Baroque Era

On this CD:

1. Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook Little Suite~Arranged by T. Frost
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach

Conducted by Eugene Ormandy

2. Solomon, oratorio, HWV 67 The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Composed by George Frideric Handel

Conducted by Raymond Leppard

3. Sonata for violin & continuo in A major, Op. 5/9 No 9: Gigue
Composed by Arcangelo Corelli
Performed by New York Philharmonia Virtuosi, Oscar Ravina
Conducted by Richard Kapp

4. Suite for orchestra No 3 in D major, BWV 1068 Air
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach

Conducted by Raymond Leppard

5. Suite for orchestra No 2 in B minor, BWV 1067 Badinerie
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by William Bennett
Conducted by Raymond Leppard

6. Concerto for oboe & orchestra in D minor, Op 1 Second movement
Composed by Alessandro Marcello
Performed by Neil Black
Conducted by Raymond Leppard

7. Violin Concerto ("La Primavera", The Four Seasons) for violin, strings & continuo in E ("Il cimento" No. 1), Op.8/1, RV 269
Composed by Antonio Vivaldi
Performed by I Musici de San Marco
Conducted by Francesco Macci

8. Violin Concerto ("L'inverno", The Four Seasons), for violin, strings & continuo in F minor ("Il cimento" No. 4) Op. 8/4, RV 297
Composed by Antonio Vivaldi
Performed by I Musici de San Marco
Conducted by Francesco Macci

9. Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major, BWV 1050
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach

Conducted by Heribert Munchner

Tracks:

I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night) - Electric Prunes
Dirty Water - The Standells
Night Time - Strangeloves
Lies - The Knickerbockers
Respect - Vagrants
A Public Execution - Mouse
No time like the right time - Blues Project
Oh Yeah - Shadows Of Knight
Pushin' Too Hard - Seeds
Moulty - Barbarians
Don't Look Back - Remains
An invitation to cry - The Magicians
Liar, Liar - Castaways
You're Gonna Miss Me - Thirteenth Floor Elevators
Psychotic Reaction - Count Five
Hey Joe - Leaves
Romeo & Juliet - Michael & The Messengers
Sugar And Spice - Cryan Shames
Baby Please Don't Go - Amboy Dukes
Tobacco Road - Blues Magoos
Let's Talk About Girls - Chocolate Watch Band
Sit Down, I Think I Love You - Mojo Men
Run, Run, Run - Third Rail
My World Fell Down - Sagittarius
Open My Eyes - Nazz
Farmer John - Premiers
It's-A-Happening - Magic Mushrooms

Tracks:

Talk Talk - The Music Machine
Last Time Around - Del-Vetts
Nobody But Me - Human Beinz
Journey To Tyme - Kenny & The Kasuals
No Friend Of Mine - Sparkles
Outside Chance - Turtles
Action Woman - Litter
Spazz - Elastik Band
Sweet Young Thing - Chocolate Watchband
Incense And Peppermints - Strawberry Alarm Clock
I Ain't No Miracle Worker - Brogues
7 And 7 Is - Love
Time won't let me - The Outsiders
Going All The Way - Squires
I'm Gonna Make You Mine - Shadows Of Knight
The Trip - Kim Fowley
Can't Seem To Make You Mine - Seeds
Why Do I Cry - Remains
Laugh, Laugh - Beau Brummels
The Little Black Egg - The Night Crawlers
I Wonder - Gants
I See The Light - Five Americans
Who Do You Love - Woolies
Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love) - Swingin' Medallions
Live - Merry-Go-Round
Steppin' Out - Paul Revere & The Raiders
Diddy Wah Diddy - Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Strychnine - Sonics
Little Girl - Syndicate Of Sound
(We ain't got) Nothing yet - Blues Magoos
Shape Of Things To Come - Max Frost & The Troopers

Tracks:

Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out) - Hombres
Fight Fire - Golliwogs
At The River's Edge - New Colony Six
Jack Of Diamonds - Daily Flash
Follow Me - Lyme & Cybelle
It's Cold Outside - Choir
Beg, Borrow And Steal - Rare Breed
She's About A Mover - Sir Douglas Quintet
Little Bit O'Soul - Music Explosion
Put The Clock Back On The Wall - 'E' Types
Falling Sugar - Palace Guard
Run, Run, Run - Gestures
I Need You - Rationals
Knock, Knock - Humane Society
Primitive - Groupies
Psycho - Sonics
So What!! - Lyrics
You Must Be A Witch - Lollipop Shoppe
A question of temperature - The Baloon Farm
Maid Of Sugar-Maid Of Spice - Mouse & The Traps
You Ain't Tuff - Uniques
Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White - Standells
She's My Baby - Mojo Men
Story Of My Life - Unrelated Segments
I'm Five Years Ahead Of My Time - Third Bardo
Mirror Of Your Mind - We The People
Bad Little Woman - Shadows Of Knight
Double Yellow Line - Music Machine
Optical Sound - Human Expression
Journey To The Center Of The Mind - Amboy Dukes

Tracks:

Are You Gonna Be There (At The Love-In) - Chocolate Watchband
Too Many People - Leaves
(Would I still be) Her big man - The Brigands
Are You A Boy Or Are You A Girl - Barbarians
Wooly Bully - Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs
I Wan't Candy - Strangeloves
Louie Louie - Kingsmen
One Track Mind - Knickerbockers
Out Of Our Tree - Wailers
I Think I'm Down - Harbinger Complex
What Am I Going To Do - Dovers
Codine - Charlatans
Johnny Was A Good Boy - Mystery Trend
Stop-Get A Ticket - Clefs Of Lavender Hill
Complication - Monks
The Witch - Sonics
Get Me To The World On Time - Electric Prunes
Mr. Pharmacist - Other Half
Open Up Your Door - Richard & The Young Lions
Just Like Me - Paul Revere & The Raiders
You Burn Me Up And Down - We The People
I Live In The Springtime - Lemon Drops
Mindrocker - Fenwyck
Hold Me Now - Rumors
Love's Gone Bad - Underdogs
Why Pick On Me - Standells
Bad Girl - Zakary Thaks
Blackout Of Gretely - Gonn
Voices Green And Purple - Bees
Blues Theme (from the motion picture "The Wild Angels") - Davie Allan & The Arrows

Amazon.com

That the most famous garage-rock record of all time, the Kingsmen's "Louie Louie," is buried on the last CD of this four-disc box is very much in keeping with the spirit of the (often) one-hit wonders that people Nuggets. Here, "Louie Louie" is just another great song. An elaboration on the 1972 double LP, which is included in its original sequence, this set piles on dozens more great moments of inspiration, guts, chutzpah, and sometimes sheer commercial calculation. How else to explain the advice "Look at yourself" from the likes of the Strawberry Alarm Clock, whose idea of mind expansion seems limited to putting together two very vaguely related nouns--"Incense and Peppermints"--so their swinging Farfisa-led track will have something, anything, for verbal content? There's loads of such wisdom on display here, prefab and otherwise, usually delivered as rabidly as possible. (Try the Remains' "Don't Look Back," Mouse and the Traps' "Maid of Sugar--Maid of Spice," or the Music Machine's "Talk Talk," which was actually a hit.) And remember: "The sky is falling / The ocean is calling / The world ... is spinning 'round ... and 'round." For sure. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

Suburban and purely American and great music!!!.......2007-07-03

This is a fantastic collection. Precisely what rock'n'roll was meant to be in the 1960's: Raw,snotty,youthful-and not necessarilly "great artistic" music or "classic rock", whatever the hell that garbage is, like it degenerated into after the Sargent Pepper album came out and ruined everything about real '60's rock'n'roll. While many of these bands were indeed influenced by The Stones (not to mention The Yardbirds,Kinks, etc.), it is completely unfair to compare them to British bands, since they had an attitude and sound that was distinctively American and all their own. Sure, many of these bands were one hit wonders or no hit wonders, but so what? Most of this is great music.
And in response to some reviews saying how this can't compare to The Rolling Stones, etc., in my humble opinion, most of this is far better. Anyway, I've always thought The Stones were one of the most overrated bands of all time. Real rock'n'roll isn't supposed to be great art nor take itself all that seriously, which is exactly what happened after the overrated Sargent Pepper album came out,and in my opinion the ridiculousness of Hendrix, Jim Morrisen, etc. (Don't get me wrong, these guys were talented-just took themselves too seriously).
Anyway, I suggest buying this collection if you like raw, unpolished, sixties punk. And I also recommend the "Back From The Grave" compilations.

Un fourre-tout de bon stock........2007-05-30

Le titre peut être trompeur car ce coffret ne renferme pas uniquement du psychédélique, il est important de tenir compte du "era" dans le titre. En effet, ce coffret présente la musique d'une époque 1965-68 mais ne se limite pas qu'au psychédélique. On y puise dans le rock de garage, le frat-rock et le psychédélique confondus. C'est à la fois la force et la faiblesse de ce coffret qui devient par le fait même un excellent survol de bijoux issus de cette époque mais ce n'est pas le coffret à faire jouer pour un bon buzz lysergique ou psylocibien (d'où le 4 étoiles)... C'est plutôt un gros "teaser". J'ai de la difficulté aussi avec le "first" parce qu'il est clair que le psychédélisme existe depuis des milliers d'années bien que l'appellation n'existait pas encore... Bref, un peu prétentieux mais excellent, et un moyen d'obtenir des titres de vieux psychédélique autrement difficiles à dénicher... La présentation du coffret est aussi magnifique, avec des pochettes aux couleurs flamboyantes et un livret d'infos complet et bien fait. Pour du vrai psychédélique, se tourner vers le coffret Acid drops, Spacedust and Flying Saucers, les compilations Beyond the calico wall, Psychedelic Experience volume 1&2, Pebbles vol.3, Electric Sugarcube Flasbacks, Rubbles (toutes) et Chocolate soup for diabetics (toutes). Il y en a d'autres excellentes mais celles-ci sont relativement faciles à trouver et vous injecterons plein de couleurs (des plus obscures et indéfinissables aux plus fluorescentes) dans les oreilles!

Song upon song of rock n roll glory!.......2007-05-22

Better than just about any album I can think of, Nuggets embodies the spirit of rock and roll, captures that elusive musical zeitgeist and pins it down for all to behold and admire. The songs found on these four discs are loud, fun, catchy, colorful, occasionally beautiful and often mind-altering. Bridging the gap between pop, r&b, psychedelia, proto-punk, folk-rock, surf, and dance-craze insanity, these songs exemplify the anarchic, bouncing off the walls, let's-bash-this-sucker-out-and-have-more-fun-than-anyone-has-ever-had-before philosophy of rock and roll, assaulting (and delighting) listeners with blasts of youthful agression, boundless energy, and unfettered enthusiasm. From start to finish, its an awesome experience, and one that every self-respecting rock fan should experience at least once in his or her life- preferably once a day.

The box set's first disc (which recreates, track for track, the original Nuggets album, as compiled in 1972 by Lenny Kaye and Jac Holzman) alone is one of the greatest rock albums ever. It features absolute classics such as the Electric Prunes' "I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night)," a psych-pop call to arms whose reverbing guitars and aching vocals will resonate accross the ages, as well as the Standells' "Dirty Water," a slinking garage-rock foot stomper with a great sing-along vocal and a nasty guitar line. Orther garage-rockers include the Seeds' "Pushin' Too Hard," which boasts a wonderfully weird two-chord guitar riff and a snarling lead vocal, as well as the Count Five's ludicrously catchy Yardbirds ripoff "Psychotic Reaction" and the 13th Floor Elevators' certifiably insane "You're Gonna Miss Me." Which is to say nothing of The Chocolate Watchband's "Let's Talk About Girls," which manages to out-sneer the 'Stones, and the Amboy Dukes' cover of "Baby Please Don't Go," an absolutely hyperactive proto-metal jam-out/guitar assault. And then there are the pop classics: In "Sugar and Spice," the Cryan Shames create one of the most irrisistable love songs ever, outfitting a wonderfully dopey main melody with some playful guitars and a rhythm that will never leave your head. Ever. "Night Time" and "My World Fell Down" (by the Strangeloves and Sagittarius, respectively) make use of layer upon layer of instrumentation to create dizzying little constructions of pure radio gold, while the Castaways' "Liar Liar" does an excellent job of being as weird as it is catchy. Just listen to those vocals! Other excercizes in sheer awesomness include the Remains' "Don't Look Back," one of the many tracks on this set that can be described as "driving, emotional, and utterly cathartic." And then there are the Premiers, whose "Farmer John" matches its sheer sing-along-till-your-lungs-fall-out catchiness with wonderfully mind-numbing stupidity. The Magic Mushrooms' "It's-A-Happening" is pure googly-eyed psychedlia, and our lives are all the better for it.

The next three discs, graciously compiled by the good (very, very, good) folks over at Rhino Records, expand on Kaye and Holzman's compilation, serving up 91 more littel-known gems from the mid 60s. They, of course, rule, and it would be just about impossible to go through all the highlights here, but there are a few that just beg to be raved about: The Litter's "Action Woman" is a pounding, vicious, roaring fuzz rocker, and the Sparkles' "No Friend of Mine" is every bit as ticked off and maniacle. The Chocolate Watchband's "Are You Gonna Be There (At the Love In)" is a tough-as-nails blues pounder with a wonderfully sarcastic lead vocal and some mean guitar outbursts. The Brigands' "Would I Still Be Her Big Man" is a tense, moody stunner, with some fantastically emotional vocals. The Broques "I Ain't No Miracle Worker" is... remember how I said that a lot of the songs on this set can be described as "driving, emotional, and utterly cathartic?" Here's one of those songs. Needless to say, it's mind-bogglingly good. Ditto the Dovers' haunting, gorgeous "What Am I Gonna Do" and the Lemon Drops' dreamy "I Live in the Springtime." And if you liked "Farmer John," just wait until you hear "Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love)," one of the most heroically stupid frat-rock songs ever recorded. The Elastik Band's "Spazz," meanwhile, is utterly insane. By the way, I haven't even come close to summing up all the styles and sounds on this set. There are still all those great folk-rockers ("Little Black Egg," "Laugh Laugh"), psychedelic head-trips ("Last Time Around," "Voices Green and Purple"), earth-melting guitar storms ("Blackout of Gretely," "At the River's Edge"), and "Louie Louie," which really is its own genre.The point is, these songs are incredible. Incredible! Vital, even. Listen to 'em once, and they'll become a part of your life forever. And trust me, they make for great friends.

Plus, the set comes with an eye-wateringly good bocklet that features great essays, pictures, and band bios (including commentary on all 118 tracks!) Basically, this is a gift to any fan of rock and roll, an utterly listenable musical classic that belongs in every CD case and pair of ears on earth. Absolutely, positively, 100% essential. You need this more than oxygen.

First Psychedelic era 1965/68.......2007-05-07

This four cd set has a great deal of yesteryear music from 1965/68. As I was there at the time, to go back to this music that has value and meaning, understanding how this type of music developed. This is a "got to have" for your collection. Even this summer there is a Hippie Fest concert tour, helping bring back this era to a new generations. L$$

VOLVER A LA ADOLESCENCIA................2007-03-14

CAOTICO, EXHUBERANTE, ENCICLOPEDICO BOX QUE DESCUBRE UN CALEIDOSCOPIO INAGOTABLE DE SENSACIONES....ATRAPANTE DESDE LA PRIMER ESCUCHA, DOCUMENTO DE UNA EPOCA DE SENCILLEZ, DESPARPAJO, LIBERTAD E INMEDIATEZ..IDEAL PARA DESCUBRIR GRUPOS INJUSTAMENTE APLASTADOS POR EL TIEMPO..TE VA A SORPRENDER LO ACTUALES QUE SUENAN MUCHOS TEMAS...SUMERGITE EN LA BUSQUEDA QUE PROPONE ESTE CONFUSO MAPA DE LAS PRETENSIONES Y SUEÑOS DE UNA GENERACION QUE PERDIO LA INOCENCIA!!!

Average customer rating:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!
Beginner or Expert
Very Informative and Enjoyable
Frank's view
Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra

Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Life and Works of Ludwig van Beethoven
What to Listen for in Music
Study of Orchestration, Third Edition
The Life and Works of Frédéric Chopin

ASIN: B00006O0NT
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

Overture To 'Tannhauser'
Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
Hungarian Dance No.7
The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
Csardas Music
The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
Tzigane
Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
Caprice No.24
The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
The Violin Muted
Clair De Lune
The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
The Pizzicato Violin
Pizzicato Polka
In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
Hungarian Dance No.4
Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
Bolero
Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
Elfenreigen

Tracks:

Introduction To The Viola
Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
Cypresses (No.9)
The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
The 'Period' Viola In Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
Elfentanz, Op.39
Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
The Protecting Veil (Opening)
A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
Flamenco
Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
Symphony No.9 (Finale)
Introduction To The Double-Bass
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
Elegy No.1 In D Major
The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
Capriccio Di Bravura
Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
Sa'Dawi
Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
Chamber Music No.II
The Piccolo - Aptly Named
La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
A Variety Of Techniques
Chamber Music No.II
Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
Naelden, Naelden
The Bachian Oboe
Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
The Swan Of Tuonela
The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
Bolero
The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
...And Quite Low.
Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
Introduction To The Saxophone
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
Bolero
The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
Sax-O-Phun
The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
Bolero
The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
Symphony No.3 (Opening)
The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
The Ceremonial Trumpet
Fanfare For The Common Man
Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
Billy The Kid
The Trumpet As Character Actor
Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
The Birth Of The Trombone
Aenmerckt Nu Hier
The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
Canzon 12 In Double Echo
The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
Hosannah
The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
The Trombone As Caricaturist
Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
The Horn And The Hunt
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
Walter Music (Minuet 1)
The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
Den Hoboecken Dans
Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
Gymnopedie No.2
The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
The Birth Of The Bongo
Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
Taking Advantage Of Tunability
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
Ravel And The Xylophone
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
Introducing The Vibraphone
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
Folk Dances
The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
Introducing The Tubular Bells
Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
Carmen Suite (Introduction)
But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Introducing The Celeste
The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
Petrushka (Russian Dance)
The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
Mahler's Sleighbells
Symphony No.4 (Opening)
A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Nocturnes
Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
The Oboe As Duck
Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
A Thunderstorm In A Million
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
Octet In F (Mvt 3)
The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
Canzon 28
Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
Images (Gigues)
A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

Customer Reviews:

This is a fantastic deal!.......2007-02-25

If you are a fan at all of the Four Seasons you should love this music. I will admit right now that I am a classical music fan. I don't write or perform it. I am a novice listener. I have never taken any music lessons(though I am leaning in that direction) and certainly have not gone through any university music training. I started out in rock and roll but found classical as I got older and fell in love with it a few years ago.

With that context in mind I do hope I am able to recognize quality and this work is of the highest. It helps when you are starting with good ingredients in the first place. You can't bake great bread without great ingredients and Vivaldi's music library has some of the greatest musical ingredients of the last 300 years. They are very much the foundation for modern western culture and music. His talent is woven through what we are

The first 26 CDs are instrumental starting with the four seasons and working through many of the Master's many popular works. I will admit the four seasons are not the best interpretation I have heard but it is definitely acceptable. The rest of the music shows us many facets of the Baroque style and you can see themes emerging through some of the pieces that give us a 'fingerprint' of Vivaldi's style and the parameters of the stylistic leanings of the genre at the time. If you want to immerse yourself in 18th century music this is your chance

This music would be ideal for someone who owns a store and is looking for background music. With over 26 CDs of instrumental music alone you could have those constantly looping and you'd probably never get bored of them(OK I may be stretching it a little there). The reason is that the music does not leave a bad 'aftertaste' in your mind. It fits into the background as easily and naturally as it is to listen to it consciously in the foreground. If you are a fan of classical Baroque you don't usually need to be in the mood for this, it will adjust your mood to itself and Vivaldi's music is almost always of an uplifting sort if this collection is any indication. If you want something to listen to at your job 8 hours per day this is good for the mind and it would take you over a week to get through it if you listened to it every minute of every work day. You will also work without the worry of the music distracting your concentration. I find it enhances it when I'm working. I don't know how well this would work on school kids but teachers might want to try playing this during school time. You may create a few geniuses, we certainly could use more!

If you are looking for something to ease your sleep and oil your dreams I have put these CD's on in the background. Not only can I easily fall asleep when they are playing quietly in the background but it helps you sleep and you wake up in a very pleasant atmosphere if the music is still playing quietly when you wake(you probably would need to rip them to your MP3 player to do that). It's like napping at a classical music concert without the worry of being nudged by your spouse or offending the other concert goers with your snoring. That will be quite a unique experience for you and possibly give you some real sweet dreams. It has for me

So to wrap it up this is very intelligent, uplifting music that is great for your mind and your soul. It is definitely worth the purchase if you are a fan of the Four Seasons and the Baroque genre in my novice classical music fan's opinion

Excellent, Broad Selection.......2007-01-25

This 40-cd collection affords me a rare pleasure almost daily: the thrill of hearing something new by Vivaldi. Despite my best efforts over the years, I've managed to miss hearing a lot of great works by the master. Listening to a single CD now and then, catching tunes on the radio... you can't possibly get a comprehensive understanding of Vivaldi's output that way.

But when you work your way systematically from CD 1 through 40, you're sure to find many pleasant surprises. I've been skipping through everything I already know -- in some cases, it has only taken me about a minute to get through a whole CD (first 3 seconds of each track is usually enough). But then I stop and listen carefully three or four times to anything that's new.

Ah, what a pleasure. I've already acquired some new favorites. And some old standbys have proved even more rewarding, e.g. at first I thought RV 127 (CD 7, tracks 10-12) was performed too slowly (Naxos No: 8.553742 is much faster), but now I'm not sure; maybe it's BETTER that way! I can't recommend this set highly enough.

$70....when was this???.......2006-11-25

Wish the cost was $70 now. Guess the record producer (or Amazon) got tired of making less than $2 per CD.

$70/40... you do the math........2006-04-07

No, I don't own this collection...yet. However, the price of the collection compels me to review it beforehand. Never have I seen such a complete collection of Vivaldi compositions at such an incredibly low price. At $1.75 dollars a CD, the record producer (Brilliant Classics) isn't making much of a profit. The compilation pulls some of its works from DG Achiv Produktion's vault (see Standage), such as the violin concertos, as well as from unknown producers (the Poland Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra is heavily featured). The collection is so complete that it is academic, and I would not be surprised if music libraries quickly emptied it from Amazon's shelves. The collection is simply worth it for the incredible price (English Concert's recording of the violin concertos cost nearly 30 bucks, and is exactly featured here). Overall, the price alone makes this collection exceptionally attractive, and the ensembles featured aren't bad either.

Average customer rating:

Marilyn Horne scintillates
One Of The Greatest Voices of All!
Not 100% satisfied with the selections, but what artistry!
Vive Madame Horne !

Just for the Record: The Golden Voice

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

General | Folk | Styles | Music

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

The Spectacular Voice of Marilyn Horne: Rossini / Horne
Great Duets & Trios / Sutherland, Horne, Pavarotti
Dolora Zajick - The Art of the Dramatic Mezzo-Soprano
An American Songbook [Australia]
La Stupenda ~ The Supreme Voice of Joan Sutherland

ASIN: B0000TAYR0
Release Date: 2003-11-11

Tracks:

L'amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle (Habanera)
Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix
Eccomi Al Fine In Babilonia
Cruda Sorte!
Hence, Iris, Hence Away
Dove Sei, Amato Bene?
Che Disse! Che Ascoltai!
Addio, Addio O Miei Sospiri
O Pretres De Baal... O Toi, Qui M'abandonne
Elle Est La! Pres De Lui!
Mura Felici
Tanti Affetti

Tracks:

Superbo Di Me Stesso
Il Segreto Per Esser Felici - London Symphony Chorus
Mi Chiami, O Norma!
Deh! Con Te, Con Te Li Prendi
Mira, O Norma
Si, Fino All'ore Estreme
Soli Or Siamo... Condotta ell'era In Ceppi - Luciano Pavarotti
Non Son Tuo Figlio? - Luciano Pavarotti
Mal Reggendo - Luciano Pavarotti
E Un Anatema! - Renata Tebaldi
Nacht Und Traume, D 827
Abendlied
Traume
Jesus De Nazareth
Shenandoah
I Bought Me A Cat
The Lord's Prayer
Somewhere
At The River (Lowry)
Jeannie With The Light Brown Hair

Customer Reviews:

Marilyn Horne scintillates.......2007-05-20

This 2-CD set includes 32 separate "cuts." Thus, it provides a perspective on the broad range of works that Marilyn Horne mastered. While some pockets of work may be given somewhat short shrift (e.g., Rossini), overall this shows off her skills nicely. Born in Bradford, Pennsylvania (one of the coldest places in the nation during winter), she made her operatic debut in 1954. In liner notes copyrighted in 2003, she notes that: "Can't believe it's time for a 70th birthday celebration. . . ." And neither can I, since I recall hearing her perform at the Met (via the old Texaco opera show), and it does not seem all that long ago!

Some cuts well depict her artistry across a range of genres and composers.

The "Habanera" from Bizet's "Carmen" is, to be sure, an old chestnut by now, but she sings it with a rich and lustrous voice. She sings a seductive aria seductively.

"Eccomi al fine in Babilonia" is from Rossini's "Semiramide" and shows off her skills nicely. This piece shows off the range of her voice well. Her voice is very agile, as it would need to be to do Rossini justice. There are some nice runs; the cabaletta showcases her agility and allows her to display well sung ornamentation.

From Handel's "Semele," we hear "Hence, Iris, Hence Away." This is a sprightly piece that is characteristically well sung by Horne.

Handel's "Rosalinda" features a nice work for mezzos, "Dove sei amato bene?" If I hear correctly, Horne begins this with a trill in piano; there are a number of nicely executed trills in this work. This cut is smoothly and richly sung throughout.

"Addio, addio o miei sospiri" comes from "Orfeo ed Oridice" by Gluck. A sprightly paced work. Horne shows off excellent ornamentation; her coloratura technique is terrific.

From "Norma" (by Bellini) there are 4 cuts (from a longer scene), featuring collaboration with Joan Sutherland. The two singers worked well together in a number of operas, and this set of works illustrates that synergy beautifully. "Mi chiami, o Norma!" starts things off. The two voices meld extremely well together. "Deh! Con te, con te li prendi" features fine work all around. Both singers display good vocal dexterity. Horne hits one high note with a bit of harshness, but not an issue of any moment. "Mira, o Norma" is ravishing; Sutherland's and Horne's duet is absolutely wonderful. Finally, "Si, fino all'ore estreme." This is a fast paced duet, with both singers manifesting considerable vocal agility and sound coloratura technique. When they sing together, their voices almost sound "twinned."

Finally, "Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair." Horne sings this straight, without the ghastly "opera-tizing" that some singers cannot resist. Sung simply and powerfully. Her rich voice produces a very good vocal effect.

And so on.

Although this CD does not fully represent her repertoire, it does provide a good sense of the art of Marilyn Horne and it suggests the range of her singing. For those wanting to get a sense of Horne's oeuvre, this is one recording that provides entrée to her body of work.

One Of The Greatest Voices of All!.......2006-01-29

I am not the only one who regards Marilyn Horne's voice as exceptional. During the seventies and eighties she was regarded by The New York Times Music Critic as possessing the greatest voice of our time. One only has to sample this "golden" collection to prove how right he was. Her "mezzo" handles Handel and Rossini like no other. Brava all the way (To say nothing about Dalila's famous aria!) And I must even mention her "Jeannie With the Light Brown Hair". This is a two CD that is a MUST for those who appreciate the glories of the human voice (To say nothing about the warmth and spirit than accompany it.)

Not 100% satisfied with the selections, but what artistry!.......2004-11-03

Decca's release of this career-spanning Marilyn Horne recital contains many "golden" nuggets, but isn't the absolute best representation of her artistry, in my opinion.

There was certainly plenty of material to choose from, as Horne was one of the most recorded mezzos in the twentieth century. As advertised, Madame Horne personally approved the final recital list, and the diva undoubtedly has sentimental attachment to certain selections. Furthermore, a conscious attempt was made to represent the different genres explored during her decades-spanning career. This approach, however, leaves out some truly stunning material that would have made an even stronger case on why she was such an operatic institution.

In summary:

The first disc begins with the Habanera from Carmen. Horne was very proud of her Carmen, noting that it surpassed sales of Callas's Tosca at one point. It deserved to be included, but I don't think she was "THE" Carmen, and besides, the whole opera is so warmed-over by now, it's hard to get anyone excited about it!

From then on, we are treated to a bonanza of wonderful arie and scena. The aria from Samson et Delilah is a real gem. Horne was certainly not the most glamorous singer, but My God, the interpretation is heavenly. This is what the aria sounds like in the hands of a world-class contralto. Eccomi in Babilonia follows, and by anyone's measurement, she is the finest Arsace on record. Blessed with an extraordinary range, she is as fulminating in both the top and bottom registers. What's more, her spirited delivery magnifies the pure genius of Rossini's music. As for Cruda Sorte, "ditto," as Marilyn herself might say.

Next, we are treated to two excellent Handel arias. Iris, Hence Away gives me goosebumps everytime I hear it. This was recorded in the early sixties, for inclusion in the Age of Bel Canto recital she shared with Joan Sutherland and Richard Conrad. Now, if she had recorded this a few years later, she might have drove the coloratura harder. However, at this point, the voice had a somewhat lighter quality, thus the aria isn't sung with that all-purpose "Marilyn Horne" voice we are so used to. Speaking of lightness, Dove Sei, Amato Bene will send shivers down your spine. Again, Marilyn wasn't known for her subtlety, but she proves here that she was more than capable. Just listen to the fluttering trills and fil di voce, and dare to disagree with me! One of my major complaints is it there isn't more Handel on the recital. Sure, a whole recital of Handel arias by Horne is still available, but in this best-of disc, there was room at least for Or La Tromba, the trumpet aria from Rinaldo, and a personal favorite. Also, nothing is included from Vivaldi's Orlando Il Furioso, another travesty.

The pinnacle of the first disc is Addio, I Miei Sospiri, from Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice. This is Horne magified to the nth power. Where to start? A scrumptiously sung recitativo, then the aria itself, with Marilyn pulling out all the stops. The bronzed tone, perfect breath control, spectacular coloratura fireworks, superlative diction, evenness and security from top to bottom, and Marilyn's own way of generating excitement will floor you. This is bravura singing at the highest level.

After a few other selections from the French reperetoire, the disc closes with two Rossini warhorses. Again, the "ultimate" Horne best-of would have saved room for more Rossini, on the second disc. But the evidence here is ample enough to proclaim her honorific as the leading interpreter of Rossini in the last century.

The second disc is less satisfactory. The first selection, Superbo Di Me Stesso sounds like it came from an inferior source, and wasn't remastered properly. Il Segreto Per Esser Felici, from Lucrezia Borgia is fine enough, but Marilyn could have ornamented more, and that snare drum is too loud! Then, we have an extended scene from Il Trovatore. Now, Marilyn herself stated that she wasn't perfect in Verdi. As she put it, she sang Verdi by not taking "both feet" out of the bel canto waters, so that she could go on singing the roles that brought her the most fame. This is understandable, but if that's the case, then we didn't need this long scene. Perhaps she wanted to highlight her collaboration with Luciano Pavarotti, and I'm sure Decca saw this as a way to lure the casual listener. For my money, though, they should have just included Stride La Vampa, and called it a day. This would have freed up lots of room for the stuff for which she's better recognized!

Now, another extended scene, from Norma, is completely justified. Equally important to Marilyn's legacy as an individual artist is her legacy as one-half of the Sutherland/Horne duo. I don't need to write more- the music speaks for itself.

The rest of the second disc throws in a bit of verismo (Horne is unrecognizeable in Ponchielli; Simionato she's not), a bit of German lieder, and some patriotic tunes. Along with Leontyne Price, Marilyn Horne was the most conciously patriotic singer out there, and to have left out her American recordings would have been a disgrace. But, again, we are given an ample serving of it, when it could have been scaled back some to make room for her operatic triumphs.

All in all, there is enough glorious material here for any fan of the legendary Marilyn Horne, and also those who want a taste of how a superlative mezzo/contralto sounds like.

Vive Madame Horne !.......2004-01-09

Je suis soufflée, et tout bonnement reconnaissante à Decca pour avoir sorti cette compil qui rend si bien honneur à une des mes interprètes préférées. Voix de velours, aisance dans le grave et médium unique au Monde, Marilyn a été, dans toutes ses incarnations, un pur produit américain, certes, mais quel produit ! Bien évidemment son timbre si particulier, que d'aucuns ont défini androgyne, peut plaire ou non... Ce qui compte c'est l'apport émotionnel qu'elle donne à tout ce qu'elle chante, et sans que cela n'enlève rien à la pure beauté de sa voix à la technique sans faille. Merci Mme Horne, pour nous avoir livré une des plus mémorables leçons de chant de l'histoire, et joyeux 70ème anniversaire (car il n'est pas déplacé que de dire votre âge, étant donné la vitalité qui vous caractérise depuis toujours).

Early Music Festival / David Munrow, Early Music Consort

Average customer rating:

Ahh, Florence!!
Best Italian Renaissance disc available.
Munrow is magnificent
boccacio would be proud

Early Music Festival / David Munrow, Early Music Consort
Antonio Zaccara da Teramo , Giovanni Da Firenze , Lorenzo da Firenze , Jacopo da Bologna , Claudio Monteverdi , Luca Marenzio , Cristofano Malvezzi , Emilio de' Cavalieri , Costanzo Festa , Bartolomeo Tromboncino , Giovanni Domenico del Giovane da Nola , Marchetto Cara , David Munrow , John Beckett , James Bowman , Nigel Rogers , Martin Hill , John Frost , Janita Noorman , and Grayston Burgess
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sinners & Saints: The Ultimate Medieval and Renaissance Music Collection
Henry VIII & His Six Wives
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Music Of The Crusades
Codex Faenza: Instrumental Music of the Early 15th Century

ASIN: B000009DFX
Release Date: 1998-07-14

Tracks:

Ecca la primavera
Lamento di Tristano
Giuinta vaga bilta
Questa fanciull'amor
Trotto
De! dinmi tu
Con dolce brama
Due saltarelli
Rosetta
Quan ye voy le duc
Cara mie donna
La bionda trecca
La Manfredina
Donna 'l tuo partimento
Chon bracchi assai
Istampita Ghaetta
Da, da, a chi avaregia
Fenice fu' e vissi
Biance flour

Tracks:

Music For Ferdinando de' Medici: Toccata ('Orfeo')
Secondo intermedio: Sinfonia
Secondo intermedio: Belle ne fe' natura
Secondo intermedio: Chi dal delfino
Secondo intermedio: Se nelle voci nostre
Secondo intermedio: O figlie di Piero
Sesto intermedio: Dal vago e bel sereno
Sesto intermedio: O qual risplende nube
Sesto intermedio: Godi turba mortal
Sesto intermedio: O fortunato giorno
Sesto intermedio: O che nuovo miracolo
Quando ritrova
Allemana-ripresa: Quando ritrova
Io son l'occello
Pavana 'La cornetta'
Gagliarda 'Giorgio'
Tri ciechi siamo
Io non compro
Ahime sospiri
Pavana 'Forze d'Ercole'
Orsu, orsu, car' Signori
Pavana 'El colognese'
Dance Songs: Era di Maggio
Dance Songs: El marchese di Salluzzo
Dance Songs: In questo ballo
Dance Songs: Noi ci vogliam' partire
Dance Songs: Bussa la porta
Dance Songs: La pastorella
Dance Songs: E su quel monte
Dance Songs: Maggio valente
Dance Songs: Sorella mia piacente

Customer Reviews:

Ahh, Florence!!.......2002-10-14

Italian culture during the period from the 14th to the 16th centuries was a whirlwind of developing literature and art, and during this period of history Florence was a political and cultural center to rival Milan or Verona.
I love medieval and renaissance music. They are the "roots" of the great classics centuries later. One does not cultivate a complete education of art by studying only such Masters as Van Gogh, Renoir, Picasso, Dali etc. So it is with fine music.
These CD's contain examples of Florentine musical composition from the 1300's and 1500's. The first CD, performed by David Munrow and the Early Music Consort, covers compositions from the 1300's, with many of the works of Francesco Landini, the most prolific Florentine composer of this period. The second covers music from the 1500's and is performed by John Beckett and the Musica Reservata. Here we can see the early development of both symphonic structure and opera.
Both discs are wonderful examples of different periods in the history of musical development, and performed by different conductors and artists. Therefore a comparison between the two is unfair and misplaced. David Munrow and the Early Music Consort are superb, as I have always found them to be, and John Beckett and the Musica Reservata are equally enjoyable.
If you appreciate early music you will find this recording to be a fantastic addition to your collection, and perhaps the definitive collection of early Italian music. If you are unfamiliar with early music or with Italian Renaissance music then these CD's would be a wonderful introduction.

Best Italian Renaissance disc available........2002-06-28

This re-issue of recordings from the early 70's by the Early Music Consort Of London is,in my opinion,the best recordings of Italian Renaissance works.It is the favorite of my eary music discs,and includes music treasures from 14th and 16th century Florence. Great listening on both discs,and worth the money!

Munrow is magnificent.......2001-11-20

The first disc in this collection is delightful. David Munrow's recorder is a genuine treat. The vocal parts blend well and create a festive atmosphere. The Early Music Consort of London offer a splendid performance. By contrast, the second disc, which features Musica Reservata, is a bit disappointing. Two of the solo voices on disc two are harsh, detracting from an otherwise pleasant recording. They may fairly represent the performing style of sixteenth century Florence, but that is small consolation for the twentieth century ear. Nonetheless, the virtues of the first disc are sufficient to warrant purchasing this collection. Munrow is magnificent.

boccacio would be proud.......2000-04-23

this is a superb recording of early music it is well performed and played. the first cd is all music from the 1300,s and the second is from the 1500,s if you like the kind of music this is the cd to get well worth it.

Average customer rating:

Thanks for the Memories!
Great sampling of pop music!
-HELLO-

Pop Music: The Golden Era 1951-1975
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Pop Music: The Modern Era 1976-1999
R&B: From Doo Wop to Hip Hop
Rock: Train Kept a Rollin'
Jazz: The Definitive Performances
Country: The American Tradition

ASIN: B00001SIFA
Release Date: 1999-10-12

Tracks:

The Birth Of The Blues - Frank Sinatra
Because Of You - Tony Bennett
Jezebel - Frankie Laine
Come On-A My House - Rosemary Clooney
Cry - Johnnie Ray And The Four Lads
You Belong To Me - Jo Stafford
The Yellow Rose Of Texas - Mitch Miller
Mack The Knife - Louis Armstrong
Standing On The Corner - The Four Lads
Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera) - Doris Day
Singing The Blues - Guy Mitchell
Chances Are - Johnny Mathis
Summertime, Summertime - The Jamies
A Summerplace: Theme - Percy Faith & His Orchestra
Moon River - Andy Williams
Bless You - Tony Orlando
(I Left My Heart In) San Francisco - Tony Bennett
Blue Velvet - Bobby Vinton
People - Barbra Streisand
Ruby Baby - Dion
The Monkey Time - Major Lance
Hey Little Cobra - The Rip Chords
Before And After - Chad & Jeremy
For Your Love - The Yardbirds
Down In The Boondocks - Billy Joe Royal
Kicks - Paul Revere & The Raiders
Like A Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan

Tracks:

Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season) - The Byrds
Red Rubber Ball - The Cyrkle
Sunshine Superman - Donovan
Don't You Care - The Buckinghams
San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair) - Scott McKenzie
Carrie-Anne - The Hollies
Itchycoo Park - Small Faces
Stoned Soul Picnic - Laura Nyro
Time Of The Season - The Zombies
Young Girl - The Union Gap
You've Made Me So Very Happy - Blood, Sweat & Tears
Hot Fun In The Summertime - Sly & The Family Stone
Evil Ways - Santana
Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel
25 Or 6 To 4 - Chicago
Me And Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin
Brandy (You're A Fine Girl) - Looking Glass
I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash
Your Mama Don't Dance - Loggins & Messina
I Can Help - Billy Swan
Love Train - The O'Jays
That Lady (Part 1) - The Isley Brothers
Lady Marmalade - LaBelle
Shining Star - Earth, Wind & Fire

Amazon.com

Home of the Columbia and Epic labels, CBS Records (now Sony Music) was late getting into the rock & roll game, despite issuing some classic '50s R&B singles on the subsidiary OKeh. Corporate aversion to the music was largely due to Mitch "Sing Along with Mitch" Miller, the A&R head whose philistine bent helped run Frank Sinatra from the company in 1952, shortly before he revived his career at Capitol with some of the greatest American music ever recorded. Not surprisingly, the The Golden Era volume of Sony's massive Soundtrack for a Century project is a mixed bag. Pre-Elvis gems such as Sinatra's "Birth of the Blues" sit alongside unforgivable schlock by Miller and the Four Lads before rock & roll-based pop finally shakes things up. With everyone from Dylan and the Yardbirds to the Cyrkle ("Red Rubber Ball") and the Looking Glass ("Brandy [You're a Fine Girl]") on hand, these two CDs are a mishmash, but highly representative of what CBS had to offer Top 40 once it realized Buddy Greco (not included) wasn't the future. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

Thanks for the Memories!.......2006-05-05

This is a superb review of a superb musical era. Anyone who lived the music of these years will love this set.

Great sampling of pop music!.......2001-06-13

This is a great mixed bag of pop music from the 50's through the mid-70's. Like any collection, it is missing many pieces that you or I might have chosen to include, but let's face it...there is so much music to choose from and a limted number of songs that can fit on 2 CDs! Keep in mind too that if some of your favorite stars are missing, it is probably because they did not record for labels that today fall under the umbrella of Sony Music...essentially, these are all artists who recorded for Columbia or Epic.

This entire series "A Soundtrack for a Century" is a great opportunity to obtain some of the best songs of the 20th century as well as some very obscure ones...seek out the entire series and buy those volumes that appeal to you!

-HELLO-.......2000-07-18

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND DON'T GET THIS I MEAN THERE'S NOT 1 JIMI HENDRIX SONG ON HERE I MEAN I KNOW THIS IS POP COLLECTION BUT HEY 1951-1975 WHO ARE THE AMETURES THAT PUT THESE TOGETHER I AM THE ONLY ONE HERE WHO CARES ABOUT MUSIC..?

Average customer rating:

Handel: The Masterworks (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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

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Haydn: The Masterworks [Box Set]
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ASIN: B00062FLI8
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Average customer rating:

Marjana Lipovsek: Famous opera arias

Manufacturer: Orfeo
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000059AI
Release Date: 1995-05-23

Tracks:

Orfeo Ed Euridice: Che Faro Senza Euridice
Serse: Frondi Tenere (...) Ombra Mai Fu
La Clemenza Di Tito: Parto, Parto, Ma Tu Ben Mio
Cosi Fan Tutte: Ah Scostati (...) Smanie Implacabili
Don Carlos: O Don Fatale
Il Trovatore: Stride La Vampa!
Il Trovatore: Condotta Ell' Era In Ceppi
Carmen: L'amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle
Carmen: Pres Des Remparts De Seville
Werther: Werther! Werther! Qui M'aurait Dit
Samson Et Dalila: Printemps Qui Commence
Samson Et Dalila: Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix
Samson Et Dalila: Samson Recherchant Mon Presence

Leontyne Price (The Prima Donna Collection)

Average customer rating:

A brilliant collection from a great soprano
If I could have only one collection......
Yes this is great!
The Grandest Collection of Leontyne Price Arias
The Greatest Soprano Ever Recorded

Leontyne Price (The Prima Donna Collection)

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Handel: Arias
The Art of Joan Sutherland
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ASIN: B000003FAF
Release Date: 1992-08-11

Tracks:

Dido and Aeneas: Act 3: Thy Hand, Belinda!
Dido and Aeneas: Act 3: When I Am Laid In Earth
Le nozze di Figaro: Act 3: E Susanna non vien!
Le nozze di Figaro: Act 3: Dove sono
La traviata: Act 3: Teneste la promessa
La traviata: Act 3: Addio del passato
L'africaine: Act 2: Sur mes genoux, fils du soleil
Manon: Act 2: Allons! il le faut!
Manon: Act 2: Adieu, notre petite table
Otello: Act 4: Era piu calma?
Otello: Act 4: Mia madre aveva una povera ancella (Willow Song)
Otello: Act 4: Ave Maria
Adriana Lecouvreur: Act 1: Ecco: respiro appena
Adriana Lecouvreur: Act 1: Io son l'umile ancella
Louise: Act 3: Depuis le jour
Turandot: Act 2: In questa reggia
Die tote Stadt: Act 1: Marietta's Lied
Vanessa: Act 1: He Has Come, He Has Come!
Vanessa: Act 1: Do Not Utter A Word

Tracks:

Atalanta: Act 1: Care Selve
Don Giovanni: Act 1: Don, Ottavio, son morta!
Don Giovanni: Act 1: Or sai chi l'onore
Der Freischuetz: Act 2: Wie nahte mir der Schlummer
Der Freischuetz: Act 2: Liese, leise
Tannhaeuser: Act 2: Dich, teure Halle
Macbeth: Act 2: La luce langue
Macbeth: Act 4: Vegliammo invan due notti (Sleepwalking Scene)
Macbeth: Act 4: Una macchia e qui tuttora
Mefistofele: Act 3: L'altra notte in fondo al mare
Rusalka: Act 1: Song To The Moon
L'Enfant Prodigue: Air de Lia: L'annee en vain
Andrea Chenier: Act 3: La mamma morta
Francesca da Ramini: Act 3: Paolo, datemi pace
Suor Angelica: Senza mammo, o bimbo, tu sei morto!
Amelia Goes To The Ball: While I Waste These Precious Hours

Tracks:

Alceste: Act 1: Divinites du Styx
Don Giovanni: Act 2: Crudele? Ah, no, mio bene
Don Giovanni: Act 2: Non mi dir
I lombardi: Act 2: O madre, dal cielo
I lombardi: Act 2: Se vano e il pregare
Martha: Act 2: The Last Rose Of Summer
Simon Boccanegra: Act 1: Come in quest'ora bruna
La Perichole: Act 3: Tu n'es pas beau
Die Walkuere: Act 1: Du bist der Lenz
Die Fledermaus: Act 2: Czardas: Klange der Heimat
Carmen: Act 3: Ces des contrebandiers
Carmen: Act 3: Je dis que rien ne m'epouvante
Cavalleria Rusticana: Voi lo sapete
Thais: Act 2: Ah! je suis seule
Thais: Act 2: Dis-moi que je suis belle
Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro
Les dialogues des Carmelites: Act 3: Mes filles, voila s'acheve

Tracks:

Semele: Act 2: Where 'er You Walk
Idomeneo: Act 3: O smania! O Furie!
Idomeneo: Act 3: D 'Oreste, d' Ajace!
La damnation de Faust: Part 4: D'amour l'ardente flamme
Oberon: Act 2: Ozean, du Ungeheuer!
Norma: Act 1: Sediziose voci, voci di guerra
Norma: Act 1: Casta diva
Norma: Act 1: Ah! bello a me ritorna
Rigoletto: Act 1: Gualtier Malde
Rigoletto: Act 1: Caro Nome
Tristan und Isolde: Act 3: Liebestod: Mild und leise
Pagliacci: Act 1: Ballatella: Qual fiamma avea nel guardo
Adriana Lecouvreur: Act 4: Poveri fiori
Gloriana: Act 1, Scene 2: Soliloquy & Prayer: On Rivalries 'tis Safe For Kings
Gloriana: Act 1, Scene 2: Soliloquy & Prayer: O God, My King, Sole Ruler Of The World

Customer Reviews:

A brilliant collection from a great soprano.......2007-04-30

Leontyne Price was much admired and this 4CD collection shows her outstanding vocal gifts to the best advantage. Numerous reviewers have commented on the wide-ranging styles present and I can agree wholeheartedly with them. You would be hard-pressed to find a greater compilation of Ms Price, showcasing her amazing gifts as a great singer!

If I could have only one collection.............2006-11-12

....it would be this. Such fine singing in so many periods, languages, and styles. She is truley a great artist and this set helps you see just HOW GREAT she is. I won't go thru all the tracks but will say Cara Selve drives me wild. "When I am Laid in Earth..." comes across very nicely. There are some rare exerpts too like Gloriana, Menotti's Amelia goes to the Ball. Overall most tracks are inspired. The musicianship is to the highest standards. I JUST lOVE IT!

Yes this is great!.......2006-10-14

But "When I am Laid in Earth" was written by PURCELL! Handel's "Care Selve", however, is also on this set, and it is GORGEOUS!!! I love just about everything on here. A few items from the fourth CD are a bit telling of her age (D'oreste d'ajace!")- but even they are fabulous. THe price of this set is unfortunate - however, it has dropped a little! :) I originally purchased it from BMG in 1994, for next-to-nothing, then "gave" it to my best friend! Two years ago, she lost hers to Hurricane Ivan, and paid a LOT for a new set!

The Grandest Collection of Leontyne Price Arias.......2005-08-08

If you're a fan of Leontyne Price, this should be at the top of your list of her recording albums. I don't know when this was issued, but it's from the RCA Label which was her best promotional record company. It's a box set featuring dozens of arias from magnificent grand operas (some of which Leontyne Price never sang on stage in full and instead sang some bits in concert). Leontyne Price sings in fresh, beautiful and strong voice in dramatic and versatile roles, mastering each music from each composer. She masters such strikingly different masters's works as Samuel Barber (Vannessa) Webber (Der Freischutz) Wagner (Tristan and Isolde, Tannhauser) Falla (Atalanta) Mozart (Le Nozze Di Figaro). She sings the title roles of Massenet's Manon, Bizet's Carmen, Bellini's Norma, Verdi's Lady Macbeth, Amelia in Un Ballo Di Maschera, Nedda in I Pagliacci, Turandot and Suor Angelica, Flotow's Martha, and even oratorio such as Handel's Semele and Benjamin Britten's Gloriana. This is a vast repertoire, far grander in variety than I have ever known any one soprano sang. While critics will indeed compare Leontyne Price to Maria Callas (as another review critic brought up) these two sopranos could not have been any more different. It's not even a matter of their different racial backgrounds- Callas was born in Greece and became an American citizen then gave it up for French citizenship..and Price was born in Mississippi and was African-American) it's a matter of how different their approach at opera was and their vocal category. Callas was a dramatic soprano sforzando (literally "forced dramatic soprano")who would prefer to produce a choking, ugly, harsh sound merely for the dramatic effect and the integrity of the text in her lines. Leontyne Price was the definition of a soprano lyrico-spinto ("pushed" lyric-dramatic singing)which meant above all, to sound beautiful and to fill up those dramatic lines with as much vocal and tonal beauty as possible. Price had a more thrilling mezzo di voce and high soaring top register and a cleaner, smoother sound than the wobbly Callas, no offense to Callas fanatics of which there are many. It is true that Price did lose her touch in a sense in her older years (the 1970's and 80's) when her voice lacked the vibrant lyricism and attention to diction. Her 1970's Toscas and Aidas are therefore a sloppier than her 1950's and 60's Toscas and the same went for her Leonoras in both Trovatore and Forza Del Destino. Nevertheless, Price is an ageless singer. Her voice, dark, messy or bright and smooth, is still what was said of her in her debut at the Met as Leonora in Trovatore - a "bright, unfurling banner". She was goddess of the opera and paved the way for the new generation of black sopranos of today.

This collection does not showcase the more famous roles that were in fact her signature ones - Leonora from Trovatore and Forza, Aida is'nt even in here and that one even she considered her greatest role, we don't find her Madame Butterfly here. Instead we find rare pieces that she sings beautifully and dramatically, making us wish she had sung the entire operas in full on stage. She never sang a full-length Norma and that's a pity- even Grace Bumbry and Shirley Verrett did in their careers. Price seemed to enjoy singing Samuel Barber's vocal works - she opened the 1965-1966 Met season with Barber's Antony and Cleopatra (a bad production by the way but not through any fault of Miss Price but the overblown spectacle of the design of the opera itself) and here she sings his Vanessa. Benjamin Britten's Gloriana sounds lovely in her hands. Her Norma and Dona Anna in Mozart are dramatic and fiery, her Lady Macbeth darkly mysterious, her Suor Angelica peaceful with powerful inner fire and her Dialogue Des Carmelites are also sensational. Yes, many of these arias are beautiful to hear, and thank God she doesn't have any of the flaws critics keep hearing in her later recordings. Without a doubt, this is her finest album. I think you should listen via audio samples here the following to make you get this recording: the Countess aria from Nozze Di Figaro, her Manon (Adieu Petit Table) La Mamma Morta, her version of Sediziose Voce/Casta Diva from Norma, the excerpt from Carmen, "Don Ottavio son Morta...Or Sai Chi L'Onore" from Don Giovanni, Care Salve, the Dido and Aeneas excerpts, the La Traviata excerpts (Addio Del Passato) and the beautifull, mystic, haunting and well-executed Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde, which I even feel surpasses Birgit Nilsson's version. Just listen to how heart-felt that Liebestod is! I have not heard the likes of it anywhere else.

The Greatest Soprano Ever Recorded.......2005-03-20

O.K. So that is only my opinion. But Leontyne Price was one of the most dedicated singers of the 20th century. Her vast repertoire is showcased in this extensive collection of arias. While to many Maria Callas will forever be the ultimate and the greatest of them all, Leontyne Price had the same poswerful, high dramatic voice, in addition a more generous chest register and a regial presence. Moreover, she overcame so much to get to the top. In her day, African-American women in opera was new. Marian Anderson was the first to get into the mainstream opera world, with much difficulty and intervention, such as Eleanor Roosevelt's support. After Marian Anderson finally landed her first role at the Met in the 50's, a new generation of black women in opera began. The 60's and 70's would see the rise of mezzo sopranos later turned to dramatic sopranos such as Grace Bumbry, Shirley Verrett and it would follow into the 80's with Jessie Norman and Kathleen Battle. Today, black women have made opera one of their highest achievements. Leontyne Price began singing in the 50's. A televised production of Tosca was not shown in some Southern states that were racistad opposed the idea of seeing a black woman in a "white" role. Leontyne Price would master the role of Tosca as successfully as Maria Callas. I think that while she is at her best in the Puccini and Verdi operas she recorded and performed (not showcased here)- Trovatore, Aida, Forza Del Destino, Madame Butterfly, Tosca, Suor Angelica. However, there is so much that she is absolutely remarkable in. I love her as Violetta in Traviata (few black women sing the traditionally white role of Violetta), Massenet's Manon, Verdi's Lady Macbeth (which was another of Shirley Verrett's great roles)Dido from Dido and Aneas, Dona Ana and Elvira in Don Giovanni, The Countess in Figaro, Bellini's Norma (she is outstanding in that powerful druid diva role). I think if we narrow it down to a few roles that she really made her own it would be 1: Aida....2:Tosca...3Dona Ana/Dona Elvira 4 Desdemona from Otello and 5..Leonoras from Trovatore and Forza.

This collection is pretty impressive. I didn't know a soprano could be that versatile. Leontyne Price is remarkable. Her rich, lyric voice, capable of plaintive and melancholy lines as well as powerful high C's and dramatic whoops, was always clean, smooth and intense. Of course, like most sopranos, she had her bad days. Her later Toscas (in the mid or late 70's) became too melodramatic and sloppy, when she used to be more mannered and poised with the role, her Cleopatra in Samuel Barber's opera was a fiaco because the production was too bizarre and messy, etc. But for the most part, mostly in Verdi, Puccini, Mozart and as Norma, she was radiant, glorious and perfect. Her background in Church music made her incredibly suited to singing Requiems, such as Verdi's Requiem. There will never be another Leontyne Price. She was a one woman Golden Age of Opera, and sang with the best of the best- Bjussi Bjorling, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Franco Corelli, Placido Domingo.

Schütz: Die sieben Worte Jesu Christi am Kreuz

Average customer rating:

Simply beautiful and dramatic music

Schütz: Die sieben Worte Jesu Christi am Kreuz

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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Similar Items:

Schütz - The Christmas Story · Cantiones sacrae · Psalm 100 / P. Agnew · A. Crookes · M. McCarthy · Oxford Camerata · J. Summerly
Heinrich Schütz: Symphoniae Sacrae, 1629
Schutz: Motets & Concertos (Ger)
Schütz: German Requiem: The Seven Words of Jesus Christ on the Cross
Buxtehude: Sacred Cantatas

ASIN: B00005B6RV
Release Date: 2001-07-10

Customer Reviews:

Simply beautiful and dramatic music.......2005-03-25

Die sieben Worte Jesu Christi am Kreuz is performed with great skill, care and feeling by Ensemble Clément Janequin and Les Saqueboutiers de Toulouse. I have not heard a better interpretation of this work anywhere. The cornetts (cornets à bouquin) and sackbuts (saqueboutes) provide a very rich and nobly ecclesiastical backdrop for the voices.

The other works presented on this wonderful CD include the great Magnificat, SWV 468 and the setting of the Magnificat for solo soprano voice, Meine Seele erhebt den Herren, SWV 344 - sung by Agnés Mellon.

The two-part work from Symphoniæ Sacræ I, 1629 - Anima mea, SWV 263 (prima pars) and Adjuro vos, SWV 264 (secunda pars) is sung by Bruno Boterf and Philippe Cantor. The men's voices are accompanied by Jean-Pierre Canihac abd Philippe Matharel on the cornetti. The continuo group consists of Konrad Junghänel, lute, Jonathan Cable, bass viol and violone, and Willem Jansen, organ.
Several other works are presented. All provide further evidence of the greatness of Heinrich Schütz.

This CD is now on Harmonia Mundi's budget label. If you're a lover of the music of Heinrich Schütz, you'll want to have this recording (if you do not have it already). If you're new to Schütz, this CD presents a powerful case for this composer.

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