Khachaturian: Spartacus (Suites Nos. 1-3)

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The story of Spartacus and his slave revolt is well known, not least from the epic film that featured a wonderful score by Miklos Rosza. The tale offered many attractions to Soviet composers as well, not least because the slave revolt could be portrayed as a genuine uprising of oppressed workers against the decadent capitalist ruling elite. For this very, very long ballet, Khachaturian provided some of his most exciting (and loudest) music, along with some lyrical moments that are very beautiful. One of them, the famous "Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia" made it into the soundtrack of 2001: A Space Odyssey. This disc offers an effective, budget-priced overview of the complete score, which is not otherwise available. --David Hurwitz

Tracks:

Spartacus-Excerpts: Adagio Of Spartacus And Phrygia
Spartacus-Excerpts: Variation Of Aegina And Bacchanalia
Spartacus-Excerpts: Scene And Dance With Crotala
Spartacus-Excerpts: Dance Of Gaditanae And Victory Of Spartacus
Gayaneh-Excerpts: Sabre Dance
Gayaneh-Excerpts: Aysheh's Awakening And Dance
Gayaneh-Excerpts: Lezghinka
Gayaneh-Excerpts: Gayaneh's Adagio
Gayaneh-Excerpts: Gopak
The Seasons, Op. 67: Winter
The Seasons, Op. 67: Spring
The Seasons, Op. 67: Summer
The Seasons, Op. 67: Autumn

Amazon.com

Khachaturian's popular ballet scores benefit from his vigorous leadership and the surprisingly idiomatic playing of the Vienna Philharmonic. All the favorite crowd-pleasers are here, including the Sabre Dance. This pairing of ballet suites was a demonstration disc back in LP days and the engineering is still impressive. For those not on Khachaturian's wave length (he does skate perilously close to kitschy vulgarism), the generous filler is a delight--Ansermet's dynamic account of Glazunov's ballet. Its four movements depict the four seasons in an idiom flavored by Tchaikovsky and Glazunov's teacher, Rimsky-Korsakov, and the music's all the more fetching for it. Ansermet sometimes could be a bit too sedate, and his orchestra was never a world-class group, but his conducting is nothing short of vivacious here, and the orchestra, captured in vivid sound, is with him all the way. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Spartacus/Khachaturian.......2007-01-10

Portions of this work were used in the BBC Oneden Line in the 1980s. The title had me baffled for years until I checked the reviews. I was surprised and extremely pleased to have the entire version.

Poor digitalization.......2007-01-05

How nostalgic to can hear 33 1/3 rpm vinyl scratches between the selections! Also, I hear some gurgling that sounds as if a cassette tape is running through dirty heads. This is the only digitally transferred CD on which I've ever heard either of these annoyances.

flamboyant readings of Khachaturian!.......2005-10-31

This CD is really a treasure! Khachaturian's brilliant ballet scores played amazing by Wiener Philharmoniker, under the baton of the composer!

It is a little surprising that, Wiener Philharmoniker plays generally Austro-German musics, from Haydn to Mahler and Alban Berg. But they are very good in these virtuosic orchestral scores. For example, Sabre Dance is whirling, excellent! I like especially the dances "Lezghinka" which a very fast dance of Caucasian-Musluman people and the "Gopak" which starts slow and gradually go faster and faster and finishes in a hysteric tempo! There is a beautiful slow movement, "Adagio" which you can remember form the film 2001: A Space Odyseyy.

At this price and at this sound quality, you can not go wrong with this legendary recording of 1962 by Khachaturian.

Highly recommended.

Vivid performances!.......2005-04-25

The serene and exotic lyricism of this notable work has never been exhibited with so eloquence and majesty ever before. This adagio of Spartacus and Phygia's passionate performance is imbued of profane exoticism, radiant sensuality and suggested eroticism. As you know the string and winds section of the Vienna were in that decade one of the most remarkable around the world. The variation of Aegina and Bacchanalia is loaded with admirable acrobatic fierceness. Scene and dance with crotaria is simply outstanding. Kachaturian as director maintained the rigorous balance, and the muscle never shatters the expression musical. The last section Dance of Gaditane and Spartacus' victory is extremely interesting, the bass clarinet makes a rapture filigree work, anticipating the tragic ending. The whole orchestra will emerge creating a real homage to Dionysisus and surrounding the hall with that Balkan wildness.

The Gayaneh suite begins with the super known Sabre Dance, an admirable exercise of portentous sound and exhibition of high caliber pyrotechnic. The tragic and premonitory omen waltz is almost a perpetuum mobile that strikes the main melody in Aysheh's awakening and dance. In Lezghinka we have to admit the superior histamine doses given by Tekjnavorian . It' s worthy but it is not even closer to incandescence and febrile spirit demanded: I found it weak, lack of the required emotion. In the case of Gayaneh's adagio so well known for the great audiences since Kubrick 's 2001 Odyssey we have to recognize it' s simply great, serene, persuasive, intimate with admirable fond. Hopak is excellent too, reflecting the joy of living so characteristic o this slave country.

Ansermet' s Seasons is splendid though I rather choose the Albert Wolff's performance of the fifties.

And just as historical reference, it is a must for you to acquire this golden recording. Excellent sound edition.

Hudsucker Proxy.......2003-11-11

For a number of years, I've been under the impression that the "Adagio of Spartacus" was simply called "The Hudsucker Proxy Theme." Now I know that where I have been giving credit to Carter Burwell and the Hudsucker Proxy soundtrack, I should have been giving credit to this album - it has both the Adagio of Spartacus and the Sabre Dance - the two best songs from the Hudsucker Proxy, in their original forms. If you are a fan of Hudsucker, BUY THIS ALBUM!

Average customer rating:

perfect selection for commencement/ graduation
Great Starting Point for Classical Music Novices
**An Exquisite Album**
Samples
Great Sampler!

Simply the Best Classical Anthems

Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

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

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Anthems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
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Thunderous Classics
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25 Thunderous Classics
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Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

ASIN: B00004SUVI
Release Date: 2000-04-25

Tracks:

Requiem: Dies Irae
Carmina Burana: O Fortuna
The Planets: Mars
The Ride Of The Valkyries
Chorus Of The Hebrew Slaves
Fanfare For The Common Man
Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1
Aida: Grand March
Summer - Four Seasons: Presto
Te Deum: Prelude
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra
Toccata And Fugue In D Minor
Symphony No. 5: First Movement
Spartacus: Adagio
Sabre Dance
Symphony No. 40: First Movement
Zadok The Priest
Turandot: Nessun Dorma

Tracks:

Also Sprach Zarathoustra
Romeo And Juliet: Dance Of The Knights
Requiem: Dies Irae
1812 Overture
Piano Concerto
Spring - Four Seasons: Allegro
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
The Royal Fireworks: La Ruissance From Music
Flight Of The Bumble Bee
Symphonie Fantastique: March To The Scaffold
Carmen: Overture
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Jerusalem
The Planets: Jupiter
Symphony No 9, 'Ode To Joy'
Swan Lake: Scene
Enigma Variations: Nimrod
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini [Variation 18]
Pictures At An Exibitions: Promenade
Symphony For Organ No 3: Finale, Symphony For Organ No 3

Customer Reviews:

perfect selection for commencement/ graduation.......2007-06-11

We were concerned after reading some other reviews that this version of Pomp and Circumstance wouldn't be the correct movement or the full length version. This selection has the song for graduation AND the extended length, so it gives plenty of time for processionals. If this is what you need, this is the CD to get.

Great Starting Point for Classical Music Novices.......2004-08-13

"Simply the Best Classicial Anthems" is exactly what the title indicates. This is a collection of what the CD says are "36 of the most powerful classics on Earth". My review of this CD comes from someone who is a Classical Music Novice. I'm familiar with some of the composers, musical styles, musical periods, and some of the terminology that is key to understanding Classical Music. By no means am I an expert. I have basically popped in this two CD collection into my player and have enjoyed the sounds it produces. If you are in the same category as I am or maybe just wanting to be introduced to Classical Music - this is going to be a very good CD to have in your collection. For the more seasoned Classical Music fan, this could be either enjoyable or overkill.

The CD contains 36 songs composed by the legends of Classical Music Composers from the past. The bulk of the works come from Composers in the the 19th and 20th century, but there are works from the Romantic and Classical eras of the late 18th and early 19th century (such as Beethoven and Mozart). In general you will find most of the major names of Composers you would expect to find - names such as Tchiakovsky, Handel, Verdi, Strauss, Elgar, and Bach are all there. The only major composer who I would have expected to see on this CD that I don't see is Frederic Chopin. The composers of the late 20th century are not included on this collection - so you won't see Leonard Bernstein or John Williams on this set. While these Composers are excellent, I do think style of the tracks on this collection pre-date their style.

The recordings themselves are done by the great Orchestras around the world. For the most part, European Orchestras were used to deliver the tracks. There are a few exceptions: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra delivers "The Ride of the Valkyries"; The Toronto Symphony Orchestra delivers "Dance of the Knights"; and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra delivers Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture". Some of the European Orchestras that are well known include: BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra, Choeur Philhamonique de Strasbourg, and more. Also included are performances by well known names in the Classical space such as Marie-Claire Alain (Bach's "Toccate and Fogue in D Minor" and Saint-Saens' "Symphony for Organ No 3"), Piero Toso (Vivaldi's "Allegro From Spring - Four Seasons"), and Placido Domingo appears on Puccini's "Nessun Dorma".

The 2 Disc collection contains a total of over 2 hours and 6 minutes of music. The selections that are included in the set will sound very familiar to you when you play them. You probably have both heard and seen the names of tracks such as: Oref's "O Fortuna"; Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man"; Beethoven's "First Movement from Symphony Number 5" and "Ode To Joy"; Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance", and Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture". Many of the other tracks will also sound familiar, but maybe not so much by name - such as Wagner's "The Ride of the Valkyries", Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathoustra"; Grieg's "Piano Concerto", and "Dies Irae" (versions included by Mozart and Verdi - you can compare the two and judge for yourself). As for the Discs themselves, I think most of the casual fans will like the selections on Disc Two better, but Disc One is still very good. On a sidebar, the Israel Philharmonic's version of "1812 Overture" is by far the best you will hear - particularly at the end, the booming drums create almost a 3 dimensional vision of fireworks being launched into the air.

There one big negative on this collection is some of the recording quality. The clarity of the recording is there, but some of the recording levels leave a lot to be desired. On some of the softer parts, it is barely audible without significantly turning up your volume. This is very evident on "O Fortuna" where you will hear almost dead silence during from the 30 second to 1:30 mark of the track unless you crank your volume up. Same with the first few seconds of Strauss' "Also Sprach Zarathoustra" and Tchiakovsky's "1812 Overture". When the volume is cranked up you will hear them - but then the other sections will be way too loud. I'm surprised with modern technology that this couldn't be addressed better.

The liner notes are pretty thin. You do get the Composers, Performers/Orchestras, and recording dates. There isn't any more details than that and you won't learn anymore insight on the tracks than this information. Despite some of the shortcomings of the liner notes and recording volume, I still think this is an excellent place to start and do recommend this CD if you are a novice to Classical Music and are looking for a great place to start listening to what the Classics have to offer.

**An Exquisite Album**.......2004-02-21

Simply The Best Classical Anthems

Simply The Best Classical Anthems is a compilation album of `36 of the most powerful Anthems on Earth'. But, it is also said to be something else. It is said to be a gateway. A gateway to another world. A world where our imagination can run free without being shackled down by any borders or boundaries or rules or limits. A world that we have all seen or perhaps more accurately have all heard of but for many of us a world that we have never dared to enter. Never dared to enter because of fear. The fear of being ostracised and shunned by our community.

THE MYTH
`Classical Music!', I can hear some of you cry. `That isn't another world. That's just music for the upperclass, the high-brow, and the pompous.' Surprisingly, I too felt this way for a long time until I accepted the invitation made to me by Simply The Best Classical Anthems. I always felt that Classical Music was nice to listen to as background music for a Levis ad or a Car ad but I would consider people strange if they chose to hear it on its own. However, after having listened to this album I realised how wrong I was in my assumptions.

THE TRUTH
Music as with all forms of amusement helps to take you away from where you are now. It helps to relax you when you are stressed with anger; it helps to give you strength when you are vulnerable; it helps to keep your spirits up when you have faced tragedy or loss. It helps. And, for me the type of music that best conjures up the most passionate emotions (love, hate, courage and anger) at our most testing times is Classical Music.
How? I don't know.
Why? I don't know.
I can only promise you that in my experience it does.

THE CHEST
The album, in visual terms, is very difficult to overlook amongst the plethora of records that may surround it. This is because the album has a very distinct purple sleeve cover. Not any kind of purple mind you but the Cadbury's kind of purple. The kind of purple that carries with it an invitation. An invitation that if accepted promises you a treasure inside.
And since, I have always enjoyed the treasure within the purple Cadbury's Dairy Milk wrapper, I asked myself why would an album carrying the same invitation promise to be anything different? Thus, I parted with my tuppence worth and went back home to open this purple chest of promised treasures.

THE PROMISED TREASURE
As you may have guessed, the contents of the album are somewhat different to the contents of a Cadbury's bar. When I opened the album, I was presented with two compact discs. At first glance, there did not seem to be anything special about them. They were just your average, everyday, run of the mill compact discs. To tell you the truth, I was a bit disappointed because I suppose I had hoped for something more.
However, looks can be deceptive. (Afterall, a Cadbury's Dairy Milk does not seem very appetising until you taste it!) And, also come November each year, I am always bemused and surprised at how the shabby contents of a cardboard box can both light up the sky and light up the faces of the neighbourhood. Thus, I pushed aside my assumptions and I ignited the discs (not literally of course, I just pressed the play button on the CD player). And, I let the fireworks begin.

THE KEY
From the very beginning, you will feel like you have unlocked the doorway to something special. And, after a full two hours of listening to both discs, you will feel like you have been taken out of this world and transported to another. Welcome to the world of Classical Music.

GUIDANCE
In the beginning, continue to listen to both discs in one go (i.e. one after the other). After a while, you will know which tracks you enjoy listening to the most. For those tracks you enjoyed the most make a promise to yourself that you will listen to the whole of the piece from which that track came from.
Good Luck on your quest if you choose to accept it.
Ride amongst the Valkyries, listen to the Flight of the Bumblebees, and use The Planets to keep you on the path.

I am not a good reviewer because as with all of my reviews I refuse to comment too much about what is inside the product but rather more about what effect the product has had on me. (Me, me, me. Vain & Egotistic, I know, so my friends and family keep telling me). But, I just want to cause a raucous about the product, enough not to spoil but enough of a raucous to let you experience it for yourself.

So my final words are:
Simply The Best Classical Anthems is an invitation. An invitation to the world of classical music. A world where you can begin a never-ending quest of curiosity. A curiosity that will always be rewarded with fulfilment.

Do you accept such an invitation?

Hope you found this review helpful.

Samples.......2003-11-23

The samples are too short and the quality leaves a lot to be desired. Having said that the choices are wonderful and the price is great. If you're looking for a overview of the best of classical music then this is for you. However if it's quality you're looking for then spent the extra money and look at other choices.

Great Sampler!.......2002-03-20

This is a good sampler, since it covers what you would want in a classical music CD. Looking at the tracks, it has the classic hits, such as "Ride of the Valkyries," "Toccata and Fugue," "Fanfare for the Common Man," "'Jupiter' from `The Planets,'" "Eine Klein Nachtmusik," and "Hallelujah Chorus."

There are also some new pieces that I have fallen in love with, such as "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra," "'Promenade' from Pictures at an Exhibition." The compilers did an interesting double take by including both Verdi's and Mozart's "Dies Ire." I'm not sure which is better.

This music is good for the brain and good for the soul. There is a power and passion that the blaring and glaring music that makes up most of the FM band. I'm reminded of the religious man who said that there is no music in hell. Probably because they wouldn't appreciate it there.

Tracks:

Peer Gynt Ste No.1: Morning
Nocturne
Song Of The Seashore - James Galway/Susumu Miyashita/Ayako Shinozaki
Spartacus: Adagio Of Spartacus & Phrygia
Con Op.10 No.3 'Goldfinch': II. Cantabile - James Galway/Malcolm Proud
Serenade D.957 - James Galway/Philip Moll
Kinderszenen: Traumeri
La Flute De Pan: Pan And The Birds
Nocturne in E flat, Op.9 No.2
Red Dragonfly - James Galway/Susumu Miyashita/Ayako Shinozaki
Fl Qt in C, K.285b: Variation V - James Galway/Tokyo Str Qt
Orfeo Ed Euridice: Dance Of The Blessed Spirits
Messiah: Pastoral Symphony
The Firebird: Berceuse
Dolly Ste: Berceuse
The Four Seasons: Con Op.8 No.4 'Winter': II. Largo - James Galway/Zagreb Soloists
Voyage
Suo-Gan (Lullaby) - James Galway/Emily Mitchell
Danny Boy

Customer Reviews:

A Little Piece of total enjoyment.......2007-05-12

This CD is the BOMB-- I really enyoy listening to it

Wonderful!.......2001-01-29

This is a great CD. If you're a James Galway fan, this is a must have. He is, after all, THE GREATEST flutist in the world today. The CD is filled with some of the most beautiful (and relaxing) music ever written. Buy it. You will love it.

Average customer rating:

Nice Mood Setting Music
This CD stays in my car player
Beautiful interpretations
great music! not so great sound variations!
A great, great collection!

Romantic Adagios

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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Movie Adagios
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ASIN: B00004C8TG
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Tracks:

Adagio For Strings: Barber: Adagio for Strings
Meditation (Thais): Massenet: Meditation (Thais)
Piano Concerto No. 2 In C Minor, Op. 18: Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, op. 18
Gymnopedies 1 and 3: Satie: Gymnopedies 1 and 3
Clarinet Concerto In A Major, K622: Mozart : Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K622
Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia (Spartacus): Khachaturian: Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia
Sonata in C Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 'Moonlight': Beethoven : Sonata in C Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 'Moonlight'
Kol Nidrei: Bruch: Kol Nidrei
Nimrod (Enigma variations): Elgar: Nimrod (Enigma variations)
Symphony No. 5 In C Sharp Minor: Mahler: Symphony No. 5 in C Sharp Minor

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K467: Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K467
Andante cantabile (String quartet No. 1): Tchaikovski: Andante cantabile (String quartet No. 1)
Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor: Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor
Symphony No. 9 in E minor ' From the New World': Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 in E minor ' From the New World'
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini: Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Intermezzo (Cavalleria Rusticana): Mascagni: Intermezzo (Cavalleria rusticana)
Clair de Lune: Debussy: Clair de lune
Concierto de Aranjuez: Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez - Adagio
The Carnival Of The Animals: Saint-Saens: The Swan
Piano Concerto No. 2 In F Major, Op. 102: Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major, op. 102 - Andante
Pavane, op 50: Faure: Pavane, op 50

Customer Reviews:

Nice Mood Setting Music.......2007-05-25

This is a very nice cd to listen to and sip red wine in one's back yard while reading a good book. Well worth to add to your collection.

This CD stays in my car player.......2005-07-25

This CD is one that I think even non-classical music lovers would like. It isn't too "classical" and some of the songs are the kind that keep going though your head until you can't help but play the disc again. It is a two disc set and priced no higher than most singles.

Beautiful interpretations.......2004-01-25

I agree with a previous reviewer on the minor problem
of variations in volume. Beyond that, I find every
piece beautiful. This interpretation of Barber's
Adagio is the most passionate I have ever heard. I also
find the Faure selection very touching. I love the
vocals. I recommend this set to anyone, if for no
other reason than the Barber piece.

great music! not so great sound variations!.......2003-07-07

The selections and the arrangements are truly excellent. There are some hard to find (on the same CD) pieces and adagios--Spartacus ; Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez; Mascagni's Intermezzo from Cavelleria...
But, better turn up the sound and then get away from the speakers. Parts of the selections are played so very softly that, when you turn up the volume to hear them, you will get blasted by those sections that have cresendos, or just plain louder sections. Too bad!
Very hard to enjoy in a car--or, even at home. if this problem did not exist, this is a 5 star plus!

A great, great collection!.......2001-10-01

I was stunned to see only two and a half stars for romantic adagios. I don't know how much you get to know by listening to only one "song" out of so many in this collection, but in my opinion this CD collection deserves a lot of credit. I had heard of Samuel Barber's Adagio for strings many times before and I was impressed but this was the first time that I was completely mesmerized. I highly recommend to any Barber fans to listen to this interpretation by David Zinman which is incredible. There seems to be so much passion and emotion! Also others such as Adagio of Spartacus and Clarinet Concerto just make the collection even better.

Khachaturian: Gayaneh & Spartacus Suites

Average customer rating:

Spartacus/Gayaneh

Khachaturian: Gayaneh & Spartacus Suites
Aram Khachaturian , Yuri Temirkanov , and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Khachaturian: Piano Concerto; Gayaneh Ballet Suite; Masquerade Suite
Khachaturian: Spartacus; Masquerade Suite for orchestra No1-5
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Khachaturian: Spartacus (Suites Nos. 1-3)
Khachaturian: Masquerade Suite; Kabalevsky: The Comedians; Tchaikovsky: Capriccio Italien; Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnol / Kondrashin

ASIN: B000002RO2
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Spartacus: Variation Of Aegina - Final Scene: Bacchanal
Spartacus: Adagio Of Spartacus And Phrygia
Spartacus: Scene And Dance
Spartacus: Dance Of The Gaditanian Maidens - The Victory Dance Of Spartacus
Gayaneh: Gopak
Gayaneh: Sabre Dance
Gayaneh: Ayesha's Dance
Gayaneh: Dance Of The Rose-Maidens
Gayaneh: Mountaineers' Dance
Gayaneh: Lullaby
Gayaneh: Dance Of The Young Kurds
Gayaneh: Armen's Variation
Gayaneh: Lezghinka

Customer Reviews:

Spartacus/Gayaneh.......2002-10-24

This is a very fine recording. The music is very exciting and the selections are paced very well. Mr. Aram Khachaturian is excelent at bringing the local curtural color into his compositions. In spite of Soviet restrictions on a composers "politicaly correctness" the genius shows through.

If you like Prokofiev, you will find this one to be very much to your liking.

Customer Reviews:

Best out there for now.......2007-03-08

Yes, this recording does sound a little "off" thanks to RCA's questionable job at remastering the original vinyl recordings. However, I still prefer this recording (75% of Gayaneh's original music) over the one issued by Vox (complete 2nd version) with Kakhidze and the USSR Large Symphony Orchestra.

The melodies used in the original version are much more appealing and Tjeknavorian and the Philharmonia Orchestra really seem to enjoy themselves. In contrast, Kakhidze and the Russian orchestra seem to rush through some of the dances giving the impression that they just want to get through the recording session as quickly as possible. It doesn't help that Khachaturian's editing of the original score for the 2nd version meant that some of the catchy folk-dance melodies in the 1st version were replaced with more "symphonic" pieces. Thus the Vox disc is only worthwhile if you're an avid collector of Khachaturian's music or want to study the differences between the 1st and 2nd versions of Gayaneh.

For now, this reissued recording by RCA is a lot better than nothing and I enjoy it warts and all.

A dreadful sonic abortion.............2006-11-24

I certainly don't want to be guilty of "piling on", but RCA is guilty of a felonious assault by issuing this set. - It simply defies belief that the same record company responsible for the magnificent SACD "Living Stereo" series of reissued RCA recordings is the same one which has issued this sonic disaster! - One understands that John Newton and Soundmirror were not responsible for this atrocity, but the engineers who were responsible should hang their heads in shame and find another field of work.

Khachaturian may have composed some "junk" in his time, but a lot of this is quite good (particularly in this fine performance) and sonically it deserves at least a decent transfer from the original tapes. Three stars for the music, zero stars for the engineering. GET TO WORK, RCA!

Only flaw I found was the sound quality.......2006-03-09

Khachaturian's Gayne Ballet (in its 1942 original version, not the 1962 revised version) is wonderful and fulfilling. The selections from "Spartacus" are a pleasurable feast for the ears, and the Masquerade & Russian Fantasy are flawless through the baton of Loris Tjeknavorian. The tempi are precise, the orchestral emotion is outstanding, and the sound quality is awfully unsatisfactory. I mean, seriously, the BMF transfer is weakly done. Half of the tracks are frail in volume, and the bass sound is heard incorrectly. All in all, if you want a complete version of Khachaturian's Gayne and the Masquerade suite, then this is the 2-CD set for you. Otherwise, you better find a more recommendable recording...if there are still any out there.

Great performance, horrendous CD transfer.......2006-02-13

I love this ballet & performance, and have had the LP for years, so I was thrilled when it finally came out on CD. But what a disappointment -- they have butchered the CD. There is a loss of frequency on both the high & low end, with the lush strings from the LP being muffled throughout. Plus, they dynamic range is less than the LP. (And BTW, I'm not one of those "back to LP" types -- I prefer CDs). Unfortunately, this is not worth the money. Stick with the LP.

The best complete version.......2005-06-16

This is not the Gayaneh Suites, but the complete (1942) version of Khachaturian's folk ballet. I've never liked the later "even more complete" version, recorded by USSR Radio and TV Large Symphony Orchestra under Kakhidze. Khachaturian's rewrite didn't add anything but a lot of connecting music between the dances which are all here, unadorned, in Tjeknavorian's recording.
I have the original RCA LPs from the late 70s and they sound quite OK so I'm a little disappointed in BMG's CD transfer. It's toppy and harsh. For some reason BMG in particular seem to think their low and mid-price labels should feature bright, toppy sonics so they'll sound exciting on cheap equipment. If that's the case, they don't know much about classical collectors- and this complete performance is definitely a collectors' item.
There are many fine and more natural sounding CDs of the ballet suites, including Khachaturian's own with the Vienna Philharmonic on Decca Legends, recorded some sixteen years earlier, and I'm also fond of Svetlanov's milder rendition on Chant du Monde. However, the best ever performance of music from Gayaneh was recorded, also in the 60s, by Deutche Grammophon, featuring the Leningrad Philharmonic conducted by Rozhdestvensky. It turns up every so often; the last incarnation was in a cheap two-fer where it was harnessed to a performance of Scheherezade you probably don't need.
4 stars for this excellent and only performance of the best complete version of Gayaneh, but a star is missing due to the ghetto-blaster reproduction.

Average customer rating:

Relaxing CD

James Galway - Serenade
Franz Schubert , Claude Debussy , Johann Sebastian Bach , Domenico Cimarosa , Frédéric Chopin , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Franz Liszt , Aram Khachaturian , Jules Massenet , Heitor Villa-Lobos , Tamezo Narita , Sergey Rachmaninov , Gabriel Faure , Riccardo Drigo , James Galway , Myung-Whun Chung , Charles Dutoit , Charles Gerhardt , Hiroyuki Iwaki , David Measham , Marisa Robles , Chamber Orchestra Europe , Phillip Moll , Ayako Shinozaki , and Kazuhito Yamashita
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

James Galway ~ Meditations
James Galway - Greatest Hits
James Galway - Dances for Flute
The Wind Beneath My Wings
The Legendary James Galway: Man With the Golden Flute

ASIN: B000003EUV
Release Date: 1989-06-28

Tracks:

Serenade / Standchen, D. 957
Nocturne, Op. 9, No. 2 in E - Flat
Reverie
Serenade: Largo
Suite No. 3: Air
La Fille aux cheveux de lin
Concerto for Flute and Harp, K. 299
Consolation No. 3
Adagio Of Spartacus & Phrygia
Meditation
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5: Aria
Song Of The Seashore
Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14
Fantaisie
Serenade
La plus que lente

Customer Reviews:

Relaxing CD.......2000-06-12

If you enjoy James Galway, you should get this CD. It is wonderful easy listening music for when you are doing something else like reading. It is not as exciting as some of his other CDs but just as good. All the songs are beautiful and will be greatly appreciated.

Average customer rating:

Superb!
Galway's tone color too bright for Khachaturian!

James Galway plays Khachaturian

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

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Flute Master Pieces

ASIN: B000003EUP
Release Date: 1994-05-10

Tracks:

Con: Allegro Con Fermezza
Con: Andante Sostenuto
Con: Allegro Vivace
Spartacus: Adagio Of Spartacus And Phrygia
Masquerade: Waltz
Gayaneh: Sabre Dance

Amazon.com essential recording

One of the problems with the repertoire for solo flute is that there's so little of it once you get out of the Baroque period (where, to be perfectly honest, much of it sounds the same). The dearth of good material is particularly noticeable when it comes to music in the Romantic tradition, which is still most popular with classical audiences. Galway has taken this problem to heart and solved it with this flute transcription of Khachaturian's Violin Concerto. It was a shrewd choice, producing music that's tuneful, excellently scored, and easy on the ear. A good idea brilliantly realized. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Superb!.......2005-11-04

The Rampal transcription of the Violin Concerto is brilliantly played here by Galway, which is also one of the finest flute players around. The interpretation is smooth and vivid, with enough strenght on the needed passages, and taking care of the details. Khachaturian played in a very clever and brilliant way, highly recommended!

Galway's tone color too bright for Khachaturian!.......1999-01-19

I was looking for a replacement of my recording of Jean-Pierre Rampal's rendition of the Flute Concerto, and decided to give Galway's version a spin. Khachaturian's Concerto is a smoldering melodic journey through the steppes of central Asia, using the flute's sonorous lower register to an unusual degree. Unfortunately, Galway's very first entrance was 8va!!! Galway's tone color is too bright throughout the performance, making this interpretation completely off the mark.

Tracks:

Adagio - Angela Malmsbury
O Mio Babbino Caro - J. Michael Leonard
Piano Concerto No.2. 2nd Movement - Jorge Luis Prats
Gnossiennes No.1 - Pro Arte Guitar Trio
Touch Her Soft Lips And Part - Black Dyke Mills Band
Canon - Harold Britton
Barcarolle - Kenneth Smith
Rhapsody In Blue - Jack Gibbons
Adagio, Orchestral Version - London Symphony Orchestra
Hebrides Overture - London Symphony Orchestra
Zadok The Priest - Huddersfield Choral Society

Tracks:

Symphony No.40. 1st Movement - London Mozart Players
Gymnopedies, No.1 - Pro Arte Guitar Trio
Spring - Allegro - Moscow Virtuosi
Night On The Bare Mountain - Loris Tjeknavorian
Morning - John Lubbock
The Entertainer - Philip Dyson
The Sorcerer's Apprentice - Enrique Batiz
Aquarium - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Nocturne In E Flat - Peter Frankl
Capulets And Montagues - Loris Tjeknavorian
Pastoral Symphony, 5th Movement - Richard Hickox

Tracks:

Symphony No.9, 2nd Movement - London Philharmonic Orchestra
Dam Busters March - London Philharmonic Orchestra
O Sole Mio - Beniamino Gigli
Waltz Of The Flowers - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Moonlight Sonata, 1st Movement - John Lill
Jupiter - London Festival Orchestra
Dance Of The Swans - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Simple Symphony - Richard Hickox
Fur Elise - Alan Schiller
Air On A G String - John Lubbock
Flight Of The Bumblebee - Loris Tjeknavorian
Symphony No.1. 1st Movement - Halle Orchestra

Tracks:

Prelude A L'Apres Midi D'Un Faune - Enrique Batiz
Serenade For Strings In E Major - The Northern Sinfonia Of England
Concerto For Violin & Oboe, 2nd Movement - Chamber Orchestra Of Europe
Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte - Mexico State Symphony Orchestra
Violin Concerto In G Minor, 3rd Movement - Xue-Wei
A Walk To Paradise Garden - The Philharmonia Orchestra
Spartacus Suite - The Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis - Sir Neville Marriner
Summertime - Graham Johnson

Aram Il'Yich Khachaturian: Spartacus Ballet Suites 1-3

Average customer rating:

Nice Music!
very good listening
A generous collection of excerpts exceptionally well-played

Aram Il'Yich Khachaturian: Spartacus Ballet Suites 1-3

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Khachaturian: Gayne (Complete Ballet); Selections from Spartacus; Masquerade Suite

ASIN: B000000AM8
Release Date: 1992-10-28

Tracks:

Spartacus: Ballet Suite No. 1: Introduction And Dance Of The Nymphs
Spartacus: Ballet Suite No. 1: Introduction, Adagio Of Aegina And Harmodius
Spartacus: Ballet Suite No. 1: Variations Of Aegina And Baccanalia
Spartacus: Ballet Suite No. 1: Scene And Dance With Crotalums
Spartacus: Ballet Suite No. 1: Dance Of The Gaditanian Maidens And Victory Of Spartacus
Spartacus: Ballet Suite No. 2: Adagio Of Spartacus And Phyrgia
Spartacus: Ballet Suite No. 2: Entrance Of The Merchants, Dance Of A Roman Courtesan, General Dance
Spartacus: Ballet Suite No. 2: Entrance Of Spartacus, Quarrel, Harmodius' Treachery
Spartacus: Ballet Suite No. 2: Dance Of The Pirates
Spartacus: Ballet Suite No. 3: The Market
Spartacus: Ballet Suite No. 3: Dance Of The Greek Slave
Spartacus: Ballet Suite No. 3: Dance Of An Egyptian Girl
Spartacus: Ballet Suite No. 3: Dance Of Phrygia And The Parting Scene
Spartacus: Ballet Suite No. 3: Sword Dance Of The Young Thracians

Amazon.com

Aram Khachaturian's famous ballet, Spartacus, was first produced for the Kirov Theatre in Leningrad in 1956 and was hailed--in its 1968 version--as the most successful Soviet ballet since Prokofieff's Romeo and Juliet. High praise indeed. The story comes from the story of a Roman slave/gladiator who led a revolt against Rome but was betrayed by his followers. The ballet itself is distinguished by a wide range of distinct melodies and themes, and the three gathered here do cohere well. But the suites do not follow the ballet sequentially. These suites were written to stand on their own. Fun anyhow. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

Nice Music!.......2007-01-21

This collection of the three 'Sparticus' ballet suites by Aram Ilyich Khachaturian is one of the very few of Khachaturian pieces I've heard, and I got it primarily becaues my cinematic uberhero, Stanley Kubrick used KHachaturian's Gayne ballet suite in his soundtrack to '2001', so I thought other Khachaturian ballets would have the same charm.

This is almost true. What I discovered is the strong similarity in this music to Prokoviev, especially to his score for the film 'Alexander Nevsky' (and to some of the ballet music in 'The Red Shoes') None of this should be a great surprise as all three pieces were written about the same time by Russians!

My biggest disappointment is that while this music is immencely enjoyable, it is still not as strong as that greatest of Russian 20th century composers, Stravinsky.

This is primarily for those how are especially fond of ballet music in general, and Russian ballet music in particular.

very good listening.......2006-11-07

I liked this recording very much since it comleted my whole ballet recording of Spartacus.Iloved the orchestra and of course Neemi Jarve is a fantastic conducter all in all the recording was very very good and I would recommend it highly.

A generous collection of excerpts exceptionally well-played.......2005-11-29

Neeme Jarvi's selections from Khachaturian's ballet "Spartacus" are generous and exceptionally well-played, for the most part, by the Scottish National Orchestra. The brass, in particular, play with much gusto in these highly characterized excerpts. The three suites may not follow the progression of the ballet but they make an enjoyable collection nevertheless.

There is much to like in these extended excerpts, which comprise about thrice as much music as is usually gathered in a suite from "Spartacus", the composer's colorful ballet. Jarvi and his troupe obviously enjoyed themselves making this recording as they revel in Khachaturian's colorful score.

What keeps this from being a five star selection is the somewhat unidiomatic approach conductor and musicians take to the music. Jarvi, whose recordings specialize in unusual and oft-unheard repertoire, is perhaps too international in his approach to this music.

He and his band are neither big enough nor loud enough In "Variations of Aegina and Bacchanalia", the first excerpt from most collections of this music. They begin to catch on in "Scene and Dance with Crotalums" but still tend to rough over many of Khachaturian's hard edges.

The famous "Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia", which is the heart of this collection, is taken at a very rapid pace by Jarvi. The timing of 8:49 is 1:31 faster than a more idiomatic performance I've heard by Temirkanov. Jarvi's approach adds a passionate element to the music but also needlessly rushes it, denying its beauty and solemnity.

When Khachaturian conducted his own music there was never any room for subtlety and always room for sentiment in slower movements. Khachaturian's music is always full of pathos, which Jarvi tends to undercut in his own musical way. He dwells on musical values and orchestral execution at the expense of emotional largess.

You can hear this in just about every section of this performance including "Dance of the Egyptian Girl" from the third suite. It is wonderfully played but lacks the characterisitics that make Khachaturian's music unique.

It is as if Jarvi is trying to avoid the famous Chicago critic's charge that, "He who steals Khachaturian steals trash." In my opinion it is the trashy approach that makes Khachaturian's music so wonderful.

Still there is much to enjoy in this generous collection. Short of some languid bassoons, the playing is consistently first rate in a five by five recording that rivals the best work done today. Anyone that wants an extended collection of music from "Spartacus" or any Khachaturian ballet will not likely be disappointed with this compilation.

Music Review:

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Tchaikovsky: The Complete Symphonies

Soulful Piano of Junior Mance [Import] [Original recording remastered]

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Behind the Front