Mendelssohn: Works For Piano & Orchestra

On this CD:

1. Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Performed by Ian Hobson, Sinfonia da Camera
Conducted by Ian Hobson, Jodi Howard

2. Rondo brillant, for piano & orchestra in E flat major, Op. 29
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Performed by Ian Hobson, Sinfonia da Camera
Conducted by Ian Hobson, Jodi Howard

3. Capriccio brillant for piano and orchestra in B minor, Op. 22
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Performed by Ian Hobson, Sinfonia da Camera
Conducted by Ian Hobson, Jodi Howard

4. Piano Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 40
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Performed by Ian Hobson, Sinfonia da Camera
Conducted by Ian Hobson, Jodi Howard

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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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
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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:

Best 2-Dimensional Pianist
Best cd of its kind. Beautiful piano music.
Great Music
So happy to have this in my collection!
El Gruñon

Schroeder's Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003FAM
Release Date: 1992-09-08

Tracks:

Fur Elise
Sonata In C, K.545: First Movement
Excerpt from Anna Magdalena Book Excerpts: March - Bach
Excerpt from Anna Magdalena Book Excerpts: Minuet In G Minor - Bach
Excerpt from Anna Magdalena Book Excerpts: Musette - Bach
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German Dances Wo0 42:: No. 2 In D
German Dances Wo0 42:: No. 3 In F
German Dances Wo0 42:: No. 4 In A
German Dances Wo0 42:: No. 5 In D
German Dances Wo0 42:: No. 6 In G
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Album for the Young: Melody
Album for the Young: Wild Horseman
Album for the Young: Siciliana
Album for the Young: Knight Ruppert
Album for the Young: Little Hunting Song
Album for the Young: Little Study
Songs Without Words, Op. 67, No. 4: Spinning Song (Songs Without Words, Op. 67, No. 4) - Mendelssohn
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Album for the Young: German Song
Album for the Young: Old French Song
Album for the Young: Mazurka
Album for the Young: Waltz
Album for the Young: Neapolitan Dance
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Well Tempered Clavier, Book 1, No. 1: Prelude (Well Tempered Clavier, Book 1, No. 1) - Bach
Linus and Lucy

Customer Reviews:

Best 2-Dimensional Pianist.......2006-03-21

I love this album. Besides the familiar theme song, there are many pieces which we all learn to play as children studying piano. It's great to hear them. A great gift for young people studying piano.

Best cd of its kind. Beautiful piano music........2006-02-25

I did not know what to expect when I ordered this cd. I ordered it primarily for the Lucy & Linus song but was pleasantly surprised with all the other selections of piano music. It is a cd of piano music that one would believe Schroeder would play. Classics from of course Beethovan and many other familiar favorites. I listen to this cd in the car and it is one of my favorite cd's.

Great Music.......2006-02-24

Wonderful music to live by. I play this in my car instead of listening to annoying radio chatter. It is a great collection that ends with the Charlie Brown theme that brings back great childhood memories

So happy to have this in my collection!.......2005-09-21

I had this cassette when I was a little girl...mom garage saled it accidentally and I had been missing it for a long time. Amazon was the only place I was able to find a copy of the CD and I was SOOO happy to see it in my mailbox. Just plain old piano classics...if you enjoy solo piano, this is a great one. Love it!

El Gruñon.......2005-03-02

Very enjoyable CD. Simple and straight forward, a solo piano and selections from a long list of remarkable composers, followed up with the Peanuts tune Linus and Lucy with a jazz trio(piano, bass and drums) If this dosen't motivate a piano player nothing will. 5 stars!

Average customer rating:

Technically Excellent, but Uninspiring
Hurford plays organ "pops" pieces
Exellent organ playing!
GREAT FOR NEW CONVERTS TO ORGAN MUSIC!
Excellent

Organ Spectacular

Manufacturer: London
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 1991-10-11

Customer Reviews:

Technically Excellent, but Uninspiring.......2006-08-22

Hurford is clearly a very capable technical organist. His nimble feet and fingers do an excellent job with fast passages. Musically, however, most of the pieces felt uninspired and I was a bit disappointed.

Hurford plays organ "pops" pieces.......2006-06-02

On this particular album, organist peter hurford shows off what the organ can do with a pair of nimble hands (and feet). The recording herein contains all of the more familiar "pops" pieces(i.e., you would expect to hear one of these pieces played on nearly every organ recital), and also a rarity or two. The reason I initially purchased this recording was because of the complete Suite Gothique (the only recording available?). Besides the famous toccata, this suite contains some wonderful momemts, such as the sirene priere to the jolly yet sometimes macabre-sounding minuet gothique. The Widor Allegro from Symphonie VI is OK (I still recommend David M. Patrick's album over all others) and the mendelssohn is a nice finishing touch (use this to show off your stereo!) All in all, another well done recording by the scholarly virtuoso Hurford, pleasingly light yet sonically thrilling.

Exellent organ playing!.......2001-11-21

"Organ Spectacular" is truly spectacular. Peter Hurford has combined the finest organ pieces along with absolutely superb playing. All of the pieces are as if the composer himself is playing them. This recording is very rewarding and worth every penny.

GREAT FOR NEW CONVERTS TO ORGAN MUSIC!.......2001-01-14

This CD got me started as an organ lover years ago. Something for everyone here, this recording covers the biggest hits of the organ rather well. Frank's Chorale No. 3 will impress you with the sheer range and power of the organ, and is very moving. And be sure to listen to the Wedding March as it was meant to be played and heard! A great compilation. Enjoy!

Excellent.......1999-01-20

Hurford delivers an exciting compilation of these high-powered organ favorites. For people who love the organ for its ability to rattle the fillings in your teeth, this album is a must! If you are looking for soft, mellow, soothing music, well...you're going to have your fillings rattled. His rendition of Widor's allegro from the sixth symphony is the best piece on the album, but I found the tocotta from the fifth to be rather bland. The Boellmann suite gothique (why I bought the album) is also great. Overall, money well spent

Average customer rating:

The best
Pure Piano
Not quite for that candle-light dinner ....
Classic
Great compilation

Für Elise: Romantic Piano Music

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 1995-03-21

Tracks:

Impromptu in A Flat Major, Op.142 (D.935),No.2
Etude in E major, Op.10, No.3
Bagatelle in A minor, WoO 59 'Fur Elise': Bagatelle in A minor, WoO 59
Waltz in A flat major,Op. 39, No.15
June: Bacarolle from the Seasons,Op.37b
pring Song in A major,Op.62,No.6 From Songs Without Words: Spring Song in A major,Op.62,No.6 From Songs Without Words
Clair de lune from Suite bergamasque
Troiseme Gymnompedie
Andante in F major, WoO 57 'Adante favori': Andante in F major, WoO 57
Nocturne in E flat major, Op.9,No.2
Liebestraum No 3 in AFlat Major, Op.62 (S.541) No.3
Impromptu in G flat major,Op. 90(D.899), No.3
Romance in F Minor,Op.5
Alla turca from Piano Sonata No.11 in Major, K.331
Trerei from Kinderszenen,Op.15
Prelude no 15 in D Flat Major, Op.28 'Raindrop': Prelude no 15 in D Flat Major, Op.28
Tango in D major
Prelude in C sharp minor, Op.3 No.2

Customer Reviews:

The best.......2007-04-10

The CD I bought is great. The music is great. I love Fur Elise music.

Pure Piano.......2007-01-11

This is one of the clearest and most enjoyable CDs I have purchased. The music is pure and all piano, no frills. I feel like I can play, which of course I can not. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys excellent piano.

Not quite for that candle-light dinner .... .......2006-03-02

Perhaps its best to first clarify the context of this CD's title, "Romantic Piano Music." The word "Romantic" here is not about sensuous mood music to share with your significant other. Rather, it refers to the musical era labeled "Romanticism" which started around Beethoven and ended around 1900 with the development of the "modern era." It is odd that Mozart is featured here as he clearly belongs to the preceeding "classical" era (but the piece here is one of his best). So, this CD features solo piano music of that era which has musical characteristics like expressive lyricism ... passionate, personal and poetic emotional displays ... more experimenting with tonal color and harmony ... and frequent shifts of key, tempo and dynamic range (very soft to very loud). So, with especially with this last characteristic in mind, don't expect "Romantic music for a candle light dinner" here as several of the pieces go from quiet, introspective melodies to fast-paced runs or loud, dissonant chords (just hear the first bar of the last track). But, such is "romantic expression" in music. If you are just looking for some nice solo-piano dinner music, try John Field's serene Nocturnes or Chopin's uplifting Waltzes or the quiet compliation disc, "Chopin for Relaxation."

But, if your interest is to explore the great composers and piano literature of the Romantic era, this is a fine CD to do that for many reasons. One reason is the variety of styles and nationalities featured here. One other characteristic of the music of this period was the expression of pride in one's country (Nationalism movement). Nearly all of the composers whose works are featured on this disc were major influences in music history and showed varying degress of Nationism: Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms and Liszt from Germany ... Chopin from Poland ... Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov from Russian ... Debussy and Satie from France ... and Albeniz from Spain. With such an international line-up of famous composers, you will find a wide range of musical styles, flavors and expressions to discover and enjoy. Most of the selections here are among the more famous piano pieces, so it is a good place to start. And supported by capable artists, good sound quality and some decent liner notes giving the history of the music, this CD provides a compelling journey into the piano music of the mid-late 19th century ... but maybe not ideal for that romantic interlude you might have had in mind.

PS: The title song of this CD, "Fur (for) Elise," is one of Beethoven's most recognizable and simple tunes, often heard in those miniature music boxes or even cell-phone ring tones.

Classic.......2004-04-08

This is classic. I like this music, because this is piano music.
And I love piano music, because I like to play piano. Don't buy it, if you like pop music, not classic ! Buy it, if you like classic. Trust me.

Great compilation.......2002-12-09

Although you may never have heard of any of these pianists, they're all very good and solid performers. It does in no way sound like a budget disc. The programmed pieces work really well together, especially with such a (shatteringly played) finale: Rachmaninov's "Bells of Moscow" Prelude!

Average customer rating:

Excellent for Piano Students
Great listening, any time
A must-have for piano teachers
My family loves it!

Learning By Example Series, Vol. 1

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Customer Reviews:

Excellent for Piano Students.......2006-10-06

Perfectly performed versions of classic piano pieces for the advanced beginner/early intermediate piano student. Very useful and enjoyable to listen to for such piano students and pleasant enough for others.

Great listening, any time.......2006-08-25

I purchased this cd after hearing one song from it on classical radio. Because it is a cd meant to show students how to play songs, the songs are played simply, without embellishment. They are lovely. This is a great cd to play when you want to relax and just hear simple melodies played beautifully.

A must-have for piano teachers.......2002-03-15

I am a piano instructor at a large conservatory where I instruct many younger players. This disc stays in the CD player in my studio almost constantly. Nowhere else will you find such a great collection of pieces which are in the standard teaching repetoire. The playing on this disc is very clean and clear, with great attention to each and every musical detail. My students have all benefitted from this fine recoding.

My family loves it!.......1999-12-04

I can't believe no one thought of this before. A major pianist has recorded the music that my children play. Now that my they have heard Mr. Shehori's CD, my children started to play at a noticably higher standard.

Apart from the educational aspect, this CD is really a pleasure for me to listen to. I always loved these pieces (particularly Bach's Inventions and Schumann's Happy Farmer) Now I can finally hear them played by a great artist.

I do regret that Mr. Shehori didn't record more sonatinas by Clementi. I hope to see these in future Series.

Tracks:

Fur Elise
La Fileuse (The Spinner)
Nocturne
Nocturne
Prelude (Raindrop Prelude)
Waltz
Nocturne
To A Wild Rose
Romance
Scherzo
Melodie
Nocturne For The Left Hand Alone
Gymnopedie
Traumerei
Waltz
Rondo Alla Turca
Clair De Lune
Arabesque

Amazon.com

How many times have you heard a child in the other room playing--or attempting to play--Beethoven's "Für Elise" or Edward MacDowell's "To a wild rose"? Well, here you get these and 16 more all-time favorite little gems, performed to unaffected, unpretentious perfection--a real treat for anyone who's ever labored over piano lessons, and anyone, child or adult, who loves piano music.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful!!!
A Window in Time ~Johann Sebastian Bach
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mechanical echoes

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Barcarolles | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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A Window in Time: Rachmaninoff Performs His Solo Piano Works
Rachmaninov Plays Rachmaninov--Ampico Recordings (1919-29)
Rachmaninoff Plays Chopin
Rachmaninoff plays Rachmaninoff
Rachmaninoff Plays Rachmaninoff

ASIN: B00000IJVD
Release Date: 1999-03-23

Tracks:

Were I A Bird, Op. 2, No. 6
Barcarolle No. 5, Op. 93, No. 7
Melodie
Troika
Spinning Song, Op. 67, No. 34
Waltz In E-Flat Major, Op. 18 ('Grande Valse Brilliante')
Waltz, Op. 40, No. 8
The Maiden's Wish
Waltz, Op. 34, No. 3 ('Valse Brilliante')
Das Wandern
Sarabande
Nocturne, Op. 15, No. 1
Minuet, Op. 14, No. 1
Turkish March
Impromptu, Op. 90, No. 4
Scherzo In B-Flat Minor, Op. 31

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful!!!.......2006-07-27

No, I'm not a kid. But I am quite the Rachmaninoff enthusiast;I own all his recordings, both acoustic/electric and piano roll. Before buying these discs (i.e. the two volumes of A Window In Time), I read the reviews here, and was a bit reluctant in purchasing them after having read the negative ones. They claim that "there is no music" in these cds, that the "performances" are uncharacteristic of Mr. Rachmaninoff. But after comparing these performances with those recorded years ago, they do indeed seem to be accurate. Though they were digitally transferred, the authenticity is still there. I actually wonder if the naysayers only bash this collection because of the fact that these rolls were converted in such a way, and because of this formed a harsh bias. The alternative to these recordings on Decca are nice sounding though the tempi are a bit off, as proven by the recordings of the master himself playing. This is especially evident in the G minor Prelude; the Decca version is simply too slow and simply unlike Rachmaninoff. The version here, however, sounds very much like his playing. Despite my praises, there are two flaws I find in AWIT.The first is the use of a Boesendorfer that at times sounds awkward,like in the ending of Elegy; personally I would have loved for these to have been somehow transferred onto a Steinway, and Rachmaninoff would agree with me, as he performed exclusively on Steinways. The second flaw is that, yes, that little bit of sponteneity found in the acoustic/electric recordings is missing, but of course neither anyone nor anything can reproduce Rachmaninoff's pianism flawlessly but Rachmaninoff himself. I strongly reccommend both volumes of "A Window in Time". Try not to let the negative reviewers sway you, decide for yourself.

A Window in Time ~Johann Sebastian Bach.......2005-10-04

This is a wonderful CD. The sound is as if Rachmaninoff had recorded it yesterday. The marvelous technology allows us to reach into the past and recover glories that we had thought forever lost.

Dull and lifeless.......2004-11-24

I was very disappointed to hear this recording, after hearing Rachmaninov live on the two Naxos recordings and also hearing the recordings of the Ampico rolls on Decca.

Something seems to have happened during all of the manipulation; the playing seems to have been homogenized. The rythm and tempo are no longer dynamic, and the highs and lows have been smoothed off. This is not the case with the recordings of the Ampico rolls, played back on an Ampico-equipped machine, on the Decca CD which are very dynamic and lively.

The sound on this CD is beautiful, but I'm afraid I'll only use it as background noise.

Not to be missed!.......2003-11-14

Despite what the naysayers have been nay-saying about this disc, I think it would be very hard to be disappointed by them, from any standpoint. If they are somehow the contrived product of some deranged producer's imagination, then I could only hope that other pianists would begin to "contrive" their own playing to match what I've heard on these discs. If the piano sounds flat, un-natural and limited in dynamic range, then I hope manufacturers of pianos begin to aim for these qualities in their instruments.

Ok, maybe that's a little blunt - and I do have to admit that I enjoyed these discs more when I had a nicer sound system. Since I've stepped down to something much smaller and cheaper, these discs have lost some of their sparkle - more than some of the other discs in my collection. Even now, though, I love them and listen to them frequently. For me, every note is filled with the awesome sensitivity and mind-blowing technic of a great pianist. The tempos are steady, clear and straightforward - and I think this is not evidence of a contrived medium, but of Rachmaninoff's no-nonsense playing style. As an amateur pianist, teacher and long-time lover of piano music, I think there is a great deal to admire in this approach.

If you're suspicious about these recordings, then listen before you buy, but don't pass on the opportunity to discover the great playing of Rachmaninoff, without the crack and pop of a 78-rpm recording.

mechanical echoes.......2003-04-17

As a classical music buff and an amateur pianist, I eagerly purchased both volumes of "A Window in Time". Unfortunately, I found both albums disappointing. There is little range in touch and dynamics; for example, the virtual performer seems incapable of legato. The technical problem lies in the recording of the piano rolls. Although the rolls are "digital" in nature, they do not have the capability to capture nuances. What is left is some sense of Rachmaninoff's timing, but even that is suspect - in the liner notes, Stahnke mentions the problems he experienced with determining what speed at which to play the rolls. That "impressive speed" you hear may be artificially sped up.

Average customer rating:

Simply Beautiful
Listened to every night for 6 years
lovely, peaceful music beautifully played

Quietude

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Pictures of the Floating World
Debussy's Harp
A New Baroque
Sky Music
Dream Season: The Christmas Harp

ASIN: B00005B7KA
Release Date: 2001-04-24

Tracks:

Introspection - Carlos Salzedo
Reverie - Calude Debussy
Gymnopedie No. 1 - Erik Sate
Quietude - Salzedo
Meditation from Songs Without Words, Op. 67, No. 1 - Felix Mendelssohn
Notturno rom Six Pieces - Ottorino Respighi
Gnossienne No. 1 - Satie
Gnossienne No. 2 - Satie
Gnossienne No. 3 - Satie
Sarabande - Debussy
Prelude in A major, Op. 28, No. 7 - Frederic Chopin
Prelude in E minor, Op. 28, No. 4 - Chopin
Prelude in C minor, Op. 28, No. 20 - Chopin
Berceuse from Pensees lyriques, Op. 40, No. 5 - Jean Sibelius
Tenderly Emoted - Salzedo
Dreamingly - Salzedo
Profoundly Peaceful - Salzedo

Customer Reviews:

Simply Beautiful.......2005-11-18

This album has some of the most relaxing things on it I've ever listened to. Put it on before bed, and you'll go to sleep in no time. I especially love how Kondanassis chose some songs written originally for piano, and played them on the harp (e.g. Satie and Chopin's pieces on here).
A great buy!

Listened to every night for 6 years.......2005-07-16

The CD gets turned on the minute I get in bed...whether I then just listen,or read..or even have news on TV...this is my relax to sleep in peace personal system

lovely, peaceful music beautifully played.......2004-04-17

I have always loved harp music, and this collection performed by Yolanda Kondonassis is very beautiful. The pieces chosen are all mellow and quiet; they are very good to listen to while meditating or trying to wind down. Kondonassis plays beautifully, and her style brings a sensuous tranquility to the music. The transcriptions from orchestral to harp music are quite good, in that they don't sound like transcriptions, but as if the music were originally written for harp.

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

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

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Kiri Te Kanawa Classics

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.

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