Britten: Gloriana
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
From its first performance in 1953, one of the events celebrating the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, Gloriana sparked a storm of controversy. Critics wondered--very loudly--if this work was "fit" for the new queen. Instead of glorifying the myth of Elizabeth I in order to glorify the new queen, Britten and his librettist chose to focus on the "real story" of Elizabeth I's moral conflict regarding her illicit love for the traitor Essex and the events leading to Essex's execution. In spite of later successful performances, the opera remained in relative neglect--until this, its first (and only) recording, made nearly 40 years after the premiere. Finally, under Charles Mackerras's flawless and commanding direction we can appreciate the work as one of Britten's finest stage works. The excellent cast and sumptuous sound bring the pageantry, the intimacy, the skillfully drawn and detailed characters, and the richly hued orchestration to real life--too real for its original, obsessively dignified audience, but perfect for the opera house. --David Vernier
Britten: Gloriana, Music, Alan Opie, Jonathan Summers, Willard White, Benjamin Britten, Jonathan Holmes, Sir Charles Mackerras, Tom Finucane, Jenevora Williams, Welsh National Opera Orchestra, Welsh National Opera Orchestra & Chorus, Yvonne Kenny, John Mark Ainsley, Bryn Terfel, Christopher Cornall, Della Jones, Dominic Gill, James Miller-Coburn, Janice Watson, John Shirley-Quirk, Josephine Barstow, Peter Hoare, Philip Langridge, Richard Allen, Richard van Allan, British 20th/21st Century Opera, Classical, Classical Music, Opera, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio
Average customer rating:
- First rate Britten orchestral music
- Quintessential Britten Works in Fine Performances
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Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem; Sea Interludes and Passacaglia from Peter Grimes
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ASIN: B0008JEKC2
Release Date: 2005-05-17 |
Tracks:
- The Tournament
- The Lute Song
- I. March
- II. Coranto
- III. Pavane
- IV. Morris Dance
- V. Galliard
- VI. Lavolta
- VII. March
- Gloriana Moritura
- I. Dawn
- II. Sunday Morning
- III. Moonlight
- IV. Storm
- Passacaglia
- I. Lacrymosa
- II. Dies Irae
- III. Requiem Aeternam
Customer Reviews:
First rate Britten orchestral music.......2006-03-05
This has been very well-reviewed already...and sometimes the main point of a review may be to join in the critical consensus. As reported, the Symphonic Suite: Gloriana is a very charming and, at the same time, not insubstantial work. It is a work of Britten's maturity, and this listener, at least, is likely to come back to it more often that the Sinfonia de Requiem.
The Four Sea Interludes has been one of my favorite 20th Century orchestral pieces for years. With it, Britten demonstrated in a striking fashion that tonally-centered music was very much alive at the time (1940's), and, that there was much yet to be explored within the tonal language (including, as here, unique and very effective ways to tug at the edges).
It's a hard piece to pull off because of its unusual and somewhat fragmentary structure. Bedford does a nice job here, and the sound is very good. However, he doesn't quite maintain the tension of my favorite performance by Colin Davis, which hasn't made it to CD, that I'm aware. In the interim, Bedford will do fine.
Overall, this is another welcome and hard-to-beat bargain from Naxos. If all the Britten you know is the Young Person's Guide and the Frank Bridge variations, I would call this a must-have release.
Quintessential Britten Works in Fine Performances.......2005-06-05
Most people think of Britten primarily in terms of his operas, but he was an undisputed master of orchestral composition as well, and this CD taken from a 1990 release of the now-defunct Collins Classics is one of the really good ones in their Britten series conducted by supreme Britten conductor Steuart Bedford. It contains the suite from his coronation opera 'Gloriana,' the 'Four Sea Interludes and Passacaglia' from 'Peter Grimes,' and the 'Sinfonia da Requiem.' Amazon does not as yet seem to note that this CD contains the 'Gloriana' Suite, which is probably the least-recorded of the music here, and it's a corker. Assisted by Imogen Holst, Britten concocted the suite about a year after the disappointing première of the opera before an uncomprehending audience during Elizabeth II's coronation season. It contains 'The Tournament' (a fanfare-y section full of vigor), 'The Lute Song' (a lovely Dowlandesque piece that in this recording features the inimitable harpist Osian Ellis and oboist Keiron Moore), a set of 'Courtly Dances' from Act II, and 'Gloriana Moritura,' Elizabeth I's death. The suite is a marvelous concoction because on the one hand one could not hear more than a few bars before realizing it to be Britten, and yet it is a very skillful pastiche of Elizabethan music. It is played brilliantly by the London Symphony.
The set of pieces from 'Peter Grimes' are surely among Britten's most popular works and they have been recorded many times. They are tours de force of brilliant orchestration as well as aptly setting the emotional tone for their particular scenes in the opera. Bedford and the LSO give us a marvelous performance. I honestly can't find anything to quibble about here, but recognize that many musiclovers will already have at least one recording of the 'Grimes' set.
The 'Sinfonia da Requiem' has an interesting history. It was commissioned in 1939 by the Japanese government as part of their celebration of the 2600th anniversary of the founding of Japan's imperial dynasty. In the event, it was turned down by the Japanese owing to its basis in Christian ritual. It is assumed that Britten, a staunch pacifist, knew what he was doing in writing a work that implies divine judgment (there is a section called 'Dies irae') at a time when war clouds were gathering. It was finally given its première by John Barbirolli and the New York Philharmonic in 1941. Never one of my favorite Britten works, nonetheless this committed performance by Bedford and the LSO makes a strong case for this stern and minatory work.
Although the Collins Classics issue can still be found in various places (including here at Amazon) a full price, this superbudget issue trumps it and I would suggest that anyone wanting good performances of any of these pieces, or combination of pieces, would be rewarded if they obtained this excellent reissue.
TT=72:10
Scott Morrison
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Britten Conducts Britten: Operas 2
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ASIN: B000654OU6
Release Date: 2005-03-15 |
Customer Reviews:
Britten's lesser operas?.......2007-05-29
Of course it's all a matter of taste. I find most of Britten's operas first class with no exception. 'Gloriana' is an under-recorded jewel, full of melody and emotion. 'Turn of the Screw' a masterpiece of claustrophobic sense. 'Rape of Lucretia' full of chamber sensibility. And the performances cannot be bettered.
Need I say more? DECCA is paying an enormous service to collectors with these releases, especially those who have a real concern with storage space. They deserve 10 stars, if available.
Britten's lesser operas.......2007-05-13
I loved Britten's Operas 1. So I snatched this item up right away. It's o.k. but not as good as the first collection. Death in Venice was the only opera on these discs that I really cared for. It's every bit as good as the Hickox version so if you already have one there's really no need to buy the other. As for the other operas they're nowhere near as good as Billy Budd, Peter Grimes, or Albert Herring. For those just discovering Britten's operas start out with the first boxed set.
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ASIN: B00000K2EM
Release Date: 1999-09-14 |
Tracks:
- Gloriana: Courtly Dances: March
- Sonata For Two Pianos, K.448: Allegro Molto
- Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
- Cantata, Bwv 140: Wachet auf
- Fa fa mi fa mi re - Ut re mi ut re mi
- Concerto For Oboe, Rv 454: Allegro
- Ave Maria
- Rondo
- Cantate Domino
- Cantata, Bwv 147: Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
- Concerto For Organ, Op. 4 No. 1: Allegro
- Hymn: God That Madest Earth And Heaven
- Sonata, Bwv 1031: Allegro moderato
- In dulci jubilo
- Canon
- Pater noster
- Gloriana: Courtly Dances: March: Finale
Average customer rating:
- sublime singing from a mixed choir without ego!
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Britten: Choral Dances From Gloriana
Benjamin Britten , Gustav Holst , Arthur Drummond Bliss , Hilary Davan Wetton , Shirley Minty , Judith Pearce , and Holst Singers and Orchestra
Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
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ASIN: B00005NUPJ
Release Date: 2001-10-09 |
Customer Reviews:
sublime singing from a mixed choir without ego!.......2006-12-21
I hate it when a cd I love gets deleted, conversely there is a good reason why something get reprinted. In this case the original recording was a statement that female vocies could sound as one! Musicainship to die for and the music is not mainstream by any stretch of the imagination.
Mystical harmonies and magical progressions caress my soul when I listen to this music, I feel I am a better person for having done so. Better, buy two copies because the 1st person that you loan it to, may have just developed short term memory problems. My wife was spellbound and she likes Nora Jones, go figure.
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A Portrait of Britten
Manufacturer: Nimbus Records
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ASIN: B00000JCAX
Release Date: 1999-06-15 |
Tracks:
- Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Intro And Theme - Roger Best
- Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Adagio - Roger Best
- Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: March - Roger Best
- Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Romance - Roger Best
- Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Aria Italiana - Roger Best
- Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Bourree Classique - Roger Best
- Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Wiener Walzer - Roger Best
- Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Moto Perpetuo - Roger Best
- Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Funeral March - Roger Best
- Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Chant - Roger Best
- Vars On A Theme Of Frank Bridge, Op.10: Fugue And Finale - Roger Best
- Simple Sym, Op.4: Boisterous Bourree - Roger Best
- Simple Sym, Op.4: Playful Pizzicato - Roger Best
- Simple Sym, Op.4: Sentimental Saraband - Roger Best
- Simple Sym, Op.4: Frolicsome Finale - Roger Best
- Lachrymae-Reflections On A Song Of Dowland: Lento-Allegretto, Andante Molto-Animato-Tranquillo... - Roger Best
- Plrd And Fugue, Op.29: Prld: Grave - Roger Best
- Plrd And Fugue, Op.29: Fugue: Allegro Energico - Roger Best
Tracks:
- Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op.33a: I. Dawn - Michael Bochmann
- Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op.33a: II. Sunday Morning - Michael Bochmann
- Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op.33a: III. Moonlight - Michael Bochmann
- Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op.33a: IV. Storm - Michael Bochmann
- Ste On English Folk Tunes 'A Time There Was...', Op.90: I. Cakes And Ale - Michael Bochmann
- Ste On English Folk Tunes 'A Time There Was...', Op.90: II. Bitter Withy - Michael Bochmann
- Ste On English Folk Tunes 'A Time There Was...', Op.90: III. Hankin Booby - Michael Bochmann
- Ste On English Folk Tunes 'A Time There Was...', Op.90: IV. Hunt The Squirrel - Michael Bochmann
- Ste On English Folk Tunes 'A Time There Was...', Op.90: V. Lord Melbourne - Michael Bochmann
- Gloriana: The Courtly Dances, Op.53a - Michael Bochmann
- The Young Person's Guide To The Orch, Op.34: Vars And Fugue On A Theme Of Purcell - Michael Bochmann
Tracks:
- Les Illuminations, Op.18: Fanfare - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
- Les Illuminations, Op.18: Villes - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
- Les Illuminations, Op.18: Phrase - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
- Les Illuminations, Op.18: Antique - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
- Les Illuminations, Op.18: Royaute - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
- Les Illuminations, Op.18: Marine - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
- Les Illuminations, Op.18: Interlude - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
- Les Illuminations, Op.18: Being Beauteous - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
- Les Illuminations, Op.18: Parade - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
- Les Illuminations, Op.18: Depart - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
- Ser, Op.31: Prologue - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
- Ser, Op.31: Pastoral - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
- Ser, Op.31: Nocturne - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
- Ser, Op.31: Elegy - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
- Ser, Op.31: Dirge - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
- Ser, Op.31: Hymn - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
- Ser, Op.31: Sonnet - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
- Ser, Op.31: Epilogue - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead
- Nocturne, Op.60 - Jerry Hadley/Anthony Halstead/Michael Hirst/Paul Arden Taylor/David Campbell/Keith Rubach...
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Britten: Sacred and Profane; A.M.D.G.; Five Flower Songs; etc.
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ASIN: B0000CDVR6
Release Date: 2003-11-11 |
Average customer rating:
- interesting classical music collection...
- Fantastic Classical Compilation
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ASIN: B00000429J
Release Date: 1996-08-13 |
Tracks:
- Ritual Fire Dance
- The Rite Of Spring (Excerpts): First Part: Adoration Of The Earth: The Augurs Of Spring - Dances Of The Young Girls
- The Rite Of Spring (Excerpts): First Part: Adoration Of The Earth: Ritual Of Abduction
- Enigma Variations (Excerpts): VIII. Troyte
- Enigma Variations (Excerpts): VIII. W.N.
- Enigma Variations (Excerpts): IX. Nimrod
- Rhaphsody in Blue (Excerpt)
- Beim Schlafengehen
- Adagio For Strings
- Sposa Son Disprezzata
- Violin Concerto No.4: Rondeau
- Gloriana - The Courtly Dances: March
- Gloriana - The Courtly Dances: Corante
- Gloriana - The Courtly Dances: Pavan
- Gloriana - The Courtly Dances: Morris Dance
- Gloriana - The Courtly Dances: Galliard
- Gloriana - The Courtly Dances: La Volta
- Gloriana - The Courtly Dances: March (Finale)
- String Quartet No. 8 In C Minor: Largo
- Clair De Lune
- Pictures At An Exhibition (Excerpt): The Great Gate Of Kiev
Customer Reviews:
interesting classical music collection..........2004-12-16
This is an interesting classical music collection that is as their personal favorites. My personal faves are by Manuel De Falla (selected by Steven Tyler), a Mozart piece (Keith Richards), Benjamin Britten (Paul McCartney) and Modest Mussorgsky (Trevor Rabin). It includes a 12 page booklet written by Boston DJ Carter Alan with quotes from each musician on why they choose what they did. The other musicians who picked their favorites include Bruce Hornsby, Elton John, Brian Wilson, Marianne Faithful, Michael Stipe, Bono and Frank Sinatra.
Fantastic Classical Compilation.......1999-12-24
This is one of the best classical compilations around - and these are the pieces that inspired other musicians. Rock musicians at that. Lots of good stuff here, including a heartrending rendition of Sposa son Disprezzata, sung by Cecilia Bartoli. Great fun.
Average customer rating:
- One of my favorite records
- the britten is okay, but the rest is much better
|
Music For Voice & Guitar
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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Similar Items:
- Dowland: Complete Lute Works, Vol.1-5
- Heavenly Love, Earthly Joy
- English Song Series 3
- Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs
ASIN: B000003FG1
Release Date: 1996-05-21 |
Tracks:
- Songs From The Chinese, Op.58: The Big Chariot
- Songs From The Chinese, Op.58: The Old Lute
- Songs From The Chinese, Op.58: The Autumn Wind
- Songs From The Chinese, Op.58: The Herd-Boy
- Songs From The Chinese, Op.58: Depression
- Songs From The Chinese, Op.58: Dance Song
- Folk Song Arrangements: Master Kilby
- Folk Song Arrangements: The Shooting Of His Dear
- Folk Song Arrangements: Sailor-Boy
- Folk Song Arrangements: I Will Give My Love An Apple
- Folk Song Arrangements: The Soldier And The Sailor
- Gloriana: The Second Lt Song Of The Earl Of Essex
- Anon In Love: Fain Would I Change That Note
- Anon In Love: O Stay, Sweet Love
- Anon In Love: Lady, When I Behold The Roses
- Anon In Love: My Love In Her Attire
- Anon In Love: I Gave Her Cakes And I Gave Her Ale
- Anon In Love: To Couple Is A Custom
- Four French Folk Songs: Reveillez-Vous
- Four French Folk Songs: J'Ai Descendu
- Four French Folk Songs: Le Rossignol
- Four French Folk Songs: Marguerite, Elle Est Malade
- O Mistress Mine
- Nocturnal, Op.70
Customer Reviews:
One of my favorite records.......2005-04-18
I'm buying the CD now to replace my very-scratched LP. I'm no connoisseur of vocal music, but I am a big guitar fan (and player) and a Taoist, so "Big Chariot" speaks most eloquently to me... but the entire "Songs from the Chinese" set from Britten was a trememdous discovery to me the first time I heard the LP many years ago. And, as a bonus, you have those great ribald songs on it, like "To Couple is A Custom". Overall, a fabulous, unique find if your tastes run to voice+guitar+sense of humor.
the britten is okay, but the rest is much better.......2003-06-21
most people will get this cd for britten's songs from the chinese, nocturnal for solo guitar, and the folk song arrangements included here, but these works are not among his best. the nocturnal is a little too verbose, and the arrangements of the folk songs aren't particularly distinctive. the chinese cycle is worthwhile, although certainly not up to the caliber of winter words or the michelangelo sonnets cycle. still, all three have moments worth hearing, particularly among the slower sections. examples include "the autumn wind" in the songs from the chinese and the first movement, "musingly", of the nocturnal.
along with these works by britten, the disc also includes other songs for guitar and voice and these are what make the disc worth getting. bream is ideal and masterful. i believe this is one of pears' later recordings, and he gets a little too carried away at times (for example, at the end of "i gave her cakes"), but he really shines in the pensive, lyrical songs of each cycle presented here, recalling his role as peter grimes. of particular note are his performance in seiber's french folk song arrangements, the first half of the walton cycle, the second lute song from britten's gloriana, and the fricker setting of shakespeare.
the sound has a few spots of static where the vocal was too loud, but they may have been present on the original recording. the liner notes don't include any of the texts, which is a pity, nor is the nocturnal divided into 8 tracks for its 8 movements. still, all in all, worth having if you're a pears or bream fan, and if you're a fan of britten you probably have this disc already.
Average customer rating:
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Britten: Gloriana
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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ASIN: B000004CVZ
Release Date: 1993-08-10 |
Amazon.com
From its first performance in 1953, one of the events celebrating the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, Gloriana sparked a storm of controversy. Critics wondered--very loudly--if this work was "fit" for the new queen. Instead of glorifying the myth of Elizabeth I in order to glorify the new queen, Britten and his librettist chose to focus on the "real story" of Elizabeth I's moral conflict regarding her illicit love for the traitor Essex and the events leading to Essex's execution. In spite of later successful performances, the opera remained in relative neglect--until this, its first (and only) recording, made nearly 40 years after the premiere. Finally, under Charles Mackerras's flawless and commanding direction we can appreciate the work as one of Britten's finest stage works. The excellent cast and sumptuous sound bring the pageantry, the intimacy, the skillfully drawn and detailed characters, and the richly hued orchestration to real life--too real for its original, obsessively dignified audience, but perfect for the opera house. --David Vernier
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2003-10-07
This is an excellent production of this rarely performed and rarely recorded work. It displays many of the features of Britten's best work. The music is often lovely and features Britten's particular ability to set english language texts to music. The music is informed by Britten's ability to create a style with is reminescent of music appropriate for the period without being imitative. The story is relatively complex, describing the aged Elizabeth 1st's infatuation with the much younger Earl of Essex and his subsequent execution for treason. Elizabeth is the central figure of the story. I suspect one of the reasons that this opera is not performed often is that Elizabeth is a particularly difficult role. Britten and his librettist, the writer William Plomer, present her as a complex figure. Elizabeth is nearing the end of her life and long reign. She is shown to not merely infatuated with Essex but also with the idea of a young lover, a throw back to her early days as Queen. Plomer and Britten and show her a woman capable of petty spite and jealousy, as a powerful and intelligent monarch, and finally as an individual facing death and loss of all the things that have held meaning. This role demands not only considerable vocal ability but also acting ability commensurate with the complex figure of Elizabeth. I doubt that many opera singers have the acting capacity to pull this off.
This opera illustrates some of the reasons why Britten has a somewhat ambiguous position among 20th century composers. He was not a man of the avant-garde and his work tends to be dismissed by somewhat snobby academic critics. On the other hand, much of his music, particularly in the operas is somewhat unconventional and he appears to have been very interested in producing more subtle emotional effects. The range of emotions in much of his operatic work tends to be subtle and much more modulated than seen in prototypic 19th century opera. I think this has tended to reduce the popularity of his work though he is certainly more popular than many 20th century composers. I believe that Britten amply repays careful listening and I recommend this recording strongly.
Average customer rating:
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Out Classics, Vol. 2: Stepping Out
Manufacturer: RCA
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ASIN: B000003G16
Release Date: 1996-09-17 |
Tracks:
- The Nutcracker-The Waltz Of The Flowers - Chicago S.O./Morton Gould
- Rodeo-Hoe Down - Morton Gould And His Orchestra
- Concerto Grosso Op.6 No.11: Giga - Guildhall Strs. Ens./Robert Salter
- Waltz, Op.18: 'Grande Valse Brillante' - Geza Anda
- Symphony No. 5-II: Menuetto - Chicago S.O./Fritz Reiner
- Courtly Dances from Gloriana: I. March - The Julian Bream Consort
- Courtly Dances from Gloriana: II. Corante - The Julian Bream Consort
- Courtly Dances from Gloriana: III. Pavan - The Julian Bream Consort
- Courtly Dances from Gloriana: IV. Morris Dance - The Julian Bream Consort
- Courtly Dances from Gloriana: V. Galliard - The Julian Bream Consort
- Courtly Dances from Gloriana: VI. La Volta - The Julian Bream Consort
- Courtly Dances from Gloriana: VII. March - The Julian Bream Consort
- Water Music Suite No. 1: V. Passepied - Melvyn Tan
- Swan Lake-Act III: Mazurka - St. Louis S.O./Leonard Slatkin
- Danse Macabre - The Philadelphia Orch./Eugene Ormandy
- Don't Fence Me In (From Hollywood Canteen) - Richard Hayman
- Souvenirs (For Piano Four-Hands)-Hesitation Tango - John Browning/Leonard Slatkin
- Three Dances From 'Fancy Free': I. Galop - Boston Pops Orch./Arthur Fiedler
- Three Dances From 'Fancy Free': II. Waltz - Boston Pops Orch./Arthur Fiedler
- Three Dances From 'Fancy Free': III. Danzon - Boston Pops Orch./Arthur Fiedler
- Water Music Suite No.1: IX. Hornpipe - Melvyn Tan
- Swan Lake-Act II: Allegro Moderato ('Danse Des Cygnes') - St. Louis S.O.
- Swan Lake-Act III: Danse Espagnole - St. Louis S.O.
- Souvenirs-Waltz - John Browning/Leonard Slatkin
- Croncerto Grosso Op. 6, No. 9: Gavotta - Guildhall Strs. Ens./Robert Salter
- Sleeping Beauty-Waltz - Chicago S.O./Morton Gould
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- Classical Treasures: Spanish Guitar Favorites
- Dance on a Moonbeam: A Collection of Songs and Poems
- Debussy: Preludes, Vol. 1 / L'isle joyeux
- Dvorák: Quartet op. 96/Quintet op. 81
- Dvorak: String Quartets
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The Allman Brothers Band/Idlewind South/At Fillmore East [Box set]
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Hector Berlioz: Overture, Le Corsaire Op.21/Symphonie Fantastique Op. 14
Giving Back
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Orion [Import]
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Mapping an Invisible World
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Love to Love You Baby
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