COMPLETE FLUTE CONCERTOS

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The Flute Concertos of C.P.E. Bach are among the most dramatic and engrossing of this important composer's works. This Bach was a major influence on Haydn and Mozart, but the music is worth hearing in its own right, and the Concerto in A Minor, which opens this set, is one of the masterpieces of its era. Gallois and the Toronto Camerata use modern instruments, but their performances are permeated by the sensibility of Bach's era. They are clear and forceful, responding beautifully to the pre-romantic elements in the music, and Gallois even adds appropriate embellishments to his playing. The Concerto in D Minor may not be the composer's own arrangement for flute, but it sounds convincing enough. This is certainly the best set of C.P.E. Bach's Flute Concertos since the long-deleted Rampal set for CBS, and the performances are markedly superior to those on a recent Black Box CD. Add Naxos's bargain price and you have an irresistible acquisition for anyone interested in the early classical era. --Leslie Gerber

C.P.E. BACH COMPLETE FLUTE CONCERTOS, Music, Bach, Gallois, Mallon, Toronto Camerata, Chamber Music & Recitals, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music

Complete Wind Concertos
Average customer rating:

Great collection, value

A great way to get Mozart's concertos

A great set of Mozart concertos

Excellent - Worth Every Penny!

Highly enjoyable

Complete Wind Concertos
Mozart , and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000065TV1
Release Date: 2002-06-11

Customer Reviews:

Great collection, value.......2007-05-31

This is a really neat collection of the Mozart wind concertos. I really like the Sinfonia Concertante and Bassoon Concertos. The bassoonist here does a fantastic job with that concerto; he is matched only be Thuneman and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. The cadenza for said concerto is also interesting, and provided some inspiration for my own cadenza when I performed the work.

Overall this CD is a MUST HAVE, most particularly for the performances, but also because it is pretty cheap for such great music.

A great way to get Mozart's concertos.......2005-11-11

This set of three discs is a great, economical way to fill out your collection of Mozart concertos. Contained are good to excellent versions of all 4 horn concertos, the three works featuring flute, the fine clarinet concerto and the early bassoon and oboe concertos. The digitally recorded sound is very clear if occasionally dry and the balance between soloists and orchestra is quite natural. Many times, particularly with the flute works, on other recordings the soloist ends up being unnaturally favored but not so here.

The Sinfonia Concertante which opens the collection is a delightful work even if it is not actually a Mozart composition -- which it almost certainly is not. The Clarinet soloist in the clarinet concerto plays beutifully and I think rivals Leister's great work with Karajan. The four horn concertos are fine even if the soloists are not quite at the level of the famous Brain recordings. The Bassoon and Oboe soloists are truly excellent and these are the best versions of these pieces I have yet heard.

This collection can be recommended highly.

A great set of Mozart concertos.......2005-09-01

This set is an excellent value. 212 minutes of Mozart's music at a very modest price. And what music! The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra does a superb job.

The first disc begins with the Sinfonia Concertante for Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, Bassoon and Orchestra. Next is one of Mozart's last works, the beautiful Clarinet Concerto. Charles Neidich is the soloist, on basset clarinet, and his technique is simply the best. I also like his cadenzas very much. By the way, the use of the basset clarinet makes this concerto so much better! It was indeed written for the basset clarinet, which goes four half-notes lower than a normal A clarinet, and five half-notes lower than a normal B-flat clarinet. And the disc finishes with an Andante for Flute and Orchestra, with Susan Palma on the flute.

The second disc has the famous four horn concertos. William Purvis is the soloist for concertos 2 and 3 (playing his own cadenzas, of course). David Jolley solos for concertos 1 and 4. Purvis does a fine job, and I like Jolley even more. The disc also has a very nice recording of an early Mozart work, the bassoon concerto (written when Mozart was 18). Frank Morelli is the solist here, and offers us nice cadenzas too.

The final disc begins with the Oboe concerto, where we get Randall Wolfgang as the soloist (playing his own cadenza). Then we hear the Flute concerto, followed by the Flute and Harp concerto. Susan Palma is the flute soloist on both of these, and she plays her own impressive array of cadenzas. Nancy Allen does a great job on the harp on the latter piece.

I highly recommend this set of discs.

Excellent - Worth Every Penny!.......2004-08-19

I have heard all these pieces and even played some myself over the years and thought that this was an excellent collection of Mozart's wind concerti. You really get to see the development of this prodigy from his teens (bassoon concerto) to his late 30s, the clarinet concerto was one of his last crowning pieces.

The oboe and bassoon concerti were both delightful and the "clicking" of the keys mentioned by another reviewer are the limitations of the instruments. I'm an oboist and all oboes and bassoons make this noise. I don't find it distracting at all. If you hear it, think of it as an percussive accompaniment. :-) I thought the bassoon concerto to be one of the best interpretations yet and the oboe concerto was confident and bright.

The Sinfonia Concertante (one of my original reasons for purchasing the set) was delightfully balanced and playful - a definite pleasure.

The flute concerto and andante were both fun to listen to as well as the concerto for flute and harp. The horn concerti are always joyful and are a nice balance to all the woodwind (technically-speaking) music.

The clarinet concerto was indeed lovely and played on a basset clarinet so there were some richer tones than when it's played on a typical 'A' clarinet. Superb.

I thought all the concerti had wonderful cadenzas and the orchestra was excellently balanced against the soloists. This is a CD collection that you will never regret and will feed your soul.

Highly enjoyable.......2004-06-02

Mozart wind concertos may not rank among his finest and deepest works, but they indeed show that a master is at work. It is difficult to judge a whole set, and you may probably find some better versions of this music, but I think that this recording deserves some praise. The performings from both the soloists and the orchestra are solid, stylish and virtuosistic. To name an example I consider the clarinet concerto to be one of the best achievements here. The slow movement is just a miracle of beauty, and at one point the soloist leads the orchestra to an incredible pianissimo nuance, so soft and delicate that you may be afraid of breathing. Mozart's music is just so beautiful that instead of writing about it we should just listen and enjoy. Moreover the price is very attractive, so no excuses!

Average customer rating:

Intense frenetic beauty
Vivaldi: Complete Recorder Concertos ~ Istvan Hartenstein

Complete Recorder Concertos
Vivaldi , Kecskemeti , Czidra , and Zalay
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

$6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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ASIN: B00006B1KE
Release Date: 2002-09-17

Tracks:

(Allegro)
Largo
Allegro Molto
Allegro
Larghetto
(Allegro)
Allegro Non Molto
Largo
Allegro Molto
Allegro Ma Non Molto
Largo E Cantabile
Allegro
Allegro Non Molto
Largo
(Allegro)
Allegro
Largo
Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Intense frenetic beauty.......2007-07-14

I was surprised to hear this music at first and it took a few minutes to adapt to the sopranino recorder's high pitch.

However, it became quite interesting and satisfying.

Vivaldi: Complete Recorder Concertos ~ Istvan Hartenstein.......2005-06-01

The recorder is a very misunderstood instrument. Many people see it as an instrument for small children and this could be no further from the truth. Vivaldi shows with his compositions for the recorder that it is very beautifull instrument in its own right and should not be dismissed based on olde ideas. I love this kind of music and it is very nice indeed to listen to and Vivaldi has cretaed some amazing recorder music that should be listened to people that love classical music and great music in general.

Average customer rating:

Danish music with Danish spirit

Nielsen: The Complete Concertos

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Haydn: Piano Sonatas

ASIN: B000000ALP
Release Date: 1992-10-28

Tracks:

Violin Concerto, Op. 33: Praeludium - Largo, part 1
Violin Concerto, Op. 33: Allegro cavalleresco, part 1
Violin Concerto, Op. 33: Poco adagio, part 2
Violin Concerto, Op. 33: Rondo (Allegretto scherzando), part 2
Flute Concerto: Movement I : Allegro moderato
Flute Concerto: Movement II : Allegretto - Adagio ma non troppo
Clarinet Concerto, Op. 57: Allegretto un poco - Poco adagio - Allegro vivace -Tempo primo ma tranquillo

Customer Reviews:

Danish music with Danish spirit.......2000-12-30

I don't have a lot to compare by on the flute and violin concerti, but as a clarinet player who has heard a lot of recordings of the clarinet concerto, none can compare to Mr. Thomsen's recording of the clarinet concerto. It's full of the necessary "piss and vinegar" spirit that this concerto demands, with the tenderness that slow moments require, as well. Going on knowledge of how Mr. Nielsen's music is to be performed, all of the soloists do a fabulous job of playing this exceedingly difficult music. The Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra also provides a fine, spirited accompaniment to these solo pieces. For authenticity of style, I can't recommend a better recording. And for all those clarinetists out there, do yourself a favor and AVOID Drucker's recording in favor of this. He has no emotion!

Average customer rating:

Vivaldi: Complete Flute Concertos

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000041F2
Release Date: 1996-11-19

Tracks:

Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In F, Op. 10 No. 1, RV 433 'La tempesta di mare': 1. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In F, Op. 10 No. 1, RV 433 'La tempesta di mare': 2. Largo
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In F, Op. 10 No. 1, RV 433 'La tempesta di mare': 3. Presto
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In G Minor, Op. 10 No. 2, RV 439 'La notte': 1. Largo
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In G Minor, Op. 10 No. 2, RV 439 'La notte': 2. Fantasmi. Presto
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In G Minor, Op. 10 No. 2, RV 439 'La notte': 3. Largo
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In G Minor, Op. 10 No. 2, RV 439 'La notte': 4. Presto
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In G Minor, Op. 10 No. 2, RV 439 'La notte': 5. Il sonno. Largo
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In G Minor, Op. 10 No. 2, RV 439 'La notte': 6. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In D, Op. 10 No. 3, RV 428 'Il gardellino': 1. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In D, Op. 10 No. 3, RV 428 'Il gardellino': 2. Cantabile
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In D, Op. 10 No. 3, RV 428 'Il gardellino': 3. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In G, Op. 10 No. 4, RV 435: 1. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In G, Op. 10 No. 4, RV 435: 2. Largo
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In G, Op. 10 No. 4, RV 435: 3. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In F, Op. 10 No. 5, RV 434: 1. Allegro ma non tanto
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In F, Op. 10 No. 5, RV 434: 2. Largo cantabile
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In F, Op. 10 No. 5, RV 434: 3. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In G, Op. 10 No. 6, RV 437: 1. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In G, Op. 10 No. 6, RV 437: 2. Largo
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In G, Op. 10 No. 6, RV 437: 3. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In G, RV 436: 1. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In G, RV 436: 2. Largo
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In G, RV 436: 3. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In D, RV 427: 1. Allegro
Concertos For Flute, Strings And Continuo In D, RV 427: 2. Largo
Concertos For Flute, Strings And Continuo In D, RV 427: 3. (Allegro)

Tracks:

Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In A Minor, RV 440: 1. Allegro non molto
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In A Minor, RV 440: 2. Larghetto
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In A Minor, RV 440: 3. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In D, RV 429: 1. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In D, RV 429: 2. Andante
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In D, RV 429: 3. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In C Minor, RV 441: 1. Allegro non molto
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In C Minor, RV 441: 2. Largo
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In C Minor, RV 441: 3. (Allegro)
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In G, RV 438: 1. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In G, RV 438: 2. Andante
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In G, RV 438: 3. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In A Minor, RV 108: 1. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In A Minor, RV 108: 2. Largo
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In A Minor, RV 108: 3. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In C, RV 533 For 2 Flutes, Strings And Continuo: 1. Allegro molto
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In C, RV 533 For 2 Flutes, Strings And Continuo: 2. Largo
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In C, RV 533 For 2 Flutes, Strings And Continuo: 3. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In A Minor, RV 445 For Flautino, Strings And Continuo: 1. Allegro
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In A Minor, RV 445 For Flautino, Strings And Continuo: 2. Larghetto
Concerto For Flute, Strings And Continuo In A Minor, RV 445 For Flautino, Strings And Continuo: 3. Allegro

Average customer rating:

Flute perfection
Penguin Rosette Award Winner
Gallois is an extraordinaire virtuoso !

C.P.E. BACH COMPLETE FLUTE CONCERTOS
Bach , Gallois , Mallon , and Toronto Camerata
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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Tracks:

Allegro Assai
Andante
Allegro Assai
Allegretto
Adagio
Allegro Assai
Poco Adagio
Allegro
Allegro

Tracks:

Allegro
Largo Con Sordini, Mesto
Allegro Assai
Allegro Di Molto
Largo
Presto
Allegro
Un Poco Andante
Allegro Di Molto

Amazon.com

The Flute Concertos of C.P.E. Bach are among the most dramatic and engrossing of this important composer's works. This Bach was a major influence on Haydn and Mozart, but the music is worth hearing in its own right, and the Concerto in A Minor, which opens this set, is one of the masterpieces of its era. Gallois and the Toronto Camerata use modern instruments, but their performances are permeated by the sensibility of Bach's era. They are clear and forceful, responding beautifully to the pre-romantic elements in the music, and Gallois even adds appropriate embellishments to his playing. The Concerto in D Minor may not be the composer's own arrangement for flute, but it sounds convincing enough. This is certainly the best set of C.P.E. Bach's Flute Concertos since the long-deleted Rampal set for CBS, and the performances are markedly superior to those on a recent Black Box CD. Add Naxos's bargain price and you have an irresistible acquisition for anyone interested in the early classical era. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Flute perfection.......2007-04-26

C.P.E. Bach composed some lovely concertos for flute. I'll also point out that they're not so easy. But Gallois plays perfectly. His sound is clear, beautiful, and always lovely to listen to. The music is both fun, dramatic, and exciting. It's everything any concerto should be. It's just by the other Bach, and it's just for flute.

Regarding the music, there are different feels for the different concertos. For example, the A-minor concerto feels slower (which, of course, it's not) than the others. The B-flat major concerto sounds almost like Mozart's style, but ah - Mozart snagged this style from Bach (this Bach)! Another goodie on the first disc is the sonata for solo flute, which besides being beautiful is emotional and lovely.

The next disc starts out bouncy with the A-major concerto. The G-major concerto once again gives a sort of Mozart feel while still wholly original. The strings have a long solo at the beginning where they display emotion and feeling. Then the flute kicks in, and it's just gorgeous. The CD ends with the D-minor concerto, which is very beautiful and played wonderfully.

It's an excellent CD for any flute lover, but also for any music lover. C.P.E. Bach was an excellent composer and these wonderful concertos are proof of his talent. The sound is perfectly fine (everything sounds all good to my ears), so no worries there.

Enjoy!

Penguin Rosette Award Winner.......2005-10-17

C.P.E. Bach often does not get the credit he deserves for his pioneering new ideas that led into the "classical" era. His influence on Mozart can be heard from the opening allegro of the G minor concerto - music that most people would likely identify as Mozart not knowing anything more. The concertos here are both fine compositions and performances - so much that Penguin Guide awarded this CD a top-of-the-class "Rosette" award.

I think the below reviewer was way too hard on the sound quality. It is really fine, clear and unobjectionable - Penguin calls it "first class" even. I think the sound slightly lacks some of the "punch" of the Philips DUO CD of many of the flute concertos (also rated highly), but I cannot see not buying this CD because of it. Naxos sound is usually "very good" but rarely "poor" or the "absolute finest" of the available choices. Where this CD contains all of the flute concertos, the Philips DUO CD does not but contains some other works for oboe and harp if you want more diversity. Both are fine choices for this music. 4.5 stars.

Gallois is an extraordinaire virtuoso !.......2003-03-01

This music is absolutely superb !! I did not know Gallois before. He is a great virtuoso. This music of C.P.E. is astonishing. A great discovery for me. But, of course, you have to love flute. This beautiful and rhythmic music is never agressive for the listener. And you'll have two CDs at a bargain price. I had some doubt about NAXOS recording. It has been confirmed after listening to this CdS on all of my CD players. The sound of the flute is very clear. But we can't heared the orchestra with clarity. The sound of orchestra, the strings in particular, is so unclear and bad that it's ruined most of the pleasure. NAXOS does it again !!! Poor label. Personnally, this is my last purchase of a NAXOS CD.

Tracks:

Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 1 In C Major Op. 15: 1. Allegro con brio
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 1 In C Major Op. 15: 2. Largo
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 1 In C Major Op. 15: 3. Rondo. Allegro scherzando
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 2 In B Flat Major Op. 19: 1. Allegro con brio
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 2 In B Flat Major Op. 19: 2. Adagio
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 2 In B Flat Major Op. 19: 3. Rondo. Molto allegro
Rondo For Piano And Orchestra In B Flat Major WoO 6: Allegro

Tracks:

Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 3 In C Minor: 1. Alelgro con brio
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 3 In C Minor: 2. Largo
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 3 In C Minor: 3. Rondo. Allegro
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 4 In G Major: 1. Allegro moderato
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 4 In G Major: 2. Andante con moto
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 4 In G Major: 3. Rondo. Vivace
Romance Cantabile For Piano, Flute And Bassoon Accompanied By Two Oboes And Strings In E Minor

Tracks:

Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 5 In E Flat Major 'Emperor': 1. Allegro
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 5 In E Flat Major 'Emperor': 2. Adagio un poco moto - attacca:
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 5 In E Flat Major 'Emperor': 3. Rondo. Allegro
Concerto For Piano, Violin, Cello And Orchestra In C Major ('Triple Concerto'): 1. Allegro
Concerto For Piano, Violin, Cello And Orchestra In C Major ('Triple Concerto'): 2. Largo - attacca:
Concerto For Piano, Violin, Cello And Orchestra In C Major ('Triple Concerto'): 3. Rondo alla Polacca

Tracks:

Concerto For Violin And Orchestra In D Major Op. 61: 1. Allegro ma non troppo
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra In D Major Op. 61: 2. Larghetto
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra In D Major Op. 61: 3. Rondo. Allegro
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra In C Major WoO 5: 1. Allegro con brio
Romance For Violin And Orchestra In G Major Op. 40: Andante
Romance In F Major Op. 50: Andante cantabile

Tracks:

Concerto For Piano And Orchestra In D Major Op. 61: 1. Allegro ma non troppo - L.V. Beethoven
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra In D Major Op. 61: 2. Larghetto - attacca: - L.V. Beethoven
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra In D Major Op. 61: 3. Rondo. Allegro - L.V. Beethoven
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra In E Flat Major WoO 4: 1. Allegro moderato - L.V. Beethoven
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra In E Flat Major WoO 4: 2. Larghetto - L.V. Beethoven
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra In E Flat Major WoO 4: 3. Rondo. (Allegretto) - L.V. Beethoven

Customer Reviews:

The piano concertos are superb; the rest is mediocre.......2002-02-18

A collection of this size and variety (this set features every work for soloist with orchestra Beethoven ever wrote) is bound to be a mixed bag, and this set is no exception. The main reason for buying this set is the magnificent set of the piano concertos featuring Maurizio Pollini. The clarity and assurance of his playing is little short of astonishing, while there is no hint of the coldness he has sometimes been accused of - and anyway, he has two of the warmest, most sympathetic accompanists ever in Karl Böhm (3-5, analogue recordings) and Eugen Jochum (1-2, digital recordings), in addition to the warmth of the Vienna Philharmonic. Although his playing in the introverted G major Concerto is searching and powerful, Pollini is perhaps best suited to the enormous scale of the Emperor Concerto, where his magisterial playing is heard to outstanding effect. The slow movement of the Emperor is exceptional. Warm, clear sound throughout. This is certainly one of the best sets, if not the best set, of the piano concertos out there.

The rest of the set is sadly below this (admittedly high) standard. Next time, Deutsche Grammophon should entrust their choice of performance to their musical experts instead of their PR department; the choice of the Karajan/Mutter Violin Concerto over the Schneiderhan/Jochum version is mind-boggling. While a pleasant, fully competent performance, there is no way the Karajan can match the glories of that recognized classic. My main reservations concern the first movement ("Allegro ma non troppo"), which Karajan takes at an extremely slow tempo. He and Mutter sustain it superbly, but it sounds contrived when set against the natural elegance of Schneiderhan and Jochum. The older team also captures the magical stillness of the slow movement to a much greater degree - and at a flowing, more spontaneously natural tempo. Spontaneity and lyricism are the hallmarks of the Schneiderhan/Jochum version - two virtues lacking in Karajan's hands (it is Karajan's musical personality which dominates the performance). Lyricism is present, but it's the wrong kind - static and narcissistic. The Triple Concerto, which features the same conductor and violinist in addition to Zeltser's piano and Ma's cello, suffers from the same problems: intimidated (though imaginative) soloists and a conspicuous lack of spontaneity. They are both beautifully played, though, and aren't incompetent. However, in my opinion they're not of the standard a set like this needs.

These seven concertos are the extent of the standard Beethoven concerto repertoire, but as this is a complete set, we are given all the fragments and trivialities, which date mostly from Beethoven's early years in Bonn. These make for intriguing listening and reference, but will probably not be listened to more than a few times.

As with every volume of the Complete Beethoven Edition, the presentation is handsome. The informative, beautiful booklet contains many intriguing essays on all of Beethoven's concertos, and features beautiful color reproductions of many appropriate paintings and visual resources.

In sum: if you want a compilation of all of Beethoven's concertos in performances that range from good to superlative, look no further. Even if you're looking for the best performances of each concerto, you should consider buying this, because it is only in this set that you can find Pollini's outstanding Piano Concertos - and the price of this set is only a few dollars more than, say, the Brendel-Rattle set of just the Piano Concertos. If you're looking for the best performance of the Violin Concerto, look to Schneiderhan and Jochum on DG Originals 447 403-2. There has never, to my knowledge, been a high-quality recording of the Triple Concerto; the catalogue is dominated by Karajan's two attempts, of which the earlier on EMI Great Recordings of the Century is probably preferable to this, though there's really not much in it. Overall, I doubt anyone will be disappointed with this set.

Complete Chamber Concertos, Vol. 1
Average customer rating:
Complete Chamber Concertos, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Marco Polo
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
Clarinet | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
Flute | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000004678
Release Date: 1996-12-17

Tracks:

Chm Con no.1, op.17: Molto moderato - Anne Oland/Niels Thomsen/Mikkel Futtrup/Eva Ostergaard/Staffan Borseman
Chm Con no.1, op.17: Molto allegro - Anne Oland/Niels Thomsen/Mikkel Futtrup/Eva Ostergaard/Staffan Borseman
Chm Con no.2, op.20: Allegro con brio
Chm Con no.2, op.20: Intermezzo I: Vivace
Chm Con no.2, op.20: Intermezzo II. Adagio
Chm Con no.2, op.20: Finale: Allegro giocoso
Chm Con no.3, op.21: Allegro non troppo
Chm Con no.3, op.21: Allegro giocoso

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Three Pleasant Works and a Masterpiece

Hindemith: Complete Wind Concertos

Manufacturer: Cpo Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000001RUV
Release Date: 1995-09-19

Tracks:

Con: Rather Fast - Ulrich Mehlhart
Con: Ostinato, Fast - Ulrich Mehlhart
Con: Quiet - Ulrich Mehlhart
Con: Gay - Ulrich Mehlhart
Con: Moderately Fast - Marie Luise Neunecker
Con: Very Fast - Marie Luise Neunecker
Con: Very Slow/Moderately Fast/Fast/Lively/Very Slow - Marie Luise Neunecker
Con: Allegro Spiritoso - Reinhold Friedrich/Carsten Wilkening/Charlotte Cassedanne
Con: Molto Adagio/Allegro Pesante - Reinhold Friedrich/Carsten Wilkening/Charlotte Cassedanne
Con: Vivace - Reinhold Friedrich/Carsten Wilkening/Charlotte Cassedanne
Con: Moderately Fast - Walter Buchsel/Liviu Varcol/Ulrich Mehlhart/Carsten Wilkening/Charlotte Cassedanne
Con: Grazioso - Walter Buchsel/Liviu Varcol/Ulrich Mehlhart/Carsten Wilkening/Charlotte Cassedanne
Con: Rondo. Rather Fast - Walter Buchsel/Liviu Varcol/Ulrich Mehlhart/Carsten Wilkening/Charlotte Cassedanne

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These completely characteristic but relatively unknown concertos really need to be taken out and given an airing more frequently. The Clarinet Concerto is a particularly fine work-composed for Benny Goodman, believe it or not. The famous English virtuoso Denis Brain recorded the Horn Concerto, though heaven knows it's time we had a new performance in better sound. The other two concertos hark back to Hindemith's Kammermusik days, when he wrote neo- Baroque concertos based on the works of Bach. These pieces have a more mellow style typical of the mature composer, and may well become even more popular. A highly interesting and necessary program. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Three Pleasant Works and a Masterpiece.......2003-11-06

Having recently realized that there is a major hole in my 20th century CD collection, I have tried to remedy this with some new purchases of the music of Paul Hindemidth. Hindemidth, along with Stravinsky, Bartok and Schonberg, is usually cited as one of the great innovators and theorists of 20th century music, though the music of the German seems to inspire less adulation or damnation, at least in this country. While it is hard to find a Hindemidth hater, it is also hard to find legions of true believers in the composer either. Hindemidth's staggering output is partly to blame for this. Any composer who aims to write a sonata for every possible instrument, as well as concerti for most of them is going to have some less than inspired moments, just out of the sheer volume of material. Then, when such works end up as the first experiences young musicians have to a composer, it is perhaps inevitable that he should get the reputation of writing well-crafted but dry music. What is interesting on further listening is how far from the truth this perception is.

The works on this CD, which purport to be the "complete" Wind concerti, all date from the 1947 - 49. During this period, Hindemidth was teaching in the United States, and he had developed the theories in The Craft of Musical Composition, which determined the music of his later life and had a great influence on a whole generation of non-serialist American composers. This is not the music of the spiky neo-classicist of the 20th, but a mellow and mature composer, interested in communicating with a broad audience in a fresh but still compelling way. Two of the works on the disc are quite well known. The Clarinet Concerto is another example of the great body of work that owes its existence to the clarinetist Benny Goodman, along with the Copland Concerto, Bartok's Contrasts and numerous other classical works. The work is in four short movements and written in a broad, attractively "romantic" style. Though the lines in the melodies are highly chromatic, they are never uncompromisingly dissonant. The clarinet part is well written, though not overly technical. The effect of the piece is pleasing, if not all that deep. The Horn Concerto is a stronger work, and probably one of Hindemidth's best-known concerti. Written for Dennis Brain in 1949, the piece is in three movements. The first two movements are brief, almost neo-baroque affairs, with one particular melody in the first movement resembling some of the composer's more famous Symphonic Metamorphoses on Themes of Carl Maria von Weber. The final movement is really three sections mashed together, a slow section that, at least in this recording, features a spoken text duet with the Horn, a faster development of the material, and a final slow section. The work is brilliantly orchestrated and deeply felt. Perhaps, along with the Violin Concerto and the Viola Concerto, this piece deserves a place in the strongest of Hindemidth's repertoire.

The other two works on the CD are both attractive, lighter works, in the vein of Hindemidth's earlier Kammermusik, but without the spikiness of those early works. Both concerti resemble the baroque concerto grosso, in that the orchestral parts function as a ritornello, stating themes over and over, with developmental variation, while the concerto group (trumpet and bassoon in one concerto; flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and harp in the other) develops virtuoso passages derived from the main melodies. A feature of the second Concerto is the inclusion of passages from the Mendelssohn Wedding March, a tribute to the wedding anniversary of Hindemidth and his wife, which took place around the premiere of the piece.

The performances on this CPO disc are quite good. The Radio Symphony Orchestra of Frankfurt has a good feel for the music, the balances are excellent between soloist and orchestra, and the sometimes motoric nature of Hindemidth's more baroque-inspired work is leavened with some romantic phrasing and an attention to orchestral sonority from the conductor Werner Andreas Albert. I can think of few more pleasing introductions to the music of this 20th century master than this disc. These are works that should be better known, and in the case of the Horn concerto, and perhaps the Clarinet Concerto, they are works that deserve a permanent place in the repertoire.

Nielsen - Complete Concertos: Violin, Clarinet, and Flute - Saeka Matsuyama, John Mccaw, Jennifer Stinton
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Nielsen - Complete Concertos: Violin, Clarinet, and Flute - Saeka Matsuyama, John Mccaw, Jennifer Stinton

Manufacturer: Regis Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000O5LY42

Product Description

Review: "..stunning performance [violin].. uplifting rhythmic lift.. certain rustic vigour.. perfect intonation.. result is as fine a version of thiswork as any.." David Hurwitz, Classics Today Track Listing: 1-2. Violin Concerto 3. Clarinet Concerto (4 sections: 1 movement) 6-7. Flute Concerto Recording length : 78:03