. I also prefer this Muti recording to the Davis/Concertgebouw, which is taken with a much lighter approach. However, some people like that approach better and there is nothing wrong with preferring it that way, so if you are looking for a more pastoral sound for this music, I would definitely look into the Davis recording, now a part of the Philips 50. But let's be real here kids. If you want a recording that will melt steel, look no further than this disc.

Buy immediately. Perhaps you did not hear me, but I said immediately.

(Also, it is ridiculously inexpensive.)

Awesome.......2006-03-17

I can't say enough good things about this piece. It has quickly become one of my favorites.

Brilliant Berlioz from Muti/Philadelphia.......2005-11-29

I purchased the Muti/Philadelphia Berlioz "Fantastique" in 1986 on the strength of reviews I read in STEREO REVIEW magazine, and am glad I did, although this is not my only Fantastique recording. Muti and the Philadelphia are very well recorded here by EMI's engineers, and the orchestra has a brilliant sheen, emphasizing the high frequencies, but not at the expense of the treble or bass ranges. Muti pushes the tempo where needed, but it is always at the service of Berlioz' fantastic, passionate music. One example is in V, the witches sabbath, which in many recordings comes off as tame and lukewarm. (Berlioz depiction of this grotesquery should be anything but lukewarm...)

I should point out my FANTASTIQUE is the earliest issue, with no discmates.

Ormandy/Phiadelphia also recorded Symphonie fantastique in 1965, available in Sony's "Essential Classics" series, and I like that recording also, along with Muti. There are other options, each different from the others, yet all excellent: Bernstein/French National Orchestra (EMI); Karajan/Berlin (DG); Markevitch/Lamoreux Orchestra (DG); Colin Davis/London Symphony (Philips); Talmi/San Diego (Naxos).

Average customer rating:

Good selection
thunderous applause
Good Music at a Great Price
You will like this!
Good for the novice

25 Thunderous Classics

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
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ASIN: B00004Y6SQ
Release Date: 2000-09-05

Tracks:

Also Sprach Zarathustra (Sunrise) - R. Strauss
Mars (The Planets) - Holst
Overture 1812 - Tchaikovsky
Entry Of The Gladiadtors - Fucik
Sabre Dance - Khachaturian
Procession Of The Sardar - Ippolitov Ivanov
Night On Bald Mountain - Mussorgsky
Anvil Chor (II Trovatore) - Verdi
The Thunderer March - Sousa
Thunder & Lightening Polka - J. Strauss
Prelude To Act III : Lohengrin - Wagner
The Ride Of The Valkryies - Wagner
Montagues & Capulets (Romeo & Juliet Ballet Suite) - Prokofiev
The Storm: Symphony No. 6 In F Major, 'Pastorale' - Beethoven
Rondeau - Edward Carroll
Overture: Fireworks Music - Handel
March To The Scaffold: Symphonie Fantastique - Berlioz
LesToreadors - Bizet
William Tell Overture: Finale - Rossini
Revolutionary Study - Abbey Simon
Fanfare For The Common Man - Copland
Sym No. 1 'Titan' IV Sturmisch Bewegt (Excerpt) - Mahler
Augurs Of Spring From Rite Of Spring - Stravinsky
Russian Dance From Petrouchka - Stravinsky
The Great Gate At Kiev From Pictures At An Exhibition - Mussorgsky

Customer Reviews:

Good selection.......2005-10-02

I bought this CD to use in my classroom as listening examples. I'm not just a super big fan of some of the performances, but they are all good and for the price you can't beat it. That's why I gave it 5 stars. It's worth more than it costs by far.

thunderous applause.......2005-08-31

This is a who's-who of great pieces of music you have heard all of your life, and never knew the names and stories! I listened to it over and over in the car and had my own concert! A friend borrowed it to add music to his Home Movies and it was perfect!

Good Music at a Great Price.......2004-03-06

I bought this CD mostly for "Entry of the Gladiators," which everyone will recognize as classic circus music. The performance on this CD (by Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops) is the best available version of Entry of the Gladiators. The rest of the CD offers mostly excerpts of classical music.

You will like this!.......2004-02-19

I had purchased an abundance of the "Favorites" collection and some were better than others.

This CD is at the top of them all. They may be short, but not that short. Wondrous music.

I can almost guarantee that you will like this music.
Well worth the price!

Good for the novice.......2002-06-08

The recordings on this disc are pretty good. However, the editors selected only the *loud* parts, as indicated by the title. I was pretty disappointed to find that the pieces are, in many cases, edited to reflect the most famous themes, etc, instead of including the whole work. In general, I would recommend this to the classical music novice, or someone who wants to expand their knowledge of classical music in general. Those who already are familiar with these pieces will probably feel gypped.

Average customer rating:

I hate to be rude, but . . .
Outstanding
Sacred Songs
My favorite of Fleming's CDs so far
Inspiring and beautiful

Sacred Songs

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Haunted Heart
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ASIN: B000AM6OXK
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Tracks:

Ave Maria
Jesu bleibet meine Freude
Dank sei dir, Herr
Ave Maria, D839
Laudamus te
Panis Angelicus
Air: "He shall feed his Flock"
Simple Song
Pie Jesu
Domine Deus
Laudate Dominum omnes gentes
Air: Rejoice greatly, o daughter of Zion
Abends will ich schlafen gehn
L'Adieu des bergers
Mariiegenlied, Op.76/52
Amazing Grace

Amazon.com

This lovely CD features Renée Fleming singing religious music in an unaffected, lovely manner. Many favorites are here: both the Bach/Gounod and Schubert versions of "Ave Maria," each offered with long breaths and soft tone; "Rejoice Greatly" from Messiah, delivered with virtuosity and gleaming sound, and "He Shall Feed His Flock," also from Messiah, sung in a smooth, laid-back manner. Bits of the Fauré Requiem and Poulenc Gloria are welcome, as is the gorgeous "L'Adieu des Bergers" from L'Enfance du Christ. In the prayer from Humperdinck's Hansel und Gretel, Fleming is joined by the splendid Susan Graham, and a version of "Amazing Grace" features Mark O'Connor on violin. Two excerpts from Mozart's Mass in C Minor, pieces by Reger and Franck, and a few surprises round out this devotional CD. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

I hate to be rude, but . . ........2007-05-06

As stated earlier, I hate to be rude. However, Renee Fleming is not one of the greatest singers that I have heard. At many times, it sounds as if she is drunk, sliding into her notes at times. She also has a habit of hitting a note, and then quickly moving up or down for "dramatic effect". I'm sorry, but I just cannot listen to this. I know that everyone has their own opinions, and this is mine.
She is still a beautiful woman, and always will be. I have seen her concerts online, and she ISN'T bad, it's just that she doesn't have what I'm looking for in an opera singer!

Outstanding.......2007-03-07

I had seen this program on PBS and wanted the CD. Wonderful selection
of music and Renee Fleming's outstanding voice.

Sacred Songs.......2007-01-21

I always look for new presentations of Christmas songs. Rene Flemming did an excellent job in this recording. She has a super voice but sometimes the words of the song get lost in her singing style

My favorite of Fleming's CDs so far.......2006-12-07

There are only two cuts on this CD I tend to flip past (Amazing Grace and the Leonard Bernstein cut), but other than them, I totally love the rest! The cuts in German are divine! I could listen to this CD over and over again.

Inspiring and beautiful.......2006-07-20

I've always loved Renee Fleming's singing and this most recent album is just beautiful in every way. A rich voice, beautiful singing and a devout and magnificent artist. She makes even the most notorious evergreens come to life anew. I enjoyed it very much.

Average customer rating:

Anna Netrebko: Opera Arias
First DGG album--very promising
Remarkable!
Beautiful voice, beautiful girl
Fresh soprano blood

Anna Netrebko: Opera Arias
Anna Netrebko , Elina Garanca , Gianandrea Noseda , Wiener Philharmoniker , and Hector Berlioz
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
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Russian Album
Violetta: Arias and Duets from Verdi's La Traviata [Includes DVD]
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Verdi - La Traviata

ASIN: B00008MLSH
Release Date: 2003-09-09

Tracks:

Idomeneo: Recitativo ed Aria "Quando avran fine omai" - Mozart
Don Giovanni: Recitativo accompagnato e Rondo "Crudele!" - Mozart
Benvenuto Cellini: Cavatine "Entre l'amour et le devoir" - Berlioz
La Sonnambula: Recitativo e Cavatina "Care compagne, et voi, ternei amici" - Bellini
Manon: Air du Cours-la-Reine "Suis-je gentille ainsi?" - Massenet
Lucia di Lammermoor: Scena e Cavatina "Ancor non giunse!" - Donizet
Faust: Ricitatif "Les grands seigneurs ont seuls des airs..." - Gounod
Rusalka: "Mesicku na nebli hlubokem" - Dvorak
La Boheme: "Quando me'n vo' (Musette's Waltz)" - Puccini

Amazon.com

Here, a year after her sensational Metropolitan debut as Prokofiev's Natasha from War and Peace, comes the debut solo recital album of 30-something soprano Anna Netrebko. She hails from southern Russia, and her emergence from the life of a conservatory student has a touch of the Cinderella tale—the bit, that is, about being discovered by Gergiev mopping floors for the Kirov as a part-time job and making her way into the Kirov's ranks. Later she became a favorite at San Francisco Opera, trying on for size a swath of comic and dramatic roles. Opera Arias parades Netrebko's way through a spectrum of vocal styles and characters. This mesmerizing lyric soprano engages--at times thrillingly grips--the listener with an imagination far greater than the disc's title (couldn't someone have dreamt up a less ridiculously bland handle?), but most significantly leaves an impression that the enterprise here isn't merely about singing. Netrebko's Ilia and Donna Anna are flesh-and-blood characters in real situations, as Mozart wanted them to be. The results are a bit more uneven with her bel canto heroines, where the required balance between Netrebko's emotional identification, so obviously a forte, and the musical phrasing thereof is a delicate one. Her shading of Lucia's mood swings, vocal and emotional, isn't consistently compelling. On the other hand, Netrebko uncovers gemlike facets not just in Gounod's "Jewel Song" but particularly in her stunning, passionately realized and beautifully phrased Manon (even if her trills disappoint). A shame that samples of her Russian repertory are missing here, though Netrebko's "Song to the Moon" from Dvorak's Rusalka concentrates and sets a mood with enviable mastery. Netrebko's musical intelligence and theatrical savvy seem destined to ensure her a magnificent career, so it's no surprise that many fans are already clamoring for more than the tease of an aria collection. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Anna Netrebko: Opera Arias.......2007-03-29

Her voice takes my breath away, I fell in love with her.
I highly reccomend it.

First DGG album--very promising.......2007-02-01

Anna Netrebko has rapidly become a first tier star in opera. This album, her first at DGG, illustrates why some rate her so highly; it also illustrates some of the questions that some have raised about her. All in all, though, a very nice CD.

A few selections illustrate:

Mozart, Idomeneo, "Quando avran fine omai." She displays a rich and clean voice. There is a very attractive quality to her voice manifest in this work.

Mozart, Don Giovanni, "Crudele? Ah no, mio bene!...Non mi dir." This is Donna Anna's poignant aria, given her circumstances. Netrebko displays rich tones. This is a well sung cut. "Non mi dir" shows off some agility in her voice.

Donizetti, Lucia di Lammermoor. "Ancor non giunse!. . .Regnava nel silenzio. . .Quando rapito in estasi" Something of a disappointment. Coloratura is not her forte (and see her "Sempre Libera" CD for further confirmation). She clearly shows off a rich and lush voice. I think that she displays some characterization here that is compelling. She hits high notes cleanly. But her ornamentation is indifferent, and she appears unable to trill. I know, some say that that is irrelevant. But compare Beverly Sills' version of this work, with almost too many trills extraordinarily well sung and her florid technique, and this version simply pales.

Bellini, La Sonnambula. "Care compagna. . .Come per me sereno." Again, Netrebko displays a rich voice. She displays an agile voice and the ability to hit the high notes. Her rendition of "come per sereno" is spirited.

Gounod, Faust. "The Jewel Song." Very smooth singing; animated singing. But the technique does not measure up to Anna Moffo's version--let alone Joan Sutherland's.

Puccini, La Boheme. "Musetta's Waltz." Yikes! What a version. Brava Netrebko. Her darker voice is very well suited to this. The characterization of Musetta seems on the mark. A wonderful cut.

All in all, this shows the promise of Netrebko. It also indicates where her strengths are and where she does not do so well (coloratura work). However, this is a very nice introduction to her work and her art.

Remarkable!.......2006-11-02

Perhaps her voice is not as candid as some other sopranos, but her rendition of the score and interpretative expression make her and exquisite hearing pleasure. This recording shows a more matured artist capable of capturing the role dynamics and emotions.

Yes, her voice is not as lyric as you might expect, and some roles may sound a little big heavy (sometimes maybe bordering verismo), but definitively at stated before hearing her is a gloriuos pleasure, almost as good as looking at her.

Beautiful voice, beautiful girl.......2005-11-22

When I heard Anna Netrebko singing Quando Men Vo I was stunned by a voice of stunning purity, great power and sheer beauty. The best Musetta I've heard! Her Song to the moon is stunning and I love her Bel Canto! Anna Netrebko has a very bright future ahead of her. Her Mozart is top class!

Fresh soprano blood.......2005-09-07

Any budding soprano that doesn't choose the usual warhorses, and opens her debut album with an aria from Mozart's Idomeneo, and turns it into a tour de force, sparkling performance, is worth all the hype. And the best is yet to come- the second track, Non mir dir from Don Giovanni is even better. Not technically, far from it: the way she fudges that trill at the end is astounding, but this Anna is so alive, so achingly beautiful, that it remains one of my favourites among the many versions I have heard over the years. Netrebko has performed Donna Anna on stage - to a great acclaim- and that shows here.
The rest of the album offers energetic Berlioz, great bits of Lucia - a wonderful mezzo Elina Garanca joins Netrebko on this one- and La sonnambula sung in a way that makes Dionizetti and Bellini palatable for me... The runs are little messy sometimes, but give Netrebko the vocal challenges, the idiotic libretti and a sleeping gown and she can act the hell out of it, even in a studio recording. The spunky Manon makes her mark in the gavotte, the Faust is charming- and devoid of many written trills and such, but it's good clean fun and she is putting some life into that chirpy classic.
And then, the kinky Rusalka, lovely, strong and devoid of any of that cheese and swooning nonsense that many other singers have splattered on it. I love this opera and Mesicku aria is one of my big favourites, and I have heard countless renditions of it, from a near perfect Benackova to a very cool Karita Mattila to a horrible, slurring and scooping, bottom of the lake Fleming, and Netrebko really gets it right for me. When I was a kid reading all the stories about rusalki, this is how I imagined them- sad, erotic, and with some character. I can understand her Czech too, how often that happens! I guess only someone from our Slavic language pool would understand how well she controls that super rounded Russian oh's from overtaking what she is singing, and even though her diction is funny business overall, the voice more than makes up for it.
The closing Musetta's Waltz is just about perfect- once again, not too much, not too little, would make me see the tired old Boheme if it played around here and she was in it... Netrebko has some work to do on varying the colors of her lovely, dark voice, and kicking up the diction, but she is shaping to be major economic force in the opera world and from this debut CD it is clear why- the looks are backed by a high wattage talent, acting skills and plain good taste.

Average customer rating:

Good compilation- of bits and pieces
Good and inexpensive collection

Best Classics 100 Volume 1

Manufacturer: Angel Records
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Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000GPIPQA
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Tracks:

The Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba - Sir Neville Marriner
I. Allegro - Yehudi Menuhin
Toccata In D Minor BWV565 - Wayne Marshall
III. Rondo (Allegro Vivace) - Barry Tuckwell
I. Allegro Con Brio - Philharmonia Orchestra
1812 Overture - Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphony No.9 In D Minor Choral Op.125 - The Westminster Choir
I. Allegro Molto Moderato - Cecile Ousset
Alla Marcia - Halle Orchestra
Jupiter, The Bringer Of Jollity - Philharmonia Orchestra
I. Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Maestoso - Horacio Gutierrez
Symphonic Poem, Op.26 - Halle Orchestra
Gloria All'egitto - Chorus Of The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Montagues And Capulets - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Radetzky March - Willi Boskovsky
Pomp And Circumstance March No.1 - Royal Choral Society
I. Allegro Ma Non Tanto - Mikhail Rudy
Symphony No.3 In C Minor Organ Op.78 - Mathias Eisenberg

Tracks:

Air On The G String - Sir Neville Marriner
Dance Of The Blessed Spirits - New Philharmonia Orchestra
Canon In D - Sir Neville Marriner
II. Adagio - Sabine Meyer
Aria - Julia
Adagio In G Minor - Sir Neville Marriner
I. Adagio Sostenuto - Dame Moura Lympany
II. Andantino - James Galway
II. Andante - Yehudi Menuhin
II. Andante - Stephen Hough
II. Largo - Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
II. Adagio - Yehudi Menuhin
Nimrod - London Symphony Orchestra
II. Adagio - Julian Bream
The Lark Ascending - Migel Kennedy
IV. Adagietto - New Philharmonia Orchestra
Variation 18 - Cecile Ousset

Tracks:

Au Fond Du Temple Saint - Nicolai Gedda
Song To The Moon - Lucia Popp
Dome Epais - Mady Mesple
La Fleur Que Tu M'avais Jetee - Nicolai Gedda
Che Faro Senza Euridice - Agnes Balsta
Casta Diva - Maria Callas
Che Gelida Manina - Roberto Alagna
O Mio Babbino Caro - Angela Gheorghiu
Bailero: Chants D'Auvergne - Victoria De Los Angeles
Vogliatemi Bene - Carlo Bergonzi
Va, Pensiero - Chorus Of The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Es Lebt' Eine Vilja - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Ombra Mai Fu - Richard Lewis
Ave Maria - Gerald Moore
Minuit, Chretiens - Roberto Alagna
Nessun Dorma - Jose Carreras

Tracks:

Overture - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude - Sir Neville Marriner
I. Allegro - Emil Gilels
Trumpet Voluntary - Maurice Andre
Judex - Halle Orchestra
Overture - Polish Chamber Orchestra
Sarabande - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Waltz Of The Flowers - Andre Previn
Troika - London Philharmonic Orchestra
Fantasia On Greensleeves - Sir John Barbirolli
Clair De Lune - Dame Moura Lympany
Scene Act II, No.10 - Andre Previn
Cavatina - Manuel Barrueco
II. Romance (Larghetto) - Garrick Ohlsson
My Heart Will Go On - Orchestra
Time To Say Goodbye - Orchestra
Walzer, Op.314 - Berliner Philharmoniker

Tracks:

Cavaleria Rusticana - Philharmonia Orchestra
II. Adagio Sostenuto (Opening) - Cecile Ousset
Morning - Sir Neville Marriner
Romance - Piers Lane
Adagio For Strings - Philadelphia Orchestra
The Story Of The Kalender Prince - Philadelphia Orchestra
Meditation - Anne-Sophie Mutter
Prince Igor - Beecham Choral Society
Adagio Of Spartacus And Phrygia - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Fantasy Overture - Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
II. Allegretto - Philharmonia Orchestra
II. Largo Ma Non Tanto - Yehudi Menuhin
Schindler's List Theme - Tasmin Little
Dance Of The Reed Flutes - Andre Previn
V. Allegretto - The Philadelphia Orchestra

Tracks:

Zadok The Priest - Royal Choral Society
Zion Hort Die Wachter - Suddeutscher Madrigalchor
Miserere Mei, Deus - Stephen Cleobury
Sanctus - Chor der St. Hedwigs-Kathedrale
Panis Angelicus - Halle Choir
L'Enfance Du Christ - Choeurs Rene Duclos
Sanctus - Heinz Hoppe
In Paradisum - Peter Barley
Laudate Dominum - Edda Moser
Cantique De Jean Racine - MONKS AND CHOIRBOYS OF DOWNSIDE ABBEY
Ingemisco - Luciano Pavarotti
Ave Verum Corpus K618 - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
I Know That My Redeemer Liveth - Elizabeth Harwood
The Heavens Are Telling - John Shirley-Quirk
Pie Jesu - Victoria De Los Angeles
Lacrimosa - David Bell
Hallelujah Chorus - Ambrosian Singers

Customer Reviews:

Good compilation- of bits and pieces.......2007-07-02

I was excited to see such a great collection of classics, but I was really disappointed to listen and discover that many tracks are shortened dramatically. A fraction of Rhapsody in Blue- a ridiculously short fragment of Bethoveen Ninth Symphony- "Ode to Joy" a tiny part of the first movement of Rachmoninov's Piano Concerto no.3.

I'd rather have fewer tracks and the complete movements.

Good and inexpensive collection.......2007-03-17

EMI's Best Classics 100 provides six CDs with seven hours of selected classical music. The cover does a poor job of portraying who does the selecting and who performs the piece -- information inside however does detail the symphonies being recorded. Recordings from the Polish Chamber, Berlin Symphonies, Royal Philharmonic etc are mentioned. The recording quality is good and the price is low, representing a good purchase for a general collection.

Average customer rating:

Excellent, but one missing...
Simply a Fun Set of Marches
Great Marching Music
Great

Fiedler's Favorite Marches

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Fiedler Greatest Hits
Sousa's Greatest Hits
I Love a Parade John Williams
Pops Roundup
Stars & Stripes Forever and the Greatest Marches

ASIN: B000003F2V
Release Date: 1990-11-20

Tracks:

Aida: Grand March
Babes In Toyland: March Of The Toys
Semper Fidelis
Suite No. 1, Op. 43: Marche Miniature
Yankee Doodle
Up The Street
The Damnation Of Faust: Rakoczy March
Caucasian Sketches: Procession Of The Sardar
Sambe Et Meuse
The Ruins Of Athens: Turkish March
Colonel Bogey
Dixie
American Salute
Strike Up the Band
Radetzsky March
Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1
Algerian Suite: French Military March
Mlada: Procession Of The Nobles
Valdres March
National Emblem March
The Stars And Stripes Forever

Customer Reviews:

Excellent, but one missing..........2007-03-07

These are fabulous marches played with huge amounts of zest, but one of Fiedler's best RCA marches - the Zacatecas March - was left out!!! Why??? There would have been plenty of room, and it seems to be available on a Japanese release - why not this one?

Otherwise, no hesitation at all.

Simply a Fun Set of Marches.......2003-10-18

In the 5th grade, I tried out for Little League. My desire to play baseball was not rooted in any love for the sport. I thought my father wanted me to play a sport. I was so great at the tryouts; he said some memorable words to me. "Tim, I think you ought to stick with playing the clarinet." I am sure he was trying to spare me humiliation on the athletic field. Little did he know he was starting my love affair with music, a far greater gift.

Perhaps because I was in the school band, I gravitated toward marches, and this collection of marches conducted by Arthur Fielder was one of the first recordings I purchased (6th or 7th grade I believe). At the time (the mid 1970's) it was only available on LP. As soon as the CD was available, I purchased it for nostalgic reasons. This collection had many popular marches such as the Grand March from Aida, Stars and Stripes Forever, Pomp and Circumstance, as well as some lesser known marches. This was one of the collections that piqued my interest in orchestral music. Though the marches could probably best be termed "light classical," it was an introduction to more serious music. Many years later I used this same recording when I taught as background music during art or spelling lessons. Again, it served as an introduction to more serious music.

This is not a complicated set; it is simply a little jewel that is a joy to listen to and a fun addition to a music collection.

Great Marching Music.......2000-11-14

Even though I am a Yankee I still love "Dixie." This is great music for pre-school children and those just entering school. I think it helps build character. I like this album.

Great.......1999-05-23

I have had this tape for years and it just got torn, so I have to replace it immediately because my granddaughter, age 3, also loves it.

Berlioz: Harold in Italy; Overtures [Hybrid SACD]

Average customer rating:

Berlioz: Harold in Italy; Overtures [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde
Spain (RMST)

ASIN: B000QEIM8W
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Tracks:

Harold en Italie, Op. 16 (Harold in Italy); Harold aux
Harold en Italie, Op. 16 (Harold in Italy); Marche des pèlerins (March
Harold en Italie, Op. 16 (Harold in Italy); Sérénade (2007 SACD
Harold en Italie, Op. 16 (Harold in Italy); Orgie des brigands (Orgy of
Béatrice et Bénédict Overture (2007 SACD Remastered)
Le Corsaire Overture (2007 SACD Remastered)
Benvenuto Cellini Overture (2007 SACD Remastered)
Roman Carnival Overture, Op. 9 (2007 SACD Remastered)
Harold en Italie, Op. 16 (Harold in Italy); Harold aux montagnes
Harold en Italie, Op. 16 (Harold in Italy); Marche des pèlerins (March
Harold en Italie, Op. 16 (Harold in Italy); Sérénade (5.1 Surround
Harold en Italie, Op. 16 (Harold in Italy); Orgie des brigands (Orgy of
Béatrice et Bénédict Overture (5.1 Surround Mix)
Le Corsaire Overture (5.1 Surround Mix)
Benvenuto Cellini Overture (5.1 Surround Mix)
Roman Carnival Overture, Op. 9 (5.1 Surround Mix)

Average customer rating:

The greatest opera singer of the 20th century.
One of the best collection of Callas on CD
Unbelievable Deal
Deal of the Century!
Maria Callas 100 Best Classics

Maria Callas 100 Best Classics

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Tito Gobbi, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tullio Serafin
100 Best Opera Classics
Puccini: Tosca (1953) with Callas, di Stefano, Gobbi, cond. by de Sabata
Maria Callas - Passion / A Film by Gerard Caillat
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf 1915-2006

ASIN: B000LPR4VW
Release Date: 2007-01-16

Tracks:

Bellini: La Sonnambula: Come per me sereno
Bellini: La Sonnambula: Sovra il sen la man mi posa
Bellini: La Sonnambula: D'un pensiero
Bellini: La Sonnambula: Ah! non credea mirarti
Bellini: Ah! non giunge
Bellini: I Puritani: Son vergin vezzosa
Bellini: I Puritani: Ah vieni al tempio
Bellini: I Puritani: Qui la voce
Bellini: I Puritani: Vien, diletto
Bellini: I Puritani: Ch'ei provo lontan da me?
Bellini: I Puritani: Vieni fra queste braccia
Bellini: Norma: Casta Diva
Bellini: Norma: Mira, o Norma
Bellini: Norma: Cedi, deh credi! Si, fino all'ore
Bellini: Norma: Qual cor tradisti
Bellini: Norma: Deh! Non volerli vittime
Bellini: Il Pirata: Col sorriso d'innocenza
Bellini: Quel suono...Oh, Sole!

Tracks:

Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor: Regnava nel silenzio... Quando rapito in estasi
Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor: Chi mi frena
Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor: Spargi d'amaro pianto
Rossini: Il Turco in Italia: non si da follia maggiore
Rossini: Il Turco in Italia: Serva...Servo
Rossini: Il Turco in Italia: No, mia vita
Rossini: Il Turco in Italia: Credete alla femmine...In Italia certamente
Rossini: Il Barbiere di Siviglia:Una voce poco fa
Rossini: Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Dunque io son
Rossini: Semiramide: Bel raggio lusinghier
Rossini: Gugliemo Tell: Selva opaca
Rossini: La Cenerentola: Non piu mesta
Donizetti: L'Elisir d'Amore: Prendi, prendi; per me sei libero
Donizetti: La Figlia del Reggimento: Convien partir
Donizetti: Anna Bolena: Al dolce guidami castel natio
Donizetti: Lucrezia Borgia: Com'e'bello

Tracks:

Verdi: I Vespri Siciliani: Merce, dilette amiche
Verdi: Rigoletto: Gualtier Malde...Caro nome
Verdi: Rigoletto: V'ho ingannato...Lassu in cielo
Verdi: La Traviata: Ah, fors'e lui
Verdi: Aida: Ritorna vincitor
Verdi: Aida: Qui Radames verra...O patria mia
Verdi: Aida: O terra addio
Verdi: Il Trovatore: Tacea la nolte placido...Di tale amore
Verdi: Il Trovatore: D'amor sull'ali rosee
Verdi: Un Ballo in Maschera: Ecco l'orrido campo...Ma dall'arido stelo
Verdi: Non sai tu che se l'anima mia
Verdi: I Lombardi: O madre, dal cielo soccorri
Verdi: Aroldo: Ciel, ch'io respire!...Salvami, salvami tu, gran Dio!
Verdi: Don Carlo: Non pianger, mia compagna
Verdi: Otello: Ave Maria

Tracks:

Puccini: Manon Lescaut: In quelle trine morbide
Puccini: Manon Lescaut: Sola, perduta, abbondonata
Puccini: La Boheme: Si, Mi chiamano Mimi
Puccini: La Boheme: O soave fanciulla
Puccini: La Boheme: Donde lieta usci
Puccini: La Boheme: Dunque e' proprio finita?
Puccini: Tosca: non la sospiri, la nostra casetta
Puccini: Tosca: Vissi d'arte
Puccini: Tosca: senti, l'ora e' vicina...Amaro sol per te
Puccini: Madama Butterfly: Quanto cielo....Ancora un passo or via
Puccini: Madama Butterfly: Vogliatemi bene
Puccini: Madama Butterfly: Un bel di vedremo
Puccini: Madama Butterfly: Con onor muore
Puccini: Suor Angelica: Senza mamma
Puccini: Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro
Puccini: Turandot: Signore, ascolta
Puccini: Turandot: In questa reggia
Puccini: Tu che di gel sei cinta

Tracks:

Gluck: Orphee et Eurydice: J'ai perdu mon Eurydice
Gluck: Alceste: Divinites du Styx
Bizet: Carmen: L'amour est un aiseau rebelle
Bizet: Carmen: Pres des remparts de Seville
Bizet: Carmen: les tringles des sistres tintaient
Bizet: Carmen: Carreau! Pique!
Gounod: Romeo et Juliet: Ah! Je veux vivre dans ce reve
Thomas: Mignon: Ah, pour ce soir...Je suis Titania
Berlioz: La Damnation de Faust: D'amour l'ardente flamme
Massenet: Werther: Werther! Qui m'aurait dit...Des cris joyeux
Gounod: Faust: Un bouquet!...Ah! je ris
Saint-Saens: Samson et Dalila: Printemps qui commence
Saint-Saens: Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix
Massenet: Manon: Je ne suis que faiblesse...Adieu, notre petite table
Massenet: Manon: Suis-je gentille ainsi?....Je marche sur tous les
Charpentier: Louise: Depuis le jour

Tracks:

Giordano: Andrea Chenier: La mamma morta
Cilea: Adriana Lecouvreur: Ecco-respiro appena. lo son l'umile ancells
Cilea: Adriana Lecouvreur: Poveri fiori
Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana: Voi lo sapete, o mamma
Leoncavallo: Pagliacci: Qual fiamma avea nel guardo...Hui!
Boito: Mefistofele: L'altra notte in fondo al mare
Catalani: La Wally: Ebben? ne andro lontana
Cherubini: Medea: Dei tuoi figli
Spontini: La Vestale: O Nume tutelar
Spontini: La Vestale: Caro oggetto
Gluck: Iphigenie en Tauride: O malheureuse Iphigenie
Mozart: Don Giovanni: Or sai chi l'onore
Mozart: Don Giovanni: In quali eccessi, o Numi!
Massenet: Le Cid: De cet affreux combat...Pleurez, pleurez, mes yeux!
Ponchielli: La Gioconda: Suicidio!
Verdi: Un Ballo in Maschere: Morro, ma prima in grazia
Verdi: Don Carlo: O don fatale

Album Description

Best Callas 100 (part of the Best Classics 100 series) features 6 CDs of the best and most popular operatic arias and duets sung by legendary soprano Maria Callas from her EMI catalog of complete operas and recital albums. Each CD contains approx. 16-17 tracks.

CD 1 The Operas of Bellini
CD 2 The Operas of Donizetti and Rossini
CD 3 The Operas of Verdi
CD 4 The Operas of Puccini
CD 5 French Operatic Heroines
CD 6 Dramatic Heroines

Customer Reviews:

The greatest opera singer of the 20th century........2007-05-20

Here in one incredibly inexpensive package (I paid $15) are the "juicy bits" of Maria Callas's studio recordings. These six disks which run for 7 and 3/4 hours contain 99 arias, duets and concerted numbers from her studio work plus "Ah, fors'e lui" from the live recording of the Lisbon "Traviata" for the total of "100 Best". (NB: "Sempre libera" is not included.) This is probably EMI's last ditch effort to extract some value out of their Callas catalog as the European copyrights are starting to expire. Well, this is to our advantage. Whether you are a long time Callas fan and completist or a newcomer, this is well worth the money to have all these highlights ready at your finger tips.

The only complaint I have about this set is the complete lack of texts and notes. Usually these days this material is put on the web for bargain releases, but I was unable to locate any for this set. As Callas's art was in the shading of the texts, newcomers especially need to be able to follow along.

Grab this now while it is still available.

One of the best collection of Callas on CD.......2007-05-13

This is realy Maria Callas 100 best classics collection, surprisingly with very good sound ,without any noise or distortion .Six CDs, each of them 70 -79 min very enjoyable..Thank you EMI for this grate production...

Unbelievable Deal.......2007-04-27

I was hestant about purchasing this recording due to the low price. But this is really a great buy: A six disc compillation of Maria Callas' highlights grouped by genre/composer. If you are new to opera, this is an excellent introduction to what made Callas so unique as an artist: her passion, her ability to change her timbre, the weight of her voice, her vocal colors, to suit each role. Each disc feautres a different composer or repetoire so the listener gets to hear Callas in a differnt context. Since there are about a million "best of" complillations for Callas it's a bit overwhelming and difficult to know where to start. This is definately the most complete, and the best value for your money.

Deal of the Century!.......2007-04-19

A six CD set at this price is unbelievable! If you are a beginner, start here and if you are a long time fan and have every recording under the sun like I do, it's still nice to have the CD's grouped by composer. Highly recommended!

Maria Callas 100 Best Classics.......2007-03-17

I was worried about the quality of this music because of the low price. Rest assured the quality is there and this is an incredible buy.

Bernstein Century - Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique, etc.

Average customer rating:

speedy and great service
Fantastic "Symphonie Fantastique".
Awesome!
Berlioz Takes A Trip
definitive = typical?and how to really annoy others

Bernstein Century - Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique, etc.

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00000J27R
Release Date: 1999-05-18

Tracks:

Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14 (Episode de la vie d'un artiste): I. Reveries - Passions
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14 (Episode de la vie d'un artiste): II. Un bal
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14 (Episode de la vie d'un artiste): III. Scene aux champs
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14 (Episode de la vie d'un artiste): IV. Marche au supplice
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14 (Episode de la vie d'un artiste): V. Songe d'une nuit du Sabbat
'Berlioz Takes A Trip': Leonard Bernstein Explores The Symphonie Fantastique With Musical Illustrations By The New York Philharmonic

Amazon.com

Track 6 features Bernstein's narrated tour through this eccentric, groundbreaking symphonic masterpiece. Sadly, the conductor's pithy analogy between Berlioz's musical depiction of opium-inspired visions and the dangers of a contemporary trip ("brilliance without glory") remains as timely now as it was in 1968. Brilliance and glory, however, characterize the conductor's 1963 recording, reissued here for the first time on CD. The orchestral execution is not as fluid or well-oiled as it would be for Bernstein's 1968 remake, but slightly closer micing reveals a wealth of color, nuance, and dynamic differentiation absent from the original LP. Passages leap from your speakers with sparkling clarity. The conductor illuminates the composer's innovative orchestral combinations with a kind of urgency that lapses into bombast only in the frenzied final measures. And why not? An absorbing, excellently remastered release. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

speedy and great service.......2007-01-19

I received my purchase alot faster than I expected considering the holiday time of year. Thanks

Fantastic "Symphonie Fantastique"........2005-03-05

Long before the days of psychedelic rock and the prog-rock concept album, there was "Symphonie Fantastique" composed in 1830 by the great Hector Berlioz.
Even after its inception 175 years ago, the "Symphonie Fantastique" is regarded as a milestone not just in classical music but in all areas of music. Considering the time period in which it was created, the music, ideas and concept were way ahead anything else that was being done (except for maybe Beethoven who had died only three years before Berlioz completed this work).
The concept behind "Symphonie Fantastique" is an extraordinary one. A young musician falls in love with a beautiful woman but can't have her. So he poisons himself with opium in hopes of killing his pain (and himself). Instead of dying, the musician falls into a hallucinegenic sleep in which he has surrealistic dreams - all of which involve the woman in question. The beloved one is represented by a simple yet haunting theme which is heard in numerous variations throughout the work's five movements. Although, the symphony does not have any words, it isn't difficult to picture the scenery in which each movement takes place and it's also not difficult to sense the intrusion when the beloved's theme occurs each time throughout the work. The first movement sets the pace for the entire work with a majestic Beethoven-like theme along with the aforementioned theme of the beloved. The second movement depicts a giant ballroom with a danceable Strauss-like waltz interupted by the same theme. The third movement takes place in an outdoor countryside and is an overall pleasant piece. The beloved's theme here sounds like a rude intrusion in contrast to the calmness. The fourth movement, "March to the Scaffold", is a dynamic tour-de-force in which the troubled musician imagines he is being executed for killing his beloved. Finally, the last movement, "Dream of the Witches Sabbath", is a hellish nightmare in which the musician imagines he's dead in hell surrounded by witches, demons and evil spirits (this was before heavy metal). The chilling haunting quality of the music is perfectly executed. Its use of violins bowing the strings with the opposite end of the bow is especially affective in creating the bone-rattling goulish sounds heard towards the end of the movement.
Indeed, as mentioned above, Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique" was way ahead of its time when it was created. In a strange way, it does include elements of psychedelic music (the hallucinegenic theme of the work), prog (the fact that the five movements do indeed form a cohesive whole) and metal (the musical depiction of demonic things). And this was way back in the early 19th century.
On this disc, Leonard Bernstein not only does a flawless job at presenting this work, he also gives an excellent illustration of it in his discussion "Berlioz Takes A Trip" which is heard on Track 6 of this CD. Here, Bernstein dissects the piece musically and conceptually, allowing the listener to take a peek into Berlioz's obsessive mad genius. The remastered sound quality is also amazing giving the entire work a fresh clarity.
So there you have it, the first fruits of Psychedelic Prog-Metal all rolled into one musical work created 175 years ago by a brilliant composer by the name of Hector Berlioz.
Definitely a Symphonie Fantastique.

Awesome!.......2004-01-12

This is definitely highly recommended! His lecture on this "first psychedelic symphony" ever written was sure helpful. And the performance --- Berstein did show lots of passion and clarity to make it into a nearly flawless performance. The final two movement was especially giving me the chill it's hellishly excellent.

Those taking music appreciation, this is a MUST BUY! Enjoy your trip... without being drugged of course.

Berlioz Takes A Trip.......2003-10-29

This wonderful recording of Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique" and the companion recording, "Berlioz Takes A Trip," were the products of one of Leonard Bernstein's most memorable CBS telecasts. He made it clear that, long before modern hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD, Berlioz had envisioned a young man who was obsessed with a beautiful but elusive woman that he took opium and had a series of vision, all involving her. Berlioz represents the woman with a recurring theme, literally a "fixed idea," much as Wagner did with his leitmotifs in his musical dramas, particularly the "Ring Cycle." Berlioz's personal motivation for composing the symphony was his love for an English Shakespearean actress, Henrietta Smithson, whom Berlioz saw perform in Paris. He actually pursued her and they eventually married, but the marriage was failure because they were both very intense, egocentric individuals. They also had a language barrier and were unable to overcome it.

The March 5, 1968, performance in Philharmonic Hall (now Avery Fischer Hall) of the amazing 1830 composition (completed only three years after the death of Beethoven) has remained a milestone. Seldom did Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic succeed in giving such a definite, exciting performance. The orchestra plays with great precision and intensity throughout the five-movement work, capturing all the nuances and passion of this incredible piece.

Originally, Columbia issued the LP verison of this recording with a small disc that included Berlioz's lecture, which had been adapted from his "Young People's Concert" on CBS. This is clearly Bernstein at his best, both as lecturer and as conductor.

definitive = typical?and how to really annoy others.......2003-01-08

The final movement is on Kerman's "Listen" cd accompaniment to his textbook. At least, that's the first place I heard it.

Supposedly, the Davis recording is the definitive performance. Meaning if you want a reference tool, that's what everyone compares every performance afterwards to. As in, "well, it wasn't as good as the Davis Concertgebouw..." (see title of my review) Don't let that scare you away from different interpretations. Bernstein shines in the final two movements of this "Symphony Fantastique" performance. Considering these are the most commonly known parts to the symphony, and in my opinion the most entertaining, there's no reason why one can't enjoy the fine job Bernstein did on them.

The bombastic nature of the final "Dream of the Witches Sabbath" movement is nothing short of brilliant in creating a purgatory-ish enviornment. I've never been to hell myself - though I have been told by some to take a visit - but I'd imagine if I had to describe it in the context of a program symphony... it'd be a big bad rip-off of the Berlioz Witches' Sabbath movement here.

Anyhoo, if you're a fan of this work, Bernstein's interpretation of the IV & V movements are breathtaking, and appropriately so. (Honestly, I always laugh at the last morbid moments of the IV movement. What with the juxtaposition of sudden... well... tumbling... and joyous horns.) That isn't to say the other three movements aren't any fun to listen to, but the last two stand out in this recording. By far this is the biggest, and best controlled, version I've ever heard, and I've heard quite a few good ones, and a few that are disgraceful and should only be used by means of torturing in bad taste.

Or, if you're looking for some interesting "classical" music, STEP AWAY FROM THE YANNI or lame wannabe Debussys... also that non-stop italian singing in Opera may be a bit much for you right now. Just perk up to the last track of this cd, where Bernstein explains the piece, and, in precise detail, Berlioz's notes for understanding what's going on in this explicit program symphony. It's not too hard to follow, and actually quite enjoyable while attentively listening. The Symphony I mean, Bernstein's voice scares me to no end. (kidding!)

On a final note, the low string scrapings on the second round of the "Dies Irae" parody seems to annoy unwitting (and probably unintentional on their part) listeners much more than any heavy metal song does. "Master of Puppets" wishes it could be as dark and grating as the Witches Sabbath. Try blaring it sometime to release tension, or when you're feeling especially masochistic. Fun for all ages!

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

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