Ostinato

Track Listings

1. Gallarda Napolitana

2. Passamezzo antico: Zarabanda (Recereada V)

3. Passacalle

4. Passamezzo moderno (Recereada II)

5. Ciaccona

6. Ruggiero (Quinta pars IX)

7. Romanesca (Recereada VII)

8. Sopra l'Aria di Ruggiero

9. Passacalio

10. Canarios

11. Ruggiero

12. Tres Closas sobre Todo el mundo en general

13. Ciaccona

14. Sonata a 2

15. 3 Parts upon a Ground

16. Kanon und gigue

17. Greensleeves To a Ground

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.1 In B Flat Minor, Op.23: I Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Maestoso (Excerpt) - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Romeo And Juliet: Love Theme - Wiener Philharmoniker
Symphony No.6 In B Minor, Op.74 'Pathetique': I Adagio - Allegro Non Troppo (Excerpt) - Philharmonia Orchestra
Swan Lake: Scene (Act III) - Herbert Von Karajan
Swan Lake: Waltz (Act I) - Herbert Von Karajan
Swan Lake: Dance Of The Little Swans - Herbert Von Karajan
Il Adagio Cantabile E Con Moto Souvenir De Florence, Op.70: II Adagio Cantabile E Con Moto - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Melodie Souvenir D'un Lieu Cher, Op.42: Melodie - Philip Moll
June: Barcarolle The Seasons, Op.37b: June: Barcarolle - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Eugene Onegin: Waltz - Valery Gergiev
Piano Concerto No.1 In B Flat Minor, Op.23: II Andantino Semplice - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Sleeping Beauty: Pas D'action (Adagio) - Wiener Philharmoniker
Sleeping Beauty: Waltz - Wiener Philharmoniker
Marche Slave, Op.31 - Zubin Mehta

Tracks:

Violin Concerto In D Major, Op.35: I Allegro Moderato (Excerpt) - Kyung Wha Chung
Symphony No.5 In E Minor, Op.64: II Andante Cantabile, Con Alcuna Licenza - London Symphony Orchestra
The Nutcracker: Overture - Charles Dutoit
The Nutcracker: Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy - Charles Dutoit
Serenade For Strings In C Major, Op.48: II Waltz - St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra
String Quartet No.1 In D Major, Op.11: II Andante Cantabile - Gabrieli String Quartet
Eugene Onegin: Polonaise - Valery Gergiev
Capriccio Italien, Op.45 (Excerpt) - Valery Gergiev
Symphony No.4 In F Minor, Op.36: III Scherzo: Pizzicato Ostinato, Allegro - London Symphony Orchestra
Elegie For Strings - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
None But The Lonely Heart, Op.6 No.6 - Dmitri Hvorostovsky
The Divine Liturgy Of St. John Chrysostom, Op.41: Otche Nash (The Lord's Prayer) - St. Petersburg Chamber Choir
Valse Sentimentale, Op.51 No.6 - Arthur Grumiaux
The Nutcracker: Dance Of The Reed Pipes (Mirlitons) - Wiener Philharmoniker
The Nutcracker: Waltz Of The Flowers - Wiener Philharmoniker
1812 Overture, Op.49 (Conclusion) - Zubin Mehta

Customer Reviews:

Best of the best.......2004-03-14

There's something for every Tchaikovsky lover on this disc. From Swan Lake to Onegin, many of Tchaikovsky's most-known melodies are on this disc. I'd have preferred more than an excerpt of the first movement of Piano Concerto No. 1, but this disc is a great introduction to Tchaikovsky's works.

Average customer rating:

Monumental Recording
Simply fantastic
Marvellous fun and great singing
Worth it!
Gorgeous,but one tiny qualm !

Vivaldi: Bajazet [Includes Bonus DVD]

Manufacturer: Virgin Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Cecilia Bartoli ~ Opera Proibita (Handel · Scarlatti · Caldara) / Les Musiciens du Louvre · Minkowski
Vivaldi: Orlando Furioso
Lamento
Vivaldi: Griselda
Handel - Saul / Joshua · Bell · Zazzo · Ovenden · Saks · Slattery · RIAS Kammerchor · Concerto Köln · Jacobs

ASIN: B00022LE38
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Tracks:

Allegro
Andante Molto
Allegro
Recitativo: Prence Lo So: Vi Devo
Aria: Del Destin Non Dee Lagnarsi
Recitativo: Non Si Perda Di Vista
Aria: Nasce Rosa Lusinghiera
Recitativo: Principe, Or Ora I Greci
Aria: In Si Torbida Procella
Recitativo: Il Tartaro Ama Asteria
Aria: Quel Ciglio Vezzosetto
Recitativo: Or Si, Fiero Destino
Aria: Vedeste Mai Sul Prato
Recitativo: Non Ascolto Piu Nulla
Aria: Amare Un'alma Ingrata
Recitativo: Cosi La Sposa Il Tamerlano Accoglie?
Aria: Qual Querriero In Campo Aramato
Recitativo: E Bella Irene
Aria: Non Ho Nel Sen Constanza
Recitativo: Amico, Tengo Un Testimon Fedele
Recitativo: Sarete Or Ostinato
Aria: Anche Il Mar par Che Sommerga
Recitativo: Gloria, Sdegno Ed Amore
Aria: Stringi Le Mie Catene

Tracks:

Recitativo: Ah, Disperato Andronico!
Aria: La Sorte Mia Spietata
Recitativo: Signor, Vergine Illustre
Aria: Cruda Sorte, Avverso Fato!
Recitativo: Senti, Chiunque Tu Sia
Aria: La Cervetta Timidetta
Recitativo: Gran Cose Espone Asteria
Aria: Sposa, Son Disprezzata
Recitativo: Dov'e Mia Figlia, Andronico?
Aria: Dov'e La Figla?
Recitativo: Asteria, Siamo Al Soglio ...
Quartetto: Si Crudel! Questo E L'amore
Recitativo: Figlia, Siam Rei
Aria: Veder Parmi, Or Che Nel Fondo
Recitativo: Andronico, Il Mio Amore
Aria: Barbaro Traditor
Recitativo: Lascero Di Regnare
Aria: Spesso Tra Vaghe Rose
Recitativo: Eccoti, Bajazette
Arioso: Verro Crudel, Spietato
Recitativo: Signor, Fra Tante Cure
Aria: Son Tortorella
Recitativo: Signore, Bajazette
Accompagnato: E Morto, Si, Tiranno
Aria: Svena, Uccidi, Abbatti, Atterra
Recitativo: Deh, Tu Cauto la Segui
Coro: Coronata Di Gigli E Rose

Amazon.com

This stunner of an opera involves the proud sultan Bajazet (bass) and his battle with his bloodthirsty rival-tyrant Tamerlane (counter-tenor). More than 50 operas were composed on the subject. Here Vivaldi has composed all the recitatives and marvelous arias for the dignified, fine characters and used arias by other composers--Hasse, Giacomelli, Carlo Broschi--for Tamerlano and the nasties. The music is energetic and virtuosic throughout. Fabio Biondi leads Europa Galante and soloists with urgent, theatrical precision, making the story come to life. The singing could not be better: Ildebrando d'Arcangelo is a remarkably sympathetic Bajazet, singing with fluency and power; David Daniels amazes as Tamerlano; Marijana Mijanovic sings the role of Asteria (Bajazet's daughter) with love and precision; and Viveca Genaux dazzles with her perfect coloratura as Irene. This is a treasure trove of singing, and a bonus DVD allows us to see/hear the performers in rehearsal. Highly recommended. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Monumental Recording.......2007-03-14

From the same composer that
brought us "The four Seasons"
Antonio Vivaldi, comes this
'dramma per musica' it tells
us the story of Bajazet, a Turkish
leader who ruled vast portions of
the Ottoaman empire, and his defeat
by his great foe, Tamerlano(Timur Lenk).
In the past composers like Handel and
others had taken an interest in the story.
This is the World Premiere recording of
the work. Much musicological research was done
by conductor and violinist Fabio Biondi and others
to put together this monumental recording.As personally
for me this is the first complete opera that
I hear by Vivaldi. This opera comes with a
DVD that features all six soloists in an aria.
Europa Galante and Maestro Biondi do a wonderful
job, and the soloists are great. Wonderful work,
thank you Maestro Biondi...

Simply fantastic.......2007-02-28

This is one of the best recordings that I have bought recently. The entire opera is a treasure, and they couldn't have picked a better cast. Vivica Genaux, Elina Garanca, and David Daniels are especially strong, and Fabio Biondi's orchestra is always clean and polished. The recording quality is also top-notch. It's unlike me not to offer some kind of a criticism, but I can't think of one for this recording. Highly recommended.

Marvellous fun and great singing.......2006-09-19

I have to say that I prefer Handel's Tamerlano for musical reasons. However, Vivaldi's opera on the same subject is very enjoyable and entertaining. Like it has been said of the operas of Haydn, Vivaldi's operas are not great operas, but they do contain great music.

Europa Galante, directed from the 1st violin by Fabio Biondi, is in great form and I've never heard them play better. I have their older recording of Handel's opera Poro, and I enjoyed that one, too.
The singers here are an excellent ensemble. I like the dark and expressive voice of Ildebrando D'Arcangelo - he was also marvellous as Leporello in Gardiner's Don Giovanni. David Daniels is fantastic, as usual, and he is possibly the best operatic countertenor in the world at the moment. Patrizia Ciofi is best heard and not seen - sweet voice coming from a madwoman (check out the DVD!). Vivica Genaux has been hyped to within a centimetre of her life recently. She has a nice flexible mezzo voice. A little too much vibrato for my tastes and she looks like a chipmunk when she attacks coloratura passages. Marijana Mijanovic sings well - she was excellent as the neurotic Penelope in the Christie / L.A.F. DVD of Monteverdi's Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in patria. She is alarmingly thin - possible health problems? She doesn't engage with the conductor or orchestra at all in the DVD - the only singer who doesn't. Elina Garanca looks beautiful (and healthy!) and sings beautifully. She has a lovely contralto voice. I hope I see and hear more from this artist in the future.

I am not a big fan of Vivaldi's operas - I enjoy them as collections of arias. I wonder how well Bajazet worked on stage?
I'd love to have a DVD of this production, I would like to see how a Vivaldi opera works on stage. Vivaldi's operas don't have imaginative scorings and the orchestral passages are fairly prosaic. A lot of what goes on in the Vivaldi operas I've heard (I have a few in my CD collection) is pretty routine. However, I am open minded on the subject and I would like to see how well a Vivaldi opera works on stage.

Worth it!.......2006-05-23

This album exceeded my expectations. In the true pasticcio form, Vivaldi copied and pasted other composers' work, and his own of previous operas. The arias are un-paralleled in harmony, balance, up-beat rhythm, and beauty. The orchestration by Fabio Biondi is first rate and world class. Vivica Genaux rocks in her interpretation of "Qual Guerriero in Campo Armato" as so much energy, control, and speed are gushed out at once and sustained without wavering. Her ornamentation in the da capo aria is amazing. Vivica's voice is powerful, ethereal, and acrobatic. She recreates what a castrato voice might have sounded like, beautiful and strong. While Vivica sings perfectly the most demanding and technically difficult aria of the opera, Ciofi delights us with the most beautiful "Nasce rosa". After listening to her, it would be near to impossible to imagine anyone else singing this aria with such charm. But what she excelled at "Nasce", she lacked at "Anche il mar". This aria is perhaps as technically and impossibly challenging as "Qual guerriero", but Ciofi's coloratura is discontinuous. Cecilia Bartoli executes this aria in her Vivaldi Album stunningly in one breath. If there was ever a team of opera gold medalists, that team is put together in this album. Ildebrando's "Dov'e la Figla?" is a handsome showcase of his voice and strong presence. While his singing is worthy of high praise, his hand movements and wedding band flashing might have already cost him 90% of his fan base, not to mention dashing his chances at becoming a teen idol or gay icon. His comportment at the high note of the aria is reminiscent of an opera Olympiad doing a vocal triple summersault in mid-air and sticking a perfect landing. "Dov'e la figlia?" is also an aria that illustrates the great genius of Vivaldi as an opera composer. He wrote very distinct music for the same lyrics and for different registers (basso and castrato) in Bajazet, and Motezuma (with Dominique Visse). At the same time, he used the identical music for two different lyrics in Motezuma, and Orlando Furioso (Sorge l'irato Nembo).The bonus DVD proves not only interesting but also very entertaining at the gesticulations and facial configurations sometimes taken for granted to sing bel canto's finest arias. Superb job!

Gorgeous,but one tiny qualm !.......2006-04-20

While I agree with all the good things that have been written of this splendid perfomance,there is a small,but I feel important, detail about the recording which I find vexing.
When a recitative is is sung the performers are placed across the audio stage,disposed left or right,as you will.When an aria is sung ,the soloist leaps to the very center of the sound stage, which is quite disconcerting,especially when listening through headphones.This points to the arias and recits being recorded in separate sessions.Nothing wrong with that given the ravishing perfomance.Well worth the purchase price.

Average customer rating:

Bad mixture.
Grimaud is Excellent, Everything Else Satisfactory
Tahiti Love
Grimaud is special, and so is this CD
Not your mother's Part

Credo

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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Hélène Grimaud plays Chopin & Rachmaninov
Reflection
Wild Harmonies: A Life of Music and Wolves
Hélène Grimaud ~ Chopin · Schumann · Liszt
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4; Piano Sonatas Opp. 109 & 110

ASIN: B0000CGV00
Release Date: 2004-01-13

Tracks:

Fantasia On An Ostinato
1. Largo - Allegro (Op.31 No.2 'Tempest')
2. Adagio
3. Allegretto
1. Adagio
2. Finale: Allegro - Meno Allegro - Allegro
Credo For Piano Solo, Mixed Choir And Orchestra

Amazon.com

This surprising program is a joy through and through. It begins with a 1985 work by John Corigliano (Fantasia on an Ostinato) that uses the slow-movement theme from Beethoven's Seventh Symphony and then later flies off into wonderfully emotion-filled directions. Next come Beethoven's "Tempest" sonata, played with just the right drama, and his fabulous "Choral Fantasy," op. 80, which is part sonata, part study for the 9th symphony. Pianist Grimaud plays the Fantasy with alternating delicacy and power, and the CD ends with Arvo Pärt's Credo, scored for piano solo, mixed chorus, and orchestra. This last piece is rich and complex, and in some ways encompasses the previous works' emotions and textures; those who think of Pärt as the quiet, holy minimalist, are in for a treat, and perhaps shock. Grimaud is simply magnificent regardless of the century or style; the beauty of her tone is surpassed only by its expressiveness. Esa Pekka Salonen leads the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Choir handsomely. This is a very special disc, a must for your collection. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Bad mixture........2007-05-17

This CD has only 2 recordings worth to be included in one CD:
* Piano Sonata nº 17 and the Fantasy for piano, chorus and orchestra op 80
Nº 1 and 7 have no relationahip whatsoever to be included with the Nbrs 2 > 6 . The Credo itself, which I did not like, is an impossible job to be mixed with Beethoven.
So, calling the CD "CREDO" only misleads .

Thank you.

EWQ

Grimaud is Excellent, Everything Else Satisfactory.......2007-03-09

The haunting beauty of Helene Grimaud corresponds well with the lonesome depth of feeling that pervades her artistry: here is a pianist that entirely eschews melodrama to achieve an intimate sincerity with her audience. Her approach to the Tempest, for example, is thoughtful rather than brooding--Beethoven without the burden, so to speak, but not at the expense of his driving emotion. One longs to hear her play Pathetique or the Waldstein. Similarly, she begins the first prelude from Book I of Bach's Well Tempered Clavier with a light innocence that builds with such subtlety that the listener is astonished to find so much weight in this relatively simple composition. Her playing is perfectly suited to the Corigliano Fantasy, a piece of expansive feeling where her style and (presumably) personality really shine, although Part's distressing Credo--a piece he composed at the crux of his career which bears little resemblance to his better known work (more on that below)--is not an appropriate showcase for her talent. In any case, the real star is not the Credo but rather the Beethoven Choral Fantasy. This lesser-known work, as other reviews have reported, is supposedly an experiment that lead to the great Ninth Symphony. Like the Ninth, it is a joyful piece and Grimaud shows us another facet of her talent by playing it with loving enthusiasm. She interacts superbly with the orchestra. My only complaint is that the chorus lacks the genuine effervescence that would make this performance perfect.

I purchased this album on iTunes, so I have no idea what the liner notes say. But here is a heads-up about the title piece: This disc is entitled "Credo" and if you are a fan of religious music, like myself, that might be why you came across it. The Part Credo here is not, however, the usual Nicene or Apostle's Creed but rather is composed of the phrases "Credo in Jesum Christum" and "audivistas dico oculum pro oculo dentem pro dente, Ego autem dico vobis non resistere injuriae" ["you have heard it said an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth; but I say unto you, do not resist evil," Matt. 5:38,39]. Meanwhile, the music consists of frightening dissonance reminiscent of Ligeti and soothing quotes from the Bach prelude also included on this disc. There is an emphasis on a contrast between the Old and New Laws corresponding to Part's abandonment of the twelve-tone technique and serialism characteristic of his early work, which he thought of as a dead-end, in favor of what developed into "Tintinnabulation"--as well as Part's turn from Lutheranism to Orthodoxy. Simply put, do not expect the sonorous chant of better known Part works such as the Berlinermesse. This is a nice work for committed Part fans to mull over but it is not suitable for casual listening. People who generally do not like twentieth-century music may well find something to like in Corigliano's Fantasia On An Ostinato (a Beethoven variation, after all) but they will likely be totally put off by this Creed.

The inclusion of the Credo is obnoxious even if there is nothing obviously wrong with its performance. While it is nice to have a popularly available recording of this crucial but widely unknown piece, Deutsche Grammaphon is not doing Grimaud a favor. I suspect that this has something to do with DG seizing on Grimaud's self-image as some sort of pseudo-mystic (many here have already mentioned her lycanophilia) in order to distinguish her from all the other pretty faces. In an age of pop industry marketing of classical music, throwing in such an obscure piece of "sacred minimalism" (and then titling the whole album after it) might lend weight to the gimmick of labeling Grimaud "enigmatic" in contrast to merely "moody," as per previous picks from Chopin and Rachmaninov. At least one reviewer has come away from the liner notes, for example, calling Grimaud a "keeper of the soul," whatever that means. Don't bother falling for it: Grimaud is a talented musician who shines brightest when she brings her refreshing sincerity to more standard fare, including the Corigliano piece within the gambit of "standard." She does not need to be an enigma.

Tahiti Love.......2006-10-31

Perceived a speeding message
From nowhere to here
Tahiti Love was her name

A magnet never stops attracting
Interesting and magical, a paradox
In the market place

Tahiti Love is like an Oracle
Operating in a spinning cylinder
A flying saucer, a mad dasher

Change me!!
Give me a new dimension
A hiding place to rest my soul

Tahiti Love Omnipresent
Is deaf to such requests
She is trained to catch Houdini

Grimaud is special, and so is this CD.......2006-10-18

Helene Grimaud is somewhat of an enigma and also a maverick. For one thing she loves wolves and helps sponsor a wolf sanctuary. Also she is exceptionally attractive and has a very strong personality which comes through even in recorded performances. But Helene Grimaud is also a very good pianist for whom artistry is as important as technigue, and she has an abundance of both. Buy any performance by Grimaud and you will probably be very favorably impressed by it even if it differs in subtle ways from performances by other pianists. I purchased this CD primarily to hear Grimaud's performance of Beethoven's Fantasy for Piano, Chorus, and Orchestra (often called simply the Choral Fastasy) -- an unusual, but very impressive, work which I love and which served as a precursor for the finale of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. As I expected Grimaud gives a very satisfactory performance of this work as well as of Beethoven's Tempest Sonata. Since I am not a fan of 20th century music, I can't comment knowledgably on the other two works on this CD. You may find them quite impressive, but even if you don't Grimaud's performances of the two works by Beethoven (especially the Choral Fantasy) are worth the quite reasonable purchase price. Incidentally, Amazon also offers this collection, entitled Credo, in a hybrid CD which will play on regular CD players but give even better sound if you are fortunate enough to have a Super Audio CD player -- the finest sound currently available in my opinion. Highly recommended.

Not your mother's Part.......2006-06-10

There are a few works by Part where he isn't exactly meditative, but I haven't heard anything like this before. This is one of those recordings that, whether the fault of the engineers or simply electronics weren't built to reproduce things like this, that takes any sound equipment to its limits. Not something you can appreciate on a clock radio for sure. It's a moving work as a whole, but the central chaos is painful. In a good way though.

And the Choral Fantasy is wonderful here. My new favorite Beethoven work.

Average customer rating:

Is this really contemporary classical music?
Great music, well performed
A star ascending
Threading various styles together - successfully
Nominees for repertory status

Liebermann: Piano Concertos

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Liebermann: Symphony No. 2 / Concerto for Flute & Orchestra
Lowell Liebermann: Piano Works, Vol. 2
Lowell Liebermann: Piano Music, Vol. 1
Chamber Music of Lowell Liebermann
James Galway plays Lowell Liebermann

ASIN: B000002ZZR
Release Date: 1997-06-10

Tracks:

Concerto No. 1 For Piano And Orchestra, Op.12: Allegro
Concerto No. 1 For Piano And Orchestra, Op.12: Larghissimo
Concerto No. 1 For Piano And Orchestra, Op.12: Allegro con fuoco (Maccaber Dance)
Concerto No.2 For Piano And Orchestra, Op.36: Allegro moderato
Concerto No.2 For Piano And Orchestra, Op.36: Presto
Concerto No.2 For Piano And Orchestra, Op.36: Adagio
Concerto No.2 For Piano And Orchestra, Op.36: Allegro
Six Pieces From Album For The Young, Op.43: Ostinato (Andante)
Six Pieces From Album For The Young, Op.43: Hommage a Faure (Allegretto)
Six Pieces From Album For The Young, Op.43: Starry Night (Moderato)
Six Pieces From Album For The Young, Op.43: Rainy Day (Andante)
Hommage a Alkan (Allegretto)
Six Pieces From Album For The Young, Op.43: Lullaby (Lento)

Customer Reviews:

Is this really contemporary classical music?.......2007-02-18

Who cannot admire the technical felicity of Liebermann's second piano concerto? His mastery of classical and romatic form and orchestration are plain. But should we be seduced by the blatent references to Rachmaninoff and recycling Ravel. These naughty -- but not really very naughty at all -- dissonances and irregular rhythms are really too timid.
What could Liebermann do with all his immense technical powers?
I would have been shocked in 1907, but in 2007 I think I was stroked too much.

Great music, well performed.......2005-10-27

I'm totally new to Liebermann's music, although his opus numbers imply he is not totally new to composing...
I would describe these pieces of music as brisk - interesting and pleasant on first listening, without being sweet.
They remind me of music by other neoclassicists, such as Stravinsky and Poulenc.
About this performance: Stephen Hough plays very gently. I like it (and I'm sure the composer does too), but it would be interesting to listen to an alternative, more aggressive playing in some parts.
As this is my first (and only, so far) encounter with any of Liebermann's compositions, I cannot give any comparative comments.
Regarding this CD: the sound is clean and rich.

To conclude - unless you really dislike neoclassicism - buy this CD!

A star ascending.......2002-06-09

If you ever wonder who will be the great composers of the early 21st century, you can start your list with Lowell Liebermann.
It's hard to remember that at one time, people actually looked forward to hearing the latest works by the composers of the day. For the past 50 years or so, the public has usually gone to the concert hall with dread when new music was on the program -- or they didn't go at all. Liebermann, on the other hand, is the type of composer you want to hear again and again.

That doesn't mean his music is easy or obvious -- just that he cares what it sounds like and doesn't view composition as a mathematical equation to be solved.
The first concerto, a relatively early work, has more of the thorniness that was de rigeuer in music schools. But the finale is a wild, frenzied dance macabre, quite memorable.
The second is written on the grand scale, with cascading piano passages, lush orchestration, etc. You'll hear passages that make you think of Rachmaninoff or Prokofiev or Shostakovich or others, but it's none of these. It seems that Liebermann has assimilated the best the 20th century had to offer and has gone on from there. One day, "Liebermann 2" will be a landmark.
Buying new, unfamiliar music can be frustrating. But I assure you, this is a silk purse, not a sow's ear.

Threading various styles together - successfully.......2002-03-06

I was introduced to Liebermann's 2nd piano concerto a couple of weeks ago in Toledo, Ohio as played by the local symphony and Stephen Hough as pianist. As a standing ovation greeted the performance, the composer made an appearance on stage to get his due recognition. The performance was so brilliant, that maybe some of the details of the music where lost in the glare.
Liebermann has composed a brilliant work - combining romantic sweeps, toccata passages, and moments of near silence - it seems that rachmaninov, prokofiev, ravel, and schoenberg sat together to write this work. And by no means it lacks in originality, his greatest merit has been the ability to put this conglomerate together in such a way that it works and also is unrecognizable as any well performed music. The 2nd concerto is gaining acceptance in the standard repertoire and so is Liebermann's music - deservedly so.
The first concerto and the accompanying solo works are also fine works in their own, but pale in comparison to the 2nd concerto. The first concerto works also, but for my personal taste i could not find much to hold on to. But those who favor Bartok or Ravel's concerto for the left hand will love this work.
In regards to the pianist, Liebermann could not find a better match than Stephen Hough for this work. The writing, obviously virtuosic, is handled brilliantly by Hough and the dark introspective passages are played with attention to detail and reserve. And the live performance i attended was even better!
The recorded sound captures the bbc scottish symphony orchestra in top form.
It is so heartwarming to hear new music performed with so much care and attention - i surely hope Liebermann continues to get the success works as these should entitle him to.

Nominees for repertory status.......1999-08-12

The Gramophone review is spot on about these concerti being somewhat conservative. But they're also jazzy, sassy, tuneful, tender, virtuosic, brilliantly played and recorded. There are a number of American piano concerti written in fairly recent past that could perhaps have been written sixty years ago and yet still deserve to be played and loved. Those of Menotti, Hoiby, Ward, Oldham come to mind. These two belong in that company.

Average customer rating:

The best percussion ensemble piece of the twentieth century
Classic recording.

Percussion Music

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Percussion | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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Drums
Lepton
Precipice: Modern Marimba [Hybrid SACD]
Dusapin - Faustus, The Last Night
Combattimento (W/Dvd)

ASIN: B000005IY7
Release Date: 1992-05-28

Tracks:

Ionisation - The New Jersey Perc Ens/Raymond DesRoches
Fant-Vars - Joseph Passaro
Antiphonies - The New Jersey Perc Ens/Raymond DesRoches
Ostinato Pianissimo - Joseph Passaro
Perc Sym: Movt I
Perc Sym: Entr'acte I: Vergine Bella
Perc Sym: Movt II
Perc Sym: Entr'acte II: Vergine Bella
Perc Sym: Movt III

Customer Reviews:

The best percussion ensemble piece of the twentieth century.......2006-12-13

Yes, even better than the classic Ionization by Varese (itself a great piece and included on this CD), Wuorinen's masterpeiece is 40 minutes of sheer energy, depth and substance. The Cowell is a classic and very early pattern piece with a virtuosic Xylophone part and the wonderful sound of eight ricebowls played in a pattern (with chopsticks). The Michael Colgrass piece is a colorful and lyrical work. Anitphonies by Saperstein makes great uses of templeblocks.

The New Jersey Percussion Ensemble under the direction of Raymond Desroches will go down in history for this recording.

Classic recording........1999-07-31

They don't get any better than this. The Varese performance is marvelous and the Wuorinen Symphony is stunning.

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Bartók: Microcosmos

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Improvisation | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00015OOH4
Release Date: 2004-03-09

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A Good Introduction to Max Reger
Excellent introduction to Reger
RegeR- Everyone's favorite palindrome

Reger: Organ Works Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Organ Works 3
Reger: Chorale Fantasia on How Brightly Shines the Morning Star; Organ Pieces, Op. 59; Introduction and Passacaglia i
Reger: Sonata No. 2; Organ Pieces, Op. 65; Chorale Fantasia on "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme"
Reger: Organ Works, Vol. 6
Reger: Organ Works, Vol. 7

ASIN: B0000060D2
Release Date: 1998-05-12

Tracks:

Ten Pieces, Op.69: Prld And Fugue in e, Op.69, Nos.1 And 2
Ten Pieces, Op.69: Basso Ostinato in e, Op.69, No.3
Ten Pieces, Op.69: Moment Musical in D, Op.69, No.4
Ten Pieces, Op.69: Capriccio in d, Op.69, No.5
Ten Pieces, Op.69: Toccata And Fugue in D, Op.69, Nos.6 And 7
Ten Pieces, Op.69: Romance in g, Op.69, No.8
Ten Pieces, Op.69: Prld And Fugue in a, Op.69, Nos.9 And 10
Prld And Fugue in c#, Op.85, No.1
Prld And Fugue in G, Op.85, No.2
Prld And Fugue in F, Op.85, No.3

Amazon.com

Reger had a great sense of humor. On reading a poor review of one of his pieces he wrote to the critic in question: "I am sitting in the smallest room of my house. I have your review before me. In a moment, it will be behind me." What a shame, then, that so little of this humor carried over to his music! Not that it's bad, but it is an acquired taste in some ways. All but the organ works, that is, which for many German organists constitute the late 19th- and early 20th-century's answer to Bach. Again, this is a matter of taste, but there's no denying the composer's mastery of his craft, or his ability to conjure up powerful ideas on the instrument. This disc is the first in a projected series that should go far to introduce this neglected music to an interested public. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

A Good Introduction to Max Reger.......2005-06-22

The budget-priced Naxos CD label offers an unparalleled opportunity for the adventurous listener to explore unfamiliar music. For example, this CD is part of Naxos's collection of organ music in its "organ encyclopedia" and is the first volume of a projected series of the organ works of Max Reger (1873 --1916). The organist is Bernard Haas, professor of Organ at the Stuttgart Acadamy. He performs this CD on the three-manual Link organ at Giengen an der Brenz, Germany.

Many lovers of music are unfamiliar with the literature of the organ beyond the works of Bach. As this CD shows, composition for this glorious instrument has continued. There is much to get to know and to appreciate.

But why Max Reger? Reger wrote prolifically for the orchestra and piano, but his love was for the organ. In some ways, he represents a meeting of Brahms and Wagner in late romanticism as reflected on the organ. Like Brahms, Reger was a scholar of baroque music. He immersed himself in counterpoint and in the study of Bach. But Reger combines his knowledge of the baroque with Wagner's chromaticism and harmonic shifting. This is an intriguing combination which sometimes makes for difficult listening.

Reger was a twentieth century composer, and the two collections on this CD are from early in his career. The more accessible of the two is the three (of four) preludes and fugues of opus 85 composed in 1904. I found that in these three pieces the fugues flow seamlessly from the opening preludes The first and the third of the set, in C sharp minor and in F major, begin quietly and work slowly to a dramatic close. The second prelude and fugue, in G major, begins with a strongly rhythmical figure in the low register echoed in the upper register. A climactic passage at the end of the prelude is followed by a piping fugue.

The other work on this CD is the ten pieces for organ, opus 69, composed in 1903. There are several types of works in this collection, including an extensive, and harmonically ambiguous, prelude and fugue in E minor, a fiery toccata and fugue in D major, and a concluding and intense Prelude and Fugue in A minor. The remaining four pieces consist of single movements in a variety of styles, a basso ostinato in E minor with a swirling figure over a pulsating figure in the bass, a quiet moment musical in D major, a short, lively d minor cappricio, and a hushed romance in G minor.

The pieces in this set are in a variety of moods, but many of them are difficult. The music seems to sway at times from key to key and there are abrubt changes in the organ's register. I am not sure whether these passages, in which Wagner rests somewhat confusedly with Bach, are due to Reger or to the performance. It probably has something to do with both.

After listening to this CD several times, I came across a review by Stephen Haylett in the July, 1998 "BBC music". Haylett's review is posted on a fine website devoted to the music of Reger. With respect to the recording of the ten pieces, opus 69, Haylett writes: "Bernard Hass ... gives competent readings of these minatures, but his technique lets him down on occasion, smudging textures and compromising the rhythmic flow of the music through changes of registration. He isn't helped by a rather foggy recorded sound." I found Haylett's comments highly perceptive. In other words, this is late-romantic chromatic music combined, uneasily in places, with a deeply contrapuntal style.

Listeners wanting to know something of Max Reger and to learn about modern music written for the organ will want to hear this disk.

Excellent introduction to Reger.......2004-09-10

Like Charles-Marie Widor, the vast output of Max Reger is generally only heard at organ recitals. Widor and Reger composed in all forms. However, it is only their organ music which has remained in the repertoire.

Reger has probably never been as popular as the work of his French contemporaries. For one, his main inspiration is the work of Johann Sebastian Bach. He sought to combine Baroque compositional techniques with the rich Romantic harmony of the post-Wagner era. All of his works are extremely well put together and offer many intellectual rewards for those willing to take the time.

Haas gives a wonderful performance of Reger's work. His performance lacks the fire of Mary Preston's recordings of some of Reger's work on Gothic. This recording also offers the bonus of hearing Reger's music on a German Romantic organ. German Romantic instruments are much heavier sounding than their French contemporaries. However, Reger's music was thought out for a German Romantic organ.

This CD will offer many rewards for fans of late Baroque counterpoint. I am probably one of the few who are taken with late Baroque counterpoint. This CD is also an excellent introduction to an unfairly neglected composer. Reger's music was held in high esteem by composers of the stature of Arnold Schoenberg.

RegeR- Everyone's favorite palindrome.......2000-06-24

This disc almost automatically deserves a good review just for making the organ music of this sorely neglected composer available at a low price.

It is even better to know, then, that the disc is deserving of a good review on more than just principle. The music itself is wonderful, though definitely not for everyone- Reger sought to reconcile the structural strictness of baroque music with the harmonic freedom of the late romantic, and either of these on their own are probably unappealing to the average listener. But then, the average listener is unlikely to hear Reger anyway, and his music will quite possibly be a delight to the more adventurous individual.

The most frequently recurring works on this disc are fugues, but even works with less imposing names, such as "Romance", are not particularly "fun". Reger's music needs to be appreciated intellectually. I am made giddy by particularly clever shows of contrapuntal skill, but I imagine that I am part of a minority. In any case, the performances here do nothing to 'dress up' Reger's organ music to make it more appealing, but rather go slightly to the opposite extreme. These recordings are often extremely quiet, yet very loud on occasion. For that reason they do not suffer background noise, and some of the fugue countersubjects can be nearly inaudible except under the best listening conditions. There is nothing otherwise disagreeable in the performances, however, and the less-than-perfect engineering is very forgivable in the context of making this underrated composer available for the consideration of adventurous shoppers who are willing to try something new for around 5 dollars.

Drums
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Drums

Manufacturer: Thorofon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Dallapiccola: Tartiniana; Due Pezzi; Variazioni per Orchestra; Piccola Musica Notturna; Frammenti Sinfonici dal Balle

Manufacturer: Chandos
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Nancarrow: Pieces Nos. 1 & 2; ¿Tango?; String Quartet No. 1

ASIN: B000632POU
Release Date: 2004-11-23

Tracks:

1. Larghetto; Molto Espressivo, Ma Semplice - - James Ehnes
2. Allegro Misurato - James Ehnes
3. Molto Sostenuto (Tempo I) - Piu Mosso E Scorrevole, Ma Sempre Serioso (Tempo II) - Tempo I, Molto Sereno 'Qui Post Me Venturus Est, Ante Me Factus Est' - Tempo II - Tempo I (Funebre) - - James Ehnes
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Piccola Musica Notturna
Danza Magica. Calmo, Molto Flessibile - Rubato; Con Molta Fantasia - Pochissimo Piu Mosso E Sempre Flessibile - Calmo, Molto Flessible (Tempo I) -
Ostinato. Presto - Poco Moderato - Presto (Tempo I) - Calmo, Molto Flessibile
Sostenuto, Ma Deciso (Recitando) - Danza Di Apollo. Allegro Molto Sostenuto E Pomposo - Molto Flessibile - Come Prima -
Ultima Danza Di Marsia. Andante Lento - Mosso, Ma Non Tanto - Andante Lento - Rapidissimo (Quazi Cadenza Ma In Tempo) - Andante Lento (Piu Stanco) - Mosso, Ma Non Tanto - Andante Lento -
La Morte Di Marsia. Non Troppo Lento - Lo Stesso Movimento; Con Violenza - Flessibile - Con Violenza - Flessible
Variazione I. Quasi Lento, Misterioso - Appena Piu Scorrevole - Tempo I - (Tempo II) - Tempo I -
Variazione II. Allegro; Con Fuoco -
Variazione III. Mosso; Scorrevole -
Variazione IV. Tranquillamente Mosso -
Variazione V. Poco Allegretto; 'Alla Serenata' -
Variazione VI. Molto Lento; Con Espressione Parlante -
Variazione VII. Andantino Amoroso -
Variazione VIII. Allegro; Con Violenza -
Variazione IX. Affettuoso; Cullante -
Variazione X. Grave - Ancora Piu Lento; Misterioso - Grave (Come Prima) -
Variazione XI. Molto Lento; Fantastico

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Splendid Deutsche Grammophon Recording Debut For Helene Grimaud
Excellent performances of Beethoven Tempest Sonata and Choral Fantasy
Music chosen with a purpose - a program with a message

Credo [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Violin Concertos (Ms) (Sl)

ASIN: B0000YWFMW
Release Date: 2004-04-27

Customer Reviews:

Splendid Deutsche Grammophon Recording Debut For Helene Grimaud.......2007-05-26

This is truly one amazing CD which captures finally at last, both the sensitive as well as dramatic sides of Ms. Grimaud's performances, which I have been blessed to hear before both live and on CD. Indeed, here she makes a very compelling case that she can play with much conviction, not only such Classical works as Beethoven's "Tempest" piano sonata (one of the most exciting, brilliant recordings of recent vintage) and the Choral Fantasy (which is a sterling example of her lyrical, dramatic playing) but also the Corigliano work and Part's Credo (which is a fascinating example of her subtle playing alongside an orchestra and chorus). Salonen may be her best orchestral collaborator to date, conducting the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and chorus in two exemplary performances of Beethoven's Choral Fantasy and Part's Credo (The impassioned singing of the chorus, along with Grimaud's superb, subtle playing may be the highlight of this CD; this is one work which I intend to listen again and again.). Deutsche Grammophon's sound engineers have done a brilliant job not only in recording the orchestra and chorus, but perhaps more importantly, in capturing the dynamic range of Ms. Grimaud's performances. If anyone still has doubts regarding Ms. Grimaud's splendid musicianship, this excellent CD - especially here in its Hybrid SACD format - should finally put these to an end. For me it is truly a tantalizing glimpse as to what a Beethoven piano sonata and/or concerto cycle might be like from Ms. Grimaud and Deutsche Grammophon; either would be replete with thoughtful, impassioned performances akin to the best from the likes of Kempff and Arrau, to name but a few.

Excellent performances of Beethoven Tempest Sonata and Choral Fantasy.......2006-10-18

Helene Grimaud is somewhat of an enigma and also a maverick. For one thing she loves wolves and helps sponsor a wolf sanctuary. Also she is exceptionally attractive and has a very strong personality which comes through even in recorded performances. But Helene Grimaud is also a very good pianist for whom artistry is as important as technigue, and she has an abundance of both. Buy any performance by Grimaud and you will probably be very favorably impressed by it even if it differs in subtle ways from performances by other pianists. I purchased this CD primarily to hear Grimaud's performance of Beethoven's Fantasy for Piano, Chorus, and Orchestra (often called simply the Choral Fastasy) -- an unusual, but very impressive, work which I love and which served as a precursor for the finale of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. As I expected Grimaud gives a very satisfactory performance of this work as well as of Beethoven's Tempest Sonata. Since I am not a fan of 20th century music, I can't comment knowledgably on the other two works on this CD. You may find them quite impressive, but even if you don't Grimaud's performances of the two works by Beethoven (especially the Choral Fantasy) are worth the quite reasonable purchase price. Incidentally, this is a hybrid CD which will play on regular CD players but give even better sound if you are fortunate enough to have a Super Audio CD player -- the finest sound currently available in my opinion. Highly recommended.

Music chosen with a purpose - a program with a message.......2004-10-20

This an intriguing album. The music was chosen to build a growing impression as the listener proceeds from piece to piece. Grimaud begins with John Corigliano's ostinato based on the second movement of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony. Then an ethereal interpretation of Beethoven's "Tempest" sonata is followed by a driving performance of Beethoven's predecessor to the Ninth ymphony, the Choral Fantasia. This sequence of music could have ended here successfully - leaving the listener well rewarded and fully satisfied. But Grimaud doesn't let us off easily. She takes us further along this path, reaching out beyond Beethoven's 18th-19th century exposition of brotherhood into a hair raising breath-taking horror wherein it appears that the sopranos in the chorus are actually screaming! At that cresting point of intensity, the piano leads us from discord to harmony and the music resolves magnificantly along the lines of a Bach Prelude culminating in a sense of peace. This is a deep and meaningful experience, one I am grateful for. In her notes, Grimaud speaks of "Illumination of the Spirit" - without becoming religious about it she shows / acknowledges a sense of the numinous and has chosen this music to bring it to us. Her execution is more than "good enough" her interpretations are luminous and the sound is of the SACD is wonderful.

As an aside, the booklet alone, with Grimaud's notes, was for me well worth the purchase price of the album! One should read this before listening!

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