No comments about Ultimate Liszt: The Essential Masterpieces.

5 comments about Paganini: After a Dream.

1. "Being given the opportunity and honor to play this divine instrument was an experience that I cannot begin to put into words. This recording, Paganini: After A Dream" contains all of the emotion, excitement, hard work, obstacles, and faith that were endured to make this dream a reality. This recording is dedicated in memory of the incomparable bassist Ray Brown and my inspiring violin teacher, Gerald Beal; and to the birth of my niece, Alexandra Collette Carter." ~ Regina Carter ~
   
   As someone who greatly appreciates violin music and the beautiful masterpieces of classical masters Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel and Gabriel Fauré, I find this recording, Regina Carter's "Paganini: After A Dream," a great source of musical enjoyment especially when shared with friends who have the same musical tastes as mine.
   
   In recording this set of nine dreamy pieces that will captivate your ears, Ms. Carter was so privileged to be the first non-classical violinist to play the very famous Italy's national treasure called "The Cannon," a 250-year-old violin that belonged to Nicolò Paganini, a legendary Baroque violinist/composer. There is a classical as well as historical essence on this beautiful album that was recorded in New York City and Genoa, Italy in 2002 under a prestigious label, Verve Records. One of the most respected names in orchestrations and a multi-Grammy Award winner, Jorge Calandrelli, did the exquisite arrangements and orchestrations, with String ensemble conducted by Ettore Stratta.
   
   Ms. Carter interprets some classical pieces with contemporary approach that will captivate your ears - Ravel's "Pavane Pour Une Infante Défunte," Fauré's "Après Un Rève" and "Pavane," and my top favorite from this set, Debussy's "Reverie." I've heard so many different interpretations of this classical piece, but this one is rendered in a most unconventionally beautiful setting with its chart based on an arrangement performed by Ella Fitzgerald on Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!
   
   I'm so captivated by the beauty of "Black Orpheus (Manha de Carnaval)," a poignant ballad composed by Brazilian guitarist, Luis Bonfá. It is one of the most-recorded tunes amongst legends of jazz, and one of the most beautiful melodies of all-time. With her exceptional talent in violin playing, Ms. Carter shines not only on this track, but the entire recording.
   
   "Cinema Paradiso" and "Oblivion" by Italian composers Ennio Morricone and Astor Piazzolla, respectively, are also two of the most notable pieces executed in a light and breezy manner with Ms. Carter's violin sounding so enormously charming.
   
   The fine musicians who contributed their creativity to make this album truly remarkable and worthy to any music lover's collection are Chris Lightcap (bass), Alvester Garnett (drums), Mayra Casales (percussion), and not to mention an orchestra consisting of cello, bass, viola and harp players. My special mention goes to a great pianist, Werner "Vana" Gierig for a wonderful piano playing, and of course to Ms. Carter, whose superb artistry goes beyond violin playing - she's also a noted composer in her own right. And the piece "Alexandra," (obviously a tribute to her niece) is a testament of her composing skills.
   
   This is one of the best instrumental albums I've ever heard with elements of jazz and classical fusion to make for a unique listening experience. I will most definitely recommend it to any music lover.
   
   "Music is the literature of the heart; it commences where speech ends." ~ Alphonse de Lamartine ~



2. This is a great CD and I listen to it over and over again. She is so versatile and her sound is amazing as are all the performers on this disc.



3. The most outstanding music I've heard in years. It was playing in a designer's home in Highlands, NC when we went to show it to real estate clients. And boy did it set the mood: Sophistication, High Culture and Joy.
   After we left, we orderd 3 copies- one for each of us.
   And we buy about 2 CD's year. That's how motivivated we were.



4. Terrible, terrible CD. I got it two day's ago and could not even listen through the whole CD. Regina plays the violin and the music with such bad taste. What a disgrace to the once Paganini's violin. I can't believe I spent my money on this. It should not even have 1 star.



5. Well, you know how there are some songs that work best in their original form and should not be remade / remixed / jazzed up by any musician at all? Regina Carter is the exception to that rule, for her touch is magic.
   
   Save for Regina's own composition, every song on this album is given a contemporary jazzy twist. The sound is light, breezy and wistful. Regina possesses the inimitable ability to make a violin sing so tenderly, it breaks your heart just listening to her play. This lovingly produced album is the perfect companion for many things: a candle-lit dinner, appreciating a beautiful painting, retrospection, a drink in a bar, a ride in a car, gazing at scenery from afar... the possibilities are endless.
   
   Generally, the problem with remaking well-known songs is that playing the tune, give and take some rephrasing or improvisation, is not enough. To impress, the arrangement, playing, and overall production has to be inspired and tight. In this respect, Regina delivers. It is unfortunate that there are some moments on this album which sound a tad "too easy" or, for lack of a better word, pedestrian. But given the overall substance of this album, those moments are easily overlooked.
   
   For those familiar with the original classical works on this album, they would surely appreciate and marvel at how Regina manages to make songs that are tough to remake, sound so gloriously refreshing. Like a breeze, caressing and loving you, this album is a god-sent.

3 comments about Piano for Relaxation.

1. I love the entire Relaxation series of CD's but I especially like the piano.



2. If you would like to try some piano music. Do not get this one.This CD is not emotional, not rhythmic, not insipiring, and, the most important, not relaxing indeed. I don't know what feelings this CD gives you!
   So try other piano albums, never try this.



3. I've been disappointed by lots of music advertised as relaxation music, but this Piano for Relaxtion CD is the real deal! Listening to this CD is like having a peaceful, meaningful talk with an old friend whom you love and with whom you feel very familiar. The producers of this album managed to make it interesting (rather than boring) and also keep it peaceful and relaxed throughout, eliminating the irritation of being jolted by loud, abrasive passages in otherwise pleasant music. The songs selected for this album are varied enough to be interesting and make me feel like humming along to some especially beautiful passages. I use it at loud volume to perk up my morning walk, and at a lower volume as background music when we have company, and as peaceful music I can listen to if others in my family are sleeping.

5 comments about Copland: The Populist:.

1. Before lavishing too much praise upon these recordings, I should say that I'm one of the few who actually prefers the original pared-down (or 'pit') orchestration for Appalachian Spring. Copland was an exceedingly efficient and deliberate composer (always looking for 'the note that costs,' as his teacher Nadia Boulanger directed) and there's great beauty in Copland's ability to make such fabulous, expansive music with limited voices and resources. It's also worth having a quick read through the plot lines to these three ballets (as it's easy to forget, now, that that was their original purpose) to really get a feel for what Copland and his collaborators were going for. That said, these pieces that sounded lowbrow and reprehensibly populist to many of Copland's contemporaries have enjoyed ever-expanding fame and high regard, to the extent that they have 'grown,' in a sense, from small ballets into cultural icons--the 'music of America'--and it is this image, I think, that Tilson Thomas is working with. Expansive in every sense of the word, these are big, loud, exciting performances. Appalachian Spring emotes like the best of movie scores and 'Hoe Down' here is blazingly fast compared to others--it's clear that Tilson Thomas and the SFO were enjoying themselves. Copland might well have been pleased--it appears that he never put much stock in the idea of a 'definitive' performance, and loved a good time as much as the next guy. If you're looking for 'strict' authenticity, there's always Copland conducting Copland. But for an emotionally charged and invested (and very well played and recorded) Copland album--the type you might play in the car in the windows down--Tilson Thomas has just the ticket.



2. This is a superb recording. The music making is exciting and inspired. Thomas has insight into how this music is to be played, and he gets a wonderful, enthusiastic, splashy reading of it from the S.F. Symphony that brings out the joy, the nuance, the breadth and the full texture of Copland's splendid writing. It's a great CD and simply the best rendition of these American masterpieces that I've ever heard.



3. An excellent performance of a series of Aaron Copland's most famous works. I was most interested in Copland's work with Martha Graham, and this recording aided my class presentation on their joint endeavors.



4. Aaron Copland is a composer who seems to flow in and out of favor with the critics but remains in the bloodstream of American audiences. This recording by Michael Tilson Thomas conducting the San Francisco Symphony offers three of Copland's most familiar masterpieces in performances that truly underline the genius that was Aaron Copland. Given that many conductors, not the least of which includes Leonard Bernstein, Thomas Schippers, and Marin Alsop, have given superb performances of each of these ballets, it may sound presumptuous to claim that this Tilson Thomas recording is the Gold Standard. But just listen to the energy of performances and the quality of interpretation and recording and see if you're not hearing these pieces anew.
   
   MTT draws exceptionally fine playing from his SFO and his tutelage with Leonard Bernstein is apparent. But MTT has extensively studied these scores and has his own opinions - opinions that make the works each more solid and sound. 'Billy the Kid' has all the combination of menace and danger of the tale but also manages to bounce into wildly exuberant dancing. The four episodes from 'Rodeo' are full of fire and vixen and celebration and elegant writing. But for this listener the finest achievement is in MTT's choice of recording the full ballet 'Appalachian Spring' and not for the original 'chamber (read 'pit') orchestra', but instead for the full orchestral version that allows more color, more sensitivity in sparring orchestral choirs, and in more radiant innocence and beauty of tone. This is a stunning achievement and one by which all other performances and recordings must be judged.
   
   For those whose library already holds individual recordings of these Copland works, this triad is a must. For those who have liked but have never taken Copland seriously, the experience of these performances will alter the appreciation of Aaron Copland as one of the populist masters of the last century. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, June 06



5. Featured on this CD is the entire Appalachian Spring ballet, Billy the Kid ballet suite, and four dance episodes from the Rodeo ballet. All are masterpieces presented with an entirely new interpretation by Michael Tilson Thomas.
   
   With Billy the Kid, Aaron Copland's future is written for him, a composer whose music evokes rural Americana. The opening introduction where he depicts "The Open Prairie", his sound is born, large spacings of octaves, fifths, and fourths give an expansive panoramic feeling. The other parts of the suite are represented: "Street in a Frontier Town", "Mexican Dance and Finale", "Prairie Night" (Card Game at Night), "Gun Battle", "Celebration" (after Billy's capture), "Billy's Death", and ending with "The Open Prairie". All are depicted with soaring strings, chatty woodwinds, blazing brass, and a battery of percussion. Appalachian Spring is a pioneer celebration around a newly built farmhouse and a young couple about to tie the knot. Of course, the famous Shaker Tune is in this, but split up by a dance sequence, and the entire work ends rather peacefully. Sounds of his opera "The Heartland" can be heard here, as well as Copland's great driving rhythms. The Rodeo dance episodes include Buckaroo Holiday, Corral Nocturne, Saturday Night Waltz, and the famous Hoedown. Copland's great writing of melodies (all catchy), interesting harmonies and orchestrations, and those fabulous driving rhythms are the apex of his American sound, all played in Rodeo within a relatively short amount of time.
   
   All the music is played excellently by the San Francisco Symphony. Michael Tilson Thomas gives a cerebral and intelligent interpretation, but never gives way to sentimentality or overt drama. I think that is all that is missing from these works is a little extra drama. This makes Leonard Bernstein's version of all the suites a slightly better buy. That and Billy the Kid and Appalachian Spring are on only one track (30 minute works). Not a bad CD by any accounts, it is easy to recommend after the Bernstein.

3 comments about Most Romantic Classical Music in the Universe.

1. I bought this CD to play while I am putting my infant son to bed. Every night I give him his bottle, read him a story and like to have soothing music playing in the background. This was a great choice! It makes for a great alternative to lullaby CD's. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a nice relaxing blend of classical music.



2. The music is seductive and promotes an atmosphere of feeling uninhibited when you are making love.



3. This is a great CD to compliment any romantic situation. A meal by candle light, champagne on the veranda, or a Jacuzzi for two! Very soothing.

3 comments about Bartok: Violin Concertos, Viola Concerto, 6 Duo for 2 Violins, Violin Rhapsodies; Yehudi Menuhin.

1. If I was required for the most unerring performances of this legend of the violin, I would pronounce myself for these recordings about Bartok. And this very fact seems incredible because as all of us are aware, Menuhin's refinement was feutred by a mellow and romantic taste.
   
   As long I remember, I should cite to Isaac Stern and obviously Szekely as the only two memorable contenders in this exigent requirements.
   
   Both violin Concertos as well as the two Rhapsodies stand aloof in what interpretative supremacy concerns.
   
   It would be fair to remark the famous recordings made by Sandor Vegh with his 44 duos for violin that still remain as unique in its style and visceral approach.
   
   But, this set well deserves from all who love Bartok
   
   In what concerns to the performance of the famous Sonata for violin nobody has reached the stature of Ivry Gitlis.



2. Menuhin with his strongly creative imagination plays these concertos with characteristic nobility of feeling during much of the Hungarian dance-rhythms. There is a comparably earthy, peasant manner in Menuhin's playing of the two Rhapsodies, and it is match by Boulez's approach, warm and passionate rather than clinical. The soloist is rather close. However, the balance responds to the controls, and this remains on the Menuhin's most worthwhile reissues.



3. First you have to like Bartok. Not everyone enjoys the 20th century extention of classical music. If you do like Bartok and want to hear his violin compositions - then buy this CD and hear a true master at work.

No comments about Polka's All-Time Greatest Hits, Vol. 2.

5 comments about The 5 Browns.

1. This family of pianist is single (as a whole) handedly boosting the a renewed interest for classical music for people of all ages. Their musical education is heard and seen in the videos and on the cd portion.



2. The Browns are a bunch of over-hyped musicians in today's media-oriented society (aka. Charlotte Church). The recordings are nothing to write home about -- Their musicianship is average at best. Many of the pieces lacked depth of though and some of the interpretations were a bit odd. Ok, if you like "popular" classical music. I say skip this one.



3. It's a treat to become acquainted with the music of the Five Browns! Wonderful selection of titles on the CD. So glad to have it!



4. The 5 Browns are quite a family. Their musical choices are fun, engaging and a little sassy! Watching 5 young people play on 5 grand pianos all at once in one room is quite wonderful. Inspiring for a youngster taking piano lessons, this CD/DVD is also just great music to listen to.



5. I can't help but thinking that this is just another group of virtuoso kids that is being used for the fame of another. The music lacks fullness and invention, and tends to be a doubling of a lot of standard voicing. There is some ornamentation, and there's no doubt that each of these kids is a giften pianist, but as a group, I was not all that impressed. Cute group, though.

3 comments about Minkus - La Bayadere.

1. Zakharova and Bolle are so handsome that they can get all attentions by just standing on the stage, not mention that they are great dancers. Unfortunately the rest of the cast does not match. I could have given 5 stars, but it is so obvious that the supporting roles and corps de ballet are technically not so good. Generally speaking La Scala Ballet is not first class ballet company, especially many of the female corps de ballet don't seem to have good physical conditions to be ballet dancers. Anyway Zakharova and Bolle save the show. This comment also applys to La Scala's Giselle and Swan Lake.



2. With "La Bayadère" Milan's La Scala completes its Svetlana Zakharova/Roberto Bolle classical trilogy. Even more as with the previous releases in this series ("Swan Lake" and "Giselle", both published by TDK) the main reason for acquiring this DVD will be the presence of the two stars.
   
   Filmed live at La Scala in May 2006, the company can be seen in Natalia Makarova's well-known staging of Marius Petipa's "La Bayadère", among others danced by London's Royal Ballet (and also available on a TDK DVD, starring Altynai Asylmuratova, Irek Mukhamedov and Darcey Bussell). As in the Royal Ballet's version the traditional sets are by Pier Luigi Samaritani, the costumes by Yolanda Sonnabend.
   
   The company of La Scala proves competent, if nothing more. The female corps de ballet does a commendable job in the Shades Act, but the absence of noteworthy demi-soloists constitutes a serious handicap, as does the generally fast conducting of David Coleman. Moreover, by casting corps member Isabelle Brusson in the crucial role of Gamzatti, the dramatic development is seriously unbalanced. Understudy Brusson obviously wasn't ready yet for so challenging an assignment.
   
   Bolshoi Ballet guest star Svetlana Zakharova, in one of her signature roles, easily dominates the performance, dramatically as well as by the quality of her dancing. As a supreme adagio ballerina, her appearance in the Kingdom of the Shades act, serene and cool, reveals the choreography in all its glory. La Scala's own Roberto Bolle is her likeable if never too exciting Solor.
   
   Directed by Tina Protasoni for video and TV the fast multi-camera editing and unnecessary close-ups of faces during or at the ending of a movement are ultimately annoying. Otherwise, image and sound quality are top-notch.
   
   In short, all admirers of Svetlana Zakharova and/or Roberto Bolle will rush to purchase this DVD, others will look for their Bayadère elsewhere.



3. Svetlana Zakharova, star of the Bolshoi ballet, has certainly become represented on video more than any other star of her generation. We now have records of her Swan Lake, Giselle, Scherherazade, and Pharoah's Daughter on dvd. In particular three dvd's of her dancing at the La Scala ballet have come out in the past two years. This is her third. She dances Natalia Makarova's production of La Bayadere with her frequent partner Roberto Bolle.
   
   I've explained the Makarova production in some detail in my review of the Royal Ballet dvd starring Altynai Asylmuratova and Irek Mukhamedov. Long story short: Makarova recreated, on her own, the long-lost fourth act (the Kirov recreated the last act, based on original notes and orchestration, in their Bayadere reconstruction a couple years ago). She also streamlined many of the dances in the Solor/Gamzatti Betrothal Act, and redid the orchestration. The more I see Makarova's version, the less I like it, from the drastic slash and burn of the Engagement scene, to the artificially souped up orhcestrations (so different from the simple but beautiful orchestrations of both the POB and Kirov), to reducing the Shades from 32 to 24, and I don't like her reconstruction of the lost act either, which recycles earlier music and has very little actual dancing.
   
   That being said, La Bayadere lives or dies on its Nikya, and also on the corps de ballet. The Entrance of the Shades is one of the most famous (but treachorous) scenes in classical ballet. One by one, a "shade" descends down a ramp, making a penchee arabesque, and for the next 10 minutes, all their movements must be in exact parallel to each other. When done correctly, the effect is hypnotizing. When it's a bad night, it's just painful to watch. For an example of how beautiful the scene can be, buy the Paris Opera Ballet's La Bayadere with Nureyev's wonderful production. The wonderfully rehearsed POB corps show how it's done. Makarova makes it easier on the corps -- unlike the POB, Kirov, or Bolshoi, only 24 shades are used. But the La Scala corps are only average, and so the Entrance of the Shades is not all that magical.
   
   And how are the dancers? Svetlana Zakharova in recent years has taken a lot of heat for her drastic hyperextension -- "ear-whacking," as the critics call it. Her mile-long legs and tiny head as well as her highly arched feet make Sylvie Guillem look positively rusty and stubby by comparison. But that's not actually what bothers me about her. Zakharova is a cold, ineffective actress. Her Nikya is lacking in emotional resonance and her "acting" borders on hamminess. She seems to have two expressions -- a furrowed brow when she's upset, a vacant smile when she's happy. Her Nikya is lacking in vulnerability -- Zakharova seems more interested in showing off her legs than creating a living, breathing character. It's only in the Shades scene that Zakharova proves her worth as Nikya. Here, she can stop acting and simply show off her very impressive classical technique. Her emotional remoteness is more tolerable -- Nikya is a Shade, not a real person anymore. She handles the treacherous duets and solos with Solor (particularly the viel duet) with aplomb. For a dancer with such a highly arched instep, her control over her balances is impressive. Roberto Bolle as Solor is dark and handsome, but to be quite honest only an average dancer and lacking in the emotion department as well.
   
   In short, as with all Zakharova videos, I was disappointed. Why can't a dancer of such beauty and technique win me over? And I dislike the Makarova production intensely. My two favorite videos remain the Royal Ballet video (using the Makarova production, but also starring the incandescent Altynai Asylmuratova), and the Paris Opera Ballet dvd, with Nureyev's wonderful production (an almost exact replica of the Kirov production choreographically, but with extremely lavish sets and costumes.) There is also an OOP and not on dvd video from the Kirov from the 1970s starring Gabriela Komleva, Tatiana Terekhova, and Sergei Berezhnoi.

5 comments about Masters of Classical Music (Box Set).

1. I think that this is really one of the best values you're going to find anywhere in the world of classical music, especially for beginners. You're getting 10 CDs, each filled almost to capacity, with the most famous works from the most famous composers in the history of classical music. The sound quality is excellent on every disc.
   
   While I would have made some replacements on the list of who was included, I feel that this collection is a must-buy for anyone interested in exploring classical music in depth. Quality is high, quantity is high, you really can't go wrong.



2. I have heard only 3 out of the 10 CDs yet - Mozart, Beethoven and Tchaikovsy - and I think I like it. I give full marks for the selection of music. It has the pace and type of classical music that I was looking for. (I like and appreciate classical music but can't stand, nor understand, a lonesome violin screeching away for 55 minutes).
   I think this set is a great gift and/or as an introduction to classical music especially to younger audiences.
   As for the sound quality - it sounds like...well..a regular "Digital Audio" CD. Nothing to write home about. Its not the audiophool quality recording you might be looking for. Some tracks are recorded better than others. But if you think MP3 sounds freakin' awesome, don't worry about what I said about sound quality.



3. I am a college student who was looking for some classical music to study to, and wanted a decent amount of it so I would not end up listening to the same concertos or overtures time after time.
   
   The reason I gave it only 4 stars and not 5 is for one simple reason that doesn't pertain to anyone that will just listen to the cd's on a cd player. My grievance with this set is that only a few of the cd's are listed on iTunes, so if you want them on your iPod or on your computer for playlists, you have to manually enter the information (album name, track names, artists).
   
   For the price, it is absolutely worth it for this box set. Only one of the discs is under an hour, while most of them almost hit the 70 minute mark, so there is no deprivation in the collection at all. And the audio quality is superb. A fantastic set for the money and quality that you get out of it.



4. I ordered The Masters of Classical Music Box set as a Christmas present for someone who was just getting into the classical repertoire, and wanted to expand their library of music. What a great way to start! As soon as I received the set from Amazon, I thought it was the perfect primer to build upon with some wonderful selections included in the 10-disc set. There were the "tried and true" pieces associated with each respective composer, and there were some additional musical gems that made me wish I ordered a few extra sets to give to the classical music lovers in my life. Sometimes people get put off by the classics because the music is too "highbrow". Not in this case...the pieces are wonderful and very "classical friendly." It's one of the finer building blocks in putting together a comprehensive classical music library.



5. This is an extraordinary collection by the most influential composers and they're very well-performed. My only disappointment is with the recording quality of quite a few of the selections. They sound as if they were converted to CDs from badly scratched records with lots of annoying popping. However, for variety, this set is a great value.