The Great Classical Composers [Box set]

On this CD:

1. Piano Concerto No. 1, for piano & orchestra (or 2 pianos) in B flat minor, Op. 23 Excerpt
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra with Peter Toperczer
Conducted by Bystrik Rezucha

2. 1812 -- Festival Overture, for orchestra in E flat major, Op. 49
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra with Peter Toperczer
Conducted by Bystrik Rezucha

3. Italian Concerto for keyboard solo in F major, BWV 971
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Dubravka Tomsic

4. Partita for keyboard No. 1 in B flat major, BWV 825
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Dubravka Tomsic

5. Toccata for keyboard in D major, BWV 912 Vivace
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Dubravka Tomsic

6. Symphony No. 9 in D minor ("Choral") Op. 125
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by London Festival Orchestra with Josef Bacek, Eva Bandova, Peter Kottwald, Magdalena Paloczaj
Conducted by Alberto Lizzio

7. Boléro, ballet for orchestra (or piano)
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Radio Symphony Orchestra with Mee Chou Lee
Conducted by Anton Nanut

8. Piano Concerto in G major
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Radio Symphony Orchestra with Mee Chou Lee
Conducted by Anton Nanut

9. Symphony No. 41 in C major ("Jupiter"), K. 551
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by London Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Alfred Scholz

10. Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), opera, K. 492 Overture
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by London Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Alfred Scholz

11. Symphony No. 1 in E flat major, K. 16
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Labacensis Camerata
Conducted by Alexander von Pitanic

12. Impromptu for piano in A flat major, Op. 29, CT 43
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Dubravka Tomsic

13. Impromptu for piano F sharp major, Op. 36, CT 44
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Dubravka Tomsic

14. Impromptu for piano in G flat major, Op. 51, CT 45
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Dubravka Tomsic

15. Fantasy-Impromptu for piano in C sharp minor, Op. 66, CT 46
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Dubravka Tomsic

16. Nocturne for piano in C sharp minor, Op. 27/1, CT 114
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Dubravka Tomsic

17. Nocturne for piano in D flat major, Op. 27/2, CT 155
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Dubravka Tomsic

18. Nocturne for piano in G minor, Op. 37/1, CT 118
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Dubravka Tomsic

19. Nocturne for piano in G major, Op. 37/2, CT 119
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Dubravka Tomsic

20. Fantasy for piano in F minor/A flat major, Op. 49, CT 42
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Dubravka Tomsic

21. Kaiser-Walzer (Emperor Waltz), for orchestra, Op. 437 (RV 437)
Composed by Johann II Strauss
Performed by Vienna People's Opera Orchestra
Conducted by Carl Michalski

22. Annen-Polka, for orchestra, Op. 117 (RV 117)
Composed by Johann II Strauss
Performed by Vienna People's Opera Orchestra
Conducted by Carl Michalski

23. Wo die Zitronen Blüh'n! (Where the Lemons Bloom), waltz for orchestra, Op. 364 (RV 364)
Composed by Johann II Strauss
Performed by Vienna People's Opera Orchestra
Conducted by Carl Michalski

24. Unter Donner und Blitz (Thunder and Lightning), polka schnell for orchestra, Op. 324 (RV 324)
Composed by Johann II Strauss
Performed by Vienna People's Opera Orchestra
Conducted by Carl Michalski

25. Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald (Tales from the Vienna Woods), waltz for orchestra, Op. 325 (RV 325)
Composed by Johann II Strauss
Performed by Vienna People's Opera Orchestra
Conducted by Carl Michalski

26. Leichtes Blut (Light as a Feather), polka schnell for orchestra, Op. 319 (RV 319)
Composed by Johann II Strauss
Performed by Vienna People's Opera Orchestra
Conducted by Carl Michalski

27. Seid umschlungen Millionen (Be United Millions), waltz for orchestra, Op. 443 (RV 443)
Composed by Johann II Strauss
Performed by Vienna People's Opera Orchestra
Conducted by Carl Michalski

28. Radetsky-Marsch for orchestra, Op. 228
Composed by Johann I Strauss
Performed by Vienna People's Opera Orchestra
Conducted by Carl Michalski

29. Il cimento dell'Armonia e dell'Invenzione, concertos (12) for solo instrument, strings, and continuo, Op. 8
Composed by Antonio Vivaldi
Performed by Baroque Festival Orchestra with Alexander Pervomaysky
Conducted by Alberto Lizzio

The Great Classical Composers, Music, Eva Bandova, Josef Bacek, Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Fryderyk Chopin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Maurice Ravel, Johann I Strauss, Johann II Strauss, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Antonio Vivaldi, Alberto Lizzio, Alexander von Pitanic, Alfred Scholz, Anton Nanut, Bystrik Rezucha, Carl Michalski, Camerata Labacensis, Baroque Festival Orchestra, London Festival Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, People's Opera Orchestra Vienna, Radio Symphony Orchestra, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Dubravka Tomsic, Peter Toperczer, Magdalena Paloczaj, Peter Kottwald, Alexander Permovalsky, Alexander Pervomaysky, Mee Chou Lee, 20th/21st Century Orchestral Music, Classical, Classical Collections-Composer Desc., Classical Music, Classical Period Symphony, Coll. of Character/Single-Movement/Misc. Works for Keyb., Concerto, Fantasy/Fantasia for Keyboard, German/Austrian Classical Period Opera, Impromptu for Keyboard, Keyboard, March for Orchestra, Music for Keyboard, Opera, Orchestral, Piano Concerto

Average customer rating:

cherry picking

Brendel and Marriner play Mozart at a bargain price

Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol. 1 Alfred Brendel

Mozart's great piano concertos, Vol 1 and Vol 2

great pianist, great price, bad track listing

Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
Marriner, Sir Neville | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol. 2

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ASIN: B000004194
Release Date: 1994-04-12

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 19 In F, KV 459: Allegro Vivace
Piano Concerto No. 19 In F, KV 459: Allegretto
Piano Concerto No. 19 In F, KV 459: Allegro Assai
Piano Concerto No. 20 In D Minor, KV 466: Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 20 In D Minor, KV 466: Romance
Piano Concerto No. 20 In D Minor, KV 466: Allegro Assai
Rondo In D, KV 382: Allegretto Grazioso
Rondo In D, KV 382: Adagio
Rondo In D, KV 382: Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 23 In A , KV 488: Allegro

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 23 In A, KV 488: Adagio
Piano Concerto No. 23 In A, KV 488: Allegro assai
Piano Concerto #21 In C, KV 467: Allegro
Piano Concerto #21 In C, KV 467: Andante
Piano Concerto #21 In C, KV 467: Allegro Vivace Assai
Piano Concerto No. 24 in C Minor, KV 491: Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 24 in C Minor, KV 491: Larghetto
Piano Concerto No. 24 in C Minor, KV 491: Allegretto
Rondo In A, KV 386

Customer Reviews:

cherry picking.......2007-02-15

Pity Alfred Brendel, Neville Marriner, and the incomparable Academy of St Martin in the Fields having to play this luscious span of concertos from the sweet spot of Mozart's oeuvre.

If there is sweeter music in the universe, it must lie at the depths of the sea or some equally inaccessible place, far from eyes and ears that could compare it to Mozart's piano concertos no. 19-24.

Mozart's piano concerti, perhaps more than those of any other composer, shape the solo instrument's phrasing so that its entrances and exits vis-à-vis the orchestral score are nearly seamless. Brendel and his supporting cast perform this aspect of the music as well as can be done.

In the stellar Philips Classics 'Duo' series, this recording may well reign supreme. It's as good as it gets.

Brendel and Marriner play Mozart at a bargain price.......2006-08-18

Philip's two double-CD sets of Alfred Brendel and Neville Marriner performing a total of ten of Mozart's great piano concertos, plus two rondos for piano and orchestra, must rate as one of the best of many bargains available in their "2 for 1" series. The four CDs add up to close to five hours of music, most of it essential listening for anyone interested in Mozart, great piano music, and great concertos.

This first of the two sets contains four indisputable masterpieces. In the stormy D minor Concerto K. 466, Brendel springs a mild surprise by playing his own cadenzas rather than Beethoven's, the ones most often used. I must confess to preferring Beethoven's unstylish but dramatic and imaginative cadenza to the first movement, but otherwise the performance is beyond reproach. Brendel adds some discreet and entirely appropriate ornamentation to the many repetitions of the second movement's main theme. The Olympian C major K. 467, with its incomparably beautiful slow movement, also receives some much-needed decoration: here the cadenzas are by Radu Lupu and are a bit quirkier than necessary. Although the soloist's tone and phrasing in the wistful K. 488 are ravishing in the first two movements, the starker phrases of the F-sharp minor Adagio are better left undecorated--for once Brendel's practically unerring sense of propriety in added ornamentation goes slightly off. In my opinion the best of a superb set of performances is that of the C minor, K. 491: Brendel and Marriner catch every nuance of tragedy while never slighting the grace of the music--the problem of writing an appropriate first-movement cadenza, difficult since Mozart left none of his own, is brilliantly solved here by the soloist.

Although in a set billed as Mozart's "Great Piano Concertos" I might have opted, narrowly, for including K. 453 in G major over K. 459, it cannot be denied that all involved seem perfectly attuned to the quicksilver energy and unexpected contrapuntal intricacies of the F major work. The two additional rondo movements, one a lightweight replacement for the original finale of Mozart's very first original piano concerto, the other a possible alternate finale to his earlier A major Concerto K. 414, are a delightful bonus. Incidentally, although the splitting of K. 488 across two generously filled CDs is an annoyance, timing restrictions would not have permitted cramming three complete concertos onto one CD as another review suggests.

Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol. 1 Alfred Brendel.......2006-07-10

Nice interpretation of Mozart's piano concerto.

Mozart's great piano concertos, Vol 1 and Vol 2.......2006-07-10

We love Mozart. Especially his piano concertos. We purchased these volumes, because we wore out our cassette tapes.
Mozart piano concertos performed by Arthur Brendel and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, It does not get much better than that. 5 hours of music as a very reasonable price!

I even ordered a second set to give to a friend.

great pianist, great price, bad track listing.......2006-02-16

Alfred Brendel is one of the world's most famous pianists, but not for reasons that make Argerich, Paderewski, or Rubinstein famous. Brendel is an expert both artistically and technically but he is not given to highly individualistic interpretations that rattle purists and create controversy. In other words, Brendel is a highly reliable pianist. Like Murray Perahia, there are no let downs in his recorded performances. For this and the price, no one should pass up this 2 disc recording.

The only downside is the recording's track listing. Piano Concerto No. 23 is split: its first movement is in the first disc while its last two movements are in the second. Bewildering especially since the piano concertos are not sequenced chronologically. And the insert doesn't help. It does not explain the track arrangement (is it by the year of recording? by importance in Mozart's ouvre?). Nonetheless, there it is, Piano Concerto No. 23 separated into two cds. Why this has to be is difficult to understand. The first movement, allegro, is 11.04 minutes long; in the second disc, a one movement rondo, Rondo in A, KV 386, is 8.32 minutes long. Why wasn't this rondo placed in the first disc to allow a seamless playing of Piano Concerto No. 23?

This is annoying if your player does not support multiple disc playing. I bought this 2 cd set specifically for Piano Concerto No. 23, whose second movement I love. It is one of the most sublime of piano adagios, up there with the second movements of Chopin no. 1, Rachmaninoff no. 2, Shostakovich no. 2. And I bought it specifically for Brendel's performance with the ASMITF, conducted by Neville Marriner. Brendel really makes the piano weep here. His evocations of a human's cycle of grief and redemption make the performance definitive for Piano Concerto No. 23. If the split won't bother you, do yourself a favor and get a copy.

Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol. 2

Average customer rating:

Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol. 2 Alfred Brendel
Marvelous Mozart
Artistic Genius
Almost Perfect
Penguin Guide "Recommended Recording"

Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol. 2

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0000041AB
Release Date: 1994-10-11

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.9 In Flat, KV 271 (Jeunehomme): 1. Allegro
Piano Concerto No.9 In Flat, KV 271 (Jeunehomme): 2. Andantino
Piano Concerto No.9 In Flat, KV 271 (Jeunehomme): 3. Rondeau. Presto
Piano Concerto No.25 In C, KV 503: 1. Allegro maestoso
Piano Concerto No.25 In C, KV 503: 2. Andante
Piano Concerto No.25 In C, KV 503: 3. Allegretto
Piano Concerto No.22 In E Flat, KV 482: 1. Allegro

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 22 In E Flat, KV 482: 2. Andante
Piano Concerto No. 22 In E Flat, KV 482: Allegro - Andante cantabile - Tempo I
Piano Concerto No. 15 In B Flat, KV 450: 1. Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 15 In B Flat, KV 450: 2. (Andante)
Piano Concerto No. 15 In B Flat, KV 450: 3. Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 27 In B Flat, KV 595: 1. Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 27 In B Flat, KV 595: 2. Larghetto
Piano Concerto No. 27 In B Flat, KV 595: 3. Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol. 2 Alfred Brendel.......2006-07-10

Nice interpretation of Mozart's piano concerto.

Marvelous Mozart.......2006-06-29

Alfred Brendel's place as an interpreter of the Viennese Classic repertory is by now unassailable, and his recordings of the Mozart Piano Concertos are a prime example of his art. His lean, focused sound can strike a listener as insufficiently sensuous in Romantic repertory, but against the backdrop of an orchestra, it seems a perfect modern equivalent of the eighteenth-century fortepiano, so much so that I don't really miss having an "authentic" instrument. Besides, discarding recordings such as these on the basis of inauthenticity would deny all listeners the chance to experience Brendel's practically infallible sense of style and taste.

Perhaps the real surprise in this collection of five concertos is that Brendel is at his most relaxed and insightful in the E-flat major Concerto, K. 482, which in most critical canons occupies a slightly lower place than the works which come before and after it. Mozart's warm-hearted and colorfully orchestrated (clarinets instead of the usual oboes) piece brings out an equivalent and unexpected playfulness of dynamic and rhythm in the pianist's irresistible reading, with profuse but always appropriate ornamentation in the rondo, and intriguing, stylish original cadenzas for the first and last movements. Incidentally, the same virtues hold for all of Brendel's emendations to Mozart's original notes in these pieces; in this he is decidely superior to Ashkenazy in his Mozart concerto recordings. (The one drawback of this entire set is that the inclusion of five concertos necessitates splitting K. 482 between the first and second CDs.)

It is only by these exalted standards that the performances of K. 271, the dashing "Jeunehomme," pushing the boundaries of standard concerto form with its unexpected piano interjections at the outset, and the Olympian K. 503 come off as slightly stiffer and less attuned to the finest nuance; however, the latter performance was recorded live and astonishes with its digital clarity, the concluding roar of applause being amply justified.

Brendel's collaborators, the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields with Neville Marriner, supply exemplary accompaniments, notwithstanding some slight inaccuracies in the live K. 503 and, more surprisingly, K. 595. One hopes these recordings will be available for a long time to come.

Artistic Genius.......2006-05-31

Mozart is rightly hailed as a musical genius. Some say he was the best that ever was. I personally prefer Bach and baroque organ fugues but this CD is a good argument for the Mozart partisans.

In the first place, the compositions are excellent. Mozart was a genius and it shows. In the second place, the performances preserved here are exquisite. The recordings are clear and vibrant.

It is a first class album all around.

Almost Perfect.......2006-02-19

If you love Mozart you will really enjoy this CD. In my opinion Sir Neville Marriner & the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields performs Mozart better than any other. The only problem I have with this CD is some tracks on the first CD are recorded live. I have never been a big fan of live recordings. An occasional cough is heard on track 4 which makes me cringe. If only they passed out cough drops that evening I would have awarded this CD five stars. Otherwise the music is simply sublime. Robitussin anyone?

Penguin Guide "Recommended Recording".......2006-01-22

With his 27 piano concertos, Mozart developed the form to a new level of artistry and claimed dominion of the new musical genre. The first seven concertos resulted from early composition exercises from his father converting Baroque sonatas to concerto form (most not-so-special). The first truly-original piano concerto No. 5 was composed at age 17 and No.'s 14-27 are all considered mature and monumental with anything in the 20's truly magnificant. Even works as early as No. 9 "Jeunehomme" (composed for a female French student, Mlle. Jeunehomme, perhaps a love interest) reveal an uncharacteristic maturity, depth of beauty and perfection of form for such a young composer. While most of the 27 concertos are sunny and galante, the two minor-key concertos (No. 20 & 24 on Volume I) reveal Mozart's evolution into more personal, dramatic expression - foreshadowing the Romantic era ushered in part by Beethoven. However, by the late 1780's, the fickle Vieneese who were "so done" with his music, leading to Mozart's demise. Late in Mozart's life there appeared to be a "new phase" of introspection and simplicity as seen in the poignant last Concerto #27 (along with his last chamber works). But this was sadly cut short by his early death in 1791.

These readings by Brendel and Marriner are alive with enthusiasm, warmth, and the typical Brendel precision. The balance of the piano and orchestra is perfect and allow the drama to unfold unhindered. Along with Murray Perahia's and Andras Schiff's complete cycles, Brendel's performances of Mozart's piano concertos are considered - on the whole - to be at the top of the list overall. Highlights in Vol. II here must certainly be the simple beauty and chamber-like feel of Concerto No. 9 "Jeunehomme," the sparkling No. 22 (K.482) and the poignant "swansong" concerto, No. 27 (K. 595). Where volume II features these two more subdued concertos of immense tenderness (no timpani or trumpets), Volume I contains the powerfully emotive, crowd-pleasing D-minor and C-minor concertos No. 20, 24 - along with the famous and bubbly C-major concerto. Both volumes are essential listening, but that much might guide your first purchase if you can only get one set.

The six works on these two CD's (along with those of the sister set) are among the most skillfully composed, musically appealing and rightfully popular of Mozart's 27 piano concertos (hence the term, "Great Concertos"). Both sets received the highest Penguin Guide rating (Rosette) and are an official "Recommended Recording." Nice compliment. Additionally, Gramophone says "this set can be recommended without any reservations." The value and sound quality/balance are excellent (as with most all Philips DUO label CD's).

For those who like the sound of a Mozart-era fortepiano and more "period performances," there is a splendid 9-CD "complete" set of Mozart's piano concertos (no.'s 5-27) by Malcolm Bilson and the English Baroque Soloists w/ Sir John Gardiner conducting that is both top-notch music and a super value on DG. Also, if you are building a Mozart collection, many of these Philips' DUO sets are excellent choices and in the top-tier of quality: Great Serenades (Marriner), Piano Quartets (Beaux Arts Trio), Piano Trios (Beaux Art Trio), Violin concertos (Grumiaux), Violin Sonatas (Szeryng/Haebler), and Complete Quintets I, II (Grumiaux et al).

Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Brahms: Double Concerto / Oistrakh, Rostropovich, Richter

Average customer rating:

There can't be any better!
Wonderful smooth rendition
Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Brahms: Double Concerto / Oistrakh, Rostropovich, Richter
Beethoven? Brahms? Karajan? Oistrakh? Richter? Rostropovich? Szell? On One CD? Talk About Star Power!
Glorious

Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Brahms: Double Concerto / Oistrakh, Rostropovich, Richter
David Oistrakh , Mstislav Rostropovich , Sviatoslav Richter , Herbert von Karajan , and George Szell
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00000I7VO
Release Date: 1999-03-09

Tracks:

Triple Concerto For Violin, Cello & Piano In C, Op. 56: I Allegro
Triple Concerto For Violin, Cello & Piano In C, Op. 56: II Largo
Triple Concerto For Violin, Cello & Piano In C, Op. 56: III Rondo alla polacca
Double Concerto For Violin & Cello In A Minor, Op. 102: I Allegro
Double Concerto For Violin & Cello In A Minor, Op. 102: II Andante
Double Concerto For Violin & Cello In A Minor, Op. 102: III Vivace non troppo

Amazon.com

Among the concertos of Beethoven and Brahms, these two have always been stepchildren. One reason is their extreme difficulty; both composers were pianists, so Beethoven wrote an idiomatic part only for the piano. Brahms's friend Joseph Joachim offered advice for the violin concerto, but not for the Double Concerto, which was written as a peace offering after a falling-out. The Beethoven Triple Concerto demands utmost virtuosity, as well as intimate teamwork among the soloists, and that is exactly what these three supreme masters of their instruments bring to it. Free--indeed unaware--of technical problems, they give it a joyful, sparkling lightness. The piano ripples, the cello sings gorgeously, the violin soars ecstatically, the tone is intoxicatingly beautiful. The Finale is wistful, charming, lyrical, gently humorous; the ending is a big joke, with the cello and piano rumbling in the bass, while the violin whistles forlornly in the dark until they all join together. The Brahms is grand, majestic, dreamy, radiant, triumphant; the slow movement warm as dark velvet, the Finale genial and relaxed. Though the orchestra never covers the soloists, it explodes in the tutti passages, especially in the Beethoven, so you might keep a finger on the volume control. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

There can't be any better!.......2007-05-17

It is not for the names only.
I think it is a performance as Beethoven probably had in mind.

Wonderful smooth rendition.......2007-04-26

There is something magical about this recording. It is difficult to describe the smooth full sound that this recording presents. I own other recordings of the Brahms and the Beethoven and at first thought it a little extravagent to own another but I am very pleased I bought it.

Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Brahms: Double Concerto / Oistrakh, Rostropovich, Richter.......2007-01-18

I knew this recording and I received what I was expecting. Delivery and condition was great. Thanks.

Beethoven? Brahms? Karajan? Oistrakh? Richter? Rostropovich? Szell? On One CD? Talk About Star Power!.......2006-09-09

All those big names wouldn't mean a thing if the performances themselves were throw aways or showed little commitment, but that's hardly the case, this is probably the finest recordings of both works. Karajan and Richter for one had some rocky interpretative relations in their recording of Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto on DG. That was not a great record, where both musical giants pull and push to try and get their way. So yes, in some ways this Beethoven Triple Concerto presents even more challenges because there are four minds, four egos pitted together in one piece of music and that's not counting the greatest ego, Beethoven himself! Luckily everyone melds beautifully together, the three Russian masters are at their best, with Rostropovich a stand out and shining brightly. Meanwhile Karajan, the Austrian master conductor gives them his usual, grand, lush orchestral backdrop via the Berlin Philharmonic. This is warm-hearted, generous music-making between four fearsomely talented musicians.

The Brahms Double Concerto is just as fine, now we have the two string instrumentalists side by side. Oistrakh and Rostropovich communicate wonderfully together in this major Brahms piece. Szell backs them up every step of the way with his precise yet passionate conducting of the Cleveland Orchestra. The EMI recording sounds very good too in both works and the price is quite nice. An outstanding bargain.

Glorious.......2006-01-30

The unbroken tradition of Russian string playing is well-represented on this disc. The Double Concerto is especially wonderful, even rapturous. The two players are beautifully meshed, and Szell and the Cleveland sound warm and emotive, which they sometimes did not, on records and "live". The sessions they recorded for EMI (including a wonderful Dvorak Eighth, far surpassing their recoridng for Masterworks), captured something that often was not well projected.

The remastering captures this warmth, with more brightness than my LP copy of the Brahms ever had, at least after the initial playings.

Great Recordings Of The Century - Brahms: Violin Sonatas nos 1 - 3 / Perlman, Ashkenazy

Average customer rating:

Brahms Violin Sonatas
these are really good sonatas
Brahms
Finest Brahms
Perlman and Ashkenazy do it again

Great Recordings Of The Century - Brahms: Violin Sonatas nos 1 - 3 / Perlman, Ashkenazy
Itzhak Perlman , and Vladimir Ashkenazy
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mozart: The Violin Sonatas
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ASIN: B00000I7VT
Release Date: 1999-03-09

Tracks:

Violin Sonata No.1 In G, Op.78: I: Vivace ma non troppo
Violin Sonata No.1 In G, Op.78: II: Adagio
Violin Sonata No.1 In G, Op.78: III: Allegro molto moderato
Violin Sonata No.2 In A, Op.100: I: Allegro amibile
Violin Sonata No.2 In A, Op.100: II: Andante tranquillo - Vivace
Violin Sonata No.2 In A, Op.100: II: Allegretto grazioso (quasi andante)
Violin Sonata No.3 In D Minor, Op.108: I: Allegro
Violin Sonata No.3 In D Minor, Op.108: II: Adagio
Violin Sonata No.3 In D Minor, Op.108: III: Un poco presto e con sentimento
Violin Sonata No.3 In D Minor, Op.108: IV: Presto agitato

Amazon.com essential recording

Itzhak Perlman is the greatest living exponent of the Romantic, sentimental style of violin playing. As in his reading of the Brahms concerto, he shows sovereign mastery in these accounts, which are characterized by intense emotion and heated expression (Perlman's warm vibrato and carefully placed portamentos quickly give him away), but are also gripping in the quiet, meditative pages. The first two sonatas' relationship to songs could easily be guessed from the way Perlman plays them in a single, seamless line, marked by soaring climaxes and tender, haunting pianissimos. The treatment sometimes does seem a bit premeditated, but it is so compelling as to sweep aside any criticism. In this 1983 recording (sonically superior to Perlman's later remake with pianist Daniel Barenboim, for Sony), the violin sounds slightly forward, though not unpleasantly so. Warm, supportive, lyrical playing from Vladmir Ashkenazy rounds out a marvelous offering. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Brahms Violin Sonatas.......2007-01-11

Good but not top flight. This is an old recording--sounds a little tired.

these are really good sonatas.......2005-10-10

These three sonatas are in my opinion some of the best compositions of Brahms. They are wonderfully tunefull and each sets a distinct mood (although all three are somewhat melancholic). The interaction of the violin and piano is just fantastic and Perlman and Ashkenazy pull it off well. Sound quality is great as well.

Brahms.......2005-10-07

I bought this for my college age daughter's music class and I am enjoying it as well. Violin music, of any sort, is enjoyable to listen to and this one is a wonderful addition to a music library.

Finest Brahms.......2002-05-22

I've always enjoyed Brahms' chamber works more than his symphonies. Somehow his intent comes off more clearly; the desperation and anger and melancholy of the music is more exposed, as if juggling an entire orchestra in the composition could dull the edges of these emotions. Of course the quality of any piece is tied with the quality of the performers (who invariably stamp then with their own personalities), and here we have a brilliant union: Perlman and Ashkenazy play flawlessly. Perlman's tonality is clear and sonorous, but never treacly; it still maintains the edge that these pieces require. From the sweet lilting melodies of the first sonata to simmering violence of the third, it is a commanding performance. The piano part in these works is equally demanding, and Ashkenazy is more than a match for Perlman's virtuosity.

If you're looking for the third sonata specifically, Vengerov and Barenboim turn in a more stirring (but somewhat looser) performance on the Teldec label. I actually prefer that version as it's more intense, more intimate. But if you're looking for a complete collection of these wonderful sonatas, you simply can't go wrong with Perlman and Ashkenazy.

Perlman and Ashkenazy do it again.......2001-07-24

The combination of these two great artists continually results in some of the finest music making ever. The two seem to almost share a mind while performing so perfectly in tune with each other they come across. I don't think Brahms has ever sounded so beautiful and alive as this recording manages to sound.

Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 8 "Unfinished" & 9 "The Great"

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Schubert 8 and 9th Symphonies - Bernstein, N.Y. Phil.
Outstanding Schubert!...
Magnificent! Who would have thought?
Marvelous!
The Great Indeed

Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 8 "Unfinished" & 9 "The Great"

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mendelssohn: Symphonies 3 & 4 / Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
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Schumann: The 4 Symphonies
Tchaikovsky: Symphonies no 4, 5, & 6 / Karajan, Berlin PO

ASIN: B00003WGO4
Release Date: 2000-01-11

Customer Reviews:

Schubert 8 and 9th Symphonies - Bernstein, N.Y. Phil........2007-07-14

Bernstein and the Philharmonic play the 8th in full-blown Romantic pitch. An excellent choice. The Great
C-Major, however, is the jewel in this recording. I probably have more records of Bernstein leading the Philharmonic in my collection than any other interpreters of classical music. Many I like, and others I don't much care for. To me, the C-Major is the best Bernstein I've heard him conduct. I always cherished the old Furtwangler and Toscanni recordings, but Bernstein's hard driving approach and excellent EMI sound quality make this performance not only a bargain but at the top of anyone's list looking for the ultimate in Schubert performance.

Hal Denton, Cookeville, TN

Outstanding Schubert!..........2007-03-12

.
Usually I prefer Bohm and the BPO with Schubert: they bring a Brucknerian reading.

But I've just gotta say that Lenny and the NYP really had some chemistry going on with the realization of Schubert's two great symphonies: one might say they bring a Mahlerian reading to the scores.

Really good.
.

Magnificent! Who would have thought?.......2005-09-18

Even though critics never mention them, these readings of the Schubert 'Unfinished' and Sym. #9 could be anybody's first choice. I own a hundred Bernstein CDs and yet had passed this one over, thinking that the performances would be romantically exaggerated and out of style. In fact they are wonderful: propulsive, lyrical, and really focused on the musicality of Schubert. Good, clear recordings in the big NY Phil. style of those days, and except for a punchy ending to the first movement of the Ninth, I was carried along by the buoyancy and joy of Bernstein's approach in every bar.

Marvelous! .......2005-08-15

When I first heard (and learnt) of Schubert's symphonies,
that the man who had composed many of the best ensemble
pieces of all time had also composed as many symphonies as
Beethoven, I thought I should stick to his ensemble pieces
and not venture into his orchestra work, thinking that the
understatement and subtlety of his small ensemble composition
would not translate well for large ones. But when I first
listened to the first movement of his 8th, I knew the guy had
mastered the symphony also. His style is reminiscent of
(not surprisingly) Beethoven, mixing the Romantic with the
Classical.

Bernstein's interpretation is nothing but masterful, but in the first movement of the 8th, I would have liked it more if he had quickened the tempo/pace of the piece. The NY Phil. performs admirably under his baton.

The Great Indeed.......2000-10-25

This cd is absolutely necessary for anyone who wants a well-rounded cd collection. It is an impeccable recording (as are most Bernstein Century recordings) of two excellent pieces. The low strings have a unity that is entirely impressive, and the brass simply adds a flavor to the music that enthralls the listener. I obviously give this recording the highest recommendation.

An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen

Average customer rating:

Ring introduction critique
FASCINATING STUDY FOR NOVICES AND AFFICIONADOS ALIKE
Welcome back to a classic analysis
Essential for Understanding Wagner's Ring Cycle
Very Functional

An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen
Deryck Cooke , Georg Solti , Wiener Philharmoniker , Anita Valkki , Berit Lindholm , Birgit Nilsson , Brigitte Fassbaender , Christa Ludwig , Claire Watson , Claudia Hellmann , Dame Gwyneth Jones , Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau , Eberhard Wächter , George London , Gerhard Stolze , Gottlob Frick , Grace Hoffmann , Gustav Neidlinger , Hans Hotter , Helen Watts , Helga Dernesch , Hetty Plumacher , Ira Malaniuk , James King , Jean Madeira , Joan Sutherland , Kirsten Flagstad , Kurt Böhme , Lucia Popp , Marga Höffgen , Marilyn Tyler , Maureen Guy , Oda Balsborg , Paul Kuen , Régine Crespin , Set Svanholm , Vera Little , Vera Schlosser , Waldemar Kmentt , Walter Kreppel , and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Wagner's Ring: Turning the Sky Round
Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sir Georg Solti
Decoding Wagner: An Invitation to His World of Music Drama (includes 2 CDs)
Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen / Levine, Metropolitan Opera (Complete Ring Cycle)
Ring of the Nibelung

ASIN: B00000424H
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

Of All Great Musical Compositions... (Examples 1-4)
The Fundamental Symbol... (Examples 5-11)
Returning Now To The Nature Motive... (Examples 6, 12-16)
A Number Of Further Motives... (Examples 5, 17-21)
A Second, Much Smaller Family... (Examples 22-25)
So Much For Nature. (Examples 26-38)
The Cause Of The Deterioration... (Examples 39-44)
The Other Transformation... (Examples 45-48)
Several Other Motives... (Examples 49-52)
Two Further Motives... (Examples 41, 53-61)
The Basic Motive Associated With The Spear... (Examples 62-68)
Along Another, More Complex Line... (Examples 69-72)
In Act Two Of Walkure... (Examples 69, 73-75)
Returning Now To Act Two Of Walkure... (Examples 76-79)
Love Is Another Of The Central Symbols... (Examples 80-83)
Later In The Same Scene... (Examples 84-87)
Freia's Motive Has Two Independent Segments... (Examples 88-91)
The Label 'Flight'... (Example 92)
When Fasolt, In Scene Two Of Rhinegold... (Examples 93-98)
A Little Later In The Interlude... (Examples 99-103)

Tracks:

The Other New Motive... (Examples 104-109)
There Are Several Independent Love-Motives... (Examples 110-114)
The Characters In Whose Lives... (Examples 115-120)
One Further Motive Belongs... (Example 121)
The Sword Motive Recurs... (Examples 122-130)
Ironically, This Phrase... (Examples 131-135)
Closely Associated With Gutrune's Motive... (Examples 136-140)
Here We Come To The End... (Examples 141-146)
Complemtary To This Symbol... (Examples 147-149)
One Last Central Symbol... (Examples 150-157)
One Further Motive Connected... (Examples 158-161)
There Are One Or Two Motives... (Examples 162-168)
These Motives Of Alberich And Mime... (Examples 169-171)
Quite A Number Of The Subsidiary Motives... (Examples 172-176)
Besides This Family Of Motives... (Examples 177-180)
Our Final Example... (Examples 10, 181, 182)
In The Final Scene Of Gotterdammerung... (Examples 181-183)
Even More Masterly... (Examples 184-188)
Now If We Return... (Examples 189-191)
This Masterly Way... (Examples 192, 193)

Amazon.com

When Wagner set the Ring to music, he intended the orchestra to act in the fashion of a chorus from a classic Greek tragedy--setting the mood and commenting on the action. In order to allow a nonverbal musical line to reflect on the plot, Wagner developed a psychologically and musically complex symbology to communicate his thoughts to the listener. From the beginning the Ring has spawned numerous written commentaries on the relationships of the motif structure, but by using examples from the Decca Ring recording, Deryck Cooke's thoughtful spoken commentary is by far the most accessible guide for either the fledgling Ring enthusiast or the seasoned veteran. --Christian C. Rix

Customer Reviews:

Ring introduction critique.......2006-11-04

This is very worthwhile, at the same time it requires time, patience and attention, but it does provide some keys to better enjoyment of a sensational piece of music.

FASCINATING STUDY FOR NOVICES AND AFFICIONADOS ALIKE.......2006-08-16

This may look an intimidating, daunting and dull prospect - a 2+ hour lecture on the motifs in the Ring. Don't be put off. Whether you're a relative novice to the Ring and want to find out what it's all about, more experienced with a desire to understand the composer's methods better or an afficionado who thinks he knows it all inside out, there is great pleasure as well as elucidation to be had from this set. Originally made to accompany the Decca Solti Ring, it contains a multitude of musical illustrations taken from those recordings as well as some specially recorded by Solti just for this Introduction.

It wasn't the first time this has been tried. The famous HMV sets from the late 20's also included recorded examples of over 100 motifs. (These, by the way, are available as part of the Pearl reissue of those wonderful HMV recordings). What that set lacked was the wonderful insights as well as the approachability of the talk by Deryck Cooke. Cooke was a great and much missed musicologist - a Mahler expert responsible for the performing edition of the Tenth Symphony still most played today, a fascinating explorer into the nature of music's basic building-blocks in his excellent book, The Language of Music, and an inspiring and elucidating critic of Wagner's work as shown by the fascinating book he left unfinished at his death, I Saw the World End.

On these CDs he does much more than list the leitmotifs and identify them as calling-cards. He shows the amazingly integrated and organic growth of the musical material that Wagner uses throughout his vast work. He demonstrates how motifs can change their sense and meaning as they evolve through the drama. And he shows how the complex combinations of motifs can radically advance both the musical and the dramatic narrative of the piece. There are even places where he corrects the misinterpretation of some of the motifs that had become ingrained from early commentators' false labels.

This set should engage and enlighten anyone with an interest in Wagner's huge and inexhaustible tetralogy. Do give it a try - no matter how far down the road to Wagnerianism you are.

Welcome back to a classic analysis.......2006-05-28

Deryck Cooke's lecture series upon THE RING is almost as much a classic by now as the Solti RING cycle, with which it was originally issued on LP, and from which it derives its musical examples. The difference is that whereas the Solti RING has been continuously in print ever since it was completed, and was among the first opera sets to benefit from the CD revolution, the Cooke analysis was for long almost totally unobtainable. Now we have it back. It should be welcomed: it is a classic. Cooke's mellow, deep voice with the hint of a Celtic burr - which made him ideal on BBC radio - patiently explains Wagner's melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic metamorphoses to such good effect that if you own this recording, you really require no other RING analysis. (A pity about the abrupt beginnings and endings of too many vocal and orchestral illustrations, though.) Musicology lost a fine, sensitive thinker with Cooke's premature death in 1976.

If all you want is dilettantish baby food, there are plenty of dumbed-down Wagner commentaries on the market, stretching from Anna Russell's famous monologue (which doesn't pretend to be anything other than a parody aimed at morons) to the latest standard-issue "Wagner-was-a-Nazi-boo-hiss" feuilleton (which, unfortunately, does). Without reasonable score-reading skill you will find Cooke useless, however diligently you have ploughed through Marx, Jung, Freud, or other gurus purportedly relevant to THE RING. Cooke expects you to use your brains and your musical sense. Quelle horreur. At today's BBC his "elitism" would render him unemployable.

Essential for Understanding Wagner's Ring Cycle.......2006-05-15

I originally bought this set on vinyl in the early 70s when I discovered the Ring in college. I studied the records and booklet assiduously, and after about three run-throughs I finally started getting it. Wow! Thirty-five years later, I still remember Mr. Cooke's analyses of various motive families, and I don't know how I could have mastered and loved the Ring without him. I now own this set on CD and listen again on the rare occasion of attending a Ring performance. My wife calls me a "Ring nut," but of course I'm nuts about many other things as well.

Bottom line, buy this set and study it if the Ring has captivated you as it has countless others. The presentation is dry, but sticking with it brings measureless and longlasting rewards.

Very Functional.......2006-03-19

This CD set is excellent for what it sets out to do: present the leitmotives of the Ring according to their relationship to one another and their role in developing both characters and plotlines. Deryck Cooke's lectures on each motive are very insightful, very helpful at cueing the listener into the semantic aspect of Wagner's orchestral writing. The one drawback is that the musical examples are a bit jarring. Without fade-ins or -outs, the engineering is quite barbaric. And though the orchestra was, I believe, conducted by Solti, and is beautifully done, the vocal performances can be quite unpleasant. Point being: this is not background music, but in accomplishing what it sets out to do, it is very successful, and I don't know of anything else like it.

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor"

Average customer rating:

Flawless and moving
Grandioso...
Outstanding Performance
Too pure to be true and yet it is
Three cheers for Beethoven and his mediant modulations :-D

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor"

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000025M5
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Concerto No. 5 In E-Flat Major For Piano & Orchestra, Op. 73 'Emperor': I - Allegro
Concerto No. 5 In E-Flat Major For Piano & Orchestra, Op. 73 'Emperor': II - Adagio un poco mosso
Concerto No. 5 In E-Flat Major For Piano & Orchestra, Op. 73 'Emperor': III - Rondo: Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Flawless and moving.......2006-02-01

This was the recording that introduced me to Beethoven's 5th Piano Concerto, making me wonder how I had missed it in all my years (15+) of listening to classical music. I listened to my cassette until it was completely ruined. Although I have yet to hear other renditions of this piece, I can compare it to my other Beethoven symphonies (among others). In that light, I find this particular recording to be flawless. The piano is fluid and seems to dance with the orchestra, and it reminds me of watching a pair of excellent dancers--you watch one, then the other, then back, and marvel. It's the same with this piece. It has no hiccups, no glitches.

Grandioso..........2004-12-16

Beethoven escribio este grandioso concierto, una joya musical.
Leonard Bernstein dirije en forma sobresaliente a una impecable Filarmonica de Nueva York y Rudolf Serkin nos deslumbra en forma extraordinaria. Es una presentacion colosal.
El concierto que tiene un inicio sublime se empieza a energizar y se convierte en una sesion de vigor intenso; luego un adagio sutil, sentimental, profundo va poco a poco destinado a explotar en un allegro generoso, potente y vibrante.
Es de verdad una interpretacion soberbia en uno de las mejores grabaciones de este concierto.
Busquen la edicion real (Sony Classical - CD azul) en que se incluyen el concierto N°3 y el N°5.

Outstanding Performance.......2004-10-16

I have listened to many performances and recordings of this beloved concerto and this one, in my opinion, always ends up on top. It defines musical perfection. The majesty of the Emperor, its delicacy, its sweetness, its passion are all captured with such clarity it is impossible to listen to this performance without getting caught up in the emotions of this great concerto. If one has to choose which performance to get, this should be number one! The quality of this recording is also excellent.

Too pure to be true and yet it is.......2002-08-09

Beethoven is most successful in this piece. The bright sun of the piano, and the pianist Beethoven himself, dominates the orchestra that is led by it into joyful tuttis and variations in spite of the violin and some strings that try to deprive him of his leadership. Just let them try. The piano always comes after its and their plaintive moanings to stop and stifle them. The strings take the lead in the second movement. But there comes the piano who pushes them into the wings with their sighing sobs to impose his crystal clear vision of inner life. The strife of a vision of light against doubts and hesitations that dominates any rumbling protest from any sides and quarters and imposes its dynamism to all other instruments even the strings that kindly and gracefully concede defeat though the piano nags them and teases them. It's one happy moment when Beethoven is able to dictate his conducting will to the world. It is a moment of triumph when the world follows him to the end. He is the emperor of the title.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

Three cheers for Beethoven and his mediant modulations :-D.......2002-07-03

An emotionally stirring, great performance of an [excellent]piece! I am sooo asking for this for my 21st b-day :-p

Average customer rating:

organ works by bach
Hurford plays very musically
Disappointing
This album belongs amongst the first four or five in every Bach collection.
Never a dull moment in this Bach recording.....

Bach: Great Organ Works

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Great Toccatas

ASIN: B000004248
Release Date: 1995-02-14

Tracks:

Toccata And Fugue In D Minor, BWV 565
Herzlich Tut Mich Verlangen, BWV 727
Wachet Auf, Ruft Uns Die Stimme, BWV 645
Fantasia And Fugue In G Minor, BWV 542
Liebster Jesu, Wir Sind Hier, BWV 730
Passacaglia And Fugue In C Minor, BWV 582
Prelude And Fugue In E Flat Major ('St. Anne'), BWV 552
Nun Komm, Der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659
Fantasia And Fugue In C Minor, BWV 537

Tracks:

Toccata, Adagio And Fugue In C Major, BWV 564
In Dulci Jublio, BWV 729
Prelude And Fugue In A Minor, BWV 543
Fantasia In G Major, BWV 572
Prelude And Fugue In D Major, BWV 532
Nun Freut Euch, Lieben Christen G'mein, BWV 734
Wo Soll Ich Fliehen Hin, BWV 694
Fantasia In C Minor, BWV 562
Toccata And Fugue In D Minor ('Dorian'), BWV 538

Customer Reviews:

organ works by bach.......2007-01-10

excellent. unforgettable works by one of the masters, the grand organs have their own place in time mostly heard in church surroundings. this brings it home.cigar, brandy, toccata and fugue d minor, heaven.

Hurford plays very musically.......2006-11-24

Peter Hurford is a wonderul musician.. his interpretations of this music are musical.. (esp. with the St. Anne Fugue where each of the three variations are connected with beatiful transitions..)
A wonderful recording.. in an era where everything has to be perfect,
it's nice to hear an artist take some risk and give us their own
personal, unique, and original interpretations.

Disappointing.......2006-07-27

When you buy a CD like this, the one thing you expect of the artist is to nail the intro to Toccata and Fugue In D Minor, Bach's great masterwork and the lead piece on the CD. Unfortunately, the organist plays the intro robotically, truncating notes and overextending pauses. He rushes some passages so badly in the intro that one cannot distinguish the melodic line. Toccata and Fugue In D Minor is so musically advanced that it sounds modern even today, but you miss that with this recording.

This album belongs amongst the first four or five in every Bach collection........2006-07-27

What to say about these extraordinary works?

First of all, that this is a double-album full of titanic masterworks, intelligently and skillfully performed. These discs belong amongst the first four or five albums in every Bach collection. The famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor is here, together with another, lesser-known but equally awe-inspiring "Dorian" Toccata and Fugue in D minor. There are quite a few other familiar war-horses---the Prelude and Fugue in A minor, the St. Anne Prelude and Fugue, and the Tocatta, Adagio, and Fugue in C (which I first encountered in a piano transcription performed by Evgeny Kissin, on his album with the Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition... well worth hearing next to the original organ writing here), among others---and some more obscure pieces as well to keep us out of "greatest hits" territory (almost always a drawback in recital albums). Like the Mozart piano concerti and the Beethoven symphonies, Bach's compositions for organ are amongst the towering summits of Western music; there is nothing else like them.

Since I'm playing critic here, I suppose I ought to offer at least a bit of actual criticism, rather than only effusive praise. While many would beg to differ, three composers (whose careers, interestingly, were almost exactly chronologically contiguous) are, by a long-standing historical consensus, recognized to occupy the highest tier of artistic achievement in "common practice," tonal music: Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. Of those three masters, Mozart alone is recognized as having achieved a perfect or near-perfect balance between subject and object, style and substance: Bach tipped the balance just a bit in favor of objectivity and substance, and Beethoven in favor of subjectivity and style. And so, just as I find that Beethoven's music does not hold up quite as well as Mozart's to repeated listenings because his stylistic and emotive devices are less effective once you've heard them before, so that they no longer take you by surprise, so too do I find that Bach's music, especially in the long contrapuntal sections, is not always as worthwhile for listening as it is for theoretical analysis... it is perhaps not quite as valuable in practice as it is in theory, in other words. The organ pieces on these discs are sublime masterpieces, but if they do fall short of absolute perfection it is for being somewhat dry and academic.

In addition, the different organs Herford plays here so often produce, as good organs will, such a staggering, chest-rumbling roar that you have trouble discerning the pitches in these compositions. It's a similar problem to listening to harpsichord music, where at times you hear just a lot of clanging and can't tell what note or chord is being played. It's not a big problem on these recordings, but it is a little distracting at times.

Nevertheless, it's said that what makes a work of art a masterpiece is not its being perfect or flawless, but rather that its virtues are so meaningful and effective that they compensate for the piece's flaws and imperfections. In fact, in sublime pieces such as these, it's precisely that imbalance, or aesthetic asymmetry, you might say, that makes the music dynamic and exciting: it creates an inner tension, a sort of yearning or striving that, in the hands of the greatest of masters (of which Bach is uncontestably one), makes for a transcendent artistic statement and an invaluable testament to the human experience.

In short, buy this album and listen to it often!

Never a dull moment in this Bach recording............2006-05-29

Peter Hurford is perhaps one of the foremost organists of his time. He has not only studied music but law as well, giving a scholarly twist on his education. I have always been pleased by his interpretations of Bach. They are no-nonsense, with strict tempos, clean, accurate passages, and registrations which are very lush and vibrant. For the new fan of Bach, there is no better place to start, as this set contains all of the "big" organ pieces for which Bach became legendary, as well as a few well-known chorale preludes. For those who wish to explore Bach's organ contributions in more detail, buy Hurford's complete Bach recordings (Although I believe it is out of print or very hard to obtain, as I have not yet found one). If this is the case, buy Marie-Claire Alain's version on Erato. No two organists understand Bach better.

Tchaikovsky At Tea Time: A Refreshing Blend For Body And Spirit

Average customer rating:

Tchaikovsky and Tchai
Teatime...or otherwise.
Tchaikovsky's Dreamier Music: A Soothing Album
Beautiful
Tchaikovsky's Most Enchanting Tunes

Tchaikovsky At Tea Time: A Refreshing Blend For Body And Spirit

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Beethoven for Book Lovers: An Intimate Companion for Reading
Bach for Breakfast
Chopin and Champagne: Set Your Mood for Romance
Debussy for Daydreaming: Music to Caress Your Innermost Thoughts
Mozart for Morning Coffee: Freshly Brewed to Perk Up Your Day

ASIN: B0000041FC
Release Date: 1996-06-11

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 1 In D: Andante Cantabile
Swan Lake: Odette And The Prince (Act II)
Piano Concerto No. 1 In B-Flat Minor: Andantino
Swan Lake: Pas de deux (Act III)
The Sleeping Beauty: Panorama (Act II)
Violin Concerto In D: Canzonetta (Andante)
The Nutcracker Suit (Selections): Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy
The Nutcracker Suit (Selections): Coffee Dance
The Nutcracker Suit (Selections): Tea Dance
The Nutcracker Suit (Selections): Dance Of The Reed-pipes
Rococco Variations: Final variation
Piano Trio In A Minor: Andante con moto
Piano Trio In A Minor: Variation I. L'istesso tempo
Piano Trio In A Minor: Variation IX. Andante flebile, ma non tanto
Piano Trio In A Minor: Variation XI. Moderato
The Sleeping Beauty: Vision Of Aurora
Serenade For Strings In C: Elegie: Larghtto elegiaco

Customer Reviews:

Tchaikovsky and Tchai.......2006-07-17

I wondered what do Tchaikovsky and Tea have in common, and then I remembered that in many countries across the world - the word for tea is "tchai". That aside, yes, this is a refreshing blend of music, perfect for tea time - relaxing and reviving at the same time, and quite a bit dreamy.

Teatime...or otherwise........2005-11-02

I've owned this for years & play it often. It IS perfect for teatime, as it makes pleasant background music which you can talk over....but is also great w/volume up in car w/it's rambunctious side and incredible instrumentation. A really nice blend of Tchaikovsky's pieces.

Tchaikovsky's Dreamier Music: A Soothing Album.......2005-07-31

"Set your Life to Classical Music" is a fine album series that feature beautiful classical music for background music of any occasion- weddings, barbecues, breakfast, beauty sleep, bathtime, reading a book, romantic dinner, massages you name it. And indeed many classical pieces are perfectly therapeutic sessions in themselves. This album features the more intimate-sounding, soulful, sweet and relaxing tunes of Tchaikovsky. He did compose heavier and more dramatically intense music- his later symphonies, his Overtures and operas. But here we hear no Russian fire or harshness. Instead we are treated to the charming Mozartian style works of the Roccoco Variations and the Piano Trios. The disc also features the Andantino from his Piano Concerto No. 1 - and that piece is almost a Chopin Nocturne, with beautiful soft rubato and dream-like qualities. Included here is also the Pas De Deux and Odette and Siegfried theme from his ballet Swan Lake, lilting and graceful as the dancers movements themselves. The dance divertissements from Nutcracker round out the ballet segments with charming allure. The melancholy String Quartet and Serenade For Strings is here as well and not to mention the beautiful, wistful excerpts from the ballet Sleeping Beauty, his greatest ballet. The Panorama and Vision of Aurora played with delicate strings and sublime technicality. This is indeed a "refreshing blend for body and spirit" and is in fact perfect to listen to while drinking tea cosnidering you drink tea. I have tried it and believe me the experience is very soothing and refreshing. Try putting this on in your miniature CD player with headphones, then go out into an outdoor, natural environment, a park or a backyard garden or patio, and drink tea or read a book and you will find this is a fine companion.

Beautiful.......2003-08-25

One of the best aspects of Tchiakovsky's music is the ocnsistency: he just DIDN'T compose any bad pieces. And with such consistency, you can compile a CD such as this.
THis CD gives you a proper taste of Tchaikovsky's style, and is a very nice sampler of some of his most famous works. This CD lacks some of his more energetically volatile works, but it thus lives up to its title. It is extremely relaxing, and soothes you as you listen to it. The works are melodic, and the orchestras and soloists are superb, especially in the Serenade and the Rococco Variations. I highly recommend this CD for anyone, even if you aren't a huge classical music fan.

Tchaikovsky's Most Enchanting Tunes.......2000-08-19

Like the title suggest, a good companion for tea time. Or any time. The music of Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky is beautiful, lyrical and full of a grace and charm that parallels to Mozart's. A great collection of music by the legendary Russian composer. He had a gift for making music in a style that did not sway away from Russian folk music but that added a Classical perfection, or better yet a Romantic mastership. Who can forget the Sleeping Beauty suite. Here is the Panorama scene.. gorgeous music. I recommend the entire ballet score. The Nutcraker and Swan Lake are also here. The Piano concerto no. 1 in B, Andante Cantibile and so much more. I garauntee any listener satisfaction.

Average customer rating:

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

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Borodin: Symphony No.2/In The Steppes Of Central Asia/Prince Igor
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ASIN: B000003FMY
Release Date: 1994-03-15

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Music Review: