Life on a String

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A new Laurie Anderson album is usually a thing to welcome. Often less a performance artist than point person for global-village storytelling--as on 1995's The Ugly One with the Jewels--she's also demonstrated a high level of musical savvy. Life on a String's meld of Biblical references, New York wanderings, world rhythms, and chamber music doesn't cohere like it should, though. Caught between bemusement and empathy, Anderson's knack for nailing oddball details can lift her work beyond mere wit, but not here. On "Dark Angel," she damns consumerism with lines that would've been laughable even at the outset of her career in the '70s: "Look at all the things I bought / I'm feeling kind of lost." Her quoting "I'm a Little Teapot" on "One Beautiful Evening" sounds like self-parody, or the result of a lost dare with another artsy type. And is the observation that it's a small world but she wouldn't want to paint it supposed to sound fresh? For true Anderson wigginess and smarts, try Ugly One, or for that matter, her classic debut, Big Science. --Rickey Wright

Life on a String,Laurie Anderson,Nonesuch,Experimental Rock,Pop,Popular Music,Rock,Rock/Pop

Life on a String

Average customer rating:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!
Beginner or Expert
Very Informative and Enjoyable
Frank's view
Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra

Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006O0NT
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

Overture To 'Tannhauser'
Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
Hungarian Dance No.7
The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
Csardas Music
The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
Tzigane
Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
Caprice No.24
The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
The Violin Muted
Clair De Lune
The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
The Pizzicato Violin
Pizzicato Polka
In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
Hungarian Dance No.4
Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
Bolero
Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
Elfenreigen

Tracks:

Introduction To The Viola
Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
Cypresses (No.9)
The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
The 'Period' Viola In Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
Elfentanz, Op.39
Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
The Protecting Veil (Opening)
A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
Flamenco
Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
Symphony No.9 (Finale)
Introduction To The Double-Bass
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
Elegy No.1 In D Major
The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
Capriccio Di Bravura
Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
Sa'Dawi
Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
Chamber Music No.II
The Piccolo - Aptly Named
La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
A Variety Of Techniques
Chamber Music No.II
Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
Naelden, Naelden
The Bachian Oboe
Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
The Swan Of Tuonela
The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
Bolero
The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
...And Quite Low.
Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
Introduction To The Saxophone
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
Bolero
The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
Sax-O-Phun
The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
Bolero
The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
Symphony No.3 (Opening)
The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
The Ceremonial Trumpet
Fanfare For The Common Man
Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
Billy The Kid
The Trumpet As Character Actor
Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
The Birth Of The Trombone
Aenmerckt Nu Hier
The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
Canzon 12 In Double Echo
The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
Hosannah
The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
The Trombone As Caricaturist
Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
The Horn And The Hunt
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
Walter Music (Minuet 1)
The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
Den Hoboecken Dans
Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
Gymnopedie No.2
The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
The Birth Of The Bongo
Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
Taking Advantage Of Tunability
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
Ravel And The Xylophone
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
Introducing The Vibraphone
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
Folk Dances
The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
Introducing The Tubular Bells
Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
Carmen Suite (Introduction)
But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Introducing The Celeste
The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
Petrushka (Russian Dance)
The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
Mahler's Sleighbells
Symphony No.4 (Opening)
A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Nocturnes
Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
The Oboe As Duck
Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
A Thunderstorm In A Million
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
Octet In F (Mvt 3)
The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
Canzon 28
Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
Images (Gigues)
A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

Tracks:

Carnival Of The Animals - Bruno Canino
Vocalise, Op.34 No.14 - Lynn Harrell
Thais - Julian Lloyd Webber
Adagio - Janos Starker
Apres Un Reve - Bruno Canino
Adagio - Julian Lloyd Webber
Ave Maria - Julian Lloyd Webber
Adagio - Julian Lloyd Webber
Traumerei (Dreaming) - Bruno Canino
Notturno: Andante - Julian Lloyd Webber
Sicilienne - Bruno Canino
An Die Musik, D547 - Bruno Canino
Reverie - Julian Lloyd Webber
Prayer - Bruno Canino
Ebben? Ne Andro Lontana - Bruno Canino
Salut D'amour, Op.12 - Bruno Canino
Valse Sentimentale, Op.15 No.6 - Samuel Sanders
Kol Nidrei, Op.47 - Julian Lloyd Webber

Tracks:

Air (Air On A G String) - Julian Lloyd Webber
Clair De Lune - Julian Lloyd Webber
Elegie, Op.24 - Jullian Lloyd Webber
Andante - Heinrich Schiff
Romance In D Minor, Op.62 - Julian Lloyd Webber
Beau Soir - Bruno Canino
Sicilienne, Op.78 - Bruno Canino
Panis Angelicus - Julian Lloyd Webber
Nocturne In E Flat Major, Op.9 No.2 - Julian Lloyd Webber
Cantabile - Samuel Sanders
Liebesleid - Samuel Sanders
Adagio Ma Non Troppo - Janos Starker
Bereuse - Julian Lloyd Webber
Cantilena - Julian Lloyd Webber
Melodie, Op.20 No.1 - Julian Lloyd Webber

Customer Reviews:

really like it.......2007-03-05

This is the first classical cd I have ever bought. The two-disc album was a great price. I really love the performance of Lynn Harrell. I like the collection of Adagios because they are perfect to fall asleep to or study to.

Average customer rating:

Only half the songs of the original set!!
Its all Christmas
A Good Basic Collection
cd reviews
Poor Quality

The Time-Life Treasury of Christmas

Manufacturer: Time Life Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Holiday Music | Compilations | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Pop Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Classic | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music

Pop Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:

Time-Life Music: Treasury of Christmas - Holiday Memories
Ultimate Christmas
A Christmas Festival
Now That's What I Call Christmas!
Now That's What I Call Christmas! The Signature Collection

ASIN: B00005NOZH
Release Date: 2001-09-11

Tracks:

Home For The Holidays - Perry Como
White Christmas - Bing Crosby
Jingle Bells - Ella Fitzgerald
Do You Hear What I Hear? - Andy Williams
Carol Of The Bells/Deck The Halls - The Robert Shaw Chorale
I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day - Harry Belafonte
Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
My Favorite Things - Eddie Fisher
Joy To The World - Julie Andrews
Here We Come A-Caroling - The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
March Of The Toys - The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
O Holy Night - Luciano Pavarotti

Tracks:

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry
It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - Andy Williams
The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Roger Whittaker
Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy - The Boston Pops Orchestra
Mary's Boy Child - Harry Belafonte
I'll Be Home For Christmas - Elvis Presley
Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
Sleigh Ride - Johnny Mathis
Tennessee Christmas - Alabama
Baby's First Christmas - Connie Francis
The Little Drummer Boy - Harry Simeone Chorale
Auld Lang Syne - Guy Lombardo

Customer Reviews:

Only half the songs of the original set!!.......2007-01-17

Although I love the CDs, I was disappointed that there were only about half of the songs I thought there would be. I bought the original double cassette set back in the early 90's and when I found the CDs with the same name and cover, I thought I was getting the same thing only on CD. But the Cassettes had twice as many songs, including Let it Snow,Have Yourself a merry Little Christmas,The First Noel, Jingle Bells by Jim Reeves, The Christmas song by the Carpenters and so many others!!

Its all Christmas.......2007-01-09

It reminded me of Christmas as a child. I played this all throughout the holidays.

A Good Basic Collection.......2006-02-11

This is a good, basic collection of Christmas Music. As a general rule, Time-Life has selected what is probably the definative artist/arangement of each song.

My only complaints are that there are only 24 songs on two disks and one or two of them are not ones that I would have picked (not my style).

Overall, it's a good set that I would recommend to anyone who wants to start a collection.

cd reviews.......2006-01-15

this cd was very good, much recommended

Poor Quality.......2005-12-05

The only good thing about this collection is the inclusion of so many Christmas standards. I was very disappointed in the quality of the recordings, they obviously need digital inhancement.

Average customer rating:

Fine Contribution
lovely performance
Wonderful performances of stirring music

English Song Series 3
Vaughan Williams , Rolfe , Johnson , and Duke Quartet
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
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Vaughan Williams: Songs of Travel
Roger Quilter: O Mistress Mine; To Daisies; Julia's Hair; Go, Lovely Rose
Duparc: Chansons
Vaughan Williams: Willow Wood
English Song Series 1

ASIN: B00007FKQL
Release Date: 2003-02-18

Tracks:

It Was A Lover And His Lass
The Lawyer
The Splendour Falls
The Water Mill
Tired
Silent Noon
Searching For Lambs
Nocturne
Joy, Shipmate, Joy!
Lord, Come Away
Come Love, Come Lord
Five Mystical Songs: I. Easter
Five Mystical Songs: II. I Got Me Flowers
Five Mystical Songs: III. Love Bade Me Welcome
Five Mystical Songs: IV. The Call
Five Mystical Songs: V. Antiphon
On Wenlock Edge: I. On Wenlock Edge
On Wenlock Edge: II. From Far, From Eve And Morning
On Wenlock Edge: III. Is My Team Ploughing?
On Wenlock Edge: IV. Oh, When I Was In Love With You
On Wenlock Edge: V. Bredon Hall
On Wenlock Edge: VI. Clun
Dirge For Fidele

Customer Reviews:

Fine Contribution.......2006-09-03

A fine compilation of Vaughn Williams' songs. Sung very well indeed by Johnson and Keenlyside with excellent accompaniment. This CD really shows the full range of Vaughn Williams vocal writing. This whole series is an admirable undertaking.

lovely performance.......2006-03-24

This is a very nice compilation of Vaughan Williams' vocal music, some of which is not easy to find on CD. The performers do an excellent job. Nice voices, and the music is sensitively sung. A really good value.

Wonderful performances of stirring music.......2003-04-27

This CD contains some of Vaughan Williams' best vocal music. The singers are superb and the accompanist is sensitive.

I love the whole CD, but adore
Searching For Lambs, which is a touching love song, set for violin and tenor duet
Silent Noon
It Was A Lover and His Lass
Antiphon, the last song in the set of Five Mystical Songs. It is a great song of faith, set by an infamous agnostic. The Church would be the poorer without Vaughan Williams wonderful hymns and arrangements of hymns. [I also recommend Vaughan Williams' Hymnal and Pilgrm's Progress.].

I bought this set to hear On Wenlock Edge and am not disappointed. It is a great song cycle.

By the way, this bargain-priced CD includes all the song texts.

Tracks:

One White Whale
The Island Where I Come From
Pieces And Parts
Here With You
Slip Away
My Compensation
Dark Angel
Broken
Washington Street
Statue Of Liberty
One Beautiful Evening
Life On A String

Amazon.com

A new Laurie Anderson album is usually a thing to welcome. Often less a performance artist than point person for global-village storytelling--as on 1995's The Ugly One with the Jewels--she's also demonstrated a high level of musical savvy. Life on a String's meld of Biblical references, New York wanderings, world rhythms, and chamber music doesn't cohere like it should, though. Caught between bemusement and empathy, Anderson's knack for nailing oddball details can lift her work beyond mere wit, but not here. On "Dark Angel," she damns consumerism with lines that would've been laughable even at the outset of her career in the '70s: "Look at all the things I bought / I'm feeling kind of lost." Her quoting "I'm a Little Teapot" on "One Beautiful Evening" sounds like self-parody, or the result of a lost dare with another artsy type. And is the observation that it's a small world but she wouldn't want to paint it supposed to sound fresh? For true Anderson wigginess and smarts, try Ugly One, or for that matter, her classic debut, Big Science. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

Great!!!.......2005-10-29

She shows you beauty and ugliness in its own true nest --- of hands, not eyes.
And then shows you how to take care of your own hands. Literally.

Artists evolve.......2005-10-05

I bought this C.D. with a little trepidation, because I was not sure what to expect. On my first listen, "Pieces and Parts,""One Beautiful Evening" and "Life on a string" became the anchors I would play over and over again. Over the course of 3 weeks I felt I had a comfortable retention of the entire album. I wish her writing ability had evolved and improved as much as her A&R, and choice of musicians. When I hear lines like "I'm a little tea pot..." and analogies like being easier to "sail around the world in a coffee cup" than seeing a whale "rise up." I feel she is bringing down the emotional depth of the songs.
But if she sang other writers songs, I would not be a fan, so I give her 4 stars instead of 5 and continue to enjoy the album.

For Anderson Fans.......2005-08-12

This is a good album, but not great! I f you like Laurie Anderson, you'll like this album...but not love it. The innovative sounds of United States (Big Science and Mr. Heartbreak) have been recycled into these new songs, good...but not memorable.

who is ahab..? and who is the whale . .?.......2004-11-30

The only difference between God and Laurie Anderson is that a few people do actually listen to Laurie Anderson. And what a world of sound and meaning they listen to!
This is the most orchestral of her works. Though it seeks to rehabilitate the white whale it is also her most spiritual.
There is something about the music of Laurie Anderson that transcends the time she writes about. Ms. Anderson was born on another planet and she has spent the rest of her life trying to understand life on earth.
I think Ms. Anderson might be a genious. She is capable of taking any object at random and transforming it into an art object or a device necessary for the continuation of civilization. The reason why her hair sticks up is because her brains are on fire.

She inspires and transcends........2004-07-04

laurie has long been one of my favorite artists. she has helped me conquer my bewilderment over the massiveness of space, time, and existence. on this release she is as always meditative and philosophical. the title track's message of delicate balance is especially vital and precious. the instrumental here with me is tremedously nostalgic and sentimental. it takes me to a place which has always been here. one white whale is just pristine and the other tracks proceed forthwith. definitely a top release.

Average customer rating:

A pure Joy. You should check this cd out!
I've always been a huge fan of Lenny's and this recording is one of his most satisfying.
For those unfamiliar with Breau's magic, Swingin' on a Seven-String is a perfect place to start.
Highly recommended.
It is a long-overdue joy to have this highly enjoyable music available again

Swingin' on a Seven String
Lenny Breau
Manufacturer: Art of Life Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Guitar Sounds of Lenny Breau
The Complete Living Room Tapes
Solo Guitar
Minors Aloud
The Hallmark Sessions

ASIN: B0009PVZ82
Release Date: 2005-06-21

Tracks:

Back In Indiana
You Needed Me
Bonaparte's Retreat
I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You
I Love You Because
Please Release Me
Blue Moon Of Kentucky
She Thinks I Still Care
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
Anytime
Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain

Album Description

"Swingin' on a Seven-String" was recorded on August 12th & 25th in 1982 and originally released in 1984 as "When Lightn' Strikes" on LP. In addition to being the last studio album that Lenny Breau recorded before his untimely death in 1984, "Swingin' on a Seven-String" also remains as the only studio recordings of his seven-string acoustic guitar playing. In addition to the five tracks featuring Lenny and acoustic bassist Jim Ferguson performing duets, Lenny is joined by pedal steel guitar legend Buddy Emmons and drummer Kenny Malone on the remaining quartet tracks. Eight of the eleven tracks feature Lenny on seven-string acoustic guitar, while the other three tracks feature Lenny on six-string electric guitar. All tracks have been digitally remastered from the original analog master tapes using 24-bit digital technology. The CD also features one previously unreleased bonus track, "Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain". The 12-page booklet includes extensive liner notes! by author Ron Forbes-Roberts as well as commentary from Buddy Emmons and Jim Ferguson.

Customer Reviews:

A pure Joy. You should check this cd out!.......2006-03-10

This cd is a unique blend of Jazz and country where Lenny displayed some incredible solos. What a great fusion album this is. It seems to be that some thing happen at the recording and the excitement of this session will not stop from the beginning to the end. A must have!

I've always been a huge fan of Lenny's and this recording is one of his most satisfying. .......2005-09-17

Recorded in 1984 as "When Lightin' Strikes", this Lenny Breau set features the pedal steel guitar playing of the great Buddy Emmons in mostly "country" standards as "I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You" and "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" by Hank Williams. In case you didn't realize it, the seven string Lenny plays is a high seven string. This is the last recording by the incredible Lenny Breau. He himself didn't live to see the release of this recording. There are some fantastic sounds by Lenny and company. I recall when this record was first put out, many fans of his were distressed and thought this was an attempt to make a totally "commercial" recording. That's rather funny when you listen to the beauty that Lenny can coax from a simple tune. Lenny uses his wonderful artificial harmonics plus the classical tremolo he's so famous for. The few tracks Lenny plays electric guitar (1,11) are I think, a six string. The nylon guitar is a seven. The CD starts with "Back Home In Indiana". Lenny and Buddy go crazy exchanging solos with Buddy sounding positively possessed. The warm and delicate "You Needed Me" is Lenny at his best, emotional and controlled. "I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You" (Track #4) and here's Lenny making you feel as if he almost wrote the tune. Fabulous harmonics and you get right into the spirit of what this simple but beautiful tune is all about. The touching "I Love You Because" "Please Release Me" and "She Thinks I Still Care" are delightful renditions. Lenny Breau goes for it all on this record. The wonderful Buddy Emmons plays on all the odd numbered tracks and is sensational. The interplay and fun between them is easily apparent. This is still mostly Lenny's recording. What's interesting to me is that someone like Lenny can take a tune that most people would think of as a country or pop tune and play it like a Kern, Porter, or any other great composer and make it sound like a standard tune that we are all so taken with. It's a joy when these records are released on CD and this is one all Lenny Breau fans will love. I've always been a huge fan of Lenny's and this recording is one of his most satisfying.

Jack Wilkins - Guitarist

For those unfamiliar with Breau's magic, Swingin' on a Seven-String is a perfect place to start. .......2005-06-26

While guitarist Lenny Breau's innovations may not seem so significant now, he was like a bolt of lightning when he emerged in the `70s out of Manitoba, Canada. A true self-accompanist who integrated virtuostic skills in jazz, country, and flamenco into an unmistakable voice, Breau made his guitar sound like an ensemble. Legend has it that Chet Atkins was walking down the hall of a Nashville studio and, hearing music coming out of one of the rooms, said to himself, "Who are those guys?" When he went into the studio and found Breau playing by himself, it was the beginning of a friendship that would last until Breau's untimely and still mysterious death in '84.

With the upsurge of archival Breau sessions in recent years, Art of Life Records' recent rescue of Breau's last studio release, When Lightn' Strikes-now remastered with a bonus track and retitled Swingin' on a Seven-String-finds him at the peak of his musical powers. That Breau was a substance abuser for most of his adult life seems miraculously to have had absolutely no effect on the pristine perfection of his playing. Breau pioneered a number of techniques, including a self-accompaniment that roots contemporary players like eight-string guitarist Charlie Hunter, as well as an uncanny ability to wring rapid-fire harmonics out of his instrument that gave his guitar an almost bell-like timbre. He was equally at home on classical guitar-and a seven-string variant comprises the majority of Swingin' on a Seven-String-as he was on electric.

The new title is wholly appropriate, given the way the entire session swings along comfortably with an unhurried pace. Five duet tracks feature bassist Jim Ferguson; on six tunes, Breau fleshes things out to a quartet with drummer Kenny Malone and pedal steel player Buddy Emmons (both of whom Breau had already collaborated with on Emmons' '78 recording, Minors Aloud, to be reissued by Art of Life in August of '05). Breau's growing posthumous discography has plenty of high points, most notably his '83 live duet set with bassist Dave Young, Live at Bourbon Street (Guitarchives, '95), but he has never sounded so completely relaxed as on Swingin'.

The record draws from popular tunes of the time, like singer Anne Murray's hit "You Needed Me" and Engelbert Humperdinck's faux country tune "Please Release Me," as well as country tunes like Bill Monroe's "Blue Moon of Kentucky" and Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry." Breau reinvents and reharmonizes, shaping a programme where a wealth of musical riches are masked by an unforced and easy-going complexion.

Breau may not have broken any turf in terms of pushing jazz out of the mainstream, but his interpretive skills and ability to retain a tune's essence while reimagining it in a pure jazz context remains evocative to this day. For those unfamiliar with Breau's magic, Swingin' on a Seven-String is a perfect place to start.

John Kelman - All About Jazz

Highly recommended........2005-06-22

Lenny Breau was a talented guitarist steeped in Country music with an interest in Bebop. He blended both loves during these 1982 sessions, playing both acoustic seven-string and six-string electric guitars. The previously unreleased track, Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain, is an added bonus to this CD reissue. Highly recommended.

Ken Dryden - Chattanooga Free Press - Chattanooga, TN

It is a long-overdue joy to have this highly enjoyable music available again.......2005-06-22

In 1982 the great guitarist Lenny Breau decided to combine a couple of his strongest musical loves, recording Country songs with Jazz chords in a swinging setting. Half of the music on this set is comprised of duets with bassist Jim Ferguson, while the remainder is played in a quartet with Ferguson, pedal steel guitarist Buddy Emmons and drummer Kenny Malone. It has long been an open secret that many Country standards have fairly simple chord changes that are ideal for jamming. Breau, who splits his time between an acoustic seven-string guitar (on eight tracks) and a regular electric guitar (and takes a completely spontaneous off-mic vocal on Bonaparte's Retreat), is in exuberant form throughout this laid-back but happy release. But because Jazz/Country fusions were not exactly in vogue in 1982, this date was only released very briefly by the tiny Tudor label before the company failed and the record went out of print. Lenny Breau was killed in 1984 and this was his last studio album. It is a long-overdue joy to have this highly enjoyable music available again, and it is highly recommended to anyone at all interested in Lenny Breau's artistry.

Scott Yanow - All Music Guide

The String Quartet Tribute to R.E.M., Vol. 2

Average customer rating:

The String Quartet Tribute to R.E.M., Vol. 2

Manufacturer: Vitamin Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Tributes | Pop | Styles | Music
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The String Quartet Tribute to R.E.M.
The String Quartet Tribute to Peter Gabriel
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The String Quartet Tribute to Queen

ASIN: B0000CABL0
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Tracks:

Drive - The Angry String Orchestra
Pop Song '89 - String Vindaloo
Begin The Begin - The Angry String Orchestra
The Lifting - The Angry String Orchestra
Imitation Of Life - String Vindaloo
Driver 8 - String Vindaloo
South Central Rain (I'm Sorry) - The Angry String Orchestra
Maps And Legends - String Vindaloo
Orange Crush - String Vindaloo
Fall On me - The Angry String Orchestra
Athens (Original Composition) - The Angry String Orchestra

Product Description

Tracks:

Sicilienne
Rondo, K. 250
Mdie
Danza espanola No. 5: Danza espanola No. 5 'Andaluza'
Schosmarin
Liebesleid
Liebesfreud
Allegro
Siciliano, Op. 3, No. 11: Siciliano, Op. 3, No. 11, RV 565
Tambourin
Minuet In G, WoO 10 No. 2
Ava Maria, Op. 52, No. 6
Humoresque In G Flat, Op. 101 No. 7
Mtation de Tha
Valse sentimentale, Op. 51 No. 6
Largo
Rondino On A Theme Of Beethoven
Andantino In The Style Of Padre Martini
La Capricieuse
Apres un reve, Op. 7 No. 1
Tango, Op. 165 No. 2
Valse triste
Estrellita
Nocturne, Op. 51 No. 3

Tracks:

Andantino
Standchen, D. 957, No. 4: Serenade
Divertimento In D, K. 334: Menuet
Kinderszenen, Op. 15: Scenes d'enfants, No. 7 Traumerei
Sonatine In G, Op. 100: Larghetto
Ave Maria: Meditation sur le 1er prelude de J.S. Bach
Sonata No. 12 In E Minor: Sonata No. 12 In E Minor, Op. 3, No. 6
Songs My Mother Taught Me: Songs My Mother Taught Me, Op. 3, No. 6
Souvenir de Moscou: Souvenir de Moscou, Op. 6
Piece en forme de habanera
Zigeunerseisen, Op. 20, No. 1: Airs bohemiens
Allegro
Les berceaux: Les berceaux, Op. 23, No. 1
Tzigane
Baal shem: Nigun
Adagio

Customer Reviews:

Delightful collection.......2001-03-25

A delightful collection of shorter works for violin with piano accompaniment, some of them extremely familiar, others less so, but with Grumiaux's lyrical style (not flamboyant like Perlman's, but graceful and beautiful in an understated way), and fine accompaniment, the music on these 2 CDs is consistently excellent and can be listened to either consecutively or just a few pieces at a time. Well worth having.

Average customer rating:

Classics for Relaxation

Manufacturer: Time Life Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

ASIN: B0009OL8ZS
Release Date: 2005-06-28

Tracks:

Peer Gynt: Morning -- Grieg
Divertimento No.3: 2nd Movement -- Mozart
Concerto No. 1: Adagio -- Albinoni
Carmen: Habanera -- Bizet
Violin Concerto No.1: Adagio -- Bruch
Kinderszenen: Traumerei -- Schumann
Enigma Variations: Nimrod -- Elgar
Orpheus and Eurydice: Dance of the Blessed Spirits -- Gluck
String Quartet No.2: 3rd Movement -- Borodin
Xerxes: Largo -- Handel
Thais: Meditation -- Massenet
Blue Danube Waltz -- Strauss
Lullaby (Ninna Nanna) -- Brahms

Tracks:

Violin Concerto in E Minor: Andante -- Mendelssohn
Waltz in A Major -- Brahms
Symphony No.5:: Adagietto -- Mahler
Flute Concerto in D Major: 2nd Movement -- Vivaldi
Messiah: Pastoral Symphony -- Handel
Mors et Vita: Judex -- Gounod
Romance for Violin and Orchestra No.2 -- Beethoven
Peer Gynt: Anitra's Dance -- Grieg
Rondo Alla Turca -- Mozart
Memories of the Alhambra -- Tarrega
Ave Maria -- Bach
Waltz No.13 in D Flat Major, Op.70 No.3 -- Chopin
Scheherazade -- Rimsky-Korsakov

Album Description

This timeless music speaks to the heart, soothes the soul and stirs the senses. Classics for Relaxation is the perfect introduction for those new to classical music, and it's a great sampling of the masters and some of their famous works for those who already are fans of this genre. It truly speaks to everyone in the univeral voice of symphonic sounds-it's engaging, enchanting, elegant and beautiful.

Set Your Life To Music: A Gentle Prelude To Sleep

Average customer rating:

CLASSICS LOVERS
Outstanding Classical Source for Meditation

Set Your Life To Music: A Gentle Prelude To Sleep

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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 | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Quiet Music For Quiet Times: Set Your Life To Music
Liszt for Lovers: Piano Dreams of Love and Passion

ASIN: B0000041O2
Release Date: 1997-09-16

Tracks:

Symphony No.2 In D: Larghetto - Beethoven
Romance No. 2 In F - Beethoven
Emperor Concerto: Adagio un poco mosso - Beethoven
Pastoral Symphony: Scene By The Brook - Beethoven
Pathetique Sonata: Adagio cantabile - Beethoven
String Quartet No. 13 In B-Flat: Cavatina (Adagio molto espressivo) - Beethoven
Fur Elise - Beethoven
Violin Concerto In D: Larghetto - Beethoven
Moonlight Sonata: Adagio sostenuto - Beethoven

Tracks:

Sheep May Safely Graze - Various Artists
Violin Concerto No.1 In A Minor: Adante - Various Artists
Concerto In A For Oboe d'amore: Larghetto - Various Artists
Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B Minor: Sarabande - Various Artists
Christmas Oratorio: Sinfonia - Various Artists
Violin Concerto No.2 In E: Adagio - Various Artists
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 In G: Adante - Various Artists
Largo, ma non tanto - Various Artists
Siciliano - Various Artists
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 In D: Affetuoso - Various Artists
Sonata No.1 In F For Cello & Piano: Adante - Various Artists
Adagio (Sinfonia, Part II) - Various Artists
Partita In D Minor: Sarabande - Various Artists
Suite in D: Sarabande - Various Artists

Tracks:

Lullaby - Set Your Life To Music
Paino Concerto In B-Flat: Piu adagio - Set Your Life To Music
Violin Concerto In D: Adagio - Set Your Life To Music
Andante - Set Your Life To Music
Clarinet Quintet In B Minor: Adagio - Set Your Life To Music
Piano Quartet In C Minor: Andante - Set Your Life To Music
As Melodies Were Passing By - Set Your Life To Music
Sonata In D minor: Adagio - Set Your Life To Music
Piano Trio In C Minor: Andante grazioso (excerpt) - Set Your Life To Music
Intermezzo No. 1 In E - Flat - Set Your Life To Music
Fantasy No. 4 in E - Set Your Life To Music
Variations & Fugue On A Theme By Handel - Variation V - Set Your Life To Music
Waltz No. 15 in A-flat - Set Your Life To Music
Lullaby (Reprise) - Set Your Life To Music

Customer Reviews:

CLASSICS LOVERS.......2006-08-01

I love this set, it's among my favorites. Anyone who appreciates Beethoven, Bach, and Brahms, will certainly fall in love with this extraordinary collection. I recommend!

Outstanding Classical Source for Meditation.......2006-07-31

This is the most amazing collection of classical music, specifically composed for relaxation and meditation. This box set includes 3 CDs: (1) Beethoven at Bedtime: A Gentle Prelude to Sleep, (2) Bach at Bedtime: Lullabies for the Still of the Night, and (3) Brahms at Bedtime: A Sleepytime Serenade. MUST HAVE for a stress relief, as well as just to create a positive energy around a home. Enjoy it!

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