Canadian Brass

On this CD:

1. Toccata and Fugue for organ in D minor, BWV 565
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Canadian Brass, Charles Daellenbach, Frederic Mills, Graeme Page, Ronald Romm, Eugene Watts

2. Songs of Newfoundland for band
Composed by Howard Cable
Performed by Canadian Brass, Charles Daellenbach, Frederic Mills, Graeme Page, Ronald Romm, Eugene Watts

3. Just A Closer Walk With Thee for voice & ensemble
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Canadian Brass, Charles Daellenbach, Frederic Mills, Graeme Page, Ronald Romm, Eugene Watts

4. Fugue for organ in G minor ("Little"), BWV 578
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Canadian Brass, Charles Daellenbach, Frederic Mills, Graeme Page, Ronald Romm, Eugene Watts

5. A Diversion for band
Composed by Norman Symonds
Performed by Canadian Brass, Charles Daellenbach, Frederic Mills, Graeme Page, Ronald Romm, Eugene Watts

6. Grandpa's Spells
Composed by Ferdinand Jelly Roll Morton
Performed by Canadian Brass, Charles Daellenbach, Frederic Mills, Graeme Page, Ronald Romm, Eugene Watts

Tracks:

Canon in D - Rudolf Baumgartner
The Pachelbel Canon - Glenn Spreen
The Pachelbel Canon - The Canadian Brass
Quartet No. 6: Rochburg: Variations (On The Pachelbel Canon In D) - Concord String Quartet
How, Where, When? (Canon in D) - John Dankworth
Earth Angel - The Hampton String Quartet
Canon of the Three Stars (The Pachelbel Canon) - Plasma Symphony Orchestra
Canon in D - Ettore Stratta

Customer Reviews:

Theme to movie "Ordinary People".......2007-07-07

I have beeen searching for this music and this CD comes closest to my memories of the haunting theme to that movie

great melody.......2007-07-05

I thought that I would get tired of hearing the same song over and over but this cd keeps me listrning it over and over.

Canon in D is Great! .......2007-05-26

We have truely enjoyed Pachelbel's Greatest Hit. Although often associated with weddings this is wonderful to hear anytime. I would highly recommend this CD.

Good thing x 8.......2006-10-28

If you'd told me that I could listen to eight consecutive versions of the same music, I would have been maybe just a tad skeptical. Yet, I just did exactly that and I am now a believer. I gave it four stars because although I do like Cleo Laine, I feel that her vocal version here is sort of like, "which one doesn't belong?" from this set, Galway's excellent flute accompaniment notwithstanding. If you find the Canon in D compelling, then by all means consider this CD.

My very favorite music CD ever.......2006-05-02

My husband and I used to listen to this every night before sleep. After he passed away, it was years before I could listen to it without crying my eyes out. I know that the original has no lyrics, as one poster mentioned, but I absolutely love that one. "When will we ever touch again"... speaks to my very soul. I am here buying it again because I wore out the first copy. You can't go wrong with this CD...

Average customer rating:

Our favorite CD for all occasions
Bach and Roll!
My daughter loves this CD
Soothing
Classical, Jazz and Opera Bach all in one

Bach for Babies

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Improvisation | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Te Kanawa, Kiri | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Beethoven for Babies
Mozart for Mothers-To-Be: Tender Lullabies for Mother and Child
The Mozart Effect - Music for Babies - Playtime to Sleepytime
The Mozart Effect: Music For Babies: Nighty Night
Build Your Baby's Brain

ASIN: B00000IIYV
Release Date: 1999-04-13

Tracks:

Partita No. 1 in B-Flat: Praeludium
Partita No. 1 in B-Flat: Menuets I & II
English Suite No. 3 In G Minor: Gavotte I - Gavotte II Ou La Musette
French Suite No. 6 In E: Allemande
Suite No. 3 In D For Cello: Bourree I & II
Suite No. 6 For Cello: Gavottes I-II
Prelude In D Minor
Orchestral Suite No. 2 In B Minor For Flutes And Strings: Badinerie
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 In D: Allegro
Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I: Prelude No. 3
Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I: Fugue No. 3
(Prelude No. 2 from Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I): Be-Bop Bach
(Fugue No. 2 From Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I): Dixie Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 In G: Allegro
Suite No. 4 For Cello: Bourree
Partita No. 1 in B-Flat: Giga
'Little' Fugue In G Minor
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 In G: Presto
Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude No. 1 In C
Concerto In D Minor For Oboe And Strings: Sicliano
Suite In E-Flat For Flute And Harp: Gavotte en rondeau
Sonata In E-Flat For Flute And Harp: Sicliano
Minuet In D Minor
Bist Du Bei Mir (When Thou Art Near)

Amazon.com

Programmed similarly to the Beethoven for Babies collection, this set of Bach compositions runs the emotional gamut, from the gently eye opening to the jumpy arm raising, collecting each set of pieces under a thematic header. The first several selections ("Waking Up") feature solo piano works that come directly from Bach's more pedagogic works, compositions intended for students to use as exercises to loosen their touch. Played superbly by pianist Sviatoslav Richter, as well as the Romero brothers (Pepe and Celedonio) on warm guitar, these compositions urge the ear to open. And then you come the pieces gathered under the "Playtime" heading: jazz pianist John Lewis picks up a couple pieces, as do the folks in Canadian Brass. Then the mood shift heads back to the sleepyhead state with "Winding Down" and "And So to Bed," each of which slows the tempo and quiets the passion to a doze. This is a fine set of Bach works. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

Our favorite CD for all occasions.......2005-05-15

This is absolutely my favorite CD that we bought for our baby! We've bought quite a few classical-music-for-baby compilations, and this is far and away the best. The music is fun, flirty, stimulating, sweet, and beautifully performed. It's not syrupy, dumbed-down, or played on electronic instruments like some of those other compilations. We listen to it all the time. I now buy this as a baby shower gift for everyone I know!

Bach and Roll!.......2004-04-26

You can't beat Bach. If classical music is the thing you want for your baby, get this CD. If you are single and have no kids, but classical music is your thing, get this CD. This is fantastic reading music, study music (regardless of what you're studying), and just plain relaxing music. I also highly recommend the CD, BUILD YOUR BABY'S BRAIN 1.

My daughter loves this CD.......2003-02-24

She's one-year-old now, and she's been listening to this CD since she was 1 month old. Recommend it for those new parents that can't come up with any other way to lay their little ones to sleep.

Soothing.......2002-07-29

Very soothing. Calms my baby everytime I play it! And yes, they actually do listen to music and enjoy it! I recommend this as an essential item for any new baby!

Classical, Jazz and Opera Bach all in one.......2001-05-30

This is a versatile collection in terms of composition, performance and layout. Comparing to most of CD with classical selections for baby, this edition is more nutritious and rich on musical experience. Genre wise, the piano solo, concerti, chamber and opera are all included. Performance wise, it is absolute a feast -- Sir Neville Marrier conducting Academy of St. Martin-in-the fields, Jazz Pianist John Lewis delivering the charming and uplifting variation, and Kiri Te Kanawa's heavenly creamy voice. The combination of these musicians and recordings is a decision with great artistic sensibility. The layout is perfectly arranged -- from the waking up, playtime and to the bed. This is not just another CD juggles some pieces together from a brandy composer. For a more serious editing of baby music, this shall be something as a guideline.

Average customer rating:

English Renaissance music done beautifully.
They don't come much better.
The finest brass ensembles all on 1 album
An interesting spin on English Renaissance Music
Great sound. Definitely a must for your collection.

English Renaissance Music

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Sinners & Saints: The Ultimate Medieval and Renaissance Music Collection
Music for a Medieval Banquet
Panorama: Dances of the Renaissance
Medieval Dance Music
Medieval & Renaissance Minstrels, Songs & Dances

ASIN: B0000026ZD
Release Date: 1990-03-12

Tracks:

Galliard
Alman: The Honeysuckle
The Silver Swan
Coranto: Heigh Ho Holiday
Oft Have I Vowed
My Bonny Lass
Coranto: Alarm
Fortune
Doe You Not Know
Pavan
Rowland (Lord Willoughby's March)
Thus Bonny-Boots
Jig
The Lady Oriana
The Satyr's Dance
Pavan Of Five Parts
Callino Casturame
O Care, Thou Wilt Despatch Me
Lullaby
The Fitzwilliam Suite: The Woods So Wilde
The Fitzwilliam Suite: Alman
The Fitzwilliam Suite: Pavana
The Fitzwilliam Suite: Galiarda
The Fitzwilliam Suite: La Volta
The Fitzwilliam Suite: The Earle Of Oxford's Marche
The Bells

Customer Reviews:

English Renaissance music done beautifully........2007-05-13

I bought this CD to have some authentic English Renaissance music in my collection,
and fell in love with it. The Earl of Oxford March is particularly appealing.

They don't come much better........2005-08-23

The incomparable Canadian Brass make this album a rare treat. From the first notes of Holborne's "Galliard" to the magnificent complexity of Byrd's "Fitzwilliam Suite", their renditions are sheer delight. The music is both relaxing and enjoyably stimulating. Repeated hearings allow the listener to discover some hidden turn or embellishment that was not noticed before, or to appreciate again the antiphonal and complementary interplay of the instruments in the antique harmonies they create. A most enjoyable recording.

The finest brass ensembles all on 1 album.......2002-01-31

I got this CD quite a while ago, and I still listen to it almost daily. Best at night in a candlelit room while it's raining sipping fine wine and reminising of the Renaissance festival! (wierd, I know. But that's just me) If you have an interest in this time period, you won't regret buying this CD.

An interesting spin on English Renaissance Music.......2000-08-09

The composers of 16th century England were able to take the music of other countries and produce something uniquely their own. So, too, has Canadian Brass taken English Renaissance music and made it into something wonderfully different. Immediately accessible (and acceptable) to modern ears, these tunes are a splendid treat. Almans and Galliards take on a whole new flavor when done entirely by brass instruments.

Great sound. Definitely a must for your collection........1999-11-05

I listen to this CD about once a week while riding to work so that I can keep my sanity. It was a gift from my daughters that keeps on giving.

Barber's Adagio / Munch, Galway, Boston SO Strings

Average customer rating:

Familiarity Breeding Contentment
An American Icon of Classical Music
I'll have a number 4 when you bury me, please!
The BEST
Inspiring

Barber's Adagio / Munch, Galway, Boston SO Strings

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Agnus Dei: Music of Inner Harmony
Barber's Adagio
Barber: Adagio for Strings, Op. 11/Orchestral Music; Leonard Slatkin
Samuel Barber / Thomas Schippers
Movie Adagios

ASIN: B000003G8N
Release Date: 1997-05-20

Tracks:

Adagio For Strings, Op. 11 - Strings Of The Boston Symphony Orchestra
Adagio For Strings, Op. 11 - James Galway
Adagio For Strings, Op. 11 - The Canadian Brass
Adagio For Strings, Op. 11: Angus Dei - The Choir Of Trinity College, Cambridge
Adagio For Strings, Op. 11 - Richard Stoltzman
Adagio For Strings, Op. 11 - Tokyo String Quartet
Adagio For Strings, Op. 11 - David Pizarro
Adagio For Strings, Op. 11 - Smithsonian Chamber Players

Amazon.com

Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings is a powerful piece, packed with emotional intensity yet also extraordinarily listenable--and popular. Here, Barber's short masterwork of simplicity and resonance gets eight treatments, from those he approved of (Charles Munch and the strings of the Boston Symphony; the Tokyo String Quartet; organist David Pizarro; and the Smithsonian Chamber Players) to new interpretations that don't quite match with the older renditions.

James Galway's new flute-and-synthesizer reading is a bit anemic, though thankfully not showy, and the Canadian Brass's arrangement is likewise tempered and calm, even if not very close to having significant bite. Richard Stoltzman and the Kalman Clarinet Choir probably do the best job of taking Barber to new places; the woody tones mesh almost polyphonically. Also included is the Choir of Trinity College's reading of Agnus Dei, Barber's choral setting of the Adagio, a distillation that might well be the high point of the CD. For the most stunning rendition of the Adagio, however, listeners should really hear the Thomas Schippers version. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

Familiarity Breeding Contentment.......2007-04-16

If there is a single composition by which American composer Samuel Barber (1910 - 1981) is universally known, it is the Adagio for Strings, arranged, at Toscanini's request, in 1938, two years after it was originally written as the slow movement of Barber's only String Quartet Op. 11. Here are no less than five "authorized" versions by Barber himself -- the original, for Quartet; the Adagio, for String Orchestra; the version for Organ; the version for Chamber Orchestra; and Agnus Dei, a 1967 setting of the last part of the Latin Mass for a cappella choir to the music of the Adagio -- as well as three other arrangements, for Clarinet choir, for Brass choir and for Flute and Synthesizer. Eminently satisfying and one only wishes there were notes to explain which version (aside from the Quartet movment, 1936; the Adagio, 1938; and the Agnus Dei, 1967) came just when. Charles Munch and the Strings of the Boston Symphony Orchestra give a classic performance of the Adagio in its most familiar form while the Tokyo String Quartet unveils the seldom-heard original version that was responsible for all the rest.

In a little under three years' time (March 9, 2010) we will be celebrating the centennial of Barber's birth and, since March 1999, Naxos has been recording the music of this pre-eminent American composer. So far, all the orchestral works (including works for soloist and orchestra, works orchestrated from another medium, Knoxville: Summer of 1915 and the chamber opera A Hand of Bridge), the published works for piano, choral works, and the opera Vanessa have been committed to disc. Chamber works, songs, works for band, other keyboard works etc. are hopefully soon to follow. Although this disc, featuring the Adagio in its varied forms, is not part of this collection, hopefully hearing it will encourage those unfamiliar with Barber to explore more of his music.

An American Icon of Classical Music.......2006-10-10

If you only listen to one classical song in your life hark Adagio for Strings.

I'll have a number 4 when you bury me, please!.......2006-04-08

LOVE this music. It moves me. Plucks strings I did not know ran through my soul. Makes me feel the sadness of loss but keeps alive the hope of new doors to be opened, more life to experience.
We buried my Uncle, a fine kind-hearted man this Wednesday, they played the ubitquitous "Amazing Grace" when had they asked me, I would have had them hear this and pull them from the path they know so well. Open their eyes and spirit. Feel all the emotions of that day. Buy this for the quiet time when you need to think not what to do, but who you are and whence come.

The BEST.......2005-09-07

This is the very same "song" done about ten diffent ways, and every one of them is fantastic. If you like ANYTHING about classical music, you should buy this CD.

Inspiring.......2005-05-10

How beautiful this is! I recently purchased this item, and how PLEASED I am with it! The Boston Symphony Orchestra's version is truly inspiring and so utterly well-done! The flute and synthetzer (oh rats how DO you spell that?) is wonderful! So original. I am very, very pleased. If you love Samuel Barber's adagio for strings, you have to own this CD.

Average customer rating:

A Must!
great music
The one you need

Best of the Canadian Brass

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Improvisation | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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Similar Items:

The Essential Canadian Brass
Go For Baroque! - The Canadian Brass
The Christmas Album
Super Hits: Canadian Brass
The Canadian Brass: Greatest Hits

ASIN: B0000026Z3
Release Date: 1989-11-20

Tracks:

Vespers Of The Blessed Virgin: Deus in adjutorium - Monteverdi
Canzon V - Canadian Brass
Canon In D - Pachelbel
Le Nozze Di Figaro, K. 492: Overture - Mozart
Le Nozze Di Figaro, K. 492: Non Piu Andrai - Mozart
Ave Verum Corpus - Mozart
Die Zauberflote: Der Holle Rache - Mozart
Exultate Jubilate: Alleluia - Mozart
Piano sonata in A major: Rondo Alla Turca - Mozart
The Four Seasons: I - Allegro (Spring) - Canadian Brass
The Four Seasons: II - Largo (Winter) - Canadian Brass
The Four Seasons: III - Presto (Summer) - Canadian Brass
The Four Seasons: IV - Allegro (Autumn) - Canadian Brass
Contrapunctus I (Andante Sostenuto) - Bach
Contrapunctus XIII (Rectus, Allegro Spiritoso) - Bach
Basin Street Blues - Canadian Brass
Chinatown, My Chinatown - Canadian Brass
Just A Closer Walk With Thee - Traditional
The Saints' Halleluja - Canadian Brass

Customer Reviews:

A Must!.......2004-12-28

This is a must have for any fan of brass instrumentals. (Especially if you are a fan of the Canadian Brass.)

great music.......2000-12-18

I just bought this cd yesterday and i love it already. as a trumpeter, i can really enjoy and appreciate the music they perform. i was quite intrigued hearing canon in D (currently playing right now on my stereo), et al.

The one you need.......2000-06-26

If you are to buy only 1 CD for Brass Enemble, Get this! It captured the BEST of the Candian Brass (one of the top brass enemble in the world). It has all the nice tunes, e.g. Four Seasons, Cannon in D, etc. Strongly recommended.

The Bells of St. Genevieve and Other Baroque Delights

Average customer rating:

One of my all-time classical favorites
The Bells! The Bells!
GREAT WORK MUSIC
Quite a nice little compilation.
Rock fan falls in love with Baroque's "greatest hits" album!

The Bells of St. Genevieve and Other Baroque Delights

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Marin Marais · Sainte-Colombe ~ The Greatest Masterworks / Spectre de la Rose
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Tous Les Matins du Monde/Dix Ans Apres
Marais: Viol Music for the Sun King
Baroque at Bathtime: A Relaxing Serenade to Wash Your Cares Away

ASIN: B000003F8U
Release Date: 1992-01-28

Tracks:

The Bells Of St. Genevieve
Concerto For Violin, BMV 1042: Allegro
Concerto For Flute No. 3, Op. 10: Allegro
'The Four Seasons': Summer: Presto
The Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba
Canon
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, BWV 1047: Allegro Assai
Orchestral Suite No. 3, BWV 1068: Air On The G String
Concerto For Violin (Transcribed From BWV 1056): Largo
Guitar Concerto, R. 93: Adagio
Orchestral Suite No. 2 BWV 1067: Minuet & Badinerie
Concerto For Violin, BWV 1042: Allegro assai
Trumpet Voluntary
Messiah: Overture
Brandeburg Concerto No. 3, BWV 1048: Allegro
Rondeau

Customer Reviews:

One of my all-time classical favorites.......2005-12-12

I reach for this CD time and again. It is both relaxing and upbeat. I like every recording on this CD...even if they are selections and not the complete works. You cannot go wrong this this purchase!!

The Bells! The Bells!.......2005-10-12

I give this album an average rating as it does what it sets out to do which is give the average listener of classical music various average samples of average performances of great classical compositions. Albums such as these are always a great way to explore various or specific classical music styles with pieces that are usually not too intrusive to the common ear. The only downside of these albums is that they unfortunately, more often than not, introduce a new listner to only the most elementary of performances and leave them believing that all others sound as the ones they just heard when such differences in most cases are huge ones. I chose to review this particular album after hearing the Sonnerie "Bells" de Ste Genevieve on this album (originally composed by the unfortunately obscure Marin Marais) as it is a perfect example of what I am trying to convey.

Although some but few classical chamber pieces can be played well by pretty much any average group, some pieces such as "The Bells" require a certain expertise in instrument and style that very few musicians can properly apply to bring out all of the desired qualities of the piece. The interpretation on this album is a perfect example. Marin Marais was a French Baroque composer who was one of several royal court composers for King Louis XIV in the 17th-18th centuries. He was a soloist prodigy in the viola da gamba which actually sound as if they're being played by cellos here instead. Aside from any change in instruments, they are played with such deficiency in terms of quality, interpretation, and execution,here that it is rather sad that this would be included in an album such as this one. The viola is an instrument with a lot of range as it has more strings and is larger than the cello and the notation is made for the range of such instruments. In particular, there are literally less than five musicians today who are anywhere near proficient with this type of music and those playing here aren't anywhere near the top contenders. All of these things take out an enormous aspect of the full potential of this piece in terms of how it is supposed to sound and performances such as the one here are literally mutilations instead of transcriptions or interpretations. Such performances in many ways cheat the curious listener who is exploring this music as to the music's real potential as intended by its genius source. I recommend to those who may have heard a sample of the 'Bells' here and liked it to then compare it to the performance of this piece by Jordi Savall and Le Concert Des Nations in the soundtrack for 'All The Mornings of the World" available on Amazon. You will hear what I mean and understand how there's simply no comparison. Jordi Savall is the undisputed master in performing on authentic violas that have completely different acoustics than their modern counterparts. Savall is also an established conductor of French Baroque music unlike those here who completely misinterpret the piece as a result. Buying classical music is not as simple as just buying a certain piece by any performer thinking it's great. Unless you really don't care too much and just want to use it as background muscac in your life, classical music requires fine tuning just like playing the instruments themselves as the musicians are in a sense the instruments of the composer and the conductor's interpretatation. Don't settle for second best because the catastrophic results such a choice entails is similar to the range on the Richter scale: the difference between a No. 1 and a No. 4 best performance is exponential as the difference with the 'Bells' version I have mentioned perfectly illustrates. There are differences between symphonic and chamber groups, conductors, soloists, instruments, specialities of technique, production, etc. All of these things fine tune the performance and make the difference between epic and atrocious.

In sum then, although this album is a great source of introductory material as to the range of classical styles and in some cases has reputed perfomers, it is certainly not a sample of the best performances around. These types of albums always require a closer look because you never know what you're gonna get anyway unless you know what you're looking for. Trusting record labels to find stuff for you is not always a good idea. More often than not, this is the place where mediocre professionals can make some form of living without having to wait for a major deal that's never gonna come. If you feel you like the style of music here once you've heard it, expand your horizons in terms of performances as many on this album and similar ones are often simply mediocre in one form or another and there's stuff that's so much better out there for your listening enjoyment of a particular composition and/or style. Hope this helps! Good luck!

GREAT WORK MUSIC.......2004-09-17

Great work music, great travel music. Wonderful upbeat and get-you-going music for all things you do. Even NAXOS brand CDs don't come close to matching the preformances on this disc. Like the Masterpeice Theater theme song? Brandenburg Concerto by Bach is done PEFECTLY on this album. All songs are absolutely brilliant and masterfully done. This is a MUST HAVE CD no matter what kind of music you enjoy. Surely to inspire YOU!

Quite a nice little compilation........2002-03-21

"The Bells of St. Genevieve" is a compilation of Baroque pieces that would serve as an excellent introduction for someone who would like to hear more of the Baroque style beyond "Spring" from "The Four Seasons" or "Canon" by Pachelbel. Granted, this cd does contain "Canon" (what Baroque compilation could resist including it), but it doesn't stop there.

I'm not an expert when it comes to Baroque music, but I am something beyond a beginner; I guess I'd consider myself a moderately knowledgable amateur. However, before purchasing this album, I had never heard the title piece, "The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba," or track # 10 "Guitar Concerto" by Vivaldi. Some of the other tracks were familiar but not well-known to me. I was also pleased to see the inclusion of the turbulent Presto from "Summer" instead of the ubiquitous "Spring."

Compilations are often quite useful in helping neophytes get a better understanding and appreciation for classical music (I know they've helped me over the years). Not all compilations are a good mix or contain decent recordings; many seem like carbon copies of each other. This one, however, has good sound quality and great recordings from the likes of James Galway, Pinchas Zukerman, Canadian Brass, and James Levine.

I recommend this album to anyone wishing to branch out a bit in Baroque music but who is not sure where to start. I've discovered new favorites from listening to this album.

Rock fan falls in love with Baroque's "greatest hits" album!.......2002-03-16

"Bells of St. Genevieve" (BSG) is the cd that got me, a rock fan, into classical music (technically Baroque and Classical are 2 different periods/styles, but we rock fans call it all "classical":-). This is a "best of" album of some of the greatest, and most famous Baroque music. BSG focuses on the last 50 years of Baroque period, which lasted roughly from 1600 to 1750. Most of the pieces come from the "big 3" of the late Baroque period: Vivaldi (3 of the 16 cuts), Bach (7), Handel (2). The tempo is mostly "allegro" (fast and cheerful), although Bach's Concerto for Violin is "largo" or very slow (the only slow piece on the cd). Still, this album has a very uplifting, energetic feel to it. I doubt it will put anyone to sleep, even if they grew up listening to Zeppelin & the Stones! Even the most classical-clueless rock fan will recognize many of these pieces: "Roundeau" by Mouret is the theme from BBC's "Masterpiece Theatre." Clarke's "Trumpet Voluntary" a.k.a. "The Prince of Denmark's March" is another "deja vous" song, often played in wedding processionals and I think was also BBC theme music. Likewise, Pachelbel's "Cannon" is a popular wedding march. In fact, this album contains many songs commonly played in wedding processionals, recessionals, and during dinner, so is good for anyone who needs quality classical recorded music for a wedding. Much of the music is played by chamber orchestras (small ensembles of up to about 9 instruments), so has more of an intimate feel than music played by large symphonies. I highly recommend this cd as an introduction to great Baroque music. However, once initated, I encourage folks to listen to these pieces in their entirety, such as Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" and Bach's "Brandenburg Concertos" to get the full picture of how these great composers intended their music to sound, complete with key and tempo changes.

Average customer rating:

beautiful beautiful
Ave Maria
Ave Maria - penetrating hymns
the Ave Maria Album
My Dad used to sing this while shaving

The Ave Maria Album

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Ponselle, Rosa | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Price, Leontyne | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

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Similar Items:

Ave Maria
The Fabulous Danny Boy Album
The Ultimate Sacred Christmas Album ~ Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Sacred Classics - Messiah, Ave Maria, Pie Jesu, Zadok the Priest, L'enfance du Christ

ASIN: B000007QGY
Release Date: 1998-08-11

Tracks:

Ave Maria - Choir Of Men And Boys Of St. Thomas Episcopal Church
Ave Maria - Helmuth Froschauer
Ave Maria - Munich Radio Orchestra
Ave Maria - George Stoll
Ave Maria - Orchestra
Ave Maria - The Ave Maria Album
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria

Customer Reviews:

beautiful beautiful.......2007-06-27

This CD was a gift for someone who loves the classic Ave Maria, and it delivers an assortment of the most beautiful recordings of the hymn ever made. Just lovely!

Ave Maria.......2007-05-30

Some very good renditions of various versions, but some were rerecordings and not remastered, so were grainy and sounded like old 33.3 RPM recordings. I was disapppointed in those, but most were excellent for my purpose in becoming familiar with the music.

Ave Maria - penetrating hymns.......2006-01-26

Other CD's have various versions of Ave Maria, as does this one. What distinguishes this CD is the quality of the recordings, the reverent tone of the vocalists, and the impressive blending of the singers and orchestras. Some versions inpsire an awesome silence, attracting our focus on these hymns and their solemnity. Ave Maria continually provides a respite from the world--it is so intense. These Ave Maria hymns are captivating enough by their music alone. The meaning adds the intended spiritual dimension. This album comes highly recommended.

the Ave Maria Album.......2005-10-03

My husband and I listen to this all the time .. whatever
version is your preference, you can probably find it on this
album. Excellent.

My Dad used to sing this while shaving.......2005-06-11

This beautiful aria is interpreted 16 ways by several renown singers and composers, so I'm sure you'll find your own personal favorites among the different versions. Each rendition has its own descriptor, and I found myself thinking "riveting", "exhilerating", "captivating", "evocative", "inspiring", or even "heartbreaking" for the same compelling music. To me, even the old fashioned, ragged recordings herein had a certain charm, and I don't mind the 'scratchiness' at all. I believe my Dad would sing Franz Schubert's 'Ave Maria' as interpreted by tenor Jerry Hadley -- I swear it literally brought tears to my eyes when I first heard it. As a child, I remember the delight I took in hearing my Dad sing with all the passion and drama of an artiste -- and you know, for a man who didn't even know all the lyrics, he sounded pretty darn good in our old bathroom! Seriously, this is a wonderful collection, even without the reminiscent sentimentality. I highly recommend it.

Ravel's Greatest Hit: The Ultimate Bolero

Average customer rating:

Bolero
Loads of fun

Ravel's Greatest Hit: The Ultimate Bolero

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Vivaldi's Greatest Hit: The Ultimate Four Seasons
Pachelbel's Greatest Hit: The Ultimate Canon
Ravel: Boléro
Tchaikovsky's Greatest Hit: The Ultimate Nutcracker
Ravel: Boléro

ASIN: B000294TO2
Release Date: 2004-06-22

Tracks:

Orchestral - Charles Munch
Electronic - Isao Tomita
Piano Duet - Jacques Fray
Bolero - Fox Trot - Nat Shilkret & His Orchestra
Bolero - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra
Orchestral (Abridged) - Boston Pops Orchestra
Solo Piano - Morton Gould
Brass Quintet - The Canadian Brass
Percussion - Evelyn Glennie
Orchestral - Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

Bolero .......2007-01-12

This CD is exactly what I was looking for. Bolero over and over with different performers.

Loads of fun.......2004-07-09

This is a fun little album consisting of ten versions of Ravel's greatest "hit" -- the fantastic "Bolero." This album covers the waterfront -- from synthesizer to Benny Goodman. My only complaint is that the quality of some of older recordings in particular is rather poor. In fact you need to crank up the volume on two or three cuts, otherwise you won't even realize the song has begun. It would be interesting to apply this concept to any number of the great classical and popular pieces that one can't seem to get enough of -- how about Cole Porter's "Night and Day" for starters?

Average customer rating:

Brandon's Review
Consistent excellence
You can't go wrong with the Canadian Brass

Go For Baroque! - The Canadian Brass

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Improvisation | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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Similar Items:

Best of the Canadian Brass
Bolero & Other Blockbusters
The Essential Canadian Brass
Super Hits: Canadian Brass
Basin Street

ASIN: B000003FV9
Release Date: 1995-08-15

Tracks:

Air Pour Les Trompettes
Trumpet Voluntary
Kanon
Fantasie In C
We Hasten With Eager Footsteps
Fantasia And Fugue In D Minor
My Heart Ever Faithful
Toccata And Fugue In D Minor
Fugue In G Minor ('Little')
Trumpet Voluntary
Contrapunctus
Trumpet Tune And Ayre
Galliard Battaglia
Canzon Aechiopican
Sonata In Three Movements For Trumpets
Where'er You Walk
Hallelujah, Amen
Madrigal

Customer Reviews:

Brandon's Review.......2004-02-09

I am a trumpet player who has studied under the tutalage of Bernie Nero principle trumpet of the Austin Symphony and am also a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music,therefore I feel that I am in a unique position to coment on the quality of this recording. Although the music assembled for the recording is an excellent combination of contrasting styles, the musical prhasing is not played charicteristically correct for that time period of music,and stylistically lacks cohesivness. None the less it is still a very good recording, that is why I give it a four rating.

Consistent excellence.......2002-05-20

The Canadian Brass never disappoints. There are some great arrangements of Baroque classics on this album. It may be hard to imagine an organ piece like Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor played by a brass quartet, but it actually works. Overall, this album is consistent in delivering great music.

You can't go wrong with the Canadian Brass.......1999-12-06

You really can't go wrong with any CD by the Canadian Brass; they're such an outstanding group. Because of this, it can oftentimes be difficult to choose which of their CDs to purchase. However, if you are looking for a Canadian Brass CD focused around the more classical aspect of music, "Go For Boroque!" is an excellent choice. Compared to the other CB baroque CD, I feel this one is the better. It has a lot more tracks, and the songs, in my opinion, are better. It has everything from my personal favorite, "We Hasten with Eager Footsteps," to "Trumpet Voluntary," to "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor," which is more closely associated with "Phantom of the Opera." I highly recommend this recording.