Mozart: Clarinet Quintet, Horn Quintet, String Quintet

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
These period-instrument performances demonstrate a firm interpretive viewpoint. They are mellow and lyrical, above all, with a deliberately low excitement quotient. This outlook serves most of the music very well. Eric Hoeprich, playing a reconstructed basset clarinet, sings Mozart's clarinet melodies as beautifully as one could wish. Lowell Greer, playing a period horn, minimizes the differences in tonal quality from one note to another, leaving only enough to demonstrate how the sound of the instrument influenced the melodies Mozart wrote for it. In the late tragic masterpiece for string quintet, though, this interpretive approach shortchanges the music, calming Mozart's fervor almost to the snooze point. And the sour first violin playing in the final movement should certainly have been re-recorded, not reissued! Since the disc is crammed with music (79:10!), that still leaves us with 48 minutes of worthwhile listening for a few bucks, not a bad deal. But listen elsewhere for the String Quintet. --Leslie Gerber

Tracks:

'The Marriage Of Figaro': Overture
Symphony No. 29 In A, K. 201: ll. Andante
Symphony No. 25 In G Minor, K. 183: l. Allegro con brio
Piano Concerto No. 9 In E Flat, K. 271: ll. Andantino
Piano Concerto No. 17 In G, K. 453: l. Allegro
'The Magic Flute': Overture
Symphony No. 40 in G minor: l. Molto Allegro
Symphony No. 38 In D, K. 504 'Prague': lll. Finale: Presto
Serenade In B-Flat For 13 Winds, K. 361/370A 'Gran Partita': lll. Andante
Clarinet Concerto In A, K. 622: l. Allegro
Flute Concerto No. 2 In D, K. 314: ll. Andante ma non troppo
Clarinet Quintet In A, K. 581: ll. Larghetto
Piano Sonata In C Minor, K. 457: ll. Adagio
Piano Sonata In A Minor, K. 310: l. Allegro maestoso
Piano Concerto No. 23 In A, K. 488: ll. Adagio
Symphony No. 39 in E-flat, K. 543: lV. Finale: Allegro
Horn Concerto No. 3 In E-Flat, K. 447: lll. Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 21 In C, K. 467: ll. Andante
Sinfonia Concertante For Violin And Viola In E-Flat, K. 364: l. Allegro maestoso
String Quartet No. 17 In B-Flat, K. 458 'The Hunt': l. Allegro vivace assai
Violin Concerto No. 4 In D, K. 218: ll. Andante cantabile
Violin Concerto No. 5 In A, K. 219: ll. Adagio
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525: lV. Presto
Requiem, K. 626: Confutatis Maledictis
Exsultate Jubilate: Alleluia

Amazon.com

This is an astonishing collection of works - or parts of works - by Mozart that covers almost every aspect of his creative output: symphonic, religious music, concerti (for piano, horn, violin, clarinet, flute), chamber music, serenades (for strings; winds), a couple of opera overtures and more. Those who know and love Mozart's music will not need this, but it's a great introduction, a great overview. The selections are well-chosen and interestingly organized, with familiar pieces splrinkled among some not-so well known. A good primer. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

How can you go wrong with Mozart?...Buy this and find out........2007-05-13

I was extraordinarely ignorant when I purchased this recording. I thought,"WOW!! Look at all the music you get in this CD set. The price cannot be beat!" When I received the CD, I discovered that you don't really get any music at all. This is a great sample CD, and should be bought by a person brand new to classical music. However, if you have any experience with classical music, you will want to pass on this CD.

Each of the pieces are hacked apart to the point of it being comical. It's interesting to listen to the greatest music in the world, only to have the development cut. All of a sudden I was thrust into a new key, I thought my ears were going crazy. Perhaps an effort by a decent high school orchestra, but this music is not up to snuff with any other recording.

Do yourself a favor and go out and purchase real recordings of Mozart, and not watered down stereotypes.

25 Mozart Favorites.......2007-05-12

Very pleased with product, delivery, cost and service. Will use this vendor again.

Wonderful collection and price!.......2007-05-11

I found this to be a nice collection of favorites, especially to keep in the car and listen to. It is a variety of well known compilations. Although not encompassing, it is perfect as a review for driving, relaxing, and enjoyment. Plus, the price is right!

Nice Mozart selection - Nice price.......2006-09-24

Nice selection of Mozart work that give us inner peace...

Mozart Listener.......2006-08-31

This is a good CD if you like Mozart's music. It is not the best CD I ever purchased. It is nice to listen to it in the morning before I go to work. And I sometimes listen to it in the evening before I go to bed. It is relaxing and soothing. I am not a music major or therapist. This is the best review I can write. Mary Agnes Cross

Essential Mozart: 32 Of His Greatest Masterpieces

Average customer rating:

Gorgeous music, bad quality cd.
Great music, low quality reproduction
A nice introduction
Mozart is the reference point for good classical music.
Mozart's music

Essential Mozart: 32 Of His Greatest Masterpieces

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005A8JZ
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K525: Allegro - Academy Of St Martin-In-The-Fields
Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K467: Andante - Radu Lupu
Le nozze di Figaro: Voi che sapete - Cecilia Bartoli
Clarinet Quintet In A Major, K581: Largetto - Peter Schmidl
Ave verum Corpus, K618 - James Vivian
Vesperae solennes de confessore in C major: Laudate Dominum - Emma Kirkby
Concerto For Flute And Harp In C Major: Andantino - Lisa Beznosiuk
Le nozze di Figaro: Overture - London Philharmonic Orchestra
Cosi fan tutte: Trio: Soava sia il vento - Renee Fleming
Symphony No.39 in E-flat Major, K495: Andante con moto - Chicago Symphony
Horn Concerto: Rondo - Barry Tuckwell
Don Giovanni: Serenade Deh, vieni alla finestra - Bryn Terfel
Contredanse In C Major, K609 No.1 'Non piu andrai' - Vienna Mozart Ensemble
German Dance, K605 No.3 'Sleigh Ride' - Vienna Mozart Ensemble
Piano Concerto No.23 In A Major, K488: Adagio - Vladimir Ashkenazy
A Musical Joke, K522: Presto - Vienna Mozart Ensemble

Tracks:

Symphony No.40 In G Minor, K550: Molto allegro - Vienna Philharmonic
Piano Sonata No.16 In C Major: Allegro - Andras Schiff
The Magic Flute: Queen Of The Night: Der Holle Rache - Sumi Jo
Clarinet Concerto In A Major, K622: Adagio - Franklin Cohen
Don Giovanni: La ci darem la mano - Cecilia Bartoli
Serenade in Bb Major, K361: Adagio - London Wind Soloists
Der Vogelfanger bin ich ja - Hermann Prey
Le nozze di Figaro: Dove sono - Kiri Te Kanawa
Violin Concerto No.3 in G Major, K216: Adagio - Joshua Bell
Requiem, K626: Lacrimosa - Vienna Philharmonic
Litaniae de venerabili altaris sacramento: Dulcissimum convivium - Margaret Marshall
Piano Sonata No.11 In A Major, K331: Rondo alla turca - Andras Schiff
Don Giovanni: Champagne aria: Fin ch'chan dal vino - Bryn Terfel
Divertimento No.17 in D Major, K334: Minuet & trio - Vienna Mozart Ensemble
Exsultate, jubilat, K165: Alleluja - Leontyne Price
Symphony No.41 In C Major, K551 'Jupiter': Finale: Molto allegro - Vienna Philharmonic

Customer Reviews:

Gorgeous music, bad quality cd........2007-04-13

The music is Mozart's and is fantastic. The last piece on the first disc
stutters halfway through, and seizes up my system. I don't have time to return items to Amazon. On the positive side, most of the time Amazon provides quality products and service. I gave 3 stars because I love the music.

Great music, low quality reproduction.......2007-01-30

this is a great collection of his work... the only problem i have found so far is that my copy has irritating "clicks" over the recording.

A nice introduction.......2006-02-22

This is a good well rounded collection to dip you into the classical world of Mozart.

Mozart is the reference point for good classical music........2005-10-20

A good collection of his best work and I find it helps me focus when I'm writing or contempating life.

"We exposed these animals [rats] in utero and then sixty days after birth to different types of auditory stimulation and then we ran them in a spatial maze. And sure enough, the animals that were exposed to the Mozart completed the maze faster and with fewer errors. And now what we're doing is we're removing their brains so we can slice them and see neuro-anatomically precisely what has changed as a function of this exposure. So it may be that this intense exposure to the music is a type of enrichment that has similar effects on the spatial areas of the hippocampus of the brain." --Dr. Frances Rauscher

Dr. Frances Rausher sums up what I feel happening when I expose myself to this incredible composer (Mozart).

I have yet to grow tired of any of the tracks yet, but I will invest in more of his work soon.

Mozart's music.......2005-10-17

This is a review of Mozart's music, not the cd. Mozart is praised to the skies by all and sundry, including most musicians, including my father, who no doubt has his reasons. But my feeling about Mozart has always been that there is nothing in Mozart's music that is other than music. There is no logical impressionism, there are no events that seem to be transpiring as in, for example, Beethoven. Mozart is just music. Mozart is to music as pure mathematics is to science. It hints of nothing else and has no application. I find some of his music irritatingly trivial, for example, Eine Kleine Nachtmuzic. This is mechanical music that one can imagine being piped in by a totalitarian government that insists everyone be cheerful. If Disneyland was an eighteenth century totalitarian state, Mozart would be its Muzak. The populace would be awakened, like Chinese train passengers, at 6AM by the strains of some allegro. They would arise and busy themselves with their ablutions in a state of thoughtless cheer, never for one moment leaving the surface of things. That being said, the second movement of Mozart's clarinette concerto is the music that one will hear on going into heaven.

Average customer rating:

Too busy
good product and fast service
what a road trip
Mesmerized and moved mom to tears
Daughter loves it

Mozart's Magnificent Voyage

Manufacturer: Children's Group
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tracks:

Horn Concerto, K.495, Movt 3
Clarinet Quintet, K.581, Movt 2
Symphony No.1, K.16, Movt 2
Piano Sonata In F, K.332, Movt 3
Medley: We Are Three Spirits ('Drei Knabchen')/Magic Flute, K.620
Overture, Marriage Of Figaro, K.492
Arrival At Court: Child's Minuet in C
Medley: Symphony No.1, K.16, Movt 1/Variations On 'La Ci Darem,' By Beethoven
Evening Falls ('Abendempfindung'), K.523
Flute Quartet, K.285, Movt 2
Symphony No.40, K.550, Movt 1
Arrival In Rome
Miserere Mei, By Allegri
Cassation in C, K.63
Minuet, Don Giovanni, K.527
Medley: Barrel-Organ Var On 'Deh Vieni,'/Don Giovanni, K.527
Variations On 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,' K.265
Letter Duet, ('Canzonetta Sull'aria'), Marriage Of Figaro, K.492
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K.525, Movt 4
Ave Verum Corpus, K.618
Medley: Waldstein Sonata, Op.53, By Beethoven/Piano Concerto in C, K.467, Movt 1...
Medley: Piano Sonata in A, K.331, Mvt 1/Gran Partita, K.361, Movt 7
Blow Softly, You Breezes ('Soave Sia Il Vento'), Cosi Fan Tutte, K.588...

Product Description

GENERAL FEATURES: The Dream Children are about to be written out of Mozart's most famous opera. Hoping to change their fate, they enlist the help of the composer's young son Karl. Together the children embark on an incredible journey that takes them back in time to Mozart's childhood as well as far into the future. Along the way, Karl learns much about his father and comes to understand his legacy of timeless music. Educational entertainment for all ages.

Customer Reviews:

Too busy.......2006-07-14

I was hoping for more music - there's just too much storytelling for my and my kids' taste. We love the Beethoven's Wig series and were hoping this would be similar.

good product and fast service.......2005-09-11

Product arrived in ample time overseas and was pleased with quality of product!

what a road trip.......2005-02-21

i bought this item after reading some of the reviews on amazon for my nephews who are 2 and 4 years of age. two months after christmas their mom was explaining how they request the cd everytime they are in the car. she groaned when i was in the car and they boys wanted to show me how much they liked the cd. during the trip i witnessed a mother humming along to the music with her children, the boys singing to excerpts, and an overall execptional learning experience about music, culture, and history. if you are looking for something that all children will like, passes the time on a road trip, and teaches important lessons about life without being pretentious then get this cd, it is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

Mesmerized and moved mom to tears.......2005-01-26

This CD is awesome, the music great, the story captivating. But it's Mozart, you already know about the music. Other reviewers have already discussed the story and I agree with their assessments that it's very good. The reason for this review is to say that my very active, never stopping, constantly in motion 5 year old SAT DOWN AND LISTENED without fidgeting or fiddling for a full 20 minutes and then sat but fiddled for the remainder of the CD. Maybe this is not a big deal to moms of "normal" energy level children -- but this simple act of being still for 20 minutes moved me to tears. I said nothing before putting the CD in, I just put it in while he was doing his running around. Within seconds of hearing the story start he sat down on the floor, crossed his legs, and listened while looking at the speakers. I have never seen this behavior from my child before, ever. Please note that this is a child who is not ADD, he just cannot be still. He listens to hundreds of hours of stories we read to him -- while he's doing something else. He "watches" videos -- while he's doing something else. He reads, while clapping or tapping out the beat of the syllables. I cannot remember my child ever stopping what he was doing to JUST LISTEN. When it was over he said, "That was a cool story," and got up to run around. That was it, but that's high praise from this child. To see my child sitting still for a full 20 minutes, you cannot begin to imagine my awe. I am running right out to get the rest of the series! Bravo to the producers!

Daughter loves it.......2003-03-27

My daughter is 5 and loves to hear this CD over and over in the car.

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
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Manufacturer: Naxos
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Binding: Audio CD

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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:

Brandenbutg Concerto No.3 In G First Movement
Overture No.3 In D Second Movement
Violin Concerto In E First Movement
Prelude In C minor
Jesu Bleibet Meine Freude (Chorus From Cantata No.147)
Overture No.2 In B minor Minuet And Badinerie
Oboe Concerto In D minor Second Movement
Brandenburg Concerto No.4 In G Third Movement
Musical Offering - Fuga canonica
Easter Oratorio - Overture
Minuet In D minor
Kommst Du Nun, Jesu, Vom Himmel herunter(From Choral Prelude BWV 650
Brandenburg Concerto No.1 In F Second Movement
Art Of The Fugue - Contrapunctus 9
Concerto For Flute, Violin, Harpsichord And Strings. Triple Concerto - Third Movement
Overture No.4 In D - Réjouissance
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Water Music - Alla Hornpipe
Xerxes - Ombra Mai Fu (Largo)
Messiah - And The Glory Of The Lord
Concerto Grosso In A Minor, Op. 6, No. 4 - Larghetto Affettuoso
Organ Concerto In F, Op. 4, No. 4 Allegro
Water Music - Air
Messiah - For Unto Us A Child Is Born
Concerto Grosso In B flat, Op. 3, No. 2 - Largo
Salomon - Sinfonia, Act 3
The Choice Of Hercules - While For Thy Arms
Water Music - Allegro (Suite No. 1)
Suite No. 5 In E - Air With Variations
Jephtha - How Dark, O Lord
Organ Concerto In F, Op. 4, No. 5 Alla Siciliana - Presto
Mi Palpita Il Cor (Solo Cantata) S'un Di M'adora
Water Music - Andante Allegro Da Capo
Concerto for Trumpet & Orchestra in E-flat: First Movement
Symphony No. 94 in G: Surprise Symphony-second movement
Concerto for Violin No. 2 in D: Third Movement
Flute Trio No. 31 in G: Second Movement
Symphony No. 31 in D: Hornsignal-First Movement
String Quartet No. 17 in F, Op. 3, no. 5: Serenade Quartet-Second Movement
Sinfonia Concertante in B-flat for Violin, Cello, Oboe, Bassoon and Orchestra-Third Movement
Concerto for 2 Horns & Orchestra in E-flat: Second Movement
Symphony No. 88 in G: Fourth Movement
String Quartet No. 77 in C: Kaiser Quartet-Poco adagio cantabile
Notturno No. 1 in C: Second Movement
Symphony No. 98 in B: Londoner No. 4-Fourth Movement
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - first movement
Piano Concerto in A - second movement
Flute Concerto in D - Rondeau
Serenade - Minuet
Violin Concerto - first movement
Symphony No. 40 in G minor - first movement
Clarinet Concerto - second movement
Turkish March
Divertimento - Minuet
Horn Concerto No. 3 in E-flat - first movement
Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67-First Movement
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27, no. 2: Moonlight Sonata-First Movement
Overture
O welche Lust (Prisoners' Chorus)
Ha, welch ein Augenblick (Pizarros's Aria)
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37: Second Movement
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, Op. 61: Third Movement
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13: Pathétique-Second Movement
Sympony No. 6 in F, Op. 68: Pastorale-First Movement
Fantasy for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra in C minor, Op. 80: Choral Fantasy - Finale
German Dance No. 1 In C
Impromptu Op. 90, No. 3 In G-Flat
Heidenroslein
Ave Maria
Der Lindenbaum
Quintet In A 'Trout Quintet' - Andante
Mass No. 6 In E-Flat - Kyrie
Die Schone Mullerin Des Mullers Blumen
German Dance No. 2 In G
Piano Sonata In B-Flat
Nachtgesang Im Walde
Winterreise - No. 15: Die Krahe
German Mass - Zum Sanctus (Heilit, Heilig Ist Der Herr)
Symphony No. 8 In B Minor 'Unfinished' - Second Movement
Waltz No. 1 in E-flat, Op. 18 Grande Valse brillante
Nocturne in E-flat, Op. 9, no. 2
Etude in G-flat, Op. 10, no. 5
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21-Second Movement
Mazurka in D minor, Op. 33, no. 2
Prelude in D-flat, Op. 28, no. 15 Raindrop
Etude in C, Op. 10, no. 1
Nocturne in D-flat, Op. 27, no. 2
Impromptu No. 4 in C-sharp minor, Op. 66 Fantasy Impromptu
Scherzo in B minor, Op. 20
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35-Third Movement
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11 - Third Movement
Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor - first movement 113.String Seranade - Waltz
Violin Concerto - second movement
The Sleeping Beauty - Waltz
Capriccio Italien, Op. 45
Swan Lake - Waltz
Eugene Onegin - Polonaise
The Nutcracker - Waltz of the Flowers
Orchestral Suite No. 4 - Mozartiana - Third Movement
Swan Lake - Dance of the Swans
Symphony No. 6 in B minor - Pathétique - Third Movement
Hungarian Dance No.5
Lullaby
Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op. 68 - Third Movement
Intermezzo in E-flat, Op.117, no. 1
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, Op. 77 - Third Movement
Waltz, Op. 39, no. 15
Concert for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in B-flat, Op. 83 - Second Movement
String Quintet in G, Op. 111 - Second Movement
Symphony No.4 in E minor, Op. 98 - Third Movement
Intermezzo in A minor, Op. 76, no. 7
Hungarian Dance No.1 in G minor
German Requiem Selig sind die Toten (Final Chorus)
Die Fledermaus - Overture
Kaiser Waltz, Op.437
Thunder And Lightning Polka, Op. 324
Roses From The South Waltz, Op. 388
AnnenPolka, Op. 117
Vienna Blood Waltz, Op. 354
Eljen A Magyar Polka, Op. 332
Wine, Women and Song Waltz, Op. 333
On The Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz, Op. 134
Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg - Overture
Tannhauser - Die Pilger sind's (Pilgims' Chorus)
Tannhauser - O du mein holder Abendstern (Wolfram's Aria)
Lohengrin - Act 3 Prelude and Bridal Chorus
The Flying Dutchman - Jo-ho-he Traft ihr das Schiff (Senta's Ballad)
The Flying Dutchman - Steuermann, lass die Wacht (Sailors' Chorus)
Die Walkure - Wintersturme wichen dem Wonnemond (Siegmund's Aria)
Die Walkure - Ride of the Valkyries
Siegfried Hoho! Hoho! Hohei! Schmiede mein Hammer (Siegfried's Forging Song)
Tristan und Isolde - Liebestod
Thus sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 (excerpt)
Don Juan, Op. 20
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64, I.Nacht
Don Quixote, Op.35, first movement: Introduction
Salome, Op. 54, Dance Of The Seven Veils
Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59, Finale: Hab' mir's gelobt ihn lieb zu haben
Piano Concerto 2 In C minor, Op. 18 - First Movement
Vocalise, Op.34, No. 14
Prelude In G Sharp minor, Op. 32, No. 12
Piano Concerto No. 4 In G minor, Op. 40 - Third Movement
Symphony No. 2 In E minor, Op. 27 - Third Movement
Piano Concerto No. 1 In F sharp minor, Op. 1 - Second Movement
Rhapsody, Op. 43 On A Theme By Paganini
Hungarian Rhapsody No.2
Liebestraum No.3 in A-flat
Piano Concerto No.1 in E-flat - third movement
Angelus
Mephisto Waltz No.1 (Dance in a Village Tavern)
Prelude and Fugue on B-A-C-H
Dante Symphony - Finale. - Purgatorio - Magnificat
Les Préludes
Boléro
Daphnis et Chloé first movement: Nocturne
Rhapsodie Espagnole
Shéhérazade - first movement: Asie
Ma Mère l'Oye - fourth movement: La Belle et la Bête
Introduction and Allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet, and String Quartet
La Valse
Slavic Dance No. 1 in C, Op. 46, no.1
Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 'From the New World' - second movement
Humoresque, Op. 101
Slavic Dance No. 8 in G minor, Op. 46, no. 8
Serenade for String Orchestra, Op. 22 - second movement
Romance for Violin and Orchestra In F minor, Op. 11
Symphony No. 7 in D minor - third movement
Melodie (Songs My Mother Taught Me)
Carneval Overture, Op. 92
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B minor, Op. 104 - third movement
Symphony No.4 In A, Op. 90. Italian - First Movement
Frühlingslied In A, Op. 62, No. 6
Wedding March (From A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61)
Duetto In F, Op.30, No.6 (From Songs Without Words)
String Symphony No.9 In C. Schweitzer Symphony - Third Movement
Concerto For Violin, Piano And String Orchestra No. 1 In D minor - Second Movement
Symphony No.3 In A minor, Op.56 Scottish - Third Movement"
Notturno (From A Midsumment Night's Dream, Op. 61)
Rondo Capriccioso, Op.14
String Symphony No. 12 In G minor - First Movement
Venetian Gondola Song In F Sharp minor, Op.30, No.6
Scherzo (From A Midsumment Night's Dream, Op. 61)
Violin Concerto In E minor, Op.64 - Third Movement
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 1, Op. 46 - Morgenstimmung
Holberg Suite, Op. 40 - I. Prelude. Allegro vivace
Holberg Suite, Op. 40 - IV. Air. Andante religioso
Arietta, Op. 12, no. 1
Homage March from Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op. 56
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 2, Op. 55 - Solveig's Song
Wedding Day at Troldhauen, Op. 65, no. 6
The Last Spring, Op. 34, no. 2
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 1, Op 46 - Anitra's Dance
Nordic Melody Op. 63
Notturno, Op. 54, no. 4
Elegie, Op. 47, no. 5
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 2, Op. 55 - Arabic Dance
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 - Allegro
Symphony No. 3 in E flat, Op. 97 - Rhenish - first movement
Traumerai (from Kinderszenen, Op. 15)
Mondnacht (from Eichendorff-Liederkreis, Op. 39)
Aufschwung (from Fantasietucke, Op. 12)
Triolett, Op. 114, no. 2
Tanzlied (No. 1 from Duets, Op. 78)
Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120 - second movement
Frühlingsgruss
Abschied (from Waldszenen Op. 82)
Dichterliebe, Op. 48 - Im wunderschonen Monat Mai
Manfred Overture, Op. 115
Romance in F sharp, Op. 28, no. 2
Die Rose stand im Tau
Liebesgarten (from Four Duets, Op. 34)
Warum? (from Fantasiestucke, Op. 12)
Kennst du das Land, Op.79, no. 29 (from Lieder der Mignon, Op. 98a)
Von fremden Landern und Menschen (from Kinderszenen, Op. 15)

Album Description

An extraordinary 20-CD collection of great works by Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Ravel, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff, J. Strauss, R. Strauss, Schumann, Wagner, Dvorak, Grieg and Liszt. It also features worldrenowned artists such as Sir Neville Marriner, Martha Argerich, Ivo Pogorelich, Hermann Prey, Reiner Goldberg, Sylvia Sass, Jochen Kowalski, Peter Schreler and many more. This exquisite, copper metallic, deluxe boxed set is the perfect gift for the classical music neophyte.

Customer Reviews:

Mill. Classical review.......2007-05-13

This is a great set of recordings for the money, the only problem was I've had to clean some of the CD's before they played correctly.

classical music for the unitiated.......2007-04-01

This set is a good way to start listening to classical music. It's very well produced and easy to listen to. I purchased it to use as part of my world history high school class. It would have been nice to have some bio information on the composers. However, the product is exactly as advertised and good value for the money. The students were intrigued by how many of the excerpts they had heard before.

Some little gems there that I had forgotten!.......2007-03-30

Although I studied classical music at school, I had all but forgotten it until I bought this set. I heard several tracks I haven't heard for over 30 years, and I had been humming Brahms's 'Hungarian Dance no. 5' for years without ever knowing what it was and it was on the disc, so that was nice.

I found it to be a very good selection overall, but I felt too much had already been heard on TV, which of course is what lots of newcomers to classical music might appreciate. I managed to find about 2 hours of tracks that I wanted to keep, which works out quite expensive per disc, but I did find some wonderful music I had completely forgotten about, so it was worth it. All in all, it represents good value, and I have only knocked one star off as so much of it had been used in adverts.

It is definitely a good introduction to classical music, and it has made me want to listen to more of it, so I don't regret this 'expensive' purchase one bit!

Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [20 CD Set]

A very helpful collection.......2007-03-24

I define this set as an excellent way to find out who you like, and who you don't, among 20 of the important composers. It opens the door to purchasing more complete pieces by composers you do like, and can save a lot of time and money in the process.
To criticize the set for not containing more composers, or more than just snippets of those who are in the set, is missing the point: it is a helpful introduction to finding your way in the huge maze of classical music. It succeeds admirably in this.
Sound quality is uniformly very good on an audiophile system.
Highly recommended.

Excellent!.......2007-03-08

A great way to start a classical music collection. It's nice to have a full CD of each composer. It makes it easy to keep track of selections/composers I already have and what composers I still need to puchase to complete my collection.

Average customer rating:

inspired performance !!!

The Story of Schubert

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

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Story Of Chopin In Words And Music
The Story of Beethoven
The Story of Mozart
The Story of Bach
The Story of Tchaikovsky

ASIN: B000001KCT
Release Date: 1994-02-28

Tracks:

Rosamunde, D. 797: Overture
Mozart: String Quartet In B-Flat Major, K. 172
Marche Militaire, D. 733, No. 1
Hark, Hark, The Lark!, D. 889
Mass No. 5 In A-Flat Major, D. 678: Credo
Symphony No. 5 In B-Flat Major, D. 485: Allegro
Symphony No. 4 In C Minor, D. 417 'Tragic': Finale: Allegro
Moment Musicaux No. 3 In F Minor, D. 780
Piano Sonata In A Minor, D. 845: Moderato
The Erl King, D. 328
Symphony No. 2 In B-Flat Major, D. 125: Allegro
Symphony No. 6 In C Major, D. 589 'Little': Andante
Symphony No. 6 In C Major, D. 589 'Little': Scherzo
To Music, D. 547
The Trout, D. 550
Piano Quintet In A Major, D. 667 'Trout': Theme And Variations
Octet In F Major, D. 803: Finale
Impromptu In B-Flat Major, D. 935 No. 3
String Quintet In C Major, D. 956: Allegro ma non troppo
Wanderer Fantasy In C Major, D. 760
Symphony No. 8 In B Minor, D. 759 'Unfinished': Allegro moderato
Symphony No. 9 In C Major, D. 944 'Great': Andante-Allegro ma non troppo
Mass No. 6 IN E-Flat Major, D. 950: Gloria
String Quartet No. 14 In D Minor, D. 810 'Death And The Maiden': Andante con moto
Symphony No. 8 In B Minor, D. 759 'Unfinished': Andante
Ave Maria, D. 839
Symphony No. 5 In B-Flat Major, D. 485 (Complete): Allegro
Symphony No. 5 In B-Flat Major, D. 485 (Complete): Andante con moto
Symphony No. 5 In B-Flat Major, D. 485 (Complete): Menuetto: Allegro molto
Symphony No. 5 In B-Flat Major, D. 485 (Complete): Allegro vivace

Customer Reviews:

inspired performance !!!.......2001-09-02

this collection deserves more than 5 stars.peter maag and the philharmonica hungarica are in top form.this is the best ever of schubert's fifth and eigth i have ever listened to.it is not karl bohm or leonard bernstein or george szell or lorin maazel.
truly the hungarians inspired by maag easily beat all the other top orchestras.
the orchestral texture is transparent with a perfect balance among the string sections ,the woodwind and the brass sections.peter maag obviously loves this music and brings out the heavenly beauty ,the pathos and the monumental dramatic quality of these works.
just listen to schubert's fifth second movement which ends with a heart rending cello phrase.
it is a shame that the well established record companies have not thought it fit to record more of peter maag.in my opinion he is one of the greatest ever conductors.
i will not exchange these performances for any other!

Average customer rating:

Mozart for sleepy babies
Serene but not sleepy Mozart
Like a floating cloud
An Inexpensive Gem
Excellent CD especially for bedtime music of little ones

Mozart at Midnight

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Beethoven at Bedtime: A Gentle Prelude to Sleep
Mozart for Meditation
Bach at Bedtime: Lullabies for the Still of the Night
Mozart for Morning Coffee: Freshly Brewed to Perk Up Your Day
Baroque at Bathtime: A Relaxing Serenade to Wash Your Cares Away

ASIN: B00000419X
Release Date: 1994-05-10

Tracks:

Eine kleine Nachtmusik: Romance (Andante)
Piano Concerto No. 21 in C: Andante
Symphony No. 29 In A: Adagio
Clarinet Concerto In A: Adagio
Symphony No. 25 In A: Andante
Violin Concerto No. 3 In G: Adagio
Serenade No. 10 In B-Flat: Adagio
Symphony No. 28 in C: Andante
Clarinet Quintet In A: Larghetto
Horn Concerto No. 3 In E-Flat: Romanze (Larghetto)
Sinfonia concertante In E-Flat for Violin, Viola & Orchestra: Andante

Customer Reviews:

Mozart for sleepy babies.......2006-09-19

I've used this CD to help my 2 little ones sleep. Nice and relaxing. And good for their brains, too!

Serene but not sleepy Mozart.......2005-09-22

Mozart lived in what the music world calls the "Classical Era" where most of the music composed was typically in three movements: Fast - Slow - Fast. Theme collections like this CD here "cherry pick" some of the nicer slow movements Mozart wrote and put them on one disc of similar tone and temperament. Featured in this collection are movements with the Italian music terms, "adagio" (very slow) or "andante" (moderate pace) - but not the "allegros" or "Rondos" (which are fast and lively). Such a grouping allows 60-70 minutes of music that is more condusive to reading, lounging or entertaining without the sudden or loud surges from the fast movements. Of course, the most pure and educational way to listen to classical music is in its complete form of all three or four movements. But, especially for the classical newcomer, this can be too much for cartain parts of one's day, so these compilation CD's of easy-going classical melodies can be a better way to enjoy classical music much of the time.

The selections here are an excellent representation of Mozart's music with performances that are quite good (but maybe not THE best for the experienced classical fan which is fine). Highlights are the dreamy clarinet and wind pieces and the famous slow and enchanting movements from the piano concertos (solo piano + orchestra) - a form of music Mozart perfected to extraordinary levels. But because some selections are full symphonies, concertos, or scored in those dramatic minor-keys that can be somewhat stimulating, the music is more a pleasant companion for late-night reading or conversation and less of a means to cure insomnia at midnight. But, otherwise, you will be experiencing here some of Mozart's finest music - which spotlights some of his more lyrical & musically-rich slow movements. If you want the most scerene music to fall asleep to, the best choices in this series are: "Baroque for Bathtime" and "Bach for Bedtime."

Like a floating cloud.......2004-03-15

Although I don't much about classical music I do appreciate the occasional seranade. There are certain times that lend more to listening to this type of music so maybe that is why they came up with the night-night title. It is extremely relaxing and if you are not careful or too tired you might begin cutting some zzz's. Actually I find that this is perfect music for reading before bedtime as it stimulates just enough to perk your attention but doesn't grab it and take you away from concentrating on your book. Although I'm not a big classical music person some of the music sounds very familiar so maybe for those in the know you might recognize some of old Wolfgang's best or most well known works. After looking over the liner notes and credits it seems that most of these recording are older but put together here for a theme. Some of the recording date back as far as 1970 with the newest being from 1994. I guess this is classical music for the novice, a sort of compilation of some of his Adagio's, Andannte's and Larghetto's. Now if I only knew how to differenciate between these identifying terms! It just sounds real soothing. The price is right for people that just dabble in this type of music occasionally and are not hard core serious classical music listeners. It is part of the Phillips Classics releases that includes a whole line of various major composers music set to a theme. For example, they have another one for Mozart that is more lively that is entitled "Mozart in the Morning" . I guess anytime is the right time for hearing some of these symphonies. Try it you just might like it.

An Inexpensive Gem.......2001-04-12

I find that often Mozart's most profoundly beautiful music occurs in the slow movements, particularly in the slow movements of the concertos. This is a fine selection of slower movements. The overall quality of the performances is exceptional. This relatively inexpensive gem always satisfies. It is an excellent gift.

Excellent CD especially for bedtime music of little ones.......1999-10-25

We bought this CD for the purpose of exposing our son (2 yrs) to classical music while providing good music to help relax him and put him to sleep for the evening. It works great! In fact, I often lay with my son as he goes down and I find myself lost in this CD. It makes it hard to get up. One slight flaw is that the music can be a tad Peaky at times and can sometimes wake a heavy eyed boy.

Average customer rating:

Mozart's Adagios By Outstanding Musicians and Conductors
Very Nice
music to tame the cacophonous beast
serene timeless music
Good - somewhat awkward

Mozart: Adagios

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Vivaldi Adagios
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ASIN: B00000IIZZ
Release Date: 1999-04-13

Tracks:

Eine kleine Nachtmusik K525
Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major K467 ('Elvira Madigan')
Serenade in B flat major K361
Clarinet Concerto in A major K622
Concerto for Flute & Harp in C major K299
Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major K488
Adagio for Violin in E major K261
Symphony No. 40 in G minor K550
Divertimento in B flat major K137
Piano Concerto No. 26 in D major 'Coronation' K537
Horn Concerto No. 3 in E flat major K447

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 27 in B flat major K595
Horn Concerto No. 2 in E flat major K417
Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major K216
Piano Sonata in F major K332
Symphony No. 41 in C major 'Jupiter' K551
Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor K466
Adagio in B minor for Piano K540
Sinfonia concertante in E flat major K364
Clarinet Quintet in A major K581
Serenade in C minor K388
Piano Sonata in C major K545

Customer Reviews:

Mozart's Adagios By Outstanding Musicians and Conductors.......2005-11-28

This 2-CD reasonably priced compilation has a number of the greatest adagios Mozart composed, performed by some of the greatest conductors and musicians in the world. Mozart was such a prolific composer of incredibly beautiful music in his short 35 years that one can easily imagine a second 2-CD set of his adagios in this series. The quality of the performances and the sound quality of the recordings on both CDs are outstanding.

The selections of adagios are a representative sampling of many of Mozart's most well-known and greatest compositions. Although the selections come from a large variety of works, they flow smoothly from one to the other. The adagios from the piano concertos performed by Vladimir Ashkenazy, the other piano selections, performed by Andras Schiff, the violin adagio performed by Joshua Bell, and the adagio from the Clarinet Concerto performed by Gervase de Peyer, are absolute musical heaven. Then again, all of the selections are outstanding.

This is wonderful music to listen to either casually or seriously, either while doing something else, or while focusing only on the music and its beauty. If you are looking for other excellent CD compilations of Mozart adagios in addition to this one, I also highly recommend "Mozart for Relaxation" on RCA, and "Mozart for Meditation," on Naxos.

Very Nice.......2004-06-12

This is a very nice CD, it has a good selection of music, and it's very relaxing. The only problem I have with it is some of the recordings are so-so. I also noticed a small little mistake in one of the recordings, not of the song itself, but of some bad timing of whoever recorded it or edited the recording. At the end of the Horn Concerto on the first CD, which is the last one of that CD, if you listen very very carefully, you can hear the first split-second of the next movement in that concerto. It is very small and hard to notice, so it does not reduce the value of the CD; I thought I'd just point out that little "easter egg" mistake.

music to tame the cacophonous beast.......2004-01-18

Though this is not a CD set to "seriously listen to Mozart", it is perfect to put on while doing anything from housework to sitting around watching the grass grow. With one glorious melody after another, one is flooded with its beauty; there are few melodies that can top track # 2, the Andante from Piano Concerto 21, the "Elvira Madigan" theme, except for many of the other twentyone excerpts that for the most part, are well performed, with some that are exceptional.

Vladimir Ashkenzy is the pianist in four pieces, and is wonderful in all of them, as is clarinetist Gervase de Peyer in the K622 concerto and the excepts from Horn Concertos # 2 and # 3, with Barry Tuckwell as soloist.
The Concerto for Flute and Harp K299 might sound a little thin to some, but this is perhaps because of the antique instrumentation. The Academy of Ancient Music, under the baton of Christopher Hogwood, have been pioneers in recording with period instruments.
I'm particularly fond of Mozart's solo piano pieces, and three selections are included, played by award-winning Hungarian pianist/conductor Andras Schiff.

The packaging for these 2 discs is minimal, but the music is a nice bargain. You get miles of Mozart (playing time for Disc One is 74'25, Disc Two 71'30), with many great artists performing these soft and exquisite pieces; it makes me think of a box of assorted musical truffles, a delicacy for the ears, and a balm for the soul in the noisy world most of us live in.

serene timeless music.......2001-10-29

great collection for a super price. the selection is a compilation of the nicest music Mozart has composed. I have hundreds of CD and this will be one of my favorite.

Good - somewhat awkward.......2001-08-09

This CD includes some of Mozart's most sublime work. Like most compilations, each piece on the CD exists out of context, which sometimes feels awkward. Also, some of the performances are not up-to-snuff. In particular, the flute and harp concerto (K.299) is clunky and strangely juxtiposed with an outstanding performance of the K.622 clarinet concerto. I was also a bit disappointed with the metronomic performance of the K.361 adagio, which is among my favorite pieces of music. This CD is outstanding as background music - it's simply lovely, but it's not particularly good listening for the serious Mozart fan.

Mozart: Clarinet Quintet, etc / Academy Chamber Ensemble

Average customer rating:

great mozart
Reference Recording
Musical bliss

Mozart: Clarinet Quintet, etc / Academy Chamber Ensemble

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mozart: The Six String Quintets

ASIN: B00000411T
Release Date: 1989-09-26

Tracks:

Clarinet Qunintet In A, K. 581: 1. Allegro
Clarinet Qunintet In A, K. 581: 2. Larghetto
Clarinet Qunintet In A, K. 581: 3. Menuetto
Clarinet Qunintet In A, K. 581: 4. Allegretto con variazioni
Horn Quintet In E Flat, K. 407: 1. Allegro
Horn Quintet In E Flat, K. 407: 2. Andante
Horn Quintet In E Flat, K. 407: 3. Allegro
Oboe Quartet In F, K. 370: 1. Allegro
Oboe Quartet In F, K. 370: 2. Adagio
Oboe Quartet In F, K. 370: 3. Rondeau: Allegro

Customer Reviews:

great mozart.......2005-10-12

In my opinion the clarinet quintet is one of Mozart's best chamber works. I am familiar with two other versions and this is the best of the three not so much for the strings - which are beautiful here - but for the wonderful tone in Antony Pay's clarinet. It is deeper and richer than that of the players in the other versions. Specifically I recently purchased Talich on Calliope records as part of their string quintets collection and while the string tone on that recording is wonderful the clarinet pales beside Pay's.
The other two pieces here are also quite enjoyable but do not rise above the general run of Mozart's generally good chamber works.
The sound is good.

Reference Recording.......2004-01-25

Anthony Pay's rendition of the Mozart Quintet is one for the ages. A flawless performance well worthy for the title of being the reference benchmark recording of the piece.

The quintet, a beautiful piece itself indeed, is played here with an incredible warm tone brought forth by not only Mr. Pay but the string quartet as well, led by violinist Iona Brown.

The other unforgettable recording of this piece out there, Dave Shifirin's rendition, is also a classic, but a completely different rendition than Pay's. The preference over which performance is better is completely up to the tastes of the listener. Sihirin's version is more clear, where this one is, as I have already said, more warmer.

Musical bliss.......2000-07-20

Of all the classical discs in my collection, this is the one that I reach for when I am looking for some guaranteed musical bliss. There is a quintessential serenity about Antony Pay's performance of the Clarinet Quintet that defies any kind of criticism. Also included on this generous disc is the enchanting Horn Quintet, given an ebullient account by Timothy Brown. The last work is the Oboe Quartet, deliciously performed by Neil Black. In fact all the performers communicate a great love of this music. This is nearly 70 minutes of musical heaven, a heaven that deepens with repeated listenings.

Pablo Casals: Festivals at Prades Vol. 1

Average customer rating:

Bravo Maestro
They don't make 'em like this any more...
Treasure!

Pablo Casals: Festivals at Prades Vol. 1
Menuhin
Manufacturer: Music & Arts Program
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Johannes Brahms: Sextet No. 1/Piano Trio No. 1

ASIN: B000086EMD
Release Date: 2003-02-25

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Larghetto
III. Allegretto
I. Bewegt, Doch Nicht Zu Rasch
II. Ziemlich Langsam
III. Rasch
IV. Kraftig, Mit Humor

Tracks:

I. Allegro Con Brio
II. Andante Con Variazioni
III. Menuetto. Quasi Allegro
IV. Finale. Prestissimo
I. Allegro Vivace Con Brio
II. Largo Assai, Ed Espressivo
III. Presto

Tracks:

I. Allegro Energico
II. Presto Non Assai
III. Andante Grazioso
IV. Allegro Molto
I. Poco Sostenuto/Allegro, Ma Non Troppo
II. Allegretto
III. Allegretto, Ma Non Troppo
IV. Finale. Allegro

Tracks:

I. Prelude. Allegro
II. Allemande. Quasi Maestoso
III. Courante. Allegro Non Troppo
IV. Sarabande. Lento
V. Bourree I. Allegro Moderato
VI. Gigue. Vivace
I. Allegro Con Brio
II. Adagio Con Molto Sentimento D'Affeto/III.Allegro-Allegro Fugato
I. Op.121a (Not Divided Into Movements)

Tracks:

I. Adagio
II. Allegro Ma Non Tanto
III. Andante
IV. Allegro Moderato
I. Allegro Con Brio
II. Scherzo. Allegro Molto
III. Adagio
IV. Allegro
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Andante Grazioso
IV. Allegro

Tracks:

I. Sehr Lebhaft
II. Mitinnigem Ausdruck
III. In Massiger Bewegung
IV. Nicht Zu Rasch
I. Allegro - Arthur Grumiaux
II. Larghetto - Arthur Grumiaux
III. Allegretto - Arthur Grumiaux

Tracks:

Prelude & Fugue In D Major - Mieczyslaw Horszowski
Prelude & Fugue In F-sharp Minor - Mieczyslaw Horszowski
Prelude & Fugue In G Major - Mieczyslaw Horszowski
Prelude & Fugue In B Minor - Mieczyslaw Horszowski
I. Allegro Con Brio - Arthur Grumiaux
II. Tema Con Variazioni - Arthur Grumiaux
III. Rondo (Allegro) - Arthur Grumiaux
I. Allegro - Paul Tortelier
II. Adagio - Paul Tortelier
III. Allegro Ma Non Troppo - Paul Tortelier
Aria - Victoria De Los Angeles

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Andante Con Moto
III. Scherzo. Presto
IV. Finale. Allegro Giocoso
I. Mit Energie Und Leidenschaft - Mieczyslaw Horszowski
II. Lebhaft, Doch Nicht Ru Rasch - Mieczyslaw Horszowski
III. Langsam, Mit Inniger Empfindung - Mieczyslaw Horszowski
IV. Mit Feuer - Mieczyslaw Horszowski

Tracks:

I. Adagio Sostenuto/Allegro/Presto
II. Allegro Vivace/Adagio
I. Adagio Sostenuto Ed Espressivo/Allegro Molto Piu Tosto Presto
II. Rondo. Allegro
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Poco Adagio
III. Rondo. Allegro Moderato/Allegro Molto

Tracks:

I. Allegro, Ma Non Tanto
II. Scherzo. Allegro Molto
III. Adagio Cantabile/Allegro Vivace
I. Andante/Allegro Vivace
II. Adagio/Tempo D'Andante/Allegro Vivace
I. Allegro Con Brio
II. Adagio Con Molto Sentimento D'Affetto
III. Allegro

Tracks:

Seven Variations On The Duet 'Bei Mannern, Welche Liebe...' From Die Zauberflote By Mozart, For Cello And Piano
I. Allegro - Mieczyslaw Horszowski
II. Adagio Molto Espressivo - Mieczyslaw Horszowski
III. Allegro Con Variazioni - Mieczyslaw Horszowski
I. Allegro - Jose Gonzales
II. Larghetto - Jose Gonzales
III. Menuetto/Trio I/Trio II - Jose Gonzales
IV. Allegro Con Variazioni - Jose Gonzales

Tracks:

I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo - Karen Tuttle
II. Adagio (Segue) - Karen Tuttle
III. Scherzo. Persto (Segue) - Karen Tuttle
IV. Allegretto/Piu Allegro - Karen Tuttle
I. Molto Allegro Ed Agitato
II. Andante Con Moto Tranquillo
III. Scherzo. Leggiero E Vivace
IV. Finale. Allegro Assai Appassionato

Tracks:

Adagio And Allegro For Piano And Horn In A Flat Major, Op.70
I. Introduzione. Andante Espressivo/Allegro - Vegh Quartet
II. Scherzo. Presto/Intermezzo - Vegh Quartet
III. Adagio - Vegh Quartet
IV. Presto - Vegh Quartet
I. Allegro Brillante - Rudolph Serkin
II. In Modo D'Una Marcia. Un Poco Largamente/Agitato - Rudolph Serkin
III. Scherzo. Molto Vivace/Trio I/Trio II. L'Istesso Tempo - Rudolph Serkin
IV. Allegro Ma Non Troppo - Rudolph Serkin

Customer Reviews:

Bravo Maestro.......2007-01-03

I consider myself fortunate to have found this gem. I have always admired Casals not only for his extraordinary musicianship but also for his political courage. The story of Prades is heart warming and the music is a rare treasure. If you are a Casals fan, you might also want to hear Casals conducting Beethoven's 7th Symphony...a masterpiece.

They don't make 'em like this any more..........2006-11-28

The quality of the MUSIC here is remarkable. Many of the world's elite classical artists of the post-World War II generation are here - and the result is magic! A few of the highlights for me are the Mozart Piano Quartet No. 2 (disc 1), Beethoven Cello Sonata in A Major (disc 10), Mozart Oboe Quartet (disc 7), and many more...

You might wonder, however, how these live 50's recordings compare to recordings made in the digital era? Well... in a word, very good, very good indeed considering. Occasionally there is audience coughing (primarily just during the breaks between sections) - after all this was recorded live and you can also sometimes hear music pages turning on the stage if you listen closely. However, the sound is about as full range as you could ask for and the hiss and noise levels are very acceptable and not ever intrusive - I did note that the string instruments generally sound very good while the piano does not always fair quite as well, sometimes sounding slightly boxy - the piano is just far more difficult to record in any live setting because it is more dependent upon the room acoustics. Still, overall, the restoration is very good and trust me, you will become engaged in the MUSIC very quickly and forget all about any limitations of the recordings.

To summarize, as other reviewers have also noted, the sound quality, while not perfect by digital standards, is indeed very good - the important thing is to be assured that sound quality considerations never get in the way of the fantastic, wonderful performances. They really don't make music like this anymore.... well maybe they do sometimes, but not on thirteen discs in a row! Of course, I'm now going to purchase the second box set.

Treasure!.......2003-06-19

When I first heard this set, I thought to myself: now I know how Howard Carter felt when he looked for the first time into Tutankhamen's newly-excavated tomb. Maybe you know the story: As his colleagues broke the seal on the long-undiscovered tomb's final door, Carter peered into a completely dark treasure room, illuminated fitfully by the beam of his flashlight. Someone asked, "What do you see?" and he answered, "Wonderful things!" Well, this set of Casals & Friends performances from early 1950s Prades Festivals also offers an unbelievable wealth of long-unheard, wonderful things. It is impossible to overpraise this production, or find the words to adequately thank Music and Arts for issuing such extravagance in these days of penny-pinching from what we used to call the major record companies. Thirteen (!) CDs of live performances, most featuring Pablo Casals working with front-rank collaborators, and all worth hearing many times over. Highlights? Casals, Rudolf Serkin, Alfred Cortot and Eugene Istomin survey all the Beethoven cello sonatas; Casals and Menuhin treat us to all the Brahms trios; the great, lamented William Kapell plays glorious Mozart and Beethoven with a young Arthur Grumiaux; the Vegh Quartet offer marvelous Schumann ..... and many, many more. Yes, you learn that even Willy Kapell could smudge a note now and then when performing 'live.' But, overall, the mistakes are few, and the musical insights so numerous as to defy listing. Note that these performances are completely different from those other, "official" live Prades recordings issued by Sony/Columbia/CBS over the past 30 years, so if you own the Sony CDs (and you should!), rest assured that while there is some overlap of repertory, you will not be duplicating performances. (On the other hand, 9 of the 13 discs were previously issued a few years back by Music and Arts.) Sound quality is mono and variable, but never less than completely acceptable. In fact, the sound quality (as realized by ace M&A engineer Maggi Payne) is surprisingly good considering that many of the performances apparently originated in the naves of ancient stone churches, not exactly a recording engineer's dream soundstage! Packaging is spartan, but well-designed and attractive: paper envelopes contain the CDs which are held together in a space-efficient soft box. Full liner notes helpfully discuss the origins of the Prades Festivals, and provide a limited discussion of participating artists other than Casals. (The fabulous Kapell performances -- of music he recorded nowhere else -- represent the pianist's only appearance at Prades, just a month or two before his tragic death in a plane crash.) Final word: In this set you get some of the greatest performing artists of all time playing some of the greatest chamber music ever written ..... and for an unbelievably low price. Unless you are completely averse to live music-making or have no tolerance at all for fallible sound, you need to own and hear these discs, over and over again!

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Greatest Hits-Sound & Vision [Import]

Lebendige Vergangenheit: Barbara Kemp

Little Rock Blues: The Essential Recordings of Country Girls

Fujitsu-Concord 25th Jazz Festival [Live]

To Run More Smoothly

It's over Now [CD-single] [Import]

Legends of the 20th Century [Import]

Jean Sibelius: Tone Poems & Incidental Music

Love, Shelby

Just Friends [Import]

Judith's Roommate Had A Baby [Explicit Lyrics]

Love Letter V.1 [Import]

Meltdown 2000 [Import]

Ravel: Intérale de la Musique de Chambre

In the Moment