Chamber Music of Carl Maria von Weber

1. Quintet for clarinet & strings in B flat major, Op. 34 (J. 182)
Composed by Carl Maria von Weber
with Maria Bachmann , Ani Kavafian , Paul Neubauer , Fred Sherry

2. Grand duo concertante in B flat major for clarinet & piano, Op. 48 (J204)
Composed by Carl Maria von Weber
with David Golub , David Shifrin

3. Variations (7) from Silvana for clarinet & piano, Op. 33 (J128)
Composed by Carl Maria von Weber
with David Golub , David Shifrin

4. Introduction, Theme and Variations for clarinet & string quartet in B-flat major
Composed by Carl Maria von Weber
with Gary Hoffman , Toby Hoffman , Cho-Liang Lin , Paul Neubauer

Chamber Music of Carl Maria von Weber,Fred Sherry,Gary Hoffman,David Shifrin,Joseph Kuffner,Carl Maria von Weber,Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center,David Golub,Paul Neubauer,Ani Kavafian,Cho-Liang Lin,Maria Bachmann,Toby Hoffman,Delos Records,Chamber,Chamber Music,Chamber Music & Recitals,Clarinet Solo/Sonata,Classical,Classical Composers,Classical Music,Miscellaneous,Quintet for Mixed Instruments without Keyboard

Average customer rating: Better than most Wonderful Music

More Of The Most Relaxing Classical Music In The Universe Ludwig van Beethoven , Eugene-Auguste Ysaye , Johann Sebastian Bach , Jean Sibelius , Sergey Prokofiev , Jules Massenet , Anonymous , Fryderyk Chopin , Giacomo Puccini , Robert Schumann , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Kazuo Yamada , Claude Debussy , Felix Mendelssohn , Carl Maria von Weber , Enrique Granados , Gustav Holst , and Various Artists Manufacturer: Denon Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by 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 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 Granados, Enrique | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Holst | Holst, Gustav | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Massenet | Massenet, Jules | ( M ) | 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 Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Paganini, Niccolò | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Puccini | Puccini, Giacomo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Prokofiev | Prokofiev, Sergei | ( 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 Sibelius | Sibelius, Jean | ( 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 Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Weber | Weber, Carl Maria von | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Debussy | Debussy, Claude | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rachmaninov | Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Tone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | 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 Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Ever, Volume II Most Relaxing Classical Piano Music in the Universe The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever! Most Romantic Classical Music in the Universe ASIN: B0000AINLR Release Date: 2003-08-12

Tracks:

1. RACHMANINOFF Piano Concerto #2, Adagio
2. VERDI Preludio
3. PAGANINI "Introduzione e tema con variazioni"
4. BRAHMS Sonata for two pianos, Andante
5. MOZART Adagio in E Major
6. BEETHOVEN "Pathetique" Sonata, Adagio
7. YSAYE Sonate #2, "Malinconia"
8. BACH Prelude #22, Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I
9. VERDI "Quando le sere al placido" (When the Evening Becomes Peaceful)
10. BACH Orchestral Suite #2
11. SIBELIUS The Swan of Tuonela
12. PROKOFIEV Romeo and Juliet
13. MASSENET Meditation from "Tha
14. RACHMANINOFF Prelude

Tracks:

1. TRADITIONAL Catalonian Folk Song
2. CHOPIN Piano Concerto #1, Larghetto
3. PUCCINI "Crisantemi" (Chrysanthemums)
4. SCHUMANN "Traumerei" (Dreaming)
5. TCHAIKOVSKY Swan Lake (excerpt)
6. K. YAMADA ''Chugoku-Chiho No Komoriuta" Lullaby
7. DEBUSSY "En Bateau" (By Boat)
8. BEETHOVEN Symphony #6 "Pastoral", Andante
9. MENDELSSOHN Songs Without Words
10. WEBER Introduction, theme and variations
11. GRANADOS "Goyescas" (Sketches on the works of Goya)
12. TCHAIKOVSKY Nocturne in F
13. HOLST The Planets, "Neptune"

Customer Reviews:

Better than most.......2007-02-08

This is a good mixture of elevator music, and some soft relaxing melodies.

Wonderful Music.......2007-01-18

Wonderful music for your listening pleasure. Very relaxing and soothing. Nothing beats classical music.

Average customer rating: Pleasing interpretations at an excellent price good Good Basic Weber CD Nothing special, but worth a look An absolute steal!

Weber: Clarinet Concertos Nos. 1 & 2; Grand Duo Concertante; Concertino Manufacturer: Erato ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Weber | Weber, Carl Maria von | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Clarinet | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | 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: French Clarinet Art Brahms: Clarinet Sonata In E Flat/Clarinet Sonata In F/Schumann: Fantasiestücke,Op.73 Mozart: Clarinet Concerto; Clarinet Quintet Bruch: Works for Clarinet & Viola The Essential Clarinet ASIN: B00005OBRG Release Date: 2002-02-19

Tracks:

1. Concerto For Clarinet And Orchestra No.1 In F Minor, Op.73: Allegro
2. Concerto For Clarinet And Orchestra No.1 In F Minor, Op.73: Adagio, Ma Non Troppo
3. Concerto For Clarinet And Orchestra No.1 In F Minor, Op.73: Rondo - Allegretto
4. Concertino For Clarinet And Orchestra In E Flat Major, Op.26: Adagio Ma Non Troppo - Andante - Allegro
5. Concerto For Clarinet And Orchestra No.2 In E Flat Major, Op.74: Allegro
6. Concerto For Clarinet And Orchestra No.2 In E Flat Major, Op.74: Andante Con Moto
7. Concerto For Clarinet And Orchestra No.2 In E Flat Major, Op.74: Alla Polacca
8. Grand Duo Concertant For Clarinet And Piano, Op.48: Allegro Con Fuego - Paul Meyer
9. Grand Duo Concertant For Clarinet And Piano, Op.48: Andante Con Moto - Paul Meyer
10. Grand Duo Concertant For Clarinet And Piano, Op.48: Rondo - Paul Meyer

Customer Reviews:

Pleasing interpretations at an excellent price.......2006-11-06

These are not overly flashy performances, just very musical. Boeykens is technically secure, and he makes these works sound easy. His musicality is genial, with dramatic touches as required. His performances naturally delineate the form of the music, while tastefully playing up its early Romantic emotional qualities. Easily the best bargain in Weber clarinet concerto recordings. My opinion of the Meyers performance of the Grand Duo is similar.

good.......2005-08-16

This CD is well recorded and the musicianship is excellent. The compositions seem to me good but not great. A nice listen and good price.

Good Basic Weber CD.......2004-09-06

Boeyken's rendition of the Weber pieces are very good. I may agree with a previous poster that the performances aren't spectacularly exciting. However, as a clarinetist I've played and heard these pieces performed so many times that it would be next to impossible to create a "ground-breaking" recording, no matter how hard the clarinetist tries. That being said, Boeyken's renditions are very pleasant and played with technical perfection. They will not disappoint.

I personally like Paul Meyer's rendition of Grand Duo Concertante. It is quite fast, so many passages that might be intricately phrased at a slower tempo are just torn through by Meyer, but if you are looking for a technically impressive performance, this will do.

At the price, this is a great CD, especially for someone wanting to hear the Concerti played in a conservative style. My favorite Weber Concerti is Sabine Meyer's on EMI (her interpretations are much more daring than Boeykens), so you might check that out also. Any music fan's CD library should have enough room for many renditions of these famous staples from the clarinet world.

Nothing special, but worth a look.......2004-06-16

Walter Boeykens does not have a stand-out, easy-to-identify tone, and does not play with an outward charm. But however, the performance is technically flawless and confidently played. James Conlon, one of the great American conductors today, leads the Rotterdam to a phenominal accompainment.
In the Concertante, Paul Meyer plays his typical fast rendition. Though he pulled it off, this recording of the concertante seems a bit sloppy and unattractive to me. Perhaps it is because this is one of Meyer's earlier recording jobs prior to hitting it big with Denon in the early 90's. Anyway, his tonguing, especially in movement 1 was not quite sharp, and he also takes a long annoying repeat that rarely shows on any other recordings (and for good reason, too!), as a result prolonging the length of the first movement to well over 7 minutes.

Still, this disc is well worth buying. At a measly 6.98 bucks, it contains a lot of music: 4 complete pieces including 2 concertos, a set of variations (the concertino), and the concertante which is really a sonata-like composition. All centerpieces of romantic era solo clarinet literature.

An absolute steal!.......2004-04-15

What you get for $6 is absolutely amazing! Walter Boeykens takes the Weber Clarinet Concerti to new heights. In particular, his playing during the alla polacca of the Concerto in E-flat Major is nothing short of supberb. It is the most effortless version of these pieces that I have ever heard. I am buying more of these for family members; it's probably the best-valued clarinet CD out there today.

Average customer rating: Polished playing, but somewhat aloof Sabine Meyer - Best clarinetist alive Just okay Meyer's Recordings are the Best!

Weber: Clarinet Concertos Nos. 1 & 2; Concertino; Clarinet Quintet Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Weber | Weber, Carl Maria von | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Clarinet | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Great Recordings Of The Century - Mozart: Clarinet Concerto, Sinfonia Concertante / Meyer, Vonk Mozart: Concerto for clarinet in A; Debussy: Première Rhapsodie Johann & Carl Stamitz: Clarinet Concertos Sabine Meyer - A Night at the Opera Weber: Clarinet Concertos Nos. 1 & 2; Grand Duo Concertante; Concertino ASIN: B00008QSCT Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

1. I. Allegro (Cadenza - Heinrich Joseph Barmann)
2. II. Adagio Ma Non Troppo
3. III. Rondo (Allegretto)
4. I. Adagio Ma Non Troppo
5. II. Andante
6. III. Allegro
7. I.Allegro
8. II. Romanza (Andante)
9. III. Alla Polacca
10. I. Allegro - Wurttembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn
11. II. Fantasia (Adagio Ma Non Troppo) - Wurttembergisches Kammerorchester
12. III. Menuetto (Capriccio Presto) & Trio - Wurttembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn
13. IV. Rondo (Allegro Giocoso) - Wurttembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn

Customer Reviews:

Polished playing, but somewhat aloof.......2006-11-06

For masterful clarinetistry and good taste, Ms. Meyer's Weber is first rate. My only issue is that she is often somewhat businesslike in her approach to the music. Weber was an early Romanticist, and much of his musical impetus comes from opera. Therefore, I would have liked to hear more Romantic expressiveness in these performances. Having said that, I still believe this recording is worth having, especially for clarinetists.

Sabine Meyer - Best clarinetist alive.......2006-06-18

She has evrything, extrordinary technique, fabulous intonation, inovative musical ideas that are all her own, and a beautiful, clear, clean, german tone that we all seem to strive for. What more could you ask for?

I saw her perform Mozart's clarinet quintet with the tokyo string quartet last Januery. The performance was unparalled. There was not one squeake, crack, or flaw in the technique, the interpratation was very fresh and new, and the exitment and spontaneity was never lost, even in the most carefully planed out passages.

This CD of Weber's clarinet works is absolutly definitive. These peices are performed so often nowadays that it is hard to give an original interpretation. Most recent recordings sound dry, over practiced, and cautious to the point where one recording sounds hardly different from the next.

The case is quite the contrary with this recording. Ms. Meyer makes each one of these warhorses sound so fresh and vital. The fast movements are played with much flare, drama, and enthusiasm. She tends to rush the ends passages before an orchestral tutti, but the effect just adds to the exicitment, you get the feeling of listening in a live performance. After all, there is nothing in the music that says not to rush, and each one is entitled to his own interpretation. In the slower movments she takes time to showcase her silvery tone and lyrical playing. The second movment of the the second concerto is *sung* as if it were from one of Weber's operas.

This recording belongs in every music lover's library. Very rarely do you hear a soloist play on the level of Ms. Meyer.

Just okay.......2006-05-28

While her technical proficiency is obvious, I don't enjoy the rampant rushing involved on almost every track of this cd. Overall, I will allow my students to listen to this cd once for an idea of the piece, but I would never allow them to study this recording in depth.

Meyer's Recordings are the Best!.......2006-03-13

I am a clarinet student at the CSULB College of the Arts and was referred to this recording by my private clarinet instructor. Meyer's interpretation and execution of the Weber Clarinet Concertos, Concertinos and Quintet are, by far, the most musical and advanced performances I have ever heard. Meyer's sheer technique is something to marvel at. Although she plays in the German school and performs on a German set-up, it gives those who plan to perform this piece a fabulous rendition to emulate. I couldn't be happier with this purchase, and though it is one of the more expensive recordings of the Weber Concertos, it is worth EVERY PENNY. An invaluable addition to any musical recording library.

Average customer rating: The finest horn album ever

Horn Concertos Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Cherubini, Luigi | ( C ) | 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 Michael Haydn | Haydn, Michael | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Leopold Mozart | Mozart, Leopold | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Telemann, Georg Philipp | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Weber | Weber, Carl Maria von | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Telemann, Georg Philipp | Composers | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music French Horn | Brass | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Virtuoso Horn Screamers: Difficult Works For The Horn Mozart: Horn Concertos Nos. 1-4 Mozart: Horn Concertos Nos. 1-4 The Magic of the French Horn ASIN: B0007RO59I Release Date: 2005-05-24

Tracks:

1. I. Vivace
2. II. Largo
3. III. Allegro
4. I. Largo
5. II. Allegro Moderato
6. I. Con Discrezione
7. II. Adagio
8. III. Allegro
9. Horn Concertino In E Minor, Op.45
10. I. Allegro Moderato
11. II. Andante
12. III. Allegro
13. I. Larghetto
14. II. Allegro Non Troppo
15. III. Menuet & Trio

Tracks:

1. I. Allegro Moderato
2. II. Adagio
3. III. Rondo (Allegretto)
4. I. Allegro Moderato
5. II. Adagio Cantabile
6. III. Rondo (Moderato)
7. I. Allegro Maestoso
8. II. Lento Cantabile
9. III. Rondo (Allegretto)
10. I. Allegro
11. II. Adagio
12. III. Menuetto
13. I. Allegro
14. II. Adagio
15. III. Allegro

Customer Reviews:

The finest horn album ever.......2005-08-11

No, this album doesn't include any of the superb horn concerti by Wolfgang Mozart. But it does have some incredible works, played wonderfully by Barry Tuckwell.

Over an hour is devoted to the works of Johann Stich (concerti 5, 6, 10, and 11). There are concerti by Franz Joseph Haydn and by Michael Haydn. And by Leopold Mozart. There's a concerto by Telemann. A beautiful sonata for horn and strings by Cherubini. A concerto by Forster. And the piece I consider the masterpiece of the bunch, the Horn Concertino by Carl Weber. Tuckwell is at his best with this work, including the very difficult chords (!) that have to produced by humming one note while playing another.

I highly recommend these two disks.

Average customer rating:

Weber: Clarinet Concertos & Quintet [Hybrid SACD] Manufacturer: Bis ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Weber | Weber, Carl Maria von | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Clarinet | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Mozart: Clarinet Concerto & Quintet [Hybrid SACD] Brahms: Clarinet Sonatas & Trio [Hybrid SACD] Nielsen, Aho: Clarinet Concertos [Hybrid SACD] Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto (Hybr) Symphonies Nos 8 & 9 (RMST) ASIN: B000JVSWAU Release Date: 2006-11-21

Average customer rating: Sublime! love the four violin piece! A must-have item ! Overall Great Recording Amazing!

Israel Philharmonic Orchestra - 60th Anniversary Gala Concert Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD 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 Halvorsen | Halvorsen, Johan | ( 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 All Works by Vivaldi | Vivaldi, Antonio | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Weber | Weber, Carl Maria von | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Concertinos | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Divertimentos | Serenades & Divertimentos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | 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 Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Isaac Stern 60th Anniversary Celebration Classic Perlman: Rhapsody Vivaldi: The Four Seasons Mendelssohn, Bruch: Violin Concertos Maxim Vengerov - The Road I Travel ASIN: B000003G8V Release Date: 1997-03-25

Tracks:

1. Overture to 'Oberon'
2. Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins And Orchestra BWV 1043: Vivace
3. Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins And Orchestra BWV 1043: Largo, ma non tanto
4. Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins And Orchestra BWV 1043: Allegro
5. Concerto In B Minor For Four Violins And Orchestra, RV 580 (Op. 3, No. 10): Allegro
6. Concerto In B Minor For Four Violins And Orchestra, RV 580 (Op. 3, No. 10): Largo
7. Concerto In B Minor For Four Violins And Orchestra, RV 580 (Op. 3, No. 10): Allegro
8. Serenade No. 6 In D, K. 239 ('Serenata notturna'): March: Maestoso
9. Serenade No. 6 In D, K. 239 ('Serenata notturna'): Menuetto
10. Serenade No. 6 In D, K. 239 ('Serenata notturna'): Rondo: Allegretto
11. Passacaglia and Sarabande

Tracks:

1. Symphony No. 2 In D, Op. 73: Allegro non troppo
2. Symphony No. 2 In D, Op. 73: Adagio non troppo
3. Symphony No. 2 In D, Op. 73: Allegretto grazioso
4. Symphony No. 2 In D, Op. 73: Allegro con spirito

Customer Reviews:

Sublime!.......2004-03-08

This is one of my top 5 Cd's in a vast collection. I bought an extra 10 for presents. The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO)was aptly described by Toscanini as an orchestra of virtuoso soloists. Its strings are together with the Chicago Symphony the absolute top. Every piece is spectacular, warm and insightful. It is evident that the musicians understand the importance of the event. The Halverson Handel variation alone is worth the purchase. It has to be one the most amazing pieces ever recorded.

love the four violin piece!.......2004-02-21

I bought this CD, then I bought one for my grandparents. Now I lost it. My absolutely favorite piece was the concerto for four violins. Unfortunately, I've now discovered i-tunes and just bought those tracks. Maybe that's not the best idea, but at least I can't lose it again.

A must-have item !.......2002-11-10

A live concert with the best violinist of our time! Superbly recorded. Those who are going to buy this should buy the video too! The video not only includes the interview with the violinist, but also a marvellous off-the-show performance by Gil Shaham. Shaham may not be that outstanding in this concert but you'll see this is not true if you have watched the video, too.

Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman's duet on "Passacaglia and Sarabande with variations on a theme by Handel for violin and viola" is excellent !! It exhibits almost all skillsets that could be do with a string instrument and how good they have been handled!! This recording is indescribably good !

Overall Great Recording.......2000-12-06

I wasn't sure whether to give this recording four or five stars. The music is wonderful; there is nothing to complain about in that area. The Halvorsen variations on Handel are quite simply divine and without comparison. The piece showcases two of the best violinists of our day (Perlman and Zukerman) and in this recording they prove that they deserve their title. The Vivaldi for Four Violins is incredibly expressive. The musicians cannot be faulted for anything, however the recording engineers can. This is a live concert and thus there is clapping at the end of each piece. The clapping is irritating in that it takes away the feeling left after the music. In the case of the Vivaldi, someone actually starts to clap before the last note is over! However, if you can survive the clapping, you will be buying a remarkable recording by some of the greatest musicians of our day. I strongly recommend it.

Amazing!.......2000-03-28

This is one of the best live classical recordings I have ever heard. It features an incredible collection of talented musicians, then proceeds to showcase them all with dazzling pieces that demonstrate their talents. Especially notable is the duet between Zukerman and Perlman when they play Halvorsen's "Passacaglia" - it truly sends chills up my spine. Other fine pieces on the discs include the overture to "Oberon" by Weber, as well as the unique "Concerto for 4 Violins" by Vivaldi. Overall, this set of 2 CD's is wonderful, and definitely warrants a purchase.

Average customer rating: Very Pleasing Collection of Short Virtuoso Pieces One of my favorite cello albums Starker's sparkling interpretation is beautiful...

Starker Encore Album Manufacturer: Denon Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Bartók, Béla | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Bloch | Bloch, Ernest | ( B ) | 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 Kreisler | Kreisler, Fritz | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Saint-Saëns, Camille | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Robert Schumann | Schumann, Robert | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Weber | Weber, Carl Maria von | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Starker, János | ( S ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Janos Starker Virtuoso Music for Cello Italian Cello Sonatas The Road To Cello Playing Romantic Cello Favorites Janos Starker ASIN: B0000034O7 Release Date: 1993-08-27

Tracks:

1. Grave, From The Style Of W.F. Bach
2. Divertiment In D Major
3. The Swan
4. Moment Musical No. 3
5. Prayer
6. Tarantelle
7. Arioso
8. Toccata
9. Abendlied
10. Adagio And Rondo
11. Traumerei
12. Rumanian Folk Dances

Customer Reviews:

Very Pleasing Collection of Short Virtuoso Pieces.......2007-06-21

Starker manifests a beautiful tone and plays in a sweetly nuanced style that is both precise and flowing. Shuku Iwasaki, accompanying on piano, has just the right touch. The selection consists of largely familiar melodies from the mainstream repertoire. The recording quality is excellent, in accord with Denon's high standards. Highly recommended for the casual and close listener alike.

One of my favorite cello albums.......2007-06-13

On a whim, I picked up a copy of the CD, "Ultra Relaxing Cello Solos" while waiting for a plane. The musicians were not identified on the album, just the composers. The music was so fabulous that I had to find out more about the artists. Lo and behold, I discovered that many of the pieces on that generic album were performed by Janos Starker. I have now obtained copies of most of Starker's albums, and this one is definitely one of the best. Every time that I listen to it, I think that I have a favorite piece, but when I listen to it again, another piece jumps out. Whether you are a cello fan or not, you will enjoy this great compilation by Janos Starker.

Starker's sparkling interpretation is beautiful..........2002-01-31

In this recording Janos Starker exhibits an astounding display of technical mastery of the cello, caressing each nuance and making technical impossiblilities into unique musical experiences. As a cellist, I highly recommend this recording for both study and casual listening, and anyone who enjoys the beauty of the best instrument ever will love it!

Average customer rating: Sviatoslav Richter at his best Delighted Staggering piano playing, even by Richter's standards

Sviatoslav Richter in the 1950s, Vol. 3 Manufacturer: Parnassus ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Liszt | Liszt, Franz | ( L ) | 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 Weber | Weber, Carl Maria von | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Prokofiev | Prokofiev, Sergei | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Character Pieces | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | 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 General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Richter, Sviatoslav | ( R ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Sviatoslav Richter in the 1950s, Volume 4 Sviatoslav Richter in the 1950's, Vol. 5 Sviatislav Richter in the 1950s, Vol. 1 The Sofia Recital 1958 BBC Friends: Richter (Great Performers of the Twentieth Century) ASIN: B000006O34 Release Date: 2000-09-16

Tracks:

1. Annees De Pelerinage: Vallee D'Obermann
2. Annees De Pelerinage: Au Bord D'Un Source
3. Annees De Pelerinage: La Sposalizio
4. Annees De Pelerinage: Aux Cypres De La Villa D'este
5. Annees De Pelerinage: Sonnetto 123 Del Petrarca
6. Venezia E Napoll (II, Suppl. 1-3): Gondoliera
7. Venezia E Napoll (II, Suppl. 1-3): Canzona
8. Venezia E Napoll (II, Suppl. 1-3): Tarantella
9. Son No.8 in c, Op.13: Allegro Molto E Con Brio
10. Son No.8 in c, Op.13: Adagio Cantabile
11. Son No.8 in c, Op.13: Rondo: Allegro

Tracks:

1. Son No.3 in d, Op.49: Allegro Feroce
2. Son No.3 in d, Op.49: Andante Con Moto
3. Son No.3 in d, Op.49: Rondo: Presto
4. Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte
5. Gaspard De La Nuit, No.2: Le Gibet
6. Jeux D'Eau
7. Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales
8. Miroirs, No.4: Alborado Del Gracioso
9. Etude Tableau in E flat, Op.33, No.6
10. Prld in c, Op.23, No.7
11. Prld in b flat, Op.32, No.2
12. Gavotte From 'Cinderella' Op.95, No.2

Amazon.com

Much of the repertoire here is new to Richter's ever-growing discography, notably 53 minutes worth of transcendent Liszt Années de Pelerinage excerpts, and a haunting Ravel Le Gibet. A live Beethoven Pathetique sonata proves more individual and arresting than Richter's excellent studio recording, as does this 1954 Weber 3rd Sonata to the better- recorded 1966 Philips version. Richter fans, however, will truly be floored by a whirling Ravel Alborado del gracioso and Rachmaninoff's Études- tableaux in E-flat, played better than humanly possible. Don't pass this set up! --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Sviatoslav Richter at his best.......2006-10-09

"I detest analysis, which kills fantasy and which is the enemy of art...Enough with musical blah-blah; music speaks for itself."
- Sviatoslav Richter

Sviatoslav Richter was the greatest pianist of the 20th century. This is of course quite an audacious comment to make, considering the very same 100 years saw the likes of Vladimir Horowitz, Arthur Rubinstein, Alfred Cortot, and a host of other towering musicians and virtuosi, but let us consider the grounds on which this statement is built; Sviatoslav Richter was a fusion of formidable technique, innate musical and structural conception, breath-taking sonority and tone; he was a magician, a direct link between instrument and composer, unrestrained and yet forcefully controlled by musical instinct; his repertoire encompassed everything from Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier to the mysticism of late Scriabin, from Chopin to Hindemith, Von Weber to Prokofiev...in simpler words, Richter was the complete pianist, an astounding musician in the lineage of Liszt and Rubinstein.

Therfore it comes as little surprise that Richter will be cherished and remembered as one of the greatest Liszt interpreters who ever lived, and the historic recordings of excerpts from "Années du Pèlerinage" and "Venezia e Napoli" represented on this 2-CD set only reinforce his Lisztian stature - they are equal to his legendary performances of better-known masterpieces such as the Sonata in B minor, "Funérailles", and the "Transcendental Etudes", again blending awesome technical accomplishment with power and an aura of intense concentration typical of Richter...it is difficult to think of a better "Sposalizio", and the "Tarantelle" is flashy and colorful, conveyed in all of its Neapolitan splendor.

While the Liszt suffers from a somewhat mediocre sound, Beethoven's "Pathétique" Sonata in C Minor is a fountain of sonorous beauty and represents Richter's playing at its best. The Rondo is of stunning delicacy and élan, and the contrasts in the first movement are perfectly-balanced, combining both the light "cantabile" touch and inner depth which Op.13 calls for.

It is also interesting to note that this compilation of early Richter recordings offers both Liszt and Ravel, displaying the former's influence on the French composer's music. "Pavane pour une infante défunte" is one of those performances that never leaves the listener - just hearing it once carves a deep impression on the memory...the same must be said of "Alborada del gracioso" and "Le Gibet".

Three Rachmaninoff works are offered as well, the first being the E-flat Minor Etude-Tableau, Op.33/5, another the Prelude in C Minor (Op.23/7), and last but definitely not least, the Prelude in B-flat Minor from Op.32. The Etude-Tableau is played with a hint of sarcasm à la Prokofiev, grandly eloquent and sweeping, recalling Rachmaninoff's performance of the Presto from Chopin's Sonata in B-flat Minor. The Prelude in C Minor is always magnificent under Richter's fingers - it is the cold, unforgiving wind blowing across the barren Siberian steppe! The B-flat Minor Prelude, so chaste, so innocent, so melancholy, only leaves us hungry for more. And let us not forget - before we begin drooling and screaming for more Richter - Prokofiev's witty little "Gavotte" from Cinderella which closes this compilation quite nicely, a personal favorite of the pianist....Encore!

Delighted.......2002-08-07

I purchased this set more than a year ago and left it aside thinking I had bought it by mistake having the material on other cd...

Only to discover it a few days ago:I regret I had not listened to it before!!

Every item is superb,especially the 'jeux d'eau'(much slower than the Newark version),and the 'au bord d'une source'

The Weber sonata sounds even better than other version(thought the Praga version is superb too).The bass D yields a spectacular effect.

The Rachmaninov preludes offer the 'live' sound and a very musical Richter

Staggering piano playing, even by Richter's standards.......2000-10-12

What can I say? Two CDs-worth of previously unissued music from possibly the greatest pianist of the century at the height of his powers in some of his ideal repertoire AND IN EXCELLENT SOUND. Special higlights for me are the Liszt, especially "Vallee d'Obermann" and "Au bord d'un source", and above all "Le Gibet". Whew! I can't imagine a more haunting performance of this centerpiece of Ravel's "Gaspard de la Nuit" cycle. Why on earth didn't Richter record (or indeed play at all) the whole thing? He loved to tease us with the gaps in his repertoire, of course, but maybe even he couldn't see how to match the intensity he achieves in "Le Gibet" in the other two movements. What a loss....

As well as hurrying to buy this set, I also recommend that you consider a Richter disk on Praga which includes more Liszt and Ravel, including fascinating comparison performances of "Alborada del Gracioso" and "Valses nobles et sentimentales

Average customer rating: A long-awaited return

Travels the Orient Express Manufacturer: Spin Art ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Kodály, Zoltán | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Kreisler | Kreisler, Fritz | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Lehár, Franz | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Ravel, Maurice | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Weber | Weber, Carl Maria von | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Folk Songs | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Favourite Flavours - Best Of... (Import) Aria Fresca Rustic Chivalry Quartetto Gelato Neapolitan Cafe ASIN: B0002ABTK8 Release Date: 2004-06-29

Tracks:

1. Slow Train
2. Under Paris Skies
3. Tombeau de Couperin I Prde
4. Tombeau de Couperin V Menuet
5. Tombeau de Couperin II Rigaudon
6. La Vie en Rose
7. Konzertstus 79 Finale: The Feast
8. Rondo all Zingarese
9. Tambourin Chinois
10. Dein Ist Mein Ganzez Herz
11. Kai Kett
12. Kai KettI
13. Kai KettII
14. Romanian Caravan
15. Turkish Medley
16. Danny Boy

Album Description

Quartetto Gelato are one of Canada's best selling and most acclaimed classical artists, having sold over 150,000 units internationally. Since their debut in 1994, Quartetto Gelato has won the hearts of audiences worldwide with their unique blend of sparkling technique, musical finesse and humor.

Quartetto Gelato have had sold-out repeat performances in New York, Washington, Vancouver, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Toronto, Calgary, Tokyo, Edmonton, Seoul and Hong Kong.

The group now consists of original members Cynthia Steljes on oboe and English horn, tenor Peter De Sotto on vocals and violin and new members Alexander Sevastian (three-time first prize-winner of the International Accordion Competition) on accordion and piano and Kristina Reiko Cooper (Doctorate of Music from the Juilliard School of Music and winner of the 1999 Walter M. Naumberg Chamber Music Competition) on cello.

Their latest release "Travels the Orient Express" follows the route of the storied train that runs from London to Istanbul. The songs change and shift in theme and style as the scenery would outside the traveler's compartment window. Travels the Orient Express is an exciting musical journey for the listener.

Information on the band can be found on their website.

Customer Reviews:

A long-awaited return.......2004-11-30

I love Quartetto Gelato, so perhaps I'm not the most objective reviewer. But I had some fears that the group might not be as great as it used to be after some personnel changes. I approached this CD with some trepidation.

QG is not the group it used to be, I must admit. But...the new QG is every bit as good as the original, just different now.

The CD is a great concept, a musical voyage on the classic Orient Express. The opening track, "Slow Train," represents London and is rather melancholy and sets the tone for a nostalgiac trip on a train voyage that (at least as far as I know) is no longer running. ("Slow Train" is by the British comedy team Flanders & Swann, an uncharacteristically solemn piece.)

Paris is represented by Ravel's "Tombeau de Couperin," brilliantly arranged, and by two familiar chestnuts, "La Vie en Rose" (giving Peter a chance to do Piaf), and "Under Paris Skies," giving new accordianist Alexander Sevastian a chance to strut his stuff.

"Konzertstuck" and "Rondo al1 Zingarese" give us a taste of Munich, and then cellist Kristina Reiko Cooper excels outrageously on Kreisler's "Tambourin Chinois," representing Vienna. Standing in for Budapest are Lehar's "Dein Ist Mein Ganzez Herz" and Kodaly's "Kallai Ketos".

My two favorite tracks come next. Bucharest is represented by an original piece, "Romanian Caravan," an energetic piece redolent of gypsy wagons and open fires. And "Turkish Carnival," for Istanbul, is another original piece, utterly intoxicating in its exotica, bringing images of odalisques, harem guards, and all the gaudy delights of the Near East.

The CD winds up with a return to the UK with "Danny Boy," bringing the voyage full circle.

Yes, it's light stuff, but it's good light stuff. I was once lucky enough to see QG live and they are a group who truly enjoys what they do, and their concerts have a sense of fun and delight that few classical performances have. Their CDs (I have them all) do capture some of that, and for that reason alone they're worth the attention of all classical music fans.

Average customer rating: Double Reed showcase--Strauss, Mozart, Weber LEGENDARY PERFORMANCES Decent but disappointing

Mozart, Strauss, Weber: Wind Concertos Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Weber | Weber, Carl Maria von | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Bassoon | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Oboe | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Concertos | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Concertos | 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 Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Mozart: Concertos for Clarinet, Oboe & Bassoon Mozart - The Flute Quartets, K. 285 · K. 285a · K. 285b · 295 / Rampal · Stern · Accardo · Rostropovich John Mack, Oboe Mozart: Quartet, K.370/Loeffler: Deux Rhapsodies/Paladilhe: Solo De Concert/Britten: Six Metamorphoses le saxophone Francais Janacek: Sinfonietta Op60; Taras Bulba, rhapsody ASIN: B0000029S9 Release Date: 1996-09-24

Tracks:

1. Concerto For Oboe And Orchestra In C Major, K. 314: I. Allegro aperto
2. Concerto For Oboe And Orchestra In C Major, K. 314: II. Adagio non troppo
3. Concerto For Oboe And Orchestra In C Major, K. 314: III. Rondo. Allegretto
4. Concerto For Oboe And Small Orchestra: Allegro moderato - Vivace - Tempo primo
5. Concerto For Oboe And Small Orchestra: Andante -
6. Concerto For Oboe And Small Orchestra: Vivace -
7. Concerto For Oboe And Small Orchestra: Allegro - Vivace
8. Concerto For Bassoon And Orchestra In B-Flat Major, K. 191: I. Allegro
9. Concerto For Bassoon And Orchestra In B-Flat Major, K. 191: II. Andante ma adagio
10. Concerto For Bassoon And Orchestra In B-Flat Major, K. 191: III. Rondo. Tempo di Menuetto
11. Hungarian Fantasy For Bassoon And Orchestra: Andante e Rondo ungarese per il fagotto principale, Op. 35. J. 158

Customer Reviews:

Double Reed showcase--Strauss, Mozart, Weber.......2006-03-20

This CD from Sony combines some of the finest recordings of these pieces I have ever heard. These pieces are all at the top of the repertoire for their respective instruments and played by the world's best performers.

The two Mozart concertos here both receive fine interpretations by the Philadelphia Orchestra with Eugene Ormandy conducting his principal musicians, oboist John deLancie and Bernard Garfield. If the orchestra at times sounds a bit heavy, and the tempi a touch slow--because we are now accustomed to hearing these pieces by chamber orchestras and period instruments ensembles--this will be made up for by the exuberant and precise execution of one of the best orchestra-conductor relationships ever. deLancie, carrying the torch from his predecessor Marcel Tabuteau, proves that he was certainly one of the leaders in a generation of great oboists which include John Mack, Ray Still, Harold Gomberg. deLancie's phrasing is beautiful, his sound warm, and gives an all-around artful performance, especially in the delightful closing rondo movement. Garfield also shines in Mozart, with a beautiful rich bassoon tone that is always singing, both in the low and high registers of his instrument. Garfield and the Philadelphia Orchestra also do a wonderful job with Weber's Hugarian Rondo. Garfiled gives great character to some of the variations, always with great technique. It is hard to say enough praises about these two stellar soloists caught in classic recordings from the early 1960s.

But there is more... The author of the liner notes writes that Strauss' concerto is a "liquid, constantly developing essay into the very nature of the oboe itself, as well as the orchestra which surrounded it... they play 'into' one another, the oboe dovetailing here and there into the orchestral texture, which itself emerges and submerges according to the musical demands of the journey. It is as if throughout all of his previous orchestral writing... Strauss had been preparing to write this work, polishing his knowledge of and challenging each instrument to its maximum capacity." I don't think there is a better description of this piece, and that is exactly the way the performers do it. Neil Black hands over a spectacular version of this devilishly difficult Strauss Oboe Concerto backed by the English Chamber Orchestra and Daniel Barenboim. Black's playing is so smooth and beautiful that you will not notice the taxing long phrasing and awkward breathing patterns required of the oboist. Barenboim is no doubt intimately familiar with Strauss' large orchestra and operatic works from his conducting career, and he leads one of the world's finest chamber orchestras in an intimate and colorful orchestra accompaniment. With Barenboim's genius baton, the orchestra interacts intimately with the soloist the way Strauss intended, and the recording balance is perfect. In my opinion, the over all soloist-orchestral execution in this recording of the Strauss Concerto is only matched by Ray Still's recording, whose recording on Virgin is also available at a great price.

While I know that there are other great recordings of these pieces (I am a double reed player) this album is really a special treat--so much great double reed playing on one CD! With 74 minutes of music at $6.98, this CD is also a tough deal to beat. It should definitely be in your collection.

LEGENDARY PERFORMANCES.......2002-07-09

These recordings are some of the finest examples of double reed performance bar none. You have recordings by some of Americas greatest double reed performers and one of the truest examples of the "Philadelphia" school of wind playing. The significance in this is that the American School of oboe performance comes from the Philadelphia school through Marcel Tabuteau, who was John de Lancie's teacher. When you hear de Lancie's unsurpassed and flawless artistry, you hear Tabuteau. Bernard Garfield is a true living ledgend and in my opinion there is no better recording of the Mozart Concerto or the Hungarian Rondo than his. His sound is pure, sweet, and without equal. His level of music making is such that you begin to forget that it is a bassoon that is singing to you and that it is something else all together transcending that. I would strongly urge all oboists, bassoonists, and lovers of fine music making, to purchase this CD. These recordings stand the test of time.

Decent but disappointing.......2001-08-17

John de Lancie's playing has varied a lot over time, and his sound was constantly evolving over his career. This recording early in his career with the Philadelphia Orchestra of the Mozart Oboe Concerto is fairly poor. His tone is nasal and weak and his performance gives very little life to this sparkling concerto. Phrasing and dynamics are practically nonexistent. His tempos are also too slow in the 1st and 3rd mvmts. I prefer Lothar Koch's version with the Berlin Phil over this one.
Neil Black's recording of the Strauss Concerto is better, but has some obvious problems. His tempo and phrasing seem agitated at times, and he seems unsure in the high range and difficult passages. However, this is probably the most difficult piece in the oboe repetoire, and Black pulls together a decent performance. If you want to hear how this piece was meant to sound, I recommend the Alex Klein recording with CSO. The Bassoon pieces are both well done by Garfield. Overall decent, but disappointing. There are much better recordings out there, especially for the Mozart oboe concerto. Nonetheless, I have yet to find a fully satisfying recording of the Mozart. Two stars for de Lancie's performance and three for the rest.

Music Review:

1. Chopin: Piano Concerto No.1/Mozart: Piano Concerto No.26
2. Classical Delight
3. Delibes: Coppélia; Chopin: Sylphides
4. Die Orgel der Prinzessen Anna Amalia von Preussen
5. Die Silberman-Orgel der Hofkirche zu Dresden
6. Domenico Scarlatti: Stabat Mater; Salve Regina
7. Dvorák: Symphony No.7/Elgar: Enigma Variations
8. English Brass Music of the 17th Century
9. Finzi/Stanford: Clarinet Concertos
10. Franz Joseph Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 71 No. 3 / String Quartet, Op. 74 No. 1 - The Salomon String Quartet

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