The Brahms Recordings

On this CD:

1. Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by New York Philharmonic with Joseph Szigeti
Conducted by Dimitri Mitropoulos

2. Sonata for Violin & Piano No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Egon Petri, Joseph Szigeti

3. Sonata for Violin & Piano No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108 Adagio
Composed by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Kurt Ruhrseitz, Joseph Szigeti

Tracks:

Violin Sonata No.1 In G, Op.78: I: Vivace ma non troppo
Violin Sonata No.1 In G, Op.78: II: Adagio
Violin Sonata No.1 In G, Op.78: III: Allegro molto moderato
Violin Sonata No.2 In A, Op.100: I: Allegro amibile
Violin Sonata No.2 In A, Op.100: II: Andante tranquillo - Vivace
Violin Sonata No.2 In A, Op.100: II: Allegretto grazioso (quasi andante)
Violin Sonata No.3 In D Minor, Op.108: I: Allegro
Violin Sonata No.3 In D Minor, Op.108: II: Adagio
Violin Sonata No.3 In D Minor, Op.108: III: Un poco presto e con sentimento
Violin Sonata No.3 In D Minor, Op.108: IV: Presto agitato

Amazon.com essential recording

Itzhak Perlman is the greatest living exponent of the Romantic, sentimental style of violin playing. As in his reading of the Brahms concerto, he shows sovereign mastery in these accounts, which are characterized by intense emotion and heated expression (Perlman's warm vibrato and carefully placed portamentos quickly give him away), but are also gripping in the quiet, meditative pages. The first two sonatas' relationship to songs could easily be guessed from the way Perlman plays them in a single, seamless line, marked by soaring climaxes and tender, haunting pianissimos. The treatment sometimes does seem a bit premeditated, but it is so compelling as to sweep aside any criticism. In this 1983 recording (sonically superior to Perlman's later remake with pianist Daniel Barenboim, for Sony), the violin sounds slightly forward, though not unpleasantly so. Warm, supportive, lyrical playing from Vladmir Ashkenazy rounds out a marvelous offering. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Brahms Violin Sonatas.......2007-01-11

Good but not top flight. This is an old recording--sounds a little tired.

these are really good sonatas.......2005-10-10

These three sonatas are in my opinion some of the best compositions of Brahms. They are wonderfully tunefull and each sets a distinct mood (although all three are somewhat melancholic). The interaction of the violin and piano is just fantastic and Perlman and Ashkenazy pull it off well. Sound quality is great as well.

Brahms.......2005-10-07

I bought this for my college age daughter's music class and I am enjoying it as well. Violin music, of any sort, is enjoyable to listen to and this one is a wonderful addition to a music library.

Finest Brahms.......2002-05-22

I've always enjoyed Brahms' chamber works more than his symphonies. Somehow his intent comes off more clearly; the desperation and anger and melancholy of the music is more exposed, as if juggling an entire orchestra in the composition could dull the edges of these emotions. Of course the quality of any piece is tied with the quality of the performers (who invariably stamp then with their own personalities), and here we have a brilliant union: Perlman and Ashkenazy play flawlessly. Perlman's tonality is clear and sonorous, but never treacly; it still maintains the edge that these pieces require. From the sweet lilting melodies of the first sonata to simmering violence of the third, it is a commanding performance. The piano part in these works is equally demanding, and Ashkenazy is more than a match for Perlman's virtuosity.

If you're looking for the third sonata specifically, Vengerov and Barenboim turn in a more stirring (but somewhat looser) performance on the Teldec label. I actually prefer that version as it's more intense, more intimate. But if you're looking for a complete collection of these wonderful sonatas, you simply can't go wrong with Perlman and Ashkenazy.

Perlman and Ashkenazy do it again.......2001-07-24

The combination of these two great artists continually results in some of the finest music making ever. The two seem to almost share a mind while performing so perfectly in tune with each other they come across. I don't think Brahms has ever sounded so beautiful and alive as this recording manages to sound.

Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Brahms: Double Concerto / Oistrakh, Rostropovich, Richter

Average customer rating:

There can't be any better!
Wonderful smooth rendition
Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Brahms: Double Concerto / Oistrakh, Rostropovich, Richter
Beethoven? Brahms? Karajan? Oistrakh? Richter? Rostropovich? Szell? On One CD? Talk About Star Power!
Glorious

Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Brahms: Double Concerto / Oistrakh, Rostropovich, Richter
David Oistrakh , Mstislav Rostropovich , Sviatoslav Richter , Herbert von Karajan , and George Szell
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Great Recordings Of The Century - Brahms: Violin Sonatas nos 1 - 3 / Perlman, Ashkenazy
Dvorák: Cello Concerto; Tchaikovsky / Karajan, Rostropovich,
Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No1, Op107; Violin Concerto No1 (revised), Op99
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto Op35; Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Op77
Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem [A German Requiem]

ASIN: B00000I7VO
Release Date: 1999-03-09

Tracks:

Triple Concerto For Violin, Cello & Piano In C, Op. 56: I Allegro
Triple Concerto For Violin, Cello & Piano In C, Op. 56: II Largo
Triple Concerto For Violin, Cello & Piano In C, Op. 56: III Rondo alla polacca
Double Concerto For Violin & Cello In A Minor, Op. 102: I Allegro
Double Concerto For Violin & Cello In A Minor, Op. 102: II Andante
Double Concerto For Violin & Cello In A Minor, Op. 102: III Vivace non troppo

Amazon.com

Among the concertos of Beethoven and Brahms, these two have always been stepchildren. One reason is their extreme difficulty; both composers were pianists, so Beethoven wrote an idiomatic part only for the piano. Brahms's friend Joseph Joachim offered advice for the violin concerto, but not for the Double Concerto, which was written as a peace offering after a falling-out. The Beethoven Triple Concerto demands utmost virtuosity, as well as intimate teamwork among the soloists, and that is exactly what these three supreme masters of their instruments bring to it. Free--indeed unaware--of technical problems, they give it a joyful, sparkling lightness. The piano ripples, the cello sings gorgeously, the violin soars ecstatically, the tone is intoxicatingly beautiful. The Finale is wistful, charming, lyrical, gently humorous; the ending is a big joke, with the cello and piano rumbling in the bass, while the violin whistles forlornly in the dark until they all join together. The Brahms is grand, majestic, dreamy, radiant, triumphant; the slow movement warm as dark velvet, the Finale genial and relaxed. Though the orchestra never covers the soloists, it explodes in the tutti passages, especially in the Beethoven, so you might keep a finger on the volume control. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

There can't be any better!.......2007-05-17

It is not for the names only.
I think it is a performance as Beethoven probably had in mind.

Wonderful smooth rendition.......2007-04-26

There is something magical about this recording. It is difficult to describe the smooth full sound that this recording presents. I own other recordings of the Brahms and the Beethoven and at first thought it a little extravagent to own another but I am very pleased I bought it.

Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Brahms: Double Concerto / Oistrakh, Rostropovich, Richter.......2007-01-18

I knew this recording and I received what I was expecting. Delivery and condition was great. Thanks.

Beethoven? Brahms? Karajan? Oistrakh? Richter? Rostropovich? Szell? On One CD? Talk About Star Power!.......2006-09-09

All those big names wouldn't mean a thing if the performances themselves were throw aways or showed little commitment, but that's hardly the case, this is probably the finest recordings of both works. Karajan and Richter for one had some rocky interpretative relations in their recording of Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto on DG. That was not a great record, where both musical giants pull and push to try and get their way. So yes, in some ways this Beethoven Triple Concerto presents even more challenges because there are four minds, four egos pitted together in one piece of music and that's not counting the greatest ego, Beethoven himself! Luckily everyone melds beautifully together, the three Russian masters are at their best, with Rostropovich a stand out and shining brightly. Meanwhile Karajan, the Austrian master conductor gives them his usual, grand, lush orchestral backdrop via the Berlin Philharmonic. This is warm-hearted, generous music-making between four fearsomely talented musicians.

The Brahms Double Concerto is just as fine, now we have the two string instrumentalists side by side. Oistrakh and Rostropovich communicate wonderfully together in this major Brahms piece. Szell backs them up every step of the way with his precise yet passionate conducting of the Cleveland Orchestra. The EMI recording sounds very good too in both works and the price is quite nice. An outstanding bargain.

Glorious.......2006-01-30

The unbroken tradition of Russian string playing is well-represented on this disc. The Double Concerto is especially wonderful, even rapturous. The two players are beautifully meshed, and Szell and the Cleveland sound warm and emotive, which they sometimes did not, on records and "live". The sessions they recorded for EMI (including a wonderful Dvorak Eighth, far surpassing their recoridng for Masterworks), captured something that often was not well projected.

The remastering captures this warmth, with more brightness than my LP copy of the Brahms ever had, at least after the initial playings.

Pierre Monteux Decca & Philips Recordings, 1956-1964

Average customer rating:

Innate Musicality
An easy way to get some of Monteux's greatest recordings in one box
More Magnificent Monteux, Lots of Duplication

Pierre Monteux Decca & Philips Recordings, 1956-1964

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Ernest Ansermet: Decca Recordings 1953-1967
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Beethoven: The 9 Symphonies
Arthur Grumiaux: Philips Recordings, 1955-1978

ASIN: B000G6BJKS
Release Date: 2007-01-09

Tracks:

Ouverture: Grave - Allegro
Rondeau: Allegro
Sarabande
Bourrees I & II
Polonaise
Menuet
Badinerie
Dance Of The Blessed Spirits
I Allegro Aperto
II Andante Ma Non Troppo
III Allegro
I Adagio - Presto
II Andante
III Menuetto E Trio: Allegretto
IV Finale: Vivace

Tracks:

Tragic Overture
Academic Festival Overture, Op.80
I Allegro Non Troppo
II Adagio Non Troppo - L'istesso Tempo, Ma Grazioso
III Allegretto Grazioso (Quasi Andantino) - Presto Ma Non Assai
IV Allegro Con Spirito

Tracks:

Prelude A L'apres-Midi D'un Faune
Nuages
Fetes
I Gigues/II Iberia
Par Les Rues Et Par Les Chemins
Les Parfums De La Nuit
La Matin D'un Jour De Fete
III Rondes De Printemps
Le Cour De Lys
Danse Extatique Et Finale Du Ier Acte
La Passion
Le Bon Pasteur

Tracks:

Introduction
Dance Of The Firebird
Round Dance Of The Princesses
Infernal Dance Of King Kastchei
Berceuse
Finale
La Valse
Prelude
Danse Du Rouet Et Scene-Interlude
Pavane De La Belle Au Bois Dormant
Interlude
Les Entretiens De La Belle Et De La Bete
Interlude
Petit Poucet
Interlude
Laideronnette, Imperatrice Des Pagodes
Interlude
Apotheose: Le Jardin Feerique
Bolero

Tracks:

Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op.56A
Introduction
No.1:Marche/No.3:Pas De Six
Introduction
Variation IV:Fairy Of The Canaries
Variation V: Violente
No.6:Valse/No.8:Pas D'Action
A)Rose Adagio
C) Aurora's Variation
D) Coda
No.9: Finale
No.13:Farandole
No.17:Panorama
No.22:Polacca/No.23:Pas De Quatre
Intrada
Variation II: The Silver Fairy
Variation IV:The Diamond Fairy
Coda/No.25:Pas De Quatre
A) Adagio
Variation I:Cinderella And Prince Fortune
Variation II: The Bluebird And Princess Florine
Coda/No.26:Pas De Caractere
A) Red Riding Hood And The Wolf/No.28:Pas De Deux (Aurora And Desire)
B)Adagio
Coda/No.30:Finale
Mazurka
Apotheosis

Tracks:

I Allegretto
II Tempo Andante
III Vivacissimo
IV Finale: Allegro Moderato
Theme (Enigma): Andante
I C.A.E.:Andante
II H.D.S-P.:Allegro
III R.B.T.:Allegretto
IV W.M.B.:Allegro Di Molto
V R.P.A.:Moderato
VI Ysobel:Andantino
VII Troyte:Presto
VIII W.N.:Allegretto
IX Nimrod:Adagio
X Dorabella (Intermezzo):Allegretto
XI G.R.S.:Allegro Di Molto
XII B.G.N.:Andante
XIII *** (Romanza):Moderato
XIV E.D.U. (Finale):Allegro

Tracks:

Tableau I:Fete Populaire De La Semaine Grasse
Tableau II:Chez Petrouchka
Tableau III:Chez Le Maure
Tableau IV:Fete Populaire De La Semaine Grasse (Vers Le Soir)
Introduction
Les Augures Printaniers
Jeu Du Rapt-Ritual Of Abduction
Rondes Printanieres-Spring Rounds
Jeux Des Cites Rivales-Ritual Of The Rival Tribes
Cortege Du Sage-Procession Of The Sage
Danse De La Terre-Dance Of The Earth
Introduction
Cercles Mysterieux Des Adolescentes-Mystic Circles Of The Young Girls
Glorification De L'Elue-Glorification Of The Chosen One
Evocation Des Ancetres-Evocation Of The Ancestors
Action Rituelle Des Ancetres-Ritual Action Of The Ancestors
Danse Sacrale:L'Elue-Sacrificial Dance:The Chosen One

Customer Reviews:

Innate Musicality.......2007-06-02

Pierre Monteux belonged to a generation of conductors that prized musicality over careerism. Not that he didn't have an illustrious career: after all, he was the conductor chosen to premiere Stravinsky's *Rite of Spring* and subsequently directed and helped to build world-class orchestras here and abroad. But Monteux's first priority was to communicate -- with a geniality and effortlessness nearly unique among his peers -- both the letter and the spirit of the score. He was a great poet among conductors, and there are few even in his own generation who approached musicmaking with such exuberance.

The Decca compilation under review is a veritable treasure trove of Monteux's late work with three orchestras -- the LSO, the VPO and the Paris Conservatoire. Oddly it is his confederates from Paris who seem to let him down; the three Stravinsky Ballets featured here could use greater precision of execution as well as emotional vehemence. One might not have guessed from this somewhat etiolated *Rite of Spring* that Monteux was associated with this work, and with the composer, from the beginning of his career.

Apart from this caveat, however, there is some wonderful music-making here: including an exquisitely shaped Bach and Mozart (featuring the composer's son as the virtuosic flute soloist), an athletic Brahms Second and Haydn Variations, a uniquely poised, gallic account of Elgar's "Enigma Variations," and a generous sequence of excerpts (long unavailable) from *The Sleeping Beauty* (to remind us of Monteux's credentials as a ballet conductor). Best of all are the Debussy and Ravel items, with which one senses a total identification of conductor with composer. Not even Münch or Ansermet surpassed Monteux's accomplishment in "Impressionist" repertoire. Compared with Monteux, Münch seems hot-headed and Ansermet downright chilly.

A strong recommendation then, except for the Stravinsky (which Monteux recorded more sucessfully with other orchestras both earlier and later in his career -- perhaps Decca can be persuaded to give us those performances in any subsequent Monteux Anthology).

An easy way to get some of Monteux's greatest recordings in one box.......2007-04-23

He was great, lovable, and lived forever. Pierre Monteux left nothing but good memories behind (even if the BSO did walk out on him in the 20's in an unsuccessful attempt at a strike), and he spanned the very heart of the twentieth century, premiering The Rite of Spring in 1913 (he was already 38) and then surviving into the era of the Beatles before he died in 1964. Decca and Philips recorded him in his last decade when Monteux headed the London Sym., and he was not always at his best. Yet in this 7-CD box set there are many cherishable performances (as Mr. Richman points out, serious collectors will have to put up with considerable duplication of material already available on CD).

CD 1 begins with a romantic Bach Suite No. 2 that is nevertheless bright, airy, and vividly recorded. The same spirit imbues the Gluck Dance of the Blessed Spirits, but the Mozart Flute concerto #2 seems a trifle leaden. I found my attention wandering during this CD and would account only the Haydn Sym. 101 "The Clock" as first-rate Monteux--it's a warm, lyrical reading without a trace of stodginess.

CD 2 should be Exhibit A in any argument that a Frehnch conductor can do justice to Brahms. Actually, Monteux's reputation for Debussy, Ravel, and Stravinsky overshadowed his linfelong devotion to the German classical tradition. All three works here---the Tragic Over., Academic Festival Over., and Sym. #2--show that Monteux's Brahms was basically untroubled and sunny but never glib. You may miss Brahms's turmoil (and wonder how anyone could find less tragedy in the Tragic Over.), but the pastoral Sym. #2 was just th right choice for Monteux's style and has been a collector's staple for years. Like the Haydn, it has the benefit of the golden-voiced Vienna Phil., here sounding a little too casual, perhaps.

CD 3 plays to Monteux's great strength in French music of his own era, since he was, after all, a near-contemporary of Debussy. This all-Debussy CD with the London Sym. is self-recommending and well recorded, fuly up to today's standards. The Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun moves surprisingly swiftly, with no patience for fussy longueurs. The Trois Nocturnes are shorn of the third movement (no doubt someone was too cheap to pay for the women's chorus) and is again surprisingly direct. The primary work here are the Images. There are rival recordings (by Karajan and Levine, for example) that make more of the music's magical atmosphere and pinpoint virtuosity. by comparison Monteux is dramatic, direct, and without fuss. I am no admirere of Debussy in religious mode, but the Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian Suite goes well.

CD 4 plays to strength again with Stravinsky and Ravel. These are also self-recommending recordings, but in truth the Firebird comes off a bit to relaxed compared to the composer's reading, and less virtuosic than we've become used to. I found my attention wandering, but I sat up for Monteux's all but definitive Ravel (Bolero, La Valse, Ma Mere l"oye), where everything seems jsut right, evoking the composer's magical abilities at orchestration while avoiding his neurotic and precious tendencies. Healthy Ravel from a conductor who seemed the picture of psychological health himself.

CD 5 takes us back to Brahms with a set of Haydn Variations, then on to Tchaikovsky with a generous suite from the Sleeping Beauty. These LSO recordings have been widely available. The Brahms fits Monteux's extrovert, cheeful style with this composer; I liked it very much. Having owned the Sleeping Beauty excerpts several times, I think it's a bit hampered by Philips' none-too-impressive sonics, and Monteux hasn't got anything special to say so far as I can hear. He's even a little peremptory at times and doesn't swell with romantic excess when the composer asks for that.

CD 6 begins with the Sibelius Sym. #2, another reminder that Monteux was wiling to go where few other French musicians followed. It would be hard to imagine a more un-Gallic composer, and one's reaction to Monteux's interpretation will depend upon expectations. It isn't grand like Karajan, sober like Colin Davis, or propulsive like Bernstein. I'll damn it with faint praise by saying that this reading is straightforward. But the filler, Elgar's Enigma Variations, is one of the miracles of Monteux's late career and one of his most illustrious readings. How an antiquated Frenchman managed to capture the Edwardian spirit of Elgar defies belief, but here it is, a committed, powerful, inspired performance in vintage Decca sound. The only gripe is that anyone who loves Monteux alreadyy owns it.

CD 7 should be a high point but is, frankly, unnecessary. Monteux had already had his say in Le Sacre and Petrushka with the BSO, and these latter-day London Sym. recordings don't really add anything new. Granted, he had not made Le Sacre in stereo before, so that may be a deciding factor for some. Certianly the playing comes off a bit too rough and ready, lacking the finesse of the Boston ensemble. Monteux is mostly vigorous enough, however, and his histroci association with Stravinsky may justify the inclusion of these two readings, which in all honesty exhibit Monteux's natural, lyrical way with the scores. No one on the podium today would have the nerve to be this romantic.

At bargain price, this is a great box set for anyone coming to Monteux for the first time; he really was a great conductor who continues to be undervalued. For those of us who have known him all our lives, I'm not so sure there is enough here to merit the outlay, but at the very least I was glad to renew acquaintance with a cherished old friend.

More Magnificent Monteux, Lots of Duplication.......2007-01-29

Like many of the recent "Original Masters" reissues, this 7CD set of music conducted by Pierre Monteux has been available since last July as an import, and now has finally been released in the U.S. As most of his discography has been readily available for years, serious collectors would probably have to question whether there were indeed enough unissued Monteux performances to comprise a set of this nature. And while there are many items contained on this set that have been reissued previously in the U.S. on CD (and lots more overseas), "Pierre Monteux: Decca & Philips Recordings 1956-1964" offers some real treasures. First the stateside duplicates -- the Ravel selections have appeared in the "Philips 50" series, Haydn's Symphony 101 and the Brahms Haydn Variations in the old "Classic Sound" series, and the Tchaikovsky Sleeping Beauty highlights in the "Great Conductors of the Century" series (see my reviews for the latter two items). Additionally, all of the Brahms on CD2, the Sibelius 2nd Symphony and Elgar Enigma Variations on CD6, and all of the Stravinsky scattered throughout the set, have been available as imports for years. Combine the aforementioned performances, and nearly five of the seven CDs here have been previously issued somewhere, despite the back cover's claim that so many items are receiving their "first international release." But those issues aside there are some magnificent performances here, including Monteux's first stereo "Rite of Spring" from the man who of course conducted the infamous premiere. Another treat was the Mozart Flute Concerto with Pierre's son Claude as soloist, and an entire CD of first rate stereo Debussy orchestral works. In all, this is another fine set in the "Original Masters" series, just be warned serious collectors that you likely already own much of this material.

EMI Great Recordings of Century - Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 1-4/Klemperer

Average customer rating:

no kidding
Not sure what all the fuss is about.
Five stars +
Karajan or Klemperer in Brahms?
My deserted island pick

EMI Great Recordings of Century - Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 1-4/Klemperer
Johannes Brahms , Philharmonia Orchestra , Christa Ludwig , Philharmonia Chorus , and Otto Klemperer
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0001O3Y8A
Release Date: 2004-04-06

Tracks:

Thema: Chorale St. Antoni
Variation I (Poco Piu Animato)
Variation II (Piu Vivace)
Variation III (Con Moto)
Variation IV (Andante Con Moto)
Variation V (Vivace)
Variation VI (Vivace)
Variation VII ( Grazioso)
Variation VIII (Presto Non Troppo)
Finale (Andante)
I: Un Poco Sostenuto - Allegro
II: Andante Sostenuto
III: Un Poco Allegretto E Grazioso
IV: Adagio - Piu Andante - Allegro Non Troppo Ma Con Brio

Tracks:

I: Allegro Non Troppo
II: Adagio Non Troppo
III: Allegretto Grazioso (Quasi Andantino) - Presto Ma Non Assai
IV: Allegro Con Spirito
I: Allegro Con Brio - Un Poco Sostenuto
II: Andante
III: Poco Allegretto
IV: Allegro - Un Poco Sostenuto

Tracks:

Academic Festival Overture Op. 80
Tragic Overture Op. 81
Alto Rhapsody Op. 53
I: Allegro Non Troppo
II: Andante Moderato
III: Allegro Giocoso - Poco Meno Presto
IV: Allegro Energico E Passionato - Piu Allegro

Customer Reviews:

no kidding.......2007-07-06

this IS the best brahms set in the market. honesly, as much as i love klemperer, i was pretty surprised by the amount of tension he managed to retain throughout this studio recording - something the greatest conductors often couldn't do.
To me, and i do not seem to be alone in this regard, the gem of the set is the fourth symphony. It is here that Klemperer simply out does Celibidache, Toscanini, and Furtwangler. The passacaglia is imbued with a sense of inevitability - i was completely taken aback by the impact of the climax. The relationship between the variations was so perfectly thought out that after this recording every other passacaglia seems inconsequential. Furtwangler might have imbued each passage with more fire, but even his profound insight is cursory compared to what Klemperer manages to convey.
Klemperer's supreme sense of architecture and drama also churns out an inimitable Academic Overture, which is also simply the most stunning and satisfying account I have ever heard. While in the beginning the orchestra might not seem completely synchronized, such misgivings are done away with by the time the last theme, the climax, is performed.
the rest are also similarly great, although owing the Furtwangler, Klemperer's first symphony doesn't top the rest of the competition like the other symphonies do.
there are a few records out there that i would call definitive - but this brahms set is the closest ever.

Not sure what all the fuss is about........2006-09-15

For me this set of Brahms is ho-hum. It is average, but nothing special. I feel the same way about Herbert von Kajaran's interpretation of Brahms. Brahms is without a doubt my favorite composer and I have heard many versions of his symphonies. For my tastes, the London Philharmonic's sound has always been too thin for Brahms. The only time I liked the London Philharmonic performing Brahms was Antal Dorati's set on Mercury Living Presence.
I prefer the rich and warm sound of the Berlin Philharmonic. The set of symphonies that Claudio Abbado released on DG in the 1990's has taken top honors for me. Most of the previous traversals with the Berliners (i.e. von Karajan) have taken the tempos too slow for my tastes.
As far as I'm concerned you can do much better elsewhere: Abbado, Szell, and Dorati - heck even Bruno Walter's set with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra is better than this presentation.

Five stars +.......2005-11-14

Klemperer is one of my favourites, probably because I got to know Mahler through him. For me this is the best Brahms symphonies cycle yet. The tempos are well judged as always and the Philharmonia at top form as always under Klemperer. I feel that the 4th is the gem of this cycle unsurpassed in every aspect. Along with the German Requiem again with Klempeper and the Philharmonia I find these CDs the best Brahms orchestral music on the market.

Karajan or Klemperer in Brahms?.......2005-09-29

Otto Klempeerer owes his late career in London and on EMI records to von Karajan. Since its founding in 1949, the Philharmonia Orch. was closely allied with Karajan, who built it up as his own career took off after the war. But when Furtwangler died in 1954 and his arch-rvial Karajan took over the Berlin Phil., the impressario of the Philharmonia, Walter Legge, knew that he neeeded a new stellar conductor or his orchestra would fail. He chose Klemperer, then almost forgotten and already past 65 when he made his initial appearances in London in 1951.

Legge's gamble paid off. Klemperer became the darling of London critics and audiences, and his performance style--measured, serious, with impeccable integrity--became the standard in Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, and Brahms. He cared little for beauty of osund, smooth phrasing, or stylistic refinement. Words like "granitic" and "primordial" were used regularly.

Is he the antithesis of Karajan, who valued everything that Klemperer disdained? Listening to these Brahms symphony recordings in improved sound, I think the Klemperer vs. Karajan debate isn't all that valid. These four symphonies aren't granitic or primordial, nor are they particularly slow. In fact, the first movement of the Second moves lightly, as does the finale of the Fourth. If anything, Karajan's presentation is more massive and imposing in every symphony. The main difference begins with Klemperer's steady pace, which he tends to hold without allowing the phrase to be molded as flexibly as Karajan.

Karajan made two complete Brahms cycles for DG, the latter in digital sound. He was undoubtedly a great Brahms conductor, but so was Klemperer. Here the Philharmonia sounds sharp and alert and not very big in number, while Karajan's Berlin forces sound sumptuous and huge.

These two giants had no peer in Brahms from the death of Toscanini to the present day, excepting occasional recordings by Giulini, Bernstein, and perhaps in today's market, Harnoncourt. Some would also rank bruno Walter's two Brahms cycles at this exalted level, but for me only the mono one with the NY Phil., now available on a Sony import, qualifies, and besides the inadequate sonics, the orchestra does not play as beautifully as what we hear in this set. It's great to have Klemperer's classic set, which is totally free of eccentricity, back in such good sound. Five stars without a doubt.

My deserted island pick.......2005-06-20

If I had to go to that deserted island, I would be in doubt of which of these 3 CDs to take with me. I have perhaps 500 classical CDs, but this box stands out. I am not going to write very much, however: Brahms is my favourite composer. Brahms was Klemperer's favourite composer. His conducting is perfect all the way. These are so-called slow interpretations, i.e. compared to Toscanini and Walter, but not slow compared to, say Abbado; I think these tempos are perfectly suited to bring out the richness of the texture. The result I will describe as civilized, human, warm, even hot, dramatic, strictly to the point, even sharp, although there are sharper interpretations out there, but they don't got the same lyrical intensity as Klemperer's.

Average customer rating:

The definitive second piano trio of Schubert!
Unbelievably good performance!

Trio Recordings, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Trio Recordings, Vol. 2
Mendelssohn: Piano Trios Op. 49 & Op. 66
Brahms: Piano Trios Nos. 1, 2 & 3; Piano Quartets Nos. 1, 2 & 3
Beethoven: Piano Trios Op. 70 No. 1 "Ghost" & No. 2 "Archduke"; Variations Op. 121a
Beethoven: Piano Trios, Vol. 2; Itzhak Perlman; Vladimir Ashkenazy; Lynn Harrell

ASIN: B00000279G
Release Date: 1991-01-09

Tracks:

Trio No. 1 For Piano, Violin & Cello In B Major, Op. 8: I. Allegro con brio
Trio No. 1 For Piano, Violin & Cello In B Major, Op. 8: II. Scherzo: Allegro molto
Trio No. 1 For Piano, Violin & Cello In B Major, Op. 8: III. Adagio
Trio No. 1 For Piano, Violin & Cello In B Major, Op. 8: IV. Allegro
Trio No. 2 For Piano, Violin & Cello In C Major, Op. 87: I. Allegro
Trio No. 2 For Piano, Violin & Cello In C Major, Op. 87: II. Andante con moto
Trio No. 2 For Piano, Violin & Cello In C Major, Op. 87: III. Scherzo: Presto
Trio No. 2 For Piano, Violin & Cello In C Major, Op. 87: IV. Finale: Allegro giocoso

Tracks:

Trio No. 3 For Piano, Violin & Cello In C Minor, Op. 101: I. Allegro energico
Trio No. 3 For Piano, Violin & Cello In C Minor, Op. 101: II. Presto non assai
Trio No. 3 For Piano, Violin & Cello In C Minor, Op. 101: III. Andante grazioso
Trio No. 3 For Piano, Violin & Cello In C Minor, Op. 101: IV. Allegro molto
Trio No. 2 For Piano, Violin & Cello In E-Flat Major, Op. 100, D. 929: I. Allegro
Trio No. 2 For Piano, Violin & Cello In E-Flat Major, Op. 100, D. 929: II. Andante con moto
Trio No. 2 For Piano, Violin & Cello In E-Flat Major, Op. 100, D. 929: III. Scherzo: Allegro moderato
Trio No. 2 For Piano, Violin & Cello In E-Flat Major, Op. 100, D. 929: IV. Allegro moderato

Tracks:

Trio No. 1 For Piano, Violin & Cello In B-Flat Major, Op. 99, D. 898: I. Allegro moderato
Trio No. 1 For Piano, Violin & Cello In B-Flat Major, Op. 99, D. 898: II. Andante un poco mosso
Trio No. 1 For Piano, Violin & Cello In B-Flat Major, Op. 99, D. 898: III. Scherzo: Allegro
Trio No. 1 For Piano, Violin & Cello In B-Flat Major, Op. 99, D. 898: IV. Rondo: Allegro vivace
Trio No. 1 For Piano, Violin & Cello In D Minor, Op. 49: I. Molto allegro agitato
Trio No. 1 For Piano, Violin & Cello In D Minor, Op. 49: II. Andante con moto tranquillo
Trio No. 1 For Piano, Violin & Cello In D Minor, Op. 49: III. Scherzo: Leggiero e vivace
Trio No. 1 For Piano, Violin & Cello In D Minor, Op. 49: IV. Finale: Allegro assai appassionato

Customer Reviews:

The definitive second piano trio of Schubert! .......2004-08-24

Tto describe in few words : superb . All this set deserves the best and highest adjectives . Musicality technician equipment and vitality characterize all and every one of these pieces .
I had the honor of knowing Istomin in Caracas September 1979 in a piano recital .
In the first part he played a mesmerized Bergamasque suite and in the second half he played an unforgettable reading of the Schubert sonata D960.
Istomin was another pianist who greW up under the cosmic talent of Pau Casals , together with Stern that wonderful gifted musician, and nothing less than Leonard Rose who in my personal opinion has been the best american cellist in the century .
Acquire this set as soon as you can!

Unbelievably good performance!.......2000-04-12

This combination of lovely Schubert trios and mangnificent performers must be heard to be believed. Rose, Stern, and Istomin sound as though they are a single person. I heard this recording years ago and I can still remember it as though it were yesterday. A "must hear."

Legendary Busoni Recordings / Paul Jacobs

Average customer rating:

Pianism and musicianship for the ages
Unique artistry
Paul Jacobs. In memoriam!
Sometimes wishes do become true...
Superb, insightful playing

Legendary Busoni Recordings / Paul Jacobs
J.S. Bach , Bela Bartok , and Johannes Brahms
Manufacturer: Arbiter
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Paul Jacobs in Recital
Busoni: Piano Concerto
Debussy: Etudes for Piano, Books I & II; En blanc et noir
Debussy: Images; Estampes
Debussy: Préludes for Piano, Books 1 & 2

ASIN: B00004W1KS
Release Date: 2000-07-25

Amazon.com

Paul Jacobs, who died of AIDS in 1983, was a pianist of wide interests and prodigious abilities. He never made much of a solo career, but he became widely known for his contemporary music performances and his work with the New York Philharmonic. Fortunately, he was enlisted to make a series of recordings for the Nonesuch LP label. Unfortunately, Nonesuch has ignored most of them during the CD era. This collection, three complete LPs on two CDs, focuses on the music and transcriptions of Ferruccio Busoni, which is an acquired taste. Busoni had a fascinating mind, but you have to enjoy slithery chromatic harmonies to like most of his music--an exception is the wonderful Sonatina, based on themes from Bizet's Carmen. Jacobs had the sensibility and the technique to do justice to this difficult music. But many listeners may be even more impressed with his playing of etudes by Stravinsky, Bartók, and Messiaen, which is thoroughly brilliant and very exciting. Reviving these recordings must have been a real labor of love for the Arbiter label, but the artistic results certainly justify the efforts, and even the 1970s recorded sound holds up well. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Pianism and musicianship for the ages.......2007-03-12

The Busoni sets are probably what most people will be looking for on these discs, and they are wonderful examples of the articulate, lucid, imaginative, and colorful playing of the great Paul Jacobs. But the Etudes recordings for Nonesuch were on the leading edge of the piano frontier during the 1970's, and have never been surpassed. The frighteningly difficult Bartok Etudes as recorded here are on a level that has never even been approached, anytime, anyplace! This is really a 'legendary' performance.

Unique artistry.......2006-11-07

Paul Jacobs was a pioneering artist during a period in which young upstart labels such as Nonesuch were challenging the rather homogenized classical piano market (Serkin, Horowitz, Rubenstein). For a comparison, try listening to his rendition of Bach-Busoni's "Nun komm der Heiden Heiland" in comparison with Horowitz's recording of the same piece. While the latter plays perfectly well, Jacobs restrained tempo works to convey brilliantly the tenseness and expectancy that the music seeks to convey. A stroke of genius! Jacobs recordings of Debussy's etudes are also pure magic.

Paul Jacobs. In memoriam!.......2006-08-14

This was perhaps the best achievement in the life of this singular pianist. Paul Jacobs died early, but these rewarding recordings conveyed many people (as well as John Ogdon) to put more attention the prestige and stature of Ferrucio Busoni.

Certainly, I don' t know about any other pianists so committed with these Sonatinas, that deserved him so many praised comments in the eighties through that well known label: Nonesuch.

If you really love Busoni 's craft, then go for this emblematic album.

Sometimes wishes do become true..........2001-02-18

I've had the black-vinyl recordings from Nonesuch since, at least, my college days, and I'd included these performances on my CD-purchase wish-list ever since I started collecting silver, expecting realistically to find only a bit of this repertory. I was astonished to find this 2-disk collection of *all* of Jacobs' Busoni sonatinas, plus the etudes by Bartok, Messiaen, Stravinsky, *and* the Bach-Busoni and Brahms-Busoni chorale preludes. These last two groups are worth the price of the set by themselves. As I recall, the sound of the Brahms-Busoni was, on the old Nonesuch LP, pretty dark and colorless... That's been somehow wonderfully rectified on this CD reissue. Jacobs' playing of the chorale preludes is magical, probably the best recorded to-date (I've heard rumors of a recital of the Bach-Busoni by John Ogdon on Altarus, but that's apparently never been released). The Busoni sonatinas are authoritative, and Jacobs reaches the depths of this sometimes-simple, sometimes-perplexing music to reveal it fully. The groups of etudes, some of the most difficult 20th-Century piano writing, and certainly some of the most explorative, are performed nearly perfectly. If you have any curiosity about XX-Cent piano literature, buy this disk-set! Essential for pianophiles and lovers of Bach, Busoni, Brahms, Bartok, et al.

Superb, insightful playing.......2000-10-24

It's good to know that these fine recordings, long worn out in my LP versions, are finally available on CD. Congratulations to the Arbiter label for making them available to a new generation of music lovers. Jacobs' playing is accomplished on all levels--his incredible velocity, his smoothness, and his gorgeous touch are evident throughout. But the emotional intensity, particularly in the Bach-Busoni and Brahms-Busoni, is what carries these recordings into a very different realm. Busoni's mysticism is too rarefied for many performers, but Jacobs thrives in this atmosphere. Both Bach and Brahms emerge from these recordings in a different light, filtered through Busoni's genius and Jacobs' deep comprehension. They sound intensely modern, daring, and--most wonderful--completely fresh. Jacobs' recordings of Bartok, Messiaen, and Stravinsky are also revelations. The sound transfer is marvelous--all of Jacobs' crispness and warmth is there, with an element of thrill that was missing on the LPs. Buy this recording!

George Szell: Decca & Philips Recordings 1951-1969

Average customer rating:

Lots of Szell Brings A Re-evaluation
George Szell is best known from his Columbia recordings

George Szell: Decca & Philips Recordings 1951-1969

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Clifford Curzon: Decca Recordings, 1937-1971, Vol. 3
CARL SCHURICHT Decca Recordings 1949-1956
Ernest Ansermet: Decca Recordings 1953-1967
Pierre Monteux Decca & Philips Recordings, 1956-1964
George Szell Plays and Conducts Mozart

ASIN: B0009A41XS
Release Date: 2005-08-09

Customer Reviews:

Lots of Szell Brings A Re-evaluation.......2005-09-21

Kudos to Decca for bringing together in one convenient set George Szell's recordings that were made for the Decca & Philips labels from the early 1950s and to mid 1960s (minus those recordings where he acted in the role of accompanist, ie: those with pianist Curzon). These recordings are very well known and have been collector's items for many years, so to have them together in a mid-price box is self recommending.

The Philips recordings were issued a few years ago as a 2-CD set in their "Early Years" series while a few of the Decca recordings have already been released as singles in their Classic Sound series (both series saw very spotty distribution Stateside). I detect very little change in the sound quality in these new Decca Classic Sound versions, though the couplings from CD to CD are better programmed here than they were before (Philips had to cram alot of music on those 2CDs).

The most-recommendable recordings in the bunch are Szell's Mozart 34, Dvorak 8, Beethoven Egmont, Mendelssohn Midsummer's Night and Brahms 3. Here, the usual Szell trademarks are fully on display: tight rhythms, crisp articulation and finely graded dynamics. However, I was unexpectedly disappointed in two recordings long held to be top Szell & basic repertoire recommendations: the Beethoven 5 and Sibelius 2.

The Beethoven 5 has always been touted as more relaxed and in better sound than Szell's CBS 5th with Cleveland. But comparing this new Decca re-issue to Sony's recent "Original Jacket" issue of the Cleveland 5th, I didn't find that to be true at all. The Sony version now stands - to me, at least - as the better representation of Szell in this warhorse, both as an interpretation and in recorded sound. Indeed, the Concertgebouw recording suffers from an extremely lackluster and sloppy second movement that probably could have used a retake. Something just isn't right here - conductor and orchestra are not on the same page of the playbook...which is not what one expects in a recording by such a strong-willed technician as Szell. As an overall performance, this Concertgebouw recording is now easily surpassed by Szell's Sony effort, not to mention alternate versions by Kleiber, Karajan, Bernstein and others (but, again, you need to hear the Szell/Sony in the Original Jackets remastering, not the earlier Essential Classics version).

As for the Sibelius 2, we have a situation where poor intonation and hesitant execution in the orchestra knock this version off the pedestal of received opinion. And, with Szell's live Tokyo performance with Cleveland now widely available, his Concertgebouw version comes in direct competition with - Szell himself, and in a much better and much more cohesive recording. With the "if only he had recorded this with Cleveland" caveat removed, the choice is now clear - get the Cleveland version if you want Szell in Sibelius 2. That recording remains a top recommendation, though Ormandy, Maazel, Vanska and even Karajan have all brought their particular strengths to this piece as well, strengths that are much different than Szell's forte(s). There's plenty of room at the top when it comes to great recordings of great music.

Having lived with both the Beethoven and Sibelius for years, it's a bit disconcerting to have to make the above observations, but there you have it.

For the rest of the set, it is good to have Szell's interpretations of Tchaikovsky and Schubert on hand in such good sound. But truth be told, there are better versions out there of these works as well, the Tchaik 4 in particular (which in Szell's hands hangs fire in the least-expected places). The Baroque recordings included here are testament to a long-gone era when the standard Baroque works (worques?) were made acceptable to orchestral audiences by beefing them up to quasi-Wagnerian proportions. And even here, Szell is bettered by his contemporaries like Adrian Boult and Karl Richter in similar repertoire. A Baroque curate's egg if there ever was one.

Having said all of the above, I can still safely recommend this set to just about anyone interested in Szell or the repertoire on offer. Yes - work to work, there are better versions available, some from Szell himself. But *overall,* this set will provide plenty of pleasure and musical excitement to everyone save the anti-Szell wing of the classical music zealotry.

Enjoy.

George Szell is best known from his Columbia recordings.......2005-08-31

George Szell (1897-1970) is best known from his recordings made in the 1950s and 60s for Columbia records, mostly with the Cleveland Orchestra, many of which are now on Sony Classical. But he also made a number of recordings during the same period for Decca and Philips in Europe, with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam; Vienna Philharmonic, and London Symphony, all of which are included in this box. If you think of Szell as a cold, calculating technician - and he could be in some of his Columbia recordings - he has precision here in spades, but also warm sound, perhaps partly from the remastering for this release.

Szell's Concertgebouw Beethoven Symphony 5 is MUCH BETTER than his Cleveland recording. The precision is there, but it also sings, and is warmer than the Cleveland recording (Sony, coupled with Symphony 2). Szell's Vienna EGMONT is one of the best recordings of the work, if not THE best recording of the stereo age, even 36 years after it was recorded. The Sibelius 2 (also with the Concertgebouw) is warm and fine in every way. The Concertgebouw played beautifully for him, and it shows.

The Mendelssohn MIDSUMMER NIGHT's DREAM, Schubert ROSAMUNDE, Mozart Symphony 34, Handel WATER MUSIC and ROYAL FIREWORKS MUSIC are all excellent, too. Some may have favorite performances, but I cannot imagine anything better than Szell's Concertgebouw Mozart 34: perhaps Bohm (DG) and Krips (Philips).
The 5th disc has two classic mono recordings of the early 1950s:
Dvorak's Symphony 8, and Brahms 3, both with the Concertgebouw. The sound is just fine: beautifully remastered, and Szell's performances very solid and musical.

As you can tell, I'm very happy with this, and would advise anyone with $30.00 spare change to pick it up at their first opportunity.

Average customer rating:

The Early BBC Recordings 1961-1965

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Beethoven: Cello Sonatas & Variations
Jacqueline du Pre - Favourite Cello Concertos ~ Boccherini, Dvorak, Elgar, Haydn, Monn, Saint-Saens, Schumann
Jacqueline du Pré - a lasting inspiration
Jacqueline du Pré - Chopin: Cello Sonata in G minor, Franck: Sonata in A / Barenboim
Jacqueline du Pre In Portrait

ASIN: B0002Z83LQ
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Tracks:

I. Prelude
II. Allemande
III. Courante
IV. Sarabande
V. Menuets I & II
VI. Gigue
I. Prelude
II. Allemande
III. Courante
IV. Sarabande
V. Menuets I & II
VI. Gigue
II. Scherzo (Pizzicato) - Stephen Kovacevich
IV. Marcia - Stephen Kovacevich
I. El Pano Moruno
II. Asturiana
III. Jota
IV. Nana
V. Cancion
VI. Polo

Tracks:

I. Allegro Vivace
II. Adagio Affettuoso
III. Allegro Appassionato
IV. Allegro Molto
I. Prelude - William Pleeth
II. Air - William Pleeth
III. Sarabande - William Pleeth
IV. Chaconne Iegere - William Pleeth
V. Le Je-Ne-Scay-Quoy - William Pleeth
I. Grave
II. Allegro
III. Sarabande
IV. Allegro

Average customer rating:

Truly lovely
Brilliant!
Not worth the money!
A Beautiful Voice
Buy!

Twilight and Innocence

Manufacturer: Arabesque Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Ruth Ann Swenson - i carry your heart / Warren Jones
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Gifts of Christmas
Vivaldi Edition: Operas

ASIN: B00000B9O1
Release Date: 1998-09-15

Tracks:

Der Engel
Ich atmet' einen linden Duft
Auf Flugen des Gesanges
Oh, quand je dors
Le Bonheur est Chose legere
En Priere
Chere Nuit
Mondnacht
Wiegenlied
Giulio Cesare: V'adoro, pupille
Zdes' khorosho
Ya ne prorok
Wasserose
Wiegenlied
Litanei auf der Fest Allerseelen
St. Ita's Vision
Long Time Ago
The Little Horses

Amazon.com

Metropolitan Opera soprano Heidi Grant Murphy and her husband, the pianist and conductor Kevin Murphy (also of the Met), conceived the concept for this recording with guidance from their friend and Met colleague, Ken Noda. The intent was to convey a feeling of infinite tranquillity, reverie, dreaminess, and tenderness. Though the disk's packaging--including its title--may strike some as slightly drippy, the recording deserves high praise on musical grounds. The selection of repertoire is excellent, and as a result, the disk's overall feeling is one of serene continuity. As interpreter, Heidi Grant Murphy brings out the many subtly-shaded moods in this music, and her voice is stunning without calling undue attention to itself. It is by turns quiet, close, tender, and yielding. It's a special disk to have. --Gwendolyn Freed

Customer Reviews:

Truly lovely.......2006-08-23

Ms. Grant Murphy has an exquisitely tuned and toned soprano, and her husband, Mr. Murphy, accompanies and supports with great delicacy and musicality. The selections are wide-ranging and eclectic, and I found most of the disc utterly entrancing. Heidi Grant Murphy's voice is clear, high, pure and uniquely beautiful in timbre. I had the great pleasure of hearing her live in concert in 2005 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood, in Mahler, and on the strength of that decided to purchase this CD. If pressed to find what I considered to be a weak spot, I would have to say that I did not find Ms. Grant Murphy's voice particularly suited to "O quand je dors", although the duo performance of that song was as thoroughly musically informed and well-conceived as any of the other selections included. I think this is quite a remarkable collection and I would definitely recommend it to lovers of art song.

Brilliant!.......2003-12-30

Seems like Laura, who gave a terrible review, is a bit jealous! She must have been competing with Heidi and was not picked. It is obvious she is terribly resentful of Heidi's beautiful voice and talent. Heidi's voice is angelic and peaceful. I highly reccommend all of her CD's. Her husband Kevin and she make a great pair and their talents are amazing! Keep them coming Heidi. As for you Laura, keep trying. Besides the attitude and resntment, you must not have the talent you thought you possessed.

Not worth the money!.......2000-11-26

Looking at the high praise this mediocre recording receives in the other reviews, I'm wondering whether I listened to the same one. I bought this recording with high hopes, but having never listened to her voice - I regret it. The material she performs is good (if somewhat standard), but her voice is really...weird. It has a Beverly Sills (past the golden years) wobble in it that she seems to think is a healthy vibrato. I know she was pulled out of Indiana U early for a Met contract, and I think they did her a disservice - her technique is horrible. She does have good control of her pianissimi, but as a whole, the recording is most disappointing. In the Rach, her fortes are frighteningly bad, almost embarassing. How does this woman sing at the met?

A Beautiful Voice.......2000-02-25

Heidi Garant Murphy is an exceptional singer. The magical tone of her voice is matched by intelligent musicianship. I recently (Feb 10) saw her as Sophie in Der Rosenkvalier at the Met. A wonderful performance, in which she was clearly the interpreter closest to what I think Strauss had in mind. She also had the most beautiful voice (although Fleming was also in excellent voice) This disc is another wonderful example or her singing. Kevin Murphy, who is her husband, provides a sensitive piano accompaniment. This disk is not background music. The sensitive interpretations require your complete attention to be appreciated.

Buy!.......2000-02-15

Judging from most reviews in the classical genre, I am not qualified to evaluate Twilight & Innocence for its technical merits, but let me say that Heidi Grant Murphy has one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard. The selections, and lovely piano accompaniment are a perfect showcase for her talent. I've worn out my repeat button on V'adoro, pupille...heidi and kevin, encore!