2 comments about Andre Rieu: Aus Meinem Herzen/Songs From.

1. What we all expect from Rieu. Exciting music, enthusiasm from the performers and great fun to listen to and watch.



2. Amidst the stunning romantic backdrop of Andre Rieu's home town of Maastricht, this concert (which is shown in two parts), produces one of those rare moments of perfection that is thankfully captured on DVD. It features the three sopranos Carmen Monarcha, Carla Maffioletti, and Suzan Erens along with the always enrapturing Platin Tenors and fireworks! The streets beside the famous and beautifully lit square are filled with restaurants overflowing with party-goers ready to take to the streets in waltz.
   
   Highlights of this concert include the CONCIERTO DE ARANJUEZ, THE SWINGING BELLS OF LIMBURG, SECOND WALTZ, I COULD HAVE DANCED ALL NIGHT, and LIBIAMO if you want to see a party :D
   
   All in all a wonderful concert where the crowd is reluctant to leave and insists on throwing in a few tracks of their own throughout the evening. The whole concert is performed in the open air and interspersed with shots from the surrounding area all of which happens around a violinist with a cheeky look on his face as the crowd calls for an encore.
   
   If you enjoy this concert try 'ROMANTIC PARADISE', LA VIE EST BELLE (if only for the rendition of BOLERO), and SCHRONBRUNN LIVE IN VIENNA. All those in search of eye-candy, proceed to CHRISTMAS WITH ANDRE RIEU.
   
   ellymelly

5 comments about Beethoven: Kreutzer, Spring Sonatas / Perlman, Ashkenazy.

1. the sound is not very clearly, yet the record is so far from nowadays, I recommend the BOX SET edition above this.



2. The other posts are not exaggerating, this recording is that good. The level of passion and energy in the playing on this album places it as one of the great classical recordings ever. The Gideon Kremer and Martha Argerich recording isn't close. For some works, it's fun listening to a variety of recordings; that's not the case with the "Kreutzer." This album leaves you with no tolerance for other performances, which all seem anemic by comparison.



3. I could not say more than what other reviewers have said. This is a great recording of the millenium especially Perlman he has that "technique" that put him apart from his peers eg Maxim vengerov comes a close second to Perlman's skills. Its gratifying experience go on thrill yourself with the best music in the world.



4. The other reviewers here (at time of writing, they were all 5-stars) aren't exaggerating. I sing each movement of these sonatas impulsively and I cannot find opportunity for improvement in either the music or the performance.

   This would be a good disc to give as a gift. I cannot imagine a negative response. This is the sublime, and it transcends petty stylistic considerations. There is no room for argument here.




5. Perlman ever made -- and I own a lot of them.

2 comments about Dinner for Two.

1. I shop Amazon's partners with more and more frequency and this most recent purchase simply reaffirms my confidence in dealing outside the mainstream of purchasing. In other words, knowing that these partners are blessed by Amazon, I now have total confidence in placing orders with these partners whenever the opportunity presents itself. In this most recent case, the process was professionally managed from start to finish -- which included their sense of urgency to insure quick delivery to me. I could not be more pleased.



2. This record boasts it's name "Dinner for Two", in order to enjoy a dinner in company of very special person, excellent interpretations to let itself surround in a full atmosphereof tranquillity and vibrant emotions.
   
   Without doubt, a selection that it must have in your classical collection.

5 comments about Beethoven: The Late String Quartets.

1. I don't know if it's because these recordings were the one's I grew up on, but they're still the best after all these years. I've heard them all from the Vegh, Talich, Italian Quartet, etc. The sound quality could be better, but the ears adjust quickly so it's really not a problem.
   Highlight: Opus 132. This may be the best recorded version from first note to last.



2. So far, I have listened to two versions of this. This one, and one by the Busche Quartet, and I must say that I prefer the latter one even though it was recorded in the 1930's and it's recording quality suffers. According to the Penguin Classical CD guide the Busche version is a classic.

   The Guaneri version did not draw me into the music, I tended to just drift off and the music just played in the background. At least with the Busche version it did make me sit up and listen, at least in parts.

   I'm still looking though. I will try one by the Italian Quartet next.




3. I have been an avid classical music consumer for over 30 years, as well as being a professional musician and teacher.

   With the exception of the 9th symphony, most late Beethoven tends to be a style of music which can be best described as deeply profound. This is not music with a lot of bells and whistles. It tends to require repeated concentrated listening to achieve a maximum level of understanding and enjoyment.
   Nowhere is this more true than in the string quartets of Opp. 127, 130, 131, 132 and 135.

   I have found that the Guarneri String Quartet has served as an excellent guide to these spiritual adventures in music. The heartfelt simplicity of their playing along with their matchless execution, and intonation helps to make the late Beethoven quartets a deeply moving experience every time I listen to them.

   The Cavatina from Op. 130 (Adagio molto espressivo- slow, with much expression), is to me the musical description of the soul meeting God.

   If you are a newcomer to this literature, you might consider checking out the early and middle quartets first. If your'e a veteran listener, I found this recording deeply satisfying.




4. This is music born out of a lifespan of extreme agony that melted away into peace and content , such expression is unequalled in all music ( perhaps with the exception of Wagner)

   The performance is perfection , the slow movements will bring tears into your eyes , the fast will engulf you with their intellect and energy . Those people really "understand" what the music is saying , there're not simply playing notes .




5. I Really enjoyed the Music&Styling though the Sound is a bit off the Music which is all that really matters stands out front&center to me.I Enjoyed the Pieces alot.

1 comments about The Classic Christmas Album.

1. This is THE Christmas CD for the holidays. It has all the beautiful Christmas songs you want. Kiri Te Kanawa's version of Schubert's Ave Maria will bring tears to your eyes, Gabriel Faure's performance of Pie Jesu from Requim is simply beautiful, and the English Concert Choir's performance of Handel's Hallelujah from Messiah will take your breath away. This is a great buy and will be treasured all year long.

1 comments about Vaughan Williams: Folksong Arrangements.

1. Tenor Robert Tear takes a serious, sometimes severe approach to 21 English folksongs gathered in the field by Vaughan Williams and then set to simple, unadorned piano accompaniments (a violin is added to three songs, reminiscent of the Victorian parlor musicale). I felt as if I had been dragged into a Protestant chapel in Wessex on a chill winter night. I think the composer would approve, because the ethos surrounding native folksongs, particularly in that era, was high-minded: these are expressions of England's deep ancestral spirit. The tone is set by the first, lamenting tune, 'The Captain's Apprentice,' which recounts the abuse of a young boy taken to sea, which is so brutal that he dies. Many other songs remind us that rural life was harsh, a reality that these lyrics capture rather than evade. (A handful of items are French or from the New World.)
   
   Tear was in great voice in 1976, and he performs with suitable bite and intensity, although a touch of humor might have leavened the mix. Pianist Philip Ledger tamely follows the singer. As a filler EMI provides a 1963 account of V-W's Six Studies in English Folk-Song arranged for viola and performed by a personal firend of the composer's, Jean stewart. It, too, is a somber, haunting work.
   
   All told, if you are in the mood to travel back to the dark, sometimes harrowing atmosphere of pre-industrial England, this CD communicates with integrity and beauty.

No comments about John Williams Plays Vivaldi Concertos.

5 comments about Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6.

1. I'm no completist. I haven't heard every presentation of these recordings, but the Naxos is certainly the best of the 4 I've purchased. Complete documentation and clear articulate full sound. It's hard to believe these pieces were recorded in the 30's. Highly recommended!



2. I won't discuss the merits of Pablo Casals' version of Bach's Suites for Solo Cello, other reviewers have already done that. I will note that he ranks in the very top tier out of all the 12 versions I own. My other top tier favorites are Navarra, Fournier, Starker and Thedeen.
   
   I do not own Ma's latest version nor Rostropovich's version, but I have heard them both. I find Ma to be too slick for his own good - he is indeed so technically correct that he plays the notes a bit too perfectly and in doing so somehow loses the essence of the music... if that makes any sense? Ultimately I do not find Ma convincing, a computer could be programmed to do the same thing. Rostropovich, however, is just the opposite, too sloppy (or some would say too romantic) - he just doesn't sound like Bach to me. I do like a few of his interpretations, but overall I think he misses the mark more than he finds it. I do not mean to suggest that both Ma and Rostropovich do not have their moments or that others have not found them satisfying, but overall there are other performers that just do a better job for me in terms of what I find important. My favorites are not going to be the same as yours all the time. But, at least now you know where I am coming from and where my biases are.
   
   For Casals, the main issue is the sound quality of the various versions that are available. There is the older EMI version, the Remastered EMI, Naxos, Pearl, Opus Kura and Classica D'oro. Out of these choices, which one has the best trade off between noise reduction and the music? These are all sourced from old 78's recorded in the late 1930's, but each uses a different approach to noise reduction. I started off as most of you probably have by listening to the internet MP3 sound bites of all of the various versions - MP3s are not exactly the best way to make a judgment call on sound quality, but I did find that the two versions on CD that I did eventually purchase actually sound very much like the MP3s - there were no surprises in that regard.
   
   So, from that listening perspective (MP3) I can tell you that I was not impressed by the Naxos version nor the Classica D'oro version. Naxos sounded hollow, boxed in and constricted and the Classica D'oro just sounded very processed. I realize that many reviewers praise the Naxos version, but I found the MP3 sound bite to be very constricted - again, this is only the MP3 sound bite, so take it for what it is worth. The MP3 of Opus Kura had a lot of hiss, the most of all these versions, but it also had a very full sound. The Remastered EMI MP3 also had a full sound, but with only moderate hiss. The Pearl sounded decent as well, but perhaps not quite as good as the Opus Kura or Remastered EMI. The Pearl was done somewhat earlier than all the others. So, I passed on the Naxos and the Classica D'oro for quality reasons. I also passed on the Pearl and instead purchased both the Opus Kura and the Remastered EMI versions, as those were also the ones done most recently and hopefully with the latest technology. The Japanese Opus Kura label also has a very solid reputation of valuing musical integrity over all else.
   
   A quick comment on the two EMI versions. Most critics did not like the older EMI version because of overdone noise reduction. I have not heard that version, nor do I ever want to considering the many negative reviews I have seen! However, EMI remastered these performances in 2003 and this has apparently resulted in a much improved product.
   
   O.K. now on to the comparisons; for hiss levels, both the Opus Kura and the Remastered EMI had quite a bit of hiss and surface noise. The Remastered EMI wins with less overall hiss noise and somewhat lower surface noise as well. The Opus Kura clearly has more hiss. It's not always a whole lot more, but it is more and it is more noticeable on some tracks versus others. But, note that the hiss levels can always be adjusted very easily with a graphic equalizer or more preferably with a noise gate. I did make an experimental CD-R copy of the Opus Kura on a CD-R with a noise gate (using Nero) and the result was very good and comparable to the Remastered EMI version in terms of hiss. Even so, if hiss is your major concern and you don't want to mess with a noise gate then just get the Remastered EMI version.
   
   However, if you ignore hiss as a factor, which version sounds better in the living room? And by the way I have an audiophile quality sound system. Here Opus Kura wins hands down. There is no comparison. Opus Kura has all the room ambiance and lower bass tone, overtones and frequency range that the Remastered EMI version has filtered out. The Remastered EMI has no low bass where all the overtones reside - it's just not there and as a result the mid bass stands out more. I must admit that this approach has it's own appeal as it gives the illusion that the recording is both sharper and tighter sounding than it really is and it does bring out more of the mid bass, but the reality is that you are not getting all of the music as originally recorded. Still, it does not sound "bad" and perhaps this is a good trade off. The Opus Kura, on the other hand, fills the room with all the music, including all the lower bass overtones and makes it seem like Pablo is in the room. If you turn the Opus Kura up loud and go into the next room you would think Casals is actually in there playing live. The Remastered EMI in the same test sounds cleaner, but without the deepest overtones it sounds less like a real cello and more like just a deep toned viola - this is a solo cello we are talking about and you don't just EQ out the tonal quality of the instrument (and the room ambience) without losing some of the realism. That being said, it really comes down to personal choice. After listening for a few minutes the ear adjusts to either version. If you did not have the more natural sounding Opus Kura to compare to you would never know what you are missing with the Remastered EMI version. On the other hand, some listeners will actually appreciate the different tonal emphasis on the mid bass that the Remastered EMI offers. I did an A-B blind test with a friend who noted immediately the lack of bass in the Remastered EMI, yet still enjoyed listening to that one as much as the Opus Kura. She did not have a particular preference for one over the other, but they sound so different from each other that at first she thought these were entirely difference performances from different artists! Obviously, some of you will only care about getting rid of "all the hiss", while others want "all of the music." You know who you are. The Opus Kura version strives to keep all the music regardless while the Remastered EMI compromises a bit to lower the noise levels.
   
   A few comments on listening in the car; I really cannot tolerate much hiss in a small confined environment like the car where it can really drown out the music. So, I made my own CD-R recording of the Opus Kura with the NERO noise gate set at 62db for the level and 30db for reduction. This works very well in cutting the hiss down to size and still retaining the music. The only problem with noise gates is that people tend to overuse it - just a little is enough! I did the same with the Remastered EMI at a slightly higher level (70db) and 30db and this also gave a fine result in terms of acceptable hiss levels. Because the three-dimensionality and room ambiance is not as much of an issue in the car environment, I would say that either version (the Opus Kura or the Remastered EMI) would work fine in the car - and if you happen to also have a graphic equalizer the right adjustments might also help make a difference.
   
   Here's the bottom line. For the best sound in your living room, my personal choice is the Opus Kura with the full range of sound, but with more hiss and more surface noise. The Remastered EMI, however, is a fair enough alternative with lower hiss levels and hardly any surface noise (most of the time) and an emphasis (rightly or wrongly) on the just the mid bass. For the car, I think either version works out o.k., but only if you do some remastering yourself with a noise gate to make your own personalized CD-R version that cuts down the hiss.
   
   I hope this helps.



3. As other reviewers have mentioned, Pablo Casals' historic recordings of Johann Sebastian Bach's Cello Suites have been released on numerous CD's on various labels. However, if you can track it down, the Naxos release is probably as close to definitive as it gets.
   While the recordings date from 1936-1939, the sound and remastering courtesy of the legendary Ward Marston is amazing (although there is some slight hiss heard throughout the recordings). Casals' cello performances resonate with sheer beauty and almost gives the impression that he is sitting right in front of you performing live. The emotion, sense of yearning and joyfulness leap through with each stroke of the bow.
   Additionally, the Naxos release includes four additional Bach cello pieces that date from an earlier period (1927-1930) and provide a nice coda to the dramatic Cello Suites which precedes them on this disc.
   After listening to Pablo Casals' performance in this set, it's easy to see why these recordings still stand the test of time. These recordings are the model on which the later ones are (or should be, at least) based. Even if you already own other recordings of these fabulous Suites whether it be by Yo Yo Ma, Rostropovich etc., the classic Casals recordings are definitely worth owning not only for the historical aspect but for musical aspects as well.
   Definitive Bach by the legendary Pablo Casals.



4. I was initially reluctant to purchase this recording (because of noise), but one beautiful morning I saw it new on sale for about $3, and of course only an idiot wouldn't have gone for it. Actually it is well restored, the sound is full-bodied, deep and round. It is tiring on the ears to listen to more than one Suite without adjustments, but now I use my Graphic Equalizer, which almost completely eliminates background noise. So, if you have still got this device, there should be no problems. Otherwise, playing it on the equipment of lower quality is preferable (i.e. your computer speakers). This makes noise less obtrusive. Casals' style is somewhat (not a lot) Romantic, but he plays with such genius and conviction that this doesn't matter. Now, with the Equalizer, I can play both CDs through, and each time I am left with an impression that something important has just happened. This recording is one of those rare ones which mould the listener, bring out the best in us and ultimately make us better human beings. It goes beyond its physical limitations straight into the Metaphysical.



5. This must be one of the definitive performances of the Bach Cello suites. A must for any lover of Bach or Casals.

2 comments about Sentimental Favorites (25).

1. The recordings are fair at best. The performances poor to better.

   I will dispose of this one.




2. I used to think that classical music is boring, but this CD has changed my mind. The first time I listened to this CD I said, its OK. Later every time I listen to it I discover a new beautiful music. I feel calm and relaxed. I mostly liked the Borodin, Mozart and Faure songs. It is really 25 sentimental favorites. Now, many titles of the 25 "?" Favorites are on my wish list....

3 comments about Classical Heartbreakers.

1. I agree with P. Grupe-for classical music lovers, it is a let down to listen to cut tracks of well-performed classical greats, like Chopin's 1st piano concerto in this collection. Nonetheless, this is a terrific compilation for people beginning to get interested in classical music. This compilation is an eclectic mix of the familiar (Beethoven's moonlight sonata, Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini variation no. 18, Myer's Cavatina, Barber's "Adagio for Strings, etc.), the contemporary (Michael Nyman's The Promise, Horner's My Heart Will Go On), and the truly moving (Bach's Double Violin Concerto, Bruch's Violin Concerto, Schubert's String Quintet in C)-relatively obscure pieces usually left out in less inspired and mediocre classical music compilations. It is gratifying to see that opera music has not been left out. Get this cd if only for the Maria Callas tracks, Lucia Popp's performance of Strauss' Beim Schlafengehen, and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's Addio del passato.



2. I am an avid listener of classical music, and I purchased this CD expecting to get some of the best classical music ever composed. I guess I expected a bit much though. Although the recording is filled with high quality performances of fantastic pieces, I was disappointed to find that only about half of the pieces are contained in their entirety on this 2-disc set. Songs such as Rhapsody in Blue and Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata were not recorded in full for this album, which caught me off guard and bothered me quite a bit.

   Anybody who is unfamiliar with classical music will appreciate this album. Since it features some of the most moving classical pieces ever written, it is sure to entrance listeners. And by not placing entire 10-minute pieces on the CDs, it will not run on and bore those unaccustomed to the length of most classical music. However, if you are already well-versed in classical music and can listen to entire symphonies with ease, I would advise against buying this album. I now feel a desire to go out again and find the full versions of some of these pieces, since I feel I was cheated by only getting introductions or short movements on most of the album. Guess I should have paid a little more attention to what I was buying.




3. Most of the musical pieces in this compilation are from versions as they appear in various movies. This is Classical music from classic movies such as: Somewhere in Time, Schindler's List, English Patient, The Piano, Platoon, et al. But make no mistake; the music is what's really worth mentioning here.

   The title says it all. It claims to have "the most moving Classical music of all time," and they certainly have a case, as it is chock full of the kind of emotional pieces that can easily bring you to tears. This double CD compilation with 37 passionately beautiful pieces is a steal at $16.99.

   If you've ever recorded your favorite songs on to tape, or burned them on to a CD, you'll see that this compilation is exactly what EMI Records has done. It is like a greatest hits, volume 1, of poignant Classical music. Almost all of the musical pieces are classic favorites, though there are a few contemporary ones also.

   I found the music on this CD powerful and moving as advertised, and I think that Classical music fans should truly enjoy it. It is well worth the price it's being sold for, and I highly recommend it.

   Since there is some missing information as to who the composers and artists are, here they are:

   Disk 1

   Tchaikovsky - Piano Concerto No. 1 in B Flat Minor Op.23: I. Allegro Non Troppo E Mol; Andre Previn; Horacio Gutierrez; The London Symphony Orchestra

   Mascagni - Intermezzo (Cavalleria Rusticana) {Raging Bull}; Riccardo Muti; The Philharmonia Orchestra

   Rachmaninov - Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini - Variation #18 {Somewhere in Time}; Cecile Ousset; City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra; Sir Simon Rattle

   Puccini - O Mio Babbino Caro (Gianni Schicchi) {A Room with a View};
   Montserrat Caballe; The London Symphony Orchestra; Sir Charles Mackerras

   Bach - Viola da Gamba Sonata in G Minor BWV1029 - II. Adagio (Opening) {Truly, Madly, Deeply}; Jordi Savall; Ton Koopman

   Richard Strauss - Beim Schlafengehen (Vier Letzte Lieder) {The Hours}; Klaus Tennstedt; London Philharmonic Orchestra; Lucia Popp

   Williams - Schindler's List (Theme) {Schlinder's List}; Iain Sutherland; New World Philharmonic; Tasmin Little

   Debussy - Clair de Lune {Frankie and Johnnie}; Dame Moura Lympany

   Mahler - Symphony No. 5 in C Sharp Minor: IV. Adagietto (Conclusion) {Death in Venice}; New Philharmonia Orchestra; Sir John Barbirolli

   Catalani - Ebben? Ne Andrò Lontana (La Wally) {Diva}; Maria Callas; The Philharmonia Orchestra; Tullio Serafin

   Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 14 in C Sharp Minor "Moonlight" Op. 27/2 - I. Adagio S; Dame Moura Lympany

   Bruch - Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor - II. Adagio (Opening) Sir Yehudi Menuhin; The Philharmonia Orchestra; Walter Susskind

   Puccini - E Lucevan le Stelle (Tosca) {The Man Who Cried}; Carlo Bergonzi; Georges Pretre; Orchestre De La Societe` Des Concerts Du Conservatoire

   Chopin - Nocturne in C Sharp Minor Op. Posth {The Pianist}; Maria Tipo

   Barber - Adagio for Strings {Platoon} Eugene Ormandy; Philadelphia Orchestra

   Elgar - Cello Concerto in E Minor Op. 85 - I. Adagio - Moderato (Opening) {Hilary and Jackie}; London Philharmonic Orchestra; Norman Del Mar; Robert Cohen

   Shostakovich - Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Op.102 - II. Andante Dmitri Alexeev; English Chamber Orchestra; Jerzy Maksymiuk

   Verdi - Va, Pensiero (Chorus of Hebrew Slaves) (Nabucco) {The Godfather, Pt. 3}; Bernard Haitink; Covent Garden Chorus & Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

   Disk 2

   Albinoni - Adagio in G Minor (Realised Giazotto) [Extract] {Gallipoli}; Academy of St. Martin in the Fields; Sir Neville Marriner

   Nyman - Heart Asks Pleasure First/The Promise {The Piano}; Unknown artist

   Quarantotto & Sartori - Time to Say Goodbye; David Abel

   J.S. Bach - Goldberg Variations - Aria {The English Patient}; Maria Tipo

   Offenbach - Barcarolle (Les Contes d'Hoffmann) {Life Is Beautiful}; Choeurs Rene Ducios; Clu; Elisabeth Schwartskopf; Jeannine Collard; Orchestre De La Societe` Des Concerts Du Conservatoire

   Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor - II. Adagio Sostenuto (Opening) {Brief Encounter}; Cecile Ousset; City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra; Sir Simon Rattle

   Elgar - Nimrod ("Enigma" Variations) {Elizabeth}; The London Symphony Orchestra; Sir Adrian Boult

   Puccini - Vissi d'Arte (Tosca); Georges Pretre; Maria Callas; Orchestre De La Societe` Des Concerts Du Conservatoire

   Myers - Cavatina {The Deer Hunter}; Manuel Barrueco; Steve Morse

   Schubert - String Quintet in C D956 - II. Adagio (Opening) {Carrington}; Hungarian Quartet; Laszlo Varga

   Gluck - J'Ai Perdu Mon Eurydice (Orphée et Eurydice); Anne Sofie Von Otter; John Eliot Gardiner; Orchestre De L'Opera De Lyon

   Chopin - Étude in E "Tristesse" Op.10/3; John Ogden

   Verdi - Attendo, Attendo...Addio del Passato (La Traviata); Dame Kiri Te Kanawa; Myung-Whun Chung; The London Symphony Orchestra

   Bach - Double Violin Concerto in D Minor BWV 1043 - II. Largo Ma Non Tanto {Children of a Lesser God}; Bath Festial Orchestra; Christian Ferras; Sir Yehudi Menuhin

   Kashif - Queen Symphony - III. Adagio {Who Wants to Live Forever - Save Me}; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Tolga Kashif

   Chopin - Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor - II. Romance (Larghetto) (Opening) {The Truman Show}; Garrick Ohlsson; Jerzy Maksymiuk; Polish National Symphony Orchestra

   Faure - In Paradisum (Requiem) {The Thin Red Line}; Cambridge Choir of Kings Choir; English Chamber Orchestra; Stephen Cleobury

   Horner - My Heart Will Go On {Titanic}; David Abel

   Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue (Conclusion) {Manhattan}; Andre Previn; The London Symphony Orchestra