Classics for Meditation

Track Listings

1. Largo

2. Adagio

3. Adagio

4. Adagio Ma Non Troppo

5. Adagio

Editorial Reviews
Album Details
The Music on this CD is Designed to Create a New World of Sound to Its Listeners Through Beautiful Classical Music.

Tracks:

Suite No. 3 In D Major: Air On The G String - Frank Shipway
Fur Elise - Beethoven
Piano Concerto No. 23 In A Major, K. 488: II. Adagio - Arie Vardi
The Four Seasons, Op. 8: Summer: I. Allegro - Alberto Lizzio
Nutcracker Suite: Dance Of The Flutes - Jonel Perlea
Ombra mai fu: Handel's Largo - Philip Gibson
Waltz In A-Flat Major, Op. 39 - Brahms
Prelude In A Major, Op. 28 No. 7 - Chopin
Reverie - DeBussy
Canon In D - Gunter Kehr
Spring Song - Mendelssohn
Symphony No. 9 In C Major, K. 73: III. Menuetto - Gunter Kehr
Sarabande - I Musici di Zagreb
Eine kleine Nachtmusik: III. Menuetto; Allegretto - Libor Pesek
Suite No. 2 In B Minor: Menuet - Gunter Kehr
Concerto Grosso In D Major, Op. 6 No. 4: Vivace - I Musici di Zagreb
Ave Maria - Hans Hagan And His Orchestra
Sleeping Beauty Ballet Suite: Waltz - Lawrence Siegel
Concerto In D Minor For 2 Oboes & Strings, Op. 42 No. 2: I. Largo - Piero Santi
Trumpet Concerto In D Major - Gunter Kehr
Lullaby - Hans Hagan And His Orchestra
Nutcracker Suite: Chinese Dance - Don Jackson
Symphony No. 5 In D Minor, Op. 107: Andante - David Zinman
Oboe Concerto In D Minor: II. Andante e spicatto - Paul Angerer
Gianni Schicci: O mio babbino caro - Nikea Baroza

Customer Reviews:

Not A Music Critic ... But A Lover Of All Music ..........2006-08-29

Let's not be too harsh regarding this CD. I purchased this as my first baby step into the classical genre and it absolutely made me fall in love with classical music and appreciate it in a way I never could when people tried to make me like it. It is such a wide variety of classical music and I find romance to be joyful, tragic, gentle, harsh & a complete roller coaster that I found all in this ONE CD! It also made my boyfriend who hates, or shall I say HATED classical music NOW like it! That was an amazing feat! We now have many classical cd's and we always go back to this one for dinner parties, romantic baths and other things... I played this CD so much, that it got damaged and I just purchased another one to replace the one I bought years ago. If you are a critic, stay away from this cd, you will rob it of its beauty & innocence. If you are a beginner and want to open your mind to all that classical music has to offer, then this is the best money you can spend. BUY & ENJOY!!!

Misleading title scheme.......2006-01-01

This is what bothered me about the CD. Three of the biggest eras in classical music were: the baroque era, the classical era, and the romantic era. Now, with CD's titled baroque favorites, classical favorites and romantic classics, one would expect these CD's to be era specific. Such is not the case. If you read the back of the CD it even says "from the romantic era of music", but the there are composers like Vivaldi (baroque) and Debussy (impressionism) on this CD. About more than half are from the wrong eras. So this music is romantic in the non-musical sense of the word, which is fine, but a little bit misleading.

Don't Bother...Really!.......2005-02-21

Not what I call classical composers! THis cd is annoying in a way I really can't stand. It lacks the pure elegance of the classical days. Don't buy this cd unless you want a phony all around bad album played by cheap ameteurs.

Could have been better.......2004-02-19

I think the quality is good, and better on a few tracks, but all these romantic tracks?? Not what I listened to. Actually I was kind of disappointed; I had purchased an abundance of the "Favorites" collection some were better than others.
I was kind of perturbed when some same tracks on this CD were on another CD, and visa versa.

Still, I suppose for the price, one can't go wrong.

Some great tracks, but flawed nonetheless.......2004-01-12

Whether or not this CD lives up to its promise of "Romantic" music is not truly a concern, being that the entire nature of classical music is that it is open to one's own interpretation. However, I can speak to the quality of the recordings themselves.

A few of the tracks (Reverie, Canon, Sarabande, a few others) are absolutely superb. Well recorded, and played with genius bravado, coupled with great arrangements (it was interesting to hear Reverie outside of its native instrument, the Piano). Most of the tracks, however, are absolutely horrid. Fur Elise for the sheer amateurish quality, Vivaldi's Concerto for oboe and strings sounds like it was copied from an old phonograph record, as does Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty Suite, Mendelssohn's Spring Song, and Puccini's Gianni Schicci, and a few others. A few other tracks still are played horribly, most of them already mentioned.

All in all, for the price you are getting quite a few good tracks, but don't expect stellar quality. I would instead recommend Chopin's Nocturnes and Mozart's and Tchaikovsky's Piano concertos of you're looking for something romantic.

Barber: Adagio for Strings, Op. 11/Orchestral Music; Leonard Slatkin
Average customer rating:

Best Barber CD available

GET this disc- it is absolutely phenomenal

The Best of Samuel Barber

Heavenly

THere's no better value on CD.

Barber: Adagio for Strings, Op. 11/Orchestral Music; Leonard Slatkin
Samuel Barber , Leonard Slatkin , and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Barber's Adagio

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Barber: Violin Concerto; Cello Concerto; Piano Concerto

ASIN: B000002RQE
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Overture To 'The School For Scandal', Op. 5
Adagio For Strings, Op. 11
(First) Essay For Orchestra, Op. 12
Second Essay, Op. 17
Third Essay, Op. 47
Medea's Dance Of Vengeance, Op. 23a

Customer Reviews:

Best Barber CD available.......2006-10-31

Much better than the Zinman disk in my view. Buy it for the Adagio. Love it for all of the pieces. Gorgeous!

GET this disc- it is absolutely phenomenal.......2004-07-27

THis CD is worth 10 times its weight in gold. Just get it, get it now, before you have to hear a minute more bad music.

It'll play in your head for the rest of your life.

What a great investment in your mind.

Have you bought it yet?

The Best of Samuel Barber.......2003-12-23

Samuel Barber's most popular orchestral works have seldom been as well-performed as they were by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin. This wonderful EMI recording is a lasting testament to the great things that Slatkin accomplished during his long tenure in St. Louis.

The overture to "The School for Scandal" was an early triumph for Samuel Barber and it was clearly an exciting, dramatic, and sometimes lyrical work. Slatkin is very sensitive and understanding of this music and was able to lead the St. Louis musicians in one of the best performances of this popular work.

Perhaps Barber's best-known work is the "Adagio for Strings," originally part of a string quartet. It bears the distinction of having a world premiere under the legendary Arturo Toscanini. It's interesting to note that Barber had gone to Italy one summer and managed to meet the Maestro, who was on his own summer vacation. Toscanini was impressed with the aspiring, young composer and was soon even more impressed with the "Adagio for Strings." Toscanini chose to premiere the "Adagio" with the NBC Symphony on a broadcast performance. It is one of the most deeply moving compositions by any American composer. I've seldom heard such a powerful performance as this one by Slatkin and the St. Louis orchestra.

Toscanini also premiered the first of Barber's "Essays for Orchestra." Interestingly, however, the first recording of this energetic, colorfully orchestrated work was by Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra in a 12-inch 78-rpm RCA Victor Red Seal recording. Slatkin not only conducted this work but the two essays which followed, the third of which is one of Barber's later works (with rather spectacular, imaginative writing for percussion).

Finally, there is the rather jazzy and compelling "Medea's Dance of Vengeance." One critic referred to this as a boogie woogie for orchestra. It is very syncopated and almost overwhelming in its intensity, particularly in this performance. Anyone familiar with the legend of Medea will recognize that Barber has managed to faithfully depict the horrible events in this memorable work.

Heavenly.......2003-04-12

Slatkin and Barber go hand in hand. This recording will be celebrated for generations to come.

THere's no better value on CD........2002-10-05

I must have listened to this CD a thousand times, and I want to hear it a thousand more. There is so much more to Samual Barber than the one piece he's popular for. Check it out!

Average customer rating:

Accessible summation many musical styles
Simply wonderful and moving
Jenkin's "The Armed Man" - old theme, new sound.
Fantastic Choral
Is it Bach, is it Mozart or maybe it's Haydn; NO it's Jenkins!!!!

The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Karl Jenkins: Requiem
Songs of Sanctuary
Adiemus II: Cantata Mundi
Diamond Music
Imagined Oceans

ASIN: B00005NDVJ
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Tracks:

The Armed Man
The Call To Prayers
Kyrie
Save me From Bloody Men
Sanctus
Hymn Before Action
Charge!
Angry Flames
Torches
Agnus Dei
Now The Guns Have Stopped
Benedictus
Better Is Peace

Amazon.com

Karl Jenkins's The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace is a departure from his Adiemus recordings into the more conventional territory of large-scale choral and orchestral writing, though his customary passion for mixing languages remains in full force with texts in English, Latin, and French. Jenkins has said that The Armed Man was inspired by the "L'Homme armé" masses that were popular in the 16th century, and he makes this debt clear with passages written in a neat pastiche of Palestrina-style renaissance polyphony. There are also echoes of earlier and later styles, including plainchant, medieval ballads, John Barry-style horn writing (think Goldfinger), and even a direct quote from Rigoletto (the choir imitates wind sounds at one point as in Act 3 of the Verdi opera). The smorgasbord manages to hold together, probably because Jenkins's obvious sincerity shines through every note. The London Philharmonic Orchestra plays beautifully, and treble Tristan Hambleton performs his solo with ethereal clarity. The National Youth Choir sings with vigor and accuracy, even if the young sopranos sound a little thin at the top of their range. If you liked the soundtrack to The Mission, this should press all the right buttons. --Warwick Thompson

Customer Reviews:

Accessible summation many musical styles.......2007-06-12

Karl Jenkins is a contemporary British composer perhaps most famous for his music for the de Beers diamond commercial--the score that sounds like Vivaldi but isn't.

In this commissioned Mass Jenkins sets out to sum up War and Peace in the 20th Century (it was a millennial project) and he mimics if not just the music of the 20th C. at least the music that we listened to in the century, at times you'll think Faure, at other times Monteverdi (although the liner notes say "Palestrina.") The overall effect is like a score for a movie, but a good score at that. The broad selection of texts is itself derivative from Britten's War Requiem and in a tip to multiculturalism also includes a Muslim call to prayer (somewhat pretentious in a Christian Mass, I think).

The performances are strong with the National Youth Choir remarkably polished for their age and experience. Jenkins conducts and one could say "over conducts"--as others have noted, the emphases seem a bit forced and many numbers end with a sudden staccato, an odd effect. The recording is the result of multiple takes in many different studios and the resultant mastering reflects this: The CD in no way sounds like an actual performance of the work. As John Lennon said of one Beatles album, "Play loud" and it's impressive.

One man's pastiche is another man's familiar favorite and despite the lack of orginality this Mass is likely to have enduring popularity.

Simply wonderful and moving.......2007-01-11

What a wonderful way to remember the last century! What a way to meditate on the prospect of peace or war in this one. This selects from the styles and melodies most primal and meaningful. At least it seems so while listening to them. I first became familiar with Karl Jenkins Mass when it was selected for Sacred Concert on Sunday morning and was so taken with it I almost stayed in the car to hear the end rather than go into church from the parking lot! I searched for it at our local libraries that afternoon and not finding it there took the plunge to order it from Amazon to add to my already overstuff Amazon furnished house. With the way this century is going so far this mass has good reason to be played over and over again.

Jenkin's "The Armed Man" - old theme, new sound. .......2007-01-11

This a powerful, brilliant new musical plea for peace based on a very old, much used theme from centuries ago. The performance and recording are worthy of the music.While some passages are supremely beautiful, this is not elevator music - some juxtapositions of the sections are quite jarring (deliberatly so). However, it is a deeply satisfying work, well worth a careful listen.

Fantastic Choral.......2006-09-01

Once I heard a piece on the radio I had to have this CD. I was not disappointed at all.
There are a couple of songs on this CD that will blow you away!
I play this CD almost evry day. It is fantastic. I lend it to people and they want to keep it.
If you are into choral music, this is the CD to get.

Is it Bach, is it Mozart or maybe it's Haydn; NO it's Jenkins!!!!.......2006-08-19

This is one of the most beautiful Masses I have every heard and will have the pleasure to perform! It is truly a work of art. The Orchestral parts are just as important as the Vocal score. In most movements the orchestra doubles the vocal parts. Jenkins has brilliantly crafted a masterpiece and the power of the words, taken from many sources including the Bible and Rudyard Kipling makes this one of the greatest works of our time.

You must hear this Mass!!!! A must to perform!!!! A must to own!!!!

Average customer rating:

Paradiso
A further expansion of a talented composer
Karl Jenkins: Requiem - an eclectic requiem for the 21st Centuray
Great to me
Karl Jenkins: Requiem

Karl Jenkins: Requiem

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace
Imagined Oceans
Adiemus II: Cantata Mundi
Diamond Music
Songs of Sanctuary

ASIN: B0007S67K2
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Tracks:

Requiem: Introit
Requiem: Dies Irae
Requiem: The Snow Of Yesterday
Requiem: Rex Tremendae
Requiem: Confutatis
Requiem: From Deep In My Heart
Requiem: Lacrimosa
Requiem: Now As A Spirit
Requiem: Pie Jesu
Requiem: Having Seen The Moon
Requiem: Lux Aeterna
Requiem: Farewell
Requiem: In Paradisum
In These Stones Horizons Sing: Overture Part I: The Exile Song
In These Stones Horizons Sing: Overture Part II: Now!
In These Stones Horizons Sing: Grey
In These Stones Horizons Sing: Born This Year
In These Stones Horizons Sing: In These Stones Horizons Sing

Album Description

Karl Jenkins, the mastermind of the Adiemus project and The Armed Man (A Mass For Peace) has the gift of composing music that speaks to a very wide audience. This is a highly interesting work that draws on Western and Oriental traditions. Requiem is a mass for the souls of the dead set to texts in both Latin and Japanese, highlighting the cyclical nature of life, death and rebirth. EMI Classics. 2005.

Album Details

This is a Highly Interesting Work which Draws on Western and Oriental Traditions. Requiem is a Mass for the Souls of the Dead Set to Texts in Both Latin and Japanese, Highlighting the Cyclical Nature of Life, Death and Rebirth. The Work is Performed by a Chamber Orchestra, Two Choirs, Soprano Soloist, Incidental Harp, Percussion and Shakuhachi (Japanese Flute), Incorporating a Western Melodic Style with Ethnic and World Music Elements - the Trademark of Karl Jenkins.

Customer Reviews:

Paradiso.......2007-07-05

Let me just say- a masterpiece. Specially the Requiem part of the album I liked a lot: Jenkins' harmonies, novelty of interpretation, and combination of styles. Integration of best elements of classical Requiem and modern composition.

A further expansion of a talented composer.......2007-02-01

I guess you could call me a "number one" fan of Karl Jenkins music. I find his music uplifting and soul-stirring. After a few listenings to Requiem, I quickly found so much to enjoy out of the variety of tracks.

For consumers that are only aware of Diamond Music, Jenkins has composed a whole collection of works, five to be exact, that are under the Adiemus title. You must, I repeat, must expand your collection to include some if not all of these titles, particularly Adiemus I, II & IV. These are such emotionally charged works, fashioned with a chorus of female singers and soloists and full orchestra. Do a quick search and you'll learn more about this themed works. But I digress....

Requiem is unique in that the composer uses a full chorus including male voices and a baritone soloist in the short work, "In These Stones..." This is the first time I'm aware that Jenkins embraces the SATB structure. What an exceptional inclusion to his body of works! I've picked out a few favorites including Introit, Dies Irae, and In Paradisum. However, Pie Jesu shines as a gorgeous heart felt work that effortlessly soars between child soloist, soprano soloist and chorus. Guaranteed to bring tears to your eyes. Finally, the short work that closes this CD, "In These Stones Horizons Sing", calls to mind Ralph Vaughn Williams and a touch of Glass. As a singer in many choruses, I found myself itching to bring this short piece to the attention of various choral directors. It conveys such a powerful quality, visions of Celtic settings arise in my mind. If you are a choral singer, I assure you, you will find something to inspire you. Enjoy Requiem and look into Jenkins other works as well. You won't be sorry.

Karl Jenkins: Requiem - an eclectic requiem for the 21st Centuray.......2007-01-11

Incorporating elements of World Music (Japanese Haiku), and hints of Arvo Part, Philip Glass and Chill-out Pop, this Requiem Mass for vocal soloists, large choir and full orchestra is a moving, dazzeling masterpiece.
My only reservation about this recording is that, despite being conducted by the composer, the choir and orchestera lack the rythmic intensity and fresh enthusiasm I have heard in a live performance. (Victoria Philharmonic Choral Society)

Great to me.......2007-01-09

I was driving in the country on a beautiful day and heard this CD on a local NPR station. In fact, everyone in our vehicle enjoyed the music very much.I then(upon it's completion) heard this CD reviewed where it was ripped by an NPR panel of music critics. I would recommend it for anyone who isn't a fan of the atonal or complicated music NPR reviewers seem to love. But then what do I know.

Karl Jenkins: Requiem.......2006-11-10

This entire CD is absolutely amazing. The recording is excellent quality and the music definitely reflects Karl Jenkins' unique style. The musicians performing this music are very talented. This CD came with a booklet with the lyrics in it that I could follow and it had English translations. The unique part of this particular requiem was Jenkins' ability to write lyrics in numerous languages including Latin, Japanese (true Haiku!), and Welsh (Jenkins' native language).

I initially got hooked to Jenkins' music when I obtained 'The Essential Collection' with diamond music on 'DeBeers' TV commercials. The music on this CD is definitely deeper in style. He wrote this music from his heart. I have listened to the Requiem many times.

Itzhak Perlman - A la carte / Lawrence Foster

Average customer rating:

An Outstanding Collection
Gorgeous playing, beautiful pieces.

Itzhak Perlman - A la carte / Lawrence Foster
Jules Massenet , Sergey Rachmaninov , Pablo de Sarasate , Alexander Glazunov , Fritz Kreisler , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Henryk Wieniawski , Lawrence Foster , Itzhak Perlman , and The Abbey Road Ensemble
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

$9.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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Classic Perlman: Rhapsody

ASIN: B000002RVH
Release Date: 1996-03-12

Tracks:

Meditation (Thais)
Mazurka-Obereque: Mazurka - Obereque
Vocalise, Op.34, No.14
Zigeunerweisen, Op.20
Fantasy On Russian Themes
Meditation, Op.32
Scherzo, Op. 42 No. 2
Legende, Op.17
The Old Refrain
Introduction & Tarantelle, Op. 43
Schon Rosmarin

Customer Reviews:

An Outstanding Collection.......2002-02-12

Here is Perlman at the top of his game- performing short Romantic and turn-of-the-century gems. Perlman has always seemed to revel in this specific era in classical music. From Glazunov's fiery Mazurka, to Pablo de Sarasate's virtuosic jaunt, to the simple, romatic charm of Kreisler's "Schon Rosmarin", Itzhak Perlman and the Abbey Road Ensemble deliver with graceful mastery. I've never heard Massenet's Meditations from "Thais" performed with more passion and elegance.
A lot of violinists, myself included, feel that Perlman has had a rather inconsistent recording career, and A La Carte should be impressive and refreshing for his critics. The exceptional sound quality of this recording makes it a very involving experience and great addition to any audiophile's collection. I never tire of this album, and it is a mainstay and a favorite in my collection. I recommend it 100%.

Gorgeous playing, beautiful pieces........1998-10-29

This collection of rarely performed pieces is a fantastic record. Perlman's playing, as usual, is a feast for the ears. The lush accompaniment is equally beautiful. The pieces are accessible to the classical connoisseur as well as the novice. This is the perfect album for a winter afternoon around the house.

Average customer rating:

Fire and Ice? Fire, yes. But ? Brava Sarah! Theresa NY
I'm impressed . . .
Chang v. Perlman
Great Sarasate
Wow!

Fire & Ice
Sarah Chang , and Placido Domingo
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

$9.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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Debut
Sarah Chang - Paganini: Violin Concerto No. 1 ~ Saint-Saëns: Havanaise / Sawallisch

ASIN: B00005O83N
Release Date: 2002-01-08

Tracks:

Con Fant On 'Carmen', Op.25: Intro: Allegro Moderato
Con Fant On 'Carmen', Op.25: I. Moderato
Con Fant On 'Carmen', Op.25: II. Lento Assai
Con Fant On 'Carmen', Op.25: III. Allegro Moderato
Con Fant On 'Carmen', Op.25: IV. Moderato
Meditation
Tzigane, Rapsodie De Con
Romance in f, Op.11
Romance in F, Op.50
Ste No.3 in D, BWV 1068: Air
Zigeunerweisen, Op.20

Amazon.com

Here's a handy collection of popular works for violin and orchestra. The title apparently refers to the mix of warmly romantic music, like the Massenet Méditation, and flashy virtuoso stuff, like the Sarasate Carmen Fantasy and Zigeunerweisen. Sarah Chang excels in both areas. Her Dvorák and Beethoven Romances are sweetly sung, while the insanely virtuosic Tzigane by Ravel, with its wild staccato and chordal effects, she tosses off without breaking a sweat. Except for the romanticized Bach Air from the Suite No. 3, there are no stylistic transgressions, and the mix of fiery virtuoso fare and romantic slower beauties keeps interest alive throughout. Conductor Placido Domingo's proficient accompaniments don't get in her way. All the selections are familiar. Such violin virtuosi as Suk, Oistrakh, Grumiaux, Vengerov, and Perlman have recorded most of them, often coming closer to capturing the inner glow of the music. But Chang's exciting performances can't fail to please, especially if you want all these favorites on one disc. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Fire and Ice? Fire, yes. But ? Brava Sarah! Theresa NY.......2005-04-22

After listening to this CD by Sarah Chang I can see the Fire in all of the selections, even the "Meditiation" by Massenet. But where the Ice comes in I cannot tell. Sarah plays with such vibrance and zeal and even if you've never heard the selection before it doesn't matter. Her interpretation of "Zigeunerweisen" is the best I have ever heard. And I think Placido Domingo also does a fabulous job of conducting. All in all, this is one of the most entertaining and enjoyable CD's I own. I urge you to buy it. You won't be sorry.

I'm impressed . . ........2004-10-22

I put the CD in CD player, turned up the volume, and went about the house doing domestic things. I had to stop doing the dishes, dry my hands, and run upstairs (and I do not like the stairs, have major issues with the stairs!) just to check the disc information. The playing was that good, jaw-droppingly so. I'm impressed.

Chang v. Perlman.......2004-10-03

This album has almost the same repertoire as one by Perlman. Some days I prefer the Perlman version, other days I prefer Sarah's version. Sarah has been a perfect technical virtuoso since she was 13. At age 19, she has matured in her artistic interpretation to rival the best in the world. (I consider Itzak Perlman to be the best, but Sarah is nearly his equal, and she is yet quite young.) I eagerly await each new album she publishes. I wish she would come to town so I could hear her live. I also wish she would record occasionally on analog LP, especially direct disc. I find CDs much less faithful to the sound of live music than LPs, though at least todays CD players are somewhat listenable, instead of making the dreadful sounds they did when the medium was new.

Great Sarasate.......2002-12-25

This recording of Carmen and Zigeunerweisen is hard to do any better. Simply great fiddle playing! Chang's vibrato and virtuosity suits this style perfectly and not many can play the page full of thirds in Carmen as well as she did it! Least successful was Beethoven and Bach. I rather prefer a more poetic mood (slower tempo) and a slightly less expansive vibrato for this kind of music. Sarah has a sometimes very broad vibrato well suited for fiery stuff but not so well suited for music that demands a certain level of sophistication. Anyway that is just my personal opinion as a violin freak. I guess the broader audience would not mind since the sound is very nice even if the vibrato is a bit out of control at times.

Thanks Sarah for yet another great recording!

Wow!.......2002-11-16

I think there's only two words to describe her playing --- Absolutely Awesome!

Lalo: Symphonie espagnole; Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen: Massenet: Thaïs - Meditation

Average customer rating:

The definitive Zigeunerweisen
Passionate musical display.
First choice Symphonie Espagnole!

Lalo: Symphonie espagnole; Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen: Massenet: Thaïs - Meditation

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

$6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto Op35; Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Op77
Liszt: Piano Concertos; Totentanz; Hungarian Fantasy
Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream

ASIN: B00005NPJE
Release Date: 2002-08-13

Tracks:

Sym Espagnole, Op.21: I. Allegro Non Troppo
Sym Espagnole, Op.21: II. Scherzando (Allegro Molto)
Sym Espagnole, Op.21: III. Intermezzo: (Allegretto Non Troppo)
Sym Espagnole, Op.21: IV. Andante
Sym Espagnole, Op.21: V. Rondo (Allegro)
Zigeunerweisen, Op.20
Thais - Meditation

Customer Reviews:

The definitive Zigeunerweisen.......2007-04-20

.

I have never loved the violin. I have never loved Zigeunerweisen. I have always been ambivalent about Ozawa.

Now I love all three, at least for the duration of this performance.

I have always loved EMI, however, and rate this recording at the top for sound, as well. A violin must be recorded perfectly and played back on only the best equipment for me to tolerate it. Particularly if digital. Normally, I cannot stand a violin CD, much preferring analog. But EMI got it right here.

Zigeunerweisen has been the temptation of so many over-the-top violinists, that I have grown tired of it of late. It is the type of music that invites excess, but seldom rewards it. But ms Mutter does it so well, with such dramatic pacing and dynamics that I am literally on the edge of my seat every time I hear it. She has all the stylistic and dynamic extremes of her cohorts, but somehow manages to pull it off with class and delicacy. Delicacy is not a word I would normally use for Zigeunerweisen. I have to ride the gain to get everything out of the softer passages (and, they ARE soft), and then run it lower to avoid being blasted by the less-quiet passages. This is not car music unless you have really good equipment and the vehicle is stopped.

And she and Ozawa seem made for each other. They are of one mind and body in this performance.

Oh, yeah, the other stuff on the CD is great, too.

Passionate musical display........2007-01-18

This is my first experience with Lalo's Symphonie espagnole, so I do not have a basis for comparison, but being a violin music fan, I have heard a few violin concertos with different artists, from the virtuoso to the romantic, and this great recording fits somewhere in the middle. Anne-Sophie Mutter's tone is delicate but fierce, and precise but somehow fragile; her performance in these three showpieces is outstanding, sometimes it sounds like she is playing on the edge of losing control of the pieces, but she makes no mistake and resolves all the technical challenges in the music with ease. Maybe that is what makes this record worthwhile, it has an intense emotion which goes beyond the technical mastery to evolve into a brilliant musical experience. The only downside is the short duration of the record, but the music on it is excellent, and for a discount price, it is hard to get a better record for your money.

First choice Symphonie Espagnole!.......2005-10-15

Anne-Sophie Mutter's recording of Lalo's Symphonie Espagnole remains the most satisfying recording of this piece. Most recordings suffer from being at one of two extremes: too light and feminine, lacking in the dramatic Spanish bravura the piece needs (Chee-Yun and Chang); or overly masculine and serious, missing the playful fun Lalo crafted into the piece (Zuckerman and Perlman). Mutter's performance strikes a perfect balance between these two extremes, succeeding in conveying passionate fervor without losing sight of the humerous romp that it is. The orchestral accompaniment--Seiji Ozawa conducting the French National Orchestra--is a perfect complement to Mutter's flawless playing, maintaining just the right tempos throughout, unlike the other recordings which are either too drawn out (Chee-Yun) or too speedy (Zuckerman). My only reservation concerns the sound which, while digital and bright, lacks the clarity that truly great digital recordings offer. However, the imperfect sound will not detract from the nearly perfect performance!
The CD comes with two shorter works, Sarasate's Gypsy-inspired Zigeunerweisen and Massanet's dramatic Thais Meditation. The Sarasate is given a delightfully virtuosic performance which won't fail to bring a smile to your face. The Massenet is given a particularly powerful reading, accompanied by a Berlin Philharmonic (led by Karajan) in top form, especially the strings. We get all this at budget price, even though this release contains more music (the Massenet) than the original release! An absolute must for fans of Lalo's Symphonie Esoagnole
and for fans of Anne-Sophie Mutter.

Dan Gibson's Solitudes: Exploring Nature With Music: The Classics

Average customer rating:

Nature meets Symphony
Excellent
Gread meditation/relaxation CD!
relax
Solitudes The Classics 1

Dan Gibson's Solitudes: Exploring Nature With Music: The Classics
Johann Sebastian Bach , Ludwig van Beethoven , Fryderyk Chopin , Claude Debussy , Edvard Grieg , Johann Pachelbel , and Hennie Bekker
Manufacturer: Solitudes
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Environmental | New Age | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

Nature | New Age | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Environmental | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Solitudes: Classics II
Dan Gibson's Solitudes: Favorite Selections - Exploring Nature with Music
Appalachian Mountain Suite
Solitudes: Rocky Mountain Suite
Whispering Woods

ASIN: B000001CZN
Release Date: 1994-07-24

Tracks:

Grieg's 'Morning From The Pier Gynt Suite, Opus 46
Chopin's 'Nocturne In E Flat, Opus 9, No. 2'
Debussy's 'Prelude To The Afternoon Of A Faun'
Debussy's 'Clair De Lune'
Beethoven's 'Moonlit Sonata , Opus 27, No. 2'
Bach's 'Air In C'
Debussy's 'Reverie'
Grieg's 'Piano Concerto In A Minor, Opus 16'
Pachelbel's 'Canon In D'
Ocean Surf

Album Description

Nature has always been a source of inspiration for the great composers. By blending the worlds most enduring classical works with the voices of our natural world, Solitudes has successfully merged mans and natures most beautiful music.

Customer Reviews:

Nature meets Symphony.......2006-08-24

This is one of the best couplings of nature sounds & man-made music I've ever heard. Neither overpowers the other. Very soothing and able to "take you there" when you need to be "away from here."

Excellent.......2005-03-28

I bought this CD in 1991 and have loved it and played it often over the years, so often in fact it finally scratched and I now have to replace my copy.

Gread meditation/relaxation CD!.......2003-02-26

I love most of Dan Gibson's works but I enjoy this one as background noise for my baby girl as she goes to sleep. The best thing is the the music is played on traditional instruments and not some cheesy electric synthesizer. That makes a huge difference. The last track is nothing but tranquil ocean waves which I loop for myself when I need help going to sleep. Crystal clear sounds and fantastic music. One of Dan Gibson's best.

relax.......2003-01-25

This is great for relaxation and reflection. Nearly anyone will recognize and be familiar with the music - that makes this a special presentation. The only one that is better is the Strauss version which is virtually mouth watering it's so good.

Solitudes The Classics 1.......2000-03-07

I love this recording. It combines sounds of nature (forest and meadow sounds, stream, rain and ocean background) and some of the most beautiful music ever written. I find it helpful to use it when stress and conflict interfere with sleep. After listening to this, my mood is far more relaxed and am ready to drift off. It is a masterful and beautiful CD.

Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg - Mendelssohn, Saint-Saëns, Massenet

Average customer rating:

The Mendelssohn is soupy, a style that suits Saint-Saens better
Nadja's Themes
SHEER GENIUS!!
Beautiful music, beautifully played
One of my favorite CD's

Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg - Mendelssohn, Saint-Saëns, Massenet
Felix Mendelssohn , Camille Saint-Saëns , Jules Massenet , Gerard Schwarz , Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg , and New York Chamber Symphony
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Brahms: Violin Concerto in D/Bruch: Concerto #1 in G Minor; Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg
Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg - It Ain't Necessarily So
Speaking in Strings
Sibelius: Violin Concerto; Chausson: Poeme for Violin & Orchestra; Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg
Humoresque

ASIN: B000002RQ0
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: I. Allegro molto appassionato: Allegro Molto Appasionato
Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: I. Allegro molto appassionato: II. Andante
Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: I. Allegro molto appassionato: III. Allegretto non troppo - Allegro molto vivace
Havanaise, Op. 83
Introduction And Rondo capriccioso, Op. 28
Mtation From 'Thais'

Customer Reviews:

The Mendelssohn is soupy, a style that suits Saint-Saens better.......2006-07-02

Having won a mass audience for herself thanks to low-cut dresses, stage antics, and coverage on 60 Minutes, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg had a chance to expose young listeners to serious musicmaking. Instead, she made it a one-woman show, and the results don't attract serious attention. She's at her worst here in the slow movement of the Mendelssohn concerto, dripping with swoops and swoons. Elsewhere, though, she reins things in. At bottom, when she isn't ladling on the syrup, NSS is a cautious violinist--she hasn't got the technique for fireworks--and in the outer movements of the concerto she shows some respect for the music.

Her fans will love her hyper-romantic way with the Havanaise and Meditation by Saint-Saens, two piecees that can't be hurt by a little extra shmaltz. The Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso is a more substantial piece, however, and she's pulls it to pieces mercilessly. Gerard Schwarz, like every conductor NSS works with, passively stands aorund and lets her hog the spotlight. It's what her fans want, and clearly so does she.

Nadja's Themes.......2005-05-18

Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg is one of the finest classical violinists that America has ever produced, female or otherwise. Her style of playing has the same intense lyricism and virtuosity that distinguishes all the great violinists and inspires others to strive for that same kind of excellence.

A perfect example of Salerno-Sonnenberg's virtuosity can be found on this 1988 EMI recording that she made with conductor Gerard Schwarz and the New York Chamber Symphony. Her ability to navigate through the tricky world that is Mendelssohn's celebrated E Minor Violin Concerto, particularly in its vivacious finale, is definitely something to behold. Like the violin concertos of Beethoven, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky, the Mendelssohn is a work that all concert violinists know they must utilize at some point, and Salerno-Sonnenberg does not hold anything back here. Neither do Schwarz and his NYCS players.

But the violin and orchestral virtuosity doesn't stop there, as Salerno-Sonnenberg, Schwarz, and the NYCS take up two shorter works by Saint-Saens--the Havanaise, and the Introduction And Rondo Capriccioso--and the much-loved "Meditation" from Jules Massenet's 1894 opera "Thais." This last work gives Salerno-Sonnenberg to display a quiet but obvious passion in her playing.

Helped out by the combination of a fine orchestra and a great conductor, Salerno-Sonnenberg proves herself here to be one of the great violinists of our time. This is a recording that cannot be recommended highly enough.

SHEER GENIUS!!.......2003-12-24

Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg is sheer genius! She speaks to the audience with her playing, with her violin. It is no longer a piece of wood but a bit of heaven that stirs the listen's soul and what better way to do so than with the great music of Mendelssohn, Saint-Saens and Massenet. I have just about all Nadja's cds and have just added this to my collection - it is like adding another treasure!

Beautiful music, beautifully played.......2001-08-12

This is a great CD. The violin is so full of feeling. The Mendedlssohn is a beautiful piece that is wonderful again and again. This is a good CD for your collection You won't get tired of it.

One of my favorite CD's.......2001-01-27

This music soars! Always lifted up with the selections and energy that this fine violinst provides. Also, enjoying Mendelssohn helps make this one of my prized cds.

Average customer rating:

If stranded on an island and had one disc...
Truly inspired collection
Encore! Encore!
Encore! Encore!
Surprised and ... inspired

Classical Dreams: Music to Inspire

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Cathedral Dreams: Music to Inspire
Williams: The Five Sacred Trees (Bassoon Concerto) / Takemitsu: Tree Line / Hovhaness: Symphony No. s, Op. 132 "Mysterious Mountain" / Picker: Old and Lost Rivers
The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
Modern Times

ASIN: B00005Q467
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Tracks:

Antiphon: Ecce Annuntio Vobis - Dominique Vellard
Symphony No. 5: Adagietto - Jukka-Pekka Saraste
Gymnopedie No. 1 - Paul Tortelier
Pavane - Paul Tortelier
The Planets: Venus - Sir Charles Mackerras
Old And Lost Rivers - Christoph Eschenbach
Prld To The Afternoon Of A Faun - Dmitri Kitaenko
Summer Pastorale - Jesus Lopez-Cobos
Masques Et Bergamasques: Pastorale - Jean-Bernard Pommier
Summa - Bournemouth Sinfonietta
Pictures At An Exhibition: The Old Castle - Sir Charles Mackerras
The Wounded Heart - Jonathan Rees
Ser in e: Larghetto - Andrew Litton

Tracks:

Apollon Musagete: The Birth Of Apollo - Jukka-Pekka Saraste
Adagio for Strings - City Of London Sinfonia
The Swan Of Tuonela - Paavo Jarvi
Enigma Vars: Nimrod - RPO/Andrew Litton
Petite Ste: En Bateau (Orch. Busser) - Jean-Bernard Pommier
Holberg Ste: Air - Jonathan Rees
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves' - Christopher Warren-Green
Gymnopedie No. 3 - Paul Tortelier
Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte - Jukka-Pekka Saraste
The Last Spring - Jonathan Rees
Thais: Meditation (From Thais) - Paul Tortelier
Vocalise - Andrew Litton
Mother Goose: The Fairy Garden - Dmitri Kitaenko
Antiphon: Ecce Annuntio Vobis - Dominique Vellard

Customer Reviews:

If stranded on an island and had one disc..........2006-01-23

I'd be tempted to make this the one, and I own over 2,000. I agree with what has been said above, but have a few thoughts of my own. I live near a major city with a known orchestra. Why are classical audienced declining? Maybe they're overplaying hackneyed works, and not playing some neglected masterpieces. In this double album there are some well known works, but some exquisite finds, like Picker's Old and Lost Rivers, Honegger's Pastorale, Arvo Part's Summa (!!!). Most highly recommended, with a good bottle of red wine.

Truly inspired collection.......2004-12-07

I came upon this compilation while researching a somewhat obscure piece called "Summer Pastorale", which is contained in the collection. One look at the play list and I was sold - here were most of my favorite tone poems, adagios, and assorted short works, all on one CD (OK, two CD's...)

Another gem here that I had never heard before is Pick's "Old and Lost Rivers". Ravel's final movement from Mother Goose is one of his best orchestrations and at the top of my 'A' list.

About the only pieces I missed here were Debussy's Engulfed Cathedral and Respighi's fourth church window, St. Gregory the Great. Perhaps they would be a bit too dramatic for this collection, though.

The only shortcoming of this collection is the lack of liner notes, but this is a minor issue. The music is superb.

Encore! Encore!.......2004-06-17

Like a few other reviewers here, I purchased this disc for Tobias Picker's "Old and Lost Rivers." But from the Gregorian chants that open this two-CD set to the closing strains of Ravel's "Mother Goose: The Fairy Garden," I was absolutely captivated by the beauty and cohesiveness of this compilation. Producer Robert Laporta has created a disc that passes muster with neophytes and long time classical music lovers alike. I humbly suggest -- make that BEG -- that Virgin Classics turn "Classical Dreams" into a series. I would love to hear a second volume featuring such favorites as the BBC Symphony Orchestra's interpretation of Delius' "On Hearing the 1st Cuckoo In Spring," the Royal Philharmonic's version of Vaughan Williams' "Fantastia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" and the London Symphony's recording of Vaughan Williams' "Symphony No. 3 Pastoral" (Andre Previn conducting both Vaughan Williams' selections). By far, this is the finest classical collection I have yet heard. Encore!

Encore! Encore!.......2004-06-17

Like a few other reviewers here, I purchased this disc for Tobias Picker's miraculous (and criminally underrated) "Old and Lost Rivers." But from the Gregorian chants that open this two-CD set to the closing strains of Ravel's "Mother Goose: The Fairy Garden," I was absolutely captivated by the beauty and cohesiveness of this compilation. Producer Robert Laporta has created a disc both neophytes and long time classical music lovers can approve of. I humbly suggest that Virgin Classics turn Classical Dreams into a series. I would love to hear a second volume featuring such favorites as the BBC Symphony Orchestra's interpretation of Delius' "On Hearing the 1st Cuckoo In Spring," the Royal Philharmonic's version of Vaughan Williams' "Fantastia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" and the London Symphony's recording of Vaughan Williams' "Symphony No. 3 Pastoral" (Andre Previn conducting both Vaughan Williams' selections). By far, this is the finest classical compilation I have yet heard. Encore!

Surprised and ... inspired.......2002-05-10

What a pleasant surprise this double CD turned out to be. I bought it used just for Picker's gorgeous and poetic "Old and Lost Rivers" but fell in love with the whole thing. I'm not usully one for "Best Of ---" or themed classical collections, but this one's in a class by itself. The selections are unusual and achingly lovely in themselves and as a whole. This is my new favorite disk. It's a relaxation or concentration tool... hell, it's a companion - it goes wherever my laptop and headphones go. You get over two hours of gorgeous and lyrical - never mushy, sentimental or tired - classical music, the perfect backdrop for everything from dinner dates to writing code. This CD has added sustained moments of beauty and poise to a busy life - which is more than I could have asked for!

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