Romantic Works for Cello and Piano [Enhanced]

On this CD:

1. Sonata for cello & piano No. 4 in C major, Op. 102/1
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven

2. Sonata for Cello & Piano No. 1 in E minor, Op. 38
Composed by Johannes Brahms

3. Phantasiestücke (3 Fantasy Pieces) for clarinet (or cello or violin) & piano, Op. 73
Composed by Robert Schumann

Customer Reviews:

badly remastered.......2007-06-25

"The Complete Rachmaninoff', at 2-3 times the price is a better deal. This version is re-mastered in a way that reduces surface noise, but, at the same time, removes much of the pianists' tone quality that comes through so well on the original LP release, as well as the more expensive set. Also, this album is lacking the documentation of recording dates that the LP and 'The Complete Rachmaninoff' provide. For the neophyte, the re-mastering reduces the magic of Rachmaninoff's tone. I would expect the connoisseur to be even more disappointed. There are bargains out there, but for this album, you get what you pay for.

Rachmaninov is the master.......2007-05-15

Some people like the recordings and some dont, but as a fan of Rachmaninov it would be a shame not to own these recordings. To hear a master composer from history play his own works is not that common. Just put the cd in your player put your headphones on and watch the black and white images appear in your mind as though you were at a concert in the 1930's looking on at the man sitting at the piano carefully but with feeling pounding each note into the air of time. If you don't like the scratchy recordings then obviously you are a spoiled brat who doesnt appreciate fine art.

A Master of Musical Love.......2007-01-18

There have been other brilliant composers and genius pianists as Rachmaninoff lived and afterwards. Yet, in my opinion, he is the real central figure of his days and, as far as I can feel, what there is of most modern up to now in classical music. I do not think it exaggerated to say that, after all these decades, someone is still to pick up the torch from his hands at that level of inspiration, just as he picked it up from Tchaikovsky. It is true that a few of his compositions seem quirky and cerebral: but more than a few are the masterpieces. His second Concerto is the concert of the century. And where do we find, for instance, a match for his etude tableau 39/5 in one hundred years? Or a simply revolutionary piece as his prelude 32/12 is?

One could go on with a list of marvelous compositions either created or played by him and many reviewers already pointed so much of great in his recordings. So a good thing to do here is what a previous reviewer also did: to say something special about one favorite piece of the box-set. My forerunner pointed to Rach's rendering of Haendel's "Harmonious Blacksmith" and I agree with each word he wrote about it. Now I should like to declare my amazement about his version of "Leise flehen", initially a Swansong written by Schubert and later transcribed by Liszt.

Hopefully Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and other singers will not mind my saying this, but Rachmaninoff unveils and exposes such a treasure in this song that now its original lyrics only seem to obstruct the inestimable wealth in piano notes below them at all other known recordings: the piece is infinitely more beautiful when left to the pianist alone. Rach's playing is warm and generous, just like Schubert's creative Geist, and the result is light-years ahead of the usual rough, squared, catacomb mood with which people bring the composition along with singers.

Impossible not to love, but there is more to that. After listening so many times to this piece that never ceases to stun me, I came to conclude that in fact very few people could manage to play the `leise flehen' like this, even among good pianists. As expressed here, its notes speak to their listener in such frank, open, and direct way - like a true friend making an important confession - that only a man with Rachmaninoff's `heart of gold' could manage to convey its meaning.

Ahhh, maybe we're talking about technique... To have a most noble heart, then, is THE decisive technical prerequisite for communicating these notes, otherwise they will simply not come out at all.

Notes: Here are a few opinions about the pieces mentioned above; hopefully they will be helpful for persons who don't know Rachmaninoff's works and stimulating for those who already know them. 1) As far as I am aware, besides Rachmaninoff only Valentina Lisitsa recorded the Leise flehen in a solo version. It can be found in her 2005 DVD with the Swan Songs program. 2) The etude tableaux 39/5 is not in this box set; many performers have played it, but none as Van Cliburn, who simply operates a miracle in the CD "My Favorite Rachmaninoff". His playing and the vertigo sensation it leaves behind are so powerful that I am sometimes afraid to listen to him. 3) Horowitz, the wizard, masters the prelude 32/12 in his CD "Horowitz Plays Scriabin" and in his legendary 1986 Moscow recital; the prelude is also in Rach's box-set. 4) About the second concerto, there are so many recordings, most of which I have not heard; my favorite performer is Benno Moiseiwitsch, a sublime piano poet much admired by Rachmaninoff himself. None of the recordings I've heard of the concerto, including the two available by its own composer, reach the climax of its third movement as Moiseiwitsch does in a 1944 movie called "Battle for Music". It is only a short excerpt from one of his wartime presentations with the LSO, but long enough to show how it sounds when perfectly done. The excerpt is also in the movie "The Art of Piano", in which the entire footage involving Rachmaninoff and Moiseiwitsch is simply a gem (however much historically unprecise).

Classic Historic Rachmaninoff........2006-01-14

If you're a tad bit confused between this boxed set and "The Complete Recordings" boxed set from 1992, fear not. Both this and "The Complete Recordings" are exactly the same. The only difference is in the cover art and packaging. Also, the price of this recent reissue is half as much as the original edition. If you have the original edition, there's no need to buy it again. If you don't own this already, then this present edition is the one to get mainly because of its reduced price tag.
With this out of the way, onto the music itself:
The Rachmaninoff Complete recordings collection includes everything the great Russian composer/pianist recorded between the years 1919 and 1941. Besides recording historic versions of his own classic Piano Concertos, his "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paginini" as well as conducting his own Third Symphony and Isle of the Dead, Rachmaninoff also recorded arrangements of works by such great composers ranging from Bach, Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert to most importantly, Chopin. These recordings are also included in this mammoth set alongside more obscure works by Mussorgsky, Daquin, Henselt and Dohnanyi.
The sound quality varies throughout the set ranging from highly listenable to sounding as if it were transferred by placing a microphone directly into the horn of an old grammophone. Despite the variants of sound quality, one cannot deny that this music as well as these recordings are important and historic.
The CD booklet gives a brief insight to Rachmaninoff's history as a recording artist as well as a breakdown of the tracks themselves. The only major flaw with this present edition is the fact that there are no recording dates listed anywhere in the liner notes. Considering that these are historic recordings dating from the very birth of the recording age, it would've definitely been helpful to be able to identify the year in which each work included here was recorded. Considering that I do not own the original edition of this set, there's a good chance that the first edition included the dates of the recordings. Not so here though. This is the reason why this reviewer docked this set one star.
Apart from this, this present edition or Rachmaninoff's complete recordings is a must for the die-hard Rachmaninoff fan. You get to hear the genius at work not only with his own material but with works by others as well. There are also a few note worthy collaborations such as a full disc of duets with legendary violinist Fritz Kreisler, an appearance by mezzo soprano Naddejda Plevitskaya on the arrangement of the traditional tune "Powder and Paint" and a fabulous four-hand piano rendition of Rachmaninoff's own "Italian Polka" with his daughter Natalie as second pianist (which actually sounds like a homemade wax-cylinder recording).
With this said, if you can get around guessing when these recordings were made, this is some great and historic music from one of the very best composer/musicians of our time - the one and only, the great Sergei Rachmaninoff.

DEBUT - Alisa Weilerstein & Vivian Hornik Weilerstein ~ Works for Cello and Piano

Average customer rating:

Hear Her Live
Weilerstein Debut
powefull
Florida Music Lover
Love it or hate it!

DEBUT - Alisa Weilerstein & Vivian Hornik Weilerstein ~ Works for Cello and Piano
Niccolo Paganini , Antonin Dvorak , Alberto Ginastera , Felix Mendelssohn , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Gabriel Faure , Leos Janacek , Camille Saint-Saens , Manuel de Falla , Alisa Weilerstein , and Vivian Hornik Weilerstein
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Starker Encore Album
The Road To Cello Playing

ASIN: B00003ZKRO
Release Date: 2000-08-01

Tracks:

Variations On One String On A Theme By Rossini
Forest Quietude, Op.68 No.5
Pampeana No.2, Op.21
Lied Ohne Worte, Op.109 (Posth.)
Pezzo Capriccioso, Op.62
Apres Un Reve, Op.7, No.1: After A Dream
Pohadka - Fairy Tale: I
Pohadka - Fairy Tale: II
Pohadka - Fairy Tale: III
The Carnival Of The Animals: The Swan
Popular Spanish Suite: I. El Pano Moruno (The Moorish Cloth)
Popular Spanish Suite: II. Asturiana
Popular Spanish Suite: III. Jota
Popular Spanish Suite: IV. Nana (Lullaby)
Popular Spanish Suite: V. Cancion (Song)
Popular Spanish Suite: VI. Polo

Customer Reviews:

Hear Her Live.......2006-12-19

You must witness Alisa Weilerstein live. I fell in love with her playing at the Spoleto festival where she played the basso continuo part of a Bach Brandenberg Concerto as if it was the Dvorak Cello Concerto. She has a passion for music that i have not heard or seen. And in her early 20s. Oh my gosh what a performer she will eventually be!

Weilerstein Debut.......2006-01-21

I've been playing the cello for almost 40 years and I agree about the complaints about the vibrato and phrasing: overdone! I also agree with the question about "aristocratic" playing: why all of the exaggeration? Instrument playing should ideally be like that of a vocalist, where one is not limited by one's technical abilities. I doubt that Ms. Weilerstein would sing these phrasese the same way she plays them. There is still time for her to develop, however. If you want to hear more refined playing, listen to Gendron, Rose, Fournier or Rostropovich.

powefull.......2005-12-18

I am a cellist of 15 years on the breakthrough of becoming a renowed cellist. This cellist tone is so powerfull and clear.she tells a story this is so clear to understand because the music speaks. alisa should watch the slurs from the f to b and be more gracefull. The apres un reve was ok i guess. she really should of tooken more time. like floating on a dream cloud. when i play this piece i take the music from the begining as a fuzzy dream and play the pitch so the music tells a story and becomes more clear every measure. The elgar is somenthing she might not want to touch because no one plays it better than du pre.

Florida Music Lover.......2002-10-12

I have been fond of the cello for years. I have enjoyed Casals even though he was somewhate austere. I love Rostropovich's tone and color but have felt that no one has ever played with the passion of Du Pre until I heard Weilerstein on, I believe, NPR when they played an unreleased tape of the Elgar Concerto by Weilerstein. I missed the intro and would have bet the farm that I was listening to Du Pre until the announcement at the end. I immediately ordered this disc and it has me wondering about re-incarnation. Is Du Pre back? This disc is a wonderful sample of the immense talents of this new young artist. I can't wait for Alisa to record the my favorite Elgar for EMI.

Love it or hate it!.......2002-05-21

SUCH PRESENCE! This is cello playing without apologies. She is always secure in what she is saying whether that is what you wanted to hear or not. She is the real thing. May she go onto continue to create controvery through her playing!

Average customer rating:

Outstanding. A classic.
Pay not attention to the crab behind the curtain
This is incredible. Arrogant but incredible
not a rave
Pieces in a peaceful style.

Pieces in a Modern Style
Samuel Barber , Ludwig van Beethoven , John Cage , Ferry Corsten , Henryk Gorecki , George Frideric Handel , Pietro Mascagni , Maurice Ravel , Erik Satie , Andre (aka ATB) Tanneberger , Antonio Vivaldi , and William Orbit
Manufacturer: Maverick
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Best of Strange Cargos
Strange Cargo 1, 2 & 3
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Remasterpiece

ASIN: B000046S1W
Release Date: 2000-02-22

Tracks:

Adagio For Strings
In A Landscape
Ogive Number 1
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo
Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte
L'Inverno
Triple Concerto
Largo From Xerxes
Piece In Old Style I
Piece In Old Style III
Opus 132

Tracks:

Adagio For Strings: Ferry Corsten Remix
Adagio For Strings: ATB Remix

Amazon.com

William Orbit's Pieces in a Modern Style is an ambient album that rejigs 11 works by classical composers in a particularly tacky fashion. Even though Orbit has proved his mettle as an innovative and exciting producer for others--Blur's 13 and Madonna's Ray of Light--this is an ungainly meeting of the sublime and the absurd that, frankly, doesn't work. Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings," Ludwig van Beethoven's "Triple Concerto," Henryk Gorecki's "Piece in the Old Style I," and Antonio Vivaldi's "L'Inverno" are four that unfortunately meet their maker in a crude pileup of flat, belching synths and wallpaper flourishes. If he had combined live instrumentation with a playful reverence for the arcane glories of the past, perhaps he could have managed to make reality out of that most elusive of notions: experimental music that actually sells. However, Orbit fails to do anything more than resemble a second-rate Vangelis. --Maxine Kabuubi

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding. A classic........2007-06-06

I have been working in electronic music for almost 20 years years. I have a massive library of music for almost any reason, mood and itch. Tonight, I am taking the five minutes to stop and write how unique, amazing and consistently refreshing this album is everytime I go back to it since the day it was released.

Highly Melodic, very electronic and overall lacking the percussive elements most have come to know when listening to Orbit.

Much more sophisticated than the average listener might appreciate.Consider it a staple for anyone serious about electronic music.

I believe anyone rating this poorly is looking for a pop appeal that you just won't find here, thankfully.

Pay not attention to the crab behind the curtain.......2006-06-22

I don't know who Maxine Kubabi is. She's certainly untitled to her opinion. An "ungainly meeting of the sublime and the absurd?" What a sublimely empty and inadequate statement.

You have to know something about a genre before you can be an effective critic inside it. You should be able to specify why you don't like something in some detail, rather than resort to crabby nebulousities ... that's greasy kid stuff.

What Orbit has done is to realize some old, familiar works in an electronic medium, using smooth and musical strokes. He's taken many big chances. Some of them worked out well, others not as well as one might hope. But he deserves kudos for taking a risk and for making some of it work.

Why would anyone who *likes* electronic music complain that it doesn't have live instrumentation? That's like complaining that jazz has no rock and roll in it. "Reverence"? "Second rate Vangelis"? so: you were disappointed that Orbit didn't create more of the kind of schmaltz you personally like. Yanni, anyone?

For those who actually like electronic music, and like Beethoven's Opus 132, please, give that track a listen. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

This is incredible. Arrogant but incredible.......2006-05-26

I have been a fan William Orbit since Water from a vine leaf and I have to admit while this ins't exactly a electronica per se it is still amazing to see what he has done with our classics. The listening experience depends solely on the listener. More ambient than anything else I have heard though.

Recommended for William orbit and curious georges

not a rave.......2006-02-04

If you're looking for something to pop in late at night to dance to...this is not the album. This album is eery and some of it is painful. It's not full of upbeat electronics like originally thought it would be. But, I love it. It's great to listen to while just thinking...relaxing...reading...it's beautiful.

Pieces in a peaceful style........2005-11-28

Being a fan of ambient and electronica for some time, I decided to give this a try. I can understand how some may simply hear this as a cheesy reworking of the classics, just a man and his keyboard, but it's really much deeper than that if you just sit and listen. I suggest not comparing to the originals as much as enjoying what these pieces are themselves. A few tracks do lag, and there are quiet spots, but as a whole I find "Pieces In A Modern Style" to be almost hypnotic, and as I said in my review title, rather peaceful. The tracks I prefer the most are "Adiago For Strings", "Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo", "L'Inverno", and the music-box sounding "Triple Concerto". However the others are fine as well. I say, if you think you might like this, you probably will. It's well worth the used price if nothing else.

Rachmaninov: Complete Works for Cello and Piano

Average customer rating:

Music to Close Your Eyes to, Dream, and Float Away
Breathtaking; quintessentially Russian and romantic
Brilliant
This is a good CD

Rachmaninov: Complete Works for Cello and Piano

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rachmaninov: Complete Operas (Aleko, The Miserly Knight, Francesca di Rimini)

ASIN: B00000IMFP
Release Date: 1999-05-11

Tracks:

Son in g, Op.19: Lento - Allegro Moderato
Son in g, Op.19: Allegro Scherzando
Son in g, Op.19: Andate
Son in g, Op.19: Allegro Mosso
Romance in F, Op.4, No.3 Lento
Lied (Romance) in f: Andantino
Melodie in D: Moderato
Prld in F, Op.2, No.1: Comodo
Vocalise in e, Op.34, No.14: Lentamente - Molto Cantabile
Danse Orientale in A, Op.2, No.2: Andante Cantabile

Customer Reviews:

Music to Close Your Eyes to, Dream, and Float Away.......2005-12-04

This beautifully performed CD is filled with Rachmaninov's hauntingly beautiful melodies, including one of the most famous in the classical repertoire, "Vocalise," peformed with warmth and sensitivity by two highly talented musicians.

The CD is so reasonably priced that it would be worthwhile to purchase it even if the only selection on it were the 34 minute "Sonata in G minor," one of the most beautiful sonatas ever composed for cello and piano, with its enrapturing Andante third section. I geatly enjoyed every selection on this CD, especially the final selection, Danse Orientale, composed in 1892, when Rachmaninov was only 19 years old. This last selection has a timeless quality and an ethereal hypnotic beauty and intensity that I found very moving.

In addition to the outstanding music on this CD, the insert has two different essays that are both well-written and informative, one in English and a second essay in French, with the second essay providing background information about the musical influences and historical circumstances behind the compositions that is not in the English essay. There is also biographical information on both of these highly talented musicians.

Breathtaking; quintessentially Russian and romantic.......2004-06-26

Russian composers from the late 19th and early 20th centuries have always been some of my favorites. Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, and Prokofiev all wrote music with a similar sort of fiery, overwhelming, and tragic passion. These pieces for cello and piano are quintessential works of this genre; the cello is an instrument particularly suited to this type of music. The musicians, Janet Guggenheim and Michael Grebanier, use near-perfect technical ability to supplement sensitive interpretations of the pieces. I highly recommend the G minor sonata.

Brilliant.......2003-04-23

The CD is priceless, considering its wonderfully low price. The sonata alone is worth buying the disc for, though the other pieces are also first-rate.

This is a good CD.......2000-02-29

I liked this recording. The sound is clear and brilliant. The interpreters are ok, and ¿what can I say about the music? It's Rachmaninov! The sonata is full of passion and the price makes this CD a real to consider!

Average customer rating:

Outstanding performances
Reviving a Lost Love
Not for beginners...
One of the very best of all EMI sets! The 2nd coming for all Straussians!
terrible, awful, hideous, lousy

Strauss: Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Debussy, Ravel: Orchestral Works
Bruckner: The Complete Symphonies
Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies & Tone Poems
Liszt: Works for Piano and Orchestra
Symphonies 1-3 / Piano Concerto 1-4 / Isle of Dead

ASIN: B000026D4K
Release Date: 1999-11-16

Tracks:

Horn Concerto No. 1 In E Flat Major, Op. 11: I: Allegro
Horn Concerto No. 1 In E Flat Major, Op. 11: II: Andante
Horn Concerto No. 1 In E Flat Major, Op. 11: III: Allegro
Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major: I: Allegro
Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major: II: Andante con moto
Horn Concerto No. 2 In E Flat Major: III: Rondo (Allegro molto)
Oboe Concerto In D Major: I: Allegro moderato
Oboe Concerto In D Major: II: Andante
Oboe Concerto In D Major: III: Vivace
Duett-Concertino: I; Allegro moderato
Duett-Concertino: II: Andante
Duett-Concertino: III: Rondo (Allegro ma non troppo)

Tracks:

Burleske
Parergon zur Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 73
Panathenaenzug, Op. 74

Tracks:

Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Op. 28
Don Juan, Op. 20
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Adversaries
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Wife
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: Certainty Of Victory
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Battlefield
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: War Fanfares
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Work Of Peace
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Withdrawl From The World
Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: Renunciation

Tracks:

Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 8: I: Allegro
Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 8: II: Lento
Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 8: III: Rondo
Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Bewegt - Thema I - Thema II - Thema III
Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Scherzo (Munter)
Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Wiegenlied - Massig langsam
Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Adagio - (Langsam)
Sinfonia Domestica, Op. 53: Finale (Sehr lebhaft)

Tracks:

Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30
Tod und Verklarung, Op. 24
Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59

Tracks:

Salome, Op. 54: Dance Of The Seven Veils
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Overture
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Jourdain - Minuet
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: The Fencing Master
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Entrance and Dance of the Tailors
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Minuet of Lully
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Courante
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Entry Of Cleonte
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: Intermezzo (Prelude To Act 2)
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme - Suite, Op. 60: The Dinner
Schlagobers, Op. 70: Waltz
Josephslegende, Op. 63: Symphonic Fragment

Tracks:

Metamorphosen: Study For 23 Solo Strings
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Night
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Sunrise
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: The Ascent
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Entering The Forest
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Strolling By The Stream
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: By The Waterfall
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Apparition
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: In Flowery Meadows
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: In A Mountain Pasture
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Lost In The Thickets And Undergrowth
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: On The Glacier
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Dangerous Moments
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: On The Summit
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Vision
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Mists Rise Up
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: The Sun Grows Dark
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Elegy
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Quiet Before The Storm
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: A Thunderstorm - Descent
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Sunset
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Conclusion
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64: Night

Tracks:

Aus Italien, Op.16: I: Andante
Aus Italien, Op.16: II: Allegro molto con brio
Aus Italien, Op.16: III: Andantino
Aus Italien, Op.16: IV: Finale (Allegro molto)
Macbeth, Op. 23: Symphonic Poem

Tracks:

Don Quixote, Op. 35: Introduktion (Massiges Zeitmass)
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Massig (Don Quixote)
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Maggiore (Sancho Panza)
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation I: The adventure with the windmills
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation II: The battle with the sheep
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation III: Discourse between knight and squire
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation IV: The adventure with the pilgrims
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation V: The knight's vigil
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VI: The meeting with Dulcinea
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VII: The ride through the air
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation VIII: The voyage in the enchanted boat
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation IX: The combat with the two magicians
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Variation X: The defeat of Don Quixote
Don Quixote, Op. 35: Finale (Sehr ruhig)
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: I: Entree and stately round
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: II: Courante
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: III: Carillon
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: IV: Sarabande
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: V: Gavotte
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: VI: Tourbillon - Wirbeltanz
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: VIII: Allemande
Dance Suite from harpsichord pieces by Francois Couperin: VIII: March

Amazon.com essential recording

When it comes to the music of Richard Strauss, none of the world's great orchestras has a more distinguished tradition than the Staatskapelle Dresden. As pit orchestra of the Dresden Court Opera, the Staatskapelle was involved in the premieres, between 1901 and 1911, of Feuersnot, Salome, Elektra, and Der Rosenkavalier; later, with Karl Böhm conducting, its players participated in the premiere of Daphne. Most of Strauss's major tone poems have been in the Dresden orchestra's concert repertory since completion.

Back in the 1970s, EMI was able to capitalize on this association when it reunited the Staatskapelle with Rudolf Kempe--a native of Dresden, one of the master conductors of the 20th century, and an absolutely authoritative Straussian--for an integral recording of Strauss's orchestral works and concertos. The cycle was warmly received when it was originally released on LP, and it has become one of the treasures of the CD catalog since EMI reissued it whole, in three volumes, in 1992. With this latest repackaging, the whole impressive enterprise becomes available in one box.

Across the board, Kempe and the Dresdeners give magnificent readings of the music. Their Zarathustra is imposing and grand; their Heldenleben suitably heroic and quite smashingly played; their Till Eulenspiegel and Don Juan delightfully brisk, characterful, and exultant (the latter is dispatched in a blazing 16:06, and receives as ardent and exhilarating a reading as you are ever likely to encounter on disc). One of the finest of all the offerings is the account of Eine Alpensinfonie, a Kempe favorite and still a sonic knockout after nearly three decades.

The less familiar orchestral works are here, as well, including the early tone poems Aus Italien and Macbeth and the admittedly rather frothy ballet scores Josephslegende and Schlagobers. Of special value are the accounts of all Strauss's concerted works, from the early Violin Concerto (played by Ulf Hoelscher) and Burleske for piano and orchestra (with Malcolm Frager as soloist), through Don Quixote (featuring Paul Tortelier in magisterial form) and the two horn concertos, to the Oboe Concerto of 1946 and the final Duett-Concertino for clarinet and bassoon.

It's hard to imagine any label tackling such a project in today's bottom-line environment, or coming up with such definitive readings from today's performers. All the more reason to celebrate the appearance of this compendium. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding performances.......2007-05-13

Rudolf Kempe's interpretations of Richard Strauss orchestral works (almost complete - one miss the orchestral songs) have been classic recordings since they first appeared on record in the early seventies (1970-75).

Especially fine are his interpretations of the core works, e.g., the symphonic poems Also sprach Zarathustra, Ein Heldenleben, Eine Alpensinfonie, Tod und Verklärung, Don Juan, Till Eulenspiegel, Don Quixote. All these are given first rate interpretations.

Furthermore, you get outstanding interpretations of Strauss' two horn concertos as well, with Peter Damm's superb horn playing, and an outstanding performance of Metamorphosen.

There is simply no rival to this collection of "core works of Richard Strauss".

In addition, this box collects also Strauss less interesting orchestral works - see Amazon's listing above. These minor works receive fine interpretations and performances too, but the main attraction is of course the core works above.

Sound quality is very fine - just excellent analogue stereo - and the orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, was one of the top orchestras in the world when these sessions were put on record.

Warmly recommended!

Reviving a Lost Love.......2006-08-07

The highest praise for any conductor must be that he rekindles enthusiasm and love for music that had been recently abandoned. In his autobiography, the conductor Felix Weingartner confesses that he had grown out of touch with Strauss' music; until hearing this set, I had felt the same, with only a few exceptions. But Rudolf Kempe and his really great Staatskapelle Dresden have won me back to Richard's orchestral music. So far, I have only heard part of the set: Zarathustra, Heldenleben, Till, Tod und Verklaerung, Der Buerger als Edelmann, Don Juan, Burleske, and Sinfonia Domestica, but my appetite is whet for more. Because of the refined, subtle, and yet intense conducting of Kempe, what used to strike me as cheap and taudry now strikes me as profound and moving. And the sheer musical skill of Strauss in thematic invention and counterpoint never ceases to amaze. Kempe was truly, in my not so humble opinion, the greatest conductor of the German classics following Furtwaengler; Karajan was empty and shallow by comparison. Kempe brings to this music the same passion and dignity that he brought to Beethoven, Brahms, Wagner, Schumann, and other of "his" composers. To make just one comparison, Reiner's Zarathustra, once hallowed by me as by most listeners, now sounds like overripe, rotting fruit as compared to the passionate yet thoughtful quality that Kempe brings to it. The Staatskapelle Dresden, by the way, sounds like the greatest orchestra in the world, only matched by the Berlin Philharmonic under Kempe or Furtwaengler, an orchestra that produces incidentally beautiful sounds but whose main goal is the projection and characterization of the music. No virtuosity for its own sake, just musicianship, musicianship, and more musicianship. EMI's sound is the very epitome of how to record an orchestra: Impactful, yet smooth and detailed, with natural perspectives and no spotlighting. This set belongs in every music lover's library.

Not for beginners..........2006-07-16

Most boxed sets have their ups and downs because no conductor is equally sympathetic to all of a composer's works. Kempe is no exception to this rule.

The masterpieces, Zarathustra, Heldenleben, and Quixote, are superb here. Kempe clarifies Strauss' complex textures in a way that other conductors like Karajan don't. Most of the time, I prefer to hear these works Karajan's way, but it's nice to hear what Kempe does with them, too. No one does Sinfonia Domestica the way Kempe does it...with such gentleness and humor. I listened to Reiner's recording for years, but I put it up for sale on amazon after I heard the Kempe. With all four of these large tone poems, Kempe and Karajan are all I really need.

The Don Juan is just about the best I've ever heard. It is so vital and exciting! Better than Karajan or any other I know. It is hard to imagine that Macbeth will ever be done better than this either. Macbeth is one of the reasons I own this set, but it's hardly one of Strauss' masterpieces. Speaking of non-masterpieces, I also treasure Kempe's recordings of Strauss' strange works for piano and orchestra. The Burleske has more poetry but less excitement than the classic Byron Janis/Reiner recording.

Kempe's recordings of the Horn Concertos are truly awful. Listen to the weak, watery tones of the first-chair horn player stepping into the solo spotlight. One listen to the mono recordings of Dennis Brain conducted by Sawallisch shows what is missing: bold, ringing tone and lots of excitement. If I only knew Kempe's recordings, I wouldn't even care about these pieces.

The bad news continues with the Oboe Concerto (weak oboist) and the charming Duet Concertino (weak bassoon).

Kempe misses the raucous fun that charges the best recordings of Till Eulenspiegel. This is a limp dishrag of a performance (until the last few minutes). At the very start of the performance, you will hear a familiar sound -- our weak horn player from the concertos playing a solo -- and you will long to stop the CD and reach for a different recording.

Metamorphosen is one of my favorite pieces by Strauss. Kempe, as is his wont, tries mightily to clarify Strauss' dense counterpoint here, and I appreciate the effort. I hear things here that I miss in other recordings. But this reading does not move me the way others have. Ormandy, to name just one. Death and Transfiguration is another one that Ormandy did better. Kempe is too fast at times! Really fast!

My greatest disappointment with this set is a recording that has been acclaimed by many as one of the greatest Strauss recordings ever made...Kempe's take on Eine Alpensinfonie. I have lived for many years with the Karajan recording, and I must say that Kempe misses many of the moments that I have come to treasure in Karajan's version. One example would be those 20 horns playing! Karajan makes this absolutely thrilling, which I'm sure is what Strauss intended. With Kempe, this telling touch by Strauss passes by unremarkably. The slow, quiet passage at the summit lacks magic. The apotheosis at the top of the mountain is certainly thrilling in Kempe's hands, but he misses too much on the way up. By the way, his cowbells sound almost comically bad. He certainly does bring out the beauty of the closing sections of the work, though.

If you are really serious about getting to know Strauss' music, this is a necessary purchase for the rarities that will probably never be done better like the Violin Concerto and the pieces I've already mentioned. If you just want Strauss' most famous works, this is a waste of your money (no matter how cheap it is!)because there's a lot of stuff here that either isn't very good or that you probably won't want to listen to that often. You would be better off buying Karajan's recordings (the 1970s recordings, not the remakes from the 80s) of the big three tone poems and then filling in the smaller ones as your interests dictate. Casual listeners will never need to hear pieces like Macbeth or the piano works that make this set so vital to Strauss-aholics like me!

One of the very best of all EMI sets! The 2nd coming for all Straussians!.......2006-02-10

The great Strauss tone poems soar to the highest level imaginable! With Kempe's genius, the lesser works become great! Kempe resists all temptation to be banal or bombastic. He directs the Staatskappele Dresden with a silken, burnished tone yet with restraint that has a radiant glow that never sacrifices the inherent capacity of the music to thrill, deeply move, or elevate to another plain. Each work played is in itself the guide: conductor and orchestra let the works deliver their own brilliance. The Don Juan and Dead and Transfiguration are soul piercing, along with Ein Heldenleben, and....... The Staatskapelle Dresden has always been an inspired ensemble and in Kempe's hands they are simply put, magnificent, delivering one thrilling performance after another. Like Wagner and Faith, you get Strauss or you don't. If you do get it, this set is beyond self recommendation; Buy this set before it disappears from the shelves. Classical Cd shelves these days have hidden boomerangs. One minute here, next minute.....boing going gone)...! The concert hall may never hear greater performances of Strauss' orchestral works as we hear on these nine disks. The sound is nothing short of a rich, full timber as Kempe leads then with inspired and interpretive genius . This all may sound over the edge but I don't think so and I don't think you will be disappointed. Strauss has been served in splendor by the Dresden musicians under Kempe's baton. [Although in an aside I must say that Raphael Fruhbeck de Burgos and the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra's performance this past summer of Don Juan and the Rosenkavalier suite were superb.] Then I think of the BSO with Levine...., their Strauss should be something else. Bravo and kudos to all for bringing us this gift. Booklet is very well done with one exception. There is not a word in the booklet about Rudolf Kempe and/or the orchestra itself. 10 stars anyway!!

terrible, awful, hideous, lousy.......2005-04-22

The problem with the "classics" is that too many hacks have hacked them to pieces. My opinion of these recordings, for whatever it is worth, is that they simply do not do justice to Strauss's magnificent music.

There is a reason they are a "bargain". I would avoid this set.
Sometimes a boxed set is a good deal, but this one is not. I find the entire set unspeakably dull and literally unlistenable.

In any event, this is merely my opinion. The majority of the other reviewers think its terrific.

Sergei Nakariakov ~ Ravel · Gershwin · Bernstein · Glazunov - Trumpet Works

Average customer rating:

Trumpet at it's best!

Sergei Nakariakov ~ Ravel · Gershwin · Bernstein · Glazunov - Trumpet Works
George Gershwin , Maurice Ravel , Jean-Baptiste Arban , Anton Stepanovich Arensky , Leonard Bernstein , Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov , Siegfried Stolte , John Hartmann , Zdenek Fibich , Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov , Grigoras Dinicu , Reyngol'd Moritsevich Gliere , Jeanine Rueff , Sergei Nakariakov , and Aleksander Markovich
Manufacturer: Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000000SIN
Release Date: 1993-09-07

Tracks:

Rhapsody in Blue - Gershwin
Concert Valse
Carnival of Venice
Pavane pour une Infante defunte - Ravel
Rondo for Lifey - Bernstein
Albumblatt - Glazunov
Burleske
Arbucklenian Polka - Hartmann
Poem
Flight of the Bumble-bee
Hora Staccato
Valse - Gliere
Sonatina

Customer Reviews:

Trumpet at it's best!.......2000-01-14

Sergei Nakarjakov is awesome! Everything about his playing is perfect. His tone and technical pursuits are amazing. Also amazing is that he takes technical show off piece like the Carnival of Venice and makes it MUSIC. The soul that is in this music is like nothing that I have ever heard and even if your not a trumpet player I would buy this album and as many other albums of Sergei Nakarjakov's as you could!

Average customer rating:

Phenomenal
Great Music by a Great Composer
5 Stars aren't enough!

The Best Of César Franck

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Franck: Quintet in Fm; Chausson: String quartet in Cm
César Franck: Piano Music
Franck: Symphony in Dm; Chasseur maudit
The Best of Fauré

ASIN: B00000419D
Release Date: 1994-08-16

Tracks:

Violin Sonata In A: Allegretto ben moderato
Violin Sonata In A: Allegro - Quasi lento - Tempo l. Allegro
Violin Sonata In A: Recitativo - Fantasia. Ben moderato - Largamente - Molto vivace
Violin Sonata In A: Allegretto poco mosso
Piece haroique In B Minor
Choral No. 2 In B Minor
Panis angelicus
Variations symphoniques

Tracks:

Les Eolides: Les Eolides - Symphonic Poem
Prelude, choral et fugue: Prelude
Prelude, choral et fugue: Choral
Prelude, choral et fugue: Fugue
Cantabile In B: Cantabile In B - Pierre Cochereau
Symphony In D Minor: Lento - Allegro ma non troppo - Allegro
Symphony In D Minor: Allegretto
Symphony In D Minor: Allegro non troppo

Customer Reviews:

Phenomenal.......2005-07-11

Undoubtedly one of the best contemporary classical works. The Violin and Piano Sonata is in itself worth the price of the CD. The grace of this music perfectly reflects the optimism and progress in late 19C-early 20th century Western civilization. No composer since has captured the magic of classical music as Franck has done.

Great Music by a Great Composer.......2003-08-21

Cesar Franck (1822 -- 1890)was born in Belgium but spent most of his life in France. For much of his career, he was a church organist and professor of organ at the Paris Conservatory. He wrote music from an early age. His early works consist mostly of piano music or works for the organ. But he discovered himself as a composer only in the last decade or so of his life. During this period, he wrote in many musical genres (typically only a single work) and produced a small number of lasting masterpieces. His work is heavily influenced by late Beethoven, Liszt, and Wagner. It is late musical romanticism at, I think, its best.

This 2-CD mid-priced set, "The Best of Cesar Frank" lives up to its name. It consists of many of the masterpieces of Franck's late years in a variety of forms. It is a convenient way to get much of Cesar Frank's music, well-played, in a single set. It includes a symphony, vocal music, organ music, music for piano and orchestra, and a work for solo piano by a variety of musicians. The CD will repay repeated hearings and give the listener a good exposure to Franck.

The most famous work on this CD is Franck's "Symphony in D minor"
which was first performed in 1889 and presented here by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Willem Van Otterloo. This is a fine performance of a much-beloved symphony. I found it emphasized the romantic, passionate character of the music with its frequent changes of tempo and mood.

But other selections on this CD I enjoyed substantially more than the symphony. Franck's greates work is probably his violin sonata in A which dates from 1886. It receives an outstanding performance on this CD from violinist Arthur Gumiaux and pianist Istvan Hajdu. The violin sonata is in four movements, which develop aspects of the same underlying theme ("cyclic" composition, typical of Franck). The music is glorious, elevated and lyrical throughout, in contrast to most of Franck's music which emphasizes contrasts between serenity and passion. The first and third movements are slow and reflective while the second and fourth are faster. The climax of this work, its final movement, is intense, reflective, and joyous all at once. It is based upon the same theme that Beethoven used as his main theme in the finale of the cello sonata in A opus 69.
Frank's work (and Beethoven's cello sonata as well) is one of the high watermarks of chamber music literature.

I also was much taken with the "Prelude, Choral and Fugue" for solo piano. This work dates from 1884 and it is performed here by pianist Eduardo Del Pueyo. This was my first exposure to this work, and I loved it. It consists of three movements which combine, to my ears, a romantic style, featuring long passages of broken chords and lyrical melodies, with baroque contrapuntal writing. I found this piece and the violin sonata the highlights of this fine collection.

Franck wrote extensively for the organ and this CD features his "Piece Heroique" which lives up to its name together with two other late and deeper works, the Choral in B minor and the Cantabile in B that are much more intense and reflective in character. Listeners who are unfamiliar with organ music, or with organ music beyond Bach, may enjoy exploring this music.

The CD also includes a lovely vocal piece "Panis angelicus" , Franck's "Variations Symphoniques" for piano and orchestra, and a Wagnerian tone poem "Les Etolides" all of which are well performed here and worth knowing.

Franck is an inspiring figure to me in that he persevered, stayed within himself, and produced some undoubted musical masterworks near the close of a long life. This disc is a fine way to get to know his music.

Listeners who wish to hear more of the best of Cesar Franck beyond the selections on this CD might enjoy his Piano Quintet in F Minor (1880) and his String Quartet in D Major (1890).

5 Stars aren't enough!.......1998-11-14

The Sonata for Piano and Violin is the most beautiful piece of music I have EVER heard. especially movements 1 & 4. The Symphony (Disc 2) is merely outstanding. Either of the pieces is well worth the entire price for the collection.

Average customer rating:

INCREDIBLE TECHNIQUE, PHRASING,TONE
Very good technique....tone...no
Wow

Amanda
Isaac Albeniz , Fryderyk Chopin , Manuel de Falla , Enrique Granados , Ernesto Lecuona , Franz Lehar , Thelonious Monk , Gioachino Rossini , Cyril Scott , Carl Maria von Weber , and Amanda Pepping
Manufacturer: Summit(Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000AMPZL2
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

Asturias Leyenda De La Suite Espanola
Cordoba
Andalucia
Gitaneras
Malagunea
Lotus Land
Andaluza, Spanish Dance No.5
Scherzo
Muzurka
Frasquita
Malaguena
El Pano Moruno
Seguidilla
Asturiana
Jota
Nana
Cancion
Polo
The Willow Song
Danse Espagnol
Round Midnight

Album Description

Amanda Pepping, one of the rare company of female trumpet virtuosi, enjoys a diverse career as an active soloist, ensemble musician, and music teacher. She has had dozens of solo engagements in the last few years. This CD is a collection of many of Pepping's favorite pieces.

Customer Reviews:

INCREDIBLE TECHNIQUE, PHRASING,TONE.......2007-06-28

I don't know what music the first comment was referring to when he said she doesn't have good tone. Amanda Pepping is superb in every aspect of her playing. Fast, articulate, great phrasing, technique, and tonal quality. He needs to get his trumpet out and match what she does. (If he even plays at all). I think he can probably play "Twinkle, twinkle, little star".

T.A.

Very good technique....tone...no.......2005-10-21

She's got some very impressive technique, especially from what you hear on the first track...all that rapid firing! wow

But when you talk about tone, which I believe is the essence of trumpet playing, she does not produce a rich enough tone

If you want to listen to INSANE technique while still retaining a beautiful tone, listen to Maurice Andre, his Carnival of Venice was quite impressive

Wow.......2005-09-20

Amanda Pepping is most definitely in the elite company of the small sorority of female trumpet virtuosi. Brava!

Average customer rating:

A wonderful and high quality CD at a bargain price!

The Best of Tchaikovsky

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000014H3
Release Date: 1997-09-11

Tracks:

Allegro Con Fuoco - Bernd Glemser
Andante Cantabile Con Alcuna Licenza - Moderato Con Anima - Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
Polonaise - Ondrej Lenard
Nocturne In C Sharp, Op. 19, No. 4 - Maria Kliegal
Sleeping Beauty - Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra
Canzonetta: Andante - Takako Nishizaki
Russian Dance (Trepak) - Michael Halasz
1812 Festival Overture, Op. 49 - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Scene (Swan Theme) - Ondrej Lenard
Barcarole (June) - Ilona Prunyi
Waltz - Vienna Chamber Orchestra
Allegro Molto Vivace - Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Katowice)

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful and high quality CD at a bargain price!.......2002-05-15

This is one of my favorite collections from NAXOS. The 1812 Overture, conducted by Adrian Leaper, is exciting and dynamic! Many of my favorite pieces are featured here: the Waltz from Sleeping Beauty, the Waltz from Serenade for Strings, Andante Cantabile (Symphony #5), June (Seasons), and many others. The musicianship of the artists and the sound quality are excellent. High quality CDs need not be expensive. I bet you'll enjoy this CD as much as I did!

Kiri Te Kanawa - Songs of Inspiration / Julius Rudel, Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Average customer rating:

The golden voice of song
One of Her Best
Why forcing?
One of My Favorite Kiri Recordings

Kiri Te Kanawa - Songs of Inspiration / Julius Rudel, Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Giuseppe Verdi , Ludwig van Beethoven , Charles Gounod , Felix Mendelssohn , Johann Strauss II , Pietro Mascagni , Cesar Franck , Anonymous , Richard Rodgers , Sir Henry Rowley Bishop , Julius Rudel , Kiri Te Kanawa , Utah Symphony Orchestra , and Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Te Kanawa, Kiri | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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ASIN: B0000041VM
Release Date: 1989-10-23

Tracks:

Casanova: Nonnenchor (Nuns' Chorus)
Redemption: O Divine Redeemer
Nabucco: Va, pensiero (Chorus of the Hebrew slaves)
Responsorium et Hymnus: Hear My Prayer
Christ On The Mount Of Olives: Hallelujah
Ave Maria
Cavalleria Rusticana: Regina coeli (Easter Hymn)
Psalm 150
Auf Flugeln des Gesanges (On Wings of Song)
Come, Come, Ye Saints
Carousel: You'll Never Walk Alone
Home Sweet Home (Sung in Maori)
The Sound Of Music: Climb Every Mountain

Customer Reviews:

The golden voice of song.......2007-01-09

A wonderful recording which I purchased years ago in cassette form, and wore out! So happy to be able to buy in CD form, and well worth listening to. Kiri Te Kanawa has a glorious soprano voice, full of warmth and colour, and her interpretation of song is in my opinion second to none."Songs of inspiration"
really does inspire and feed the soul. As a music lover, and singer myself I love all of the pieces on this album with a passion.

One of Her Best.......2002-05-06

This is one of the best performances of an operatic artist with the Morman Tabernacle choir in existance. Kiri's poise, music selections, and execution are flawless. The ending of "You'll Never Walk Alone" which would be forced for other artists is effortless for Kiri.

For anyone who enjoys choir music with guest artists, this recording is a "must buy".

Why forcing?.......2002-03-21

I bought the cassette (not the CD), and found one of my favorite songs there: You'll Never Walk Alone. This song was one that once encouraged me to walk with 'my head up high' during the (most) difficult time of my life.

What I don't understand from Dame Tekanawa is that at the end of the song, she forced a "show-off" ending with the unnecessary high note. I don't know what that had given impact to when doing it in front of an audience, but in the recording, it sure was not beautiful.

Other numbers were marvellous. I've always liked Dame Tekanawa.

One of My Favorite Kiri Recordings.......2000-02-27

I brought this after watching (And taping) her 1989 Mormon Tabernacle Temple concert on PBS in 1992, and I have to said, this is one of my favorite Kiri recordings ever. It's still is!

There's some great selections on there that Kiri fans will enjoy, such as the Cavalleria Easter Hymn, Auf Flugeln Des Gesanges, Home Sweet Home sung in her native Maori (Dame Kiri herself is half-Maori), as well as some that doesn't appear on PBS (Such as the rarely-heard Nuns' Chorus, the Nabucco Va Pensiero, and Hear My Prayer sung in English).

Althrough the CD is recorded live, as the booklet notes stated, portions are topped and tailed in a separated studio session, to give the CD a studio-like recording.

I do enjoy it so often. Now, only if the video of that concert is released commerically, so we can pleased it a lot.

Music Track:

Music Track

music track

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