Classical Forest

Track Listings

1. Canon in D

2. Ombra Mai Fu [From Xerxes]

3. Adiago from Clarinet Concerto

4. Nocturne [From A Midsummer Night's Dream]

5. 2nd MVT. From Concerto for Two Violins

6. Gymnopédie, No. 1

7. Pavane for a Dead Princess

8. 2nd MVT. From Flute Concerto in D Minor

9. 4th MVT. From Serendade in E, Op. 22

10. Nocturne in E Flat, Op. 9, No. 2

11. Pastorale [from Masques et Bergamasques]

Tracks:

Concerto in B minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 104
Klid (Silent woods) for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 68, No. 5
Slavonic Dance No. 2 in E minor, Op. 72
Humoresque No. 7 in G-flat Major, Op. 101
Songs My Mother Taught Me from Gypsy Melodie, Op. 55

Amazon.com

This compilation of music by Dvorak played by Yo-Yo Ma is just beautiful. Ma seems to understand just when Dvorak wants to be super-Romantic and sappy and when he is in fact being merely his usual expressive self. The former comes into bloom with the Slavonic Dance, in which he's accompanied by Itzhak Perlman and "Songs My Mother Taught Me," with Patricia Zander at the piano. But when it comes to revealing Dvorak as one of the most insightful and truly passionate of composers, with a particular understanding of the cello, Ma's playing of the B minor Concerto (under Kurt Masur, with the New York Philharmonic), the latter description comes into play. Ma gets every nuance out of the cello, and the way in which Masur, for instance, leads the winds against the cello at the start of the 2nd movement is just gorgeous. "Klid" ("Silent Woods") is given a deeply affecting reading as well, under Seiji Ozawa. 2004 is the 100th anniversary of Dvorak's death; this CD is fine tribute. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Yo-Yo Ma is a genius .......2004-11-16

words fail me on how to describe performance in this CD.It's very good, one of the best interpretations I have heard in a very long time. I must confess that since i discovered Ma du Pre I have not been able to listen to anything else nor did I attempt to do so. But out of the blue I bumped into this CD by chance & after hearing Yo Yo Ma's phraising especially the 1st movement infact the whole of Dvorak Cello was like something new to me.Ma plays with passion,emotions & strong commitment to the music in a different way.The Ochestra is in top form & allows the solo cello to shine at the right time.I never thought there is another interpretation that could surpass M.Rostropovich(Im sorry to say this I know he is a living legend & the 1969 record with Karajan is held in high esteem). Ma is accompanied by my favourate violinist Itzhak Perlman on "Humosresque no.7 for piano" & "Slavonic Dance no.10 in E minor"- the results are so sweet as many people know Perlman is a romantic specialist his tone with Ma's cello is heavenly.With regard to the "songs my mother taught me" the cello sounds good not best for the track personally im so used to hear the song being played on violin.There's nothing wrong with the cello it's just that it 's tone is a bit too strong for the composition but it's very well interpreted by Ma. They call this transcription in musical terms. Actually Ma deserves an apology as im one of those who have accused him of lacking in emotions &"look at me now i can play anything" attitude.I think those allegations are baseless & unwarranted when u hear this CD u will know u are into something beautiful. Overall grab this very fast before many people realise Yo-Yo Ma 's greatest gift of song.

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Average customer rating:

Star Wars: A Musical Journey (2005) (V)
Not one of his bests, but very close
John Williams' finest work
A Great Conclusion to the Prequel Trilogy
Williams is slumming it

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Star Wars Trilogy
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

ASIN: B000850IS6
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Tracks:

Star Wars and The Revenge Of The Sith
Anakin's Dream
Battle Of The Heroes
Anakin's Betrayal
General Grievous
Palpatine's Teachings
Grievous and the Droids
Padme's Ruminations
Anakin vs. Obi-Wan
Anakin's Dark Deeds
Enter Lord Vader
The Immolation Scene
Grievous Speaks to Lord Sidious
The Birth Of The Twins and Padme's Destiny
A New Hope and End Credits

Amazon.com

John Williams' lovely and moving score for the sixth Star Wars film brings thirty years of collaborating on George Lucas' beyond-popular intergalactic franchise to a close. (Is this really the end of Star Wars? Can't Lucas and Williams work together on a prequel to these prequels? Let us hope so, and that Jar Jar Binks is nowhere near it.) As this music accompanies the most exciting Star Wars film in many a moon, the soundtrack itself is more fun, more evil, more nasty and bumpy. Many of the heroic, anthemic themes woven throughout Episode Three: Revenge of the Sith will necessarily be familiar to any fan of the series, from the "Imperial March" to the main theme. It's remarkable how stirring the latter can be, no matter how many times you've heard it, and even for those who do not have all their money invested in S.W. memorabilia. There is a lot of new music here, and the lush, extensive range of both Williams and the London Symphony Orchestra is on display, most notably in the menacing, percolating "General Grievous" and the rousing "New Hope" end theme. --Mike McGonigal

The Force Is Also with:

Star Wars Trilogy soundtrack box set
Star Wars Episode II sountrack
Star Wars Episode II, Attack of the Clones

Star Wars Episode I, The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Trilogy on DVD
Star Wars, Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

Customer Reviews:

Star Wars: A Musical Journey (2005) (V).......2007-06-21

product: Star Wars: A Musical Journey (2005) (V), included as bonus disc in Episode III soundtrack.

The bonus dvd with this soundtrack was the reason I purchased. I enjoy film soundtracks, and science fiction, but this dvd was a real highlight for me. I got the soundtrack cd out of the local library. The cd was missing from the case, but I found this wonderful dvd instead that I went out to purchase later.

With optional segments of dialog from Ian McDiarmid, this film is a stunning visual and musical overview of the full epic story of episodes I-VI of Star Wars. For those of us who felt that eps. IV-VI fell short of our expectations, this film presents them well as parts of the whole story. The Musical Journey also stands as a summary of the entire SW opus for someone who is not familiar with the Star Wars characters and plot. Highly recommended.

Options: no subtitles or other options.

Not one of his bests, but very close.......2007-05-21

The Episode III soundtrack is very good. Not great, but very, very good. You can tell that Williams is getting old, but he still manages to weave together a very memorable score.

My favorite tracks are "Battle of the Heroes," "Anakin's Betrayal," Palpatine's teachings, "Anakin vs. Obi-Wan," and the "Immolation Scene."
The others are very good as well, but these are especially nice. "Battle of the Heroes" is Dual of the Fates for Revenge of the Sith. "Anakin's Betrayal" is a very sad track that is, in my opinion, one of William's most powerful pieces. "Palpatine's Teachings" is really, really neat. It's very dark and moody, a perfect piece for the evil emperor. The only weird thing is the end. "Anakin vs. Obi-Wan" is the action piece that plays during the battles of Anakin and Obi-Wan, and Yoda and the Emperor. Finally, "The Immolation Scene" is another sad piece, even more so than "Anakin's Betrayal."

Although I really like this CD, there are some things that are missing (as usual). First, the whole sequence where the droids are looking for Obi-Wan after he was shot. You see Obi-Wan in his ship with Senator Organa on the Hologram (or whatever it is), and Obi-Wan says that his clones turned on him. That was some pretty awesome music that OF COURSE was left out of the CD. Then there was Dual of the Fates in the movie, but completely absent from the CD. And probably the most annoying was that whole piece of music before Obi-Wan and Anakin fight. It was so touching and sad and I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY LEFT IT OUT! Absolutely amazing. Also, did anyone notice that some little bits were cut out? For example, in Anakin vs. Obi Wan, they cut out about a second or two of choir. What?! What the heck is with that? It's when Anakin is running on the long thing and jumps on the droid on the lava. Also, there was some pretty cool drumming when you see Yoda and the Emperor fighting, and you can see the whole stadium (the big room). There's also drumming in "Enter Lord Vader" that is muted in the soundtrack.

Oh well...if I'm going to collect movie scores, I'm going to have to get used to the fact that in almost all cases there's not going to be every bit of music. I've experienced this in both Pirates of the Caribbean, Jurassic Park I (there was very little left out on this score), and almost everything else. At the moment, I'm just waiting for the 22nd, for the Pirates of the Caribbean 3 soundtrack. It's gonna be amazing.

See Yu

John Williams' finest work.......2007-04-20

There is little more I can say that hasn't already been said about the soundtrack to Episode 3, especially what Amazon contributor Dan Mohr wrote in his review of the soundtrack on 2/2/2006. His review captured almost all the thoughts, feelings, and emotions I had when I first listened to the soundtrack, and was, IMO, the best review of John Williams' greatest masterpiece.

Having said that, I will say that few soundtracks have ever so perfectly captured the underlying emotional currents of their respective movie; in the case of ROTS, the contemporaneous tragedies of Anakin's fall to the Dark Side, the extermination of the Jedi, and the rise of the oppressive Empire. The listener is confronted with the depth and totality of the evil that has beset the entire galaxy to a degree that the film could not reach in only 2 hours.

Bravo, Dan Mohr, and BRAVO John Williams!

A Great Conclusion to the Prequel Trilogy.......2007-04-07

This is a great work of art. I rank it 4th among Star Wars soundtracks after A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and The Phantom Menace. I had a hard deciding which I thought was better, The Phantom Meance or Revenge of the Sith, but I decided that The Phantom Menace lays the foundation for so much that is in this soundtrack and is thus the more masterful work. But that doesn't mean that this score still isn't great. Every piece is a thrill to listen to and pace never lets up. "Battle of the Hereos" is an amazing piece and the rendition of the "Funeral Theme" from Episoded I captures the film's tragety magnificently. Also I do not think John Williams could have portrayed the Jedi's extinction more perfectly than he did in "Anakin's Betrayal". This is without a doubt the best score of 2005 and one of the best of the decade.

Williams is slumming it.......2007-04-01

Williams's score for Revenge of the Sith is almost entirely overbearing, lacking any emotional subtlety. The music is overcomplicated and even a bit confusing, especially in the tracks that correspond to action sequences in the movie. His overuse of choral tracks and vocals is too bombastic and irritating to be listened to without the explosions and laser blasts of the soundtrack to soften them. (Yes, this music is actually softened by the sounds of warfare.) Worst of all, much of the music has simply been lifted from earlier scores. At times his self-imitation was so blatant that I actually wondered whether the editor who had complied this score had made a mistake and I was listening to The Empire Strikes Back or A New Hope. Also suffers from not including the entire score, in some cases cutting out musical segues in obvious and awkward ways.

Average customer rating:

My favorite George Winston CD
Like something from a previous life...
Enchanting and Soothing
Love Song to a Piano
The best of piano new age and the best of George Winston

Forest
George Winston
Manufacturer: Windham Hill Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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December, Piano Solos: 20th Anniversary Edition
Autumn (Windham Hill 20th Anniversary Edition)
Plains
Winter into Spring
Montana: A Love Story

ASIN: B000000NKL
Release Date: 1994-10-11

Tracks:

Tamarack Pines
Forbidden Forest
Troubadour
The Cradle
Cloudy This Morning
Last Lullaby Here
Mon Enfant (My Child)
Returning
Graceful Ghost
The Snowman: Walking In The Air
The Snowman: Building The Snowman
The Snowman: The Snowman's Music Box Dance
Love Song To A Ballerina
Lights In The Sky
Japanese Music Box (Itsuki No Komoriuta)
Night Sky

Amazon.com

Don't let the incessant tinkle-pounding of the opener "Tamarack Pines" detour you from Forest. It's a lovely CD that meanders like a Montanan stream through the poetry of Winston's signature cinematic style. "Forbidden Forest" gently muses with an introspective, solitary air, while "Cloudy This Morning" emulates the varying shades of gray melancholy that come with an overcast sky. These are some of Winston's best moments, when his inspiration sings through his fingers and pierces the listener's soul, forcing an aching response void of language or any conscious behavior. Winston's choice of covers reflects this transcendent, poetic tension well. Unlike the more rural Plains, where several covers come across clearly as another artist's voice, the majority of covers on Forest--particularly those of Howard Blake's music to The Snowman--match Winston's emotive paintings of sound. Forest is a beautiful collection that does justice to the sublime mystique of its namesake. --Karen K. Hugg

Customer Reviews:

My favorite George Winston CD.......2005-12-07

I have all of George Winston's solo albums (right up to the recent Montana disc) and of them all, this is probably my favorite, with "Linus and Lucy" the other candidate. The pieces are beautiful and haunting--especially the suite of pieces from the animated short "The Snowman." This disc is worth the price for those few tracks alone. Sometims I just put on "Walking in the Air" and set the CD player to repeat the track three or four times in a row. I don't consider myself a "new-age" music fan; a lot of it just sounds too corny to me--as if it's trying to be more profound than it is. Somehow, George Winston manages to escape the new-age clichés; his style has more than a hint of jazz (surely the result of his Fats Waller and stride influences) and I get something out of his performances that I don't with most other Windham Hill or Narada artists. When I bought this CD nearly ten years ago, I played it frequently for many months. Long after most other discs go to my shelf, in all likelihood never to be heard again, I still pull "Forest" out several times a year--on a snowy night with a mug of hot chocolate, a cool afernoon while studying, or even just doing work around the house. It's a beautiful CD, and my favorite among George Winston's many fine recordings. Highly recommended!

Like something from a previous life..........2005-10-23

I am very suprised at some of the criticisms here of this CD.....but I can certainly understand that some people somehow just don't "dig" this type of new age style.

In any case, this is absolutely one of Winston's best recordings, with all his classic trademark facets such as the wonderfully executed blurred progressions via continuous pedal. The entire CD evokes a strongly reminiscent mood. The first 2 tracks in particular are certainly the most New Age/minimalist of them all, but they are still wonderfully effective, if not experimental. The three arrangements of music from Howard Blake's "The Snowman" are particularly intimate and effective.

Enchanting and Soothing.......2004-08-21

George Winston is one of the most sensitive and feeling pianists in modern piano music, and nowhere is it more evident than in Forest. I have had this CD since its original release in 1994, and 10 years later I still listen to it probably once every 2-3 weeks. His interperetations and his originals transcend any words. The music is magical, and is very, very relaxing.
In short-BUY THIS CD!!!

Love Song to a Piano.......2003-12-19

One of the things that set this album apart from George Winston's earlier work is his clear development away from pure textural complexity to an introspective style that relies on a certain sparseness to achieve its expressiveness. Several of the opening tracks - Tamarack Pines, Forbidden Forest, and Troubadour could not have fewer notes and still be music. This isn't a criticism, but an honest compliment to a class of musical genius that is deeply aware of its expressive intent.

Not that there aren't pieces that are reminiscent of Winston's previous work (Cradle, Cloudy This Morning, and Last Lullaby Here). But even these are presented without a lot of flurry, and have a light air that often echoes jazz rhythms and chordal work. Winston prefers to avoid the technical flash of composers like Jason Rudess, but prefers the musicality of theme and variations. This isn't because he is any less capable, his mastery of the instrument has been demonstrated too msny times to be arguable. But overall, he is a stylist, rather than a virtuoso and, frankly, that suites me fine.

For variety, Winston servers up the aforementioned experiment of Tamarack Pines and the bluesy, stride sound of Graceful Ghost. Most listeners will quickly find favorites that bear repeated listening. Winston has crafted this album with considerable care, managing to create a sense of continuity that will often pick the listener up and deposit him or her several tracks later with no sense that time has ever passed. Even now, after listing to Forest for amny years, I still find surprises in the music. Which is not always true in New Age work. Of course, Winston's music is what became New Age work - it's not the genre he is in, but the genre he helped create.

If you are looking for a place to start, for something that represents the best of a genre and the composer this is one of best albums you can buy. But whether you are an inquiring mine or an old hand, Forest is well worth the listening, and the listening, and the listening.

The best of piano new age and the best of George Winston.......2003-09-11

Among the new age pianists, George Winston is among the best. While he can play slow melodies, he is best known and best respected for his fast melodies with their precise staccato notes. The music he uses is quite varied, with some of it written by himself, some of it coming from classical or traditional music, and some of it coming from contemporary new age, jazz, blues, and even soundtrack music.

Forest is one of the two best albums by George Winston, with the other being December. The music in this album spans a broad range of moods and tempos, all demonstrating Winston's many piano-playing skills.

Quite a number of the songs stand out. The opening song, Tamarack Pines, is a very swiftly played piece that consists mainly of very short, high pitched notes to form the melody. Those who have seen George Winston in concert would know that at his most intense he physically matches the energy of musical pieces like this one. The next piece, Forbidden Forest, chooses a slower tempo. Here, however, Winston plays the piano so that it sounds almost like a plucked guitar. Later in the CD, three songs from the animated short "The Snowman" are featured. The best of these is Walking on Air, which simply contains a slow, sweet melody with some rapid, staccato interludes played in the middle of the song. Towards the end of the CD, the Japanese Music Box is simply a sweet melody that repeats several times with a tempo that is almost reminiscent of a wound music box that is gradually slowing down.

This CD is the best of new age music as well as the best piano music recorded. It belongs in everyone's music collection.

Wagner: Overtures & Preludes
Average customer rating:

A well-kept secret

Essential Wagner

Excellent Wagner from a surprising source ... or maybe not!

Go For Boult

Memorable and dramatic- A must have for Wagner fans

Wagner: Overtures & Preludes

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Wagner: The "Ring" Without Words

ASIN: B000002S08
Release Date: 1992-09-29

Tracks:

Tannher: Overture
Tannher: Grand March
Der Fliegende Holler: Overture
Tristan und Isolde: Prelude to Act 1
Tristan und Isolde: Prelude to Act 3
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Overture
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Prelude to Act 3
Lohengrin: Prelude to Act 1

Tracks:

Lohengrin: Prelude to Act 3
Parsifal: Prelude to Act 1
Parsifal: Act 1 Transformation scene
Parsifal: Prelude to Act 3
Parsifal: Good Friday Music
Das Rheingold: Entrance of the Gods
Die Walkure: Ride of the Walkyries
Siegfried: Forest murmurs
Gotterdammerung: Siegfried's Rhine Journey
Gotterdammerung: Siegfried's Funeral March

Customer Reviews:

A well-kept secret.......2007-05-18

Everyone wants to have a crack at the "bleeding chunks" eventually, and while I love the flashier Stoky and Furtwangler approach, I wouldn't want to be without the Boult. He's a great Wagnerian, strange as it may seem. Who could blame him for not wanting to go down in history merely as the finest Holstian? As long as this stays in print, Ormandy will still be considered the least sexy conductor. (I heard CBS researchers found an Ormandy fan once!)

Essential Wagner.......2006-06-17

As a child, this set was my first experience of Wagner's music, and it made quite an impression on me. However, as I grew older and began to collect the full operas I felt I could surely do better than Adrian Boult and the British for a collection of the preludes, overtures, and orchestral music from the operas. I was wrong. I have yet to here any recordings that can match the power and intensity as demonstrated in these discs from Boult and the LSO (and LPO). The Meistersinger prelude alone is worth the price, and the only version of the prelude to Tristan which outdoes the one here is Bohm's live 1966 Tristan. The Solti, Karajan, and Klemperer highlight discs have their moments (and truthfully, I do prefer Solti and Karajan for the "Ring" highlights), but their contributions are greatest in the full operas, and overall, they simply can't muster the power and intensity that Boult brings to these preludes, overtures, etc.

Even if you have other compilations of Wagner's music in "bleeding chunks", I can assure you they don't come close to this one; and with two discs (the second containing mostly music from Parsifal and the "Ring") at 14 bucks, there is absolutely no excuse not to have this essential recording. So go ahead and buy this disc, never buy another Wagner compilation again, and with the money you save get started on the more important task at hand: the full operas.

Excellent Wagner from a surprising source ... or maybe not!.......2004-09-27

Does Sir Adrian Boult conjure up of images of Gustav Holst and Ralph Vaughn Williams, but not Wagner? You're not alone! Nevertheless, this is a double CD set not to be missed! Many years ago, I was listening to a classical radio music station in NYC that was playing the music of Wagner. The performance was so good, that I wouldn't leave the radio until I found out the name of the conductor. When the announcer said the conductor was Sir Adrian Boult, I was quite surprised. I had recordings of English music from Sir Adrian on Angel/EMI, but I never associated that conductor with Wagner. Having been blessed with a friend who had knowledge of classical music way beyond his years, I gave him a call to find out more about the recording. He told me that, Boult had solid expertise in the area of Germanic music, but, in England, had been overshadowed in that repertoire by Otto Klemperer. He told me not to be surprised about Boult's very fine Wagner, it was an excellent recording to purchase and, indeed, search out Sir Adrian's wonderful performance of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony (now available on Vanguard). Fast-forward many years and I find myself browsing through Amazon for a recording of Wagner's Overtures and Preludes. Like everyone else I know, I foolishly jettisoned my LPs in the 1990s and have been "back-filling" ever since. Well, I was able to obtain this splendid set for less than $7 per CD! There are a total of 18 selections covering most of Wagner's operas including five excerpts from the Ring Cycle. The performances are excellent coming from no less than three British orchestras, and the sound is top-shelf EMI. Sir Adrian's pacing is measured and his vision is broad and sensitive, highlighting the beauty and grandeur --rather than just the fire-- of this glorious music. I heartily recommend this two-CD set, and at this price, I think it's a steal.

Go For Boult.......2003-07-08

Sir Adrian Boult is best known for his recordings of the British repertoire, and his performances, particularly of Holst's "The Planets" and Elgar's Symphonies and Orchestral Works, are legendary. But Boult was also an excellent conductor of Beethoven, Brahms and Wagner, and this 2-CD set collects the Overtures and Preludes of the latter German titan. These stereo recordings from the early to mid-1970s with the New Philharmonia Orchestra, and London Philharmonic and Symphony Orchestras are truly first rate. EMI's set compares nicely in terms of price, quality and musical offerings with competing sets by DG (Bohm, Kubelik, et al) and Sony (Ormandy & Szell). You might have reservations about getting German music conducted by a Brit, but you really can't go wrong with Boult.

Memorable and dramatic- A must have for Wagner fans.......2000-03-20

I bought this cd for the following reasons: 1 I'm a Wagner fan, 2 the cover looks exquisite and 3 I wanted to hear a "prelude" since it sounds fancy and never heard one. The result is great cd. The Tannhauser overture, Tristan and Isolde prelude and Lohengrin Prelude to act 3 are all very excellent. Excerpts from the Ring of the Nibelunge aren't as good as I had anticipated but are still enjoyable. The music speaks the tales of Wagner's operas. Just hear it, as slow and irksome as they maybe, these preludes make you feel the tragic love of Tristan and Isolde, the epic odyssey of Lohengrin and the holy, heavenly spirit in Parsifal as he discovers the Holy Grail. Buy this CD and you won't regret it. Except that one bit from Gotterdammerung, Siegfried's Funeral March. It does'nt quite have the feel of grand disaster as it did in John Boorman's film Excalibur. If you're hoping to find that version(which is better) stick with the Classics Go To The Movies Vol 2 cd. But all the other pieces on this CD are excellent. Go and buy this CD- now !

Average customer rating:

German Marches on a budget
Old LP Re-Issue on CD
Quality?
Not WW2 military marches
Great!

German Military Marches

Manufacturer: Legacy
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002NQE
Release Date: 1994-04-14

Tracks:

Salute To The Colors
Petersburg March
The March Of The Riding Brigade
Castaldo March
March Of The York Army
March Of The Mounted Calvary
Helen March
Mussinan March
Parade Of The Bavarian Troops
Away We Go
The Salute To The Forest Rangers
Fliers March
The Cadets March
The Kaiser March
Adreas Hofer March
Radeetsky March
Spanish March
Nussdorfer March
Donner And Blitz
German Parade Of Marches

Customer Reviews:

German Marches on a budget.......2006-11-05

A good budget recording of twenty German military marches from Legacy International. As far as I know several of the marches on this recording are not easily available elsewhere. I was glad to find a CD of this recording which I had previously had on a LP vinyl record. Sadly the transfer to CD has not enhanced the sound quality. It sounds as it did on the vinyl record. There is a volume 2 of German Military Marches from Legacy International as well as an excellent recording of French military marches.

Old LP Re-Issue on CD.......2004-08-21

This is a collection of old LP recordings that were originally released on the Oylimpic Label some years ago. It has floated around since and has now come out on CD. The CD lists the German Air Force Band, but this group only plays in half of the selections listed. The other half is from another old Olympic Label recording with the Hoch Und Deutschmiester band of Austria.

Its too bad the producers were not a bit more honest about who is performing on this CD. The recording quality here has not been improved much from the original LP recordings.
The same poor linear notes are used with no info. about the
band(s) or music. Just some general ramblings about how military music may have developed in Germany. Its pretty general stuff.

While I have complained about the poor production qaulity the style of playing is still quite good. The recording sounds like it was made back in the 1960s or 70s when German bands sounded different than today. The best selection is the Zapfenstrich medley of marches and hymns used by the old Prussian army as an evening Tattoo piece and a salute to the colors. The music is not listed, but it includes Beethoven's "Zafenstreich March", as well as the old "Kurfursten march", which is included seperately later on the CD as well. This special medlely includes drum and fife florishes unique for the occasion in the old German army and concludes with a stirring version of "Deutschland Uber Alles". This selection is alone worth getting the CD for.

The other music played by the Hoch Und Deutschmiester Band is very good Austian martial selections, although these recordings have been re-issued and improved in their sound quality on another label. Overall you get a decent potporri of German and Austrian marches played by two different bands on this CD for a low price. The sound quality is poor, but not unbearable. This is basically a low budget production. You get what you pay for with this price. Enjoy

Quality?.......2003-02-25

Good representation of melodies. It would have been more enjoyable if they had used a better recording device to capture the sound. I think that wax cylinders went out of favor back in the 1920's. (Very limited dynamic and acustic range) Presentation is slightly better than the "average" high school drum and bugle corps.

Not WW2 military marches.......2002-11-06

I was searching for songs like Panzerlied and bought this CD.
I guess I expected too much from this CD.

Great!.......2002-03-07

Beware of the other CD with this title. THIS is
the good CD, the other is not. This has many great
marches on it including some they used a bit in Nazi
Germany (the Nazis wrote few songs, they used stock).
Overall, FANTASTIC. You will not be disapointed, I
just wish that a march or two was longer.

Jacqueline du Pré - The Concerto Collection

Average customer rating:

Wonderful Concerto Performances
Lacks the "real" Elgar!
The real du Pre, but not the *real* Elgar performance!!!
Great performances, by one of the greatest cellists!
a fitting memorial to a unique artiste

Jacqueline du Pré - The Concerto Collection
Edward Elgar , Joseph Haydn , Antonin Dvorak , Luigi Boccherini , Robert Schumann , Frederick Delius , Georg Mathias Monn , Richard Strauss , English Chamber Orchestra , Sir John Barbirolli , Daniel Barenboim , Chicago Symphony Orchestra , Jacqueline du Pré , London Symphony Orchestra , Sir Adrian Boult , New Philharmonia Orchestra , Herbert Downes , and Desmond Bradley
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Daniel Barenboim, Pinchas Zukerman & Jacqueline du Pré - Beethoven: Piano Trios
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Jacqueline du Pré - a lasting inspiration

ASIN: B00004RIU5
Release Date: 2000-06-06

Tracks:

Cello Concerto No. 1 In C Hob.VIIb:1: I. Moderato - Cadenza
Cello Concerto No. 1 In C Hob.VIIb:1: II. Adagio - Cadenza
Cello Concerto No. 1 In C Hob.VIIb:1: III. Allegro molto
Cello Concerto No. 2 In D Hob.VIIb:2: I. Allegro moderato - Cadenza
Cello Concerto No. 2 In D Hob.VIIb:2: II. Adagio
Cello Concerto No. 2 In D Hob.VIIb:2: III. Rondo (Allegro) - Cadenza
Cello Concerto In B Flat: I. Allegro moderato - Cadenza
Cello Concerto In B Flat: II. Adagio non troppo
Cello Concerto In B Flat: III. Rondo (Allegro) - Cadenza

Tracks:

Cello Concerto In A Minor Op. 129: Nicht zu schnell
Cello Concerto In A Minor Op. 129: Langsam - Etwas lebhafter - Schneller
Cello Concerto In A Minor Op. 129: Sehr lebhaft - (Cadenza) - Im Tempo - Schneller
Cello Concerto No. 1In A Minor Op. 33: Allegro non troppo
Cello Concerto No. 1In A Minor Op. 33: Allegretto non troppo
Cello Concerto No. 1In A Minor Op. 33: Un peu moins vite
Cello Concerto In G Minor: I. Allegro
Cello Concerto In G Minor: II. Adagio
Cello Concerto In G Minor: III. Allegro non tanto

Tracks:

Cello Concerto In B Minor Op. 104: I. Allegro
Cello Concerto In B Minor Op. 104: II. Adagio ma non troppo
Cello Concerto In B Minor Op. 104: III. Finale (Allegro moderato)
Silent Woods Op. 68
Cello Concerto: Lento
Cello Concerto: Con moto tranquillo
Cello Concerto: Lento
Cello Concerto: Con moto tranquillo
Cello Concerto: Allegramente

Tracks:

Cello Concerto In E Minor Op. 85: I. Adagio - Moderato
Cello Concerto In E Minor Op. 85: II. Lento - Allegro molto
Cello Concerto In E Minor Op. 85: III. Adagio
Cello Concerto In E Minor Op. 85: IV. Allegro - Moderato - Allegro, ma non troppo
Don Quixote: Introduction (Massiges Zeitmass)
Don Quixote: Theme: The Knight Of The Mournful Countenance (Massig)
Don Quixote: Variation I: The Adventure With The Windmills (Gemachlich)
Don Quixote: Variation II: The Battle With The Sheep (Kriegerisch)
Don Quixote: Variation III: Discourse Between Knight And Squire (Massiges Zeitmass)
Don Quixote: Variation IV: The Adventure With The Pilgrims (Etwas breiter)
Don Quixote: Variation V: The Knight's Vigil (Sehr langsam)
Don Quixote: Variation VI: The Meeting With Dulcinea (Schnell)
Don Quixote: Variation VII: The Ride Through The Air (Ein wenig ruhiger als vorher)
Don Quixote: Variation VIII: The Voyage In The Enchanted Boat (Gamachlich)
Don Quixote: Variation IX: The Combat With The Two Magicians (Schnell und sturmisch)
Don Quixote: Variation X: The Defeat Of Don Quixote (Viel breiter)
Don Quixote: Finale: Don Quixote's Death (Sehr ruhig)

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Concerto Performances.......2006-11-17

Of the six or seven cd albums that I have by Jacqueline du Pre, this album contains the meat and potatoes of du Pre's repertoire. Happily, she doesn't disappoint at a time when she was still physically healthy and developing musically. The Boccherini Concerto arranged by Grutzmacher, I believe she owns. The Monn Concerto is excellent and the Delius is a romantic dream. Don't miss this one, if you want hear the breadth of her short-lived talent.

Lacks the "real" Elgar!.......2005-04-28

Like other reviewers, I just want to say that this set lacks the famous Elgar recording by Jackie Du Pre. The Elgar performance on this CD is dull in comparison to her more famous performance. So, you will have to buy a separate CD for the Elgar. Other than that, this is a great set to have. I love the two Haydns especially.

The real du Pre, but not the *real* Elgar performance!!!.......2003-03-04

This is a comprehensive collection of Cello performances by a thrilling artist. Unfortunately, despite reviewer MacFarlane's assurances to the contrary, the producer of this CD has failed to include Jacqueline du Pre's *famous* and greatest performance of the Elgar Cello, and this is the reason for witholding a star. Ms.du Pre's famous performance of Elgar's Cello Concerto, Opus 85, was performed live in Philadelphia on November 27-28, 1970, with conductor-husband Daniel Barenboim, not Conductor Barbiroli. This Amazon review, comparing the two performances will indicate why this CD loses points for not featuring the Barenboim performance: < > The performance with Barenboim was formerly available on Sony. Today the Amazon search engine only turned it up one time in six search attempts using the SAME words! Elusive, but an essential recording nonetheless! Because confusion persists between the Elgar performances and conductors, it is necessary to persist in citing that it is Jacqueline Du Pre's performance with BARENBOIM which is so revered. Besides, the Sony disc which has the favored performance with conductor Barenboim, is also known for Barenboim's brilliant interpretation of the Elgar Enigma Variations. Daniel Barenboim's talent is becoming more and more visible and worthy of following closely. He's doing great things outside of music as well, so put his name in the Google search engine and find out!

Great performances, by one of the greatest cellists!.......2001-04-29

If there is one word for describing Jacqueline du Pre, it is MUSIC. She was the embodiment of music itself, because she gave all to the music she played. Some do not like her playing because it is too emotional. I echo the other reviewer's sentiments in that music is there to be played. Played with emotion. Music is about transmitting emotion to the listener, and du Pre was one of the best examples of how that could (and should) be done. Here, EMI has remastered and reissued most (I say most, because one concerto - the Lalo- has been omitted in this otherwise full compilation of du Pre's concerto recordings) of du Pre's concerto recordings. The Haydn concerto in C, is undoubtedly one of the most touching accounts, with its romantic sentiments. The same can be said of the Haydn in D and the Monn concerti, with the broad tempi, quite relaxed, and very opposite of Period performances Completely incorrect stylistically, but the performances are so moving and involved that all the fuss about stylistic correctness is throuwn out the window. I dare say that one is not going to get a more impassioned account of the Haydn C major concerto. It is among my absolute favourites. The Boccherini concerto is another matter. The version du Pre plays is not the original, but a mixture of the original, with bits borrowed from other Boccherini cello concertos, combined with Romantic styling by Grutzmacher (the 'editor' of the concerto). I don't like it as much as the Haydn concertos, but still it receives a bravura performance by du Pre with the English Chamber Orchestra under Barenboim. The Schumann and Saint-Saens concerti are unsurpassed for their passion and imaginativeness. The Schumann is tragic, but ends triumphantly, in a way that only du Pre could make it sound like that. The Saint-Saens is a less musically significant piece, but in du Pre's hands, it sounds like an important work. Dvorak's cello concerto is one of the greatest pieces in the cello repertoire, with its grand writing and poignancy. While du Pre's Dvorak concerto is not the best version one can buy, for the recording quality is notoriously horrible, with the orchestra sounding so distant from the cellist (who is placed far too forward) it is certainly one of the most outspoken and yes, impassioned accounts, interpretation-wise. Emotionally, it outdoes the justly famous Rotropovich/Karajan version. But the other Dvorak piece in this collection, the Silent Woods, is so touching that one is bound to cry at some stage of the 6-minute piece. The Delius concerto is a very rhapsodic, but a very engmatic one. Technically it is very demanding, because for once the technical difficulties are really due to the musical difficulties. It is hard to make sense of the work unless you are absolutely sure of its musical structure. But du Pre makes this sound easy, fully capturing the rhapsodic nature of the work, and sings beautifully. It was du Pre's first concerto recording, under one of the most arrogantly aristocratic conductors (arrogant to soloists, I mean, as he didn't regard them highly. But for du Pre, he was more than generous), Malcolm Sargent. The Elgar had to be included, didn't it? I mean, it is one of the great classics of the century. So there is nothing more to say about the Elgar. The Strauss tone-poem Don Quixote is a strange work, because it has a solo cello part (with a solo vioin and viola, who are usually members of the orchestra), a solo part that can be a soloist or the principal cellist from the orchestra cello section. It is strange, because the cello part is the most significant solo part, yet 80 per cent of the time it is outplayed by the orchestra, because the 'solo' cello plays the part of the orchestral cello section. But as to this performance, it was a run-through for a concert. Klemperer was supposed to be the conductor but he pulled out at the last minute and Boult was engaged. This historical recording does not sound like a run-through, although it si a bit messy at times ensemble-wise. But du Pre plays with absolute commitment. Her playing of the Finale must be one of the most poignant ever. The conductor's 'bravo' and the unanimous applause of the orchestra adds to the magic. I apologise for the long review, but if you have read this far, then I will say if you like du Pre and the cello, then this set is essential, and at mid price for CDs that would otherwise be full price and in single CDs, it is a bargain.

a fitting memorial to a unique artiste.......2001-02-09

The keyword with Jacqueline du Pre was always involvement, and so it is here. The performances in this collection are riveting. The Elgar, of course, is one of the most famous performances of all time - young cellist Du Pre with former cellist Barbirolli reaching to the absolute heart of this wonderful music. Though she plays with utmost and unvarying conviction throughout - and therefore these are not middle-of-the-road performances, and it is possible to sense a hothouse element in them as I do in the Haydn and the Monn, where stylistically she is far from faultless - the conviction, sincerity, guts and beauty of the playing carry you (and her) through. Curiously affecting is the end of 'Don Quixote', in a recording, with a bizarre history, which we are really very lucky to have (you can read about it in the set). At the end of a fine and fully characterised run-through, which is all it was, never meant to be issued, she plays with amazing poignancy the touching postlude. The performance ends, the counductor (Boult) shouts 'bravo' and the orchestra claps - it's all there, and we think of poor, wonderful Jacqueline, who never played a dishonest or uncommitted note, we are touched, and we are glad we bought this set!

The Most Relaxing Cello Album in the World Ever

Average customer rating:

Beautiful Cello Music
thought it would be better

The Most Relaxing Cello Album in the World Ever

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Most Relaxing Violin Album in the World ... Ever!
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The Most Relaxing Piano Album in the World...Ever!

ASIN: B0000D9WWR
Release Date: 2004-08-10

Tracks:

The Swan - Philharmonia Orchestra
Apres Un Reve, Op.7 No.1 - Han-Na-Chang
Vocalise, Op.34 No.14 - Han-Na Chang
I. Prelude - Mstislav Rostropovich
I. Aria - Juliane Banse
III. Largo - Jacqueline Du Pre & Daniel Barenboim
Sicilienne, Op.78.80 - Han-Na Chang
III. Adagio - Jacqueline Du Pre
V. Bourre I-II-I - Mstislav Rostropovich
I. Alegro Non Troppo - Daniel Barenboim
Wiegenlied, Op.49 No.4 - Juhani Lagerspetz
Adios Nonino - Berlin Philharmonica

Tracks:

Elegie in C Minor, Op.24 - Gerald Moore
Four Pieces, Op.78-'Romance' - Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Nocturne. Op.19 No.4 - Han-Na Chang
I . Prelude - Jacqueline Du Pre
Intermezzo In A Minor - Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Four Pieces, Op.78-'Religioso' - Truls Mork
Minnelied, Op.71 No.5 - Juhani Lagerspetz
Klid, B 182/Op.68 No.5 (Silent Woods) - Han-Na Chang
Feldeinsamkeit, Op.86 No.2 - Juhani Lagerspetz
III. Adagio, Ma Non Troppo - Mstislav Rostropovich
Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen - Berlin Philharmonic
Moonlight Serenade - Berlin Philharmonic

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Cello Music.......2006-11-28

Different than what other people say, this is an extremely beautiful Cello CD; check it out for yourself.

thought it would be better.......2006-11-09

i have been ordering from you but this one wasn't good at all

Average customer rating:

An excellent classical CD
A hidden diamond
Wagner's Grandeur
Ormandy is underrated!
Excellent Recordings

The Best Of Wagner

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Twilight of the Gods: The Essential Wagner Collection
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ASIN: B000003F4J
Release Date: 1991-06-06

Tracks:

Die Meistersinger: Prelude
Die Walkure: Ride Of The Valkyries
Lohengrin: Bridal Chorus
Siegfried: Forest Murmurs
Gotterdammerung: Dawn & Siegfried's Rhine Journey
Die Walkure: Magic Fire Music
Tristan und Isolde: Liebestod

Customer Reviews:

An excellent classical CD.......2007-01-28

Richard Wagner rightly deserves his high reputation as a classical musician. Like many people, I don't care for Wagner's racial or religious views, but don't let that stop you from enjoying his music. The CD starts off with my favorites the Prelude from Die Meistersinger & Ride of the Valkyries from Die Walkure, followed by a fascinating rendition of the Bridal Chorus (a.k.a. "Here Comes the Bride") from Lohengrin. I won't recite the rest of the list, but there are 4 other compositions, all somewhat varied in style, but very good. Whether you are classical music buff or simply want an introduction to classical music this CD is a good place to start.

A hidden diamond.......2001-10-03

This unassuming budget classic reissue is among the finest of its genre: The Wagner orchestral highlight album, and features the contents of 1973 LP recital the farthest thing from run-of-the-mill, spaciously recorded with the palpable feeling of the presence of the musicians, not merely an amorphously gorgeous orchestral sonority. The music unfolds without self-indulgent pointing, in a free-wheeling manner that is simply right.

The original Ormandy program is supplemented with a track by Robert Shaw doing a luscious rendering of the famous Bridal Chorus from with his divine women's chorus, a version as good or better than any ever anthologized or appearing in complete opera recordings, its 1959 atmospherically recorded sound barely showing its age.

My only caveat is that this stuff really merited more respectful packaging than this ersatz "Best of" series, but at the price, who should complain?

Wagner's Grandeur.......2001-08-24

Wagner was a great composer. His music and use of orchestra are grand and masterful. I am repulsed by his political views, but as an artist he was a genius. This compilation of Wagner is probably the best there is. I listen to it from time to time. The breadth of the orchestral palette, the elevation, and grandeur have been imitated but never duplicated.

Ormandy is underrated!.......2001-02-08

I did a test by listening to Szell, Klemperer, Karajan, Kubelik, Bohm, Jochum, Gerdes, Ozawa, Stokowski, and Ormandy play Wagner overtures and excerpts from "The Ring". My verdict: it's Ormandy. What can I say? I feel as is he's underrated, especially in the annals of Wagner worship. I like Stokowski's energy, but he plays around with scores (horrors!) too much. The Szell was great, but a tad limp. Other conductors have their high points, but Ormandy ranks consistently at the top. His conducting is full and rich and the orchestra always sounds great. I ranked the Szell orchestral music from Wagner at 5 stars, so Ormandy rates 6 stars.

Excellent Recordings.......2000-11-08

The selections performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra under Ormandy are excellent. One of the best. Highly Recommended.

Liszt for Lovers: Piano Dreams of Love and Passion

Average customer rating:

Beautiful Music for a Romantic Evening
perfect dramatic piano
Arguably, one of the best classical pianists ever.

Liszt for Lovers: Piano Dreams of Love and Passion

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Chopin and Champagne: Set Your Mood for Romance
Rachmaninoff for Romance: Passionate Music for Love and Desire
Debussy for Daydreaming: Music to Caress Your Innermost Thoughts
Tchaikovsky At Tea Time: A Refreshing Blend For Body And Spirit
Vivaldi for Valentines: Romantic Interludes for the One You Love

ASIN: B0000041NL
Release Date: 1997-06-10

Tracks:

Liebestraum (Dream Of Love)
Waldesrauschen (Forest Murmurs)
Un sospiro (A Sigh)
Liebesbotschaft (Message of Love)
Widmung (Dedication)
The Maiden's Wish
My Darling
Die Loreley
Au Bord D'Une Source
Harmonies Du Soir
Les Jeux D'Eaux A La Villa D'Este
Sonata In B Minor - Andante Sostenuto
Isolde's Liebestodt

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Music for a Romantic Evening.......2005-12-15

The CD insert design of the Set Your Life to Music series might suggest that this is a collection "Classical Lite." However, while this compilation provides some Liszt's most well-known music, these beautiful and deep pieces should not be mistaken for "easy listening." These are wonderful compositions by a great composer, performed by musicians of the highest caliber (especially Claudio Arrau). This is music to close your eyes to while listening to and enjoying every note and every nuance of the performances.

Most of the selections are performed by Claudio Arrau, one of the greatest pianists of the twentieth century, an acknowledged master of the Liszt repertoire and, furthermore, a pupil of one of Liszt's pupils. Arrau plays these selections with power, passion, sensitivity, and highly nuanced delicacy, depending on what a given passage calls for, as he takes the listener through the rising and falling tides of passion in Liszt's music.

The "non-Arrau" selections recorded by Misha Dichter, Wibi Soerjadi, and Zoltan Kocsis are also excellent. All the recorded selections, whether digital or analog, have very clear sound quality. Highly recommended, whether as an introduction to Lizst or to add to several other CDs of music by this great Romantic composer.

perfect dramatic piano.......2004-05-28

Both Liszt and Arrau are at their apogee in this CD. This is one the few piano cd's I've heard where Liszt's passionate genius is both appropriately frighteningly strong and beautifully tender (as many of his contemporaries noted 150 years ago). Arrau, always thoughtful, and with his emphasis on touch and color, and delicacy, penetrates to the heart of these sometimes breathtakingly orchestral piano sounds. This is lush arch-romantic piano with a huge nuanced sound, and a constant emotional ebb and flow (and sound volume) as powerful than any other composer of that tempestuous era I have heard. The cd is very clearly recorded with excellent dynamics. Every selection is strong and well chosen and the cd sets a very consistent brooding romantic mood. The best introduction to (and still my favorite) Liszt.

Arguably, one of the best classical pianists ever........2001-08-12

As soon as I heard the piano solo, Liebestraume, I immediately purchased this cd particularly because it contains some of the greatest piano pieces ever composed. During Liszt's lifetime, audiences were very appreciative of his talent and ability to express his emotions through the use of his piano. Influenced by Chopin, Franz Liszt ultimately achieved high status as a composer with the ability to play spectacular classical music. Some of the songs included possess titles about nature, and in one of the songs, the piano is played so brilliantly that it feels as if you're actually listening to fountains. Lovers of classical music should purchase this remarkable disc. And best of all, at a low price, this is a great bargain.

Schumann: Piano Concerto / Sviatoslav Richter

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Robert Schumann piano Sviatoslav Richter
Richter plays Schumann
& I thought Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto #1 was my favorite!
schumann's chamber concerto
Best of the best

Schumann: Piano Concerto / Sviatoslav Richter

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001GQS
Release Date: 1996-04-09

Tracks:

Konzert Fur Klavier Und Orchestera - Op. 54: 1. Allegro Affettuoso
Konzert Fur Klavier Und Orchestera - Op. 54: 2. Intermezzo Andantino - Attacca
Konzert Fur Klavier Und Orchestera - Op. 54: 3. Allegro Vivace
Introduction Und Allegro Appassionato G - Dur Op. 92
Novellette F - Dur Op. 21 No. 1
Toccata C - Dur Op. 7
Waldszenen Op. 82: Entry
Waldszenen Op. 82: Hunters On The Lookout
Waldszenen Op. 82: Lonely Flowers
Waldszenen Op. 82: Place Of Evil Fame
Waldszenen Op. 82: Friendly Landscape
Waldszenen Op. 82: Shelter
Waldszenen Op. 82: Bird As Prophet
Waldszenen Op. 82: Hunting Song
Waldszenen Op. 82: Farewell

Amazon.com essential recording

If you want to judge a pianist's versatility, listen to his or her recording of the Schumann Piano Concerto. It requires virtually everything a pianist should have to offer: poetry, virtuosity, expansive expression alternating with poised restraint. What a glorious test piece this is. Richter, who was famous for his Schumann playing, passes every test here. His meltingly beautiful delivery of Schumann's melodies touches the heart, and his execution of the most difficult passages is so smooth and effortless that it never calls a bit of attention to itself. In this piece and the Introduction and Allegro, the excellent orchestra also covers itself with glory. The solo pieces are no less wonderful. The way Richter plays the difficult Toccata is almost scary in its combination of power and velocity. The Forest Scenes is a slightly older recording (1956) than the others (1958), but it still sounds lovely. Catch Richter's whirlwind playing of "Traumes-Wirren" and you'll understand right away why other pianists had such respect for his technique. Listen to his "Prophet Bird" and he'll touch your heart. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Robert Schumann piano Sviatoslav Richter.......2007-03-08

Dexterity of Richter is world class . As a classical pianist I was disappointed with the frequency response of the recording. Although probably digitized still a lot of the frequencies were missing. If I had to choose again I would select a relatively recent performance .

Richter plays Schumann.......2005-12-05

All of us who admire the supreme interpretative status of Sviatoslav Richter know about his variable temperament. That personal feature permeated every piece he played in his fruitful career. The Piano Concerto has been played for so many pianists in the most different approach. It is a piece of irresistible romantic ethos, who can deny it? .

This version remained indeed, as one the most prominent in the market for years; but there were many more: Lipatti, Michelangeli, Rubinstein, Cortot ,Van Cliburn, Yves Nat among many others, we should wait until the most elegant, expressive, eloquent and committed performance ever recorded : Ivan Moravec with the Czech Philharmonic conducted by Vaclav Neumann (a very hard to find CD).

That fact established more than just a line; a true frontier, a reference pattern, very hard to surpass until this date. Richter 's performance is something inexpressive, he could make a major and best performance. But despite of it, remains among the ten best available and trustable versions.

The rest of the CD is absolutely perfect .I don't know about any other version of Introduction and Allegro capable to match with it. His Novelette is very expressive and sensitive with the only exception of the monumental version of Wilhelm Kempff and one register of Emil Gilels.

The Toccata is simply memorable; there are , however two very remarkable version: Martha Argerich and Vladimir Horowitz. The Waldzsenen Op. 82 is a a very genuine jewel.

Go for this, keeping in mind there are better options respect the piano Concerto.

& I thought Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto #1 was my favorite!.......2004-11-04

That is...until I heard the first few notes of this Schumann concerto. I was literally in tears the first 50 times I listened to the 1st movement of this concerto. Personally I'm not a big fan of Schumann's work, but this is the absolute best piano concerto, and it is a "must buy" for any piano lover. This recording also substantiated my love for Richter's playing.

schumann's chamber concerto.......2003-07-17

as the other reviews have said, this is a remarkable performance. the ensemble playing is crisp without being rigid, and the players are recorded with the clarity of a chamber orchestra: all the instrumental soloists are distinguished and the balance with the soloist is perfect. richter creates a subtle range of moods within the overall perspective of each movement -- hard to do in a concerto role, as the orchestra must contribute to the effect -- though his dynamic contrasts are not as extreme as typical. the cumulative effect is apollonian, magisterial, and timeless. the solo pieces are marvelous technical and interpretive displays as well.

Best of the best.......2002-09-20

This recording of Schumann's concerto is simply the best: the orchestra is very good (despite reviews to the contrary), the soloist-orchestra interplay is superb, and Richter's playing is divine.

If you listen to this recording repeatedly, and then compare it with other good or very good recordings (Lipatti, Serkin, Moravec, Staier), you'll notice the differences: you will be aware how these latter pianists search for the correct interpretation of certain passages, and often they succeed. You'll be also aware, however, that Richter does not interpret. He simply plays it the way Schumann must have intended the work, i.e. the way it has to be played. It's not a matter of technique - in this respect, many(but not too many) pianists are as good as Richter. It's just like Schumann's spirit has penetrated Richter's nervous system and guides his fingers.

When you're not listening to the concerto for a long time, and then try to "play" it in your head, you will reckognize that it "sounds" like the Richter-Rowicki recording. And you will notice flaws in all other recordings.

Summarized: Best recording of Richter, best recording of Schumann's piano concerto, and my all-time favorite recording.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Magic Fly [Import]

Rare Russian Repertoire, Vol. 2 - Boiko: Symphony No. 2 / Bunin: Symphony No. 6

Musiques Aux Etats

Mahler: Urlicht - Primal Light / Caine, Bensoussan, et al.

React Test V.5 [Import]

Serene Reflections

Peninha - O Inventos De Cancoes [Import]

Sketches of Satie

Renaissance [Import] [Original recording remastered]

Persepolis Plus Remixes Edition 1

Red Nichols and His Five Pennies, 1926-1930

Mi Historia

Me Toco Perder

Live at Roseland Ballroom

Best of Boxcar Willie

1. Canon in D
2. Ombra Mai Fu [From Xerxes]
3. Adiago from Clarinet Concerto
4. Nocturne [From A Midsummer Night's Dream]
5. 2nd MVT. From Concerto for Two Violins
6. Gymnopédie, No. 1
7. Pavane for a Dead Princess
8. 2nd MVT. From Flute Concerto in D Minor
9. 4th MVT. From Serendade in E, Op. 22
10. Nocturne in E Flat, Op. 9, No. 2
11. Pastorale [from Masques et Bergamasques]

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