Brunello Cello Solo Works Sollima [Import]

Track Listings

1. Alone

2. Dialogo

3. Capriccio

4. Preludio - Fantasia

5. Ssardana

6. Intermezzo E Danza Finale

7. Ciaccona

8. Intermezzo

9. Adagio

10. Lento E Sempre Sostenuto

11. Poco Allegretto E Grazioso

12. Adagio

13. Allegro Tempo Fermo

Customer Reviews:

Deserves 10 stars.......2007-07-18

I've been an amateur classical music enthusiast for decades with over 1000 CDs in my collection. I have listened to ALL of the CDs in this box now at least once, many of them twice and some three times, with headphones, on my stereo at home or in the car. I found all the recordings to be excellent. A couple of the vocal CDs with ADD recording are old and one could hear some background hiss with headphones but this was not noticeable playing them over the home stereo. I loved the performances. The only "disadvantage" is that all the keyboard works are played on the harpsichord, and I do prefer Bach sometimes on the piano. And one could argue whether some famous musician's interpretation of a piece is "better" than the one found here, but it's a little like arguing whether the food is better at one 5 star restaurant compared to another--both meals are delicious, and which one you enjoy more is more dependent on the context of the meal--how you feel that moment, what's going on in your life, etc.--than the food itself. But bottom line, this box contains endless treasures at an incredible bargain price, and I can't recommend it strongly enough.

Excellent Bach Collection.......2007-07-05

I am a professional musician, composer and teacher. this collection is wonderful, recorded in Europe, and all that one would expect from talent in that part of the world (which on this set includes Nordic countries as well).
If you are into studying bach, euro recordings, musicology, this is a good purchase.
Only criticism is on a few recordings the balance/mix is not the best. However, it all sounds wonderfully recorded.

Wonderful way to enjoy all of Bach.......2007-06-28

One reason to buy this set is simply to acquire recordings of all Bach's surviving Cantatas. The only downside I've discovered so far is that I would have preferred his harpsichord music played on a piano.

Bach .......2007-06-08

Arrived in excellent condition -price was higher that I liked by a little bit

An Absolute Essential for any Classical Music Enthusiast.......2007-05-22

This comprehensive collection of all known Bach works is simultaneously the easiest and the most difficult set to review. "Easiest" because in a single set of some 150 CD's, one immediately has the entire Bach repertoire at one's hands, with the majority of individual recordings consisting of solid performances and good recording quality. "Difficult" because, due to the sheer number of performances, it would take many pages to individually and meaningfully write up a description that accurately conveys the range of entries within the set. But in a sense, this entirely misses the point. It is simply impossible to understate what Brilliant Classics has done for the classical music world with the release of a set like this. For the first time, one can own a comprehensive Bach collection for little more than the price of a single, good restaurant meal for two people. The fact can hardly be overstated: this set makes acquiring such a collection no longer the domain of only the wealthiest amongst us. This is most certainly the "democratization" of classical baroque music.

Over the years, I have certainly spent what often feels like exorbitant amounts of money on individual, and sometimes, box sets, of classical music. There is no denying the human skill possessed at the major recording labels, including experiential knowledge of the proper placement of microphones, the best mixing techniques, the optimal types of equipment selected for use, and then, of course, access to the world's greatest performers. We would never wish to lose that combination of talent, and there is no attempt here at minimizing either the value or the enjoyment that can be experienced through such endeavors. Quite the contrary. Such undertakings are both an art form and a technical skill that provides immense value to the world at large. And we should give kudos to those major labels who in recent years have begun to reissue classic records in box sets at much lower prices (Detusche Grammophon's "Collector's Editions" immediately comes to mind, as well as Philip's "Duo Series," and many others, not the least of which also includes Philip's recent reissue of the "Complete Mozart Edition.") But what we have here completely surpasses these in every respect, and opens up new possibilities for the average listener who does not have mountains of disposable income to put towards the acquisition of a classical music collection. There can be no question in my own mind that the people who put this set together did it far more for the sake of classical music as an art form rather than a money-making exercise. It is truly a meaningful contribution to the music world at large.

And what of the quality of the performances and the recordings? For the discs which I have already played, there are simply no real disappointments here. Some of the performances are on par with the "best of the best," and many of them are absolutely gorgeous. With a set this large, it is beneficial to read the multiple reviews individuals are posting to get a better sampling of the various sections of the overall set, but I've been quite pleased with what I've heard so far. I will likely update this post with more specific comments over time, but for now, let me just say that you should BUY THE THING BEFORE IT DISAPPEARS. You won't regret it, will probably be increasingly pleased over the years that you did, and hopefully will receive many years of enjoyment from the collection. Ten stars out of five, but even more important than that, a genuine "Thank you" to Brilliant Classics for what they have done for all of us here.

Average customer rating:

Uplifting
An Excellent Bargain-priced CD!!
Better than a dab of Imperial margarine
One of my best CDs

Baroque Trumpet Concertos

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | 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
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Bach: Brandenburg Concertos No. 5 & 6/Orchestral Suite No. 1; Neville Marriner; Academy of St. Martin in the Fields

ASIN: B00000J90I
Release Date: 1999-06-15

Tracks:

Concerto For Trumpet, Strings & Basso Continuo In D Major: I. Allegro
Concerto For Trumpet, Strings & Basso Continuo In D Major: II. Andante
Concerto For Trumpet, Strings & Basso Continuo In D Major: III. Allegro
Concerto For Trumpet, Strings & Basso Continuo In C Minor: I. Grave
Concerto For Trumpet, Strings & Basso Continuo In C Minor: II. Allegro
Concerto For Trumpet, Strings & Basso Continuo In C Minor: III. Andante
Concerto For Trumpet, Strings & Basso Continuo In C Minor: IV. Vivace
Concerto For 2 Trumpets, Strings & Basso Continuo In C Major, RV.537: I. Allegro
Concerto For 2 Trumpets, Strings & Basso Continuo In C Major, RV.537: II. Largo
Concerto For 2 Trumpets, Strings & Basso Continuo In C Major, RV.537: III. Allegro
Concerto For Trumpet, Violin, Strings & Basso Continuo In B-Flat, RV.548: I. Allegro
Concerto For Trumpet, Violin, Strings & Basso Continuo In B-Flat, RV.548: II. Largo
Concerto For Trumpet, Violin, Strings & Basso Continuo In B-Flat, RV.548: III. Allegro
Concerto For Trumpet, 2 Oboes, Strings & Basso Continuo In D Major: I. Allegro
Concerto For Trumpet, 2 Oboes, Strings & Basso Continuo In D Major: II. Grave
Concerto For Trumpet, 2 Oboes, Strings & Basso Continuo In D Major: III. Aria (Andante)
Concerto For Trumpet, 2 Oboes, Strings & Basso Continuo In D Major: IV. Vivace
Concerto For Trumpet, Oboe, Strings & Basso Continuo In C, RV.534: I. Allegro
Concerto For Trumpet, 2 Oboes, Strings & Basso Continuo In D Major: II. Largo
Concerto For Trumpet, 2 Oboes, Strings & Basso Continuo In D Major: III. Allegro
Concerto Grosso For 6 Trumpets, Strings & Basso Continuo In D Major: I.
Concerto Grosso For 6 Trumpets, Strings & Basso Continuo In D Major: II. Adagio
Concerto Grosso For 6 Trumpets, Strings & Basso Continuo In D Major: III. Vivace
Concerto For Trumpet, Oboe, Strings & Basso Continuo In C, RV.534: I. (Allegro)
Concerto For Trumpet, Oboe, Strings & Basso Continuo In C, RV.534: II. Adagio
Concerto For Trumpet, Oboe, Strings & Basso Continuo In C, RV.534: III. Presto

Customer Reviews:

Uplifting .......2006-11-15

I love this CD. The music is very uplifting. If you love Baroque Music then you can't go wrong with this CD. Great Price and Value.

An Excellent Bargain-priced CD!!.......2002-02-13

I originally purchased this disc as an EMI Classics Red Line release (I think I paid $5.99 for it). It was a steal then, and remains so today on the Seraphin line (simple a reissue of the same EMI Red Line release).

Maurice Andre is a fantastic trumpet player, and he simply shines on this recording (featuring the Academy of St. Martins on the Field under Sir Neville Marriner). Bargain-priced CDs tend to get the proverbial bum rap, but Seraphin (as usual) offers a first-rate recording that can compete with any full-priced release. I've listened to this disc at least 20 times, and I never tire of it. Andre and Marriner bring to life these works, some by lesser-known composers (like Stolzel, Telemann and Torelli). I can't think of a better introduction to these underrated Baroque artists (with the exception of Sony's 'Baroque in Italy' CD, which sadly is now out-of-print, too).

This recording, as with so many others, will not be available forever. Given the quality of the recording and beauty of the pieces, I strongly recommend purchasing this disc before it, too, goes out-of-print. It's a great disc at a great price, and would be a welcomed addition to any Classical music collection.

Better than a dab of Imperial margarine.......2001-03-01

This is a great feel-good record. Music to reign by.

The Stölzel concerto for four instrumental choirs is a particular gem, a great piece to cue up and wake up in the morning to. There is nothing particularly deep or heavy here. All of these pieces are light, in major keys. They are well recorded and well played.

One of my best CDs.......2001-01-07

This CD is just a delight. If you enjoy Baroque, you will find this CD one of your favorites. It has a pleasant register and a lightness that is a pleasure to any ear. An excellent value.

Average customer rating:

poor sound quality
SUPERB
In this case: I'm baroque
Come to laugh and stay to cry
Great Introduction to Beautiful Music

25 Baroque Favorites

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000058I7
Release Date: 1996-08-20

Tracks:

Canon
Concerto In D Minor For 2 Oboes & Strings, Op. 42, No. 2: I. Largo
Water Music: VI. Minuet
Trumpet Concerto In D: II. Adagio
Sarabande
Oboe Concerto In D Minor: II. Adagio
Concerto In D For Trumpet & Strings: III. Grave
Air On The G String
Adagio For Strings In G Minor
The Four Seasons: Spring, II. Largo
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G, BWV 1049: II. Andante
Concerto In D For 2 Trumpets & Strings: II. Largo
Concerto Grosso In D Minor, Op.3 No. 11: I. Allegro
Concerto In D For 6 Trumpets & Strings: II. Adagio
Ombra mai fu: Handel's Largo
Trumpet Sonata No. 1 In F: II. Grave
Suite In F Major For Horn, 2 Oboes & Strings: III. Der Alster Echo
Concerto In C For Viola Pomposa & Strings: II. Andante
Concerto In D For Trumpet, 2 Violins, Viola, Basso & Continuo: I. Allegro
Hapsichord Concerto In G Minor, BWV 1058: First Mvt.
Sonata For Trumpet & Strings: I. Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 5 In D, Op. 6: I. Larghetto
Concerto in D for Trumpet, 2 Oboes, Strings & Continuo: I. Allegro
Concerto grosso In G Minor, Op. 6 No. 8: II. Allegro
Trumpet Voluntary

Customer Reviews:

poor sound quality.......2004-09-29

a great selection of baroque favorites, but the sound quality, especially on the pachelbel canon, not great at all. for that reason, i cannot recommend getting it. what do you expect for five dollars, right !>? i would suggest spending a little more money and getting something that you can't bear to part with, for continued listening enjoyment.

SUPERB.......2004-02-19

An introduction to the best baroque music by famous composers.
Great sound on this CD. There are over 10 CD's in this Farorites collection, and this by far is one of the best ones.

If you like the classical sounds of music, then you will like this. Check out the samples on this page that they provide, that's the best way to review.

In this case: I'm baroque.......2004-02-07

I'm not usually a classical listener kind of gal. The only reason I stumbled onto this cd is because my favorite tune from a movie is on it. Sarabande is also played on the movie Persuasion (author: Jane Austen). I wanted to have that tune. Followed the links and landed on the Baroque cd. Ordered it. Sarabande is my favorite, followed by Canon, four seasons: spring, etc. I love this cd! It feels happy and light. For me, as a writer and an animator, it adds extra emotional impact when creating as well as influencing my imagination more. I recommend this cd when people want to feel like spring.

Come to laugh and stay to cry.......2003-11-26

Circumspect at first about buying any CD with a "best of" title, this one really exceeds expectations. Also bought the Vivaldi disc in this series which is likewise exceptional. With the caveat that "Ombra mai fu" is repeated in various of the "25 favorites" collections, I recommend these recordings wholeheartedly, especially in terms of cost per track.

"Canon" is the flagship piece on this CD, a lush arrangement that will move a strong man to tears. Almost as powerful are Bach's "Air on the G String" and of course, Handel's "Ombra mai fu". The disc ends on an up note with "Trumpet Voluntaire".

At this price, you can send "Baroque favorites" to every Classical music lover you know. I would recommend sending this CD even to people who don't like Classical...you might just change their minds.

Great Introduction to Beautiful Music.......2000-07-08

The Baroque period (1600-1750) was one of the most important in the history of music because many of our modern musical forms come from this time. The baroque style is diverse, including such elements as contrast and a deep emotionalism. Although orchestras perform the songs, many individual instruments are highlighted. The baroque composers especially loved strings, the trumpet, and the oboe. The songs range from the vibrant and the lively to the slow and the sad. I have found this CD is excellent as background music for studying, reading, or driving in rush hour traffic, mainly because the music is calming and relaxing. Baroque masters such as Bach and Handel are still popular today and their songs are loved by many. Fans of popular music will recognize a few of the songs on this CD. "Air on the G String" (Bach) was used by Procol Harum in their song "A Whiter Shade of Pale." "Canon," one of the most popular baroque songs today, is often performed at weddings and has been incorporated into pop songs by artists such as the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Vitamin C, and Rod McKuen.

Tracks:

Scenes Form Childhood: Foreign Lands And People
Scenes Form Childhood: Dreaming
Scenes Form Childhood: Child Falling Asleep
Dream Of Children: Andante
Dream Of Children: Allegretto Piacevole
Sicilienne
Study No. 5: Moderato
The Nutcracker Suite Op. 71a: Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy - Tchaikovsky
Notebooks Of Anna Magdalena Bach: Minuets 4 and 5
The Indian Queen: Adagio
Album Leaves: Lullaby
Album Leaves: Cradlesong
Prelude In C Major - Bach
The Carnival Of Animals: The Swan
Gymnopedie I
Gymnopedie III
Album for the Young: Morning Prayer - Tchaikovsky
Album for the Young: My Dear Little Mother - Tchaikovsky
Album for the Young: Sweet Reveries - Tchaikovsky
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Nocturne No. 7 - Mendelssohn
Contes D'Hoffmann: Barcarolle
Piano Concerto No. 26 In D Major: Larghetto
Melody
Lullaby

Amazon.com

I think this music is intended for adults, though the photo on the cover is of a sleeping baby. In any event, Schumann's work, Scenes From Childhood, Op. 15, featured here is more likely to bolt you out of bed than put you to sleep, as the mike is far too close to the piano being played by Cyprien Katsaris. Purcell's Adagio from The Indian Queen is magnificent, performed by John Elliott Gardiner and the English Baroque Soloists. The Weird Award goes to triple harpist Tim Hobrough and lutenist Stephen Barber for their bizarre, spiky rendition of Minuets Nos. 4 and 5 from the Notebook of Anna Magdalena Bach. I would like to meet Bill Holland, producer of all these Atlantic Records classical compilations. He's programmed Satie's Gymnopedie No. 1 on three different CDs, billed alternately as sensuous, romantic, and now here: good for a long snooze. --Gwendolyn Freed

Customer Reviews:

What is all the hype about?.......2007-07-09

I purchased this CD on the basis of the reviews written on Amazon. I have to say I am terribly disappointed. My son hates the CD, I listened to it and I am not all that impressed either. It is ok but nothing like described by other users.

great cd.......2007-06-26

We play this cd every night at bedtime. It not only helps my baby stay asleep, but helps me fall asleep. The only issue I have is that one of the tracks near the end of the cd is a little louder than the tracks before it, so I just make sure I keep it on very quiet and it's wonderful.

My girls listen to this every night.......2006-11-10

My girls (ages 3 & 5) have a hard time winding down at night. We have a regular bedtime routine (bath, snack, teeth brushing, books, hugs), but they still take forever to settle down and sleep. Adding this CD to the bedtime routine has really helped.

I would give it more than 5 stars...........2005-11-18

I had this CD when my daughter was born 5 years ago, and it gave us such a soothing environment in which to bond during quiet times. We also put it on shortly before we'd put her down to sleep, and by 6 weeks she was sleeping through the night in her own crib. I think it was her sanctuary, and the music helped her feel comforted. We've since then completely worn out the CD (she listened to it through her 3rd year), and will have to buy a new one for our next little addition (coming soon!). I found it on this site and just listened to the samples from each track. Aahhh... very soothing for Mommy, too!
I also plan to get it as a baby gift for a friend. :)

Great CD: soothing music by best performers. Worth every penny........2005-08-05

I listened to this CD countless times ever since I first bought it from BMG music service back in 1997. Compositions of this CD are popular classical hits. That is, you will likely recognize at least some of them if you listen to the sampler.

What sets this CD apart is supreme music performance. Every composition is performed flawlessly, with real feeling and passion. There is a good reason why this CD that was released in 1997 is still around and costs over ten dollars. This reason is called quality.

Average customer rating:

Pieces, playing, and price: all excellent
Must Be Heaven
Wonderful pieces filled with wonderful memories
Polite & reserved
superlative

Bruch: Works for Clarinet & Viola

Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Music for Viola & Piano

ASIN: B00005OBR9
Release Date: 2002-02-19

Tracks:

Concerto For Clarinet, Viola And Orchestra In E Minor, Op.88: Andante Con Moto
Concerto For Clarinet, Viola And Orchestra In E Minor, Op.88: Allegro Moderato
Concerto For Clarinet, Viola And Orchestra In E Minor, Op.88: Allegro Molto
Eight Pieces For Clarinet, Viola And Piano, Op.83: No.1 Andante In A minor
Eight Pieces For Clarinet, Viola And Piano, Op.83: No.2 Allegro Con Moto In B Minor
Eight Pieces For Clarinet, Viola And Piano, Op.83: No.3 Andante Con Moto In C Minor
Eight Pieces For Clarinet, Viola And Piano, Op.83: No.4 Allegro Agitato In D Minor
Eight Pieces For Clarinet, Viola And Piano, Op.83: No.5 Andante In F Minor
Eight Pieces For Clarinet, Viola And Piano, Op.83: No.6 Andante Con Moto In G Minor
Eight Pieces For Clarinet, Viola And Piano, Op.83: No.7 Allegro Vivace Ma Non Troppo In B Major
Eight Pieces For Clarinet, Viola And Piano, Op.83: No.8 Moderato In E Flat Minor
Romance For Viola And Orchestra In F Major, Op.85: Andante Con Moto

Customer Reviews:

Pieces, playing, and price: all excellent.......2007-07-05

I really don't like to review a CD based upon price. I'd rather pay more to have a great CD than pay less for a mediocre one.

In this case, though, you get some great works by Bruch, played wonderfully by Meyer, at an obscenely low price.

I've had reservations with Warner Apex because of a previous CD and the poor sound quality; but that is not an issue on this CD.

Overall, a great purchase for any classical fan.

Must Be Heaven.......2006-08-17

Bruch: Works for Clarient and Viola must be the music that is played in heaven. You will surely think you are there, when listening to these soul soothing yet most dramatic sounds.It is simply beautiful and may be the best hour of your day(actually about 65 minutes).Bruch, an already much admired composer and teacher of the mid 19th century to early 20th, composed these works during the later years.

Opening with a "Concerto for Clarinet, Viola and Orchestra in E minor, OP.88, the three movements (Andante con moto,Allegro moderato, and Allegro molto), will take your breath away, as the music seems to float in the air around you.

Next up are 8 pieces for Clarinet, Viola and Piano, Op.83 to savour. Each instrument and every track with it's own personality. Sometimes sweet, or solemn, other times happy, lively,or more dramatic, at times powerful. Some of the pieces are "Andante in A Minor", "Allegro agitato in D minor", and Moderato in E flat minor"(see buying ino page for a complete list of tracks.

The final section is "Romance for Viola and Orchestra in F major, Op.85. One gorgeous track, the 7 and a half minute, "Andante con moto".Music that more than lives up to it's title. It may have you swooning.

Kent Nagano and the Lyon Opera Orchestra, with Paul Meyer on Clarinet, Gerard Causse, viola,and Francois-Rene Duchable piano,perform Bruch with perfection.There are 12 tracks in total.They range from 2:22 to 7:49. Most are a good length. The CD is an excellent quality, and includes an insert with a notes on Max Bruch and his music.

I would highly recommend this album to lovers of instrumental classical. It's an album that you should take with you on long scenic drives to add to the beauty of your visual pleasure, or at times you may be stuck in traffic, to ease your drive(be careful though, if you feel like conducting, make sure no one is watching!). Not bad for a wonderfully atmospheric evening, or lazing Sunday morning as well.

Enjoy it whenever the mood or need hits...Laurie

Wonderful pieces filled with wonderful memories.......2006-03-23

My late fiance and I played half of the 8 pieces for our recitals and we both loved them. It is what drew us together as a couple. These pieces are beautiful and each are so different that taking them out of context is fine too. We even gave each one that we played together their own titles. I love the Clarinet & Viola combination very much (espically the Kegelstatt!) and will miss my beloved duet partner.

I highly recommend this CD as it is an enjoyable experience! You will not be disappointed...Bruch is a truly wonderful composer!

Polite & reserved.......2006-03-16

The music is polite and soothing and good background music. Nothing that I could sink my teeth into.

I had to smile at Mr. Bryson's comments below when said that he wants to get to know Bruch's music as well as he knows Brahms and said that he knows of no other composer besides Bruch that has written for the combination of clarinet & viola or violin. Actually, the use of clarinet in chamber music is not that rare. Mozart's trio for Trio for clarinet, viola & piano in E flat major ("Kegelstatt"), K. 498 is one such work and another is Robert Schumann's Märchenerzählungen for clarinet, viola & piano, Op. 132. And, of course, both Beethoven and Brahms wrote clarinet/cello/piano trios with the cello having about the same role as the viola.

superlative.......2005-10-15

This is a great deal! The viola/clarinet concerto is a jighly enjoyable work in the romantic tradition and the clarinet/piano pieces while slightly less approachable are really excellent. The sound is good and the price can't be beaten.

Average customer rating:

more wonderous with each passing year
Pinnacle
The Perfect Storm
Parkening Play Bach and Plays Him Stunningly!
Masterpiece

Christopher Parkening plays Bach

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000002RNJ
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Canata 147: Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Sonata VI For Violin, E Major Partita: Gavotte
The Well-Tempered Clavier: Prelude I
The Well-Tempered Clavier: Prelude VI
The Well-Tempered Clavier: Prelude IX
Cantata 208: Sheep May Safely Graze
Prelude, Fugue And Allegro In E Flat Major For Clavier, Original For Lute): Prelude and Allegro
Cello Suite V: Gavotte I And II
Cello Suite VI: Gavotte I And II
Cantata 140: Sleepers, Awake
Parkening Plays Bach And Music Of Handel, Scarlatti, Couperin And Others: Sarabande And Variations
Samson: Minuet in D
Parkening Plays Bach And Music Of Handel, Scarlatti, Couperin And Others: Giga
Parkening Plays Bach And Music Of Handel, Scarlatti, Couperin And Others: Passacaglia
Ordres, Book II: Les Barricades mysterieuses
Parkening Plays Bach And Music Of Handel, Scarlatti, Couperin And Others: Preambulo And Allegro vivo

Customer Reviews:

more wonderous with each passing year.......2006-11-13

Most of the reviewers have said (and better than I can) what makes this album so special. I remember having this on cassette and wearing it out. People who have no interest (and sometimes I can't blame them...) in classical music might grow fond of this if they give it a try. You don't need any kind of background or knowledge, just a willingness to open your heart and ears to something so sublime it is beyond words. Bach is our true musical spiritual leader!

Pinnacle.......2005-10-24

I can't over-exaggerate the impact this album had on me when my Dad played it for me when I was about 6. It encouraged me to become a guitarist, and hearing it was my first truly profound musical experience that I can remember.

I love all kinds of music, but nothing has touched me like this album in the 19 years since then. Parkening's reading of Bach arranged for the classical guitar is flawless on this recording; no one, not even his mentor has matched it.

"Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", "Sheep May Safely Graze" and especially "Sleepers Awake" are the best renditions of these songs that I've heard, regardless of the arrangement. His control and dynamics are just staggering.

I can't explain where this album or music came from. It's my absolute favourite album. It's part of human evolution and the continually unfolding Great Work.

The Perfect Storm.......2005-04-07

The are times when the musician, the composer, and the instrument just match perfectly; this disc is an example of that.

Nevermind that Bach never wrote a single note for the guitar, many of his pieces actually work better on the guitar than they would the clavier. The guitar provides much more opportunity for the musician to impart emotion by varying volume and tone. And Parkening capitalizes on that opportunity beautifully.

His playing is clean, thoughtful, and competent. This is, in my opinion, clearly Parkening's best recording. I highly recommend it. (I also recommend his In the Spanish Style, another of my favorites).

Parkening Play Bach and Plays Him Stunningly!.......2005-02-18

I have loved this recording for over 20 years. I had it on vinyl and was thrilled when it was released in 1985 onto CD along with 6 extra cuts. Originally a Bach interpretive LP of 10 tracks, the CD release added 6 compositions from Couperin, Handel, Weiss, Scarlatti and Visee.

This is now a rare recording, so get it while you can. It's peaceful, highly skilled and simply Christopher Parkening, playing bare and alone, and shining like the sterling musician he is!

Masterpiece.......2003-09-24

The music of J. S. Bach seems to bring out the best in Christopher Parkening. Mr. Parkening understands Bach, and plays his music with grace, intelligence and sensitivity. He displays those qualities magnificently on this collection.

The selections here represent a wide variety of Bach pieces: portions of cantatas, solo cello works, and pieces from the Well-Tempered Clavier. All of the pieces are transcribed skillfully for solo guitar, and every track flows naturally into the next. Standouts among the Bach pieces include "Sheep May Safely Graze" and "Sleepers Awake"--two meditative cantata selections which were so brilliantly arranged and performed that you'd almost think they were originally written for guitar.

And the additional baroque works presented here are not just "filler." Mr. Parkening gives stunning performances of great pieces composed by baroque giants like Handel, and he closes the recording in great style, with a passionate performance of Scarlatti.

Tracks:

Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 In F Major: Allegro
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 In F Major: Andante
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 In F Major: Allegro assai
Suite For Trumpet In D Major: Overture
Suite For Trumpet In D Major: Gigue (allegro)
Suite For Trumpet In D Major: Air
Suite For Trumpet In D Major: Bourree
Suite For Trumpet In D Major: Marche
Trumpet Concerto In D Major: Allegro
Trumpet Concerto In D Major: Grave
Trumpet Concerto In D Major: Arie
Trumpet Concerto In D Major: Grave
Trumpet Concerto In D Major: Vivace
Trumpet Concerto In D Major: Allegro
Trumpet Concerto In D Minor: Andante
Trumpet Concerto In D Major: Allegro
Trumpet Concerto In D Major: Adagio
Trumpet Concerto In D Major: Allegro
Trumpet Concerto In E Flat Major: Allegro
Trumpet Concerto In E Flat Major: Andante
Trumpet Concerto In E Flat Major: Allergo

Tracks:

Trumpet Concerto In D Major: Allegro
Trumpet Concerto In D Major: Adagio - Presto - Adagio
Trumpet Concerto In D Major: Allegro
Concerto In D Minor Op. 9 No. 2: Allegro e non presto
Concerto In D Minor Op. 9 No. 2: Adagio
Concerto In D Minor Op. 9 No. 2: Allegro
Trumpet Concerto In D Major: Allegro
Trumpet Concerto In D Major: Andante
Trumpet Concerto In D Major: Allegro grazioso
Concerto For 2 trumpets Op. 46 No.1: Allegro
Concerto For 2 trumpets Op. 46 No.1: Largo
Concerto For 2 trumpets Op. 46 No.1: Allegro
Trumpet Concerto In C Major: Allegro moderato
Trumpet Concerto In C Major: Adagio
Trumpet Concerto In C Major: Allegro
Trumpet Concerto In C Major: Introduction: larghetto
Trumpet Concerto In C Major: Allegro
Trumpet Concerto In C Major: Siciliana
Trumpet Concerto In C Major: Allegro giusto

Customer Reviews:

Heavenly........2003-09-20

That is how I describe Maurice Andre's sound. So smooth and suave, and accurate every time. The Michael Haydn Concerto In D is one of the most impressive trumpet works ever recorded. Andre does it better than anyone else ever did, if you ask me. He also takes on J.S. Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto No. 2" and the results are majestic. The essential Joseph Haydn Trumpet Concerto is on here as well, a piece in which Andre plays an especially stunning cadenza on the first movement. The Telemann, Tartini, Handel, Vivaldi and Marcello are all impeccably played. Maurice Andre was the second or third trumpet player I started listening to after Miles Davis. I also discovered Clifford Brown around then, back in 6th grade. Since then, they have all remained in my list of all-time favorite trumpet players and musicians.

A must have album!.......2001-09-17

The incredible playing of Maurice Andre fills up all two of these cds. From the incredible brandenberg reading to the Cimarosa. This album from start to finish is a text book on beauty, style, phrasing, and how to play the trumpet. Andre is a true master of the trumpet and even more a true master musician.

Pyrotechnics.......2001-06-21

Maurice André is one of those people whom one suspects isn't quite human like the rest of us (Michala Petri is another). To anyone who has ever struggled to get as much as a parp or a toot out of a trumpet, the astounding technical facility and the pure, clear, pitch-perfect sound and wonderful tone of an André is a revelation that some people are indeed more equal than others. This collection represents André in his prime (he's now sadly semi-retired) and he does a wonderful job. Many of these works are not originally for trumpet, and only a modern piccolo valved trumpet allows them to be played. Nevertheless, they come up shining.

A must for the trumpet player's library!.......1999-09-23

If you're into trumpet concertos, Maurice Andre is as smooth and technical as they come. This two-CD set contains not only Bach, but also Handel, Telemann, Haydn, Albinoni, and others. If you have Andre's concertos in your sheet music library, these CD's make for great accompaniment. The CDs are great while studying as well. Mega cerebral (when you're into that kind of thing)!

Average customer rating:

Excellent CD, beautiful playing
Beautiful and Boring
Great new sound
great find
a magnificent player, but not yet artistically mature

Bach: Works for Trumpet

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Caprice - Alison Balsom
Music for Trumpet and Organ
Famous Classical Trumpet Concertos
Amanda
Wynton Marsalis - Baroque Music for Trumpet

ASIN: B000CNEO1G
Release Date: 2006-01-10

Tracks:

Allegro
Adagio
Allegro Assai
Sarabande
Gigue
Aria Variata In A Minor (Italian Variations) BWV 989
Gigue From Violin Partita No.3 BWV 1006
Allegro
Largo
Allegro
Allegro
Largo
Presto
Bist Du Bei Mir From The Anna Magdalena Notebook BWV 508
Allegro
Larghetto
Allegro Ma Non Tanto
Badinerie From Orchestral Suite No.2 BWV 1067
Agnus Dei From Mass In B Minor BWV 232

Amazon.com

Alison Balsom's Bach is a spirited romp through various works of the master arranged for trumpet solo and a changing cast of colleagues. Orchestral works are done in a chamber reduction, with the trumpet taking the solo violin part; solo works, like two movements from Bach's Cello Suite No. 2, are played in arrangements for trumpet. Transpositions abound, the net result being vaguely familiar music sounding fresh and different. In general, Balsom is most effective in faster, more outgoing movements and pieces where her bright tone, technical mastery, and sprightly tempos carry the day. The Italian-based works, Bach's Italian Variations, and his own arrangements from Vivaldi and Marcello fit this pattern, and so does the Trio Sonata arrangement from an organ work, where Balsom's trumpet interacts with violin and basso continuo to strike sparks. Least effective are the arrangements of movements from Bach's unaccompanied violin and cello masterpieces, in part because the inherent brightness of her trumpet is at odds with the warmth and nuances of a stringed instrument. The Badinerie from Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 2, whose melody and its association with the flute are indelibly imprinted on music lovers, comes off as a spectacular accomplishment on Balsom's far more unwieldy instrument. Excellent playing by the assisting musicians helps make this foray into a modernized version of Bach's music an enjoyable experience. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Excellent CD, beautiful playing.......2007-07-23

Of course you can only go wrong with Bach when playing is suspect or the sound quality is bad.

Neither are issues here as Balsom plays with technical command and beautiful phrasings. Also, as I learned in the liner notes, Balsom has studies with Hakan Hardenberger which is certainly great bona fides.

I'm not familiar with many other trumpet interpretations of these pieces, so the CD is an excellent addition to the catalog.

Beautiful and Boring.......2007-01-19

Ms. Balsom plays with exquisite technique throughout this disc. But her approach is so gentle that it seems to lack guts. The music sounds lifeless - devoid of personality and energy. I agree with the above reviewer who explains that she makes no real artistic statement.

Great new sound.......2007-01-14

Alison brings a feminine touch to the trumpet tone as I have never heard. Her transcriptions are well picked and flawlessly executed. I would highly recommend this cd to any instrumentalist.

great find.......2006-10-12

great music really enjoy this album and hope to hear more from this artist

a magnificent player, but not yet artistically mature.......2006-09-08

Balsom delivers an attractive disc here, with her impressive technical skill and a sophisticated seriousness of purpose in her programming, but there's something important missing from this album. Balsom plays with magnificent virtuosity, but she presents no message, no artistic voice, no aesthetic philosophy, no unique understanding of or approach to these works of J.S. Bach. I think she's overly preoccupied with proving herself. There's a Carnival of Venice sort of character to this disc: bars and bars of sixteenth notes flow effortlessly from her trumpet, and then bars and bars more, but for all that you get no sense of a distinct musical personality. (Her tone is very French as well: focused and bright. You can hear that she's been taking Håkan Hardenberger pills. Personally I'm not fond of this sort of trumpet sound, but I understand that it's a matter of taste.)

I have an album of Bach oboe concerti, played by Heinz Hollinger, that's similar to Balsom's effort here: flawlessly even, rapid-fire delivery of difficult lines is emphasized. But what Hollinger communicates that Balsom doesn't is a certain idiosyncrasy, a sense that only Hollinger could play those pieces quite like that, even if another oboist were to match his tempos. Even Wynton Marsalis -- who was often criticized for being mechanical and stylistically daft in his classical recordings of the '80s -- evinced an amiable flair and attitude that Balsom here lacks.

Listen, for example, to the slow, lyrical movements: the sarabande from the D minor cello suite, say. This is the sort of music through which an instrumentalist of consummate artistry -- a Milstein, or a Fournier -- could explore his own aesthetic vision while at same time revealing to us the sublime depth and breadth of Bach's artistry. With Balsom, though, there's no insight... it's all very pretty and she really means it, but you can't say much more about her reading. Not having hundreds and hundreds of notes to keep track of in this movement, she seems a bit unsure of exactly where to direct her energies.

Even so, I think that a musician must be of immense skill to merit this sort of criticism at all. Lesser players delight for being very good; Balsom here disappoints just a bit because her playing hints at true greatness but isn't quite there. Balsom is a magnificent player lacking a distinct voice, and if she develops one she will become one of the most important instrumentalists on the scene.

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3/ Solo Piano Works

Average customer rating:

Digital Rachmaninoff
Stunning performance, and excellent sound!!
Beautiful
One of the best recordings to date!
Quite Simply The Best Rach 3rd Out There Today

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3/ Solo Piano Works
Arcadi Volodos , and James Levine
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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Piano Transcriptions / Arcadi Volodos
Arcadi Volodos Live at Carnegie Hall
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Schubert: Solo Piano Works

ASIN: B00004YC2F
Release Date: 2000-09-26

Tracks:

Con No.3 in d, Op.30: I. Allegro Ma Non Tanto
Con No.3 in d, Op.30: II. Intermezzo. Adagio
Con No.3 in d, Op.30: III. Finale. Alla Breve
Son, Op.10: Andante
Morceaux De Fant, Op.3 No.5: Ser in B flat
Morceaux De Salon, Op.10 No.6: Romance in f
13 Prlds, Op.32 No.6: Prld in f
Prld in d, Op. Post.
Etude-Tableaux in c#, Op.33 No.6

Amazon.com

Volodos is the real thing, a flamboyant virtuoso with a great sense of style, tonal variety, and the kind of dexterity that draws attention to itself without taking your mind off the music. Rachmaninoff's Third is perfect repertoire for him, and he delivers an astonishing performance that combines fluency with weight. For those who found Argerich's Rachmaninoff 3 too brilliant, this performance will be deeply satisfying, the best of its kind since Weissenberg-Pretre of three decades ago. The alert, purposeful playing of the Berlin Philharmonic under James Levine adds greatly to the total impression. The recording and performance invite such concentration that you'll be startled to hear applause at the end. The solo pieces, including a transcription by Volodos of a movement from the Cello Sonata, are also beautifully played. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Digital Rachmaninoff.......2006-01-28

Sergei Rachmaninoff's compositions are often lumped in with other Russian nationalist composers, like Rimsky-Korsakov who wanted to raise the state of Russian music by incorporating modes and folk-elements of their native land into the mainstream. With Rachmaninoff, you get the feeling his music is Russian, but without selling out; he avoided in most cases, overtly inserting folk-sounds, but instead, composed classical music which was greatly influenced by his environment and surroundings.

The opening of his Piano Concerto No. 3 in d minor, is a fine example of that. A simple unison melody for piano, with simple orchestral accompaniment seems delicate, classically balanced, and tuneful, but the integrity of the melancholy nature seems to listeners as Russian. The theme returns three times, each time as charming and fondly remembered as the first. A more positive secondary melody speaks of love and yearning, evoking Rachmaninoff's highly Romantic compositional style. After the second reprise is a passionate piano cadenza (Volodos choose the longer one), bringing the moods of both motives. The d minor opening movement has a feel of forward movement without being rushed, and the lush Romantic orchestration is colorful and dramatic. The second movement has a potpourri of emotions, including a few reoccurring important ideas. The opening pastoral string section continues the mood of the opening movement, but when the piano enters, it becomes a peaceful pastoral scene. In contrast, a great sweeping theme of passionate emotion, in an almost exotic mode, takes over from time to time, again, rooting the listener in a Russian composition. A brash conclusion links the second movement to the third with a whirlwind scalular passage for orchestra and piano. The final movement begins with a forceful idea, again in the minor, which modulates around creating an interesting kaleidoscope of colors, much like the opening. A whimsical scherzo, along with a reprise of the opening movement's "love" theme gives the final movement an emotional pastiche feel. The work ends in an upbeat key, with broad Romanticism and stunning virtuosic athleticism. The final movement is a work-out for both orchestra and pianist.

This recording features James Levine and the Berlin Philharmonic. Levine, the conductor of the Metropolitan Orchestra, has a natural timing for drama, and it aids this performance of a highly dramatic, Romantic work. The Berlin Philharmonic is full-bodied and accompanies well (the piano rarely takes a break); although, I feel the orchestra could be more present, especially in the opening movement and parts of the third, where the orchestra is sometimes obscured by the piano. Levine also keeps the music moving forward, never langoring in over-Romanticization, a plus for this performance (leaves the listener wanting more). The engineers know who the star of the concerto is; Arcadi Volodos gives an extroverted performance of the concerto and is placed forward in the recording. He is delicate and sensitive at need, but really shines in the virtuosic arena. Minus the slight balance issue, this is a stupendous performance, if not the finest, at 40 minutes.

An extra 20 minutes of Rachmaninoff's solo piano repertoire is added to the concerto. The etude tableaux in c-sharp minor, no. 6(9), preludes in d minor and f minor, romance in f minor, serenade in b-flat minor, and Volodos' transcription from a cello sonata is included. Showcasing sensitivity, as well as athletic virtuosity, the pieces fill out the CD nicely. Interpretively, this CD can stand with most, sonically, it outdoes most. If you are looking for just the 3rd concerto only, this is an easy recommendation of a digital recording. Many labels, however, put out combinations of concertos, which might appeal to a larger consumer base. This CD is an excellent performance, an easy buy.

Stunning performance, and excellent sound!!.......2005-07-05

Volodos is an aspiring star at the piano, and he has showed us his technical and musical abilities several times. This recording of Rach 3 is to be remember as one of the great! I am not saying it is the best, because that for me can change day by day. I have my top 3 and that is enough!
The performance is excellent both from pianist, orchestra and sound technicians! The sound is overwhelming on a good surround system!
The enterpretation is strong and majestic and has all the elements you demand plus somewhat more. The octaves on the end of the 3. mvmt could have been much faster. We know Arcadi by now, and is there something he has no problems handling it is octaves.
If you like Rach 3, this shoukd be in your shelf!

Beautiful .......2004-09-16

This is a beautiful performance of the Rachmaninoff Third, well thought out, finely crafted, lovingly realized. I had not heard the young Russian pianist Volodos before, and I put on this CD with some trepidation, thinking, "Oh boy, here goes another young firebrand virtuoso, trying to out-Horowitz Horowitz, out to razzle-dazzle us into submission with his virtuosity." But that's not what we get here at all. Volodos plays with admirable taste, restraint, and lyricism, with poetry and sensitivity, phrases beautifully and plays with handsome, singing tone (he never pounds or bangs). He has technique to burn and his fingers fly as fleetly as anyone's, but his virtuosity is everywhere at the service of the music (not the other way around, as was so often the case with Horowitz). (My only quibble, and it is a minor one, is that he sometimes uses more pedal than I would like.) His goal is to offer the most beautiful performance possible of the concerto, to perform the music to the music's utmost advantage, and not to show off his own big technique. He plays with remarkable maturity for so young a pianist (he was 27 when the recording was made). Clearly a young man to watch.

For their part Levine and the Berlin Philharmonic provide warm, finely gauged, fully sympathetic support--support really isn't the right word here, for a work that has been aptly described as a "piano symphony." The live performance (from the Berlin Philharmonie, June 1999) is captured in fine sound, with the balances well judged: the piano is not unduly prominent, but is well integrated into the fabric of the orchestra. You are unaware there is an audience until the well-deserved spontaneous ovation erupts at the end. A lovely performance. If it never achieves, for example, quite the heroic liftoff of the famous Cliburn/Kondrashin 1958 live performance in Carnegie Hall, it has compensating beauties of its own (including better sound). Those who view this concerto as a vehicle for fire-breathing virtuoso display are advised to look elsewhere.

The CD is filled out (total timing 61:02) with six short Rachmaninoff pieces, studio recordings (made in Berlin in Jan. 2000). These pieces are pleasant without being of any great substance. I found Volodos's own transcription of an andante movement from a cello/piano sonata the most attractive of the lot. Again, Volodos's singing tone and warmly affectionate playing emphasize lyricism more than fire (and again, he sometimes plays with more pedal than I like). Strongly recommended.

One of the best recordings to date!.......2004-01-19

I consider the Rach Third Piano Concerto to be my favorite romantic concerto. I have heard many recordings of this piece, including the Horowitz version with Philiadelphia Orch, and the video with Zubin Mehta. Volodos's command of the piece is Astonishing to say the least. I feel Volodos pulls off every facet needed to play this great piece. He has the virtoustic power of Horowitz and the needed sensitivity to bring out the concerto's darker and more expressive sides.
All in all a truely fantastic recording worthy of all praise.

Quite Simply The Best Rach 3rd Out There Today.......2003-12-15

I am frankly, flabbergasted as to the negative criticisms of this recording! It is simply, sonically AND artistically the best performance of this concerto on the market today. It's better than the Weissenberg/Pretre version. It's better than Argerich! Yes, it's even better than Horowitz himself! It's simply astonishing. I have over 50 recordings of this piece and this one surpasses them all. I have recently listened to every one of the recordings I have, and none even come close. The sound is fantastic. The playing sublime.

Volodos plays the entire work without any cuts for starters unlike the Horowitz, Janis, Wild, Watts and Rachmaninoff, himself, versions and connects the whole thing together structurally tight as a drum. Volodos plays the heavier cadenza in the first movement, and quite simply, gives the most stunning performance of it I've ever heard. The only person who comes close is Cliburn's legendary 1959 recording, but the sound isn't as good, obviously, and Cliburn doesn't have Volodos' sense of spine-tingling drama and excitement (though, I'd have to say Cliburn's rendition is not far behind).

Volodos' playing of the 2nd movement is beautiful beyond compare. He takes the 3rd movement at a breakneck speed and one can hear just about every note, unlike many performances (Argerich's for one) where half the notes on the piano aren't even audible. Argerich's performance, while fantastic, is simply not as well thought out, technically as perfect, nor as carefully prepared as Volodos'.

Levine and the Berlin Philharmonic are excellent and the sound quality is the best I've ever heard on a live recording. I would be interested to know how much touch-up work was done on it if any. The piano can be heard properly at all times unlike many newer Rach 3rds that try to "integrate" the orchestral and piano parts so it sounds like a symphony, which it is NOT. IT'S A PIANO CONCERTO and the piano needs to be heard almost all the time as the most prominent player; and this recording fills the bill most expertly.

Bravo to the Sony engineers for doing such a fantastic job; bravo to James Levine and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra for such beautiful accompaniment; and, finally, kudos and bravissimo to Volodos. Quite simply one of the greatest pianists of his generation in my opinion.

Xenakis: Orchestral Works & Chamber Music
Average customer rating:

Promise unfulfilled

THE introduction to Xenakis

Xenakis! Yeah Baby, That's What I'm Talking About!

"N'Shima", "Metastaseis", and "Jonchaies" are highlights

A strong disc that showcases Xenakis' remarkable style

Xenakis: Orchestral Works & Chamber Music
Iannis Xenakis , Safir , Swf So Baden-Baden , and Rosbaud
Manufacturer: Col Legno
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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Xénakis: Pléïdes

Luigi Nono: Como una ola de fuerza y luz, for Soprano, Piano, Orchestra & Magnetic Tape (1971-72) / ...sofferte onde serene... For Piano & Magnetic Tape (1976) / Contrapunto dialettico alla mente, for Magnetic Tape (1968) - Maurizio Pollini / Claudio Abbado

Penderecki: Anaklasis; Threnody; etc.

Varèse - The Complete Works / Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra · Asko Ensemble · Chailly

György Ligeti Edition 1: String Quartets and Duets - Arditti String Quartet

ASIN: B00004SZVO
Release Date: 2000-04-15

Customer Reviews:

Promise unfulfilled.......2007-06-05

The composer Xenakis brings most to mind is George Antheil. Both composers made a huge initial splash. But repeated listening to these pieces reveals that they are little more than empty effect. Although dates of the pieces here span two or three decades, all of the music is rooted firmly in the sixties. There are many composers who experimented with similar textures during this period. But for the best of breed, this kind of music became an important part--but only a part--of a larger toolkit. Without this experimentalism, we'd have never had Ligeti's "San Francisco Polyphony" or Lutoslawski's mighty "Third Symphony". But Xenakis appears to feel that the effect is the thing. There's not much in this music beyond theatricality.

This has often been considered to be groundbreaking music. But it's important to build something after breaking ground. Xenakis has left us an empty lot.

THE introduction to Xenakis.......2007-02-11

The Col legno label's "Orchestral works and chamber music" discs are usually overpriced and contain second-rate material. But on this collection of the music of Iannis Xenakis, we get several excellent pieces in historical performances, with surprising good sound quality.

Just for this recording of "Metastasis" alone the disc is worth for the price. This work, written for large orchestra between 1953 and 1954, was Xenakis' first mature effort. Of great proportions indeed, "Metastasis" has 61 instrumentalists playing 61 different parts. The opening is stunning, gradually each of the strings enters sustaining a single note, creating a massive wall of sound before some strings go astray via glissandi to other notes and pizzicato playing and the rest of the orchestra shows up. Closely related to the composer's design of the Couvent de la Tourette near Lyons, much of the dynamics of this first portion is based on the Fibonacci sequence, with nearly every decision in the work, from the structures of intervals to the length of dynamics and tones. The second section is more traditional, as the bulk of the orchestral forces remain silent with some strings playing a contrapuntal passage with drumrolls in the background and the occasional spotting of brass. This recording documents the world-premiere at the 1955 Donaueschinger Musiktage, where the SWF Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hans Rosbaud perform. While slightly lesser in sound-quality than the other two widely-available recordings, this one was considered to be the best by Xenakis, and even in 1950s mono sound it packs a tremendous punch.

Almost two decades passed between "Metastasis" and the next piece here. "Charisma" (1971) is written for clarinet, here Hans Deinzer, and cello, here the great Siegfried Palm. Unlike the wild energy typical of much of Xenakis' work, this duo consists of long-held sonorities and pregnant silences. Alone of the pieces here, it tends toward the forgettable, but some of the weird, noise-like sounds evoked unusual attacks on the instruments are quite interesting.

"N'Shima" (1975) is the only work here to include voices, and is also the smallest piece for ensemble. Two female voices, singing from a Hebrew text, are combined with two horns, two trombones, and a cello. The piece was rigorously constructed with the aid of a computer to create melodic patterns from probabilities, but the result, far from seeming inhuman or lifeless, is immensely elegant. Throughout each of the piece's six sections, a particular combination of instruments is explored, starting with voice and horns, the cello paired with breath sounds, and so forth. A strong effort, and this performance by Les Jeunes Solistes conducted by Rachid Safir, recorded at a 1991 festival in Metz, is admirably clear and confident.

In "Jonchaies" (1977) Xenakis returns to the massively large orchestra of "Metastasis", with 109 musicians, quadruple winds, six percussionists, and an extra-large string section. The piece is one of his late masterpieces, and it's got it all. The opening is for string alone, starting off with repetitive bowing reminiscent of the PSYCHO shower scene, then falling into some of Xenakis' most straightfowardly melodical writing. Gamelan-like sonorities appear in a long string continuum. Then, the piece launches into a series of rhythmic pulsations, with bouncy writing on drums and low strings similar to Per Norgard's much later piece "Terrains Vagues". The energy never lets up, even with most of the orchestra occasionally drops out to highlight one group. Gilbert Amy leads the Nouvel Orchesre Philharmonique in a splendid performance.

"Ata" (1987) similarly opens with a passage for string alone, but its main facet is not rhythm but texture. Overall it's one of the least "strange" pieces Xenakis wrote, resembling some of the work of Magnus Lindberg like "Fresco" or "Arena". I would have started the disc with "Metastasis" to show the fury that Xenakis is all about, but Col legno did well by putting this piece early to help new listeners gently acclimate to the composer's soundworld. This recording is from the premiere at the 1988 Donaueschinger Musiktage, with Michael Gielen leading the SWF Symphony.

"Ioolkos" (1996) was another piece premiered at Donaueschingen, and this recording is of that performance by the SWF Symphony Orchestra led by Kwame Ryan. In its numerous clusters and strong counterpoint, it looks back to "Metastasis", which appeared forty-one years earlier by the same orchestra at the same festival. However, it is much slower and a bit shorter, taking the gentle soundworld of "Ata" a bit further.

Xenakis was a notoriously inconsistent composer, and a few of his works are even well-nigh unlistenable. However, the material collected here is of a very high standard indeed. Unfortunately, the liner notes here, amounting to a single small paragraph on each work, are among the most unsubstantial I've ever seen. Fans of the composer would do best to seek out James Harley's excellent guide XENAKIS (Routledge, 2004) which covers the composer's entire oeuvre--don't worry, it doesn't assume that one can read music.

Xenakis! Yeah Baby, That's What I'm Talking About! .......2006-09-09

Initially I was hesitant in buying this CD. Primarily I wanted to hear the relatively famous "Metastaseis". This was it's premiere performance and recording under conductor Hans Rosbaud, it dates from 1955. I was suspicious that the sound wouldn't be great, how wrong was I to worry! The sound is unbelievable, better than many modern digital recordings in fact. The great strength of this piece is still well apparent even after the dilution of this type of musical idiom by other avant-garde composers not to mention the constant borrowings of

1. Alone
2. Dialogo
3. Capriccio
4. Preludio - Fantasia
5. Ssardana
6. Intermezzo E Danza Finale
7. Ciaccona
8. Intermezzo
9. Adagio
10. Lento E Sempre Sostenuto
11. Poco Allegretto E Grazioso
12. Adagio
13. Allegro Tempo Fermo