The Sound [Box set]

The Sound [Box set]

ASIN: B000083EHU

Track Listings
Disc: 1

1. Opus de Bop

2. And the Angels Swing

3. Running Water

4. Don't Worry 'Bout Me

5. As I Live and Bop

See all 25 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Lady in Red

2. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away)

3. On the Alamo

4. Gone With the Wind

5. Yesterdays

See all 26 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Melody Express

2. Yvette

3. Potter's Luck

4. Song Is You

5. Wildwood

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Disc: 4

1. Budo

2. Where or When

3. Tabú

4. Moonlight in Vermont

5. Jaguar

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
The highly inspired music on this 4 CD set is a celebration of his exceptional talents. Just some of the top quality musicians alongside Getz on this set are Max Roach, Zoot Sims, Horace Silver, Charles Mingus, Duke Jordan and a whole host of Scandinavian guys Getz so enjoyed playing with. The set comes with a 44 page booklet containing The Sound's story, session detail and rare photos. Four standard jewel cases housed in cardboard slipbox. Proper. 2003.

Tracks:

Sinfonia to Cantata #29
Air on a G String
Two-Part Invention in F Major
Two-Part Invention in B-Flat Major
Two-Part Invention in D Minor
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Prelude and Fugue #7 in E-Flat Major
Prelude and Fugue #2 in C
Chorale Prelude "Wachet Auf" Bradenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major
Brandenburg Concerto #3 in G: I. Allegro
Brandenburg Concerto #3 in G: II. Adagio
Brandenburg Concerto #3 in G: III. Allegro
Brandenburg Concerto #3 in G: II. Adagio
Brandenburg Concerto #3 in G: Initial Experiments

Tracks:

Orfeo Suite: Toccata/Ritornello I/Choro II/Ritornello II/Choro II/Ritor
Sonata in G Major
Sonata in D Major
Bourree
Air
Allegro Deciso
Sonata in E Major
Sonata in D Major
Bradenburg Concerto #4 in G Major: I. Allegro
Bradenburg Concerto #4 in G Major: II. Andante
Bradenburg Concerto #4 in G Major: III. Presto
Domine Ad Adjuvandum
Stereo Allignment Tones
Well-Tempered Experiments

Tracks:

Badinerie
Minuet
Bourree
Two-Part Invention in A-Minor
Two-Part Invention in a Major
Sheep May Safely Graze
Suite from Anna Magdalena Notebook: Musette in D Major
Suite from Anna Magdalena Notebook: Minuet in G Major
Suite from Anna Magdalena Notebook: Bist du Bei Mir
Suite from Anna Magdalena Notebook: Marche in D Major
Little Fugue in G Minor
Bradenburg Concerto #5 in D Major: Allegro
Bradenburg Concerto #5 in D Major: Affettuoso
Bradenburg Concerto #5 in D Major: Allegro

Tracks:

Brandenburg Concerto #1 in F Major: I. Allegro
Brandenburg Concerto #1 in F Major: II. Adagio
Brandenburg Concerto #1 in F Major: III. Allegro
Brandenburg Concerto #1 in F Major: IV. Menuuetto, Trio I, Polocca, Trio
Brandenburg Concerto #2 in F Major: I. Allegro
Brandenburg Concerto #2 in F Major: II. Andante
Brandenburg Concerto #2 in F Major: III. Allegro Assai
Brandenburg Concerto #6 in B-Flat Major: I. Allegro
Brandenburg Concerto #6 in B-Flat Major: II. Adagio Ma Non Tanto
Brandenburg Concerto #6 in B-Flat Major: III. Allegro

Amazon.com

In 1968, keyboardist-composer Wendy Carlos released Switched-On Bach, her bestselling LP featuring baroque music performed on the Moog synthesizer. Carlos intended to spread the gospel of electronic classical music through this quirky release; instead, she sold more albums than Karlheinz Stockhausen could ever dream of, released a few follow-ups, and paved the way for Hot Butter's "Popcorn." Carlos has since become well known for more than just these wacky classical interpretations--she recorded the soundtracks to A Clockwork Orange and Tron and released new works--but the Switched-Ons are the goofy synthesizer recordings that most of us still remember.

No less than Glenn Gould proclaimed, "Carlos's realization of the Fourth Brandenburg Concerto is, to put it bluntly, the finest performance of any of the Brandenburgs--live, canned, or intuited--I've ever heard." We're not sure what he meant by that, but if you have half the enthusiasm Gould did for this music, check out this box set. All four of Carlos's baroque-gone-space-age LPs from the '70s are included here--Switched-On Bach, The Well-Tempered Synthesizer, Switched-On Bach II, and Switched-On Brandenburgs--completely remastered in all their stereophonic glory and containing bonus tracks (the fourth CD is even enhanced for use on your computer). The liner notes weigh in at around 150 pages, filled with photos and background information even on the evolution of Carlos's studio (you get the original LP notes in their entirety, too). The music? It's hilarious, absolutely riveting, and--whether Scarlatti, Bach, Handel, or Monteverdi--played successfully by Carlos and her battery of special effects. For the lover of the eclectic or the classical fan who knows how to let loose, this is a box set to get. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Truly A Masterpiece!.......2007-05-11

This collection is a treasured addition to our music library here at home, in part because I have long been a fan of the artist. Also, because we all enjoy the spin that Wendy puts on many of the classical works of the old masters of music. I heartily recommend this boxed set to any listener who wants to be delighted by the sounds of the Moog synthesizer, played in a masterful way by Wendy Carlos...

Definitive, historical, all-in-one.......2007-03-04

If you've loved the Walter/Wendy Carlos recordings over the years, this is a great way to get them all in one place. If you are at all interested in the production process, this is a _must have_ item.

Some have complained about the discussion tracks at the end of some CDs; I guess I can see how some might find them annoying. For pure ambience, you'll want to program your CD player to not play them, or just rip these CDs and burn a new copy minus those tracks.

One minor complaint I have is that the Brandenburgs are scattered throughout. I don't think it should have been all that bad to just have some of them duplicated. But I do understand the rationale, including them as is on the albums where they appeared individually, and then only putting the rest on the actual Brandenburgs pair of CDs. Personally, I love being able to listen to all the Brandenburgs straight through, so again I just made new versions of CD for my own use with them all together in their original order.

And of course, these days so many people aren't even listening to their CDs on the CD player. The music is ripped and then played using an MP3 player, computer, or similar device. Making playlists for your preferred track arrangements obviates any of the above complaints.

Regardless, I think that the value of having an all-in-one collection of these classic electronic instruments and performances far outweighs any minor issues regarding one's opinion of the choice of production arranagement.

Súper Colección.......2007-01-03

Una joya de arte, en su estuche y con un gran contenido de los primeros volúmenes de esta gran interprete.
Simplemente una gran colección para los fanaticos de Wendy

Walter's best.......2006-06-09

I know record and CD covers have been reprinted to reflect that Walter goes by the name of Wendy now. But this is all his best stuff in one collection. If you never had "Switched-On Brandenburgs Vol. 1 & 2" on LP and didn't get them either on CD back in 1987, then this is your chance to get them along with bits from his other works. Also get his other masterpiece "By Request" and the soundtrack of the movie "A Clockwork Orange". That's all you need if you are a fan of 60's analog synthesizer classical music, which only Walter was doing at that time.

Loved It All Over Again.......2005-08-03

When I heard the first piece from the first album as a young boy, I was completely hooked. I don't think Wendy could have picked a better song to start with. The power and expansiveness of the Sinfonia is surely what Bach must have heard in his head when he wrote it over 300 years ago.

Honestly, some of the music on these albums is so good you may never hear Bach, Handel, or Scarlatti the same way again.

When I saw this boxed set for sale, I purchased it with a little trepidation, unsure if it would live up to my memory of it and not sure what my wife or daughter would make of it. I'm glad I got it, though. It's a wonderful recording and the two bonus tracks are fun to listen to. In fact, I wish CDs had the same "commentary" tracks that DVDs have as I would have enjoyed hearing more about how this recording was put together.

The Best of the Vienna Boys' Choir (Box Set)

Average customer rating:

This is awesome!
Awesome CD!!
I absolutely LOVE this!
Vienna Boys do it again
Wow

The Best of the Vienna Boys' Choir (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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Christmas With the Vienna Boys Choir
Christmas with the Vienna Boys Choir
Angelic Voices: The Best of the Vienna Boys' Choir
The Christmas Album: Vienna Boys Choir
Luminosa

ASIN: B00000IGUW
Release Date: 2000-12-06

Tracks:

Mass in C major K. 317 'Coronatoin' Mass: I. Kyrie
Mass in C major K. 317 'Coronatoin' Mass: II. Gloria
Mass in C major K. 317 'Coronatoin' Mass: Ave verum corpus KV 618 - K. 618
Requiem KV 626 (Auszuge) - K. 626: Dies irae
Requiem KV 626 (Auszuge) - K. 626: Lacrimosa
Requiem KV 626 (Auszuge) - K. 626: Agnus Dei
Requiem KV 626 (Auszuge) - K. 626: Lux aeterna
Ave Maria
The Creation: Terzett: 'In holder Anmut stehn'
The Creation: Terzett mit Chor: 'Der Herr ist gross in seiner Macht'
Locus iste
Ave Maria
Abendsegen
Pueri concinite
Messiah: No. 03 Chorus: ' And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed'
Messiah: No. 06 Chorus: 'And he shall purify'
Messiah: No. 42 Chorus: 'Hallelujah'
Messiah: No. 51 Chorus: 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain' - 'Amen'

Tracks:

The Blue Danube
Annen - Polka Op. 117
Walzer - Tales from the Vienna Woods, Waltz
Tritsch - Tratsch Polka
Village Swallows from Austria
Pizzicat - Polka
Morning papers, waltz
Radetzky - Marsch
Thousand and one night, waltz
Heidenroslein
The Magic Flute: Trio
Innsbruck, I must leave thee
Aba Heidschi Bumbeidschi
Edelweiss
Do - Re - Mi

Customer Reviews:

This is awesome!.......2002-12-13

I love this bos set, especially the second one Edelweiss is simply great, it's filled with passion and truly shows the beauty of music.But if you had already bought Ave Maria and Edelweiss please don't buy this one, they are the same, this CD is just perfect!

Awesome CD!!.......2002-06-07

Wow...That was my first word when I listend to this CD.

I like classical numbers more than like traditional songs of
other countries, so the 1st one was wonderful
(Of course as well as the second one.)

When you want to relax, you may choose the 1st one, but
if you want to be excited, choose 2nd one!!

You will feel as if you were out of this world.

I absolutely LOVE this!.......2002-02-20

When I received this album, I found that it was much, much more than I had expected. The angelic, pure, innocent yet DEFINED voices of these boys add the spark to your day. (at least to mine!)

The first CD is absolutely beautiful choral music which is really relaxing. I DO prefer boys' singing to adults, because it just sounds so much better.
When I bought the CD, I wasn't expecting much out of the second CD because I bought it for the first CD's sake, but the second CD turned out to be my real favorite.
Not that I don't adore the first one, but the second one is SO IRRESISTABLY CUTE!! whenever I listen to it, I keep on smiling and going "awww. isn't this cute!"
It is REALLY sweet and fun to listen to. I just LOVE this CDs and want to give 10 stars out of 5, but obviously there are limitations, so..

Well, if you like choral music, you won't regret getting this one.

Vienna Boys do it again.......2001-08-18

Their performance is just superb. If you like classical music. I find this elevating my spirits.

Wow.......2000-09-06

What can really be said about this two CD set except "Wow." The tone quality and emotion contained in the music is incredible, and I don't think there's another boys' choir out there who can match it. The rendition of Schubert's "Ave Maria" alone is worth buying the CD. Amazing. Between the two CD's there is a great variety of music as well, ranging from the soft, sad "Locus Iste," to Johann Strauss' polkas. There is a piece for every mood. These CDs are more than worth the money and rank among the favorites in my collection.

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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Similar Items:

Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra Op34; Simple Symphony Op4
The Life and Works of Ludwig van Beethoven
What to Listen for in Music
Study of Orchestration, Third Edition
The Life and Works of Frédéric Chopin

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:

Dedicated To The One I Love - The Shirelles
I'm Your Puppet - James & Bobby Purify
Since I Don't Have You - The Skyliners
Angel Baby - Rosie & The Originals
Memories Of El Monte - The Penguins
Hypnotized - Linda Jones
I Do Love You - Billy Stewart
Me And You - Brenton Wood
Gee What A Guy - Yvonne Carroll & The Roulettes
Confessin' A Feeling - Sly, Slick & Wicked
I Want You Back - Don Julian & The Larks
Ooo...Aaah - Jakki O
Together - Tierra
What You Won't Do For Love - Alma
Low Rider - War

Tracks:

Love (Between A Boy And Girl) Can Be So Wonderful - The Temprees
Forever - The Marvelettes
Baby, I'm For Real - The Originals
Natural High - Bloodstone
How Can I Tell My Mom & Dad - The Lovelites
I Belong To You - Love Unlimited
When We Get Married - Dreamlovers
When Will I See You Again - The Three Degrees
Try Me - James Brown
I Love You For All Seasons - The Fuzz
You'll Lose A Good Thing - Barbara Lynn
Ten Commandments Of Love - Harvey & The Moonglows
Woman To Woman - Shirley Brown
Oh, How It Hurts - Barbara Mason
As I Sit Here - The Whispers

Tracks:

Memories Of El Monte - The Penguins
Earth Angel - The Penguins
Lo Mucho Que Te Quiero - Rene & Rene
Dedicated To You - Sonny Knight
Heaven And Paradise - Don Julian & The Meadowlarks
Keeper Of Dreams - The Gallahads
Chapel Of Love - The Hitmakers
To Be Loved - The Pentagons
Thinking Of You - The Jaguars
Cherry Pie - Marvin & Johnny
I Think You've Got Your Fools Mixed Up - Brenton Wood
Pachuko Hop - Chuck Higgins
Corrido Rock - Handsome Jim Balcon
Reasons - Earth, Wind & Fire
I'll Always Love My Mama - The Intruders
Eighteen With A Bullet - Pete Wingfield
Sitting In The Park - Billy Stewart
You're Still A young MAn - Tower Of Power
You Cheated - The Shields
Love You So - Ron Holden

Tracks:

I Only Have Eyes For You - The Flamingos
Sincerely - The Moonglows
In The Still Of The Nite - The Five Satins
Earth Angel - The Penguins
Oh What A night - The Dells
Those Oldies But Goodies (Remind Me Of You) - Little Caesar & The Romans
Dedicated To The One I Love - The Shirelles
This I Swear - The Skyliners
Silhouettes - The Rays
The Way You Look Tonight - The Jaguars
16 Candles - The Crests
Daddy's Home - Shep & Teh Limelites
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - The Platters

Customer Reviews:

NOTE DUPLICATES!!!!.......2007-07-04

What kind of idiot put this collection together?!? SEVERAL songs duplicated from one disc to another! Buy a different collection.

Makes My Heart Ache.......2007-04-16

I grew up in San Francisco, not So Cal, but these songs remind me of not only my adolescent and teen years but my older sisters who is no longer with us. I remember being about 10 years old and her having her red radio under the bed at night and listening to these songs while she was in bed and i danced to them too.

Best Oldies of All Time ! ! Great Music ! !.......2004-02-24

Art Laobe's "60 Killer Oldies" is a 4 CD collection of some of the greatest music of all time.

One of the CD's is entitled, "Memories of El Monte: The roots of L.A.'s Rock and Roll." The first song on that CD is "Memories of El Monte." Here are just a few of the words to that song:

If they only had those dances again,
I'd know where to find you and all my old friends...

Earth angel, earth angel will you be mine at El Monte...

If we could go back to
The days of the past,

I'd show you a love
A love that would last.

O I remember those wonderful
Dances in El Monte.
In El Monte.

I grew up in the San Bernardino area and all my friends used to go to those dances at the American Legion Hall in El Monte during the 1960's. I never did get to go to any of the dances in El Monte, but had always wanted to. I always danced at the National Guard Armory in Riverside, the VFW Hall in Rialto, or the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino or the Kaiser Dome.

All of the songs on these CDs invoke emotions in me that bring both laughter and tears and they always give me a longing for the "Good O' Days." Now day it seems as though the only way to go to a dance is to go to a bar. Back then, there were dances everywhere. Bar hopping isn't my style, but I miss those old dances including the ones in peoples garages or living rooms.

Art Laboe used to be a DJ on KRLA from Pasadena. KRLA and XPRS were my two favorite radio stations. I don't even know if KRLA even exists any more since I no longer live in the Southern California area.

Anyway, the songs on these CDs remind me of the dances, the radio, my first boy friend, my first love, my marriage, my first child, and my youth. O to be young and in love again!

All of the songs are good and it's difficult to choose a single favorite, but among my many favorites are "Angel Baby," "Daddy's Home," "Dedicated To The One I Love," "Together," "Baby I'm For Real," "Natural High," "10 Commandments of Love," "I'm Your Puppet," "Confessin' A Feeling," "In The Still of The Night, and "Those Oldies But Goodies Remind Me of You." But really, I like all of the songs on this CD collection.

I give this set of CDs five stars plus plus *****++.

Simply the best ! ! !

Had them on Cassette, way back when...need to get the CD's!!.......2001-07-27

Hello....Back about 7 years ago, I got my dream car, a fire red '64 Impala. I bought all of Art's cassette that were available at the time, a must have to go along with my beautiful dream car and cruisin the streets of the Bay Area.

In the course of the last 7 years, they have either gotten worn out or just lost. I love all of these songs and reminds me of listening to my moms old record player, running around and singing songs with my brush as a microphone.

A must-have for any helpless romantic like myself.

Enjoy!!

BEST OLDIES EVER.......2000-04-06

THIS CD WAS THE BEST THAT I EVER BOUGHT. IT REMINDED ME OF ALL THE GOOD TIMES I HAD AND EVEN THE BAD ONES,BUT I STILL LOVED IT. EVERYBODY SHOULD GO OUT AND BUT THIS CD IMMEDIATLY IT IS SUCH A GOOD PRICE FOR QUALITY MUSIC.

Average customer rating:

Better than I had hoped!
Nothing to write home about
Wonderful!
Nice music to chill out
Lovely but too electronic at points

Pharaoh: Sound of Mystery
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Compilations | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
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Immortal Egypt
Meditation Music of Ancient Egypt
Eternal Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ambient Egypt, Sounds from Ancient Sources

ASIN: B00000IGVG
Release Date: 2000-12-06

Tracks:

I. Egypt Nature: Desert Sunrise
I. Egypt Nature: Mystery Oasis
I. Egypt Nature: Caravan Procession
I. Egypt Nature: Old Egypt Dance
II. Mystic Places: Luxor
II. Mystic Places: Pyramid Mysteries
II. Mystic Places: Funeral Procession
II. Mystic Places: Grave Of Silence
III. Pharaoh Visions: Power Of Immortality
III. Pharaoh Visions: Pharaoh Visions
III. Pharaoh Visions: Awakening

Tracks:

I. The Pyramids Of Gise: Cheops-The King
I. The Pyramids Of Gise: Isis & Osiris-The Gods
I. The Pyramids Of Gise: The Ship Of Death
I. The Pyramids Of Gise: The Sphinx Of Gise
I. The Pyramids Of Gise: Pyramid Mysteries II
II. Mystic Processions: Triumphal Processions
II. Mystic Processions: Dance Of Sacrifice
II. Mystic Processions: Coronation March
III. The Secrets: The Inscriptions
III. The Secrets: The Secrets Of The Graves
III. The Secrets: Cheops Sarcophagus

Customer Reviews:

Better than I had hoped!.......2007-01-21

What a bargain, for a 2 cd set! Plus, it's terrific! If you've been searching for an interesting cd to play during a healing sesion, this is it. I also play both cd's, during the Energy classes that I teach. People enjoy listening to it, as clients, or students.

Nothing to write home about.......2004-03-30

This is an ok CD to pop in your player if you're wanting some decent background music, but there's nothing particularly gripping here. It's actually kind of boring, and I love Egyptian music both traditional and modern. This is like elevator music's interpretation of Egyptian music.

I'm to the point in my musical collection now where if something doesn't reach out and make think "Wow... that's freakin' awesome/beautiful/etc!" I don't bother with it. And this just doesn't do that for me.

But, hey, it IS cheap. I'll give it that. So, it's not as if you're going to be out alot of money by giving it a try. This may be a good "wading pool" CD for someone getting used to more eastern music.

Wonderful!.......2003-12-30

This is by far the best I've heard yet when it comes to music of Ancient Egypt!

Nice music to chill out.......2003-06-12

This is unusual music. kind of techno dance music with an egyptian vibe to it. now it is not real up tempo or anything. It is a bargain at amazon for the price. I listen to all types of music and this is a good one for my multidisc cd player.
You should like this if you like electronic music or if you are just interested in ancient egypt.

Lovely but too electronic at points.......2003-04-22

I love these CDs! They're for the most part excellent, but at points too many electronic instruments. Most tracks are great, and you can't beat the value.

Average customer rating:

It contains songs not on other CD.
The Best Of The Mantovani Orchestra
The Best of the Mantovani Orchestra (vol 1 & 2)
Poor Recording
Top of the "Beautiful Music" Heap

Best of the Mantovani Orchestra

Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music

Mantovani's Golden Hits
Many Moods of the Mantovani Orchestra
The Best Ever Mantovani Collection
The Ultimate Collection
Melodies of Love

ASIN: B000000L5X
Release Date: 1994-09-12

Tracks:

Some Enchanted Evening
Three Coins In The Fountain
The Impossible Dream
More
Send In The Clowns
Charmaine
Somewhere My Love
Elizabethan Serenade
Carnival Of Venice
Overture-Die Fledermaus
Merry Widow Waltz
Summertime In Venice

Tracks:

The Shadow Of Your Smile
The Sound Of Music
Italian Fantasy
For Once In My Life
Swedish Rhapsody
I've Grown Accustomed To His Face
The Entertainer
For Once In My Life
Skater's Waltz
Tales From The Vienna Woods
Londonderry Air
Autumn Leaves

Customer Reviews:

It contains songs not on other CD........2007-01-01

I am pretty happy with the CD I have. I noticed that these songs are not on other CD. Summer Time in Venice, Three Coins in the Fountain, The Impossible Dream, Send in The Clown, Somewhere My Love and Elizabethan Serenade. The sound quality is acceptable.

The Best Of The Mantovani Orchestra.......2004-04-13

This cd is an ok collection of tunes from Mantovani.It's not the best but it's ok.This 2 cd set features songs such as three coins in a fountain,send in the clowns,skater's waltz,for once in my life and others.This isn't the only version of for once in my life Mantovani did.This version is light strings.Manti's other version is with a harpsicord and heavy strings.It is on Mantovani Scene/Mantovani Sound which has just come out from Vocolion.It also has such songs as dear heart,both sides now,honey and a lot of others.Amazon doesn't have this yet but I have just recieved my copy from another website.Like the other viewer said unfortuanly the sound quality is bad on the best of collection.I even heard somebody coughing on one track and there is some tape hiss from the transfer.I would like to recommend a 2 cd set by John Fox going under the name of the starry night orchestra that is put out by yestermusic(good music group)and has 30 tracks by Mr.Fox.Every song has a heavy string contingment and it states that these were played on beautiful music stations.John Foxes Strings are so beautiful.
The John Fox I'm talking about isn't the same John Fox that is a commedian that is sold on this site.

The Best of the Mantovani Orchestra (vol 1 & 2).......2002-09-14

The Madacy Label has betrayed Mantovani's genious, and substituted poor recordings in these 2 CD's. I have immediately
cancelled all Madacy Label orders with everyone, and will investigate all future items with a Canadian origin prior to purchase.

Joseph C. Jernigan

Poor Recording.......2002-09-05

The quality of the recording is poor. You can hear flutter in the string passages, which is 90% of Mantovani's music! There is also hiss noise, and pops in piece transitions... Amateur transcription from tape to CD's, is my guess. Someone else made bad reviews regarding the poor recording on the same record label, so my suggestion is to stay away from the label Madacy Records.

Top of the "Beautiful Music" Heap.......2001-02-19

This CD has a nice collection of Mantovani's work. The combination of older standards with "newer" (such as Stevie Wonder's "For Once In My Life")is great. This is the stuff that is usually mocked as "elevator music" but also considered by many good romancing background music. Many of these arrangements were heard on a local Beautiful Music FM station where I live before the format change. The only negative I have is for a "box set" there is no write-up on the Orchestra. It would have been nice to read about Mantovani and what inspired his arrangements, and the orchestra personnell. My copy was made in Canada by Madacy. Maybe someone who has contact with that company could recommend a booklet for any future copies made.

The Classical Collection, Part 1 / Vanessa-Mae (3 CD Box Set) (EMI Classics)

Average customer rating:

Unnecessary
Vanessa-Mae as a Child Prodigy at 12 and 13
Vanessa-Mae as a Child Prodigy at 12 and 13
Great early recording

The Classical Collection, Part 1 / Vanessa-Mae (3 CD Box Set) (EMI Classics)

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004W47H
Release Date: 2000-11-07

Tracks:

Violin Concerto In C Op.48: I. Allegro
Violin Concerto In C Op.48: II. Andante
Violin Concerto In C Op.48: III. Vivace Giocoso
Russian Dance (Swan Lake)
Violin Concerto In D Op.35: I. Allegro Moderato
Violin Concerto In D Op.35: II. Canzonetta (Andante)
Violin Concerto In D Op.35: III. Finale (Allegro Vivacissimo)

Tracks:

Schon Rosmarin
Liebesleid
Liebesfreud
Violin Concerto In D 'Adelaide' (In The Style Of Mozart) KAnh.294a1: I. Allegro
Violin Concerto In D 'Adelaide' (In The Style Of Mozart) KAnh.294a1: II. Adagio
Violin Concerto In D 'Adelaide' (In The Style Of Mozart) KAnh.294a1: III. Allegro
Violin Concerto In D Op.61: I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Violin Concerto In D Op.61: II. Larghetto
Violin Concerto In D Op.61: III. Rondo (Allegro)

Tracks:

...Inspired By The Classics: Salut D'amour
...Inspired By The Classics: Lullaby
...Inspired By The Classics: Air On The G String
...Inspired by Cinema: My Favourite Things
...Inspired by Cinema: The Pink Panther
...Inspired by Cinema: Les Parapluies De Cherbourg
...Inspired By Pop Culture: One Moment In Time
...Inspired By Pop Culture: Yellow Submarine
...Inspired By Folk Culture: Frere Jacques
...Inspired By Folk Culture: La Campanella
...Inspired By Folk Culture: Chinese Folk Tune
...Inspired By Folk Culture: Tambourin Chinois
...Inspired By Opera: Figaro
...Inspired By Opera: Summertime
...Inspired By Opera: Concert Fantasy On 'Carmen' Op.25
...Inspired By Opera: Fantaisie Brillante On Themes From Gounod's 'Faust' Op.20

Customer Reviews:

Unnecessary.......2001-04-18

While it would be, of course, somewhat unfair to rate this CD recording of some of the world's most famous pieces for virtuoso violin the same way one would for a mature, older artist's recordings, it is horrendous marketing strategy on the part of Sony Classical to release this three CD set on the premise that they are "brilliant," as stated on the back of the CD case. They are anything but, as a quick listen to any one of the three CDs will reveal to the discerning ear.

The first two CDs are mainly concerned with Mae playing the Kabalevsky, the Tchaikovsky Concerto in D, and the Beethoven Concerto in D -- all highly acclaimed pieces aimed at showing off not only the speed, strength, physical and mental endurance of the violinist, but also, certainly, the tone production and "fingers," as Sarah Chang would have liked to put it. Mae fails on almost all the above counts. While she professes to have a high degree of passion for the Tchaikovsky and the Beethoven (Mae gushes about learning them by heart long before her instructor had the chance to teach them to her), the pieces are a great disappointment. The first thing to jarr the ear is her tone (a scratchy, unconfident, and extremely tinny one, at that) and, rather surprising, her lack of capability at pulling off the cadenzas. It is beyond anyone's understanding how the then young Mae's speed and technical accuracy could be so highly acclaimed as they are by some quarters when she falters and stumbles along the notes, mainly in the higher registers. This is most apparent in the extremely poor playing of Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy, where she sometimes lags behind the entire orchestra by a few wrenching notes as she struggles to catch up and keep in tempo.

The pieces on the Virtuoso Album CD aren't worth much -- colourless, soulless renditions of miniatures that have been performed better by countless of other violinists, at every measure of age (Chang does a splendid job of the Carmen Fantasy, and she recorded it in the studios when she was only nine years old).

The only redeeming piece of the entire three CD set I can think of must be the Russian Dance from Swan Lake. Although her bowing is rarely, if ever, confident and full, her thin, wavering vibrato ever used effectively, she opens the piece with a vigour that isn't seen in any other of the pieces.

It is rather unfortunate that Mae has never really progressed far, classically -- a look at her later recordings (the Classical Collection 2) and her live performance at the Royal Albert Hall (where the Shostakovich Piano Trio No. 2, Moses Variation on a G String, and a few others were played) drives the point home painfully. I am a fan, of course, but not one of her classical side -- the techno-pop-fusion music masks her flaws well enough to allow one to forget that one is listening to a very mediocre violinist at work.

Vanessa-Mae as a Child Prodigy at 12 and 13.......2000-11-14

Vanessa-Mae: is the beautiful young Singaporean violinist with her flowing hair, gorgeous figure, pop star clothes, electric violin, laser and light shows, websites, and rock band just a media creation, or is she instead a modern-day Pagannini or Liszt, a true virtuoso with a flair for showmanship? In other words, can she play? This three CD set of her early recordings, made when she was only 12 and 13 years old, answers the question authoritatively. Although there are, of course, some flaws, the fact remains that even at this early age Vanessa-Mae was a stunning performer. At thirteen she played better than many profession musicians have at thirty, myself included. Listen, for example, to the stunning beginning of Sarasate's Concert Fantasy on `Carmen".

There is a certain tension between the interpretations of the soloist and the conductor occasionally, especially when Vanessa-Mae wants to play faster than the conductor will allow. This is in fact my biggest criticism of the recording; but these ego wars are not only the bloodiest but also the most common of musical slaughterhouses, and it is no surprise that such a young performer would get caught up in it. Otherwise, the performance is terrific--intonation is impeccable, interpretation confident. In particular, Vanessa-Mae has a commanding technique in the highest range, where her tone absolutely soars. Only very rarely, and then only at the very end of a rising run, does her intonation slip slightly. And she varies her style appropriately to suit the music--at the time of this recording she'd not yet gotten to playing Vivaldi with a rock band. In Fritz Kreisler's Schon Rosmarin, I can practically see her in a ball gown with her hair up in ringlets, performing this for the Viennese elite at a society soiree. It seems appropriately schmatzy to me, and it provides a link between the Classical and popular sides of Vanessa-Mae featured in this collection.

The set consists of three CDs, the first the Russian Album, the second, the Viennese Album, and the third, the Virtuoso Album. This last title is somewhat curious, as only two-thirds of the way through do the selections take a virtuoso turn. Otherwise, they are pops and light classics that are not at all demanding of the performer. This CD has a theme of inspiration from various sources, and the selections are categorized as "inspired by the classics, inspired by cinema, inspired by pop and folk culture, and inspired by opera" and include such things as arrangements of Brahms Lullaby, Mancini's theme to The Pink Panther, and Richard Rogers' My Favorite Things. Unfortunately, the Beatles also make an appearance--I love the Beatles, but Lennon and McCartney's Yellow Submarine is a testament to the perils of drug use. Whatever fondness society has for this piece--and I know they do, as my 10 year old daughter is learning it on recorder for her music class at school--this affection must come from our memories of youth, the fun of the 70's and the association of the imaginative animation by Peter Maxx of the movie, perhaps even the symbolism, arcane as it may be, of the text. Objectively, though, the tune is as trivial and banal as anything ever written, and here it gets turned into a sort of mini-violin concerto. Call the Blue Meanies and the Apple-Bonkers to put a stop to that!

But the other performances and pieces on this CD more than make up for this miscue. The first CD features Violin Concerti by Kabelevsky and Tchaikovsky, and Beethoven's violin concerto is featured on the second CD with a gorgeous performance. Vanessa-Mae clearly *can* play--she is much more than just a media creation. This collection, a portrait of the artist as a young woman, proves the point admirably.

Vanessa-Mae as a Child Prodigy at 12 and 13.......2000-11-14

Great early recording.......2000-11-11

I should of course first disclose that I do not know very much about classical music, but as far as I can tell this is a fantastic recording.

This 3-cd set is a reissue of the early classical recordings that Vanessa-Mae made before crossing over into pop. It is a fantastic set because it offers a wide range of music: Tchaaikovsky, Kreisler, Beethoven, Paganini, Sarasate, Bach, Brahms and others. Vanessa-Mae's playing is fantastic throughout. I have always felt that she is a much stronger classical than pop player -- she really does not bring much uniqueness to pop music (just electronic supporting instruments) -- however, her remarkable classical mastery is easily evident even to an inexperienced person like me.

Tracks:

There Goes My Everything - Jack Green
Rose Garden - Lynn Anderson
Abilene - Lynn Anderson, George Hamilton IV
Satin Sheets - Jeanne Pruett
Help Me Make It Through the Night [Original Recording] - Sammi Smith
Harper Valley P.T.A. - Jeannie C. Riley
Take This Job and Shove It - Johnny Paycheck
It's Four in the Morning - Faron Young
Funny Face - Donna Fargo
No Charge - Melba Montgomery
Don't Break the Heart That Loves You - Margo Smith
Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got) [Original Recording] - Leon Ashley

Tracks:

Top of the World - Lynn Anderson
Sea of Heartbreak - Don Gibson
Once a Day - Connie Smith
My Elusive Dreams - David Houston
Don't Touch Me - Jeannie Seely
(Don't Take Her) She's All I Got - Johnny Paycheck
Me and You and a Dog Named Boo - Stonewall Jackson
Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A. - Donna Fargo
Teddy Bear Song - Barbara Fairchild
Big Bad John - Jimmy Dean
Hello Walls - Faron Young
Wings of a Dove - Ferlin Husky

Tracks:

End of the World - Skeeter Davis
Almost Persuaded - David Houston
It's Such a Pretty World Today - Sly & Sal, Wynn Stewart
Skip a Rope - Henson Cargill
In the Misty Moonlight - Jerry Wallace
From a Jack to a King - Ned Miller
Wolverton Mountain - Claude King
Rednecks, White Socks and Blue Ribbon Beer - Johnny Russell
Young Love - Sandy Posey
Gone - Ferlin Husky
Misery Loves Company - Porter Wagoner
Six White Horses - Tommy Cash

Customer Reviews:

OK if you're into electronic drum kits..........2003-02-17

As the other reviewer said, this is definitely not for the "purist" or anyone else who doesn't want to hear even more schmarmy versions of songs that, while great, tend toward the schmarmy. Great selection, but I couldn't take the same-sound, electronica organ backup for every cut. I much prefer "Classic Country: Great Story Songs" from Time Life. Just my $.02.

Great Classic Country Selections.......2000-12-16

This hard-to-find set of country songs has a good selection from the 1960s and 1970s. If you like that era and don't want to invest a lot of money in CDs by individual artists, this is a good choice. Unlike some country classic selections, it is not limited to songs produced by one company. There are plenty of great "somebody done somebody wrong songs." Several songs made the rock or pop charts (such as Skeeter Davis' "The End of the World") or run counter to the stereotype of country music as catering to the narrow-minded (Henson Cargill's version of "Skip a Rope"). Purists will not like the fact that all but two of the 36 songs are studio re-recordings. However, that does improve the sound quality and it's hard to see that any of the singers have lost much over the years. A more serious flaw is that the instruments seem to lack character, so this is geared more toward those who focus on the vocals. If you're more interested in original recordings, you may prefer something like Columbia's Country Classics Volume 3 --Americana.

Average customer rating:

Gotta Love The Uncle Dave Macon
Nearly Perfect
American Roots Music
Gotta have it
scattered roots

American Roots Music
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Palm Pictures (Audio
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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American Roots Music [DVD]
American Roots Music
Roots Music: An American Journey
Rounder Records 25th Anniversary
Anthology of American Folk Music (Edited by Harry Smith)

ASIN: B00005OAY6
Release Date: 2001-10-30

Tracks:

American Roots Music Theme - Ricky Skaggs with Earl Scruggs, James Cotton, and Marc & Ann Savoy
Waiting for a Train - Jimmie Rodgers
Wildwood Flower - The Carter Family
Take Me Back To My Old Carolina Home - Uncle Dave Macon
Wabash Cannonball - Roy Acuff
That Silver Haired Daddy of Mine - Gene Autry
Sitting on Top of the World - Bob Wills
Uncle Pen - Bill Monroe
Salty Dog Blues - Flatt and Scruggs
Nine-Pound Hammer - Merle Travis
Walking The Floor Over You - Ernest Tubb
If You've Got The Money, I've Got The Time - Lefty Frizzell
Cold Cold Heart - Hank Williams
It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels - Kitty Wells
Black Mountain Rag - Doc Watson
Earl's Breakdown - Earl Scruggs
Little Maggie - Ralph Stanley
Where Shades of Love Lie Deep - Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver
Stomping Grounds - Bela Fleck and the Flecktones

Tracks:

The King Biscuit Time Theme - James Cotton
Crazy Blues - Mamie Smith
St. Louis Blues - Bessie Smith
Black Snake Moan - Blind Lemon Jefferson
Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues - Charley Patton
Cross Road Blues - Robert Johnson
Death Letter Blues - Son House
Another Night To Cry - Lonnie Johnson
Foldin' Bed - Whistler's Jug Band
Boogie Woogie Dream - Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson
Bye Bye Bird - Sonny Boy Williamson
Shake for Me - Howlin' Wolf
Got My Mojo Working - Muddy Waters
The Thrill is Gone - B.B. King
Take a Little Walk With Me - Robert Lockwood Jr.
Henry - Keb' Mo'

Tracks:

Joshua Fit de Battle - Fisk Jubilee Singers
Precious Lord, Take My Hand - Thomas A. Dorsey
Blind Barnabus - The Golden Gate Quartet
Down By The Riverside - Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Move On Up a Little Higher - Mahalia Jackson
Sit Down Servant - The Staple Singers
Jesus Gave Me Water - Soul Stirrers
Oh Happy Day - Edwin Hawkins
This Land Is Your Land - Woody Guthrie
Goodnight Irene - Leadbelly
So Long Been Good to Know Yuh - The Weavers
The Soldier and the Lady - The New Lost City Ramblers
John Henry - Mississippi John Hurt
If I Had A Hammer ( The Hammer Song) - Peter, Paul and Mary
We Shall Overcome - SNCC Freedom Singers with Pete Seeter
The Times They Are A-Changin' - Bob Dylan

Tracks:

Allons A Lafayette - Joe Falcon and Cleoma Breaux
Madame Atchen - Amede Ardoin and Dennis McGee
Port Arthur Blues - Dewey Balfa
I'm a Hog for You - Clifton Chenier
Dans la Louisianne - Marc and Ann Savoy
Ossun Two-Step - Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys
Mal Hombre - Lydia Mendoza
Muchacha Bonita - Narciso martinez
Rosalito - Valerio Longoria
Las Nubes - Little Joe y la Familia
Ring of Fire - Mingo Saldivar
Sorry Boy - Flaco Jimenez
Yeibichei Song - Unidentified Performers
Traditional Powwow - Renzel Last Horse and Kiyaksa
Jesus Loves Me - Everette Red Bear and Sandor Iron Rope of the Native American Church
Wounded Knee - Floyd Westerman
Enchantment Song - R. Carlos Nakai
The Dance - Robert Mirabal

Amazon.com

These are the sounds of the American melting pot in full boil, a vibrant study in musical and cultural collision. The companion box set to the four-part PBS documentary, this four-disc set skims the cream of 20th-century American "roots music"--music based in its own rich ethnic, geographical, and cultural traditions yet malleable and responsive enough to accommodate elements borrowed from other traditions. The 68 songs here traverse country, blues, folk, gospel, Cajun, zydeco, Tejano, and Native American styles, and while there are obviously huge differences between these songs, it's the similarities that are truly remarkable. Thanks to a cross-pollination facilitated by radio, recording technology, and the highway system, traditional American musical forms bounced off each other like atoms--European tradition met African tradition, urban met rural, Northern met Southern, secular met spiritual, and so it goes. This project allows you to trace each genre's development while simultaneously illustrating its connections to other forms. Like any project of this nature, you can lament all the great music that didn't make it--jazz, in fact, is completely ignored except for one boogie-woogie piano duet, presumably because Ken Burns already covered this territory--but it's difficult to find fault with what did make it here. The producers balance well-known original recordings with 20 newly recorded tracks and nine songs taken from archival film sources. Housed in a stylish hard-bound case and boasting detailed song-by-song notes and great photos, the American Roots Music box makes for a valuable gateway into America's musical heritage and a springboard for further investigation. --Marc Greilsamer

Album Description

An impressive four-CD box-set primer that collects more than 100 years of music, from nineteenth-century gospel ensemble The Fisk Jubilee Singers to contemporary acts such as R&B guitarist Keb Mo'. Includes tracks from Robert Johnson, Bob Dylan, Flaco Jimenez, Mahalia Jackson, the Staple Singers, B.B. King, Gene Autry and Jimmy Rogers to name just a few. Contains more than 65 essential American recordings, a wealth of photographs and liner notes written by Robert Antelli, Holly George Warren and Charles Wolfe. Deluxe long digi-book with 56 page collector-quality booklet. Palm Records. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

Gotta Love The Uncle Dave Macon.......2006-01-12

My wife and I had been eyeing this boxset for a few years now and she finally broke down and got it for me this past holiday season. It's a nice mix of country, blues, gospel, cajun/zydeco, tejano and native American. Overall, the box set is excellent. I don't think there is a bad tune on there, but I do feel it felt short on gospel, folk, cajun, zydeco, tejano and native American styles. There's only about 6 or 7 tracks for each of those styles where an entire 16-19 track disc is dedicated to both country and blues. The set should have been 6 discs instead or it should have been limited to just country and blues. Likewise, I felt it strange that an American Roots boxset included no jazz, for jazz is the only true first American born music, which is based on the blues of course. It's a great collection though and I enjoy listening to it every time. The long wait was worth it. I highly recommend it.

Nearly Perfect.......2004-07-06

The PBS American Roots Music series - both the 4 part documentary on DVD and 4 CD boxed set - is a commendable work. It is an incredible education in not only popular American music and culture, but history, and should be required viewing and listening in high schools.

Many of the problems in American Society and its youth today stem from a complete lack of pride and self-awareness. A quick survey of popular music and culture reveal a frightening level of ignorance of America's history, values, and ideals. In short, while the series focusses on America's musical traditions, it does a fantastic job of conveying a sense of America's "roots" in a positive, enriching manner.

The DVD documentary strikes a perfect balance between glossing over, and becoming bogged down in, the material. Unlike the Ken Burns' projects that exhaust the viewer's interest and collapse under their own weight, the series is informative and educational, yet entertaining. It is not MEANT to be an exhaustive treatise on the subject - and so some reviewers here are missing the point - that would take 40, not 4, episodes. Rather, it is an introduction and a sampler; peaking our curiosity and prompting us to investigate and research further the wonderful heritage of music out there. And in that, it succeeds marvelously.

What also impressed me was the documentary's remarkable objectivity. While it eschews political correctness, it doesn't necessarily candy coat anything either. What it does do is present the material in a respectful, thoughtful, intelligent, and unbiased manner - something so lacking in today's political and social discourse. So in this sense, folks looking for something with an "agenda" - conspiracies, skeletons in the closet, and historical revisionism - may be disappointed by the documentary.

The CD boxed set is equally well-done: a fantastic booklet, thorough liner notes, and collection of songs that is a music lover's dream. Again, it is intended to be a sampler - great songs by landmark artists - not an exhaustive account of American Roots music. And also like the documentary, its meant to be a enriching, uplifting - not deconstructing - experience.

If the series has a shortcoming, it is the absence of one of the major "roots" - Jazz - which was no doubt and most unfortunately excluded, because of the recent Ken Burns' PBS documentary. But to exclude Jazz from the discussion of American Roots music, means we do not have the entire picture. And so in that sense, the series is somewhat flawed.

Still, its hard to find any other fault with the series. This is a work that TRULY embraces and celebrates America's cultural diversity. Entertaining and enlightening, I would heartily recommend owning the box set and DVD for one's own edification as well as a way to help introduce friends and family to REAL American music - in all its forms.

American Roots Music.......2004-05-13

An Awsome Collection Of Hard To Find Roots Music In A Box
Set Thats Worth The Money

Gotta have it.......2003-02-17

Excellent collection, except I wish they could have picked another B.B. King tune than the overrated "The Thrill Is Gone."

scattered roots.......2001-11-13

One doesn't envy anyone charged with the task of assembling a collection of essential recordings in America's many folk and vernacular genres. As such things go, American Roots Music is decent enough, though inevitably anyone who knows the music will wonder at the omissions (for example, of Dock Boggs or any of the classic old-time string bands). Perhaps the major problem here is that the four discs encompass such a range of styles that they can hardly begin to do justice to any one of them. The serious listener will already have much of this in his or her collection. Of course it's not exactly a painful sacrifice to hear "Waiting for a Train," "Uncle Pen," "Black Snake Moan," "Cross Road Blues," or any of a number of other warhorses, yet again. I was least familiar with the music on Disc #4 (Cajun/Zydeco/Tejano/Native American) and so enjoyed it the most. A particular treat is Mingo Saldivar's lively version of the old Johnny Cash hit "Ring of Fire." Saldivar doesn't just sing the lyrics in Spanish; he reinvents the melody, making it sound as if "Ring" were always supposed to be a conjunto tune. The disc ends anticlimactically, however, with the inexplicable inclusion of a New-Ageish composition, when a reprise of the wonderful series theme song (a movingly organic rendition of "Worried Man Blues" by performers representing a variety of traditions) would have been a more proper send-off. As a primer set in an unusually attractive package, American Roots Music will do, more or less, but seasoned followers of our homegrown sounds will seek their pleasures elsewhere.

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