Christmas Eve

On this CD:

1. Omnes una Gaudeamus, noël for 2 voices
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay

2. Corde Natus, hymn
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay

3. Salve sancta parens, noël for 3 voices
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay

4. Dominus dixit, antiphon
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay

5. Benedictus qui venit, offertory
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay, Janka Szendrei

6. Ave Decus, noël for 3 voices
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay, Janka Szendrei

7. Suscepimus Deus, anthem
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay

8. Continet in Gremio, responsory
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay, Janka Szendrei

9. Cum Virtus Magnifica, noël for 3 voices
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay, Janka Szendrei

10. Ipse invocavit me, anthem
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay

11. Te laudant angeli, responsory
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay, Janka Szendrei

12. Ecce quod natura, noël for 3 voices
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay, Janka Szendrei

13. Metamorphosis
Composed by Timothy C. Shepard
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay

14. Resonet in laudibus
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay

15. Dies natalis Domini, benediction
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola, Geoffrey Thomas, Antonietta Agostini, Matyas Hettmann, Mireille Lescure, Sergio Perez, Catalina Szabo Thomas, Viktor Togobitsky
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay

16. Novus annus adiit, chant for 2 voices
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay

17. Puer natus in Bethlehem
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay

18. Dominus Dixit ad Me, introit
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay, Janka Szendrei

19. Laudem Deo/Populus Gentium, reading
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay

20. Tecum principium, gradual
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay, Janka Szendrei

21. Dominus dixit/Grates nunc, alleluja & sequence
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay, Janka Szendrei

22. Laetentur caeli, offertory
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay, Janka Szendrei

23. In splendoribus sanctorum, communion
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay, Janka Szendrei

24. Quem vidistis pastores
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay

25. Dawn Mass Lux Fulgebit, introit
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay, Janka Szendrei

26. Dawn Mass Laetabundus, sequence
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay, Janka Szendrei

27. Le Roi Malgré Lui: Fête-polonaise
Composed by Ernest Chausson
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay

28. Virgo Hodie Fidelis, anthem
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Performed by Hungarica Schola
Conducted by Laszlo Dobszay, Janka Szendrei

Tracks:

Faith Noel
The Lost Christmas Eve
Christmas Dreams
Wizard in Winter
Remember
Anno Domini
Christmas Concerto
Queen of the Winter Night
Christmas NIghts in Blue
Christmas Jazz
Christmas Jam
Siberian Sleigh Ride
What is Christmas?
For the Sake of Our Brother
The Wisdom of Snow
Wish Liszt (Toy Shop Madness)
Back to a Reason (Part II)
Christmas Bells, Carousels and Time
What Child is This?
O'Come All Ye Faithful
Christmas Canon Rock
Different Wings
Midnight Clear

Amazon.com

If you're looking for something out of the ordinary for the season, The Lost Christmas Eve is for you. This final entry in the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's rock opera trilogy is perhaps their most ambitious and complex in the series. Like its predecessors, The Lost Christmas Eve tells the story of heaven's youngest angel called back to earth to continue Jesus' unfinished work. This time he lands in New York City to help redeem not only Christmas, but the soul of humankind itself with a story line that rivals anything Frank Capra ever dreamt up for the big screen. Conceived and composed by Aerosmith and Savatage producer Paul O'Neill, most of the song were penned O'Neill, Robert Kinkle, and Savatage founder and keyboardist Jon Oliva, and features the rest of the seminal Florida metal band on the record. While not as bombastic as Savatage's fourteen rock epics which touch on topics as diverse as the Russian Revolution, the 15th century explorer Ferdinand Magellan's descendants, and Beethoven's last night, the record still has a grandiose, almost over-arching baroque feel, with its prog-rock organ swells and electronic alchemy. The best moments are during the soaring instrumentals, on tracks like the "Wisdom of Snow," "Wish Litz," "Christmas Bells, Carousels & Time," and the majestic rendering of "O Come All Ye Faithful." --Jaan Uhelszki

Album Description

Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) is back with third and final volume of their Christmas trilogy, The Lost Christmas. The long awaited follow up to the double platinum "The Christmas Attic," features their trademark symphonic rock," which fuses elements of hard rock, Broadway, R&B, and classical music into a unique and distinctive blend of original compositions, symphony excerpts and holiday standards.

Customer Reviews:

One of TSO's Best.......2007-06-29

The Lost Christmas Eve is the final installment in TSO's christmas trilogy. It may be the last, but that doesn't mean the sound is getting old. An excellent comeback from the slightly dissapointing Christmas Attic, The Lost Christmas Eve starts off with a bang, and doesn't let up until the final notes of the last song. The vocals on the album are some of TSO's best, second only to the ones on Beethoven's Last Night. They are best heard on such tracks as "The Lost Christmas Eve", "Christmas Dreams", and "What is Christmas?". The instrumentals are definitely the best TSO has ever done, and none feel repetitive like the ones on The Christmas Attic. They are without a doubt the high points of the album, with such songs as "Wizards in Winter", "Queen of the Winter Night", "Christmas Jam", and "Siberian Sleigh Ride" being the best of them all. However, my personal favorite song and instrumental on the album is the amazing "Wish Liszt (Toy Shop Madness)", which is Franz Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody", but with electric guitars and incredibly fast keyboards. Also of note is "The Wisdom of Snow", a beautiful piano solo coming in at 2:01. Overall, The Lost Christmas Eve, while maybe not being as moving and meaningful as albums like Christmas Eve and Other Stories, is certainly just as powerful, and is definitely the most fun to listen to.

Music from the Christmas light house.......2007-05-27

I bought this CD after seeing the house with the Christmas lights, synchronized to a song on this CD. It was all over You Tube a couple of Christmas' ago. Anyway, great takes on some old Christmas favorites. My wife and I still listen to it from time to time.

The Lost Christmas Eve CD review.......2007-05-20

Thoroughly enjoyed this genre. Had not heard of them before this. As music teacher, really appreciated the musical arrangements of well-known Christmas Carols.
The service was excellent arrived in the mail precisely when advised.

This is the best music ever!.......2007-05-12

Just loved the sound of this, it's my new favorite Christmas music! It rocks!

Mannheim Steamroller on steroids..........2007-05-08

hard rocking Christmas ballads...my wife had seen Trans-Siberian Orchestra on a morning show a few months back and all she wanted for Christmas(but not all she got) was a cd of Trans-Siberia...I was constantly borrowing it and just couldn't get enough of this cd..wonderful music..reverant, different, beautiful..there is a real beauty to this non-traditional Christmas music..

Average customer rating:

An Excellent First Album
Great
Christmas Eve and Other Stories
Beautiful Music Indeed
Christmas Eve and Other Stories

Christmas Eve and Other Stories
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Manufacturer: © 1996 Atlantic Recording Corp. / Lava Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

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General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Pop Instrumental & Easy Listening | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:

The Christmas Attic
The Lost Christmas Eve
Beethoven's Last Night
Trans-Siberian Orchestra - The Ghost Of Christmas Eve
Mannheim Steamroller Christmas Celebration

ASIN: B000002JX6
Release Date: 1996-10-15

Tracks:

An Angel Came Down
O Come All Ye Faithful/O Holy Night (Instrumental)
A Star To Follow
First Snow (Instrumental)
The Silent Nutcracker (Instrumental)
A Mad Russian's Christmas (Instrumental)
The Prince Of Peace
Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 (Instrumental)
Good King Joy
Ornament
The First Noel (Instrumental)
Old City Bar
Promises To Keep
This Christmas Day
An Angel Returned
O Holy Night
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Amazon.com

Is the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Christmas Eve and Other Stories a holiday rock opera? Or perhaps just a holiday prog-rock disc? Or maybe it's New Age? Whatever the case may be, this isn't your typical Christmas album. Filled with electric guitar solos, plenty of synthesized keyboards, a children's choir, and lively drumming, Christmas Eve can only be compared to one other record, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's other holiday disc, The Christmas Attic. On this CD, angelic vocal solos (on numbers such as "The Prince of Peace") are interspersed with driving instrumentals. Sentimental, occasionally bombastic, but as high-concept as holiday albums can be. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

An Excellent First Album.......2007-06-29

In TSO's first album, they are at their best. Christmas Eve and Other Stories has everything. From fast-paced instrumentals to slow choirs, they excel at everything they try. Some high points are the instrumentals "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)" and "A Mad Russian's Christmas", as well as "Ornament" and the moving "Old City Bar". "A Star To Follow" has an amazing segment where four choirs sing different verses all at the same time. Overall, TSO's first album is one of their best, containing a delighful mix of slow, powerful songs, and fast-paced songs that are simply a joy to listen to.

Great.......2007-05-09

Very good gutsy Christmas music! I lost my first copy of the CD, so I bought another one.

Christmas Eve and Other Stories.......2007-03-09

How do you describe the music of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra? Classical, rock, heavy metal, symphonic rock... You have to hear it. This is a wonderful example - but if you're expecting sweet Christmas carols move on. This is not for you. If you want music with impact grouped around a Christmas theme - give this a try.

Beautiful Music Indeed.......2007-03-08

This is one CD our family wants to listen to all the way through more than once! Awe-inspiring instrumentation blended nicely with a little more vocals than expected. Great addition to our collection for the holidays.

Christmas Eve and Other Stories.......2007-01-30

I had expected more orchestra and less vocals. Didn't have as much Trans-Siberian big sound as I had expected.

Average customer rating:

Puccini Withour Words
Wonderful! I don't care much for opera, but the music is great!
Enchanted by Puccini Without Words
Nice CD
Great arrangments and music!

Puccini Without Words

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Opera without Words
Verdi without Words: Grand Opera for Orchestra
Pops Plays Puccini
Opera Without Words
Carmen Without Words

ASIN: B000002761
Release Date: 1991-07-01

Tracks:

Gianni Schicchi: O Mio Babbino Caro
La Boheme: Act I: Che Gelida Manina
La Boheme: Act I: Si, Mi Chiamano Mimi
La Boheme: Act I: O Soave Fanciulla
La Boheme: Act II: Christmas Eve In Paris
La Boheme: Act II: Quando M'en Vo' (Musetta's Waltz)
La Boheme: Act III: Farewell Duet & Quartet
La Boheme: Act IV: O, Mimi, Tu Piu Non Torni
La Boheme: Act IV: Final Scene: Death Of Mimi
Madama Butterfly: Act I: Entrance Of Butterfly
Madama Butterfly: Act I: Love Duet
Madama Butterfly: Act II: Un Bel Di Vedremo
Madama Butterfly: Act II: Humming Chorus
Madama Butterfly: Act II: Pinkerton's Farewell And Death Of Butterfly
TOSCA: Act I: Recondita Armonia
TOSCA: Act I: Love Duet
TOSCA: Act II: Vissi D'arte
TOSCA: Act III: E Lucevan Le Stelle

Customer Reviews:

Puccini Withour Words.......2007-07-11

This is one of my favorite CD's. Puccini wrote such beautiful music but it is often overshadowed by the diva or tenor who sing the aria. This is pure music and so enjoyable.

Wonderful! I don't care much for opera, but the music is great!.......2007-05-11

This is a fantastic album. I love classical music, but have never enjoyed opera. Some choir or chorus with classical is good, but the opera in general has never been entertaining for me. But the music is so good, so what to do?

Here you go. Get the music without the vocals.

Puccini's musical prowess was amazing. Madama Butterfuly is some of the most intricately composed classical I have ever heard. The vocals don't let you hear the true genius of the composition. La Boheme is equally enjoyable; delicately intertwined harmonies that relax and arrest you at the same time. Tosca is strong; again, truly enjoyable.

But, for me, the best piece on the album is the opener; "O Mio Babbino" from Gianni Schicchi. I must admit that I have never heard of this opera or this composition, but when I played this CD, this song came alive for me.

The entire album is mixed well, with very little background noise and very good sound editing. Considering the price, you really can't go wrong with this album.

A definite positive addition to my classical library.

Enchanted by Puccini Without Words .......2007-05-08

As a newcomer to opera, this disc of Puccini without words is an ideal introduction, to listen to as I paint. The music can go directly to my heart without worrying about words or voices to interrupt the creativity. Now I'm becoming interested in buying some Puccini with words and other operas as well. Now I'd like to hear an entire opera instead of exerpts.

Nice CD.......2007-01-08

Not what I expected but nice background music for a special occasion. If I had the choice again to buy it or now, I wouldn't have. Many other's out there with better selections.

Great arrangments and music!.......2006-12-23

It's a pleasure to listen to the music of the familiar arias. But what was shocking for me is to find out that "Bring Him Home" tune from Le Misserable is based on Madama Butterfly: Act II: Humming Chorus.
Wow, so it's not only A.L.Webber is using classical tunes for his musicals. Well, Puccini would be very proud to find out that these people made millions of $$$ with their help.

Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol. 2: Film & Television Music

Average customer rating:

Priceless, at any price
Good overview
Great Music!!!!!!!!!
Very nice for a Danny Elfman collection
Bring on Volume 3

Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol. 2: Film & Television Music

Manufacturer: Fontana Mca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Music for a Darkened Theatre, Vol. 1: Film & Television Music
Serenada Schizophrana
So Lo
Sleepy Hollow: Music from the Motion Picture
Edward Scissorhands: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

ASIN: B000002P4P
Release Date: 1996-12-03

Tracks:

Edward Scissorhands Suite: Main Titles
Edward Scissorhands Suite: Storytime
Edward Scissorhands Suite: Suite
Edward Scissorhands Suite: Suburbia-Barber
Edward Scissorhands Suite: The Grand Finale
Dolores Claiborne Suite: Main Titles
Dolores Claiborne Suite: Vera's World
Dolores Claiborne Suite: Flashback
Dolores Claiborne Suite: Sad Room
Dolores Claiborne Suite: End Titles
To Die For Suite: Main Titles
To Die For Suite: Suzie's Theme
To Die For Suite: Busted
To Die For Suite: Wheepy Donuts
To Die For Suite: Finale
Black Beauty Suite: Main Titles
Black Beauty Suite: Baby Beauty
Black Beauty Suite: Jump For Joy
Black Beauty Suite: Frolick-Sick
Black Beauty Suite: Bye Bye Jerry
Black Beauty Suite: Memories
Black Beauty Suite: End Titles
Batman Returns Suite:Birth Of A Penguin
Batman Returns Suite: Trouble Suite
Batman Returns Suite: The Finale
Batman Returns Suite: End Titles

Tracks:

Mission Impossible Suite: Trouble
Mission Impossible Suite: Looking For Job
Mission Impossible Suite: Betrayal
Sommersby Suite: Main Titles
Sommersby Suite: Return Montage
Sommersby Suite: Finale-End Titles
Dead Presidents Suite: Main Titles
Dead Presidents Suite: Daughter
Dead Presidents Suite: Montage
Dead Presidents Suite: Nam
Dead Presidents Suite: Nightmare
Nightmare Before Christmas Suite: Overture
Nightmare Before Christmas Suite: Jack And Sally Suite
Nightmare Before Christmas Suite: Christmas Eve Montage
Freeway Suite: Main Titles
Freeway Suite: On The Road
Freeway Suite: Back In The Car
Shrunken Heads Suite: Main Titles
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: Amazing Stories 'Family Dog'
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: Amazing Stories 'Family Dog'
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: Amazing Stories 'Mummy, Daddy
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: Barkley Superhero 'Nike Commercial'
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: The Flash 'Theme'
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: Pee Wee's Playhouse
Television Odds 'N Ends Suite: Beetlejuice - Animated Tv Series 'Theme'
Untitled
Untitled
Untitled
This Is Halloween (Original Demo For Nightmare Before Christmas)

Amazon.com

A delightfully buoyant, mock-creepy collection of film scores from Hollywood's first and best call for quirk, strangeness, and charm. Focusing on Elfman's post-1992 work (much of it for director Tim Burton), this 2 CD set features excerpts from Edward Scissorhands, To Die For, and Batman Returns, among other lesser items. -- Jeff Bateman

Customer Reviews:

Priceless, at any price.......2007-07-06

Years ago, watching peter Jennings cover the funeral procession of Princess Diana, my soul was captured by some hauntingly beautiful music that at times played in the background. So began my mission to find out what it was, who wrote it and how I could get it. After some correspondence with the network I was put in touch with the woman who "put together" that part of the programming. All she could remember is that it came from the movie "Black Beauty". THEN I found out how many versions of that had been made lol. With determination, I finally found it, and had a local music store order it for me.
There are no words to describe what this music does to me. I did try listening to some of the other tracks, but they didn't even come close. I rate this music right up there with the 1971 score for "Jane Eyre" by John Willams... and that's pretty high :D

Good overview.......2007-04-18

Very nice overview of Elfman work. Insufficient by itself but worth having along with the full soundtracks. Bonus disc is a nice extra.

Great Music!!!!!!!!!.......2005-09-08

I Love Danny Elfman's music so much that I have started my own collection of the soundtracks that he composed. For a while, I was trying to find the "Beetlejuice" theme song from the TV show, but thanks to this release, I finally have it!!! Keep up the good work Elfman!

Very nice for a Danny Elfman collection.......2005-08-02

Music For A Darkened Theater, Vol.2 is a great cd!!! I love all of the tracks on both cd's,but my fav. ones are the t.v. scores and the This Is Halloween demo!!! If you love this,then i recomend looking at all the actually albums on this cd and his other works!!!! good job,Danny Elfman.

Bring on Volume 3.......2005-05-04

The liner notes and "This is Halloween Demo" on this compilation are well worth the CD price by themselves. Danny comments on each of the tracks on the CDs which is a rare and ego-free look at what a composer thinks of his own work.

Edward Scissorhands is magical, Black Beauty is a rollercoaster of emotion, and Dolores Claiborne makes me want to find the nearest piano. This is not a "Most Popular" compilation, rather it aptly showcases Danny Elfman's (and Orchestrator, Steve Bartek's) brilliance and wide range of style.

Every suite has an Elfman signature, such as the layered complexity which never sounds overdone, or the use of a choir as an instrument.

This (and Volume 1) are examples of the work of a modern day composer who consistently stands out as one of the best.

If you like this and have the spare cash, grab the individual scores from some of the movies he has worked on, including "Men In Black", "Spiderman", "Batman", "Batman Returns", "Nightmare Before Christmas", "Edward Scissorhands", "Mars Attacks" and so many more.

Mistletoe and Wine: A Seasonal Collection

Average customer rating:

buy this one first
Great introduction to Mediaeval Baebes
Great choral versions of ancient songs
A pleasing tone
A "best of", not really a Christmas record

Mistletoe and Wine: A Seasonal Collection

Manufacturer: Nettwerk Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mirabilis
The Rose
Worldes Blysse
Undrentide
Salva Nos (Save Us)

ASIN: B0000AM6O4
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Tracks:

The Holly & The Ivy
Gaudete
L'Amour De Moi
Salva Nos
Glass Window
There Is No Rose of Swych Vertu
Kinderly
In Dulce Jubilo
Love Me Broughte
I Am Eve
Quan Vey La Lauzeta
The Coventry Carol
Undrentide
Ecce Mundi Gaudium
Blow Northern Wind

Customer Reviews:

buy this one first.......2006-06-29

This is not really a Christmas, or even a seasonal, album, more of a best of the Babes. yYs, they lead off with "The Holly and the Ivy" (and do it beautifully) but do not buy this as a "holiday music album"... or do... you won't regret buying it whatever your reasons!
This was my introduction to this band and I was absolutely floored. It lived in my car CD player for 2 months straight, and still is in the first section of my CD storage unit.... a rare honor for *any* Cd. It is also responsible for causing me to go out and try to buy every other CD the band has out, and I have not been disapointed in any of the ones I have gotten so far.
Speaking as a former music major, religious student, and medieval re-creationist, I know I can be pretty nit picky when it comes to "medieval" music; all too often it is neither medieval, nor (in my opinion) music! This is one of those rare exceptions that can manage to get you out of a chair to dance, while singing at the top of your lungs in Olde Englishe, Latin, or whatever. There isnt a bad voice in the lot (although some of the harmonies can be a bit odd if you arent used to medieval music) and the instrumental backings are pure gold.

Great introduction to Mediaeval Baebes.......2006-02-27

This CD has many songs from previous albums and a few new songs. It is a great introduction to Mediaeval Baebes music and serves as "best of" type of collection. It is billed as a "holiday" collection but I listen to it year round and quite often. The Mediaeval Baebes have a very unique and wonderful sound.

Great choral versions of ancient songs.......2005-11-19

I first heard the Mediaeval Baebes on a UK double CD (Best carols in the world ever) featuring three of their trackss (Guadete, Coventry carol, Adam lay ibounden), all of which can also be found on their debut album, but my curiosity only became aroused when that UK double CD was updated and repackaged with a different title (Best Christmas carols ever) and all the Mediaeval Baebes tracks were omitted with other choirs replacing them. My research showed that they have become an established group (albeit with line-up changes) and are now very successful in their chosen style, which some may regard as classical but (since they sing with their natural voices rather than operatic voices) seems more like traditional folk music to me.

This is not a Christmas album in the true sense of the word although there are some recognizable Christmas carols here - rather it is a compilation of music taken from their earlier albums together with a couple of re-recordings and two completely new recordings. I would have liked some liner notes giving some detailed information about the songs but very little information is actually provided. Apparently, much more information can found in the booklets provided with the original album releases. Still, it's the music that counts and, when it comes to choral music, this is as good as it gets.

The set opens with The holly and the ivy, set to the tune that everybody is familiar with. I seem to remember reading somewhere that this tune, although old, is not the original tune written for the song. This is where liner notes would be useful - and as this is one of the new recordings, their original albums won't help. Given that the Mediaeval Baebes aim to re-record very old songs, it would have been nice to hear them sing it to its original tune if it really was different from the current one. I suppose it doesn't matter since they sing the song superbly anyway.

Other Christmas carols that you are likely to recognize are Gaudete (revived most famously by folk-rockers Steeleye Span), In dulce jubilo (a new recording for this album, it was recorded in the seventies by Mike Oldfield, who had a UK hit with his instrumental version) and The Coventry carol. The other songs are unfamiliar to me but the group perform them all brilliantly. The other song of theirs on that UK carols compilation (Adam lay ibounded) is not included, but there's plenty else to make up for that omission.

The instruments used to back the group (mostly played by members of the group) are interesting. They include a zither, a hurdygurdy, a citern, a glockenspiel, an astrowheel and three different types of recorder - not the kind of instruments to be heard regularly on pop and rock albums. I was particularly pleased to find the recorders here. Like many Brits of my generation, I was forced to learn to play the recorder at school (I did so very badly) and so the recorder has never had a great reputation, but when played well and in the right setting (as here), it sounds wonderful.

This is a fine compilation in many ways but it may be that one of the original albums (which apparently have detailed liner notes) will provide an even better introduction to the music of the Mediaeval Baebes. Despite my reservations, this is still (easily) a five-star album and I'll certainly listen to more of their music eventually.

A pleasing tone.......2004-12-02

This is probably one of my new favorite Christmas albums. It is an absolute gem. It isn't an over-powering album with new or different things but they have recorded a few lesser known Latin Carols that are not given much attention anymore. Gaudete was one that stood out. The arrangement is rather simple and beautiful and the song itself is melodic in an unusual way. I have found that this CD has appealed to a fairly wide spectrum of people and would make a great album to play in the background during the Holidays. I think this would be the perfect thing to put on in the late afternoon in December while curling up with a good book or wrapping presents.

A "best of", not really a Christmas record.......2004-03-27

Potential purchasers should bear that in mind. As with the Medieval Baebes debut album it contains a small proportion of `holiday season' material, but most of it can be listened to without embarrassment at any time of the year. (In my experience, all of it can - even on a warm spring afternoon I can't bring myself to program out `In Dulci Jubilo', `The Holly...' etc).

Another thing potential purchasers should bear in mind - this compilation winds up being a better "best of" than the album of that name.

It's more representative - career-spanning and able to demonstrate the increasing ambition and complexity of the arrangements, and of Katharine Blake's compositions. (Of course, some of their experiments with modern instrumentation on the `Undrentide' album didn't work, but they don't appear here).

It's also more enjoyable on a basic musical level - there are no over-repetitive pieces, no odd song-fragments...nothing that drags. Or maybe there are a couple of weak spots - "I Am Eve" which goes on a little too long, and Audrey Evans's rendition of "L'amour de moi" which is suprisingly weak, and no substitute for the original featuring the much-missed Dorothy Carter - but these are easily forgiven.

Even if you can't understand what's being said, even if you understand it well enough to spot the mispronunciations here and there, it will be hard to resist the ethereal beauty the Baebes' voices, and of songs like `Quan Vey La Lauzeta', `There Is No Rose of Swych Vertu' or `Blow Northern Wind'.

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade for orchestra Op35; Russian Easter Festival Overture Op36
Average customer rating:

Great mix of music though OK performance

Wow..

Colorful, Romantic, Dramatic, and Consistently Musical !

absolute magic

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade for orchestra Op35; Russian Easter Festival Overture Op36

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rimsky-Korsakov: Great Orchestral Works

Manuel de Falla: Nights in the Gardens of Spain / Isaac Albeniz: Rapsodia Espanola / Joaquin Turina: Rapsodia Sinfonica - Alicia de Larrocha / London Philharmonic Orchestra / Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos

Khachaturian: Spartacus / Khachaturian, Vienna Philharmonic

Tchaikovsky: The Complete Symphonies

Borodin: Symphony No.2/In The Steppes Of Central Asia/Prince Igor

ASIN: B000004241
Release Date: 1995-02-14

Tracks:

Scheherazade: The Sea And Sinbad's Ship - N. Rimsky-Korsakov
Scheherazade: The Story Of The Kalandar Prince - N. Rimsky-Korsakov
Scheherazade: The Young Prince And The Young Princess - N. Rimsky-Korsakov
Scheherazade: Festival At Baghdad - The Sea - Shipwreck - N. Rimsky-Korsakov
May Night: Overture - N. Rimsky-Korsakov
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan, Suite, Op.57: I. The Tsar's Departure And Farewell - N. Rimsky-Korsakov
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan, Suite, Op.57: II. The Tsarina And Her Son Afloat In The Cask - N. Rimsky-Korsakov
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan, Suite, Op.57: III. The Three Wonders - N. Rimsky-Korsakov
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan: The Flight Of The Bumblebee - N. Rimsky-Korsakov

Tracks:

Russian Easter Festival: Overture, Op.36 - Rimsky-Korsakov
Christmas Eve Suite - Rimsky-Korsakov
Dubinushka, Op.62 - Rimsky-Korsakov
Sadko, Musical Picture, Op.5 - Rimsky-Korsakov
The Snow Maiden Suite: Introduction- Danse des oiseaux- Cortege- Danse des bouffons - Rimsky-Korsakov

Customer Reviews:

Great mix of music though OK performance.......2007-02-07

Rimsky - Korsakov is one of the greats of Russian music who composed works for multiple genres such as ballets, operas, symphonies, overtures, concertos, etc. This two-disc set provides a good compilation of many of these works without resorting to the common method of taking 3 - 4 minute samples from multiple works that embody the most famous tunes from said works. Instead, the album includes multiple works in whole such as Scheherazade, the Tale of Tsar Saltan, Snow Maiden Suite, and The Russian Easter Festival Overture. The result is two discs with over an hour of music per disc. However, many of the works are quite unknown, and can require some patience to listen through and appreciate.

The orchestration and sound quality is only alright. For example, this album's performance of the Russian Easter Festival Overture was sub-par compared to what I have heard in other albums. Overall, a good buy, but not a great buy.

Wow.........2006-04-28

Quite possibly one of the worst Scheherazade's I have ever heard from a "professional" orchestra. There is some REALLY BAD playing on here. I still can't believe that a recording would be put out where the playing can sound completely incompetent at times. I really don't understand that. This is NOT a good recording!! Just the fact that there are so many noticeable mistakes proves that. If you are a musician, this should bother you and make you wince.

Do yourself a favor and buy a different recording, either Bernstein with New York, Temirkanov with New York, or Maazel with Cleveland, or Concertgebouw or Philly. Any other recording will definitely be of better quality.

Colorful, Romantic, Dramatic, and Consistently Musical !.......2004-03-09

In the past, I have enjoyed other Scheherazades, most notably those by Ormandy, Reiner, Monteux, Stokowski, Kondrashin and Beecham, especially the latter two. I must now include this marvelous Ansermet after re-acquainting myself with his performance after many years of neglect. While the Suisse Romande Orchestra has never been seen as having quite matched the reputations of the Philadelphia, Chicago Symphony and Concertgebouw Orchestras, it performs so magically and musically here that it seems to transport one on the proverbial flying carpet to exotic lands. Tones are rounded, sweet and golden, yet there is no slighting of drama. As conductor, Ansermet is in no hurry to impress with an eye and ear to sheer virtuosity. He proceeds with an easy flowing, characterful, sensuous style. I haven't heard many more satisfyingly rendered first movements than his. But the same holds true for the other three as well, especially the gorgeously fragrant third movement ( "The Young Prince and the Young Princess" ). Throughout the Ansermet/Suisse Romande performance there is a wonderful songfulness and a pleasing exotic ambiance. In many places, instrumental sounds simply glow....Virtually everything else on these discs is also a delicious treat, especially since such brightly varied pieces as Tale of the Tsar Saltan, The Christmas Eve Suite and The Snow Maiden have never been well represented in recordings, though I have enjoyed for some time Svetlanov's Tsar Saltan. All these works of Rimsky-Korsakov reveal one of the finest examples of a composer who possessed the wonderful ability to create splendid color and captivating tunefulness. And, I think, there were few other conductors who had Ernest Ansermet's talent to project these appealing delights with such endearing and satisfying musical expression.

absolute magic.......2000-09-21

This should be an essential part of any Russian music lover's library. Ansermet had a particular affinity with this repertoire, and the very distinctive sound of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande make this a very endearing and memorable release. It's a paradox, but though Rimsky's orchestral pallette is opulent and technicolour in the extreme, it is not particularly lush in the R.Straussian sense - the timbres separate, and the clarity of the texturing in these OSR performances make every subtlety of the orchestration apparent: listen to the different ways Rimsky scores the same E major chord in the first movement of 'Scheherazade' - on this recording every register change tells.

Tracks:

It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas
Toyland
It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
Jingle Bells
Christmas Is For Everyone/Where Can I Find Christmas?
Every Christmas Eve/Giving (Santa's Theme)
The Christmas Waltz
We Need A Little Christmas
Caroling, Caroling/Happy Holiday
It's Christmas Time Again

Customer Reviews:

Christmas with a Star.......2007-02-07

Christmas would not be Christmas without playing a Johnny Mathis Christmas CD. He is a master at enhancing the Christmas spirit with his music. This album is exceptional. Every song is a "winner," sung as only Johnny can do. You will be singing these songs long after the CD has stopped playing. Johnny never disappoints you with his Christmas music. He loves this time of year and it is evident in the way his voice caresses every song. I highly recommend it to add to your collection.

The fourth golden Mathis' Xmas collection, now with all new repertoire.......2006-03-20

Christmas Music is part of the American Way of Life. Year after year, American people get full of joy and the pleasure of listening to Christmas Music becomes a must.Also artists from many different styles and their labels are very conscious about it. It is rare to find an artist from the traditional pop scene who has not recorded at least one Christmas Album.

Unfortunately, this Christmas tradition in American music scene is fading away among young artists though sales keep hot in the season. This proves traditional pop artists have got a market niche which maintains year after year even selling the very same album that has been recorded many decades ago.

Repertoire is basically the same and this is another peculiar facet of Christmas Music. This is an indicator of the traditional `American way of buying music'.

It is commonplace in the USA that many different traditional pop artists record the same hit song in a season. For instance, I remember that `The Shadow of Your Smile' has been recorded by Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams, Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Peggy Lee, and even Astrud Gilberto, besides its sensational OST by Johnny Mandel. This shows Americans like to listen to that same song or repertoire as recorded specifically by their favorite artists.

It is different than the music industry and customers in Brazil, for instance. If an artist records the same songs as other one does, he is minorly categorized as a `cover artist'. This is a bad category which labels the artist a minor artist, lacking creativeness as for Brazilian market parameters.

It is very interesting, anyway, to listen to the same repertoire as recorded by so many different artists from so many different times under so many different arrangement concepts. Comparison arises inevitably. Somehow, a delicious comparison. What's the best `Jingle Bells' from Johnny Mathis to Diana Krall? Who's recorded the most creative `Silent Night' - Wynton Marsalis or Nat King Cole? There is a killer `Jingle Bells' recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra under arrangement by Michel Legrand and with Jean Pierre Rampal on flute. Ooooh God!

Year after year, those albums are made available by continuous reissuing or not. Some even keep in the label's catalog on and on even out the Christmas season.

This is the case for this CD `Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis' recorded in 1990 by one the most important stylists of American song and arranged by an all-star team of arrangers which include Henry Mancini, Ray Ellis and Jeremy Lubock.

Uncommon Xmas songs make up most of the program. Never mind. Mathis' style imparts each song a particular touch, highly inspired, emotionally crafted, technically perfect. Features a new and delicious arrangement by Ray Ellis for 'Jingle Bells'.

A beautiful Christmas album by Johnny Mathis. Someone said his is the voice of Christmas. This fourth album in his Xmas series confirms it. I'm willing to agree.

Can't Stop Smiling!!.......2005-04-13

This is the only CD of Johnny's I listen to 12 months out of the year!! It is addictive and just darn good!! "We Need A Little Christmas" is the best....and my favorite Christmas song. There is no Chrsitmas without Santa and most of all...Johnny Mathis and this album! Even Oprah recommended it on her Christmas show!! So, if you don't believe me....believe Oprah. Johnny Mathis' Christmas Eve album IS the Christmas mood!.....And he just looks so awefully good on the front of this CD! I wish he was under my tree!!!!

Your Christmas CD collection is not complete without Mathis.......2000-12-12

I'm never tempted to listen to Johnny Mathis for the first eleven months of the year, but it almost wouldn't be Christmas without hearing him sing We Need a Little Christmas. I'm sure you've heard this version on the radio many times. Other familiar cuts on this album are It's Beginning to Look a Lot Alike Christmas and his exuberant version of It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

There are some less familiar tunes on here that are really quite enjoyable in a quieter way. Those songs include Where Can I Find Christmas/ Christmas is for Everyone and Every Christmas Eve/Giving.

This album is entirely secular music. Mathis has other albums that include sacred Christmas music. I have several of his Christmas albums, but I'd say if you are only going to buy one, and you want his Christmas standards, this is probably the one you want to buy.

The Best of the Commercially available Christmas recordings........2000-02-12

Johnny Mathis makes one of his last recordings with the Henry Mancini Orchestra for this gem. The one the radio stations seem to want to play all the time is "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas", but as usual it's not the best song on the album. "Jingle Bells" is a creatively-arranged toe-tapper that I enjoy a lot, but for me the best song is one that I actually had to get used to! After listening to a bunch of rousing Christmas tunes, this one, the last song on the LP, slows things way down and brings you back down to earth! Of course, I'm talking about the beautiful "It's Christmas Time Again". I bought this when it WAS still available on LP, but it's great on CD, too! It sure beats the heck out of his "Merry Christmas" album.

The Spirit of Russia: Music by Rimsky-Korsakov

Average customer rating:

Good sampler of the master's music
Rare Rimsky Extravaganza!
Great Recordings of Rare Rimsky-Korsakov Gems!
An unbelievable musical treasure
Rare CD, must-have for R-K collectors

The Spirit of Russia: Music by Rimsky-Korsakov

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

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Classical | Styles | Music

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The Romantic Piano Concerto, Volume 4
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Capriccio Espagnol; Russian Easter Overture

ASIN: B000001K3R
Release Date: 1994-10-14

Tracks:

Prelude
Bridal Procession
The Battle Of Kershenetz
Apotheosis Of Fevronia
Introduction
Redowa
Lithuanian Dance
Indian Dance
Cortege
May Night
Christmas Eve

Tracks:

Overture On Russian Themes
Skazka (Fairy Tale)
Sadko (A Musical Picture)
Piano Concerto
Concert Fantasy

Customer Reviews:

Good sampler of the master's music.......2006-12-14

Rimsky-Korsakov is one of the most influential Russian composers. Part of the Mighty - Five, he composed numerous works inspired by folk music of various Russian and East European nationalities. Many of them were made to accompany ballets, plays and famous Russian stories. This two-disc set contains excerpts from many of his lesser-known pieces. So there is nothing from Scheherezade or his symphonies. Instead we have music from Mlada, Sadko, and other pieces unknown to all except the die-hard Russian fans. All the music on both discs are orchestral, and exemplify the Russian Romantic style of evocative and emotional melodies.

Of the two discs, I prefer the first, as it contains more, shorter, self-contained pieces. The second disc contains only longer works. The orchestration is fine. Both discs are over an hour long, so this set is a great buy for its price. Note that the cover picture can differ, the set I bought was from Virgin Records and has a totally different cover than the one shown here on Amazon.

Rare Rimsky Extravaganza!.......2005-12-19

With the classical music market flooded in excerpt reissues, this 2 CD set is a welcome budget addition for any romantic period collection. The varied selections are drawn from the 1972-1978,VOX output and are decently remastered. Rimsky-Korsakov composed 16 known operas and it was his custom to make
orchestral suites for them. The three in this set are typical of the composer's fantasies. All his life he loved fairy-tales,
nature, and folklore. He used colorful and bizarre tales for his operas, and wrote colorful and brilliant music to set them off. Each of the three included here feature an introduction,
some lovely themes and some exotic effects. "Christmas Eve" is evocative but it's storyline is based on paganism. Each suite is just right and dosen't outlast it's welcome.
The overture to "May Night" is cut from the same mold. The "Overture On Russian Themes" utilizes the same melody in Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" representing the Russian forces.
"Shazka"(Legend)is another fairy-tale based on a prologue by Pushkin. The enchanting score for "Sadko, a Musical Picture" preceded the opera by the same name by thirty years. With all Rimsky's descriptive orchestral music, we forget he composed symphonies and concertos.

Rimsky-Korsakov's short(under 12 mins.)Piano Concerto was probably inspired by his teacher Balakirev, is characteristic of Liszt's one movement form. It's themematic development is unmistakably Russian. In developing his violin writing skills he composed the "Concert Fantasy" based on Spanish themes. It prepared him well for the later "Capriccio espagnol".

The various artists all perform well but one wishes for even more updated sound; hence my reservation for a fifth star. Detailed liner notes are included.

Great Recordings of Rare Rimsky-Korsakov Gems!.......2005-12-11

This 2-CD set contains wonderful performances of some really great music of Rimsky-Korsakov which, unfortunately, has not achieved the popularity of works like Scheherezade and Capriccio
Espagnole. The Invisible City Suite is truly magical: colorful, imaginative music that transports you to a sound-world that is quite different from most classical works. The performance is very good, with very solid sound and accoustics. The Mlada Suite is another colorful Russian showpiece that Rimsky-Korsakov excelled at. An excellent performance too. The May Night Overture gets a brisk, propulsive performance that makes it really enjoyable to listen to. The first CD ends with the rare Christmas Eve Suite No. 2, and what a delight it is! It starts out slow, with an exotic theme that is jovial and intriguing and develops into a number of exciting climaxes, and it is very well-played.
The second CD starts with the marvelous Overture on Russian Themes, which contains at least one theme you're sure to recognize (it's also in the 1812 Overture). A really smashing performance. Next is the rare Skazka/Fairy Tale, sometimes called Baba Yaga. It starts out menacing and contains both lyrical and dramatic themes, which is to be expected, as it is a tone poem that tells a story. The performance is first-rate, though it sounds like there's some background noise going on at times. Next is Sadko, given a fast, exciting performance, though I prefer the Zinman/Rotterdam one. The Piano Concerto comes next, and what a find this is! It sounds just like Rachmaninov at times. It is given a faster-than-usual performance here, which is just what it needs. This rare concerto is so enjoyable that you will wish it would go on longer than its 12 minutes and wish it were performed more often. The set ends with the Concert Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra, which is another gem that is extremely satisfying, featuring a great performance by the violinist, orchestra and conductor, as well as great sound balancing and accoustics.
If you get this set together with the Zinman/Rotterdam collection of RK's orchestral works on Phillips
as well as a good performance of Scheherazade (I'd recommend the Spano/Atlanta performance among modern ones or the Karajan/Berlin one among stereo recordings), you'll have almost all of the best music by Rimsky-Kosakov at a really low price.
Do not be put off by the fact that this CD-set features orchestras and conductors that you've probably never heard of, or by the fact that you won't find any reviews by the the standard professional musical critics. You get two CDs filled with great music at a budget price, and the performances are first-rate throughout. It is worth every penny and a whole lot more! I cannot recommend this more strongly!

An unbelievable musical treasure.......2004-07-02

Consider the low prize of this set you'll be rewarde for a long time .
The invisible city is well played , the piano concert is warmth and powerful and the violin concert is much more than a simply promised land . You'll be surprised about the musical richness of Nikolai Rimski Korsakov.

Rare CD, must-have for R-K collectors.......2004-05-14

This is cheap set, but at least two performances makes it best of all existing ; the Sadko with Katims and Seattle SO is the ultimate performance, far best of all - I heard all, with Svetlanov, Serov, and more, and Katims is high over all. I do not undertand it, because nor the orchestra, nor conductor, are of top quality - but really, they did great job. One more piece is quite unknown (but very good) Rimsky-Korsakov piano concerto. This performance is quite faster and more fercious than other exsting, and I think it is fater than it should be (according to music sheet), but still, it has value as rare performance.

Average customer rating:

Little known but wonderful
Rare Rimsky-Korsakov well done.
A great collection for Rimsky fans. (And if you're not a fan, you will be.)
As complete and good a collection as you're likely to find.
Excellent compilation

Rimsky-Korsakov: Suites

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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A. Glazunov: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 8
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Debussy, Ravel: Orchestral Works
Strauss: Orchestral Works

ASIN: B000000ACB
Release Date: 1992-04-03

Tracks:

May Night - Overture
The Snow Maiden: Beautiful Spring
The Snow Maiden: Dance Of The Birds
The Snow Maiden: The Procession Of Tsar Berendey
The Snow Maiden: Dance Of The Tumblers
Christmas Eve: Christmas Night - Ballet Of The Stars - Witches' Sabbath And Ride On The Devil's Back - Polonaise - Vakula And The Slippers

Tracks:

Mlada: Introduction
Mlada: Redowa: A Bohemian Dance
Mlada: Lithuanian Dance
Mlada: Indian Dance
Mlada: Procession Of The Nobles
The Invisible City of Kitezh: Prelude: A Hymn To Nature
The Invisible City of Kitezh: Wedding Procession
The Invisible City of Kitezh: Tartar Invasion And Battle Of Kerzhenets
The Invisible City of Kitezh: Death Of Fevroniya And Apotheosis Of The Invisible City

Tracks:

The Golden Cockerel: Introduction And Dodon's Sleep
The Golden Cockerel: King Dodon On The Battlefield
The Golden Cockerel: Queen Of Shemakha's Dance; King Dodon's Dance
The Golden Cockerel: Wedding Feast; Death Of King Dodon; Finale
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan: Tsar's Departure And Farewell
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan: Tsarina Adrift At Sea In A Barrel
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan: The Three Wonders
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan: The Flight Of The Bumble Bee

Amazon.com

Rimsky-Korsakov's operatic suites used to be standard repertoire, but like so much attractive and colorful music, it seems that recording has absolved orchestras of the need to play them live! It's a rare day that you will find such lovely works as the Christmas Eve or Snow Maiden suite in the concert hall, so by all means invest in this comprehensive collection and enjoy them at home. This was the first project in Neeme Järvi's epic collaboration with the Scottish National Orchestra, and as is so often the case in such instances, everyone really plays their collective hearts out. Even Chandos outdoes itself in providing sound of speaker-shattering impact. A great set. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Little known but wonderful.......2007-06-03

When was the last time you sat down and listened to Sheherazade? Have you ever heard it at good volume on good equipment? I thought not. So that's one thing to do. And now even better news: Rimsky-Korsakov wrote much great music in operas which have remained unknown to Western audiences. Here is a little of it in orchestral suites - good performances and sound and at a reasonable price. May it be the beginning of a delightful new journey into Russian opera!

Rare Rimsky-Korsakov well done........2006-07-19

Actually I was already familiar with some of the selections--most notably "Procession of the Nobles" from "Mlada" and "Dance of the Tumblers" from "The Snow Maiden". Thus I had a standard of quality from which I could compare the unfamiliar music.

Every piece sparkles. Rimsky-Korsakov's music is, generally, a study in elegance. Every note of these suites proves it. Frequently, when you hear music that is seldom performed, you discover WHY it isn't done. That does not apply here. I think it is a shame that I have not heard most of this music before.

Neeme Jarvi and the Scottish National Orchestra do a wonderful job performing all these suites. I whole-heartedly recommend this recording.

A great collection for Rimsky fans. (And if you're not a fan, you will be.).......2005-08-19

I have fond feelings for this collection. It was my introduction to the Chandos label and to conductor Neemi Jarvi, and I was bowled over. Since that time, recording just about every piece of music written by Western composers has apparently reduced some of Jarvi's enthusiasm, because his later recordings are often not as just-right as his Rimsky performances herein. But these performances are everything they should be. Jarvi and his Scottish orchestra stress the sparkling colors and the near-classical leanness of Rimsky's orchestrations. No Wagnerian bloat, no Brahmsian bottom-heaviness here. Rimsky seems to return to Berlioz as his orchestral paradigm, I always think.

I was immediately attracted to the Christmas Eve Suite, which I hadn't heard before; it builds to a wonderful climax in the tempo of a polonaise. Move over, Piotr I. Tchaikovsky--this music is a great change from chestnuts out of the Nutcracker (a pretty lame pun, but I'll let it stand).

However, Christmas Eve is not the only pleasure these discs provide. Jarvi offers first-rate performances of the lovely May Night, Rimsky's finest overture, as well as suites from the Golden Cockerel, the Snow Maiden, and Mlada, which contain some of Rimsky's most memorable music: the Dance of the Tumblers, the Procession of the Nobles, the Wedding Feast and Death of King Dodon. Great stuff.

And then there's Chandos' recording: incredibly clean and wide-ranging, with just the right sense of hall sound. I'm still impressed every time I listen.

As complete and good a collection as you're likely to find........2003-08-02

Over a 35-year period, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov wrote fifteen operas, all but a handful of them still in the active Russian repertoire. A few of them have even gained something of a foothold recently in the U.S., with Valery Gergiev and his Kirov Opera company performing them on tour. For those seeking orchestral works of Rimsky-Korsakov beyond Sheherazade, the Great Russian Easter Festival Overture, and, perhaps, Capriccio Espagnol and the 2nd ("Antar") Symphony, a logical place to start is with the orchestral suites he fashioned from several of his better-known operas (covering nearly half of his operatic output).

For those so interested, my first - and highest - recommendation goes to this Chandos boxed set, with Neemi Järvi conducting the Scottish National Orchestra (as it was known in 1984, when this recording was made; it is now the Royal Scottish National Orchestra). With the possible exception of some incidental music from Sadko and The Tsar's Bride, this set contains virtually all of the most popular orchestral music from Rimsky-Korsakov's better-known operas.

Over the years, Järvi has developed somewhat of a reputation for "recording everything in sight," not always with the most effective of results. But here, in what the editorial reviewer identifies as his first recording session with the SNO, he has done a splendid job all around, bringing out the often gorgeous coloristic effects of the music, with an orchestra that fully does justice to the performance requirements, and with stunning sound captured by the Chandos engineers.

Particularly noteworthy are the suite from Mlada (with its dramatic "Procession of the Nobles" march), the atmspheric and magical music from The Invisible City of Kitezh, and the better-known suite from The Golden Cockerel. In all of these suites - and in the balance of the boxed set as well - Järvi and the SNO capture the orchestrational genius of Rimsky-Korsakov with perfection: brilliant brass, shimmering strings, nicely-detailed woodwind playing, as is seldom heard from all too many Russian orchestras.

This was clearly an auspicious debut album for Järvi and the SNO, an orchestra that he would direct in many recordings over the following decade or so. And, though not inexpensive, it is the single finest (and most complete) album of Rimsky-Korsakov's orchestral suites from his operas that I have had the pleasure of hearing.

Recommended without reservation.

Bob Zeidler

Excellent compilation.......2000-09-07

I concur that this is an excellent set, performed exquisitely by Jarvi and the Scottish National Orchestra. The comprehensive liner notes refer to the Procession of the Nobles from the Mlada Suite as "splendid." Indeed it is, a tour de force of orchestration that has few peers. The panache with which it is performed here is a touchstone for the quality of the entire set.

This should be a must-have for fans of Rimsky-Korsakov. It certainly assembles much of his best work, some of which is not very easy to find. The one quibble, albeit a big one, is the price. At first glance, you may think that the price isn't too bad, given that you get 3 CDs. But these CDs each contain only 50 minutes or so of music. A technical justification is that a 2 CD package would have required one of the suites to straddle 2 discs. I'm sure that most listeners, however, would have preferred such a cut if the pricing were more realistic. Tough call. Maybe drop a big hint to a friend that you want this as a gift.

Auld Lang Syne: The Ultimate New Year's Eve Celebration
Average customer rating:
Auld Lang Syne: The Ultimate New Year's Eve Celebration
All That Music All-Star Band
Manufacturer: Legacy [One Way]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005OKT8
Release Date: 2001-09-18