Dvorák: Waltzes & Theme and Variations

On this CD:

1. Waltzes (8) for piano, B. 101 (Op. 54)
Composed by Antonin Dvorak
Performed by Gena Raps

2. Theme & Variations for piano in A flat major, B. 65 (Op.36)
Composed by Antonin Dvorak
Performed by Gena Raps

Tracks:

Fantasie Impromptu in C-sharp minor, OP.66
Waltz No.15 in A-flat, Op.39
Rondo all turca from Sonata in A, K.331
Minuet in G
Traumerei Op.15 No.7 (from Kinderzenen)
Un sospiro
Etude in C-sharp minor, Op.10 No.4
Etude in G-flat, Op.10 No.5
Humoresque, Op.101 No.7
'Fur Elise' (Bagatelle Wo0.59)
Claire de lune (Suite Bergamasque, No.3)
Golliwog's Cakewalk (Coin des enfants, No.6)
Prelude in C-sharp minor, Op.3 No.2
Melody in F, Op.3 No.1
The Cuckoo
La fille aux cheveux de lin (from Preludes Book I)
Waltz in C-sharp minor, Op.64 No.2
Waltz in G-flat, Op.70 No.1
Jeux d'eau
Gymnopedie No.1 (Lent et douloureux)

Customer Reviews:

Elegance at the piano.......2007-06-16

I grew up listening to Moura Lympany's playing, especially Litolff's Scherzo. Never could understand how a person could play with absolute control at high speed. In this recording, most (though not all - the Etude in C# minor an obvious exception)of the music is more laid back, and played with great grace and with the controlled touch of a pianist at the peak of her career.
The ambience of the recording is a wide open one, giving us the full clear sound that makes listening to a grand piano to enjoyable.
If you enjoy listening to good piano music, this is a recording that you will enjoy a great deal.

VALUE FOR MONEY.......2006-08-24

Dame Moura is my favourite pianist. Her great style and sublety of expression comes out in all her recordings. this CD is the best value for money ever!!

Good bang for the buck........2005-12-07

I was killing some time in the store the other day and was in the mood for a cheap CD for the car for the ride home. I ran across this and saw a few recognizable titles so for about $5 I figured I'd take a chance. I'm fairly impressed, I wasn't crazy about some of her dynamics in Un Sospiro plus her little added frill in there but still enjoyed it...I'd learned that piece myself years back, still can't play it and probably never will! Another piece I've known for years is the infamous Rachmaninov Prelude in C#m. Again, I wasn't crazy about some of the dynamics of her style but she still nails it without a hitch. Then I got to some other interesting pieces, I love the Debussy Golliwog's Cakewalk...really sticks in your head. Sort of a classisized (?) ragtime and it's cool enough that I'm going to dig through my music and see if I don't have it somewhere. I thought the Chopin Etude in C#m was absolutely fabulous, she just cooks through it from beginning to end. I probably have the music for that too...I'm not even going to attempt it! ;-) In fact, I liked all the Chopin she plays here, it seems she had a real flair for his music. Without going on forever here I'll just say that there are several tracks I listen to extensively on here and I'm fairly impressed. For a lousy $5 how can you go wrong? Just buy the thing! I'd never heard of her before so I just did a little 'net searching and I'm saddened to find that she just passed away about 8 months ago at age 88, truly a loss to the classical music world. In any case, even at twice the price I doubt anyone would be disappointed with this CD.

Really good price........2002-06-15

This is a great CD and you can't beat the price. These piano compositions are great for restful backgroud music after a hard day. I want to get a second one for when this one wears out.

Average customer rating:

breakdown by cd.
I'm not a music expert

Dvorák: The Masterworks [Box Set]

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

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Mendelssohn: The Masterworks [Box Set]
Vivaldi: The Masterworks (Box Set)
Haydn: The Masterworks [Box Set]
Brahms: The Masterworks (Box Set)
Schubert: The Masterworks [Box Set]

ASIN: B00062FLJW
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Customer Reviews:

breakdown by cd........2007-01-14

CD1-7:SYMPHONIES 1-9

CD8:PIANO CONCERTO

CD9:VIOLIN CONCERTO & CELLO CONCERTO

CD10-11:REQUIEM

CD12-13:STABAT MATER

CD14:PIANO TRIOS OP.90 "DUMKY" & 21

CD15:PIANO TRIOS OP.65 & 26

CD16:PIANO QUARTETS

CD17:PIANO QUINTETS

CD18:STRING QUINTETS

CD19-20:MUSIC FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO

C21:SERENADE/HAUSMUSIK

CD22-31:THE COMPLETE STRING QUARTETS

CD32:SLAVONIC DANCES OP.46 & 72

CD33:PIANO DUET SLAVONIC DANCES

CD34:PIANO DUET LEGENDS FROM THE BOHEMIAN FOREST

CD35:PIANO WORKS

CD36-37:RUSALKA

CD38-40:SYMPHONIC POEMS

I'm not a music expert.......2005-08-25

I don't know too much about music. I own over 700 cds, but I don't play music and I don't have much experience with this music. My only point of reference was the ninth symphony, seeing as every other piece in this box set was new to me. It sounds fine, nothing wrong with it as far as I can see.

Now, here's what you'll get in this box set, seeing as Amazon does not give it a description. 40 cds! no joke, you get 40 cds in this box set. It features:
1. Complete symphonies
2. Complete symphonic poems
3. Cello concerto
4. Piano concerto
5. Violin concerto
6. Requiem
7. Stabat Mater
8. Slavonic Dances
9. Complete String quartets
10. Chamber music
11. Piano Works (solo and duet)
12. Rusalka

As far as I can tell, the only things missing are The Spectre's Bride and Jacobin. Seeing as it is 40 cds, i have not had an opportunity to listen to it, however what i have heard i have been quite satisfied with.

Dvorák: American Suite; Silent Woods; Prague Waltzes; Mazurka

Average customer rating:

Some Dvorák Rarities and Old Friends, Nicely Played
A Great Mix of Dvorak Favorites and Rarities

Dvorák: American Suite; Silent Woods; Prague Waltzes; Mazurka

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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Dvorák: A Hero's Song; Czech Suite; Hussite Overture; Festival March
Dvorák: Piano Concerto, Op. 33; The Water Goblin, Op. 107
Dvorák: String Quartets Opp. 96 "American" and 106
Dvorák: Czech Suite; Waltzes & Polonaise
Dvorak: Slavonic Dances

ASIN: B0006IGQ72
Release Date: 2005-01-18

Tracks:

Mazurka For Violin & Orchestra, Op. 49 (B90)
Rondo For Cello & Orchestra, Op. 94 (B181)
I Capriccio: Allegro Risoluto
II Andante Sostenuto
III Con Molta Espressione
IV Allegro Con Brio
V Allegro Assai
VI Serenata: Andantino Con Moto
VII Allegro: Animato
Silent Woods (Klid) For Cello And Orchestra, Op. 68, No. 5 (B182)
Polonaise In E Flat Major, B100
Nocturne In B Major, Op. 40 (B48)
Andante Con Moto
Allegro
Moderato: All Polacca
Andante
Allegro
Five Prague Waltzes, B99
Polka In B Flat Major, Op. 53A/1 (B114)

Customer Reviews:

Some Dvorák Rarities and Old Friends, Nicely Played.......2005-02-20

Although I have a number of CDs conducted by Dmitry Yablonsky, and though I knew he was a cellist, I don't recall hearing him play that instrument. On the basis of this CD I'd have to say that he is one of the better cellists around these days (Side note: in an upcoming review, I'll have more raves about the marvelous German cellist Maria Kliegel, whose Bach Solo Suites has lately been causing some compulsive listening on my part.) He gets a chance here to play and conduct two Dvorák cello and orchestra pieces: the semi-familiar 'Silent Woods' and the less-well-known 'Rondo.' 'Silent Woods' ('Klid' in Czech, sometimes known as 'Waldesruhe' in German) is occasionally heard in concert. It is a contemplative pastorale originally part of a solo piano suite. It sounds as if it couldn't have been composed for anything other than cello and orchestra; it's hard to imagine a pianist being able to maintain the slowly moving legato melodic line with anything comparable to the cello's ability to sing it ecstatically. Yablonsky's cello sings like a great baritone. His performance of 'Rondo,' a six-minute minor-key work is equally well-played but the piece itself is relatively trivial, if pretty enough.

The glory of this set is the first track, a six-minute wonder, 'Mazurka for Violin and Orchestra,' Op. 49 (B90), played full-out in Oistrakhian fashion by a violinist I am only vaguely familiar with, Alexander Trostianski. Both the piece and the performance are barnburners, full of exciting rhythms, virtuosic double-stops and other violinistic sparkle. This is not deep music, but it assuredly is exciting. Too bad violinists don't ordinarily play encores in orchestral concerts after they've played the obligatory concerto. This would send the crowd out dancing. Superb!

The 'American' Suite is beautiful and reasonably well-known, and has had a number of fine recordings, among them those by Neumann, Dorati and Tilson Thomas, as well as older ones by Ancerl and Talich. It is given a competitive performance with delicacy and point by Yablonsky and his increasingly impressive Russian Philharmonic.

The rest of the disk comprises works that are not from Dvorák's top drawer. 'Seven Interludes' for small orchestra, although with some fine moments, seem pretty slight to me, although the third movement, 'Con molta espressione,' a slow 3/4 meditation, is extraordinarily lovely and played rapturously here. The 'Five Prague Waltzes' are a cut above the Interludes as music per se, and the performance is exhilarating. One wants to get up and dance around the room. But, that said, I slightly prefer a recording by the Hungarian conductor Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra. 'Polonaise in E Flat Minor,' 'Nocturne in B Major' and 'Polka in B Flat Minor'--the latter an old friend that I fondly remember being played in a wind band arrangement in my own hometown with its large Bohemian population-- are all given fine performances here.

This would, I think, be a perfect budget recommendation for someone who wants to slightly broaden their knowledge of Dvorák's always tuneful and accessible orchestral music.

TT=78:42

Scott Morrison

A Great Mix of Dvorak Favorites and Rarities.......2005-01-26

One of the reasons I love the music of Dvorak is that it is both predictable and varied. In all of his music, his distinct Czech national sound, as well as his flair for orchestration is easy to detect. Yet he is able to write some of the most creative pieces ever composed. The Naxos label has released a great catalogue of Dvorak's work. Most of the releases have some of his well known pieces as well as some of his lesser known works and this new release AMERICAN SUITE follows suite.

The best known works of the compilation include "American Suite," "The Polonaise in F Flat Major" and "Five Prague Waltzes." While all of the pieces are played beautifully by Russian Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction Dmitry Yablonsky, I found the works for soloist and orchestra most enjoyable. The "Mazurka for Violin and Orchestra" which opens the CD is a work that I am surprised is not a familiar concert showpiece and the same can be said for cello pieces "Rondo" and "Silent Woods."

Once again, Naxos has released a wonderful compilation at a reasonable price with excellent liner notes.

Average customer rating:

Brilliant music, excellent performances
Dvorak
A little cold
Music to get your blood flowing!
The finest readings I have heard of these quartets

Dvorák: The String Quartets

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Schubert: The String Quartets
Brahms: Complete String Quartets, Quintets & Sextets
Dvorák: The Symphonies
Antonín Dvorák: Complete Piano Trios
Haydn: Complete Piano Trios

ASIN: B00002DEH4
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 1 In A Major, Op. 2 B. 2: Andante - Allegro
String Quartet No. 1 In A Major, Op. 2 B. 2: Adagio affettuoso ed appassionato
String Quartet No. 1 In A Major, Op. 2 B. 2: Allegro schezando - trio
Finale - Allegro animato
In A minor: Quartet Movement: Andante appassionato

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 2 In B Flat Major, B. 17: Allegro ma non troppo
String Quartet No. 2 In B Flat Major, B. 17: Largo
String Quartet No. 2 In B Flat Major, B. 17: Allegro con brio
String Quartet No. 2 In B Flat Major, B. 17: Finale: Andante
2 Waltzes, Op. 54 B. 105: Moderato
2 Waltzes, Op. 54 B. 105: Allegro vivace
String Quartet In F Major, B. 120 (Fragment): Allegro vivace

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 3 In D Major, B. 18: Allegro con brio
String Quartet No. 3 In D Major, B. 18: Andantino
String Quartet No. 3 In D Major, B. 18: Allegro energico - Trio
String Quartet No. 3 In D Major, B. 18: Finale: Allegretto

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 4 In E Minor, B. 19: Velmi pohyblive a razne (Assai con moto ed energico)
String Quartet No. 4 In E Minor, B. 19: Andante religioso - attacca
String Quartet No. 4 In E Minor, B. 19: Allegro con brio
String Quartet No. 5 In F Minor, Op. 9 B. 37: Moderato
String Quartet No. 5 In F Minor, Op. 9 B. 37: Andante con moto quasi allegretto
String Quartet No. 5 In F Minor, Op. 9 B. 37: Tempo di valse
String Quartet No. 5 In F Minor, Op. 9 B. 37: Finale - Allegro molto

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 6 In A Minor, Op. 12 B. 40: Allegro ma non troppo
String Quartet No. 6 In A Minor, Op. 12 B. 40: Poco allegro
String Quartet No. 6 In A Minor, Op. 12 B. 40: Poco adagio
String Quartet No. 6 In A Minor, Op. 12 B. 40: Finale - allegro molto
String Quartet No. 7 In A Minor, OP. 16 B. 45: Allegro ma non troppo
String Quartet No. 7 In A Minor, OP. 16 B. 45: Andante cantabile
String Quartet No. 7 In A Minor, OP. 16 B. 45: Allegro scherzando - Trio
String Quartet No. 7 In A Minor, OP. 16 B. 45: Allegro ma non troppo

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 8 In E Major, Op. 80 B. 57: Allegro
String Quartet No. 8 In E Major, Op. 80 B. 57: Andante con moto
String Quartet No. 8 In E Major, Op. 80 B. 57: Allegro scherzando
String Quartet No. 8 In E Major, Op. 80 B. 57: Finale - Allegro con brio
String Quartet No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 34 B.75: Allegro
String Quartet No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 34 B.75: Alla polka: Allgretto scherzando - Trio: quasi l'istesso temo
String Quartet No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 34 B.75: Adagio
String Quartet No. 9 In D Minor, Op. 34 B.75: Finale - Poco allegro

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 10 In E Flat Major, Op. 51 B. 92: Allegro ma non troppo
String Quartet No. 10 In E Flat Major, Op. 51 B. 92: Dumka (Elegia): Andante con moto - Vivace
String Quartet No. 10 In E Flat Major, Op. 51 B. 92: Romanza: Andante con moto
String Quartet No. 10 In E Flat Major, Op. 51 B. 92: Finale - Allegro assai
String Quartet No. 11 In C Major, Op. 61 B. 121: Allegro
String Quartet No. 11 In C Major, Op. 61 B. 121: Poco adagio e molto cantabile
String Quartet No. 11 In C Major, Op. 61 B. 121: Scherzo: Allegro vivo - Trio: L'istess tempo
String Quartet No. 11 In C Major, Op. 61 B. 121: Finale - Vivace

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 12 In F Major, Op. 96 B. 179: Allegro ma non troppo
String Quartet No. 12 In F Major, Op. 96 B. 179: Lento
String Quartet No. 12 In F Major, Op. 96 B. 179: Molto vivace
String Quartet No. 12 In F Major, Op. 96 B. 179: Finale: Vivace ma non troppo
String Quartet No. 13 In G Major, Op.106 B. 192: Allegro moderato
String Quartet No. 13 In G Major, Op.106 B. 192: Adagio ma non troppo
String Quartet No. 13 In G Major, Op.106 B. 192: Molto vivace
String Quartet No. 13 In G Major, Op.106 B. 192: Finale: Andante sostenuto - Allegro con fuoco

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 14 In A Flat Major, Op. 105 No. 193: Adagio ma non troppo - Allegro appassionato
String Quartet No. 14 In A Flat Major, Op. 105 No. 193: Molto vivance
String Quartet No. 14 In A Flat Major, Op. 105 No. 193: Lento e molto cantabile
String Quartet No. 14 In A Flat Major, Op. 105 No. 193: Allegro non tanto
Cypresses, B. 152: Moderato
Cypresses, B. 152: Allegro ma non troppo
Cypresses, B. 152: Andante con moto
Cypresses, B. 152: Poco Adagio
Cypresses, B. 152: Andante
Cypresses, B. 152: Andante moderato
Cypresses, B. 152: Andante con moto
Cypresses, B. 152: Lento
Cypresses, B. 152: Moderato
Cypresses, B. 152: Andante maestoso
Cypresses, B. 152: Allegro scherzando
Cypresses, B. 152: Allegro animato

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant music, excellent performances.......2006-10-11

I must admit up front that when it comes to classic music, I prefer chamber music (any era or style). If you like chamber music, buy this set. If you are are curious about chamber music and Dvorak's work, buy a budget single CD of any Dvorak string quartets. When you've fallen in love with Dvorak's work --- and you will --- then buy this set.

These are simply some of the finest string quartets ever written. Lyrical and inventive, they will make you understand why Brahms and Dvorak were such good friends and admired each other's work so much. There are other recordings out there of various quartets, particularly the late ones. But the value in having a complete set is that you get to hear the composer's development, and you get to hear infrequently played yet brilliant works. A good example is the Quartet No. 5, which is intense --- as full of bite as, say, "Death and the Maiden," yet as richly melodic as anything Dvorak ever wrote. The recording is clean and warm, the playing precise yet soulful. The set is now selling for about $12 more than I paid for it, but it's still a bargain. You will never regret having bought it.

Dvorak.......2006-05-16

One of the best composers for chamber music together with Joseph Haydyn, I think. Thank you.

A little cold.......2006-01-16

Compaired to the Vlach on Naxos, this exelent recording left me a little cold. Where is all the emotion that these quartet's should have.

Music to get your blood flowing!.......2005-11-24

Wow! Great quartets played with real gusto and dynamism by the Prager String Quartet. The sound is incredibly crisp and clear. The performances are impeccable. You won't be disappointed!

The finest readings I have heard of these quartets.......2005-11-04

I have heard multiple recordings of these quartets, including the Chiligirian quartet, and selections by the Amadeus quartet, Hagen quartet, Melos quartet, Vlach quartet and Cleveland quartet. However, these renditions are (in my opinion) the most adherent to the Czech folk roots. I'm sure it helps that the ensemble is in fact Czech-for that reason they seem to have an edge over some of the other notable groups which have made recordings. Everyone has obviously heard the American quartet, but just as fine are quartets 10,11, 13 and 14 (as well as 7-9). I am less entranced by the early works, but they are not without their merit as well.
Overall, the sound seems a bit better in this re-release than in the previous version available on CD. Not much better, but better. And at this price, it is an absolute steal. Highly recommended for lovers of chamber music, or Dvorak in general.

Average customer rating:

Truly stunning voice, beautifully recorded
Delightful recital!
NOT SINGING BUT A SILVER HEAVEN GLITTERING WITH STARS
What angels must sound like...
One of the C20th Most Endearing Singers.

Strauss, Saint-Saens / Rita Streich

Manufacturer: Polygram Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Czech | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
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Rita Streich: Folksongs & Lullabies
The Viennese Nightingale
HOMAGE: The Age of the Diva

ASIN: B000006143
Release Date: 2005-03-21

Tracks:

Op.410: Fruhilingsstimmen
Le Rossignol et la rose
Lo spazzacamino
Jocelyn: Wiegenlied
Parla-Walzer
Boccaccio: Hab' ich nur deine liebe
Rusalka: Lied an den Mond
Dinorah: Schattentanz
Osterreich, Op.164: Dorfschwalben
Die Nachtigall
Les Filles de Cadix
Chi sa?
La felletta
Last Rose Of Summer
Villanelle
Draussen In Sievering
Il bacio

Customer Reviews:

Truly stunning voice, beautifully recorded.......2006-04-12

A most amazing and effortless coloratura voice, handling the German (of course) and Viennese style with native ease. A stunning "Fruhilingsstimmen." Easy on the ears and still exciting after much replaying.

Especially considering the era, the recording quality is quite clear and good. Delighted to find this on CD.

Delightful recital! .......2004-08-07

Rita Streich shines in this recital! Each piece is performed with remarkable accuracy and beauty of tone. She is particularly effective in communicating the Viennese spirit of the Walzer. There aren't sopranos today who sound this good in the German repertoire. Sadly, a lost tradition. Her Italian accent is not perfect but it's not distracting and besides there aren't many Italian arias here. She nevertheless sings them beautifully. Pity that not all tracks were recorded in stereo sound. Overall, a superb memento of Streich's rare artistry.

NOT SINGING BUT A SILVER HEAVEN GLITTERING WITH STARS.......2001-07-10

I have no single vocal record more prized than this. The other reviewers above all speak more knowledgably of her technique than I can. I can say only that this record puts me adrift in the heavenly beyond. Rita isn't just artful, she's a gift of God driven into your breast. She brightens one's whole sense of existence. Her yearning youth and richness blend the blue of spring with the heart of an agonizingly green June day. Just lovely, lovely, lovely. After you hear Rita Streich: Walzer & Arien, you'll want to get her double album with the reverse title: Rita Streich: Arien & Walzer, which is just as heavenly but slightly more mature and grandly brilliant. You may think Callas singing "Casta Diva" the height of vocal art. You are in for a wonderful surprise.

What angels must sound like..........2001-04-25

I will cut this short.. Streich has the most beautiful voice and tone, I in all likelihood will ever lend an ear to... (...Save that of an Angel, should I by some strange coincidence be allowed into heaven...) This compilation magnificantly dokcuments Streich's vocal talents in the more light-hearted repetoire, and it is a gem.. Get it!

One of the C20th Most Endearing Singers........2001-02-02

Rita Streich (1920-1987) enriched the annals of recorded music more than any other coloratura soprano of the C20th. Fluent in many languages, and well-coached by several eminent singers, she had a voice with a recognisable "colour". Naturally vivacious and charming herself, she could range successfully into deeper emotional expressiveness. As she explained in an interview, "the difficulty every coloratura encounters is to be expressive with a voice of restricted size and colour". Listen to the Dvorak aria here (Track 7) to see how well she overcame this difficulty.

In this well-filled CD, produced by a son of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, are found recordings originally issued on three LPs in the 1950s. There are some bravura coloratura items featuring a very secure trill, some rarities, and favourites new and old. The sound quality is first-rate. Texts are not included in the liner notes, instead there is a biographical appreciation printed in German, French, English and Italian.

Tracks:

The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1843: Wedding March, From 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1847: Liebestraum No. 3 In A Flat - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1842: Nabucco - Overture - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1848: The Merry Peasant - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1847: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1850: Lohengrin - Preldue To Act 3 - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1853: La Traviata - Prelude to Act 1 - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1845: Tannhauser - Arrival Of The Guests At Wartburg - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1845: Violin Concerto In E Minor, 2nd Movement - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1842 - 1853: 1846: Poet And Peasant - Overture - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES

Tracks:

The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1858: Orpheus In The Underworld - Overture - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1858: Melody In F - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1854: Les Preludes - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1865: Waltz In A Flat - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1862: The Force Of Destiny - Overture - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1864: I Love You - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1866: The Bartered Bride - Overture - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1864: Barcarolle, From 'The Tales Of Hoffman' - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1858: Tritsch Tratsch Polka - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1854 - 1866: 1866: Light Calvary - Overture - Various Artists

Tracks:

The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1875: Piano Concerto No. 1 In B Flat Minor, 1st Movement (excerpt) - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1868: Cradle Song - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1875: The Moldau - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1870: Ride Of The Valkyries - From 'The Valkyrie' - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1876: Morning, From 'Peer Gynt' - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1875: Les Toreadors, From 'Carmen' - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1870: Notturno, From 'Coppelia' - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1876: Marche Slave, Op. 31 - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1872: L'Arlesienne - Intermezzo - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1867 - 1876: 1867: The Blue Danbue - Waltz - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES

Tracks:

The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1878: Polonaise, From 'Eugene Onegin' - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1893: Symphony No. 9, 'From The New World' - 2nd Movement - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1892: Waltz Of The Flowers, from 'The Nutcracker' - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1887: Alborado, From 'Capriccio Espagnol' - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1886: The Last Spring - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1886: Slavonic Dance No. 2 - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1889: The Sleeping Beauty - Introduction - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1877: Siegfried's Death And Funeral March, From 'Twighlight Of The Gods' - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1880: Songs My Mother Taught Me - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1877 -1893: 1889: Emperor Waltz - TOP 100 MASTERPIECES

Tracks:

The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1896: Also sprach Zarathustra - Fanfare - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1902: Symphony No. 5 - Adagietto - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1899: Finlandia - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1900: Dance Of The Bumble Bee - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1894: Meditation, From 'Thais' - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1901: Pomp And Circumstance - March No. 1 - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1894: Humoresque - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1903: Valse Triste - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1899: Vienna Blood - Waltz - Various Artists
The Top 10 Of Classical Music 1894 - 1928: 1928: Bolero - Various Artists

Customer Reviews:

Great collections, with poor quality sound.......2003-01-09

I expected to listen to great professional classical orchestra ...for this classical music collection, but the quality of the music is not too good.

There are a lot of great music collections, but they will sound better when they record it right.

It is good when you just want to have more classical music, but for a CD, the sound quality is like a [poorley made] CD.

I give 3 stars for this product.

The Greatest Collection Of Romantic Era Music.......2002-09-05

The Top 100 Classical Music series is a must have for novices of classical music, or someone already into the classics but wishes to amassa an "essentials" collection. This particular cd's span the Romantic Era, and although the 19th century saw much more music than what is covered on these recordings, this is nevertheless a brilliant and essential body of works. The Wedding March of Mendelsshon's Midsummer Night's Dream (played in weddings all over the world I'm assuming), Franz Lizst Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (The Looney Tunes Theme Music by the way) and other jewels of the era, such as the Blue Danube Waltz by Johann Strauss, the operetta overtures of Franz Von Suppe, Verdi's preludes to such operas as Nabucco and La Traviata, Wagner's intense, dramatic music for his Ring of the Nibelung operas, regarded as the epitome and the zenith of Romantic Era opera, and the music of other composers such as Tchaikovsky, Bizet, Sibelius, Rimsky Korsakov and many others. I highly recommend this cd to anyone wanting to sample and taste what Romantic Era music was all about. Five stars all the way.

Somewhat lacking.......2001-03-28

(referring to the entire collection)

The collection is well designed for introducing the listener to a large variety of music, with its broad range of composers and types of music. However, the interpretation of the music is hardly existant, and many of the pieces sound rather dull and uninteresting. Some lively pieces are played too slowly, and nearly all of them without emotion, keeping the set out of reach from being included in a true classical collection. Despite all that, the sheer number and range of pieces (along with the low price) make this a collection well suited for the new classical listener.

Dvorák: Legends
Average customer rating:

'ONE CANNOT BUT ENVY THE MAN'

Surprising work...

For all music lovers

Little Known Dvorak Played Well By Fischer and BFO

Rich emotions, perfect delivery

Dvorák: Legends
Dvorak , Bfo , and Fischer
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Dvorák: Piano Quartets

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Glinka: Orchestral Works

Dvorak: Piano Quintet, Op. 81/ String Quartet, Op. 51

Chopin: Piano Concertos 1 & 2

ASIN: B00004YMLT
Release Date: 2000-11-14

Tracks:

Legends, Op. 59: No. 1 In D Minor
Legends, Op. 59: No. 2 In G Major
Legends, Op. 59: No. 3 In G Minor
Legends, Op. 59: No. 4 In C Major
Legends, Op. 59: No. 5 In A Flat Major
Legends, Op. 59: No. 6 In C Sharp Major
Legends, Op. 59: No. 7 In A Major
Legends, Op. 59: No. 8 In F Major
Legends, Op. 59: No. 9 In D Major
Legends, Op. 59: No. 10 In B Flat Minor
Notturno In B Major, Op. 40
Miniature, Op. 75a: Cavatina
Miniature, Op. 75a: Capriccio
Miniature, Op. 75a: Romanza
Miniature, Op. 75a: Elegia
Prague Waltzes

Amazon.com

Dvorák was a master of the miniature, as this attractive disc of some of his lesser-known pieces for chamber orchestra proves. He was also adept at recycling. Asked by his publisher to come up with something to top his enormously popular Slavonic Dances, written originally as a piano duet, Dvorák produced Legends, also for two pianos. More introspective than the dances (although no one knows which legends he based them on), the 10 movements proved just as attractive and Dvorák was asked to orchestrate five of them. Instead, he orchestrated the lot for small string orchestra. Notturno, a six-minute salvage job from an abandoned string quartet, is a wonderful discovery. Miniatures, orchestrated from a four-part set for violin and piano, which were themselves fashioned out of pieces the violinist found too difficult to play, are delightful, and Prague Waltzes, written the year before Legends for a ball in Prague, are enough to get any toe tapping. Throughout, the playing of the Budapest Festival Orchestra under Ivan Fischer is spot on. --Richard Fawkes

Customer Reviews:

'ONE CANNOT BUT ENVY THE MAN'.......2007-05-29

That is Brahms talking, asking his publisher Simrock to pass on his compliments to Dvorak over the latter's `Legends' for orchestra. This is a gorgeous little disc. One item, the Notturno in which the liner-note writer hears influence from Wagner, strikes a solemn tone and takes some listening to before one can recognise the composer, but the rest of it is a box of musical chocolates. What the Legends are legends of the composer never said, but Brahms does not even seem to have bothered to enquire, so I am not asking either. They are melodious and charming orchestral miniatures lasting between two and a half minutes and five and a half minutes each. They show Dvorak at his most agreeable and his least pretentious, with the Czech elements free from self-consciousness and the orchestration as colourful as he could always make it without any of the messiness he was prone to at times.

The `Miniatures' are an inauthentic but perfectly appropriate 20th century styling for a set of four pieces that Dvorak turned out in a hurry for two violinists and a viola player who had not been able to cope with the Terzetto that he originally wrote with them in mind. He had also arranged the pieces, still in a rush, as violin/piano duos and methodical research disproves his own confused recollection that that had been their original format. The instrumental combination restricts the bass to C in the bass clef, and while I thoroughly enjoy the Terzetto played by soloists in my fine performance from the Lindsays, I think I am probably glad of several players to each of the three parts as I am offered the works here. To round matters off there are some fine hearty Prague Waltzes using a larger orchestra than in the Legends. However nothing on this disc is amazingly loud, and to get the greatest enjoyment I suggest a high volume-setting.

I'm not sure that either the performances or the recorded quality (DDD) really call for the hyperbolical superlatives lavished on them by The Penguin Guide, but both are excellent and both easily satisfy my own moderate demands. The liner note with the British edition, from Patrick Lambert, is an absolute model of its kind, and I hope it is available internationally. The information conveyed is relevant and clear and exactly what I am looking for. The signs of better times in the liner-note industry generally are getting stronger and more persistent, so here's hoping. The main thing is of course the music, and I don't think we need Brahms to tell us how enjoyable it is.

Surprising work..........2006-08-03

I bought this CD not knowing that much about Dvorak or where these pieces fit in to his overall body of work. I only knew I loved his ninth symphony since I first heard it in a college music class. I wanted to explore his music further and this CD was my first sojourn into Dvorak's music beyond the ninth. It was not a bad place to start.

Legends should be viewed as a counterpoint to Dvorak's Slavonic Dances. They were written in between the two cycles of Slavonic Dances and, while originally written for piano, Dvorak orchestrated them with a colorful, yet restrained use of the orchestra. I came to Legends before actually hearing the Slavonic Dances. Having now heard both, Legends shines more as a cycle greatly diverse and adventurous in its moods and style. While more relaxing and subdued than the Slavonic Dances, it is still equally melodic and engaging.

However, what makes this disc worthwhile is not Legends, but what else is included. Minatures (what I have since found is a slight reworking of Dvorak's Romance for Piano and Violin, hence the op. 75a), is absolutely wonderful and positively the highlight of the disc. Dvorak was a viola player and he knew how to write for strings. While relatively short (the first two movements are only around three minutes each) the work as a whole carries delightful pulsing melodies. Like Legends, it also strikes very distinctive moods, yet manages to retain an intimate and warm quality that makes for a fine listening experience.

This CD also benefits from being recently recorded in 1999. Several of Dvorak's works, while propelled by great performances, were recorded 20-30 years ago and do not benefit completely from the digital process from start to finish. This recording does and the sound is top quality as a result. Ivan Fischer also deserves mention in choosing material for this disc that shows the absolute tuneful scope of Dvorak's writing.

This album is a worthwhile step forward for anyone wanting to explore Dvorak's work further. The pieces included here might not be as recognized as the Slavonic Dances or others in the Dvorak canon, but you will find they are among his most satisfying.

For all music lovers.......2004-12-17

Fantastic record decently played. For once the reviews are correct Legends are first class lyrical,moving, pieces. All should hear this disc which is a joy from first to last. Dvorak was a great composer though no Beethoven of course. Forget his Slavonic Dances which are merely tedious after the first couple of times this stuff is much better. Try it!

Little Known Dvorak Played Well By Fischer and BFO.......2003-07-16

This is a magnificient little CD of Dvorak's lesser known small works for orchestra. Ivan Fischer leads the Budapest Festival Orchestra in amply warm, lyrical performances of these works. The highlight may be the Nocturno, but my own personal favorites are the waltzes at the end of the CD. The sound recording is absolutely first rate, rich in sonority. Fans of Dvorak and Ivan Fischer will not be disappointed in this recording, which deserves its superb accolade in the most recent edition of the Penguin Guide to Classical Music.

Rich emotions, perfect delivery.......2001-05-24

This recording reaches exceptional heights. Emotions grasp you without control and fly you over the borders of passion. Then you find yourself floating on pure music in an incomparable feeling of cleanness. This is a perfect musical match to our young and innocent but already complex selves we all used to be. A hopeful gaze on life.

Average customer rating:

The Perlman Edition (Box Set)

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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Bach: Complete Works - 155 CD Box Set

ASIN: B0000AF1O4
Release Date: 2004-05-04

Borodin: String Quartet No. 2; Dvorak: Serenade for Strings; Two Waltzes; Nocturne

Average customer rating:

Borodin: String Quartet No. 2; Dvorak: Serenade for Strings; Two Waltzes; Nocturne

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks: