Overture

1. Overture
Composed by Artur Malawski
Performed by Katowice Polish Radio Orchestra & Chorus Conducted by Jan Krenz

2. Concerto for violin & orchestra No 1
Composed by Zbigniew Turski
Performed by Warsaw Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra with Tadeusz Wronski
Conducted by Stanislaw Wislocki

3. Symphony No. 2 ("Olympian")
Composed by Zbigniew Turski
Performed by Warsaw Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra Conducted by Andrzej Markowski

Overture,Malawski,Olympia,Classical

Average customer rating: classic music CD Good for beginners Great mix Good for first-timer 25 Classical Favorites cd

25 Classical Favorites Manufacturer: Vox (Classical) ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Waltzes | 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 Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Ravel, Maurice | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rachmaninov | Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Sousa | Sousa, John Philip | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Strauss Jr., Johann | ( 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 Vivaldi | Vivaldi, Antonio | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Concerto Grossi | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Divertimentos | Serenades & Divertimentos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music French Horn | Brass | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra | ( C ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | 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 General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Marches | Miscellaneous | 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 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: 25 Romantic Classics 25 Mozart Favorites 25 Beethoven Favorites 25 Tchaikovsky Favorites 25 Bach Favorites ASIN: B0000058HT Release Date: 1996-01-23

Tracks:

1. Eine Klein Nachtmusik: (I. Allegro)
2. Nutcracker Suite: (Russian Dance)
3. The Four Seasons, Op. 8: (Spring: I. Allegro)
4. Hungarian Dance No. 5 In G Minor
5. Symphony in D, K. 161 - 163: (III. Presto)
6. Waltz In D-Flat Major, Op. 64, No. 1
7. Tritsch-Tratsch Polka, Op. 214
8. Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 In G, S. 1048: (III. Allegro)
9. Swan Lake: (Dance Of The Swans)
10. Carmen Suite No. 2: (Habanera)
11. Messiah: (Overture)
12. Wind Serenade 'The Marriage Of Figaro': Overture
13. Violin Concerto No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 12: (III. Allegro)
14. Water Music: (Overture)
15. Sleeping Beauty Ballet Suite, Op. 66: (Panorama)
16. Symphony No. 26 In E-flat Major, K. 184: (III. Allegro)
17. Waltz No. 10 In B Minor, Op. 69 No. 2
18. Violin Concerto No. 1 In A Minor, S. 1041: (III. Allegro)
19. Water Music: (Lentement)
20. Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 In G Major, S. 1049: (II. Andante)
21. Habanera
22. Horn Concerto No. 3 In E-Flat Major, K. 447: (II. Romanza)
23. Rhapsody On A Theme By Paganini, Op. 43: (Variation No. 18)
24. Thunder And Lightning Polka, Op. 324
25. Stars And Stripes Forever

Customer Reviews:

classic music CD.......2007-06-27

The CD was well represented by the clips on the Amazon website and came in time for our event. We did have a problem with the charge but that was taken care of promptly. Great service.

Good for beginners.......2007-02-15

It is an excellent collection of classical music. I would recommend this CD if you have a friend who don't like classical music, since it has the most beautiful overtures and portions of famous artists. If you are a Classic Music Savvy you probably will not be impressed by it, unless you want to play the CD as background music in a friends gathering.

Great mix.......2007-02-14

All the best composers! Over an hour of music. A samble of the greatest pieces.

Good for first-timer.......2007-01-22

This is the first time I have ever bought a classical music CD and I was very pleased with this one. It has a good variety of selections. I would buy it again.

25 Classical Favorites cd.......2007-01-06

This CD has so many of my favorite, lively classical music -- love it!!

Average customer rating: Stellar Performance Nostalgia Best Classical CD bargain on Amazon, IMHO Cheap? Only in price Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Capriccio Espagnol; Russian Easter Overture Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | 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 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music $6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai | ( R ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra | ( H ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto Op35; Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Op77 Symphonie Fantastique Elgar: Pomp and Circumstance Marches Op. 39; Enigma Variations Op. 36 Borodin: Symphony No.2/In The Steppes Of Central Asia/Prince Igor Bach: Brandenburg Concertos No. 1-4; Neville Marriner; Academy of St. Martin in the Fields ASIN: B000000UW0 Release Date: 1995-10-17

Tracks:

1. Scheherazade - Symphonic Suite, Op. 35: The Sea And Sinbad's Ship
2. Scherherazade - Symphonic Suite, Op. 35: The Story Of The Kalandar Prince
3. Scheherazade - Symphonic Suite, Op. 35: The Young Prince And The Young Princess
4. Scheherazade - Symphonic Suite, Op. 35: Festival At Bagdad - The Sea - The Ship Goes To Pieces On A Rock Surmounted By A Bronze Warrior - Conclusion
5. Russian Easter Overture, Op. 36
6. Capriccio espagnol: Capriccio Espagnol, Op. 34

Customer Reviews:

Stellar Performance.......2007-06-27

Having been a professional violinist and pianist for thirty years, I have developed a special appreciation for classical music. Scheherezade is one of the great orchestral pieces. This version clearly highlights the great skill of the composer and the orchestra. All the pieces on this cd are performed at a high skill level and the recording quality is excellent. It is on a par with the great performances by other orchestras, and I highly recommend it.

Nostalgia.......2007-06-27

My father was a classical musician in the days when every major theater had a pit orchestra of concert-level musicians. Boris Morros, a Russian born impresario paid tribute to them, saying: "the impact of these luxurious film theaters on the culture of America has never been properly emphasized. In one of our marble movie temples every tired scrub-lady could feel like a queen--for fifty cents--and every bootblack like a king as they lounged back in more comfortable chairs than monarchs ever enjoyed. I was impressed by the ever-growing popularity of the so-called good music the large symphony orchestras in these theaters played at each performance. From the day they opened they had thrilled audiences of ordinary people (who were supposed to have appreciation only for ragtime and sentimental ballads) with first-rate renditions...." Anyway, when those theaters and orchestras went, the substitute was a cult of mediocrity, so I was just indulging myself listening to all the horn work in Korsakov and remembering all those 'good ol days.'

Best Classical CD bargain on Amazon, IMHO.......2007-03-29

I'm surprised this CD isn't displayed on the Classical Blowout store. Perhaps it's *too* good a bargain? I purchased this CD for one piece: The Story Of The Kalandar Prince. My children and I love this work, as it is orchestrated like a story ("tone poem" is the correct term I think) - insert your imagination as to how it plays out.

This a wonderful CD to play on a cold winter night, with a roaring fire and a glass of wine. If you want a fine introduction to the 'oomph' of Easter European composers, you can do no wrong with this CD. I also recommend the Edwin Elgar Pomp & Circumstance CD from this bargain Seraphim collection.

Cheap? Only in price.......2007-02-22

First - how can one go wrong buying this cd at this price? The answer is - one cannot go wrong buying this cd at this price. Not even at three times this price. It's a lush recording and is every bit as good as anything recorded yesterday in a state of the art studio. At least some people have never heard of Rimsky-Korsakov. This is a cheap way to be introduced nicely. Others have these pieces by three or four different orchestras. Add this one - you'll be glad you did if for no other reason than when it arrives you'll listen once again to music you've put away for some time.

It's truly wonderful.

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade.......2006-11-10

I love Russian composers. They have so much fire. I received the CD timely and in great condition. Thank you.

Average customer rating: Okalahoma MacRae and Jones head a superb and O.K. adaptation Broadway in a movie setting at it's very best! Wonderful Beauiful

Oklahoma! (1955 Film Soundtrack) Jay Blackton , Charlotte Greenwood , Shirley Jones , Gene Nelson , Gloria Grahame , Rod Steiger , James Whitmore , and Gordon MacRae Manufacturer: Angel Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Similar Items: South Pacific (1958 Film Soundtrack) The King and I (1956 Film Soundtrack) Carousel (1956 Film Soundtrack) The Music Man (1962 Film Soundtrack) My Fair Lady (1964 Film Soundtrack) ASIN: B00005A7XB Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

1. Overture - Rodgers & Hammerstein
2. Main Title - Rodgers & Hammerstein
3. Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin' - Gordon MacRae
4. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top - Gordon MacRae/Shirley Jones/Charlotte Greenwood
5. Kansas City - Gene Nelson/Charlotte Greenwood/Men's Chorus
6. Kansas City Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
7. I Cain't Say No - Gloria Grahame
8. Many A New Day - Shirley Jones/Girls' Chorus
9. Many A New Day Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
10. People Will Say We're In Love - Gordon McaRae/Shirley Jones
11. Pore Jud Is Daid - Gordon MacRae/Rod Steiger
12. Out Of My Dreams - Shirley Jones/Girls' Chorus
13. Out Of My Dreams Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
14. Entr' Acte - Rodgers & Hammerstein
15. The Farmer And The Cowman - Gordon MacRae/Charlotte Greenwood/Gene Nelson/J.C. Flippen/James Whitmore/Gloria Grahame...
16. The Farmer And The Cowman Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
17. All Er Nuthin' - Gloria Grahame/Gene Nelson
18. All Er Nuthin' Ballet - Rodgers & Hammerstein
19. People Will Say We're In Love - Gordon MacRae/Shirley Jones
20. Oklahoma - Gordon MacRae/Shirley Jones/Charlotte Greenwood/Gloria Grahame/Gene Nelson/Rod Steiger...
21. Finale: Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin' - Gordon MacRae/Shirley Jones/Charlotte Greenwood/Gloria Grahame/Gene Nelson/Rod Steiger...
22. Overture (LP Version) - Rodgers & Hammerstein

Customer Reviews:

Okalahoma.......2007-07-17

Very good quality reproduction, and enjoyable to listen to the full length movie soundtrack again.

MacRae and Jones head a superb and O.K. adaptation.......2007-03-16

The film adaptation of Oklahoma heralded a technological breakthrough in widescreen cinema just as the original stage musical ushered in the integrated book musical. As such this film adaptation was treated as a special occasion, well-supervised by the creators themselves. The soundtrack, featured here, boasts sterling performances from MacRae and Jones making the most of their portrayals of Curly and Laurey, backed by a charismatic cast and superb orchestrations. And of course let's not forget the enveloping stereo sound that holds up well even today.

Despite being a Hollywood star, Gordon MacRae performs the part of Curly as if he was born to play it even on the stage. He shines vocally in his renditions of Oh, what a Beautiful Mornin' and Surrey with the Fringe on Top. He is well-partnered by Shirley Jones as a fresh and pert Laurey, lending her beautiful voice to the part. Although we don't hear much of her on this soundtrack, her partnering MacRae in People Will Say We're in Love exudes a masterful chemistry, as if they were setting sparks off at each other in their rendition of the song. Gene Nelson makes a dashing Will Parker and is equally well-matched by Gloria Grahame as Ado Annie. Grahame renders I Cain't Say No splendidly and partners Nelson in All er Nothin'. The supporting cast is filled out by Charlotte Greenwood's suitably caustic Aunt Eller and Rod Steiger's Jud. It's a pity that the film cut the song Lonely Room, otherwise Steiger would have better demonstrated the dark hues of the character of Jud. Yet it all adds up to a wonderful renditionh of this classic musical, enough to elicit a spontaneous YEOW! during this year of the Oklahoma centenary.

This EMI-Angel reissue offers one the advantage of the dance music and the main titles. This means that the listener gets the Kansas City and Farmer and the Cowman dance sequences, as well as the extended Dream Ballet. The only downside is the extraneous sound effects lifted from a DVD copy of the movie. Yes I share many of your sentiments that these sound effects tend to grate, and long for Didier Deutsch to have used the original untainted studio vault versions. However, let's at least be thankful that the CD producers have offered us a more comprehensive version of the Oklahoma soundtrack that we could only have dreamt of in the past.

In short, this is a wonderful and valuable addition to the R&H discography, and is an equally celebrated rendition of the score like the original Broadway cast recording. Warmly recommended to those who seek even their first version of Oklahoma.

Broadway in a movie setting at it's very best!.......2007-03-06

I have the original Broadway version, but prefer this movie selection.
The CD is flawless and, in my opinion, there's nothing better than a Rodgers
and Hammerstein musical for music, lyrics and pure joy! This is the best!

Wonderful.......2007-01-30

A great way to introduce oneself to the world of the nearly extinct Hollywood musical.

Beauiful.......2006-06-05

A true musical theater classic. Wonderful melodies that will last for years to come.
Other classics not to forget about are:
Mary Poppins
My Fair Lady
The Wizard of Oz
Chitty Chitty Bang Band
The first Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Sound of Music
Oliver
West Side Story
Fiddler on the Roof
Singing in the Rain
The Wiz
Little Mermaid
Aladdin
Beauty and the Beast
Grease
The King and I
Oklahoma
The Music Man
South Pacific

My Voice Students are always asking me for recommendations so I though I'd post it for all! We can't forget about these great musicals!

Average customer rating: How can you go wrong with Mozart?...Buy this and find out. 25 Mozart Favorites Wonderful collection and price! Nice Mozart selection - Nice price Mozart Listener

25 Mozart Favorites Manufacturer: Vox (Classical) ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Divertimentos | Serenades & Divertimentos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sinfonia Concertante | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances Requiems | Forms & Genres | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music French Horn | Brass | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Clarinet | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Flute | Reeds & Winds | 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 Minnesota Orchestra | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Salzburg Chamber Orchestra | ( S ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra | ( V ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | 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 | Requiems | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Requiems | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs Under $7 | Sonatas | 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: 25 Beethoven Favorites 25 Bach Favorites 25 Vivaldi Favorites 25 Tchaikovsky Favorites 25 Classical Favorites ASIN: B0000058HV Release Date: 1996-08-20

Tracks:

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

Amazon.com

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating: *Yawn* Bravo, a woman gets to record the Brahms First, but... I wish I could get excited over this CD An average performance quite distant from greatness Good, but...

Brahms: Symphony No. 1; Academic Festival Overture; Tragic Overture Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Brahms: Symphony No. 2 - Hungarian Dances Brahms: Symphony 3 Barber: School for Scandal/Symphonies 1 & 2 Double Violin Concerto Kurt Weill: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2; Lady in the Dark - Symphonic Nocturne ASIN: B0007ACVIC Release Date: 2005-02-22

Tracks:

1. Un Poco Sostenuto-Allegro
2. Andante Sostenuto
3. Un Poco Allegretto E Grazioso
4. Adagio-Allegro Non Troppo, Ma Con Brio
5. Tragic Overture, Op.81
6. Academic Festival Overture, Op.80

Amazon.com

Naxos is obviously excited about this recording, publicizing it widely and issuing it in three different formats (this plain CD, as well as SACD and DVD Audio). You can understand the excitement immediately, as the Symphony opens with tremendous power, fortified by uncommon energy in the kettledrums, signifying that there's going to be no routine playing here. But Alsop is not all aggression; her Andante sostenuto is very tender and affecting. Detail work is just wonderful--listen, for example, to the gorgeous flute solo in the fourth movement introduction--and Brahms's syncopations, always a major aspect of his style, get their full due in this rhythmically alert performance. Both Overtures are vividly characterized, and the Academic Festival retains its humor more than usual. At this point there are so many Brahms recordings that no single one is going to satisfy all of our needs, but this recording is competitive with the best in artistic and sonic aspects. In price, it mops the floor with the competition. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

*Yawn*.......2007-05-06

There's far too much hype surrounding Alsop's Brahms. Maestra Alsop has supposedly spent incalculable hours studying Brahms' scores to find those precious new nuggets that have somehow escaped other conductors. With all that, I expected to hear new interpretive insights ... but there were none. With so many important recordings of the Symphony No. 1 already out there -- Wand, Tennstedt, Dorati, Stokowski and Toscanini to name just a few -- this recording becomes completely unnecessary.

Bravo, a woman gets to record the Brahms First, but..........2006-07-01

It's great news that after generations of discrimination, a woman conductor is allowed to record the Brahms First. It's not so great that Marin Alsop is only middling good at it. This is not to write her off--Leonard Slatkin and Greard Schwarz are only middling good, too, and they are among the most recorded American conductors. In fact, if we put Alsop up against Americans who have given us Brahms Firsts, she looks pretty good, being exceeded only by Bernstein and Levine. Not bad.

The London Phil. plays vrey well, and Naxos gives us premium-price sonics for a bargain release. As to the interpretation, Alsop suffers from having no overarching conception. The first movement begins with an aggressively thumping timpani, preparing us for a driving interpretation, but a few bars later the rhythm slackens off, only to pick up and back off several more times. The easiest movement in the symphony is the second, which requires only a passionate, sustained line. Alsop doesn't seem to know how to set one; again you feel that she's pushing and pulling without much purpose.

The Scherzo is gently conceived, an unusual approach but not a bad idea given the sturdiness of the other movements. But Alsop has a hard time getting the music to build as gloriously as it should. The finale is a difficult movement for conductors to judge. My preference is for it to sound titanic and triumphant. Alsop doesn't go that way. Her opening Adagio is remakrably slack. As for the body of the movement with its famous tune, she strings one bar after another without any structural build.

In all, a Brhams First that earns the faint praise of being pleasant. One has to quesiton the staying power of Alsop as an artist who is ready to lead the world's great orchestras. But as a pioneer she deserves only praise.

I wish I could get excited over this CD.......2005-09-18

Alsop has recently been appointed music director of the Baltimore Symphony. A lot has been made of this because she is a she. I think she is a good conductor and quite capable. But, I feel there is little "magic" in what she does. This Brahms 1st is clean and well played but there is none of the drama and individuality that you find in versions by Karajan or Walter.I hope that Alsop will be judged based on her music making and not her gender. I also hope she is successful in Baltimore. And, yet, as evidenced by this recording and others of her's I have heard, I think the jury is still out.

An average performance quite distant from greatness.......2005-09-13

Marin Alsop is now probably the most-recorded woman conductor ever, having churned out regular CDs and having had her photo appear on the cover of most high circulation classical music magazines. For all the buzz about her, she demonstrates no individual trait that separates her from the crowd other than being the most well known female conductor in a man's profession.

Here she is equipped with one of the world's 10 best orchestras and takes on repertoire that puts her in direct competition with every conductor in history including the great, near great and mediocre conductors of the recording era. Based on the evidence presented on this CD, I do not believe she is up to that task.

Her performance of the Symphony No. 1 starts well with timpani supporting the downstrokes in the opening theme, making a clear statement about the serious message to come. However, things soon go awry as a too big timpani stroke clouds the picture during a bad changeover to the exposition.

Alsop next uses an ineffective contrivance that she repeats throughout this recording. She takes the quieter music much more slowly than the louder music, as if to say quiet equals slow and loud equals fast. She does this over and over throuhgout the symphony.

While this can enhance the music when handled like light and shade, Alsop's approach is more like black and white. It lacks subtlety and leads to more of a stop and go approach. Instead of enhancing the experience, it gets in the way. For me, this constant tinkering with pulse and motion is an annoyance.

Alsop fruitlessly takes the exposition repeat in the first movement, saying nothing more than, "Here is the music again." While composers add repeats to elongate their music and follow structural design, recreators are required to interpret repeats differently, to say something different with the same music when doing it a second time. Alsop does nothing more than repeat the music at the same speed and with the same accents. What's the point?

In addition, the playing of the London Philharmonic is not uniformly the best I've heard from that group during the dramatic first movement. There is little that is excellent in the second movement, as the wonderful clarinet interplay is -- like the rest of this performance -- good but not great. The violin and horn solos and duo are better at the end, although the violin is probably too meaty for this gentle music.

Alsop overinterprets the second movement "Andante Sostenuto", which translates to "at a sustained walking pace." Like most conductors, she takes the second movement as an adagio. The marking is more akin to what goes on at the beginning of the third movement, where Alsop leads an inspired reading and does her best work in the symphony.

The dramatic closing movement begins without ornaments from the strings, a mistake in my opinion. The following pizzicato is almost silent, a contrast in keeping with Alsop's differential speeds in the opening movement. There is frankly too much contrast here for the whole to be effective. In addition, there is more poor playing as the timpani doesn't quite match the orchestral downstrokes as it did in the first movement.

Alsop again fidgets with tempo in the quieter sections of the closing movement, then doesn't slow down for the descending scales at about 11 minutes, where a slower tempo would indeed be effective. She hustles right through this section as she does all the louder moments. A nice finish is not enough to save this performance from all its prior shortcomings.

The "Tragic" overture that follows has all the fingerprints of her work in the symphony. Alsop leads a highly nuanced and extremely well played version of the "Academic Festival" overture to close the CD. So this CD begins and ends well but, unfortunately, the 60 minutes in between is not performed at such a high level.

Even with modern DDD recording at Naxos's very inexpensive price, this is not an essential purchase for anyone other than fans of the conductor. You can pay about the same money on this Web site and get much better performances by Walter and Karajan (to name only two) that will give more lasting pleasure over a long term.

My favorite recording of this music continues to be the 1962 recording by Karel Ancerl and the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, last seen linked to a bad mono performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 1. I highly recommend that performance to anyone that wants to hear a dramatic realization of the Brahms Symphony No. 1.

Good, but..........2005-04-28

The benchmark recordings of Brahms' first symphony for me are: Furtwangler's 1952 BPO live (DG), Karl Bohm's 1959 recording with BPO(DG), Bruno Walter's 1952 NYPO account (Sony), Christoph von Dohnanyi's Cleveland recording(Teldec), and Takashi Asahina's 2000 live with New Japan Philharmonic(Fontec). Alsop's un poco sostenuto beginning is appropriately grand with powerful strokes of timpani adding to the impact. The tempo shift as the movement enters the allegro proper is nicely executed. Perhaps the movement lacks the kind of urgent tension that marks Karl Bohm's account but Alsop scores by keeping the exposition repeat intact, which I think is essential in this symphony to maintain the overall proportion and impact. The middle movements are also nicely done. My only complaint is that the tension slightly slackens in the last movement as if the conductor and orchestra were struggling to keep the music afloat. The lead-in to the alphorn theme sounds a bit pedestrian while the famous "big theme" is played rather too slowly, thus robbing the music of its forward momentum. Too bad when the preceding movements are so well played. But the closing pages are unerringly executed as the famous brass chorale sings out its victorious joy. The recorded sound is very good if not top-notch. In sum, this latest offering is in no way bad and almost as good as the Kertesz/VPO but clearly falls behind the benchmark recordings mentioned above.

Average customer rating: Sound Quality not perfect on CD Before Sondheim's COMPANY and after MAN OF LA MANCHA... Overrated Tony Award Winner Brilliant, Definitive and Remarkably Accurate! Saw this on Broadway

1776 (1969 Original Broadway Cast) Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Classic Vocalists | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | 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: 1776 (Restored Director's Cut) 1776: The New Broadway Cast Recording (1997) 1776: A Musical Play (Penguin Plays) Shenandoah (1975 Original Broadway Cast) Camelot (1960 Original Broadway Cast) ASIN: B0000027WJ Release Date: 1992-05-19

Tracks:

1. Overture - Orchestra
2. Sit Down, John
3. Piddle, Twiddle And Resolve/Till Then
4. The Lees Of Old Virginia
5. But, Mr. Adams
6. Yours, Yours, Yours
7. He Plays The Violin
8. Cool, Cool, Considerate Men
9. Momma Look Sharp
10. The Egg
11. Molasses To Rum
12. Is Anybody There
13. Finale

Amazon.com

Evidence that one can make a musical about anything, Exhibit A: 1776. As one might expect, the whole concept of making a musical about the creation and signing of the Declaration of Independence was greeted in the late 1960s with, well, ridicule. The show debuted on Broadway in 1969, and three years later, when its run finally ended, it was its producers who had the last laugh. In addition, it toured for an additional two years and beat out Hair (in 1969 yet!) for a Tony Award. This recording, with the original Broadway cast, includes many of the same actors who went on to star in the film, the version with which most audiences today are probably familiar. One notable exception is Rex Everhart, who replaced Howard da Silva at some performances and on this recording. But there's still William Daniels as John Adams, though in some cases his performance is more subdued than it was on film. Musically, 1776 is an odd creation, considering when it came into being. As one might expect, there's a lot of fife and drum going on, especially in the opening number and during "The Lees of Old Virginia." For those less than familiar with the plot, it hinges on the idealism of Adams, who's trying his best to back up the American Revolution with some legislative action, and spends much of his time arguing with either the Continental Congress or God, as in "Piddle, Twiddle, and Resolve": "A second flood, a simple famine / Plagues of locusts everywhere / Or a cataclysmic earthquake / I'd accept with some despair / But no, you sent us Congress / Good God, sir, was that fair?" (One could argue that he gets further with God.) While not entirely historically accurate, and containing some rather peculiar numbers (Franklin, Jefferson, and Adams sitting around debating what their new country's national bird is going to be ranks among the oddest), there's no questioning 1776's staying power. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

Sound Quality not perfect on CD.......2007-07-18

This is a new CD, overall quality and amazon procedure were excellent. The CD itself on a few songs fails to provide enough amplification to the background chorus or secondary singer, thus I must strain to actually hear both duet parts, with the latter almost inaudible. For example, Lee's of Old Virginia, Till Then, and Who will write our new declaration. It is not in my players, but within the CD. I actually ordered this because I wanted Violin by Betty Buckley and am satisfied with the reproduction overall, but it also has the audio problems with Adams and Franklins lines within the song

Before Sondheim's COMPANY and after MAN OF LA MANCHA..........2007-04-30

For me, 1776 is a great companion to MAN OF LA MANCHA as one of the most entertaining AND intellectually worthy amalgams of music, lyrics, book, theme, plot, characterizations and dialogue to ever come out of pre-1970's Broadway musical theatre. Each song is like a little gem, and displays the broad range of emotions and ideas with which 1776 brims. Satiric, romantic, hilarious, heartbreaking, disturbing, dark, inspiring, thoughtful, humane, and even a little bawdy, the songs glide and tromp all over the map, as does the show itself. As with LA MANCHA, 1776 broke open the Broadway musical, making it a pitch-perfect example of what can truly make a musical more than a toe-tapping time killer... while never becoming tedious, pompous, windy, or dull. If anything, it crackles with suspense.

And as to the reviewer who was shocked that it would win out over HAIR? Listen to "Mamma Look Sharp" or "Molasses to Rum to Slaves" to hear exactly the play's political and often-unflattering ideological landscape. This was definitely a Vietnam-era play whose content was as disturbingly pertinent, then, as it is, now. And, despite all of this, the score and play never become leaden or preachy. On the contrary, each performance is a gem, and each character is witty and unique. Who knew that history could be a passionate and fun adventure?

Overrated Tony Award Winner.......2006-06-16

How could this musical win the Tony award having as a competitor a play like HAIR which - for many people - stands as an emblematic theatre piece of the 60's? Who remembers a tune out of this musical? On the contrary, "Aquarius", "I Got Life" or "Walking in Space" are still popular and they play all over the world. Even ZORBA and PROMISES PROMISES - both candidates for the award in the same year - have songs that are still remembered. 1776 may wake up patriotic feelings to American listeners which is quite understandable but the music and songs are old-fashioned, overrated and awfully boring.

Brilliant, Definitive and Remarkably Accurate!.......2005-12-18

1776 has become an institution, thanks to the motion picture which was made of this original Broadway show, and which starred most of the cast from the theatrical production. It gets rerun every July 4th week on some movie channel or local station!

William Daniels IS John Adams to many people, and even though the story of the birth of the United States probably wasn't this lyrical and lively, Composer Sherman Edwards was historically accurate in the facts of the tale.

In addition to learning about the signing of the Declaration of Independence, this is also love story... in fact two love stories, with John Adams and his wife Abigail, separated by circumstance and interacting only in his mind, and Thomas Jefferson and his wife, Martha, here, played by the big throated (and now legendary) Betty Buckley.

There is also a sense of fraternity, with the members of the Continental Congress grappling with the concept of breaking away from a tyranical ruler. And even though you know the outcome, the story is still filled with tension and excitement in the mechanics of it. Just how DID this country get formed?

The disc's liner notes explain the show's libretto and give you some rare behind-the-scenes info about the creation of the musical, the challenges it faced before becoming the standard that it now is, and a bit about the amazing Mr. Edwards, which is a story worthy of being told as well.

It's an Independence Day must!

Saw this on Broadway .......2005-11-12

Saw this show, with original cast, on Broadway in '69 and it has stayed with me ever since then. Every time I listen to these songs, I laugh. The historical figures (done with some tongue-in-cheek) are highly entertaining and even better if you see the movie. I would recommend the dvd for a great, lighthearted evening, and good family entertainment. You can't miss with this one! A winner on all fronts.

Average customer rating: Great for young children. Many Thanks! EXCELLENT CD to introduce kids (& adults) to classical music! Tchaikovsky is my favorite composer, declares my [...]. Truly fun AND educational My kids' hands-down favorite classical CD

Beethoven's Wig: Sing Along Symphonies Beethoven's Wig Manufacturer: Rounder / Umgd 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 Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Delibes, Léo | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Franz Joseph Haydn | Haydn, Franz Joseph | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Liszt | Liszt, Franz | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Offenbach | Offenbach, Jacques | ( O ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Purcell, Henry | ( P ) | 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 Divertimentos | Serenades & Divertimentos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Bagatelles | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Purcell, Henry | Composers | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Lute | Instruments | Early Music | 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 General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Lute | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Styles | Music Compilations | Children's Music | Styles | Music Rounder Records | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Beethoven's Wig, Vol. 2: More Sing-Along Symphonies Beethoven's Wig 3: Many More Sing-Along Symphonies Beethoven Lives Upstairs Mozart's Magnificent Voyage Mr. Bach Comes To Call ASIN: B000060OLA Release Date: 2002-03-05

Tracks:

1. Beethoven's Wig (5th Symphony, Beethoven)
2. Franz Liszt the Famous Pianist (Hungarian Rhapsody #2, Liszt)
3. Please Don't Play Your Violin at Night (Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Mozart)
4. Can You Can Can? (Can Can, Offenbach)
5. Just For Elise (Fur Elise, Beethoven)
6. Haydn's Great Surprise (Surprise Symphony, Haydn)
7. Kings and Queens of England (Trumpet Tune, Purcell)
8. Drip, Drip, Drip (Pizzicato from Sylvia, Delibes)
9. Harmony (The Merry Peasant, Schumann)
10. Hey Guitar Teacher (Bouree, Bach)
11. Tchaikovsky's Cannonball (1812 Overture, Tchaikovsky)

Product Description

GENERAL FEATURES: Beethoven's Wig Sing Along Symphonies are zany stick-in-your-head lyrics set to the greatest hits of classical music. Filled with fact and fancy about the world's most notable composers and their masterpieces, each Sing Along Symphony opens the door to "serious music" in a way that's fun. As a bonus, the orchestral performance of each classical piece is included without lyrics. Educational entertainment for all ages.

Amazon.com

Inspired and wildly imaginative, Beethoven's Wig is one of the best introductions to classical music you could give to your children. Featuring snippets of 11 classical music staples--Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Haydn, et al.--the disc and its creators, Richard Perlmutter and friends, pour on the silly lyrics the first time around to familiarize young ears to the old masters. Then in the last half of the record, the orchestra plays the same "serious" music pieces instrumentally. You might cheerfully recall Alan Sherman's popular spoofs of old classical works in Wig and you'll again chuckle at pieces like "Drip, Drip, Drip," which adapts Delibes's "Pizzicato from Sylvia." You'll also marvel at the expertise throughout the CD, with all the pieces well played yet thoroughly fun. Beethoven's Wig is an orchestral treasure with a sense of humor as old or as new as its listeners (and the fun questions that run throughout the CD's liner notes are almost as entertaining as the zany musical interludes). Highly recommended. --Martin Keller

Customer Reviews:

Great for young children. Many Thanks!.......2007-07-16

I bought this one for my son since he was 2. We listen to it from time to time. Now at 3-1/2 he recognizes the music and melody. We dance, sing, and play with his toys or little instrument. We loves every songs especially Can Can, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, and Hungarian Rhapsody #2 which is also in "Cat Concerto" Tom & Jerry. It is a great way for every kids & parents to enjoy classical music. Thanks for making this CD happened.

EXCELLENT CD to introduce kids (& adults) to classical music!.......2007-07-08

This CD is a must for every child. It is so important for children to appreciate the great composers. This CD is a wonderful introduction and a fun way for children to learn the facts and names to go along with the tunes. The selection of pieces for this disk are also wonderful. It is nice that the songs are also to where you can listen to them without the lyrics. My children love it and my husband loves to hear just the music (& he is more of a oldies rock n roll & country music man).

Tchaikovsky is my favorite composer, declares my [...]........2007-06-15

We originally received Beethoven's wig from a friend. My two year old and eight year old loved it so much that I had to buy #2 from www.amazon.com and got the third one used on www.ebay.com. Now I have them all on a playlist on my Ipod, and we play them non-stop in the car, and at home. (putting all three on my Ipod makes it more bearable since it is not always the same songs). Too bad www.Itunes.com hasn't caught on yet.

The best part was when my daughter told her Music Camp teacher, " Tchaikovsky is my favorite composer!" I thought she was going to faint.

Truly fun AND educational.......2007-06-01

We play this probably once a day in our home and my kids (one is almost 5, and 2 yr old twins) all enjoy it! Definitely appealing to kids, but also not offensive to the adult ear. I even find myself humming the words when I hear these classical pieces at other times of the day. I recommend for any household with small kids - it introduces classical music in a very fun, upbeat way.

My kids' hands-down favorite classical CD.......2007-05-18

My kids take piano lessons, and I was hoping that listening to classical music would help them enjoy their lessons a bit more, since many of their lesson pieces are variations of classical melodies, and, for whatever reason, they don't naturally enjoy classical music.

I had heard rave reviews about the Classical Kids series of CDs (where a story is set to a composer's music), and, while my children enjoyed them, they didn't really want to hear the stories repeatedly, so the melodies didn't stick.

We got this CD from the library, and the minute they heard the first line of this CD, they were in hysterics. They just LOVED the silly lyrics, and they've listened to the CD repeatedly. They begged me to buy our own copy and to get the 2nd and 3rd CDs in this series. They ask questions about the music and the lyrics, trying to figure out what play on words and reality the creator of the CD was thinking about. They remember the music and who composed it. And they are much more interested in playing the pieces they know on the piano!

So, for our purposes, this CD has been perfect.

And yes, I put my money where my mouth is and purchased all three CDs in this set :) This one is still our favorite.

Average customer rating: Great for the road Beethoven 25 Favorites 25 Beethoven Favorites bEtHoVeN mAnIaC Great Price...Not so good itself

25 Beethoven Favorites Manufacturer: Vox (Classical) ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Ecossaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Trios | 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 General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | 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 Incidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | 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 Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra | ( C ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Minnesota Orchestra | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | 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 | Sonatas | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Sonatas | 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: 25 Mozart Favorites 25 Bach Favorites 25 Tchaikovsky Favorites 25 Vivaldi Favorites 25 Classical Favorites ASIN: B0000058HX Release Date: 1996-08-20

Tracks:

1. Egmont Overture - Ludwig Van Beethoven
2. Symphony No. 5 In C Minor - Ludwig Van Beethoven
3. Piano Sonata No. 21 In C Major - Alfred Brendel
4. Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor - Jerome Rose
5. Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor - Jerome Rose
6. Piano Sonata No. 23 In F Minor - Jerome Rose
7. Symphony No. 6 In F Major - Ludwig Van Beethoven
8. Symphony No. 7 In A Major - Ludwig Van Beethoven
9. 'The Creatures Of Prometheus' Ballet - Ludwig Van Beethoven
10. Violin Concerto In D Major - Susanne Lautenbacher
11. Sonata For Violin And Piano No. 5 In F Major - Aaron Rosand
12. Piano Trio In B Flat - Mannheimer Trio
13. Fse - Various Artists
14. Quintet In E Flat For Piano And Winds - Abbey Simon
15. 'Chorale Fantasy' In C Minor For Piano, Chorus And Orchestra - Walter Klien
16. Piano Concerto No. 2 In B Flat - Alfred Brendel
17. Piano Concerto No. 3 In C Minor - Ludwig Van Beethoven
18. Piano Concerto No. 4 In G Major - Alfred Brendel
19. Piano Concerto No. 5 In E Flat - Alfred Brendel
20. Symphony No. 3 In E Flat - Ludwig Van Beethoven
21. 'The Ruins Of Athens,' - Ludwig Van Beethoven
22. 'Corolian,' - Ludwig Van Beethoven
23. Ecossaise For Piano - Alfred Brendel
24. Symphony No. 9 In D Minor - Ludwig Van Beethoven
25. Symphony No. 9 In D Minor - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Customer Reviews:

Great for the road.......2007-05-11

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

Beethoven 25 Favorites.......2006-11-21

Very good! I ordered it especially for Piano Sonata No. 8 Pathetique

25 Beethoven Favorites.......2006-11-05

Good overview of his works----an introduction into his depth as a composer

bEtHoVeN mAnIaC.......2005-11-03

[...] Honestly, it isn't THAT THAT great, but its good enough for its price. I'd say that your $ pays off, for a while. I've noticed how after a long time, it gets aggrivating at times. No harm meant, "Beethoven lover". I just mean don't plunge into this cd with all the hopes in the world. Besides, it's just my opinion, so you may like it more than me. All i can say is; a) listen to some samples before you buy, b)know this is not REALLY the great Beethoven himself, and c) enjoy YOUR music, whatever it may be.

Great Price...Not so good itself.......2005-05-19

This a great priced cd, but the content is why it is so cheap. It's a true-amateur album. Beethoven Lover is over her/his head. This is the real world, not a fantasy-everyone-likes-every-type-of-music world. Deal with it and agree with me. It isn't so great.

Average customer rating: Great recording, great price. Buy this without question!!!!! CLASSICAL MASTERS Noble Elgar, unbelievable price Great for High School Graduations! Elgar's Greatest Hits at a Rock Bottom Price!

Elgar: Pomp and Circumstance Marches Op. 39; Enigma Variations Op. 36 Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Elgar | Elgar, Sir Edward | ( E ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | 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 General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | 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 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music $6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Elgar, Sir Edward | ( E ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto Op35; Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Op77 Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Capriccio Espagnol; Russian Easter Overture Symphonie Fantastique Bach: Brandenburg Concertos No. 1-4; Neville Marriner; Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chopin: Preludes & Nocturnes ASIN: B000000UVS Release Date: 1995-10-17

Tracks:

1. Enigma Variations, Op. 36: Theme
2. Enigma Variations, Op. 36: I. C.A.E. (Caroline Alice Elgar, The Composer's Wife)
3. Enigma Variations, Op. 36: II. H.D.S.-P. (Hew Daivd Steuart-Powell)
4. Enigma Variations, Op. 36: III. R.B.T. (Richard Baxtet Townshend)
5. Enigma Variations, Op. 36: IV. W.M.B. (William Beath Baker)
6. Enigma Variations, Op.36: V. R.P.A. ( Richard Penrose Arnold)
7. Enigma Variations, Op.36: VI. Ysobel (Isabel Fitton)
8. Enigma Variations, Op.36: VII. Troyte (Troyte Griffith)
9. Enigma Variations, Op.36: VIII. W.N. (Winifred Norbury)
10. Enigma Variations, Op.36: IX. Nimrod (A. J. Jaeger)
11. Enigma Variations, Op.36: X. Intermezzo: Dorabella (Dora Penny)
12. Enigma Variations, Op.36: XI. G.R.S. (George Robertson Sinclair)
13. Enigma Variations, Op.36: XII. B.G.N. (Basil G. Nevinson)
14. Enigma Variations, Op.36: XIII. Romanza: (Lady Mary Lygon)
15. Enigma Variations, Op.36: XIV. Finale: E.D.U. (The Composer)
16. Pomp & Circumstance Marches, Op.39: No.1 in D
17. Pomp & Circumstance Marches, Op.39: No.2 In A Minor
18. Pomp & Circumstance Marches, Op.39: No.3 In C Minor
19. Pomp & Circumstance Marches, Op.39: No.4 In G
20. Pomp & Circumstance Marches, Op.39: No.5 In C
21. Cockaigne (In London Town) - Concert Overture, Op.40

Customer Reviews:

Great recording, great price. Buy this without question!!!!!.......2007-07-08

I stumbled across this little gem for the low price of about $3.00. I almost kept going assuming that the price was an indication of the quality. Glad I looked twice.

This is a wonderful album with respectful treatments and excellent sound quality, performed by the some of the greatest musicians in the world from the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Philharmonica Orchestra.

The Enigma Variations, a Theme and 15 short orchestrations that Sir Edward then named after his friends and family based on personality traits, are a wonderful, uncelebrated Opus. I love these pieces. They truly showcase the power of Elgar's compositional style and flair. They certainly rival his more famous Pomp and Circumstance, in my humble opinion. The recording is sharp, well mixed, with no perceivable noise.

As for the Pomp and Circumstance recordings, well done throughout. All 5 pieces are played wonderfully and recorded beautifully with excellent sound mixing and very little, if any, background noise.

Cockaigne Overture is, once again, perfect. Marvelous treatment, wonderful musicianship, excellent sound and quality.

THIS HAS GOT TO BE THE GREATEST MUSICAL VALUE ON THE SHELVES RIGHT NOW. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE I ONLY PAID $3.00 FOR THIS RECORDING. I WOULD HAVE GLADLY SHELLED OUT THE OBLIGATORY $15.00 - $20.00 CONSIDERING THE QUALITY OF THIS CD.

IF YOU ARE READING THIS, YOU MUST BUY RIGHT NOW, BEFORE THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES AND RAISE THE PRICE!

CLASSICAL MASTERS.......2007-05-12

I BOUGHT THE CD FOR POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE BUT QUICKLY FELL IN LOVE WITH THE ENTIRE PIECE. IT IS WONDERFUL!

Noble Elgar, unbelievable price.......2007-05-05

This is not some schlock budget disc, which the price might suggest. Boult was one of the great Elgar interpretors (Barbirolli too) and these performances, especially the inspired Enigma Variations, bring out the very soul of Elgar. Sound quality, by the way, is excellent--warm and rich analog glow.

Great for High School Graduations!.......2007-03-12

I am the Principal of a small private boarding school that opened just last year. We do not have a school orchestra, so when the time came for us to plan our graduation ceremony, I searched all over the web for the traditional music. I heard some awful, piano versions of Pomp and Circumstance #4, and some other lackluster symphonic versions. Seraphim's CD of Elgar's works is by far the best. It is warm, heartfelt, inspiring, rich and incredibly well produced. Perhaps having the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra was the best choice, as they are playing the works of a fellow countryman. Several people came up to me after the ceremony to comment on the music, saying they were extremely moved by the music. Not bad for just playing it over a boombox!

By the way, if you are planning on using this for a graduation, know that you will have to edit out the long introductory passage and figure out how to loop the most famous "graduation" section over enough times to get through your ceremony!

Elgar's Greatest Hits at a Rock Bottom Price!.......2006-09-28

You just can't go wrong with this compilation of Elgar works and this super-cheap price. The performances are full-priced quality. This is a great introduction to Elgar CD. The Enigma Variations will bring tears to your eyes!

Average customer rating: Music of the Night???????? Great short version! A long time favorite The Best Recording of this Show Available Great CD

Highlights From The Phantom Of The Opera: The Original London Cast Recording (1986 London Cast) Manufacturer: Decca Broadway ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music 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 Brightman, Sarah | A to B | Featured Performers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Soundtracks | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classical | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Les Miserables (Highlights from the 1987 Original Broadway Cast) The Phantom of the Opera (Two-Disc Special Edition) The Very Best Of Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Broadway Collection The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection The Phantom of the Opera (Original 1986 London Cast) ASIN: B000001FLQ Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Overture
2. Think Of Me
3. Angel Of Music
4. The Mirror (Angel Of Music)
5. The Phantom Of The Opera
6. The Music Of The Night
7. Prima Donna
8. All I Ask Of You/Reprise
9. Entr'acte
10. Masquerade
11. Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
12. The Point Of No Return
13. Down Once More.../Track Down This Murderer

Amazon.com

Highlight versions of cast recordings are by definition a compromise, and this reduction of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera is no exception. Weighing in at 59 minutes, it's over 40 minutes shorter than the two-disc version, excising many musical scenes that convey the flow and impact of the show (which include, admittedly, a lot of patter and screaming). On the other hand, all the hits are here--"Think of Me," "Angel of Music," the title tune, "The Music of the Night," "All I Ask of You," "Masquerade," and "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again"--and Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman are still on hand to make their distinctive contributions to the original London cast. So if you're looking for a convenient, inexpensive single disc that will let you enjoy Lloyd Webber's scrumptious melodies without having to immerse yourself in the action, this just might be for you. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Music of the Night????????.......2007-02-28

I really liked the idea of a highlights cd; however, The Music of the Night is not the same one that is on the original two-disc cd. The words aren't even the same. If you enjoy Music of the Night, skip this cd. Otherwise, this cd would be 5 stars.

Great short version!.......2006-12-06

If you only want to hear the songs from this musical, this one is for you. But if you want the full version, get the 4-disc version. I listen to this version in my car when I'm on the road, but I listen to the 4-disc version at home. Both versions are worth the purchase.

A long time favorite.......2006-08-26

This is one of my most treasured CDs. The voices of the cast are incredible! "Think of Me" and "All I Ask of You" are 2 of my favorites. If you enjoy the story behind Phantom, yu will like this soundtrack.

The Best Recording of this Show Available.......2006-04-21

I think that this is the best PHANTOM soundtrack out there:

1)It has the original Broadway cast, the best.
2)It cuts out the more risqu? parts of the show (believe me, there are some), making it "appropriate for the whole family."
3)The entire CD is on one disc, so you can go through the show w/o switching discs.
4)The only song that the movie soundtrack has on it that this doesn't is "Learn to Be Lonely," which appears in the credits, and isn't really a great song anyways.

Great CD.......2006-03-14

I bought this CD as a birthday gift for my boyfriend. We had misplaced the one that we had and needed a new one. This is one of our favorite cd's. Such beautiful music.

Track Listings:

1. Pearls From Poland
2. Piano Concertos 2, 3 & 6
3. Piano Music 3
4. Piano Music From Scotland
5. Piano Quartets, Opus 61 & 8
6. Piano Sonatas 3
7. Polish Violin
8. Psychodrama / Tomorrow
9. Religious Works
10. Richter 2

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Scratching the Surface

Very Best of Classical: Lullabies

The Night Time is the Right Time

Music: Love Songs

This Beginning Is Your End

Through The Storm

This Pretty Planet

The Very Best Of Romantic Favorites

The World of Dolly Parton, Vol. 1

The Best of Tito Rodriguez, Vol. 3 [Original recording remastered]

Triple Trouble [CD-single] [Import]

Ultra Selection [Import]

The Sound of Ayia Napa [Box set] [Import]

Borodin: Quartet No. 2; Smetana: Quartet No. 1 "From My Life"

Good Morning Spider