Aranjuez

On this CD:

1. Concierto de Aranjuez for guitar & orchestra
Composed by Joaquin Rodrigo
Performed by Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra with Norbert Kraft
Conducted by Kazuhiro Koizumi

2. Prelúdios (5), for guitar, A. 419 No.1 In E Minor
Composed by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Performed by Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra with Norbert Kraft
Conducted by Kazuhiro Koizumi

3. Prelúdios (5), for guitar, A. 419 No.2 In E Major
Composed by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Performed by Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra with Norbert Kraft
Conducted by Kazuhiro Koizumi

4. Prelúdios (5), for guitar, A. 419 No.3 In A Minor
Composed by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Performed by Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra with Norbert Kraft
Conducted by Kazuhiro Koizumi

5. Prelúdios (5), for guitar, A. 419 No.4 In E Minor
Composed by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Performed by Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra with Norbert Kraft
Conducted by Kazuhiro Koizumi

6. Prelúdios (5), for guitar, A. 419 No.5 In D Major
Composed by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Performed by Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra with Norbert Kraft
Conducted by Kazuhiro Koizumi

7. Guitar Concerto, for guitar & orchestra, A. 501
Composed by Heitor Villa-Lobos
Performed by Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra with Norbert Kraft
Conducted by Kazuhiro Koizumi

Tracks:

Air 'On the G String' - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Morning - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Canon In D - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Gymnopedie No.1 - City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
II. Andante - Stephen Hough
Viens, Mallika - Mady Mesple
In Paradisum - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
Clair De Lune - Dame Moura Lympany
II. Andate - Yehudi Menuhin
The Swan - Osian Ellis
II. Lento E Largo - Tranquillissimo - Zofia Kilanowicz
II. Andantino - James Galway
II. Largo - Yehudi Menuhin
Nimrod - London Symphony Orchestra
Blow the Wind - Pie Jesu - Jocelyn Pook
Variation 18 - Cecile Ousset
Pavane Op.50 - Gareth Morris

Tracks:

Zion Hort Die Wachter Singen - South German Madrigal Choir
Adagio In G Minor - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Minuet - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. Largo - Andrei Gavrilov
Meditation - Hans Kalafusz
I. Adagio Sostenuto - Dame Moura Lympany
Belle Nuit, O Nuit D'amour (Barcarolle) - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
II. Andante - Nigel North
II. Adagio - Jack Brymer
Intermezzo - Philharmonia Orchestra
I. Moderato - London Chamber Orchestra
O Mio Babbino Caro - Montserrat Caballe
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves' - Sinfonia Of London
II. Adagio Sostenuto (Opening) - Cecile Ousset
Nocturne - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. Adagio (Opening) - Julian Bream
Adagio For Strings Op.11a - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Entr'acte To Act III - Orchestre National De France

Amazon.com

You want relaxing classical music that'll soothe your soul but won't lull you into sleep? Here's a double CD for you. The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World ... Ever! does its best to cover both well-worn classical favorites (Bach's "Air on the G String," Pachelbel's "Cannon," Debussy's "Clair de Lune") and some eclectic left-field choices (an excerpt from Górecki's Symphony No. 3, Jocelyn Pook's "Blow the Wind," and Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. The performances of most of these excerpts are top-notch--artists include Sir Neville Marriner, James Galway, Jacqueline du Pré and the Philadelphia Orchestra--and there's enough variety here for everyone. --Edward Garabedian

Customer Reviews:

Lives Up To The Title, Fine Variety Of Genre's........2007-02-04

This CD is a great way to enjoy a large variety of Classical Composers & many of their best known pieces. Vivaldi's "Four Seasons," is an all time favorite. There are vocals, Piano pieces, & some fine Violins. I found the latter the most enjoyable. Here you can find Rodrigo & Pachelbell. Samuel Barber's haunting Adagio will make your skin tingle. This may not be to everyones taste, but if you wish to relax? Give this a couple of listens.

Good for relaxing pregnant women.......2007-01-17

I stumbled onto this album whilst searching bit torrent websites for classical music. I don't normally listen to classical music but thought it might be relaxing for my pregnant wife. After hearing the quality of the performances, the arrangement, and the recording I decided to buy the album from amazon. All the songs you would expect from a "best album in the world" are there and they are not boring to listen to like a lot of other classical albums. I now play this album in the car constantly and the wife requested it be played at the hospital during the birth.

Too much opera.......2007-01-10

If it wasn't for the opera this would be a great CD.

Does what it set out to do, very well.......2006-11-15

So i'm a classical music veteran, someone who prefers to collect a complete work, rather than classical compilations. I probably would not have listened to this album at all if my dad didnt buy it for me as a gift. By now, i own the complete works that over half of the excepts on this disc come from. I am a purist if ever there was one.

That said, i totally adore this set because i have learned to take it on its own terms. These discs weren't meant for expert classical listeners, so a review from that sort of mindset is useless. This set was meant for pure, easy listening, and for a basic starters kit for classical newbies. Most of all, it was just meant to do what the title says, to relax the average human being. classical expert or not.

Yes, some of these pieces have been altered or shortened, like Mozart's Flute and Harp Concerto Andantino, but they have been edited for a good enough reason: the full versions would have been too long to flow with the rest of the album. And also, the full versions contain so much development that they don't become easy listening anymore. The shortened versions work in the context of the album. Most essentially, the shortened versions on the discs still convey the main flavor the composers were going for. The melodies and themes remain unchanged.

To sum up, it is true that when i want to actually listen deeply to classical music, this album would never be a choice. I would want to hear the complete works like the composers intended. But at certain times when i simply don't mind about that stuff, when i just need to loosen up and free my mind of stress with some nice melodies, this set does the job well enough.

Last but not least: being a purist and a classical buff, i am very particular about performance quality. I was very glad to find that EMI did not get lazy about this. All the artists are world-class, and all the performances are at least exceptional. Some performances are even quite excellent, like the Clair De Lune, which is one of the best i've heard. (Credit to Dame Lympany, the pianist.)

So once again, recommended for its stated purpose, to relax. I am a purist, a classical buff, and i still enjoy this disc. That says something.

TRULY The most relaxing and beautiful music ever written........2006-11-10

This album along with Volume 2 are now the two most valued albums in my music collection. I have all of the songs contained on these two albums but they are scattered through at least a dozen different albums and several are not performed by artists such as those that recorded this album and Volume 2.
SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!!!!

Essential Guitar: 33 Guitar Masterpieces

Average customer rating:

Two-and-a-half hours of bliss
not what i expected
excellent guitar performances
Essential Guitar...
Lives up to its Name!

Essential Guitar: 33 Guitar Masterpieces

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000069KIT
Release Date: 2002-08-13

Customer Reviews:

Two-and-a-half hours of bliss.......2007-04-04

This may be the best money I've ever spent. I got 2-1/2 hours of bliss for less than what I'd usually pay for one CD -- and you know how it is with music. You buy an album because of a song or two that you love, and you find that you like maybe half the songs on it. There's not a single selection in this one that I would've left out. It includes Joaquin Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez, performed by Pepe Romero on the guitar with the Acadamy of St. Martin in the Fields. I needed to replace my old LP recording of that. But I also get 30 other classical compositions and traditional Spanish pieces, each special in its own way.

Have you ever heard music that you wanted to last forever, maybe even to dive inside and live there for a while, immersing yourself in sound? That's how I feel about this collection. The only problem I have with it is that I bought it thinking it might be nice to listen to while I write. Not so. It's terrible for that. I'll sit with my hands poised above the laptop keyboard, assuring myself I'll get some work done while I listen. The music takes hold and carries me away.

I'm not expert at describing this or any type of music. I just know what I love. You might too, if you enjoy classical or Spanish guitar -- unless you have absurd expectations about combining listening with work.

not what i expected.......2007-03-26

This CD for me was a waste of money. Its just not what i thought it would be. Others may enjoy it but for me..it wasnt what i was hoping to hear.

excellent guitar performances.......2006-07-27

Outstanding guitar performances. I gave it only 4 stars because I do not personally like some of the compositions.

Essential Guitar..........2005-07-26

Up until this collection, I'd never heard the "Cavatina" played in the Deer Hunter movie. After hearing it, I could play it all day and not tire of it! It moves me that much, considering that it's almost "not" a classical guitar selection. The rest of the music is first rate! Excellent playing, but the "Cavatina..."
Buy it and enjoy!!!!

Lives up to its Name!.......2005-06-10

If you only bought this double CD set, you'd have a good starter collection of classical guitar music. It includes most of the standards, as well as rarer pieces. In addition to the many solo pieces, there are several excerpts from orchestral works, with Rodrigo's indispensible Adagio from "Concierto de Aranjuez" topping the list. There are also several flamenco numbers included, complete with heel taps and castanets.

The recording quality is uniformly good, even on the tracks by Segovia. I don't know if they were remastered or recorded late in his career, but they're free of the surface noise present in so many of his recordings. The set clocks in at a generous 2 1/2 hours - one of the greatest deals in instrumental music; this is not a "bargain" quality set. Listen to the samples online - great stuff.

My only mild criticism is in the marketing. The advertising features John Williams and Julian Bream. Each contributes exactly one track. I would have enjoyed more pieces by them for stylistic comparison. But the less well-known (at least to guitar music neophytes like me) artists are every bit as good, and I intend to obtain more of their work.

Classical Evolution: Spanish Guitar Music

Average customer rating:

A real bargain
Classical Evolution: Spanish Guitar Music
Just Learning

Classical Evolution: Spanish Guitar Music

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Classical Evolution: Famous Gregorian Chants
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ASIN: B000065AQ3
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Tracks:

Allegro Con Spirito - Budapest Strings
Adagio - Budapest Strings
Allegro Gentile - Budapest Strings
Allegro
Adagio
Menuetto
Rondo: Allegretto
Spanish Dance No.2
Castilla No.7
Hommage A Debussy
Spanish Dance

Customer Reviews:

A real bargain.......2007-07-04

A good introduction to Spanish guitar music, and for this price it is a great bargain. An enjoyable CD.

Classical Evolution: Spanish Guitar Music.......2007-05-14

I find the music of Spanish guitar soulful and exotic. This is my first selection of this music, and I am well pleased by the sounds of this recording.

Just Learning.......2007-04-11

I'm really enjoying the music, but admittedly know nothing of it. A wonderful CD for a person like me.

Average customer rating:

The Aranjuez Adagio is Perfection
Classic
Classic Williams: Romance of the Guitar
The Best One Disc Compilation of the Man That's Out There!
Excellent!!

Classic Williams: Romance of the Guitar

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004T0P4
Release Date: 2000-05-02

Tracks:

Romance
Pavane
Sunburst
Una Limosna Por el Amor de Dios
Asturias
Gymnopedie No. 3
El Condor Pasa
Verano Porteno
Scherzino Mexicano
Berceuse
Natalia
Dance from la Vida Breve
Planxty Madame Maxwell
Epitafios
Prelude from Lute Suite
I. Prelude from Suite for Lute (Guitar) No. 4 in E Major, BXV 1006a - From The Seville Concert
Sonata in E Major, K. 380 (L. 23) - From The Baroque Album
III. Allegro from Trio For Violin, Lute (Guitar) And Basso Continuo In C Major, RV 82 - From John Williams Plays Vivaldi Concertos
II. Adagio From Conceirto de Aranjuez For Guitar And Orchestra

Amazon.com

Guitarist John Williams (no, not John Williams the soundtrack composer) adds to his fine catalog of impeccable recordings with Classic Williams: Romance of the Guitar. But this isn't just a best-of collection (though some of his greatest work is included here) since the disc contains three new recordings. Among the new tracks, Fauré's Pavane is a real stunner, a short but gorgeous piece originally meant for orchestra and choir, where Williams's guitar sounds as though it always belonged there. We get Williams at his most interpretative--his arrangements of Satie's Gymnopedie No. 3 and Piazzolla tango Verano porteno--and his most serene (the "Cavatina" theme from the movie Deer Hunter). Let's face it, some fine classical guitarists can lull their listeners into near comatose states with their instrument; Williams, on the other hand, is just the opposite. His gorgeous tone, inventive arrangements, and interesting repertoire continue to make the classical guitar sound exciting. In short, a great introduction to Williams and a real gem for lovers of classical guitar. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

The Aranjuez Adagio is Perfection.......2007-03-01

The second movement adagio of the Aranjuez concert is one of my favourite pieces, a very difficult one to get right. I've listened to well over a dozen variations, the one on this CD, track 19, is an absolute gem. Just by itself is reason enough to own this CD. The only other Aranjuez performance that's even worth mentioning in the same breath is Julian Bream's, track 2 of the CD titled just "Julian Bream", with the Monteverdi orchestra. Both are just stunning performances, as close to perfection as it gets. Julian's is a bit stronger on the guitar than the one here.

Classic.......2007-01-26

Excellent CD for those interested in classical music. All the tracks are great in sound quality!

Classic Williams: Romance of the Guitar.......2007-01-20

Loved the songs....loved the guitar renditions. Would highly recommend!

The Best One Disc Compilation of the Man That's Out There!.......2006-04-19

If you had to call modern classical guitar by another name, it would be John Williams. A student of none other than the brilliant Andres Segovia himself, John has shown over the years to have learnt a great deal from the master and has himself developed simply impeccable technique.

As a guitarist myself who has been struggling all these years with "Cavatina", it always amazes me how effortlessly John makes the tune sound so simple and as if two guitarists are playing, one for the accompanyment and one for the melody and yet it's all him! Not only are the tracks representative of John's great talent but they also represent some of the most famous and challenging pieces to play.

Another great example of this is "Asturias(Leyenda) by Albeniz, a hauntingly beautiful and deceptively simple-sounding piece. We also get pieces that span the centuries from J.S. Bach and Vivaldi to Stanley Myers and York ending with the brilliant second movement of Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez".

Although the sound quality isn't brilliant as some tracks sound better mastered than others, overall this is a great one disc introduction to John Williams' work and comes highly recommended.

Excellent!!.......2006-03-06

This is a delightful compilation. The music flows effortlessly and leaves the listener wanting more.

Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Fantasía para un Gentilhombre

Average customer rating:

Concierto de Aranjuez
Do not buy it
The music will take you away!
tremendous recordings of some favorites and some less well-known works
A magical Classical Ambience

Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Fantasía para un Gentilhombre

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000415P
Release Date: 1994-05-10

Tracks:

Concierto de Aranjuez: Allegro con spirito
Concierto de Aranjuez: Adagio
Concierto de Aranjuez: Allegro gentile
Fantasia para un gentilhombre: Villano y Ricercare
Fantasia para un gentilhombre: Espanoleta y Fanfare de la caballeria de Napoles
Fantasia para un gentilhombre: Danza de la hachas
Fantasia para un gentilhombre: Canarios
Canconeta
Invocation et danse: Moderato
Invocation et danse: Allegro moderato: Polo
Trois petites pieces: Ya se van los pastores
Trois petites pieces: Por caminos de Santiago
Trois petites pieces: Pequena sevillana

Amazon.com

Rodrigo's two "greatest hits," these works for guitar and orchestra made a convenient and frequent LP coupling, but they are a skimpy CD program. One recommendable feature of this CD is the inclusion of two lovely works for solo guitar along with an equally lovely piece for violin and orchestra. Rodrigo deserves to be more than a two-hit wonder, and bravo to Philips for exposing a little more of his music like this. Still, the performances of the "hits" are our major concern here. Pepe Romero plays with complete command of the music, and in the affecting slow movement of the "Concierto" (composed, as we learned only after his death, to mourn the loss of a child who died at birth), he plays his heart out. Marriner and the not so small orchestra give outstandingly crisp and sensitive support, and the recording manages the difficult feat of balancing guitar and orchestra so that the solo instrument remains audible without sounding artificially boosted. There are many fine versions of the concertos on CD, including one by Pepe's brother Angel, several by John Williams, and one by Manuel Barrueco with Placido Domingo conducting. But this Philips disc is as good as any and does have the advantage of the extra music. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Concierto de Aranjuez.......2007-01-22

This is an old favorite I am delighted to have refound. The music is uplifting and Rodrigo does a wonderful job as usual. Very exciting music.

Do not buy it.......2006-10-12

Horrible composition, make-no-sense musical arrangement, lack of harmony, sectional, not "together". Buy another Concierto de Aranjuez, not this one.

The music will take you away! .......2006-03-10

Try this for a break from bland music. Play in your car while driving to work. The last few minutes of track 2 while bring joy to your heart and tears to your eyes!

tremendous recordings of some favorites and some less well-known works.......2005-11-04

What a recording. For years I liked both the efforts of Williams/Ormandy (live performance) and Parkening with the RPO. But this is my favorite recording now, hands down. The sonics are top-notch as compared with those two ADD selections, and there is more less well-known Rodrigo that is equally lovely. Romero's interpretations just seem more passionate, which seems necessary for these works, in particular the slow movement of the Concierto de Aranjuez.
Recommended.

A magical Classical Ambience.......2005-02-15

I must admit I used to be a classical fan but in the last few years my music tastes have changed into the alternative rock genre. However on a whim this album stood out due to the title and the cover design. I was delightfully suprised when I played the CD for the first time. Simply magical the entire CD is. Concierto de Aranjuez under the direction of Jacek Kaspszyk and conducted by Carlos Bonell created a gentle and yet firm sounding piece of work. Each track flows onto the next and each track has its own brilliance.
Close your eyes when you listen to this CD and allow yourself to be taken on a journey, for the music, the instruments and the ebb and flow of the music take one on a journey down to the essence of the soul, mind and heart.
All I can say is this is a must for any fan of Spanish Classical ambience theme music.

Christopher Parkening - The Great Recordings ~ By America's Preeminent Guitar Virtuoso

Average customer rating:

Excellent recording
Highly Recommended!
Amazing
A gentleman musical agreement!
Extreme virtuosity

Christopher Parkening - The Great Recordings ~ By America's Preeminent Guitar Virtuoso
Johann Sebastian Bach , François Couperin , Gabriel Fauré , Isaac Albeniz , Anonymous , Francisco Tarrega (y Eixea) , Silvius Leopold Weiss , Claude Debussy , Maurice Ravel , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Gordon Young , Georg Philipp Telemann , Heitor Villa-Lobos , Manuel de Falla , Manuel Ponce , Enrique Granados , Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco , Andrew York , Fernando Sor , Gaspar Sanz , Joaquin Rodrigo , and Christopher Parkening
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Christopher Parkening plays Bach
Simple Gifts: Christopher Parkening
In the Spanish Style / Christopher Parkening
The Christopher Parkening Guitar Method - Volume 2: Guitar Technique
Christopher Parkening - A Tribute to Segovia

ASIN: B000002RTR
Release Date: 1993-09-14

Tracks:

Fugue From Violin Sonata No. 1, BWV 1001 - J S Bach
Estudio brillante
Etude No. 1 In E Minor
Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Leyenda
Romance
Rumores de la Caleta
Capricho Arabe
Cantata 147: Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Well-Tempered Clavier: Prelude No. 1
Well-Tempered Clavier: Prelude No. 6
Cantata 140: Sleepers Awake
Prelude, Fugue, And Allegro: Allegro
Cantata 208: Sheep May Safely Graze
Les Barricades mysterieuses
Preambulo & Allegro vivo: Preambulo And Allegro vivo
Passacaglia
The Girl With The Flaxen Hair
Gymnopedie No. 1
Empress Of The Pagodas
Afro-Cuban Lullaby

Tracks:

Fourth Lute Suite: Praludium
Fairest Lord Jesus
Praise Ye The Lord, K. 339
Simple Gifts
Hymn Of Christian Joy
Cantata 29: We Thank Thee, Lord
Cantata 156: Arioso
Cantata 99: What God Hath Done
Canon
Dolly Suite: Berceuse
La Vida breve: Spanish Dance No. 1
Terezinha De Jesus
Prelude (In The Baroque Style)
Goyescas: Intermezzo
Prelude & Fugue No. 4 In E: Fugue
Evening Dance
Variations On A Theme Of Mozart
Canarlos
La Maja de Goya
El Noi de la Mare
Concierto de Aranjuez: Adagio - J. Rodrigo

Customer Reviews:

Excellent recording.......2007-05-12

If you are a fan of classical guitar than this is a must own set. I enjoy every moment.

Highly Recommended!.......2006-12-23

I would recommend this CD to anyone who loves music--period! Christopher Parkening is unquestionably one of the greatest classical guitarists of all-time. He embodies personal excellence like no other and is a brilliant artist. This CD is a must-have for any classical enthusiast. My favorite pieces include: Tárrega's "Recuerdos de la Alhambra," "Romance," Bach's "Prelude No. 6," and Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez." There are other versions of these pieces as well, but I always prefer Parkening's renditions, as they are oh so extraordinary--especially the recording of Aranjuez!! Other guitarists never seem to capture the essence of Rodrigo's musical masterpiece (e.g., Göran Söllescher in "Mad About Guitars"). But Parkening did! And the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was a perfect accompaniment.

This CD is definitely worth buying. Included is a CD booklet, which illustrates the history of Parkening's illustrious career, interesting tidbits about all 25 recorded pieces, and several photos of his early life to his "breathtaking performance" at Rodrigo's 90th birthday celebration at the Royal Festival Hall in London, 1992.

Amazing.......2006-05-08

I am not going to go into great detail. I am working on a degree in classical guitar and I can say this is something to strive for. His musical interpretation of the peices represented here are some of the best I've heard. His tone,color, and phrasing is incredible.

A gentleman musical agreement! .......2006-03-16

In guitar ` s playing there have been many renowned performers, gifted of exuberant technique. But curiously the Apollonian playing is not by itself strictly enough. The guitar is the instrument which is closer to heart as any other one. It demands from you passion and sentiment. There have been three well known guitarists, one of them from England and the other one from Spain and the third one from Japan whose sensibility was totally absent in their performances.

But fortunately for us, there have been notable interpreters that have been maintained a desired balance and contrast between brain and heart, achieving great distinction and total acknowledgement around the world. I would name seven primordial names along the instrument `s story. First of all: the mythic soloist Andres Segovia, Regino Sainz de la Maza, John Williams, Alirio Diaz, Manuel Berrueco, Siegfried Behrend and Christopher Parkening, among the most representative ones of a great list.

Christopher Parkening `s career has made a brilliant colorist, an impeccable and sensitive interpreter of this well reduced repertoire. His profound artistic conviction and convincing phrasing has been a perpetual motive of constant invitations and presentations around the world.

Extreme virtuosity.......2005-09-25

CP has become my chief inspiration to improve as a classical guitarist. His performances here are, without exception, phenomenal. He makes the most difficult pieces sound effortless. I prefer CP over John Williams because, while Williams is also unquestionably a master, he sounds a bit robotic to me at times. CP, on the other hand, never sacrifices musicality to precision. He sublimely maintains both.

Average customer rating:

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

Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Life and Works of Frédéric Chopin

ASIN: B00006O0NT
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tracks:

Concerto No. 1 in E Major RV 269 Spring: Allegro - Budapest Strings
Concerto No. 1 in E Major RV 269 Spring: Largo (E Pianissimo Sempre) - Budapest Festival Orchestra, Miklos Perenyi
Concerto No. 1 in E Major RV 269 Spring: Allegro - Budapest Strings,
Concerto No. 2 in G Minor RV 315 Summer: Allegro Non Molto - ... - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Concerto No. 2 in G Minor RV 315 Summer: Adagio E Piano - Presto E ... - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Concerto No. 2 in G Minor RV 315 Summer: Presto - German Bach Soloists
Concerto No. 3 in F Major RV 293 Autumn: Allegro - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerto No. 3 in F Major RV 293 Autumn: Largo - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerto No. 3 in F Major RV 293 Autumn: Allegro - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerto No. 4 in F Minor RV 297 Winter: Allegro Non Molto - Budapest Strings
Concerto No. 4 in F Minor RV 297 Winter: Largo - Budapest Strings
Concerto No. 4 in F Minor RV 297 Winter: Allegro - Budapest Strings
Concerto in C Major RV 425 for Mandolin, Strings and Basso ... - Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Benjamin Schmidinger
Concerto in C Major RV 425 for Mandolin, Strings and Basso ... - Dresdner Philharmonic, Sebastian Weigle
Concerto in C Major RV 425 for Mandolin, Strings and Basso ... - Dresdner Philharmonic, Sebastian Weigle
Concerto in D Minor RV 454 for Oboe, String and Basso Continuo: ... - Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, Miklos Perenyi
Concerto in D Minor RV 454 for Oboe, String and Basso Continuo: Largo - Rudolf Gleissner, Hans Kalafusz, Lajos Lencses, Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stuttgart
Concerto in D Minor RV 454 for Oboe, String and Basso Continuo: ... - Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Emmy Verhey
Concerto in C Major RV 537 for Two Trumpets, Strings and Basso ... - Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Emmy Verhey
Concerto in C Major RV 537 for Two Trumpets, Strings and Basso ... - Budapest Festival Orchestra, Miklos Perenyi
Concerto in C Major RV 537 for Two Trumpets, Strings and Basso ... - Bulgarian National Choir, Stoika Milanova

Tracks:

Flute Concerto in F, Op.10, No. 1, La Tempesta Di Mare: Allegro - Monika Rost
Flute Concerto in F, Op.10, No. 1, La Tempesta Di Mare: Largo - Budapest Strings,
Flute Concerto in F, Op.10, No. 1, La Tempesta Di Mare: Presto - Budapest Strings,
Flute Concerto in G Minor, Op.10, No. 2, La Notte: Largo - Budapest Strings,
Flute Concerto in G Minor, Op.10, No. 2, La Notte: Presto (Fantasmi) - Budapest Strings,
Flute Concerto in G Minor, Op.10, No. 2, La Notte: Largo - Budapest Strings,
Flute Concerto in G Minor, Op.10, No. 2, La Notte: Presto - Budapest Strings,
Flute Concerto in G Minor, Op.10, No. 2, La Notte: Largo (Il Sonno) - Budapest Strings,
Flute Concerto in G Minor, Op.10, No. 2, La Notte: Allegro - Budapest Strings
Flute Concerto in D, Op.10, No. 3, Il Gardellino: Allegro - Budapest Strings,
Flute Concerto in D, Op.10, No. 3, Il Gardellino: [Without Indication] - Budapest Strings,
Flute Concerto in D, Op.10, No. 3, Il Gardellino: Allegro - Budapest Strings,
Flute Concerto in F, Op.10, No. 5: Allegro Ma Non Tanto - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Flute Concerto in F, Op.10, No. 5: Allegro Cantabile - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Flute Concerto in F, Op.10, No. 5: Allegro - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Flute Concerto in C, RV 443: (Allegro) - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Flute Concerto in C, RV 443: Largo - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Flute Concerto in C, RV 443: Allegro Molto - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Flute Concerto in C, RV 444: Allegro Non Molto - Budapest Strings
Flute Concerto in C, RV 444: Largo - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Flute Concerto in C, RV 444: Allegro Molto - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra

Tracks:

Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F Major BWV 1046: Allegro - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F Major BWV 1046: Adagio - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F Major BWV 1046: Allegro - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F Major BWV 1046: Menuet-Trio-Menuet ... - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F Major BWV 1047: Allegro - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F Major BWV 1047: Andante - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F Major BWV 1047: Allegro Assai - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major BWV 1048: Allegro - Budapest Strings
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major BWV 1048: Adagio (Cadenza) - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major BWV 1048: Allegro - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Concerto for Harpsichord, Strings and Continuo in D Major BWV ... - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Concerto for Harpsichord, Strings and Continuo in D Major BWV ... - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra
Concerto for Harpsichord, Strings and Continuo in D Major BWV ... - The Berlin Chamber Orchestra

Tracks:

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G Major BWV 1049: Allegro - Daniel Gerard
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G Major BWV 1049: Andante - German Bach Soloists
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G Major BWV 1049: Presto - German Bach Soloists
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major BWV 1050: Allegro - German Bach Soloists
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major BWV 1050: Affettuoso - Budapest Strings
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major BWV 1050: Allegro - German Bach Soloists
Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B Flat Major BWV 1051: Allegro - German Bach Soloists
Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B Flat Major BWV 1051: Adagio Ma Non ... - German Bach Soloists
Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B Flat Major BWV 1051: Allegro - German Bach Soloists

Tracks:

Violin Concerto in E, BWV 1042: Allegro - German Bach Soloists
Violin Concerto in E, BWV 1042: Adagio - German Bach Soloists
Violin Concerto in E, BWV 1042: Allegro Assai - German Bach Soloists
Violin Concerto in a Minor, BWV 1041: Allegro - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Violin Concerto in a Minor, BWV 1041: Andante - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Violin Concerto in a Minor, BWV 1041: Allegro Assai - Budapest Strings
Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor, BWV 1043: Vivace - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor, BWV 1043: Largo Ma Non Tanto - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor, BWV 1043: Allegro - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerto for Three Violins in D Minor, BWV 1063: Allegro - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerto for Three Violins in D Minor, BWV 1063: Alla Siciliana - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerto for Three Violins in D Minor, BWV 1063: Allegro - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum

Tracks:

Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in B Flat Major Op. 3, No. 1 - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in B Flat Major Op. 3, No. 1 - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in B Flat Major Op. 3, No. 1 - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in B Flat Major Op. 3, No. 2 - Budapest Strings
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in B Flat Major Op. 3, No. 2 - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in B Flat Major Op. 3, No. 2 - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in B Flat Major Op. 3, No. 2 - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in B Flat Major Op. 3, No. 2 - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in G Major Op. 3, No. 3 - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in G Major Op. 3, No. 3 [Contin] - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in G Major Op. 3, No. 3 [Contin] - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in F Major Op. 3, No. 4 - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in F Major Op. 3, No. 4 [Contin] - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in F Major Op. 3, No. 4 [Contin]
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in F Major Op. 3, No. 4 [Contin]
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in D Minor Op. 3, No. 5
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in D Minor Op. 3, No. 5 [Contin]
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in D Minor Op. 3, No. 5 [Contin]
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in D Minor Op. 3, No. 5 [Contin]
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in D Minor Op. 3, No. 5 [Contin]
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in D Major Op. 3, No. 6
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in D Major Op. 3, No. 6 [Contin]
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in D Major Op. 3, No. 6 [Contin]
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in F Major Op. 3, No. 4a - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in F Major Op. 3, No. 4a [Conti] - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in F Major Op. 3, No. 4a [Conti] - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerti Grossi Op. 3: Concerto Grosso in F Major Op. 3, No. 4a [Conti] - New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum

Tracks:

Organ Concerto No. 6 in B Flat Major - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 6 in B Flat Major (Continued) - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 6 in B Flat Major (Continued) - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 1 in G Minor - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 1 in G Minor (Continued) - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 1 in G Minor (Continued) - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 1 in G Minor (Continued) - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 3 in G Minor - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 3 in G Minor (Continued) - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 3 in G Minor (Continued) - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 3 in G Minor (Continued) - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 2 in B Flat Major - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 2 in B Flat Major (Continued) - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 2 in B Flat Major (Continued) - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 2 in B Flat Major (Continued) - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 4 in F Major - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 4 in F Major (Continued) - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 4 in F Major (Continued) - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 4 in F Major (Continued) - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 5 in F Major - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 5 in F Major (Continued) - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 5 in F Major (Continued) - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings
Organ Concerto No. 5 in F Major (Continued) - Erzst Achim, Budapest Strings

Tracks:

Concerto in D Major No.116 for Flute, Strings and Continuo QV ...
Concerto in D Major No.116 for Flute, Strings and Continuo QV ... - Budapest Strings
Concerto in D Major No.116 for Flute, Strings and Continuo QV ...
Concerto in D Major for Flute, Oboe, Violin, Violoncello, Theorbe, ... - Budapest Strings
Concerto in D Major for Flute, Oboe, Violin, Violoncello, Theorbe, ... - Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Benjamin Schmidinger
Concerto in D Major for Flute, Oboe, Violin, Violoncello, Theorbe, ... - Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Benjamin Schmidinger
Concerto in E Minor for Flute, Strings and Continuo [Original Version] - Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Benjamin Schmidinger
Concerto in E Minor for Flute, Strings and Continuo [Original Version] - Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Benjamin Schmidinger
Concerto in E Minor for Flute, Strings and Continuo [Original Version] - Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Benjamin Schmidinger
Concerto in B Minor for Flute, Two Violins and Continuo [Dresden Versi] - Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Benjamin Schmidinger
Concerto in B Minor for Flute, Two Violins and Continuo [Dresden Versi] - Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Benjamin Schmidinger
Concerto in B Minor for Flute, Two Violins and Continuo [Dresden Versi] - Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg, Benjamin Schmidinger

Tracks:

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 in B Flat Major, K.207: ... - Dresdner Philharmonic, Sebastian Weigle
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 in B Flat Major, K.207: Adagio - Budapest Strings
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 in B Flat Major, K.207: Presto - Dresdner Philharmonic, Sebastian Weigle
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 2 in D Major, K.211: Allegro ... - Dresdner Philharmonic, Sebastian Weigle
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 2 in D Major, K.211: Andante - Dresdner Philharmonic, Sebastian Weigle
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 2 in D Major, K.211: ... - Dresdner Philharmonic, Sebastian Weigle
Adagio in E Major for Violin and Orchestra, K.261 - Dresdner Philharmonic, Sebastian Weigle
Rondo in B Flat Major for Violin and Orchestra, K.269 - Dresdner Philharmonic, Sebastian Weigle
Rondo in C Major for Violin and Orchestra, K.373 - Dresdner Philharmonic, Sebastian Weigle

Tracks:

Concerto for Horn and Orchestra in E Flat, K.495: Allegro Maestoso - Dresdner Philharmonic, Sebastian Weigle
Concerto for Horn and Orchestra in E Flat, K.495: Romance. Andante ... - Dresdner Philharmonic, Sebastian Weigle
Concerto for Horn and Orchestra in E Flat, K.495: Rondo. Allegro ... - New Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerto for Horn and Orchestra in E Flat, K.447: Allegro - Dresdner Philharmonic, Sebastian Weigle
Concerto for Horn and Orchestra in E Flat, K.447: Romance. Larghetto - Dresdner Philharmonic, Sebastian Weigle
Concerto for Horn and Orchestra in E Flat, K.447: Allegro - Dresdner Philharmonic, Sebastian Weigle
Rondo in D Horn and Orchestra [Horn Concerto, K.412, Second Movement] - Daniel Gerard, Vienna Mozart Ensemble
Concerto for Horn and Orchestra in E Flat, K.417: Allegro - Daniel Gerard, Vienna Mozart Ensemble
Concerto for Horn and Orchestra in E Flat, K.417: Andante - Daniel Gerard, Vienna Mozart Ensemble
Concerto for Horn and Orchestra in E Flat, K.417: Rondo. Allegro - Daniel Gerard, Vienna Mozart Ensemble
Concerto in E for Horn and Orchestra K.494a (First Movement; Fragment) - Daniel Gerard, Vienna Mozart Ensemble
Concerto in D for Horn and Orchestra, K.412/514 (386b) [Traditional Ve] - Daniel Gerard, Vienna Mozart Ensemble
Concerto in D for Horn and Orchestra, K.412/514 (386b) [Traditional Ve] - New Bach Collegium Musicum
Rondo in E Flat for Horn and Orchestra, K.371 - Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, Miklos Perenyi
Concerto Movement in E Flat for Horn and Orchestra - Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, Miklos Perenyi

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.23 in a Major, K.488: Allegro - Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, Miklos Perenyi
Piano Concerto No.23 in a Major, K.488: Andante - Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, Miklos Perenyi
Piano Concerto No.23 in a Major, K.488: Presto - Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, Miklos Perenyi
Piano Concerto No. 9 in E Flat Major, K.271, Jeune Homme: Allegro - Rudolf Gleissner, Hans Kalafusz, Lajos Lencses, Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stuttgart
Piano Concerto No. 9 in E Flat Major, K.271, Jeune Homme: Andante - Rudolf Gleissner, Hans Kalafusz, Lajos Lencses, Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stuttgart
Piano Concerto No. 9 in E Flat Major, K.271, Jeune Homme: Rondo. ... - Rudolf Gleissner, Hans Kalafusz, Lajos Lencses, Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stuttgart

Tracks:

Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major: Moderato - Rudolf Gleissner, Hans Kalafusz, Lajos Lencses, Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stuttgart
Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major: Adagio - New Bach Collegium Musicum
Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major: Allegro Molto - Rudolf Gleissner, Hans Kalafusz, Lajos Lencses, Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stuttgart
Cello Concerto No. 2 in D Major: Allegro Moderato - Rudolf Gleissner, Hermann Herder, Hans Kalafusz, Lajos Lencses, Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stuttgart
Cello Concerto No. 2 in D Major: Adagio - Rudolf Gleissner, Hermann Herder, Hans Kalafusz, Lajos Lencses, Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stuttgart
Cello Concerto No. 2 in D Major: Allegro - Rudolf Gleissner, Hermann Herder, Hans Kalafusz, Lajos Lencses, Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stuttgart

Tracks:

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in C Major, Hob. Viia: 1: Allegro - Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Jennd
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in C Major, Hob. Viia: 1: Adagio - Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Jennd
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in C Major, Hob. Viia: 1: ... - Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Jennd
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in a Major, Hob. Viia: 3, "Melk ..." - Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Emmy Verhey
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in a Major, Hob. Viia: 3, "Melk ..." - Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Emmy Verhey
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in a Major, Hob. Viia: 3, "Melk ..." - New Bach Collegium Musicum
Sinfonia in B Flat Major, Hob. I: 105 for Violin, Cello, Oboe, Bassoon - Maria Balint, Radio Symphony Orchestra Ljubljana
Sinfonia in B Flat Major, Hob. I: 105 for Violin, Cello, Oboe, Bassoon - Maria Balint, Radio Symphony Orchestra Ljubljana
Sinfonia in B Flat Major, Hob. I: 105 for Violin, Cello, Oboe, Bassoon - Maria Balint, Radio Symphony Orchestra Ljubljana

Tracks:

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in B Flat Minor, Op.23: Allegro - Gary Karr, The London Symphony Orchestra
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in B Flat Minor, Op.23: ... - Maria Balint, Radio Symphony Orchestra Ljubljana
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in B Flat Minor, Op.23: Allegro - Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Miklos Szenthelyi
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, Op.35: Allegro Moderato - Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Miklos Szenthelyi
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, Op.35: Andante - Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, Miklos Szenthelyi
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, Op.35: Allegro ... - Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Emmy Verhey

Tracks:

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 in D Major Op. 6: Allegro ... - Budapest Strings
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 in D Major Op. 6: Adagio ... - New Bach Collegium Musicum
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 in D Major Op. 6: Rondo. ... - Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Emmy Verhey
Introduction and Variations on a Theme by Rossini - Vesselin Eshkenasi, Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra
Po, Op. 25 - Vesselin Eshkenasi, Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op.26: Vorspiel. Allegro Moderato - Vesselin Eshkenasi, Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra
Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op.26: Adagio - Wolfgang Boettcher, Ulf Hoelscher, Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stuttgart
Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op.26: Finale. Allegro Energico - Wolfgang Boettcher, Ulf Hoelscher, Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stuttgart
Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op.64: Allegro Molto Appassionato - Wolfgang Boettcher, Ulf Hoelscher, Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stuttgart
Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op.64: Andante - Budapest Festival Orchestra, Miklos Perenyi
Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op.64: Allegretto Non Troppo - Allegro ... - New Bach Collegium Musicum

Tracks:

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, Op.77: Allegro Non ... - Budapest Festival Orchestra, Miklos Perenyi
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, Op.77: Adagio - Budapest Festival Orchestra, Miklos Perenyi
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, Op.77: Allegro Giocoso - - Budapest Festival Orchestra, Miklos Perenyi
Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra in a Minor, Op.102 Double ... - Bulgarian National Choir, Stoika Milanova
Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra in a Minor, Op.102 Double ... - Bulgarian National Choir, Stoika Milanova
Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra in a Minor, Op.102 Double ... - Bulgarian National Choir, Stoika Milanova

Tracks:

Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op.104: Allegro - Bulgarian National Choir, Stoika Milanova
Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op.104: Adagio Ma Non Troppo - Bulgarian National Choir, Stoika Milanova
Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op.104: Finale. Allegro Moderato - Bulgarian National Choir, Stoika Milanova
Cello Concerto: Allegro Moderato - Budapest Strings,
Cello Concerto: Andante Con Moto - Bulgarian National Choir, Stoika Milanova
Cello Concerto: Allegro Marciale - Bulgarian National Choir, Stoika Milanova

Tracks:

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 in D Major Op.19 - Bulgarian National Choir, Stoika Milanova
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in a Minor Op.82 - Budapest Strings, Zoltan Tokos
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 in a Minor Op.77 - Budapest Strings, Zoltan Tokos

Tracks:

Concierto de Aranjuez: Allegro Con Spirito - Monika Rost
Concierto de Aranjuez: Adagio - Monika Rost
Concierto de Aranjuez: Allegro Gentile - Budapest Strings,
Sonata Op.22: Allegro - Budapest Strings,
Sonata Op.22: Adagio - Budapest Strings,
Sonata Op.22: Menuetto - Budapest Strings,
Sonata Op.22: Rondo. Allegretto - Budapest Strings,
Spanish Dance No. 2 - Budapest Strings
Castilla No. 7 - Budapest Strings,
Hommage Debussy - Budapest Strings,
Spanish Dance - Budapest Strings,

Album Description

This heavenly 20-CD set brings together the most beautiful music of all time...it must be what angels listen to! Float in the clouds as you listen to Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Bach's Brandenburg Concertos and Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez... to name just a few. This Concert Collection will take a winning position in anyone's music library.

Customer Reviews:

Heavenly.......2007-06-06

A collection of masters that insist that you relax as you listen. An exquisit addition to any music cd collection.

What a value!.......2005-07-26

A wonderful collection of music spanning from the Baroque to the Modern and so Affordable. Each CD is in a full size jewel-case with beautiful cover art - paintings of Renaissance-era angels in muted, slightly reflective, metal-tone inks - all within a box that ties them all together. There are no liner notes in the booklet, just track listings, but the music speaks for itself. It's not completely apparent from the track listing who the composers are, so here's the breakdown: Disc 1 - Vivaldi's "Four Seasons"; Disc 2 - Vivaldi flute concertos; Disc 3 and 4 - Bach Brandonburg concertos; Disc 5 - Bach violin concertos; Disc 6 - Handel concerto grossi; Disc 7 - Handel organ concertos; Disc 8 - Flute concertos by Quantz, Heinchen, Buffardin, Adolph-Hasse; Disc 9 - Mozartt violin concertos; Disc 10 - Mozart horn concertos; Disc 11 - Mozart piano concertos; Disc 12 - Haydn cello concertos; Disc 13 - Haydn violin concertos; Disc 14 - Tchaikovsky violin concerto and piano concerto; Disc 15 - Paganini and Chausson violin concertos; Disc 16 - Bruch and Mendelssohn violin concertos; Disc 17 - Brahms concertos; Disc 18 - Dvorak and Hindesmith cello concertos; Disc 19 - Russian composers Prokofiev, Galzanov and Shoshakovich violin concertos; Disc 20 - Spanish guitar concertos of Rodrigo, Sor, Granados, Albeniz and de Falla.

Average customer rating:

relation through beautiful music
A Great Find!

Guitar Adagios

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00028DNCW
Release Date: 2004-07-13

Tracks:

Adagio In G Minor - Dominic Miller
The Deer Hunter - Goran Sollscher
Largo - Eduardo Fernandez
Prelude - John Williams
Apres Un Reve - Steve Erquiaga
Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte - Steve Erquiaga
Courante - Pepe Romero
Torija (Elegia) - Segovia
Andantino - Piu Mosso - Primo Tempo - Julian Bream
Andaluza - Pepe Romero
Granada (Serenata) - Pepe Romero
Bachians Brasileiras No.1 - Alexandre Lagoya
Andante Cantabile - Segovia
Cancion De Cuna - Eduardo Fernandez
Arioso - Steve Erquiaga
Romance D'Amour - Goran Sollscher
Adagio - Christine Pendrill
Qui Tollis - Dominic Miller

Tracks:

Air On A G String - Dominic Miller
Largo - Alexandre Lagoya
Andante Sostenuto - Alexandre Lagoya
La Maja De Goya - Pepe Romero
Romance De Los Pinos - Pepe Romero
Sarabande - John Williams
Sonata, Op.16 - Pepe Romero
Recuerdos De La Alhambra - Eduardo Fernandez
Barcarolle - John Williams
Bourees I & II - John Williams
Sarabande - John Williams
Andante - Alexandre Lagoya
Oriental - Alexandre Lagoya
Cantabile - Alexandre Lagoya
Adagio Ma Non Troppo - Alexandre Lagoya
Andante - Alexandre Lagoya
Canzone In E Minor - Alexandre Lagoya
Sicilienne - Steve Erquiaga
Clair De Lune - Alexandre Lagoya

Customer Reviews:

relation through beautiful music.......2005-10-02

This is arguably the most relaxing music anywhere. It is lovely to take a nap to, fall asleep to..... use your imagination to......

A Great Find!.......2004-08-02

These are wonderful cds. They include Andres Segovia,Julian Bream, John Williams, Presti/Lagoya and Pepe Romero among other guitarist's. This two cd set has a rare performance of Segovia with the "Symphony Of The Air"performing Boccherini's "Cello Concerto in D". John Williams performing Bach's "Cello Suite In D" at seventeen years old. Also Ida Presti and Alexandre Lagoya performing Debussy's "Clair de Lune" and Granado's "Spanish Dance No.2 The Oriental". Presti/Lagoya's music has long been out of print and to the best of my knowledge this is the first time their music has been available on cd.These cd's have over 2 and a half hours of music and are well worth the money.

Average customer rating:

A great introduction to the art of Placido Domingo
This is really the best.
If you like Placido at all, you must have this CD.
Rare And Great Domingo Classics
A real Bobby Dazzler

Very Best of
Placido Domingo
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Placido Domingo: A Love Until The End Of Time
Bravo Domingo
The Very Best of Franco Corelli
Perhaps Love
The Domingo Songbook

ASIN: B000083GOJ
Release Date: 2003-04-22

Tracks:

Ill Mio Tesoro
Un'aura Amorosa
Dies Bildnis Ist Bezaubernd Schon
La Ci Darem La Mano
Vani Sono I Lamenti...Svegliatevi Nel Core
Pays Merveilleux...O Paradis
Quel Trouble Inconnu Me Penetre...Salut ! Demeure Chaste Et Pure (Faust, Act III)
Ah! Tout Est Bien Fini... O Souverain, O Juge, O Pere (Le Cid, Act III)
None But The Lonley Heart
Lensky's Aria
Donna, Non Vidi Mai (Manon Lescauy Act, II)
Ah, Manon, Mi Tradisce
Dammi I Colori...Recondita Armonia
E Lucevan Le Stelle (Tosca, Act III)
Ch'ella Mi Creda (La Fanciulla Del West, Act III)
Dai Campi, Dai Prati (Mefistofele, Act I)
Virgini Muse...Quando Al Soave Anelito
O Sink Hernieder, Nacht Der Liebe
Was Am Besten Er Kann...Hoho! Hohei!

Tracks:

Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi!...Celeste Aida
Su, Profetessa...Di Tu Se Fedele
Forse La Soglia Attinse...Ma Se M'e Forza Perderti
O Tu Che In Seno Agli Angeli
Su, Cacciator...Fontainebleau!...
Niun Mi Tema
Ach, Wie So Herrlich Zu Schau'n
Sckenkt Man Sich Rosen In Tirol
Gern Hab'ich Die Frau'n Gekusst
O Vaterland...Da Geh'ich Zu Maxim
Dein Ist Mein Ganzes Herz
Mi Aldea
Cancion Del Sembrador
No Puede Ser
Serenata
Copillas De Belen
Coplas Del Pastor Enamorado
En Aranjues Con Tu Amor
Jealousy Tango
La Golondina

Amazon.com

Placido Domingo is a phenomenon, and every aspect of his artistry is on display in this 2-CD compilation, which includes arias from his signature roles in Italian, French, German, and Russian operas, and songs from Viennese and Spanish operettas. The original recordings range from the early 1970s to the present and show that though over the years his bright golden voice has taken on a darker, more burnished glow, it has retained the melting lyricism, the heroic ring, the thrilling top notes, and the focused intensity that make it instantly recognizable. (Comparing the Verdi arias included here with their counterparts of later vintage in the all-Verdi set The Tenor Arias bears this out.) The program demonstrates his stylistic and expressive versatility and his ability to instantly establish character and mood, from Lenski's sorrow (in Eugene Onegin), Cavaradossi's heart-rending despair (in Tosca), Otello's shattering agony, to Tristan's passion, Siegfried's exuberance, Faust's ardor (first in French by Gounod, then in Italian by Boito). In three Mozart arias, Domingo spins endless, perfectly shaped phrases with incredible breath control, then adds an oddity: the famous duet between Zerlina and Don Giovanni, a role he has not performed. Five Viennese operetta songs, one of which he also conducts, are delightful; there is a smile of pleasure in his voice, but not a hint of kitsch. By contrast, Tchaikovsky's "None but the Lonely Heart" is spoiled by an orchestration that is pure Hollywood. In the final Spanish group, he is on home ground and incomparable. This is a glorious record, a must for all lovers of great singing. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

A great introduction to the art of Placido Domingo.......2007-07-04

Placido Domingo, of course, is one of the finest tenors of the latter part of the 20th century. This 2 CD set well captures his talent, showing the range of his singing. We hear cuts from Puccini and Verdi to Tchaikovsky and Wagner to Strauss and Handel. And even a traditional Spanish sung and some operetta thrown in for good measure!

This is a wonderful introduction to his artistry, and shows that he can sing well across a variety of styles and eras. Let's sample some cuts:

"Il mio Tesoro" (from Mozart's Don Giovanni) is a difficult aria to sing well. And Domingo is up to the challenge. He displays a smooth and rich voice. His is one of those distinctive tenor voices, like Tucker's or Pavarotti's, that is quickly recognizable. This is, as noted, a challenging piece and Domingo handles it well, showing off considerable vocal agility in the process.

From the same opera, "La ci darem la mano," a sweet duet with, in this instance, soprano Susan Graham. This seductive work is sung well by both parties and is a ravishing version.

From Puccini's "Tosca," "Recondita armonia." At the close, his voice rises above orchestra and chorus. Overall, well and richly sung.

And now for something very different. . . The "Forging Scene" from Siegfried. One may not think of Domingo as a heldentenor, but he does a serviceable job here. His voice sometimes appears a bit light, but, overall, he does estimable work. He catches Siegfried's spirit as he forges the shattered remains of his father's sword, "Nothung." When he sings the name of his sword at the close, with the leitmotif ringing out from the orchestra, it is an affecting moment.

Then, "Celeste Aida" (from Verdi's opera). A stentorian voice well deployed to meet the challenges of this wonderful aria. Some tenors scoop as they move from those lower to the higher notes; Domingo's voice is well controlled here. The final high note is well hit.

Strauss (Junior's) "Ach, wie so herrlich zu schau'n" is a romp! A fun piece and well sung by Domingo. He demonstrates, as before, excellent vocal agility.

Lehar's "O Vaterland" is also fun. It is a sprightly tune sprightly sung.

Finally, he ends the second CD with a traditional Spanish tune--"La Golondrina." He does not overpower this work with operatic technique. He sings it well and affectingly.

So, all in all, if one wants a good introduction to Placido Domingo's vocal oeuvre, this is a very strong starting point.

This is really the best........2007-05-16

I have many of Mr. Domingo's recordings but I really love this one. He seems to get better with age. Some of the songs are on some of my other recordings but they seem new and fresh on this CD. I really think this is the best of Placido Domingo.

If you like Placido at all, you must have this CD........2005-04-06

Placido Domingo has been around for so long, it is easy to take this great artist for granted. I totally agree with the previous reviews of this album; I can also say that I had the opportunity to hear him live in concert on April 2, 2005 in Biloxi, Mississippi, and his voice is still stunning. His opening aria that night was the prayer from El Cid, "O Souverain," which he dedicated to the memory of Pope John Paul II. This piece is the 8th selection on CD 1, and is from a 1997 live recording. His thrilling finish blew me away when I listened to it the first time, and and the crowd on the recording reacts the same way the Mississippi audience did when we heard him. That aria alone is worth the price of this CD set.

Rare And Great Domingo Classics.......2005-03-08

EMI's "The Very Best Of" series is a wonderful way for the opera lover/novice or even connoisseur in training to get acquainted with the great singers of opera in the 20th century. It is possible that in a few years, the great singers of today (from the 90's up to now and further into the future) will grace the album covers of The Very Best Of...The Very Best Of Renee Fleming, The Very Best Of Salvatore Licitra, etc. This is not exactly the best of Domingo. It is more of a collection of rare and wonderfully expressive arias from operas that range all over the map- Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, Wagner, Meyerbeer, Gounod, Massenet. Now, here's the reason why so many people adore Domingo, myself included - Domingo is a Renaissance Opera Tenor. He has sung almost every tenor role in the opera universe. Even if he is, to some, the "tenor who sang with Pavoratti in the three tenors" he proves he's the strongest of the bunch, the most dedicated, the most prolific and most artistic. Domingo has a beautiful voice, with secure high register and dark, masculine middle chest voice and exciting dramatic electricity! He's sung more than 50 operas, in addition operetta and Spanish Zarzuela (the Spanish equivalent to musicals or operetta which is where he got started and his parents sung in Zarzuela) and he has also recorded Spanish mainstream love songs for Latin audiences. A winner of Grammies, an actor in movies about operas that he starred in (Tosca, La Traviata, Otello) and the most active tenor on tv broadcasts, he is just incredible and powerful.
He is a great force in opera.

Even in his old age, he does'nt seem to be slowing down or call it quits. Recent performances (2000-2005) include Eugene Onegin, the lead in Queen of Spades, Rasputin in Debra Dratell's Nicolas and Alexandra, Idomeneo and his next role Parsifal. He is the singular tenor who mastered every repertoire- Mozart (Don Ottavio, Tamino...unfortunately Domingo as Don Giovanni is a miscast because he is too noble and romantic and GOOD to be a bad guy)..to Puccini heros (Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca, Dick Johnson in Fanciualla Del West, Rodolfo in Boheme, Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly, Calaf in Turandot) Verdi heroes (Radames in Aida, Don Carlos, Stiffelio, etc) to the French repertoire...Gounod (Faust, Romeo) Meyerbeer heroes, Massenet hero (Des Grieux, Le Cid) and Saint Saens (Samson) the list goes on and on. When this man dies, an era will die with him. His legend will live on because he will leave behind dozens of albums, movies and memories......

A real Bobby Dazzler.......2004-02-19

Fans of Mr. Domingo would be lucky to find a selection of music that more profoundly explores and exhibits the diversity of his vocal ability and interpretation than is offered on these two discs. Delicious displays of Mozart, ringing renditions of the most challenging high Italian roles, powerfully rounded accounts of some of the heavy German/Russian repetoir, and some noticably nostalgic songs from the light Spannish tradition provide an impressive catalogue of the great man's rich, focussed, technically impecable and singularly beguiling vocal talent. Those who are yet to form an opinion on any particular genre of the operatic spectrum would do well to start here, so eclectic is this album. Also, you might be reassured to know that, should you become an admirer of P.D.'s talent as a result of listening to this compilation, (it is difficult to resist), you will have no trouble finding other recordings by him. A record-breaker with more than 110 roles to his repetoir (40 is a respected total for an opera singer), he is the most recorded tenor in history, leaving more than 80 complete accounts to date of operas in the Italian, French, German and Russian traditions.

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