Copland:Billy the Kid/Rodeo

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Leonard Slatkin, who has done such outstanding service for American music, upholds the Copland tradition with potent, sympathetically argued accounts of the big ballets. The performances by the Saint Louis Symphony could hardly be bettered, and the recordings stand out for their solid sound as well. Slatkin does both Billy the Kid and Rodeo in full, restoring some delightful music in both scores that is missed when only the suites are presented. In Rodeo, for example, it comes as a delicious surprise to hear the Saloon-piano interlude before the "Saturday Night Waltz"--and Slatkin insists on an out-of-tune upright--just the right touch. These are idiomatic, persuasive accounts, thrilling in their buildups and potent in their climaxes. Even Appalachian Spring is done in full, though in its version for full orchestra. The treatment here is gentle, and while Slatkin generates less voltage than Bernstein, his reading has nobility and an engaging warmth. The recordings were made at a rather low level, but have a wonderful ambience and extraordinary dynamic range. Unfortunately, the individual scenes of both Billy the Kid and Appalachian Spring are not separately banded. --Ted Libbey

Tracks:

Appalachian Spring: Very Slowly
Appalachian Spring: Allegro
Appalachian Spring: Moderato
Appalachian Spring: Fast
Appalachian Spring: Subito Allegro
Appalachian Spring: As At First (Slowly)
Appalachian Spring: Doppio movimento
Appalachian Spring: Moderato - Coda
Rodeo: Buckaroo Holiday - Allegro con spirito
Rodeo: Corral Nocturne - Moderato
Rodeo: aturday Night Waltz - Introduction - Slow Waltz
Rodeo: Hoe-Down - Allegro
Billy The Kid: Introduction. The Open Prairie
Billy The Kid: Street In A Frontier Town
Billy The Kid: Mexican Dance And Finale
Billy The Kid: Prairie Night (Card Game At Night)
Billy The Kid: Gun Battle
Billy The Kid: Celbration (After Billy's Capture)
Billy The Kid: Billy's Death
Billy The Kid: The Open Prairie Again
Fanfare for the Common Man: Molto deliberato

Amazon.com essential recording

Happy is the composer who has an advocate as passionate and talented as Leonard Bernstein. These Copland performances have been the preferred versions since they were first issued--better even than the composer's own, later recordings. Originally they were spread over two discs, but thanks to the extended playing time of the compact disc, you can now get all three great Copland ballets together, along with the ever popular Fanfare for the Common Man. Bernstein brings to this music the right sharpness of rhythm but also a typically open-hearted warmth. He coaxes a virtuoso response from the New York Philharmonic, which knows this music as well (or better) than anyone. Self- recommending. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

What more could one ask for?.......2007-06-27

Aaron Copland's masterful works are here interpreted by Bernstein. Nothing says the American sound like Copland, and there is no better interpreter than Bernstein. This recording is one of the best in my collection. I would recommend this to anyone (even non-classical music fans).

Definitive Is Right.......2007-02-27

I have the SACD version of these recordings (except for the "Fanfare" which, in this case, is the version taken from Bernstein's recording of Copland's Third Symphony) and I must agree with others here that the performances are definitive. The "Rodeo" has more energy than any other recording I know of, in fact it can almost go over the top! "Billy the Kid" is quiet and tender, dramatic and bold and "Appalachian Spring" is dead-on. The last section of this ballet is one of my very favorite pieces of music and Bernstein's tempo and phrasing here could well be called perfect.

Definitive Recordings of Copland's Popular Ballet Scores From Bernstein, NYPO.......2007-02-11

Without question, this splendid CD is my favorite recording of some of Aaron Copland's most popular orchestral ballet scores. In Leonard Bernstein he had both a good friend and a devout ally, who successfully championed Copland's music, helping to ensure his reputation as one of the greatest - if not the greatest - 20th Century American composer. Sony has done a superb job in digitally remastering this recording, offering some of the best sound I've heard from a vintage Leonard Bernstein/New York Philharmonic recording. But more importantly than the recording's superb sonic quality is the quality of these performances of Copland's scores. Bernstein leads in New York Philharmonic in these virtuoso performances, replete with lush, vibrant playing from the winds, horns and strings. His warm, truly heart-felt interpretation of "Applachian Spring" is truly mesmerizing, and the best I have heard from a recording. And yet, I am am just as impressed with his conducting of both "Rodeo" and "Billy the Kid"; the latter replete with superb solos from the orchestra's timpanist. An elegant performance of "Fanfare for the Common Man" closes out this CD recording. Fans of Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra shouldn't hesitate in acquiring this superb CD.

American Music at its Highest .......2007-02-04

If I was forced to recommend one CD of American music, I would feel very safe in backing this one. These interpretations have yet to be surpassed, and not even Copland himself could muster the same type of perfection that Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic did in this recording. Bernstein's way with Rodeo is unbelievable, and this alone is worth the price of the disc. The music on this recording has a lot to do with why, as Americans, we can all be proud of our place in the history of western music.

With 39 reviews under me, I will dispense with the adjectives to try and describe each interpretation of each piece on this disc, and simply say that these performances have been recommended by almost everyone (professional critics included of course) since they appeared; get it and find out why.

The best of Copland.......2007-01-09

For the Aaron Copland fan, this CD has the essentials: the most popular and easy listening of the Copland body of creations. Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

Superb
For Rodeo alone, this beats the competition hands down
A TWO-PUNCH PARTNERSHIP
Incomparable!

Copland: Rodeo/Billy The Kid

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Copland: Appalachian Spring/Fanfare For The Common Man/El Salón México/Danzón Cubano
Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue/An American In Paris
Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Night on Bald Mountain
Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite/Mississippi Suite
Prokofiev: Peter And The Wolf/Saint-Saëns: The Carnival Of The Animals

ASIN: B0000025JO
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes: I. Buckaroo Holiday
Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes: II. Corral Nocturne
Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes: III. Saturday Night Waltz
Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes: IV. Hoe-Down
Billy The Kid (Ballet Suite): Introduction: The Open Prairie
Billy The Kid (Ballet Suite): Street In A Frontier Town
Billy The Kid (Ballet Suite): Mexican Dance And Finale
Billy The Kid (Ballet Suite): Prairie Night (Card Game At Night)
Billy The Kid (Ballet Suite): Gun Battle
Billy The Kid (Ballet Suite): Celebration (After Billy's Capture)
Billy The Kid (Ballet Suite): Billy's Death
Billy The Kid (Ballet Suite): The Open Prairie Again

Amazon.com

If Copland's own recordings of his music have the warmth of a soft summer night, those by Leonard Bernstein convey the blazing heat of noon. In his later remakes of several of these scores for Deutsche Grammophon, Bernstein exhibited a tendency toward overly-nuanced readings. But his earlier accounts with the New York Philharmonic, recorded by CBS in the late 1950s and early 1960s, are still incomparable in their vitality and impetus. Bernstein's way with the Western ballets is exuberantly personal and persuasive. He has the ability to move between delicacy and brashness, always getting the gestures right, and he delivers magical characterizations of both scores. The Phiharmonic's playing, while sometimes a bit raw, is confident and rhythmically secure; there is certainly nothing to apologize for here. There is a wonderful sense of immediacy to Bernstein's account of the Appalachian Spring Suite, in which the New Yorkers give a virtuosic account of themselves, playing in a rhythmically incisive fashion that puts Copland's account with the London Symphony in the shadows. The couplings are a mixed bag, however. Bernstein always had the measure of El Salon Mexico, and gives a rousing account of it here. But the so-called Fanfare for the Common Man is lifted from his recording of the Third Symphony; its beginning is not the same as that of the real fanfare. Both recordings have been wonderfully remastered by their original producer, John McClure, and have excellent presence and a palpable sense of atmosphere in the quiet pages. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Superb.......2007-03-18

It does not get better than Bernstein conducting Copland. I have seen both ballets many times and this CD brought back vivid memories. No one has ever captured the sounds, rythms and spirit of the West as well as Copland. The album is a treasure. I never tire of listening to it.

For Rodeo alone, this beats the competition hands down.......2005-10-08

Leonard Bernstein's Columbia recording of Copland's "Rodeo" with the New York Philharmonic, made in 1960 still beats the competition hands down for sheer excitement and power. Lenny's "Buckaroo Holiday" (I) is wonderful: very fast and spirited, and no holes barred, like riding a bucking bronco. When I first heard this recording on LP in 1974, I could hardly restrain myself, as it is not only fast, but well accented, and the recording really backs up what Bernstein was trying to do in this piece. Tempos are all sensible, but fast where needed, especially in I and IV, "Hoe down." I have heard other recordings: Dorati/Detroit (London), Johanos/Dallas (Vox), Abravanel/Utah (MCA), and they all have their merits, but for sheer excitement, Bernstein is the best to have.

"Billy the Kid", recorded in 1959, is also well recorded and performed. Bernstein's tempos are sensible, and he does alot with the crescendos and repeats in the final movement, "The Open Prairie" to make it more interesting than some conductors do. I also like recordings of this work by James Judd/New Zealand Symphony (Naxos), Johanos/Dallas (Vox) and Dorati/London Symphony (Philips Mercury - more than just the suite recorded here), but again Bernstein is very fine in comparison with any of them, although he doesn't stand out as much as with "Rodeo."

Recommended, either in this recording, or the Bernstein Century edition, also on Sony Classical, which also includes Bernstein/New York Philharmonic's 1961 Columbia recording of "Appalachian Spring."

A TWO-PUNCH PARTNERSHIP.......2002-05-31

Bernstein and Copland, two of the giants of the American classical scene are here in this excellent recording of the latter's homage to the Old West. Every major filmed western of the 50's owes its score beginnings to themes found in Copland's music.

Just take a listen and "saddle up" for the musical ride.

Incomparable!.......2000-09-01

No one else has come close to Bernstein's accounts Copland's music- including Copland himself. In every respect, this is best recording of Rodeo I've heard. The tempos are, if anything, a bit on the fast side of average. The recording quality is quite good, though the woodwinds can be a bit too quiet.

Aaron Copland: Billy the Kid and Rodeo Suite; Ferde Grofé:Grand Canyon Suite

Average customer rating:

Astounding "Canyon"; "Rodeo" Rivals NYP
Superb recordings of American classics.
Copland and Gould - LSC-2195
Gould conducts Copland and Grofe
Superlative performance of Copeland

Aaron Copland: Billy the Kid and Rodeo Suite; Ferde Grofé:Grand Canyon Suite

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

$7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Copland: Appalachian Spring/Fanfare For The Common Man/El Salón México/Danzón Cubano
The Wild West: The Essential Western Film Music Collection
Copland: Appalachian Spring; Gould: Fall River Legend
Gershwin: Rhapsody In Blue/An American In Paris
Copland: Appalachian Spring; Rodeo; Fanfare for the Common Man

ASIN: B000003FGZ
Release Date: 1993-05-11

Tracks:

Billy The Kid: Suite: Introduction: The Open Prarie
Billy The Kid: Suite: Street In A Frontier Town
Billy The Kid: Suite: Mexican Dance And Finale
Billy The Kid: Suite: Prairie Night: Card Game
Billy The Kid: Suite: Gun Battle
Billy The Kid: Suite: Celebration: After Billy's Capture
Billy The Kid: Suite: Billy's Death
Billy The Kid: Suite: The Open Prairie (reprise)
Rodeo: Suite: Buckaroo Holiday
Rodeo: Suite: Corral Nocturne
Rodeo: Suite: Honky Tonk Interlude
Rodeo: Suite: Saturday Night Waltz
Rodeo: Suite: Hoe-Down
Grand Canyon Suite: Sunrise
Grand Canyon Suite: Painted Desert
Grand Canyon Suite: On The Trail
Grand Canyon Suite: Sunset
Grand Canyon Suite: Cloudburst

Customer Reviews:

Astounding "Canyon"; "Rodeo" Rivals NYP.......2007-01-05

Close your eyes and be transported to the Canyon. In this remastering of a 1960 recording, Morton Gould shows his chops as a superlative conductor and interpreter of this Grofe classic. The work itself is wonderful, but Gould and his orchestra provide nuances that absolutely delight. Of the five movements of "Grand Canyon Suite", the final, "Cloudburst", ceases becoming music and is elevated to pure sensory experience. It is no longer notes on a page finely executed; it IS the sky, the wind, the sheets of rain (a sheer, shimmering slide of sound), the thunder, and it is perfect. The four prior movements are nearly as excellent, with the second, "Painted Desert", casting an eerie shadow over the listener's mind with spellbinding brush strokes. This is a performance delivered with painstaking care.

Gould's treatment of Copland's works, recorded three years earlier, were of great personal interest, as one of my earliest exposures to "serious" music was the great Bernstein recording of "Rodeo", and "Buckaroo Holiday" in particular. Surprisingly, Gould and company give the NYPO a run for its money. They are just as energized, brash and even raw (hear the horns, and it's fitting) as New York; ditto the "Gun Battle" episode of "Billy". Gould threw himself into Copland's scores and whipped his musicians into a frenzy when called for, and the results place Gould's readings of these two pieces of Americana right behind Bernstein.

This CD - beautifully remastered - is a bargain.

Superb recordings of American classics........2004-04-27

I thoroughly agree with all other reviewers (though I wish some would spell Copland's name right!) Morton Gould conducts with great verve and sensitivity. "Rodeo" is terrific and it also includes the seldom heard "Honky-Tonk Interlude" which is a delight in itself.
The Grand Canyon Suite is a highlight with its marvellous orchestration and melodic richness. Although the score is influenced by a number of composers such as Dukas, Ravel, Respighi and even Richard Strauss, it nevertheless feels entirely
original. "On the trail" is beautifully rhythmical,one can really feel the trotting
of the donkeys, and the sound effects are pure joy. Note the
ee-ah-ing of the donkeys, so superbly part of the music. (somewhat reminescent of Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream overture.) The Cloudburst is a sonic triumph.
This recording comes from 1957, but digitally remastered. Sound is demonstration quality. Still probably the best available, highly recommended.

Copland and Gould - LSC-2195.......2004-02-12

I've heard Copland conducting these two works on recordings and I've heard the famous NYPO/Bernstein's 1960 recording of these two works on Columbia Records, yet Gould and his Orchestra fills in the blank spaces that was left out in previous and recent recordings.

He takes his troup to NYC to Manhatten Center, in Oct of 1957, and have the legendary RCA producer, John Pfeiffer and Lewis Layton, produce and engineer this recording session to be encaptured on 3-track tape (where the "Billy the Kid" was released on RCA "New Orthophonic tape recording" - the BCS-130), then to eventual vinyl (LM/LSC-2195). Gould, being somewhat of an arrangement conductor in the 50's, manage to pull the stops out in how these two Copland pieces are to be presented-to where the listener can feel that they themselves are back in the Wild, Wild West of the 1880's. He doesn't rush through these two pieces like some other conductors do. Gould takes his time trying to tell the story within the music. He uses emphasis, emotion, tempo and dynamics where it should be per each chapter in a story. Excellent listening for all!

This BMG "Living Stereo" release of the LSC-2195 Copland/Gould is a faithful reproduction as it can be of the original vinyl release.

Gould conducts Copland and Grofe.......2003-11-21

It may surprise some to discover that American composer/conductor Morton Gould conducted such fine performances of other American composers' music. These RCA Victor "Living Stereo" recordings are vivid, excellent proof that Gould was a really fine conductor and not just of his own music.

The performances of the suites from Copland's ballets "Billy the Kid" and "Rodeo" are among the best ever recorded. They benefit not only from Gould's wonderful sensitivity and appreciation but from excellent playing by the "pickup" orchestra and the still remarkable "Living Stereo" recording process, in which RCA used only three microphones and advanced mastering techniques.

Ferde Grofe's "Grand Canyon Suite" was a "labor of love" as the skilled composer/arranger spent considerable time carefully depicting his impressions of one of the greatest natural wonders of the world. Grofe had been a very successful arranger for Paul Whiteman and is still remembered for the very first orchestration of George Gershwin's "An American in Paris," premiered by Gershwin at the piano with Whiteman conducting in New York's Aeolian Hall in February 1924.

Grofe composed a number of original orchestral works in later years and the "Grand Canyon Suite" is probably his best. It contains memorable melodies and is skillfully orchestrated throughout. It so impressed Arturo Toscanini that he recorded it in 1945 for RCA Victor, under the supervision of the composer. Grofe himself conducted a recording of the suite for Everest Records in 1960. Gould's recording is excellent. The final movement, depicting a spectacular thunderstorm, is absolutely awesome. I think this recording may surpass an earlier favorite, also recorded for RCA Victor, by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston "Pops" Orchestra.

This is all very fun and very exciting American music.

Superlative performance of Copeland.......1999-12-26

Billy the Kid & Rodeo were both etched in my soul when as a young boy I listened along with my mother. This performance by Morton Gould remains for me above any other that I have heard and I have heard many given my love for them. This is a re-issue of an original 3 microphone/3 track TRUE stero recording made by RCA in their 'Living Stero' series and originally recorded in 1957. A must have for Copeland listeners. It is a bonus that it also contains 'Grand Canyon Suite.'

Average customer rating:

Best of the the popular Copland...
A Great American Album
Must have this one...

Ultimate Copland Album

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Bernstein Century - Copland: Appalachian Spring, Rodeo, etc / Bernstein, New York PO
Copland: Music for Films
Copland: Appalachian Spring; Rodeo; Fanfare for the Common Man
Bernstein Century - Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue, etc
Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue - Piano Concerto in F - An American in Paris

ASIN: B00002S5EW
Release Date: 1999-11-09

Tracks:

Fanfare For The Common Man
From Four Dance Episodes From 'Rodeo': Saturday Night Waltz
From Four Dance Episodes From 'Rodeo': Hoe-Down
From Old American Songs: Simple Gifts
Appalachian Spring: Variations On A Shaker Hymn
From Music For Movies: Grovers Corners (From Our Town)
From Billy The Kid: Introduction - The Open Prairie
From Billy The Kid: Street In A Frontier Town
From Billy The Kid: Mexican Dance
From Billy The Kid: Gun Battle
From Billy The Kid: Celebration (After Billy's Capture)
From Billy The Kid: The Open Prairie Again
From Billy The Kid: El Salon Mexico
Appalachian Spring: Very Slowly
Appalachian Spring: Allegro
Appalachian Spring: Moderato: The Bride And Her Intended
Appalachian Spring: Fast: The Revivalist And His Flock
Appalachian Spring: Allegro: Solo Dance Of The Bride
Appalachian Spring: Meno Mosso
Appalachian Spring: Doppio Movimento: Variations On A Shaker Hymn
Appalachian Spring: Moderato: Coda

Customer Reviews:

Best of the the popular Copland..........2004-12-26

Here's a great introduction to the popular music of Aaron Copland. When "Fanfare for the Common Man" begins, sparks of recognition will fly for most listeners. This song has been everywhere: presidential inaugurations, the olympics, commercials, movies, etc. Some flatten it as hopelessly clichéd, while others find it moving and inspiring. Copland also reprised it in the finale of his Third Symphony. Arguably Copland's most famous piece, "Appalachian Spring" closes the CD. In between, more great Copland: excerpts from 'Rodeo' (apparently the beef lobby has appropriated "Hoe-Down" as one of their themes); a great vocal rendition of "Simple Gifts" and a large chunk of another of Copland's best known works: "Billy the Kid". The only confusing piece is the "Variations on a Shaker Hymn" from Appalachian Spring when the entire Appalachian Spring is already included. Seems slightly redundant.

Though most of the pieces on this CD were written in the 1930s and 1940s, they tend to evoke the old west. With titles such as "Rodeo" and "Billy the Kid" this shouldn't surprise too many people.

Copland went on to compose more dissonant and twelve tone compositions later on in his career. These obviously weren't as popular with the public in general as the pieces on this CD. Nonetheless, if this disc whets the appetite, a foray into Copland's less popular works will yield much. It will help to expose the totality of Copland's output. This disc only represents a small portion of his work. Regardless, this disc is a great starting point for getting to know one of the United States' best known composers of the twentieth century.

A Great American Album.......2004-02-13

This is a great album representing true patriotic American music. Songs like "Hoe-Down" are lively and energetic and give rememberance to what one can imagine as the true American spirit.

Must have this one..........2002-09-17

I like all types of music, I wanted this album because I liked the song "RODEO" that is used on the beef commercials. This CD has made me into a Copland fan. It has many great songs. If you want a CD that says "I am an American." This is it. I am sending copies to a friend in Bombay and Tel Aviv. This is who I am put to music.

Average customer rating:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!
Beginner or Expert
Very Informative and Enjoyable
Frank's view
Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra

Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra Op34; Simple Symphony Op4
What to Listen for in Music
Study of Orchestration, Third Edition
The Life and Works of Ludwig van Beethoven
The Life and Works of Frédéric Chopin

ASIN: B00006O0NT
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

Overture To 'Tannhauser'
Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
Hungarian Dance No.7
The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
Csardas Music
The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
Tzigane
Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
Caprice No.24
The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
The Violin Muted
Clair De Lune
The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
The Pizzicato Violin
Pizzicato Polka
In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
Hungarian Dance No.4
Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
Bolero
Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
Elfenreigen

Tracks:

Introduction To The Viola
Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
Cypresses (No.9)
The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
The 'Period' Viola In Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
Elfentanz, Op.39
Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
The Protecting Veil (Opening)
A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
Flamenco
Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
Symphony No.9 (Finale)
Introduction To The Double-Bass
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
Elegy No.1 In D Major
The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
Capriccio Di Bravura
Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
Sa'Dawi
Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
Chamber Music No.II
The Piccolo - Aptly Named
La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
A Variety Of Techniques
Chamber Music No.II
Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
Naelden, Naelden
The Bachian Oboe
Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
The Swan Of Tuonela
The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
Bolero
The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
...And Quite Low.
Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
Introduction To The Saxophone
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
Bolero
The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
Sax-O-Phun
The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
Bolero
The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
Symphony No.3 (Opening)
The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
The Ceremonial Trumpet
Fanfare For The Common Man
Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
Billy The Kid
The Trumpet As Character Actor
Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
The Birth Of The Trombone
Aenmerckt Nu Hier
The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
Canzon 12 In Double Echo
The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
Hosannah
The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
The Trombone As Caricaturist
Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
The Horn And The Hunt
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
Walter Music (Minuet 1)
The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
Den Hoboecken Dans
Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
Gymnopedie No.2
The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
The Birth Of The Bongo
Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
Taking Advantage Of Tunability
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
Ravel And The Xylophone
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
Introducing The Vibraphone
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
Folk Dances
The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
Introducing The Tubular Bells
Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
Carmen Suite (Introduction)
But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Introducing The Celeste
The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
Petrushka (Russian Dance)
The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
Mahler's Sleighbells
Symphony No.4 (Opening)
A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Nocturnes
Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
The Oboe As Duck
Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
A Thunderstorm In A Million
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
Octet In F (Mvt 3)
The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
Canzon 28
Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
Images (Gigues)
A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

Tracks:

Fanfare For The Common Man
Appalachian Spring
The Tender Land: Party Scene
The Tender Land: Finale: The Promise of Living
Billy the Kid -- Ballet Suite
Rodeo: Hoedown

Customer Reviews:

Aaron Copland.......2007-05-13

It's okay but I dont listen to it much. I have other things I would rather listen to like Chris Isaak Lawrence Welk Bee Gees etc

Best Collection of Aaron Copland.......2005-12-21

Aaron Copland is for me one of three of America's greatest composers of the 20th Century. Bernard Herrmann and Jerome Moross are the other two. Aaron Copland would have been 100 years old on November 14, 2000. In reflection I turn back to my first Copland album, "Copland's Greatest Hits." I was familiar as most people are with "Hoe Down" and that was the springboard for me. What attracted me was that distinctive "American" sound and "American" quality of the piece. This "American" sound is very present in Jerome Moross' score for the epic Western film, "The Big Country." One can also find similar influences in Bernard Herrmann's score for "The Kentuckian" and very much like Copland, Herrmann researched and interpolated regional folk songs and integrated them into his own unique style. Because I always liked film scores and also very much liked Copland's "Hoe Down" I always thought there had to be some connection with the musical approach. When I got this album and listened to "Appalachian Spring" for the first time I knew that I had discovered pure "Americana" and I have found that sound replicated in so many films. If you listen to the scores for "The Natural" or "Field of Dreams" or even recently to "Saving Private Ryan" this sound is present. This is a tribute to Copland and American music. Copland reinvented American music by giving it his unique structure. Copland's music is so simply melodic yet richly textured that it has an inherent sophistication that defines our nation. This is my favorite Copland album. That may be sentimental, but it helped me try to define a sound that I personally found moving and uplifting. I highly recommend this album of collected recordings. The recording of "Appalachian Spring" on this CD performed by the New York Philharmonic and conducted by Leonard Bernstein is my favorite recording of this piece to date.

The finest version of Appalachian Spring -- bar none!.......2001-12-09

I marvel at this CD every time I listen to it. This CD features Aaron Copland conducting the Boston Symphony in a performance of his own Appalachian Spring. There are many poignant hesitations and nuances in this performance. There is good reason why this piece has become synonymous with Americana -- listen to it, close your eyes and just let the images unfold.

This CD also contains Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Philharmonic in the Billy the Kid Ballet Suite. It is a spectacular performance as well.

Outstanding Collection of Copland Music.......1999-11-09

Every cut on this CD is very good. My personal favorites are "Appalacian Spring", and the "The Tender Land - Finale: The Promise of Living." I would recommend this CD to anyone who is a fan of Classical Music.

Breathtaking, beautiful and aweinspiring!.......1999-07-12

This is no doubt one of the most beautiful classical CD's I have ever listened to. Copland was and is an extremely gifted composer.

Copland: Billy the Kid; Rodeo; Grofe: Grand Canyon Suite [Hybrid SACD]

Average customer rating:

Copland: Billy the Kid; Rodeo; Grofe: Grand Canyon Suite [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Pops Caviar: Russian Orchestral Fireworks [Hybrid SACD]
Respighi: Pines of Rome; Fountains of Rome; Debussy: La mer [Hybrid SACD]
Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique [Hybrid SACD]
Ravel: Bolero; La Valse; Rapsodie Espagnole [Hybrid SACD]
Mendelssohn: Italian & Reformation Symphonies [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B000E1NWIM
Release Date: 2006-02-07

Tracks:

Introduction: The Open Prairie
Street Into A Frontier Town
Mexican Dance And Finale
Prarie Night: Card Game
Gun Battle
Celebration: After Billy's Capture
Billy's Death
The Open Prarie (Reprise)
Billy The Kid: Waltz
Buckaroo Holiday
Corral Nocturne
Honky Tonk Interlude
Saturday Night Waltz
Hoe-Down
Sunrise
Painted Desert
On The Trail
Sunset
Cloudburst

The Copland Collection: Orchestral & Ballet Works, 1936-1948

Average customer rating:

Bought this for Concerto for Clarinet
Aaron Copland: Populist and Conductor
Tribute to Lincoln
A great way to get your dose of Copland....
Well balanced retrospective, -or- Listen to this!

The Copland Collection: Orchestral & Ballet Works, 1936-1948

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Copland Collection: Orchestral Works, 1948-1971
Copland: Music for Films
A Copland Celebration Vol. 3
A Copland Celebration Vol. 1
Samuel Barber / Thomas Schippers

ASIN: B0000027BJ
Release Date: 1991-01-18

Tracks:

El Salon Mexico
An Outdoor Overture
Billy The Kid: Introduction: The Open Prairie
Billy The Kid: Street In A Frontier Town
Billy The Kid: Prairie Night (Card Game At Night)
Billy The Kid: Gun Battle
Billy The Kid: Celebration (After Billy's Capture)
Billy The Kid: Billy's Death
Billy The Kid: The Open Prairie Again
Quiet City
John Henry
Our Town
Las Agachadas
Fanfare For The Common Man

Tracks:

Rodeo (Four Dance Episodes): I. Buckaroo Holiday
Rodeo (Four Dance Episodes): II. Corral Nocturne
Rodeo (Four Dance Episodes): III. Saturday Night Waltz
Rodeo (Four Dance Episodes): IV. Hoedown
The City: New England Countryside
Of Mice And Men: Barley Wagons
The City: Sunday Traffic
Our Town: Grovers Corners
Of Mice And Men: Threshing Machines
Appalachian Spring (Suite From The Ballet): Very Slow
Appalachian Spring (Suite From The Ballet): Fast
Appalachian Spring (Suite From The Ballet): Moderato
Appalachian Spring (Suite From The Ballet): Fast
Appalachian Spring (Suite From The Ballet): Still Faster
Appalachian Spring (Suite From The Ballet): As At First (Slowly)
Appalachian Spring (Suite From The Ballet): Calm And flowing
Appalachian Spring (Suite From The Ballet): Moderato; Coda
Letter From Home
Danzon Cubano

Tracks:

Lincoln Portrait: Lento
Lincoln Portrait: Subito Allegro
Lincoln Portrait: 'Fellow Citizens, We Cannot Escape History...'
Symphony No. 3: I. Molto Moderato-With Simple Expression
Symphony No. 3: II. Allegro Molto
Symphony No. 3: III. Andantino Quasi Allegretto
Symphony No. 3: IV. Molto Deliberato
Concerto For Clarinet, Strings, Harp, & Piano

Amazon.com

Aaron Copland made numerous recordings of his own music, including an extensive series for CBS during the 1960s and '70s, mostly with London orchestras. He was not an especially proficient conductor--consequently, the performances he conducted often lacked pace and rhythmic punch. His last recordings of his most popular scores have been reissued by Sony on an exceptionally well-remastered 3-CD set. These accounts do a good job of conveying the overall shape of the pieces, and they deliver telling characterizations of many episodes. Details emerge that are lost in some other accounts, and there is an appealing gentleness and sweetness to the approach. But the readings do not have as much grip as those of Bernstein and Slatkin, among others, and in spite of the authority they automatically possess, they are not necessarily preferable. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Bought this for Concerto for Clarinet.......2007-07-14

The sum is greater than the parts. This is a great Copland collection and shows his diversity. Yet as divers and the three CD are they are all distinctively Copland. Benny Goodman is usually associated with jazz yet he was also diverse in his career. "Concerto for Clarinet, Strings, and Harp & Piano" is a mantra that will carry you to a timeless place.

An added plus is the many other popular pieces that you know you heard but did not realize it was Copland especially the music from movies.

You may have to play the set a few times before being able to recognize the different tracks by name. The down side is many of Copland's works are outside of the date range of this collection.

Aaron Copland: Populist and Conductor.......2005-03-29

If you want a prime collection of Copland's more accessible works, this is it. Yes, it's true that Bernstein's recordings of individual pieces are often bolder and livelier; but this set offers the composer's own authoritative view of his work, and for that reason alone it is priceless. In addition, it includes virtually all the orchestral pieces he composed during his "populist phase," from El Salon Mexico (1936) to the Clarinet Concerto (1948). You won't find some of these lesser-known gems, such as An Outdoor Overture (1938) or Letter from Home (1944, written--like Rhapsody in Blue--for Paul Whiteman), on typical single-disc Copland compilations. I'd even go so far as to claim this as one of the four indispensable compilations of American instrumental music from the first half of the twentieth century (the others on my list--in case anyone cares--are Joshua Rifkin playing Scott Joplin, Oscar Levant playing Gershwin, and the Blanton-Webster band recordings of Duke Ellington).

What amazing riches flowed from Copland's pen during the period covered by these three discs! Billy the Kid (1939), Quiet City (1940), Our Town (1940), Fanfare for the Common Man (1942), Rodeo (1942), Lincoln Portrait (1942), Appalachian Spring (1944), and the Third Symphony (1946)--all are here. Some of this music is so familiar, so deeply ingrained in America's cultural consciousness, that we might be tempted to take it for granted. But imagine how much poorer the American concert repertoire would be without it. It's almost impossible, at this point, to conceive of a time when this wonderful music--which is to America roughly what Mussorgsky's music is to Russia, Grieg's to Norway, and Falla's to Spain--didn't exist. It was during the dozen years covered by this collection that Copland pulled away from the pack of his talented contemporaries (Hanson, Thomson, Harris, etc.) and, in a way, but with greater technical sophistication, filled the void left by the tragically early death of Gershwin, whose heyday, 1924-1935, immediately preceded the composition of the works on this collection.

The ballet music is all presented here in the familiar orchestral suites Copland arranged. Most of the selections are played by the London Symphony Orchestra, although the New Philharmonia and the just-plain Philharmonia get cracks at a few key works. The last-named orchestra, for instance, takes on the biggest piece on the program, Copland's Third, the closest thing American music has to a Beethoven's Ninth (although the work's sublime rhetoric has never completely convinced me--it's neither my personal favorite by Copland nor my favorite American symphony . . . but it sure has its moments). In addition to the fine orchestral playing, another treat is that Henry Fonda narrates the Lincoln Portrait--an almost inevitable pick, given the virtually mythic way his acting style embodied the American spirit and the fact that he had portrayed the sixteenth president in John Ford's classic film Young Mr. Lincoln (1939).

The set concludes with what, over the years, has become my favorite work by Copland, the Concerto for Clarinet, Strings, Harp, & Piano, written for and performed here by surely the last century's greatest clarinetist, Benny Goodman. This work effects a concise synthesis between Copland's mature style and his earlier jazz stylings from the 1920s; in addition, the searing eloquence of the opening slow movement seems to me the most profound lyrical writing Copland ever achieved. Stoltzman's recording, ironically enough, swings harder than the king of swing's, but this collaboration between the composer and the man who commissioned it is for the ages.

The only major "populist" scores written after the period this collection covers are the film scores to The Red Pony (1948) and The Heiress (1949). Both can be acquired on an essential Leonard Slatkin CD for RCA. And since this collection doesn't include chamber music, the great Violin Sonata (1943), a kind of more intimate counterpart to Appalachian Spring, will have to be sought elsewhere. (One good option is Gil Shaham/Andre Previn on DG.) A serious Copland collector will also want to grab the other two volumes of the Copland Collection itself. The early set features important works such as the Organ Symphony (1924), Music for the Theater (1925), and the Short Symphony (1932)--but both of the other collections also include long, thorny pieces like the early Symphonic Ode and the late Connotations that can be rather difficult for the average enthusiast to enjoy.

Most of the essential, universal Copland is to be found on this second installment of the Copland Collection, and I would definitely recommend it as the place to start exploring Copland's magnificent contribution to American music. It has been a wonderful and treasured companion of mine for many years, and it also serves to conjure up a timely and inspiring vision of open prairies, nocturnal cityscapes, and the populist, humane values that America should, ideally, epitomize.

Tribute to Lincoln.......2001-10-28

I purchased this set of Copeland CD's because I wanted the Tribute to Lincoln narrated by Henry Fonda. This is a masterful recording especially for Americans in this time. The Tribute sends chills down my spine whenever I her it. My greatest joy however, was how much I have enjoyed all of the CD's in the set. I tend to be much more of a classical listener. I have heard Copeland but not in any organized fashion. This set has brought a new and delightful experience to my listening options.

A great way to get your dose of Copland...........2000-06-30

The 2nd of this three CD collection is wonderful. My favorite though is the third one. Doesn't mean this isn't good. This Sony Copland Collection set is worth the money for. Copland is sooo much more then Appalachian Spring, Fanfare for the Common Man, Rodeo, etc... But you get a lot of typical Copland on these CDs. Songs we all know and love. But there are some unfamiliar good ones too. Concerto for Clarinet took me by storm. So did Letters from Home. Good quality, good booklet, good recording, good playing (how Copland got the London Symphony to play something right I will never know), good everything. It's not perfect because it doesn't compete with THE best Copland like the third CD set of this collection, or the The Tendeer Land. Oh, these three CD sets don't cover all Copland, but it does for the most part. It doesn't have many chamber works, two choral works, and his two operas. You can cover some of those with the full version of Tender Land and of Second Hurricane (which also comes with the choral work, In the Beginning). But this is a good series. I highly recommend it!

Well balanced retrospective, -or- Listen to this!.......1999-08-11

Mr. Copland's works, as always, are exceptional This album, which consists of his work both as a composer and as a conductor, brings his music to life in a way no other conductor can. This is a well mastered and well produced work and worth the listen. To hear Arron Copland's music as he intended is wonderfull.

Average customer rating:

+ 1/2 stars...The Dean of American Composers
This is not Copland at his best
The title says it all
An outstanding Copland collection
An outstanding Copland collection

Copland: The Music of America

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Copland: Appalachian Spring; Rodeo; Fanfare for the Common Man
Copland: Music for Films
Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite; Gershwin: Porgy & Bess Symphonic Suite "Catfish Row"
Aaron Copland: Greatest Hits
Ultimate Copland Album

ASIN: B000003CZE
Release Date: 1997-01-28

Tracks:

Fanfare For The Common Man
Buckaroo Holiday
Corral Nocturne
Saturday Night Waltz
Hoe-Down
Quiet City
Billy The Kid
Appalachian Spring

Amazon.com

When it comes to light, folk-flavored listening, the music of Aaron Copland is some of the best and most popular. When it comes to crowd-pleasing conducting, Erich Kunzel is one of the great successes. This album contains most of Copland's essential compositions, in all or part: "Fanfare for the Common Man," four movements from "Rodeo," "Quiet City," "Billy the Kid," and "Appalachian Spring." All are performed in fine form; it would be nice to have all of "Rodeo," but this is otherwise all the Copland that most folks will need, and in one package. --Sarah Bryan Miller

Customer Reviews:

+ 1/2 stars...The Dean of American Composers.......2004-03-18

Aaron Copland (1900-1990)was the quintessential American composer of the 20th Century, and conductor Erich Kunzel with his Cincinnati Pops Orchestra is the leading popularizer of classical music.

This album brings together some of Copland's most well known pieces like "Fanfare for the Common Man," along with his three great ballets: "Billy the Kid," "Appalachian Spring" and "Rodeo." [The "Rodeo" extract "Hoe-Down" will be immediately recognized as the American Beef Council's theme music.]

Copland reamins the defining sound of American concert music and this recording is both accessible and very enjoyable. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

This is not Copland at his best.......2003-05-05

Aaron Copland is without a doubt my favorite composer of all time. I have collected many CDs of his work over the years, and have therefor have many recordings of all his most famous works. With that knowledge, I have to say that this is not the best recording on the market.

The sparkle and jazz of Copland's style is missing from this CD. The orchestra doesn't show off the playful side of Copland's work, which is what I think sets Copland apart from every one else. That is why I don't feel that is the best Copland CD availiable today

The title says it all.......2003-04-13

Aaron Copland created classical music for about and by America. This extremely well performed and well selected album served as my true introduction to Copland's work. Vibrant,dramatic, passionate and utterly beautiful, this sampler of Copland's oevre really captivates the listener. I have lost many hours listening to "Quiet City" and "Appalacian Spring" two breathtakingly poetic pieces that approach religious like rapture. I have also used this CD in both my Writing and Acting classes as stimuli designed to inspire original performances and short stories. In short, this is a must own CD.

An outstanding Copland collection.......2002-04-02

This album is an inclusive anthology of Copland's most popular orchestral works. I don't know what a previous reviewer was referring to when he/she said that Rodeo was incomplete, it seems like it's all there to me, and I've played it.

Solid, energetic, musically sensitive performances by the Cincinnati Pops. The recording is well-balanced and vibrant. This is not just a pops CD. Classical music snobs (like me) will find it very satisfying.

Incidentally, I really like the cover art.

An outstanding Copland collection.......2002-04-02

This album is an inclusive anthology of Copland's most popular orchestral works. Solid, energetic performances by the Cincinnati Pops. The recording is well-balanced and vibrant. A wonderful CD!

Customer Reviews:

Appalachian Spring.......2007-05-12

There are so many performances of this work that it has practcally become cliche. I have searched for years for a particular performance which has a small fugue in the violins. No, it is not the "Simple Gifts" theme. This performanc has it. It is exquisite and performed with sensitivity and skill under the baton of Tillson-Thomas. The entire work is played excellently with quality sound (concert hall experience). I have other recordings of the "Spring," but this one will be my mainstay.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Grey Will Fade [Import]

Music of Michael Conway Baker

Positive Pain

Long Yellow Road [Import]

70s: From Acoustic to the Wall of Sound

Rhythm & Blues: Oldies R&B Favorites

Sinatra & Company

No Balance Palace [Import]

Ride the Wild Surf/Folk 'n Roll [Original recording remastered] [Import]

Music For Ballet Class Vol 2

Mosaic [Import] [Original recording remastered]

Mera Mera!

Musica Con Viento

Deep Blues

Wayne Newton - Greatest Hits