Flat Out

Flat Out

ASIN: B00000321L

Editorial Reviews
From the Label
In his final trip to the recording studio for Gramavision, Scofield once again shifted gears and showed his ever-growing legion of fans a glimpse of his new direction. The grooves here are greasier, more redolent of New Orleans, and they anticipate where Scofield arrived with his Hand Jive quartet five years later. The supporting band of Don Grolnick on Hammond B-3 organ, Anthony Cox on bass and Terri Lyne Carrington and Johnny Vidacovich sharing drum chores is an inspired acoustic/electric blend that allows Scofield to cover "Cissy Strut" and "Rockin' Pneumonia" as well as burn on six originals and a couple of Tin Pan Alley standards.

Tracks:

Theme From Mission Impossible - Schifrin
Theme From Gladiator - Zimmer
Hedwig's Theme - Williams
Harry's Wondrous World - Williams
Allegro Moderato - Symphony No. 8 'Unfinished' - Schubert
Suite From Shakespeare In Love - Warbeck
Out Of Africa - Barry
Requiem, Rex Tremendae - Mozart
Prelude In E Minor, Op. 28, No. 4 - Chopin
Suite No. 3 In D, Air On The G String - J.S. Bach
I Will Always Love You - Parton
Symphony No. 40, Molto Allegro - Mozart
Finlandia - Sibelius
My Heart Will Go On - Horner

Tracks:

Theme From Lord Of The Rings - Shore
Overture To All That Jazz - Kander & Ebb
'Trout' Quintet, Theme, Andantino And Variations - Schubert
Prelude No. 15 In D-Flat - Chopin
Windmills Of Your Mind - LeGrand
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You - KAMEN
Theme From Schindler's List - Williams
Also Sprach Zarathustra, Excerpt - Strauss
Symphony No. 3, Lento Cantabile - Semplice - Gorecki
Die Walkure, Ride Of The Valkyries - Wagner
Goldberg Variations, Aria Da Capo - J.S. Bach
Theme From License To Kill - KAMEN
Sonata No. 8, Op. 13, 'Pathetique,' Andante Cantabile - Beethoven
Die Another Day - Arnold
Symphony No. 9, Ode To Joy, Excerpt - Beethoven

Customer Reviews:

Movie Themes CD.......2007-03-10

Very nice CD with beautiful music from past movies. Very relaxing music to listen to.

"three decades of film composers ~ Simply The Best".......2004-03-06

Rhino Movie Music presents "Simply The Best Movie Themes", featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and other various artists ~ within the realm of the following composers David Arnold, John Barry, Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Wendy Carlos, Fred Ebb, James Horner, James Newton Howard, Michael Kamen, John Kander, Michel Legrand, Alex North, Basil Poledouris, Howard Shore, Wladyslaw Szpilman, Stephen Warbeck, John Williams and Hans Zimmer ~ each composer has created one or more of the scores in this twenty nine classic line up.

Film scores covering over three decades with "2001:SPACE ODYSSEY", "A CLOCKWORK ORANGE", "APOCALYPSE NOW", "THE BODYGUARD(I Will Always Love You)", "CHICAGO(Overture to All That Jazz), "DIE ANOTHER DAY", "EYES WIDE SHUT", "FEARLESS", "GLADIATOR(Theme)", "HANNIBAL", "HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE(Hedwig's Theme)", "HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE(Harry's Wondrous World)", "THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER", "JURASSIC PARK:THE LOST WORLD", "LICENSE TO KILL, "LIVING DAYLIGHTS", "THE LORD OF THE RINGS(Theme)", "MINORITY REPORT", "MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (Theme)", "OUT OF AFRICA", "THE PIANIST", "ROBIN HOOD, PRINCE OF THIEVES", "SCHINDLER'S LIST", "SE7EN", "SHADOWLANDS", "SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE", "THE SIXTH SENSE", "THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR"and "TITANIC(My Heart Will Go On)" ~ a mixture of original compositions and classics of the old masters. Loaded with not just themes, but full of orchestral arrangements that are fresh and rewarding ~ sure to bring back those special moments from the film.

The presentation is superb with every cue inclusive with spectacular performances from suspense, romance and adventure all rolled into a two disc package. Rhino must be commended on doing such a great job and doing it well. Most serious "film-score-buffs" will welcome this compilation, has many cues available all under one banner ~ Rhino Records...gotta love it!

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:

Hands Across The Sea
Father Of Victory
The Golden Ear
Old Comrades
March, Op. 99
Valdres March
Inglesina
Knightsbridge March
The U.S. Field Artillery
The Thunderer
Washington Post
King Cotton
El Capitan
The Stars And Stripes Forever
American Patrol
On The Mall
Lights Out
Barnum And Bailey's Favorite
Colonel Bogey
The Billboard

Customer Reviews:

happy music.......2006-08-29

I could't offer a technical critique of this c.d,instead I'll attempt to describe the enjoyment it gave me.Imagine you're sitting in your car listening to the radio,not terribly enthusiastic about getting out to start work.You become aware there's a bright ,cheerful sounding tune being played-vaguely familiar,I find myself tapping out the beat and humming along-what's this called then?Then we get to the part I can identify-DAH-DAHdeDAHdeDAH-DAH-DAH-Oh,of course,it's the music they used in "The Hunters",oh the memories that brought back.That tune got me out of the car ,through the day's turmoil,and when I woke up the next morning at 3a.m.,it was still going throgh my head!Okay,log onto Amazon,click,click,all I've gotta do now is contain my impatience .The C.D. duly arrived,suffice it to say it exceeded all my expectations regarding quality and content and has become one of my favourites.

Vintage march collection for connoisseurs.......2000-05-26

It seems like the heyday for recorded march collections was the early stereo era. The classic Mercury recordings by Fennell and the Eastman Wind Ensemble dating from that time no doubt contribute to that impression. In this collection, they demonstrate the seriousness with which they approach this repertoire by unearthing some lesser known (at least in the US) pieces to go along with the usual Sousa-esque fare. However, there is no sense that they scraped the bottom of the barrel: all of these marches are first rate. Even the less familiar marches will have you humming along in no time, so infectious are they. These performers bring their usual gutsy exuberance and the necessary polish, too. The sound is on the bold side so turn the volume down a bit for this one.

Average customer rating:

Flat Out
lost treasure
Fantastic Guitar, excellent melodies
buck dharma flat out
A great pop-rock album amidst a dark time in rock music

Flat Out
Buck Dharma
Manufacturer: Wounded Bird Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0000CNY4C
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Tracks:

Born to Rock
That Summer Night
Cold Wind
Your Loving Heart
Five Thirty-Five
Wind Weather and Storm
All Tied Up
Anwar's Theme
Come Softly to Me

Album Description

Buck Dharma was the lead guitarist for Blue Oyster Cult, one of the most successful hard rock bands ever. He made only one solo album, Flat Out, in 1982. Fans have been screaming for this, here it is! Wounded Bird. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Flat Out .......2007-01-04

I purchased this cd because I had the lp from years ago and it is a fantastic album. There are several great songs, especially "Your Loving Heart". This is a great song and is a real tear-jerker. Would recommend this to any die hard Blue Oyster Cult fan or to anyone who just likes a good rock cd!

lost treasure.......2004-12-10

Back in the haze of my college years...i remember this album coming out and had feared that BOC had broken up.I had heard the album at a party and noted some fine songs but never did go to purchase it.
I saw that it was available very recently and a whole collage of memories fell.It is a great album.Very pop oriented for the lead guitarist of the band that seems to love doom and gloom.I can see how the songs would not fit a BOC album.
The highlights are "all tied up"....and a remake of "come softly to me" which almost brought my wife to tears when she heard it.Buck's singing is really good along with his guitar playing.One song does have a whack of 1980's production in it...but it fits it perfectly.I highly recommend it to everybody.
The rest of the album has some great songs in a faster vein.All songs were also written by Buck. Put it this way...i have had this CD for 11 days now...and I still put it on when I come from work and enjoy it everytime.....That is how good it is....

Fantastic Guitar, excellent melodies.......2004-12-03

An extremely tight album by a master craftsman. Buck Dharma is a fantastic melodic guitarist with a large cache of technique and flavor - if he looked more like your typical lanky, long-haired slacker rock-head rather that a "nice guy from Long Island" he'd probably be more known in the public eye. Anwar's theme is a great demo tape of his work and All Tied Up is a great example of his ability to walk his leads through a song. Pretty pop oriented with catchy hooks as well.

buck dharma flat out.......2004-11-14

a very good cd from one of the best guitar players in rock. good music, good vocals. i would have liked more stuff like anwars theme. i wanted this on cd for years my vinyl is about worn out.

A great pop-rock album amidst a dark time in rock music.......2004-10-03

When this album came out, it was so poorly promoted that I didn't know it was out until I stumbled upon it in a record store and freaked out. As good as this album is, it could have been better and possibly gone platinum. "Burnin' for You" was intended to be on this album as well, but fellow Blue Oyster Cult members begged Buck to record it with BOC instead. You can definitely hear the similarities.

"All Tied Up" has to be my favorite song on the album and it's no wonder. There are so many pop hooks in the song it infects you.

"That Summer Night" and "Cold Wind" are melancholy tunes that will take you back in time to your first true love.

"Anwar's Theme" is a great instrumental noir tune that could have been the opening theme for "The Untouchables" and is reminicent of Jon and Vangelis' "Friends of Mr. Cairo"

"Five Thirty-Five" is the one tune that got airplay. It is a good tune but has not aged as well as "Burnin' for You".

Buck has a definite, sometimes morbid sense of humor as evidenced by "Your Loving Heart" which is a bit of a farce.

"Wind Weather and Storm" is from a Pearlman or Meltzer poem (I can't remember which) that is silly enough to make you laugh but infectious nonetheless.

"Born to Rock" is another example of silliness on Buck's part but remains a solid rocker.

"Come Softly to Me" is a remake of the Fleetwoods' classic and vocals are shared with Bucks wife Sandy Roeser. I have both versions and I think Buck's is actually better. Buck claims that this is the first song that he made out to as a teenager.

All in all, it is a very good album and fans have been waiting a long time for it to be released on CD. It is well worth the listen.

The Movie Album Classical Pictures; John Bayless

Average customer rating:

Wonderful, sensitive playing....
John Bayless is awesome
The One CD in My Collection I Never Tire of Listening To
Gorgeous arrangements. Very dramatic and melodic.

The Movie Album Classical Pictures; John Bayless
John Bayless , Luis Enrique Bacalov , Giacomo Puccini , Michel Legrand , Joaquin Rodrigo , Nino Rota , John Williams , James Horner , Sergey Rachmaninov , and Harold Arlen
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
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Romantica
The Puccini Album: Arias for Piano
Christmas Rhapsody
Bach Meets the Beatles: Revisited
Bayless Meets Bernstein: West Side Story Variations

ASIN: B000002SLY
Release Date: 1996-11-19

Tracks:

Il Postino, From The Postman - Visi d'Arte, From Tosca
El Canto de Ensarria - The Summer Knows, From Summer Of '42 - Concierto de Aranjuez, 2nd Movement
A Time For Us, Love Theme From Romeo And Juliet- Adagio In G Minor
Theme From Schindler's List - Prelude In C-Sharp Minor - Hatikva (Interlude)
Somewhere Out There, From An American Tail - Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini Variations No.18
When I fall In Love, From Sleepless In Seattle - Liebestraume
Moon River, From Breakfast At Tiffany's - Piano Concerto No.2, 1st Movement
Beauty And The Beast, From Beauty And The Beast - Prayer From Hansel And Gretel
Over The Rainbow, From The Wizard Of Oz - Legends

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful, sensitive playing...........2003-11-02

Ah, reader, consider this album. I have been listening to Bayless music for years, from Bach Meets the Beatles to his crazy happy birthday album in a dozen styles (Stravinsky's Rite of Birthday, a favorite), but this one has something special going on. The playing is so beautifully, and sensitively played that one is really swept away by the original movie tune, interwound with a classical piece, so seamless and amazing. One of my all-time favorite albums.

John Bayless is awesome.......2003-10-13

He's such a great talent, I was lucky enough to meet him almost 2 years ago. I got this CD autographed! :) He was such a nice person and performed so well on the stage. Buy this album, it's really awesome!

The One CD in My Collection I Never Tire of Listening To.......2001-03-24

John Bayless had a vision for this album---to combine the most beautiful classical pieces along with the most romantic and engaging movie themes of all time. The arrangements and the way in which he weaves the varous pieces together, sometimes playing both themes simultaneously, are incredible. They lift you up and carry you away. The various instrumental additions (such as the guitar in track 2, drums in track 6, strings in track 5, the sound of the wind in track 4) add just the right touch---lightly sprinkled in when needed. As a professional pianist myself, I also appreciate his considerable technique and the emotion with which he infuses his music. Anyone who likes classical music and movies should own this CD. Anyone who has friends who like classical music and movies should purchase this CD for them. They will love you for it. It is my favorite CD. I never tire of listening to it.

Gorgeous arrangements. Very dramatic and melodic........1999-11-16

Don't be scared off by the "clown-like" picture on the cover. This album, by a true piano virtuoso/arranger, blends familiar movie and light classical melodies together into unique arrangements. Every time it's been on while I have guests, someone always asks "What's that beautiful music?"

Average customer rating:

Bass Lovers Need this CD
Mind Blowing, Haunting Musicianship
This is a great CD
Buy this CD
maybe my expectations were to high

View
Bryan Beller
Manufacturer: Onion Boy Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

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General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music

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The Universe Will Provide
Dog
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Guitar Therapy Live

ASIN: B0000C1HFG
Release Date: 2003-10-28

Tracks:

Bear divide
Seven percent grade
Supermarket people
Elate
Get things done
Backwoods
Bite
Eighteen weeks
Projectile
Wildflower
No
See you next Tuesday
View

Product Description

Long known as a uniquely talented yet tasteful hired gun bassist for the more adventurous rock guitarists of recent times (Mike Keneally, Steve Vai, Dweezil Zappa, Wayne Kramer), Bryan Beller ventures out on his own with his debut solo album, View. LA based Beller has composed a carefully crafted emotional tapestry of interweaving themes and styles on his mainly instrumental jazz/rock release.

Customer Reviews:

Bass Lovers Need this CD.......2004-08-23

I absolutely love this CD. This may be Bryan's first solo album, but nothing about this piece of art says "rookie". If you've never heard Bryan play acoustic bass you will be amazed at the lovely melodies and harmonies he creates. The electric songs are SO good. "7% Grade" is dangerous to play while driving as it leads to heavy acceleration... "Bite" is great crunchy rock ... it's not too hard it's not too soft.. if Goldilocks were shopping for a CD, she would choose "View". And then she should go next door and try out Mike Keneally's CD, "Dog".

Mind Blowing, Haunting Musicianship.......2004-08-08

I love The Mike Keneally Band. So I bought this CD by the Keneally's bassist because I thought it would be "interesting." I was unprepared for the mind blowing journey Beller has in store on View. Unparalleled musicianship is an understatement in describing this CD. And the guys you've heard of (Keneally on keyboards, Joe Travers on drums, Beller) give you everything you'd expect and more. But its the guys you may not have heard of that really knock you socks off -- Griff Peters and Wes Wehmuller, guitar and bass respectively. Beller said in his live performance of View that Wehmuller is a guy that makes Beller wish he played a different instrument so that he (Beller) could play with him (Wehmuller) -- that about sums it up. The bass playing on this record is, as expected, compelling. The guitar tone contributed by Peters is very special -- not "super fast" shredder material -- just unbelievable tone and an awesome sense of restraint and power (Hello, David Gilmour!) Every track is a stand out but for my money Get Things Done and View are just about the finest musical pieces that I've ever heard. Keneally "shredding" the keys on Seven Percent Grade ain't too shabby either. To me, Beller is like the best of Stanley Clarke -- phat and driving rock/fusion (and no cheesy psuedo-funk vocals either). Just one more thing -- if you are ever in the fortunate position to see Beller and this band play live (either on the same bill with the Mike Keneally Band or alone), rush to the venue and camp for good seats. Unless you don't want your mind blown!

This is a great CD.......2004-08-04

Whether you're a musician or just someone who likes listenting to good music, this CD really stands out as unique and very enjoyable. The driving rhythms of the bass playing and the overall arrangement really show off Beller's talent as a performer and writer. The compositions on this album are a very complex mix of styles that really come off well, and I would recommend this CD to anyone who is looking for a refreshing new sound.

Buy this CD.......2004-07-28

Bryan Beller is a fantastic bass player. Anyone who has heard his work knows that. His debut project shows that he's also a solid composer. Now, if your idea of "music" is the radio-friendly, corporate approved, focus-grouped crap in regular rotation on your favorite pop station there are better ways to spend twenty bucks than buying View. However, if you enjoy well thought out composition with soul, texture and a taste of Jaco, JPJ and even some Metallica if you listen carefully this is a great CD. 7% grade and Supermarket People stand out in my mind as the best tracks, but that's just me. The players all are of the caliber to execute on music that most mortals couldn't fathom playing. I just hope its not another decade before he does it again.

maybe my expectations were to high.......2004-02-29

After reading Bellers articles in Bass Player over the years I was really looking forward to his debut cd. Maybe the other reviewers have a diferent copy of this cd because the one I got is atrocious. The songs themselves have potential...but Bellers choice of bass sounds,effects and tone are simply awful.You know sometimes the most important notes are the ones we don't play. Sorry, I really wanted to like this cd.

Average customer rating:

Uneven quality but great value
A superb collection of Mendelssohn

Mendelssohn: The Masterworks [Box Set]

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Octets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Te Deum | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00062FLJ2
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Customer Reviews:

Uneven quality but great value.......2007-04-30

Brilliant Classics has found a niche with their extremely low-price multi-disc collections of the work of a single composer or performer. The Bach, Mozart and Chopin Complete Editions are legitimately considered to be artistic and economical triumphs. But the Masterworks series are more uneven. Currently available from Amazon France at about a buck per CD, they're still a bargain for those interested in quickly building a music library. But it's worth keeping a few things in mind. Unlike the Bach and Mozart Editions, these are not always historically informed performances. In this Mendelssohn set, the Hanover Band puts in a cameo (in Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage), but most of the ensembles use modern instruments, techniques and proportions. This doesn't always work out, as in the case of the ponderously heavy recordings of the String Symphonies by an apparently full complement of Gewandhausorchester Leipzig strings (Mendelssohn likely wrote these early works for a much smaller group). The caliber of the performances varies too, ranging from good to poor, and from marquis musicians such as Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau to a few Dutch who-dats. The chamber musicians generally acquit themselves well (though the Octet recording is marred by an engineering flaw in the last movement, distortion, at least on my copy). But the symphonies suffer from some substandard performances, such as the Italian Symphony's live recording with not only audience noise but also ensemble flaws such as a distracting clarinet squeak in the first movement's recapitulation. Another strike is the lack of program notes. Brilliant's Complete Editions provide a booklet or CD-ROM with program notes, but here you'll need to do your own research.

Despite these shortcomings, this set is still good value (at least at Amazon France's current price of 31 Euros). And it's a fine way to become acquainted with Mendelssohn's music.

A superb collection of Mendelssohn.......2007-03-24

Let me preface this by saying that most of these works were not new to me - I own many other Mendelssohn CDs and have enjoyed his compositions for some time now. Also, this set is available much cheaper elsewhere, particularly from European retailers.
The symphonies are well-performed. 'Reformation' is an inspired live recording. The 12 string symphonies, written in Mendelssohn's youth, are also included. The concertos are exceptional - the violin concerto is as good as you'll find anywhere. The oratorios Elijah and Paulus are included, as well as the complete chamber works and a diverse assortment of choral works. The last few discs include the Lied ohne worte, the epic organ sonatas, and excellent renditions of A Midsummer Night's Dream and Fingal's Cave. While there are a few sketchy performances in the choral and chamber works, the performances and recordings are generally very solid, and the body of work couldn't be better.

Average customer rating:

Handel: The Masterworks (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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

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

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ASIN: B00062FLI8
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Average customer rating:

Work Out: Music of Energy and Power

Manufacturer: Spj Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Inner Voices: Soothing Music for the Soul

ASIN: B00005Y9U7
Release Date: 1998-07-28

Tracks:

Overture la Cenerentola - Thomas Schippers
Symphony No. 4 in a ''italian'', I. Allergro Vivace'' - David Zinman
Scherzo [From Midsummer Night's Dream]
Scherzo [From Symphony No. 9 ''Choral''] - Alberto Lizzio
Finale to Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Major - Richard Kapp, Michael Ponti
Presto [From ''Summer'']
Toreadors - Alfred Scholz
Sabre Dance
Slaconic Dance Op. 46 No. 8 in G Minor - Antal Dorati
Petrouchka: Shrove Tide Fair
Petrouchka: Russian Dance
Rite of Spring: Augurs of Springs, Dances of the Young Girls
Concerto for Orchestra: Finale
Piano Concerto No 2 in BB, III Rondo - Alfred Brendel,

Purcell: The Complete Anthems and Services, Vol. 10

Average customer rating:

Purcell: The Complete Anthems and Services, Vol. 10

Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Henry Purcell: The Complete Anthems and Services, Vol. 2
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Purcell: The Complete Anthems and Services, Vol. 3

ASIN: B000002ZU1
Release Date: 1994-12-06

Tracks:

Verse Anthem Z21: I Will Give Thanks Unto The Lord
Full Anthem Z22: I Will Sing Unto The Lord As Long As I Live
Devotional Song Z188: How Have I Stray'd
Full Service Z230: Benedictus In B Flat
Verse Anthem Z14: Hear My Prayer, O God
Full Service Z230: Kyrie Eleison In B Flat
Verse Anthem Z45: Out Of The Deep Have I Called
Full Service Z230: Nicene Creed In B Flat
Verse Anthem Z7: Blessed Is He That Considereth The Poor
Verse Anthem Z69: The Lord Is King, And Hath Put On Glorious Apparel
Verse Anthem Z63: Unto Thee Will I Cry

Jazz Music:

Jazz Music

Jazz Music