Violin Classics

On this CD:

1. The Flight of the Bumble Bee, musical picture for orchestra (from The Tale of Tsar Saltan) arranged for violin & orchestra
Composed by Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov
Performed by Hollywood Bowl Orchestra with Michael Rubin
Conducted by Felix Slatkin

2. Sérénade mélancolique, for violin & orchestra (or piano) in B minor, Op. 26
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra with Leonid Kogan
Conducted by Kiril Kondrashin

3. Vocalise, song for voice & piano, Op. 34/14 Vocalise, Op.34 No.14
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
Performed by Jin Li, Geoffrey Parsons
Conducted by Felix Slatkin

4. Vocalise-Étude en forme de Habanera, for voice & piano
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Michael Rabin, Leon Pommers
Conducted by Felix Slatkin

5. Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, for violin & orchestra in A minor, Op. 28
Composed by Camille Saint-Saens
Performed by New Philharmonia Orchestra with Ulf Hoelscher
Conducted by Pierre Dervaux

6. Tambourin Chinois for violin & piano, Op 3
Composed by Fritz Kreisler
Performed by Jin Li, Geoffrey Parsons
Conducted by Felix Slatkin

7. Thais, opera Méditation
Composed by Jules Massenet
Performed by Hollywood Bowl Orchestra with Michael Rabin
Conducted by Felix Slatkin

8. Spanish Dances: Playera y zapateado, for violin & piano, Op 23 Zapateado
Composed by Pablo de Sarasate
Performed by Michael Rabin, Leon Pommers
Conducted by Felix Slatkin

9. The Swan Lake, ballet, Op. 20 Pas de deux
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra with Sir Yehudi Menuhin
Conducted by Efrem Kurtz

10. Praeludium and Allegro in the Style of Pugnani for violin & piano
Composed by Fritz Kreisler
Performed by Nathan Milstein, Leon Pommers
Conducted by Felix Slatkin

11. Zigeunerweisen, for violin & piano (or orchestra) ("Gypsy Airs"), Op. 20 No.1
Composed by Pablo de Sarasate
Performed by Jin Li, Geoffrey Parsons
Conducted by Felix Slatkin

12. Allegro vivace a movimento perpetuo in C major for violin & guitar (or orchestra), Op. 11 (MS72)
Composed by Niccolo Paganini
Performed by Salvatore Accardo, Chamber Orchestra Europe
Conducted by Franco Tamponi

13. Caprice for violin solo in A minor (Theme & Variations), Op. 1/24 Caprice No.24, Op.1
Composed by Niccolo Paganini

Conducted by Felix Slatkin

14. Berceuse, for violin & piano (or orchestra) in D Major, Op. 16
Composed by Gabriel Faure
Performed by Jean-Philippe Collard, Augustin Dumay
Conducted by Felix Slatkin

15. Hora Staccato for violin & piano (or orchestra)
Composed by Grigoras Dinicu
Performed by Hollywood Bowl Orchestra with Michael Rabin
Conducted by Felix Slatkin

16. Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 Andante
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra with Sir Yehudi Menuhin
Conducted by Efrem Kurtz

17. Extase, Op 18
Composed by Eugene-Auguste Ysaye
Performed by David Oistrakh, Vladimir Yampolsky
Conducted by Felix Slatkin

18. Sonata for violin & continuo in G minor, Op 1/6 "The Devil's Trill"
Composed by Giuseppe Tartini
Performed by Ida Haendel, Geoffrey Parsons
Conducted by Felix Slatkin

19. Auf Flügeln des Gesanges (On Wings of Song), song for voice & piano, Op. 34/2
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Performed by Ida Haendel, Geoffrey Parsons
Conducted by Felix Slatkin

20. Violin Concerto, for violin & orchestra (or violin & piano) in D major, Op. 35 Canzonetta (Andante)
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra
Conducted by Seiji Ozawa

21. Songs My Mother Taught Me for violin & piano (transcription of Dvorak's Gypsy Songs, Op. 55/4) No.4, Songs my mother taught me
Composed by Fritz Kreisler
Performed by Ida Haendel, Geoffrey Parsons
Conducted by Felix Slatkin

22. Légende in G minor for violin & orchestra, Op. 17
Composed by Henryk Wieniawski
Performed by David Oistrakh, Vladimir Yampolsky
Conducted by Felix Slatkin

23. Myths, 3 poems for violin & piano, Op. 30, M29 La fonaine d'Aréthuse
Composed by Karol Szymanowski
Performed by Michel Beroff, Ulf Hoelscher
Conducted by Felix Slatkin

24. Violin Concerto No.1, in G minor, Op. 26 Adagio
Composed by Max Bruch
Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra with Sir Yehudi Menuhin
Conducted by Walter Susskind

25. Valse-scherzo, for violin & orchestra (or violin & piano) in C major, Op. 34
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by David Oistrakh, Vladimir Yampolsky
Conducted by Felix Slatkin

Tracks:

Variations (Twinkle, Twinkle), K265/300e
Minuet In G From Anna Magdalena
Piano Sonata In C, K 545, 2nd Movement
Spring Song
Piano Sonata In D, K 576, 3rd Movement
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring, BWV 147
Canon
The Moldau
Preludes Book II, Clair De Lune
Sonata No.14 (Moonlight), 2nd Movement, Op.27
Symphony No.9, New World
Fur Elise, WoO 59
The Four Seasons, Winter, RV267, 2nd Movement
Orchestral Suite No.3 In D, Air, BWV 1068
Sonata No.8 (Pathetique), 2nd Movement, Op.13
Kinderscene, Op.15
Waltz No.15, Lullaby

Product Description

The Lullaby Classics A Concert for Little Ears music CD is a 17-track, 35-minute concert featuring a collection of soothing classical melodies perfect to calm little ones as they wind down for nap time, bedtime or a bit of quiet time. Each piece, re-orchestrated for little ears by the Baby Einstein Music Box Orchestra, was specially selected to lull babies into sweet, blissful dreams. Lullaby Classics opens with Twinkle, Twinkle variations by Mozart and includes calming and delightful melodies from composers such as Bach, Beethoven, Dvorak and Debussy. It ends with Brahms' Lullaby tucking baby in for a cozy, restful sleep.Musical Selections:1. Variations (Twinkle, Twinkle), K265/300e, Mozart2. Minuet In G From Anna Magdalena, Bach3. Piano Sonata In C, K 545, 2nd Movement, Mozart4. Spring Song, Mendelssohn5. Piano Sonata In D, K 576, 3rd Movement, Mozart6. Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring, BWV 147, Bach7. Canon, Pachelbel8. The Moldau, Smetana9. Preludes Book II, Clair De Lune, Debussy10. Sonata No. 14 (Moonlight), 2nd Movement, Op. 27, Beethoven11. Symphony No. 9, New World , Dvorak12. Fur Elise, WoO 59, Beethoven13. The Four Seasons, Winter, RV297, 2nd Movement, Vivaldi14. Orchestral Suite No. 3 In D, Air, BWV 1068, Bach15. Sonata No. 8 (Pathetique), 2nd Movement, Op. 13, Beethoven16. Kinderscene Op.15, Schumann17. Waltz No 15, Lullaby, Brahms Age: birth +Awards:* Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award (2005)* National Parenting Center Seal of Approval (2004)* National Parenting Publications Awards (2004)

Customer Reviews:

Sounds like a cheap plastic toy.......2007-06-20

I have these DVD's and I can tell you that they will not be a huge part of my baby's development. I received them as a gift from someone that thinks that all you need to do is plunk your child in front of a TV all day without giving the baby any attention. You can see why these DVD's are popular at Day Care Centers or what I like to call, "Concentration camps for baby's with lazy parents", because they know that they can sit their kid/baby in front of the TV and let them turn into a thoughtless zombie while they listen to Baby Einstein totally ruin classics by Bach and DeBussy by playing the music with very cheap midi keyboards. I can get better quality music by whistling Dixie with a mouth-full of saltine crackers.

Also, it has been proven that classical music has nothing to do with the cognitive development of young people. Now, teach them how to play piano or violin and you have yourself an actual YOUNG EINSTEIN, but listening to this kind of music does nothing for the development of the brain. It is just for lazy parents that can't sit down with their kids and play with them or read them a book.

would make you sleepy.........2007-06-15

its a good product with very fine music and my toddler realizes that it is sleep time, if I play it. he goes to bed and sleeps after a couple songs. I have trouble in some songs are some months.. dont know why.

Kid's Music.......2007-06-08

I bought this CD for my grandniece, but after listening to it, I determined that no one would ever play this for her except me. I would have kept it for myself but I have the grown-up versions of each of the classical masterpieces on this CD. So, I ended up returning it for a full refund. If you want your kids to be exposed to classicl music, it's a great buy. But if you don't think they will get to listen to it, don't waste your time.

Baby Einstein: Lullaby Classics

Not soothing.......2007-06-07

These synthesizer versions of classical songs get really old, really fast. Worse yet, the songs are sometimes not soothing at all, especially the very first song. The song seems to get particularly loud and uptempo, which is precisely what you don't expect in a lullaby. Please listen to the sample of the first song at least before you buy.

Great for bedtime, but wish it were a real piano.......2007-06-01

This CD worked great to put my daughter to sleep while I rocked her in my arms, and I enjoyed the choices of songs and the arrangements. However, I would have preferred that real instruments were used.

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons; Violin Concertos

Average customer rating:

plays every day!
Fun
Wonderful recording!
If all music were so beautiful
It's all about the violin concertos

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons; Violin Concertos

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Bach: Violin Concertos
Bach: Brandenburg Concertos No. 1-4; Neville Marriner; Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto Op35; Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Op77
Bach: Brandenburg Concertos No. 5 & 6/Orchestral Suite No. 1; Neville Marriner; Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Capriccio Espagnol; Russian Easter Overture

ASIN: B00005NPK1
Release Date: 2002-08-13

Tracks:

The Four Seasons: Con No.1 in E, RV 269 'Spring': I. Allegro - London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Four Seasons: Con No.1 in E, RV 269 'Spring': II. Largo - London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Four Seasons: Con No.1 in E, RV 269 'Spring': III. Allegro - London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Four Seasons: Con No.2 in g, RV 315 'Summer': I. Allegro Non Molto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Four Seasons: Con No.2 in g, RV 315 'Summer': II. Adagio - London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Four Seasons: Con No.2 in g, RV 315 'Summer': III. Presto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Four Seasons: Con No.3 in F, RV 293 'Autumn': I. Allegro - London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Four Seasons: Con No.3 in F, RV 293 'Autumn': II. Adagio Molto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Four Seasons: Con No.3 in F, RV 293 'Autumn': III. Allegro - London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Four Seasons: Con No.4 in f, RV 297 'Winter': I. Allegro Non Molto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Four Seasons: Con No.4 in f, RV 297 'Winter': II. Largo - London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Four Seasons: Con No.4 in f, RV 297 'Winter': III. Allegro - London Philharmonic Orchestra
Vn Con in c, RV 199 'Il Sospetto': I. Allegro - Itzhak Perlman
Vn Con in c, RV 199 'Il Sospetto': II. Andante - Itzhak Perlman
Vn Con in c, RV 199 'Il Sospetto': III. Allegro - Itzhak Perlman
Vn Con in a, RV 356: I. Allegro - Itzhak Perlman
Vn Con in a, RV 356: II. Largo - Itzhak Perlman
Vn Con in a, RV 356: III. Presto - Itzhak Perlman
Vn Con in A, RV 347: I. Allegro - Itzhak Perlman
Vn Con in A, RV 347: II. Largo - Itzhak Perlman
Vn Con in A, RV 347: III. Allegro - Itzhak Perlman

Customer Reviews:

plays every day!.......2007-06-14

This tape is played every day in our house at nap time - it is beautiful and wonderful.

Fun.......2007-05-26

I'm not really much in the way of a music expert, but I really enjoyed this cd.

Wonderful recording!.......2007-05-20

I purchased this recording for my grandson, who is studying the Vivaldi Violin Concerto in A minor. This is a fortunate time for instrumental music students, as, through the medium of digital sound, they can purchase a CD and hear the music, as played by world-class players.

The CD technology eliminates the old game of "drop the needle!" Wonderful!

I recently purchased a boxed set of the recorded work of classical clarinetist Reginald Kell. It was wonderful to hear that music again! I lost my LPs in a fire, and never thought I could find them again!

I just love CDs! And thank you, Amazon, for giving us a pipeline to such wonderful music!

If all music were so beautiful.......2007-01-12

Four seasons is one of my favorite pieces. With Itzhak Perlman at the helm, this rendition is flawless as one would rightfully expect.

It's all about the violin concertos.......2006-12-05

Everybody knows "The Four Seasons". Spring is one of the best known classical pieces of all times. Perlman's playing is lovely and the music is superb and famous for a reason, but it is my personal opinion that what is truly wonderful here is the small selection of violin concertos.

These concertos are rather well known to those who are knowledgable in classical music or play an instrument (violin, in this case). To the rest of the world they are much less known, and that is a pity. These are wonderful pieces of music, played incredibly with great sound.

Once you get into the smaller, finer details, you also have to notice the great price that this is offered for. With great famous pieces accompanied by some amazing violin concertos (Il Sospetto is my favorite of them all) at a low price, there is no doubt about it; this is a great CD to purchase.

Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto Op35; Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Op77

Average customer rating:

desert island disk choice. get it no, fast!
It has no equal
Possibly the biggest steal in all of recorded music !
Milstein is spectacular here!
sounds as good as any $15 recording

Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto Op35; Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Op77

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Capriccio Espagnol; Russian Easter Overture
Elgar: Pomp and Circumstance Marches Op. 39; Enigma Variations Op. 36
Bach: Violin Concertos
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons; Violin Concertos
Symphonie Fantastique

ASIN: B000000UW5
Release Date: 1995-10-17

Tracks:

Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35: I. Allegro moderato
Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35: II. Canzonetta (Andante)
Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35: III. Finale (Allegro vivacissimo)
VIOLIN CONCERTO IN D, OP. 77: I. Allegro non troppo
VIOLIN CONCERTO IN D, OP. 77: II. Adagio
VIOLIN CONCERTO IN D, OP. 77: III. Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo vivace

Customer Reviews:

desert island disk choice. get it no, fast!.......2007-05-07

If you have this recording, you do not need another one of these pieces. This one has satisfied me for what must be at least 2 decades. You'll never need another recording.

It has no equal.......2006-03-21

The availability of this CD phenomenon with a $3.98 price should be shouted from the rooftops. Milstein outperforms everyone on both concertos; the Brahms is sublime, and the recording quality is excellent throughout. Push the purchase now key without further delay. It doesn't get any better than this, ever!

Possibly the biggest steal in all of recorded music !.......2005-10-22

As one who grew up adoring the Jascha Heifetz/Fritz Reiner recordings of these two great concerti, and certain they had set a standard of musical excellence impossible of being equalled, much less bettered, imagine my surprise upon hearing this fabulous disc.

HEIFETZ & REINER HAVE BEEN DETHRONED!

Having beaten back great artists in recent years such as Vengerov and Shaham, it hardly seemed possible that there were two old recordings by Nathan Milstein (which must have skipped my notice) which had long ago taken the prize....

...Music lovers, forget the Rosette and attendant babble given by the Penguin Guide to the Milstein Brahms Concerto (with Steinberg conducting, in mono). That publication after dismissively mentioning the Jochum conducted performance of the 1980s adds insult to injury by ignoring completely this Fistoulari conducted version! (Even if it is currently unavailable in the UK, surely it should be remembered - it was even recorded there!)

Of course any performance by a genius such as Milstein will have wonderful moments now and then, but this recording, with Fistoulari conducting, in stereo, is the best of them all - it has real magic and passion, and is the performance to get.

The Tchaikovsky with Steinberg is probably more of a draw, but the "Finale" is as good as it gets, and the rest is merely magnificent. What a fiddler!

Finally, that this disc is being sold to the public at a price this low should make all music lovers weep in gratitude, certain that "Yes, Virginia - there is a Santa Claus...."

Milstein is spectacular here!.......2005-06-08

As many reviews have been written about this disc, I'll try to keep it short and mention the things that I like about this CD most.

There are tons of recordings of these pieces, most of which are incredible and worth hearing. The thing that strikes me most about Milstein's playing is how polished it is. His tone and phrasing is perfectly thought out and executed on every single passage, even those which are highly virtuosic. His sound is gorgeous and supple, again even in the most difficult passages. I also enjoy his style, particularly on the Tchaikovsky. His use of rubato and other such expressive tools is entirely appropriate and never overdone.

When I listen to this disc, it is very clear that Milstein absolutely mastered every aspect of his instrument. His versions of these "old favorites" are absolutely wonderful.

sounds as good as any $15 recording.......2005-01-18

I got this CD because it was recommended in the Penguin Book (the Penguin Guide to Compact Discs), and at $4, as someone said, I couldn't afford not to get it. It's brilliant - the Brahms is better than the Mutter/Karajan/BPO recording, and the Tchaikovsky is better than the only other recording I'd heard at the time (Mehta/Zukerman/Israel Philharmonic). The orchestra is very good, and Milstein plays the double stops (these pieces are harder than practically every other violin concerto other than Paganini's) effortlessly. The CD is very romantic and easy on the ears - a good example of the Romantic era. And there's two recordings for $4 - how can you not get it :).

Average customer rating:

Pure Listening Pleasure
Appassionato
Deep, Serious and diverse
Yo-Yo Ma's Appassionato
A soulful compilation

Appassionato

Manufacturer: Sony Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Essential Yo-Yo Ma
Not Too Late
Voice of the Violin
Lang Lang: Dragon Songs (Plus DVD)
Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone

ASIN: B000KWZ7DS
Release Date: 2007-01-09

Tracks:

Going To School featuring John Williams
IV. Allegretto poco mosso from Sonata in A Major for Violin and Piano
II. Andante con moto e poco rubato from Three Preludes
II. Largo from "Winter", Op. 8, No. 4, RV 297 from the Four Seasons
Doce de coco
II. Largo from Concerto No. 1 in G minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 49
Cinema Paradiso: Nostalgia from Giuseppe Tornatore Suite
The Swan from Carnival of the Animals (Chamber Version)
Yanzi (Swallow Song)
II. Andante from Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra in A minor,
Soledad
No. 4 Mikin Pekko from Five Finnish Folk Songs
First Impressions featuring Edgar Meyer; Mark O'Connor
Song Without Words, Op. 109
Gabriel's Oboe from The Mission featuring Ennio Morricone

Amazon.com

Any new compilation CD starring Yo-Yo Ma is certain to please. This master of the cello takes the listener through so many types of music that the ear and mind never tire. The present selection is billed as a sort of "musical autobiography," and, indeed, it gives us a tour of Ma's musical life. The Silk Road Project is represented by Zhao's "Swallow Song," with its eerie, fascinating soundscape (specially re-recorded for this CD). We also accompany Ma on his excursions into the world of the baroque cello with Vivaldi or of the Finnish folk song (by Mamiya, a first recording). There are Gershwin's languid Second Prelude, with its intimations of the song "Summertime," and an all-new recording of a nine-minute heart-breaker by Astor Piazzolla ("Soledad"). Ma also gives us more familiar Brahms, Franck, and Saint-Saens. The compilation's mellow 65 minutes offer relaxing, beautiful music, all exquisitely played. Ma is joined by the best: Emanuel Ax, Kathryn Stott, John Williams (who plays piano on his own "Going to School" from Memoirs of a Geisha), Isaac Stern, and Claudio Abbado. This is a veritable Who's Who of superb musicians. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Pure Listening Pleasure.......2007-05-18

There is no pretension in this collection - just the pure, simple pleasure in Ma's performance and in our enjoyment.

Appassionato.......2007-05-18

With a little help of some of his friends Yo Yo Ma offered us another of his masterpieces. No other title could define better the tracks selection, pleasant and inspired.

Deep, Serious and diverse.......2007-04-26

Yo Yo Ma is simply fantastic, and has arrived as such a height of recognition that any production he is invovled in will be top of the line, as this is.

This is a darker collection than I expected. And like a serious, reserved friend, it can take a little longer to appreciate than the bubbly outgoing ones. I now find I like it very much, but it is serious "conversation."

There is great variety here as well, and I gave it to a friend's teenager who is considering whether she wants to learn the cello. Her response was much the same as mine. Initially not so sure, but over time, has really come to like it, too. This collection has great depth.

Yo-Yo Ma's Appassionato.......2007-04-13

For those who share Yo-Yo Ma's passion for music, and especially his passion for diversity in music, and for connecting with the spirit of global humanity, this recording has a prominant place in your library.

A soulful compilation.......2007-04-13

I love this album for the diversity of music and the great programming. I especially love the collaboration with Isaac Stern, no longer with us in body, but always in music. Thanks YoYo.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Complete Works (170 CD Box Set)

Average customer rating:

a surprising offer
Welcome to Perfection
Buy this as an encyclopedia of Mozart, then add other recordings...
Great value..Cant beat this deal at all!!!
Incredible Bargain

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Complete Works (170 CD Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Sextets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Rondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Te Deum | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music

Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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Brilliant Classics | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Bach: Complete Works - 155 CD Box Set
Vivaldi: The Masterworks (Box Set)
Beethoven: The Masterworks (Box Set)
Mendelssohn: The Masterworks [Box Set]
Dvorák: The Masterworks [Box Set]

ASIN: B000BLI3K2
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Album Description

Mozart Edition: The Complete Works will make a great gift this Holiday season for the music lover in your life or someone who is hard to buy for. This collection contains 170 discs of completed works by Mozart in one beautiful package. Also included is a cd-rom containing essays on his works, artist bio's, text and libretti's. At this super low price all music lovers will enjoy the Symphonies - Concertos - Serenades - Divertimenti - Dances - Chamber Music - Church Sonatas - String Ensembles - Violin Sonatas - Keyboard Works - Sacred Works - Concert Arias - Songs - Canons and Operas in this collection.

Customer Reviews:

a surprising offer.......2007-07-05

Complete works of Mozart for such a price is a surprising offer. We are pleased of the good quality, and the availability of otherwise difficult to find works of Mozart

Welcome to Perfection.......2007-06-28

Dispite what anyone else says, if god ever tried to talk to humanity it was through Wolfgang because his music is absolute perfection.It is the most beautiful music i've ever heard in my life( and this is coming from a 21 year old metal-head ).If one has second thoughts about buying this collection dispell them right now because this is probably the first item i've bought in a long time that i have not regreted.

Buy this as an encyclopedia of Mozart, then add other recordings..........2007-06-22

Brilliant Classics Complete Mozart edition, released for the 250th anniversary year of Mozart's birth (he was born in 1756), has much to recommend it. It contains almost all the works of Mozart, and has many fine performances: the piano sonatas by Klara Wurtz, Piano Concertos by Derek Han, Paul Freeman/Philharmonia, The Magic Flute, conducted by Charles Mackerras (licensed from Telarc), String Quartets by the Franz Schubert Quartet (Licensed from Nimbus) each stand out. The Symphonies, by the Amsterdam Mozart Academy/ Jaap ter Linden, are "So-so": I don't like the small period ensemble, but Symphonies 20, 40 (both versions: one with clarinets and the other without), 23, 24, and 34 are pretty good. Symphonies 1:I, 25 and 41 are sub-par: scrappy playing and weak violins make for a pretty rough experience. I would supplement this with the complete Mozart Symphonies by Karl Bohm/Berlin Philharmonic (DG), among the best recordings of these works, and the best complete set of Mozart's Symphonies, completed in 1968.

The Requiem, conducted by Nicol Matt (2001 recording) has had better performances, and for this I would recommend Bohm/Vienna Philharmonic (DG) and Colin Davis/London Symphony (Philips), which use a larger choir and orchestra, and have more drama where it is needed. The other choral works conducted by Nicol Matt are better, especially "Exsultate Jubilate" motet, the short Masses, and "Ave Verum".

Also worthy of mention are the "Posthorn" and "Haffner" Serenades, by Colin Davis/Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, licensed from Novalis for this release.

This is a great overview, and Brilliant Classics are to be commended for making it available at a low price, to get Mozart's music out to the mass public. It's a great buy, but I would get the Bohm Symphonies, and also Piano Concertos by either Ashkenazy/Philharmonia (Decca), Perahia/English Chamber Orchestra (Sony) or Anda/Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg (DG) for supplements. Also, Karl Bohm's recordings of the operas: The Magic Flute, the Marriage of Figaro, Idomeneo, and La Clemenza di Tito (all DG) are required listening, too. Recommended, but not as the only recording of Mozart's works.

Great value..Cant beat this deal at all!!!.......2007-06-13

As others have reviewed the product and highlighted that there are a few poor pieces... But who cares when there is 170 discs.. if you had have 10 cds that are poor quality and had a 160 disc set of good cd's and you paid $90 for the set.. would you be happy? I would think so... So don't get frustrated and just buy the set.. Enjoy the music for the price.. I am not going to go into details like others did but just buy the set!

Incredible Bargain.......2007-06-10

This offer is an incredible bargain at just over 50 cents a CD. The price jumps around often - you can sometimes get it for $4 or $5 less. but still at 50 cents. Mine arrived in excellent shape - it's hard for them to do otherwise. The way they are packaged they are either in good shape or some major disaster has happened destroying a whole bunch. Those I have played sound great. It will probably take a life time to play them all. Meanwhile we can just revel in our riches and feel all warm and fuzzy.
I also own the Bach set and am wildly happy with that as well.

Average customer rating:

Excellent Bach Collection
Wonderful way to enjoy all of Bach
Bach
An Absolute Essential for any Classical Music Enthusiast
What the word "aesthetic" means!

Bach: Complete Works - 155 CD Box Set

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Complete Works (170 CD Box Set)
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ASIN: B000HRME5U
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Bach Collection.......2007-07-05

I am a professional musician, composer and teacher. this collection is wonderful, recorded in Europe, and all that one would expect from talent in that part of the world (which on this set includes Nordic countries as well).
If you are into studying bach, euro recordings, musicology, this is a good purchase.
Only criticism is on a few recordings the balance/mix is not the best. However, it all sounds wonderfully recorded.

Wonderful way to enjoy all of Bach.......2007-06-28

One reason to buy this set is simply to acquire recordings of all Bach's surviving Cantatas. The only downside I've discovered so far is that I would have preferred his harpsichord music played on a piano.

Bach .......2007-06-08

Arrived in excellent condition -price was higher that I liked by a little bit

An Absolute Essential for any Classical Music Enthusiast.......2007-05-22

This comprehensive collection of all known Bach works is simultaneously the easiest and the most difficult set to review. "Easiest" because in a single set of some 150 CD's, one immediately has the entire Bach repertoire at one's hands, with the majority of individual recordings consisting of solid performances and good recording quality. "Difficult" because, due to the sheer number of performances, it would take many pages to individually and meaningfully write up a description that accurately conveys the range of entries within the set. But in a sense, this entirely misses the point. It is simply impossible to understate what Brilliant Classics has done for the classical music world with the release of a set like this. For the first time, one can own a comprehensive Bach collection for little more than the price of a single, good restaurant meal for two people. The fact can hardly be overstated: this set makes acquiring such a collection no longer the domain of only the wealthiest amongst us. This is most certainly the "democratization" of classical baroque music.

Over the years, I have certainly spent what often feels like exorbitant amounts of money on individual, and sometimes, box sets, of classical music. There is no denying the human skill possessed at the major recording labels, including experiential knowledge of the proper placement of microphones, the best mixing techniques, the optimal types of equipment selected for use, and then, of course, access to the world's greatest performers. We would never wish to lose that combination of talent, and there is no attempt here at minimizing either the value or the enjoyment that can be experienced through such endeavors. Quite the contrary. Such undertakings are both an art form and a technical skill that provides immense value to the world at large. And we should give kudos to those major labels who in recent years have begun to reissue classic records in box sets at much lower prices (Detusche Grammophon's "Collector's Editions" immediately comes to mind, as well as Philip's "Duo Series," and many others, not the least of which also includes Philip's recent reissue of the "Complete Mozart Edition.") But what we have here completely surpasses these in every respect, and opens up new possibilities for the average listener who does not have mountains of disposable income to put towards the acquisition of a classical music collection. There can be no question in my own mind that the people who put this set together did it far more for the sake of classical music as an art form rather than a money-making exercise. It is truly a meaningful contribution to the music world at large.

And what of the quality of the performances and the recordings? For the discs which I have already played, there are simply no real disappointments here. Some of the performances are on par with the "best of the best," and many of them are absolutely gorgeous. With a set this large, it is beneficial to read the multiple reviews individuals are posting to get a better sampling of the various sections of the overall set, but I've been quite pleased with what I've heard so far. I will likely update this post with more specific comments over time, but for now, let me just say that you should BUY THE THING BEFORE IT DISAPPEARS. You won't regret it, will probably be increasingly pleased over the years that you did, and hopefully will receive many years of enjoyment from the collection. Ten stars out of five, but even more important than that, a genuine "Thank you" to Brilliant Classics for what they have done for all of us here.

What the word "aesthetic" means!.......2007-05-14

On the grand work of this box set, I perceive what the adjective, asethetic, means. Besides excellent performance, I was especially attracted by the tone quality. (of course made by bravo performance, and the recording that I wish to make it noticeable!). The tone quality also reflects the quality of this box set.
Listening to violin concerto, you will naturally vision the orchestra playing in the concert hall. It's the real relaxation after tensely working one day!

Average customer rating:

Perlman's Bach
Great interpretation
Enjoyable CD at great price
The premier rendition of these classics
Sounds drunken

Bach: Violin Concertos

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mozart: Violin Concertos
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Capriccio Espagnol; Russian Easter Overture

ASIN: B00005NPIX
Release Date: 2002-08-13

Tracks:

Vn Con in E, BWV 1042: I. Allegro
Vn Con in E, BWV 1042: II. Adagio
Vn Con in E, BWV 1042: III. Allegro Assai
Vn Con in g, BWV 1056: I. (Allegro)
Vn Con in g, BWV 1056: II. Largo
Vn Con in g, BWV 1056: III. Presto
Vn Con in a, BWV 1041: I. (Allegro)
Vn Con in a, BWV 1041: II. Andante
Vn Con in a, BWV 1041: III. Allegro Assai
Con in d, BWV 1043: I. Vivace - Pinchas Zukerman
Con in d, BWV 1043: II. Largo Ma Non Tanto - Pinchas Zukerman
Con in d, BWV 1043: III. Allegro - Pinchas Zukerman

Customer Reviews:

Perlman's Bach.......2007-07-04

These are good-to-excellent performances on a bargain disc. Probably the best single disc set of these concertos at any price.

Great interpretation.......2007-05-30

I was looking for a recording of Bach's Concerto No. 1 in A minor so that I could hear how to better play the accompaniment (on piano) and my daughter could hear a master play the piece on violin. We listened to 3 different recordings, and this was our favorite by far. The concerto was played at a great tempo with just the right amount of vibrato.

Enjoyable CD at great price.......2007-02-08

Bought this CD to round out a larger order and was happily surprised with both the quality of this CD, the beauty of the music, and the great price. Very nice buy!

The premier rendition of these classics.......2007-02-06

If you love Bach, you must buy this album. The quality of the performance and the recording is superb, and the price is certainly right.

Sounds drunken.......2006-12-16

I know that this recording is very beloved in classical music circles, but I do not like it at all. It is slow, meandering, and sounds drunk. I feel sad to say this, because I know that Perlman is prodigiously talented.

Average customer rating:

Sarah's Best Easy Listening CD
Best Brightman CD
Sarah Brightman is a Classic
Not The Best - Not the Worst - From Sarah Brightman
Nice Cover

Sarah Brightman Classics
Sarah Brightman , Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni , Francisco Tarrega , George Frideric Handel , Fryderyk Chopin , Sergey Rachmaninov , Giacomo Puccini , Antonin Dvorak , Andrew Lloyd Webber , Ludwig van Beethoven , Joseph Marie Canteloube , Francesco Sartori , and Paul Bateman
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Time to Say Goodbye
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La Luna

ASIN: B00005RD78
Release Date: 2001-11-20

Tracks:

Ave Maria (new recording)
La Wally (from Time To Say Goodbye)
Winter Light (new recording)
Anytime, Anywhere (from Eden)
Alhambra (new recording)
Lascia Ch'io Pianga (from Eden)
Dans La Nuit (new recording)
Serenade/How Fair This Place (from La Luna)
O Mio Babbino Caro (new recording)
La Luna (from La Luna)
Pie Jesu (new recording)
Figlio Perduto (from La Luna)
Nessun Dorma (new recording)
Bailero (from Eden)
Time To Say Goodbye (New solo version--previously unavailable)

Amazon.com

Have some friends who still haven't discovered what the Sarah Brightman fuss is all about? You'll find the perfect introduction to make converts of them all in Classics, so they'll have no more excuses to remain clueless. Sporting a Botticelli-inspired image of the platinum-selling soprano on the cover, Classics is a classy anthology including highlights from three of Brightman's chart-topping releases along with seven new tracks. Songs personally selected by the diva as her favorite classical interpretations are culled from her previous blockbusters: Time To Say Goodbye, Eden, and La Luna. And whether you're a fan already in the fold or one in the making, the new material here shows the diva at the top of her form, in new renderings of "O Mio Babbino Caro" and "Nessun Dorma" (accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic)--fascinating displays of the operatic confidence she's developed over her career. Other new offerings include a touching version of Schubert's "Ave Maria,' "Winter Light," a fresh take on her signature song "Pie Jesu" (from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem). "Alhambra" and "Dans La Nuit"--a real treat, bathing the listener in Brightman's silky, sensuous vocalism--add two original titles to her famous adaptations of classical melodies to new lyrics (using Chopin's haunting E major Etude in the latter case). All told, a lovely affirmation of the directions Brightman has boldly taken in her career to date. -Sarah Chin

Amazon.com

Sarah Brightman Photos

More from Sarah Brightman

Time to Say Goodbye
Diva: The Singles Collection
Eden

Diva: The Video Collection
Live from Las Vegas
La Luna (Live in Concert)

Customer Reviews:

Sarah's Best Easy Listening CD.......2007-03-15

Sarah Brightman's talent is limitless. Her soprano and/or alto voice is among the best and she lets it show in 'CLASSICS'. CLASSICS is a beautiful, easy listening, and peaceful CD. CLASSICS is one to listen to in tranquil or relaxing moments. "CLASICS" is a collection of great pieces of music written by great composers (Shuburt, Handel, Chopin, Puccini, and the like). I have listened to CLASSICS about 15 times now and it always puts me in a quiet and peaceful mood (I am ~50 years old).

Best Brightman CD.......2007-02-07

A classical composition which showcases the beautiful voice of Sarah Brightman. A timeless CD which will continue to be a favourite over the years.

Sarah Brightman is a Classic.......2007-01-02

Sarah Brightman is at her best in "Classics." From Dvorak's "Rusalka" (Opera B.203) to Beethoven's haunting Op 52, slow movement (Symphony #7), Brightman's voice and lyrical style are a joy. I particularly enjoy her performances of Schubert's Ave Maria and Andrew Lloyd Weber's Pie Jesu. This is a great add to my collection of serious music.

Not The Best - Not the Worst - From Sarah Brightman.......2006-12-30

After purchasing this CD for my iPod for iTunes, I must say that I'm a little bit dissapointed. 7 new recordings and 8 old ones, ones that I already happen to have. I do like the fact that they're all on one CD! Some of her new recordings, including, "Ave Maria", "Winter Light", "Alhambra", "Dans La Nuit", and the new recording of "Pie Jesu" are just too breathy for my taste. It seems as with every changing CD, Sarah's voice changes. I'm not saying that the result is bad; it actually gives the songs more of a dream like quality, but I'm used to the younger, more Andrew Lloyd-Webber integrated Sarah. Scooping continually occurs in new recordings of "O Mio Babbino Caro", and "Nessun Dorma". In some tracks from La Luna, like "Figlio Perduto", Sarah's voice is TOTALLY dominated by harmonizing recordings that sound almost mechanical.

OVERALLY - The new songs sound O.K. and the old recordings are just as good as they were back then. This album is still a great buy!

Nice Cover.......2006-12-27

I'm a heterosexual guy who's not an opera aficionado - I only mention these facts because I seem to be right in the bull's-eye of the target market for this product. Sarah B. has a nice voice and she's pretty. Both of these are featured prominently on this CD. The cover and several pages in the insert are devoted to what must have been a very long and expensive photo shoot (and Photoshop) of a semi-clad Sarah looking marvelous. (The CD also comes with a flyer so you can buy various Brightman "Classics" apparel - perhaps not for the heterosexual male).

As far as the music goes: not bad, not great. I don't claim to have the most discerning ears for this sort of music, but everything was OK by me. However, the pieces on the CD with which I'm somewhat familiar, such as "O Mio Babbino Caro," didn't sound quite as good as other versions I've heard (and that includes by Charlotte Church, not just opera stars). Also, the solo version of "Time to Say Goodbye" didn't sound nearly as good to me as the duet with Bocelli.

In sum, there were 3-4 songs I liked enough to rip to MP3s - which is enough so that I didn't feel ripped myself...

Average customer rating:

Beautiful. Fresh. Spiritual. Music as pure as you ever heard before.
Bach Lives
Sublime
Awesome and original
Bach would have loved this!

Bach & Beyond - Gabriela Montero

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Improvisation | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000HC2PC2
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Tracks:

J. S. Bach: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring from " Herz und Mund und Tar und Leben" BWV 147
J. S. Bach: Presto from Italian Concerto
Montero: Beyond Bach
J. S. Bach: Air in G - Orchestral Suite #3 BWV 1068
J. S. Bach: Aria from Goldberg Variations BWV 988
J. S. Bach: Adagio from Violin Concerto No. 2 in E BWV 1042
J. S. Bach: Prelude in C BWV 846 from Well Tempered Clavier Book 1
J. S. Bach: Sheep May Safely Graze from Hunt Cantata BWV 208
J. S. Bach: Two-Part Invention in D Minor BWV 775
J. S. Bach: Allegro from Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G BWV 1048
J. S. Bach: Adagio from Keyboard Concerto in D Minor BWV 974
J. S. Bach: Tocatta in D Minor BWV 565

Amazon.com

Taking as her base 12 works of Bach, Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Montero proceeds to play variations on each. The works are familiar and most Classical fans will recognize their melodies instantly. But Montero, who is closer to a jazz improvisationalist than a classical pianist merely embellishing, alters rhythm as well as melody, and the results are invariably both surprising and delightful. The Presto from the Italian Concerto is positively wacky, but "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" sticks to the piece's mood with truth and originality. Montero plays "beyond" Bach with good taste and respect, and always with intense musicality. The results may seem improvised, but I doubt they are---they seem to well worked through---but that is more of a plus than a minus. You'll revel in hearing old favorites "interpreted" and find some unexpected pleasures here. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful. Fresh. Spiritual. Music as pure as you ever heard before........2007-04-02

This is a true masterpiece. The artist takes themes from Bach and transforms them in trully original compositions, beeing hard to beleive they are improvisations. They are never boring, always beautiful. She takes one or several Bach themes, puts to work her classical backround, adds some jazz and south american rythms, and comes up with some of the most moving and inspirational music I ever heard. Bravo for Gabriela, this CD is a must for every music lover, classical or not.

Bach Lives.......2007-03-08

Bach was known to be at the very top echelon of improvisers; not only was he fond of playing around with his own tunes but he was also known to have borrowed a lick or two from his contemporaries. I have no doubt that he would have enjoyed, if not have been stunned by, the similar efforts of this pianist, Gabriela Montero. This pianist is a very nice techician with lovely lyrical gifts. Her reworkings of some of Bach's most famous tunes range from very close "inhabitings" of Bach's pieces (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring), to some rather tangental takes on them (Air in G). However, it seems clear that she always undertakes the improvisations with great reverence and humility. Surely in this last trait, she is worthy to ride on Bach's legacy. I particularly enjoyed her infusions of Argentinian rhythms and sensibilities (tango, gaucho) to her reworkings. Repeated listening produces only slightly diminished results. In large part, I began to enjoy the pieces for themselves, not merely as dependants of their originals. I really only have two quibbles with the CD. First, her own piece called 'Beyond Bach' seems more like Bach than beyond him. The title does rattle me for it seems a bit presumptious and not in keeping either with the humility of her playing or her liner notes. Second, Montero's endings to her improvisations never seem to convince me. Her timid exits surely do not follow in the keystrokes of her mentor, the pianist Martha Argerich, one of the best in the business. All in all, minor quibles. In lieu of actually seeing and hearing this pianist at work, this is an enjoyable CD from a young pianist of whose rare gifts we should all take note.

Sublime.......2007-01-22

This is compositional improvisation at the highest possible level - stunning - with everything that music is or is supposed to have: the highs, the lows, the emotions, the amazingly transparent technical ability. Not only is she a brilliant performer of such composers as Chopin, Bach, Debussy, Granados and some of the modernists like Prokofiev, but she has entirely absorbed the musical idiom of each one and can call upon it at will in dazzling fashion. I listen to a lot of everything and I am completely blown over with her depth of expression and transcendent musical ability. I have been listening to this CD for the entire weekend and it is recorded well in every respect, from the capturing of the sound of the piano to the spontaneous performances themselves. The highest compliment I can pay her is this: her talent is such that she could make a skeptic believe in God; her many hours of practice aside, I truly believe that's the only place where her amazing musical and compositional gift could possibly come from; for she has said herself that it is not filtered through the mind. I hope to hear her live when I have the chance. What a musical discovery...a treasure.

Awesome and original.......2007-01-15

I simply give Gabriela`s ability to improvise an A+. While listening to her performance I traveled from the 17th. century to the 20th. back and forth; from Leipzing to central Venezuela with a stop somewhere in the jazz country. I hope this is the first one in a series and that we will soon be enjoying Gabriela improvising on Mozart's and Chopin's.

Bach would have loved this!.......2007-01-14

Gabriela Montero shows how brilliant an innovator she is, not only in the reworking of some of Bach's classical works but how she seamlessly weaves the connections between his time and ours. Some of the innovations are jazzy, some evoke Latin American rhythms, and some remind me of the beauty of birdsong.

Anyone who appreciates creativity, intelligence and classicism will love this CD.

Great Recordings Of The Century - Brahms: Violin Sonatas nos 1 - 3 / Perlman, Ashkenazy

Average customer rating:

Brahms Violin Sonatas
these are really good sonatas
Brahms
Finest Brahms
Perlman and Ashkenazy do it again

Great Recordings Of The Century - Brahms: Violin Sonatas nos 1 - 3 / Perlman, Ashkenazy
Itzhak Perlman , and Vladimir Ashkenazy
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000I7VT
Release Date: 1999-03-09

Tracks:

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

Amazon.com essential recording

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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