Columbia Symphony Orchestra & New York Philharmonic Play Barber; Menotti...

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This classic disc has been the prime recommendation for Barber's short orchestral pieces since the early 1960s. Remastered onto CD for the first time, and with the addition of some other items conducted by Thomas Schippers, it sounds better than ever. All of Barber's music is blessed with the virtues of impeccable craftsmanship, tunefulness, and, above all, brevity. Although a Romantic by temperament, Barber had the gift of being able to fit a lot of emotional impact into a very small space. The famous Adagio for Strings and the Second Essay actually sound much bigger than they are, but they don't go on a second too long--which means you can play them again right away! You'll want to. --David Hurwitz

Amazon.com
The most beautiful recording ever made of the Adagio for Strings is at last on CD, thoughtfully coupled with some of the other recordings the young Thomas Schippers made for Columbia Masterworks--of the music of Barber and others--between 1960 and 1965, at the start of his all-too-brief career. Although he was never on personal terms with Barber, Schippers had the ability to put Barber's music across in just the right way, with the perfect blend of energy and lyricism, toughness and warmth, and,... read more

Columbia Symphony Orchestra & New York Philharmonic Play Barber; Menotti...

Tracks:

Rhapsody in Blue
An American in Paris

Customer Reviews:

Gershwin/Bernstein: Rhapsody In Blue and American In Paris.......2007-01-16

In my opinion you just can't go wrong with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. I have many of their recordings in addition to many recordings of other orchestras; some great, some not so much...but the New York Phil is cosistently great. This recording is a superb example of Gershwin's writing, thoughtfully reproduced by a fine orchestra. Both the brashness of the pieces and the subtleties are interpreted well by Mr. Bernstein and the orchestra. The soloists are nothing other than excellent. The brass section is easily as strong as the Chicago symphony's famous section, and the strings intonation is superb. The pathos and the humor of both pieces are readily projected by this sensitive orchestra and conductor. I couldn't recommend this recording higher!

A glorious tribute!.......2006-11-22

To play Gershwin accurately demands from the player, the absolute domain of an invisible taste, unsaid in the score. Few pianists (and Bernstein is among them) were able to convey the listener, this savoir vivre, humor, elegance, that idiomatic atmosphere that plainly justifies your effort.

To my mind, there just have been five pianists who have surmounted this peak: Oscar Levant, Jesus Maria Sanroma, Eugene List, Earl Wild and Leonard Bernstein.

So, under any pretext you should miss this invaluable musical gem.

A Truly Great Performance.......2006-08-19

I originally found this record in a used record store and purchased it for $1. This was not too long ago. After listening, i could not believe that this record only cost me $1 and that some idiot actually sold this to a used record store without listening first. I have never heard a performace of Rhapsody In Blue that is as powerful and heartfelt as this one. Bernstain melts into the piano, resulting in a performance that outshines so many Gershwin performances that exist. On the other side of the record is An American In Paris, a textbook tone poem, and i mean this as a great compliment. The images of Paris and a partially homesick/partially jubilant American strolling along exude from every note. When i found these great performances on CD, i snatched up a copy as quickly as i could. GET THIS RECORD. It is truly a Great Performance.

GLORIOUS!.......2006-07-21

This review refers to "Great Performances: Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue/An American In Paris"(CD)

Well, how can you go wrong when Leonard Bernstein, with the help of the Columbia Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic, conducts(and performs brilliantly on piano)these two George Gershwin greats.You just can't. Even the quality of the CD is excellent.

Rhapsody will carry you away to some other place for a while. From that very first bluesy note, Bernstein and Orchestra will have you wrapped up in all it's jazzy glory. It's music that defines the word greatness and it's THE song I would pick (if I could only pick one) that exemplifies the masterfulness of American composers.

An American In Paris is wonderful. The feeling of a tourist on the loose in Paris is expertly portrayed through this recording. The highs, the lows and all the delights. I felt a part of it all(and I'm a long way from Paris!)

Now, if you have read any of my other CD reviews, you know that right about here is where I complain ,and sometimes even take a star off of my rating, when a CD is too short(considering how easy it is to get music elsewhere these days). But I have to say, even though the total time on this CD is only about 35 minutes, what a glorious 35 minutes it is.
Rhapsody a wonderful 16:26 and American In Paris a Yummy 18:22.
It's music that never gets old. It stands the test of time, and many repeated playings.

So you may want to keep a copy of this in your car. A great way to start your day. Listen on the way to work, and you'll have that "what? me worry?" attitude. Also fabulous for destressing on the way home from a long days work.It just seems to make everything okay.

As I said the CD has a nice quality. It also has a booklet with some notes on how Gershwin came to compose these songs.

Gershwin performed by Bernstein..it was meant to be!
Enjoy it...Laurie

The Definitive Version and Good Sound Quality!.......2006-06-06

This ADD recording has surprisingly good sound quality for an older recording that hasn't been remastered. The performance by Bernstein and both the Columbia Symphonic and the NY Philharmonic on the pieces is simply breathtaking. You'd be hard pressed to find better interpretations of these Gershwin masterpieces. The only problem with this album is that it's very short and although would have been the perfect length on an lp or cassette as it was originally, it seems to be a waste of cd space here. Sony should probably remaster this and add some tracks like perhaps "Porgy and Bess" to make it a better value proposition. I hope they re-release a remastered version on mini-lp sleeve replica packaging too.

Average customer rating:

Point of Information
Estrellita
Ugly
Carmen
Excellent disc

Beverly Sills

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Very Best of Beverly Sills
Art of Beverly
The Great Recordings
Beverly Sills: Made in America
Verdi: La Traviata / Sills, Gedda, Panerai; Ceccato

ASIN: B00000FCKP
Release Date: 1998-11-24

Tracks:

Parlez-moi d'amour
Ouvre ton coeur
Oh, quand je dors
Waltz From Mireille
Si tu le veux
Les filles de le Cadiz
Les chemins de l'amour
Plaisir d'amour
Villanelle
Goyescas: Interludio
Goyescas: La maja y el ruisenior
Estrellita
La morena de mi copla

Customer Reviews:

Point of Information.......2007-07-06

Folks, please read the recording data! This album does not present merely the "older Sills" of 1975. Tracks 10 to 13 were recorded in February 1961, when Sills was about three months shy of 32 years old. To hear her any younger on disc, you have to go to her splendid recording of *The Ballad of Baby Doe*, released in 1959. (If anyone knows of still earlier recordings, please holler!) So these 1961 tracks alone make the album priceless, especially since it offers vastly better sound than the slightly boomy acoustic of *Baby Doe*.

For me, the initial main attraction here was the Granados, and it was a hallelujah moment when I spotted this CD in the bins almost 10 years ago. While this disc represents the commercial first release of the *Goyescas* selections, they received limited issue around December 1963 on a holiday-bonus LP ("The Sound of Genius 1963") from the Columbia Record Club.

That LP was my introduction to Sills, and it made me fall in love with her voice. It was always a special treat to play her vocal track for those who had no idea it existed and watch their astonishment as Beverly's voice floated through sonic space like the very nightingale she sings about. It is simply some of the loveliest, most haunting singing I've ever heard. To get two additional tracks from the same recordings sessions -- especially "Estrellita" -- was an unexpected blessing.

So get this CD for the last three tracks, if nothing else (track 10 is purely orchestral). They capture Sills at a magical moment. Even if you like nothing else on the disc (and I think you'll like much more), you can claim these three special treasures for a mere pittance. How much more precious are they, now that she has gone on to sing, we pray, in other realms.

Estrellita.......2006-12-07

The incomparable Beverly Sills beautifuly sings here a true bouquet of songs in French and Spanish. A pleasure to the ear.

Estrellita is not a Spanish song as claimed by some commentators, but a Mexican one, whose author is the late Manuel M. Ponce.

Ugly.......2004-05-20

Sills screeching a mezzo-role? She already ruined belcanto with her puny, fake screeching!

Carmen.......2004-04-26

She DID sing Michaela. And it's said that she also did Carmen. But if she did, she was completely miscast. She also did Aida, live-recording of her Aida is...interesting. Anyway, Sills rules in the French rep, esp. as Manon.

Excellent disc.......2004-03-21

This is a fantastic disc and shows Beverly Sills at her interpretive best with zesty, go-for-broke vocalism that is truly wonderful to hear.

Tracks:

Concert For Violin And Orchestra In D Major, Op.61: I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo (Cadenza: Fritz Kreisler) - Bruno Walter
Concert For Violin And Orchestra In D Major, Op.61: II. Larghetto - Bruno Walter
Concert For Violin And Orchestra In D Major, Op.61: III. Rondo: Allegro - Bruno Walter
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra In D Minor, Op.47: I. Allegro Moderato - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra In D Minor, Op.47: II. Adagio Di Molto - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra In D Minor, Op.47: III. Allegro, Ma Non Tanto - The Philadelphia Orchestra

Amazon.com

The Sibelius Violin Concerto was a David Oistrakh specialty. He brought to it a personal warmth and poetry, and he made the most of what critics call Sibelius's "Russian melancholy," which is the term applied to Russian music when it sounds most Finnish. But seriously, the great Finnish composer was a strong admirer of Tchaikovsky, whose Violin Concerto was another Oistrakh specialty. Eugene Ormandy's Sibelius credentials were similarly well established at the time that this great recording was made. At a budget price, with a terrific Beethoven Violin Concerto tossed in, you'd have to be nuts not to want to hear it. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Francescatti vs. Heifetz.......2007-04-21

I've owned this CD and the Heifetz/Reiner Beethoven for years, and it's hard to imagine that both violinists were playing from the same score. Francescatti makes a regular practice of holding a note just a bit, to shape a phrase or add emphasis. Heifetz makes a consistent practice of avoiding this and moving briskly on--which raises the issue of tempo: in the first movement, Heifetz takes a full 2 minutes less than Francescatti (despite Heifetz' somewhat elaborate cadenza), and the remaining movements are similarly timed. As he bustles along, Heifetz tends to vary the force of his notes more subtly than Francescatti, who deploys a wider range of volume levels.

As a result, lovers of the Francescatti approach may find Heifetz clipped, brusque and impersonal, while lovers of the Heifetz approach may find Francescatti slow, heavy and mushy. Or to put it in positive terms, Heifetz excels in maintaining and building rhythmic energy, while Francescatti is best in developing the emotional content of the work and letting it "breathe." It took me a long time to come to appreciate both approaches, and I signal this as a study in contrast. At this low price, you can buy both and decide for yourself. (My favorite? This one.)

The gentleman of the violin!.......2006-06-30

Zino Francescati was a very solvent violinist with a pleasant tune and a warmth temperament. His phrasing was kind and delicate, and this is perhaps his main virtue and his main defect, because many works don't resist such approach.

But in this case, Beethoven' s Violin Concerto works out because the sublime inspiration of this Opus, allows to be expressed under this considerations and particularly this vision is carefully performed in this case.

Elegance and refinement feature this version. So please, don't miss it.

In the case of Sibelius violin's concerto, there are better options in the market such Ginette Neveu, ivry Gitlis and Jasha Heifetz.

masters at work.......2006-01-18

Francescatti's Beethoven concerto is shapely and engaging, and the playing is warm and refined throughout. My ultimate preferences with this piece are Shumsky's 1988 recording with the Philharmonia Orchestra under Davis, and Menuhin's recording under Furtwangler, but I admire Francescatti's beautiful lines and devoted intelligence. The reason, however, for seizing this remarkable offer (who knows anymore how long any recording will remain available!) has to be Oistrakh's incomparable recording of the Sibelius under Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orch. Of the many versions of this great work, for me, there is none that matches this particular Oistrakh/Ormandy recording. Of more recent versions, Cho-Liang Lin turns in a stupendously musical performance of this piece - convincing and beautiful. I believe five or six D. Oistrakh recorded versions of this concerto remain in print; his Melodiya recording with Rozhdestvensky is a rival, but Ormandy's command of the glacial cast of Sibelius' orchestral writing is just amazing, and, underpinning Oistrakh's inimitable conception, the playing of the Philadelphia Orch is rich and perfectly attuned to Sibelius. The remastered sound is first-rate, you'd think it was a modern recording. Whether you love this concerto, or dont yet know it, you've found here a defining performance to reveal its mysteries. I've treasured this recording for thirty years, and urge you to give it a hearing.

Two Violin Concerti - Two wonderful recordings.......2005-12-25

I don't play the violin at all, but I love these two concerti (They're among my favorites for violin).

The Beethoven is pretty good, actually very good. This is one of the first pieces I heard live at a concert. The length of the whole piece doesn't matter when you're actually listening to it. I've heard more romantic versions, but I actually prefer Francescatti's interpretation. It's very fine, nothing too showy to make the music more than what it is. For a more "modern" recording, I would choose Hilary Hahn's.

I haven't listened to the Sibelius as much as the Beethoven on this CD, but I actually prefer this playing to the artists of today, such as Bell, Chang, etc. Oistrakh's tone is wonderful.

I would definitely recommending this CD to anyoone, to introduce these pieces to a new listener, or to add this to a classical music connoisseur's collection.

Excellent recording, good price.......2005-08-10

This is a really great CD, featuring two of the 20th century's best violinists - Zino Francescatti on the Beethoven and David Oistrakh on the Sibelius. While the majority of my recordings are by modern day artists (Hahn, Chang, Bell, Midori, etc), I have several recordings by older artists, and for the most part I can tell a real difference in their playing styles compare to modern day players. To me, the older artists seem to play with a much more elegant, restrained style than the newer artists (with the exception of, perhaps Heifetz). While both artists play magnificently on this CD, I would say that this more elegant playing serves the Beethoven much better than the Sibelius.

The Beethoven isn't really one of my favorite concerti, mostly because it's so long that I rarely listen to the entire thing (all movements). However, I have listened to this entire recording more than enough times to recognize the warm, personal playing that Francescatti delivers.

The Sibelius, one of my all-time favorite concertos (for any instrument), is played exceptionally well by Oistrakh, though I think his playing style is a little too reserved for my tastes. To me, it often sounds like Oistrakh is playing in a more classical style than the Sibelius warrants. Compared with a recording at the other end of the spectrum (for example, Salerno-Sonnenberg), Oistrakh's playing is just a little boring, particularly on the spectacular final movement. Don't get me wrong, he plays beautifully, but I just prefer Sibelius to be a little grittier. However, to Oistrakh's credit, his playing is always perfect and controlled, even in incredibly difficult spots where some other artists can sound border-line out of control. It seems that playing with fire and abandon often comes at the price of clarity, and playing with technical clarity and perfection often comes at the price of excitement. That being said, no recording can really be said to be better than the other... I just happen to prefer the sibelius to be played slightly closer to the "fiery abandon" side of the spectrum (however, my favorite version of this concerto, by Midori, seems to find a perfect balance between the two extremes). Enjoy

Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky: Petrouchka/ Le Sacre du Printemps

Average customer rating:

Najinsky who?!
Hermann and Stravinsky
Powerful rendition
From the Master
WOW!

Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky: Petrouchka/ Le Sacre du Printemps

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000026GJ
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Petrushka - Tableau I: The Shrove -Tide Fair: Beginning
Petrushka - Tableau I: The Shrove-Tide Fair: The Crowds
Petrushka - Tableau I: The Shrove-Tide Fair: The Charlatan's Booth
Petrushka - Tableau I: The Shrove-Tide Fair: Russian Dance
Petrushka: Tableau II: Petrushka's Room
Petrushka - Tableau III: The Moor's Room: Beginning
Petrushka - Tableau III: The Moor's Room: Dance Of The Ballerina
Petrushka - Tableau III: The Moor's Room: Waltz (Ballerina and Moor)
Petrushka - Tableau IV: The Shrove - Tide Fair (Near Evening): Beginning
Petrushka - Tableau IV: The Shrove - Tide Fair (Near Evening): Dance Of The Nursemaids
Petrushka - Tableau IV: The Shrove-Tide Fair (Near Evening): Dance Of The Peasant And The Bear
Petrushka - Tableau IV: The Shrove-Tide Fair (Near Evening): Petrushka - Dance Of The Gypsy Girls
Petrushka - Tableau IV: The Shrove -Tide Fair (Near Evening): Dance Of The Coachmen and Grooms
Petrushka - Tableau IV: The Shrove - Tide Fair (Near Evening): The Masqueraders
Petrushka - Tableau IV: The Shrove-Tide Fair (Near Evening): Conclusion (Petrushka's Death)
Le Sacre Du Printemps - The Rite Of Spring - Part I: The Adoration Of The Earth: Introduction
Le Sacre Du Printemps - The Rite Of Spring - Part I. The Adoration Of the Earth: Dances of the Young Girls
Le Sacre Du Printemps - The Rite Of Spring - Part I: The Adoration Of The Earth: Mock Abduction
Le Sacre Du Printemps - The Rite Of Spring - Part I: The Adoration Of The Earth: Spring Round Dance
Le Sacre Du Printemps - The Rite Of Spring - Part I: The Adoration Of The Earth: Games of the Rival Tribes
Le Sacre Du Printemps - The Rite Of Spring - Part I: The Adoration Of The Earth: Procession Of The Wise Elder
Le Sacre Du Printemps - The Rite Of Spring: Adoration Of The Earth (The Wise Elder)
Le Sacre Du Printemps - The Rite Of Spring - Part I: The Adoration Of The Earth: Dance Of The Earth
Le Sacre Du Printemps -The Rite Of Spring - Part II: The Sacrifice: Introduction
Le Sacre Du Printemps - The Rite Of Spring - Part II: The Sacrifice: Mystical Circles Of The Young Girls
Le Sacre Du Printemps - The Rite Of Spring _ Part II: The Sacrifice: Glorification Of The Chosen Victim
Le Sacre Du Printemps - The Rite Of Spring - Part II: The Sacrifice: Summoning Of The Ancients
Le Sacre Du Printemps - The Rite Of Spring - Part II: The Sacrifice: Ritual Of The Ancients
Le Sacre Du Printemps - The Rite Of Spring - Part II: The Sacrifice: Sacrificial Dance

Amazon.com

Whatever the limitations of Stravinsky's baton technique, no one else on disc conjures the same bustling excitement at the outset of Petrouchka. Overlapping, polyrhythmic textures in Petrouchka and in Le Sacre du Printemps come off with Mozartian lucidity, Mendelssonian lightness, and, well, Stravinsky-esque rhythmic exactitude (notwithstanding a few hesitant entrances). The clarity partly stems from the composer's use of his leaner revised scores, helped by close-up, analytical mike work by CBS. There are, of course, slicker, more sonically opulent versions of these 20th century landmarks. And then there are Stravinsky's. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Najinsky who?!.......2007-03-09

Nobody does Mr. S like Mr. S. These albums that came out on Columbia are still the ultimate. Why would anyone else bother to try to match the master? This guy was a freaking genius, for goodness sake. You other guys get a life.

Hermann and Stravinsky.......2006-10-10

I hadn't listened to Le Sacre du Printemps in a couple of decades. This recording was like hearing it for the first time.

With nothing to add to the other reviews, I just want to note that when I got to "Harbingers of Spring (Dances of the Young Girls and Boys)," I was struck by the similarity between parts of it and Bernard Hermann's soundtrack for Psycho. One more example of how mid-century US film and and television scoring was influenced by late-19th and early 20th century composers (listen to Debussy's Images in this context).

Powerful rendition.......2004-10-08

This version of the Rite of Spring, is quite simply one of the best versions out there. Stravinsky summons the raw, primitive power, and emotional intensity of this work, and gives it a fresh, almost light touch, very different from other versions of this work. The Petruska is also very good, but Stravinsky tends to take everything at a slightly too quick pace.
(Note for Robert Lewis: very few people interested in classical music would be ignorant enough to attempt to nap to the Rite of Spring, one of the most violent works ever written.)

From the Master.......2004-03-29

I had the great good fortune to attend a concert of Stravinsky's music partially conducted by Stravinsky himself in Beverly Hills, CA. I don't remember the exact year, but it would have been in the late '60s. In other words, just a few years before his passing.
He shared conducting duties with his long-time associate, Robert Craft.

Because of his obvious age and frailty, it was expected he would sort of ceremoniously conduct one or perhaps two of his shorter works, leaving the bulk of the concert to Craft. Imagine my, and the audience's astonishment when we saw in the program that Maestro Stravinsky would be the conductor for several works, culminating in the concluding work on the program, "Le Sacre du printemps".

When the time came for "Le Sacre", the maestro, assisted and with some difficulty, made his way to the podium, at which he, not surprisingly, sat. He gazed at the score for a long moment. Slowly, his gaze rose from the score to his orchestra, which he observed for a few seconds, which seemed like hours. The audience grew silent with expectation. Slowly, deliberately, he raised his baton. And it began. What followed for the next 30 plus minutes was one of the most electrifying, galvanizing, and thrilling performances of anything I have ever seen or heard in my life, before or since.

After the concert I made it a point to chat with several friends of mine who were in the orchetra. I suggested that the orchestra must have been well prepared by Robert Craft so that Maestro Stravinsky would be better able to conserve his energy. To a man (and woman) they assured me that absolutely the opposite was the case. The portions of the concert, including "Le Sacre" that Stravinsky was to conduct were rehearsed, in total, by Stravinsky himself. In addition, Stravinsky attended the rehearsals for the balance of the program and had no problem contributing whatever he felt was necessary to the procedings. They also found him to be extremely alert and utterly charming.

How can I recommend anyone else's performance of "Le Sacre du printemps"? There is only one, and this is it.

WOW!.......2004-03-01

I would like to inform "Mr. Robert Lewis" that when writing a review for a classical album you must critique the performance on just that: the performance, not the music itself; the interpretation of the music.

Tracks:

Symphony No. 8 In B Minor 'Unfinished': Allegro moderato
Marche Militaire, Op. 51, No.1
Ave Maria
Serenade
Erlkonig
Rosamunde Overture
Impromptu In E-Flat Major, Op. 90, No. 2
Death And The Maiden String Quartet In D Minor: IV Presto
Moment Musical In F Minor Op. 94, No3
Trout Quintet For Piano & Strings In A Major: III Scherzo Presto
Symphony No. 9 In C Major 'The Great': I Andante - Allegro ma non troppo

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring / Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Average customer rating:

Bach and Handel Treats
Fine recording, but doesn't work for me.
rock on!!!!!
This song is the best I have ever heard. It rocks!!!!!

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring / Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Johann Sebastian Bach , George Frideric Handel , Dr. Jerold D. Ottley , Eugene Ormandy , Richard P. Condie , Columbia Symphony Orchestra , Philadelphia Orchestra , Royal Philharmonic Orchestra , and Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000027YR
Release Date: 1992-07-14

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

Average customer rating:

Muffled
Somewhat disappointing.
Gershwin At His Best in Hearts!
The best America has to offer!!

George Gershwin: Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Debussy's Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000002A1T
Release Date: 1994-08-09

Tracks:

Strike Up The Band
Rhapsody In Blue
Prelude No. 1
Piano Concerto In F
An American In Paris
Prelude No. 3
Medley From Porgy And Bess
Fascinating Rhythm
Lullaby
Promenade (Walking the Dog)
Cuban Overture

Customer Reviews:

Muffled.......2006-11-03

This is a decent enough recording, but it's not anywhere near the best that I have heard. The Andre Previn/LSO recording is much better mixed; at times it seems like there's a muffle on the mikes, or that you're hearing it from a distance.

If I wanted good, dynamic background music, I'd do this. If I wanted to really listen to the music, I'd pick another version.

Somewhat disappointing........2003-09-10

I bought this for the full-length rendition of Rhapsody in Blue. I found the brass too tinny sounding, and the rhythm off in a few places. I like the snippet of this song on the "Best of the Milleneum" CD much better.

Gershwin At His Best in Hearts!.......2003-03-19

To someone who came along as a teenage boy in the mid-1940's, this CD has the elements of authenticity, even surprise, musical history, highly intense performances, and ways evoking memories of emotional highlights of my Youth. When mediocre orchestra 1st tackled Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" at Smoky Mtn Music Camp we were preparing for Sunday's outdoor Concert. Pianos were played by two friends who've presided Music Dept at Carson-Newman College in East Tennessee. In the Trombone section was a skinny kid with too much hair and too big an ego! When our esteemed conductor began the opening bars the Clarinet Soloist, my close friend Danny Boy slide-up the chromatic scale with fleurish. He later became a NC Doctor! He likely plays clarinet for his own amazement in someone's Dixieland Band!

On this wondrous CD there are historic names like Bernstein, Kostelanez, John Williams and Michael Tilson Thomas, Conductors. Andre Previn, Yo-Yo Ma and Sarah Vaughan as Soloists. I would have a hard time choosing which may be called my favorite! It would depend on the day they are playing in my car... traveling to Columbia Seminary classes or GA Diagnostic Prison for lunch with Chaplain friends! I often sing along with the Rhapsody as I did in 1949 when Oscar Levant soloed with Chattanooga Orch. My very young wife was playing in the first violin section! Still today I am totally wiped out when anyone as intensely romantic as Sarah Vaughan sings "Summertime" or "I Loves You, Porgy!"

Is it not amazingly wondrous that someone could create so much enjoyable music in his short lifetime of 39 years? I never wish to part with this all-time favorite 10-Star Recording!
Retired Chaplain Fred W Hood

The best America has to offer!!.......1999-03-09

This is the best collection of his songs i have ever heard. That's probably because it features conductors like John Williams and Micheal Tilson Thomas. My personal favorite is the allegro agitato from the Concerto in F. I have other recordings of this song, but none of them can even come close to matching the excitement of this one.

Average customer rating:

Very Good Opera Mix CD
A real treat
Wonderful orchestral rendering of opera classics!
nice music incorrect tempi
Song list incorrect, though !

Opera without Words

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000026QP
Release Date: 1989-11-20

Tracks:

Intermezzo
Che Gelida Manina
Mi Chiamano Mimi
O Soave Fanciulla
Quando M'En Vo' Soletta
Sono Andati?
O Mio Babbino Caro
Recondita Armonia
Vissi D'Arte
E Lucevan Le Stelle
Entrance Of Butterfly
Un Bel Di Vedremo
Je Crois Entendre Encore
Celeste Aida
Mon Coeur Souvre A Ta Voix
Flower Song
Habanera
March of the Toreadors
La Donna E Mobile
Ah Fors' E Lui & Sempre Libera
Vesti La Biubba
Children's Prayer
Barcarolle

Customer Reviews:

Very Good Opera Mix CD.......2007-04-24

For someone that isn't too keen on Opera, I really enjoyed this CD. As a choreographer, having famous operatic themes without lyrics is such a blessing. The only criticism I have about the CD is that the volume level isn't consistent throughout, and for some of the songs it is extremely low. I had to constantly adjust the volume from one song to the next, even within one track.

A real treat.......2006-09-25

This wonderful CD, is a collection of some 23 arias, drawn from the works of such maestros as Pietro Mascagni, Guiseppe Verdi, and Engelbert Humperdinck (no, the German composer...sorry, I couldn't resist!). All of the tunes sound excellent, performed to perfection by Russian-American conductor and arranger Andre Kostelanetz and his orchestra. Overall, I found this to be a real treat to listen to, with lively arias that will not send any passionate music fan to sleep. I especially loved Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana, Verdi's Celeste Aida, and of course Bizet's March of the Toreadors.

So, if you like could orchestral music, then I must say that you will like this CD. I love it and give it my highest recommendations!

Wonderful orchestral rendering of opera classics!.......2004-08-10

Opera fans will enjoy this collection of celebrated arias without vocals for rest and relaxation. From the thrilling "March of the Toreadors" to the plaintive "Madame Butterfly" this CD is a great background for easy listening, romantic dinners, or just the drive to and from work. Even people who don't like opera can enjoy this one.

nice music incorrect tempi.......2003-01-03

This CD is great for listening and, perhaps, for singing along a few passages (e.g. "..la speranza!") but NOT for actual singing practice. The tempi, while sweeping and engaging, can easilty throw you off, particularly the omissions of certain phrases or simply jumping to ba-boom conclusion. For those who like the music minus singing, it offers instruments taking up the voice parts. The order of the tracks is listed incorrectly, so you'll have to make your own list to paste on the back of this CD. Don't even think of turning on your metronome, just enjoy the music. Barcarolle from Tales of Hoffmann is the best piece.

Song list incorrect, though !.......2002-05-24

In the back cover of song list, "Celeste Aida" is printed BEFORE "La donna e mobile", while in the song list inside, there is no such song. In reality, the disk does have a "Celeste Aida", but it's number 14, as the list in Amazon.com. This "Celeste Aida" has the complete tune compared to that of "Verdi Without Words".

Tracks:

Prelude, Fugue And Riffs
Con
Ebony Con: I. Allegro Moderato
Ebony Con: II. Andante
Ebony Con: III. Moderato; Con Moto
Derivations: I. Warm-Up
Derivations: II. Contrapuntal Blues
Derivations: III. Rag
Derivations: IV. Ride Out
Contrast Mono: I. Verbunkos (Recruiting Dance)
Contrast Mono: II. Piheno (Relaxation)
Contrast Mono: III. Sebes (Fast Dance)

Customer Reviews:

The Real Stuff.......2007-03-25

This disk collects Benny Goodman performances with the composers conducting, so it is historic and probably authoritative as to performance, but great to have Copland, Stravinsky, etc. themselves and Goodman in your collection. Nice performances, although sound varies with these vintage sessions.

My Cup of Tea.......2002-05-22

Goodman's performances of all the music on this disc are superb. He (along with violinist Joseph Szigeti) commissioned the Bartok score and, notwithstanding its age (mono/1940) there has never been a better recording than this one. The other performances are first-rate stereo recordings that appeared on a 1966 CBS/Columbia Lp titled "Meeting at the Summit." Morton Gould's music often sounds like watered-down Copland to my ears, but "Derivations" is a really strong piece and quite memorable. The Stravinsky is a true masterpiece that has never sounded better, and the same goes for Bernstein's powerfully imagined, joyous "Prelude, Fugue and Riffs." Having the composers conduct was an inspired idea (in the case of the Bartok, the composer accompanies at the piano); not at all gimmicky. It's amazing how well Goodman still played in the middle '60s. Although he gave solid performances well into the '70s, he was still at or near his peak when these recordings were made and the dead-on intonation and range of color in his playing is simply breathtaking. The other reviewer mostly likes the Copland score. It's nice, but the real show-stopper here is the Bernstein: 7 1/2 minutes of sheer big-band bravado. Not to be missed!

Get it for the Copland.......2001-10-10

Aaron Copland's Clarinet Concerto is one of the most magical pieces of music ever to come out of North America, and for me, this is *the* recording. Fifty years old, but as is so often the case, the original is the best - Mr Goodman's finest twenty minutes. Great value, too! The other pieces (by Bernstein, Stravinsky and Bartok) I can take or leave, but who knows, they might be your cup of tea.

Bernstein Century - Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue, etc

Average customer rating:

Two Great Gershwin Recordings
Gershwin fan
Sorry - it's not the best.
Two of LB's quintessential recordings
Brilliant is the word!

Bernstein Century - Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue, etc

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000029XJ
Release Date: 1997-10-28

Tracks:

Rhapsody In Blue
An American In Paris
Grand Canyon Suite: l. Sunrise
Grand Canyon Suite: ll. Painted Desert
Grand Canyon Suite: lll. On The Trail
Grand Canyon Suite: lV. Sunset
Grand Canyon Suite: V. Cloudburst

Amazon.com

Back in the 1950s and '60s, when George Gershwin was taken for granted more than he was respected, Leonard Bernstein was one of his only champions in high-classical-music circles, and to judge from these recordings, he got away with a lot. He would seem to be attempting to out-swagger Arthur Fiedler in the jazzier passages, but on the plus side, what can sound freeze-dried with some conductors has a welcome heat here, especially in An American in Paris. That piece receives one of its best-ever recordings and sounds great in the bright, clear recording venue, Brooklyn's Hotel St. George. However, Bernstein's tempo extremes tax the cohesion of Rhapsody in Blue. And Grofé's Grand Canyon Suite receives a sympathetic performance, though the acoustics of the Lincoln Center recording venue are so cavernous and diffuse you'd think it was recorded in the location of the title. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

Two Great Gershwin Recordings.......2007-06-27

I first heard the recording of "An American in Paris" on the radio, and I immediately concluded that this was a recording I needed to order. I ordered this CD solely for the recording of "An American in Paris", everything else was a bonus. "An American in Paris" was worth the price of the whole CD, but so is "Rhapsody in Blue", which I believe could easily be the definitive recording of this great work. Grofé's "Grand Canyon Suite" is a pleasant bonus, but not the substance of this recording. I would highly recommend this recording.

Gershwin fan.......2007-04-01

I am, definitely, absolutely and totally sold on Gershwin, so there is no question as to whether this CD is good or not, since it has Gershwin's two "hits", Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris, it is good and enjoyable. I only feel that the Ferde Grofé part, though outstanding, is too overpowering vis-a-vis the Gershwin part. But it is definitely an OK CD, no question about it.

Sorry - it's not the best........2007-03-13

This recording is okay in many respsects...but many people (yours truly) find it lacking in something. Dare I say the interpretation is slightly off?

Sorry - there are better out there.

Two of LB's quintessential recordings.......2007-01-09

This bids fair to be the most famous recording of American music ever made, so it's strange for the Amazon reviewer to condescend to LB's readings of Gerhswin, only to call it one of his best. The more renowned recording is Rhapsody in Blue with Bernstein at the piano and a pickup orchestra--no doubt recruited form the NY Phil.--that's bigger than a jazz band but still lean. (Arthur Fiedler's version, also famous, is far more square.) If anything, the American in Paris recording is better; I can't imagine a more vibrant reading. The orchestration is more symphonic than the Rhapsody, but LB makes sure that the rhythms swing. A ollector could stop and buy no other readings, but the ones by Andre Previn on EMI have updated sound and also come across with jazz spirit. The filler here is Grofe's once-famous Grand Canyon Suite, a negligible piece of fluff with truding donkeys and a thunderstorm. LB does it proud, however; one wonders if he even had to rehearse it--probably not.

Brilliant is the word!.......2006-11-29

No other director in the history has achieved such expression level and plain domain of the idiomatic lexicon of George Gershwin as Bernstein did it. There are two main reason for it, his enormous talent and his condition as pianist.

So, Gershwin may be very grateful because of that because for the posterity , the future newcomers in music will have the chance to analyze, scrutinize and explore all the factors that made possible this testimonial.

Totally recommended.

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