Rimsky-Korsakov: Symphony No.1/Symphonic Suite

On this CD:

1. Symphony, for orchestra in E Minor (ii) No. 1, Op. 1
Composed by Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov
Performed by State Symphony Orchestra of Russia
Conducted by Evgeny Svetlanov

2. Symphony, "Antar" (ii), for orchestra No. 2, Op. 9
Composed by Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov
Performed by State Symphony Orchestra of Russia
Conducted by Evgeny Svetlanov

Tracks:

Carmen Suite Medley
Snow Maiden, Dance Of The Birds
William Tell Overture, 'Lone Ranger'
Flight Of The Bumblebee
Humpty Dumpty/Child's Verse Medley
The Bartered Bride, Furiant
Minute Waltz
Gaite Parisienne, Vivo
Hey Diddle Diddle
Wellington's Victory, Op.91, 'England'
Wellington's Victory, Op.91, 'Victory Finale'
Swan Lake, Waltz
Old MacDonald Had A Farm
Happy Farmer
Farmer In The Dell
Jack & Jill
Symphony No.4
Dance Of The Hours
The Bartered Bride, Skokna
Voices Of Spring, Waltz

Product Description

The Playtime Music Box music CD is a 20-track, 31-minute concert featuring a collection of up-beat classical melodies and traditional song favorites to inspire your little one to dance, clap and play! Each delightful piece was specially selected and produced to bring musical fun to any activity - playtime, travel time, tummy time and more. Playtime Music Box includes classical pieces such as Rossini's ?Ç£William Tell Overture?Ç¥ and Schumann's ?Ç£Happy Farmer,?Ç¥ as well as ?Ç£Old MacDonald Had a Farm.?Ç¥Musical Selections:1. Carmen Suite, Medley, G. Bizet2. Snow Maiden, Danse des Oiseaux, N. Rimsky-Korsakov3. William Tell Overture, G. Rossini4. Flight of the Bumblebee, N. Rimsky-Korsakov5. Humpty Dumpty, W. Weisbach (traditional verse)6. The Bartered Bride Suite, Furiant, B. Smetana7. Minute Waltz, F. Chopin8. Gaite Parisienne, Vivo, J. Offenbach9. Hey Diddle Diddle, W. Weisbach (traditional verse)10. Wellington's Victory, Op 91, England, L. Beethoven11. Wellington's Victory, Op 91, Victory Finale, L. Beethoven12. Swan Lake, Waltz, P. Tchaikovsky13. Old MacDonald Had a Farm, traditional14. Happy Farmer, R. Schumann15. Farmer in the Dell, traditional16. Jack & Jill, W. Weisbach (traditional verse)17. Symphony No. 4, Italian, F. Mendelssohn18. Dance of the Hours, A. Ponchielli19. The Bartered Bride Suite, Skocna, B. Smetana20. Voices of Spring, Waltz, J. Strauss IIAge: birth +

Customer Reviews:

Woo Hoo!.......2007-05-07

This is by far the best CD in the Baby Einstein collection--it will put your toddler in hyperactive playful mode and exhaust you as you try to keep up. But for today's overweight, tv- and game- addicted children, this is great!

Einstein.......2007-04-09

Anything that has an Einstein in the title my twins love. I used to play this for them at night while they slept.

The baby danced........2007-03-09

I gave Baby Einstein: Playtime Music Box to a little boy on his first birthday. He loves it and dances and dances to the music.

A Lot of Fun for Playtime.......2006-01-04

This CD is a lot of fun. The music is bubbly and upbeat and makes you want to get up and dance or just jump around. It's a great way to spend some play time with your kids. And the classical music exposure is a bonus.

Synthesized dreck.......2005-08-13

Why did the producers use synthesizers for this music? It's awful. It's possible to hook kids on classical music using the actual instruments written for it - that's how I got hooked. That's what Mel Blanc and Disney did in their cartoons, Bugs Bunny and Fantasia. I do NOT recommend this CD to anyone. It was a shower gift. If you are not familiar with classical music, then I recommend "Baby Needs Beethoven", which is a collection of music using real instruments (albeit shortened - no full length symphonies here).

Average customer rating:

Good selection
thunderous applause
Good Music at a Great Price
You will like this!
Good for the novice

25 Thunderous Classics

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

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ASIN: B00004Y6SQ
Release Date: 2000-09-05

Tracks:

Also Sprach Zarathustra (Sunrise) - R. Strauss
Mars (The Planets) - Holst
Overture 1812 - Tchaikovsky
Entry Of The Gladiadtors - Fucik
Sabre Dance - Khachaturian
Procession Of The Sardar - Ippolitov Ivanov
Night On Bald Mountain - Mussorgsky
Anvil Chor (II Trovatore) - Verdi
The Thunderer March - Sousa
Thunder & Lightening Polka - J. Strauss
Prelude To Act III : Lohengrin - Wagner
The Ride Of The Valkryies - Wagner
Montagues & Capulets (Romeo & Juliet Ballet Suite) - Prokofiev
The Storm: Symphony No. 6 In F Major, 'Pastorale' - Beethoven
Rondeau - Edward Carroll
Overture: Fireworks Music - Handel
March To The Scaffold: Symphonie Fantastique - Berlioz
LesToreadors - Bizet
William Tell Overture: Finale - Rossini
Revolutionary Study - Abbey Simon
Fanfare For The Common Man - Copland
Sym No. 1 'Titan' IV Sturmisch Bewegt (Excerpt) - Mahler
Augurs Of Spring From Rite Of Spring - Stravinsky
Russian Dance From Petrouchka - Stravinsky
The Great Gate At Kiev From Pictures At An Exhibition - Mussorgsky

Customer Reviews:

Good selection.......2005-10-02

I bought this CD to use in my classroom as listening examples. I'm not just a super big fan of some of the performances, but they are all good and for the price you can't beat it. That's why I gave it 5 stars. It's worth more than it costs by far.

thunderous applause.......2005-08-31

This is a who's-who of great pieces of music you have heard all of your life, and never knew the names and stories! I listened to it over and over in the car and had my own concert! A friend borrowed it to add music to his Home Movies and it was perfect!

Good Music at a Great Price.......2004-03-06

I bought this CD mostly for "Entry of the Gladiators," which everyone will recognize as classic circus music. The performance on this CD (by Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops) is the best available version of Entry of the Gladiators. The rest of the CD offers mostly excerpts of classical music.

You will like this!.......2004-02-19

I had purchased an abundance of the "Favorites" collection and some were better than others.

This CD is at the top of them all. They may be short, but not that short. Wondrous music.

I can almost guarantee that you will like this music.
Well worth the price!

Good for the novice.......2002-06-08

The recordings on this disc are pretty good. However, the editors selected only the *loud* parts, as indicated by the title. I was pretty disappointed to find that the pieces are, in many cases, edited to reflect the most famous themes, etc, instead of including the whole work. In general, I would recommend this to the classical music novice, or someone who wants to expand their knowledge of classical music in general. Those who already are familiar with these pieces will probably feel gypped.

Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

Average customer rating:

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

Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

Manufacturer: Utv Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
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ASIN: B00004GOZA
Release Date: 2000-02-08

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Amazon.com

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

Ken

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating:

If only we had more "tyrants" like this one.
This orchestra really is a cut above
"White"/Background Noise Problem
Fritz Reiner Conducting- Chicago Symphony
Wicked!

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Respighi: Pines of Rome, etc
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Borodin: Symphony No.2/In The Steppes Of Central Asia/Prince Igor
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ASIN: B000003FMY
Release Date: 1994-03-15

Tracks:

Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: Gnomus
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: Il vecchio castello
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: Tuileries
Pictures At An Exhibition: Bydlo
Picutres At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: Ballet of the Chicks in Their Shells
Pictures At An Exhibition: Samuel Goldenburg and Schmuyle
Pictures At An Exhitibition: The Marketplace at Limoges
Pictures At An Exhibition: Catacombae, sepulchrum romanum
Picturest At An Exhibition: Con mortuis in lingua mortua
Pictures At An Exhibition: The Hut on Fowl's Legs
Pictures At An Exhibition: The Great Gate at Kiev
Marche miniature (From Suite No. 1 In D Minor, Op. 43)
A Night On Bald Mountain
Prince Igor: Polovtsian March
Marche Slave
Colas Breugnon, Op. 24: Overture
Russian And Lucmilla: Overture

Customer Reviews:

If only we had more "tyrants" like this one........2007-05-16

The only comparable orchestra to Reiner's late fifties Chicago Leviathan was another Midwestern ensemble a few hundred miles to the east in Cleveland (also commanded by an expatriate Hungarian Jewish maestro).

It's a toss up over which orchestra was better, but this disc features ensemble playing of such overwhelming strength and authority that I can hardly think of a Szell/Cleveland recording that tops it, especially since the RCA Living Stereo sound is far better than the shabby sonics of Columbia/Sony.

Glinka's "Russlan and Ludmilla: Overture" alone is worth the unbelievably low admission price. The orchestra is simply on fire and it was captured in fabulous fifties sound that hasn't aged.

If a little tape hiss puts you into a hissy fit then by all means avoid this disc. (And also avoid those musty old paintings in the Prado and the Metropolitan.) Otherwise just buy it and crank up the volume to something approaching the hundred-plus decibels Reiner heard as the CSO burned onto tape one of the finest recordings in the history of classical music.

This orchestra really is a cut above.......2007-03-06

From the moment the brass open the Promenade, it's instantly apparent just how flawless and precisely this orchestra plays. This is the most perfect intonation I have heard on any recording, ever. I have to agree with other reviewers in saying that even being 50 years old, this recording sounds better than a lot of recent CDs I own. Everything is unbelievably crisp and clear. Congratulations to Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for an amazing job.

I should mention though, the previous reviewer is right, there IS tape hiss throughout the CD. It isn't loud and I for one don't find it irritating, but it is more noticable than on other recordings I have. The liner notes also explain it- "to preserve the quality of the source material during transfer, we rejected any process by which tape hiss or other minor imperfections in the source material could be minimized at the expense of the original musical program's sonic integrity". I am glad at this choice.

All in all, an absolutely fantastic version of one of the great masterpieces of the 19th century. At the absurdly low price of $7.95, I don't see any reason to pass this one up.

"White"/Background Noise Problem.......2007-01-15

I was very excited when I found this recording of "Pictures at an Exhibition," however I have been slightly disappointed. Musically the performance is amazing, and is without a doubt the best that I have ever heard. Unfortunately, there is a lot of background/"white" noise in the recording that becomes very noticeable especially in the softer moments of the piece. It's almost like hearing nails on a chalkboard.

This "white" noise goes away by turning the volume down, however the music suffers from this as well. I have not had this problem with other CDs/recordings.

Fritz Reiner Conducting- Chicago Symphony .......2007-01-05

Fritz Reiner brings out the best in Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition with full clear presentations of each section of the piece. The clarity of the recording is just great.

Wicked!.......2006-09-27

im doing the ' pictures at an exhibition ' in music and its a fabulous peice of music ! so peaceful but exciting at the same time !!! 100 *'z lol x

Average customer rating:

It was faulty on the last title to be played The Carnival of Venice
Awesome Collection!
A Wonderful Collection
Wonderful edition to your trumpet collection.
Quite the CD

Greatest Hits: Trumpet

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Famous Classical Trumpet Concertos
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ASIN: B000002AVK
Release Date: 1994-12-06

Tracks:

Brandenburg Concerto No.2, BWV 1047: III. Allegro assai
Birthday Ode For Queen Anne: Eternal Source Of Light Divine
Concerto For 2 Trumpets In C Major, RV 537: 1. Allegro
The Prince Of Denmark March
Canzon V
First Symphonic Suite: Rondeau
Trumpet Tune 'Martial Air': Martial Air
Trumpet Concerto In E-Flat Major: III. Finale. Allegro
Sonata a 9 zu der Kayserlichen Serenade
Voluntary In C Major
Trumpet Concerto In E-Flat Major: II. Andante
Trumpet Concerto In E-Flat Major: III. Rondo
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Petrushka: Dance Of The Ballerina & Waltz
Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: Introduction
Lieutenant Kije: Symphonic Suite, Op. 60: Kije's Wedding
Hary Janos Suite: Entrance Of The Emperor & His Court
Swan Lake, Op. 20: Naepolitan Dance (Act III) - Tchaikovsky
Rondo For Lifey
Concerto No. 1 For Piano, Trumpet & String Orchestra, Op. 35: IV. Allegro con brio
Tsar Saltan: Flight Of The Bumblebee
The Three Aces - Clarke
A Bugler's Holiday
Variations On The Carnival Of Venice

Customer Reviews:

It was faulty on the last title to be played The Carnival of Venice.......2007-06-01

I returned this to New Castle. Box 15550. I have heard nothing. The date of the return was 15/05/07 from my Throop postoffice in Dorset. I sent it recorded delivery. Over to you. There was nothing on the return screen to explain the fault. ie faulty track. So after many attempts to get intouch I sent it to the address on the paper inside the parcel. Please help.
I am a Grandmother so I am over 13 ???

Awesome Collection!.......2006-07-04

As a young boy I would play my trumpet from my father's old Arban's method book. My private trumpet teacher (Mr. Bonfield) would love to play duets with me from the Merchant of Venice. One day I heard Wynoton Marsailas play a a flawless rendition of The Merchant of Venice on my local clasical radio station. It was flawless and brought back many fond memories of studiying the trumpet as a youngster with my beloved teacher. This collection contains that rendition and a wide selecton of clasical trumpet pieces. You may not recognize every song, but you will enjoy the high quality of the music and artists on this CD. Anyone looking for an introduction to quality, classical, trumpet music should buy this CD. The price also makes this an affordable must for any true trumpet fan.

A Wonderful Collection.......2004-01-26

This is a splendid anthology of music. Traditional Baroque and orchestral pieces up front, and a few surprises nearer the end. A splendid work. The price makes it a steal. Add it to your cart. You will not be sorry. There is technical excellence - peace in some of the songs and real energy in others.

Wonderful edition to your trumpet collection........2003-10-21

Trumpet fans should all own this album, that is if they don't already own all of the pieces on here on separate recordings (it would take a while to obtain them all). This recording features a bunch of great classical trumpeters and innovators such as Armando Ghitalla, Phil Smith, Wynton Marsalis, Mark Gould, H.L. Clarke, Ron Romm, Charles Schleuter, William Vacchiano, and more. Great performances of Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto No. 2", the Haydn and Hummel Concertos, Wynton's excellent performance of J.B. Arban's "The Carnival Of Venice", the New England Brass Ensemble performing "Trumpet Voluntary", a very good job done by a Baroque Orchestra of the Vivaldi Concerto for Two Trumpets, "The Three Aces" played by H.L. Clarke, and Leroy Anderson's classic "A Bugler's Holiday".

Overall this is a great listen to some of the best trumpet players of all-time in this idiom. All of the pieces are impeccably played by some of the best. I didn't discover this tape in my collection until recently, and boy I'm glad I did.

Quite the CD.......2001-04-17

If I were you, I would buy this CD. It is a diverse collection of amazing performances of quintessential pieces - an important addition to any classical music fan's collection. Heck, even if you're not big on classical music (or trumpet music or brass music or music at all) you should purchase this compact disc.

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.

Tracks:

Toccata & Fugue In D Minor, BWV 565
Danse Macabre
Funeral March Of A Marionette - Arthur Fiedler
Night On Bald Mountain
Symphonie Fantastique - March To The Scaffold - Georges Pretre
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 - In The Hall Of The Mountain King
Mephisto Waltz - Fritz Reiner
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Symphonie Fantastique - Dream Of A Witches' Sabbath - Georges Pretre

Customer Reviews:

Classic Scary Music.......2007-01-10

If you're looking for classic haunted castle type scary music, this is a good CD.
Used this in a haunted maze in our basement, and it helped freak the kids out fairly well.

Classical and great.......2006-11-28

A must-have for your Halloween music collection. Different and strong, the music will definitely get you in the Halloween mood. I played it on my stereo while answering the door to trick-or-treaters. It made me feel "oh-so-spooky" and festive.

Great collection, but they missed one.......2006-06-10

An excellent com