Devil's Dance

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Though it's haunted by goblins, ghosts, and monsters, it is hard to find anything very satanic in much of this music, except its fiendishly difficult pyrotechnics. Its sole purpose is to display Gil Shaham's devilishly dazzling virtuosity, glorious tone, elegance, humor, and bewitching charm. The only substantial piece is Tartini's "Devil's Trill Sonata," in Kreisler's edition complete with his long, diabolically strenuous cadenza; Shaham plays it very beautifully, with genuine, moving expressiveness. Elsewhere, his tongue is never far from his cheek, whether he is tossing off Bazzini's "Rondo de Lutins" perfectly at top speed, or having fun with the fireworks of Korngold's "Caprice fantastique," Sarasate's "Faust Fantasie," Grieg's "Puck" arranged by Joseph Achron, Paganini's Caprice No. 13, with a piano part by Robert Schumann, and Saint-Saëns' "Dance macabre," in which the pianist doubles for a whole orchestra. There are also transcriptions of passionately romantic pieces by Brahms and Mendelssohn, and excursions into different styles: William Bolcom's "Graceful Ghost" rag; "Transylvanian Lullaby" from John Morris's soundtrack for "Young Frankenstein" transcribed by Shaham's pianist, Jonathan Feldman; and the title piece, "Devil's Dance" arranged by John Williams from his soundtrack for "The Witches of Eastwick." You can safely invite this devil of a violinist into your home--he is excellent company. --Edith Eisler

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:

Introduction And Rondo Capriccioso For Violin And Orchestra - Itzhak Perlman
Violin Concerto No.2 In D Minor, Op.22: Romance (Andante) - Gil Shaham
Zigeunerweisen, Op.20 - Ruggiero Ricci
Violin Concerto No.2 In B Minor, Op.7: Rondo A La Clochete 'La Campanella' - Salvatore Accardo
Thais: Meditation - Joshua Bell
Partita No.3 In E, BWV 1006: Preludio - Nathan Milstein
Partita No.3 In E, BWV 1006: Gavote And Rondo - Gidon Kremer
The Four Seasons: Concerto No.2 In G Minor, RV 269 'Summer': Presto - Pinchas Zukerman
Sonata No.4 In G Minor, Op.1 'The Devil's Trill' - Gil Shaham
Violin Sonata No.3 In D, Op.9 No.3: Tambourin (Presto) - Henryk Szeryng
Minuet In G, WoO 10 No.2 - Arthur Grumiaux
Songs Without Words: Spring Song, Op.62 No.6 - Christian Ferras
24 Caprices For Solo Violin: Caprice No.9 In E Major - Shlomo Mintz
24 Caprices For Solo Violin: Caprice No.17 In E-Flat Major - Ruggiero Ricci
24 Caprices For Solo Violin: Caprice No.24 In A Minor 'Tema Quas' - Salvatore Accardo

Tracks:

Violin Concerto In D, Op.35: Canzonetta (Andante) - Nathan Milstein
Polonaise No.1 In D, Op.4 - Leila Josefowicz
Ave Maria, D 839 - Christian Ferras
Hungarian Dance No.1 In G Minor - Samuel Sanders
Humoresque, Op.101 No.7 - Arthur Grumiaux
The Legend Of Tsar Saltan: Flight Of The Bumblebee - Henryk Szeryng
Hebrew Melody, Op.33 - Ruggiero Ricci
Salut D'amour, Op.12 - Phillip Moll
Waltz 'La Plus Que Lente' - Henryk Szeryng
Three Old Viennese Dances: Liebesfreud - Joshua Bell
Three Old Viennese Dances: Liebesleid - Phillip Moll
Baal Shem: Nigun - Arthur Grumiaux
Berceuse, Op.16 - Anne-Sophie Mutter
Tzigane - Concert Rhapsody For Violin And Piano - Gerhard Oppitz
Danzas Espanola, Op.37: Andaluza (Dance No.5) - Arthur Grumiaux
Hora Staccato - Christian Ferras
Six Romanian Folk Dances, Op.Sz 56 - Henryk Szeryng

Customer Reviews:

Perfect.......2005-02-15

I love classical music but I dont own very much of it, so I thought I would start my collection with Masters of the Bow. What a beautiful selection it was. I just love the sound of a Violin, Joshua Bell is my favorite,I would love to hear more from him. This collection really helps you get to know the masters. Lovely Lovely!

Outstanding.......2004-08-17

I love the violin and this collection is one of my favorites. A great choice for someone like me who doesn't know enough about music and never knows what to buy. It has introduced me to some artists and pieces that I knew nothing about and will help me know what to look for in violin music in the future. This is my favorite but I would also recommend The Cello and Voice CDs in the "Masters of" series. I can't wait for more in this series.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding Collection With Exquisite Vocals
Why is this beautiful set so low in Amazon sales?

Baroque Adagios
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Guitar Adagios
Cello Adagios
Evening Adagios
Vivaldi Adagios
Violin Adagios

ASIN: B00005UWKY
Release Date: 2002-02-12

Tracks:

Pachelbel: Canon
Vivaldi: Winter: Largo
Albinoni: Adagio
Gluck: Dance of the blessed spirits (Orfeo)
Vivaldi: Guitar Concerto in D: Largo
Bach: Concerto for 2 violins in D minor
Marcello: Oboe Concerto in D minor
Vivaldi: Nisi Dominus: Cum dederit delectis
Handel: Concerto grosso in A minor: Larghetto affteuoso
Handel: Organ Concerto "The cuckoo and the nightingale": Larghetto
Bach: Sleepers awake (excerpt)
Tartini: "The Devil's Trill" Sonata: Larghetto affetuoso
Bach: Obo Concerto in F: Siciliano
vivaldi: Concerto for 2 oboesin D minor: Largo
Corelli: Concerto grosso in D: Largo
Bach: Keyboard Concerto in A: Larghetto
Bach: Goldberg Variations: Aria
Handel: Ombra mai fu (Largo) (Xerxes)
Vivaldi: Nulli in mundo pax sincera (excerpt)

Tracks:

Bach: Air on a G string: Orchestral Suite No. 3
Handel: Lascia ch'io pianga
Vivaldi: Spring: Largo
Bach: Keyboard Concerto in D: Adagio
Albinoni: Oboe Concerto in D minor: Adagio
Bach: Cello Sonata in G minor: Adagio
Handel: Concerto in B flat for Harp & 2 flutes: Larghetto
Bach: Violin Concerto in A minor: Andante
Bach: Brandenburh Concerto No. 5: Affetuoso
Pergolesi: Stabat Mater: Stabat Mater
Bach: Arioso: Cantata, BWV 156
Vivaldi: Concerto in G for 2 Mandolins: Andante
Bach: Concerto for Oboe & Violin: Adagio
Vivaldi: Autumn: Adagio molto
Telemann: Oboe Concerto in D minor: Adagio
Scarlatti/Avison: Concerto grosso in D: Largo
Vivaldi: Violin Concerto in A minor: Largo
Croft: Ground
Purcell: Dido's Lament (Dido and Aeneas)

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding Collection With Exquisite Vocals.......2005-09-18

I could not agree more with the review written by Frank T. Manheim. All I would add to his comments are that the recording quality is excellent, and that there are, amongst all of the wonderful selections on this CD, two vocal selections that I found deeply moving. On the first CD, there is a powerful, yet at the same time delicate performance of Vivaldi's In Nisi Dominus, by Andreas Scholl. I had never heard this selection of Vivaldi before buying this CD and don't have other performances to compare it to, but Scholl's performance was so moving, as was the accompaniment of the musical instruments on this track, that I listened to it several times in a row. I did the same with Janet Baker's performance of Dido's Lament, by Henry Purcell, on the second CD of this 2 CD set, listening to her haunting passionate voice over and over again. As with Vivaldi's In Nisi Dominus, I had never heard this composition, nor in fact any composition by Henry Purcell before buying this CD. The emotional depth and intensity that Janet Baker brings to her performance is very deeply moving. This is, fittingly, the last track on CD 2, ending this collection on a musical and emotional level, or rather, summit, that will leave you with eyes closed, thinking of the stars. As a result of having heard Janet Baker's performance on this compilation, I bought the full recording of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. In fact, I bought several CDs of music by Henry Purcell after hearing Dido's Lament.

As Frank Manheim writes in his review, this CD can either be put on as background music, or it can be listened to intently, savoring every note. Although the title of this CD set has the work "Adagios" in it, this is no mere easy listening experience. There is plenty of musical passion on both CDs. This is a wonderful 2 CD set. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in classical, and especially, Baroque music.

Why is this beautiful set so low in Amazon sales? .......2005-09-15

While classical music is achieving a resurgence in the UK and Finland, in the U.S. the meager proportion of classical music among record store and department offerings still reflects classical's waning status. What we do find even in drugstores and supermarkets is inexpensive "mood" collections like "Romance", "Spring", "Melancholy", etc. I have no problem with this - some of the unnamed orchestras or soloists aren't bad although recording quality may disappoint.

"Baroque Adagios" is a big cut higher for both enjoyable listening, as well as background music for social occasions. The Baroque period simply overflows with memorable slow movement gems - both well-known, and rarely heard. The famous Italian tenor, Beniamino Gigli, confessed that many of his most favorite pieces came from the Italian baroque and earlier. Music of the earlier times combines emotional and melodic appeal with a restraint and depth that makes it wear well on many hearings. The only risk for background music is that the gorgeous melodies and resonant sonorities will draw people away from what they might otherwise do.

The choice of repertory is rich and varied, but this collection is particularly noteworthy for its long list of famous soloists and conductors. Besides Janos Starker, these include Heinz Holliger, Andras Schiff, Henryk Szeryng (in the Bach Double Concerto in D minor), Thurston Dart, Enrique Fernandez, Christopher Hogwood, Karl Munchinger, Neville Marriner, and many others.

I can think of few ways to better dissolve stress than to put this recording on a player and relax into a comfortable easy chair - or or put it into a car CD player on a longer trip. It makes a thoughtful present for both knowledgeable classic buffs and newcomers to classical music.

The Devil's Trill: Showpieces for violin & piano

Average customer rating:

a feast of violin virtuosity

The Devil's Trill: Showpieces for violin & piano

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Prokofiev: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2; Violin Sonata No. 2
Brahms: Violin Concerto; Violin Sonata No. 3
Glazunov, Khachaturian, Kabalevsky: Violin Concertos
David Oistrakh
Poulenc: Concerto champêtre; Concerto for two pianos; Organ Concerto

ASIN: B0002VEPR6
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Tracks:

I. Larghetto Affettuoso
II. Allegro (Tempo Giusto Della Scuola Tartinista)
III. Andante - Allegro Assai - Andante - Allegro Assai - Andante - Allegro Assai
Cadenza - Adagio
III. Clair De Lune
IV. Jota
Extase Op.21
Valse-Scherzo Op.34
I. Love-Song
Three Hungarian Folk-Dances
Legende Op.17
Mazurka Op.26

Customer Reviews:

a feast of violin virtuosity.......2006-03-02

What a tone! David Oistrakh was a virtuoso, of that there is no doubt. What makes his playing stand apart, though, is his rich, full, round tone. Oistrakh does not draw attention to his technical skill, he draws attention to the music.

These duets, with Vladimir Yampolsky on piano, were recorded at Abbey Road in London in early 1956, and first released by EMI in 1957. It's a fine set of "showpieces," beginning with Tartini's sonata in G minor, "The Devil's Trill." Slow lyrical numbers like Debussy's "Clair de lune" and Ysaye's "Extase" are interspersed with livelier numbers such as de Falla's "Siete canciones populares espanolas" and Koday's "Three Hungarian Folk-dances."

This is an easy recommendation for anyone who loves great violin music, another truly "Great Recording of the Century" from the EMI vaults.

Average customer rating:

More than the sum of the parts.
A Great First CD
The sublime collection
Ultimate Collection is Gross Understatement

The Ultimate Recorder Collection

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Handel: The Complete Sonatas for Recorder
Complete Recorder Concertos
Michala Petri - Scandinavian Moods
The Recorder: 4 Centuries of Recorder Music
Bach: Six Sonatas

ASIN: B00000J916
Release Date: 1999-06-15

Tracks:

Concerto In E, Op. 8 No. 1, RV 269 - Spring: Allegro
Concerto In E, Op. 8 No. 1, RV 269 - Spring: Largo e pianissimo
Concerto In E, Op. 8 No. 1, RV 269 - Spring: Allegro - Danza pastorale
Gymnopedie No. 1
Op. 55 No. 4: Solveig's Song
Op. 46 No. 3: Anitra's Dance
Sonata In G Minor, Op. No. 2, HWV 360: Larghetto
Sonata In G Minor, Op. No. 2, HWV 360: Andante
Sonata In G Minor, Op. No. 2, HWV 360: Adagio
Sonata In G Minor, Op. No. 2, HWV 360: Presto
Moonchild's Dream (Conlusion)
Sonata No. 3 In F Minor: Triste
Sonata No. 3 In F Minor: Allegro
Sonata No. 3 In F Minor: Andante
Sonata No. 3 In F Minor: Vivace
Conerto Grosso Op. 6 No. 8 - 4th Movement: Vivace - Allegro - Pastorale ad libitum
Melody And Dance Of The Blessed Spirits
Op. 43, No. 4: Little Bird
Op. 43 No. 1: Butterfly
Sonata No. 5 In D Minor - For Treble Recorders: Largo
Sonata No. 5 In D Minor - For Treble Recorders: Vivace
Sonata No. 5 In D Minor - For Treble Recorders: Grazioso
Sonata No. 5 In D Minor - For Treble Recorders: Allegro
Concerto For Recorder And Orchestra, Op. 133: Lento
Concerto Op. 10 No. 3 In D: II Gardellino - III. Allegro

Tracks:

Two Norwegian Dances, Op. 35: No. 1
Two Norwegian Dances, Op. 35: No. 2
Air From Suite In D
Concerto In F For Soprano Recorder: Allegro
Concerto In F For Soprano Recorder: Andante
Concerto In F For Soprano Recorder: Allegro assai
Variations
Sonata In E Flat, BWV 1031: Allegro moderato
Sonata In E Flat, BWV 1031: Siciliano
Sonata In E Flat, BWV 1031: Allegro
Nele's Dances: No. 15
Nele's Dances: No. 16
Nele's Dances: No. 17
Nele's Dances: No. 18
Dance Suite, Op. 29 - V -: Molto Vivace
Sonata In G Minor - Devil's Trill: II. Allegro
Zion Hears The Watchmen's Voices
Concerto No. 2 In G Minor: Largo
Concerto No. 2 In G Minor: Presto 'Fantasmi'
Concerto No. 2 In G Minor: Largo
Concerto No. 2 In G Minor: Presto
Concerto No. 2 In G Minor: Largo 'Il sonno'
Concerto No. 2 In G Minor: Allegro
Op. 54, No. 3: March Of The Trolls
Op. 71, No. 1: Once Upon A Time
Souvenir: An Encore For Michala

Customer Reviews:

More than the sum of the parts........2001-02-04

I bought this as wallpaper music - and got a very pleasant surprise!

Several of the pieces stopped me in my tracks, made me sit down and forced me to listen.

Michala Petri demonstrates a masterly control of her instrument and a high level of musicianship in a wide ranging selection of material - from reconstituted Bach to specially composed 20th Century pieces.

Outstanding for me was the Sammartini Concerto: Ms Petri shows a lightness of touch combined with serious enthusiasm and an obvious delight that literally stopped me from working and made me listen. The support given by the Moscow Virtuosi also deserves mention.

Koppel's pieces are fun, as are the arrangements from Grieg and Satie.

Overall, although this could be taken as a glorified sampler... it is much more - there are complete works played intelligently and lighter, throw away pieces you'll want to chase after and listen to again.

A Great First CD.......2000-06-22

After falling in love with the recorder, I started searching for CDs and this was the first I bought. It quickly became a favorite CD. I like the fact that it ranges over a wide period--Baroque to Modern, and showcases the instrument in different settings. The liner notes are quite comprehensive as well. In a word--enchanting.

The sublime collection.......2000-06-18

I must confess up front to being a Michala Petri fanatic. I also play the recorder, although after listening to this album, I feel like throwing my instruments into the nearest dumpster.

Michala Petri is a national hero in Denmark, and a recognized name among classical music fans in Europe, Asia, and Canada. If you listen to this album, you will ask yourself how the music business in the USA can frantically promote "The Three Tenors" while mostly ignoring the genius of this amazing young woman.

This is not your kid's recorder. Ms Petri's complete technical and musical mastery of her instrument transforms the recorder into the equal of other familiar solo instruments, but with its own peculiar sound, penetrating but sweet, that sets it apart.

This album is made up mostly of tracks from her many earlier recordings. Some are transcriptions of well-loved piano miniatures (the Grieg numbers are perhaps more charming here than on the piano, if that is possible); of baroque works for flute, recorder, or strings; of modern recorder music written for Ms Petri by contemporary masters. Some are accompanied by small orchestra and others by Ms Petri's husband, the excellent guitarist and lutist Lars Hannibal. The combination of recorder and guitar is an intimate match made in heaven, and I recommend also this duo's complete album, 'Air'.

Ultimate Collection is Gross Understatement.......2000-03-28

This is by far the best "sampler" I have ever heard. The playing is so superb and the recorder so perfect a vehicle that I found myself listing to too often played pieces like Satie's Gymopedie No.1 as if for the first time. Same for the Grieg. It is very hard to believe these renderings aren't the original intention of the composers. This is a guaranteed winner.

Average customer rating:

Celebrate Good Times
Brilliant

Dance the Devil
The Frames
Manufacturer: Ztt
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Fitzcarraldo
Burn the Maps
Set List
The Cost
Once

ASIN: B0000258TM
Release Date: 2005-11-28

Tracks:

Perfect Opening Line
Seven Day Mile
Pavement Tune
Plateau
Star Star**
Stars Are Underground
God Bless Mom
Rent Day Blues
Hollocaine
Neath the Beeches
Dance the Devil Back into His Hole

Customer Reviews:

Celebrate Good Times.......2007-05-29

Glen Hansard is the center of a band that by now has gained popularity in the States. They are already adored in Ireland as the second coming of U2. But that is where the similarities stop. The Frames are closer to Wilco than U2. And Glen Hansard is not Bono and does not intend to be (He has played with Jeff Tweedy and the gang).

Having said all of that... Dance the Devil plays like a Wilco album. Highlights include Rent Day Blues (which has a nice continuous beat with soft spoken vocals and subdued guitars) and Seven Day Mile (which has Glen Hansard letting everyone know that he can deliver the kind of vocals that are now common in recent Frames albums... Burn the Maps and The Cost).

Compared to what's out there this album is superior. But the 4 STARS comes from comparing this album to the rest of the Frames works. And while that is unfair to the band, it is inevitable for fans. The album is still great to someone new to The Frames brand of music... which should convince you of how good this one is... and how great the other Frames albums are.

Brilliant.......2007-02-13

Honestly, I could write endlessly about how incredible this band is both on cd and live in concert but I really wouldn't be saying anything different from all the other reviewers. I guess the greatest compliment I can give Glen and the rest of the band is that on Friday, I am flying from Vancouver, Canada to London for four days and my sole reason for going is to attend The Frames show on February 20, 2007. If you get the chance to see this amazing band live, you should grab it. They are the #1 live band. Glen has to be seen to be believed.........

Average customer rating:

Good Stuff from an Unknown Band
Great band!
The pride of Houston
i totally feel this one
Awesome

Devil Thumbs a Ride
The Hunger
Manufacturer: Umvd Labels
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Cinematic Superthug
You'd Prefer an Astronaut
Wither Blister Burn & Peel
Dirt
Above

ASIN: B000005AXF
Release Date: 1996-04-09

Tracks:

Devil Thumbs A Ride
Vanishing Cream
Undone
Terminal Infection
Love Me Or Leave Me
Further
Rings And Roses
Sonic Wasteland
Hell Bent
All I Want
Is It Good To You

Customer Reviews:

Good Stuff from an Unknown Band.......2005-10-26

I bought this used at a CD store and was very surprised by it's clean, loud, energy filled songs. I highly recommend the album to anyone who likes NIN, Smashing pumpkins etc.

Great band!.......2003-10-14

I am from Houston.
It's too bad this band has not gotten more national play...

If you aren interested in their 1st album "Leave Me ALone", [check online.]

The pride of Houston.......2003-07-01

Not only does this cd rock, but they kick major ass in concert. From the opening title track all the way to the hidden last track, "Dead Fuck", this cd rocks!! If asked to pick a weak spot, I couldn't. There are, however, two slower tempo songs. But neither of which could be considered a weak spot. One of them, "Undone", is apparently in tribute to a deceased relative of Thomas and Jeff. The most popular track here is "Vanishing Cream". It got quite a bit of airplay when it came out. They were enjoying their fair share of success during this time, too. They toured the world and opened for such major acts as KISS (a personal fave of mine). I may be a bit partial because I'm from their hometown of Houston and have met Thomas several times, but that doesn't mean this cd wouldn't make an excellent addition to a hard rock fan's collection. If you need proof, just listen to the samples available here. Then buy the cd and catch the guys doing what they do best... rocking your ass off live!

i totally feel this one.......2003-05-30

one of the most true, heartful albums ive heard...melodic, catchy tunes, aggressive at times, and always down to earth...if you like rock music buy this and give it a good chance

Awesome.......2001-12-28

This band covers all genre's of rock! Each is a hit need to hear more of them! Awesome

Average customer rating:

Halloween Violin
Puzzling choices, and not all that devilish
Watch Out Where You Play This CD
... the best music ever recorded!
Pretty good

Devil's Dance

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Instrument of the Devil
Violin Romances
Tartini: The Devil's Sonata / Andrew Manze
Wieniawski: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Sibelius/Tchaikovsky: Violinkonzerte

ASIN: B00004XRY7
Release Date: 2000-09-12

Tracks:

The Witches Of Eastwick: Devil's Dance
Young Frankenstein: A Transylvanian Lullaby
Puck
Danse Macabre
Caprice Fantastique
Walpurgisnacht
Hexenlied
La Ronde Des Lutins
Graceful Ghost
Concert Fantasy On Gounod's Faust
Caprice No. 13
Sonata In G Minor 'Devil's Trill'
Solo Sonata No. 2: Obsession

Amazon.com

Though it's haunted by goblins, ghosts, and monsters, it is hard to find anything very satanic in much of this music, except its fiendishly difficult pyrotechnics. Its sole purpose is to display Gil Shaham's devilishly dazzling virtuosity, glorious tone, elegance, humor, and bewitching charm. The only substantial piece is Tartini's "Devil's Trill Sonata," in Kreisler's edition complete with his long, diabolically strenuous cadenza; Shaham plays it very beautifully, with genuine, moving expressiveness. Elsewhere, his tongue is never far from his cheek, whether he is tossing off Bazzini's "Rondo de Lutins" perfectly at top speed, or having fun with the fireworks of Korngold's "Caprice fantastique," Sarasate's "Faust Fantasie," Grieg's "Puck" arranged by Joseph Achron, Paganini's Caprice No. 13, with a piano part by Robert Schumann, and Saint-Saëns' "Dance macabre," in which the pianist doubles for a whole orchestra. There are also transcriptions of passionately romantic pieces by Brahms and Mendelssohn, and excursions into different styles: William Bolcom's "Graceful Ghost" rag; "Transylvanian Lullaby" from John Morris's soundtrack for "Young Frankenstein" transcribed by Shaham's pianist, Jonathan Feldman; and the title piece, "Devil's Dance" arranged by John Williams from his soundtrack for "The Witches of Eastwick." You can safely invite this devil of a violinist into your home--he is excellent company. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Halloween Violin.......2005-10-17

While not always frightening as much as classical music with a Halloween theme, this is a fine recording to play at parties if the guests fancy this kind of music. The title refers to the Devil's Dance, for violin & piano from the film Witches of Eastwick, a work composed by John Williams. It is followed by A Transylvanian Rhapsody from the comic film Young Frankeinstein. The most famous piece of all "Danse Macabre" was Saint Saens' ghoulish work that nearly caused his mother a heart attack at the premire. Using stage effects like smoke and mist, Saint Saens had dancing skeletons waltzing on stage. The Devil Trill Sonata by Tartini has a frightening story behind it. It was rumored that the composer dreamt that the Devil gave him the score to this violin piece. It is played at an impossible speed and is one of the most difficult violin pieces ever composed. Only few violinists take on this piece. The music on this album is however not as scary as some other classical Halloween CD's out there but violin afficionados will be quite delighted.

Puzzling choices, and not all that devilish.......2004-10-21

I'll say right off that Shaham's technique is top-notch, which is what one expects from such an album. And this is fine playing, with the violin and piano generally blending well.

But while this was clearly intended to be a "concept album," the artists/producers made several puzzling (and frustrating) choices that left me wondering just what the concept was supposed to be. The music is "devilishly difficult" at some times (the Tartini, for example), "creepy and eerie" at others (the "Danse macabre", others). However, several of the pieces are neither dazzingly difficult nor all that creepy - the Brahms and the Mendelssohn, for example, fail both definitions and, frankly, just don't seem to fit on this album. And then, there's the Paganini B-flat caprice - a solo violin piece transcribed for violin and piano, weakening the focus on violin virtuosity - while the Ysaye is left as a solo piece . . . well, a **piece** of a piece - we're given only a part of one movement of a four-movement work that is both very difficult AND built around that ultimate "creepy" theme, the "Dies Irae." Why only part of a single movement?

The net effect of all this is an album that doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. It's almost as if someone committed to an album concept without making sure there was enough material to fill the album. Further quibbles: the violin is placed somewhat too far back, for my taste; on a virtuoso album, I want to be "up close" to catch all the nuances of the performance. And the balance between violin and piano is less than ideal at times, at least to my ear.

As I said, the playing is fine; it's the concept execution that falls short of "as advertised."

Watch Out Where You Play This CD.......2002-05-17

As everyone says this is an extremely enjoyable disc. While it played fine in my ordinary CD player, the one in my computer couldn't handle it. Not only wouldn't it play, but it crashed the whole machine. Real deviltry at work!

... the best music ever recorded!.......2002-05-07

Sometimes I forget to breathe-this CD is so mind-blowing! This is the type of CD that you can't help but wave your hands around pretending to conduct the song!........ Ok.... Deep breathes.......o-o...I have to calm down! Now this CD features not just the best musicians but the best composers. They are John Williams (simply the best), Camille Saint-Saens (who composed one of the most famous "spooky" songs: Danse macabre!) ,and John Morris, you know.... Composed the music for YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, the funniest movie EVER! And guess what the theme song is on the CD!.. The charming yet spooky.........'Young Frankenstein': A Transylvania Lullaby. Hexenlied, one of my favorites, is by MR. Felix Mendelssohn (no he's not Felix the cat!)..........So...many....good.....songs....so.....Little--t-t-time. OK. It's time to wrap things up.....BUY THIS CD, YOU WON'T REGRET IT! :)

Pretty good.......2002-01-23

This CD has pretty interesting selection. My only qualm about it is sometimes it seems that the piano is competing for volume with the soloist, especially in Dans Macabre. This rendition is definitely not my favourite version. But some other gems make up for this, like Devils Dance, and La Ronde des Lutins. Devils dance is really well arranged and performed, and thats my favourite track on this album.

Average customer rating:

Dance the Devil Away
GREAT
Very good starter for the blind enthusiast
perfect
What an album!

Dance the Devil Away
Outback
Manufacturer: Hannibal
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000000621
Release Date: 1992-01-24

Tracks:

Cuban Connections
Aziz Aziz
Two In The Bush
Desert Rain
What Can I Say
Medina
Dance The Devil Away
Animal Life

Customer Reviews:

Dance the Devil Away.......2004-12-16

This is some of the best music around, no kidding. It's got some of the most awesome instrumentals I've ever heard. This music is perfect anywhere, no matter what you're doing, where you're going, or why you're doing it.

WARNING: This will make you dance. This will make you feel awesome. This will take you places. Do not buy this unless you are willing to risk all of the above every time you play it.

No truly, this music is awesome. Aside from the fact that, yes, it will make you dance, feel great, and take you places. It is completely worth every penny you spend on it.

GREAT.......2004-06-08

I love this CD and listen to it all the time. I got it from my dance teacher and the class loved it so much that we came up with a dance to go with it and now compete with it. All of the judges comment about the great song. (We use Animal Life)

Very good starter for the blind enthusiast.......2003-06-25

I would like to start out by explaining that I am not a fan of world music in particular, but I have an interest and the patience for all music. For anyone like me, who is primarily fond of hard rock, you just may love this album. I was initially introduced to this album by my parents and at first did not care too much for it, but with my growing interest in the fusion of heavy metal and tribal music like Sepultura has done with songs such as Kiowas, Ratamahatta, and others, I found myself looking to this album for a more purified version of what I considered to be "tribal music". Don't get me wrong, this album in no way resembles Sepultura or heavy metal for that matter, but it does give me the same sense of satisfaction from a primal point of view. All the songs are instrumental and while maintaining a similar composition, each track owns up to it's own atmosphere. My preferred tracks are *Cuban Connections*, *Animal Life* and my favorite, *Medina* which has some what of an eerie sound and presence to it. If you even think that you may be interested in an album like this, I highly recommend that you pick it up, as it will surely be a corner stone to integrating music genres into your collection.

perfect.......2003-01-19

I bought this CD not knowing anything about it. I liked didgeridoo and that was the only reason for buying it. I loved it immediately. The guitar is actually one of my favorite parts. Martin's style is very unique and fits perfectly with the rest of the band.

Great fiddlin' too.

What an album!.......2001-01-27

I bought this cd many years ago, but it has consistently remained one of my favorites. I'm not a huge fan of "world music," but this album is just so wonderfully beautiful and exotic. The music varies between the airily light-hearted and the darkly romantic. This disc is also a blessing for those unfamiliar with the didgeridoo, a simple instrument with unbelievable range. The 'doo, along with guitar, violin, and numerous African percussion instruments, creates an incredibly unique sound that has to be experienced. Buy this spectacular album, and look for Outback's other release, "Baka."

Average customer rating:

The Devil controls me....
D.Inside
the richard vission mix blew me away with its retro 80s electro house vibe
Some dance-floor spice
Utada - The Devil Inside

Devil Inside
Utada
Manufacturer: Island
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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4-for-3 Dance & DJ | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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ASIN: B0002ZDVOA
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Tracks:

Devil Inside [Album Version] - Utada, Hikaru Utada
Devil Inside [RJD2 Remix] - Utada, Hikaru Utada
Devil Inside [Richard Vission Radio Edit] - Utada, Hikaru Utada
Devil Inside [the Scum Frog Radio Edit] - Utada
Devil Inside [Richard Vission Experience] - Utada
Devil Inside [Richard Vission Duberience] - Utada
Devil Inside [the Scum Frog Vocal Mix] - Utada, Hikaru Utada
Devil Inside [the Scum Frog Dub] - Utada

Customer Reviews:

The Devil controls me...........2006-09-12

Okay, he dosen't at all. Anyways, I thought this cd was great in my opinion. The remixes including the original were good. Im not sure which one I like the best right now, so I think all are good. Just another great cd from Mrs. Hikaru.

D.Inside.......2006-07-05

This cd is awesome, i love how the grand total comes out to be
"$6.66". Makes it even better.

the richard vission mix blew me away with its retro 80s electro house vibe.......2006-05-23

Like something Dead or Alive might record today (and Pete Burns still is recording), the Richard Vission mix is a hi-nrg electro masterpiece. In the right venue, the crowd would go wild over this track. My only real issue with it is that there's a HUGE intro (like half the song) before the vocals come in on the long version, and the chorus is so catchy it should have been introduced earlier. Conveniently though, there's also a radio edit of this mix.

Some dance-floor spice.......2005-03-28

Yet like I mentioned, not a huge fan of Utada, this is one of the best remix singles to come out this year.

Tracks I Like: Scumfrog is the mix to pick, yet you should also check out the Richard Vission remix. Oh, I should also mention that the Scumfrog remix hit no. 2 on Billboard's Club Play.

Utada - The Devil Inside.......2004-10-16

Devil Inside is a really good song, but those remixes are even better! The Richard Vission remix is totally cool - no wonder it's doing so well on Billboard Dance!

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