The Orchestral Music of Debussy, Vol. 2

On this CD:

1. Fantaisie for piano & orchestra, L. 73
Composed by Claude Debussy
Performed by French National Radio Chamber Orchestra

2. Danses, for harp & string orchestra, L. 103
Composed by Claude Debussy
Performed by French National Radio Chamber Orchestra

3. Rhapsodie for clarinet & piano (or orchestra), L. 116
Composed by Claude Debussy
Performed by French National Radio Chamber Orchestra

4. Rhapsody for alto saxophone & orchestra (or piano), L. 98
Composed by Claude Debussy
Performed by French National Radio Chamber Orchestra

Tracks:

O mio babbino caro (from 'Gianni Schicchi')
The Girl With Flaxen Hair (from Preludes, Book I; La fille aux cheveux delin: Prelude for Piano L 117/8)
Nocturne in C sharp minor (Op Post)
The Swan (from Carnival of the Animals)
Serenade (from 'Schwanengesang' song cycle for voice and piano, D 957
Casta Diva (from 'Norma')
Andante from Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major K. 467
Nocturne from Quartet for Strings No. 2 in D Major: 3rd movement
Dance of the Blessed Spirits (from 'Orfeo ed Euridice')
Songs My Mother Taught Me, song for voice and piano B104/4 Op 55/4
Pur ti Miro (from 'L'incoronazione di Poppea')
Elegie (Elegie 'O doux printemps d'autrefois' for voice and piano)
Traumerei ('Kinderszenen' for piano, Op 15, No. 7 'Dreaming')

Amazon.com

Every track on this CD contains a beautiful melody, many of them easily recognizable, all of them exuding tranquility. "O mio babbino caro" from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi opens the disc, with Bell delicately accompanied by a harp and spinning the long melody with great sensitivity. Bellini's "Casta diva" from Norma lives up to its reputation as the epitome of bel canto in Bell's hands; his violin sings. The middle movement of Mozart's 21st Piano Concerto takes well to the violin, and Debussy's "The Girl with the Flaxen Hair" is played with great warmth and sensuality. It would be easy to turn a recital like this into treacle, but Bell is wise enough to realize that the music is already sweet enough and he plays with great reserve and a minimum of sentimental slides. The light accompaniments always support, with woodwinds prominent but used with grace. This CD, in short, is a beauty: a fine gift, a lovely mood setter. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

End of the Day.......2007-06-08

I am a Joshua Bell fan, and this album is the one that I enjoy with my dessert, it calms me at the end of the day, and makes me think of my 6 year old granddaughter's visit. She has to have music on during meals at her home. Usually it is some kid stuff, but I do not have anything like she has at home, so I chose to play Joshua Bell during our dinner. When I placed the dessert before her, she looked up at me and said: "This music is so beautiful, I want to play the violin just like that". What more could I say.
He is inspiring, and she is right. This album is beautiful.

Wonderful!.......2007-05-30

I play this for my grandson to nap by. It is so relaxing and wonderful!

Over and over and over...........2007-05-17

That's how I want to play this CD! It's a wonderful line-up of rich, mellow, captivating compositions played with a warmth and vibrancy that is seldom heard. Joshua at his very best. You won't be disappointed.

Non-standard CD format.......2007-04-22

The music on this CD deserves five stars, but the CD itself is a non-standard format that doesn't work on all players. There's a tiny warning on the back of the CD. You won't notice the warning until you discover that the CD doesn't work on your player. My Macintosh computer wouldn't read the non-standard format so there was no way for me to listen in my office or put the music on my iPod.

A friend's PC was able to read the CD and make a copy in standard format that can be read on any player, including my Mac. The story had a happy ending, but I can not comprehend why the publisher chose the oddball CD specification.

The music is excellent and worth the trouble of making a copy, but the publisher really shouldn't make you go to that effort just to listen to a CD that you paid for.

wonderful surprise.......2007-04-13

This recording has quickly become a most favorite cd in my collection. My personal preference had always been for opera and not symphony concert. To hear the violin replace the voice and line of the opera singer (in two of the excerpts) was a wonderful surprise for me, and has enhanced my enjoyment of all of this recording.

Average customer rating:

Volume Control
A wonderful CD for your nursery!
Better than Most
Wonderful

Baby's First Classics, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: St. Clair Entertainment
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Children's Music | Styles | Music

Compilations | Children's Music | Styles | Music

Lullabies | Children's Music | Styles | Music

CDs Under $7 | Children's Music | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music

All Bargain Titles | Children's Music | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music

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

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
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Baby's First Classics, Vol. 2
Baby's First Classics, Vol. 3
Baby's First Mozart
Baby's First Beethoven
Baby's First Guitar Music

ASIN: B000023VRD
Release Date: 1999-10-12

Tracks:

Moonlight Son: Adagio
Claire De Lune
Canon in D
Pno Con No.21: Adagio
Waltz Of The Flowers
Con No.5 in f
Ser in d
A Little Night Music: Allegro
A Little Night Music: Romanza
For Elise
Prld in a
Love's Dream
Lullaby

Customer Reviews:

Volume Control.......2002-05-15

This is a good CD as far as the content of the CD, BUT whoever made this CD had no consideration of the recording levels between tracks. One song will be nice a smooth and quiet, then the next track will blow you away. It literally wakes up my child after he has fallen asleep. Out of a volume scale of 10 we have the first song on 5 to barely have it playing in the background for him to sleep, then the next track we have to turn it to 2 becasue it wakes him up, then we have to adjust it to 4 on the next. SOOOO if you are going to stay with him the whole time and be able to change the volume for each song, this CD is for you. I wish I can get my money back but it has been too long. Sooo on to find the next CD for him!...

A wonderful CD for your nursery!.......2002-05-06

As a first time parent I want to give my child every advantage I can. Studies have shown that playing music to your child helps to enhance their learning ability.

I saw "Baby's First" cd series and as they were so affordable I decided to go ahead and buy them without hearing them first.

My decision has been rewarded! The cd's are very good, and provide hours of music to stimulate my babies mind.

Buy this CD today, you won't be disappointed, and neither will your youngsters! :)

Better than Most.......2001-01-24

This was mostly an enjoyable CD. Maybe more to me than my toddler, though. Some of the songs are almost depressing, so we just skip them. For the most part they are fun and upbeat, and with a little effort, I can get my 18 month old to wiggle his butt to the music. This CD is a great value for anyone who wants to foster an appreciation for music in their child, not just their babies.

Wonderful.......2000-12-23

I have owned and played this CD ever since my son was born!(he is now 2.5 yrs. old)

The music always seemed to soothe him when he was crying or agitated. Over the past couple of years it has worked wonders..it has now become the "if nothing else works" CD. It Always helps him to calm down at nap time. Helps him concentrate when we are reading together. Sometimes if I have some important work to do, it helps him stay calm and non-disruptive.

I had read about the positive effects of classical music on children, and I must say, I totally agree.

I am also a violin player, and really have respect for classical music, so it gives me a satisfaction that I am giving my son some quality, mind-strengthening music.

If you like classical or not, this CD is excellent for your children, and indirectly it will be good for you too! It is an excellent gift for new parents too.

One piece of advice I would like to give to those of you who are not really familiar with classical music. If the sound is new to you, listen to this at a low volume, because the soft music may suddenly swith to loud full-on sounds, so if it's up high, it may surprize you!

Tracks:

American Beauty: Any Other Name - Nikolaj Bloch
Barry Lyndon: Sarabande - Academy Of St Martin In The Fields
The Shawshank Redemption: The Marriage Of Figaro - Canzonetta Sull'aria - Bernard Haitink
Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone: Hedwig's Theme - Nic Raine
William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet - City Of Prague Philharmonic
The Mission: Gabriel's Oboe - Ennio Morricone And His Orchestra
Breakfast At Tiffany's: Moon River - Nic Raine
The Piano: The Heart Asks Pleasure First/The Promise - Michael Nyman
Dances With Wolves: John Dunbar Theme - Nic Raine
Jean De Florette: Jean De Florette Theme - Orchestre De Paris
Ocean's Eleven: Clair De Lune - Dame Moura Lympany
The Godfather: The Godfather Waltz - Nic Raine
Pearl Harbor: Heart Of The Volunteer - Nic Raine
Face/Off: 'Raindrop' Prelude No.15 In D Flat - Dmitri Alexeev
A Room With A View: O Mio Babbino Caro - Philharmonia Orchestra
You Only Live Twice: Main Theme - Nic Raine
The English Patient: As Far As Florence Rupert Bear - Kenneth Alwyn
Raging Bull: Cavalleria Rusticana - Intermezzo - Paul Bateman
Traffic: An Ending (Ascent) - Brian Eno
2001 - A Space Odyssy: The Blue Danube - Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

The Deer Hunter: Cavatina - Manuel Barrueco
Titanic: My Heart Will Go On - Orchestra
Amelie: La Valse D'Amelie - Yann Tiersen
Midnight Cowboy: Main Theme - Nic Raine
Gladiator: Gladiator Suite - Nic Raine
The Lord Of The Rings - The Fellowship Of The Ring: The Fellowship - Nic Raine
Chocolat: Gnossienne No.1 - Anne Queffelec
Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence: Main Theme - Mark Ayers
Ghost: Unchained Melody - Nic Raine
Cinema Paradiso Love Theme - Ennio Morricone & His Orchestra
Le Reine Margot: Lullaby - Nic Raine
Elizabeth: Nimrod ('Enigma' Variations) - London Symphony Orchestra
Hannibal: Goldberg Variations - Aria - Maria Tipo
Edward Scissorhands: Main Title/Ice Dance - Paul Bateman
Diva: Ebben? Ne Andro Lontana - Philharmonia Orchestra
Billy Elliott: Swan Lake, Act II, No.10 Scene - Andre Previn
The Man Who Wasn't There: 'Pathetique' Sonata - II. Adagio Cantabile - Walter Gieseking
The Big Blue: Overture - Eric Serra Gilbert Dal'Anese
The Killing Fields: Etude - Mike Oldfield

Customer Reviews:

A great collection.......2004-02-28

This is a really fabulous collections of songs. There is a great balance of old and new. This isn't a collection from one single genre and the diversity keeps the mix interesting. It's great to hear songs that wouldn't normally be noticed while a movie is playing and it's also great to hear those easily recognizable tunes from popular movies.

Average customer rating:

In Utero: Music for My Baby, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Children's Music | Styles | Music

Compilations | Children's Music | Styles | Music
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UltraSound - Music for the Unborn Child
Mozart for Mothers-To-Be: Tender Lullabies for Mother and Child
Build Your Baby's Brain
In the Nursery: Music for My Baby, Vol. 2
Oh, Baby, the Places You'll Go! (Life Favors(TM))

ASIN: B00004U0B1
Release Date: 2004-07-13

Tracks:

String Quartet In G Minor: III. Andantino, Doucement Expressif - Borodin String Quartet
The Four Seasons, 'Spring': Il Largo E Pianissimo Sempre - Christopher Warren-Green
Le Carnaval Des Animaux: Aquarium - The Nash Ensemble
Apres Un Reve, Op.7 No.1 'Romain Bussine' - Roger Vignoles
Simple Symphony: Sentimental Sarbande - Iona Brown
Avodah - Trio Avodah
Romeo And Juliet: Romeo At Friar Laurence's - Libor Pesek
Lachrymae, Pavan For Viols - Fretwork
Serenade For Wind Instruments, K.388: II. Andante - HARMONIEMUSIK OF LONDON
Ma Mere L'Oye: Le Jardin Feerique - Jean-Bernard Pommier
Marchenbilder For Viola & Piano, Op.113: IV. Langsam, Mit Melancholischem Ausdruck - Leif Ove Andsnes
Adagio For Strings - Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Heart's Wounds - Jonathan Rees
Suite No.3 In D Major, BWV 1068: Aria - English Chamber Orchestra
Blumine - Bamberger Symphoniker

Average customer rating:

Schmaltz - German for Bad

Café del Mar: Classics, Vol. 2

Manufacturer: Cafe Del Mar
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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Café del Mar: Classics
Café del Mar Dreams, Vol. 3
Café del Mar: Dreams, Vol. 2
Café del Mar: Dreams, Vol. 1
Café del Mar, Vol. 12

ASIN: B0001KL2OC
Release Date: 2004-03-30

Tracks:

Clair de Lune
Concerto for Clarinet K.581
Cz
Romeo and Juliet (Love Theme)
Canon & Gigue
Gnossienne No. 3
Dream of Love No.3
Scheherazade (The Young Prince and the Young Princess)
Noctune No.2
Aria & Larghetto from "Concerto Grosso No. 12 Opus 6"
Traviata (Prelude to Act I)
Sonata Pathque (Adagio from "Sonata No. 8 Opus 13")
Air (From "Orchestral Suite No.3")
Whiter Shade of Pale
Gymnopedie No. 1 [Interactive Track]

Album Details

A Second Volume of Beautiful Classical Music Assembled to Greet the Fabulous Sunsets that Nature Affords on the Fabled Isle of Ibiza.

Customer Reviews:

Schmaltz - German for Bad.......2006-01-30

Hard to believe that Cafe Del Mar has sunk to this level.

This is NOT "chill," meditative, relaxing or even New Age music.

This is a round-up of the best "relaxing" classical music as performed ineptly and cheaply by nobody in particular.

(...). It's heartless and dull. It's also pointless and sad that Cafe Del Mar would stamp their name on anything.

If you want "relaxing" classical music and you're just starting out in collecting classical or you're not a purist and want music for dinner or a relaxing evening, you would be better off listening to any of these from Amazon (see link below) locked in a wooden box and cotton stuffed in your ears than the tripe of the absolutely horrible, horrible Café del Mar: Classics, Vol. 2.

(...)

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

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
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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

Nature of Music, Vol. 2: Evening Music After Hours

Average customer rating:

Nature of Music, Vol. 2: Evening Music After Hours

Manufacturer: Spring Hill
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Meditation Music | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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Nature of Music, Vol. 1: Morning Music Dawn to Day
Nature of Music: Beauty, Sound and Healing

ASIN: B0000589UW
Release Date: 2001-02-13

Tracks:

Gtr Con in D, RV93: Largo - Dagoberto Linhares
Children's Corner Ste: Dr. Gradus Ad Parnassum - Francois-Joel Thiollier
Vn Con No.3 in G, K216: Adagio - Takako Mishizaki
Pno Son in A, Op.120 D664: Andante - Jeno Jandos
Prlds: The Maiden With The Flaxen Hair - Gerald Garcia
Six Bagatelles, Op.126: Quasi Allegretto - Jeno Jando
Pno Con in G: Adagio Assai - Francois-Joel Thioller
Gianni Schicchi: O, Mio Babbino Caro - Miriam Gauci
Intermezzo in b, Op.119 No.1 - Idil Biret
Str Qt No.13 in B flat, Op.130: Cavatina - Kodaly Qt
The Requiem, Op.48: In Paradisum - Schola Cantorum Of Oxford

Average customer rating:

A gateway drug, nothing more, nothing less.
Decent Selection, But...
A must-have classical music set!

Best Classics 100

Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Czech | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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100 Best Opera Classics
Best Classics 100 Volume 1
Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits
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ASIN: B0001M65HE
Release Date: 2004-08-10

Tracks:

Handel: The Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba
Vivaldi: Spring (The Four Seasons)
J.S. Bach: Toccata in D Minor
Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 4 in E Flat
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5
Tchaikovsky: '1812' Overture
Beethoven: Ode To Joy (Symphony #9)
Grieg: Piano Concerto in A Minor
Sibelius: Alla Marcia (Karelia Suite)
Holst: Jupiter, The Bringer Of Jollity
Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No.1
Sibelius: Finlandia
Verdi: Gloria All'egitto (Aida)
Prokofiev: Montagues And Capulets (Romeo & Juliet)
J. Strauss I: Radetzky March
Elgar: Pomp And Circumstance March No.1
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3
Saint-Saens: Symphony No. 3 'Organ'

Tracks:

J. S. Bach: Air 'On The G String'
Gluck: Dance Of The Blessed Spirits
Pachelbel: Canon
Mozart: Clarinet Concerto in A
J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations
Albinoni: Adagio
Beethoven: Piano Sonata 'Moonlight'
Mozart: Flute & Harp Concerto in C
Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E Minor
Mozart: Piano Concerto 'Elivira Madigan'
Dvorak: Symphony No. 9
Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1
Elgar: Nimrod
Rodrigo: Concierto De Aranjuez
Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending
Mahler: Symphony No. 5
Rachmaninov: Rhapsody On A Theme of Paganini

Tracks:

Bizet: Au fond du temple saint (Les Pjcheurs de perles)
Dvorak: Song to the Moon (Rusalka)
Delibes: Dtme Epais (Lakmi)
Bizet: La Fleur Que Tu M'avais Jetie (Carmen)
Gluck: Che Farr Senza Euridice? (Orfeo & Euridice)
Bellini: Casta Diva (Norma)
Puccini: Che Gelida Manina (La Bohhme)
Puccini: O Mio Babbino Caro (Gianno Schicchi)
Trad: Baolhro
Puccini: Vogliatemi Bene (Madama Butterfly)
Verdi: Va, Pensiero (Nabucco)
Lehar: Es Lebt' Eine Vilja (Die Lustige Witwe)
Handel: Ombra Mai Fy (Serse)
Schubert: Ave Maria
Adam: Minuit, Chritiens (O Holy Night)
Puccini: Nessun Dorma (Turandot)

Tracks:

Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro
J.S. Bach: Jesus bleibet meine Freud
Beethoven: Piano Concerto 'Emperor'
Clarke: Trumpet Voluntary
Gounod: Judex
Rossini: La scala di Seta
Handel: Sarabande
Tchaikovsky: Waltz of the Flowers
Prokofiev: Troika
Williams: Fantasia on 'Greensleeves'
Debussy: Clair de lune
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake
Myers: Cavatina
Chopin: Piano Concerto No.1
Horner: My Heart Will Go On
Quarantotto: Time to Say Goodbye
J. Strauss II: The Blue Danube

Tracks:

Mascagni: Intermezzo
Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.2
Grieg: Morning (Peer Gynt)
Shostakovich: Romance
Barber: Adagio For Strings
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade
Massenet: Miditation
Borodin: Polovtsian Dances
Khachaturian: Adagio Of Spartacus And Phrygia
Tchaikovsky: Romeo And Juliet Overture
Beethoven: Symphony No.7
J. S. Bach: Double Violin Concerto
Williams: Schindler's List Theme
Tchaikovsky: Dance Of The Reed Flutes
Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 'Pastoral'

Tracks:

Handel: Zadok The Priest
J. S. Bach: Zion Hvrt Die Wdchter
Allegri: Miserere Mei, Deus
Schubert: German Mass
Franck: Panis Angelicus
Berlioz: L'adieu Des Bergers
Gounod: St Cecilia Mass
Faure: In Paradisum
Mozart: Laudate Dominum
Faure: Cantique De Jean Racine
Verdi: Ingemisco
Mozart: Ave Verum Corpus
Handel: I Know That My Redeemer Liveth
Haydn: The Heavens Are Telling
Faure: Pie Jesu
Mozart: Lacrimosa (Requiem)
Handel: Hallelujah Chorus

Customer Reviews:

A gateway drug, nothing more, nothing less. .......2007-03-11

To say that this album constitutes a necessity for the classical music enthusiast would be a great big unarguable lie. It has nothing innovative to offer you as a listener, except for maybe the labelling of melodies such as "My Heart Will Go On" (that god-awful Love Theme from the gruesome film Titanic) as a worthy member of "Best Classics 100". But than again, every collection of things that does not naturally belong together, is bound to have at least one outcast where the connection clearly isn't based on anything but cost and sale-ability.

This might sound like the beginning of a CD-slaughter, or a snobbish review where only the Deutche Grammophone's recordings are meting my standards, but although I am fairly picky when it comes to musical collections, best of albums, and such horrifying destructions of the universality of the works and the intentions of the artist behind it, I am willing to give this collection another chance, since classical music is somewhere between Arabic and wine in degree of unmanageability. It also helps that all the tunes are familiar to almost every one of us, and the fact that the artists' intentions probably got killed by the hundreds of different conductors trying to convey their personal interpretation of the works.

What I am saying is that this CD can be to classical music enthusiast what 'absolute rock' can be to a rock enthusiast, or to someone slightly interested, with no conceptual frames of where to start the search for knowledge. "Best Classics 100" offers nothing except a selection of melodies where there's bound to be one for every taste, but where the album feeling, the entirety or completeness intended by the composer, or conductor, or performer is completely lost in a trade-off made with variety.

The collection is attempted organised by giving each CD a different theme, supposedly to describe the mood of the music, and the labeller succeeds only to a limited extent as we move from themes such as 'uplifting' and 'relaxing' towards 'golden'. I wonder what that golden feeling constitutes. It apparently is to be found in, amongst others, "Jesus Bleibet Meine Freunde", and in "My Heart Will Go On"?

But no matter how I try to describe this CD it will sound worse than it actually is. This because to me it works as a great reference to which I can always turn with my classical music questions. Was it Schumann or Schubert who were the sad one? Of all the -inis, which where which again? Who composed "O Mio Babbino Caro"? The starting point for finding out if you belong to the romantic or the renascence wing, lies within this assemblage, if you look with your ears.

If you feel that classical music is something you like, and you'd like to learn more about it, this is a way to get started. If used together with a book on classical music, or wikipedia, it can be a gateway drug, leading you towards the great different experiences to be found within the different genres of classical music, and within the different periods ranging from the 12th century, maybe even earlier, towards yesterdays and tomorrows spectacular compositions of melodies that conveys a feeling, a state of mind with much more precision than any other musical genre. Expect a fairly alright collection of classical prunes, and you won't be disappointed.

Decent Selection, But..........2005-04-21

...The Audio Quality is really not great. I bought this CD because I am new to classical, and the price was great! 100 songs for 25 bucks, thats like 25 cents a song, most songs are 1 dollar or more. Now I know why it's cheaper. The audio quality isn't that good. I imported the entire collection to my computer using Apple Lossless, and it sounded fuzzy, not crisp, with background noise, and sounded like compressed music, cutting off the frequency response.
I then played the CD's through my home stereo, with the same results. I plugged in my SHURE E5c headphones and the sound was soft, uninviting, lacking punch, with significant backgound noise (not just from the headphones), which was especially distracting when the music would get softer. I have heard much of the music before, and it was much more dynamic, entertaining, this recording seems too flat.
The music selection is ok, but I was hoping for some more interesting selections from the vast classical genre.
Overall, not that great of a recording, but many might not notice the difference, so if you are new to classical or aren't like an audiophile, get this album because it's a great overview of pop-culture classical, and it's pretty inexpensive.

A must-have classical music set!.......2005-01-06

Classical music is, by far, my favorite type of music. It can make you happy or sad, it can make you laugh or cry, and it can make you want to fall asleep or get up and dance. This 6-disc set is a must-have for and classical music-lover! It has all the great composers like Handel, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Bach, and Pachelbel. Some great songs include: Canon In D(Pachelbel), Morning: Peergynt(Grieg), Adagio For Strings(Barber), Cavatina(Myers), and much, much more. Every classical song you can think of is on here and the sound quality is great. So if you're looking for a good classical music CD, this set is all you need. Be prepared to be blown away!