Heart of the Symphony

1. Symphony No. 8 in B minor ("Unfinished"), D. 759 Unfinished
Composed by Franz Schubert
Performed by English Sinfonia Conducted by Charles Groves

2. Symphony No. 9 in E minor ("From the New World," first published as No. 5), B. 178 (Op. 95)
Composed by Antonin Dvorak
Performed by London Symphony Orchestra Conducted by Barry Tuckwell

3. Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64 Con alcuna licenza
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by London Symphony Orchestra Conducted by Gennady Rozhdestvensky

4. Symphonie fantastique for orchestra ("Episode de la vie d'un Artiste...en cinq parties"), H.48 (Op. 14) Valse: Allego non troppo
Composed by Hector Berlioz
Performed by London Symphony Orchestra Conducted by Richard Williams

5. Adagietto, for orchestra (from the Symphony No.5) Adagietto, Sehr langsam
Composed by Gustav Mahler
Performed by London Symphonica Conducted by Wyn Morris

6. Symphony No. 9 in D minor ("Choral") Op. 125 Fourth movement, Presto
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Ruth Falcon , Richard Margison , Kathleen McKellar-Ferguson , Thomas Thomaschke
Conducted by Sir Yehudi Menuhin

Heart of the Symphony,Pickwick,Classical

Average customer rating: This should never have worked at all A GREAT AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED MUSICAL FROM THE 80-IS Chess One of my favorites! Concepts get better with practice

Chess Bjorn Ulvaeus , and Tim Rice Manufacturer: Decca Broadway ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Contemporary Musicals | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Chess (1988 Original Broadway Cast) Miss Saigon (Original 1989 London Cast) A Little Night Music (1973 Original Broadway Cast) Evita (1978 Original Broadway Cast) Sweeney Todd (2005 Broadway Revival Cast) ASIN: B000002GLR Release Date: 1996-07-23

Tracks:

1. Merano - The Ambrosia Singers/Anders Eljas/Murray Head
2. The Russian And Molokov/ Where I Want To Be - The Ambrosia Singers/Anders Eljas/Tommy Korberg/Denis Quilley
3. Opening Ceremony - The Ambrosia Singers/Anders Eljas/Bjorn Skifs
4. Quartet (A Model Of Decorum And Tranquility) - Elaine Paige/Tommy Korberg/Denis Quilley/Bjorn Skifs
5. The American And Florence/Nobody's Side - Elaine Paige/Murray Head
6. Chess - LSO/Anders Eljas
7. Mountian Duet - Elaine Paige/Tommy Korberg
8. Florence Quits - Elaine Paige/Murray Head
9. Embassy Lament - Tommy Korberg/The Ambrosia Singers/Anders Eljas
10. Anthem - Tommy Korberg

Tracks:

1. Bangkok
2. One Night In Bangkok
3. Heaven Help My Heart
4. Argument
5. I Know Him So Well
6. The Deal (No Deal)
7. Pity The Child
8. Endgame
9. Epilogue: You And I / The Story Of Chess

Amazon.com

Chess is a musical that sounds like it shouldn't work but instead succeeds surprisingly well. This is the original concept album that was recorded before the musical was staged in London. Chess is the story of a love triangle told against the backdrop of an international chess tournament during the height of the cold war. The composers are Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus (the Bs in ABBA) and the lyrics are by Tim Rice, who supplied the words for Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, as well as Disney's Aladdin (with Howard Ashman), The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast. The six-member cast does a beautiful job with the songs, which are a combination of ballads, rock, and operatic choruses. Murray Head's version of "One Night in Bangkok" became a surprise hit in the mid-'80s and it still turns up on the turntables in dance clubs around the world. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews:

This should never have worked at all.......2007-06-18

And on that basis alone, you've got to cut it some slack. Fortunately, not all that much slack turns out to be necessary.

While "Chess" may be a document of an era that no longer exists, there's a lot more going on than the surface metaphor. It holds up very well indeed. When it aims for humor, it generally succeeds, and likewise when it aims to devastate. What more can you ask for?

A GREAT AND OFTEN OVERLOOKED MUSICAL FROM THE 80-IS.......2007-03-04

`Chess' is a musical that should be counted among the best of what the 1980-is had produced: side by side with `Cats', `The Phantom of the Opera', `Les Miserables' or `Miss Saigon'. The score as heard on this concept album, written by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (formerly of ABBA) and with the exceptional lyrics written by Tim Rice, stand proof to this. And yet, due to various reasons, like the changing of the director half way through London staging; a heavy rewrite for Broadway and a pan review from Frank Ritch (a.k.a. `The Butcher of Broadway'), `Chess' seems to be unjustly neglected.

This concept album is the main reason why the show has so many ardent fans until this day. Tim Rice wanted to write the show with the main plot revolving around chess for years and after his long time partner Andrew Lloyd Webber remained uninterested, he found the new collaborators in Ulvaeus and Andersson. The subject matter follows two international chess players in a championship, a Russian (Tommy Körberg) and an American (Murray Head) and a woman called Florence (Elaine Paige) who is a manager to the American but falls in love with the Russian. The story also draws a parallel between the game of chess and the cold war/real life situations.

This concept album was recorded in 1984, two years before the original London production took place. As the authors noted in the accompanying booklet, it was a work in progress and thusly the story is not quite readable here from the musical numbers alone. Despite that fact (which is amended by the synopsis included in the booklet), this album remains a winner. The score (played here by the London Symphonic Orchestra) itself makes an intriguing bland of the famous ABBA sound, the classical; the rock and the pop enhanced by the orchestral solo passages and the strong choral parts. The lush orchestrations add an epic touch to it and on the whole it is melodic and hummable, packed with great tunes. Some of the songs achieved huge success outside the musical: `I know him so well', a duet between Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson, held the number one spot on the UK singles charts for 4 weeks in February 1985 and won Ivor Novello Award as the Best Selling Single; Murray Head's `One night in Bangkok' became one of the biggest dance hits of its time, often heard today. Some other notable tunes include `The Anthem' (Russian's deliberation on his homeland); the soaring rock songs `Where I want to be' and `Pity the child' (in the former, the Russian reflects upon his life under the spotlight; in the latter, the American ponders about his own unhappy childhood) or the gentle `Heaven help my heart' (in which Florence weighs up her relationship with the Russian).

A special reference must be made to Tim Rice's excellent lyrics. With `Chess' he managed to keep up to the high standards he set himself in `Jesus Christ Superstar' and Evita'. Again in this case he shows he is a lyrical wizard, with his familiar cynical touch. `The story of chess', in which he gives a history of the game in a couple of crafty verses, is a pure masterpiece. The same can be said of the song `I know him so well', where the two women reexamine their relationship with the same man. As a whole, `Chess' owes a lot of its appeal to Tim Rice's written word.

The cast on this album ranks the high standard of the material. The principal parts (sung by Elaine Paige, Tommy Körberg and Murray Head) are delivered in a strong and impeccable fashion.

This 2-disc edition comes with a booklet containing a note from the authors, a text about chess, a full synopsis and a libretto, together with the photos of the principal singers.

Anyone interested in the modern musical theatre should find `Chess' to be a great score with great lyrics, which should be enough to satisfy any aficionado.

Chess.......2007-01-15

A magnificent musical, i have enjoyed the music since i first heard it and read the storyline. Had been unable to find it in our local music stores.Very pleased to find it on your site.

One of my favorites!.......2007-01-12

I love "Chess"! I still remember the first time I heard the single "One Night in Bangkok" on my car radio. I thought it was so unusual and so very cool, so I tracked down the album and bought it. Then I taped it onto a cassette, which is what I've been listening to for years, so I finally broke down and got it on CD. Of course, it's on my iPod now. I've seen the musical, and I loved that, too.

Concepts get better with practice.......2006-11-27

I love this show! That said, I do not care for this version of it. The inclusion of the word "concept" in the title means it is just that. This was, thankfully, not the final version of the show that would later spawn the hit song, "One Night In Bangkok".

With most Broadway musicals, the musical numbers tell the basic story of the show. If you listen to the recordings of Phantom, Mama Mia, Beauty and the Beast, you can discern the basic storyline of the show. Listening to this particular recording of Chess, though, will leave you wondering "What was that?" The Broadway arrival of Chess saw a much needed reworking of the storyline and arrangement of the musical numbers. This recording seems too much like a mish-mash of songs that don't really relate to each other.

For musical fanatics (like myself), I say "yes, you should have this recording in your collection", if only to understand how much work went into the show before it opened on Broadway.

If you are only buying the album because of "One Night In Bangkok", purchase the Broadway recording instead; you'll be much happier with the performance by Phillip Casnoff rather than Murray Head.

Average customer rating: Children's Favorites a solid purchase The perfect package A Wonderful Introduction to the Classics

Children's Favorites Manufacturer: Vox (Classical) ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Dukas | Dukas, Paul | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Saint-Saëns, Camille | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Robert Schumann | Schumann, Robert | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Prokofiev | Prokofiev, Sergei | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Inventions | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Baltimore Symphony Orchestra | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Minnesota Orchestra | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra | ( V ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Styles | Music Compilations | Children's Music | Styles | Music Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Children's Music | Indie Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music CDs Under $7 | Children's Music | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Children's Music | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs Under $7 | Concertos | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Concertos | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs Under $7 | Fugues | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Fugues | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs Under $7 | Preludes | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Preludes | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Similar Items: Classical Music for Children: A Toddler's Introduction to Classical Music Classics for Kids Pavarotti's Opera Made Easy-My Favourite Opera For Children Bernstein Favorites: Children's Classics World's Very Best Opera for Kids... in English! ASIN: B00004Y6T3 Release Date: 2000-09-05

Tracks:

1. March Of The Tin Soldiers - Leon Jessel
2. Variations On 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' - Walter Klien
3. The Nutcracker: Dance Of The Reed Flutes - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
4. The Nutcracker: Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
5. The Sorceror's Apprentice - Paul Dukas
6. Peter And The Wolf (Extract) - Brandon de Wilde
7. Invention No. 8 In F Major - Christiane Jaccottet
8. Invention No. 11 in G Minor - Christiane Jaccottet
9. Invention No. 13 in A Minor - Christiane Jaccottet
10. Prelude And Fugue No. 21 In B Flat Major (Book 1) - Christiane Jaccottet
11. Sonata For 2 Pianos In D Major, K. 448, 1st Mvt. - Rudolf Firkusny
12. III. Allegretto - Walter Klien
13. Kinderszenen: Of Strange Lands And People - Walter Klien
14. Kinderszenen: Curious Story - Walter Klien
15. Kinderszenen: Entreating Child - Walter Klien
16. Kinderszenen: Perfect Happiness - Walter Klien
17. Introduction And Royal March - Marylene Dosse
18. The Elephant - Marylene Dosse
19. Kangaroos - Marylene Dosse
20. The Aquarium - Marylene Dosse
21. Cuckoo In The Woods - Marylene Dosse
22. Birds - Marylene Dosse
23. Fossils - Marylene Dosse
24. The Swan - Marylene Dosse
25. Finale - Marylene Dosse

Customer Reviews:

Children's Favorites a solid purchase.......2006-03-09

This CD mostly delivered what was expected of it. The only critique I have is that some of the tempos could have been cleaner, and that it should be cross-referenced by the other composers besides J. S. Bach.

The perfect package.......2005-10-23

This is the most wonderful collection to have on 1 CD. Children from birth on up can benefit from this musical collage.
Songs from the "Nutcracker" are familiar and comfortable for many children. What child wouldn't love "March of the Tin Soldiers?"
Selections from Saint-Saens' "Carnival of the Animals" is a must in my creative movement library. Every child should be exposed to this music. Well,I believe every age should be.

A Wonderful Introduction to the Classics.......2003-03-11

With total playing time clocking in at 78:04 minutes of music, you'll be paying about 6-cents/minute, which is a better bargain than long distance phone calls, and often more rewarding!

This disc is far superior than most other "Classics for Kids"-type recordings I've sampled for a number of reasons:

1) This album was expertly engineered. The production quality on this disc is first-rate from start to finish with crisp, clear sound.

2) The pieces were expertly picked. There is wonderful sonic variety here, spanning hundreds of years of wonderful melodies. There are orchestral pieces, harpsichord pieces, solo piano, and a piano concerto, capped off with Saint-Seans whimsical Carnival of the Animals. What kid (or adult) wouldn't love that?

3) The performances are, without exeption, expert! The pieces were definately screened for quality as well as content. Many are simply a joy to behold. Walter Klein is a particular stand-out, almost giddily prancing through Schumann's pieces. Believe it or not, he sounds even more impressive when backed up by the always inspiring Minnesota Orchestra on Mozart's Piano Concerto #17.

In short, this album is a great album even before you factor in the great price. You and your children are almost guaranteed to enjoy every 6-cents worth!

Average customer rating: Beethoven for Babies Nicest classical CD I have found for my baby (& me) Ode To Beethoven Pseudoscientific crap, but some of the music is good here Nicest classical music CD I've found for my baby (& me)

Beethoven for Babies Manufacturer: Philips ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Bagatelles | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Flute | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Sonatas | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Sonatas | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Symphonies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music $9.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Bach for Babies The Mozart Effect - Music for Babies - Playtime to Sleepytime Build Your Baby's Brain Mozart for Mothers-To-Be: Tender Lullabies for Mother and Child The Mozart Effect: Music For Babies: Nighty Night ASIN: B000009OU6 Release Date: 1998-08-11

Tracks:

1. Six National Airs With Variations, Op. 105: The Cottage Maid (Welsh)
2. Six National Airs With Variations, Op. 105: The Last Rose Of Summer (Irish)
3. Six National Airs With Variations, Op. 105: Chiling O'Guirg (Irish)
4. Six National Airs With Variations, Op. 105: English Bulls (Irish)
5. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: St. Patrick's Day (Irish)
6. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: O Mary, At The Window Be (Scottish)
7. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Oh, Thou Are The Lad Of My Heart (Scottish)
8. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Fur Elise
9. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor ('Pathetique') - Adagio cantabile
10. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: String Quartet No. 13 In B-Flat - Alla Danza Tedesca. Allegro assai
11. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Piano Sonata No. 7 In D - Menuetto (Allegro)
12. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: The Creatures Of Prometheus - Finale. Allegretto
13. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Piano Sonata No. 18 In E-Flat - Menuetto (Moderato e grazioso)
14. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Piano Sonata No. 20 In G - Tempo di menuetto
15. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Symphony No. 8 In F - Allegro scherzando
16. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Symphony No. 9 In D Minor ('Choral') - Ode To Joy
17. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Piano Sonata No. 15 In D ('Pastoral') - Rondo (Allegro ma non troppo)
18. Ten National Airs With Variations, Op. 107: Symphony No. 6 In F ('Pastoral') - Hymn Of Thanksgiving

Amazon.com

For the parent looking to ease their child into a familiarity with classical music, this is a very well chosen set of Beethoven works. It begins with a generous selection of airs composed late in the composer's life. The presence of the flute as the lead instrument on these selections has a soothing quality that moves the ear in an ideally subtle way, especially as it gives way to the more excited piano sonata pieces. Zoltán Kocsis's reading of "Pathétique" is followed by Claudio Arrau's take on the 7th, 15th, and 18th sonatas and Sviatoslav Richter's lyrical take on the 20th ("Pastoral"). Programmed amidst the piano pieces, which are great studies in dynamics and musical spacing, are some fine orchestral snippets, none longer than five minutes. The collection does a fine balancing act, condensing works that don't inherently lend themselves to shortened renditions and carefully managing moods, entry, and egress to each segment. This is fine anthology work. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

Beethoven for Babies.......2007-05-21

My baby and I really enjoy this CD. It is so fun to feel the baby get excited when I play it. I have a pillow speaker and just place it right up against my stomach. It evens helps me to get in a nap or just rest for a while.

Nicest classical CD I have found for my baby (& me).......2005-09-01

This is a very pleasant CD to listen to, and I think the quality of the music is excellent. I enjoy listening to this with my 10 month old son, and we also listen to the radio and lots of modern music. I recently purchased 5 of the classical "Baby Einstein" CDs and I consider them to be inferior to this Beethoven for Babies CD. The Baby Einstein are very synthesized sounding and I think they are annoyingly mellow and kind of dopey. This Beethoven CD is beautiful. In fact I'm going to buy 1 or 2 more from this series.

Ode To Beethoven.......2005-05-13

The actual reason I bought this cd is for "Fur Elise" but it turned out to be much more than I bargained for. Before road rage sets in while sitting in a traffic jam during rush hour, play this. If you need to take it easy and escape from your reality, play this. Need something to play at work that's not explicit or offensive, play this. Of course, it's not Beethoven himself, but if you need some quiet time, play this. Even while you read, you could play this. If you want some authenticity to your collection, get Beethoven for Babies.

Pseudoscientific crap, but some of the music is good here.......2004-05-27

The 3 stars is only because the hucksters that put this together at least had the decency to tracks featuring Arrau & Richter on this CD. A lot of these "turn your baby into a genius with classical music" CDs and tapes feature only lousy musical performances from hack musicians you have never heard of.

That having been said, if you are stupid enough to believe any of this "Mozart Effect" horse manure --- which continues to have no support in any sort of controlled test environment --- then your babies will probably inherit your limited intellectual capacities & no amount of Beethoven & Mozart will ever be able to help them.

If, on the other hand, you are introducing Junior to classical music, you could do worse --- but you could also do better. Go get Arrau's complete Beethoven sonatas & concerti, get the Berg Quartett's complete Beethoven quartet cycle, and get John Eliot Gardiner's complete Beethoven symphonies --- just for a start. Also, don't stop with Beethoven & Mozart. My 9-month old daughter gets a diverse exposure to a thousand years of music, and very little is off limits. She got acquainted with the Bartok Quartets within her first couple of months, and it doesn't look like we have created an axe murderer or anything like that.

Anyway, if you want to create a classical music lover, do it right and go the distance, rather than doing it piecemeal with CDs like this. Your baby may still be a moron, but at least will be a moron with exquisite taste.

Nicest classical music CD I've found for my baby (& me).......2003-11-23

This is a very pleasant CD to listen to, and I think the quality of the music is excellent. I enjoy listening to this with my 10 month old son, and we also listen to the radio and lots of modern music. I recently purchased 5 of the classical "Baby Einstein" CDs and I consider them to be inferior to this Beethoven for Babies CD. The Baby Einstein are very synthesized sounding and I think they are annoyingly mellow and kind of dopey. This Beethoven CD is beautiful. In fact I'm going to buy 1 or 2 more from this series.

Average customer rating: The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Eveer, Volume II Great music listein to while you read in bed A must buy for the non-snobbish classical music fan. A bliss of spirit. Boring

The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Ever, Volume II Gabriel Faure , Frederic Chopin , Antonio Vivaldi , Gustav Mahler , Claude Debussy , Sir Neville Marriner , Maris Jansons , Lorin Maazel , Sir Adrian Boult , Miklos Rozsa , Riccardo Muti , Stephen Cleobury , Sir John Barbirolli , New Philharmonia Orchestra , Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus , Academy of St. Martin in the Fields , and Berlin Philharmonic Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Allegri | Allegri, Gregorio | ( A ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by J.S. 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The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe The Most Relaxing Piano Album in the World...Ever! Mozart for Relaxation Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits ASIN: B00002439O Release Date: 2003-03-11

Tracks:

1. Sheep May Safely Graze - Sir Neville Marriner
2. Serenade In G 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' - Sir Neville Marriner
3. Violin Concerto No.1 In G Minor, Op.26 - II. Adagio - Yedudi Menuhin
4. Nocturne No.2 In E Flat Op.9 No.2 - John Ogdon
5. Miserere Mei, Deus - Stephen Cleobury
6. Schindler's List - Tasmin Little
7. Traumerei - Dame Moura Lympany
8. Dance Of The Sylphs - Sir Neville Marriner
9. Water Music - Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
10. Symphony No.9: II. Largo - Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
11. Jean De Florette - Toots Thielemans
12. Concerto For Lute And Two Violins - II. Largo - Anthony Bailes
13. Cello Concerto In E Minor Op.85 - III. Adagio - Jacqueline De Pre
14. Waltz No.15 In A Flat - Dame Moura Lympany
15. Romance - Piers Lane
16. Pavane - Maurice Handford
17. Woodbrook - Micheal O Suilleabhain
18. Time To Say Goodbye - Orchestra

Tracks:

1. The Four Seasons - Concerto No.1 In E 'Spring' - Yehundi Menuhin
2. Dance Of The Blessed Spirits - New Philharmonia Orchestra
3. Double Violin Concerto In D Minor - II. Largo Ma Non Tanto - Yehudi Menuhin
4. Prelude No.7 In A Op.28 No.7 - Tzimon Barto
5. Cantique De Jean Racine - MONKS AND CHOIRBOYS OF DOWNSIDE ABBEY
6. The Lark Ascending - Hugh Bean
7. 'Pathetique Sonata Op.13 - II. Adagio Cantabile - Leonard Pennario
8. Pie Jesu - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
9. Salut D'Amour - Richard Hickox
10. La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin (The Girl With Flaxen Hair) - Dame Moura Lympany
11. The Coventry Carol - Medeval Babes
12. Pavane For A Dead Princess - New Philharmonia Orchestra
13. Liebestraum No.3 In A Flat - John Ogdon
14. Panis Angelicus - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
15. Piano Concerto No.2 In F Op.102 - II. Andante - Dmitri Alexeev
16. Agnus Dei - Peter Barley
17. Symphony No.5 In C Sharp Minor - IV. Adagietto - New Philharmonia Orchestra
18. My Heart Will Go On - Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Eveer, Volume II.......2006-08-28

Good selection of music, poorly performed and badly arranged. Good album for a tag sale. Same comment applies for Volume I.

Great music listein to while you read in bed.......2005-08-21

I have listened to this CD for the last several years before going to sleep at night. I love classical music, and this is great music to help make my soul feel at peace and unwind after a taxing day.

A must buy for the non-snobbish classical music fan........2004-10-22

I bought Vol. 1 of this series and was quite satisfied, but I have to say I'm more than satisfied with this one. If you can just mellow out and enjoy some great pieces, you'll love this CD. #15 on Disc 2 is almost worth the price alone!

A bliss of spirit........2004-09-18

That's disc will open You a wonderful, beautiful world of sounds, their harmony & emotion : you'll feel your heart full of
Joy, Tears, Love.
Good LUCK!

Boring.......2004-05-11

Yes this CD will put you to sleep in minutes. Its the most boring uninspiring classical music. The first CD was very good but this Vol. 2 is like most movie sequels....AWFUL !

Average customer rating: The pleasure in the feeling of non-existence ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL This is great! Masterful & mystical "new age music" from KARUNESH Call of the Mystic~Karunesh

Call of the Mystic Karunesh Manufacturer: Real Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | New Age | Styles | Music Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music Similar Items: Zen Breakfast Namaste Nirvana Cafe Joy of Life Global Spirit ASIN: B00020HDXU Release Date: 2004-05-11

Tracks:

1. For the Joy of it All
2. Hearing You Now
3. Monsoon's Dance
4. Mount Kailash
5. Sunrise at the Ganges
6. Zensual
7. And the Grass Grows by Itself
8. Ancient Voices

Album Description

While other genre labels like Narada and Windham Hill diversified from their new age roots, Real Music has been consistent over the years in providing nothing but the best music for relaxation, meditation and spiritual enhancement. Their most notable recordings come from an Eastern Buddhist mindset, with multi-instrumentalist Karunesh leading the pack on the strength of previous discs Zen Breakfast and Nirvana Café. His basic approach to contemplative music involves a blend of exotic textures (bells, chimes, Tibetan bowls, sitar and Chinese instruments) with easy grooves and rich walls of ambience. The new collection's trance inducing instrumentation and sensuous rhythms begins with a few minutes of pure ambience and sitar, before slowly introducing a gentle percussive line ("For the Joy of It All"); Avinash's graceful Indian violin carries a mournful beauty that is also part of the similarly hypnotic, easy grooving "Monsoon's Dance." Bikram's Bansuri flute floats through beautifully in key locations, such as the introduction of "Mount Kailash." While the uninitiated might feel that there's a certain repetitive nature to the tracks (which usually begin with sparse instrumentation before the electricity is turned on), the intention is more to invoke a sense of inner peace than to be truly innovative. The title of the richly textured "Zensual" sums up the mystical intent of the thought provoking exercise.

~ Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide

Customer Reviews:

The pleasure in the feeling of non-existence.......2006-05-28

I heard the song "Monsoon Dance" on sky.fm. I previewed other songs and then bought almost all songs. Others are fine too, just listened once.

It's been 4 days since I bought them. I am not listening to any other song than Monsoon Dance for almost 4 days, day and night.. I am usually obsessed with these kind of mystic songs, listening to one song at a time for days a stretch, even when I sleep.

Thats the effect of the song Monsoon Dance. Truly, the mystic feeling of non-existence is an amazing pleasure. I feel one with the entire universe when I listen to this song.

I wonder what the composer might have gone through to come up with such an amazing piece of music. The Indian violin's effect is rather deep.

ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.......2006-03-10

This is one of the most beautiful CDs I have every heard. I bring it everywhere when I need to relax. The sound of the instruments from India are just breathtaking.

This is great!.......2006-01-12

....if you like really strange, annoying German people who try to go "native." This is nothing but commodified exoticism; music for spiritual enhancement my arse....

Masterful & mystical "new age music" from KARUNESH .......2005-09-23

I discovered the music of this German-born composer/multi-instrumentalist by accident. I was browsing in the new age music section at a certain mega-bookstore, looking for the latest CD from Kitaro (one of my favorite artists.) Well, I didn't find the Kitaro disc that day, but another CD soon caught my eye, one by an artist I'd never heard of - "Call of the Mystic" by Karunesh. Curious about the cover-art and song titles, I put the CD on the store's headphone listening station. I was soon immersed in the music, and intrigued by its exotic sounds. Of course, these were only brief sound clips from the album, so as each snatch of music soon cut off, I was left wanting to hear more. I then came home, found the CD on Amazon, and ordered it (sorry to the bookstore, but your prices were just too high! : ) Anyway, to make a long story short, in the several months since then, I have become a major fan of Karunesh (pronounced "Care-un-ish", which is, I learned, also the sanscrit word for "compassion".) I have now also collected several titles from his extensive back catalog, and while all of his albums have their own strengths, I believe that "Call of the Mystic" still rates as one of his finest overall releases. With it's mystical/mysterious feel, warm synth textures, and heavy use of exotic instruments, this CD literally makes me feel better when I listen to it. I know that the term "healing music" is probably overused in this genre, but in this case the term really fits. It's one of those rare albums that somehow pulls the listener into its World, and transports them to a better state-of-mind for it's duration. (Kitaro is perhaps the only other new age artist who's work has this effect on me.) Like most of Karunesh's works, this album is fully instrumental (So those of you who do not like vocals/lyrics with your new age music will be particularly pleased!), with all of the tracks running in the 5 to 7 minute range (a good length for this type of music.) Now, as people usually like points of comparsion for reviews such as this, I would say that Karunesh falls into the same general "new age/instrumental/electronic" genre as Kitaro, Vangelis, or Patrick O'Hearn (although his music's rarely as gloomy as O'Hearn's can be.) However, comparisons can tend to be a tad misleading, and at the end of the day Karunesh is a unique artist who's music has a personality of its own...Here is a quick rundown of all the tracks: the album opens with "The Joy of It All", an Eastern-flavored track which benefits from a hypnotic percussion groove and the sitar work of special guest Govi (a respected new age artist in his own right.) "Hearing You Now" features piano/flute lines that rotate back and forth, and an ear-catching mix of both electronic & acoustic drumming. "Monsoon's Dance" gives us one of Karunesh's most memorable melodies, played with a gorgeous blend of piano, Indian violin, and synth/percussion backing. "Mount Kailash" has a deeply-spiritual feel, and is highlighted by another guest spot from Govi (this time playing what sounds like an acoustic guitar run through a digital delay effect...quite a beguiling sound, actually!) "Sunrise at the Ganges" is basically a sitar/flute duet set over a backdrop of synth chords and Indian-style drumming. "Zensual" takes on a darker, electronic tone, with some mysterious "reed"-like synth soloing, layers of keyboard ambience, and a sensual rhythmic groove. "And the Grass Grows by Itself" adds some contrast to the pevious track, based mainly around acoustic sounds and a fun, hopeful melody. This track also features the hum of a Tibetan singing bowl (an unusal sound that I have come to like.) Lastly, "Ancient Voices", the only track with no noticable percussion line, is made up almost entirely of sitar and woodwind sounds, and serves to end the album on a peaceful, contemplative note. All in all, this is an album (and artist) that should not be missed if you are a fan of new age music. I will have to agree with what another reviewer said about Amazon's soundclips, though. The brief clips here are all of the opening moments of these songs, before the main themes really kick in - so the CD really does need to be heard in its full context to be truly appreciated. Also, speaking of other reviews, I think it is quite remarkable that of the six customer reviews that have been posted of this CD thus far, EVERY single one has given it a perfect 5 stars!...Amen!

Call of the Mystic~Karunesh.......2005-07-10

Even though this is my first experience with Karunesh, this album was exactly what I expected,...and I enjoyed the different selection of instruments used to evoke a light, whimsical, and meditative feeling of calm. Recommended for light meditation, yoga practice, or massage therapy.

Average customer rating:

The Story of Tchaikovsky Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Edouard van Remoortel , and Arthur Hannes Manufacturer: Vox (Classical) ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Divertimentos | Serenades & Divertimentos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs Under $7 | Symphonies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Symphonies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Symphonies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Story of Mozart The Story of Beethoven The Story of Bach The Story Of Handel The Story Of Brahms ASIN: B000001KD9 Release Date: 1995-04-16

Tracks:

1. Finale
2. Overture
3. June (Barcarolle)
4. Andante Cantabile
5. Waltz
6. Romeo and Juliet (Overture-Fantasy)
7. None But The Lonely Heart, Op. 6 No. 6
8. Allegro Non Troppo
9. Waltz
10. Andante cantabile
11. Chanson Triste, Op. 40 No. 2
12. 'Pathetique' Allegro Con Grazia
13. Andante Sostenuto
14. Capriccio Italien, Op. 45
15. Finale
16. Marche Slave, Op. 31
17. Excerpts
18. 1812 Overture, Op. 49
19. 'Pathetique' Excerpts
20. Scene
21. Valse
22. Dance Of The Swans
23. Scene
24. Hungarian Dance
25. Panorama Andantino
26. Tempo Di Valse

Average customer rating: Best of the best

Essential Tchaikovsky Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Sextets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Serenades & Divertimentos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music | Divertimentos Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra | ( V ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Essential Mozart: 32 Of His Greatest Masterpieces Essential Beethoven Essential Bach Essential Vivaldi: 20 Greatest Masterpieces Essential Rachmaninov ASIN: B000060O5I Release Date: 2002-03-12

Tracks:

1. Piano Concerto No.1 In B Flat Minor, Op.23: I Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Maestoso (Excerpt) - Vladimir Ashkenazy
2. Romeo And Juliet: Love Theme - Wiener Philharmoniker
3. Symphony No.6 In B Minor, Op.74 'Pathetique': I Adagio - Allegro Non Troppo (Excerpt) - Philharmonia Orchestra
4. Swan Lake: Scene (Act III) - Herbert Von Karajan
5. Swan Lake: Waltz (Act I) - Herbert Von Karajan
6. Swan Lake: Dance Of The Little Swans - Herbert Von Karajan
7. Il Adagio Cantabile E Con Moto Souvenir De Florence, Op.70: II Adagio Cantabile E Con Moto - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
8. Melodie Souvenir D'un Lieu Cher, Op.42: Melodie - Philip Moll
9. June: Barcarolle The Seasons, Op.37b: June: Barcarolle - Vladimir Ashkenazy
10. Eugene Onegin: Waltz - Valery Gergiev
11. Piano Concerto No.1 In B Flat Minor, Op.23: II Andantino Semplice - Vladimir Ashkenazy
12. Sleeping Beauty: Pas D'action (Adagio) - Wiener Philharmoniker
13. Sleeping Beauty: Waltz - Wiener Philharmoniker
14. Marche Slave, Op.31 - Zubin Mehta

Tracks:

1. Violin Concerto In D Major, Op.35: I Allegro Moderato (Excerpt) - Kyung Wha Chung
2. Symphony No.5 In E Minor, Op.64: II Andante Cantabile, Con Alcuna Licenza - London Symphony Orchestra
3. The Nutcracker: Overture - Charles Dutoit
4. The Nutcracker: Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy - Charles Dutoit
5. Serenade For Strings In C Major, Op.48: II Waltz - St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra
6. String Quartet No.1 In D Major, Op.11: II Andante Cantabile - Gabrieli String Quartet
7. Eugene Onegin: Polonaise - Valery Gergiev
8. Capriccio Italien, Op.45 (Excerpt) - Valery Gergiev
9. Symphony No.4 In F Minor, Op.36: III Scherzo: Pizzicato Ostinato, Allegro - London Symphony Orchestra
10. Elegie For Strings - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
11. None But The Lonely Heart, Op.6 No.6 - Dmitri Hvorostovsky
12. The Divine Liturgy Of St. John Chrysostom, Op.41: Otche Nash (The Lord's Prayer) - St. Petersburg Chamber Choir
13. Valse Sentimentale, Op.51 No.6 - Arthur Grumiaux
14. The Nutcracker: Dance Of The Reed Pipes (Mirlitons) - Wiener Philharmoniker
15. The Nutcracker: Waltz Of The Flowers - Wiener Philharmoniker
16. 1812 Overture, Op.49 (Conclusion) - Zubin Mehta

Customer Reviews:

Best of the best.......2004-03-14

There's something for every Tchaikovsky lover on this disc. From Swan Lake to Onegin, many of Tchaikovsky's most-known melodies are on this disc. I'd have preferred more than an excerpt of the first movement of Piano Concerto No. 1, but this disc is a great introduction to Tchaikovsky's works.

Average customer rating: Introducing the Greatest Voice of All Time The Greatest Tenor of the 20th Century. Easy listening Lanza of the joyous voice! Not bad as an introduction to Lanza

Lanza: Greatest Hits Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Lehár, Franz | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Leoncavallo | Leoncavallo, Ruggiero | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mascagni | Mascagni, Pietro | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romberg, Sigmund | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Lanza, Mario | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Mascagni, Pietro | M to P | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Vocal Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | U to Z | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Kern, Jerome | H to L | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Hardelot, Guy d' | H to L | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Lara, Agustin | H to L | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Lehar, Franz | H to L | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Brodszky, Nicholas | A to B | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Rodgers, Richard | Q to T | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Capua, Eduardo di | C to G | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music $7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Lehár, Franz | ( L ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Leoncavallo, Ruggiero | ( L ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Mascagni, Pietro | ( M ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Rodgers, Richard | ( R ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Romberg, Sigmund | ( R ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Traditional | ( T ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Lanza, Mario | ( L ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Christmas with Mario Lanza Mario Lanza Sings Songs From The Student Prince & The Desert Song / Romberg Sixteen Most Requested Mario Lanza: At His Best! You'll Never Walk Alone ASIN: B000003FVZ Release Date: 1995-04-11

Tracks:

1. The Toast Of New Orleans: Be My Love
2. Because
3. Very Warm For May: All The Things You Are
4. The Student Prince: Serenade
5. Rigoletto - La Donna e Mobile
6. Pagliacci: Vesti La Guibba
7. O Sole Mio
8. The Student Prince: Beloved
9. South Pacific: Younger Than Springtime
10. The Great Caruso: The Loveliest Night Of The Year
11. Carousel: If I Loved You
12. Carmen: Flower Song
13. The Student Prince: Golden Days
14. Spring Is Here: With A Song In My Heart
15. The Land Of Smiles: Yours Is My Heart Alone
16. Because You're Mine
17. Cavalleria Rusticana: Adido Alla Madre
18. Aida: Celeste Aida
19. The Lord's Prayer
20. Granada

Customer Reviews:

Introducing the Greatest Voice of All Time.......2007-03-13

A new generation of music lovers deserves to know, understand and appreciate the greatness of Mario Lanza. Five decades after his passing, millions of lovers of "grand voices" still are held in awe by the power, passion and beauty of his voice.

This selection of recordings has a number of fine selections that give a small "flavor" of his fantastic talent and skills. It is a good beginning for someone who wants to know "The American Caruso."

The Greatest Tenor of the 20th Century........2007-01-21

In a professional career that lasted just a bit over ten years Mario Lanza created more memorable recordings, broadcasts, concert perfomances and feature films than any other major vocalist in the classical and pop-jazz music genre. He was a man blessed with arguably the finest tenor voice in recorded music. Fans of Caruso, Pavarotti, Jan Peerce, Placido Domingo or Careras may argue that their tenor interpreted a particular aria better than anyone else but few if any can argue against the sheer beauty, power and emotion of Mario Lanza. He achieved worldwide success too fast and his penchant for the good life: wine, women and good food got the best of him in the end. It is so sad, when one contemplates Lanza's short but brilliant career and what might have been, that he was gone at age 38, an age when some tenors are just beginning to hit their stride. This album is a fine overview of some of his most memorable heavy classics as well as lighter operetta standards and showcases his voice so well. Nearly fifty years have transpired since his untimely death in 1959 and there is yet to appear on the scene a tenor with the power, charisma or sheer beauty of Lanza's voice. I highly recommend this album to the Lanza novice or those just starting their Opera CD collections.

Easy listening.......2006-02-27

I have always liked Mario Lanza and the album is wonderful and relaxing.

Lanza of the joyous voice!.......2005-07-14

This album has some really splendid songs, and yes, it's a good introduction to the King of the high last notes. I grew up with one of Lanza's albums and more or less learned to sing by singing along with his wonderful warm voice. What good energy he had... and too bad he died so young (sigh). It certainly lifts my spirits to listen to his music again and I hope anyone reading this will take a chance and get to know him too.

Not bad as an introduction to Lanza.......2001-11-13

I recommend this collection as a good starting point for those interested in this extraordinary tenor. It's not a complete representation of the man by any stretch of the imagination, but it includes a handful of unforgettable recordings that will make newcomers to Lanza sit up in astonishment.

Highlights include the immortal Serenade & Golden Days from The Student Prince, Beloved (from the film version of the Student Prince, and arguably Lanza's best English-language love song), Because You're Mine, If I Loved You, and the stirring Addio Alla Madre from Cavalleria Rusticana. If love songs seem a little over-represented at the expense of arias and (notably) Italian & Neapolitan Songs, then blame BMG for their habitual neglect of Lanza's more serious side. In any event, this is essentially a one-CD version of the three-CD set, The Mario Lanza Collection. All of the renditions are the same as on the earlier CD, as are the sound sources. With the exception of The Student Prince Serenade, most of the selections here have never sounded better.

Be aware, however, that several of the arias are in fact retakes of more familiar versions. Vesti La Giubba, for instance, is an alternate take from Lanza's May 1950 session, and although the tenor is in great voice, the orchestra lets him down on the climactic phrase by moving on before he has finished his High A on the word "infranto". The Flower Song is even more unrestrained than the familiar take - great fun, but not the kind of recording you'd want newcomers to Lanza to hear! (Lanza never quite "nailed" this aria, but his heart was in the right place.) La Donna E Mobile is the familiar 1950 version in the first half, but is replaced by an inferior retake in the second half, followed by an edited-in High B ending (on "pensier") from the original recording!

The only truly bad recording is the inexplicably popular With A Song In My Heart. Lanza is unfocused, and strains his way throughout the piece. Yours Is My Heart Alone is somewhat better, but is easily surpassed by the tenor's 1956 recording with the conductor Henri Rene (and currently unavailable on CD).

The "Greatest Hits" are here: the million-selling Be My Love, Loveliest Night of The Year and the aforementioned Because You're Mine. I have to confess to an aversion to the first two - Lanza was often a far better singer than these recordings suggest - but most fans, I'm sure, will continue to cherish them. Besides, what tenor since Lanza has ever sung Be My Love without straining his way through the wretched thing and then fudging the High C at the end? Lanza made it his own, and to be fair to the song, it is actually a very difficult piece to pull off, as Messrs Domingo, Carreras and Leech will no doubt attest. But that was also one of Lanza's most under-appreciated strengths - he made everything sound so easy. Listeners accustomed to the laborious efforts of most present-day tenors will be astounded by the freshness, ease, and sheer bravado of these performances.

Average customer rating: worth money Great Patriotic Music A good choice of tunes with good quality Brilliant!!! Best Patriotic Music I've Found

Stars & Stripes: America's Greatest Hits Manufacturer: Compendia ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Bernstein | Bernstein, Leonard | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Copland | Copland, Aaron | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gershwin | Gershwin, George | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Morton Gould | Gould, Morton | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Ives, Charles | ( I ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Schuman | Schuman, William | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Smith, John Stafford | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Sousa | Sousa, John Philip | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Ives, Charles | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Variations | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Organ | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Houston Symphony Orchestra | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Gospel | Compilations | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Jazz | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Soundtracks | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: American Anthems American Jubilee Marches: The Greatest Hits God Bless America: Ult Patriotic Album The Military Band: Salute to the Services ASIN: B000000BMS Release Date: 1997-02-25

Tracks:

1. The Star Spangled Banner
2. George M. Cohan Medley: Yankee Doodle Dandy/Harrigan/Mary's A Grand Old Name/You're A Grand Old Flag
3. American Salute
4. The Washington Post
5. El Capitan
6. Armed Forces Medley: The Army Goes Rolling Along/Anchors Aweigh/Semper paratus/The U.S. Air Force...
7. God Bless America
8. Colonel Bogey
9. National Emblem March
10. Americans We
11. Manhattan Beach
12. Deep In The Heart Of Texas
13. The Yellow Rose Of Texas
14. Hoe-Down From 'Rodeo'
15. Shaker Melody from Appalachian Spring

Tracks:

1. Fanfare For The Common Man
2. Overture To 'Strike Up The Band'
3. America The Beautiful
4. 76 Trombones
5. Victory At Sea Suite
6. America From 'West Side Story'
7. Liberty Bell
8. Variations On 'America'
9. The Stars And Stripes Forever

Customer Reviews:

worth money.......2007-05-24

this cd set is definately worth the money spent. i haven't heard some of the music before but was willing to give it a try.

Great Patriotic Music.......2007-02-21

Beautiful music perfect for feeling patriotic. Received CD promptly and in great condition.

A good choice of tunes with good quality.......2005-06-30

If you like military tunes and marches, this 2-CD is a good choice. The orchestration is good, it is well played and the quality of recording is good. If you like this kind of music, it is a good choice to buy.

Brilliant!!!.......2003-08-11

I have the CD at home and the songs sound fabulous. I've heard the Houston Symphony's version of the Star Spangled Banner many times on TV as this anthem has been used at sign-off (when this was happening). It's as powerful a version you'll hear. Probably the finest patriotic music CD you can find out there.

Best Patriotic Music I've Found.......2001-09-20

Loved the CD! I am buying it to use with a Musical Freestyle Ride for a Quadrille. A horse oriented endeaver. The music will be perfect to bring positive patriotism to fairs and fund raisers for NYC.

Average customer rating: wallpaper simply beautiful, so just enjoy it Sloppy renditions and amateurish Great songs reinvented, with a twist Praise for Beyond Imagination

Beyond Imagination Opera Babes Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Opera Band Defined Renaissance (Eng) Summer Etterna ASIN: B00007MB2F Release Date: 2003-01-14

Tracks:

1. One Fine Day (Un Bel Di From Madame Butterfly)
2. Sempre Ricordo (Piano Concerto in A minor)
3. There's A Place (From The New World Symphony)
4. Beyond Imagination (From A Midsummer Nights Dream)
5. O Fortuna (From Carmina Burana)
6. Lakm2O (Flower Duet)
7. Ebben?..Ne Andro Lontano (from La Wally)
8. You Live On In My Heart (Cinema Paradiso)
9. Chanson Boh (From Carmen)
10. Remember Me
11. Stranger In Paradise (From Kismet)
12. Ode II Joy (From Symphony No. 9)
13. 1001 Nights (From The Nutcracker Suite)
14. Barcarolle (From The Tales Of Hoffman)
15. LakmVibeTribe Mix)
16. Ave Maria
17. Vittoria! (Aida 2002)

Amazon.com

Plucked from a wet afternoon of busking Bizet and Puccini to passersby on the Piazza in Covent Garden in the spring of 2001, soprano Rebecca Knight and mezzo Karen England soon found themselves singing in slightly larger venues: the FA Cup and Champions League soccer finals. That the management company doing the plucking had recently performed a similar Cinderella crossover act for Russell Watson offered portent, and indeed the Babes--the moniker began as a joke--were soon on their way to this recording debut. The marketing shtick and its soccer connections may offend purists, but it's the football hooligans that the Babes are trying to win over here; can Borodin soothe the savage Manchester United fan? Their classically trained voices mesh gloriously, with England's warm mezzo showing particular character in her solo turns.

The repertoire choices here cover material that may already be familiar to fans of Charlotte Church (i.e., Delibes "Flower Duet") and other crossover acts, but they do include some pleasant surprises, like Offenbach's Barcarolle from The Tales of Hoffmann and "You Live On in My Heart," a reworking of Ennio Morricone's enchanting Cinema Paradiso theme with lyrics by Knight. But in a rush toward the musical middle of the road, it's the productions themselves that sometimes overwhelm the Babes with bathos ("Ave Maria"), hollow thunder ("Aida 2002"), and electro club kitsch (the 'Vibe Tribe' mix of "Flower Duet"). Former Art of Noise mainstay Anne Dudley's tastefully restrained coloring of Tchaikovsky's "1001 Nights" is one of the notable exceptions. They're babes, they sing opera--with fair promise--for the masses, and if they turn one in a hundred from football hooliganism to a well-mannered appreciation of Grieg and Dvorák, won't it all have been worth it? --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

wallpaper.......2007-07-12

overorchestrated, overproduced aural wallpaper...that said, still, these women have wonderful voices and are worth hearing. They are oversold,too...Opera Babes! Indeed. Folks who like Enya will like this.

simply beautiful, so just enjoy it.......2007-06-11

my daughter has taught me to love opera. this immediately captured me. the Babes' voices blend so beautifully. I love it! who cares about Puccini, Classic Opera, blah, blah, woof, woof. I love this album

Sloppy renditions and amateurish.......2007-05-15

I heard one of the selections on Sirius and liked it so I bought the CD. Upon hearing the entire CD I was disappointed that the only selection I liked was the one that prompted me to buy the product. The voices are nice but they are simply adding voice to opera masterpieces that do not fit. They are certainly not of the caliber of Sarah Brightman or Charlotte Church and don't look for that. Their sound is mellow, dim and without the emotion that does an inservice to the opera pieces they sing. I found the CD lackluster and in all honestly very "amateurish".

Great songs reinvented, with a twist.......2006-09-30

Expanding upon the recent interest in Gregorian chant fusion as well as rich-voiced solo vocalists such as Josh Groban, operatic soprano Rebecca Knight and mezzo soprano Karen England offer full-vibratoed, somewhat modernized interpretations of favorite classical themes. Backed by chorus, orchestras, keyboards and drums, they draw from such diversely satisfying works as Puccini's opera "Madame Butterfly," Grieg's "Piano Concerto in a minor," Dvorak's "New World Symphony," Mendelssohn's "Midsummer Night's Dream," Orff's "Carmina Burana," Delibe's "Lakme," Beethoven's "Ode to Joy," Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite," Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffman," Schubert's "Ave Maria," and Verdi's "Aida." Some of the arrangements are fairly traditional, while others are noticeably enhanced. The emphasis tends to be on pretty pieces with sweet melodies, though a few are more intense in nature (#1, 4, 5, 15 and 17). A couple of pop songs, still sung in operatic style, are thrown in for good measure, although they don't have the same appeal and mystique as the old favorites. All of the selections feature both vocalists together, singing in lovely, close harmony. The arrangers of this elegantly hip music include Jon Cohen, Noely, Frank Gallagher, Deni Lew and Anne Dudley, with multi-language lyrics (for the adaptations of instrumental works) by Rebecca Knight and others. I have to admit that I occasionally found myself longing for the modern additions to be more consistently interesting and distinctive--in other words, equaling the artistry of the classics that they're accompanying. Track #1, which really shines, is a well-done example. Alternately, perhaps the source songs might have been better off left in their pure, original styles rather than watered down with schmaltzy, predictable underpinnings that don't add much to the music. But like Enigma did for medieval chant, the Opera Babes are endeavoring to bring some wonderful, time-tested music to a wider audience, fusing it with modern idioms in way that is artistic and generally appealing. For more opera fusion, compare the work of Amici Forever (a group of five singers, both male and female), and the oddly packaged but similar-in-concept album "Coco de Mer" by Adam Plack.

Praise for Beyond Imagination.......2006-02-26

What I really enjoyed about this album was its distinctive sound and arrangement of the material. I enjoy classically performed opera and was surprised how much I like the Opera Babes' versions. Of course, the wonderful voices added immensely to the high quality of this product.

Track Listings:

1. His First Recordings
2. In Concert During Rare Performances
3. In His Golden Years 1922-1943
4. In London 1935-1939
5. In London 1935-1939 3
6. In London 2
7. Journey to Prague
8. Knappertsbusch and Bruckner
9. La Scala of Toscanini
10. Lauritz Melchior: The German & Italian repertoire

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

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All About Ronnie

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Five Little Monkeys

Folk Images

Every Man I Love Is Either Married Gay Or Dead...Live [Live]

Heart of Mine

Live from Camp X-Ray

Hessian Hills

Gnadenlos Deutsch Folge, Vol. 13 [Import]

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The Genius Hits the Road