Elgar: ENIGMA VARIATIONS

On this CD:

1. Enigma Variations for orchestra, Op.36
Composed by Edward Elgar
Performed by Maria Garzon

2. In Smyrna for piano
Composed by Edward Elgar
Performed by Maria Garzon

3. Serenade for piano
Composed by Edward Elgar
Performed by Maria Garzon

4. Presto for piano
Composed by Edward Elgar
Performed by Maria Garzon

5. Adieu for piano
Composed by Edward Elgar
Performed by Maria Garzon

6. Skizze for piano
Composed by Edward Elgar
Performed by Maria Garzon

7. Griffinesque for piano
Composed by Edward Elgar
Performed by Maria Garzon

8. Salut d'amour for piano or orchestra, Op. 12
Composed by Edward Elgar
Performed by Maria Garzon

9. Sonatina for piano
Composed by Edward Elgar
Performed by Maria Garzon

10. Dream Children for small orchestra, Op. 43
Composed by Edward Elgar
Performed by Maria Garzon

11. Concert Allegro for piano, Op.46
Composed by Edward Elgar
Performed by Maria Garzon

Tracks:

Air 'On the G String' - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Morning - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Canon In D - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Gymnopedie No.1 - City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
II. Andante - Stephen Hough
Viens, Mallika - Mady Mesple
In Paradisum - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
Clair De Lune - Dame Moura Lympany
II. Andate - Yehudi Menuhin
The Swan - Osian Ellis
II. Lento E Largo - Tranquillissimo - Zofia Kilanowicz
II. Andantino - James Galway
II. Largo - Yehudi Menuhin
Nimrod - London Symphony Orchestra
Blow the Wind - Pie Jesu - Jocelyn Pook
Variation 18 - Cecile Ousset
Pavane Op.50 - Gareth Morris

Tracks:

Zion Hort Die Wachter Singen - South German Madrigal Choir
Adagio In G Minor - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Minuet - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. Largo - Andrei Gavrilov
Meditation - Hans Kalafusz
I. Adagio Sostenuto - Dame Moura Lympany
Belle Nuit, O Nuit D'amour (Barcarolle) - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
II. Andante - Nigel North
II. Adagio - Jack Brymer
Intermezzo - Philharmonia Orchestra
I. Moderato - London Chamber Orchestra
O Mio Babbino Caro - Montserrat Caballe
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves' - Sinfonia Of London
II. Adagio Sostenuto (Opening) - Cecile Ousset
Nocturne - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. Adagio (Opening) - Julian Bream
Adagio For Strings Op.11a - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Entr'acte To Act III - Orchestre National De France

Amazon.com

You want relaxing classical music that'll soothe your soul but won't lull you into sleep? Here's a double CD for you. The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World ... Ever! does its best to cover both well-worn classical favorites (Bach's "Air on the G String," Pachelbel's "Cannon," Debussy's "Clair de Lune") and some eclectic left-field choices (an excerpt from Górecki's Symphony No. 3, Jocelyn Pook's "Blow the Wind," and Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. The performances of most of these excerpts are top-notch--artists include Sir Neville Marriner, James Galway, Jacqueline du Pré and the Philadelphia Orchestra--and there's enough variety here for everyone. --Edward Garabedian

Customer Reviews:

Lives Up To The Title, Fine Variety Of Genre's........2007-02-04

This CD is a great way to enjoy a large variety of Classical Composers & many of their best known pieces. Vivaldi's "Four Seasons," is an all time favorite. There are vocals, Piano pieces, & some fine Violins. I found the latter the most enjoyable. Here you can find Rodrigo & Pachelbell. Samuel Barber's haunting Adagio will make your skin tingle. This may not be to everyones taste, but if you wish to relax? Give this a couple of listens.

Good for relaxing pregnant women.......2007-01-17

I stumbled onto this album whilst searching bit torrent websites for classical music. I don't normally listen to classical music but thought it might be relaxing for my pregnant wife. After hearing the quality of the performances, the arrangement, and the recording I decided to buy the album from amazon. All the songs you would expect from a "best album in the world" are there and they are not boring to listen to like a lot of other classical albums. I now play this album in the car constantly and the wife requested it be played at the hospital during the birth.

Too much opera.......2007-01-10

If it wasn't for the opera this would be a great CD.

Does what it set out to do, very well.......2006-11-15

So i'm a classical music veteran, someone who prefers to collect a complete work, rather than classical compilations. I probably would not have listened to this album at all if my dad didnt buy it for me as a gift. By now, i own the complete works that over half of the excepts on this disc come from. I am a purist if ever there was one.

That said, i totally adore this set because i have learned to take it on its own terms. These discs weren't meant for expert classical listeners, so a review from that sort of mindset is useless. This set was meant for pure, easy listening, and for a basic starters kit for classical newbies. Most of all, it was just meant to do what the title says, to relax the average human being. classical expert or not.

Yes, some of these pieces have been altered or shortened, like Mozart's Flute and Harp Concerto Andantino, but they have been edited for a good enough reason: the full versions would have been too long to flow with the rest of the album. And also, the full versions contain so much development that they don't become easy listening anymore. The shortened versions work in the context of the album. Most essentially, the shortened versions on the discs still convey the main flavor the composers were going for. The melodies and themes remain unchanged.

To sum up, it is true that when i want to actually listen deeply to classical music, this album would never be a choice. I would want to hear the complete works like the composers intended. But at certain times when i simply don't mind about that stuff, when i just need to loosen up and free my mind of stress with some nice melodies, this set does the job well enough.

Last but not least: being a purist and a classical buff, i am very particular about performance quality. I was very glad to find that EMI did not get lazy about this. All the artists are world-class, and all the performances are at least exceptional. Some performances are even quite excellent, like the Clair De Lune, which is one of the best i've heard. (Credit to Dame Lympany, the pianist.)

So once again, recommended for its stated purpose, to relax. I am a purist, a classical buff, and i still enjoy this disc. That says something.

TRULY The most relaxing and beautiful music ever written........2006-11-10

This album along with Volume 2 are now the two most valued albums in my music collection. I have all of the songs contained on these two albums but they are scattered through at least a dozen different albums and several are not performed by artists such as those that recorded this album and Volume 2.
SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!!!!

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

Average customer rating:

Great recording, great price. Buy this without question!!!!!
CLASSICAL MASTERS
Noble Elgar, unbelievable price
Great for High School Graduations!
Elgar's Greatest Hits at a Rock Bottom Price!

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

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bach: Brandenburg Concertos No. 1-4; Neville Marriner; Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
Chopin: Preludes & Nocturnes

ASIN: B000000UVS
Release Date: 1995-10-17

Tracks:

Enigma Variations, Op. 36: Theme
Enigma Variations, Op. 36: I. C.A.E. (Caroline Alice Elgar, The Composer's Wife)
Enigma Variations, Op. 36: II. H.D.S.-P. (Hew Daivd Steuart-Powell)
Enigma Variations, Op. 36: III. R.B.T. (Richard Baxtet Townshend)
Enigma Variations, Op. 36: IV. W.M.B. (William Beath Baker)
Enigma Variations, Op.36: V. R.P.A. ( Richard Penrose Arnold)
Enigma Variations, Op.36: VI. Ysobel (Isabel Fitton)
Enigma Variations, Op.36: VII. Troyte (Troyte Griffith)
Enigma Variations, Op.36: VIII. W.N. (Winifred Norbury)
Enigma Variations, Op.36: IX. Nimrod (A. J. Jaeger)
Enigma Variations, Op.36: X. Intermezzo: Dorabella (Dora Penny)
Enigma Variations, Op.36: XI. G.R.S. (George Robertson Sinclair)
Enigma Variations, Op.36: XII. B.G.N. (Basil G. Nevinson)
Enigma Variations, Op.36: XIII. Romanza: (Lady Mary Lygon)
Enigma Variations, Op.36: XIV. Finale: E.D.U. (The Composer)
Pomp & Circumstance Marches, Op.39: No.1 in D
Pomp & Circumstance Marches, Op.39: No.2 In A Minor
Pomp & Circumstance Marches, Op.39: No.3 In C Minor
Pomp & Circumstance Marches, Op.39: No.4 In G
Pomp & Circumstance Marches, Op.39: No.5 In C
Cockaigne (In London Town) - Concert Overture, Op.40

Customer Reviews:

Great recording, great price. Buy this without question!!!!!.......2007-07-08

I stumbled across this little gem for the low price of about $3.00. I almost kept going assuming that the price was an indication of the quality. Glad I looked twice.

This is a wonderful album with respectful treatments and excellent sound quality, performed by the some of the greatest musicians in the world from the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Philharmonica Orchestra.

The Enigma Variations, a Theme and 15 short orchestrations that Sir Edward then named after his friends and family based on personality traits, are a wonderful, uncelebrated Opus. I love these pieces. They truly showcase the power of Elgar's compositional style and flair. They certainly rival his more famous Pomp and Circumstance, in my humble opinion. The recording is sharp, well mixed, with no perceivable noise.

As for the Pomp and Circumstance recordings, well done throughout. All 5 pieces are played wonderfully and recorded beautifully with excellent sound mixing and very little, if any, background noise.

Cockaigne Overture is, once again, perfect. Marvelous treatment, wonderful musicianship, excellent sound and quality.

THIS HAS GOT TO BE THE GREATEST MUSICAL VALUE ON THE SHELVES RIGHT NOW. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE I ONLY PAID $3.00 FOR THIS RECORDING. I WOULD HAVE GLADLY SHELLED OUT THE OBLIGATORY $15.00 - $20.00 CONSIDERING THE QUALITY OF THIS CD.

IF YOU ARE READING THIS, YOU MUST BUY RIGHT NOW, BEFORE THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES AND RAISE THE PRICE!

CLASSICAL MASTERS.......2007-05-12

I BOUGHT THE CD FOR POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE BUT QUICKLY FELL IN LOVE WITH THE ENTIRE PIECE. IT IS WONDERFUL!

Noble Elgar, unbelievable price.......2007-05-05

This is not some schlock budget disc, which the price might suggest. Boult was one of the great Elgar interpretors (Barbirolli too) and these performances, especially the inspired Enigma Variations, bring out the very soul of Elgar. Sound quality, by the way, is excellent--warm and rich analog glow.

Great for High School Graduations!.......2007-03-12

I am the Principal of a small private boarding school that opened just last year. We do not have a school orchestra, so when the time came for us to plan our graduation ceremony, I searched all over the web for the traditional music. I heard some awful, piano versions of Pomp and Circumstance #4, and some other lackluster symphonic versions. Seraphim's CD of Elgar's works is by far the best. It is warm, heartfelt, inspiring, rich and incredibly well produced. Perhaps having the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra was the best choice, as they are playing the works of a fellow countryman. Several people came up to me after the ceremony to comment on the music, saying they were extremely moved by the music. Not bad for just playing it over a boombox!

By the way, if you are planning on using this for a graduation, know that you will have to edit out the long introductory passage and figure out how to loop the most famous "graduation" section over enough times to get through your ceremony!

Elgar's Greatest Hits at a Rock Bottom Price!.......2006-09-28

You just can't go wrong with this compilation of Elgar works and this super-cheap price. The performances are full-priced quality. This is a great introduction to Elgar CD. The Enigma Variations will bring tears to your eyes!

Elgar: Cello Concerto; "Enigma" Variations

Average customer rating:

I really feel it's inappropriate...
Buy it for the Cello Concerto, forget the rest
Magnificent.
Gorgeous
Passionate Jacqueline

Elgar: Cello Concerto; "Enigma" Variations

Manufacturer: Sony
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Binding: Audio CD

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Daniel Barenboim, Pinchas Zukerman & Jacqueline du Pré - Beethoven: Piano Trios
Jacqueline du Pre - Favourite Cello Concertos ~ Boccherini, Dvorak, Elgar, Haydn, Monn, Saint-Saens, Schumann
Jacqueline du Pré - a lasting inspiration

ASIN: B000BDGWF8
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Customer Reviews:

I really feel it's inappropriate..........2007-06-30

...for me to review this recording. These are for me at least two special works. The Elgar Cello Concerto has been described as "the final epitaph to the romantic movement" and I wouldn't disagree with that. Who could know that one of very young performers of this piece, Jacqueline du Pré, was herself to fall victim to a crippling disease not long after this recording? EVERYTHING about this recording is superb. It's hardly surprising that few today will dare to rerecord it. I don't want to say more.
The "Enigma" variations, as the name suggests. have remained a mystery ever since they were composed. The style is Brahms, no question, but the tone is well, mysteriously light. If has often been suggested, this sublime Theme and Variations is a portrait of Elgar's friends and lovers, then it is surely unique in music and will go on being listened to for ever. Wonderful performance, a perfect record.

Buy it for the Cello Concerto, forget the rest.......2007-05-05

The Elgar Cello Concerto is performed wonderfully here--just magic. The legendary team of Barenboim and Du Pre plus her famous way with this piece are known to all classical music lovers.

Barenboim alone as a conductor is another matter. I've never cared for his willful, sometimes even goofy performances, and the other Elgar pieces he conducts on this disc show him to be at his irritating worst. If you want to hear inspired, noble performances of the Pomp & Circumstance Marches and the Enigma Variations buy Adrian Boult's versions with the London Symphony and London Philharmonic Orchestras on EMI/Seraphim.

Magnificent........2007-03-16

This recording of the Elgar is absolutely wonderful... it's breathtaking, poignant, playful, and altogether fabulous. I only wish I had been around to see the DuPre/Barenboim magic live...

Gorgeous.......2007-01-04

Of course this is a gorgeous piece, and she is the best. BUT, putting two versions of pomp and circumstance before the concerto is SO irritating. the moods are totally different and they are no preparation for the concerto. Why can't they just make CD's with what you want on them instead of filling them up with things you don't want?

Passionate Jacqueline.......2006-01-24

This is a wonderfully passionate recording of the concerto that has rightfully become as closely associated with Jacqueline Dupre as with the composer himself. I don't want to go into detail - just listen and drink it all in. I was lucky enough to hear Jacqueline play this piece live (in Manchester with the Halle in 1970), and this recording is every bit as moving.

But, truth be told, my main reason for buying the CD was the Enigma Variations. On reading the score I discovered an ad lib organ part that fortifies the texture of the orchestra for a substantial part of the final variation. The recording I had (Andre Previn with the Royal Philharmonic) ad libbed it out. I tried to research which recordings had the organ ad libbed in, but couldn't find any indication anywhere on the Web. But, I thought, I have a recording of Barenboim with the London Phil playing Elgar's Cockaigne, and he certainly uses an organ in that recording, therefore...... and thus I discovered this wonderful CD.

The Enigma Variations is given a very fine performance, more satisfying in several ways than in the Previn recording, not least because the brass is a little more prominent and bright (full disclosure: I'm a trumpet player). Oh, and the timpani in the Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage quote are played - as tradition demands - with coins, not with the snare-drum sticks Elgar requests in the score. The result is a very very effective evocation of ships' engines.

I'm giving this recording 5 stars because of the Enigma and the Cello Concerto. The CD also features the two most well-known of the Pomp and Circumstance marches. No. 4 is perfectly fine, but Barenboim gives No. 1 a very strange interpretation. He takes the march part at about a million miles per hour, and it sounds - to my ears, anyway - trivial and silly at that speed. It's even faster than a circus-march screamer. The mind boggles.

Average customer rating:

great choice
Brilliant offering
Easy Listening
Very Relaxing Music
What more can you expect?

The Opera Band
Amici Forever
Manufacturer: RCA Victor
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000V0DE2
Release Date: 2004-01-13

Tracks:

Prayer in the Night
Senza Catene (Unchained Melody)
Canto Alla Vita
Vita Mia
Requiem for a Soldier (Band of Brothers)
Whisper of Angels
The Pearl Fishers
Soave sia il vento
Nimrod: Lux Aeterna
Song to the Moon
Zadok the Priest
Nessun Dorma

Amazon.com

The debut of the young, classically trained international quintet of sopranos Jo Appleby and Tsakane Valentine, tenors David Habbin and Geoff Swell, and basso Nick Garret offers up a familiar take on the crossover formula that has enriched everyone from genre pioneers The Three Tenors to Russell Watson and beyond. While their occasionally electro-pumped rhythms and youth-angled marketing shtick ("The world's first opera band!") may borrow a page from Opera Babes and Bond, it still manages to evoke the spirit (if not the letter) of its eclectic classical sources. And if the world hasn't exactly been burning for yet another dramatized update of Turandot's melodic "Nessun Dorma," The Pearl Fishers, or--for that matter--"Unchained Melody," Amici Forever's takes on the pop side of the crossover equation are indeed promising, recasting Alex North's "Unchained.." ("Senza Catene") and their reworked theme to the miniseries Band of Brothers("Requiem for a Soldier") in a successful, neo-classical light. If Neopolitan-shaded originals like "Canto Alla Vita" and "Vita Mia" sound like Josh Groban clones, their glorious harmonic vocal reworkings of Faure's "Pavane" ("Whisper of Angels") and Elgar's "Enigma Variations" ("Nimrod: Lux Aeterna") bristle with an ambitious sense of adventure that's missing from much of their crossover competition. Serious opera buffs may still quarrel with the daring "impurity" of it all, but if Amici Forever prod a few more pimply punters to peruse Puccini, won't it all have been worth it? --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

great choice.......2007-01-11

this was a gift for family. family member loves album quality and selections.

Brilliant offering.......2007-01-10

Amici Forever is suberb in every way. Their arrangements are exceptional and the original lyrics are perfect poetry.

Easy Listening.......2006-09-21

Bought the album after hearing someone talk about the group. Thought the voices were okay (baritone was the best) but in some songs didn't blend properly. Selection of pieces was interesting . . . pop, classical, opera. Good album for "background" music.

Very Relaxing Music.......2006-09-11

I first heard it at a shop that sells English products. I thought it was interesting to hear and decided to get the CD for myself. I find the chorus very relaxing especially the last song which nearly put me to sleep as I am doing my homework. Amici Forever is a good CD to listen to when you have nothing to do or to soothe your wracked nerves.

What more can you expect?.......2006-08-04

CD was delivered quickly, in excellent shape, and for a great price. What more can you say? George

Elgar: Enigma Variations; Introduction & Allegro

Average customer rating:

Elgar: Enigma Variations; Introduction & Allegro

Manufacturer: Lso Live UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 2007-06-12

Tracks:

Theme (Enigma Variations)
CAE
HDS-P
RBT
WMB
RPA
Ysobel
Troyte
WN
Nimrod
Dorabella
GRS
BGN
(***)
EDU
Introduction & Allegro for Strings

Average customer rating:

Enigma
A Moving Experience
Great performance; great recording
Gardiner shines in Elgar, but it's the orchestra you'll want this CD for
Convincing interpretations, not so convincing sound

Elgar: Enigma Variations
Edward Elgar , John Eliot Gardiner , and Wiener Philharmoniker
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos 1-5

ASIN: B00005UW3R
Release Date: 2002-03-12

Tracks:

In The South (Alassio)
Introduction And Allegro
Sospiri
Enigma Variations - Andante
Enigma Variations - I, C.A.E
Enigma Variations - Ii, H.D.S.-P.
Enigma Variations - Iii, R.B.T.
Enigma Variations - Iv, W.M.B.
Enigma Variations - V, R.P.A.
Enigma Variations - Vi, Ysobel
Enigma Variations - Vii, Troyte
Enigma Variations - Viii, W.N.
Enigma Variations - Ix, Nimrod
Enigma Variations - X, Intermezzo- Dorabella
Enigma Variations - Xi, G.R.S.
Enigma Variations - Xii, B.G.N.
Enigma Variations - Xiii, Romanza- ---
Enigma Variations - Xiv, Finale- E.D.U.

Customer Reviews:

Enigma.......2007-01-11

What a wonderful performance of this beloved piece. The orchestra is very responsive to the conductor who is probably one of the finest in our age.

A Moving Experience.......2007-01-09

For anyone who enjoys classical music, beware. This is some of the most powerful music this or that side of Beethoven. Excellent sound quality as well, this CD is a real treat.

Great performance; great recording.......2006-02-13

These Enigma Variations are as good as any I've ever heard, and better than most. That dark, fullbodied sound really helps. The Alassio overture is indeed Straussian, and that's no drawback. The great Sospiri, one of the most beautiful works I know, doesn't match Hurst's or Barbirolli's versions precisely because the sound is too big, with an overabundance of strings. But Gardiner's version is still a wonderful experience. Try his Chabrier disc, also with the VPO--it's fine also.

Gardiner shines in Elgar, but it's the orchestra you'll want this CD for.......2005-09-24

Gardiner is a fairly ordinary conductor technically, not remotely in the same league as the great ones who have appeared with the Vienna Phil. But here the sheer luxury of hearing that amazing orchestra doing Elgar, especially "In the South," makes this a very special CD. I can think of greater readings of each piece, particularly under Barbirolli, but who has ever heard them in such aristocratic surroundings?

Convincing interpretations, not so convincing sound.......2005-07-26

When I purchased this CD, it was solely for the Enigma Variations, as I had never heard the three other pieces before. This changed, but more on that in a bit. I hoped that Gardiner might make some sense out of one of Elgar's most popular pieces, and it seems he has.
This performance is cohesive and the music flows naturally. Gardiner uses a lot of tempo fluctuation and rubato, but he does it naturally and doesn't force anything. He follows Elgar's tempos about half of the time, and if he doesn't, it isn't in blatant disregard. There are no variations that stand out in this bunch, and all the movements relate to each other. All too often Nimrod is given "special treatment" and as the centerpiece of many conductors' interpretations, it becomes bloated. While it was a special variation to Elgar, and Gardiner gives a little more emphasis to it, he manages to "beat the bloat" and doesn't pour syrup all over the music.
I should mention the other selections before I go any further. This was the first time I had heard 'In the South', 'Introduction and Allegro', and 'Sospiri'. In the South is, in my opinion, Elgar's best concert overture, and it has never ceased to thrill me. As another reviewer pointed out, these pieces are not just filler pieces, they are substantial works, and underperformed as well.
After listening to these works for a while, I am surprised at the distinct German style that is inherent in the recordings. The Enigma Variations here resemble Brahms more than any of Elgar's English counterparts. Likewise with In the South and its striking affinity to Strauss - a lot like Don Juan. The program notes even mentioned Sospiri resembling late Mahler in its oblique relationship between melody and harmony. It is clear that Gardiner places at least some of the music of Elgar with the late German romantics, and he chose this program as the best representation of that idea. There are a lot of links already, actually. To name two of them, the Elgars visited Bavaria several times, and Hans Richter, the well-known Brahms/Dvorak interpreter, was a good friend and conducted Elgar's works frequently. Gardiner's conducting style, his choice of collaboration with the Vienna Philharmonic, and even the recording style (mentioned by another reviewer) all seem to point Elgar in the direction of German music. Whether or not it is a good choice is up to the listener, of course. In my opinion, there are drawbacks. One is that he mic placements wreak havoc on the balance. There is something else I would also like to point out that hasn't already been mentioned. The Vienna Philharmonic usually doesn't do too much English music. While they are one of the world's best orchestras and respond confidently to Gardiner's direction, they can still be intimidated. The high technical demands this music makes of them combined with the unfamiliar territory lead them to underemphasize the meticulous dynamic contrasts which Elgar wrote. Ususally the brisk passages which are marked ff and fff are underplayed, and as if to compensate for this, the lyrical passages, often marked pp or ppp, are played somewhere between p and mp, and with too much angst (the close miking only makes it worse). This can often ruin a piece, though in this case the VP doesn't do it all the time, and at the same time, they are still technically outstanding and devastatingly musical. I give them four stars. An English orchestra would probably receive 5 due to the experience. Listen to Gardiner's Holst CD with the Philharmonia and you will see what I'm talking about.
Gardiner gets four stars as well for an intelligent and thoughtful interpretation, though sometimes I might not agree with it. The sound gets two stars - bad balance and stuffiness. Overall, this is an excellent recording to which I give the benefit of the doubt (thus 4 stars instead of 3), and I highly recommend it.

Average customer rating:

Agnus Dei music of Inner Harmony
Simply The Best
Wow!
Profound sublimity
Beautiful music

Agnus Dei: Music of Inner Harmony

Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

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

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

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

Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Agnus Dei II: Music to soothe the soul
O Magnum Mysterium
Choral Masterpieces
Barber's Adagio / Munch, Galway, Boston SO Strings
Gloria: Music of Praise & Inspiration

ASIN: B000005E4J
Release Date: 1997-02-18

Tracks:

Agnus Dei, op.11 - Barber
Cantique de Jean Racine, op.11 - Faure
Kyrie - Palestrina
Ave Verum Corpus K 618 - Mozart
Jesus bleibet meine Freude - Bach
Ave Maria, op.37 No.6 - Choir Of New College Oxford
Lux Aeterna - Choir Of New College Oxford
Totus Tuus - Choir Of New College Oxford
Hear my prayer - Mendelssohn
The Lamb - Tavener
In paradisum - Faure
Miserere mei, Deus - Choir Of New College Oxford

Amazon.com

Beyond this recording's new age packaging and title is a splendid sampling of some of the world's finest choral music, sung by one of the world's outstanding choirs. This "anthology of sacred choral music" spans 400 years and includes such masterpieces as Allegri's Miserere, Bach's "Jesu, joy of man's desiring," and Barber's exquisite Agnus Dei, which is the composer's choral setting of his famous Adagio for Strings. Along the way we also hear Mozart's sublime "Ave verum corpus," Elgar's "Lux aeterna," and the Kyrie from Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli. There has been a choir at England's New College, Oxford, since the year 1379, and this impressive line of experience shows in the intelligent, unfaltering, and finely polished performances by today's ensemble of 16 boys and 12 adults. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Agnus Dei music of Inner Harmony.......2007-05-14

Not really my thing but mother in law loved it.

Simply The Best.......2007-02-23

You'll love this music. This is music for all moments of your life

Wow!.......2006-07-08

I'm a long-time listener of all things rock-'n-roll, from Classic rock, to Alternative, and even a little Metal. I first heard this CD while having dinner at a friends house a long time ago, and I loved it. I've always been enchanted with choir music, so I bought this CD. Well, after years of listening to it to help me to unwind in the evening, I somehow misplaced it. So I came to Amazon to order both I and II. Of the two CD's, the first one is still the best, and it still helps me to relax after a long day. The choir show tremendous range in their singing, the assorted instruments are well-played, and I can almost imagine myself sitting in a centuries-old cathedral, enjoying the music and how it rings throughout the cathedral.

Buy it. You won't be disappointed.

Profound sublimity.......2006-02-27

This album offers music that is profoundly moving and sumbline. It takes the listener onto an inner journal of extraordinary emotional depths and heights

Beautiful music.......2006-01-18

The first song I've heard on this CD is "Miserere Mei..." and I loved it the first minute. I've heard it from a friend who likes classical, and I would've never bought this on my own.

All other versions of these songs I've heard since don't compare to the versions on this CD. Maybe because it was my first listen, maybe they're just good.

Average customer rating:

LETTER PERFECT CLASS(ICAL) ACT!
Great Tracks -- Great Value -- Great Book, Who Can Complain?
At this price, how can one complain?

A to Z of Classical Music

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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$9.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

A - Z of Opera (includes 762 page booklet)
The Arts: World Themes
Walden and Other Writings (Modern Library Classics)
Twentieth-Century World History
Leisure The Basis Of Culture

ASIN: B00004YYRT
Release Date: 2000-10-17

Tracks:

De Profundis - Nova Schola Gregoriana
Alleluia - O Virga Mediatrix - Oxford Camerata
Gloria - Oxford Camerata
Pavane - Red Byrd
Canon - Capella Istropolitana
Vivace - Grave - Capella Istropolitana
Prelude - Laurence Cummings
Allegro - Takako Nishizaki
Adagio - Miroslav Kejmar
Air On The G String - Capella Istropolitana
Hallelujah Chorus - Scholars Baroque Ensemble
Menuetto: Allegretto - Capella Istropolitana
Andante - Failoni Orchestra
Allegro - Capella Istropolitana
Adagio - Jeno Jando
Andante - Ernst Ottensamer
Quis Est Homo - Hungarian State Opera Chorus

Tracks:

Ave Maria - Ingrid Kertesi
Un Bal - Pinchas Steinberg
Wedding March - Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
Minute Waltz - Idil Biret
Larghetto - Alexander Rahbari
Ride Of The Valkyries - Uwe Mund
Prelude - Alexander Rahbari
Hungarian Dance No.3 - Budapest Symphony
Scene - Ondrej Lenard
Slavonic Dance No.1 - Balazs Szokolay
Nimrod - Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Clair De Lune - Keith Clark
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Opening) - Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
Prelude In C Sharp Minor - Idil Biret
Fountain Of The Villa Medici At Sunset - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Overture - Bournemouth Sinfonietta
O Fortuna - Slovak Philharmonic Chorus
Playful Pizzicato - Bournemouth Sinfonietta
Violin Concerto - Adele Anthony

Amazon.com

Is it a two-CD set with a particularly thick booklet, or a 562-page book with a compilation album attached? Either way, the unpretentious text by Keith Anderson offers an introduction to the lives and works of dozens of composers, together with recommended recordings from the Naxos and Marco Polo catalogs. Anderson includes a useful 59-page glossary of musical terms and an extensive listing of classical pieces used in films. The odd thing about the 36 extracts and complete pieces on the CDs is that they do not form an A-to-Z at all. Rather, they are arranged chronologically, from 1,000-year-old Gregorian chant to the opening movement of contemporary composer Philip Glass's Violin Concerto. Between these two points is the early music of Palestrina and Byrd; the Baroque glories of Vivaldi and Bach; the 19th-century Romantic masters, from Beethoven to Tchaikovsky; and such 20th-century greats as Rachmaninov and Stravinsky. Opera, song, and chamber music are barely represented, but only so much can fit into 151 minutes. Essentially a deluxe sampler of the vast Naxos catalogue, the discs offer a good introduction to some of the most famous and melodic music ever composed, while the book will be very useful to newcomers to the potentially confusing world of classical music. --Gary S. Dalkin

Album Description

A-Z of Classical Music is a remarkable 562-page, illustrated bok, detailing the lives of all the great composers as well as many less known, but equally fascinating, musical masters. Like the Naxos range of recording itself, A-Z of Classical Music is a rich source of inspiration for anyone either just embarking on a lifetime of musical enjoyment or for whom classical music has long been a way of life. Included within is an extensive glossary of musical terms plus a unique guide to classical music used in acclaimed films. Two-and-a-half hours of the finest music from across the centuries are contained in the accompanying CDs.

Customer Reviews:

LETTER PERFECT CLASS(ICAL) ACT!.......2003-01-19

It's only natural we sometimes hit the high seas....make that Cs. This is one box set about which we sing praises. This set features more than two hours of the finest music from across the centuries by such composers as Schubert, Chopin, Mozart, Handel, Stravinsky and Glass. The set also comes with a 562-page illustrated book, detailing the lives of hundreds of composers, a
glossary of musical terms and a unique guide to the classical music used in 360 top films.

Great Tracks -- Great Value -- Great Book, Who Can Complain?.......2002-08-30

Naxos is a fabulous label -- you will not get samples of the best classical music through the ages at no better price. These tracks are as good as any of the over-priced major orchestras and in some cases better. This is a great starter set for a beginner or anyone who just wants to "taste" the classics. If you prefer Opera I would suggest the A to Z of Opera -- most of the tracks on A to Z Classical are orchestral. I was so impressed with this collection that I purchased the Discover the Classics Vol's 1-3 which will give you a more detailed look at the great classics. Take a look at the Naxos web site at NAXOSUSA.COM -- what you will see will blow your mind -- there are literally thousands of pieces that you could listen too!

At this price, how can one complain?.......2001-09-30

This is pretty much a CD version of a mini-Naxos and Marco Polo catalog. All the pieces and extracts are ordered chronologically on the 2 CDs and are of very acceptable quality, but don't expect excellence in every track. Personally, I was particularly disappointed with one of my favourite Pachelbel pieces. The Naxos Canon & Gigue lacks all the emotion of my favourite versions.

Still, any possible weaker performances are of little importance after you get your hands on the fat booklet with over 500 pages. The booklet offers a short intro about the great composers, a glossary of musical terms, a list of works used in films and dozens of illustrations of several composers.

Overall, at this price, this is a must-have pack for any beginner, and might be useful for the occasion "quick check" of the work of many composers. Do not expect many detail, nor references to all the works of some composers; I often got frustrated with the lack of detail in some cases, but in general, the booklet is very effective for a quick reference.
You will need more titles that offer more complete information, and you won't truly learn to love classical music just by reading it, but it is small and compact.

It really puzzles me why Naxos did not include a full index of composers, a serious omission. To find a particular composer you will have to look for it yourself in over 500 pages. Also, the separation of the text is not so good, making the search even a bit slower. The lack of the index is truly annoying and I am sure it will be corrected in future editions.

Even with a few weaker pieces and the lack of the index, at this price, there isn't much to argue about. This is truly a bargain that you should not miss. I would also recommend the A-Z of Opera, which offers a bigger booklet with over 700 pages, focusing on opera works and mentioning several composers that are absent from the A-Z of Classical. That other booklet has a very complete index, and much clearer text layout and separation, that's the way both booklets should have been designed.

Tracks:

Pomp And Circumstance March In D Major, Op. 39, No. 1
Enigma Variations, Op. 36: Nimrod
Intoduction And Allegro, Op. 47
Cello Concerto In E minor, Op. 85 - Adagio
Salut d'amour, Op. 12
Symphony No. 1In A Flat Major, Op. 55, - Andante nobilmente e semplice (Excerpt)
Serenade For Strings In E Minor, Op. 20: Larghetto
Serenade For Strings In E Minor, Op. 20: Allegretto
Violin Concerto In B Minor Op. 61 - Andante
Pomp and Circumstance March In G Major, Op. 39, No. 4
Cockaigne Overture (In London Town), Op. 40

Average customer rating:

perfect selection for commencement/ graduation
Great Starting Point for Classical Music Novices
**An Exquisite Album**
Samples
Great Sampler!

Simply the Best Classical Anthems

Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music