Complete Piano Works 4

1. Piano Sonata No. 17 in D major ("Gasteiner"), D. 850 (Op. 53)
Composed by Franz Schubert
with Gilbert Schuchter

2. Originaltänze (36) for piano (Erste Walzer), D. 365 (Op. 9)
Composed by Franz Schubert
with Gilbert Schuchter

3. Cotillon for piano in E flat, D. 976
Composed by Franz Schubert
with Gilbert Schuchter

4. Piano Sonata No. 5 in A flat major, D. 557
Composed by Franz Schubert
with Gilbert Schuchter

5. Scherzos (2) for piano, D. 593 No. 1 B flat
Composed by Franz Schubert
with Gilbert Schuchter

6. Piano Sonata No. 7 in E flat major, D. 568 (Op. posth. 122)
Composed by Franz Schubert
with Gilbert Schuchter

7. Allegretto for piano in C minor (fragment), D. 900
Composed by Franz Schubert
with Gilbert Schuchter

8. Piano Sonata No. 6 in E minor, D. 566
Composed by Franz Schubert
with Gilbert Schuchter

9. Rondo for piano in E major, D. 506 (Op. posth. 145/2)
Composed by Franz Schubert
with Gilbert Schuchter

10. Piano Sonata No. 18 in G major ("Fantasy"), D. 894 (Op. 78)
Composed by Franz Schubert
with Gilbert Schuchter

11. Galop & Écossaises (8) for piano, D. 735 (Op. 49)
Composed by Franz Schubert
with Gilbert Schuchter

12. Originaltänze (36) for piano (Erste Walzer), D. 365 (Op. 9)
Composed by Franz Schubert
with Gilbert Schuchter

13. German Dances (12) for piano (Ländler), D. 790 (Op. posth. 171)
Composed by Franz Schubert
with Gilbert Schuchter

14. Piano Sonata No. 21 in B flat major, D. 960
Composed by Franz Schubert
with Gilbert Schuchter

Tracks:

Reverie
Prelude
Menuet
Clair De Lune
Passepied
Lent (Melancolique Et Doux)
Tres Vite
Prelude
Sarabande
Toccata
Reflets Dans L'eau
Hommage A Rameau
Mouvement
Cloches A Travers Les Feuilles
Et La Lune Descend Sur Le Temple Qui Fut
Poissons D'or

Tracks:

Arabesque No.1
Arabesque No.2
Danse Bohemienne
Ballade Slave
Tarantelle Styrienne
Valse Romantique
Mazurka
Nocturne
Danseuses De Delphes
Voiles
Le Vent Dans La Plaine
Les Sons Et Les Parfums
Les Collines D'Anacapri
Des Pas Sur La Neige
Ce Qu'a Vu Le Vent D'Ouest
La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin
La Serenade Interrompue
La Cathedrale Engloutie
La Danse De Puck
Minstrels

Tracks:

L'isle Joyeuse
Pagodes
La Soiree Dans Grenade
Jardins Sous La Pluie
D'un Cahier D'esquisses
Morceau De Concours
Masques
Brouillards
Feuilles Mortes
La Puerta Del Vino
Les Fees Sont D'exquises Danseuses
Bruyeres
General Lavine - Eccentric
Les Terraces Des Audiences
Ondine
Hommage A S. Pickwick Esq. PPMPC
Canope
Les Tierces Alternees
Feux D'artifice

Tracks:

Doctor Gradus Ad Parnassum
Jimbo's Lullaby
Serenade For The Doll
The Snow Is Dancing
The Little Shepherd
Golliwog's Cake-Walk
Hommage A Haydn
Le Petit Negre
La Plus Que Lente
Berceuse Heroique
Elegie
Page D'album (Piece Pour Le Vetement Du Blesse)
Pour Les Cinq Doigts
Pour Les Tierces
Pour Les Quartes
Pour Les Sixtes
Pour Les Octaves
Pour Les Huit Doigts
Pour Les Degres Chromatiques
Pour Les Agrements
Pour Les Notes Repetees
Pour Les Sonoritees Opposees
Pour Les Arpeges Composes
Pour Les Accords

Customer Reviews:

Debussy with a difference!.......2007-03-10

Do not let the dismissive review below make you dismiss this amazing and breath taking complete set. Like his Scriabin recordings, Gordon Fergus-Thompson works wonder with the well known piece like Clair de Lune, Arabesque and Reverie, and breathes new life into the music by his keen sense of tonal colours and delicacy. When it comes to impressionist music, no pianists can match Richter, who played Clair de Lune, Pavane or miroirs like a miracle, but Fergus-Thompson creats his own unique soundscape.

He is one of very few pianists alive who pay careful attention to how a note produced on the instrument decays and merges with other notes, while most of pianist nowadays focus mostly on starting point of the sound. That's a secret of the richness of colours and expression in his pianism.

He is often criticised for lack of technical prowess, compared to past masters like Gieseking or Michelangeli, but I can not detect even a hint of technical weakness or instability in this set. This is simply a different and highly personal interpretation, and it is a shame to miss out this magical music making simply because it is different from the mainstream interpretation.

One Star for Charity's Sake.......2007-03-01

Avoid this set!!! The man is a gifted pianist but has no understanding on how to interpret the music. This is the nadir of all the Debussy piano sets. With Walter Gieseking's superlative set available why would you want dog food when you can eat supreme cuisine!!!

Beautifully interpreted.......2007-02-13

Gordon Fergus-Thompson does an amazing job of playing and interpreting Debussy's music. I have been playing piano for years--especially Debussy--and this CD really captures the essence of the music. I'd recommend this to anyone.

Complete Debussy.......2006-12-13

These recordings are some of the highest quality Debussy you'll find. There is a freedom that comes across in Fergus-Thompson's playing that you won't find in other so-called great recordings. Instead of trying to sound "Debussy-like", the music is played naturally while maintaining accuracy and original intent of the composer. Recording quality is up to date. Box set is 4 discs, with the body nicely separated into larger works with dates included.

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

Average customer rating:

Superb with just one reservation
Go ahead, test your intelligence...
The definitive recordings.
Sound Splitting Music
An aural knockout

Varèse - The Complete Works / Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra · Asko Ensemble · Chailly
Edgard Varese , Riccardo Chailly , Mireille Delunsch , Sarah Leonard , Royal Concertgebouw Orhcestra , and Asko Ensemble
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Octets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Percussion | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

Anton Webern: Complete Works, Opp. 1-31
Varese: Arcana; Ameriques; Ionization; Offrandes; Density 21.5; Octandre; Integrales
Penderecki: Anaklasis; Threnody; etc.
Xenakis: Orchestral Works & Chamber Music
Arnold Schoenberg: Serenade/Five Pieces For Orchestra

ASIN: B00000AFR8
Release Date: 1998-09-15

Tracks:

Tuning Up
Amques (Original Version)
Po ectronique
Arcana
Nocturnal
Un Grand Sommeil Noir (Orchestral Version)

Tracks:

Un Grand Sommeil Noir (Original Version)
Offrandes: Chanson de laut
Offrandes: La Croix du Sud
Hyperprism
Octandre: Assez lent
Octandre: Trvif et nerveux
Octandre: Grave - Animt jubilatoire
Intales
Ecuatorial
Ionisation
Density 21.5
Drts: 1st Episode
Drts: 1st interpolation of organized sound
Drts: 2nd episode
Drts: 2nd interpolation
Drts: 3rd episode
Drts: 3rd interpolation
Drts: 4th episode
Dance for Burgess

Amazon.com essential recording

For a composer who is (now) recognizably part of the 20th-century classical canon, the French émigré Edgard Varèse's output was astoundingly meager. Just 15 compositions from his entire life (he destroyed the compositions from his early years, and was a merciless editor of his own material in general) made it out to the listening world. Varèse was caught in the chasm between the music of yesterday and the music of tomorrow: scoring music for modified theremin, steamboat whistles, or air sirens, all balanced with the force of a large orchestra; writing pieces based on the flows of water and wind because that's what shapes the earth; using the concepts of chemical reactions and specific gravity as a basis for his music. Using extremes of contrast, dissonance, and variety in sound, Varèse's pieces had power in the way he attacked and shaped the sound he imagined. From Ionisation (1929), scored almost entirely for unpitched percussion, to the electronic-only, three-dimensionally produced Poeme Electronique (1958), he's provided a foundation that many genres, musicians, and composers were to build from not only for the next 40 years, but inevitably beyond. --Robin Edgerton

Customer Reviews:

Superb with just one reservation.......2006-11-10

This complete works of Varèse, superbly performed and recorded, is a fine accomplishment. My only disappointment was its version of Poème Elèctronique being the sole representation of that ground-breaking work that still holds up for me today as one of the finest pieces of electronic music yet created. It is interesting to be able to hear the version in this collection, which appears to be a loving restoration of what must have been primarily the raw, performing version, to be further enhanced during its performances in a very large space? What I miss in the present version is the more clearly heard textures of its huge sound palette; the resonant and often humerous interplay between them, and its dramatic sweep as it was presented on a sparcely documented stereo mix that first appeared on a Columbia Records LP, later reissued on a CD, now out of print. That one is surely more like an actual performance, presumably mixed to re-create as well as possible then what it might have sounded like over its four hundred loudspeakers in the Philips Pavillion. I hope there will be further reissues. To me the CBS version's drama and energy are more like that of the performances of the other pieces in this wonderful Complete Works set. -Curt Wittig

Go ahead, test your intelligence..........2006-06-18

Frank Zappa used to play Varese to test the intelligence of his friends, and most of them used to look at him like he was "out of his f---ing mind" as he put it. As a major Zappa fan, I bought this compliation, and I love every minute of it. This 2 CD set contains all of Varese's work (needless to say, Edgar wasn't very prolific). You really hear Varese's influence in Zappa's work. Some favorite pieces are Deserts, Poem Electronique, and Un Grand Sommeil Noir (Original Version). Varese's music reminds me of universes being created, in all their violence, beauty, and glory. Instruments crashing down upon one another. This music is reminiscent of Zappa's Weasels Ripped My Flesh and his orchestral work especially. Varese is one of the great American composers, like Aaron Copland, John Cage, and Conlon Nancarrow. Superb....

The definitive recordings........2005-11-09

Riccardo Chailly once said Varèse was going to be the Brahms of the XXI Century. I really don't know if he will be right or wrong, specially because of the very conservative auditoriums we have all around the world, but it should be this way, as the french composer has died too many years ago and his music should be understood but most of the public. It's sad to know that composers, like the own Mahler said, use to be years, decades, even centuries in advance to the general public .

Anyway, it's very important for the popular knowledge of this composers to have recordings like this, in which everything works perfectly as if it was a clock. After many years having some good recordings conducted by Boulez (Sony) and Nagano (Erato) mainly, we have now the possibility of listening one of the most musical and technical orchestra & baton of this time: The Concertgebouworkest and Riccado Chailly.

Most of the versions in this 2CDs set are the best I know, specially the orchestral works, played with conviction and precision by the Concertgebouworkest, an orchestra that had some problems with Mr.Chailly when they begin to play this, for them, `rare' music. The way Arcana sounds its incredible, full of power, mistery and perfection, the performing of Ameriques is breathtaking and I can only compare it with the truly outstanding version by Pierre Boulez with the CSO for DG. Deserts is a new dimension in Chailly's hands, really terrible and full of dark emotions.

Of course, there are little things that could be a bit better, like the Spanish sung in Ecuatorial, better sung in Nagano's version, but generally the performing is marvellous and the instrumental and ondes Martenot's playing in this piece is perfect in Chailly's version.

The ASKO Ensemble versions are outstanding too, showing a very modern Varèse. The performing of Ionisation, that great jewel, listened with a good Hi-Fi system is a experience not to be lost.

The recordings are very good, not outstanding, as it sounds like distant sometimes, but clear and with good definition, of course better with good electronics.

Booklet and presentation of the box is marvellous too; as it has to be in real event in recorded music in the last decades.

Sound Splitting Music.......2002-06-25

First, let me state that I am a long-time Varese fanatic. I first heard Ionisation live at a contemporary music concert in my town when I was 12, and I was hooked. I immediately bought the old Robert Craft double album on Columbia and played it until there were scratches on the scratches. So I was overjoyed to see a modern "complete" recording with up to date sonics. For the most part, I haven't been too disappointed with the performances either.

Chailly is great on much of this music. Ameriques and Arcana are sonic extravagazas. And this is the best recording I've heard of Nocturnal and Ecuatorial. Chailly does a good job with the chamber pieces of the 20s and 30s, though I agree with other reviewers, Boulez is much clearer on Ionisation. Chailly misses some of my favorite parts, and I find it hard to hear the first snare drum theme. (I'm also quite partial to Craft's version, but I don't think it's available anymore.)

I also must add to the chorus of exceptions on the questionable material. The orhestrated version of the solo song has no place on this CD. It doesn't sound like Varese, more like Debussy, and though the song is quite impressionistic, I think we presume too much to orchestrate it and pass it off as "complete" Varese. And neither Tune Up nor Dance for Burgess really add much to our understanding of Varese, and are of questionable value. I suspect that Varese would have destroyed them completely had he been able. Much better to have a recording of the revised version of Ameriques. The revision is so extensive, that a side by side comparison would be illuminating.

All in all, I like this CD. Chailly's take on Varese is big and passionate, something that I think both Boulez and Craft miss. Abravanel comes close to this passion, but Chailly wins because of the gorgeous sonics. I highly recommend this CD to those interested in exploring the unique sound world of Varese.

An aural knockout.......2002-02-01

Here are two discs with some of the most exciting 20th-century music around. Chailly and the Concertgebouw give definitive readings of Varèse's complex pieces, some written for a huge orchestra, and recorded in typically opulent London sound.

My favorites are, without a doubt, "Ameriques" and "Arcana," two explosive showpieces that will give your sound system quite a workout. But far from being merely loud, the scores have many beautiful textures (including quiet ones) scattered throughout the orchestra, and Chailly captures much of the glittering detail.

I even like "Tuning Up," which may seem like a less substantial work to most ears. To be fair, if the piece is not the last word in Varèse's imagination, it is clever enough for its short duration, and as with everything on this disc, the orchestra sounds superb and totally undaunted. Their virtuosity is both satisfying and thrilling, especially in such seldom-performed music.

Make sure your neighbors are away before turning up the performance of "Ameriques," though - the last few pages will blow your roof off.

Tracks:

Romance, Op. 69 in A
Elegie, Op. 24
Sonata No. 1, Op. 109 In D Minor: Allegro
Sonata No. 1, Op. 109 In D Minor: Andante
Sonata No. 1, Op. 109 In D Minor: Final: Allegro commodo
Allegretto moderato For Two Cellos
Serenade, Op. 98
Sicilienne, Op. 78
Papillon, Op. 77
Sonata No. 2, Op. 117 In G Minor: Allegro
Sonata No. 2, Op. 117 In G Minor: Andante
Sonata No. 2, Op. 117 In G Minor: Allegro vivo
Original Version Of Romance, Op. 69: Andante - Francis Grier

Customer Reviews:

A Must have if you're a cello lover.......2006-11-26

Faure's cello works feature great melodies. Isserlis' performance features great sensitivity to the music's form and wonderful use of technique. He is also one of the best when it comes to French chamber music in general. In my studies on the violin I am most familiar/exposed/trained-in with works from this period by French composers, so when I compare any other performances I would have to say this CD is my pick. One of my all-time favorite records, this CD is beautiful and satisfying to listen to on any given day, any given time. I have three copies of this CD because I keep "losing" my primary copy, and I am fine with having paid for it three times.

Sublime performances of some too-oft overlooked chamber gems.......2006-01-07

When listening to any music, but classical music in particular, I live by the advice of some wise old public radio announcer (who I suspect also read Aaron Copland's bible on "What To Listen For In Music"): A great musical album is the combined product of 1.) well-written music, 2.) impeccably performed, and 3.) flawlessly recorded.

Well, here's Exhibit A.

This RCA recording of Steven Isserlis (mostly with pianist Pascal Devoyon) performing the cello works of Gabriel Faure is remarkable. It's truly unfortunate that most casual listeners of classical music are only familiar with Faure's "Dolly", "Requiem", or perhaps some of his fine piano compositions (of which there are many), because he has a fine catalog of other chamber works (violin sonatas, trios, quartets, quintets [stunning!] etc.), as well as some great orchestral works and songs.

His compositional style which combines typical French Impressionistic coloring with lush Romantic styling is clearly evident on these beautiful, playful, emotional cello works. Isserlis gives each piece his individual attention, and his phrasing seems effortless and spot on. The trademark tone of his cello is perfectly mic'd and reproduced here on this recording.

You'll love every minute of this brilliant album. It has that certain something that makes it stand out from the rest of your library as a special musical experience that you'll want to keep revisiting over and over (at the unfortunate expense of some worthy competitors in your collection!).

This is a "Top Ten" cd in my personal collection of over 800 classical cd's. You can't go wrong here, folks.

I value interesting music that is played and recorded well. This cd's rating was based on:
Music quality = 9.6/10; Performance = 9.7/10; Production = 9.5/10; CD length = 10/10.
Overall score weighted on my proprietary scale = 9.6 ("5 stars")

this CD is a real pleasure.......2005-10-08

Faure's compositions on this disc are consistently great works in his usual vein of subtle beauty. Isserlis has big, rich tone and the piano accompianist does a nice job. The sound is top notch. This is well worth your money and if you are not familiar with Faure it would be a great place to start. Any comment that these pieces sound alike is true only in that a cello and piano are involved. The pieces themselves have obviously varied musical content.

Add this to your collection.......1999-06-08

Although the pieces start to sound alike, the melodies are gorgeous and the piano/cello arrangements are sublime. Great for an evening of solitude, romance, or a cocktail party.

Average customer rating:

Microcosmos
Great value with a few flaws
eeh, I guess I don't like Bartok that much
Best classical value out there
5 Stars for the music and performance

Bartok: Complete Solo Piano Music

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

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Improvisation | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Rondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:

Bartok: The Piano Concertos
Béla Bartók: The 6 String Quartets - Takács Quartet
Complete Piano Works of Scriabin
Bartok: Violin Concertos, Viola Concerto, 6 Duo for 2 Violins, Violin Rhapsodies; Yehudi Menuhin
Brahms: Works for Solo Piano

ASIN: B00008X5AY
Release Date: 2003-05-27

Amazon.com

Sàndor, still active at 90 as this reissue appears, was a student of Bartók and a preferred interpreter of his music. Since this set appeared on nine LPs in the early 1960s, it has been the standard for Bartók's piano music; in this fine-sounding reissue, it still is. Sàndor can hit hard enough for such virtuoso pieces as the Piano Sonata and "Out of Doors," but he also retains the romantic element heard in the composer's own playing which tempers the harsher qualities of the music. While this collection isn't quite as complete as advertised (some early, insignificant piano music by Bartók is omitted), it includes all of Bartók's significant piano music, including such relatively obscure gems as the Bagatelles, eight Improvisations, and many delectable folk arrangements which will appeal even to listeners who think Bartók is too challenging for them. Vox's recorded sound, superbly remastered, resists obsolescence as effectively as Sàndor's performances. Even with the inclusion of the early books of "Mikrokosmos," which will appeal mostly to piano students, this set is worth several times the asking price. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Microcosmos.......2007-03-08

Sándor was a champion not only of Bartók's music but also of Bartók's style of playing. He often complained that people were too quick to see Bartók as ultra-modern, and to fail to appreciate the rich seam of lyricism that also runs through his music.

The piano music is dominated by short pieces, many of them written for piano students, notably the collections "Microcosmos" and "For Children". These, together with suites of folk dance arrangements, make up the bulk of the solo piano output.

Sandór plays these short, and often simple pieces, with neither too much nor too little art. As a gifted teacher, he knew unerringly how much music each of these small vessels held. The result is beguiling - but be warned: no-one can listen to the 153 short pieces of Microcosmos end-to-end. This is an anthology to be dipped into, not swallowed whole.

The remastering is pretty successful (fortunately - some of Vox's CD reissues are plagued by severe deterioration of the original tapes). And it's for half nothing-what's not to like?

Great value with a few flaws.......2006-07-28

I am not a Bartok expert by any scale, but I do like the way these pieces, without exception, are played. There are, however, a couple of other problems.

As mentioned by an earlier reviewer, very few of the works are split into tracks - Mikrokosmos is divided into 7 for each of its six volumes, and to accomodate for a full CD. In these seven tracks there are 121 songs. I would have much preferred if the songs had been split into tracks. Almost the entire CD set is this way - Fifteen Hungarian Songs is one track, Fourteen Bagatelles, etc. It is very annoying when one wants to hear a particular song in those tracks and not the others.

Another detriment to the collection is the recording quality. It is decent most of the time, but in loud sections the piano buzzes. One might be able to ignore it, but I think that it detracts from the passion of the forte quite a bit.

Overall, for $18 it is pretty decent, but if you are like me and like to keep your music library neatly organized (and aren't extremely cheap), I would not recommend this set.

eeh, I guess I don't like Bartok that much.......2006-07-25

I like the fact that Bartok is into the folk tradition and all, but he just tends to forget the fact that melody has to be SOMEWHERE in the music. I'm all for creative expression when you're sitting alone at the piano, but abstract music should be reserved for performance art. I like playing some of your stuff Bela, but I just don't want to listen to you.

Best classical value out there.......2005-10-05

To put this set in perspective, for months I would go to my local Tower Records fishing for worthwhile classical CDs at least once a week. One of the discs that sat in the bins the longest was a single CD of Bartok piano music, played by Zoltan Kocsis. It was Volume 7 of a complete series. This CD listed for $17.99, and as long as I went to that Tower Records, it did not budge an inch, nor was its price amended.

Now, Kocsis is one of the greatest pianists alive, and if anyone is worthy of commanding a premium, it is him. And to be fair, that CD is going to be re-released on October 11 as part of a Collector's Edition - eight CDs, $63.97 MSRP. But it's already going up against this little gem, which contains five CDs with all of the truly great solo-piano works by an internationally recognized Bartok specialist for $21 - not much more than the cost of one CD from the other set. This kind of value is not to be taken lightly.

I came to this set with my impression of Sandor informed by his complete Prokofiev - ultra-hard, sometimes rhythmically slack, always melodically lacking in some way or another. But he held a very special feeling for Bartok, and saved his best playing for the great Hungarian. In passages like the first of the Three Csik Dances, the opening of the Improvisations Op. 20, or in the Ten Easy Pieces, there is a simplicity, charm and wistful homesickness that is quite touching. In pieces like the Out of Doors suite, the Sonata, or the Burlesques, there is a vicious, impulsive energy, a wicked sense of humor and an overabundance of overtones. It is never mindless, inappropriate or even overly harsh - it's just very, very loud.

In this set I like best the endless landscape of the Sonatina, the unusual colors and fragrances in the Etudes, the brilliantly conceived Bear Dance (the last of the Ten Easy Pieces), and the multifaceted, complex, gorgeous Improvisations. Any fan of Bartok should hear these.

5 Stars for the music and performance.......2005-04-04

This is a fantastic deal, but the problem with this Collection stems from the fact that the pieces are often not separated by tracks. This is especially annoying for the Children's Pieces and Mikrokosmos. There are so many pieces, one wears out the fast forward button and still may miss the particular piece one is looking for. The booklet is fairly insightful, and the performer is widely hailed as the supreme interpreter of Bartok's piano music. So aside from this slightly annoying at times and ridiculously annoying at other times flaw, this is one of the best deals in Classical music. Don't hesitate. Add it to the cart.

Average customer rating:

I am in a Box with Berlioz Box Sets
A superb set, well worth the price!
all the overtures *NOT*
A wonderful collection of Berlioz

Berlioz: Complete Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Liszt: Works for Piano and Orchestra
Strauss: Orchestral Works
Bruckner: The Complete Symphonies
Grieg: Complete Music with Orchestra
Debussy, Ravel: Orchestral Works

ASIN: B0000041MZ
Release Date: 1997-09-16

Tracks:

Symphony Fantastique, Op. 14: 1. Rries, Passions (Largo - Allegro agitato ed appassinonato assai)
Symphony Fantastique, Op. 14: 2. Un bal (Valse: Allegro non troppo)
Symphony Fantastique, Op. 14: 3. Sc aux champs (Adagio)
Symphony Fantastique, Op. 14: 4. Marche au supplice (Allegretto non troppo)
Symphony Fantastique, Op. 14: 5. Songe d'une nuit du Sabbat (Larghetto - Allegro- Ronde du Sabbat: Poco menu mosso)
Tristia, Op 18 (excerpts): 3. Marche fune pour la derni sc d'Hamlet (Allegretto moderato)
La Damnation De Faust, Op. 24 (excerpts): Menuet des follets
La Damnation De Faust, Op. 24 (excerpts): Marche hongroise

Tracks:

Lo ou Le retour a vie, Op. 14b: 1. Le peur (Goethe, Duboys)
Lo ou Le retour a vie, Op. 14b: 2. Choeur d'ombres (Berlioz)
Lo ou Le retour a vie, Op. 14b: 3. Chanson de brigands (Berlioz)
Lo ou Le retour a vie, Op. 14b: 4. Chant de bonheur (Berlioz)
Lo ou Le retour a vie, Op. 14b: 5. La harpe ienne - Souvenirs
Lo ou Le retour a vie, Op. 14b: 6. Fantasie sur la Temp de Shakespeare (Berlioz)
Grande Symphonie fune et triomphale, Op. 15: 1. Marche fune (Moderato un poco lento)
Grande Symphonie fune et triomphale, Op. 15: 2. Oraison fune (Adagio non tanto - Andantino un poco lento e sostenuto)
Grande Symphonie fune et triomphale, Op. 15: 3. Apothe (Allegro non troppo e pomposo)

Tracks:

Harold en Italie, Op.16: 1a. Harold aux montagnes (Adagio)
Harold en Italie, Op.16: 1b. Harold aux montagnes (Allegro)
Harold en Italie, Op.16: 2. Marche des prins (Allegretto)
Harold en Italie, Op.16: 3. Snade (Allegro assai - Allegretto)
Harold en Italie, Op.16: 4. Orgie de brigands (Allegro frenetico - Adagio - Allegro, Tempo I)
Les Troyens arthage: Prelude From: Les Troyens arthage: Part II, Act III
Les Troyens (Act IV): No. 29: Chasse royale et orage - Pantomime
Les Troyens (Act IV): No. 32: Marche pour l'entrde la reine; No. 33: Ballets
Les Troyens (Act IV): -A: Pas des Alm
Les Troyens (Act IV): -B: Danse des esclaves
Les Troyens (Act IV): - C: Pas d'esclaves nubiennes
Rrie et Caprice, Op.8

Tracks:

Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part I, Introduction
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part I, Prologue: 'D'anciennes haines endormies'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part I, Strophe 1: 'Premiers transports que nul n' oublie'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part I, Strophe 2: 'Heureux enfants aux coers de flamme'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part I, Rtatif et Scherzetto: 'Bientot de Romeo' - 'Mab! la messagere' - Bientot la mort est souveraine'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part II, Romseul - Tristesse - Concert eet bal
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part II, Grande f chez les Capulets
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part III, 'Ohe! Capulets! Bonsoir, bonsoir!'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part III, Sc d'amour

Tracks:

Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part IV, Scherzo: La reine Mab ou la fdes songes
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part IV, Convoi fune de Juliette: 'Jetez des fleurs pour la vierge expiree!'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part IV, Romau tombeau des Capulets
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part IV, Finale. Choeurs et Rtatif du P Laurence: 'Quo! Romeo de retour!'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part IV, Finale. Air du P Laurence: 'Pauvres enfants que je pleure' - 'Mais notre sang rougit leur glaive'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part IV, Finale. Serment de rnciliation: 'Jurez donc'

Tracks:

Beatrice et Benedict
Benvenuto Cellini
Overtures: Le roi Lear, Op. 4
Les Francs - juges, Op. 3
Waverley, Op. 1
Le corsaire, Op. 21
Carnaval romain, Op. 9

Amazon.com

Berlioz was the first Romantic master of the orchestra. His music hasn't been surpassed in terms of sheer brilliance and accuracy of effect. This set includes all of the overtures, the Symphonie fantastique, Harold in Italy, the Royal Hunt and Storm from Les Troyens, orchestral music from The Damnation of Faust and Romeo and Juliet, and the completely insane Grande Symphonie funebre et triumphale. Davis achieved his reputation as a conductor as a Berlioz specialist, and he proves an expert advocate on behalf of this stimulating, bizarre, and totally original genius. The recording quality, so critical in such colorful music, is also very good. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

I am in a Box with Berlioz Box Sets.......2004-02-22

First I ordered Hector Berlioz Complete Orchestral Works (Box Set) in a 6-CD set by Sir Colin Davis because orchestral is what I like best. That was in 2002. Now I have ordered The Berlioz Edition (Box Set)in a 24-CD Box Set by Sir Colin Davis because I like what I have heard of Berlioz by Davis. I will put this up for sale, and if it doesn't go I will consider putting The Berlioz Edition up for sale after I have heard it. As I said I am in a Box with Berlioz Box Sets and can't afford both.

A superb set, well worth the price!.......2002-08-16

For those of us who grew up in the 1950s and '60s, the music of Berlioz means Munch and Toscanini: Munch for his incendiary performances of "Symphonie Fantastique," "Romeo et Juliette," "Damnation of Faust," the Requiem and the overtures (among others), Toscanini primarily for his gorgeous reading of "Harold in Italy" but also for his versions of the Roman Carnival Overture and (for those who could find it) the "Romeo" with Gladys Swarthout. These readings had one thing going for them, which was a rhythmic impetus that made even the slow movements exciting. Unfortunately, for those of us who read scores, when we checked these versions against the music we found that Toscanini and Munch had fiddled a bit with tempi and bowing accents in an attempt to make the music more exciting. Is this so bad? Not necessarily, because these conductors had this music in their blood, they were presenting Berlioz as they had processed him over a lifetime of love, and so their fast tempi had little in common with the rattly, jangly readings often turned out by John Eliot Gardiner.

Sir Colin Davis was, and of this reading remains, the greatest Berlioz interpreter of the stereo/digital era. This is no mean feat when one realizes that he now has several competitors in the field, among them James Levine and Charles Dutoit, but in my view only the wonderful John Nelson (whose recordings of the Te Deum and "Nuits d'Ete" with Susan Graham are so wonderful) really comes close. And what makes Davis so great is that, like those legendary conductors of old, he really gets under the skin of Berlioz and makes him exciting while maintaining score tempi. Listen, for instance, to his "Symphonie Fantastique," still the benchmark modern recording after nearly 30 years. Davis also excels in his readings of the Overtures, music from "Les Troyens," and the Symphonie Funebre et Triomphale which grabs the listener and pulls him/her into its vortex of sound.

In the other two symphonies, "Harold in Italy" and "Romeo et Juliette," I sense a lapse of sorts: the slow music is conducted not necessarily too slowly, but with a certain Romantic mushiness bordering on easy listening. This, for me, robs the "Romeo alone" and "Scene d'amour" of its passion, though of course it is wonderful to hear the score in modern stereo instead of Munch's cramped mono, and for me Toscanini's second movement of "Harold," with its peculiar yet engaging walking gait, shall never be surpassed--and, unlike Munch, Toscanini somewhat transcended his mono sound because of the wonderful clarity and transparency of his orchestra. Nevertheless, if I were forced to I would live with this Davis set over my Munch and Toscanini recordings because of their overall warmth and excellent sound.

Other highlights include excerpts from "Lelio" sung superbly by pre-leukemia Jose Carreras (listen to him ascend fearlessly to those high notes--he hasn't done that in nearly a quarter-century!), dramatically astute singing by Patricia Kerns and John Shirley-Quirk in "Romeo," and marvelous interpretations of the Overtures (oh, and you can forget "Rob Roy"...Berlioz decided after one performance that he would never publish it or even bother revising it, hence it is not here). I do question the omission of the Requiem and Te Deum (after all, they ARE "orchestral works"), but with so many riches at such a low price, who cares? Liner notes are sparse, and this is a slimline box which means paper sleeves and no jewel boxes, but so what? For this much Berlioz, so beautifully sung and conducted, the composer himself would gladly have plunked down ...

all the overtures *NOT*.......2001-05-04

This isn't a "complete" recording of Berlioz' orchestral music - what about the 'Rob Roy' overture? Granted it recycles some of Harold in Italy, but still...

A wonderful collection of Berlioz.......2000-08-15

This incredible six CD set features all of Hector Berlioz's purely orchestral music conducted by the great Sir Colin Davis, widely regarded as one of the greatest living Berlioz interpreters. In addition to favorites such as Symphonie fantastique, Harold en Italie and Romeo et Juliette, the set also includes the lesser known Lelio and several other works. The works were recorded between 1965 and 1980, and the sound is wonderful and rich. His interpretations are also lively and full of energy, especially in the overtures.

Customer Reviews:

The classical heritage .......2006-04-16

The visible embellishment of this noble instrument was enriched still more by the Spanish composers, who following the traces of his contemporaries. In the case of Fernando Sor, Haydn was his musical guide, where as Aguado, could establish himself with major vehemence, due its particular style, based in the notable right-hand articulation, eschewed the classical patterns, being able to print his own music a flamboyant and refined character.

In the particular case of Fernando Sor, we have a wisdom blending of the counterpoint technique, an evocative mood from his own that, added the well known influence of the Italian composers (Domenico Cimarrosa and Giovanni Batista Pergolesi) and his beloved love for the Operatic genre, allowed him to enrich still more the lyrical possibilities of the guitar. Besides, unlike Nicolo Paganini, for instance fortunately did not transform the guitar in a simple device to show his overwhelming gifts. He used the guitar to play music, on the opposite approach of Paganini who used the music as mere device to play his instrument.

In the guitar genre there has not been most deserved and superb tribute to Mozart that this Variations Op. 9 based on a motive of The most famous Mozart ?s Magic Flute. Loaded of such imaginative freshness and enraptured inspiration you may notice that one of the Variations conserves an undeniable Italian flavor; this is one of the most beloved hidden treasures the guitar can offers us, which raise with special charm in the hands of this formidable soloist.

Aguado on the contrary acquired due his personal state of things, a notable adroitness who excelled by far, to Sor, so his musical approaches rode in opposite directions, trying to exploit at maximum levels the technical possibilities of the instrument.

Julian Bream makes a colossal tribute to both composers in this egregious and golden album.

Average customer rating:

Good...
Interpretations that look forward to the 20th Century ... not back to the 19th
perhaps consider these thoughts before purchasing
Substandard
Dead cheap ... but , unfortunately , a waste of money

Complete Piano Works of Scriabin
Michael Ponti , and Scriabin
Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Scriabin: Complete Sonatas
Horowitz Plays Scriabin
Bartok: Complete Solo Piano Music
Scriabin: Complete Symphonies
The Complete Preludes and Etudes for Pianoforte Solo

ASIN: B00007J4SI
Release Date: 2002-12-10

Tracks:

Etude
Prelude
Impromptu A La Mazur
F Sharp Minor
A Major
Canon In D Minor
Fugue
Albumleaf In A Flat Major
Albumleaf In F Sharp Major
Nocturne In A Flat Major
Fantasy For 2 Pianos
Egoroff Variations
Allegro Appassionato Op. 4
Vivace
Allegretto
Vivo
Lento
Andante Cantabile
Allegro
Allegro Assai
Allegro Agitato
Andantino
Andante
Allegro Assai
Andante
Lento
Presto
Lento
Misterioso
Allegretto
Allegro Agitato
Affettuoso
Appassionato
Andante
Lento
Vivo
Presto
Waltz In G# Minor Op. Posth.
Waltz In D Flat Major Op. Posth.
Waltz In F Minor Op. 1

Tracks:

Allegro
Capriccio
Tempestoso
Piacevole
Brioso
Con Grazia
Presto Tenebroso
Lento (Tempo Rubato)
Alla Ballata
Allegro
Andante Cantabile
Patetico
Patetico (Alternative Version)
Presto
No. 2 In F# Minor
Prestissimo
Andante
Affanato
Esaltato
Agitato
Allegro
F Major
B Minor
Tempo Giusto
Allegretto Non Tanto
Allegretto
Moderato
Doloroso
Scherzando
Con Passione
Con Moto
No. 9 In G# Minor
Sotto Voce

Tracks:

Prelude In C# Minor
Nocturne In D Flat Major
No. 1 In G# Minor
No. 2 In F# Minor
No. 1 In F# Minor
No. 2 In A Major
No. 1 In F# Major
No. 2 In B Flat Minor
Maestoso
Allegro
Andante
Allegro
Allegro
Presto
No. 1 In B Major
No. 2 In F# Minor
Andante
Vivo
Allegro Assai
Andantino
Andante
Andante
Allegro
Andante Cantabile
Lento
Allegretto
Allegretto
Presto
Andante
Lento
Presto
Andante Doloroso
Allegro Assai
Allegro De Concert Op. 18

Tracks:

Polonaise Op. 21
Andante
Andante
Allegretto
Andantino
Allegro
Allegretto
Lento
Vivo
Agitato
Allegretto
Moderato
Allegretto
Mesto
Patetico In G Minor
Andante In B Major
Fantasie In B Minor Op. 28
Andante
Con Stravaganza
Presto
Lento
No. 1 In E Major
Vagamente
No. 3 In C Major
Ardito Bellicoso
No. 1 In D Flat Major
No. 2 In B Flat Major
No. 3 In C Major
Mesto
Maestoso Fiero
Andante
Irato Impetuoso
Allegro
Elevato
Languido
No. 4 In A Flat Major
Impetuoso Fiero
Poetico Con Delizio
Capricciosamente Affannato
Festivamente

Tracks:

No. 1 In F# Major
No. 2 In D Major
Poeme Tragique Op. 34
Poeme Satanique Op. 36
Poeme Op. 41
No. 1 In C Major
No. 2 In C Major
Feuillet D'Album
Poeme Fantastique
Prelude
Scherzo Op. 46
Etude
Prelude
Reverie
Waltz In A Flat Major, Op. 38
Quasi Waltz In F Major, Op. 47
Allegro In D Flat Major
Piacevole In F# Major
Fragilite
Prelude
Poeme Aile
Danse Languide
Poeme
Enigme
Poeme Languide
Prelude
Ironies
Nuances
Etude
Desir
Caresse Dansee
Albumleaf Op. 58
Poeme
Prelude
Poeme-Nocturne Op. 61
Masque
Etrangete
Allegretto
Allegretto
Andante
Presto

Customer Reviews:

Good..........2007-07-13

Michael Ponti is definitely a virtuoso, and it's pretty amazing that he played through the whole Scriabin catalog. I felt that his tempos were a little all over the place. His Etudes were kind of abrupt and rushed. Overall I think his interpretations were pretty consistent, and overall he did a great job. He's just not Horowitz or Richter.

Interpretations that look forward to the 20th Century ... not back to the 19th.......2007-07-02

The wide divergence of review comments about this CD set reflects the difference of opinion and preference for how Scriabin's music should be played. As a member of the Scriabin Society of America, I've personally seen and heard many different interpretations of many of the etutes, preludes and other pieces in this large set ... I've also heard many strong opinions voiced both pro and con these various performances.

In the end, it all comes down to whether you like your Scriabin lean and taut, or prefer him broad and expansive. I come down on the "lean" side, which is why I enjoy these performances. Michael Ponti misses some notes here and there, but when your Scriabin is almost going off the edge, that's what happens. Scriabin should never sound "pretty" in the manner of Chopin, which is where so many pianists get it wrong. Yes, he owed much to Chopin, Balakirev and other pianist-composers, but that was merely the jumping off place for Scriabin as he plunged headlong into the 20th Century. Yes, there are moments of sheer exquisiteness to savor, but ultimately Scriabin's is music that stretches the bounds of tonality and rattles the structural cage, trying to break free.

When you listen to this set, you'll discover that not all of Scriabin's compositions are top-drawer (no big surprise when you consider the massive number of works he composed over many years). And it's also true that when one single pianist is tackling it all, not every interpretation is going to be equally inspired. But once you've heard Ponti's special way with these pieces -- bright piano and all -- you'll never again be satisfied with a merely "correct" or "poised" reading. That's selling Scriabin WAY too short ... but it's what 80% of the other pianists do. (Oh yeah, but they might get all the notes correct.)

Be sure to purchase this set along with the companion 2-CD set of the complete sonatas that also includes a few late, late works. Ponti's performances of the sonatas are even more effective, IMHO.

perhaps consider these thoughts before purchasing.......2007-05-12

I've listened to this recording for 6 months now, and I have a few thoughts to share. It might help to consider this recording is NOT the complete piano music of Scriabin. Actually it is not even close to the complete recording. What is missing takes up another 2 CDs. Second, the playing is adequate, somewhat expected given the technical demands. I'll explain. Scriabin's work is full of colorful dynamics; it is also poignant, covering a broad range of emotion. Taken together, each and every song demands from the pianist in a way that can overwhelm, and, in this case, I think it did. For me, the emotional messages of pain, fear, desire, and so on were missing, and these emotional messages are at the heart of Scriabin's work. Finally, I prefer a piano sound that is not so bright. At times, when the song reached its climax, I cringed a bit at what I experienced as a unpleasant piercing sound. In the end, I still encourage you to explore this recording for yourself if you are so inclined. I think listening to many recordings by different artists helps us all refine our taste in music. A recording, in my opinion, is never a complete waste of money.

Substandard.......2007-04-16

There are two performances that stand out in this set: The Op. 71 poems. The sound quality throughout is marginal (very thin old analog that makes Horowitz's muffled Third Sonata sound great), and one reviewer even said he/she thinks the piano was out of tune, which wouldn't surprise me.

Ponti's Scriabin is sloppy and umusical in general. Only the Op. 71 poems make this set worth getting. Start with Robert Taub's sonatas, Horowitz Plays Scriabin (on RCA and Sony), and Glemser Vol. 1.

Dead cheap ... but , unfortunately , a waste of money.......2005-06-14

Recorded in the mid '70s , this 'CD' has as much hiss as piano on it . What piano there is , is slightly distorted and far too bright .
This is the complete catalogue , but , honestly , you'd be better off with midi files .
I can't believe a record company actually released this **ap .
Reminds me of those old 'classics' the tobacco companies used to sponsor in the seventies .
Except , most of the collection sounds like it was recorded on an early Phillips cassette recorder .
Cigarettes are better value than this product .

Saint-Saëns: The Complete Works for Piano & Orchestra

Average customer rating:

Russian Nights
Renaissance Man
Critically acclaimed - and a favorite of mine, too
A Fine Set, But Not as Fine as It Might Be
An Outstanding Set

Saint-Saëns: The Complete Works for Piano & Orchestra

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music

Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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

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

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

Saint-Saëns: Les 5 Symphonies
Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos / Paganini Rhapsody
Rubinstein: Piano Concerto No. 4; Scharwenka: Piano Concerto No. 1
Mendelssohn: Piano Concerti Nos. 1 & 2; Capriccio Brillant; Rondo Brillant
Scharwenka: Piano Concerto No. 4 in F minor; Sauer: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor

ASIN: B00005NUPA
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Amazon.com

Pianist Stephen Hough is a certified genius, recipient of a 2001 MacArthur Foundation "genius grant." Although he apparently received the award for his explorations of uncommon piano repertoire, he also deserved it for the quality of his piano tone, which is extremely beautiful, as conveyed here by Hyperion's lush recording of the Saint-Saens piano concertos. Unlike most previous volumes of Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto series, this one includes some familiar works, especially the Second Piano Concerto. If you listen to that first, you'll realize just how good Hough's performances are throughout this set, since he matches any of the great pianists who have recorded the work. Notice the way he zips through the incredibly fast finale without the slightest hint of effort or rush. Although the Second, Fourth, and Fifth Concertos are the only ones still heard in our concert halls, all these pieces have their attractions--especially the delightful waltz "Wedding Cake," which would make a great concert encore. Sakari Oramo, the new music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, provides alert accompaniment, rich in detail, and the orchestra plays beautifully. This isn't an inexpensive set, but quality like this is cheap at any price. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Russian Nights.......2007-05-08

Great music! And it came with a freebie trial CD of some other Classical CDs- like getting a free CD.

Renaissance Man.......2006-04-05

Saint-Saens was a Renaissance man: botany, astronomy, archeology, mathematics, natural history, and philosophy were subjects he participated in throughout his life. He wrote articles, read papers at scientific societies, contributed notes to learned journals on the eclipse of the sun, and published a volume of poetry. Saint-Saens was also a musical child prodigy; began piano lessons at age 2 ½, at 3 wrote his first composition, and memorized a recital of Mozart and Beethoven concertos, as well as music by Handel, Hummel, and Bach. This CD of piano/orchestral works is a showcase of Saint-Saens' brilliant musical mind, one which was considered old-fashioned by modern composers of the time, and fused Classicism and Romanticism together, a style today's society is happy to have, since Saint-Saens could have easily been successful in another career.

The four character pieces for piano and orchestra are all rather interesting. Wedding Cake (6')is a waltz-caprice for piano and strings alone; a dainty showpiece in a whimsical setting, sparring gentility vs. extroverted. The Allegro Appassionato (5') is also a showpiece with lightning-quick orchestral and piano work, with a lush, contrasted middle. Rhapsodie d'Auvergne (8') uses a folk-based melody Saint-Saens heard a French washer-woman singing. Fresh, captivating melody and orchestration, the music is emotionally moving, along with come snappier folk-like ideas in contrast. The last, Africa (9'), is taken from Saint-Saens' many travels abroad: Algeria, Canary Islands, Africa, Russia, South America, USA, Scandinavia, and Indonesia; Saint-Saens in fact studied the folk music of North Africa. The work, Africa, is a sort of fantasy on many tunes from North Africa, another neat orchestral/piano showpiece.

The five piano concertos show a growth in composition from Saint-Saens over a period of time. The first (26')is inspired by the Fontainebleau forest; there is fresh vitality, youthful optimism, as well as occasional Spanish harmonic inflections, a trend Saint-Saens will continue more in his lifetime. The second concerto (21'), with its gruff, minor opening, is a Romantic counterpart to his first; long sweeping lines, a fanciful scherzo, and dramatic sweep throughout show a maturing Saint-Saens. Concerto No. 3 (25')shows Saint-Saens' penchant for melody; while the opening is a bit wandering and ponderous, there is a catchy, heroic theme; an emotional second mvt., and an infectious finale theme, a heavy barcarolle/dance type feel, for an emotional and fun concerto. The fourth concerto (24'), only in two movements, begins with a sneaky theme in a sort of theme and variation form, along with a chorale reminiscent of his "Organ" Symphony, but ending with a lively scherzo, a simple melody, and a dashing finale, showing simplicity and classicism in his mature style. The last concerto (27'), often called "Egyptian", is unabashedly Romantic, including some bold and striking Spanish rhythms, some unusual modes and syncopations, some orientalism (weird voicings and multi-cultural devices that are unusually forward-looking for Saint-Saens), and an optimistic finale. The evolution of time shows Saint-Saens embracing the past, with a special hold on Romanticism, but surprises me with no lack of inventiveness in later life, not to mention a never-quelling mind for tunefulness, evident in all of these works.

These are very good performances by Stephen Hough on piano and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Sakari Oramo. The orchestra is rich and full, all voices speak clearly and play with lightness, humor, and grandeur when asked for; all in all a terrific ensemble presentation. The pianist is remarkably at home; nothing is heavy (which is rarely called for in Saint-Saens), bringing out the classicism in his music. Instead, texture and color are Saint-Saens' best Romantic attributes, and Hough brings those out, not to mention extremely clean playing. The piano is miked close, and the sound is forward and "dry", but Hough backs off when his role requires it, and the piano and orchestra work remarkably well together, playing off one another at times. The Hyperion sound is excellent and makes the disk a success, a resonant atmosphere and crisp playing are captured on this disk well. The CD's are full as well: CD1 at 79+ minutes and CD2 at 76 minutes, is a lot of music, and the extra four character pieces on top of the concertos makes this a must-have. Excellent performances with amazing sound; recommended. TT: 155.28

Critically acclaimed - and a favorite of mine, too.......2003-09-24

This wonderful recording of the Saint-Saens concertos does a fine job of rendering the Romantic style without getting smug about it. Hough gives them an appropriately warm and colourful feel, without lapsing into the overly lush and indistinct sound I associate with other performances. The four non-concerto pieces make this a very nice set, and the flamboyant 'Africa' in particular will keep you coming back for more.

I have always been a fan of Stephen Hough, from the first time I saw his hands dissolve into an utter blur - not for one measure or passage, but for most of a fiery encore (we got three out of him that night!). These discs prove his facility with somewhat mellower fare, and have brought Saint-Saens back to my attention after years of (unintentional) neglect. If you want mighty and massive, Saint-Saens' German or Russian contemporaries will be more satisfying; but lyrical works like these should not be overlooked if you want to be acquainted with the best of the piano concerto form.

A Fine Set, But Not as Fine as It Might Be.......2003-07-29

The most remarkable feature of this recording may also be one of its chief drawbacks-namely that all of Saint-Saens' concerted music of piano is crammed onto two chock-a-block discs. I doubt, given the technical limitations of the compact disc, that Hyperion could have added a brief etude or caprice to either of these CDs. Great value, then, except that it seems this compactness came at a price. Almost all of these works seem rushed in spots, as if Hough and company knew they were working against space constraints. I can't say for a fact that this is true, but while there is no end of brio and élan in these performances, there is often a lack of the Gallic elegance that Saint-Saens also provides in works that, not surprisingly, the suave, fastidious craftsman Maurice Ravel cited as models for his concertos.

If all you know is the popular Second Concerto, which some wag once claimed as traversing music history "from Bach to Offenbach," then you only know the shallowest of Saint-Saens' concertos. If you are not familiar with the Fourth Concerto, Saint-Saens' finest orchestral work, you should be. Built on the same architectural principles as the composer's popular Organ Symphony, this is more successful still and certainly more tasteful, though, as in the Organ Symphony, the finale is the weakest bit and keeps the concerto in the realm of the near-great rather than the great. Hough and Oramo lavish their best work on this concerto, and the performance is a winner, from the mysterious opening to the resounding appearance of the motto theme in chorale treatment by the brass. (After that, it's all downhill for the concerto anyway, as Saint-Saens ends with some especially empty display work for the pianist.)

Elsewhere, I find a lack of willingness on the part of the soloist and conductor to let the music expand naturally. This is especially true in the slow movement of the Egyptian Concerto (No. 5), which here lacks the requisite exoticism and even mysticism, I think. Ditto Saint-Saens' other North Africa-inspired piece titled simply "Africa." There may be something of the slapdash about this work anyway, though I enjoy it, but the performers give this less-than-vintage Saint-Saens no time to breathe, which it sorely needs if it is to survive at all. There's a tendency to rush the charming First Concerto, too, and there, despite all the brilliance, goes some of the charm. On the other hand, the underrated Third Concerto sounds imposing and even important in Hough's performance, and if he can't do much for the commonplace music of the finale, no one else can either.

One other problem has to do with the recording. In general, Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto series has featured fine, natural sound, but here the sound is very close and dry, with the piano placed in an unnaturally forward and rather airless perspective.

So while I'm, as always, impressed by the brilliance of Hough's playing in these concertos, I think something important is missing. And as fine as the Fourth Concerto and parts of the other concertos are in these performances, overall I prefer Jean-Phillipe Collard and Andre Previn. The sound on their EMI discs (catalog number 73356) is more recessed and maybe a little lacking in presence but much more realistic overall. And the performances have all the Gallic elegance that Hough and Oramo's lack. Add to this EMI's two-fer price, and you can't go wrong.

So if your budget allows for two sets of Saint-Saens concertos, certainly Hough's should be one of them. Otherwise, I think Collard is your man.

An Outstanding Set.......2001-12-13

I read a comment several years ago by the pianist Phillipe Entremont that he felt the Saint Saens concerto's lacked the emotional charge of the German concertos (Beethoven, Schumann etc.) I think this comment is shortsighted in that it neglects the many concertos written for the instrument between Beethoven and Saint Saens, a tradition that the Romantic Piano Series provides insight into. It is arguable that Saint Saens (a true Renaissance man) was the most accomplished composer-performer of his day and his piano concertos represent a high point. Perhaps the awful truth is that these concertos are fun to listen to. They are virtuoso pieces that sparkle and delight. Perhaps not as profound as some concertos but works that should be heard much more frequently in the concert hall.

Tracks:

Son in g, Op.19: Lento - Allegro Moderato
Son in g, Op.19: Allegro Scherzando
Son in g, Op.19: Andate
Son in g, Op.19: Allegro Mosso
Romance in F, Op.4, No.3 Lento
Lied (Romance) in f: Andantino
Melodie in D: Moderato
Prld in F, Op.2, No.1: Comodo
Vocalise in e, Op.34, No.14: Lentamente - Molto Cantabile
Danse Orientale in A, Op.2, No.2: Andante Cantabile

Customer Reviews:

Music to Close Your Eyes to, Dream, and Float Away.......2005-12-04

This beautifully performed CD is filled with Rachmaninov's hauntingly beautiful melodies, including one of the most famous in the classical repertoire, "Vocalise," peformed with warmth and sensitivity by two highly talented musicians.

The CD is so reasonably priced that it would be worthwhile to purchase it even if the only selection on it were the 34 minute "Sonata in G minor," one of the most beautiful sonatas ever composed for cello and piano, with its enrapturing Andante third section. I geatly enjoyed every selection on this CD, especially the final selection, Danse Orientale, composed in 1892, when Rachmaninov was only 19 years old. This last selection has a timeless quality and an ethereal hypnotic beauty and intensity that I found very moving.

In addition to the outstanding music on this CD, the insert has two different essays that are both well-written and informative, one in English and a second essay in French, with the second essay providing background information about the musical influences and historical circumstances behind the compositions that is not in the English essay. There is also biographical information on both of these highly talented musicians.

Breathtaking; quintessentially Russian and romantic.......2004-06-26

Russian composers from the late 19th and early 20th centuries have always been some of my favorites. Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, and Prokofiev all wrote music with a similar sort of fiery, overwhelming, and tragic passion. These pieces for cello and piano are quintessential works of this genre; the cello is an instrument particularly suited to this type of music. The musicians, Janet Guggenheim and Michael Grebanier, use near-perfect technical ability to supplement sensitive interpretations of the pieces. I highly recommend the G minor sonata.

Brilliant.......2003-04-23

The CD is priceless, considering its wonderfully low price. The sonata alone is worth buying the disc for, though the other pieces are also first-rate.

This is a good CD.......2000-02-29

I liked this recording. The sound is clear and brilliant. The interpreters are ok, and ¿what can I say about the music? It's Rachmaninov! The sonata is full of passion and the price makes this CD a real to consider!

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Anthem [Import]

FRANCESCATTI PLAYS BEETHOVEN SONATAS NO. 7, 8, & 9

Blues Twinpack [Import]

April in Portugal/Cocktail Time

Farfetchedness

Groove-a-Thon [Import]

Corner of Eden

Great Baroque Classics/Various

Do You Like My Tight Sweater [Import]

Holy, Holy, Holy / Favorite Hymns

I Love You