5 comments about The Mozart Effect - Music for Babies - Playtime to Sleepytime.

1. Purchased as a gift, but glad to receive it. Haven't listened to it myself, but I like Mozart.



2. My baby boy just like it..... and my wife is enjoying it toooo.... It is a very soothing CD to listen to. It is definitely worth the $$...



3. I bought the "Mozart Effect" CD and a few other classical CD's; Bach and another Mozart after my daughter was born in late 1998. We had a difficult time getting her to sleep at night and decided to try playing music to soothe her. The "Mozart Effect" CD worked every time. As soon as she heard the Toy Symphony play she would relax and just listen to the music until she fell asleep. It's been more than a year since we played the CD, and recently when she was ill, she asked to listen to "her music". It still has the same calming effect. Regardless of the controversy surrounding Mozart's ability to make babies more intelligent, I think this music is very comforting and enjoyable.



4. I received several classical music CD's as gifts before my daughter was born, and out of all of them (also including classical CD's I had already owned) this is definitely my favorite. It stands out because it is not full of simply "traditional" arrangements but rather is very light and playful - there are all sorts of cute little chirping and whirring noises that add to it as well. It is just a lot of fun, and provides the perfect background for cuddling with your new little one.

   There is one comment below from someone who thought the music was too simple and was of poor quality. I would agree that the music is very simple (not a bad thing), but disagree with the notion that it is poor quality. Anyway, this should be just one CD in a library of different types of music, classical and other, to help your child's music appreciation develop. If it happens to expand other developmental skills as well, even better!




5. The Mozart Effect - Music for Babies is a pretty good disc. Admittedly not the best Mozart recordings around, but then my child is not exactly picky. I prefer Genie's Angels All Around as a lullaby CD but either The Mozart Effect or Angels All Around would make excellent baby shower gifts.

5 comments about Andrea Bocelli - Sacred Arias / Myung-Whun Chung.

1. What a wonderful CD! This is music I will listen to over and over - his voice is amazing!



2. Better than most of the tenors that have "bigger names" - but he has a pure and clear sound.



3. This is my second copy of this CD, I burned the first one out!!
   Andrea Bocelli has a very gorgeous voice that is a gift from above. His voice is not affected or braggadoccio but naturally magnificent. I could and do start my day listening to this spiritually uplifting CD almost everyday. It is a wonderful way to get off to a pleasant peaceful start, but also a nice way to come home in the evening if you have a CD player in your car. I highly recommend it to all.



4. Excellent listening. Voice quality and tone is superb. Brings tears to my eyes when I envision listening to this in a church setting.



5. I bought this CD's special edition with DVD, and I am impressed by bocelli's singing in this album. I have heard many voices singing sacred songs, and christmas songs, but very few singers can achieve the "sacred atmosphere" that bocelli devotes when he sings. He may not have a "strong" voice as opera singers, but I think singing these sacred songs, devoting the "sacred atmosphere" to the audience is much more important, the voice actually is just a tool that helps a singer to achieve the result. For real, I have heard some CD by some chorus that perform sacred arias, but they did not move me as much as this CD does, mostly not even close. Personally I like "O come all ye faithful", "silent night", all "ave maria"'s, "domine deus", "cujus animam" the most. When I listen Bocelli's singing I focus on what he tries to devote in singing more than his voice color, because in terms of voice color he surely cant be compared with pavarotti or domingo, so why compares? The way of listening him and listening real opera singers is different man. But the reason I gave only this CD four stars is that I have heard several sacred arias from this album performed by his voice teacher, the legendary tenor Franco Corelli. I tried not to compare both...but I cant, not because Bocelli sings bad, he is already excellent, just Corelli is TOO excellent that cant be described by human language (well I think even Pavarotti is not even close to Franco Corelli, but this is just my opinion). Anyway if you want to "experience" the true beauty of sacred arias, this CD is highly recommended. And this is also a very good sacred aria album for beginning listeners who want to broaden their musical taste to sacred arias.

5 comments about Vivaldi: The Four Seasons - Janine Jansen.

1. Startling, exciting, and quite original, are the very words to describe Janine Jansen's unique, quite insightful, interpretation of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons". While there are many fine recordings of this work, with the best of the relatively recent crop include Mutter's and Chang's, Jansen's recording deserves ample praise simply for its bold, daring performance of Vivaldi's concerti cycle. Why? Hers is quite literally a stripped-down interpretation, consisting of herself, five other strings (two violins, viola, cello and double bass), theorbo and box organ/harpsichord. It is a tightly knit ensemble that includes American violinist Julian Rachlin, her brother Maarten (cello) and her father Jan (box organ/harpsichord). This allows for a "wonderfully transparent sound" that allowed "the musicians to be very flexible in colouring, dynamics and timing", as she notes in the CD liner notes. An ensemble that has yielded a very brisk, and very spirited, interpretation of these Vivaldi pieces. Needless to say, Decca's sound engineers have done a superlative job in this recording, which was made back in the Spring of 2004 in a Dutch concert hall. If there is only one false note that might be seized upon by detractors of Ms. Jansen's exceptional talents as a fine young classical musician, then it is the existence of appealing, quite alluring, photographs of her in rather revealing gowns on virtually every page of the CD liner notes; however, do not use these as a guide to determine whether or not you should acquire what is truly an exciting, rather invigorating, interpretation of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons".



2. I expected better from Ms. Jansen due to her reputation. But I should have known better after seeing the CD cover, with the artist carefully 'lounging' - posing in a way to display herself center stage, whilst dangling her Stradivarius as if it were simply a bauble. The cover actually is a good summary of the music within: a tribute to the violinist, rather than the music. This CD should have been entitled: "Janine Jansen, Borrowing Vivaldi's Notes".
   
   In the first paragraph of this CD's booklet (which shows multiple other pose-y pictures of herself), Janine Jansen writes: "While trying to be faithful to each score, emotion and passion are very important to me in a performance. Technique has to be there, of course, but it should never be the main thing."
   
   I agree that technique should never be the sole focal point (although it is dazzling to see during an encore at a live performance). For me, an exceptional performer has the ability to balance the personal with the score, thus elevating the music and highlighting the music to the sublime. In turn, by honoring the music, the music makes the performer.
   
   I find this performance unthoughtful and out-of-control. Stylistically, it is way off. This is a very romantic performance of a baroque piece. Janine takes such extreme artistic license with Vivaldi's music, in deference to her own overflowing emotions, that Vivaldi is lost. Vivaldi's structure, that unseen but lovely extra performer, is purposefully cast out, deliberately not given a chance to tango. The tempos lurch from one extreme to the other. The dynamics are in your face, going from one extreme to the other within a space of phrases.
   
   There is no doubt that the performer is talented, but there is no elegance and nuance in her interpretation. It sounds like an earnest, clever, but young artist deliberately trying to be different. I would actually admire that more if the expression went beyond exaggerated emotions, especially as this is a baroque piece. In the end, I guess it's a matter of taste. Many people will find this a passionate rendition, and I would agree: it is passionate, but not genuine.
   
   However, this CD is a fun and entertaining listen though! I would listen to it again for the "pop" music quality of the playing when in the mood for out-of-sync baroque. It's fun! - like Richard Clayderman does the Bach Goldberg Variations. My husband, who doesn't really listen to classical, actually told me that he felt uneasy, that something wasn't quite right, when I had the CD running, so in a way, Janine Jansen has pushed the envelope (a positive or negative again depending on point of view).
   
   I do have to commend the other players on this CD though. My favorite part was the purity of their instrumental voices, which was extremely clear due to the small group setting, especially in the Spring runs. The recording itself is of good quality, and the instruments have a lovely rich tone. But I'm so glad I only checked this out at the library.



3. This is a unique, clear and memorable rendition of the well-known "Four Seasons" Concertos as composed by Antonio Vivaldi. The light, clear and harmonious presentation of these famous Concertos make this particular recording stand out. There is a timeless and enduring feel to this recording.
   
   I have listened to many recordings of these Concertos and, in my opinion, this recording stands out distinctly from all others in a positive manner.
   
   I recommend this for everyone who enjoys the "Four Seasons".



4. This was a fun FOUR SEASONS. The choice of instruments gave us a different perspective than one which is fully orchestrated. It was a family affair with Ms Jansen`s family backing her up.



5. This performance is like hearing what you thought was a familiar piece for the first time. The clarity provided by having one instrument per part is enlightening. And the performances are outstanding. Highly recommended for any Four Seasons lover.

5 comments about Lullaby for My Favorite Insomniac.

1. I've enjoyed listening to the CD so far. It makes me wish for a winter day, sitting on my couch in front of a fire, with a nice glass of wine and a great book and this music in the background.
   
   I grew up listening to a lot of classical, and it's refreshing to have the "classical" sound without simply another group rehashing the same old melodies. Don't get me wrong, I love Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, etc. but I don't always want to hear them. This is a good alternative, and the extra flourishes and addition of vocals on a couple of the tracks kept me intrigued throughout my first listening.



2. Here's a tip for you: if someone feels it necessary to say certain music is not New Age, you can be pretty sure it is. This is pleasant, anesthetic, soporific background music. Listen to the samples carefully before you buy.



3. I stumbled over this CD when I was looking for relaxing music to help me sleep. The title drew me in. For the most part, I love the music. The only thing that prevents me from giving it 5 stars is that I wasn't too crazy for the non-instrumental songs.



4. AHN TRIO
   LULLABY FOR MY FAVORITE INSOMNIAC
   
   The Ahn Trio is comprised of three sisters born in Korea and educated in the U.S.A. at the prestigious Juilliard School. They play piano, violin and cello and their deep-roots in the classical tradition are clearly evident. But consistent with their last two albums, their fifth CD, Lullaby for my Favorite Insomniac (Sony-BMG-RCA), finds them playing everything but traditional classical repertoire. They try their hand at "My Funny Valentine," David Bowie's "This Is Not America," a Brazilian number, a couple of folk songs, and several film themes.
   
   In addition, the Ahn Trio is joined by folk singers, DJ-beat-masters, Czech musicians and even a Korean rapper. The Ahn Trio's instruments stay in the forefront on the first dozen songs, but fade a bit into the background on the four bonus tunes which are remixes of four of the first selections using club beats and grooves. Several of these compositions were covered by the Ahn Trio on previous albums (these are different versions, however). The first three-fourths of the CD comes across (as the title suggests) as a recording of lullabyes and softer songs for dreaming, loving and relaxing, so be prepared the first time the bonus tracks come on because they are much more beat-oriented.
   
   The Ahn Trio must be commended for their continued experimentation. They bring a lot excitement to classical music, which can use some shaking up from time to time. Whether you call it neo-classical, contemporary classical, classical crossover or modern classical, this is some of the best, most refreshing and most invigorating out there.



5. The Korean-born, Julliard-trained Ahn sisters (violinist Angella, pianist Lucia and cellist Marcia) present Lullaby for my Favorite Insomniac, an album that revitalizes common conceptions 21st century classical music with its unique blend of old and new. Incorporating elements of new age, jazz, pop, folk, minimalism, lounge, hip-hop and more into traditional styles, their latest album Lullaby for my Favorite Insomniac transcends barriers as a refreshingly unique creation. The track list (including eight brand-new recordings) is "Dies Irie", "Magic Hour", "My Funny Valentine", "Lullaby for my Favorite Insomniac", "Big My Secret", "All I Want", "Heart Asks Pleasure First", "Dream", "Oblivion", "Song on the Land", "This Is Not America", "Solitary Singer", "Lullaby for My Favorite Insomniac (Tao of Sound Remix)", "Song on the Land (DJ Spooky Remix)", "This Is Not America (Superdrive - This Is America Mix)", and "My Funny Valentine (Ra.D - My Funny Baby Mix)". The club remix tracks especially stand out since they are the result of international sound designers working their magic with some of the Ahn sisters' most popular tunes. A rousing tour de force of classical music like never heard before.

3 comments about Children's Favorites.

1. This CD mostly delivered what was expected of it. The only critique I have is that some of the tempos could have been cleaner, and that it should be cross-referenced by the other composers besides J. S. Bach.



2. This is the most wonderful collection to have on 1 CD. Children from birth on up can benefit from this musical collage.
   Songs from the "Nutcracker" are familiar and comfortable for many children. What child wouldn't love "March of the Tin Soldiers?"
   Selections from Saint-Saens' "Carnival of the Animals" is a must in my creative movement library. Every child should be exposed to this music. Well,I believe every age should be.



3. With total playing time clocking in at 78:04 minutes of music, you'll be paying about 6-cents/minute, which is a better bargain than long distance phone calls, and often more rewarding!

   This disc is far superior than most other "Classics for Kids"-type recordings I've sampled for a number of reasons:

   1) This album was expertly engineered. The production quality on this disc is first-rate from start to finish with crisp, clear sound.

   2) The pieces were expertly picked. There is wonderful sonic variety here, spanning hundreds of years of wonderful melodies. There are orchestral pieces, harpsichord pieces, solo piano, and a piano concerto, capped off with Saint-Seans whimsical Carnival of the Animals. What kid (or adult) wouldn't love that?

   3) The performances are, without exeption, expert! The pieces were definately screened for quality as well as content. Many are simply a joy to behold. Walter Klein is a particular stand-out, almost giddily prancing through Schumann's pieces. Believe it or not, he sounds even more impressive when backed up by the always inspiring Minnesota Orchestra on Mozart's Piano Concerto #17.

   In short, this album is a great album even before you factor in the great price. You and your children are almost guaranteed to enjoy every 6-cents worth!

5 comments about The Essential Yo-Yo Ma.

1. My nephew mentioned his desire to hear some classical music (Yo-Yo Ma, especially) on the boring trips back & forth from college. He really seemed to enjoy receiving the CD for Christmas!



2. The ratings on this 2 CD set are inflated. The first CD is enjoyable, but no more than an assembly of tracks from other Yo-Yo Ma albums. The second disc is uninteresting. I think there are much more enjoyable Yo-Yo Ma albums to invest in than this one.



3. This is one of the best CD's for Cello that I have heard.
   Yo-Yo Ma is such an artist.
   
   Love It!



4. Great for studying, however if listening in your car the sound can be a bit repetitive.



5. No instrument asks more from the soul of an artist as the cello does.
   Yo Yo Ma shows to be master of the instrument and his interpretations en technique are pure genius. Everyone should have this album in his (or hers of course) basic classical collection

5 comments about Baby Einstein: Traveling Melodies.

1. We love playing this while in the car with my grandson. He is one year old and tries to sing to it and has so much fun.



2. My baby, the dad and I love this cd! It makes car rides FUN! She relaxes and sleeps too!!!
   Whoever buys it won't regret!
   Baby Einstein must know what they're doing cause it is really amazing.



3. This tape is short and the melodies are not engaging for kids. It was waste of money.



4. Hello everyone,
   This CD is great!
   My son has ADD & when we are out & he gets Anxious I put this CD in his portibale CD player.
   It seems to help him calm down & better cope with things.
   I think that every parent should have this CD that has a special needs child.
   Thanks so much for putting it online for people to buy.
   Thanks Again,
   A Greatfull Mom



5. My husband and I are musicians so I inwardly groaned when we were given this CD as a gift--I'd rather play the originals rather than some synthesized kiddie version. However, on a recent road trip we got desperate when our colicky son would not stop screaming. We popped this in the CD player and it calmed him down immediately. I swear, it's like aural crack for babies. We now play it at bedtime to help calm him down and it still works. You may not love this CD, but your baby will.

5 comments about Beethoven: Piano Sonatas.

1. In some places, the playing seems rushed and in others, it sounds uncoordinated. There are better versions of these sonatas out there.



2. This is an excellent recording of the three most well-known and well-loved piano sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven. As an aspiring Beethoven expert (I'm a college student and just recently began really discovering Beethoven), I wanted to hear a masterful, even "definitive" if you will, recording of these sonatas. I listened straight through the entire album, enjoying every minute of it. I smiled as I recognized a piece that I finally got to hear in its proper context, and the whole time I was in awe of Beethoven's work coming through Claudio Arrau. The Pathetique and Moonlight sonatas were especially wonderful to hear, since I've heard parts of them hundreds of times in other arrangements--from Trans-siberian Orchestra to Dance Dance Revolution and other music video games to Schroeder of the Peanuts gang at his piano. Nothing compared to hearing Claudio Arrau play the pieces as Beethoven intended: it was magical. Delightful, masterful, beautiful, fun, timeless...you will love Beethoven's three great piano sonatas.



3. What more can I say....
   I dont really know much about classical, and I wont pretend that I do, but to me, this is perfection!
   Excellent service to as item arrived in good time!



4. First of all I would like to say, I have to disagree with a reviewer that says Arrau plays "too slow" this I can handle although I consider his speed is fine... but mostly when he says something like "he gives a romantic touch to these sonatas that were dedicated to men".
   
   That is a huge blasphemy and here's why: Beethoven was a passionate man, I guess every Beethoven fan and student knows that, and if you still don't believe it just listen to his piano, violin and cello trios to see how much passion and romance there is involved. So it doesn't matter if he dedicated these sonatar (or any of his works) to a woman, a man or an alien, it is quite clear that whoever it was intended to, Beethoven would have probably execute it with passion and romance.
   
   The execution of the Appassionata sonata is the ultimate execution. I need more words from other universe to describe how you can easly breeze into the composer's mind and actually feel what he felt and thought when he composed this piece. The 3rd movement is to me the best around and the best I've heard (from dozens of dozens), especially the last two minutes when it's clear the composer went drive mad. With other performers you will see that in these two minutes (when the piece reachis its climax) they will normally slow down which obviously a clear mistake and not what Beethoven intended). The last two minutes are to be played with madness, more madness, anger, more anger and all the passion you can put into those 88 keys. You can't slow down the climax of the piece ! That's why it is called Appassionata ! Such a beautiful piece.
   
   The moonlight execution is the best I've heard too (with the exception of the 1st movement). Each one of the three movements take you to a mind state where you can feel how and what Beethoven felt about countess Giuletta Giucardi: love, joy and then hate, respectively. Just like the appasionata, the 3rd movement's performance is stunning. By the time you reach half of it, your mind will think you're listening to Beethoven.
   
   Patetique is a good execution. I haven't really heard a notable performance, probably due to the fact of being one of Beethoven's earlier -more Mozartian/classisist- works. Still it is very good, and the movement that impresses me the most is the second.
   
   Do your self a favor and get this CD. You will trash any other Beethoven Piano sonatas CD, and you will eventually look forward to buy the 32 piano sonata box set by Claudio Arrau -to listen to the man himself playing all his works-, which I proudly own and just like this disc, it is worth every single penny.



5. Claudio Arrau is not always an easy pianist to listen to. His playing is sometimes very irritating and at times can seem boring. Not everyone will agree with his Beethoven playing, and his playing in general, but many will be fascinated by his complex intellectuality. His Beethoven playing, particularly the sonatas, are some of his best and most interesting work. If anyone was to own one recording of Arrau's playing, I would surely suggest a Beethoven recording. His interpretations of these three popular sonatas are unorthodox but are given very passionate and interesting performances. Anyone studying or interested in these sonatas should listen to Arrau, the Appassionata especially is given an excellent performance.

   This CD is highly recommended, it's an excellent lesson in Arrau's Beethoven playing.

5 comments about Schumann: Complete Piano Trios.

1. now i'm just a big dummy. i really am. but somehow classical music got through my thick skull and into my heart. so glad that it did. these recordings from 1975 by the beaux arts trio are spectacular works of chamber music. mr schumann's compositions are given a vibrantly intense and dramatic going over by these great musicians. soul-stirring stuff in every way. this is the sound of a musical springtime, all green invention and sunshine for the spirit. the violin, cello, and piano tunnel through the music, unearthing and displaying its potential and grace. i listened to the entire two hours and twenty minutes of glorious music that's on these discs this morning, and it was a great experience indeed. i highly highly recommend this set to any and all music lovers. this whole affair is a masterpiece of grand compositions in the hands of brilliant performers.



2. If Goethe's Werther was the prototype of the Romantic hero per excellence, inflaming the imagination and creativeness of newcomer artists, I guess the legitimate Ambassador in the music, had its embodiment around the egregious figure of Robert Schumann. No other composer in the history of the music has embraced new genres and styles with as much febrile intensity, uncertainty but at the same time with as much determination as did Schumann. The remarkable fact he had composed 138 songs in just one year, supports with striking stubbornness he blended music and poetry; despite of the fact his enormous knowledge of literature. Of course the main pivot for his incursions in the chamber music were his passionate analysis around Beethoven's late Quartets. His immense devotion for the chamber music was in visible counter flow with the tendencies of the New German School. He was aware about the dissolution of the piano as protagonist instrument ( just think in Busoni `s Piano concerto, for instance) and in this sense he consecrated all his efforts to preserve and defend the power of expression of the noblest instrument.
   
   On the other hand, the set of Trios surmounted the well known Op. 54's Piano Concerto. That reveals a very careful design in the tonal architecture, interlinking parts and polyphonal material which points to the future and Brahms securely had to have discussed this issue with his friend.
   Such emblematic attitude made that composers such Mahler and Schoenberg were so influenced due its modernist projections.
   
   The second is by far, the most romantic of the set with Schubertian reminiscences try to realize th far echoes of the last movement of Cesar Franck's Sonata for violin in the third movement of this trio, while the last one is evidently as we expected the most futurist of the three; and you certainly may find seminal seeds for modern age and the Viennese school of the early ages of the XX Century.
   
   So, consider a wise acquisition to have these distinguished and refined Trios because reflect fundamental works that far to be transitional were the most perfect linkage between the dying Romanticism and the arousing musical modernism and illustrates wisely that smart statement of Octavio Paz: "The past is function of the future. The will of future makes the dead bodies stand and puts order in its works..."



3. These are well-played and well-recorded versions of these pieces. The price is also right.
   Personally I found Schumann's compositions excessively mercurial at times but that's my problem. If you like him this should'nt be missed.



4. This collection of Schumann's piano trios, Op. 47 piano quartet, and Op. 44 piano quintet is excellent, epsecially since it's offered at Philips' Duo (2-for-1 price). Having recently performed the piano quartet and quintet, I can say that the Beaux Arts Trio brings much finesse, refinement, and superb musical judgment to these performances. The famous Quintet gets an oustanding performance, not as volatile as the live EMI recording led by Martha Argerich, but then without that recording's self-indulgence either. I think the piano quartet is underrated; it has a absolutely beautiful slow movement and an exhilarating last movement filled with counterpoint. The Beaux Arts gives it an excellent performance, though the slow movement seems rather too ponderous and lacking the radiance it should have. The piano trios aren't as well known: they come from later in Schumann's career and are often considered inferior to the earlier works. I cannot agree, especially in the case of the first two trios, which cotrast beautifully, the first one passionate and tragic, the second one lighter and fresher, almost Schubertian, both with beautiful slow movements. The snag is that the first trio is split between the two discs, which is an inconvenience. Very good sound, too. By the way, if you enjoy the trios, you should also check out the Florestan Trio's two outstanding discs on Hyperion (one with the first two trios, the other with the Piano Quartet, the third trio, and the Op. 88 Fantasiestücke for piano trio). The Florestan's performances are perhaps more imaginative than the Beaux Arts', and they are even better recorded.



5. This 2 CD set offers an extraoardinary bargain. Five works by the underrated German master are heard in incisive performances that only occaisionally succumb to the usual pitfall of many Schumann performances: Zu Viel Schmaltz. When Robert indulged in self-pity, he bathed in it! (especially when he was "Eusebius").... The sound overall is consistent and adequate, although some selections are remastered from analog. Many people have said, "Why couldn't Schumann write a truly great symphony?" He did---the Eb Quintett, op. 44. If you love romantic period chambermusic, you should not miss this collection. This is more than two hours of great music...

5 comments about Mendelssohn: 5 Symphonies; 7 Overtures.

1. I've waited for years to buy a complete set of Mendelssohn symphonies and having listened to a less-than-ideal rendition of the "Lobgesang" recently, I decided it was time. I'm either glad I waited or wish I'd bought this recording ages ago, though I doubt such a bargain was available then -- this is wonderful Mendelssohn and the inclusion of the overtures and the scherzo from the Octet op. 20 in the composer's own orchestration (written as an alternate scherzo for his first symphony) is an intriguing and delightful inclusion.
   
   Abbado seems to choose just the right tempi (perhaps a bit slower in places than, say, Gardiner and certainly slower than Toscanini) and he slightly slows the music or speeds it up at just the right places where such emphases are needed. As expected, the London Symphony's sound is beautifully rich and warm, but Mendelssohn's counterpoint such as the woodwind suspensions in the introduction of no. 2 and the tossing around of the counter themes in the fugal passages of no. 4's Saltarello are brought to the fore in ways I've never heard in other recordings or in live performances. I especially appreciate Abbado's approach to no. 5: He takes the composer at his word and conducts the musical representation of Protestantism's early struggle (and mystery and beauty exemplified in the Dresden Amen) by giving its first movement the powerful reading it deserves. Martin Luther would be proud.
   
   I must advocate a bit for the symphony no. 2. So often with symphonic/choral works (as opposed to expressly and primarily vocal works such as operas), performances and recordings feature second-rate performers and half-hearted renditions. It's a Catch-22 because such performances sustain the music's lack of popularity, as if the increased forces (and their financial obligation) dictate their musical worth. Mendelssohn's 2nd is another very fine work relegated to neglect for these same reasons and it's unfortunate that only in a complete symphonies compilation will its beauties be appreciated. However, Abbado and the LSO make a great case -- the singing is superlative both by the soloists and the chorale and one can hear THE ORGAN!
   
   I highly recommend this recording.



2. From the first entrances, the symphonies and overtures of Felix Mendelssohn come alive under the expert direction of Maestro Claudio Abbado. Sensitive phrasings and dynamics make the most of Mendelssohn's lyric melodic lines, helping to shape each work into a cohesive whole. The "Hymn of Praise" contains some rather extreme dynamic levels, in my opinion, but overall, it is a stunning collection, with excellent soloists and choir. I highly recommend the two-disc set to anyone fond of Mendelssohn's music!



3. Do note that the mp3 link from this site is not what it is supposed to be. It links to what could well be a very mediocre collection of overtures. BEWARE



4. By my calculations, this is the single best set of Mendelssohn symphonies out there today. Though better versions of the "Reformation," "Scottish," and "Italian" Symphonies exist in other disks, I still like the interpretations offered by Abbado and the LSO.
   
   For the "Reformation", and "Italian" Symphonies, I'd recommend John Eliot Gardiner and the Vienna Philharmonic's DG set.
   
   For the Scottish Symphony I'd go with Karajan's recording with the BPO (that CD also comes with the best "Hebrides Overture" recording available, and a pretty good "Italian Symphony" interpretation, too).
   
   All of the overtures in this set are performed very well, both in technical execution and musical interpretation. The Hebrides (a work far ahead of its time), in particular, is a fine recording. So is "Overture 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'." I really have grown fond of the "Ruy Blas" overture as well.
   
   Another reviewer complained that the interpretations in this set are "too Classical." I think they are correct in saying the set is Classically performed, but I think that works with Mendelssohn, as he was "the Romantic Mozart."
   
   
   
   Overall this is a great set, and a good way to become familiar with the music of Felix Mendelssohn, or build your Mendelssohn library.



5. Unlike many all-digital compilations offered by one orchestra and conductor, this collection of Mendelssohn favorites is outstanding in performance and interpretation throughout. Maestro Abbado shows a genuine affection for the composer and his genius by the sequence of selections on each disc, and I find no weak performances anywhere in this remarkable recording.
   
   Charlie Hastings
   Falls Church, VA