Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet Excerpts

On this CD:

1. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 2 for orchestra, Op. 64 ter Op.64b, No.1: the Montagues and the Capulets
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
Conducted by Myung-Whun Chung

2. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 2 for orchestra, Op. 64 ter Op.64b, No.2: Juliet the young girl
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
Conducted by Myung-Whun Chung

3. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 1 for orchestra, Op. 64 bis Op.64a, No.1: Folk dance
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
Conducted by Myung-Whun Chung

4. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 1 for orchestra, Op. 64 bis Op.64a, No.2: Scene
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
Conducted by Myung-Whun Chung

5. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 1 for orchestra, Op. 64 bis Op.64a, No.3: madrigal
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
Conducted by Myung-Whun Chung

6. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 1 for orchestra, Op. 64 bis Op.64a, No.4: Minuet
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
Conducted by Myung-Whun Chung

7. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 1 for orchestra, Op. 64 bis Op.64a, No.5: Masks
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
Conducted by Myung-Whun Chung

8. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 1 for orchestra, Op. 64 bis Op.64a, No.6: Romeo and Juliet
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
Conducted by Myung-Whun Chung

9. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 1 for orchestra, Op. 64 bis Op.64a, No.7: Tybalt's Death
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
Conducted by Myung-Whun Chung

10. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 2 for orchestra, Op. 64 ter Op.64b, No.3: Friar Laurence
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
Conducted by Myung-Whun Chung

11. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 2 for orchestra, Op. 64 ter Op.64b, No.4: Dance
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
Conducted by Myung-Whun Chung

12. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 2 for orchestra, Op. 64 ter Op.64b, No.5: Romeo and Juliet before parting
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
Conducted by Myung-Whun Chung

13. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 2 for orchestra, Op. 64 ter Op.64b, No.6: Dance of the girls from the Antilles
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
Conducted by Myung-Whun Chung

14. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 2 for orchestra, Op. 64 ter Op.64b, No.7: Romeo at Juliet's tomb
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
Conducted by Myung-Whun Chung

15. Romeo and Juliet, Suite No. 3 for orchestra, Op. 101 Op.101, No.6: Death of Juliet
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam
Conducted by Myung-Whun Chung

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Rather than play any single complete suite (of the three) that Prokofiev extracted from the complete ballet, Myung-Whun Chung makes his own selection of numbers, roughly following the plot line and including music representative of all the major characters. Although some other collections offer more music, this hour of Romeo and Juliet makes a satisfying presentation on its own. What makes the performance special is the spectacular playing of the Dutch orchestra. Frankly, it's never been done better. From the whiplash virtuosity of the violins to the bite of the trombones and the firm thud of the bass drum, this is the sound the composer must have dreamed of. --David Hurwitz

Tracks:

Requiem: Dies Irae
Carmina Burana: O Fortuna
The Planets: Mars
The Ride Of The Valkyries
Chorus Of The Hebrew Slaves
Fanfare For The Common Man
Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1
Aida: Grand March
Summer - Four Seasons: Presto
Te Deum: Prelude
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra
Toccata And Fugue In D Minor
Symphony No. 5: First Movement
Spartacus: Adagio
Sabre Dance
Symphony No. 40: First Movement
Zadok The Priest
Turandot: Nessun Dorma

Tracks:

Also Sprach Zarathoustra
Romeo And Juliet: Dance Of The Knights
Requiem: Dies Irae
1812 Overture
Piano Concerto
Spring - Four Seasons: Allegro
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
The Royal Fireworks: La Ruissance From Music
Flight Of The Bumble Bee
Symphonie Fantastique: March To The Scaffold
Carmen: Overture
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Jerusalem
The Planets: Jupiter
Symphony No 9, 'Ode To Joy'
Swan Lake: Scene
Enigma Variations: Nimrod
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini [Variation 18]
Pictures At An Exibitions: Promenade
Symphony For Organ No 3: Finale, Symphony For Organ No 3

Customer Reviews:

perfect selection for commencement/ graduation.......2007-06-11

We were concerned after reading some other reviews that this version of Pomp and Circumstance wouldn't be the correct movement or the full length version. This selection has the song for graduation AND the extended length, so it gives plenty of time for processionals. If this is what you need, this is the CD to get.

Great Starting Point for Classical Music Novices.......2004-08-13

"Simply the Best Classicial Anthems" is exactly what the title indicates. This is a collection of what the CD says are "36 of the most powerful classics on Earth". My review of this CD comes from someone who is a Classical Music Novice. I'm familiar with some of the composers, musical styles, musical periods, and some of the terminology that is key to understanding Classical Music. By no means am I an expert. I have basically popped in this two CD collection into my player and have enjoyed the sounds it produces. If you are in the same category as I am or maybe just wanting to be introduced to Classical Music - this is going to be a very good CD to have in your collection. For the more seasoned Classical Music fan, this could be either enjoyable or overkill.

The CD contains 36 songs composed by the legends of Classical Music Composers from the past. The bulk of the works come from Composers in the the 19th and 20th century, but there are works from the Romantic and Classical eras of the late 18th and early 19th century (such as Beethoven and Mozart). In general you will find most of the major names of Composers you would expect to find - names such as Tchiakovsky, Handel, Verdi, Strauss, Elgar, and Bach are all there. The only major composer who I would have expected to see on this CD that I don't see is Frederic Chopin. The composers of the late 20th century are not included on this collection - so you won't see Leonard Bernstein or John Williams on this set. While these Composers are excellent, I do think style of the tracks on this collection pre-date their style.

The recordings themselves are done by the great Orchestras around the world. For the most part, European Orchestras were used to deliver the tracks. There are a few exceptions: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra delivers "The Ride of the Valkyries"; The Toronto Symphony Orchestra delivers "Dance of the Knights"; and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra delivers Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture". Some of the European Orchestras that are well known include: BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra, Choeur Philhamonique de Strasbourg, and more. Also included are performances by well known names in the Classical space such as Marie-Claire Alain (Bach's "Toccate and Fogue in D Minor" and Saint-Saens' "Symphony for Organ No 3"), Piero Toso (Vivaldi's "Allegro From Spring - Four Seasons"), and Placido Domingo appears on Puccini's "Nessun Dorma".

The 2 Disc collection contains a total of over 2 hours and 6 minutes of music. The selections that are included in the set will sound very familiar to you when you play them. You probably have both heard and seen the names of tracks such as: Oref's "O Fortuna"; Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man"; Beethoven's "First Movement from Symphony Number 5" and "Ode To Joy"; Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance", and Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture". Many of the other tracks will also sound familiar, but maybe not so much by name - such as Wagner's "The Ride of the Valkyries", Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathoustra"; Grieg's "Piano Concerto", and "Dies Irae" (versions included by Mozart and Verdi - you can compare the two and judge for yourself). As for the Discs themselves, I think most of the casual fans will like the selections on Disc Two better, but Disc One is still very good. On a sidebar, the Israel Philharmonic's version of "1812 Overture" is by far the best you will hear - particularly at the end, the booming drums create almost a 3 dimensional vision of fireworks being launched into the air.

There one big negative on this collection is some of the recording quality. The clarity of the recording is there, but some of the recording levels leave a lot to be desired. On some of the softer parts, it is barely audible without significantly turning up your volume. This is very evident on "O Fortuna" where you will hear almost dead silence during from the 30 second to 1:30 mark of the track unless you crank your volume up. Same with the first few seconds of Strauss' "Also Sprach Zarathoustra" and Tchiakovsky's "1812 Overture". When the volume is cranked up you will hear them - but then the other sections will be way too loud. I'm surprised with modern technology that this couldn't be addressed better.

The liner notes are pretty thin. You do get the Composers, Performers/Orchestras, and recording dates. There isn't any more details than that and you won't learn anymore insight on the tracks than this information. Despite some of the shortcomings of the liner notes and recording volume, I still think this is an excellent place to start and do recommend this CD if you are a novice to Classical Music and are looking for a great place to start listening to what the Classics have to offer.

**An Exquisite Album**.......2004-02-21

Simply The Best Classical Anthems

Simply The Best Classical Anthems is a compilation album of `36 of the most powerful Anthems on Earth'. But, it is also said to be something else. It is said to be a gateway. A gateway to another world. A world where our imagination can run free without being shackled down by any borders or boundaries or rules or limits. A world that we have all seen or perhaps more accurately have all heard of but for many of us a world that we have never dared to enter. Never dared to enter because of fear. The fear of being ostracised and shunned by our community.

THE MYTH
`Classical Music!', I can hear some of you cry. `That isn't another world. That's just music for the upperclass, the high-brow, and the pompous.' Surprisingly, I too felt this way for a long time until I accepted the invitation made to me by Simply The Best Classical Anthems. I always felt that Classical Music was nice to listen to as background music for a Levis ad or a Car ad but I would consider people strange if they chose to hear it on its own. However, after having listened to this album I realised how wrong I was in my assumptions.

THE TRUTH
Music as with all forms of amusement helps to take you away from where you are now. It helps to relax you when you are stressed with anger; it helps to give you strength when you are vulnerable; it helps to keep your spirits up when you have faced tragedy or loss. It helps. And, for me the type of music that best conjures up the most passionate emotions (love, hate, courage and anger) at our most testing times is Classical Music.
How? I don't know.
Why? I don't know.
I can only promise you that in my experience it does.

THE CHEST
The album, in visual terms, is very difficult to overlook amongst the plethora of records that may surround it. This is because the album has a very distinct purple sleeve cover. Not any kind of purple mind you but the Cadbury's kind of purple. The kind of purple that carries with it an invitation. An invitation that if accepted promises you a treasure inside.
And since, I have always enjoyed the treasure within the purple Cadbury's Dairy Milk wrapper, I asked myself why would an album carrying the same invitation promise to be anything different? Thus, I parted with my tuppence worth and went back home to open this purple chest of promised treasures.

THE PROMISED TREASURE
As you may have guessed, the contents of the album are somewhat different to the contents of a Cadbury's bar. When I opened the album, I was presented with two compact discs. At first glance, there did not seem to be anything special about them. They were just your average, everyday, run of the mill compact discs. To tell you the truth, I was a bit disappointed because I suppose I had hoped for something more.
However, looks can be deceptive. (Afterall, a Cadbury's Dairy Milk does not seem very appetising until you taste it!) And, also come November each year, I am always bemused and surprised at how the shabby contents of a cardboard box can both light up the sky and light up the faces of the neighbourhood. Thus, I pushed aside my assumptions and I ignited the discs (not literally of course, I just pressed the play button on the CD player). And, I let the fireworks begin.

THE KEY
From the very beginning, you will feel like you have unlocked the doorway to something special. And, after a full two hours of listening to both discs, you will feel like you have been taken out of this world and transported to another. Welcome to the world of Classical Music.

GUIDANCE
In the beginning, continue to listen to both discs in one go (i.e. one after the other). After a while, you will know which tracks you enjoy listening to the most. For those tracks you enjoyed the most make a promise to yourself that you will listen to the whole of the piece from which that track came from.
Good Luck on your quest if you choose to accept it.
Ride amongst the Valkyries, listen to the Flight of the Bumblebees, and use The Planets to keep you on the path.

I am not a good reviewer because as with all of my reviews I refuse to comment too much about what is inside the product but rather more about what effect the product has had on me. (Me, me, me. Vain & Egotistic, I know, so my friends and family keep telling me). But, I just want to cause a raucous about the product, enough not to spoil but enough of a raucous to let you experience it for yourself.

So my final words are:
Simply The Best Classical Anthems is an invitation. An invitation to the world of classical music. A world where you can begin a never-ending quest of curiosity. A curiosity that will always be rewarded with fulfilment.

Do you accept such an invitation?

Hope you found this review helpful.

Samples.......2003-11-23

The samples are too short and the quality leaves a lot to be desired. Having said that the choices are wonderful and the price is great. If you're looking for a overview of the best of classical music then this is for you. However if it's quality you're looking for then spent the extra money and look at other choices.

Great Sampler!.......2002-03-20

This is a good sampler, since it covers what you would want in a classical music CD. Looking at the tracks, it has the classic hits, such as "Ride of the Valkyries," "Toccata and Fugue," "Fanfare for the Common Man," "'Jupiter' from `The Planets,'" "Eine Klein Nachtmusik," and "Hallelujah Chorus."

There are also some new pieces that I have fallen in love with, such as "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra," "'Promenade' from Pictures at an Exhibition." The compilers did an interesting double take by including both Verdi's and Mozart's "Dies Ire." I'm not sure which is better.

This music is good for the brain and good for the soul. There is a power and passion that the blaring and glaring music that makes up most of the FM band. I'm reminded of the religious man who said that there is no music in hell. Probably because they wouldn't appreciate it there.

These CDs has a good transfer from the analogue tapes; there is no hiss or fuzziness. The packaging hearkens back to 2001: A Space Odyssey, with the black monolith. And appropriately, "Also Sprach Zarathustra" is the opening track on Disk 2.

Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet
Average customer rating:

Beautiful playing and a very generous selection

Prokofiev re-written by Tilson Thomas

Amazing vision

A Wonderful Romeo and Juliet

It all starts here with this recording....

Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Prokofiev: Piano Concertos Nos. 1, 3, & 5

Elgar: Pomp and Circumstance Marches Op. 39; Enigma Variations Op. 36

ASIN: B000003FYG
Release Date: 1996-02-27

Tracks:

Romeo And Juliet: Introduction To Act I
Romeo And Juliet: Romeo
Romeo And Juliet: The Street Awakens
Romeo And Juliet: The Quarrel
Romeo And Juliet: The Fight
Romeo And Juliet: The Duke's Command
Romeo And Juliet: Interlude
Romeo And Juliet: Nurse
Romeo And Juliet: Young Juliet
Romeo And Juliet: Arrival Of The Guests
Romeo And Juliet: Dance Of The Knights
Romeo And Juliet: Mercutio
Romeo And Juliet: Madrigol
Romeo And Juliet: Gavotte
Romeo And Juliet: Balcony Scene
Romeo And Juliet: Introduction To Act III
Romeo And Juliet: Folk Dance
Romeo And Juliet: Dance With Mandolins
Romeo And Juliet: Public Merrymaking
Romeo And Juliet: The Meeting Of Tybalt And Mercutio
Romeo And Juliet: The Duel
Romeo And Juliet: Romeo Decides To Avenge Mercutio
Romeo And Juliet: Finale (Death of Tybalt)
Romeo And Juliet
Romeo And Juliet: Romeo And Juliet At Parting
Romeo And Juliet: Interlude
Romeo And Juliet: Juliet Alone
Romeo And Juliet: Juliet's Funeral
Romeo And Juliet: Juliet's Death

Amazon.com essential recording

Michael Tilson Thomas's watershed disc Romeo and Juliet: Scenes from the Ballet illustrates his conductorial strengths: rhythmic drive, dramatic thrust, fairly wide tempo variations, firm control of orchestral balances, and a questing musical vision (he's assembled his own suite rather than use the standard versions). It also confirms his affinity for Russian music--he obviously relishes Prokofiev's folk-inspired tunes. There's a welcome touch of volatility, too; faster sections have a propulsive forward motion, with an explosive quality to scenes like the snappy "Folk Dance" and the fight music. The conception is symphonic--it might be hard for dancers to sustain the slow tempos imposed on some scenes--and the orchestra, aside from a hint of leanness in the strings, plays superbly. Lavishly lush sonics. A feast for the ears. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful playing and a very generous selection.......2006-06-26

At 78 min., this is much more generous than other collections that pair Prokofiev's two Suites from Romeo and Juliet. The angry reviewer below is mistaken to accuse Tilson Thomas of composing any transitions of his own devising--he only placed portions of the ballet in dramatic sequence (Prokofiev's suites are in no particular order). This was MTT's first recording with RCA as music director in San Francisco, and when it was released in 1996, the U.S. reviews were rapturous.

Not so the British. The Gramophone grumbled about 'slick efficiency' and 'stickiness.' I think that's not true. The only problems that keep this recording from the highest rank, as far as my ears tell me, are first, the recorded sound. Though wide-ranging and dynamic, the original release tended to be coarse and thuddy (I don't own the reissue at mid-price, but perhaps something has been done to correct this).

The second and more important reservation isn't MTT's fault. Great conductors have already preceded him. Ancerl, Mravinsky, and Mitropoulos are among the old maestros who made outstanding versions of excerpts from the ballet. Among moderns we have had sonic blockbusters from Salonen and Abbado, both of whom dig into the score as MTT does not, and both of whom benefit from the astounding viruosity of the Berlin Phil. As for the complete ballet, versions by Lorin Maazel with the Cleveland Orch. on Decca and Gergiev with the Kirov Orch. on Philips stand out. MTT has a lighter touch than all of the above, which isn't necessarily a bad thing--his avoidance of shmaltz is admirable to me.

In fact, there are stretches here that sound just as good as the best. I can see why other listeners give this recording five stars; in light of so many great ones, I settled for four.

Prokofiev re-written by Tilson Thomas.......2004-10-26

Don't be fooled when the CD says that these are special Romeo and Juliet excerpts "selected by Tilson Thomas". What is really means is that Tilson Thomas (in all of his ego glory) took the opportunity to newly compose lots of his own transitions, introductions and conclusions to this wonderful music of Prokofiev. Tilson Thomas obviously thinks he can do better than the original and that is a huge mistake. While there is indeed much of the original Prokofiev, it is obvious every time one of Tilson Thomas' sections comes in, as it brings the momentum to a screeching halt. These sections intrude on the enjoyment and ruin the entire experience.
Tilson Thomas should know better, but even if Tilson Thomas is to be allowed to do this, the CD should be honest enough to detail what is really on the CD.

Amazing vision.......2004-04-05

Michael Tilson Thomas is truly one of the great living conductors. The things he has been doing with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra for a decade now have been wonderful. This is one of the conductor's earliest collaborations with RCA Victor in selections from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet. Although other reviews have summed up most of my feelings on this CD, I do just want to emphasize MTT's musical vision in creating his own suite. The performance is incisive, dramatic, forceful, and thoroughly pleasing. As always, the SFSO plays with totally conviction and total faith in their music director. As one of the leading Russian experts of today, MTT has created here a fantastic disc.

A Wonderful Romeo and Juliet.......2003-10-25

There have been many recordings of excerpts from "Romeo and Juliet," usually taken from the orchestral suites that Prokofiev himself prepared for concert performances. The composer even conducted the Moscow Philharmonic in a 1938 recording of the second suite from this ballet. Prokofiev had indeed spent many years on the score and, like other Soviet composers, had to contend with the shifting moods of Josef Stalin and his comrades. Yet Prokofiev produced a masterpiece and, even in small excerpts, it is apparent that he composed some of his loveliest, most sensitive melodies, as well as some very turbulent sections depicting that fighting and feuding between the Montagues and the Capulets. More than any composer he managed to capture the full story of "Romeo and Juliet" in a wordless orchestral work that still amazes us today.

Michael Tilson Thomas, in his debut recording with the San Francisco Symphony for RCA Victor, has taken the "best" of the massive score and managed to give us a better idea of what Prokofiev accomplished, without us having to listen to the full ballet score. This works better perhaps for simply listening, when one can't see the dances and pantomimes of the staged ballet. It is certainly more manageable, too, for listening.

The orchestra plays wonderfully throughout the recording, displaying the greatest maturity ever witnessed in the orchestra's history. Certainly, the San Francisco Symphony has come a long ways since its humble beginnings in 1911 under Henry Hadley in the Cort Theater.

The recording has the advantage of the now excellent acoustics of Louise Davies Symphony Hall, which has been its home since September 1980. There were initially some acoustical problems, which were finally resolved.

San Francisco is now said to have a "love affair" with Thomas, which actually goes back to 1974 when he guest-conducted the orchestra in a powerful performance of Mahler's ninth symphony, which this writer was privileged to see and hear in the War Memorial Opera House (home to the SFSO from 1932 to 1980). Thomas continues to give some great performances in San Francisco, judging from broadcast concerts and numerous recordings, including this one.

It's only unfortunate that RCA Victor has stopped making new classical recordings. The recordings with Thomas and the SFSO which were released show the highest standards in performance and actual recording. This was but the first in that series of memorable recorded performances.

It all starts here with this recording...........2003-01-11

I'll try to be more brief than I was with my last review of Mahler 1, but there are so many things to write about! I'll sum it up: Power, beauty, intense emotion and involvement in the music, and the most tastefully dramatic R+J recording out there. The strings are tight at the prestos, the woodwinds dance right of the CD, the interchanging trumpet and clarinet lines in the Dance of the Madalins are seemless, the horns are impossibly big and bold, bolder than the horns of the old CSO days (which, to me seemed more crass than anything), and the low brass, with the fantastic three and Floydd Cooley play all their lines just right and with some flaming sword of power. MTT's baton stirs the savage beast yet again! This CD is one of my top 10 CDs I own in my Classical collection and I highly recommend it to condutors, performers, and those who are interested in classical music and those who use it as ambiance (though it will be hard not to listen to this work!)!

Orchestral Excerpts for Bass Trombone, Tenore Tuba, Bass Trumpet

Average customer rating:

Good, but not the best methods for bass trombonists
Mulcahy Rocks, Reynolds is Hilarious!
Very Helpful
A perfecrt resource...almost!

Orchestral Excerpts for Bass Trombone, Tenore Tuba, Bass Trumpet

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

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Orchestral Excerpts for Tuba
Orchestral Excerpts for Trombone
Charles Vernon, Bass Trombone
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ASIN: B0000038JV
Release Date: 1995-07-18

Tracks:

Bass Trbn: Sarabande in c - Jeffrey Reynolds/Los Angeles Phil
Bass Trbn: Till Eulenspeigel, Zarathustra, Ein Heldenleben - Jeffrey Reynolds/Los Angeles Phil
Bass Trbn: Miraculous Mandarin/Sym No.9/Vn Con - Jeffrey Reynolds/Los Angeles Phil
Bass Trbn: Hungarian March, Rome And Juliet - Jeffrey Reynolds/Los Angeles Phil
Bass Trbn: Sym No.1 - Jeffrey Reynolds/Los Angeles Phil
Bass Trbn: Sym No.7/Sym in d - Jeffrey Reynolds/Los Angeles Phil
Bass Trbn: The Creation/Hary Janos - Jeffrey Reynolds/Los Angeles Phil
Bass Trbn: Syms No.5, 6, 7, 9 - Jeffrey Reynolds/Los Angeles Phil
Bass Trbn: Pictures/Romeo And Juliet/Pines Of Rome/Gazza Ladra - Jeffrey Reynolds/Los Angeles Phil
Bass Trbn: Sym No.3 - Jeffrey Reynolds/Los Angeles Phil
Bass Trbn: Sym No.5 - Jeffrey Reynolds/Los Angeles Phil
Bass Trbn: Lohengrin, Ride Of Valkyries - Jeffrey Reynolds/Los Angeles Phil
Bass Tpt: Intro - Michael Mulcahy/Chicago Sym
Bass Tpt: Das Rheingold - Michael Mulcahy/Chicago Sym
Bass Tpt: Die Walkure - Michael Mulcahy/Chicago Sym
Bass Tpt: Siegfried - Michael Mulcahy/Chicago Sym
Bass Tpt: Die Gotterdammerung - Michael Mulcahy/Chicago Sym
Tenor Tuba: Bydlo - Michael Mulcahy/Chicago Sym
Tenor Tuba: Sym No.7 - Michael Mulcahy/Chicago Sym
Tenor Tuba: Don Quixote - Michael Mulcahy/Chicago Sym
Tenor Tuba: Ein Heldenleben - Michael Mulcahy/Chicago Sym
Tenor Tuba: The Planets - Michael Mulcahy/Chicago Sym

Customer Reviews:

Good, but not the best methods for bass trombonists.......2007-07-05

After listening to the excerpts, I recognized Jeffrey Reynolds' perspective. He is an experienced player, but some of his advice is not as practical as it seems. For the Franck excerpt, common orchestral practice is to play the f-sharp as written: it is an applicable range study and should be kept intact. The Schumann excerpt is not played as written also, and should be taken literally in the context that it was written. Mr. Reynolds' approach to Wagner is interesting, especially to Die Walkure. It's not for everyone, but it may be beneficial to some. The Kodaly is well presented, as well as the Mahler, Berg, and Strauss excerpts. All things considered, it is a decent aide for study, but should not be seen as a "this is how it must be done" collection of excerpts.

Mulcahy Rocks, Reynolds is Hilarious!.......2006-10-26

Okay, for anyone seriously interested in what NOT to do in an audition, make sure to listen to Reynolds on this disc. There's a reason this CD is infamous, and he's the reason. Even his advice is pretty awful. Take part of the D Major down an octave because the commitee won't notice? Hah! That kills me every time.

Mulcahy rocks on this, though. Just listen to the VAlhalla theme and tell me he's not a monster.

Then, go back and listen to Reynolds play Ein Heldenleben with 'oblique intonation' and 'questionable sound' and roll on the floor for a while.

Very Helpful.......2006-05-27

This CD was very helpful for me, a student bass trombonist. The CD enables you to not only hear the exerpt, but also listen to what the performer says about it and how it should be played. Mr. Reynolds, as well as Mr. Mulcahy played the exerpts beautifully.

A perfecrt resource...almost!.......2000-08-02

The Orchestra Pro series are a very useful tool to student musicians trying to get a grasp on how the major symphonic excerpts should be played. More useful, however is the spoken commentary, which resembles a one on one lesson with the performer. The bass trumpet and tenor tuba excerpts are played beautifully by Mulcahy. The bass trombone playing or Reynolds often leaves the listener wondering if he could not have done a slightly better job on some of the excerpts. All in all this CD is a great resource for those trying to get their foot in the door of the orchestral music scene.

Sauer: Orchestral Excerpts for Trombone Vol. 2

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Sauer: Orchestral Excerpts for Trombone Vol. 2
Ralph Sauer , Hector Berlioz , Cesar Franck , Zoltan Kodaly , Leos Janacek , Giuseppe Verdi , Robert Schumann , Johannes Brahms , Gustav Mahler , Paul Hindemith , Jean Sibelius , Alban Berg , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , and Sergey Prokofiev
Manufacturer: Summit(Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Orchestral Excerpts for Trombone

ASIN: B0000038KW
Release Date: 1997-07-29

Tracks:

Opening Remarks
Roman Carnival Ov
Romeo And Juliet
Sym in d
Hary Janos
Sinf
La Forza Del Destino
Syms No.2 & No.4
Syms No.3 & No.4
Sym No.1
Sym No.2
Sym No.5
Sym No.6
Sym No.7
Syms No.8 & No.9
Concertmusic
Sym No.7
Vn Con
Sym No.4
Sym No.5
Romeo And Juliet

Sergei Prokofiev: Romeo And Juliet Excerpts

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dynamic,powerful

Sergei Prokofiev: Romeo And Juliet Excerpts

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Introduction
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Romeo
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: The street awakens
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Morning dance
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: The quarrel
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: The fight
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: The prince's command
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Juliet the young girl
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Entrance of the guests (Minuet)
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Masks
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Dance of the knights
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Balcony scene
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Folk dance
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Friar Lawrence
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Dance
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Tybalt fights Mercutio
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Mercutio dies
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Romeo resolves to avenge Mercutio's death
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Romeo fights Tybalt
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Introduction to Act III
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: The last farewell
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Dance of the girls with lilies
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Juliet's funeral
Romeo & Juliet, Op.64: Juliet's death

Customer Reviews:

dynamic,powerful.......2005-07-10

2 words two decribe this i sould say another underrated dutiot montreal performence,though i give it 4 stars mostly because of the sound witch is pretty good but nothing like some of there other ones.the performence excels on every level its way better then alot of other versions and better than tilson thomos somewhat overrated version,i wish dutiot played the entire ballet,dont pass this one up espesially if you are a prokoviev fan like me,the final number is beutifully played and famous dance of the knights is awsome and tybalts death too the playing is amazing

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tubadude
Gene Pokorny=Pimp
A must for the serious orchestral tuba player!!!

Orchestral Excerpts for Tuba

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

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Portrait of an Artist: Arnold Jacobs
Bobissimo! The Best of Roger Bobo
Roger Bobo: Tuba Libera
Tuba Tracks
British Tuba Concertos

ASIN: B0000038JE
Release Date: 1996-03-12

Tracks:

Intro
Con for Orch
Hungarian March
Romeo et Juliet
Symphonic Fantastique
Symphony No. 7
An American in Paris
Symphonic Metamorphosis
The Planets
SympNo. 1
Sym No. 5
SymNo. 6
Pictures at an Exhibition
Romeo and Juliet
Sym No. 5
Fountains of Rome
Also Sprach Zarathustra
Ein Heldenleben
Til Eulenspiegel
Petrouchka
Ein Faust Ov
Prelude Act III, Lohengrin
Die Meistersinger
Ride of the Valkyries

Customer Reviews:

tubadude.......2004-12-29

AMAZING
i did not purchase this from amazon, but rather on a recent trip to new york city, to see the new york philharmonic, after which i got
inspired to be better and then saw this cd, and bought it.
Wow, this is worth every cent! hearing how it "should" sound is immensely helpfull, and the advice with each track is outstanding.
A must-have for anyone considering a serious career in tuba!

Gene Pokorny=Pimp.......2000-03-31

This man is an awesome musician. The spoken commentary is a bit bland, but still informative. Plus he totally tears these excerpts apart and it is fun to try to play along.

A must for the serious orchestral tuba player!!!.......1999-01-10

Mr. Pokorny has created a superior CD of orchestral tuba parts. His spoken comments are insightful and his playing is top notch. As a prospective orchestral tuba player, I have found this CD extremely helpful in my preparation for orchestral auditions. This is a must for the serious tuba player!!!

Tracks:

Romeo And Juliet: The Montagues And The Capulets (Op. 64b-1)
Romeo And Juliet: Romeo At The Fountain (Op.101-1, Fig. 2)
Romeo And Juliet: The Street Awakens (Op. 64-3)
Romeo And Juliet: Morning Dance (Op. 101-2)
Romeo And Juliet: The Quarrel (Op. 64-5)
Romeo And Juliet: The Fight (Op. 64-6)
Romeo And Juliet: Dance With Mandolins (Op. 64-25)
Romeo And Juliet: The Nurse (Op. 64-26)
Romeo And Juliet: Juliet The Young Girl (Op. 64b-2)
Romeo And Juliet: Dance Of The Five Couples (Op. 64-24)
Romeo And Juliet: Interlude (Op. 64-8)
Romeo And Juliet: Masks (Op. 64-12)
Romeo And Juliet: Romeo And Juliet (Op. 64a-6)
Romeo And Juliet: Tybalt's Death (Op. 64a-7)
Romeo And Juliet: Romeo And Juliet Before Parting (Op. 64b-5)
Romeo And Juliet: Morning Serenade (Op. 64-48)
Romeo And Juliet: Dance Of The Young Girls With Lilies (Op. 64-49)
Romeo And Juliet: At Juliet's Bedside (Op. 64-50, Fig. 345)
Romeo And Juliet: Juliet's Funeral (Op. 64-51)
Romeo And Juliet: Death Of Juliet (Op. 64-52)

Customer Reviews:

Abbado's best Prokofiev in great sound.......2005-09-24

I am usually not a particular fan of Abbado in Prokofiev, finding him unsympathetic in the piano concertos with Kissin and a bit tame in Alexander Nevsky. But this relatively generous (68 min.) collection of the best excerpts from Romeo and Juliet is stunning. The viruosity of the Berlin Phil. is astonishing, even for them, and the sound is detailed and altogehter spectcular in its impact. This CD goes right to the head of the list, along with Salonen (also recorded with the Berliners), Gergiev, and Dorati.

I agree 100 %.......2000-08-07

Abbado is a fine conductor, and he excels with Prokofiev's music. I've heard a few others, but this is easily the best.

The best version available.......1999-10-15

Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic's version of Prokofiev's great work outshines any other available version. The sound is clear and the musicality brilliant. The demonstrate that overplayed hits like the Montagues and the Capulets march can be played beautifully, as if one hears it for the first time.

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The Essential Classics Collection

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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One World: Music From Around The World (Rounder)
The Best of Ken Burns Jazz

ASIN: B0000029UK
Release Date: 1997-03-04

Tracks:

Symphony No.5: 1st Movement
Symphony No.9 'New World': 2nd Movement
Symphony No.3: 3rd Movement
Symphonie Fantastique (The March to the Scaffold)
Symphony No.9 'The Great': 3rd Movement
The Sorcerrer's Appprentice
Sheherazade: 4th Movement: Festival at Baghdad, The Sea, The Shipwreck
Slavonic Dances Op.46 No.1
Pictures At An Exhibition: A) The Hut On Fowls' Legs B) The Great Gate Of Kiev

Tracks:

Violin Concerto (3rd Movement) - Brahms
Piano Concerto No. 5 'Emperor' (3rd Movement) - Beethoven
Flute Concerto K. 313 (1st Movement) - Mozart
Piano Concerto No. 2 (3rd Movement) - Rachmaninov
Piano Concerto, No. 21 (2nd Movement) - Mozart
Members Of The Philadelphia Orchestra: Concierto d'Aranjuez (2nd Movement) - Rodrigo
The Beautiful Blue Danube - J. Strauss II
Romeo & Juliet (The Montagues And Capulets) - Prokofiev
Swan Lake (Act II Scene One) - Tchaikovsky

Tracks:

String Quartet 'Death And The Maiden' (1st Movement)
Violin Sonata 'Spring' (1st Movement)
Gymnopedie No 1.
Piano Sonata No 14. 'Moonlight' (1st Movement)
Claire du Lune
Gregorian Chant Vol. I: Introitus: 'Rorate' - Offertorium: 'Ave Maria' - Communio: 'Ecce Virgo'
Gloria: RV 589 (1st Movement: Gloria)
Messiah ('Hallelujah' Chorus)
Requiem K. 626 (Confutatis)
Mesa da Requiem (Dies Irae)
Carmina Burana: Blanziflor et Helena: 'Ave Formosissima' - Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi: 'O Fortuna'
Symphony No. 9 'Choral' (Last Movement: 'Ode to Joy')

Average customer rating:

Chung's view is sharp and modernist
A stunning performance
Good but too short

Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet Excerpts

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks:

The Montagues & the Capulets (op.64 b:1): Andante-Allegro pesante-Moderato tranquillo-Allegro...
Juliet the young girl (op.64b:2): Vivace
Folk dance (op.64a:1): Allegro giocoso
Scene (op.64a:2): Allegretto
Madrigal (op.64a:3): Andante tenero
Minuet (op.64a:4): Assai moderato
Masks (op.64a:5): Andante marciale
Romeo & Juliet (op.64a:6): Larghetto
Tybalt's death (op.64a:7): Precipitato-Presto-Adagio drammatico
Friar Laurence (op.64b:3): Andante espressivo
Dance (op.64b:4): Vivo
Romeo & Juliet before parting (op.64b:5): Lento-Andante-Adagio
Dance of the girls from the Antilles [the girls w. lilies] (op.64b:6): Andante con eleganza
Romeo at Juliet's tomb (op.64b:7): Adagio funebre
Death of Juliet (op.101:6): Larghetto

Amazon.com

Rather than play any single complete suite (of the three) that Prokofiev extracted from the complete ballet, Myung-Whun Chung makes his own selection of numbers, roughly following the plot line and including music representative of all the major characters. Although some other collections offer more music, this hour of Romeo and Juliet makes a satisfying presentation on its own. What makes the performance special is the spectacular playing of the Dutch orchestra. Frankly, it's never been done better. From the whiplash virtuosity of the violins to the bite of the trombones and the firm thud of the bass drum, this is the sound the composer must have dreamed of. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Chung's view is sharp and modernist.......2006-06-28

Since he is such a good Shostakovich conductor, it's easy to anticipate that Myung-Whun Chung would take a bleaker, more angular view of Romeo and Juliet than most. His style in Prokofiev is ultra-clean, with sharp, staccato attacks in the winds, but slowing down quite a lot for the tender romantic sections devoted to Romeo and Juliet together.

The result is different and for me a bit too mannered. Chung's slow pace doesn't seem danceable, for one thing, and the sharp attacks feel overly aggressive. Others disagreed when this album was released, and despite its short runnning time of aobut an hour (compared to 78 min. from Michael Tilson Thomas), one Gramophone reviewer put this CD at the top of his list. I grant that it's certainly very good, and the Concertgebouw is all that one could hope for.

A stunning performance.......2004-10-02

This is one of my favourite recordings of these pieces. Chung and the Concertgebouw go beyond the ordinary and give a truly extraordinary account. The sound quality is gloriously captured by DG - one of the best sounding standard CDs you are likely to encounter (using a Pro Logic II matrix on your high end home theatre setup produces some interesting results too!).
All the harshness of Prokofiev's primitivist vein is presented with a vengeance, and also his lush tragic romanticism. This is orchestral playing of a higher order.
A very satisfying disc.

Good but too short.......1999-11-07

This CD has some very good points but it also has a few drawbacks. Beginning with drawbacks, the one that immediately presents itself is that the number of selections is too small. For example, I thought that it was a huge oversight to omit the introduction and first scene of the ballet. The music in the first scene is in my opinion some of the best in the ballet. Second, at times the sound is a little diffuse. The french horn line did not come out as much as I would have liked it to.

Fortunately, the good parts of this disc far outweigh the bad parts. Most notably, the string tone, technique, and inflection is unbelievable. The violin enterance one miniute into "Romeo and Juliet's Tomb" is just wonderful. The playing of the other istruments is also wonderful and full of character. I particularly like the woodwinds in "Masks." Myung-Whun Chungs interpretation is excelent, although I like the end of "Tybalt's death" a little slower.

Tracks:

Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 7. The Prince's Decree
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 8. Interlude
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 9. Preparations for the Ball
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 10. Juliet, the Young Girl
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 11. Arrival of the Guests
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 12. Masks
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 13. Dance of the Knights
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 19. The Balcony Scene
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 20. Romeo's Variation
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 21. Love Dance
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 22. Folk Dance
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 25. Dance with Mandolins
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 33. Tybalt Fights Mercurio
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 35. Romeo Resolves to Avenge the Death of Mercutio
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 36. Finale of Act II
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 39. Farewell before the Parting
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 48. Morning Serenade
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 51. Juliet's Funeral
Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64: 52. Death of Juliet

Customer Reviews:

Magnificent.......2002-10-17

In my review of Loren Maazel's recording of the complete Romeo and Juliet ballet score for Decca, I said that it was hard for me to imagine how the playing and conducting could be bettered. I wish I had heard this recording before making that statement because Esa-Pekka Salonen's set of excerpts runs rings around Maazel in terms of liveliness and sheer balletic dance-ability. Maazel sounds almost plodding and dull by comparison. This is playing and conducting of tremendous polish and commitment. This CD has an advantage over Maazel's recording in that it was recorded in digital sound. The recording balance and definition are most realistic.

: Esa-Pekka Salonen.......1999-03-25

: Esa-Pekka esa pekka huh huh hu

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