Romantic Organ 4

1. Symphony No. 4 in F minor for organ, Op. 13/4
Composed by Charles-Marie Widor
with Martin Rost

2. Benedictus for organ in D flat major, Op. 59/9
Composed by Max Reger
with Martin Rost

3. Präludium und Fuge über das Motiv B.A.C.H. (I & II), for organ, S. 260 (LW E3)
Composed by Franz Liszt
with Martin Rost

4. Sonata for organ, No 4 in D minor, Op 61
Composed by Alexandre Guilmant
with Martin Rost

Tracks:

Air 'On the G String' - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Morning - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Canon In D - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Gymnopedie No.1 - City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
II. Andante - Stephen Hough
Viens, Mallika - Mady Mesple
In Paradisum - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
Clair De Lune - Dame Moura Lympany
II. Andate - Yehudi Menuhin
The Swan - Osian Ellis
II. Lento E Largo - Tranquillissimo - Zofia Kilanowicz
II. Andantino - James Galway
II. Largo - Yehudi Menuhin
Nimrod - London Symphony Orchestra
Blow the Wind - Pie Jesu - Jocelyn Pook
Variation 18 - Cecile Ousset
Pavane Op.50 - Gareth Morris

Tracks:

Zion Hort Die Wachter Singen - South German Madrigal Choir
Adagio In G Minor - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Minuet - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. Largo - Andrei Gavrilov
Meditation - Hans Kalafusz
I. Adagio Sostenuto - Dame Moura Lympany
Belle Nuit, O Nuit D'amour (Barcarolle) - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
II. Andante - Nigel North
II. Adagio - Jack Brymer
Intermezzo - Philharmonia Orchestra
I. Moderato - London Chamber Orchestra
O Mio Babbino Caro - Montserrat Caballe
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves' - Sinfonia Of London
II. Adagio Sostenuto (Opening) - Cecile Ousset
Nocturne - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. Adagio (Opening) - Julian Bream
Adagio For Strings Op.11a - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Entr'acte To Act III - Orchestre National De France

Amazon.com

You want relaxing classical music that'll soothe your soul but won't lull you into sleep? Here's a double CD for you. The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World ... Ever! does its best to cover both well-worn classical favorites (Bach's "Air on the G String," Pachelbel's "Cannon," Debussy's "Clair de Lune") and some eclectic left-field choices (an excerpt from Górecki's Symphony No. 3, Jocelyn Pook's "Blow the Wind," and Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. The performances of most of these excerpts are top-notch--artists include Sir Neville Marriner, James Galway, Jacqueline du Pré and the Philadelphia Orchestra--and there's enough variety here for everyone. --Edward Garabedian

Customer Reviews:

Lives Up To The Title, Fine Variety Of Genre's........2007-02-04

This CD is a great way to enjoy a large variety of Classical Composers & many of their best known pieces. Vivaldi's "Four Seasons," is an all time favorite. There are vocals, Piano pieces, & some fine Violins. I found the latter the most enjoyable. Here you can find Rodrigo & Pachelbell. Samuel Barber's haunting Adagio will make your skin tingle. This may not be to everyones taste, but if you wish to relax? Give this a couple of listens.

Good for relaxing pregnant women.......2007-01-17

I stumbled onto this album whilst searching bit torrent websites for classical music. I don't normally listen to classical music but thought it might be relaxing for my pregnant wife. After hearing the quality of the performances, the arrangement, and the recording I decided to buy the album from amazon. All the songs you would expect from a "best album in the world" are there and they are not boring to listen to like a lot of other classical albums. I now play this album in the car constantly and the wife requested it be played at the hospital during the birth.

Too much opera.......2007-01-10

If it wasn't for the opera this would be a great CD.

Does what it set out to do, very well.......2006-11-15

So i'm a classical music veteran, someone who prefers to collect a complete work, rather than classical compilations. I probably would not have listened to this album at all if my dad didnt buy it for me as a gift. By now, i own the complete works that over half of the excepts on this disc come from. I am a purist if ever there was one.

That said, i totally adore this set because i have learned to take it on its own terms. These discs weren't meant for expert classical listeners, so a review from that sort of mindset is useless. This set was meant for pure, easy listening, and for a basic starters kit for classical newbies. Most of all, it was just meant to do what the title says, to relax the average human being. classical expert or not.

Yes, some of these pieces have been altered or shortened, like Mozart's Flute and Harp Concerto Andantino, but they have been edited for a good enough reason: the full versions would have been too long to flow with the rest of the album. And also, the full versions contain so much development that they don't become easy listening anymore. The shortened versions work in the context of the album. Most essentially, the shortened versions on the discs still convey the main flavor the composers were going for. The melodies and themes remain unchanged.

To sum up, it is true that when i want to actually listen deeply to classical music, this album would never be a choice. I would want to hear the complete works like the composers intended. But at certain times when i simply don't mind about that stuff, when i just need to loosen up and free my mind of stress with some nice melodies, this set does the job well enough.

Last but not least: being a purist and a classical buff, i am very particular about performance quality. I was very glad to find that EMI did not get lazy about this. All the artists are world-class, and all the performances are at least exceptional. Some performances are even quite excellent, like the Clair De Lune, which is one of the best i've heard. (Credit to Dame Lympany, the pianist.)

So once again, recommended for its stated purpose, to relax. I am a purist, a classical buff, and i still enjoy this disc. That says something.

TRULY The most relaxing and beautiful music ever written........2006-11-10

This album along with Volume 2 are now the two most valued albums in my music collection. I have all of the songs contained on these two albums but they are scattered through at least a dozen different albums and several are not performed by artists such as those that recorded this album and Volume 2.
SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!!!!

Average customer rating:

Sarah's Best Easy Listening CD
Best Brightman CD
Sarah Brightman is a Classic
Not The Best - Not the Worst - From Sarah Brightman
Nice Cover

Sarah Brightman Classics
Sarah Brightman , Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni , Francisco Tarrega , George Frideric Handel , Fryderyk Chopin , Sergey Rachmaninov , Giacomo Puccini , Antonin Dvorak , Andrew Lloyd Webber , Ludwig van Beethoven , Joseph Marie Canteloube , Francesco Sartori , and Paul Bateman
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Time to Say Goodbye
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La Luna

ASIN: B00005RD78
Release Date: 2001-11-20

Tracks:

Ave Maria (new recording)
La Wally (from Time To Say Goodbye)
Winter Light (new recording)
Anytime, Anywhere (from Eden)
Alhambra (new recording)
Lascia Ch'io Pianga (from Eden)
Dans La Nuit (new recording)
Serenade/How Fair This Place (from La Luna)
O Mio Babbino Caro (new recording)
La Luna (from La Luna)
Pie Jesu (new recording)
Figlio Perduto (from La Luna)
Nessun Dorma (new recording)
Bailero (from Eden)
Time To Say Goodbye (New solo version--previously unavailable)

Amazon.com

Have some friends who still haven't discovered what the Sarah Brightman fuss is all about? You'll find the perfect introduction to make converts of them all in Classics, so they'll have no more excuses to remain clueless. Sporting a Botticelli-inspired image of the platinum-selling soprano on the cover, Classics is a classy anthology including highlights from three of Brightman's chart-topping releases along with seven new tracks. Songs personally selected by the diva as her favorite classical interpretations are culled from her previous blockbusters: Time To Say Goodbye, Eden, and La Luna. And whether you're a fan already in the fold or one in the making, the new material here shows the diva at the top of her form, in new renderings of "O Mio Babbino Caro" and "Nessun Dorma" (accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic)--fascinating displays of the operatic confidence she's developed over her career. Other new offerings include a touching version of Schubert's "Ave Maria,' "Winter Light," a fresh take on her signature song "Pie Jesu" (from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem). "Alhambra" and "Dans La Nuit"--a real treat, bathing the listener in Brightman's silky, sensuous vocalism--add two original titles to her famous adaptations of classical melodies to new lyrics (using Chopin's haunting E major Etude in the latter case). All told, a lovely affirmation of the directions Brightman has boldly taken in her career to date. -Sarah Chin

Amazon.com

Sarah Brightman Photos

More from Sarah Brightman

Time to Say Goodbye
Diva: The Singles Collection
Eden

Diva: The Video Collection
Live from Las Vegas
La Luna (Live in Concert)

Customer Reviews:

Sarah's Best Easy Listening CD.......2007-03-15

Sarah Brightman's talent is limitless. Her soprano and/or alto voice is among the best and she lets it show in 'CLASSICS'. CLASSICS is a beautiful, easy listening, and peaceful CD. CLASSICS is one to listen to in tranquil or relaxing moments. "CLASICS" is a collection of great pieces of music written by great composers (Shuburt, Handel, Chopin, Puccini, and the like). I have listened to CLASSICS about 15 times now and it always puts me in a quiet and peaceful mood (I am ~50 years old).

Best Brightman CD.......2007-02-07

A classical composition which showcases the beautiful voice of Sarah Brightman. A timeless CD which will continue to be a favourite over the years.

Sarah Brightman is a Classic.......2007-01-02

Sarah Brightman is at her best in "Classics." From Dvorak's "Rusalka" (Opera B.203) to Beethoven's haunting Op 52, slow movement (Symphony #7), Brightman's voice and lyrical style are a joy. I particularly enjoy her performances of Schubert's Ave Maria and Andrew Lloyd Weber's Pie Jesu. This is a great add to my collection of serious music.

Not The Best - Not the Worst - From Sarah Brightman.......2006-12-30

After purchasing this CD for my iPod for iTunes, I must say that I'm a little bit dissapointed. 7 new recordings and 8 old ones, ones that I already happen to have. I do like the fact that they're all on one CD! Some of her new recordings, including, "Ave Maria", "Winter Light", "Alhambra", "Dans La Nuit", and the new recording of "Pie Jesu" are just too breathy for my taste. It seems as with every changing CD, Sarah's voice changes. I'm not saying that the result is bad; it actually gives the songs more of a dream like quality, but I'm used to the younger, more Andrew Lloyd-Webber integrated Sarah. Scooping continually occurs in new recordings of "O Mio Babbino Caro", and "Nessun Dorma". In some tracks from La Luna, like "Figlio Perduto", Sarah's voice is TOTALLY dominated by harmonizing recordings that sound almost mechanical.

OVERALLY - The new songs sound O.K. and the old recordings are just as good as they were back then. This album is still a great buy!

Nice Cover.......2006-12-27

I'm a heterosexual guy who's not an opera aficionado - I only mention these facts because I seem to be right in the bull's-eye of the target market for this product. Sarah B. has a nice voice and she's pretty. Both of these are featured prominently on this CD. The cover and several pages in the insert are devoted to what must have been a very long and expensive photo shoot (and Photoshop) of a semi-clad Sarah looking marvelous. (The CD also comes with a flyer so you can buy various Brightman "Classics" apparel - perhaps not for the heterosexual male).

As far as the music goes: not bad, not great. I don't claim to have the most discerning ears for this sort of music, but everything was OK by me. However, the pieces on the CD with which I'm somewhat familiar, such as "O Mio Babbino Caro," didn't sound quite as good as other versions I've heard (and that includes by Charlotte Church, not just opera stars). Also, the solo version of "Time to Say Goodbye" didn't sound nearly as good to me as the duet with Bocelli.

In sum, there were 3-4 songs I liked enough to rip to MP3s - which is enough so that I didn't feel ripped myself...

The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe

Average customer rating:

the most relaxing classical music in the university
Relaxing Classical Music
Stress-freedom
Greatly enjoy!
the most relaxing classical music in the universe

The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe
Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni , Johann Sebastian Bach , Ralph Vaughan Williams , George Frideric Handel , Gustav Holst , Samuel Barber , Edvard Grieg , Jean Sibelius , Antonin Dvorak , Franz Liszt , Charles Gounod , Fryderyk Chopin , Alexander Borodin , Maurice Ravel , Antonio Vivaldi , Satie, Erik , and Various Artists
Manufacturer: Denon Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Ever, Volume II
The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
The Most Relaxing Piano Album in the World...Ever!
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Mozart for Relaxation

ASIN: B00008RH16
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

Canon - Pachelbel
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik-Andante - Mozart
Fur Elise - Beethoven
String Quartet #1 - Tchaikovsky
Clair De Lune - Debussy
Idyl for Strings - Adagio - Janacek
Adagio in G Mnor - Albinoni
The Girl with the Flaxen Hair - Debussy
Air on a G String - Bach
Greensleeves - Vaughn Williams
Largo from Xerxes - Handel
Prelude in C - Bach
The Planets - Venus - Holst
Goldberg Variations - Aria - Bach
Adagio for Strings - Barber

Tracks:

Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun - Debussy
Fur Elise - Beethoven
Holberg Suite - Sarabande - Grieg
Valse Triste - Sibelius
Concerto in F Minor - Largo - Bach
Serenade for String - Moderato - Dvorak
Liebestraume - Liszt
Ave Maria - Bach/Bounod
Etude in E Major - Chopin
String Quartet No 2 - Nocturne - Borodin
Arabesque - Debussy
Pavane for Dead Princess - Ravel
The Four Seasons - Largo - Vivaldi
Gymno0pedie 1 - Satie
Moonlight Sonata - Adagio - Beethoven
Piano Concerto No 21 - Andante - Mozart "Elvira Madigan"

Customer Reviews:

the most relaxing classical music in the university.......2007-05-12

All my favorites. I can start the CD player, which is wired to speakers in every room of my house, and just let it play, along with "The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the World" and "The Most Relaxing Classical Guitar in the World." I enjoy an awareness of familiar and beautiful strains of my favorites all day long and never get tired of it.

My brother visited me recently and noticed it right away. That will be another order for this fabulour music.

Relaxing Classical Music.......2007-01-08

I was not really a classical music fan but I am now. I purchased this cd for my 14 year old grand-daughter, not knowing we would both enjoy the music so much. She has always enjoyed classical music along with all of the other teen music, rap, rock, country, etc.
Also, it really helped being able to listen to parts of the music before purchasing.

Stress-freedom.......2006-03-14

Perfect music to end the work day. After listening to this I can face the evening. If the morning is hard, a little at lunch time gets me through the afternoon.

Greatly enjoy!.......2006-02-23

I first developed a taste for this music a number of years ago when my daughter started playing in the orchestra. The reason I made this purchase however, was because I have a great deal of difficulty with anxiety and I was looking for ways to find help. I love these CDs. It helps so much to sit and close my eyes and enjoy the music. The CDs are full of beautiful music.

the most relaxing classical music in the universe.......2005-09-21

it's the best next to the first one...

Average customer rating:

Not A Music Critic ... But A Lover Of All Music ...
Misleading title scheme
Don't Bother...Really!
Could have been better
Some great tracks, but flawed nonetheless

25 Romantic Classics

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

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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25 Classical Favorites
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ASIN: B0000058HR
Release Date: 1996-01-30

Tracks:

Suite No. 3 In D Major: Air On The G String - Frank Shipway
Fur Elise - Beethoven
Piano Concerto No. 23 In A Major, K. 488: II. Adagio - Arie Vardi
The Four Seasons, Op. 8: Summer: I. Allegro - Alberto Lizzio
Nutcracker Suite: Dance Of The Flutes - Jonel Perlea
Ombra mai fu: Handel's Largo - Philip Gibson
Waltz In A-Flat Major, Op. 39 - Brahms
Prelude In A Major, Op. 28 No. 7 - Chopin
Reverie - DeBussy
Canon In D - Gunter Kehr
Spring Song - Mendelssohn
Symphony No. 9 In C Major, K. 73: III. Menuetto - Gunter Kehr
Sarabande - I Musici di Zagreb
Eine kleine Nachtmusik: III. Menuetto; Allegretto - Libor Pesek
Suite No. 2 In B Minor: Menuet - Gunter Kehr
Concerto Grosso In D Major, Op. 6 No. 4: Vivace - I Musici di Zagreb
Ave Maria - Hans Hagan And His Orchestra
Sleeping Beauty Ballet Suite: Waltz - Lawrence Siegel
Concerto In D Minor For 2 Oboes & Strings, Op. 42 No. 2: I. Largo - Piero Santi
Trumpet Concerto In D Major - Gunter Kehr
Lullaby - Hans Hagan And His Orchestra
Nutcracker Suite: Chinese Dance - Don Jackson
Symphony No. 5 In D Minor, Op. 107: Andante - David Zinman
Oboe Concerto In D Minor: II. Andante e spicatto - Paul Angerer
Gianni Schicci: O mio babbino caro - Nikea Baroza

Customer Reviews:

Not A Music Critic ... But A Lover Of All Music ..........2006-08-29

Let's not be too harsh regarding this CD. I purchased this as my first baby step into the classical genre and it absolutely made me fall in love with classical music and appreciate it in a way I never could when people tried to make me like it. It is such a wide variety of classical music and I find romance to be joyful, tragic, gentle, harsh & a complete roller coaster that I found all in this ONE CD! It also made my boyfriend who hates, or shall I say HATED classical music NOW like it! That was an amazing feat! We now have many classical cd's and we always go back to this one for dinner parties, romantic baths and other things... I played this CD so much, that it got damaged and I just purchased another one to replace the one I bought years ago. If you are a critic, stay away from this cd, you will rob it of its beauty & innocence. If you are a beginner and want to open your mind to all that classical music has to offer, then this is the best money you can spend. BUY & ENJOY!!!

Misleading title scheme.......2006-01-01

This is what bothered me about the CD. Three of the biggest eras in classical music were: the baroque era, the classical era, and the romantic era. Now, with CD's titled baroque favorites, classical favorites and romantic classics, one would expect these CD's to be era specific. Such is not the case. If you read the back of the CD it even says "from the romantic era of music", but the there are composers like Vivaldi (baroque) and Debussy (impressionism) on this CD. About more than half are from the wrong eras. So this music is romantic in the non-musical sense of the word, which is fine, but a little bit misleading.

Don't Bother...Really!.......2005-02-21

Not what I call classical composers! THis cd is annoying in a way I really can't stand. It lacks the pure elegance of the classical days. Don't buy this cd unless you want a phony all around bad album played by cheap ameteurs.

Could have been better.......2004-02-19

I think the quality is good, and better on a few tracks, but all these romantic tracks?? Not what I listened to. Actually I was kind of disappointed; I had purchased an abundance of the "Favorites" collection some were better than others.
I was kind of perturbed when some same tracks on this CD were on another CD, and visa versa.

Still, I suppose for the price, one can't go wrong.

Some great tracks, but flawed nonetheless.......2004-01-12

Whether or not this CD lives up to its promise of "Romantic" music is not truly a concern, being that the entire nature of classical music is that it is open to one's own interpretation. However, I can speak to the quality of the recordings themselves.

A few of the tracks (Reverie, Canon, Sarabande, a few others) are absolutely superb. Well recorded, and played with genius bravado, coupled with great arrangements (it was interesting to hear Reverie outside of its native instrument, the Piano). Most of the tracks, however, are absolutely horrid. Fur Elise for the sheer amateurish quality, Vivaldi's Concerto for oboe and strings sounds like it was copied from an old phonograph record, as does Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty Suite, Mendelssohn's Spring Song, and Puccini's Gianni Schicci, and a few others. A few other tracks still are played horribly, most of them already mentioned.

Tracks:

Eine kleine Nachtmusik: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Piano Concerto In A Major, K 488: Adagio - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Flute Concerto In D Major, K 314: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Symphony No. 40 in G minor: Molto allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Clarinet Concerto KV 622: Adagio - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Serenade, K 375: Menuetto - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Turkish March - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Violin Concerto, K 216: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Divertimento, K 334: Menuetto - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Horn Concerto, K 447: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Cassation, K 99: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus

Tracks:

Overture No. 4 In Major: Rejouissance - J.S.Bach
Overture No. 3 In D Major: Air - J.S.Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 In F Major: I. Allegro - J.S.Bach
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - J.S.Bach
Overture No. 2 In B Minor: Menuet & Badinerie - J.S.Bach
Prelude In C Major - J.S.Bach
Toccata And Fugue In D Minor - J.S.Bach
Prelude In C Minor - J.S.Bach
Overture No. 1 In C Major: Passepied - J.S.Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 In F Major: II. Adagio - J.S.Bach
Kommst du nun, Jesu vom Himmel herunter, Chorale - J.S.Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 In G Major: II. Allegro - J.S.Bach
Violin Concerto In E Major: I. Adagio - J.S.Bach
St. Matthew Passion: Finale Chorus: 'Wir setzen uns mit Tranen nieder' - J.S.Bach

Tracks:

Symphony No. 5: Allegro con brio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Fur Elise - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Violin Romance No. 2 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
'Moonlight' Sonata: Adagio sostenuto - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Minuet - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 8 In F Major: Allegretto scherzando - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Coriolan: Overture - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Piano Concerto No. 2: Adagio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor: Allegro - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Egmont: Overture - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Tracks:

Die Fledermaus: Die Fledermaus (Excerpts) - Johann Strauss
Wine, Woman And Song - Johann Strauss
Tritsch Tratsch Polka - Johann Strauss
The Blue Danube - Johann Strauss
The Gypsy Baron: Introduction - Johann Strauss
Annen Polka - Johann Strauss
Vienna Blood - Johann Strauss
The Gypsy Baron: Einzugsmarsch - Johann Strauss

Tracks:

Tannhauser: Overture - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Dance Of The Prentices - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Prelude Act 3 - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Aufzug der Meistersinger - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Der fliegende Hollander: Overture - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Lohengrin: Prelude - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Tristan und Isolde: Prelude And Liebestod - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Tannhauser: Arrival Of The Guests At Wartburg - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 1: Allegro non troppo - Peter Tchaikovsky
String Serenade: Waltz - Peter Tchaikovsky
Violin Concerto: Andante - Peter Tchaikovsky
The Sleeping Beauty: Introduction - Peter Tchaikovsky
The Sleeping Beauty: Pas d'action - Adagio - Peter Tchaikovsky
The Sleeping Beauty: Waltz - Peter Tchaikovsky
Capriccio italien Op. 45 - Peter Tchaikovsky
Swan Lake: Ballet Suite: Scene No. 10 - Peter Tchaikovsky
Swan Lake: Ballet Suite: Waltz - Peter Tchaikovsky
Eugene Onegin: Polonaise - Peter Tchaikovsky

Tracks:

The 4 Seasons: Concerto No. 1 In E Major: Spring - VIVALDI, Antonio
Siciliano - VIVALDI, Antonio
Concerto In D Minor:: (Allegro Assai) Cologne Concerto - VIVALDI, Antonio
The 4 Seasons: Concerto No. 2 In G Minor: Summer - VIVALDI, Antonio
Oboe Sonata In B Flat Major, RV 34: Adagio - Allegro - Largo - Allegro - VIVALDI, Antonio
The 4 Seasons: Concerto No. 3 In F Major: Autumn - VIVALDI, Antonio
Oboe Concerto: Allegro non tasto - Largo - Allegro non molto - VIVALDI, Antonio
Concerto In D Minor: (Largo e spiccato) Cologne Concerto - VIVALDI, Antonio
The 4 Seasons: Concerto No. 4 In F Minor: Winter - VIVALDI, Antonio

Tracks:

Scherzo No 1 In B Minor, Op. 20 - Frederic Chopin_
Three Nocturnes, Op. 9: No 3 In B Major - Frederic Chopin_
Twelve Etudes, Op. 10: No 5 In G Flat Major - Frederic Chopin_
Twelve Etudes, Op. 25: No 10 In B Minor - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 13 In F Sharp Major - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 14 In E Flat Minor - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 15 In D Flat Major 'Raindrops' - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 16 In B Flat Minor - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 17 In A Flat Major - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 18 In F Minor - Frederic Chopin_
Scherzo No. 2 In B Flat Minor, Op. 31 - Frederic Chopin_
Waltz In E Flat Major, Op. 18 - Frederic Chopin_
Nocturne In C Sharp Minor, Op. Posth. - Frederic Chopin_
Four Mazurkas, Op. 24: No. 3 In A Flat Major - Frederic Chopin_
Four Mazurkas, Op. 24: No. 4 In B Flat Minor - Frederic Chopin_

Tracks:

Ave Maria - Franz Schubert
Impromptu In E Flat Major - Franz Schubert
Standchen - Franz Schubert
Trout Quintet: Tema con variazioni - Franz Schubert
'Rosamunde': Entr'acte No. 1 - Franz Schubert
Moment Musical In A Flat Major - Franz Schubert
'Rosamunde': Entr'acte No. 2 - Franz Schubert
Moment Musical No. 3 In F Minor - Franz Schubert
'Rosamunde': Ballet Music No.2 - Franz Schubert
Symphony No. 8 In B Minor 'Unfinished': Allegro moderato - Franz Schubert

Tracks:

Nabucco: Overture - Verdi, Giuseppe
Nabucco: Va pensiero, sull'ali dorate - Verdi, Giuseppe
Aida: Prelude - Verdi, Giuseppe
II Trovatore: Verdi! le fosche notturne (Gypsies' Chorus) - Verdi, Giuseppe
II Trovatore: Or co' daddi, ma fra poco (Soldiers' Chorus) - Verdi, Giuseppe
Aroldo: Overture - Verdi, Giuseppe
La Traviata: Prelude - Verdi, Giuseppe
La Traviata: Noi siamo zingarelle - Verdi, Giuseppe
La Traviata:: Libiamo ne' lieti calici - Verdi, Giuseppe
La Traviata: Di Madride noi siam mattadori - Verdi, Giuseppe
La forza del destino: Overture - Verdi, Giuseppe

Customer Reviews:

masters of classical music.......2007-03-26

A nice collection for the classical listener. Great variety of composers and the music quality of the cds are very good.

A good basic collection.......2006-11-10

With selections from numerous composers, it is an easy way to familiarize oneself with some of the most popular classical works and excerpts. A pleasant listen for the initiated too.

An excellent introduction to classical music.......2006-10-18

This is an excellent introduction to classical music. Well performed and presented.

Very Beautiful!!!!!1.......2006-10-05

If you are a fan of classical music then you better get this set. Not only is it very cheap, 10 Discs for about 2$ per disk. Now where are you gonna find a deal like this. I actually found mine chaper, $20.00 even and the music is outstanding. If you had a very bad day and very stressed out, just put in one of these cds, lay down, dim down the lights and just relax. It really helped me out.

Still Stuck on Beethoven.......2006-08-22

I just recently started listening to classical music so I'm certainly not one to compare or critique the quality of this set. However, I do have a few comments...

My interest started in this genre of music because I'm researching my ancestry in Prussia and this is the music of those times. Never mind my ancestors were poor peasants who probably never got the chance to hear such wonderful music... when listening to these CDs, I'm taken back in time... to a royal court in Europe... to another place in time. The music is inspiring, relaxing, invigorating.

I have yet to listen to all the CD's in the set. I'm stuck on Beethoven! Wasn't he AWESOME!?!

I think this set is a wonderful introduction to classical music!!!!!

Average customer rating:

This is a great album
Great CD
Hooked
Not bad, vocals are severely lacking however
EAST VILLAGE OPERA CO.

The East Village Opera Company

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Opera Band
Defined
Beyond Imagination
Opera Band
La Donna

ASIN: B000AMJE3W
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Tracks:

Overture (Redux)
Nessun Dorma (Redux)
Flower Duet (Redux)
La Donna E Mobile (Redux)
Un Bel Di (Redux)
Au Fond Du Temple Saint (Redux)
O Mio Babbino Caro (Redux)
Ebben? Ne Andro Lontana (Redux)
Che Gelida Manina (Redux)
Habanera (Redux)
When I Am Laid Earth (Redux)
E Lucevan Le Stelle (Redux)

Customer Reviews:

This is a great album.......2007-04-26

I never liked opera before. I guess it's all about how the music is presented. The performances are top-notch, and taken from real operatic classics, but the way it is done makes it very nice to listen too. If you can only get one album of this genre, this is the one to get!!!!

Great CD.......2007-03-16

I enjoy this different kind of opera music. Very nice and still giving you the feeling of the opera it self but in more modern way.

Hooked.......2007-03-15

I love this CD. I have it in my car, and now know practically all of the Italian words by heart. Infectious and uplifting. Good tears and fun listening.

Not bad, vocals are severely lacking however.......2007-02-28

I love music. I especially love classical music. When I find musicians who have taken classical music and presented it in a new way, I'm always excited. EVOC has done exactly that with these tried-and-true opera classics. The orchestrations are wonderful and the musicians obviously very talented. The vocalists, however, sometimes really don't deliver. All in all, it's a fun CD and I will certainly enjoy listening to it again and again.

EAST VILLAGE OPERA CO........2007-02-13

I SAW THEM ON T.V. AND HAD TO HAVE IT - JUST A REFRESHING TREATMENT POF OPERA

Walt Disney's Fantasia: Remastered Original Soundtrack Edition

Average customer rating:

Mickey mouse on cover, elevator music for 70 year olds
Optical soundtrack recording limitations
Review of soundtrack Fantasia issues
Fantasia
low-fi fantasia

Walt Disney's Fantasia: Remastered Original Soundtrack Edition

Manufacturer: Disney
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Fantasia (60th Anniversary Special Edition)
Fantasia 2000: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack
Fantasia
Fantasia 2000
Classic Disney: 60 Years of Musical Magic

ASIN: B000001M4K
Release Date: 2001-07-31

Tracks:

Toccata And Fugue In D Minor - (by Bach)
The Nutcracker Suite Op.71A: Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy
The Nutcracker Suite Op.71A: Chinese Dance
The Nutcracker Suite Op.71A: Dance Of The Reed Flutes
The Nutcracker Suite Op.71A: Arabian Dance
The Nutcracker Suite Op.71A: Russian Dance
The Nutcracker Suite Op.71A: Waltz Of The Flowers
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Rite Of Spring

Tracks:

Symphony No.6 ('Pastoral') Op.68: I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Symphony No.6 ('Pastoral') Op.68: II. Andante Molto Mosso
Symphony No.6 ('Pastoral') Op.68: III. Allegro/IV. Allegro/V. Allegretto
Dance Of The Hours (From The Opera 'La Gioconda')
A Night On Bald Mountain
Ave Maria Op.52 No.6

Amazon.com essential recording

It's hard to believe now that Walt Disney's bold 1940 impressionistic experiment in wedding then-state-of-the-art animation with classical music was a rather resounding failure upon its release. The cliché proves the rule: Fantasia was decades ahead of its time (Disney even launched a "psychedelic"-themed rerelease campaign in the late '60s). It's even harder to fathom that then-Disney management spent over a million dollars in the early '80s replacing the muscular Leopold Stokowski score with a digitally recorded clone, then another undisclosed fortune to digitize Leo and put him back alongside Mickey at the conductor's podium in the '90s! This much-traveled Stokowski score will gain no points for subtlety (a symphonic Shaq attack is more like it), but it was Walt's first--and only!--choice and has never sounded better. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Mickey mouse on cover, elevator music for 70 year olds.......2007-06-04

I bought it a couple of years ago looking at the cover but was extremely disappointed when my 18-month old insisted on "Mickey" today and I chucked it into my DVD player. Our baby started crying aloud suggesting "what is this rap?" Disney folks ought to know better not try and market elevator music for 70-year olds to little toddlers regardless of how fantasia the cover looks like!

Optical soundtrack recording limitations.......2007-03-05

The soundtrack recordings for "Fantasia" were provided
to the theaters of 1940 as optical tracks on the side
of the film being shown. Such recordings cannot be
compared to the magnetic tape recordings made after WWII
(using captured or "liberated" German machines at first),
to say nothing of the current digital technology.

An analog optical soundtrack on motion picture film was
bad enough, but the film itself was nitrate, notorious
for disintegrating over a relatively short period of time,
as well as for its flammability. The prints in
circulation wore out until "the sound had gotten so bad,
theaters were refusing to book the film" according to a
Disney spokesman quoted in the New York Times of March
11, 1982.

Stokowski knew what a difference stereo recording made,
compared to mono, because almost a decade earlier, he and
the Philadelphia Orchestra participated (without the
players' knowledge) in a series of experimental high
fidelity and stereo disc recordings made by Bell
Telephone Labs. At the time, Bell Labs and Western
Electric tried to interest several manufacturers of
phonographs in the new technology, but the Great
Depression was underway, and the idea of marketing
phonographs with two stylii and two loudspeakers was
deemed unfeasible. (The Bell system had 33-1/3 rpm
discs with two parallel grooves, requiring two stylii
for playback.)

The Fantasound process, as I understand it, required a
theater to install a single loudspeaker behind the screen
and three loudspeakers along each of the two side walls,
resembling somewhat today's "surround sound." But the
idea was not to produce true stereo sound, but rather
the "ping-pong" stereo concept, with the sounds from the
loudspeakers following the cartoon characters as they
moved back and forth across the screen.

I sometimes wonder if the original recordings were made
with discs, not on soundtrack film -- in which case they
might still exist somewhere in the Disney archives. The
many thousands of original cartoon animation cels used to
create the film images were not treated as archival
material, such as the original Technicolor negatives
of "Gone With The Wind" which were stored in underground
Kansas caves, where the temperature remained steady for
decade after decade. Instead, the cels were either
destroyed or individually distributed to interested
parties. All told, it's remarkable that the film and
soundtrack have survived almost seventy years in the
shape they're in.

Stokowski was not thrilled with the end product
of "Fantasia" because, reportedly, Disney engineers
played with his recording, snipping off beats to match
the animation and enhancing crescendos. Stravinsky --
the only composer represented who was still living at
the time -- also was appalled at Stokowski's rearrangement
of his work (which Stravinsky sold to Disney for $5,000
because he needed the money at the time), to say nothing
of the dinosaurs prancing about to his ballet. The 1940
audiences were either outraged (the purists), puzzled or
bored (the general public), or snickering that Disney
had "lost it" (the film industry). But some of us loved it.

Yet "Fantasia," like "The Rite of Spring," proved far
more durable than its critics could imagine. At the
time, I was familiar with the music of Beethoven's Sixth
Symphony, Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker", Bach's "Ave Maria,"
and even Ponchielli's "Dance of the Hours," but "The Rite
of Spring," and "The Sorceror's Apprentice," and "Night on
Bald Mountain" as well as Bach's "Toccata and Fugue" were
revelations for me. I didn't know then that Stokowski
tinkered with those scores, but now I have a large number
of various performances of all of them in my recording
collection. My "Fantasia" recordings were issued on LPs
in the 1970s and are treasured as historic artifacts.

In effect, that is what this two-CD album is. It's a
mistake to listen to it as performances comparable to
modern digital recordings. Enjoy them for what they are
- historical efforts to popularize classical music.

Richard Q. Hofacker, Jr., Basking Ridge, NJ

Review of soundtrack Fantasia issues.......2007-02-16

Thanks to the other reviewers for honest opinions on sound quality of this product issue. The FANTASIA soundtrack deserved better, and fortunitely, I once bought a 2-volume cassette edition of Fantasia, remastered original soundtrack edition, purchased at Tomorrowland souvenir shop at Disneyland back in 1990. Still have it, in great condition box set, and even the new boom boxes sold in todays market, feature cassette and cd play. Muchos grac!

Fantasia.......2007-01-10

I am satisfied that the CD is of the original production of Fantasia, which I feel is superior to the current DVD. I hope that a DVD version of the original version will be made available at some time. The sound quality leaves a little to be desired, however.

low-fi fantasia.......2007-01-10

I was disapointed with the low-fi recording. I realize the soundtrack is from the 1940's, but I assumed it has been re-mastered. Rather muddy sound.

Average customer rating:

Middle of the road wedding music
just what I was looking for
Most Chosen Selections
Another Great Reference CD
A Nice CD

Bride's Guide to Wedding Music

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Bride's Guide to Wedding Music, Vol. II
25 Wedding Favorites
Classical Wedding
Modern Bride Presents the Wedding Album
The Complete Wedding Album

ASIN: B000002SOG
Release Date: 1993-09-14

Tracks:

Three Lute Dances: Prelude: Courante
Sonata In E-Flat: Prelude: Adagio
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 In G: Prelude: Allegro
Water Music: Prelude: Suite No. 1- Air
Processional: Trumpet Voluntary (The Prince Of Denmark's March)
Te Deum: Processional: Prelude
Processional: Canon In D
Processional: Trumpet Tune
Lohengrin: Processional: 'Wedding March'
Cantata 147: Ceremony: 'Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring'
The Four Seasons: Ceremony: 'Spring' - Allegro
Ceremony: 'Ave Maria'
Five Mystical Songs: Ceremony: 'The Call'
Ceremony: 'Sheep May Safely Graze'
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Recessional: 'Wedding March'
Solomon: Recessional: 'Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheeba'
Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 In F: Recessional: First Movement
Organ Symphony No. 5: Recessional: Toccata

Customer Reviews:

Middle of the road wedding music.......2007-01-20

I bought this cd because I had everything in my wedding planned to the last tiny detail except the ceremony music. All the songs on the cd are nice traditional wedding songs. I did not use any of the music from the cd, but I am glad I bought it because it helped me realize that traditional wedding music was not what I wanted. All and all a nice classical music cd but not for brides who really want a personal ceremony. BTW I went with Enya and Lorena McKennitt.

just what I was looking for.......2007-01-10

We wanted traditional wedding music and found it in this CD. I'm no music expert, but the arrangements and performances seemed fine. I would definitely recommend this CD for any bride looking for a concise collection of traditional wedding pieces.

Most Chosen Selections.......2006-03-13

As a wedding officiant, my wife and I are often asked to assist the couple with other services for their ceremony, such as music. For this, we have a very large selection in our music library to choose from. We have put together a catalog of cd's that we loan out to the couple for their review, and most often, their selections come from BRIDE'S GUIDE TO WEDDING MUSIC.

If you're planning a traditional or formal wedding on a budget, this cd has it all. There are even two selections of Wagner's "Wedding March" to choose from. Only two of the selections have vocals, the rest are all extraordinary instrumental selections.

Often, even around the house or in my car, I find myself listening to this cd. The music is soothing, refreshing, uplifting and most enjoyable. I recommend this cd over all other wedding music cd's.

Another Great Reference CD.......2006-01-09

This is a great compilation, CD, along with Bride's Guide to Wedding Music Volume 2, to use as a reference for some of the more popular wedding songs; just about everything on here is standard fare for weddings. All of the musicians are generally superb, and the sound quality is very good. However, this is most useful if you are playing the CD at your wedding, or using it as a reference CD to talk over potential music selections with an organist, a string quartet, etc. Like my review for Volume 2, I only gave it four stars based on practicality, not on quality. If it were just quality, I would give it five stars. I purchased this CD since I am in the process of making my own wedding CD (I am a professional, freelance violinist), and this was nice to listen to, even just as background music for dinner. BTW: beware of reviewers who don't use their names, especially "A music fan." This is most likely the producer of the "Wedding Traditions" CD and he slanders other CDs so his will look better. You'd think that in the wedding music business people would have better ethics, but unfortunately, that's not always the case. The best advice I can give, as a classical musician myself, if to take time to listen to the sound clips, and if possible, try to find them on iTunes where they might sound higher quality. This is the only real way of knowing whether the CD is right for you.

A Nice CD.......2005-12-30

This is a very nice CD.
Our daughter used some of the songs on this CD
and some of the songs that are on the
"Classical Wedding Traditions" CD for the wedding.
She also used many of the songs on the
"New Wedding Traditions Volume I" CD
Amazon is a great place to find good wedding music

Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

Average customer rating:

Waste of money
Great Music Compilation
If you like classical music don't buy this CD.
A must for anyone wanting the staples of classical music
A great compilation

Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

Manufacturer: Utv Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music
25 Classical Favorites
The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe
The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Ever, Volume II

ASIN: B00004GOZA
Release Date: 2000-02-08

Tracks:

Adagio In G Minor
Jesu, Joy OF Man's Desiring
Moonlight Sonata - Adagio sostenuto
March Of The Toreadors (Carmen)
Celebrated Minuet
Polovtsian Dance No. 1 (Prince Igor)
Cradle Song
'Minute' Waltz
Suite Bergamasque: Clair de Lune
Largo
Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1
Rhapsody In Blue - Andante And Finale
Peer Gynt Suite: Morning
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
Liebestraum
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Wedding March
'Masterpiece Theater' Theme: Rondau (First Symphonic Suite)
The Great Gate Of Kiev

Tracks:

Eine klein Nachtmusik - Allegro: Eine kleine Nachtmusik - Allegro
Orpheus In The Underworld: Cancan
Carmina Burana - O Fortuna
Canon In D
Lietenant Kije Suite - Troika
Turandot: Nessun dorma
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini - 18th Variation: Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini- 18th Variation
Bolero - Conclusion
The Tale Of Czar Sultan: Flight Of The Bumblebee
William Tell Overture - Finale
Carnival Of The Animals: The Swan
Gymnopedie No. 3
Ave Maria
Blue Danube Waltz
Thus Spake Zarathustra - Sunrise
Firebird Suite - Finale
1812 Overture - Finale: 1812 Overtune - Finale
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves'
Anvil Chorus (II Trovatore)
The Four Seasons - Largo From 'Winter'
Die Walkure: Ride Of The Valkyries

Amazon.com

For those who want the most remembered passages of classical music's best-loved works, here's a package for you. On this bargain priced double-CD, you'll find music from 40 different classical composers; for the most part, the recordings excerpted here are some of the very best. Of course, you only get one Bach sampling (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, played by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra) and one Mozart (A Little Night Music conducted by Herbert von Karajan), but this is still a nice collection--perhaps the starting point for a budding collection of classical music. This set's downfall? Unfortunately, though the liner notes discuss the evolution of classical music chronologically, the tracks are programmed in alphabetical order by composer's last name. This makes for some startling transitions! Emil Gilels's reflective performance of the Adagio from Beethoven's "Moonlight" sonata is followed by the crashing cymbals and bombast of Carmen's "March of the Toreadors," a recipe for a heart attack if there ever was one. Still, there's something here for everyone and the liner notes even explain what movies this music can be found in. A nice touch. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Waste of money.......2006-01-12

Watch out for the volume leveling mentioned in another review. Surely the compliers could have come up with a better sort order than by composer. The change in tempo/volume between pieces makes it impossible to enjoy. My two CD's ended up in the trash.

Ken

Great Music Compilation.......2005-08-15

This is a great CD full of many songs that you will recognize and enjoy. If you are someone who likes classical music but doesn't necessarily know which songs or which composers you like, then this CD is for you. You will likely recognize many of the songs as the classical songs you would have picked out to be your favorites.

If you like classical music don't buy this CD........2005-03-11

Most of the tracks were chopped down to 3-4 minutes so some of the best parts of the compositions are missing. I don't know what I was thinking trying to buy 40 classical songs on two CD's. If you really want to enjoy the music you would do better to purchase a CD with fewer, but better quality tracks.

A must for anyone wanting the staples of classical music.......2005-02-23

In my years of experience teaching Fine Arts to high school students, I know that the majority, if not all, of the music included on this album is commonly used in collge music appreciation courses. This is an excellent sample of truly all the "greatest hits" of classical music. My students enjoy listening to the music and have later told me when take their required music apreciation courses in college that they "already know it all" because of this CD! The recordings are clear, the selections are passionate, and the listener will gain a familiarity with all of the most commonly heard classical music used in tv commercials, movies, etc.
I recommend this album, along with the boxed set, "Age of the Classics" for anyone who is interested in becoming familiar with the most famous staples of classical music.

A great compilation.......2005-02-09

This cd somes up some of the greatest pieces of instrumental (and is some cases choral) music ever written. It is a great starter for a beginning classical music lover or a quick and easy all-in-one for those of us who study classical music for a living. I highly recommend this cd to anyone who wants to love or already does love classical music.

Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music

Average customer rating:

CD set is misnamed
Do not Buy
Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music
Seek better versions
It Is What It Is

Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music

Manufacturer: Compendia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits
25 Classical Favorites
25 Romantic Classics
The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe

ASIN: B000003QWH
Release Date: 1994-06-09

Tracks:

Canon In D
'Brandenburg' Concerto No. 3: Allegro
The Four Seasons - The Winter: Largo And Allegro
Fanfare ('Masterpiece Theatre' Theme)
Camerata Romana: Air For The 'G' String
'Eine kleine Nachtmusik': Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 21 ('Elvira Madigan' Theme): Andante
Introduction To Symphony No. 5
'William Tell' Overture: Finale
'Aida': Triumphal March
On The Beautiful, Blue Danube Waltz
'The Nutcracker': Waltz Of The Flowers
'1812' Overture: Finale

Tracks:

Sabre Dance
'Light Cavalry' Overture: Finale
Carmen: The Toreadors
' Midsummer Night's Dream': Wedding March
Radetzky March
Symphony No. 9, 'Choral': Finale
'Prince Igor': Polovstian Dance No. 17
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Peer Gynt: Solveig's Song
Sleepers, Wake
Water Music: Hornpipe
Symphony No. 9, 'From The New World': Largo
Emperor Waltz
'Emperor' Quartet: St. Anthony's Chorale
'The Tales Of Hoffman': Barcarolle
L'Arlesienne: Farandole
'The Nutcracker': Dance Of The Mirlitons
'The Nutcracker': Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy
'Rhapsody In Blue': Highlight
'Orpheus In The Underworld': Can-Can

Tracks:

Introduction To 'Also sprach Zarathustra'
Symphony No. 4, 'Italian': Saltarello: Presto
Piano Concerto No. 20: Romance
'The Valkyrie': Ride Of The Valkyries
'The Four Seasons' - The Spring: Allegro
Toccata and Fugue
Trumpet Voluntary
'Royal Fireworks Music': la rejouissance: Allegro
'Moonlight' Sonata: Adagio Sostenuto
London Festival Orchestra: Overture To 'The Barber Of Seville'
Piano Concerto No. 2: Adagio Sostenuto

Tracks:

Carmina Burana: Introduction To 'Carmina Burana'
Peer Gynt: Dawn From 'Peer Gynt'
Lohengrin: Prelude To 'Lohengrin'
'Lieutenant Kije': Troika From 'Lieutenant Kije'
Adiago For Strings
'Carmen': Habanera From 'Carmen'
'Double' Concerto: Allegro From 'Double' Concerto
The Marriage Of Figaro: Overture To 'The Marriage Of Figaro'
(Rondo) Alla Turca
Xerxes: Largo From 'Xerxes'
Symphony No. 5: Allegro vivace From Symphony No. 5
'Swan Lake': Scene: Enchanted Lake From 'Swan Lake'
Clair De Lune
Bolero

Customer Reviews:

CD set is misnamed.......2007-06-08

They should have titled this "classical music for people who love classical music" because most of the selections are typical classical music. The title suggests it would be lively selections of "light classical" music that is more upbeat, i.e. Sabre Dance, etc. I really don't hate classical music at all and have many classical CDs in my collection but I really wanted to hear more exciting selections. I won't be purchasing any more of this set but if you like traditional classical music these are good one.

Do not Buy.......2007-02-21

I do know it says classical music for people who hate it, but serioulsly you would have better luck never listening to classical music again. The recordings are awfull and do not do justice to any of the composers. Buy something else.

Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music.......2007-01-30

We love this set of CD's. I just got a new copy because my kids keeping taking our first copy with them so that they can listen at work or in their bedrooms but then I can never find them.

Seek better versions.......2006-12-09

If you are fairly new to classical purchases then compilation CD's can be useful for deciding what to buy next. Sometimes you only need a small taste of a piece to inspire you to buy a release with the whole performance on. The problem with this compilation however is that most of the versions are poor in performance or recording quality (or both) when compared to the best versions and the fact that the conductors aren't even credited on the track listing made me suspect that this would be the case. One of my favorite classical pieces is Tchaikovsky's 1812 festival overture but if the first CD version I had heard had been the finale excerpt that is on this compilation I may not have gone on to buy the whole thing. Luckily I heard Adrian Leaper's version first and Adrian's version is rather good.
My classical CD buying experience is limited to only a couple of dozen discs but I have found that the Naxos and Deutshe Grammophon releases are fairly safe. Avoid any release which does not name the conductors on the track listing or sleeve notes.

It Is What It Is.......2006-10-27

It's fitting that this page is fraught with the same kind of silly snobbery that turns people off from classical music (and necessitates collections like this) in the first place.

Any criticism of this compilation, which focuses on the quality of the performances or the fact that many tracks are excerpts, misses the point. This is not a collection for people who consider such things, nor does it purport to be. The idea is to package as many ultra-famous classical melodies as possible in one affordable collection and market it to people who have never purchased a classical recording. As such, top-tier performances are likely too expensive to be sold so cheaply and are unnecessary anyway. Those of us who already know and love a piece or two can forgive the compilers the inclusion of sub-par recordings, when we are exposed to so many other beautiful pieces for the first time.

It probably comes as a shock for some to hear that most people are not familiar with these classics. We may hear snippets on TV or movies, but are left with no idea as to the composer or historical context. With that in mind, it is extremely intimidating to begin buying classical. I suppose those among us, who so thoroughly dismissed the very notion of a boxed set like this, would have us begin by buying full albums by reputable interpreters. Surprisingly enough though, the majority of people would consider that a tad cost-prohibitive.

To conclude, this is a STARTER collection. It will either affirm a listener's feelings about classical music or lead to an interest in purchasing better recordings. Ideally, I suppose the interpretations would be better, but, for reasons mentioned above, that just isn't in the cards for a collection of this nature. If you're familiar with 50 different recordings of "The Ring" series, or have season tickets to the New York Philharmonic, then this probably isn't for you. For us cretins with limited foreknowledge of classical music though, it serves as a succinct introduction with little to complain about.

Track Listings: