5 comments about Pachelbel's Greatest Hit: The Ultimate Canon.

1. I can listen to any Pachabel collection, but this one is great. I play it over and over & can never get sick of it!



2. For those of us that truly appreciate the beauty of 18th Century music played on period instruments or modern orchestra instruments, this CD is not for us. I was very disappointed at the interruption presented with modern electronic instruments and modern vocal interpretations, none of which are identified in the product description. I also purchased Pachelbel Canon by Tomaso Albinoni, English Anonymous, Johann Sebastian Bach at the same time which I highly recommend and rate as 5 stars.



3. I've had the misfortune to hear this CD and all the perversions of Johann Andreas Pachelbel's chamber piece on this CD once too often.
   
   The work was written for three solo violins and basso continuo [violoncello or viola da gamba + organ or harpsichord] and it is a rather virtuoso work, typical of works written for a small group of violins [or cornetti] over an ostinato bass line in the 17th century.
   
   All but one "interpretation" on this CD bares little or no similarity to the written score at all and almost all of the arrangements of the piece are complete kitsch, trash, even. Cleo Laine's "song" is probably the worst example.
   
   So what do we learn about the composer from this CD? Virtually nothing. However, it is instructive to learn how tastelessly a piece of music can be pushed, strained, pummelled, shredded, extracted, decimated, pumped up, deflated, force-fed, mutated and generally exploited by musicians, singers and arrangers who clearly have no knowledge of 17th century music and couldn't care less about acquiring any knowledge of that music.
   
   I work in a music shop and it always amuses me when people who've bought CDs like this one decide to explore Pachelbel's music a little further and discover that they've been completely hoodwinked and that the composer's actual music sounds nothing like any interpretation of the Canon [& Gigue] they've ever heard - except, of course, if they've been fortunate enough to hear Musica Antiqua Köln's or London Baroque's recordings. They walk away bewildered by the organ music, chamber music and cantatas of J. A. Pachelbel.
   
   Two stars for the one rather pleasant H.I.P. recording on this CD.



4. We're getting married in June 08 and this is exactly the music We were looking for! Great cd and an excellent price!!



5. I walked down the aisle to the Canon years ago, such a masterful and beautiful piece. Most of these versions just don't do justice. Sorry.

2 comments about The Complete EMI Sessions, 1928-1939.

1. I was introduced to the glorious voice of Paul Robeson by way of my grandfather's 78s, and he would have wept tears of joy at this superlative presentation from EMI Classics, which I've been playing in concentrated bursts ever since it arrived.
   
   Three versions of "Ol' Man River" are included, the first being the Columbia recording from the Drury Lane production of "Show Boat", which was not released at the time because Robeson was under contract to Victor/HMV. That is the opening track of the first CD, which is fitting, because Robeson's role as Joe launched his career in England. The importance of the song to his career merited some care in its background description. The play had been adapted from Edna Ferber's novel, with Oscar Hammerstein II writing book and lyrics, and Jerome Kern providing the score. It comes as a shock, therefore, that in the discography the song is credited solely to Jerome Kern (as is the later "I Still Suits Me" in which he duets with Elisabeth Welch), and the opening of Patrick O'Connor's liner note refers to "Jerome Kern's musical play"!
   
   That's not the only bit of carelessness; both "Roll, Away Clouds" (Jack Waller, Joe Tunbridge) and "Sonny Boy" (de Sylva, Brown & Henderson) are credited as "Trad. Arr. Paul Robeson" whilst Nat Shilkret's life has been curtailed by 50 years. Finally, it is disappointing that the 23 pages of discography carry no details about the original releases. On the other hand, the booklet is well-produced with some fascinating photographs.
   
   Turning to the recordings themselves, many which reflect Robeson's religious background as the son of a preacher were accompanied by pianist Lawrence Brown, although Jack Hylton & his orchestra backed the 1931 medley of spirituals. But Robeson also recorded many traditional songs, and some of the popular songs of the day, which appealed to an extremely wide audience, and continue to do so. He sang similar fare on the concert platform, and the majority of these recordings have never been out of the catalogue.
   
   The debate about some of these songs has been well rehearsed: suffice it to say here that the controversy generated centred on Paul, rather than the lyricists concerned. A clear case of shooting the messenger! NOTE: the second version of "Ol' Man River" kicks off with the N word, but Robeson amended it for the later recording and performances.
   
   For me, this is a spellbinding collection, the hidden delights of which reside in those tracks (mainly the then current popular songs) which were accompanied by the HMV studio orchestra. Its directors, mainly Carroll Gibbons and Ray Noble, were able to call upon the cream of London's musicians. Thus we hear Max Goldberg's muted trumpet accompaniment on several songs, including "River, Stay `Way From My Door", and some splendid guitar work on "Lazy Bones".
   
   As to the quality of the transfers, the volume generated in "Roll Away, Clouds" by the orchestra and chorus seem to have defeated the recording engineers, because the acoustic sounds boxy and the peaks of sound are uncomfortable to my ear. Certain tracks suffer also from surface noise, some more so than others, but overall the standard is extremely high



2. I could not afford this seven-disc box, but my dear friends Jim and Cindy Clark of Kansas, realizing that I am the only Robeson fan they are ever likely to meet, gifted me with this. I am extremely grateful. I "discovered" Paul in 1959, when I was 14, via a Vanguard folk sampler I checked out of the Trenton, NJ Public Library. The song was "Get on Board, Little Children" and lasted all of 77 seconds, but it changed my life. (On the same set, I "discovered" Cisco Houston, and that track also changed my life. What a great trip to the library that turned out to be.)
   
   I went on to eventually own 11 Robeson LP's, the videotape of James Earl Jones doing a one-man show as Paul, a hardcover full-length biography, and a dozen or more newspaper or magazine articles about him. Most of those items are gone now, and my collection was down to two CD's and a 78 RPM box set of his "Ballad for Americans" on RCA from 1940. Then EMI remastered these 1930's recordings from London, and the Clarks played Santa for me. (Pay attention to the "new or used" line in this listing, because you can find this at a much better price than the one shown.)
   
   Here one gets 170 tracks, about eight hours' worth of Robeson. There are a lot of repetitions here, including three versions of "Old Man River" which became Paul's signature tune for his "classical" fans. One of those versions was for the London cast recording of "Showboat" in 1928, and it leads off the package in great style.
   
   Paul actually began his recording career in the USA in 1927 with a package of spirituals. Those sessions were reissued back in the 1960's on an LP, and most of them were re-recorded in London over the subsequent few years and do appear on this set. The Robesons lived in London for most of the 1930's, because Paul found more concert and film work there than in America. Since these beautifully remastered performances end in 1939 with the outbreak of World War II and Paul's return to the USA, the ten-minute "Ballad for Americans" is NOT included here. Neither is "Joe Hill" which is Robeson's signature song for his "folk-oriented" followers.
   
   If you buy this box, or whine until a friend gives it to you as a present, you will find much that is outdated, even junky by today's standards. Here there are some novelty songs which hold little interest to modern ears, and many plantation/darky songs which are more offensive now, even to black ears. However, the sparkling gems definitely outweigh the drab stones in these 170 slices of Paul's British life 70 years ago.
   
   I'll conclude by listing some of my favorites on each disc:
   
   CD One gives us the 1928-29 sessions (at what is now the famous Abbey Road Studio)and I like: Old Man River, Scandalize My Name, I Want to Be Ready, My Lord What a Morning, Git On Board, Li'l Children, Dere's No Hiding Place, and Oh, Didn't It Rain.
   
   CD Two (1930-31) brings you Go Down Moses, (one of Paul's favorites), Old Folks at Home, Poor Old Joe, My Old Kentucky Home, River, Stay Away From My Door, and Bear The Burden.
   
   On Disc Three, I especially enjoyed Nearer My God to Thee, Roll De Chariot Along, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, On My Journey, Bye and Bye, and the two four-minute song medleys which conclude the CD.
   
   For Disc Four, 1933-36, the winners are Water Boy, Steal Away, the eight-minute medly that is track 16, Shenandoah, Ezekiel Saw The Wheel, and Joshua Fit de Battle of Jericho.
   
   The fifth CD in the bos brings us Song of Freedom, Oh, No, John, Li'l David, and Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child, along with 22 other rarities and re-recordings. These sessions were held at Abbey Road in 1936-37.
   
   On Disc Six, the 1937-38 bookings at the studio, you will enjoy Dere's A Man Going 'Round Takin' Names, and No More, Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel? and the surprisingly lovely Silent Night, Holy Night. (Paul did not record many "Christmas Songs" in his career.) I also loved All Through the Night and Every Time I Feel The Spirit and Loch Lomond.
   
   Finally, CD Seven brings us his studio work during 1939, and the diamonds here are Jerusalem and Deep River. The other tracks include songs from the film "Proud Valley", a handful of plantation numbers, and several songs previously unknown to me, which are interesting to hear but perhaps not compelling enough to hear repeatedly.
   
   If you possess this one box, you might say with a high degree of accuracy that you have everything worthwhile that Robeson recorded in the first half of his long career. Beyond 1939, he has a brief period of adulation in America, due to the "Ballad for Americans" and some other patriotic numbers. However, his love for Russia lasted beyond the period in which we were allies in World War II, and that led, in the early 1950's, to Robeson being labelled un-American, and blacklisted, along with the Weavers, Woody Guthrie, Cisco Houston, and many of their leftist fellow artists. Paul had one great comeback in him, however, and after he won back his passport rights in 1958, he not only recorded again in England and traveled to Russia and Germany, but he staged several farewell concerts in New York City which were preserved on vinyl for Columbia, and stand among his best-recorded works. Between 1940 and his retirement in 1963, he recorded in the USA about 80 percent of the contents of this box set. Paul died in 1976, having suffered a form of dementia during his last six or seven years of life. He was not an active presence in the civil rights turmoil of the Sixties, but he worked for civil rights for the four decades prior, and without his grace and courage, that movement might not have succeeded when it did.

5 comments about Silk Road Journeys: When Strangers Meet.

1. Since returning from a trip to China, I have become very interested in the music and the entire culture and history of the Far East. To an American, it seems like such an exotic and mysterious world. Given the formidable languages and the vastness of it all, I can only say that I can only hope to acquire a superficial understanding.
   
   As always, the versatile Yo-Yo Ma is quite soulful and technically brilliant in his musical exploration of the "Silk Road". The music, to me, captures the feeling of Asia. The liner notes are very educational in providing a context to the project.
   
   I find Asian music to be very different from our "Western" traditions, but given time and an even chance, I think that you will find this CD to be very nice and enjoyable.



2. I was going to give it 2 stars, but then again i only listened to it once.
   I was looking forward to this, but the music is plodding in many parts,
   like a dreary symphony. There are fine moments, but I was looking for something a bit more accesible, rhymic, and lyrical. This is a mixed bag that seems to miss more often than hit.



3. I have just added this to my musical library and am enjoying it. From the first beat of the first note of Khongozurl's long song you are transported to central Asia - the land of horses and gers. Of all the pieces I was most interested in listening to the second piece - Legend of Herlen. This to me, was the real silk road. The morin khuur has a very rich and unusual tone that made we want to listen to the it over and over again. Each piece is different and reminds one of the many parts that make up the whole of central asia's culture be it music or diesel trucks competing for road space with camels. The music captures the variety that makes up the region. The Finnish Folksong tracks are a nice touch. I have a friend who was at a trade conference and met a man from Mongolia. Neither could talk to one another until they discovered a common language - Finnish! My friend's family is Finnish and his new Mongolian friend had lived for several years in Finland where he learned enough of the language to communicate. Listening to the Finnish Folksongs reminds me of the Finnish-Mongolian connection that my friend had described. It is a nice touch and complements the other pieces very well. Please don't neglect to read the information insert as this gives a wealth of information on the music and it's origins as well as some of the difficulties experienced by western players playing traditional middle Asian musical instruments. Ma's difficulties with his instrument are particularly interesing to read. The concludig track - Desert Capriccio is a very nice ending to a very rich musical experince. The music from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is the perfect ending to this trip through central Asia. I highly recommend this CD to everyone.



4. I saw a performance of the Silk Road Ensemble and was absolutely enthralled. So I bought the CD. But it was a big disappointment. It's not the type of music you can comfortably listen to in your living room - I'm sure it would be much more enjoyable in a concert hall. There was far too much that just sounded like "screeching" to me. However, some of the pieces that were much like what we heard at the performance were beautiful. So - a mixed review, but I disliked more than I liked.



5. In this review I will give my opinion on each of the 12 selections in this CD, and will also talk about some general themes related to the title "The Silk Road Project".
   
   To anyone who has heard of the Silk Road in Ancient China, the title of this CD immediately brings up images of exotic peoples and their cultures in your mind. I think Yo-Yo Ma's efforts in creating such a culturally diversified recording are definitely welcomed in this era of globalization.
   
   But after listening through this CD I felt that something was missing from the selections. One of the most important areas on the Silk Road is the Uyghur region in northwestern China. Their music is quite unique. Inclusion of their music in this CD would be really interesting. Also in this CD not all of the selections are chosen from those regions directly related to the Silk Road. So I guess the title is just a metaphor of "when strangers meet", but is not directly about the cultures along the Silk Road.
   
   Now I will review each of the selections.
   
   1. Mongolian Traditional Long Song
   
   I am somewhat familiar with their culture and land. So to me this song is very beautiful and enchanting. One of the most important factors in conducting any cross-cultural communications is context! You really cannot take it out of context. The Mongolian Long Song might sound monotonous and drawling to a person who is more used to the Western tradition of chant, choral, or opera music. Yet if you know the traditional nomadic lifestyle of the Mongolian people on the vast rolling greens of the Mongolian grassland embellished with winding creeks and rivers, you would probably hear such long-singing voices reverberating between the green of the grass and the blue of the sky. The Mongolian people have some of the most beautiful songs that I know of.
   
   2. Legend of Herlen
   
   There are probably two broad categories of non-western ethnic musics. One is the authentic folksong tradition of the people, the other is westernized works composed by westernized local musicians. I guess Legend of Herlen might fall into the second category. It has some interesting tunes in it. But the overall listening experience is too dramatic. I guess the dynamics used in this piece might even go beyond the ppp and fff. In the Mongolian traditional music, dynamics are sometimes used quite dramatically, with sharp difference between two adjacent notes or phrases. So this piece here is probably not very surprising. Nonetheless I find it a little too dramatic, sometimes even disturbing. Again I am not familiar with the background of this piece, so that might explain the unusual drama.
   
   3. Blue Little Flower
   
   I am not sure what fusion should really sound like. But in this piece it does seem to me that a lot of musical traditions are intertwined in it: western music, Chinese folksong from Shaanxi, and probably Iranian or Indian drums. Somehow the only part of this song that I liked is the beginning line. It's very beautiful and delicate, reminding me of the theme music from the Couching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. But it is westernized, not authentic Chinese folksong. If this is still not a problem, then the drum used in this piece does cause a lot of funny effects. The drum sounds so distinctive and it represents some of the central or western Asia cultures. The images such drum beats conjure up are very incompatible with this northwestern Chinese folksong. So in this piece there are at least three threads: western, Chinese, and Iranian/Indian (I am not sure which one). But they do not converge. There is also the funny part of the singing included in this piece. It is out of place and unnecessary. The singing itself is just too frivolous to me.
   
   4. Mido Mountain
   
   I like this piece, especially the part played by the Sheng. Again there are some elements that sound a little bit too foreign to me, especially the percussion part. They use the same percussion/drum in this piece as in the previous one. But the overall effect of the arrangement does sound authentic and pleasant to me.
   
   5. Moon Over Guan Mountains
   
   If you know that Zhao Jiping is famous for his scores for films, you will probably understand this piece better. But of course understanding does not mean you will like it. This piece falls into the second category that I described above. For a lot of non-Western countries, the influence of western music is definitely immense. Many local composers are trained in both the western tradition and the local tradition. But there is probably a general feeling among composers in these countries that western music is richer in theory and methods. Many of these composers will use themes from folk songs to compose westernized music. I will give this piece a B+. It does include some themes from northwestern China, which sound really unique. As I said in this CD there is no selection from the Uyghur region in China, this piece might make up for that, since some of the themes seem to me to be from that region. But this piece is still too dramatic too, like a film score.
   
   6. Five Finnish Folksongs No. 3
   
   I love this one! The theme melody is so beautiful, and maybe a little bit nostalgic, and maybe a little bit romantic also? But this piece is straightly western music. There is nothing ethnic about it.
   
   7. Five Finnish Folksongs No.5
   
   This one is ok, but not very impressive. The overall structure of this piece sounds like very loose. There is not memorable melody either. But it does not have the maddening drama like in the two pieces I have just talked about. This is good.
   
   8. Avaz-e Dashti
   I am not familiar with Persian music. But there are indeed some very Persian melodies in this piece. The instruments used in this piece are all traditional Persian instruments. Maybe this is why it sounds so authentic to me. I like the haunting, floating tunes in this piece. They sound very ethereal to me.
   
   9. Habil-Sayagy
   
   Again this piece falls into the second category like the Legend of Herlen and Moon Over Guan Mountains. Such music is probably interesting to the performers, since they can let loose their inner floodgate of emotions and resort to pure artistic connections. But the problem for such music is that they are just too dramatic, and it's really hard to understand them without fairly good knowledge of the context and their unique cultural backgrounds. I am sure all these three pieces might sound profound, meaningful, and artistic once we know the cultural backgrounds better. But for the general listener, they are too abstract and too emotionally charged. Another problem for such western-traditional combination pure art form of music is that tradition might be distorted and represented in the wrong way.
   
   10. Blue as the Turquoise Night of Neyshabur
   
   I like this one better that the previous one, especially the middle part beginning at around 5 min 30 sec into the music. The melody is quite unique, and memorable. The bassline is very interesting too. It conjures up the image of merchants traveling on camel back through the desert. The pulse of the bass sounds like the steps of camels walking. One the instruments used, I am not sure which one, santur or kemancheh, is quite successful in bringing out the authenticity of the music style.
   
   11. Chi passa per'sta strada
   
   This one has the same problem as the Blue Little Flower: it does not sound like anything! It is not Italian, nor is it Iranian, nor Chinese, nor anything else. What is it? Who knows. The ethnicity of world music is tied to their unique musical instruments closely. I remember there was one year the Chinese traditional orchestra had a New Year's Concert at Vienna, and when they played the Radetzky March at the end of the concert, I was quite unimpressed.
   
   12. Desert Capriccio
   
   Tan Dun is similar to the composers I mentioned above like Zhao Jiping. Tan's music is unique and interesting to both western and Chinese audience, because of the same thing: they are both unfamiliar with Tan's music. To the Chinese audience, his music sounds western, but to the Western audience, his music sounds exotic. Nonetheless I still like some of this music, like the Couching Tiger and Hidden Dragon. Some of the melodies are really great. Again this piece makes up for the lack of Uyghur music in this album, since the "desert" in this piece is in the Uyghur region. But the music is not Uyghur at all.
   
   There you have it. That's all for my detailed review of this CD. I would give it a B+ for its efforts and some of the really good tunes. As I am not an expert, I might be wrong in many of the points that I make in this review. So feel free to comment on my review.

5 comments about The Art of Piano - Great Pianists of 20th Century.

1. Great players playing and interesting commentary regarding what makes a great player. Daniel Barenboim provides some particularly cogent commentary. Rudolph Serkin was not profiled, but otherwise a complete survey of the big 20th Century pianists. Worth the time.



2. This DVD contains a lot of wonderful informations about renowned pianists including Rubinstein, Cziffra, Horowitz, and Rachmaninoff. The commenters of the pianists are well-informed and experienced pianists. The focus on each pianists featured is clear. Also the DVD provides valuable old documentaries of each pianists. Although each section does not last long and some performances are cut shortly after the beginning of performances, the DVD is very good and well-made. It worths full 5 stars. Enjoy your DVD!



3. this is an awesome video with great historical footage of some of the greatest musicians of the 20th century. My only problem with the video is that is was predominantly male. The only woman featured was Myra Hess. I should think that they would have included material on Gina Bachauer and Clara Haskil as well as Guiomar Novaes.



4. In the 1840's, a composer and performer named Franz Liszt tried something that was, at the time, entirely new. Sitting at a piano on stage in front of a curious audience, he performed what is believed to have been the first piano recital and while the term "piano recital" may in itself sound rather dull, Liszt had other plans. He turned the act of playing a piano into an all stops out show, with the emphasis being as much on the performer and his unique performance as it was on the music itself. Since then, both the piano and the recital have come a long way. The instrument itself went through substantial change during the 19th century, as compositions by Beethoven demanded more and more from it. And with a huge body of solo and concerto works to feed them, the piano virtuosos of the 20th century pushed the art of playing the instrument further and further, taking both piano and classical music into unexplored and unexpected places. The Art Of Piano illustrates the great piano virtuosos of the 20th century through two methods. Highly respected contemporary pianists, conductors and record producers offer their thoughts on each individual artist, while rarely seen archival footage of those artists at work is presented to give the viewer some idea of what each was capable of, as well as to put each virtuoso's individual technique, approach and philosophy into perspective. Comments are given from Daniel Barenboim and Colin Davis to Zoltan Kocsis and the pianist Evgeny Kissin. There are many other musicians also interviewed. The pianists that are the subject of this documentary, many of whom get fairly decent screen time represent the cream of the crop 20th century pianists, starting with Paderewski and seeing the astonishing talents of Horowitz, Gould, Arrau, Rubenstein, Cziffra, Richter and the remarkable Rachmaninov, who also composed a good deal of the music that his contemporaries and successors play here. The whole thing is drawn together by narration that it provides plenty of information for each artist. I do want to mention that, like the other entries in the Art Of series, this documentary is not a history of the piano itself. Its a collection of performances by some of the greatest and most innovative pianists of the past century, and the art is in their interpretation of the classic works they play, the way in which they physically play them, and in the boundless exploration of what seems to many to be a rather limited musical instrument. The piano is one of the most expressive instruments in all music.



5. A most excellent DVD and I would highly recommend as an equally excellent adjunct to this DVD with regard to the era and its rather well known names, "The Golden Age of the Piano" with commentary by David Dubal. In this way you have additional film media input on virtually the same names!
   
   I personally found the mixed bag commentary in "The Art of Piano" quite good and informative in perception(s) and as opposed to mere recitations of "great hands" rhetoric as, for example, when Piotr Anderszewski perceptively comments on Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, to wit, "he really didn't like performing .. he didn't like [doing] recordings either .. he didn't like giving interviews ... he didn't like writing books ... as if he was non existent, like a ghost actually .. he was very much caring how he looked at the piano, completely obsessed with his movements how each muscle should work ... to put the beast [piano] in a cage and make it civilized." All very true! Enter Evgeny Kissin, "We never hear a single wrong note from Michelangeli ... ." Or enter Gyorgy Sandor defending [as I do!] Gyorgy Cziffra who is often unfairly relegated to "a show-boating young Liszt, at double the speed." Or the "wrong notes" thing whenever the names Alfred Cortot and Edwin Fischer are mentioned in pianistic circles although that one comes in handy when I announce [depending on the difficulty of the piece] that I'm "going to do my Cortot and Fischer impression" ! For those in the know, well, they won't wince at any clinkers while others remain duly contented!
   
   Then again, we see no less than Francis Planté in his [then] 90's who saw Chopin play [!] mouthing the words "my God" in a clip where he seems visibly amazed to 'hear' his own playing through one of the wall high earlier recording devices! The range runs from Paderewski to our old friend "GG" [Glenn Gould] complete with the hat, scarf and gloves of course.
   
   BTW, for Paderewski fans, and I remain one of them, if you're looking for the 1937 UK production 'movie' that featured Paderewski entitled "Moonlight Sonata", Amazon and/or various Amazon vendors have it! I must say that the plot [such as it was] is off-beat but Paderewski plays and in fact the clip of him in "The Art of Piano" is taken directly from that 1937 movie although in the DVD clip he does the Liszt piece, the 2nd Hungarian Rhapsody. Great piece that one and yes I've tried it many times --- don't ask -- as the operative words become "tried it" -- not easy to bring off the piece at least as it 'should' be played! The bravura notwithstanding.
   
   For brief comments made in French, German and Russian, sub-titles are available. Interesting too, the commentary on Dame Myra Hess doing those UK war-time afternoon concerts where the commentator says, "What is both interesting and somewhat ironic is that Myra Hess specialized and in fact played at these UK war-time recitals the 'German' classics ... " which only proves that great music can often transcend the times! And misplaced or certainly 'misdirected' prejudices therein.
   
   106 minutes, black and white and color mixed. As to 'length', well, it has to be kept in mind that classical pieces don't easily lend themselves to the old 45 RPM R&R songs in length so that excerpts become by default the order of the day. On the other hand, one of my favorite classical pieces, Beethoven's rather sublime "Appassionata" satisfies me when it 'has' to be cut in the interest of time to the second movement -- think the greatly edited rendition of the piece [via the DVD editors] by Davide Cabassi in the 2005 12th Van Cliburn ["In the Heart of Music"] competition DVD.
   
   Between the literal household names in "The Art of Piano" and the informed commentary by equally well known and duly informed artists, a very enjoyable and enlightening documentary review of a truly pianistic golden age. My favorite? Michelangeli doing the Scarlatti Sonata in B minor [K-27]. Try that one if you want a quick substitute for those fingering dexterity exercises!
   
   Doc Tony

2 comments about The Mozart Effect: Music For Moms and Moms-To-Be.

1. My daughter and I love this CD! We listen to it in the car and at home and she still sleeps with it playing on her i-Pod and she will be two in a few weeks. Its our time!



2. I bought this because the literature says your baby can hear music from within the womb. This helped me through the long tough days at work which in turn was a benefit to my baby.

5 comments about Bach at Bedtime: Lullabies for the Still of the Night.

1. I just have o have them all. This is wonderful. Happy addition to my collection.



2. Love this!! Beautiful relaxing classical music. Originally got one of these as a gift and needed another. Don't hesitate to purchase it is truly relaxing.



3. Great music, soothing, calming and perfect for bedtime quality time.



4. I bought this CD for myself, a 60 year old. I have trouble sleeping and have been buying CDs by this company. They are all wonderful. I'm asleep in about 15 minutes!



5. It would probably help to first clear up a potential misconception in the unfortunate subtitle which refers to "lullabies" - a term that brings to mind for most people simplistic, sing-songy music hummed to babies in a crib. Lullabies are wonderful and have their place, but the music on the CD is not this (and Bach would probably have cringed a bit at the thought of his music here being called "lullabies.") What is here is a most wonderful, high-quality collection of Bach's Baroque music that is most condusive to creating a quiet, peaceful mood. The selections here include many famous pieces from Bach played by an impressive, all-star line up of notable musicians. Some listeners might take comfort in knowing that all selections have a similar, gentle tempo and mood without those unwanted changes in loudness from soft to LOUD that can startle one (the baby?) from sleep or quiet contemplation. The sound quality is good for the purpose of this collection - to provide relaxing background music or Rx for insomnia. I listen to this CD often if I wake up at night.
   
   Johan Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was a devout German Lutharan who devoted much of his life to composing music for various church functions and events in his position of 'head music master" in his different appointments. As such, we see often in Bach's music a "pastoral" quality - whose effect is to encourage, comfort and renew the spirit. No piece (and title) is more demonstrating of this quality then the opening "Sheep May Safely Graze" which is perhaps the finest recording of this magnificant and comforting piece by the Stuttgart Orchestra who brings a most expressive quality to the music. Its inter-weaving and delicate melodies give rise to serene visions of carefree green pastures and the sense that all is well. So, perhaps in that vein, this music has some commonality to traditional lullabies.
   
   But, even though the music is serene, there is much musically to hear in these tunes - for those still awake. Bach's genius is seen here for setting a lyrical solo instrument (violin, oboe, cello) against a stable, comforting background orchestra pulsing away in Bach fashion. Many of these works are a typical style of Bach music known as "fugues" - which is a type of music where two-three instruments simultaneously play different melodies that all blend together in splendid harmony. This consistent, calming rhythm with gently soaring melodies are part of what makes such music suitable for bedtime. Finally, one who is just nodding off can appreciate that the last two selections are the most peaceful with the fewest notes coming from the solo guitar of Pepe Romero. They end in a whisper which should be right about the time you fall asleep and the CD player quietly clicks off. This is a really wonderful compilation of Bach's music that should be pleasing to both those just looking for some nice, relaxing music - or even to the long-term classical collector who already has 30 CD's of Bach's music but values the variety and soothing qualities of such 'even-temperament' collections.

3 comments about The Knot Collection of Ceremony and Wedding Music Selected by the Knot's Carley Roney.

1. I was disapointed in the musical interpretation used in this disk. The selections are fine but the arrangements could be much better.



2. We had an outdoor wedding and used this CD, along with one other CD (The Complete Wedding Album), for our music selections. Between the two CDs - we had all of our pre-wedding music and our processionals covered. I preferred the Chorus on this CD to the other. Between the two, there was a nice selection of various, popular choices for modern and classic weddings.



3. This CD includes a nice selection of classical wedding music. When I ordered, I had no idea of what music I wanted or even how to select appropriate music. The accompanying guide breaks down each part of the ceremony and makes it easy to select the right song(s), from the prelude to the postlude, and everything in between. It even includes tips for music during the ceremony, if you so desire. Worth buying even if you plan to hire a DJ!

5 comments about Uncommon Ritual.

1. Utterly fabulous! This album is an important addition to any collection of Edgar Meyer's work, or a great introduction for anyone interested in modern American folk music. The songs will keep your head nodding and your toes tapping as you listen to pieces that range from exquisitely simplistic to incredibly complex.



2. This is a brilliant, beautiful, fun album that really makes Meyer's command of a complex and much under-appreciated instrument seem god given. In spite of the fact that there aren't any words the music on here stakes a claim for itself outside of just background music because it can be pretty edgy and raw at times. I like the combination of old folk tunes covered and Meyer's avant-garde double bass compositions, although this album's not for those looking for lots of covers of classical tunes.



3. This is an amazing album! The combination of talent, musicianship, and artistry on this album is startling. It is a perfect blend of classical, rock, blues, jazz, and folk influences; there is really something for everyone here. One cannot listen to this album without getting lost in the music. As a fellow composer and string player, I highly recommend Uncommon Ritual.



4. There is a real joy in discovering the work of contemporary composers who lighten the music world with abundant creativity. Such is the case for Edgar Meyer, B?la Fleck and Mike Marshall. These three not only compose but also perform their own compositions on this completely delightful CD sampler.
   
   The works marry American folk tune semblances with folk music sounds from stray parts of the world. But they also know their classical training and the roundelays on old themes and styles prove to be some of the most exciting. Edgar Meyer plays Bass, Contrabass , Mandocello, and Piano; B?la Fleck plays Banjo, Electric Guitar, Gut String Guitar, Mandolin, national steel guitar, and Track Performer; and Mike Marshall plays Guitar, Mandocello, Mandola, Mandolin, and Track Performer. Just listing the instruments involve in this m?lange of works suggests that the music is unlike any you may have heard before, especially in the chamber music atmosphere it is played.
   
   All three artists are gifted with fertile minds and technical demands for the instruments used. The result is a recital of endlessly interesting music, as fresh as morning sun and equally as welcome! Grady Harp, April 06



5. Wow. just listen to the samples provided above and you know this is amazing.....dang.

5 comments about Franz Schubert: Complete Trios.

1. The Grumiaux Trio and the Beaux Arts trio are highly respected groups in the domain of chamber music and rank as highly as groups such as the Guarneri Quartet. These earlier performances of Schubert are exquisite in their execution and the only defect here is perhaps a slightly reduced sound quality than your typical contemporary performances due to its age. This is barely noticeable however and this CD is really a steal for the price.
   
   The trios of Schubert are a good way of exploring various periods of his life in which he composed drastically different arrangements. His Piano Trio D. 28 is a good example of his foundations in Mozart and early Beethoven until you reach his Piano Trio D. 929 (performed often in Kurbrick's 'Barry Lyndon') where Schubert explores much more on impressionistic themes than romantic ones. Such themes were only pursued later by composers such as Brahms and Schumann. Liszt's romanticism was also stongly influenced by both Beethoven and Schubert. Of the performances I really have nothing to say as they are simply flawless and there are few I could compare. The sound has some disadvantages but not really significant ones.
   
   This is really a magnificent performance giving you Schubert's complete trios on two CDs. For the quality of performance you get it's a bargain. I am glad I got it as it was worth every dollar.



2. I enjoyed the string trios and first piano trio far more than the piano trios on the second CD. Those pieces seemed to stretch Schubert's tendency to repeat sections with slow development to the limit of my toleration. The recordings here are somewhat distant at times but the individual instruments are easy to discern. My comment above about the compositions reflects personal taste -- reasons I generally prefer Beethoven to Schubert. If the pace of his development is to your liking you might very well consider this a "5 star" recording. Recommended with some reservations.



3. A wonderful 2 CD set of Schubert's trios played by excellent musicians. I particularly like the Beaux Arts Trio and their playing of the piano trios. A great way to consolidate your collection.



4. This is an excellent CD to have; the Beaux Arts Trio is excellent, but sometimes their interpretation is too intellectual and doesn't care enough for the beauty of Schubert's melodies. For example, in the second movement of Schubert E flat Piano trio, the gorgeous solo, the accompaniment to the gorgeous cello solo, then piano solo, is staccato, which takes much of the beauty out of this gorgeous section. I could picture the three guys sitting there and saying, "The melody line is long, so we should make the accompaniment short." When this melody recurs in the fourth movement, it's played much much much too quickly, again taking the beauty, the melancholy out of it. It's clear in those gorgeous waterfall-like descending chords on the piano that Pressler is racing and shouldn't be. After the solo in the second movement, the violin gets too staccato and makes part of the piece unbearably corny, particularly during the fortissimo parts. The B flat in particular tends to race. However, the playing is still very expressive; Pressler in particular and Greenhouse next. I reccomend this CD very highly.



5. There just doesn't seem to be quite the equal for their interpretations of the classical repertoire, but even among the numerous remarkable recordings the Beaux Arts Trio has produced, this gorgeous rendering of Schubert decisively stands out.

   Trio No.1 in B flat Major is my favourite pick, with all of its very expansive movements (length-wise, rather than musically, which often make the piece sound boring in lesser hands) treated with extremely delicate and tasteful pacings. One more thing that is very noticeable is the lyricism of the cello tone that almost resembles that of a human voice; it is so light and transparent, as perfectly exhibited in the second movement of the Trio No.1, that at times it could be mistaken for violin.

   This is one Schubert recording you should not miss, and I actually think I like this more than the overplayed (although very much deservedly) Trout Quintet. Enjoy!

5 comments about Sing We Christmas.

1. There's not much more I can add to the glowing reviews of this CD except to say that I'm surprised that "A un nino llorando" doesn't get a mention! It became my favorite on the album, even though the rest are excellent also.
   "A Christmas Carol" is quite serene and nice, as well as "A Virgin Unspotted". Perfect! These guys are the musical male answer to Anonymous 4.



2. Someone who likes my music reviews has requested a Christmas album. Well, here it is. Imagine a silent darkness with reflections of colored lights twinkling on the snow banks. Suddenly a group of carolers can be heard making their merry way toward your own front porch, where you await them with a punchbowl of wassail. That group is Chanticleer, and this is the best musical evocation of the spirit of caroling you'll ever hear.
   Chanticleer has produced lots of CDs by now, of Christmas music, Renaissance polyphony, and modern music. The quality of their performances ranges from excellent to mediocre. If you've purchased one of the latter, don't let that deter you from trying them again. I had the pleasure of hearing their performance of Brumel's "Earthquake" mass for 12 voices, and it was superb. I'm hoping a CD of it will appear some day. Anyway, this is the most traditional and the most celebratory of their Christmas albums, and the one I recommend above all other choral holiday disks.



3. If you are looking for traditional madrigal sounding holiday music, this CD is for you. I have purchased this CD several times because I just keep giving them away. Everyone I've ever introduced it to has loved it. This finely polished group has a pure sound matched by no other. If you weren't looking at the CD notes you would never know this is only a group of 12 men.



4. A CD evocative of Christmas past and present. Beautiful harmonies both wistful and ringing with joy. Buy it for next Christmas!



5. 'SING WE CHRISTMAS' IN EVERY GENRE KNOWN TO MAN - INCREDIBLY REFRESHING!!
   
   Chanticleer, the U.S. equivalent of the British King's Singers, is a full-time classical vocal ensemble named for the rooster in Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales'. It was founded in 1978 by Louis Botto, a tenor, and for a while was its artistic director. They have achieved critical acclaim all over the world and their repertoire is very extensive and varied. Just commenting on a few of the selections on this disc:
   'Es ist ein Ros entsprungen' is a hymn that originated in western Germany around 1500, and is best known in the harmonization by Michael Praetorious published around 1609. The poem used biblical imagery that pictures the newborn Christ growing forth from the "stem of Jesse'(the father of King David), as foretold in Isiah 11. The metaphorical writings of the Middle Ages depict the patriarchal figure of Jesse as a rose bush.
   'O Magnum mysterium',Victoria's most famous motet, uses a subline text from the Christmas Vespers. This is incredibly beautiful with its interweaving polyphony which leads to a hushed choral declamation at the words "O beata Virgo"(O Blessed Virgin) ending with a Alleulia Section.
   'Here is the Little Door' is from a set of three "carol anthems", dating from 1918-1920. Herbert Howells was revered as one of the 20th century's most distinguished Choral composers, and I recently discovered him thru the album " by the Corydon Singers conducted by Matthew Best. It includes Howells Requiem in addition to the Vaughan Williams Mass in G Minor. It is the most heavenly somewhat exotic choral music I think I have heard in many years of listening; I highly recommend it.
   'Glory to the newborn King'. Joseph Jennings, Georgia native and present musical director of Chanticleer, has often drawn upon his roots to create special gospel and spiritual arrangements of familiar songs. 'Glory to the newborn King' features four traditional songs combined to showcase Chanticleer's unique choral virtuosity!
   This is an excellent group of carols,and it is always refreshing to hear 'new' melodies, arrangements; a joy for the ear!!!!