Bach: Mass In B Minor

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
This recording is, quite frankly, a marvel. In the opening bars of the Kyrie, where tradition dictates a powerful, agonized cry for mercy, Philippe Herreweghe offers a gentle, awestruck plea that took this listener's breath away. Extroverted movements like the Gloria, Et resurrexit, and Sanctus lack nothing in excitement; Qui tollis and Dona nobis pacem feel like fervent prayers. Herreweghe's luminous Collegium Vocale and skillful, sensitive instrumentalists make every gesture, large and small, seem exactly right. The soloists have attractive voices that blend with the period instruments and each other; while each is exquisite, tenor Christoph Prégardien and alto Andreas Scholl are magnificent. Underlying the entire performance is a sense of contemplative wonder that suits this deeply religious music perfectly. -- Matthew Westphal

Tracks:

Toccata In D Minor For Organ
Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 In F: I. Allegro
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 In G: I. Allegro
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 In D: II. Affetuoso
Concerto For 2 Violins In D Minor: I. Vivace
Concerto For 2 Violins In D Minor: II. Adagio
Violin Concerto No. 1 In A Minor: I. Allegro
Violin Concerto No. 2 In E: I. Allegro
Magnificat In D: Magnificat
Magnificat In D: Deposuit potentes
The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I: Prelude 1
Concerto For 3 Harpsichords In C: II. Adagio
Concerto For 2 Harpsichords In C Minor: II. Adagio
Concerto For 4 Harpsichords In A Minor: First Movement
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Toccata, Adagio & Fugue In C: II. Adagio
Partita No. 3 For Solo Violin: Prelude
2-Part Invention: No. 8 In F
Wachet Auf: Sleepers Awake
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 In G: III. Presto
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 In F: III. Allegro assai
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 In D: III. Allegro
Orchestral Suite No. 2 In B Minor: VII. Badinerie
Mass In B Minor: Gloria
Mass In B Minor: Dona Nobis Pacem

Customer Reviews:

Just what you would expect.......2007-05-19

I was looking for a CD of exclusively Bach music, not necessarily played by a famous artist or orchestra. This had a lot of his well-known pieces and was exactly what I was looking for.

Wonderful collection and price!.......2007-05-11

I found this to be a nice collection of favorites, especially to keep in the car and listen to. It is a variety of well known compilations. Although not encompassing, it is perfect as a review for driving, relaxing, and enjoyment. Plus, the price is right!

Like Floating On A Cloud.......2006-09-20

My first real appreciation of this sound was from watching the film "Slaughterhouse Five" in the theater, back in the '70s. That soundtrack was just a taste of what you get with this recording. My family pops this CD in the car stereo on long trips, and glide down the highway to some original smooth grooves. Helps the miles pass swiftly. Music for the soul.

Bach.......2006-08-27

Surely you don't need me to review the guy. You know who he is, you've heard his music, and I hope you own some. So let me turn the podium over to a cat named Picasso, and you can read into that whatever you wish. She's in a chair, near the CD player. She has entered the room specifically for the music. Her eyes are squinted, almost but not quite shut, little face concentrating on just how contented those sounds make her feel. Nobody can say why they move her so, any more than we can say why they move us so. If we knew the answer to that one, we'd copy the guy. But anyway, she loves the music, and don't you dare make a sound such as squeaking your computer chair. If you do, her golden orbs will open, fix upon your face, and shame you. Yes they will. But if you are quiet long enough, you can watch a little calico sleep, with the very same sweet kitten face that drew you to her five years ago. Bach is gooooood.

Good CD, especially for novices.......2005-10-12

I was looking for a recommended Bach CD - certain music by a certain orchestra - and stumbled on this. It is an excellent choice for a new library. I think when there was more than one movement to a piece, it would have made more sense to go ahead and keep the movements together instead of separating them, but a novice listener would not notice. A great way to become exposed to a great composer.

Average customer rating:

so amazing
Essential Bach is OK
Excellent collection of mostly recognizeable music
Exquisite Essential Bach
Good

Essential Bach

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

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

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music

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

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Essential Mozart: 32 Of His Greatest Masterpieces
Essential Beethoven
Essential Tchaikovsky
25 Bach Favorites
Chopin: Favorite Piano Works

ASIN: B00004SPLF
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Tracks:

Toccata And Fugue In D Minor: Toccata in D minor
Orchestral Suite No. 3 In D Major: Air
Prelude in C major
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 In G Major: Allegro
Goldberg Variations: Aria
Sleepers Awake: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme
Violin Concerto No.1 In A Minor: I Allegro moderato
Jesu, joy of man's desiring
Keyboard Concerto No.4: Allegro: I Allegro
Cello Suite No.3: Bourees I & II: Bourrees I And II
Concerto for Oboe & Violin In C Minor: Adagio
Mass In B minor: Crucifixus
Cello Suite No.1 in G Major: Praeludium
French Suite No.5 in G major: Gigue
Prelude in D Minor
Brandenburg Concerto No.5 In D Major: III Allegro
Matthaus-Passion: St Matthew Passion

Tracks:

Brandenberg Concerto No.2 In F Major: I Allegro
Concerto For 2 Violins In D Minor: II Largo, ma non tanto
Lute Suite In E Major: Prelude
Cantata: Sheep may safely graze
Cello Sonata In G Minor: II Adagio (excerpt)
Italian Concerto In F Major: II Allegro
Weihnachtsoratorium: Pastoral sinfonia
Violin Concerto No.1 In A Minor: II Andante
Partita No.1 In B Flat Major: Gigue
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor: Menuet
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor: Badinerie
Oboe Concerto In F Major: Siciliano
Brandenberg Concerto No.3 In G Major: I Allegro
Violin Partita No.2 In D Minor: Allemande
Violin Partita No.2 In D Minor: Gigue
Keyboard Concerto No.2 In E Major: I Allegro (excerpt)
Cantata: Sanctify us by thy goodness
Keyboard Concerto No.5 In F Minor: II Largo
Concerto In A Minor: I Allegro

Amazon.com

It is not possible to fit 36 Bach masterpieces on two CDs, so what Essential Bach does is present individual movements from across a range of the composer's work. The anthology is clearly aimed at the newcomer, and the absence of booklet notes to put the music in context is disappointing. We are only given titles, performers, and what films the extracts have been featured in, from Rollerball to The English Patient.

On the plus side, most if not all of the music is instantly recognizable, by melody if not by name. Everything from the Brandenburg Concertos to "Air on a G String" to the B Minor Mass and St. Matthew Passion is represented. Performances range from 1960 to 1993, encompassing both early instrument and modern orchestra interpretations by a wide variety of forces, including Sir Neville Marriner with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and Raymond Leppard leading the English Chamber Orchestra. Given such diversity the result is unavoidably a patchwork, albeit one made from the finest materials, and as such is perhaps best treated as a sampler to aid exploration of the vast legacy of one of the very greatest composers who ever lived. --Gary S. Dalkin, Amazon.co.uk

Customer Reviews:

so amazing .......2006-06-14

I love this kind of playing. this is my favorite classical cd.

Essential Bach is OK.......2005-09-29

This is a good basic primer. A true Bach lover might find a better selection/orchestra.

Excellent collection of mostly recognizeable music.......2005-03-18

LOVE LOVE LOVE this 2-CD set. I bought I a awhile back and have enjoyed it very much. My toddler likes it too. I think it's a great value for the money and may have to get another copy if this one wears out.

Exquisite Essential Bach.......2005-02-01

Value and exquisite sampler of Bach on two CD's at an affordable price. Recorded by the likes primarily of Academy of the St. Martin-in-the-fields, Chicago Sympony, Boston Symphony, English Chamber Orchestra and with virtuoso performers as William Bennett, Heinz Hollinger, Pepe Romero, and Wolfgang Rubsam, one gets treated to wonderful Bach exerpts of all his fantastic breath and depth of chamber, symphony and choral works.

One will have to go to other places to find background on these marvelous compositions as the liner notes only list perfomer and date recorded.

Good.......2004-07-13

This is a good album but for information on real choral music visit www.freewebs.com/bachster67/

The Swingle Singers - Bach Hits Back ~ A Capella Amadeus

Average customer rating:

Flats and Sharps
Still new... and fantastic
A Swingle Singers Half Treasure -
A capella reigns
Best Swingles Ever

The Swingle Singers - Bach Hits Back ~ A Capella Amadeus
Johann Sebastian Bach , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , and The Swingle Singers
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Improvisation | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

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

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

General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Classic | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

$7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Keyboard Classics
Swingle Singers
Jazz Sebastian Bach, Vol. 1
Jazz Sebastian Bach, Vol. 2
Christmastime

ASIN: B00000632P
Release Date: 1998-05-05

Tracks:

Ein' feste Burg - Johann Sebastian Bach_
Organ Fugue from Fantasia and fugue - Johann Sebastian Bach_
The Well -Tempered Clavier: Prelude XVIII - Johann Sebastian Bach_
Cantata No. 140: Chorale prelude from Cantata No. 140 'Wachet Auf' - Johann Sebastian Bach_
Wachet Auf: Chorale from 'Wachet Auf' - Johann Sebastian Bach_
Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier - Johann Sebastian Bach_
In Dulci Jubilo - Chorale Prelude - Johann Sebastian Bach_
In Dulci Jubilo - Chorale - Johann Sebastian Bach_
Andante fromSonata No. 2 for unaccompanied violin - Johann Sebastian Bach_
First movement from Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 - Johann Sebastian Bach_
Cantata No. 208: Schafe konnen Sicher Weiden (Sheep May Safely Graze) from Cantata No. 208 - Johann Sebastian Bach_
Badinerie from Suite No. 2 - Johann Sebastian Bach_
Fugue VIII fromThe Well-Tempered Clavier - Johann Sebastian Bach_
Three - Part Invention - Johann Sebastian Bach_
Mass In B Minor: Et Resurrexit from Mass in B minor - Johann Sebastian Bach_
Bist Du Bei Mir - Johann Sebastian Bach_
St. Mathew Passion: Blute Nur, Du Liebes Herz - Johann Sebastian Bach_
Organ Fugue: Alla Gigue - Johann Sebastian Bach_
Suite No. 3: Air from Suite No. 3 (Air on a G String) - Johann Sebastian Bach_
Little Organ Fugue - Johann Sebastian Bach_
Cantata No. 60: Es Ist Genug from Cantata No. 60 - Johann Sebastian Bach_

Tracks:

Symphony No. 40: Die Zauberflote - Overture - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Symphony No. 40: I Molto Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Symphony No. 40: II Andante - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Symphony No. 40: III Minuetto: allegretto - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Symphony No. 40: IV Finale: Allegro assai - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Ave Verum Corpus - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
String Quartet In G Major: Finale from String Quartet in G major - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Cosi fan tutte: Un' Aura Amorosa from Cost fan tutte - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik: Finale: Rondo from Eine kleine Nachtmusik - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Finale from Horn Concerto No. 4 - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Canzonetta from Don Giovanni - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Terzettino from Cosi Fan Tutte - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Gigue - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Piano Concerto No. 21: Andante from Piano Concerto No. 21 - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Hostias from Requiem - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Requiem: Quam Olim Abrahae from Requiem - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Piano Sonata In A Major: Finale: Alla Turca from Piano Sonata in A major - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Fantasia In F Minor And Major - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus

Customer Reviews:

Flats and Sharps.......2007-05-18

I enjoy the Swingle Singers very much but sadly, in this album they are flat on about half of the tracks. When they are on key, they are very, very good. When they are flat they are awful. Recommendation: buy a different Swingle Singers CD.

Still new... and fantastic.......2007-03-25

As time goes by, these recordings seem to become better and better. Fresh, perfect... fantastic CD.

A Swingle Singers Half Treasure -.......2007-03-10

If you love Bach and are a fan of the Swingle Singers, buy this CD. Fans of the Swingle Singers enjoy them for what they do to music - release it with air and bounce - and their style is perfectly suited for Bach. I couldn't enjoy it more. But the second Cd in this set is their treatment of Mozart, and, for me, it's inconsistent. This is due to the different styles of the two composers and I just think they match up better with Bach. But at this price, I shouldn't be complaining. The first CD alone is worth twice as much. Snatch it up!

A capella reigns.......2007-01-12

Another fine offering by this group. Fun for classical music buffs and novices.

Best Swingles Ever.......2006-02-16

If you know the Swingle Singers, you may expect jazzed-up Bach with a rhythm section. Now, don't get me wrong, i like that stuff, too, but that is just clean fun, while this is just Bach. No percussion, no jazzy rythym, just straight unaccompanied Bach. AND IT IS WONDERFUL.
Precise rhythm, clear vocal lines, everything you expect from the Swingles without the jazz. This is a really great album that should be bought by all Swingle lovers and all Bach lovers.
P.S. i bought this cd when it first came out,so I have never even heard the Mozart. With all due deference to fans of the worthy Wolfgang, i have always found the artful Amadeus rather a bore, so I will remain silent about that part of the album. No matter. The Bach alone is worth twice the price, so enjoy. And, hey, the Mozart is a nice bonus.

Average customer rating:

Excellent!

The Story of Bach

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

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Inventions | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Story of Mozart
The Story of Beethoven
The Story Of Handel
The Story of Tchaikovsky
Story Of Chopin In Words And Music

ASIN: B000001KCL
Release Date: 1995-04-16

Tracks:

Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 In G Major, S. 1049 (Allegro)
Gabrieli: In Decachordo Psalterio
Chorale Prelude: Wachet Auf (Sleepers, Awake), S. 645
Violin Concerto No. 2 In E Major, S. 1042 (Allegro)
Toccata And Fugue In D Minor, S. 565
Mass In B Minor, S. 232 (Et Resurrexit) (And He Has Risen)
Two-Part Invention No. 14 In B Flat Major, S. 785
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 In D Major, S. 1050 (Allegro)
Cantata No. 57, S. 57 (1740): Selig Ist Der Mann (Blessed Is The Man)
Italian Concerto In F Major, S. 971 (Allegro)
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 In F Major, S. 1047 (Allegro Assai)
Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1, S. 846 (Prelude No. 1 In C Major)
St. Matthew Passion, S. 244 (Chorale)
Concerto For Two Violins In D Minor, S. 1043 (Allegro)
Passacaglia And Fugue In C Minor, S. 582
St. Matthew Passion, S. 244 (Chorale)
Cantata No. 211 (1732) 'Coffee Cantata' S. 211 (Baritone Solo)
St. John Passion, S. 245 (I Follow Thee Also, My Saviour, With Gladness)
Magnificat In D Major, S. 243 (Chorus)
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 In G Major, S. 1048, (Allegro - Complete)
Vivace; Largo Ma Non Tanto: Allegro - Dieter Vorholz
Allegro - Dieter Vorholz
Adagio; Allegro Assai - Dieter Vorholz

Customer Reviews:

Excellent!.......2006-07-01

We are using this series of CDs in our homeschool music program - they are fantastic! We especially love this one about Bach - what an awesome man! The story of his life is told in a way that is very interesting and holds the children's attention while also using various pieces of his music in the narration. It is done VERY well! My children are gaining a tremendous amount of knowlege and appreciation for music through this CD and so are my husband and I!

Bach: Mass in B minor / McNair, Ziegler, Simpson, Aler, Stone, Paul; Shaw

Average customer rating:

Not to detract from Zeidler but my History of Shaw is longer!
Interesting but not quite great
Bigger and Better Bach
Indescribably Beautiful and Ingenious
Even 200 stars would not be enough

Bach: Mass in B minor / McNair, Ziegler, Simpson, Aler, Stone, Paul; Shaw
Johann Sebastian Bach , Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus , Robert Shaw , Sylvia McNair , Delores Ziegler , Marietta Simpson , John Aler , William Simpson , and Thomas Paul
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) / Auger, Stilwell, Atlanta SO, Robert Shaw
Verdi: Requiem & Operatic Choruses
Mozart - Mass in C minor / Te Kanawa · von Otter · Rolfe Johnson · R. Lloyd · Marriner
Mozart: Requiem / McNair, Watkinson, Araiza, Lloyd; Marriner
Fauré · Duruflé - Requiem / J. Blegen · J. Morris · Atlanta SO · Shaw

ASIN: B000003CWJ
Release Date: 1990-10-10

Tracks:

Kyrie
Gloria

Tracks:

II. Symbolum Nicenum
III. Sanctus
IV. Osanna In Excelsis
Benedictus
Osanna In Excelsis
Agnus Dei
Dona Nobis Pacem

Amazon.com

Robert Shaw's reading of the B Minor Mass is, in one sense at least, just what one would expect: sober and purposeful, beautifully shaped (Shaw is a master architect), it centers on the chorus. Like all of Shaw's choruses, the Atlanta group has that trademark richness of body and blend, and it sings with utter unanimity as though it were one great voice. Shaw opts for marginally broader tempos than those found in most period-instrument performances but is nowhere near as glacial as some interpreters. Yet oddly enough, the approach seems more idealized, and less passionate and expressive, than one might expect from a conductor famous for giving his singers adrenaline rushes. Proof again that one should expect the unexpected from Shaw, as well as the expected. It's part of his fascination. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Not to detract from Zeidler but my History of Shaw is longer!.......2005-07-13

Whenever I chance to listening to the "Kyrie Eleison, Dona Nobis Pacem, Sanctus...SAHnctus...SAHNCTOOS!" I must admit they are so deeply entrenched into my bloody emotions...They move from deep in the Pit of my Stomach, to my heart, back to my Spinal-column, finally into my wee bits of Cerebreal Memory! Since 1970's, I first began to listen to Shaw's glorious 33 1/3 RCA Recording: It either sent cold chills or warm thoughts start me to singing or meditating!

Finally in mid-1970's in Westminister Choir College, we began to rehearse in the Cavernous Temple University Cathedral with its' reverb of 35-40 seconds! Alongside those awesome soloists from NYC, adding to the Orchestra from NY Philarmonic, we thoroughly enjoyed heading: Tommy Pyle, Ara Bebarian, Florence Kopplev, and tenor Seth McCoy! Whenever we took a break I had chances to chat with Tom Pyle or Seth McCoy. They gave great Respect, Love and Admiration for Sir Robert. I finally began to understand him as both a kind person and tremendously gifted-human Being...The Only one of his kind!

When we first recorded, "The Christmas Nativity" in the Atlanta Symphony Chorus, I often caught a glimpse of tears trickling down his expressive face, near the ending of Dona Nobis Pacem! He both gave all of himself and asked his singers to do as much from themselves! With fond memories, retired Chaplain Fred W Hood

Interesting but not quite great.......2004-03-02

This recording is interesting in that Robert Shaw took a one-voice-to-a-section balance for some of the choruses rather than using massed forces throughout. I like the effect, but am ready to admit that it's not quite kosher. In addition, all of his soloists are excellent except for bass Thomas Paul, a longtime NYC veteran of the Bach-Mozart circuit, who just was not in good voice here. The problem is that, even more so than Sir Georg Solti, Shaw makes "the crooked straight and the rough places plain," sacrificing the exciting edginess of Bach's counterpoint in favor of more homogenous textures. As the performance went on, I found myself more and more engaged by the soloists and less and less by the chorus....not a good thing in a work that is about 80% choral!

Of the existing versions, John Eliot Gardiner's is probably the best, but if you seek out the old Peter Schreier recording on Philips you will be rewarded by a performance whose rhythmic and textual riches will delight you again and again. If you want a somewhat smoother Mass, the Solti recording has more enlivened orchestral and choral playing, though it borders on the over-reverent in tone and Bel Canto in style.

Bigger and Better Bach.......2002-12-13

A great piano pedagogue once said "there are two types of people who play Bach: those who use pedal and those who don't." I find the same is true in listening to Bach Oratorios such as the Passions, Magnificat, and The B Minor Mass. There are some who find Robert Shaw's immense, knock your socks off, blow the roof off the joint interpretation to be utter blasphemy. Then there are others who say "we've heard it on period instruments, but it sounds better with 250 singers!" Or in other words, "if Bach had a pedal he would have used it."

Shaw's performance of the Mass is certainly the grandest, and by that, most impressive recording on the market. The Kyrie is stunning and the Gloria magnificent. But the Sanctus is out of this world. This recording is worth the purchase for the choral, orchestral, and solo performances in this movement alone. I applaud Shaw for successfully pulling a mass chorus through such a harsh yet delicate work. The tempo at times drags a little, but with the size of choir and orchestra being used it is common to take such liberties. This is a wonderful CD set and will surely be a prized collection. So pedal that prelude all you want, pianists!

Indescribably Beautiful and Ingenious.......2002-04-27

This remains the best recording of the B minor mass that I have ever heard. Each and every phrase soars to new levels. This recording, and of course, this mass, uplift the listener spiritually and intellectually. I own two other recordings of this mass, another by Robert Shaw with his own chorale and another with Herbert von Karajan. This second Robert Shaw recording, although wonderful, remains inferior to this Atlanta recording. I especially love the Credo, which very accurately portrays the trinity in its canonical form along with the unity of the father and the son with the "Et in unum Dominum, Jesum Christum." No recording more convincingly captures the reader's emotions and intellect in a spiritual ecstasy than this Robert Shaw Recording. Enjoy!

Even 200 stars would not be enough.......2000-10-22

Two hundred is probably a conservative lower bound on the likely number of times that Robert Shaw performed this monumental work over his considerable artistic lifetime. In the process, which covers a career that began with his Collegiate Chorale in 1941, then the Robert Shaw Chorale in 1948, then his tenure at the Cleveland Orchestra, as chorus director and assistant conductor under George Szell, then his appointment as music director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in 1968, and ultimately his frequent choral workshops in New York resulting in Carnegie Hall performances, this was one of his most frequently performed works. On various tours with these musical organizations, Shaw carried this masterpiece throughout the country and around the world.

In his authorized biography, "Dear People," written by Joseph Musselman (a former Shaw chorister who later achieved his own musical reknown as a choral music practitioner), there is a wealth of anecdotes about how his performances of this work could reduce folks to tears, from Alaskan Aleuts to college kids everywhere to Soviet apparatchiks at the height of the Cold War. One of the most telling anecdotes regarding his mastery, as well as his unassuming modesty in the face of it all, occurred after a performance that must have really jelled. Following the concluding "Dona Nobis Pacem" of the Bm Mass, Shaw left the podium and darted behind the curtain, awaiting the applause. He waited, and waited some more. Finally, not understanding why it was that the applause never arrived, he poked his head out from behind the curtain, only to find both the audience and the musicians facing each other and bawling their eyes out from what must have been a rendering of "Dona Nobis Pacem" for all time, in terms of its ability to open these tear-duct floodgates.

I read that anecdote in "Dear People" and listen to this recording for posterity and can only conclude that no one could top Shaw in this work, which, over a period of many years, I've finally come around to conclude in my own mind, is what may well be the finest contribution to what we call civilization. I have three other highly-regarded recordings of the Bm Mass, by Karl Richter, John Eliot Gardner, and Ifor Jones leading the Bethlehem Bach Choir, the only group who is remotely close to Shaw in terms of performance realizations. Each of them is fine in its way, and in its performance practices (whether "authentic instruments" or "modern," or "massive" choral resources vs. "reduced" forces). Each communicates the importance of the work, and I do not consider them useless duplication for a work this significant.

But when I want to be moved by the work, to truly be reduced to a quivering mass of jelly, this Shaw recording is always the one I turn to. His "Dona Nobis Pacem" grants me a serenity and quality of peace that no other performance can match.

Bob Zeidler

Average customer rating:

Outstanding
The heavens are telling
Uncle Abe rattles the house with this thing
Sir Robert with ASO and Chorus at their Best!
Celestial melodies

Choral Masterpieces

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gloria: Music of Praise & Inspiration
The Power & The Majesty: Essential Choral Classics
The #1 Choral Album
O Magnum Mysterium
Agnus Dei: Music of Inner Harmony

ASIN: B000003CTR
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Hallelujah
Ave Verum Corpus K.618
Kyrie Eleison
Passion Chorale
The Shepherds' Farewell
Lift Thine Eyes To The Mountains
He Watching Over Israel
Dona Nobis Pacem
Hallelujah
Worthy Is The Lamb
Sanctus
Bogoroditse Devo
Wie Lieblich Sind Deine Wohnungen
The Heavens Are Telling
Rex Tremendae

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding.......2007-01-12

-gave this as a Christmas gift to my brother-in-law, a church musician. He has listened over & over & thinks it is really outstanding. Thank you!

The heavens are telling.......2005-10-21

This is a very great chorus, and one of Haydn's best as far as i am concerned. The pace, grandness and spirit of the piece all conjure in one's imagination the majesty of heaven, and God's throne. I cannot help but be moved to praise the God of the heavens and the earth.

kanmi ogundipe

Uncle Abe rattles the house with this thing.......2004-11-22

I came home from work one day when my uncle was visiting my wife and myself. He was recently retired from the ministry. He had heard a lot of choral music in his life. My aunt said he had the stereo ( power end of my stereo at the time was an Adcomm 555 amp. conservatively rated at 200 watts RMS per channel) up so loud it was rattling the whole house. I too have come to love this music. I mostly listen to rock and roll; but the way my uncle, and now I, play this thing, it is rock and roll from another era!!!

Sir Robert with ASO and Chorus at their Best!.......2003-11-16

After Mr Shaw spent many years in NYC and Cleveland with RCA Red Label,he came into Atlanta for a big change! Soon he switched to TELARC DIGITAL! I still Joyfully remember our Recording of the Christmas Nativity in Dec of 1975! Sir Robert, conducting with earphones encasing his head shouted: "Stop the taping, there is some Darn Sizzling noise in those Lights!" We may have not heard the word "Damn" lights, that he employed at times!

On both this newer release of TELARC and the older Recording of The Christmas Nativity, there are Bach's Chorale, Break Forth, Dona Nobis Pacem from the B-Minor Mass, Handel's Hallelujah! Plus the exquisite, Shepherds's Farewell to the Holy Family of Berlioz's The Infant Christ!

Those who may not be familiar with Berlioz from both recordings, will be richly rewarded by hearing them plus the Rex Tremendae from Berlioz''s Requiem and the other Kyrie from the Bach B-Minor! Absolutely, no other Christmas Music can ever approach these two splendid recordings, which are the basis of the ASO celebrating every Christmas with "Robert Shaw in the Spirit!"

Retired Chaplain Fred W Hood

Celestial melodies.......2001-05-27

No matter what mood you are in, the gorgeous chorals will draft you through the paths of holiness, and you will find yourself situated in the Elysium, land of eternal joy, yet you are far from dead. The past grief, weariness, and worries will fade and torture your soul no more. You are set free.

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:

Cantata No. 80: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Cantata No. 140: Zion Hears The Watchmen's Voices
Magnificant In D Major, BWV 243: My Soul Doth Magnify The Lord
Cantata No.147: Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Cantata No. 4: Now Keep We All This Holy Feast
Cantata No. 208: Sheep May Safely Graze
Mass In B Minor, BWV 232: Et Resurrexit
Cantata No. 79: Now Thank We All Our God
Cantata No. 140: Sleepers Awake
Samson: Awake The Trumpet's Lofty Sound
Samson: Let Their Celestial Concerts All Unite
Judas Maccabaeus: See, The Conqu'ring Hero Comes!
Judas Maccabaeus: Sing Unto God
Judas Maccabaeus: Hallelujah, Amen
Saul: Welcome, Welcome Mighty King
Saul: David, His Ten Thousands Slew
Israel In Egypt: But As For His People
Israel In Egypt: Sing Ye To The Lord
Coronation Anthem: Zadok The Priest
Messiah: Hallelujah

Customer Reviews:

Bach and Handel Treats.......2000-08-04

The unfortunate thingÑif anything can be said to the contrary about this collectionÑis that is an older recording. As far as authenticity, what was available in the days of Bach and Handel to perform their music, and what they may have had in mind as the formidable way of presenting it to the publicÑas well as to the heavensÑmay be quite different things. Viewed in this way, authenticity may be an abstraction we are not here priviledged to comment on.

I have marveled for years, even when these were two separate LP's, of the power and dimensionality conveyed by the way these works are performed. I still switch from one to another piece as which is my favorite. In this respect, the experience is a hermenutic delight. Any lover or respecter of Bach or Handel would not go wrong by including this collection in their musical library.

When I use the word "treats" in the title, I mean just that: it is a collection of works that one would be hard pressed to find performed together on any available recording. And so I use the metaphor "treat," as if I were given a morsel and then devoured it; and another, and devoured that one, each with a fullness of pleasure and delight, and with soul filling satisfaction.

These indivdual recordings are for the most part masterpieces in and of themselves, and to be able to listen to them as they are performed flawlessly, and in a manner that invites the Spirit of GodÑby saying they are a "treat"Ñis to merely to treat them minimally.

Fine recording, but doesn't work for me........1999-05-07

I love several of J.S. Bach's cantatas, and enjoy hearing them in a variety of ways--period performances, orchestral arrangements, etc. Therefore I'm not one to insist on authenticity. Nevertheless, the chorus here sounds too big for the Bach. Also, the program needs more variety for straight through listening. Chorus after (massive) chorus doesn't work for me.

rock on!!!!!.......1999-02-09

Jesu joy of man's desiring, holy wisdom love most bright

This song is the best I have ever heard. It rocks!!!!!.......1999-02-09

Jesu joy of man's desiring, holy wisdom love most bright

Bach - Mass in B minor / Argenta, Nichols, Chance, Stafford, Milner, W. Evans, Gardiner

Average customer rating:

Get It While the Recording is Still Available...
The Best
Gardiner's Masterpiece
My Opinion In Brief
Beautiful

Bach - Mass in B minor / Argenta, Nichols, Chance, Stafford, Milner, W. Evans, Gardiner
Johann Sebastian Bach , John Eliot Gardiner , Nancy Argenta , Michael Chance , The English Baroque Soloists , The Monteverdi Choir , Mary Nichols , Wynford Evans , and Howard Milner
Manufacturer: Archiv Produktion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 24 & 25
Haydn: The London Symphonies, Vol. 1
The Chopin Ballades & Scherzos [Hybrid SACD]
Beethoven - Missa Solemnis / Margiono * Robbin * Kendall * Miles * EBS * Gardiner
Saint-Saëns: Symphony No.3/Debussy: La Mer/Ibert: Escales

ASIN: B0000057CN
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Kyrie: Chorus: Lord, Have Mercy On Us.
Kyrie: Duet (Soprano - Mezzo-Soprano): Christ, Have Mercy On Us.
Kyrie: Chorus: Lord, Have Mercy On Us.
Gloria: Chorus: Glory Be To God On High.
Gloria: Chorus: And On Earth Peace To Men Of Good Will.
Gloria: Aria (Soprano): We Praise Thee; We Bless Thee; We Adore Thee; We Glorify Thee.
Gloria: Chorus: We Give Thee Thanks For Thy Great Glory.
Gloria: Duet (Soprano - Tenor): Lord God, Heavenly King, God The Almighty Father. O Lord, The Only-Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, Most High Lord God, Lamb Of God, Son Of The Father.
Gloria: Chorus: Thou Who Takest Away The Sins Of The World, Have Mercy Upon Us. Thou Who Takest Away The Sins Of The World, Receive Our Prayer.
Gloria: Aria (Alto): Thou Who Sittest At The Right Hand Of The Father, Have Mercy Upon Us.
Gloria: Aria (Bass): For Thou Alone Art The Holy One. Thou Alone Art The Lord. Thou, Jesus Christ, Alone Art The Most High.
Gloria: Chorus: With The Holy Ghost In The Glory Of God The Father. Amen.

Tracks:

Credo: Chorus: I Believe In One God.
Credo: Chorus: I Believe In One God, The Father Almighty...
Credo: Duet (Soprano - Mezzo-Soprano): All In One Lord Jesus Christ...
Credo: Chorus: And Was Incarnate By The Holy Ghost Of The Virgin Mary And Was Made Man.
Credo: Chorus: And Was Crucified Also For Us Under Pontius Pilate...
Credo: Chorus: And The Third Day He Rose Again According To The Scriptures...
Credo: Aria (Bass): And I Believe In The Holy Ghost...
Credo: Chorus: I Acknowledge One Baptism For The Remission Of Sins.
Credo: Chorus: And I Look For The Ressurection Of The Dead...
Sanctus: Chorus: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Of Hosts...
Sanctus: Chorus: Hosanna In The Highest.
Sanctus: Aria (Tenor): Blessed Be He That Cometh In The Name Of The Lord.
Sanctus: Chorus (da capo): Hosanna In The Highest.
Agnus Dei: Aria (Alto): Lamb Of God...
Agnus Dei: Chorus: Grant Us Peace.

Amazon.com essential recording

One of the most frequently mentioned "favorite" works of Bach, the B Minor Mass is not really a functional liturgical work, but an assemblage of movements written over a period of many years. Its grand scale is certainly awesome, but its musical and spiritual unity is more remarkable, considering its origin and the fact that it contains several different compositional styles--not to mention some of Bach's most profound and beautiful music. Performing this work and preserving a sense of its grand design while bringing out the considerable musical details is a challenge that most choirs, orchestras, and conductors are not up to. Almost by consensus, however, John Eliot Gardiner's version is the most successful--and it is indeed a phenomenal recording--at once sumptuous and penetrating, with gorgeous choral and solo singing, and spacious, vibrant sound. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Get It While the Recording is Still Available..........2007-04-21

Easily one of today's available outstanding Bach choral recordings, Gardiner's work should be marked with a "must have" rating for any Bach enthusiast or for anyone interested in the baroque choral genre. As someone once said, there are so many superlatives about the Mass in B-minor that the work sometimes defies rational description. Surely any work often cited as "the greatest work of western music ever written" can never live up to expectations, and thus it would be natural to expect to be in some small way disappointed by the imperfections found in any performance of the piece. Nevertheless, it's difficult to find any place where Gardiner and the English baroque Soloists let us down. The recording itself is superb, the choir, instrumentation, and the soloists perform with aplomb, and Gardiner's direction make it all come together in silky-smooth sound that makes us forget we are listening to period instruments.

This recording is part of a larger set of recordings done in the early 1980's with Gardiner and the English Baroque Soloists, including Bach's Magnificat, St. John's Passion, St. Matthew's Passion, and the Christmas Oratorio. There are many recordings of each of these specific pieces ( try doing a search on "the Mass in B-minor" on Amazon and see the number of hits that are pulled up), and there are divergent opinions as to the "best" of these recordings and performances. Often, there are some PEROFRMANCES that are exceptionally well done while the RECORDING itself may not be, and vice-versa. People (and perhaps with good and defendable reason) spend egregious amounts of time debating the specifics of recordings and performances, and it can certainly be difficult (and, unfortunately, hideously EXPENSIVE) to follow these discussions to their logical conclusions and make up your own mind. Although the Gardiner/English Baroque Soloists certainly represent a non-budget-based series of entries, if you will take the time to browse through the reviews, you will likely find that there are few individuals that have much negative to say about any of them. The works represent outstanding achievement in the field of performance, and Deutsche Grammophon's recording expertise clearly shines through in each set. It's difficult to go "wrong" with these recordings, and you may find, like myself, that they become standards by which other performances are judged.

If you are finding the price a bit steep, check to see if any used versions are available. As long as the discs are not scratched, you shouldn't have any trouble with a used copy, and you can build your library further by adding these wonderful works to your collection. The Mass in B-minor is the perfect recording with which to start.

The Best.......2007-01-29

When you hear this music you will want to dance! I was fortunate to hear Bach's Mass in B minor for the first time, via this recording, a couple years ago. I have heard other renditions since, but in my opinion none can compare. Once you hear this interpretation, it is likely you will prefer it too. All the instruments are bright and crisp; rhythms are brisk and articulated despite the tricky ornaments and twists inherent to Bach's music. There is an amazing feeling of everything fitting together. The unpretentious, spirited singing of the soloists and choir wonderfully beguiles their incredible talent. If you skeptically think-or have been conditioned to think, after hearing over affected, slow and solemn recordings of this music-that Bach's Mass in B minor is a boring ultra-religious work, then you need to hear this recording. Gardiner makes it so much more than church music; this is a joyful joining of art with God.

Gardiner's Masterpiece.......2006-10-26

This is the greatest recording
Of the greatest work
Of the greatest composer
That ever was.
If I am biased
John and Johann have made me so.

My Opinion In Brief.......2006-09-20

The Choral singing is stunning and glorious, unfortunately the soloists are not at the same level (sometimes unbelievably the quality is without real feeling or technical perfection or good tone color, in the soloist parts). The overall feeling of this recording is one of icy silvery clarity without intimate warmth and sometimes almost amateurish solo singing. Buy it for the choral singing with period instruments.
The situation concerning the existing recordings of Bach's B Minor Mass is according to me as follows:
Gardiner (ARCHIV): Period instruments version: Choral singing glorious and stunning soloists of much lesser quality and overall feeling very icy and cold.
Herreweghe (HARMONIA MUNDI): Period instrument version. Choral singing is sometimes weak and without great emotional envolvement. Solo singing often of exceptional intense feeling, especially the duet 'Et in unum dominum' (Zomer /Scholl) and the Agnes Dei (Scholl). Often bright brisk tempi,counterpuntal lines clearly demarcated although the back and forth dynamics between the counterpuntal lines it not well done. The overall feeling of this recording is of a warm meditative almost monastic medieval quality, which is not appropriate in my opinion to this great late Baroque work, but which is all the same very pleasing and beautiful and will put you in a state of contemplative rest,an example of how great this Bach work is that it can support so many various interpretations. Buy it for the solo singing.
Klemperer (EMI): Modern instruments. Very slow tempi, often grave and oftentimes too solemn, interpretated as a liturgical work, that is as a mass, which it really is not. (The work as a whole was never labeled as a Mass by Bach, only the earlier Kyrie and Gloria parts were.) The title Mass is a later 19th century publisher's addition since he saw that it was written to the words of the mass. This work is more like a sacred opera, a glorious final statement by Bach praising God and a synthesis of his whole life and of the many perceding periods of musical history. Janet Baker is excellent especially in the Agnes Dei, also the Benedictus is splendid. Buy it if you want a liturgical prayerful intrepretation
Jochim (EMI): Modern instruments.Choral singing splendid at or above the level of the Gardiner recording, all soloists are of exceptional quality, and sing with great warmth and feeling. There are moments when it makes your spine tingle. Performed by a man of great Christian faith and it shows in this interpretation. All things considered it is the best version available, if you can overlook the slightly fussy feeling (but ever so slightly) that the modern instruments create. Buy it if you want one almost perfect modern instrument version.
Rilling (HANNSLER): Modern instruments. It's a toss up between the Jochim version and this splendid version, which one to consider the best. Here the advantage over the Jochim version is that although it's a modern instrument version it is performed by a Bach expert who well knows the differences between a modern instrument version and a period performance and the instuments sound very much like period instruments at the right moments, at musically graphic points and like modern ones at the moments which require fuller tone color(how he did it I really don't know) The solists are a slight notch down compared with the Jochim version. The overall sound is clearer and more transparent than the Jochim version. Buy it if you want one almost perfect modern/period version, with minor flaws in the solo singing.
The Bach B minor Mass is probably the greatest work of music ever written by one of the greatest musicians of Western music and therefore no one version can do this masterpiece justice. It is extremely complex and difficult chorally and architecturally. Here however is on a Scale of 1 to 10 how I would rate the situation:
Jochim 9.7
Rilling 9.5
Herreweghe 9.1
Gardiner 9.0
Klemperer 8.8

Beautiful.......2006-07-31

I have my entire music collection on my computer and sometimes like to put the whole thing on shuffle. The problem is that after something from this plays nearly everything else I have just sounds boring. This is some of the most beautiful music I've ever heard.

Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [20 CD Set]

Average customer rating:

Mill. Classical review
classical music for the unitiated
Some little gems there that I had forgotten!
A very helpful collection
Excellent!

Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [20 CD Set]

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Rondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

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

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

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

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Rhapsody in Blue - Ultimate Piano Collection [20 CD Set]
Masters of Classical Music (Box Set)
Little Night Music - Ultimate Mozart Collection [20 CD Set]
Passion - Most Famous Orchestral Spectaculars [20 CD Set]
Rendezvous of Angels - Concert Collection [20 CD Set]

ASIN: B00000K1C9
Release Date: 1999-08-24

Tracks:

Brandenbutg Concerto No.3 In G First Movement
Overture No.3 In D Second Movement
Violin Concerto In E First Movement
Prelude In C minor
Jesu Bleibet Meine Freude (Chorus From Cantata No.147)
Overture No.2 In B minor Minuet And Badinerie
Oboe Concerto In D minor Second Movement
Brandenburg Concerto No.4 In G Third Movement
Musical Offering - Fuga canonica
Easter Oratorio - Overture
Minuet In D minor
Kommst Du Nun, Jesu, Vom Himmel herunter(From Choral Prelude BWV 650
Brandenburg Concerto No.1 In F Second Movement
Art Of The Fugue - Contrapunctus 9
Concerto For Flute, Violin, Harpsichord And Strings. Triple Concerto - Third Movement
Overture No.4 In D - Réjouissance
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Water Music - Alla Hornpipe
Xerxes - Ombra Mai Fu (Largo)
Messiah - And The Glory Of The Lord
Concerto Grosso In A Minor, Op. 6, No. 4 - Larghetto Affettuoso
Organ Concerto In F, Op. 4, No. 4 Allegro
Water Music - Air
Messiah - For Unto Us A Child Is Born
Concerto Grosso In B flat, Op. 3, No. 2 - Largo
Salomon - Sinfonia, Act 3
The Choice Of Hercules - While For Thy Arms
Water Music - Allegro (Suite No. 1)
Suite No. 5 In E - Air With Variations
Jephtha - How Dark, O Lord
Organ Concerto In F, Op. 4, No. 5 Alla Siciliana - Presto
Mi Palpita Il Cor (Solo Cantata) S'un Di M'adora
Water Music - Andante Allegro Da Capo
Concerto for Trumpet & Orchestra in E-flat: First Movement
Symphony No. 94 in G: Surprise Symphony-second movement
Concerto for Violin No. 2 in D: Third Movement
Flute Trio No. 31 in G: Second Movement
Symphony No. 31 in D: Hornsignal-First Movement
String Quartet No. 17 in F, Op. 3, no. 5: Serenade Quartet-Second Movement
Sinfonia Concertante in B-flat for Violin, Cello, Oboe, Bassoon and Orchestra-Third Movement
Concerto for 2 Horns & Orchestra in E-flat: Second Movement
Symphony No. 88 in G: Fourth Movement
String Quartet No. 77 in C: Kaiser Quartet-Poco adagio cantabile
Notturno No. 1 in C: Second Movement
Symphony No. 98 in B: Londoner No. 4-Fourth Movement
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - first movement
Piano Concerto in A - second movement
Flute Concerto in D - Rondeau
Serenade - Minuet
Violin Concerto - first movement
Symphony No. 40 in G minor - first movement
Clarinet Concerto - second movement
Turkish March
Divertimento - Minuet
Horn Concerto No. 3 in E-flat - first movement
Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67-First Movement
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27, no. 2: Moonlight Sonata-First Movement
Overture
O welche Lust (Prisoners' Chorus)
Ha, welch ein Augenblick (Pizarros's Aria)
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37: Second Movement
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, Op. 61: Third Movement
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13: Pathétique-Second Movement
Sympony No. 6 in F, Op. 68: Pastorale-First Movement
Fantasy for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra in C minor, Op. 80: Choral Fantasy - Finale
German Dance No. 1 In C
Impromptu Op. 90, No. 3 In G-Flat
Heidenroslein
Ave Maria
Der Lindenbaum
Quintet In A 'Trout Quintet' - Andante
Mass No. 6 In E-Flat - Kyrie
Die Schone Mullerin Des Mullers Blumen
German Dance No. 2 In G
Piano Sonata In B-Flat
Nachtgesang Im Walde
Winterreise - No. 15: Die Krahe
German Mass - Zum Sanctus (Heilit, Heilig Ist Der Herr)
Symphony No. 8 In B Minor 'Unfinished' - Second Movement
Waltz No. 1 in E-flat, Op. 18 Grande Valse brillante
Nocturne in E-flat, Op. 9, no. 2
Etude in G-flat, Op. 10, no. 5
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21-Second Movement
Mazurka in D minor, Op. 33, no. 2
Prelude in D-flat, Op. 28, no. 15 Raindrop
Etude in C, Op. 10, no. 1
Nocturne in D-flat, Op. 27, no. 2
Impromptu No. 4 in C-sharp minor, Op. 66 Fantasy Impromptu
Scherzo in B minor, Op. 20
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35-Third Movement
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11 - Third Movement
Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor - first movement 113.String Seranade - Waltz
Violin Concerto - second movement
The Sleeping Beauty - Waltz
Capriccio Italien, Op. 45
Swan Lake - Waltz
Eugene Onegin - Polonaise
The Nutcracker - Waltz of the Flowers
Orchestral Suite No. 4 - Mozartiana - Third Movement
Swan Lake - Dance of the Swans
Symphony No. 6 in B minor - Pathétique - Third Movement
Hungarian Dance No.5
Lullaby
Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op. 68 - Third Movement
Intermezzo in E-flat, Op.117, no. 1
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, Op. 77 - Third Movement
Waltz, Op. 39, no. 15
Concert for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in B-flat, Op. 83 - Second Movement
String Quintet in G, Op. 111 - Second Movement
Symphony No.4 in E minor, Op. 98 - Third Movement
Intermezzo in A minor, Op. 76, no. 7
Hungarian Dance No.1 in G minor
German Requiem Selig sind die Toten (Final Chorus)
Die Fledermaus - Overture
Kaiser Waltz, Op.437
Thunder And Lightning Polka, Op. 324
Roses From The South Waltz, Op. 388
AnnenPolka, Op. 117
Vienna Blood Waltz, Op. 354
Eljen A Magyar Polka, Op. 332
Wine, Women and Song Waltz, Op. 333
On The Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz, Op. 134
Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg - Overture
Tannhauser - Die Pilger sind's (Pilgims' Chorus)
Tannhauser - O du mein holder Abendstern (Wolfram's Aria)
Lohengrin - Act 3 Prelude and Bridal Chorus
The Flying Dutchman - Jo-ho-he Traft ihr das Schiff (Senta's Ballad)
The Flying Dutchman - Steuermann, lass die Wacht (Sailors' Chorus)
Die Walkure - Wintersturme wichen dem Wonnemond (Siegmund's Aria)
Die Walkure - Ride of the Valkyries
Siegfried Hoho! Hoho! Hohei! Schmiede mein Hammer (Siegfried's Forging Song)
Tristan und Isolde - Liebestod
Thus sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 (excerpt)
Don Juan, Op. 20
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64, I.Nacht
Don Quixote, Op.35, first movement: Introduction
Salome, Op. 54, Dance Of The Seven Veils
Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59, Finale: Hab' mir's gelobt ihn lieb zu haben
Piano Concerto 2 In C minor, Op. 18 - First Movement
Vocalise, Op.34, No. 14
Prelude In G Sharp minor, Op. 32, No. 12
Piano Concerto No. 4 In G minor, Op. 40 - Third Movement
Symphony No. 2 In E minor, Op. 27 - Third Movement
Piano Concerto No. 1 In F sharp minor, Op. 1 - Second Movement
Rhapsody, Op. 43 On A Theme By Paganini
Hungarian Rhapsody No.2
Liebestraum No.3 in A-flat
Piano Concerto No.1 in E-flat - third movement
Angelus
Mephisto Waltz No.1 (Dance in a Village Tavern)
Prelude and Fugue on B-A-C-H
Dante Symphony - Finale. - Purgatorio - Magnificat
Les Préludes
Boléro
Daphnis et Chloé first movement: Nocturne
Rhapsodie Espagnole
Shéhérazade - first movement: Asie
Ma Mère l'Oye - fourth movement: La Belle et la Bête
Introduction and Allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet, and String Quartet
La Valse
Slavic Dance No. 1 in C, Op. 46, no.1
Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 'From the New World' - second movement
Humoresque, Op. 101
Slavic Dance No. 8 in G minor, Op. 46, no. 8
Serenade for String Orchestra, Op. 22 - second movement
Romance for Violin and Orchestra In F minor, Op. 11
Symphony No. 7 in D minor - third movement
Melodie (Songs My Mother Taught Me)
Carneval Overture, Op. 92
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B minor, Op. 104 - third movement
Symphony No.4 In A, Op. 90. Italian - First Movement
Frühlingslied In A, Op. 62, No. 6
Wedding March (From A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61)
Duetto In F, Op.30, No.6 (From Songs Without Words)
String Symphony No.9 In C. Schweitzer Symphony - Third Movement
Concerto For Violin, Piano And String Orchestra No. 1 In D minor - Second Movement
Symphony No.3 In A minor, Op.56 Scottish - Third Movement"
Notturno (From A Midsumment Night's Dream, Op. 61)
Rondo Capriccioso, Op.14
String Symphony No. 12 In G minor - First Movement
Venetian Gondola Song In F Sharp minor, Op.30, No.6
Scherzo (From A Midsumment Night's Dream, Op. 61)
Violin Concerto In E minor, Op.64 - Third Movement
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 1, Op. 46 - Morgenstimmung
Holberg Suite, Op. 40 - I. Prelude. Allegro vivace
Holberg Suite, Op. 40 - IV. Air. Andante religioso
Arietta, Op. 12, no. 1
Homage March from Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op. 56
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 2, Op. 55 - Solveig's Song
Wedding Day at Troldhauen, Op. 65, no. 6
The Last Spring, Op. 34, no. 2
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 1, Op 46 - Anitra's Dance
Nordic Melody Op. 63
Notturno, Op. 54, no. 4
Elegie, Op. 47, no. 5
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 2, Op. 55 - Arabic Dance
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 - Allegro
Symphony No. 3 in E flat, Op. 97 - Rhenish - first movement
Traumerai (from Kinderszenen, Op. 15)
Mondnacht (from Eichendorff-Liederkreis, Op. 39)
Aufschwung (from Fantasietucke, Op. 12)
Triolett, Op. 114, no. 2
Tanzlied (No. 1 from Duets, Op. 78)
Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120 - second movement
Frühlingsgruss
Abschied (from Waldszenen Op. 82)
Dichterliebe, Op. 48 - Im wunderschonen Monat Mai
Manfred Overture, Op. 115
Romance in F sharp, Op. 28, no. 2
Die Rose stand im Tau
Liebesgarten (from Four Duets, Op. 34)
Warum? (from Fantasiestucke, Op. 12)
Kennst du das Land, Op.79, no. 29 (from Lieder der Mignon, Op. 98a)
Von fremden Landern und Menschen (from Kinderszenen, Op. 15)

Album Description

An extraordinary 20-CD collection of great works by Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Ravel, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff, J. Strauss, R. Strauss, Schumann, Wagner, Dvorak, Grieg and Liszt. It also features worldrenowned artists such as Sir Neville Marriner, Martha Argerich, Ivo Pogorelich, Hermann Prey, Reiner Goldberg, Sylvia Sass, Jochen Kowalski, Peter Schreler and many more. This exquisite, copper metallic, deluxe boxed set is the perfect gift for the classical music neophyte.

Customer Reviews:

Mill. Classical review.......2007-05-13

This is a great set of recordings for the money, the only problem was I've had to clean some of the CD's before they played correctly.

classical music for the unitiated.......2007-04-01

This set is a good way to start listening to classical music. It's very well produced and easy to listen to. I purchased it to use as part of my world history high school class. It would have been nice to have some bio information on the composers. However, the product is exactly as advertised and good value for the money. The students were intrigued by how many of the excerpts they had heard before.

Some little gems there that I had forgotten!.......2007-03-30

Although I studied classical music at school, I had all but forgotten it until I bought this set. I heard several tracks I haven't heard for over 30 years, and I had been humming Brahms's 'Hungarian Dance no. 5' for years without ever knowing what it was and it was on the disc, so that was nice.

I found it to be a very good selection overall, but I felt too much had already been heard on TV, which of course is what lots of newcomers to classical music might appreciate. I managed to find about 2 hours of tracks that I wanted to keep, which works out quite expensive per disc, but I did find some wonderful music I had completely forgotten about, so it was worth it. All in all, it represents good value, and I have only knocked one star off as so much of it had been used in adverts.

It is definitely a good introduction to classical music, and it has made me want to listen to more of it, so I don't regret this 'expensive' purchase one bit!

Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [20 CD Set]

A very helpful collection.......2007-03-24

I define this set as an excellent way to find out who you like, and who you don't, among 20 of the important composers. It opens the door to purchasing more complete pieces by composers you do like, and can save a lot of time and money in the process.
To criticize the set for not containing more composers, or more than just snippets of those who are in the set, is missing the point: it is a helpful introduction to finding your way in the huge maze of classical music. It succeeds admirably in this.
Sound quality is uniformly very good on an audiophile system.
Highly recommended.

Excellent!.......2007-03-08

A great way to start a classical music collection. It's nice to have a full CD of each composer. It makes it easy to keep track of selections/composers I already have and what composers I still need to puchase to complete my collection.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

Music Review

Solitary Man [CD-single] [Import]

Two / In Die Tiefe Der Zeit

Telemann: Quintetti d'archi e Partite per due liuti

Santa's Movin' In

Ultimate Drum N Bass Album [Import]

Vesica Piscis

Un'Altra Vita [Import]

Very Best of

Town and Country

The Best on Stage 1970-1985 [Box set] [Import] [Live]

The Frame

Songbook Chico Buarque V.2 [Import]

Strictly Sickly [Explicit Lyrics]

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Rachmaninoff: Seven Preludes

Crystal Emotion