5 comments about Music for Organ, Brass & Percussion.

1. If you enjoy pomp and circumstance type music, you must have this CD.



2. I agree with Mr Hazelwood. This recording is lack luster and I usually like Michael Murray's recording. Too much brass and no organ. I agree that Columbia (Sony) should re-release the E. Power Biggs Music or Organ Brass and Percussion. That is the best recording and the correct mixture of instrments I have heard in a long time. I recently sent them (Columbia) an e-mail making that request. Maybe if they get enough e-mails, they would know that we demand the best of the best.



3. What a big disappointment! How can so many exciting pieces of music be made to sound so dull? Someone should take a torch to Mr. Murray's organ bench; pehaps then there would be some fire to his performance. The Richard Strauss processional has been a longtime favorite of mine, but this lackluster pressing is beyong decent! Please, Columbia, re-release the E. Power Biggs recording of many of the same selections ruinrd on yhis CD!



4. I enjoy all types of music. I think that this CD would appeal to anyone, not just classical fans. The musical selections are high energy and powerful.



5. It's hard to fathom the restraint of some of the prior reviewers' praise of this CD. As you would expect from any Telarc "fully digital" recording, the overall sonic impact is gratifyingly dynamic, and the performances are impeccable. Moreover, many supremely masterful composers are included-several of whom you might otherwise never encounter. At this price, buying this highly enjoyable CD is a no-brainer.

5 comments about Wagner: The "Ring" Without Words.

1. Being a Wagnerite is sometimes a little difficult. Wagner's music is demanding on practically all levels, and especially demanding to the casual listener. The music can sometimes be too sugary, way overblown, or deceptively muted. This can definitely present problems, and that is why there are those who can detest Wagner's works to the degree that others love it. There is little middle room: Love or hate, Wagner's music is unique...and difficult.
   
   This CD brings out another difficulty: The attempt to tone down Wagner and make his work more generally acceptable. On the good side, this CD is a rather good compilation of some of the Ring's most important melodies. Its symphonic structure allows good flow between the rather disjoint work, and the idea works to a significant degree.
   
   But Maazel's approach is to create a uniformity of interpretation on a work that took more than 20 years to complete. This uniformity saps the Ring of much of its musical strength. The standard pieces are played almost the same as the other selections; little differentiation is evident and as a result only minor aspects of the drama in this incredible music drama are revealed.
   
   While it is possible to play Wagner's music poorly, I always thought it was equally possible to at least grasp its passion. Unfortunately, Maazel's approach proves me to be wrong.
   
   Yes, being a Wagnerite can be very difficult.



2. Even Wagner had the good sense to construct his monumental "Ring" Cycle as four distinct operas! So when Loren Maazel got the idea to record a "Ring without Words," what was so important about making it one long movement? No one knew better than Wagner the emotional impact of a well-placed fermata or a crash-bang finale, but this spark of genius seems to have eluded Maazel in his obsession to keep the musical Rhine flowing from beginning to end non-stop for 67 minutes. What seems at first to be a really novel idea starts to break down early on when we begin to anticipate the throbbing final pages of "Das Rheingold," only to discover that for the sake of seamlessness, the whole dramatic passage is skipped over by an awkward leap from Donner's thunder into the depths of "Die Walkure!" Other cuts can be forgiven considering time limitations, although there is still room for ten more minutes of music on the CD. Edo de Vaart gives us something more on his "Ring" recording, since he has no fear of finales. Otherwise, Maazel's handing of the score is quite exciting, and the Vienna Philharmonic is totally responsive to his every gesture. Here's a good idea for some future recording, one I'd certainly buy and which would appeal to thousands of other "Wagnerites" like myself: why not a four-movement "Ring Without Words" across two CDs, with every possible voiceless note from the pen of the Master, one opera after the other?



3. If you're looking for a single CD of orchestral music from Wagner's Ring, I'd like to recommend this one. Here's why.
   
   Wagner's tetralogy Der Ring des Nibelungen contains some of the most magnificent, most stirring, most imaginative music ever written (along with some that's pedestrian and dull; there are glorious moments, splendid peaks, and there are arid stretches, longeurs that make one wish that Wagner the supreme egotist had submitted his work to the judgment of a good editor). The four operas comprising it are Das Rheingold (1869), Die Walkure (1870), Siegfried (1876), and Gotterdammerung (1876). Taken together they form the towering masterwork and crowning achievement of Wagner's maturity. They are also immensely long: about 17 hours.
   
   The problem has always been to extract the best parts of the Ring for satisfactory concert presentation. The Ring does not make this easy: it contains no conventional overtures or preludes, no conveniently extractable bits. Thus various hands ever since Wagner's day have carved out "bleeding chunks," with mixed results, and the practice has always been controversial.
   
   This CD presents a different approach. In order to make this recording---to quote the Wagner expert in Third Ear: Classical Music: The Listener's Companion (ed. Alexander J. Morin, 2002; an excellent book, by the way)---"Maazel decided to create his own vast symphonic suite from the Ring, and he has toured with it around the world. . . . If you want to hear the best parts of the Ring without sitting down to 17 hours or so, this is your best bet." I agree. Maazel's 70-minute symphonic synthesis of the best music from the Ring has a consistency, an integration and seamless flow, an organic rightness lacking in other Ring orchestral-highlights programs, with their "bleeding chunks" approach. Also, Maazel's suite gives a better idea of the scope and variety of the Ring, of its full range of colors and sonorities, than the standard orchestral excerpts.
   
   Let Maazel describe his priorities in putting his suite together: "I was intrigued by the challenge: could a symphonic synthesis of the Ring reveal the essentials? I bolted the following list of criteria to my drawingboard: One: the synthesis must be free-flowing and chronological, beginning with the first note of Rheingold and finishing with the last chord of Gotterdammerung. Two: the transitions must be harmonically and periodically justifiable, the pacing contrasts commensurate with the length of the work. Three: most all of the music originally written for orchestra without voice must be used, adding those sections with a vocal line essential to a synthesis . . . . Four: every note must be Wagner's own. . . . Though no conscious attempt was made to include all the Ring's motifs, most of them do surface in one form or another."
   
   The result as represented on this CD is eminently satisfactory. Maazel is a seasoned Wagner conductor, and has conducted the complete Ring at Bayreuth and elsewhere. The Berlin Philharmonic is one of the world's great orchestras. Both it and Maazel are in top form here: the performance is idiomatic and assured, sweeping and eloquent, played to the hilt, bristling with authority and conviction. I hope I'm not being fanciful in finding that listening to the whole suite straight through yields a kind of catharsis. The sound is robust, full-bodied, with wide dynamic range, with solid weight and impact. Telarc's engineers have done a commendable job of coping with the problematic acoustics of Berlin's Philharmonie; this is probably just about the best sound that can be extracted from that vexed venue.
   
   The recording was made in Dec. 1987. Total playing time is 69:40 (broken out as follows: Das Rheingold 14:47, Die Walkure 12:42, Siegfried 6:15, and Gotterdammerung 36:33; if this seems to give short shrift to Siegfried, it has always been musically the weakest of the four operas).
   
   In short, it's hard to imagine a better orchestral introduction to the glories of the Ring. The virtues of this CD move it to the top of its class: highly recommended.



4. Decades ago, Leopold Stokowski popularized opera for the general public through "symphonic syntheses." These included Wagner's Ring, Triastan, and Boris Godunov, to mention those I've heard and enjoyed. I was prepared to enjoy Maazel's modern update and expected a fun ride through the gorgeous sonorities of Wagner's score.
   
   Not much enjoyment resulted, however. Maazel is superficial, often ponderous, and much too roughshod with this pastische. It can't all be crash and bang. So I threw the CD away and hope a few others won't make the mistake I did.



5. In having read the other reviews of this CD, I think many individuals failed to take note of the original intent behind this CD coming about in the first place. Lorin Maazel was commissioned by the recording company (Telarc) to come up with an arrangement of the prime orchestral excerpts of the "Ring," and his 4-step approach listed in the booklet, makes it abundantly clear that NOT ALL of the music commonly heard on other recordings of the orchestral music from the "Ring," would be heard in this arrangement. Also, it is to be inferred that Maazel knows, and obviously doesn't expect his arrangement to take the place of ANY complete recording of the "Ring."
   
   I heard Maazel conduct his arrangement live with the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington, DC last year. Before that concert, I had never listened to this recording, but I knew about it. So I had the advantage of going into the concert with a fresh mind.
   
   I came out of the concert with the feeling that others before me expressed -- that some of the transitions between familiar excerpts were smooth, some so-so, and others rather clunky. I think Maazel would be the first to admit that he was more successful in some areas of his arrangement, and not as successful in others. So be it. Wagner is tough for anyone and everyone delving into the complete operas, whatever their command of German and musical/orchestral principles.
   
   So, my rating and review of this recording is confined to Maazel's task at hand. I give his effort four stars. Most of this "grade" is confined to the arrangement itself. I give the orchestral playing five stars.

4 comments about El Amor Brujo/ 3 Cornered Hat/ Nights in the Gardens of Spain.

1. This is a bargain buy, as the other reviewers note, with a riveting El Amor Brujo from Stokowski, making a rare recording with his old orchestra, which he left in 1938. He made a specialty of this work, which appears at least three times in his discography. The present one is in the best sound -- very wide-ranging stereo -- but Shirley Verreet comes off a bit wooden in the impassioned vocal part, and her Spanish could have been learned syllable by syllable at Berlitz.
   
   Ormandy, who was stokowski's successor, of course, turns int two good performances as well, not the most fiery or Spanish rendition of the Three-Cornered Hat Suite or the most atmospheric Nights in the Garden of Spain, but good nonetheless. For myself, my love of De Falla isn't great enough for me to own more than two or three recordings of his major works, but this rare pairing of Ormandy and Stokowski has sentimental value and does the job nicely.



2. This CD features Manuel de Falla's three most popular orchestral works: the El Amor Brujo suite, Nights in the Gardens of Spain, and dances from The Three-Cornered Hat. They all feature the incomparable Philadelphia Orchestra; Brujo is conducted by Leopold Stokowski, while Nights and Hat are conducted by Eugene Ormandy. All three performances are outstanding, although I find Stokowski's tempos to be a bit too idiosyncratic at times. It is still a very colorful and enjoyable performance with a particularly rousing and satisfying finale. Ormandy's three dances from Hat are done very well--exciting and colorful. The sound quality throughout the CD is quite good, although not up to par with modern digital standards.
   
   The real reason to get this CD is the phenomenal performance of Nights by pianist Philippe Entremont. He and Ormandy capture the ebb and flow of this work--so difficult to properly bring off--like few others. This performance is in the same league as Alicia de Larrocha's classic recordings and probably better than Martha Argerich's celebrated performance. Entremont knows just when to give the music forward propulsion and when to let it carry itself. Both the lyrical and atmospheric elements as well as the exciting, ultra-Spanish climaxes are given maximum effect here. Entremont's partership with Ormandy and the PO has brought us many classic recordings (the piano concertos [plus Paganini Rhapsody] by Rachmaninov, Saint Saens, and Grieg) and this is one of the best. If you like this work (Nights), you must own Entremont's performance. (It is also available on a CD with music of Gershwin, Franck, and Faure, but the program is completely unrelated.)
   
   This is the ultimate collection of Falla's major works, including one of the very best "Nights in the Gardens of Spain" ever. It is worth it just for that alone. At budget price, you'd be silly to miss this one.



3. It is tragic that Spanish native Mary Campbell grew up with the music of De Falla "as a background"....Pity that with a little more money she might have been able to sit far enough up in front to hear all the missing notes that this recording has apparently revealed to her at last.
   
   She might also have guessed that Shirley Carter (or Shirley Verrett-Carter, as she was then known) was a mezzo-soprano who sang in "El Amor Brujo" under Stokowski, and was certainly NOT the pianist who performed in "Nights in the Gardens of Spain - that job was performed by Philippe Entremont.
   
   Desite the shocking musical ignorance displayed by Ms. Campbell in her review, she got one thing right - it is a CD worth buying for some wonderful music, very well played



4. 11/12/2000

   I was born and raised in Spain. I grew up with the wonderful music of Manuel De Falla as a background. Consequently, I have heard countless versions of the best works of Manuel De Falla. When I heard about this American version of two of the best compositions of Manuel De Falla played by the Philadelphia Orchestra and conducted by Ormandy and Stokowski I was curious. I thought that I knew every note in the score of these masterpieces, and it was my believe that it could not be much different from other versions that I had heard before. When I bought the CD and listened to it for the first time, I realised how mistaken I was. I was moved to tears. Somehow, Ormandy and Stokowski have returned back to life these wonderful masterpieces. Eugene Ormandy is superb conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra in "El Amor Brujo" (Bewitched Love), the story of a gipsy girl resorting to witchcratf as a way to forget her lover. Nevertheless, the best of the CD is the unbelivable

   version of Leopold Stokowski conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra of the masterpiece "Noches en los Jardines de Espana" (Nights in the gardens of Spain), a piano concert that evokes the nocturnal sounds around gardens, including the water of fountains. Shirley Verrett is an outstanding piano player. I strongly recommend this CD to everybody who likes Spanish music and in particular Manuel De Falla. The fans of Eugene Ormandy and Leopold Stokowski will also be happy with this CD. The price of this CD in Amazon.com is a steal! Go for it!

No comments about Rossini: Greatest Hits.

2 comments about Offenbach: Gaite Parisienne; Orpheus in the Underworld; Voyage to the Moon.

1. This CD is just that - delightful. After hearing some of these selections on Public Radio, I searched out and purchased this CD. It is a wonderful musical delight at work or at home.



2. I first heard this as a teen, being introduced to classical music. I was hooked! The rhythm and pace keep you glued to the edge of your seat- an absolute must for an afficianado!

3 comments about More Mozart For Your Mind.

1. Contemplative, relaxing, yet mentally stimulating. Back when I used to be a teacher, I would play this quietly while my students were taking a test.
   
   My only complaint is that - particularly on tracks 2 and 3 - the operating of the 'keys' on the oboe and clarinet got picked up by the microphone.. a certain level of this should be expected while recording analog music, however it is way too loud on this recording and is distracting from the beautiful music. (compare to track 6, which has a lot of clarinet, and the aforementioned sounds are barely discernible).



2. The creative process is a mysterious phenomenon. Artists, musicians and writers will tell you an array of different sources of inspiration from physical exercise, viewing a beautiful landscape to falling in love. We all have different sources of inspiration, but what ever it may be, it has the capacity to put our creative energies in motion. Years ago, I remember while studying at school, cramming to write that dreaded mid-term essay, twenty-four hours before the deadline, putting Mozart, Bach or Beethoven on the stereo, and miraculously, the words began to effortlessly flow. The final grade wasn't what was intended, but the paper invariably got finished.
   
   As the CD claims, it is now certain that particular sonatas, serenades or piano concertos by Mozart can have a positive affect on the brain, enhancing abstract and spatial reasoning. Most of us knew back in the seventies that calm, classical music helped our indoor plants to grow and remain happy. Now it is scientific fact that Mozart's music, though not permanently, can raise our intelligence.
   
   As aesthetics and music is a matter of taste and sensibility, certain themes and variations of Mozart's music will affect different people in different ways. The selection of themes and variations in this CD has been carefully chosen to have the desired affect on the listener. My personal favorites are track 5, Piano Concerto No 24 in C minor, performed by the English Chamber Orchestra, and track 8, Piano Concerto No 17 in G. These particular concertos have been known to put me instantly in a good mood, leading to one creative endeavor or another.
   
   Although this short collection of Mozart's music is a wonderful introduction to the maestro, even experts of this genre, might indeed find it surprising, as the individual pieces seem to be carefully chosen and well performed. Excellent listening.



3. More Mozart for your Mind is a generally pleasant collection of pieces which I find makes a nice backdrop for my work and reading. The works (Sonata in A, Serenade No. 10 in B-flat, Divertimento No. 11) are familiar, relaxing, and enjoyable. St. Martin in the Fields and the English Chamber Orchestra provide good performances, and Phillips quality is present. I did find the Piano Concerto No. 24 in c a bit jarring, and the Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat was very dynamic and could be distracting to a more sensitive listener.

5 comments about Chopin: Preludes & Nocturnes.

1. So this is my first Chopin CD and if this is a fairly complete sampling of his type of work, then I'm not a fan. The pianist is skilled and does a good job in playing the work so my critique is not about him. I just didn't like the compositions. There was just not much to grab on to - I did not come out of listening to it humming anything I just heard. And since most was very short, just when I thought Chopin may have had a motif going, the piece ends without the motif being developed (or even just repeated).
   
   There seemed to me to be two types of compositions on the CD: fast, finger agility exercises and slow, arppeggiated chords progressions. The fast ones do show the pianist's virtuosity but is just not enjoyable to listen to, not like say, Flight of the Bumble Bee, which can show virtuosity but is a joy to listen to. The slow pieces on the other hand sounds to me just like the piano accompaniment part of a duet or small combo. I was wanting for a melodic instrument (oboe, clarinet, violin, etc) to be playing a good melody above those slow pieces.
   
   As for using it to relax, it's just too annoying and boring to me for it to be even relaxing. Sorry, Chopin fans, give me Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Handel, or Vivaldi any day.



2. Fryderyk Chopin was a concert pianist who created his own compositions. They are as sad as they are beautiful. This record allows the melancholy of the composer and pianist to really show. It is well recorded and seems to attempt to portray the artist music with it full intensity.



3. I found this cd to be a great listening tool when working on Chopin's Preludes. The pianist is very sensitive to the Romantic musical style, allowing for a sense of understanding of some of the most difficult harmonies of the 19th century. Highly recommended!



4. This beautiful music was purchased for relaxation and it is perfect for that. I play it while reading or getting ready for sleep.



5. Sheer poetry. Barto slows down the slow preludes, much to their advantage, finding in them more beauty and meaning than you previously thought was there. Listening to them is like watching a rose open in slow motion. But to make this succeed as a cycle, and to maintain overall scale, he has to pull back on some of the faster pieces, to their minor disadvantage. A real winner!

5 comments about Scott Joplin: His Complete Works.

1. i never received this cd - please advise how to search - thank you
   phone 480 837 7910 / cell 480 861 5918



2. These renditions of the Joplin rags and other pieces for solo piano are not only complete, but they seem to this Jopin fan to be faithful in spirit and (for the most part) in letter to the originals. The tempos are appropriate and the amount of elaboration (always a temptation for a skilled pianist) is kept to a minimum. Thus the spirit and genius of Joplin is intact and the music is a joy for the listener. Several works that were unfamiliar to me are now on my list of Joplin sheet music to find for my own playing pleasure.



3. May I offer a suggestion to those who feel that the music is trite and all the same? Do not listen to this collection or any other collection (e.g. John Arpin's or Joshua Rifkin's) of ragtime in the order the pieces are recorded on the CDs, especially if you're not very familiar with ragtime. The pieces are often given chronologically or in alphabetical order. Also, don't listen to too many pieces all at once. Pick two, three, or at most four to become acquainted with first. This way you'll be able to appreciate the individual characteristics of the pieces. Try these four pieces first:
   
   1. Gladiolus Rag
   2. Weeping Willow
   3. Solace
   4. Magnetic Rag
   
   Later you'll discover other gems on your own. When you're first getting to know ragtime, it's probably best to avoid listening to pieces that have been done to death (and often done poorly or played way too fast), like "The Entertainer" or "Maple Leaf Rag."



4. Richard Zimmerman is one of the best interpreters of Scott Joplin. Zimmerman avoids the pitfalls many others have taken by playing Joplin's music too fast and/or too flashy. Zimmerman's tempos are moderate and his ornamentation/improvisaion is tasteful. By not trying to be a "show off", Zimmerman keeps to the original spirit of Joplin's music. Although the original recording itself may be close to 30 years old, it has transferred well to CD. I highly recommend this disc to anyone who is interested in Ragtime and American music.



5. Excellent collection - but there are re-sellers listed here that are selling this for as much $50 or $60. Yikes, most major retailers are selling this complete set for $18 - so beware.

5 comments about Manfredini: CONCERTI GROSSI OP. 3 Nos. 1-12.

1. Nice, well-performed, and all that but really if you've heard one set of concerti grossi from the 1st half of the 18th century then you've heard them all. I challenge anyone to distinguish this CD from the concerti grossi of Corelli, Geminiani, Locatelli, Vivaldi, Handel, or Heinechen. Nice pleasant music but it all sounds the same.



2. I never heard of Manfredini until I got "Italian Baroque Favorites" by Cappell Istropolitana and Naxos, and from that sample I decided to get this CD. I was certainly not disappointed. The music jumps right out at you, it is so clear and crisp. Vivaldi, Handel, and Bach Concertos are not any better than Manfredini, lots of energy! Capella Istropolitana is number 1 for Baroque music.



3. I really enjoy the Capella Istropolitana. They have such a wonderful and bright sound. I find the works on this CD to be well played and the tempo selection for each movement very good. I listen to Baroque on my daily commute to and from work. I have a particular affinity for Italian Baroque and Manfredini does not disappoint me. He has nice melodic Concerti Grossi. This is a very pleasant and uplifting CD.



4. In the 1990s the Capella Istropolitana recorded for Naxos all, or nearly all,the concerti grossi of Corelli, Geminiani, Locatelli and Manfredini. The Corelli was pretty good, you used to hear it on classic music radio, the Geminiana and Locatelli recordings were less so, but all were good enough to interest me so that in later years I bought better recordings of all of them. This CD, the Manfredini, was the most successful of them. The recording is of the twelve concerti grossi of his opus 3, just about all of his surviving work. Each of the twelve is a little gem, tuneful, joyful music that sparkles like the morning sun on dew. The performance is unprentious, but precise and articulate, and the first and only ( ? )recording of this music. If my memory is correct the CD won a Rosette from Penguin. It is well worth 5 stars, and at Naxos's bargain price is a steal, please buy it, it may spur your interest in the wonderful world of Baroque music.



5. WOW WOW WOW!
   
   I love rhythmic baroque music. Such as Vivaldi's presto's and Telemann's Sinfonia Spritiuosa. But we've all heard of Viv and Tele, and Bach etc... Then I hapt across (thank to the internet) this dude named Francesco Onofrio MANFREDINI! This guy is awesome. The strings bounce and move with rhythmic strength and joy from end to end of this steller 18th century master.
   
   I hope I'm not missing out on any other Baroque composer's at this level. After all I just hapt across the one, the only, the MAN! Manfredini and this groovin' Concerti Grossi, Op.3!!! Hmm now to search for opus 1,2,4,....
   
   And did I mention it was $7 bucks! Absolutely hilarious they want $17.00 for the latest brittney spears CD and only $7 for this timeless masterwork of sonic beauty by Manfredini.

4 comments about Tchaikovsky: Serenade for Strings.

1. Philippe Entremont may be better known as a world-class pianist than a conductor. As a pianist, he collaborated with prominent figures including Leonard Bernstein and Eugene Ormandy, but he himself turns out to be a very good conductor.
   
   This album, with Maestro Entremont leading the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, features Tchaikovsky's two best-known and most beautiful chamber works: Serenade for Strings and Souvenir de Florence. Although not as painstakingly emotional as Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic, nor as sensual and passionate as Ormandy as his "Philadelphia Sound", Entremont and his ensemble offers an highly respectable performance, with great control without any flamboyance, and above all the lush, moving strings comprised of members representing the music capital of the world.
   
   Naxos is known for offering recordings done by less-than-prolific artists at a budget price, but this is an absolute winner. A stunning performance with only little money out of one's wallet. Simply put, an excellent bargain!



2. I was listening to a biography of Tchaikovsky on cassette and
   the instructor mentioned the 2 pieces on this CD as relatively
   unknown masterpieces of chamber music. I was very happy to see that
   I could get both of them on one CD. I am not qualified to give any sort of analysis
   of the performances (by the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, 1990) because I
   just listen to music, but the 5-star rating I give the CD says enough,
   and the instructor who praised these pieces so highly was absolutely
   correct! The liner notes are sparse yet complete.



3. The previous reviewer talked about Souvenir de Florence on the CD, which is indeed very good. However, I am less familiar with Souvenir than the Serenade, so I'll comment on that instead. At the risk of sounding trite, the performance here is among the best available. Vienna Chamber Orchestra does a wonderful job trying to maintain the clarity of the work, allowing the listener to hear the individual parts of the work. For example, I've never really noticed some of the beautiful countermelodies in the Waltz until I listened to this recording. The interpretation is also first-rate. Entremont brings out the warmth of the music well, plus the tempo never drags. The result is a finely performed work that will captures the listener's attention throughout the piece. Oh, did I mention that the recorded sound is VERY good?

   At this price, this is a deal not to miss. If you are looking for one recording of the Serenade, this is it. Even if you already own the Serenade, chances are that you don't yet have a recording of the rarely recorded Souvenir. Definitely give this CD a try.




4. Performances of the orchestral arrangement of Souvenir de Florence are rare, as it seems are recordings. The work however is quite lovely and evocative and suits a string orchestra capable of playing as both an entity and a collection of fine soloists. Look no further therefore than this recording for an excellent interpretation.

   The more familiar serenade is also a fine example of the work of one of Europe's leading Chamber Orchestras.

   I play this disc frequently, most especially the Souvenir and have only a minor quibble and that is with a rather fast take up of the opening of the work. Otherwise this has to be one of the best quality recordings I have heard from Naxos but then they used an interesting recording venue, Casino Baumgartner in Vienna, and presumeably Austrian engineers.

   Take it to your desert island!