Debussy [Import]

Track Listings

1. Andante Sostenuto

2. Allegro Scherzando

3. Presto

4. Variations Symphoniques

5. Prelude

6. Chorale

7. Fugue

8. Modere

9. Assez Lent

10. Modere

11. Assez Anime

12. Presque Lent

13. Vif

14. Moins Vif

15. Epiloque Lent

16. La Plus Que Lente

17. Hommage A Rameau

18. Poissons D'or

19. Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin

20. Cathedrale Engloutie

See all 31 tracks on this disc

Tracks:

Bach: Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Vivaldi: Largo Winter
Bach: Air On A G String
Torelli: Trumpet Concerto
Bach: Sheep May Safely Graze
Handel: Let The Bright Seraphim
Handel: Pastoral Symphony
Boccherini: String Quintet, Minuet
Mendelssohn: On Wings Of Song
Liszt: Dream Of Love
Rachmaninov: Vocalise
Debussy: Claire De Lune
Satie: Gymnopedie No.1
Gluck: Dance Of The Blessed Spirits
Debussy: Arabesque
Bizet: Intermezzo
Elgar: Salut D'amour
Debussy: Prelude A L'apres - Midi D'un Faun

Tracks:

Wagner: Bridal Chorus
Clarke: Trumpet Voluntary
Handel: Royal Fireworks Music, Overture
Gabrieli: Canzon V
Charpentier: Te Deum
Purcell: Trumpet Tune
Mussorgsky: Promenade
Pachebel: Canon In D
Handel: Larghetto
Vivaldi: Guitar Concerto In D Major, Largo
Handel: Water Music, Air
Macdowell: To A Wild Rose
Beethoven: Pathetique Sonata, Adagio
Melchior: Adagio
Gounod: Ave Maria
Schubert: Ave Maria
Franck: Panis Angelicus
Faure: Pie Jesu
Rachmaninov: Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini
Schumann: Romance For Violin And Piano
Massenet: Meditation

Tracks:

Mendelssohn: Wedding March
Vivaldi: Concerto For Two Trumpets In B, Allegro
Telemann: Trumpet Concerto In D, Allegro
Vivaldi: Spring, Allegro
Telemann: Trumpet Concerto In B, Allegro
Handel: Concerto Grosso, Hornpipe
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No.4, Allegro
Handel: Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba
Schumann: Piano Quintet In E Flat Major
Widor: Toccata
Dubois: Toccata
Walton: Crown Imperial
Bach: Cantata No.51. 'Jauchzet Gott In Allen Landen.' Alleluia
Mozart: Exsultate Jubilate, Alleluia
Handel: Water Music, Hornpipe
Chopin; Variations On A Theme From 'La Cenerentola'
Faure: Sicilienne
Offenbach: Barcarolle
Faure: Berceuse
Saint-Saens: The Swan
Brahms: Waltz In A Flat
Grieg: Wedding Day At Troldhaugen

Album Description

The process of choosing music for a wedding day can certainly be a daunting process for any couple. There are many choices and the questions can be endless. Traditional music or something off the beaten path? Will your Mom cry (and not in a good way) if you do not come down the aisle to the traditional Wedding March from Wagner, or are you eager to try something new? This collection is designed to give the bridal couple some key pointers to navigate the world of classical music for their wedding day. The package includes over 3 1/2 hours of music on 3 CDs for all portions of the wedding service, all from the Naxos classical label (known for high-quality recordings at inexpensive prices). Wedding day favorites are there, along with new discoveries and tunes you may have never considered for a wedding. All pieces are hand selected by professional wedding musicians and consultants. As a bonus, the 20 page booklet will lead you through the process of choosing music, from hiring musicians to sample programs. Everything you need to create your own unique personal wedding soundtrack.

Customer Reviews:

GREAT WEDDING MUSIC!.......2007-01-24

I used these CD's for my wedding, and I was so happy I did. You need to buy this CD if you like having a traditional wedding! :)

Good Music.......2006-07-05

I bought these CDs for my wedding, in ceremony and reception. Also, when I created my own wedding video, I used it as background music.

A very complete selection of ceremony music!.......2005-02-02

I am getting married in several months and we couldn't decide what music we wanted at our wedding ceremony. This three disk compilation reminded us of all the great ones- including new options we hadn't thought about. I really enjoyed hearing the organ and strings versions of the songs. If you're someone who hears a classical or baroque piece of music, but can't remember the name or the precise tune, this is a must-have to jog your memory and trigger the tear ducts!

Comprehensive Classical Selection.......2004-04-15

I searched all over for a CD set that had a somewhat comprehensive list of classical selections that are traditionally played at weddings. When I found this 3 CD set, I was very pleased. It contains 61 works from almost as many composers. This set might not contain the "best recording ever" of each of the selections, however it is very well done and the quality is very good. I used it primarily to choose the pieces that I wanted to have played by the church organist, and so the actual recordings were more for my consumption rather than for use in the ceremony/reception itself. However, I would not have hestitated to use the CD's in the wedding itself if needed. The book inside includes a list of suggested songs for various wedding styles (formal, outside, morning, etc.). From the classical neophyte to the seasoned classical music expert, this CD set will meet if not exceed expectations.

Just one note..........2003-06-07

I have not heard this album, so I cannot rate it as a whole. (The form made me include a rating, but disregard that.) However, I want to point out that track 36, the Pie Jesu from Gabriel Faure's Requiem is - well, from a requiem, a mass for the dead. The Pie Jesu is a lovely, gentle movement, and it has a beautiful and pure sound that does seem to fit the mood of a wedding. The Latin words, however, mean "Merciful Lord Jesus, grant them everlasting rest," where "them" refers to the dead.

Tracks:

Franck - Sonata For Violin And Piano: I. Allegretto Ben Moderato
Franck - Sonata For Violin And Piano: II. Allegro
Franck - Sonata For Violin And Piano: III. Recitativo - Fantasia
Franck - Sonata For Violin And Piano: IV. Allegretto poco mosso
Debussy - Sonata For Violin And Piano: I. Allegro vivo
Debussy - Sonata For Violin And Piano: II. Intermede: fantasque et leger
Debussy - Sonata For Violin And Piano: III. Finale: Tres anime
Ravel - Introduction And Allegro
Debussy - Sonata For Flute, Viola and Harp: I. Pastorale
Debussy - Sonata For Flute, Viola and Harp: II. Interlude
Debussy - Sonata For Flute, Viola and Harp: III. Finale

Amazon.com

Radu Lupu recorded batches of Mozart and Schubert violin sonatas with the great violinist Szymon Goldberg (regrettably unavailable at present, but watch for them). This seems to be his only other recording of violin sonatas with someone else. Kyung Wha Chung is a powerful virtuoso who can play all the great showpieces, but she scales down her approach to express the muted beauty of the Debussy. Of course, she gives a powerful, extroverted reading to the Franck Sonata, which demands such an approach. Lupu collaborates all the way in both expressive worlds. The additional Debussy and Ravel, from a 1962 LP, are tasty bonuses. --Leslie Gerber

Amazon.com

Kyung-Wha Chung and Radu Lupu collaborate on the most musical account of the Franck sonata in the catalog, one that restores to the work its Gallic elegance, a quality that rarely survives the passion of most performances. Their reading is intimately expressive, almost fragile, and in Chung's playing the dreaminess of the score is beautifully evoked. With his brilliant technique and sparing use of the pedal, Lupu manages an extraordinary revelation of detail in the piano part, transforming what usually sounds like a furnace going full blast--lots of heat and noise, but not something you'd want to get too close to- -into a source of poetry. The recording, made in 1977, is warm and approachable, like the performance. At mid-price, and generously filled out (with Ravel's Introduction and Allegro, and Debussy's Sonatas for Violin and Piano and for Flute, Viola, and Harp) this is as basic as a disc can get. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

a nice collection well played.......2005-10-03

This group of works of French Impressionism is enjoyable from begining to end and can be highly recommended. The sound quality given its vintage is excellent. I have competing versions of the Ravel and Debussy and this version more than holds its own. The Franck is one of those works any fan of western art music should not be without. I purchased this after reading about it in the NPR guide which also recommended it highly.

Fabulous!.......2005-08-19

Possibly my favorite classical music CD. I have listened to this more times than I could count, and I still love it.

Solid performance.......2004-04-01

A good solid recording, but not as exquisite as Anne-Sophie Mutter's or as warm as Josh Bell's.

No regret to bring it to an island!.......2001-01-16

Tom Hanks won't have a regret on what CDs he should have brought to the island in the movie "Cast Away", only if he had this Chung & Lupu sonata!

Marvellous (but slightly mislabelled).......2000-09-27

This CD unites two sets of classic performances: The Franck and Debussy Violin Sonatas by Kyung Wha Chung and Radu Lupu, dating from 1977, and two 1962 recordings by the Melos Ensemble (Ravel's Introduction and Allegro and Debussy's Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp). At the time of thisreview,it is listed Kyung Wha Chung as a performer on the latter Debussy Sonata, which is not the case, though the fault probably lies with the way the disc is labelled and documented (you have to read the fine print to see exactly who is performing what). But all four of these are classic performances, with excellent sound (though analogue recordings), and there is no better buy in the catalog than this disc for chamber music lovers!

Ernest Ansermet: Decca Recordings 1953-1967

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A memento of a conductor lost in the golden age
Remembering Ansermet in style
Ansermet is Awesome, and...

Ernest Ansermet: Decca Recordings 1953-1967

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000JU7N7Y
Release Date: 2007-02-13

Customer Reviews:

A memento of a conductor lost in the golden age.......2007-06-20

This 6-CD set gives uninitiated listeners a fair introduction to a conductor they never knew while he was alive or in his heyday. Ernest Anserment (1883-1969) was born in Switzerland and was a contemporary of both Furtwängler and Klemperer, although he was of a far different school of music than either German. Originally a mathematician, Ansermet founded Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (Swiss Radio Orchestra) during World War I, toured with them worldwide after the war, and rose to prominence after World War II when he and the orchestra developed a recording contract with Decca Records.

Ansermet was most at home in coolorful scores, 20th century French music, in the works of his countrymen Honegger (born French but spent time in Zurich) and Frank Martin, and in the Russians Stravinsky and Rimsky-Korsakov. But, as represented here, his expertise began with Bach and went well into the 20th century.

Ansermet's strengths were clarity in execution and delivery, strict adherence to original scoring (he opposed Stravinsky's tendency to revise his own works), and a romantic bent that was in vogue in the postwar years. Stated another way, Anserment's work captured the essence of what today might be characterized as a "romantic period performance" style whose chief proponent may be Martin Perlman in Boston.

For me, Ansermet's conducting in the mainstream German classics was equally engaging. He was expert in capturing the full blown romance of Brahms, Beethoven and other romantics through the rigors of exposing every instrument in the orchestra and ensuring all contrapuntal lines could be heard. His Beethoven set included a dazzling performance of the Symphony No. 2 and a draft of the "Choral" symphony most collectors would enjoy today (it's still avaiable in Japan).

While recordings of Ansermet's Rimsky-Korsakov and Stravinsky have rightly stayed in the catalog and been hailed by critics for decades, his greatest recording of romantic repertoire, in my opinion, is neither included in this box nor avaialable anywhere worldwide. That is his pairing of the Franck D Minor Symphony and the St. Saens "Organ" Symphony which Decca paired early in the CD era on a Weekends Classic recording. It has been out of print everywhere for some time and is a great loss for all of us.

Still today, I treasure Ansermet's box of Beethoven symphonies (also out of print everywehere; No. 4, is represented here) for its clarity, romance and elocution. I will never forget buying this box at my local LP store about 1972; what a revelation it was after exposure to the Beethoven of all the high cholesterol German romantics! Ansermet's combination of score adherence, clarity in orchestral detail, and blooming romance in interpretation led to my most satisfying performances of the most recorded symphonies in history during the period when the greatest conductors of the recording era were all represented in this repertoire.

The latter point is, I believe, the linchpin to Ansermet's career. I don't think there's any question that, if a conductor came along today with his combination of skills, sensitivity and technique, he or she would be regarded as a wunderkind combining the best traits of the current and bygone eras. In his lifetime, however, Ansermet was never regarded in this way. I think that's because he existed on a plane or two below all the acknowledged giants of the podium that were active or in their prime in his day.

While Ansermet was making the recordings in this box, Wilhelm Furtwangler was conducting the Berlin Philharmonic, dying, and being replaced by an up and coming German named Karajan that would go on the become the most recorded conductor in history. Klemperer was one of the giants in Germany with Bohm, Jochum and others sharing the spotlight. Among Europe's rising stars of the day were Colin Davis and Bernard Haitink, who had recently taken over for Beinum in Holland. Elsewhere, Leonard Bernstein was in the midst of his titanic career on the other side of the Atlantic and other American orchestral posts were manned by Ormandy, Szell, Solti, Mehta, Monteaux and another young, up and coming condcutor, Lorin Mazzel. Stokowski was in his prime making stereo recordings in this era, too.

This was the epoch of Ansermet's maturity. He was in the same position as a number of great conductors of his era such as Rudolf Kempe -- great men at the podium cast in the shadow of giants. While Ansermet was a member of the Decca stable, he nonetheless was cast in a secondary role as Decca also had new recordings by Solti and Maazel that were outselling anything Ansermet put forth. Simultanously, collectors could also find all the recordings of legendary conductors including Toscanini, Bruno Walter and Beecham. It was surely a crowded time in the record business and the most difficult time in history for a conductor to make his name.

In baseball terms, Ansermet had some of the affect of Sammy Sosa, whose 600 home runs came in the shadow of Mark McGwire's record-breaking season in 1998 and while Barry Bonds would first break the all-time single season record and, second, chase Hank Aaron's home run record. The metaphor may not be competely satisfactory for Ansermet was probably not the third greatest conducting home run hitter of his day.

But he was one of the great conductors with his own orchestra, a unique style, a broad repertoire, and a delivery mechanism underrated due to the shadow cast on him by other greats of the day. We are fortunate, living in the late digital era, to have this testament of his work before us. Now a new generation of listeners can hear what many did a half-century ago with new ears developed in the period performance practice era.

Of the contents of this set, my favorites are the Haydn Symphony 22, Stravinsky Pulcinella Suite, the orchestrated Schumann Carnaval (which I had never heard before), both Resphigi suites -- Pines of Rome and Rossiniana -- Honneger's Pacific 231 and Frank Martin's Concerto for 7 Wind Instruments, Timpani, Percussion and String Orchestra, an interesting, powerful and lively 20th century concerto. I agree with an earlier reviewer that said this set cherry picks certain pieces, teasing you with portions such as the Borodin Polovtsian Dances and Dukas La Peri selections. Still, there's enough here to satisfy both Ansermet enthusiasts and newcomers to the conductor.

Remembering Ansermet in style.......2007-03-01

Ernest Ansermet was one of Decca's most prolific artists, to whom they consigned dozens of Stravinsky works, the standard Russian repertoire, and all French music. We've been steadily getting reissues of this output, and here's the latest batch. Newcomers may be surprised at how good even the earliest sound is, but they should also expect less than virtuosic playing from the Suisse Romande orchestra; the lack in execution is made up for by the special tang of French winds and brass, a constant pleasure throughout.

CD 1: Ansermet conducted very good Bach and Brahms but is little known for that. Here we get a sampling of his skill in German music. The snippet of orchestral music from Bach's Cantata #31 is a prelude to a fresh, lively Haydn Sym. #22 "The Philosopher" (named for its sober opening Adagio) that's performed in the same gentle, loving style as Bruno Walter's Haydn. The same soft-grained approach applies to the Beethoven 4th Sym., but in this case the scrawniness of the string section compares badly with great German and American orchestras, and one also feels that Ansermet really should dig in more. But if you want a feminine reading of a symphony often called feminine by older critics, this is a fine one. This generous disc ends with three overtures many listeners won't already own: Weber's Ruler of the Spheres and Preciosa Over., plus the more familiar Mendelssohn Ruy Blas. The performances are lively to the point of brashness, and very enjoyable.

CD 2: This disc is Russian and Finnish. For many French conductors Russian music comes as second nature, and this is true for Ansermet. His suite of Polovtsian Dances from Borodin's Prince Igor is light, fast, and pointed. Rendering a pops staple with such detailed delicacy really refreshes it; Ansermet's version is worthy to stand beside Beecham's minor classic. In the same vein is Stravinsky's Pulcinella Suite, which as Mr. Richman points out, is different from the complete score performed by Ansermet on Decca's box set of his Stravinsky recordings. The stereo sound is rather narrow and thin, but this Pulcinella is a model of how to avoid heaviness and over-emphasis in this music. Nobody would expect the Sibelius Fourth to follow, nor is Ansermet noted for being a Sibelian. His reading is super-clear, lean, and light-textured. It works very well in this pastoral music, although for intensity and better execution one has to look elsewhere.

CD 3: From here on out the music is primarily French, the area of Ansermet's greatest renown. Decca has kindly provided some rarities to everybody but committed collectors. This disc starts out with pops chestnuts, however, including one excerpt each from Coppelia and Sylvia (why bother?) and then the more unusual Saint-Saens Chasseur Maudit tone poem. Given that the ballet snippets are sparkling, as always from this conductor, while the Saint-Saens lacks atmosphere and panache, the choice is dubious. After bits of Chabrier and Faure we arrive at a curiostiy, an orchestration under the title of Coquette (for ballet) of Schumann's Carnaval. Nobody plays these transcriptions anymore, but I msut confess to being delighted with this one, which is full of vivacity and sounds like Offenbach--you'd swear a can-can or two has been thrown in.

CD 4: When Faure's orchestral music gained a flurry of popularity in the Sixties, Ansermet led the way. This version of Masques et Bergamesques is all that anyone could desire. The mock-classic idiom isn't that far removed from Ravel's Tombeau de Couperin, music I usualy don't have much patience with--it sounds dainty and precious--but Ansermet's reading is winning in its directness. I was quite ready to leave wispy Gallic nostalgia behind, but next comes more of the same--Debussy's Petite Suite and other atmospheric bits from him. This disc was the first to lose my atention, even though on its own terms the musicmaking is expert, if not as charismatic as Beecham's way with trifles. The disc ends with a light, bright reading of Respighi's Fountains of Rome blessedly free of vulgarity.

CD 5: Honegger gained wide popularity with two religious oratorios, Joan of Arc at the Stake and this King David, even though both works have slipped out of the repertoire outside France. King David uses cinematic Orientalism and modal harmonies to describe ancient Jerusalem, a style that seems a bit cheap and slithery nowadays. But the combination of spoken narration, vocal soloists, and choruses, all in highly accessible music that never challenges the first-time listener, has its appeal. Ansermet's was one of the classic versions in stereo, and here it is, elegantly displaying Honegger's dramatic intentions. However, for me the total effect was like kindergarten Stravinsky.

CD 6: Dukas' admireres point to his opera La Peri as a minor masterpiece, and here we get a hint via the Fanfare and one dance, followed by a pops march from Rimsky's Dubinushka, a rare item for certain. More familiar is the suite of Rossini excerpts known as Rossiniana (antoher ballet), and I can't imagine anyone doing it with quite the same elegant polish of Ansermet. The recorded sound is extremely detailed in its transparency, which made it an early audiophile classic. Back to Stravinsky for a colorful but fairly leaden Scherzo a la russe, not a striking effort. But what follows is striking and perhaps the best thing in the set, Frank Martin's Concerto for 7 Wind Instruments, Percussion, and Strings, a nod to the orchestra's Swiss-ness. The playing is pointed and eager, and Ansermet conducts so well that the work is jsutified as being a minor masterpiece of Poulenc-inspired whimsical elegance.

What to say overall? This box set has no bad performances and many striking ones. I think judgment comes down to one's tastes in music. Mine don't tend toward ballet and French pops, or to Honegger's religious crossover style, so I'm not the best one to recommend what is in any case a very enjoyable listen from beginning to end.

Ansermet is Awesome, and..........2007-02-22

Generally I am a big fan of the Original Masters box sets, but with this latest collection Decca/UNI has gone too far. Don't get me wrong there are some wonderful rare recordings on "Ernest Ansermet: Decca Recordings 1953-1967" -- Haydn's 22nd Symphony, Beethoven's 4th, Sibelius' 4th, Respighi's Fountains of Rome, an entire CD of Honegger performances, and even Stravinsky's Pulcinella Suite, a different version from the full account contained on Ansermet's Stravinsky box (see my review). But way too much of the rest of this set is just repackaged previously available material. In fairness much of it has been out of print, or only available in Japan, but that won't do much to satisfy the serious collectors to whom this series is aimed, and who have gone to great lengths to track down those previous CD incarnations. What makes matters worse is the sampling is so far and wide that not only is the sequencing haphazard, but it is infuriating for those of us that have purchased other Ansermet titles in the past. For example, reprised from his "Double Decca" Rimsky-Korsakov title we get one lousy four minute selection, "Dubinushka." Why bother to include it? Just go buy the two-fer!!! They mention Ansermet's pioneering stereo recording of "Antar" in the liner notes, so why not include that here instead. The only other way to currently get the "Antar" is with an often reissued account of Scheherazade as a Decca Legend import, which no one buys because it duplicates their collections. Another example is the Debussy Six Epigraphes, which was recently reissued on Testament -- why include it? For that matter why tack on Borodin's Polovtsian Dances when they are already on his great CD with Borodin's 2nd & 3rd Symphonies? Why include another four minute track -- Stravinsky's Scherzo a la Russe -- when it is on the aforementioned Stravinsky box? I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that the Delibes, Franck, Faure, Ravel, Martin and other Debussy selections have all been available elsewhere. Of course, since Decca/UNI has only picked a couple of tracks at most from those original titles, it's not like you can just discard or sell the old CDs you own, or burn the remaining selections you need. With so many other rare Ansermet recordings lingering in the vaults or only on expensive imports -- Beethoven, Berlioz, Bizet, Brahms, Lalo, Roussel, Schumann, etc. -- surely a more cohesive reissue strategy could have been applied by Decca/UNI. If you plan on eventually giving us the "Complete" Decca Ansermet recordings over time, through various OM volumes, all of my fussing is moot, however I seriously doubt that is in their marketing plans. Next time, instead of making us an expanded "Great Conductors of the Century" title or some sort of awkward "Greatest Hits" collection, concentrate on the rare performances that a connoisseur would want, and stick them all on one limited edition box, with fewer discs if necessary.

Decca Recordings, 1965-1972 (Limited Edition)

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Stokowski in Phase 4 land, Vol. 1
Stupendous Stokowski

Decca Recordings, 1965-1972 (Limited Edition)

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Customer Reviews:

Stokowski in Phase 4 land, Vol. 1.......2006-09-22

Decca has pulled a lot of Stokowski's gaudy Phase 4 recordings off the market so that they can reappear in this box set, but the company had already licensed many out to another label, Cala, that specializes in all things Stokowski. So if you pick and choose, you can buy your favorites recordings individually with a little effort. Of the two volumes in the Original Masters series, this one is the more interesting musically.

For one thing, it features two of the conductor's great strengths: his incomparable Bach transcriptions (no one else performs them with the same total commitment) and his Debussy and Ravel. Admittedly, this La Mer and Daphnis and Chloes have been multi-miked within an inch of their lives, and neither represents Stokowski as wonderuflly as his EMI Debussy collection, but if you love the old magician, you'll love these readings.

Aslo very appealing are the Enigma Variations, which Stokowski recorded only once, and the Franck D minor Sym., though don't expect world-class execution in either case. Stokowski championed early Messiaen in l'Ascension, and here is his last version, along with a swooning and seductive Scriabin Poeme d'Extase.

You have to adore recorded excess to swallow this Symphonie fantastique and Firebird, both gorgeous in a kind of Las Vegas neon billboard sort of way. But for geneations of listeners, that's what Stokowski is all about. What he's not about, sadly, is the wretchedly eccentric and nearly unlistenable Tchaikovsky Fifth Sym., the only performance in this whole set that made me hold my nose.

In all, thee are enough goodie here to justify buying the whole box, unless you want to pick and choose, in which case turn to Cala's excellent reissues.

Stupendous Stokowski.......2004-03-30

This five disc box set featuring the Decca Recordings (1965-72) of conductor Leopold Stokowski is among the latest batch of releases in the limited edition "Original Masters" series. While parts of this particular collection have been available on CD in the past (in the old "Phase 4" and "Weekend Classics" series), some of this material is being made available for the first time internationally. Those performances include Franck's Symphony (Hilversium RPO, 1970), Elgar's Enigma Variations (Czech PO, 1972), Ravel's "Fanfare" (Hilversium, 1970) and Messiaen's "L'Ascension" (London SO, 1970). Other highlights include an entire disc (CD1) of Stokowski's Transcriptions, and a delightful reading of Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique" with the New Philharmonia Orchestra from 1968. In all, another great set in the "Original Masters" series.

Chausson: Concert; Ravel: Piano Trio; Fauré, Debussy, Franck: Violin Sonatas

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French Romantic Chamber Music

Chausson: Concert; Ravel: Piano Trio; Fauré, Debussy, Franck: Violin Sonatas
Joshua Bell , Ernest Chausson , Claude Debussy , Gabriel Faure , Cesar Franck , Maurice Ravel , Jean-Yves Thibaudet , and Steven Isserlis
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Prokofiev: Violin Concertos & Sonatas; Shostakovich: Piano Trio No. 2
Violin Favourites & Virtuoso Showpieces
Lalo: Symphonie espagnole; Saint-Saëns: Violin Concerto No. 3; Chausson: Poème
Tchaikovsky, Wienawski, Brahms, Schumann: Violin Concertos
Bruch, Mendelssohn, Mozart: Violin Concertos

ASIN: B0007XZUFK
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Tracks:

I. Allegro Molto
II. Andante
III. Scherzo: Allegro Vivo
IV. Finale: Allegro Quasi Presto
I. Allegro Vivo
II. Intermede: Fantasque Et Leger
III. Finale: Tres Anime
I. Allegretto Ben Moderato
II. Allegro
III. Recitativo-Fantasia: Ben Moderato
IV. Allegretto Poco Mosso

Tracks:

I. Decide
II. Sicilienne
III. Grave
IV. Tres Anime
I. Modere
II. Pantoum: Assez Vif
III. Passacaille: Tres Large
IV. Finale: Anime

Customer Reviews:

French Romantic Chamber Music.......2006-03-01

The chamber music literature of the French Romantic era is exceedingly rich and rewarding - even if its gems were not so well known through history. This two-CD set showcases five prominent "French Romantic" composers and some of their more delectable works that frequented the aristocratic salons of 19th-century Paris. There was also a strong, interconnected history among these French composers, and many older composers were teachers of the younger generation. The eldest, Cesar Franck [1822-1890] of Flemish birth, was dearly loved by his students which included Chausson [1855-1899]. Chausson later became one of Debussy's [1862-1918] only mentors - quite a compliment given Debussy's fierce independance. Towards the end of the century, Maurice Ravel [1875-1937] studied under Gabriel Faure [1845-1924] at the Paris Conservatoire (where Franck also taught earlier). As composers, many were "late bloomers" who wrote their best works late in life. Franck and Faure are the oldest closest to classicism while the newer generation of Ravel and Debussy developed a completely new language of form and harmonies that paved the way to the "modern era" after the turn of the century.

Each composer was devoted to restoring prominance in French instrumental music which was greatly overshadowed by the fashionable Parisian operas. Franck's Violin Sonata in A-major became his most-loved chamber work - as was Faure's not-so-different Violin Sonata (also in A-major). Both are mainstays in the repertoire today. Yet, during the composers' lifetimes, Faure's and Franck's music was barely known outside France. Perhaps one reason was that (like Ravel) they were quiet, unassuming gentlemen - unlike self-promoting contemporaries like Richard Wagner. Yet, with Chausson, Massenet, d'Indy and later Saint-Saens, they all wrote sensuous, chromatically rich and well-conceived music that was uniquely expressive and innovative. Ravel's Trio is just one of his fascinating, small-scale pieces that has enjoyed great popularity, where the Debussy Trio is an early work rich in sonority and melody.

Into his third decade as a performer now, Joshua Bell usually needs no introduction. His talent is top - technically, lyrically, artistically and tonally - even if some dislike the marketing machine he submitted to. Bell particularly excels in the Romantic repertoire with his deep emotivity and tonal beauty (especially since acquiring the stunningly beautiful and very expensive "Gibson" Stradivarius around 2001). These pieces with French pianist Thibaudet were recorded in 1989/1990 and were re-released in 2005 in this budget, two-CD set.

I think the strength of this set is the program - really excellent pieces and some of the creme. Among these, the Ravel Trio (and perhaps the Chausson Concert) are the stars of the set. Joining the duo on Ravel's Trio is the superb British Cellist, Stephen Isserlis, with the legendary Hungarian Takacs Quartet for the Chausson Concert (a rather unique arrangement that comes off quite nicely). This trio of top-flight musicians brings out Ravel's fascinating tonal nuances and textures with a marvelous touch that makes it a competitive choice among many. The Chausson piece is delectable - a work bathed in French romantic beauty.

As for Thidbaudet's pianism, one would be hard-pressed to fault anything in his support of Bell and unto his own virtuosity. In particular, he shows some crisp and dynamic passage work in the outer movements of Chausson's Concert. However, with Bell on some other pieces - notably the Faure Sonata in A major - his violin sounds unusually "flat" at times to me. But, I think it has more to do with the Decca sound engineering than Bell's ability to shape the music. His violin seems projected too close and without sufficient "breathing space" for the tonal nuances and secondary reverberations to create a fuller, richer sound. This seems more noticable on the first disc (Faure, Franck, Debussy) but may not be apparent just listening to this disc (which sounds clean and crisp) without another reference point. But when compared to other recordings, this Decca recording sounded "stark" to me and lacking "colour." However, once you settle in, such sound nuances for most should not be that big an issue. So, overall, this is a really great collection of French Romantic chamber music - but not really definitive as to the performances or recorded sound quality. Compositions - 5; Performance - 4; Sound Quality - 3.5. Other highly recommended recordings for this era of French chamber music featured here include recordings from Kang/Devoyan (Naxos), Chung/Lupu (Decca), The Florestan Trio (Hyperion) and Gil Shaham's lovely Faure albumn (Vanguard Classics).

Mengelberg: Maestro Appassionato (Box Set)

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Mengelberg: Maestro Appassionato (Box Set)

Manufacturer: History
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Koussevitzky: Maestro Risoluto (Box Set)
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Maestro Classico, Vol. 2 (Box Set)
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Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli Vol. 2 [Germany]

ASIN: B000057L24
Release Date: 2006-04-28

Tracks:

Concerto Grosso In A Minor Op.3, No.8
Concerto In D Minor For 2 Violins, Strings & Continuo Bwv1043
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor For Flute & Strings Bwv1067
Orchestral Suite No.3 In D Major Bwv1068
Serenade No.13 In G Kv525 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik'
Overture Der Freischutz
Overture Oberon
Symphony No.6 In F Major, Op.68 'Pastorale'
Symphony No.7 In A Major, Op.92
Symphony No.8 In B Minor 'Unfinished'
Symphony No.9 In C Major 'Great'
Violin Concerto No.1 In G Major, Op.26
Tannhauser Overture
Lohengrin Prelude To Act One
Les Preludes
In The Steppes Of Central Asia
Symphony No.3 In F Major, Op.90
Academic Festival Overture In C Minor, Op.80
Tragic Overture In D Minor, Op.81
Symphony No.6 In B Minor, Op.74 'Pathetique'
Romeo And Juliet Fantasy Overture
Overture 1812, Op.49
Symphony In D Minor
Fantaisie For Piano And Orchestra
Daphnis Et Chloe Suite No.2
Symphony No.4 In G Major
Don Juan, Op.20
Ein Heldenleben 'A Hero's Life', Op.40
Violin Concerto No.2
Variations On The Hungarian Folk Song 'The Peacock'

The Most Relaxing Violin Music in the Universe

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The Most Relaxing Violin Music in the Universe

Manufacturer: Denon Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Most Relaxing Classical Piano Music in the Universe
The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe
More Of The Most Relaxing Classical Music In The Universe
The Most Relaxing Piano Album in the World...Ever!
Most Romantic Classical Music in the Universe

ASIN: B0009JPVF6
Release Date: 2005-06-14

Tracks:

Meditation from Thais -- Massenet
Violin Concerto No. 3, Andantino quasi allegretto -- Saint-Saens
Violin Concerto, Blues-Moderato -- Ravel
Violin Concerto, II. Canzonetta-Andante -- Tchaikovsky
Violin Sonta, II. Andante. -- Faure
Violin Sonata, II. Andante -- Mendelssohn
Violin Sonata, II. Recitativo-Fantasia -- Franck
Violin Concerto, II. Adagio -- Brahms
Violin Concerto No. 3, II Adagio -- Mozart
Sonata for Violin and Piano, II. Internede-Fantastique et leger -- Debussy
Sonata in F for Violin and Piano, II. -- Dvorak

Tracks:

"Somewhere" from West Side Story -- Bernstein
Violin Concerto, II. Adagio -- Paganini
Violin Concerto in E Major, I. Allegro -- Bach
Vocalise -- Rachmaninov
Salut d'amour -- Elgar
Concerto NO. 5, II Largo -- Vivaldi
Romantic Pieces, IV. Larghetto -- Dvorak
Sonata for Violin and Harpsichord, I. Largo (alla Siciliano) -- Bach
Concerto No. 1, II. Adagio -- Bruch
Lalo: Symphonic Espagnole, IV. Andante -- Lalo
Sonata for Violin and Piano, II. Andantino tranquillo e dolce -- Szymanowski
Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1, Adagio -- Saint-Saens

Leonard Pennario: The Early Years 1950-1958

Average customer rating:

Fabulous re-mastered mono sound!
...if for the 72 minutes of Chopin alone, a must have

Leonard Pennario: The Early Years 1950-1958

Manufacturer: MSR Classics Archive
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3; Paganini Rhapsody
Ernest Ansermet: Decca Recordings 1953-1967
Boult Conducts Coates
Haydn: Piano Sonatas
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto (Hybr)

ASIN: B000JCEB1I
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Product Description

A Limited Edition collection of the great recordings of American pianist Leonard Pennario. Taken from his earliest Capitol Classics catalogue, all recordings have been digitally remastered from original sources. All recordings are first time on CD.

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous re-mastered mono sound!.......2007-07-03

Back in the 50s we had many of these on LP. Great to find them again!
Why not a successor set of the concerto recordings?

...if for the 72 minutes of Chopin alone, a must have.......2006-11-13

MSR have used the original Masters of the actual recording sessions for their superb remastering of the performances on these discs, bringing out a richness and depth of tonality and `presence' seldom heard in monophonic recordings. In fact, using a DVD/CD player through a surround sound home cinema system, with the music hovering above the speakers, I was oblivious to the fact it was mono. Perhaps it was some close proximity of the microphone when recording, but there is an intimacy in the listening experience, as if Pennario has pulled up a chair to your living room piano (albeit a Steinway!), and we are privy.

From more than 66 albums and CDs, Pennario fans have long known. To a new generation becoming acquainted with his artistry: a reviewer of his 1952 UK debut wrote, (with to my mind typical British reserve and understatement), "Nobody plays better than Pennario". His staggering technical virtuosity underpins his interpretation of every work, from the supreme nostalgic lyricism of the complete Chopin Waltzes, the lyrical dynamism of the Heroic Polonaise, (both included in this set), or as in other CD releases, the ominous, brooding dynamism of his Tchaikovsky No.1, and the downright seamy raunchiness of his definitive Rhapsody in Blue.

To date, there has been a paucity of commercial release of his solo piano repertoire on CD. These discs provide a sample of his repertoire of Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Debussy, Ravel and more. Hopefully this 4 disc set heralds that further releases can be eagerly anticipated.

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Piano Impressions

Manufacturer: Denon Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

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

4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00025ET6E
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Tracks:

Debussy: Clair de Lune
Ravel: Miroirs, II. Oiseaux Tristes
Satie: Gymnopedies No. 1
Franck: Sonata for Piano and Violin in A, Recitativo-Fantasia
Ravel: Piano Concerto in G, Adagio Assai
Debussy: Ballade
Faure: Sonata for Piano and Violin No. 1, Andante
Debussy: "Veils"
Ravel: Piano Trio: III. Passacaille
Milhaud: Sonatine for Piano and Clarinet, Lent
Ravel: String Quartet, III. Tres Lent

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Maestro Celebre, Vol. 2 (Box Set)

Manufacturer: History
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

1. Andante Sostenuto
2. Allegro Scherzando
3. Presto
4. Variations Symphoniques
5. Prelude
6. Chorale
7. Fugue
8. Modere
9. Assez Lent
10. Modere
11. Assez Anime
12. Presque Lent
13. Vif
14. Moins Vif
15. Epiloque Lent
16. La Plus Que Lente
17. Hommage A Rameau
18. Poissons D'or
19. Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin
20. Cathedrale Engloutie