Essential Opera 2

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This valuable introduction to opera will have novices riding with the Valkyries and being enticed by Cecilia Bartoli's Rosina, Mirella Freni's Mimi, and Placido Domingo's Cavaradossi. These selections provide a strong cross-section of musical and dramatic styles, including Mozart, Bizet, Puccini, and Verdi to name a few. Plenty of Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, and Dame Joan Sutherland will titillate the ears of the untrained, who will also melt from their introductory renditions of the Butterfly Chorus and the Pearl Fishers duet. Most performances are easy on the ears and will leave you craving complete versions of the good stuff. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Essential Opera 2, Music, Georges Bizet, Francesco Cilea, Leo Delibes, Charles Gounod, Ruggero Leoncavallo, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giacomo Puccini, Gioachino Rossini, Giuseppe Verdi, Richard Wagner, Charles Dutoit, Georg Solti, Giuseppe Patane, Herbert von Karajan, Istvan Kertesz, John Alldis, Richard Bonynge, Zubin Mehta, Wiener Philharmoniker, Berliner Philharmoniker, Bologna Community Theater Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Orchestra, Monte Carlo National Opera Orchestra, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, National Philharmonic Orchestra, Rome Opera Theater Orchestra, Vienna Haydn Orchestra, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Joan Sutherland, Lucia Popp, Mirella Freni, Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras, Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo, Brigitte Fassbaender, Cecilia Bartoli, Gianni Maffeo, Gino Quilico, Gregory Cross, Jane Berbie, Michael Kraus, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Rolando Panerai, Samuel Ramey
Essential Mozart: 32 Of His Greatest Masterpieces
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Gorgeous music, bad quality cd.
  • Great music, low quality reproduction
  • A nice introduction
  • Mozart is the reference point for good classical music.
  • Mozart's music
 Essential Mozart: 32 Of His Greatest Masterpieces

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Essential Bach
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  3. Essential Tchaikovsky
  4. Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol. 1
  5. Beethoven Collection: Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Complete Recording (Box Set)

ASIN: B00005A8JZ
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

  1. Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K525: Allegro - Academy Of St Martin-In-The-Fields
  2. Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K467: Andante - Radu Lupu
  3. Le nozze di Figaro: Voi che sapete - Cecilia Bartoli
  4. Clarinet Quintet In A Major, K581: Largetto - Peter Schmidl
  5. Ave verum Corpus, K618 - James Vivian
  6. Vesperae solennes de confessore in C major: Laudate Dominum - Emma Kirkby
  7. Concerto For Flute And Harp In C Major: Andantino - Lisa Beznosiuk
  8. Le nozze di Figaro: Overture - London Philharmonic Orchestra
  9. Cosi fan tutte: Trio: Soava sia il vento - Renee Fleming
  10. Symphony No.39 in E-flat Major, K495: Andante con moto - Chicago Symphony
  11. Horn Concerto: Rondo - Barry Tuckwell
  12. Don Giovanni: Serenade Deh, vieni alla finestra - Bryn Terfel
  13. Contredanse In C Major, K609 No.1 'Non piu andrai' - Vienna Mozart Ensemble
  14. German Dance, K605 No.3 'Sleigh Ride' - Vienna Mozart Ensemble
  15. Piano Concerto No.23 In A Major, K488: Adagio - Vladimir Ashkenazy
  16. A Musical Joke, K522: Presto - Vienna Mozart Ensemble

Tracks:

  1. Symphony No.40 In G Minor, K550: Molto allegro - Vienna Philharmonic
  2. Piano Sonata No.16 In C Major: Allegro - Andras Schiff
  3. The Magic Flute: Queen Of The Night: Der Holle Rache - Sumi Jo
  4. Clarinet Concerto In A Major, K622: Adagio - Franklin Cohen
  5. Don Giovanni: La ci darem la mano - Cecilia Bartoli
  6. Serenade in Bb Major, K361: Adagio - London Wind Soloists
  7. Der Vogelfanger bin ich ja - Hermann Prey
  8. Le nozze di Figaro: Dove sono - Kiri Te Kanawa
  9. Violin Concerto No.3 in G Major, K216: Adagio - Joshua Bell
  10. Requiem, K626: Lacrimosa - Vienna Philharmonic
  11. Litaniae de venerabili altaris sacramento: Dulcissimum convivium - Margaret Marshall
  12. Piano Sonata No.11 In A Major, K331: Rondo alla turca - Andras Schiff
  13. Don Giovanni: Champagne aria: Fin ch'chan dal vino - Bryn Terfel
  14. Divertimento No.17 in D Major, K334: Minuet & trio - Vienna Mozart Ensemble
  15. Exsultate, jubilat, K165: Alleluja - Leontyne Price
  16. Symphony No.41 In C Major, K551 'Jupiter': Finale: Molto allegro - Vienna Philharmonic

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Gorgeous music, bad quality cd........2007-04-13

The music is Mozart's and is fantastic. The last piece on the first disc
stutters halfway through, and seizes up my system. I don't have time to return items to Amazon. On the positive side, most of the time Amazon provides quality products and service. I gave 3 stars because I love the music.

3 out of 5 stars Great music, low quality reproduction.......2007-01-30

this is a great collection of his work... the only problem i have found so far is that my copy has irritating "clicks" over the recording.

5 out of 5 stars A nice introduction.......2006-02-22

This is a good well rounded collection to dip you into the classical world of Mozart.

5 out of 5 stars Mozart is the reference point for good classical music........2005-10-20

A good collection of his best work and I find it helps me focus when I'm writing or contempating life.

"We exposed these animals [rats] in utero and then sixty days after birth to different types of auditory stimulation and then we ran them in a spatial maze. And sure enough, the animals that were exposed to the Mozart completed the maze faster and with fewer errors. And now what we're doing is we're removing their brains so we can slice them and see neuro-anatomically precisely what has changed as a function of this exposure. So it may be that this intense exposure to the music is a type of enrichment that has similar effects on the spatial areas of the hippocampus of the brain." --Dr. Frances Rauscher

Dr. Frances Rausher sums up what I feel happening when I expose myself to this incredible composer (Mozart).

I have yet to grow tired of any of the tracks yet, but I will invest in more of his work soon.

4 out of 5 stars Mozart's music.......2005-10-17

This is a review of Mozart's music, not the cd. Mozart is praised to the skies by all and sundry, including most musicians, including my father, who no doubt has his reasons. But my feeling about Mozart has always been that there is nothing in Mozart's music that is other than music. There is no logical impressionism, there are no events that seem to be transpiring as in, for example, Beethoven. Mozart is just music. Mozart is to music as pure mathematics is to science. It hints of nothing else and has no application. I find some of his music irritatingly trivial, for example, Eine Kleine Nachtmuzic. This is mechanical music that one can imagine being piped in by a totalitarian government that insists everyone be cheerful. If Disneyland was an eighteenth century totalitarian state, Mozart would be its Muzak. The populace would be awakened, like Chinese train passengers, at 6AM by the strains of some allegro. They would arise and busy themselves with their ablutions in a state of thoughtless cheer, never for one moment leaving the surface of things. That being said, the second movement of Mozart's clarinette concerto is the music that one will hear on going into heaven.
Essential Guitar: 33 Guitar Masterpieces
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Two-and-a-half hours of bliss
  • not what i expected
  • excellent guitar performances
  • Essential Guitar...
  • Lives up to its Name!
 Essential Guitar: 33 Guitar Masterpieces

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. 300 Years of Guitar Masterpieces
  2. Spanish Guitar Music
  3. Classic Williams: Romance of the Guitar
  4. Art of Segovia
  5. Baroque Guitar

ASIN: B000069KIT
Release Date: 2002-08-13

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Two-and-a-half hours of bliss.......2007-04-04

This may be the best money I've ever spent. I got 2-1/2 hours of bliss for less than what I'd usually pay for one CD -- and you know how it is with music. You buy an album because of a song or two that you love, and you find that you like maybe half the songs on it. There's not a single selection in this one that I would've left out. It includes Joaquin Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez, performed by Pepe Romero on the guitar with the Acadamy of St. Martin in the Fields. I needed to replace my old LP recording of that. But I also get 30 other classical compositions and traditional Spanish pieces, each special in its own way.

Have you ever heard music that you wanted to last forever, maybe even to dive inside and live there for a while, immersing yourself in sound? That's how I feel about this collection. The only problem I have with it is that I bought it thinking it might be nice to listen to while I write. Not so. It's terrible for that. I'll sit with my hands poised above the laptop keyboard, assuring myself I'll get some work done while I listen. The music takes hold and carries me away.

I'm not expert at describing this or any type of music. I just know what I love. You might too, if you enjoy classical or Spanish guitar -- unless you have absurd expectations about combining listening with work.

2 out of 5 stars not what i expected.......2007-03-26

This CD for me was a waste of money. Its just not what i thought it would be. Others may enjoy it but for me..it wasnt what i was hoping to hear.

4 out of 5 stars excellent guitar performances.......2006-07-27

Outstanding guitar performances. I gave it only 4 stars because I do not personally like some of the compositions.

5 out of 5 stars Essential Guitar..........2005-07-26

Up until this collection, I'd never heard the "Cavatina" played in the Deer Hunter movie. After hearing it, I could play it all day and not tire of it! It moves me that much, considering that it's almost "not" a classical guitar selection. The rest of the music is first rate! Excellent playing, but the "Cavatina..."
Buy it and enjoy!!!!

5 out of 5 stars Lives up to its Name!.......2005-06-10

If you only bought this double CD set, you'd have a good starter collection of classical guitar music. It includes most of the standards, as well as rarer pieces. In addition to the many solo pieces, there are several excerpts from orchestral works, with Rodrigo's indispensible Adagio from "Concierto de Aranjuez" topping the list. There are also several flamenco numbers included, complete with heel taps and castanets.

The recording quality is uniformly good, even on the tracks by Segovia. I don't know if they were remastered or recorded late in his career, but they're free of the surface noise present in so many of his recordings. The set clocks in at a generous 2 1/2 hours - one of the greatest deals in instrumental music; this is not a "bargain" quality set. Listen to the samples online - great stuff.

My only mild criticism is in the marketing. The advertising features John Williams and Julian Bream. Each contributes exactly one track. I would have enjoyed more pieces by them for stylistic comparison. But the less well-known (at least to guitar music neophytes like me) artists are every bit as good, and I intend to obtain more of their work.
The Essential Yo-Yo Ma
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • pure genius
  • Another great Yo-Yo Disc
  • first disc great- second a flop
  • Encore
  • The Versatile Yo-Yo Ma
 The Essential Yo-Yo Ma

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Appassionato
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ASIN: B000A7Q29G
Release Date: 2005-08-16

Tracks:

  1. Prde from Suite No. 1 in G Major for Cello, BWV 1007
  2. II. Largo from "Winter", Op. 8, No. 4, RV 297 from the Four Seasons
  3. Jesus, bleibet meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring), BWV 147
  4. Schafe kn sicher weiden (Sheep May Safely Graze), BWV 208
  5. Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Sleepers Awake), BWV 645
  6. The Swan from Carnival of the Animals (Chamber Version)
  7. Havanaise, Op. 83
  8. Mtation from Tha
  9. Liebesfreud Instrumental
  10. Allegro ben ritmato e deciso from Three Preludes
  11. Vocalise Vocal
  12. IV. Allegro from Sonata in D minor for Cello and Piano, Op. 40
  13. Andante Cantabile for Cello Solo and String Orchestra, Op. posth.
  14. IV. Rondo alla Zingarese. Presto from Quartet No. 1 in G minor for Piano and Strings, Op. 25
  15. III. Finale. Allegro moderato from Concerto in B minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 104

Tracks:

  1. Cristal
  2. A lenda do caboclo
  3. Chega de Saudade Live
  4. Wapango Live
  5. Libertango
  6. Appalachia Waltz Solo Cello Version
  7. Butterfly's Day Out
  8. 1B
  9. Pickin' from Three Pieces for Solo Cello
  10. Simple Gifts
  11. The Mission
  12. Gabriel's Oboe
  13. The Falls Album Version
  14. The Eternal Vow from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
  15. The Cellist of Sarajevo - A Lament in Rondo Form for Solo 'Cello, Op. 12
  16. Chi passa per'sta strada
  17. Mido Mountain (Chinese Traditional)
  18. Mohini (Enchantment)
  19. Baroque in Rhythm from Suite for Cello and Jazz Piano Trio
  20. Anything Goes Instrumental
  21. I Could Have Danced All Night Extended version

Amazon.com

Here are three dozen pieces of music, all played by Yo-Yo Ma, culled from his extensive discography. Aside from the technical mastery and beautiful tone that are absolutes in all of his playing, one is dazzled by his curiosity and ability to adapt to so many forms and types of music. His Bach and Vivaldi are pellucid and played with non-sentimental crispness, his tango music gritty and rhythmically pungent, his jazz seemingly spontaneous, the "Meditation" from Thais simply ravishing, "Anything Goes" a romp, and the Appalachian music performed with both respect and a great twang, while the traditional Chinese music is fascinating. It's really a matter of how much Ma loves whatever he plays here, how entirely he becomes involved in it, and what a fine partner he invariably is to other musicians. This collection is a doozy--it is truly "essential." --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars pure genius.......2007-05-21

No instrument asks more from the soul of an artist as the cello does.
Yo Yo Ma shows to be master of the instrument and his interpretations en technique are pure genius. Everyone should have this album in his (or hers of course) basic classical collection

4 out of 5 stars Another great Yo-Yo Disc.......2007-05-15

The set-up with the classical pieces on the first disc and the other on the second is excellent.

3 out of 5 stars first disc great- second a flop.......2007-04-12

the first disc is awesome. the second disc is weird and boring.

5 out of 5 stars Encore.......2007-03-31

Incredible. My young cellist (son) loves it. Beautiful music. The album is well organized and each song transitions nicely.

5 out of 5 stars The Versatile Yo-Yo Ma.......2007-03-29

I've found this collection to be extremely delightful! It gives you a sense of the versatility of Yo-Yo Ma like no other, with one disc being dedicated more to his classical side, while the other explores jazz and world music venues. Not your typical "greatest hits" collection.
Way Out West: The Essential Western Film Music Collection, Vol. 2
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Not My Style
  • Rockin' Western Collection
  • Hard to Find Great Western Themes
  • Western Music
  • A great follow-up
 Way Out West: The Essential Western Film Music Collection, Vol. 2

Manufacturer: Silva America
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. The Wild West: The Essential Western Film Music Collection
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  5. The Greatest Western Movie Themes

ASIN: B000060PBU
Release Date: 2002-03-26

Tracks:

  1. The Hallejuah Trail-Overture
  2. The Alamo-The Green Leaves Of Summer
  3. The Alamo-Davy Crocket
  4. The Big Country-The Welcoming/Finale
  5. The Big Valley-Main Theme
  6. Blazing Saddles-Blazing Saddles
  7. Bonaza-Main Theme
  8. Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid-raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head
  9. The Comancheros-McBain/Main Title
  10. Duel In The Sun-Main Title/The Legend/Orizaba
  11. A Fistfull Of Dynamite-Duck You Sucker
  12. For A Few Dollars More-Main Theme
  13. Friendly Persuasion-Thee I Love
  14. Giant-Main Theme
  15. The Good, The Bad And The Ugly-Main Theme
  16. The Good, The Bad And The Ugly-The Ecstasy Of Gold
  17. Gunfight At The O.K. Corral-Suite
  18. Hang 'Em High-Main Theme
  19. The Hanging Tree-Main Title

Tracks:

  1. High Caparral-Main Theme
  2. How The West Was Won-Prelude/The Land
  3. High Noon-Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darlin'
  4. The Jayhawkers-The Lynching/Two Brothers/The Hayhawkers
  5. The Lone Ranger-William Tell Overture: Finale
  6. Nevada Smith-Main Title
  7. Old Gringo-Main Themes
  8. Once Upon A Time In The West-Man With The Harmonica
  9. One Eyed Jacks-Main Title
  10. The Proud Rebel-Main Titles
  11. The Quick And The Dead-End Titles
  12. Quigley Down Under-End Titles
  13. Rio Bravo-Rio Bravo/De Guella
  14. The Scalphunters-Main Title
  15. Shane-Main Theme: The Call Of The Farwaway Hills
  16. The Shootist-Main Title
  17. The Unforgiven-The Need For Love
  18. Viva Zapata-Gathering Forces
  19. The Virginian-Main Theme

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Not My Style.......2007-05-11

This CD has a lot of good songs on it, but it just too bland for our taste. We prefer Western music to sound as though genuine cowboys are singing it - not a fancy chorus!

5 out of 5 stars Rockin' Western Collection.......2006-08-28

For anyone who likes movie/tv music from westerns should purchase this CD. What a wonderful collection of both film and tv with great renditions of each piece. I'm about to purchase Vol. 1 to complete my collection.

5 out of 5 stars Hard to Find Great Western Themes .......2006-03-16

This CD has a number of great western themes that are not in some of the standard lists. For example it includes "The Hallejuah Trail", "Blazing Saddles", and "Giant". This CD also has what I consider the true theme of "The Comancheros". I have been disappointed with some other CDs I have purchased listing "The Comancheros" which had a song rather than this theme. Many of the tracks on this two disk CD go beyond the main theme music and are actually suites. The "Big Country" and "How the West Was Won" are just a couple of examples. It may be a little more expense than some CDs, but not bad for a two disk set. I am really happy with my purchase.

4 out of 5 stars Western Music.......2005-07-29

I enjoy this CD. It has many familiar melodies. Good background for reading, nice to listen while driving. It is also the only CD I've ever found that has the great theme from the movie "Giant."

5 out of 5 stars A great follow-up.......2003-08-29

This is the second collection by SilvaScreen, who are also responsible for "The Wild West: The Essential Western Film Music Collection" (see my review). And it's just as good as the first. There are themes in here that everyone will recognize ("Bonanza," "A Fistful of Dollars"), themes that may not be so familiar ("Duel in the Sun," "The Hanging Tree," the lively "Blazing Saddles"), and even themes you may not associate with Westerns at all ("The Friendly Persuasion"). And no duplication either: when this disc includes a piece from one of the same sources covered in its predecessor, it's a different piece. One great treat: the full lyrics to "Gunfight at OK Corral," which I've never heard outside the soundtrack of the movie itself. The arrangement from "Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid" includes not only the familiar song "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" but an overview of the music--seguing almost seamlessly into Bernstein's magnificent "The Comancheros," a rare find indeed. An expensive item, but if you love Western film music, well worth it.
Twilight of the Gods: The Essential Wagner Collection
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Wonderful collection and price!
  • Awesome collection!
  • Helicopters? Marines?
  • A great addition to my music collection
  • Quintessential Wagner
 Twilight of the Gods: The Essential Wagner Collection

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Wagner: Overture & Preludes
  2. The Best Of Wagner
  3. Wagner: The "Ring" Without Words
  4. Wagner without Words
  5. 25 Thunderous Classics

ASIN: B000009ON7
Release Date: 1998-08-11

Tracks:

  1. The Valkyries: Ride Of The Valkyries
  2. Twilight Of The Gods: Siegfried's Funeral March
  3. Lohengrin: Prelude to Act III
  4. The Flying Dutchman: Overture
  5. The Flying Dutchman: Sailors' Chorus
  6. The Rheingold: Journey Down To Nibelheim
  7. The Mastersingers Of Nuremberg: Overture
  8. Tannhauser: Overture
  9. Tannhauser: Entry Of The Guests
  10. Tannhauser: Tannhauser's Pilgrimage
  11. Siegfried: Act III Orchestral Interlude
  12. Twilight Of The Gods: Siegfried's Rhine Journey
  13. Twilight Of The Gods: Finale
  14. The Rheingold: Entry Of The Gods Into Valhalla

Tracks:

  1. Lohengrin: Prelude To Act I
  2. Lohengrin: Bridal Chorus
  3. Parsifal: Prelude to Act I
  4. Parsifal: Good Friday Music
  5. Parsifal: Transformation Scene
  6. Tannhauser: Venusberg Music
  7. Tannhauser: Pilgrims Chorus
  8. The Mastersingers Of Nuremburg: Prelude To Act III
  9. The Rheingold: Vision Of Valhalla (Scene II Introduction)
  10. Siegfried Idyll
  11. Siegfried: Brunnhildes Awakening
  12. Tristan And Isolde: Prelude To Act III
  13. Tristan And Isolde: Death Of Isolde

Amazon.com

If you like your Wagner served up in bleeding chunks or if you're simply in a hurry to hear the tunes, then this compilation is for you. The performances, drawn from the Polygram (mainly Deutsche Grammophon) back catalog, are for the most part authoritative. They feature the likes of Herbert von Karajan, with the Berlin Philharmonic, and Karl Böhm, with the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra (and chorus), in extracts from recordings of complete operas, and conductors Giuseppe Sinopoli, Otto Gerdes, and Antal Doráti in some of the more familiar overtures and preludes. Singing, without which it is impossible to get the full flavor of Wagner's work, is skirted whenever possible: this is an unapologetic tribute to Wagner the orchestral genius. At times the salesmanship is a little overblown--the glitzy packaging includes a cover shot of the helicopters from Apocalypse Now--and the sound, some of it from very good originals, seems to have been juiced with a little added digital reverb, resulting in an overall glassiness. The gaps between tracks are minimized, disco style, so there's no dead air, and the whole thing has an Entertainment Tonight feel to it. Were he around, Wagner would have screamed bloody murder, then happily taken his cut of the action. For today's on-the-go listener, this may well be the most practical way to enjoy Wagner's music, but we won't be happy until it motivates at least one newcomer to seek out a recording of a complete opera. Anyone who does that will find out what "apocalypse" really means. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful collection and price!.......2007-05-11

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

5 out of 5 stars Awesome collection!.......2007-01-10

This is a great collection of some of Wagner's most memorable songs for those of you who do not want to buy the whole opera's for some of his works.

4 out of 5 stars Helicopters? Marines?.......2006-12-05

Do those infotainment marketing mavens ever get it right? Talk about Hollywood disconnect! Not only are the helicopters irrelevant, but to quote from the gushy drivel on the jacket, "The gripping power of Richard Wagner's music was demonstrated with spectacular effect in...Apocalpse Now, when the "Ride of the Valkyries' became synonymous with the chilling journey of Marine 'Huey' helicopters into battle..."

Marine? Marine? Them Hueys in the movie was ARMY Air Cav, slick! "First of the ninth--air mobile." If you're going to dally down that primrose path, at least get it right.

Better yet, drop the choppers. Most people who listen to Wagner probably realize that quality of an artistic work has a mystically inverse relationship to the number of helicopters contained in it.

As for the music, it is good, but the operatic equivalent of sound bites, which may be just right for people who are new to Wagner or just can't take very much of him. Hmm...perfect for a helicopter ride, perhaps?

5 out of 5 stars A great addition to my music collection.......2006-07-20

This CD takes the place of all my other Wagner music. VERY well done. Somehow I didn't realize that there were two cds in the package--what a pleasant surprise! Of the two cds, I like the first one best, but they are both good. I listen to this cd daily on my way to work. Stirring! I am so glad that I purchased this. Some purists might have a problem with the fact that some of the selections are not there in their entirety. I have no problem with that though. I recommend this to anyone who loves Wagner.

5 out of 5 stars Quintessential Wagner.......2006-05-15

Okay, so I like Wagner. I LOVE "Ride Of The Valkyries". Do I want to go out and buy every single stinkin thing Wagner did? No. If you are a die-hard Wagner fan you probably will not think much of this collection.

But if you like Wagner and appreciate "Ride Of The Valkyries", and maybe require it in just a little more substance than what is included in "Apocolypse Now Redux", then this is what you want. The extra tracks are bonuses and are quite good. Meets my needs, presentation great, performance excellent. I recommend it for anyone that needs a Wagner fix.
Essential Beethoven
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Excellent sample
  • Some of the Best
  • Storms
  • Wonderful selections
  • Great intro to Beethoven
 Essential Beethoven

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005KBJQ
Release Date: 2001-06-12

Tracks:

  1. Sym No.5 in c, Op.67: I. Allegro Con Brio - Concertgebouw Orch/Bernard Haitink
  2. Sym No.7 in A, Op.92: II. Allegretto - LSO/Antal Dorati
  3. Romance No.2 in F, Op.50 - Arthur Grumiaux
  4. Pno Son No.14 'Moonlight' in c#, Op.27 No.2: I. Adagio Sostenuto - Vladimir Ashkenazy
  5. Fur Elise (Bagatelle in a, WoO 59) - Vladimir Ashkenazy
  6. Pno Son No,17 in d, Op.31 No.2: III. Allegretto - Stephen Kovacevich
  7. Spt in E flat, Op.20: V. Scherzo: Allegro Molto E Vivace - Members Of The Berlin Phil Octet
  8. Pno Con No.3 in c, Op.37: II. Largo - Alfred Brendel
  9. Sym No.8 in F, Op.93: IV. Allegro Vivace - Chicago SO/Sir Georg Solti
  10. Ov 'Egmont', Op.84 - VPO/George Szell
  11. Vn Con in D, Op.61: III. Rondo: Allegro - New Philharmonia Orch/Alceo Galliera

Tracks:

  1. Pno Con No.5 'Emperor' in E flat, Op.73: II. Adagio Un Poco Mosso - Vladimir Ashkenazy
  2. Sym No.6 'Pastoral' in F, Op.68: V. Allegretto: Shepherd's Song. Happy And Thankful Feelings... - Staatskapelle Dresden/Colin Davis
  3. Pno Con No.2 in B flat, Op.19: III. Rondo: Molto Allegro - Radu Lupu
  4. Pno Son No.8 'Pathetique' in c, Op.13: II. Adagio Cantabile - Vladimir Ashkenazy
  5. Str Qt in B flat, Op.130: V. Cavatina: Adagio Molto Espressivo - Qt Italiano
  6. Bagatelle, Op.126 No.6 - Alfred Brendel
  7. Vn Son No.5 in F, Op.24: IV. Rondo: Allegro Ma Non Troppo 'Spring' - Itzhak Perlman/Vladimir Ashkenazy
  8. Minuet No.11, WoO 7 - ASMF/Neville Marriner
  9. Pno Son No.14 'Moonlight' in c#, Op.27 No.2: III. Presto Agitato - Vladimir Ashkenazy
  10. In Questa Tomba Oscura, WoO 133 - Luciano Pavarotti
  11. Mir Ist So Wunderbar - Hildegard Behrens/Sona Ghazarian/David Kuebler/Hans Sotin
  12. Oh Welche Lust (Prisoner's Chor) - Robert Johnson/Philip Kraus/Chicago Sym Chor/Margaret Hillis
  13. Sym No.9 in d, Op.125: Chor Finale (Excerpt) - Joan Sutherlan/Marilyn Horne/James King/Martti Talvela/Wiener Staatsopernchor

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Excellent sample.......2005-10-25

This two disc set is a good sampler of Beethoven; I had forgotten how inspiring his work could be. This set has motivated me to order all three of the Deutch Grammaphone two disc which together include all 9 of Beethoven's symphonies.

4 out of 5 stars Some of the Best.......2005-09-11

Some of these songs are the best that I've heard. I also enjoy the fact that this album provides the ENTIRE movement or selection, unlike some of the other albums that I've heard that only play for a little bit of the song. One example is Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A Major Second Movement, this movement is one of my favorites to begin with and hearing it so smoothly and masterfully recorded made my heart sing the first time I heard this all the way to end (the other recordings usually stop after the major key shift after the first theme). Also the Egmont Overture is one of the best full versions that I've had the pleasure of enjoying performed this well. The Moonlight Sonata First Movement I found to be nice, but there are better versions out there. For those people just looking for a nice collection of Beethoven songs that are well recorded and well performed, I stronly suggest that you purchase this album.

4 out of 5 stars Storms.......2005-03-09

Classical music compilations are extremely difficult to review. You are always fighting with someone else's opinion of what is "Best of" material. And why should we buy selections when we could buy the entire pieces and hear them played as the composers intended?

A quick answer would be simple: we simply cannot afford to purchase every single piece by every single composer we love. And if the buyer is familiar with the music, he or she would perhaps only want the famous selections everyone knows. In my case, I am particularly picky with recordings and don't have the time to meddle with libraries or going to stores that offer listening stations. Recordings vary greatly and so does playing ability. So why did I go with Essential Beethoven?

It is released with Decca, one of the finest classical music companies out there. You are guaranteed no gimmick or inexpensively recorded tracks on this compilation. Essential B. also has a wider selection than other compilations I looked at. For once, there isn't a movement to be found from the Fifth Symphony. If that's all you want to buy, look elsewhere. Essential B. has pieces I was not familiar with, so here I am listening to it.

Regrettably, there are three distinct issues with this recording, and I want to get them out of the way. 1. Für Elise is atrociously boring to listen to. As a pianist, it is fun to play and almost required learning for the beginner. It should've been dropped. 2. Piano Concerto No. 5 is missing the third movement. It is common to drop the first movement here, but the second and third movements are programmatically tied, providing some of the most emotionally charged music ever put down on lined paper. Also, this rendition of the concerto is less than inspiring and I regret that it is the famous Ashkenazy playing this version. There is almost no life in the playing. 3. The remastering could've been better. The listener will enjoy the loud and boisterous pieces, but the quieter parts, and even the soft piano solos, will have him straining his ears to the point of exasperation. Because of this, I recommend listening on headphones or in a place where you can turn the volume up a little more than usual.

That aside, the rest of the tracks are well recorded, extremely well played, and varied enough to quench even the most learned ears. Decca has included pieces conducted by Sir Georg Solti, one of the greatest conducters in my opinion. (Another "collection" solely conducted by Solti is the "Immortal Beloved" soundtrack.) The orchestral pieces are lush and the range is dynamic. (A little too dynamic, like I stated above, in some areas.) The inclusion of movement IV from Symphony no. 8 pleases me, as I feel this is the least appreciated symphony, overshadowed by Symphony no. 9

The piano pieces are some of the best renditions I've heard. I own all of Ashkenazy's sonatas, so it was nice to hear a movement from "The Tempest" played by Stephen Kovacevich, who plays with fierce determination. Selections from B's piano concertos are fantastic and have prompted me to delve further into listening to more concertos from him. The Rondo from Piano Concerto No. 2, played by Radu Lupu, is one of the most upbeat and wonderfully played pieces here.

To round things off nicely is a movement from the Violin Sonata No. 5, played by the one and only Itzhak Perlman! The piano is caressed by Mr. Ashkenazy himself, and he does so lovingly. You will also find pieces from a string quartet, a violin Romance (and orchestra), and one overture: the "Egmont." I'm not a huge fan of this rendition either, but that's probably because I've heard the Egmont a thousand times.

A huge bonus with this collection are the three choral selections at the end, two of which are from "Fidelio," an opera I've yet to hear in its entirety. The Prisoners' Chorus is beautiful. The introduction sounds very much like a major contribution to Charles Ives's 1906 piece "The Unanswered Question." The compilation ends with Symphony No. 9's finale, but unfortunately, it is a horribly edited excerpt, and mixed extremely hot. I have to turn my volume down everytime this comes on.

I would like to make a little note about the art design, however. Credit here is given to Mark Millington, who did a fine job blending black & white photos of storm clouds, an inspiring sculpture, and blackletter-styled fonts. The CDs themselves are a contrasting bright orange. As a sucker for marketing, I would've plunked money down for this compilation just for the art!

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful selections.......2003-11-08

My kids and I have really enjoyed this CD. This is a great collection of music with high quality performances.

5 out of 5 stars Great intro to Beethoven.......2003-04-05

Great intro to beethoven. There are many great performances by Ashkenazy, Academy of Saint Martin in the fields, Concertgetbouw Orchestra and many other exceptional artists. I would recommend this disc as it contains the masterpieces of beethoven, even though not all of them.
Essential Purcell
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Mad about Baroque
  • The beauty of the songs brings tears to my eyes
  • Brilliant
  • Be Welcome then, great Sirs (and Mesdames).
  • Brilliant Purcell Disc
Essential Purcell
Henry Purcell , New College Choir Oxford , King's Consort , Robert King , Roy Goodman , Charles Daniels , John Mark Ainsley , James Bowman , Peter Buckoke , Jane Coe , Rogers Covey-Crump , Gillian Fisher , Michael George , Miles Golding , Jane Norman , Barbara Bonney , Mark Caudle , William Carter , King's Consort Choir , Helen Gough , Paul Nicholson , Angela East , Barry Guy , Tessa Bonner , Jerome Finnis , Rupert Bawden , Lucy Howard , Richard Campbell , Susan Addison , James O'Donnell , and Stephen Saunders
Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Purcell: Odes for St. Cecilia's Day - Music for Queen Mary / Taverner Consort
  2. Purcell: The Fairy Queen
  3. Purcell: Songs & Airs / Argenta, North, Boothby, Nicholson, Toll
  4. Purcell: Dido and Aeneas / James, Lewis, Baker, Herincx
  5. Purcell: Full Anthems & Organ Music

ASIN: B000002ZDU
Release Date: 1995-04-10

Tracks:

  1. Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol. 5: Welcome, Welcome Glorious Morn. Symphony And Opening Chorus
  2. Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol. 3: Be Welcome Then, Great Sir
  3. Complete Secular Solo Songs Vol.1: Oh, Fair Cedaria
  4. The Choir Of The King's Consort: Hear My Prayer, O Lord
  5. Great Baroque Arias: When I Am Laid In Earth ('Dido's Lament')
  6. Complete Anthems And Services Vol.1: Let Mine Eyes Run Down With Tears (Part 1)
  7. Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.4: The Sparrow And The Gentle Dove
  8. Complete Secular Solo Songs Vol.1: If Music Be The Food Of Love (First Setting)
  9. Complete Anthems And Services Vol.5: Rejoice In The Lord Always ('The Bell Anthem')
  10. Complete Anthems And Services Vol.3: Hosanna To The Highest
  11. Complete Anthems And Services Vol.7: Thou Knowest, Lord, The Secrets Of Our Hearts
  12. Mr. Henry Purcell's Most Admirable Composures: Fairest Isle, All Isles Excelling
  13. Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.6: Mark, How Readily Each Pliant String
  14. Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.8: Sound The Trumpet
  15. Complete Secular Solo Songs Vol.3: She Loves And She Confesses Too
  16. Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.8: O How Blest Is The Isle
  17. Complete Anthems And Services Vol.3: Remember Not, Lord, Our Offences
  18. Complete Anthems And Services Vol. 11: An Evening Hymn
  19. Complete Church Music Vol.2: Vouchsafe, O Lord, To Keep Us This Day
  20. Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.2: With Rapture Of Delight... Hail Bright Cecilia

Amazon.com essential recording

The "Essential" Purcell? Well, you could get a bunch of critics to argue about that for a few days, but in the meantime, here is a sampler of highlights from the King's Consort's three admirable Purcell series: the Complete Odes and Welcome Songs, Complete Anthems and Services, and Complete Secular Solo Songs. There are, of course, some of Purcell's most-performed pieces (which probably are "essential"): Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas, "Sound the trumpet" from Come, ye sons of Art, Rejoice in the Lord alway (the "Bell Anthem," named for the string figure at the opening that sounds like pealing bells), the gently patriotic "Fairest isle, all isles excelling" (sung by a miscast James Bowman), and a selection from the funeral music for Queen Mary. There are also some delightful surprises--particularly among the little-known secular songs and church music. The plaintive "O fair Cedaria" gets a lovely performance by Barbara Bonney (a singer not usually associated with Purcell); tenor Rogers Covey-Crump (possibly the ideal high tenor for Purcell) sings the enchanting "If music be the food of love"; the church anthems "Let mine eyes run down with tears" and "Remember not, O Lord, our offences" have some startling harmonies as daring as any Monteverdi ever wrote. If you're unfamiliar with Purcell, this reasonably priced disc is a good place to start exploring without a big initial investment. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Mad about Baroque.......2007-02-12

This is a terrific CD. The music is breathtaking. Just buy IT !!!!!

5 out of 5 stars The beauty of the songs brings tears to my eyes.......2002-08-21

Absolutely beautiful baroque music! The arrangament, singing and instrumentation is superb. It is too bad that Henry Purcell is not as widely known as Bach, because he should be recognized equally well."The Sparrow and the Gentle dove" is alone worth the price of the album! I can not stop playing it!

5 out of 5 stars Brilliant.......2001-10-31

Like in his renditions of Handel's oratorios, Robert King manages to bring a freshness and strenght to Purcell's music that I had seldom heard before. This CD also features some of the best performers of early music in the world. My favourite tracks are Oh, Fair Cedaria, sung by the multi-talented Barbara Bonney; Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas, sung by Gillian Fisher; She Loves and she Confesses too, sung by the wonderful Susan Gritton; and Welcome, Welcome Glorious Morn, sung by Rogers Covey-Crump. The only track I didn't find absolutely wonderful is Fairest Isle, sung here by James Bowman. Don't get me wrong, I generally love Mr Bowman, I think that his performance in Mr Purcell's Most Admirable Composures (also conducted by Robert King) makes it another essential Purcell recording; but I find that Fairest Isle was much better done elsewhere, particularly by Christopher Hogwood and Barbara Bonney.

These songs aren't only beautiful, they're also poignant, sweet and unpretentious. I think that it will be very clear to anyone who listens to this recording that Mr Purcell was one of the finest composers that ever lived.

5 out of 5 stars Be Welcome then, great Sirs (and Mesdames)........2001-10-20

If anyone has benefitted from the reversion in the last three or so decades to period instruments and historical reconstruction, it is Henry Purcell. Before, he was merely great, the peerless word-setter in the English language, a virtuoso of boundless range, a professional composer whose offical commissions were always imbued with personality and invention. But period instrumentation has added to this a greater depth, an other-worldly texture of sound. With his intricate, multi-part vocal writing, his preference for low, rumbling instruments such as the bass viol and the strange and remarkable theorbo, as well as his often sombre and low-key subject matter and treatment, Purcell creates a round, glowing, humming sound as pregnantly full as dub reggae.

This has an extraordinary effect on the listener. Whereas Bach, with his mathematical abstractions, sounds universal and timeless, Purcell's music takes the listener back 300 years, back to different ways of thinking about, feeling about and addressing things we still think etc. about today - death, love, friendship. The emotion is timeless, but the music's beauty is alien, THEIRS, hence its preciousness.

A lot of intelligence has gone into the unity of this compilation, beginning with two Welcomes (to the dawn and to the listener, in this case a King), and ending with thoughts of evening, death and a Baroque 'Thank you for the music'. These are bright, fanfare-like works, but the predominant mood is slow, ruminative, quiet. The selection covers the wide range of Purcell's oeuvre, from opera and funeral marches to secular songs and odes, and includes his most famous vocal works - Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas, sung by Gillian Fisher, and never more evocative of pagan loss and death; the massive 'Bell Anthem', with its ingenious opening symphony and joyful antiphon; and a miraculously serene 'Evening Hymn', Dido's opposite, death indicating hope, the treble voice swirling over the heavy ground bass like the soul released from the inert body.

it might seem quixotic to choose highlights from an exemplary collection of highlights, but the entry of the strings washing over the serene repetition of 'Be Welcome then, great Sir' always makes my heart stop still, while the musical picture of 'Bold Honour', the 'noisy Nothing, stalking shade', blocking the poet's amorous intentions in 'She loves and confesses too', adds a chilling hint of life's transience to a bouyantly bawdy song.

5 out of 5 stars Brilliant Purcell Disc .......2000-11-30

With this album director and Purcell expert Robert King provides the listener with an excellent introduction to the composer's vocal works. The pieces presented here were taken from Mr. King's recordings of 'The Complete Odes and Welcome Songs', 'The Complete Anthems and Services', 'The Complete Secular Solo Songs' and diverse anthology discs. King, his wonderful soloists and musicians do the brilliance of Purcell's music fully justice. Whether he was commissioned by royalty, the church or theatre, Purcell shone in all areas. This disc certainly demonstrates the variety and originality of his craft, not to speak of his uncanny ability of setting words to music.

An outstanding Purcell offering. With a beautiful perfomance by Barbara Bonney of 'Oh, fair Cedaria'. Susan Gritton is equally captivating in 'She loves and she confesses too'. Gillian Fisher's rendition of the famous 'Dido's Lament' is haunting and poignant. Further an intelligent and brilliant 'Hosanna to the highest' by Michael George. James Bowman and Michael Chance sparkle in the countertenor duet 'Sound the trumpet' (from 'Come Ye sons of Art away'). And I should not forget to mention the joyous, luminous performance of the beautiful 'Bell Anthem'. To name but a few favourites, only James Bowman's 'Fairest Isle' was a disappointment.

Those who are familiar with Purcell's music will get an excellent disc with some of his most beloved works. If you are new to Purcell, this is, as already said a great introduction. Which might be the incentive to further explorations of Purcell.

by stardustraven
The Power & The Majesty: Essential Choral Classics
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Wonderful choir music CD
  • Best of American Choral Singing!
  • A good album, but--
  • Awesome
 The Power & The Majesty: Essential Choral Classics
Robert Shaw Festival Singers , and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Choruses
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by J.S. BachAll Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Choral Masterpieces
  2. Gloria: Music of Praise & Inspiration
  3. The #1 Choral Album
  4. Sea Shanties
  5. Battle Cry of Freedom

ASIN: B000003D10
Release Date: 1995-01-24

Tracks:

  1. Dies Irae
  2. Tuba Mirum
  3. Pie Jesu
  4. O Fortuna
  5. Dies Irae
  6. Rex Tremendae
  7. Confutatis
  8. Lacrimosa
  9. Polovtsian Dances
  10. Missa: Kyrie Eleison
  11. Hallelujah Chorus
  12. The Shepherd's Farewell
  13. Sanctus
  14. The Heavens Are Telling
  15. 'Va, pensiero' (Chorus Of The Hebrew Slaves)
  16. Nyne Otpushchayeshi (Now Let Thy Servant Depart)
  17. Dies Irae

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful choir music CD.......2007-07-12

I just enjoy in it very much. The best of the choir music in very good performance.

5 out of 5 stars Best of American Choral Singing!.......2003-02-08

This CD could be the cornerstone of your choral music library! Wonderful performances of all of the essential choral pieces give a wonderful introduction to choral music for someone new to it, and also give a nice sampler of the best pieces for someone already familiar with the music. Listening to each excerpt may inspire you to purchase the entire work!

As you would expect of performances by Robert Shaw's groups, these performances are really extraordinary and show the best of American choral singing.

3 out of 5 stars A good album, but--.......2001-12-28

The three stars I have given this album are not for the performances, which are all tremendous and deserve five stars or more, but for the idea of releasing this sort of compilation. Every single one of these selections is part of a larger Shaw-recorded work already released by Telarc, and you are far better off seeking the complete recordings that all these pieces are from, than just buying a mere "sampler". (Shaw, however, never did get around to recording the complete " L' Enfance du Christ".) Of course, that can be very expensive for some people, and if one cannot afford all those recordings, I suppose this is the next best thing. One can't shake off the feeling, however, that because Shaw is no longer with us, Telarc is desperately trying to give the impression that "new" Shaw recordings are constantly being released by them, when the truth is that nearly all the new ones are mere recyclings. (The last complete Robert Shaw album released by Telarc was Dvorak's "Stabat Mater", a CD well worth buying.)

5 out of 5 stars Awesome.......2000-04-04

This album is so up-lifting. As the music soars, so do your spirits.
The Essential Falla
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • LO MEJOR DE LO MEJOR
  • A Very Fine Compilation
 The Essential Falla

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

BalletsBallets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Albéniz: Iberia; Granados: Goyescas
  2. Granados: Spanish Dances
  3. Falla: El Amor Brujo; Sombrero de tres picos; Noches en los jardines de España
  4. Manuel de Falla: Nights in the Gardens of Spain / Isaac Albeniz: Rapsodia Espanola / Joaquin Turina: Rapsodia Sinfonica - Alicia de Larrocha / London Philharmonic Orchestra / Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos
  5. Favourite Spanish Encores

ASIN: B00001X59X
Release Date: 1999-10-12

Tracks:

  1. Love The Magician: Introduction And Scene... In The Cave
  2. Love The Magician: Song Of Suffering Love
  3. Love The Magician: The Spectre... Dance Of Fear
  4. Love The Magician: Magic Circle... Midnight
  5. Love The Magician: Ritual Fire Dance
  6. Love The Magician: Scene
  7. Love The Magician: Song Of The Will-O'-The-Wisp
  8. Love The Magician: Pantomime
  9. Love The Magician: Dance Of The Game Of Love
  10. Love The Magician: Finale: The Bells Of Dawn
  11. Harpsichord Concerto: I. Allegro
  12. Harpsichord Concerto: II. Lento
  13. Harpsichord Concerto: III. Vivace
  14. Homenaje 'Le Tombeau de Claude Debussy'
  15. Psyche
  16. Nights in the Gardens of Spain: I In The Generalife
  17. Nights in the Gardens of Spain: II Distant Dance
  18. Nights in the Gardens of Spain: III In The Gardens Of The Sierra de Cordoba

Tracks:

  1. La Vida breve: Interludio y Danza
  2. Seven Spanish Folk Songs: The Moorish Cloth
  3. Seven Spanish Folk Songs: Seguidilla From Murcia
  4. Seven Spanish Folk Songs: Asturian Song
  5. Seven Spanish Folk Songs: Jota
  6. Seven Spanish Folk Songs: Lullaby
  7. Seven Spanish Folk Songs: Song
  8. Seven Spanish Folk Songs: Polo
  9. Four Spanish Pieces: Aragonesa
  10. Four Spanish Pieces: Cubana
  11. Four Spanish Pieces: Montanesa
  12. Four Spanish Pieces: Andaluza
  13. The Three-Cornered Hat: Part 1: Introduction
  14. The Three-Cornered Hat: Part 1: Afternoon
  15. The Three-Cornered Hat: Part 1: Dance Of The Miller's Wife
  16. The Three-Cornered Hat: Part 1: The Grapes
  17. The Three-Cornered Hat: Part 2: The Neighbours' Dance
  18. The Three-Cornered Hat: Part 2: The Miller's Dance
  19. The Three-Cornered Hat: Part 2: The Corregidor's Dance
  20. The Three-Cornered Hat: Part 2: Final Dance

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars LO MEJOR DE LO MEJOR.......2002-03-29

Una grabacion
magistral de los
clasicos de Manuel de Falla.
Este disco contiene el famoso
"Homage a Debussy" la unica
obra original compuesta para
guitarra por la mano del compositor.
Tremenda grabaccion, como para no
perdersela a ese precio...

5 out of 5 stars A Very Fine Compilation.......2000-05-17

"The Essential Falla" is just that, including all of Manuel de Falla's major works (performed by the likes of Dutoit, Fruhbeck de Burgos and de Larrocha) on these two CDs. Highlights are excellent performances of Falla's three most famous works: "El amor brujo", "Noches en los jardines de Espana" and "El Sombrero de tres picos". The rest of the included music is perhaps less well-know but no less enjoyable. Perhaps the only quibble I have with this CD is the enclusion of the Harpsicord Concerto. While it is an enjoyable piece, it is very much a Stravinsky-esque neo-classical work, and it seems somewhat out of place amongst Falla's other, very Spanish, works. Nonetheless, if you enjoy 20th Century Spanish music, this CD is indeed an essential.
Essential Baroque
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Great Collection
  • A remarkable anthology
  • High-quality, marvelously varied intro to baroque music
 Essential Baroque

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00006L3IL
Release Date: 2002-10-08

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great Collection.......2007-01-19

Essential Baroque is a great collection, especially for the price. It has two CDs packd full of the best Baroque music. Like most Baroque collections, it has the best of some of the better known artists like Handel, Bach, and Vivaldi. However, unlike most other collections, it excels in adding some good pieces from lesser known artists from the period.

4 out of 5 stars A remarkable anthology.......2005-09-08

A fine selection of pieces excerpted from the chamber ensemble, solo and opera repertory. Some recordings, though from paramount artists, are elderly; yet, performers are anyway flawless. It may be objected that a few of Vivaldi's masterpieces were disregarded.

5 out of 5 stars High-quality, marvelously varied intro to baroque music.......2003-12-13

I am buying this as the perfect gift for Russian and Chinese scientist friends. They have knowledge of classical music but perhaps not much about baroque music, which achieved special popularity in the U.S. during the 1970's and 1980's. Russians seem to have more familiarity with romantic classical music, while the more recently arrived Asian classical buffs have special affinity to the "Classical" classical period and the great 19th Century romantics. How can a baroque sampler be better than with a span of music ranging from solo harpsichord to full orchestra and chorus, and from the very familiar (Pachelbel Canon and Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah) to a trio sonata by Zelenka and the Dardanus Overture by Rameau. Not only that, but both the period instrument and living tradition baroque styles are represented by noted performers (e.g. Trevor Pinnock and Christopher Hogwood; and Henryk Szeryng, Andras Schiff, Pepe Romero, and Alicia de Larrocha, respectively). The producers were careful enough to state that the "Albinoni Adagio in g minor" was actually composed by Remo Giazotto - though in fact Giazotto did use a fragment of Albinoni. This is definitely not a supermarket special, but a box of choice musical bonbons.

Music Review:

  1. Film Music Classics: Macbeth/Golgotha/Don Quichotte [Soundtrack]
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  4. Gilbert & Sullivan - Operettas / Pro Arte Orchestra ˇ Sir Malcolm Sargent [Box set]
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  6. Glinka: Complete Piano Music, Vol. 1
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Dondestan: Revisited [Original recording remastered]

Feidman & The Israel Camerata

Giovanni Benedetto Platti aus der Gräflich-Schönbornschen

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Fireside Carols

Fotografia [Import]

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Cecilia Bartoli - Gluck Italian Arias ~ Dreams & Fables

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