Bolero: French & Russian Orchestral Favorites

On this CD:

1. The Sorcerer's Apprentice, for orchestra
Composed by Paul [composer] Dukas
Performed by Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Dmitri Kitajenko

2. Ma mère l'oye, ballet for orchestra
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Dmitri Kitajenko

3. Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun), for orchestra, L. 86
Composed by Claude Debussy
Performed by Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Dmitri Kitajenko

4. Boléro, ballet for orchestra (or piano)
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Dmitri Kitajenko

5. St. John's Night on the Bare Mountain (Ivanova noch' na Lisoy gore), symphonic poem for orchestra
Composed by Modest Mussorgsky
Performed by Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Dmitri Kitajenko

6. Enchanted Lake, for orchestra, Op 62
Composed by Anatol Konstantinovich Lyadov
Performed by Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Dmitri Kitajenko

7. Russian Folksongs (8) for orchestra, Op 58
Composed by Anatol Konstantinovich Lyadov
Performed by Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Dmitri Kitajenko

8. Kikimora for orchestra, Op 63
Composed by Anatol Konstantinovich Lyadov
Performed by Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Dmitri Kitajenko

9. Musical Snuffbox, for piano (or orchestra), Op 32
Composed by Anatol Konstantinovich Lyadov
Performed by Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Dmitri Kitajenko

10. Baba-Yaga for orchestra, Op 56
Composed by Anatol Konstantinovich Lyadov
Performed by Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Dmitri Kitajenko

11. Norwegian Moods (4), for orchestra
Composed by Igor Stravinsky
Performed by Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Dmitri Kitajenko

12. L'oiseau de feu (The Firebird), concert suite for orchestra No. 2
Composed by Igor Stravinsky
Performed by Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Dmitri Kitajenko

Tracks:

Parlez-moi d'amour
Ouvre ton coeur
Oh, quand je dors
Waltz From Mireille
Si tu le veux
Les filles de le Cadiz
Les chemins de l'amour
Plaisir d'amour
Villanelle
Goyescas: Interludio
Goyescas: La maja y el ruisenior
Estrellita
La morena de mi copla

Customer Reviews:

Point of Information.......2007-07-06

Folks, please read the recording data! This album does not present merely the "older Sills" of 1975. Tracks 10 to 13 were recorded in February 1961, when Sills was about three months shy of 32 years old. To hear her any younger on disc, you have to go to her splendid recording of *The Ballad of Baby Doe*, released in 1959. (If anyone knows of still earlier recordings, please holler!) So these 1961 tracks alone make the album priceless, especially since it offers vastly better sound than the slightly boomy acoustic of *Baby Doe*.

For me, the initial main attraction here was the Granados, and it was a hallelujah moment when I spotted this CD in the bins almost 10 years ago. While this disc represents the commercial first release of the *Goyescas* selections, they received limited issue around December 1963 on a holiday-bonus LP ("The Sound of Genius 1963") from the Columbia Record Club.

That LP was my introduction to Sills, and it made me fall in love with her voice. It was always a special treat to play her vocal track for those who had no idea it existed and watch their astonishment as Beverly's voice floated through sonic space like the very nightingale she sings about. It is simply some of the loveliest, most haunting singing I've ever heard. To get two additional tracks from the same recordings sessions -- especially "Estrellita" -- was an unexpected blessing.

So get this CD for the last three tracks, if nothing else (track 10 is purely orchestral). They capture Sills at a magical moment. Even if you like nothing else on the disc (and I think you'll like much more), you can claim these three special treasures for a mere pittance. How much more precious are they, now that she has gone on to sing, we pray, in other realms.

Estrellita.......2006-12-07

The incomparable Beverly Sills beautifuly sings here a true bouquet of songs in French and Spanish. A pleasure to the ear.

Estrellita is not a Spanish song as claimed by some commentators, but a Mexican one, whose author is the late Manuel M. Ponce.

Ugly.......2004-05-20

Sills screeching a mezzo-role? She already ruined belcanto with her puny, fake screeching!

Carmen.......2004-04-26

She DID sing Michaela. And it's said that she also did Carmen. But if she did, she was completely miscast. She also did Aida, live-recording of her Aida is...interesting. Anyway, Sills rules in the French rep, esp. as Manon.

Excellent disc.......2004-03-21

This is a fantastic disc and shows Beverly Sills at her interpretive best with zesty, go-for-broke vocalism that is truly wonderful to hear.

Tracks:

Canon In D
'Brandenburg' Concerto No. 3: Allegro
The Four Seasons - The Winter: Largo And Allegro
Fanfare ('Masterpiece Theatre' Theme)
Camerata Romana: Air For The 'G' String
'Eine kleine Nachtmusik': Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 21 ('Elvira Madigan' Theme): Andante
Introduction To Symphony No. 5
'William Tell' Overture: Finale
'Aida': Triumphal March
On The Beautiful, Blue Danube Waltz
'The Nutcracker': Waltz Of The Flowers
'1812' Overture: Finale

Tracks:

Sabre Dance
'Light Cavalry' Overture: Finale
Carmen: The Toreadors
' Midsummer Night's Dream': Wedding March
Radetzky March
Symphony No. 9, 'Choral': Finale
'Prince Igor': Polovstian Dance No. 17
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Peer Gynt: Solveig's Song
Sleepers, Wake
Water Music: Hornpipe
Symphony No. 9, 'From The New World': Largo
Emperor Waltz
'Emperor' Quartet: St. Anthony's Chorale
'The Tales Of Hoffman': Barcarolle
L'Arlesienne: Farandole
'The Nutcracker': Dance Of The Mirlitons
'The Nutcracker': Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy
'Rhapsody In Blue': Highlight
'Orpheus In The Underworld': Can-Can

Tracks:

Introduction To 'Also sprach Zarathustra'
Symphony No. 4, 'Italian': Saltarello: Presto
Piano Concerto No. 20: Romance
'The Valkyrie': Ride Of The Valkyries
'The Four Seasons' - The Spring: Allegro
Toccata and Fugue
Trumpet Voluntary
'Royal Fireworks Music': la rejouissance: Allegro
'Moonlight' Sonata: Adagio Sostenuto
London Festival Orchestra: Overture To 'The Barber Of Seville'
Piano Concerto No. 2: Adagio Sostenuto

Tracks:

Carmina Burana: Introduction To 'Carmina Burana'
Peer Gynt: Dawn From 'Peer Gynt'
Lohengrin: Prelude To 'Lohengrin'
'Lieutenant Kije': Troika From 'Lieutenant Kije'
Adiago For Strings
'Carmen': Habanera From 'Carmen'
'Double' Concerto: Allegro From 'Double' Concerto
The Marriage Of Figaro: Overture To 'The Marriage Of Figaro'
(Rondo) Alla Turca
Xerxes: Largo From 'Xerxes'
Symphony No. 5: Allegro vivace From Symphony No. 5
'Swan Lake': Scene: Enchanted Lake From 'Swan Lake'
Clair De Lune
Bolero

Customer Reviews:

CD set is misnamed.......2007-06-08

They should have titled this "classical music for people who love classical music" because most of the selections are typical classical music. The title suggests it would be lively selections of "light classical" music that is more upbeat, i.e. Sabre Dance, etc. I really don't hate classical music at all and have many classical CDs in my collection but I really wanted to hear more exciting selections. I won't be purchasing any more of this set but if you like traditional classical music these are good one.

Do not Buy.......2007-02-21

I do know it says classical music for people who hate it, but serioulsly you would have better luck never listening to classical music again. The recordings are awfull and do not do justice to any of the composers. Buy something else.

Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music.......2007-01-30

We love this set of CD's. I just got a new copy because my kids keeping taking our first copy with them so that they can listen at work or in their bedrooms but then I can never find them.

Seek better versions.......2006-12-09

If you are fairly new to classical purchases then compilation CD's can be useful for deciding what to buy next. Sometimes you only need a small taste of a piece to inspire you to buy a release with the whole performance on. The problem with this compilation however is that most of the versions are poor in performance or recording quality (or both) when compared to the best versions and the fact that the conductors aren't even credited on the track listing made me suspect that this would be the case. One of my favorite classical pieces is Tchaikovsky's 1812 festival overture but if the first CD version I had heard had been the finale excerpt that is on this compilation I may not have gone on to buy the whole thing. Luckily I heard Adrian Leaper's version first and Adrian's version is rather good.
My classical CD buying experience is limited to only a couple of dozen discs but I have found that the Naxos and Deutshe Grammophon releases are fairly safe. Avoid any release which does not name the conductors on the track listing or sleeve notes.

It Is What It Is.......2006-10-27

It's fitting that this page is fraught with the same kind of silly snobbery that turns people off from classical music (and necessitates collections like this) in the first place.

Any criticism of this compilation, which focuses on the quality of the performances or the fact that many tracks are excerpts, misses the point. This is not a collection for people who consider such things, nor does it purport to be. The idea is to package as many ultra-famous classical melodies as possible in one affordable collection and market it to people who have never purchased a classical recording. As such, top-tier performances are likely too expensive to be sold so cheaply and are unnecessary anyway. Those of us who already know and love a piece or two can forgive the compilers the inclusion of sub-par recordings, when we are exposed to so many other beautiful pieces for the first time.

It probably comes as a shock for some to hear that most people are not familiar with these classics. We may hear snippets on TV or movies, but are left with no idea as to the composer or historical context. With that in mind, it is extremely intimidating to begin buying classical. I suppose those among us, who so thoroughly dismissed the very notion of a boxed set like this, would have us begin by buying full albums by reputable interpreters. Surprisingly enough though, the majority of people would consider that a tad cost-prohibitive.

To conclude, this is a STARTER collection. It will either affirm a listener's feelings about classical music or lead to an interest in purchasing better recordings. Ideally, I suppose the interpretations would be better, but, for reasons mentioned above, that just isn't in the cards for a collection of this nature. If you're familiar with 50 different recordings of "The Ring" series, or have season tickets to the New York Philharmonic, then this probably isn't for you. For us cretins with limited foreknowledge of classical music though, it serves as a succinct introduction with little to complain about.

Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

Average customer rating:

Waste of money
Great Music Compilation
If you like classical music don't buy this CD.
A must for anyone wanting the staples of classical music
A great compilation

Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

Manufacturer: Utv Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music
25 Classical Favorites
The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Ever, Volume II
The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe

ASIN: B00004GOZA
Release Date: 2000-02-08

Tracks:

Adagio In G Minor
Jesu, Joy OF Man's Desiring
Moonlight Sonata - Adagio sostenuto
March Of The Toreadors (Carmen)
Celebrated Minuet
Polovtsian Dance No. 1 (Prince Igor)
Cradle Song
'Minute' Waltz
Suite Bergamasque: Clair de Lune
Largo
Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1
Rhapsody In Blue - Andante And Finale
Peer Gynt Suite: Morning
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
Liebestraum
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Wedding March
'Masterpiece Theater' Theme: Rondau (First Symphonic Suite)
The Great Gate Of Kiev

Tracks:

Eine klein Nachtmusik - Allegro: Eine kleine Nachtmusik - Allegro
Orpheus In The Underworld: Cancan
Carmina Burana - O Fortuna
Canon In D
Lietenant Kije Suite - Troika
Turandot: Nessun dorma
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini - 18th Variation: Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini- 18th Variation
Bolero - Conclusion
The Tale Of Czar Sultan: Flight Of The Bumblebee
William Tell Overture - Finale
Carnival Of The Animals: The Swan
Gymnopedie No. 3
Ave Maria
Blue Danube Waltz
Thus Spake Zarathustra - Sunrise
Firebird Suite - Finale
1812 Overture - Finale: 1812 Overtune - Finale
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves'
Anvil Chorus (II Trovatore)
The Four Seasons - Largo From 'Winter'
Die Walkure: Ride Of The Valkyries

Amazon.com

For those who want the most remembered passages of classical music's best-loved works, here's a package for you. On this bargain priced double-CD, you'll find music from 40 different classical composers; for the most part, the recordings excerpted here are some of the very best. Of course, you only get one Bach sampling (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, played by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra) and one Mozart (A Little Night Music conducted by Herbert von Karajan), but this is still a nice collection--perhaps the starting point for a budding collection of classical music. This set's downfall? Unfortunately, though the liner notes discuss the evolution of classical music chronologically, the tracks are programmed in alphabetical order by composer's last name. This makes for some startling transitions! Emil Gilels's reflective performance of the Adagio from Beethoven's "Moonlight" sonata is followed by the crashing cymbals and bombast of Carmen's "March of the Toreadors," a recipe for a heart attack if there ever was one. Still, there's something here for everyone and the liner notes even explain what movies this music can be found in. A nice touch. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Waste of money.......2006-01-12

Watch out for the volume leveling mentioned in another review. Surely the compliers could have come up with a better sort order than by composer. The change in tempo/volume between pieces makes it impossible to enjoy. My two CD's ended up in the trash.

Ken

Great Music Compilation.......2005-08-15

This is a great CD full of many songs that you will recognize and enjoy. If you are someone who likes classical music but doesn't necessarily know which songs or which composers you like, then this CD is for you. You will likely recognize many of the songs as the classical songs you would have picked out to be your favorites.

If you like classical music don't buy this CD........2005-03-11

Most of the tracks were chopped down to 3-4 minutes so some of the best parts of the compositions are missing. I don't know what I was thinking trying to buy 40 classical songs on two CD's. If you really want to enjoy the music you would do better to purchase a CD with fewer, but better quality tracks.

A must for anyone wanting the staples of classical music.......2005-02-23

In my years of experience teaching Fine Arts to high school students, I know that the majority, if not all, of the music included on this album is commonly used in collge music appreciation courses. This is an excellent sample of truly all the "greatest hits" of classical music. My students enjoy listening to the music and have later told me when take their required music apreciation courses in college that they "already know it all" because of this CD! The recordings are clear, the selections are passionate, and the listener will gain a familiarity with all of the most commonly heard classical music used in tv commercials, movies, etc.
I recommend this album, along with the boxed set, "Age of the Classics" for anyone who is interested in becoming familiar with the most famous staples of classical music.

A great compilation.......2005-02-09

This cd somes up some of the greatest pieces of instrumental (and is some cases choral) music ever written. It is a great starter for a beginning classical music lover or a quick and easy all-in-one for those of us who study classical music for a living. I highly recommend this cd to anyone who wants to love or already does love classical music.

Passion - Most Famous Orchestral Spectaculars [20 CD Set]

Average customer rating:

A good gift for novice

Passion - Most Famous Orchestral Spectaculars [20 CD Set]

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00012QLTQ
Release Date: 2003-12-09

Album Description

Music can be both calming and relaxing, or invigorating and passionate...this phenomenal 20-CD set is definitely the latter. This amazing collection brings together for the first time the most passionate music of all time, from Ravel's Bolero, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Wagner's Magic Fire Music to Ravel's La Valse, Orff 's Carmina Burana and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. This is a must have collection for every passionate music lover.

Customer Reviews:

A good gift for novice.......2007-05-12

This was a good gift for somebody learning about Classical music in Japan.

Average customer rating:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!
Beginner or Expert
Very Informative and Enjoyable
Frank's view
Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra

Instruments of the Orchestra
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ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra Op34; Simple Symphony Op4
The Life and Works of Ludwig van Beethoven
What to Listen for in Music
Study of Orchestration, Third Edition
The Life and Works of Frédéric Chopin

ASIN: B00006O0NT
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

Overture To 'Tannhauser'
Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
Hungarian Dance No.7
The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
Csardas Music
The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
Tzigane
Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
Caprice No.24
The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
The Violin Muted
Clair De Lune
The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
The Pizzicato Violin
Pizzicato Polka
In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
Hungarian Dance No.4
Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
Bolero
Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
Elfenreigen

Tracks:

Introduction To The Viola
Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
Cypresses (No.9)
The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
The 'Period' Viola In Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
Elfentanz, Op.39
Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
The Protecting Veil (Opening)
A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
Flamenco
Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
Symphony No.9 (Finale)
Introduction To The Double-Bass
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
Elegy No.1 In D Major
The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
Capriccio Di Bravura
Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
Sa'Dawi
Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
Chamber Music No.II
The Piccolo - Aptly Named
La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
A Variety Of Techniques
Chamber Music No.II
Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
Naelden, Naelden
The Bachian Oboe
Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
The Swan Of Tuonela
The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
Bolero
The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
...And Quite Low.
Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
Introduction To The Saxophone
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
Bolero
The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
Sax-O-Phun
The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
Bolero
The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
Symphony No.3 (Opening)
The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
The Ceremonial Trumpet
Fanfare For The Common Man
Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
Billy The Kid
The Trumpet As Character Actor
Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
The Birth Of The Trombone
Aenmerckt Nu Hier
The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
Canzon 12 In Double Echo
The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
Hosannah
The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
The Trombone As Caricaturist
Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
The Horn And The Hunt
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
Walter Music (Minuet 1)
The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
Den Hoboecken Dans
Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
Gymnopedie No.2
The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
The Birth Of The Bongo
Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
Taking Advantage Of Tunability
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
Ravel And The Xylophone
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
Introducing The Vibraphone
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
Folk Dances
The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
Introducing The Tubular Bells
Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
Carmen Suite (Introduction)
But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Introducing The Celeste
The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
Petrushka (Russian Dance)
The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
Mahler's Sleighbells
Symphony No.4 (Opening)
A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Nocturnes
Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
The Oboe As Duck
Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
A Thunderstorm In A Million
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
Octet In F (Mvt 3)
The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
Canzon 28
Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
Images (Gigues)
A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

Tracks:

Ciribiribin
The Firefly: Giannina mia
The Firefly: The Donkey Serenade
Naughty Marietta: Ah! Sweet Mystery Of Life
Naughty Marietta: Italian Street Song
New Moon: Lover Come Back To Me
New Moon: One Kiss
Smilin' Through: Land Of Hope And Glory
Rose Marie: Indian Love Call
San Francisco
The Holy City
Love Parade: March Of The Grenadiers
Monte Carlo: Beyond The Blue Horizon
The Fortune Teller: Romany Life
The Vagabond King: Only A Rose
Les filles de Cadiz
Ave Maria
Songs My Mother Taught Me
Romeo et Juliette: Je veux vivre dans ce reve
Faust: Il etait un roi de Thule
Faust: Air des bijoux
Louise: Depuis le jour

Customer Reviews:

Jeanette MacDonald Favorites.......2007-05-13

This CD is an incredible testimony and celebration of an American Master Singer.
A must have for all. An introduction to quality and good taste for a new generation of music lovers.

A MUST for any Jeanette fan!.......2006-04-25

This CD is a gem! The songs included on it are beautiful and show off MacDonald's incredible voice. The best part of this CD, however, is the sound quality. Unlike many of her other recordings, and those featuring her with frequent costar Nelson Eddy, the sound on this CD is pristine, and you can barely tell the recordings are 50+ years old!

Jeanette MacDonald Was Unique.......2001-03-12

It really doesn't matter whether or not she could sing; Jeanette MacDonald was unique. On these old recordings, her voice sounds thin and watery, and contemporary tastes do not respond so readily to the sentimentality and predictability of her movies. But she was a gracious lady and glittering presence on the silver screen. These film songs do suggest the excitement she generated when her movies first appeared. And how many truly major singers she inspired! Joan Sutherland recalled meeting MacDonald a few years before her death. Said Sutherland: "I still had stars in my eyes."

An excellent demonstration of Jeanette MacDonald's artistry.......1998-12-18

The highlights of this Jeanette MacDonald CD include her excellent singing of Delibes' "Les Filles de Cadiz," the Bach-Gounod "Ave Maria," and the "Jewel Song" from "Faust." A much-underrated artist, MacDonald proves here that she can handle a wide range of music, from concert songs and opera arias to familiar tunes from her operetta films. Particularly fine are her renditions of "Only a Rose," and Herbert's "Romany Life" (in spite of an amateurish male chorus). Highly recommended not only as a tribute to filmdom's first lady of song, but also to listeners who enjoy both opera and musical comedy.

Average customer rating:

Half the tracks are march or played like one
decent for dancing
Recommended
Wonderful selection, but not really dancing music
This Will Keep You Dancing

25 Classical Dance Favorites

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

25 Classical Favorites
A Night at the Ballet (Box Set)
Symphony (25) Favorites
Favorite Waltzes
25 Concerto Favorites

ASIN: B0000058IQ
Release Date: 1997-07-01

Tracks:

Blue Danube Waltz
Midsummer's Night Dream: Scherzo
Sleeping Beauty: Introduction
Sleeping Beauty: Adagio pas d'action
Annen Polka
Tales From The Vienna Woods
Turkish March
Bella Bolka Polka
Les Patineurs: Pas de Duex From Les Patineurs
Les Patineurs: Finale From Les Patineurs
Dance Of the Nubian Slave Girls
Samson: Ballet Music From Samson
Entry Of The Gladiators
La Gioconda: Dance Of The Hours
Washington Post
Peaches & Cream
Polovtsian Dances (Extract)
Slavic Dance In G Minor, Op.46 No. 8
Der Rosenkavalier Waltz
Galop (La Vie Parisienne)
Orpheus: Can Can (Orpheus)
Sabre Dance
Gavotta Choro
Faust: Ballet (Extract)
Bolero

Customer Reviews:

Half the tracks are march or played like one.......2007-06-05

This disc reminded me of Leonard Bernstein's conducting: somehow many of his conducting session became marches. Many tracks on this disc is like that. I am a novice when it comes to classical music, so part of allure of this disc was that it contained many titles I didn't recognize, so it wasn't a total loss. I guess I should have read the track listing more carefully... what is Washington Post by Sousa doing on dance compilation?

decent for dancing.......2006-12-31

There are quite a few tracks on here that do well for recital music. THere's different ones from the unoriginal swan lake's and nutcracker..my students loved to hear what came next....it gets better towards the end of the cd!

Recommended.......2005-10-03

For those who would enjoy a fast, fun, and cheerful kind of classical music, I guess this cd is a very good choice. Also, if you want to make your kids a classic music lover, you could start with this fun, lighthearted music.

Wonderful selection, but not really dancing music.......2000-06-27

I agree that this is indeed absolutely beautiful light classical music. It is indeed a perfect beginning to a lifelong passion to have classical music playing in the background or to turn up the volume and immerse yourself in it. But it consists of mostly ballet music, several marches, polkas, an entrance of the gladiators, a gavotte and just to show that he can-can, a delightful little march by Beethoven of all people (Turkish March). Or can you dance to the continuous hypnotic rhythm of Ravel's Bolero? Quite tiring, I would think. Nevertheless, great music at an astounding price. Consider buying all or most of the "25 Favorites" series. You will not regret it

This Will Keep You Dancing.......2000-03-30

If you like to dance and you like classical, this cd is a must have. Who says you can't dance to classical? This CD proves those who think so wrong. Highlights include Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty, Mendhelsson's Midsummer Night's Dream, Gounod's Dance of the Slave Girls and Faust, Dvorak's Slavonic Dance, Offenbach's can-can (yeah!) Katchaturian's Sabre Dance and Ravel's Bolero. All these are excellent. Sousa Marches are here too. You must get this CD if you are a serious lover of the classical. In fact, this was my first Classical CD. Make it a part of your life and dance to the great beats of the classics ! Yeah I'm serious.

Cecilia Bartoli - Live in Italy / Jean-Yves Thibaudet

Average customer rating:

Buy two and give one to someone you love!
A joyful sample of the human voice.
A sheer delight from start to finish
Exquisite
Cecilia Live

Cecilia Bartoli - Live in Italy / Jean-Yves Thibaudet
George Frideric Handel , Antonio Vivaldi , Giulio Caccini , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Franz Schubert , Pauline Viardot , Hector Berlioz , Vincenzo Bellini , Gaetano Donizetti , Gioachino Rossini , Umberto Giordano , Xavier Montsalvatge , Georges Bizet , Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca , Cecilia Bartoli , and Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Cecilia Bartoli - The Vivaldi Album / Il Giardino Armonico
Cecilia Bartoli - A Portrait
Cecilia Bartoli - An Italian Songbook (Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini)
Cecilia Bartoli - If You Love Me (Se tu m'ami ), 18th-Century Italian Songs
Cecilia Bartoli ~ Opera Proibita (Handel · Scarlatti · Caldara) / Les Musiciens du Louvre · Minkowski

ASIN: B00000DBTM
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Tracks:

Tu ch'hai le penne, Amore
Amarilli
Al fonte, al prato
Lascia la spina
Agitata da due venti
Oiseaux, si tous les ans, K. 307
La Pastorella, D 528
Havanaise
Hai luli!
Zaide
Malinconia, ninfa gentile
Ma rendi pur contento
La conocchia
Me voglio fa 'na casa
Mi lagnero tacendo
Mi lagnero tacendo (Il Risentimento)
Mi lagnero tacendo (Sorzico)
L' Orpheline du Tyrol
Riedi al soglio (Zelmira)
Le nozze di Figaro: Voi che sapete
Canzonetta Spagnuola
Caro mio ben
Cinco Canciones negras, No. 5: Canto negro
Carmen: Seguedille (Carmen)

Amazon.com essential recording

In the beginning, Cecilia Bartoli seemed to do one thing better than anybody, i.e., Rossini arias, which would not guarantee a long career even for a singer of her ebullience. This live performance from the Teatro Olympico in Vincenza, Italy, shows how much she's expanded, both linguistically and musically. The first five selections reflect her newfound specialty, early opera. The three Caccini selections from the 17th century--accompanied by small string ensemble--are deeply felt and stylistically convincing enough to make one eager for future forays. She's guilty of spinning out Handel's "Lascia la spina" excessively but hits new heights of virtuosity in Vivaldi's "Agitata da due venti." The rest of the disc is for voice and piano, in a program including both some genuine discoveries by French composer Pauline Viardot-Garcia that reveal the singer's increasing emotional depths and less consequential ones by Donizetti and Rossini. Bartoli also sings Spanish songs, most notably Montsalvatge's "Canto negro," proving that the singer doesn't venture into a new language until she can truly feel in it. Remarkably, her voice maintains its strength and body in the deeper, mezzo-ish regions as well as in the high, soprano-range areas. Might she have two voices? --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

Buy two and give one to someone you love!.......2007-03-08

(That way, you can get free shipping!) Or, buy Opera Proibita also.

If you think you don't like listening to soprano soloists, you should buy this CD. I must say that I HATE listening to solo singing in general and soprano solo in particular! Well, this lady has stolen my heart! If you see her anywhere on the N American continent, please tell me.

The one-minute limit for listening on-line will simply not allow you to make a judgement. If I could legally allow you to hear track 5 "Griselda - Agitata da Due Venti" (Vivaldi), you would buy the CD without hearing anything else.

When I first heard Cecilia Bartoli on "Performance Today", the subject was "Opera Proibita" and I wrote to a friend who teaches voice at a local college and asked "Is she as good as I think, or am I just overreacting?" His simple response was "She's THAT good!"

This CD is of a live performance and you won't be disappointed except to realize that you COULD have been there, but weren't!

If she ever performs where I am able to see her, I'll be there. If I can talk to her, I will -- but I won't ask for my heart.

Highly recommended!

A joyful sample of the human voice........2006-06-12

'Live in Italy' by mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli, accompanied by pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet is, for those of us who do not know Italian and are not avid opera fans, a simply delightful essay in the beauty of the human voice. I am really happy this is not the first Bartoli album I have bought, as others, such as her recordings of French and Italian love songs have more substance to offer (if you don't know the operas from which these pieces are taken) but this recording, with its live ambiance, is a great pleasure all by itself, a very nice change from the somewhat frostier Fraulain Von Otter from the northern climes.

A sheer delight from start to finish.......2005-07-14

Although I rarely follow singers, even I am totally disarmed by Cecilia's magic spell of charm that criticism fails me. You will see that most of my reviews of music are about modern or Renaissance music, so for me to go out and lavish praise on her is really something totally out of the ordinary. Then again her singing is out of the ordinary in that it has an instantly recognisable warmth and captivating personality that makes her the outstanding singer of the current generation for me.

I have been impressed by Cecilia's tendency to avoid the well worn paths of 19th century Italian operas in favour of championing neglected earlier music whether that be Vivaldi, Haydn, or Salieri. She has always talked about how the centre of gravity of Western music seems to be shifting backwards in time, and in her case this means away from the Austro-German tradition to the time when the Italians dominated music. After all the musical elite of even Wagner's time could be still be heard muttering 'but he just isn't as good as those Italian...' at premiers of works such as Tannhäuser and it took a lot of convincing before the the idea of German opera became accepted. This shift backward in time here is exemplified by way the recital begins with the music of Caccini, the father of opera.

Here on this recording I particularly love the spontaneity of the live music making. Her ability to capture the declamatory nature of much older music such as with Caccini, Vivaldi and Handel suite live recording perfectly. Her manner of conveying the meaning of the words especially when singing in Italian is simply unrivalled in this situation. This is the sort of thing that all too often gets lost in studio recordings so it is a blessing that this is a live recording, where Cecilia seems to just glow. The spontaneity, the sheer magic of the moment - it is all a sheer delight from start to finish. At moments her voice seems so etheral, the hushed and rapt awe of the music making so breathtaking, that it simply beggers belief that the human voice can be so beautiful an instrument. This is what great music making should be all about.

As far as the recording itself goes I have never noticed any disturbing audience noises anywhere even on my system which tends to makes the slightest of rustling blatantly obvious. The recording engineers do an excellent job of capturing the ambience of the acoustic of the Teatro Olimpico in Vincenzo despite the presence of the audience.

A stunning recording and an absolute favourite to relax to or just to be inspired by.

Exquisite.......2003-01-31

"Her natural command of messa di voce phrasing, willingness to shade the voice away to the quietest pianissimo and acute sensitivity to the words of Caccini's love songs proved irresistible, attracting a generous mix of applause and foot stamping."

Such was the appreciation from the audience that the director had to request that the audience not stamp their feet as they would set off the alarm system.

There are hardly words to describe Cecilia Bartoli's remarkable vocal qualities, emotional range and warmth. When I listen to this CD, I am calmed completely. There is an element of comfort in her style. Maybe one could explain it as a lullaby for the soul.

She has the ability to support the longest of phrases on the back of a single breath all while varying the tone color and dynamic level. Singing seems as effortless as breathing as she becomes emotion all while capturing the drama and mood.

In this live performance from the Teatro Olympico in Vincenza, Italy, she performs each piece as if she is intimately entwined with the notes. How can music be this sensual and this comforting all at once? It just is. She can express a wide range of emotions, from profound despair to extreme joy.

The Teatro Olimpico is the worlds' oldest surviving covered theatre. It has fine acoustics, a sky-blue ceiling and marble. Cecilia Bartoli wanted to perform in one of the great treasures of Italy's cultural heritage and this led to this live performance with concert pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet who seems to sense every emotion in Cecilia's voice. It is a sublime combination of talent which is further enhanced by violins, viola, cello, violone, archlute and harpsichord.

Tu ch'hai le penne, Amore - A song to love asking love to fly to where the heart lies and to promise that his heart and soul were ever hers.

Amarilli - Delicate and beautiful expression of true love.

Al fonte, al prato - You can feel spring approaching and this song has a certain energy Cecilia embraces as she sings away troubles and sadness to allow in merriment.

Lascia la spina - Melancholy. "Old age will creep up on you when your heart does not expect it."

Agitata da due venti - Cecilia's voice takes flight in this song about waves raging in a stormy sea. She almost becomes the force of the ocean as her voice surges and dives and wow.

Oiseaux, si tous les ans, K307 - She embodies a haunting vulnerability and the freshness of spring/summer. This song ends far too quickly.

La pastorella, D528 - Calm beauty to reflect a shepherdess in a meadow. Innocent love.

Havanaise - It seems like she has a completely different voice in this song as she reaches
to new ranges in depth. Charmed by a song? Perhaps.

Hai luli! - A seductive treatment of a song asking "where can my love be?"

"What's the point of living without a lover?"

Zaide - High energy and fast paced. A song about an orphan.

Malinconia, ninfa gentile - Gorgeous and poetic song.

Ma rendi pur contento - She really captures longing and an almost delicate purity.

La conocchia - Light and breezy.

Me voglio fa 'na casa - A song about the desire to build a house surrounded by the sea. Fantasy and happiness.

Mi langero tacendo - Poignant moment.

"I shall not complain of my bitter fate;
but, my beloved, do not hope for me not to love you."

Mi lagnero tacendo ll resentimento - the sorrow continues. The lover is said to be cruel.

Mi lagnero tacendo Sorzico - more complaints of cruelty and sorrow. She seems to capture frustration so exquisitely and is that stomping I hear? ;)

L'Orpheline du Tyrol - The Tyrolean orphan girl. Jean-Yves Thibaudet really takes the stage at first and Cecilia follows almost timidly. A song of tragedy, hunger and suffering.

Riedi al soglio from Rossini's opera Zelmira left seasoned connoisseurs dazzled. After the aria's final cadence, they broke from their awe-struck silence to add to the shouts of "encore."

Voi che sapete - Light and yet still dramatic. Desire, torment, ice. All explored fully by her voice. You can hear "torment" when she sings "martir" even if you could not see the words or follow along. Her voice really "flutters" when she sings "palpito e tremo." It is just amazing.

Canzonetta spagnuola - A muse comes to torment a painter.

Caro mio ben - A lover grows faint without love. Solitary melodies and you can almost feel the chill in the room or the feeling of despair the lover feels.

Canto negro - Is there anything she can't sing? This piece might seem completely out of place, but by now everyone is completely drunk with emotion from this performance.

Seguidille - Pleasure comes when two people are together. Definitely so when Cecilia Bartoli and Jean-Yves Thibaudet perform together. This song is almost a metaphor of the entire intoxicating experience. I just love how the audience goes absolutely wild after this song.

And too soon, it is over. I look forward to one day viewing the performance on DVD. It will be so much easier to understand the words now that I've literally studied this performance. Knowing the words definitely adds to the subtle emotions and more expressive moments.

~TheRebeccaReview.com

Cecilia Live.......2002-07-12

I have loved her low and warm voice ever since the first time I listened to her, the Italian mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli. With respect and tenderness she treats the composers, whose works she performs while adding her own dimension. She transports me with her art. It is as if we become one person, and I experience her joy of music. Together we share a glimpse of eternity.

On this album which was recorded live at the Teatro Olimpico, Vicenza, Italy in 1998 Cecilia Bartoli offers her listeners a varied programme comprised of several composers: Caccini, Haendel, Vivaldi, Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, Viardot, Schubert, Montsalvatge and Bizet. She's accompanied in Caccini, Haendel and Vivaldi by the Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca (Baroque string ensemble) and for the other pieces by Jean-Yves Thibaudet on piano. The accompanying booklet contains the lyrics, translations and further information.

Ms. Bartoli certainly has expanded her musical horizons here in several ways. On this disc she sings in Italian, French and Spanish. I loved her intense and heartfelt rendition of Caccini's and Haendel's arias. The passionate acrobatics of Vivaldi. And the Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca gave her a fine support. She made a warm and lovely Cherubino in Mozart's famous 'Voi che sapete'. I also loved her sparkling interpretations of Viardot's 'Havanaise', Rossini's 'Mi lagnero tacendo' or his 'Canzonetta spagnuola'. But Montsalvatge's 'Canto negro' made me feel definitely uncomfortable and Ms. Bartoli herself didn't connect with it. Although I liked her rendition of Bizet's 'Seguedille, I still missed something there. Jean-Yves Thibaudet lends her an excellent, attentive and expressive support.

Although I would have preferred some more Baroque pieces at this concert, this live album is a keeper for me. Everytime the bundle of pure joy that is Cecilia Bartoli has the power to move me deeply!

The Chicago Principal: First Chair Soloist Play Famous Concertos

Average customer rating:

Nice collection
A world class collection!
First chair players top notch in a top notch orchestra
Must-have for CSO fans
Absolutely fantastic

The Chicago Principal: First Chair Soloist Play Famous Concertos
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Portrait of an Artist: Arnold Jacobs
The Antiphonal Music of Gabrieli
Strauss: Wind Concertos
Brahms & Beethoven: Music for Horn
Horn Concertos

ASIN: B00008RV2S
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

I. Allegro Aperto
II. Andante Ma Non Troppo
III. Allegro
I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Finale. Allegro
I. Allegro
II. Romance. Larghetto
III. Allegro
I. Lebhaft
II. Romanze. Ziemlich Langsam Doch Nicht Schleppend
III. Sehr Lebhaft

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Andante Ma Adagio
III. Rondo. Tempo De Menuetto
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Romanza. Andante Sostenuto
III. Finale - Rondo Alla Tedesca. Allegro
Prologue. Andante
Pastoral. Lento 'The Day's Grown Old'
Nocturne. Maestoso 'The Splendor Falls On Castle Walls'
Elegy. Andante Appassionato 'O Rose, Thou Art Sick'
Dirge. All Marcia Grave 'This Ae Nighte, Every Nighte'
Hymn. Presto E Leggiero 'Queen And Hantress, Chaste And Fair'
Sonnet. Adagio 'O Soft Embalmer Of The Still Midnight'
Epilogue. Andante
Bolero

Customer Reviews:

Nice collection .......2007-05-08

Great collection of concerti, some very familiar, some less so. Shortly after purchasing this double CD I had the chance to see the Chicago Symphony perform in Sarasota. Fun to see the principles at work on stage.

A world class collection!.......2006-11-16

It's not every day that you come across a recording that showcases as many elite calibur musicians as this collection does. Not only do you get some of the best names in the CSO, but you also get a tremendous diversity of musical genres to explore the viruosity. Being a horn player myself, I purchased the set for the Konzertstuck for four horns by Schumann. This single piece is worth the purchase of the 2 disk set all by itself. Describing this piece as a 'tour de force' would hardly do it justice, as horn players across the globe would agree. The fantastic four represented here certainly do not disappoint, masterfully executing the tremendous technical hurdles and extreme range requirements with flawless ease. Even though the technical demands are quite substantial, this group never loses sight of the phrasing, balance, and intonation, as can easily happen. Clevenger was most impressive in the Mozart horn concerto #3- an interpretation that I thought was extremely tasteful and pleasing. His command with changing not only of the dynamics of the piece, but also tonal colors to compliment this, is in my opinion unmatched. Adolph Hersith, what more can be said, a legend who played the Haydn to perfection. These are definitely the shining stars on the collection. Not to say the other selections were not outstandingly performed, but perhaps just fall out of the range of my preferred taste. While Jacobs played wonderfully, the tuba concerto was not to my liking as a matter of musical preference. The serenade for horn and tenor was even less appealing to me, and though the performers were stellar, I found the music to be difficult to follow, and repetitive in nature. Let's just call the entire second cd an adventure in specialties. Unless you happen to specialize in the particular instrument that is featured, you are unlikely to find these tracks as 'accessible' as the ones found on disk one. Between the bassoon concerto and Bolero, there is enough sleep aid for even the hard-core insomniac. Without the Konzertstuck, this rating would be a four, with it, it is a six!

First chair players top notch in a top notch orchestra.......2005-07-01

To be completely honest, this album did not interest me at first, even though I am the biggest CSO fan ever. The only reason I stumbled upon it was because I was browsing in a bad CD collection. All they had was generic, tripe recordings of most everything. Well, when I saw this I picked it up because I noticed it was under the DG label and because it had CSO recordings. I soon realized what I had been missing. This CD has probably the best recording ever of the Vaughn-Williams tuba concerto. Jacobs's mastery is held blatantly obvious in this recording, it is simply amazing and inspiring (even though I think his successor Gene Porkorny has a better sound). Another piece which caught my eye was the energetic Konzertstuck by Schumann. By itself the piece already speaks for itself. But, performed correctly, as it is here, the piece becomes heroic statement. The CSO horns play out boldly, without trepidation but alos without assaulting the ears. The sound is amazingly balanced between the four of them and they seem to be veritably unified in their playing, almost if one horn could double or triple stop( understandable?) instead of throwing 4 different players together and forcing them to compete. This is the CSO brass section that I know and love.

The real winner on this CD, however is the Bolero, conducted by Solti. The soloists are obviously all top notch. But espectially effective is the barely audible start with a simple side drum figure mingled with a flute to the deafening, exhilarating climax that closes the piece. If you're a brass person and you're looking for stereotypical Chicago brass, it's right here at the end. Good job Solti, and the CSO. Happy listening

Must-have for CSO fans.......2005-05-04

Recently I had an opportunity to meet with the legendary Bud Herseth, and I wanted a CD to get an autograph. But which one? The fabled archetype of the first trumpet, Herseth is on every recording the CSO made since he started in 1948 until he retired just a couple of years ago. If you want to get into an argument about who the best trumpet player who ever lived was, Herseth's name will center the argument, and the other contenders won't have been as well recorded. This CD turned out to be perfect, the Haydn concerto showcases his remarkable ability to be consistently perfect. I recommend this CD to classical music fans; Herseth, Clevenger, Still, Elliot and Jacobs are the best of the best in symphonic music, and these solo selections are truly magnificent. I recommend this CD especially to CSO fans, there are maybe a dozen symphonies at most in the same league as the CSO, and these principal chairs are one of the main reasons for the continued superiority of the symphony. I also recommend this CD to music students who play french horn, trumpet, tuba, oboe or bassoon. All musicians should strive for this level of magnificence, and though most will never reach this acme, the effort will bring you beyond the average. Lastly, I also recommend the CD to Solti fans, in spite of the fact that there are so many Solti recordings to choose from. You'll appreciate Solti's Bolero, it's my favorite Ravel recording. Oh by the way, I did get Herseth to sign the CD, he has a charming sense of humor and said "well, if I can remember how to spell my name." To which I replied: "Sir, it's printed on the CD."

Absolutely fantastic.......2004-04-14

As a horn player, I must unobjectively confess that there is something quite magical about the work of Dale Clevenger and the CSO horn section from the 70s and 80s.

Perhaps the predigital recording technology during this time
left a little to the listeners imagination. Perhaps the virtuosity and freshness of the performances was something truly
historic. Maybe it is just me.

The Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings and the Schumann Konzertstueck recordings are absolutely my hands down favorites. I cannot listen to these without getting excited about horn playing again. And, having them on CD is great.

The other performances on the CD are also excellent - so this recording is by no means just for horn players!

Tracks:

Carmen Without Words: Prelude: Act I - No. 3 Chorus Of Street Boys, No. 4 Fragment: Entrance Of Carmen, No. 5 Habanera, No. 6 Fragment: Don Jose Picks Up Carmen's Flower, No. 10 Seguidilla, No. 11 Finale
Carmen Without Words: Act II: No. 12 Gypsy Song, No. 14 Toreador Song, Exit Of Escamillo, Entra'acte Between Act I And Act II (Theme Of Canzonetta), No. 17 Flower Song
Carmen Without Words: Entr'acte: Act III - No. 19 March Of The Smugglers, No. 20 Card Scene, No. 21 Fragment: Exit Of Smugglers And Card Players, No. 22 Micaela's Aria
Carmen Without Words: Entr'acte (Aragonnaise): Act IV - No. 26 March And Chorus, No. 27 Don Jose And Carmen's Duet, Final Chorus
Carmen Without Words: Bolero
From: El Amor Brujo: Ritual Fire Dance
Carmen Without Words: Capriccio brillante On The jota aragonesa
From: La vida Breave: Spanish Dance

Customer Reviews:

Not Bernstien and not for serious listeners.......2003-06-30

I ordered this cd (used) mainly to get the Glinka capriccio (assumedly) by Bernstein, thinking I might enjoy the orchestral versions from Carmen as well. Received the disk and was shocked to see the name Andre Kostelanetz on it...only couple tracks are by Bernstein. The pieces are mostly played at a breakneck tempo that tramples the music. The recording quality is poor. Sounds like a studio remix where the players were recorded at different times. This CD is a poor choice; even in the bargain bin; even for casual listeners. There are much better played and recorded orchestrations of these Spanish-themed works available.

Pristinely Beautiful.......2002-03-12

This is really a beautiful recording. I am not an opera expert, but during the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics I was transfixed by the Carmen music that Sasha Cohen skated her Long Program to. I simply had to hear it again as soon as possible, and saw this "Carmen Without Words" CD on Amazon. This CD does not have any "libretto", or words. It is just a Carmen 'suite' of the tunes from the opera. Opera connoisseurs will probably want to order a multi-disc set of the entire unabridged Carmen opera, but for opera hacks like myself this CD is perfect for enjoyable times in front of the computer or while reading magazines, to just enjoy Carmen's great tunes. The sound is clean, crisp, and the music is perfectly played by Andre Kostelanetz and his orchestra. It's amazing how well they play, actually, it borders on perfect. Anyway, you are sure to love this CD. It is lovely to listen to, and I don't see how anything about it could disappoint you. By the way, the CD also contains four bonus tracks from several other composers to really top it all off.

WONDERFUL CD!.......2002-01-19

THIS IS A GREAT CD FOR THOSE WHO, LIKE ME, JUST WANT TO HEAR THE MUSIC FROM OPERA WITHOUT THE SINGING. I PLAY IT OVER AND OVER ALONG WITH THE OTHER "OPERA WITHOUT WORDS" CDS.

Magnificent Carmen.......2000-08-07

I have not heard a Carmen performance which compares with this one.

Music Track: