Sibelius & Schumann String Quartets

On this CD:

1. String Quartet "Voces Intimae", in D minor, Op. 56
Composed by Jean Sibelius
Performed by Ari Angervo, Veikko Hoyla, Mauri Pietikainen, Jorma Rahkonen, Voces Intimae String Quartet

2. String Quartets (3), Op. 41 No 3 String Quartet In A Major
Composed by Robert Schumann
Performed by Ari Angervo, Veikko Hoyla, Mauri Pietikainen, Jorma Rahkonen, Voces Intimae String Quartet

Tracks:

Canon - Pachelbel
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik-Andante - Mozart
Fur Elise - Beethoven
String Quartet #1 - Tchaikovsky
Clair De Lune - Debussy
Idyl for Strings - Adagio - Janacek
Adagio in G Mnor - Albinoni
The Girl with the Flaxen Hair - Debussy
Air on a G String - Bach
Greensleeves - Vaughn Williams
Largo from Xerxes - Handel
Prelude in C - Bach
The Planets - Venus - Holst
Goldberg Variations - Aria - Bach
Adagio for Strings - Barber

Tracks:

Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun - Debussy
Fur Elise - Beethoven
Holberg Suite - Sarabande - Grieg
Valse Triste - Sibelius
Concerto in F Minor - Largo - Bach
Serenade for String - Moderato - Dvorak
Liebestraume - Liszt
Ave Maria - Bach/Bounod
Etude in E Major - Chopin
String Quartet No 2 - Nocturne - Borodin
Arabesque - Debussy
Pavane for Dead Princess - Ravel
The Four Seasons - Largo - Vivaldi
Gymno0pedie 1 - Satie
Moonlight Sonata - Adagio - Beethoven
Piano Concerto No 21 - Andante - Mozart "Elvira Madigan"

Customer Reviews:

the most relaxing classical music in the university.......2007-05-12

All my favorites. I can start the CD player, which is wired to speakers in every room of my house, and just let it play, along with "The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the World" and "The Most Relaxing Classical Guitar in the World." I enjoy an awareness of familiar and beautiful strains of my favorites all day long and never get tired of it.

My brother visited me recently and noticed it right away. That will be another order for this fabulour music.

Relaxing Classical Music.......2007-01-08

I was not really a classical music fan but I am now. I purchased this cd for my 14 year old grand-daughter, not knowing we would both enjoy the music so much. She has always enjoyed classical music along with all of the other teen music, rap, rock, country, etc.
Also, it really helped being able to listen to parts of the music before purchasing.

Stress-freedom.......2006-03-14

Perfect music to end the work day. After listening to this I can face the evening. If the morning is hard, a little at lunch time gets me through the afternoon.

Greatly enjoy!.......2006-02-23

I first developed a taste for this music a number of years ago when my daughter started playing in the orchestra. The reason I made this purchase however, was because I have a great deal of difficulty with anxiety and I was looking for ways to find help. I love these CDs. It helps so much to sit and close my eyes and enjoy the music. The CDs are full of beautiful music.

the most relaxing classical music in the universe.......2005-09-21

it's the best next to the first one...

Average customer rating:

Absolutely Pleased!
It takes me away
Censoring of Be Still My Soul
A good choice for first time buyers of Libera
Ethereal

Angel Voices

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Visions
Free
Libera
Luminosa
Angel Voices 3

ASIN: B000IHY9QG
Release Date: 2006-10-25

Tracks:

Far Away
Sanctus
Ave Maria
Going Home
Be Still My Soul
Salva Me
I Vow To Thee, My Country
Voca Me
Always With You
We Are The Lost
I Am The Day
Recordare
Abide With Me
Silent Night
Going Home

Amazon.com

There's very little to say about this recording of ethereally beautifully singing by the 24 young English lads who make up the group Libera. Enormously popular in Asia, the group is part of a parish choir in South London that has been around for many years, with of course, changes in personnel as voices change. There are a couple of pieces here by well-known composers--Pachelbel, Sibelius, Holst, Dvorak--but to their music have been added words and, of course, it's all been "arranged." Texts, translations from Latin, and arrangements as well as original music are by Robert Prizeman, the choir's director, and some of the numbers are accompanied by quiet synthesizers, organ, and/or drums. There is something new-age about this project and some might find the effect syrupy, while others might long for the "real" thing, that is, boys with this talent singing some Renaissance or later music that is not designed simply as balm for the ears. But for what it is--a perfectly pitched choir with some outstanding solo work as well, singing easy-to-listen to short numbers--this is just lovely. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely Pleased!.......2007-07-10

I just recently loss my brother-in-law who passed away on Memorial day of this year and this CD has been able to comfort my family and I through this terrible loss. I absolutely recommend that anyone who is needing spiritual uplifting should definitely buy this CD. I consider this the best comfort CD ever!

It takes me away .......2007-06-28

I heard this album playing as I browsed in a Barnes and Noble, it was enchanting. I had to know what it was. The sales person in the music section filled me in and we listened to it for hours while we drove. Their voices are heavenly. I am transported to a place of peace and calm.

Censoring of Be Still My Soul.......2007-05-21

On the fifth track, Be Still My Soul, the arrangers reworked the original lyrics of Katharina A. von Schlegel and taken the third verse:

Be still, my soul:
when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened
in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know
His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe
thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul:
thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness
all He takes away.

And made it a combination of the third and second verse:

Be still, my soul:
when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened
in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know
His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe
thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul,
the waves and winds
still know His voice
Who ruled them
while He dwelt below.

In other words, they have taken the name of Jesus out of the original lyrics. The verse doesn't even make sense now. I feel it is awful that the one who can soothe all our sorrow and thy fears, Jesus, was censored from this beautiful work.

A good choice for first time buyers of Libera.......2007-05-17

A lot of reviewers have complained that Angel Voices is mostly a compilation that takes a few songs from each previous Libera album and reworks it. I imagine it is somewhat like a greatest hits, or favorites album, only all the songs have been re-recorded by the current set of boys that makes up the group.
Personally, this album was our first exposure to the group. We enjoy its mellowness, and the soaring vocals and harmonies. I am not sure that we would buy many of their other albums since this one has a nice mix of songs that are included on the other CDs.
We have given this CD as a gift as well as having it ourselves and everyone we have shared it with has loved it.

Ethereal.......2007-05-13

The harmonies on this cd are absolutely breath-taking. Incredible arrangements. Feel like I've been lifted right out of my body into something beyond this world. Perfect background music for meditation.

Average customer rating:

HEAVENLY
Sweetest voices ever!
Awesome
Soothing and thought provoking
Pure Crystal

Free
Chris Dodd , Fiona Pears , Anthony Chadney , Ben Crawley , Christopher Robson , and Raoul Platt
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Luminosa
Visions
Libera
Angel Voices
Angel Voices 3

ASIN: B0002RUAAQ
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Tracks:

I Am The Day
Stay With Me
Voca Me
A Song Of Enchantment
Ave Verum
Do Not Stand At My Grave
When A Knight
A New Heaven
I Vow To Thee My Country
Lament
Twilight
Be Still My Soul
Adoramus

Amazon.com

English composer Robert Prizeman has taken a conventional English boy's choir--usually a haven for sweet songs and ecclesiastical renderings--and made them contemporary without selling out any of their intrinsic charm. Their stacked choral voices and lead sopranos, dressed up with electronica rhythms, synthesizers, and strings still sound like they could be coming from the church balcony, even while they exude an Enya-like appeal. While there are adaptations of Gregorian chants and Sibelius hymns, most of the songs are Prizeman originals based on those styles, with texts often drawn from Latin Liturgy. Except for the chilled romanticism of "Stay With Me," and the rhythm driven "Adoramus," whose chorus sounds like a Harry Potter incantation, few of the songs on Free have the anthemic pop appeal of "Salva Me" or "Vespera" from previous albums. Instead, Prizeman has opted for a more serene sound on Free, even with their first video from the disc, the yearning "I Am the Day." Some of it, like Prizeman's setting of a Walter de la Mare poem on "A Song of Enchantment," gets lugubrious. But most of Free floats on gentle soprano breezes, intrinsically innocent, even if the boys might be smoking cigarettes behind the altar. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

HEAVENLY.......2007-06-19

This cd is like listening to a heavenly choir. "Free" is an awesome audio experience. It can turn a stressful day into a calm evening.

Sweetest voices ever!.......2007-06-16

I happened across this CD at Borders and was able to listen to it! One of the sweetest and heavenly CDs ever! I bought two: one for myself and one as a gift.

Awesome.......2007-01-04

I never knew that young boys could have such wonderful voices, almost angelic. The music is very relaxing and haunting at times, but that's what makes it a good album to hear to. The harmonies were so beautiful. To all choir fans, this is a must-have album.

Soothing and thought provoking.......2006-02-23

Libera is an amazing group of boys and Robert Prizeman really knows how to put everything together. My favorite songs on "Free" are Voca Me, Stay With Me, Adoramus, I Am the Day and Twilight. Each time I listen to this disc, another song seems to start growing on me. This was my first Libera CD (I have since bought Luminosa, Libera and Visions) and at first I liked the faster more upbeat songs but as time went on I started to really love the softer ones like Do Not Stand at my Grave and Weep (beautifully done by Ben Crawley and Joseph Platt). The soloists are lovely with clear and pure voices, and the chorus just swells with harmonies. This is choir music for people who hate choir music.

Pure Crystal.......2006-02-20

Like Luminosa, this is incredible. I can only compare it to the beautiful, pristine, classical pieces of antiquity, such as Vivaldi's Spring and Bach's many ethereal melodies. It's beautiful.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful
A few bright spots, but also some disappointments
This CD Deserves SIX Stars!
every good adjective
Fabulous!

Peace Like a River
James Lucas , Janice Kapp Perry , John Rutter , Jean Sibelius , John Tavener , American Traditional , English Traditional , Spiritual Traditional , Mack Wilberg , Craig D. Jessop , Clay Christiansen , John Longhurst , Richard L. Elliott , Daron Bradford , and Meredith Campbell
Manufacturer: Mormon Tabernacle
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Consider the Lilies
Love Is Spoken Here
America's Choir
Choose Something Like a Star
Mormon Tabernacle Choir: The Sound of Glory-Battle Hymn of the Republic

ASIN: B00020H9W0
Release Date: 2004-06-22

Tracks:

Sweet Peace
Be Still, My Soul
Peace Like a River
All Things Bright and Beautiful
Lord Is My Shepherd
This Is My Father's World
Wayfarin' Stranger
Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Deep River
Lamb
Child's Prayer
It Is Well With My Soul
Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep
Gaelic Blessing
Thou Gracious God, Whose Mercy Lends
Come, Let Us Anew

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful.......2007-06-14

This CD is a must have for any Mormon Tabernacle Choir fans. The music is very reverent and gentle, and should also appeal to those not from the LDS church, seeing as how most of the music is common to the wider Christian community. This CD is a fantastic addition to any music collection.

A few bright spots, but also some disappointments.......2007-01-19

It Is Well With My Soul is one of my favorite-favorites and that is the main reason why I bought the CD; it turned out to be a huge let down on this album, they rearranged it so much that I almost didn't recognize it. Be Still My Soul is another reason why I bought it and it's good, but not great. Swing Low Sweet Chariot is where it starts to get good. The last two songs "Thou Gracious God, Whose Mercy Lends"
and "Come, Let Us Anew" are very good reasons to buy this CD, they each have truely powerful passages and make the CD worth having. The Mormon Tabernacle Choirs 2006 release entitled Then Sings My Soul is by far the best that I've heard from them.

This CD Deserves SIX Stars!.......2005-11-05

However, the rating scale has a limit of five. I own over 700 CDs of virtually every type of music. Peace Like A River belongs in a class by itself! I've never written a review before but, after listening to this STUNNING performance by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, I feel compelled to share my praise with that of the five other reviewers. If I were limited to one word, I would use the word "SUPERB" to describe this beautiful and moving CD. SIX stars for Peace Like a River! BRAVO!!!

every good adjective .......2005-08-06

This album is all beauty and solace. The singing is pristine, the arrangements lush and often stirring--never saccharine. As with the previous reviewer, my first listing of "Peace Like a River" brought me to tears (especially "Peace Like a River," the sopranos in "Swing Low," and the bagpipes in "Thou Gracious God"). Buy this one.

Fabulous!.......2005-05-29

The perfect recording to help you recover from a long, hard day. Showcasing the MTC's "new" sound in contemporary choral arrangements with its own orchestra and conductor, "Peace Like a River" brought tears to my eyes in selection after selection during my first listen -- and I'm not normally an emotional person! The title song together with "Deep River," "Swing Low" and "Be Still My Soul" are alone worth the cost of the recording. Get this one!

The Most Soothing Lullabies In The Universe

Average customer rating:

The Most Soothing Lullabies In The Universe

Manufacturer: Denon Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Baby's Best: Lullabies
National Geographic: Lullabies - Dream Songs from Around the World
Traditional Lullabies
Bach at Bedtime: Lullabies for the Still of the Night
Baby's Best: Quiet Time Songs

ASIN: B0001NBNE8
Release Date: 2004-04-06

Tracks:

CHOPIN: Piano Concerto No. 1, Larghetto
DEBUSSY: Clair de Lune
MANFREDINI: Concerto grosso in C, I. Largo (Pastorale)
MOZART: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Andante
BEETHOVEN: Moonlight Sonata, Adagio
BACH: Goldberg
SIBELIUS: Swan of Tuonela
LISZT: Liebestraume
SCHUMANN: Dreaming
MASSENET: Meditation from "Thais"
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: Greensleeves

Tracks:

HANDEL-WEINER: Sicilienne
A. CORELLI: Concerto grosso in G, Pastorale
VERDI: "When the evening becomes peaceful"
CHOPIN: Three Preludes
MOZART: Clarinet Concerto in A, II. Adagio
BRAHMS: Piano Sonata No. 3, II. Andante espressivo
TCHAIKOVSKY: Swan Lake (excerpt)
MENDELSSOHN: Three Songs Without Words
MAHLER: Symphony No. 3, IV. Sehr Langsam

Average customer rating:

A Fine Bargain!
life is beautiful. loud. multifaceted,nuanced and cheap.
My first classical music

Sibelius: Finlandia/Tone Poems.

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Capriccio Espagnol; Russian Easter Overture
Symphonie Fantastique
Franck: Symphony in Dm; Chasseur maudit
Smetana: Moldau/From Bohemia's Meadows and Forests/Dvorák: Slavonic Dances Op.46 & Op.72
Chopin: Preludes & Nocturnes

ASIN: B00004TV9I
Release Date: 2000-06-27

Tracks:

Finlandia, Op. 26
The Swan of Tuonela, Op.22 No. 2
Lemminkainen's Return, Op. 22 No. 4
Valse Triste, Op. 44
The Oceanides, Op. 73 - Helenski Philharmonia Orchestra
Tapiola, Op.112

Customer Reviews:

A Fine Bargain!.......2007-03-27

A marvelously performed and warmly recorded compilation of favorite Sibelius tone poems from one of the late 20th Century's foremost conductors of Sibelius...and it's dirt cheap! I can no more adequately describe the Romantic "chilly warmth" of this dramatic music than I could live above the Arctic Circle; there's no other music quite like it. It took me until I lived over twenty years in Northern Michigan to warm up to it, then its appeal became obvious -- go figure.

life is beautiful. loud. multifaceted,nuanced and cheap........2001-10-09

its the last thing to consider in buying music, really but look at how much sellers want for this CD. Then consider the conductor Paavo Berglund, a man with an ear for detail. His almost consistently perfect sense of timing and balance bring you the best tapiola I've heard, compared with Karajan, Davis, Jaarvi, Beecham, et al. phantasmagorical. crank your bass up for the swan (track 2), you'll find the neighborhood flora leaning towards the house in a reverie of past-life deja vu. Its full-on romanticism, no worries about period shmeriod, proper this or that.just SOUND. If passion and tumult are the hallmarks of these craggy pieces, we are incredibly well served by the Philharmonia (mostly here) upon pressing play. modern life has its quirks.

My first classical music.......2000-08-03

This is probaly the first real introduction to classical music I've had outside the usual Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Bach. I've fallen in love with the drama that plays through the tracks on this album. The music moves through countless moods. Definately worth your time!

Average customer rating:

Music from a Farther Room
relaxation
amazing
Talented violinist
Lucia does for Violin what Ian Anderson did for the flute

Music From A Farther Room
Astor Piazzolla , Maurice Ravel , Richard Rodgers , Paul Schwartz , Jean Sibelius , Traditional , Paul Schwartz , Craig Macintyre , Tariqh Akoni , Tim Curle , Lang Lang , Lee Musiker , Zachary Provost , Lucia Micarelli , Leigh Nash , and Lisbeth Scott
Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Within
Josh Groban Live at The Greek (CD/DVD)
Your Love, My Home
Follow Your Heart
Ian Anderson Plays the Orchestral Jethro Tull

ASIN: B0002GU2NM
Release Date: 2004-07-27

Tracks:

Samarkand
Oblivion
Meditation From Thais
Portrait
To Love You More
Reflexio
Aurora
Lady Grinning Soul
Ravel String Quartet IN F Major: Assez Vif - Tres Rythme
She Is Like The Swallow
My Funny Valentine
Nocturne/Bohemian Rhapsody

Amazon.com

Josh Groban fans who caught the singer's 2004 Closer tour would no doubt take note of Lucia Micarelli, who was the violinist and concertmaster for Groban. Like her boss, who also is executive producer of Music From A Farther Room, Micarelli is a young, attractive, and talented player who has the classical training, but who is also enchanted with pop music. Also like her boss, her strain of classical crossover works thanks to tasteful accompaniment, in this case from arranger/composer Paul Schwartz. The smartly chosen program of material comes from such varied catalogs as David Bowie and Rogers and Hart. Micarelli's playing is emotional without being overreaching, assertive when called upon, and nuanced. When she does go over-the-top pop on Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," it's brief but fun; when she navigates Piazzolla's "Oblivion" she draws upon the song's passion more than its technical requisites. This is a debut with likeable pizzazz, coming in a genre not often enough known for it. -- Tad Hendrickson

Album Description

For anyone who has attended Josh Groban's phenomenal live show, you will have undoubtedly had the pleasure of seeing and hearing his lead violinist, Lucia Micarelli. Lucia came to Josh's tour after appearing with the Trans- Siberian Orchestra playing arenas across the U.S. in 2003. With the close of the second leg of Josh's tour, Lucia is recording her debut album in New York and London with producer Paul Schwartz. Musical selections will range from the works of composers Ravel and Ennio Morricone to David Bowie.

Customer Reviews:

Music from a Farther Room.......2007-05-22

I heard Lucia Micarelli during a 2007 Josh Groban concert. Her live solo performance in addition to her backgrounds for Groban were mesmerizing. I purchased this album to see if it was as enjoyable as her live work, and I was not disappointed. Micarelli performs a good mix of classical and pop pieces. My favorite tracks on the album are Smarkland, Meditation, Lady Grinning Soul, Portrait, and Nocturne/Bohemian Rhapsody.

relaxation.......2007-05-13

This CD is very well done. I was familiar with old favorites and delighted with new songs. I would like to hear more of the rock songs preformed by her. I think she's got a lot of talent and could possibly do well with the rock songs on a future album.

amazing.......2007-05-07

Lucia has power in her playing. I think that she shouldn't be allowed to play violin this good. Her raw talent is conveyed in every song. She doesn't just stick to classical, as the accompaniment music isn't just strings. I wished she had played a little more in Bohemian Rhapsody. I saw her in concert with Josh Groban and I knew I had to purchase this CD. Lucia is an inspiration and her love for the violin cannot be contained.

Talented violinist.......2007-03-29

When I saw and heard Lucia Micarelli perform with Josh Groban at a recent concert, I was so impressed with her talent, that I immediately went online to see what music of hers was available. Every item on her CD is wonderful, and I'm looking forward to her next CD.

Lucia does for Violin what Ian Anderson did for the flute.......2007-01-22

I saw the beautiful and gypsy-like Lucia play with Ian Anderson a few months ago, and she was absolutely amazing! The whole audience kept chanting "bring back the girl!" everytime Ian stepped back on stage, and these were all tried-n-true Jethro Tull/Ian Anderson fans who just paid over $100/tkt to see him. She played Stairway to Heaven on the violin, and totally rocked the house. She smoothly slipped from classical to jazz to rock, much like Ian does. Hopefully it will be on an upcoming CD. As she becomes better known, I am sure she will bring a whole new generation to the Violin, just like Ian got a whole generation of Baby-Boomers playing the flute.

Average customer rating:

beautiful ,beautiful
Great Recording

Violin Favourites & Virtuoso Showpieces

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Romance of the Violin
Voice of the Violin
The Essential Joshua Bell
Tchaikovsky, Wienawski, Brahms, Schumann: Violin Concertos
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B0007WQHVW
Release Date: 2005-04-12

Tracks:

Variations on an original theme, Op.15
Romance, Op.78, No.2
Mazurka, Op.81, No.1
Hungarian Dance No.1 in G minor-Transcr. Joseph Joachim
Cantabile, Op.17
Scherzo-Tarantelle, Op.16
Nigun (Improvisation)
Perpetuum mobile
The Prophet Bird
Spanish Dance No.1
Waves at play (Wellenspiel)
Carmen Fantasy, Op.25 - Arr. Waxman

Tracks:

Praeludium and Allegro
Schosmarin
Tambourin chinois
Caprice viennois op.2
La Preuse (in the style of Louis Couperin)
Liebesfreud
Liebesleid
La Gitana
Berceuse Romantique (Caprice)
Polichinelle (Snade)
Rondino on a Theme by Beethoven
Tempo di menuetto (in the style of Pugnani)
Toy Soldiers' March
Allegretto (in the style of Boccherini)
Marche miniature viennoise
Aucassin and Nicolette (canzonetta medievale)
Menuet (in the style of Porpora)
Sicilienne and Rigaudon (in the style of Francois Francoeur)
Syncopation

Customer Reviews:

beautiful ,beautiful.......2007-05-27

I am not a music critic nor do I "know" much about music but if you love lovely violin music you will love this.

Great Recording.......2007-01-04

The Kreisler pieces are played exceptionally well. The one disc alone is worth the price of the double disc collection. Great playing.

Average customer rating:

Francescatti vs. Heifetz
The gentleman of the violin!
masters at work
Two Violin Concerti - Two wonderful recordings
Excellent recording, good price

Beethoven, Sibelius: Violin Concertos

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto Op35; Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Op77
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Brahms: Violin Concerto; Mozart: Sinfonia
Mozart: Violin Concertos Nos. 4 & 5; Rondo concertante; Rondo; Adagio
Mozart: Violin Concertos Nos. 1-3; Rondo, K. 373

ASIN: B0000027OR
Release Date: 1992-01-03

Tracks:

Concert For Violin And Orchestra In D Major, Op.61: I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo (Cadenza: Fritz Kreisler) - Bruno Walter
Concert For Violin And Orchestra In D Major, Op.61: II. Larghetto - Bruno Walter
Concert For Violin And Orchestra In D Major, Op.61: III. Rondo: Allegro - Bruno Walter
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra In D Minor, Op.47: I. Allegro Moderato - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra In D Minor, Op.47: II. Adagio Di Molto - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra In D Minor, Op.47: III. Allegro, Ma Non Tanto - The Philadelphia Orchestra

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The Sibelius Violin Concerto was a David Oistrakh specialty. He brought to it a personal warmth and poetry, and he made the most of what critics call Sibelius's "Russian melancholy," which is the term applied to Russian music when it sounds most Finnish. But seriously, the great Finnish composer was a strong admirer of Tchaikovsky, whose Violin Concerto was another Oistrakh specialty. Eugene Ormandy's Sibelius credentials were similarly well established at the time that this great recording was made. At a budget price, with a terrific Beethoven Violin Concerto tossed in, you'd have to be nuts not to want to hear it. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Francescatti vs. Heifetz.......2007-04-21

I've owned this CD and the Heifetz/Reiner Beethoven for years, and it's hard to imagine that both violinists were playing from the same score. Francescatti makes a regular practice of holding a note just a bit, to shape a phrase or add emphasis. Heifetz makes a consistent practice of avoiding this and moving briskly on--which raises the issue of tempo: in the first movement, Heifetz takes a full 2 minutes less than Francescatti (despite Heifetz' somewhat elaborate cadenza), and the remaining movements are similarly timed. As he bustles along, Heifetz tends to vary the force of his notes more subtly than Francescatti, who deploys a wider range of volume levels.

As a result, lovers of the Francescatti approach may find Heifetz clipped, brusque and impersonal, while lovers of the Heifetz approach may find Francescatti slow, heavy and mushy. Or to put it in positive terms, Heifetz excels in maintaining and building rhythmic energy, while Francescatti is best in developing the emotional content of the work and letting it "breathe." It took me a long time to come to appreciate both approaches, and I signal this as a study in contrast. At this low price, you can buy both and decide for yourself. (My favorite? This one.)

The gentleman of the violin!.......2006-06-30

Zino Francescati was a very solvent violinist with a pleasant tune and a warmth temperament. His phrasing was kind and delicate, and this is perhaps his main virtue and his main defect, because many works don't resist such approach.

But in this case, Beethoven' s Violin Concerto works out because the sublime inspiration of this Opus, allows to be expressed under this considerations and particularly this vision is carefully performed in this case.

Elegance and refinement feature this version. So please, don't miss it.

In the case of Sibelius violin's concerto, there are better options in the market such Ginette Neveu, ivry Gitlis and Jasha Heifetz.

masters at work.......2006-01-18

Francescatti's Beethoven concerto is shapely and engaging, and the playing is warm and refined throughout. My ultimate preferences with this piece are Shumsky's 1988 recording with the Philharmonia Orchestra under Davis, and Menuhin's recording under Furtwangler, but I admire Francescatti's beautiful lines and devoted intelligence. The reason, however, for seizing this remarkable offer (who knows anymore how long any recording will remain available!) has to be Oistrakh's incomparable recording of the Sibelius under Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orch. Of the many versions of this great work, for me, there is none that matches this particular Oistrakh/Ormandy recording. Of more recent versions, Cho-Liang Lin turns in a stupendously musical performance of this piece - convincing and beautiful. I believe five or six D. Oistrakh recorded versions of this concerto remain in print; his Melodiya recording with Rozhdestvensky is a rival, but Ormandy's command of the glacial cast of Sibelius' orchestral writing is just amazing, and, underpinning Oistrakh's inimitable conception, the playing of the Philadelphia Orch is rich and perfectly attuned to Sibelius. The remastered sound is first-rate, you'd think it was a modern recording. Whether you love this concerto, or dont yet know it, you've found here a defining performance to reveal its mysteries. I've treasured this recording for thirty years, and urge you to give it a hearing.

Two Violin Concerti - Two wonderful recordings.......2005-12-25

I don't play the violin at all, but I love these two concerti (They're among my favorites for violin).

The Beethoven is pretty good, actually very good. This is one of the first pieces I heard live at a concert. The length of the whole piece doesn't matter when you're actually listening to it. I've heard more romantic versions, but I actually prefer Francescatti's interpretation. It's very fine, nothing too showy to make the music more than what it is. For a more "modern" recording, I would choose Hilary Hahn's.

I haven't listened to the Sibelius as much as the Beethoven on this CD, but I actually prefer this playing to the artists of today, such as Bell, Chang, etc. Oistrakh's tone is wonderful.

I would definitely recommending this CD to anyoone, to introduce these pieces to a new listener, or to add this to a classical music connoisseur's collection.

Excellent recording, good price.......2005-08-10

This is a really great CD, featuring two of the 20th century's best violinists - Zino Francescatti on the Beethoven and David Oistrakh on the Sibelius. While the majority of my recordings are by modern day artists (Hahn, Chang, Bell, Midori, etc), I have several recordings by older artists, and for the most part I can tell a real difference in their playing styles compare to modern day players. To me, the older artists seem to play with a much more elegant, restrained style than the newer artists (with the exception of, perhaps Heifetz). While both artists play magnificently on this CD, I would say that this more elegant playing serves the Beethoven much better than the Sibelius.

The Beethoven isn't really one of my favorite concerti, mostly because it's so long that I rarely listen to the entire thing (all movements). However, I have listened to this entire recording more than enough times to recognize the warm, personal playing that Francescatti delivers.

The Sibelius, one of my all-time favorite concertos (for any instrument), is played exceptionally well by Oistrakh, though I think his playing style is a little too reserved for my tastes. To me, it often sounds like Oistrakh is playing in a more classical style than the Sibelius warrants. Compared with a recording at the other end of the spectrum (for example, Salerno-Sonnenberg), Oistrakh's playing is just a little boring, particularly on the spectacular final movement. Don't get me wrong, he plays beautifully, but I just prefer Sibelius to be a little grittier. However, to Oistrakh's credit, his playing is always perfect and controlled, even in incredibly difficult spots where some other artists can sound border-line out of control. It seems that playing with fire and abandon often comes at the price of clarity, and playing with technical clarity and perfection often comes at the price of excitement. That being said, no recording can really be said to be better than the other... I just happen to prefer the sibelius to be played slightly closer to the "fiery abandon" side of the spectrum (however, my favorite version of this concerto, by Midori, seems to find a perfect balance between the two extremes). Enjoy

Average customer rating:

sublime
Excellent First and Fifth
Davis favors reflection over power
An Introduction to Sibelius
One of my favorite recordings

Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies 1

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies 2
Schumann: The 4 Symphonies
Dvorak: 3 Great Symphonies
Mendelssohn: 5 Symphonies; 7 Overtures
Tchaikovsky: Symphonies no 4, 5, & 6 / Karajan, Berlin PO

ASIN: B0000041BV
Release Date: 1995-06-13

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 39: 1. Andante, ma non troppo - Allegro energico
Symphony No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 39: 2. Andante. Ma non troppo lento
Symphony No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 39: 3. Scherzo. Allegro
Symphony No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 39: 4. Finale
Symphony No. 4 In A Minor, Op. 63: 1. Tempo molto moderato, quasi adagio
Symphony No. 4 In A Minor, Op. 63: 2. Allegro molto vivace
Symphony No. 4 In A Minor, Op. 63: 3. Il tempo largo
Symphony No. 4 In A Minor, Op. 63: 4. Allegro

Tracks:

Symphony No. 2 In D, Op. 43: 1. Allegretto - Poco allegro - Tranquillo, ma poco a poco ravvivando il tempo al allegro
Symphony No. 2 In D, Op. 43: 2. Tempo andante, ma rubato - andante sostenuto
Symphony No. 2 In D, Op. 43: 3. Vivacissimo - Lento e sauve - Largamente
Symphony No. 2 In D, Op. 43: 4. Finale. Allegro moderato
Symphony No. 5 In E Flat, Op. 82: 1. Tempo molto moderato - Largamento - Allegro moderato
Symphony No. 5 In E Flat, Op. 82: 2. Andante mosso, quasi allegretto
Symphony No. 5 In E Flat, Op. 82: 3. Allegro molto

Amazon.com essential recording

As so often happens in the classical record business, Sir Colin Davis has been busily rerecording all of this music for RCA, with the London Symphony. And because he's an English conductor working with an English orchestra, the British critics are raving, as if these earlier, much better, and much less expensive versions didn't even exist. Well, ignore the hype. Not only does the Boston Symphony play rings around today's London Symphony Orchestra (Davis's current group), but they are much better recorded too. This first Sibelius cycle was a prime recommendation when it first came out, and it still is, plain and simple. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

sublime.......2006-12-09

These two discs contain some of the most gorgeous symphonic music and awesome orchestral playing ever committed to disc.

Of Sibelius' seven symphonies, we have here the dark, Tchaikovskian First; the epic, majestic, forlorn Second; the austere, solemn, and noble Fourth; and the affable, complex, understated, and profound Fifth. These works capture something of the essence of the Nordic spirit as poignantly as the Dvorak symphonies do the Slavic, and are quite simply some of the most rewarding, fascinating works of art we have. They have, unfortunately, been largely overlooked since the rise of the current, passionate enthusiasm of the classical music world for the Mahler symphonies began in the 1960s; especially given the bargain, rerelease pricing of these two discs, then, you really mustn't pass on this opportunity to familiarize yourself with these masterworks.

The old Boston Symphony plays with a beautiful, effortless virtuosity that demonstrates why they were known as the dean of American orchestras. This was the orchestra whose timbre Copland, Barber, Piston, Schuman, and Berstein had in mind when they wrote their symphonic scores, and where the Chicago Symphony of the 70s was perhaps better-suited to the bombast of Mahler, Strauss, and Bruckner, the Boston Symphony must have been one of the best two or three orchestras in the world for these more subtle, understated scores (the Amsterdam Concertgebouw and the Vienna Philharmonic being the two other candidates that come immediately to mind).

A real treasure.

Excellent First and Fifth.......2006-11-21

This half of the Colin Davis/Boston Symphony Orchestra Sibelius cycle includes two performances I've long admired, one that's unexceptional, and one that seems a complete misfire.

Writing the finale to a symphony causes problems for young composers. The finale of the Mahler First is by far the weakest movement in the Mahler canon. The same is true of the Sibelius First--or is it? The stunning opening of the First announces a mature, original genius, but the finale can easily sound like imitation Tchaikovsky, as in the Stokowski and Maazel/Vienna recordings. Some people like these recordings; I don't. Other conductors--Berglund, Jansons, and Colin Davis among them--work hard to make the finale worthy of the first three movements. Davis is by and large successful, with only one rather awkward moment. I bought the Davis First when it came out on LP and have liked it ever since.

The Davis Second is a performance one would be happy to hear in concert, but doesn't offer any special insights. Listen to the Barbirolli/Royal Philarmonic Second and you'll hear a conductor who believes completely in the heroism and grandeur of this symphony while presenting a specifically Sibelian sound world. Because this symphony is so popular, some conductors who don't perform much Sibelius apply a generalized romantic veneer. Davis gets the specifically Sibelian sound, but doesn't find the passion.

The Gramophone reviewer applauds Davis for taking the slow movement of the Fourth at a really slow tempo, but I think this wrecks the symphony. In theory, a slow tempo ought to enhance the bleakness of this northern landscape, but in actuality the slow tempo turns the specifics of the score into something generalized, more romanticized, and warmer. This isn't intended to be the kind of slow movement where not much happens. Very specific orchestral events occur, and are defeated by the overall cold. Listen to Berglund or to Maazel/Vienna at the more normal tempo, and see which you prefer.

No problems with the Davis Fifth. Davis gets the tempo relationships right and offers a committed performance. If you're comparing overall cycles, Davis offers a solid introduction to the Sibelius symphonies, especially if supplemented by the Barbirolli/Royal Philharmonic Second and the Maazel/Vienna Fourth. I prefer the Berglund cycle, which also includes good performances of tone poems and incidental music which most Sibelians will want to acquire.

Davis favors reflection over power.......2005-12-12

This widely admired Sibelius cycle from the Seventies, now on two budget Duos from Philips, displays Colin Davis's abiding view of Sibelius as a meditative, inward composer. These aren't powerful, sweeping itnerpretations of the kind conducted by Karajan and Bernstein, nor are they raw material for fervent personal expression, as one finds with Barbirolli. Davis is cool-to-chilly much of the time, abetted by elegant, restrained playing from the BSO. The orchestra had just emerged from a low period under Leinsdorf and had been partially rebuilt by William Steinberg, who unfortunately died suddenly after only a few years with them. Even so, the strings in particular sound very secure.

When this set was first issued I was more taken with it than I am now. In its understated way, despite stretches of inertness, it still sounds more musical than Maazel with the Vienna Phil. (Decca), and the orchestra is miles ahead of the Halle under Barbirolli (EMI) or the various Finnish ensembles condcuted in two cycles by Berglund. Davis's later two cycles with the LSO cross the line and become too static. Claims that these performances are definitve make little sense to me given all the great conductors--Kajanus, Stokowski, Koussevitzky, Beecham, Bernstien, Karajan, Rattle--who offer more than equal competition.

An Introduction to Sibelius.......2005-12-04

The seven symphonies of Jean Sibelius (1865 -- 1957) are among the most impressive musical achievements of the Twentieth Century. His music fell into obscurity briefly at around the time of his death but fortunately has been restored to its rightful place. Few Twentieth Century composers have been so influential.

Colin Davis is a master of Sibelius' music, and his first cycle of the symphonies with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, available on two "duo" CD sets on Phillips, is available at a budget price. Sibelius's symphonies reward a "completist" approach. There are only seven, and the listener can follow the set in order and learn how Sibelius developed from a composer heavily influenced by late romanticism, including Tchaikovsky, Bruckner, and Wagner, to a modernist composer with a difficult, complex voice. For those wanting a guide, I recommend Michael Steinberg's book "The Symphony" (1995). Steinberg obviously loves Sibelius, and he discusses each of his symphonies in a clear, nontechnical way.

This CD includes Sibelius' first, second, fourth, and fifth symphonies which are probably his best-known and most accessible. The four-movement symphony no 1 in E minor opus 39 dates from 1899 when the composer was in his early 30s. Listen to the long, melancholy clarinet solo which opens this symphony. The second movement is lyrical and romantic, uncharacteristic of the later Sibelius, with a lush horn solo. The third movement is a brusque scherzo with a slow fragmented trio which points to Sibelius' later style. The finale builds to a great climax and then the music seems to come apart. It fades away at the end.

The symphony no 2 in D major, opus 43 is a triumphant, victory work in four movements Listen to the soft, repeated chords with which the work begins. They form the basis for the entire symphony as Sibelius creates ambiguities -- shifting from using his opening material as a harmonic backdrop to using it as the theme. The music develops from fragmentary themes as Sibelius embroiders them into a large-scale integrated work. The second movement features horns, bassoons, and rushing strings and includes marked changes in tempo and mood. In the third movement, listen to the nine repeated notes on the oboe with which the trio begins. The famous finale is based upon two stirring themes, the second of which eventually predominates and forms the basis for the inspiring, triumphant close. This is a deservedly loved symphony in the heroic mode.

Sibelius' symphony no 4, opus 63 dates from 1911 and is one of the composer's most difficult and enigmatic scores. It is Sibelius at his most personal, dark, alone, and somber. In this work, Sibelius experiements with tonality. He makes great use of the whole-tone scale, as did Debussy and of an attendant interval consisting of three whole steps called the tritone. This gives the music an unstable, questioning character. Steinberg writes: "aloneness, a sense of the contrast between human and superhuman scale, the impact of enormously concentrated experience -- these are perhaps the images that, unbidden, lodged in Sibelius's mind as he conceived and began to fix the musical gestures of his unsettling masterwork." The symphony is predominantly slow and somber and challenging. Listen to the sad song of the third movement and to the bells (chimes) in the finale of this work. Sibelius' fourth symphony, together with his sixth and seventh symphonies on the other part of this compiliation, are each highly modernistic, unique compositions that grow with time.

The final work on this compilation if the symphony no. 5 in E-flat major, opus 82. Sibelius revised this symphony extensively, and the final version dates from 1919. The key of e-flat major often is used for heroic, broad-scaled music (think of Beethoven's Eroica symphony and Emperor concerto) and, with his own developing sense of restraint and ambiguity, Sibelius so uses it here. The work is generally described as in three movements (some listeners hear the first movement as two movements, joined together without a pause) which are closely integrated. The long first movement builds and builds from basically short, fragmentary material, includes a quick scherzo, which some people consider as the second movement. In any event, the material is tied together and integrated magesterially, concluding the opening section of the symphony. The second movement is a theme and variations in which a woodwind chorale sings througout as the backdrop to a short figure in the strings. The third movement takes materials presented as background in the second movement and makes it the basis for a rolling and repeated chorus in the french horns presented early in the finale. The finale of Sibelius' fifth develops to a stunning climax punctuated by the famous six large and irregularly spaced chords with which it concludes. I find this symphony similar to Sibelius' second, but in a more complex, original, and modernistic voice.

I think Sibelius has entered that relatively small class of composers that every lover of music should get to know. There is no better way of hearing Sibelius than in this CD and its companion CD by Colin Davis.

Robin Friedman

One of my favorite recordings.......2005-04-28

It is hard for me to place a finger on why I identify so much with Sibelius' music. There's a degree of sparseness and simplicity to it, yet also intensity and longing. I welcome it as a sound track to my life because it seems to speak of the individual and a feeling of "aloneness" whether it be walking on a deserted beach, a mountainous trail, or making my way through a busy city. In any case, the cd case that holds my copy of this recording is quite tattered, shattered, and scuffed up. I consider it and volume 2 some of the better cds in my collection. Before I knew much about orchestral music, I used to (and this is probably due to media stereotyping at an early age) connotate it with background music for grandiose social events for the social and political elite. But thankfully the symphonies of Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Mahler, and Sibelius make the case for music going far beyond social function to the outer reaches of individual expression and enlightenment.

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