5 comments about The Fiddle Concerto.

1. I've been a big fan of O'Connor for years, but I was somewhat disappointed in his concerto debut. The Fiddle Concerto displays a flash or two of O'Connor's genius, but overall I found it lacking. The first movement sounds like it might have been written by Aaron Copland, not that that's a bad thing. But a stronger composition might have been a bit more distinctive. The second movement presents a mournful theme that really doesn't seem to go anywhere. The third movement is reminiscent of the old Marlboro cigarette TV ads or a soundtrack from a 60s western. The highlight of this album in my opinion are the cadenzas and quartet compositions. Overall it's not a bad first effort for this genre. It's a great concept incorporating the fiddle style into classical composition, but I found The American Seasons a much more interesting and memorable composition.



2. Much has been said in praise of the Fiddle Concerto in previous reviews. It is indeed a fine piece of music and I would concur with the accolades of other reviewers. Little has been said of the String Quartet that is also on this CD. Well, to me, it is about as good as music gets. While it gives deference to the tradition of the string quartet, with a big difference being that Edgar Meyer is on double bass, it is inventive, complex and totally satisfying. A sheer delight.



3. This CD is the classical debut from one of America's greatest musical treasures of this generation. Mark has been a legend in bluegrass and acoustic music circles for years. His fiddle playing and prowess on pretty much all stringed instruments have been showcased to bluegrass and traditional music fans the world over for years. Now Mark has invaded the world of classical music, and has first CD is wonderful. Mark's playing is sheer joy and his melodic sense is delightful. A aual feast for the ears and the soul. His concerto is not as well composed as some of the classics, that that is more than compensated for with Mark's dead on playing and infectious energy. If Mark continues to mature in his compositional sense and keeps his bluegrass roots intact, we will have many more classic concertos coming from him. Buy this CD and rediscover passion in modern music.



4. This wonderful CD is an honest attempt to marry American bluegrass idom to classical music forms. The result manages to be both toe-tapping and extraordinarily rich; maybe Dvorak would have joined in with O'Connor if he were alive today and came back to Iowa. I can't recommend this highly enough.



5. If Beethoven or Schumann had been able to make a trip to the new Republic and attend a few barn-raisin's and hoe-downs, they might have written something like Mark O'Connor's Fiddle Concerto. Bursting with joie d'vivre, the virtuostic composer/performer has given those of us starved for something new to listen to the benefit of his considerable talents. Though clearly less comfortable writing for the full orchestra than for his beloved fiddle, or for the string section, O'Connor nonetheless has done himself proud with those portions of the concerto that do make use of the rest of the orchestra. So much so that one wishes, despite the joys of listening to O'Connor strum solo, that he had lavished more time on writing orchestral counterpoint for his instrument of choice, as some of the solo sections cry out for a challenge from the woodwinds, or a bay from the brass. If anything, the string Quartet that rounds out the CD is even more skillfully put together.

5 comments about Carl Orff: Carmina Burana.

1. It may be dated - but this recording of Orff's major opus is still by far the most vibrant and scintillating available. Long may it be remain so ...



2. A good orchestral rendition of this work. Not spectacular, but definitely good.



3. I will not repeat the correct observations of others about this recording vis a vis being less than dynamic.
   
   However, the amazon.com review that states this has rudimentary orchestration is completely wrong. This piece is totally inventive in its use of orchestral and choral forces throughout.



4. To counter some of the other reviewer's comments here, I have both the Slatkin/St Louis Symphony version and the Robert Shaw version and there's no comparison. The Slatkin version is ponderous and the audio is pure mud. The chorus and orchestra are mixed together in a mess of sound that makes hearing the words impossible. In addition, the orchestral bass notes are just a bunch of mush.
   
   By comparison, the Shaw version is crystal clear with easily distinguished choral voices, bass notes and triangles/cymbols. The bass drum rattles your fillings and adds to the impact. I've sung this piece myself in the Kennedy Center (Wash DC) and find this version to be perfect in every way. The chorus is superb. Buy it.



5. When I heard the introduction of "O Fortuna" on the vinyl version of Sepultura's Morbid Visions album, dated 1986, I thought: Where to find this record, which orchestra and regent played this opus called Carmina Burana? There are several versions. I have one by Seiji Osawa, other by James Levini (in vinyl, with lyrics) and this by Robert Shaw that I consider the best!!!Through this site I could find it, just hearing the tracks! I must say: This version of Carmina Burana is the heaviest (due the tambour like a Thunder) and awesome of all time I have heard!!! It's simple and wonderful!!! This version have 4 long tracks. On a CD Player which displays the index, you can see the subtitles.
   I ordered it in a classical music store.
   I recommend it!!!...

3 comments about Violin for Relaxation.

1. I am not an expert in classical music, but have always loved the string instruments. I bought this CD for relaxation (as the title implies) and to help me focus on writing a thesis. I was torn between this CD and the Cello for Relaxation. I am pleased with my choice. My favorites are track #2 and #10 (listen to the samples through Amazon) - I usually play these two on repeat. My least favorite is track #7 because it sounds like a piano dominated movie soundtrack.
   Although I wish I could have exchanged some of the tracks for others, I think this CD was worth the money and is a nice mix for those of us who don't know specific composers by name or who want a good sampling.



2. The selection of music was a good mix and pleasant in listening to them.
   
   The choice of orchestras and conductors are also very well selected offering very good variety in the similar music mood.
   
   My two long time favourites "Meditation" and "Salut d'amour" were very well played in the right tempo and instrumental arrangement.
   
   The recording quality is good offering both clarity and defination in the recording.



3. To me, it is an extraordinary combination demonstarting the old world beauty and timeless artistry of the violin.

   It will take you back to everything good remembered, and forward to everything good ahead of us.

5 comments about Leo Brouwer: Guitar Music, Vol. 1.

1. It is a very good recording of the most famous cuban composer in the area of the classical guitar.
   I recommend this issue very much.



2. Cobo plays the hell out of these amazing Brouwer pieces. The classical guitar has never sounded better. Brouwer's work is so distinctive and memorable. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to discover a truly genius composer. And Ricardo Cobo's virtuosity is on full display here; his musicianship is astounding!



3. I can't believe that I am only now discovering the music of Leo Brouwer. His music is sophisticated, yet highly accessible. He manages to mix virtuosity with lyricism in equal parts. The performer Ricardo Cabo is also a real find. He is amazing. Lastly since this is a CD put out by Naxos the quality is high and the price low.



4. It's a real pleasure for me to give a reference on this remarkable album. It's really an excellent music - at once modern and classical, and an excellent performance - full of both virtuosity and taste!



5. Born in Havana, Cuba, in 1939, Leo Brouwer has written some of the most diverse music for any instrument during the last 60 years. You can hear his Cuban background in the dynamic Afro-Cuban strains of his work. And of course, as in all guitar music, there's a rich Spanish element (in fact, one of Brouwer's guitar teachers studied under a pupil of Francisco Tárrega). But on top of that there's this interesting undercurrent of American folk music from the 1960s, which surely makes Brouwer unique among Latin guitar composers. Plus, you'll be able to hear the influence of Messiaen, Bartok, Shostakovich, and Stravinsky in works like the "Preludio" of 1956 (written when Browuer was 17), "Fuga No. 1", and "Elogio a la danza". As a young guitarist Brouwer was disappointed that few of the great composers of his day had written anything for the guitar, so he just wrote it himself. He wrote his four books of "Estudios sencillos", for example, to provide guitar students with a contemporary alternative to the classic works of men like Sor, Carcassi, and Coste.

   This is a great place to begin if you've never listened to anything by Brouwer. It's also incredibly cheap. Ricardo Cobos is one of the foremost interpreters of Brouwer's work and it's good to see such a quality recording come out on the inexpensive Naxos label. All I want to know is: where are the other volumes if this one's just the first? 5 stars.

5 comments about Early American Choral Music, Vol. 1.

1. After several years of singing in a church choir, I got exposed to many, many different styles of choral music. We sang modern versions of some of these songs, which were really nice. This, however, was a spectacular opportunity to hear the same music more closely to the original composition. If you enjoy choral music, this should be at least interesting to you. The performances are all a capella, lending more of a "not modern mass consumption" feel. Of course, I love a capella, so I might be a bit biased there.
   
   Much of it is powerful. All of it is well done. The text is easily understandable - it isn't sung for some 'artistic complexity', like opera (where it sounds nice, but can't really understand what they're singing). If you are interested because of its source material (traditional Christian), you will find it pleasant, if for no other reason than to hear a different version of music you're probably familiar with: e.g. The Lord is Risen Indeed; the Rose of Sharon.
   
   Haven't heard v.2, so can't compare it.
   
   Definately worth the price (well, the price I'm looking at today).



2. I ended up ordering this CD, as well as Vol. 2, and "Make A Joyful Noise: American Psalmody." I thought the quality was excellent on all three, but I wanted to say that if you're not sure how well you like this kind of music, I would recommend the American Psalmody CD instead of the two CD set. I found myself enjoying the music very much at first, but quickly losing interest as it all began to sound alike to me.



3. Since buying this a week or so ago, it has rarely left my CD player, and is equally pleasurable at the start or end of the day. The performances are energetic and moving, and make me long for my former days with a cathedral choir, when #16 was one of our favorites. With each hearing, I find more to delight me. (While I agree that the diction is good enough that lyrics on the liner notes aren't strictly necessary, they would have been a nice addition.)



4. This is all music by William Billings, one of the giant figures of early American church music. It is sung by a fine group that specializes in early music. The music is often hearty and pleasing, and the textual themes deal with early colonial life (e.g., harvest & the coming winter) and sometimes complex theology (e.g., pietistic interpretations of the Song of Solomon). The overall sound of the music is straightfoward, as it was no doubt to appeal to the common folk (new world Protestants). But don't let that fool you--there's high quality construction in these hymns that elevates them above folk music. Some of the songs really grab you & stay with you. This is a gift & an important part of our American heritage & culture.



5. This CD was issued originally as "A Land of Pure Delight" on the Harmonia Mundi label. Billings was the first major American composer, an apparently self taught composer with a distinctive and powerful style. A real American original, Billings' work has several interesting features. He did wonderful things writing for choirs and some of his work seems to sound like earlier, polyphonic music. This recording has features a selection of fine pieces. Lovely performances.

5 comments about Mozart: Don Giovanni, K527.

1. The sound quality is nothing like what we are used to today, even with over-compressed CDs. But the artistry of the musicians is marvelous.



2. Despite the 'historical' sound effect of this live recording, this is a 'must-own' for Mozart lovers.
   I agree that Elisabeth Schwarzkopf's Donna Elvira in this live recording is probably the best of her various recordings of this role, including the famous Giulini version. Just listen to her solo arias and the duets, and you will see the audience were so right in applauding as they did.
   Elisabeth Gruemmer was a superb Donna Anna, not to be eclipsed by the later Giulini version by Joan Sutherland.
   Cesare Siepi was only around 30 years old in this recording. He is the greatest Giovanni on record, both on stage and in recordings. I entirely agree with one earlier reviewer on Eberhard Waechter's Don G in Giulini's version: boorish. Eventhough Waechter led brilliantly in the ensembles.
   My only slight reservation is for Anton Dermota's Don Ottavio here. His Dalla pace sua hardly sounded comfortable, though he sang all the notes alright.
   One final point - it appears that this Furtwangler version is the Viennese version, not the Prague version.



3. The 6.8.1951 date which you question on page 5 of the booklet accompanying this superior performance of "Don Giovanni" refers to "Die Zauberflote," recorded on CD 3, tracks 6 - 16.
   
   The credits listed on the inside back of the CD case include "Salzburg, 27.7.1953" for Don Giovanni, and "Salzburg, 1951" for Die Zauberflote.
   
   Your recording IS the acclaimed Don Giovanni, 1953 can't-live-without version! Enjoy it more now!



4. The conductor is the number one for Mozart Operas, the 2 Elisabeths sound beautiful in their own distinctive voices, Erna Berger at 51 years old still has a very young voice. Siepi is the number one Don. Edelman and Dermota are wonderful. The sound is the only thing that could be improved but we have to realize that it is a live performance from 1951.



5. I have bought this cd opera and I listened it yesterday evening.
   I live in Ceneda of Vittorio Veneto (Italy) where Da Ponte was born.
   I have other two version (Solti director and Muti director) but this is the best.
   Very good the director and very good the interpreters.
   I have talked with many italian teacher's classical music; they said me that this edition (Furtwaengler director in Salzburg 1953) is the best in every time.

2 comments about Story Of Chopin In Words And Music.

1. Chopin is the most famous composer for the piano. Did you know that Chopin is Polish and that he created the modern piano style! He also change the nature of the piano, making the piano what it is today. Mr. Chopin wrote over 200 pieces for the piano. Chopin is the true classical pioneer of the piano. As the CD says, Chopin kept the spirit of the Polish people alive through all the wars and invasions from Russia and Germany and others. Chopin was a gentle intellectual musician, and would help his beloved Poland with his music, as it has done to this day.
   
   The story is mixed with his story and music. As you listen, you'll say, "I didn't know Chopin wrote that!" At the end of the story, some of Chopin's greatest pieces are played by Ingid Haebler; soooooooooo moving and beautiful! This is a superb learning tool and a very classy gift idea. Classy, academic, fun learning and just superb! Vamos a Escuchar!



2. The music is so wonderful, perhaps a better description is that the music is so beautiful that it almost seems surreal - Wow! So breathtaking, so Chopin!!! Add to the music, a great written biography on Chopin's life and you've got one incredible hour of enjoyment/learning. The first 1/2 hour mixes Chopin's story with his music; the second 1/2 hour is some of Chopin's greatest works! Great for that long drive in the car, or doing stuff around the house - you are learning! The whole family will have fun learning about Chopin's music, history, Poland, France, Liszt Etc. Just a wonderful way to learn. The CD and music are well done and recorded. Chopin's music is performed by world renowned pianist Ingrid Haebler(Chopin would be very pleased). A must for every piano teacher and Chopin enthusiast! It's just amazing what Chopin went through, and still be able to become: "The greatest composer for piano in the world!" Well done; Bravo!!!

5 comments about Beethoven: The Piano Concertos.

1. As an admirer of both pianist and conductor, I purchased this inexpensive set with high hopes. Ashkenazy's passionately involving cycle of Beethoven sonatas and Solti's heaven-storming cycle of Beethoven symphonies would seem to augur well for their collaboration in the piano concertos. Alas, this was not the success that it might well have been.
   
   The main problem is the recording, which places the orchestra on top of the listener while the pianist tinkles away in some distant room. Moreover, the tone of Ashkenazy's instrument, as captured by the microphones, is distinctly sour (what one can hear of it); this is not the robust sonority one encounters from this pianist in the concert hall. For comparison's sake I auditioned the original LPs, and found that the balance, though still unduly favoring the orchestra, was much more natural. One wonders what went wrong in the remastering process. Was someone asleep at the controls?
   
   As for the interpretations, they are not quite what one might have expected either. Solti is predictably volatile, if overemphatic at times, while Ashkenazy seems intent on adopting a "Byronic" stance throughout--hearing or overhearing the music as from the midst of a poet's reverie--so that Beethoven comes out sounding too much like Chopin (in slow movements) or Schumann (in fast movements). This juxtaposition of temperaments does not, on the whole convince--except in the slow movement of the Fourth Concerto, where--predictably-- Ashkenazy's dreamy Orpheus is effectively played off against Solti's furious furies. The "Emperor" has its effective moments, too--thanks to Solti's unbuttoned vigor and Ashkenazy's poised, unrhetorical playing. But there are greater "Emperors" in the catalog (try Solomon/Menges or Fleischer/Szell for starters) as well as many better-recorded fourths with equally effective dialogic contrasts in the slow movement (try Barenboim-Klemperer or Kempff-van Kempen). As for the first three concertos, better integrated interpretations abound (try Fleischer-Szell for no. 1, Kapell-Golschmann for no. 2, and Haskil-Markevitch for no. 3--among a host of others).
   
   So, regrettably, and with due respect to two artists (and an orchestra) whose work I have often enjoyed, I must give this set a "thumbs-down." You can do much better-- both sonically and interpretively--in this price range. Recommended sets: Fleischer-Szell, Kempff-van Kempen, Katchen-Gamba, Barenboim-Klemperer, Solomon-Menges, Arrau-Davis, Perahia-Haitink.



2. This CD set is a digital re-mastering of the original "Stereophonic" London recordings from 1973. The sound is crisp and clear, and enhances the masterful technique of Vladimir Ashkenazy and Sir Georg Solti's well-paced leadership. You would never know you were listening to an ADD rather than a direct digital recording. The dynamic range of this digital re-mastering is far superior to the original LPs... the pianissimos are very soft and vibrant, and the fortes take your breath away. The recording engineers obviously took great pains to 'lift' the sound of the piano up a notch or two above the orchestra, and I was greatly pleased to discover that I could now hear much more of the solo instrument than I could on the original LPs. Although Ashkenazy's technique is not as free and dynamic as Bernstein's, he is very accurate, and hits every note in perfect sync with the orchestra. Solti was at the peak of his career here, and the Chicago symphony plays wonderfully in compliment to Ashkenazy. At $14.97 for three disks, and several bonus tracks (including Fur Elise) which were not part of the original LP boxed set,this recording is a great buy. Highly recommended!



3. the article was in good condition and i had a smooth and prompt delivary



4. All I can comment right now, is the performance of the Beethoven piano concerto 1 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra was poor. The playing was stiff, the orchestra was below what they should be. I thought I even heard some off key notes from the band! Disappointed. Maybe I am just so used to how Martha Argerich plays it... However the rest of the discs are fantastic, what a contrast!!!!!!



5. Ashkenazy is more sweet in his playing than profound, Solti and the CSO are on fire, and the Decca sound is excellent! Good job!

5 comments about Musique de la Grece Antique.

1. This is one of the most - if not the most - peculiar recordings I own. Introduced to me by the owner of a classical music store/musician, I was at first stunned by the shock of primaeval rhythms and atonal soundscapes; but the intensely curious historian in me piqued my attention. Different from anything (I deliberately seek out the strange and unusual in music) we might hear in the world today, this album transports me into an almost hypnotic state in which my imagination runs rampant across the centuries. As a historian, I crave the full experience of past cultures: art, music, science, society, philosophy, politics, any aspect that deepens my understanding and knowledge.
   
   I love the impeccable research that went into this production: the reconstruction of ancient Greek instruments based on sculptures and vases, the reconstruction of contemporary notations, and the attempt at ancient pronounciations (very strange). I am aware of the differences between ancient and modern Greek as my mother has studied ancient Greek for decades - she owns scholarly recordings of individuals speaking Homerian Greek for the stage (unnatural, drawn out, with crescendos and diminuendos). How accurate is mere supposition. But this recording is strikingly similar. Also fascinating is that manuscript (papyri) gaps were filled in with logic and imagination; what painstaking work. Even so, the compositions are short.
   
   It is not entirely ancient Greek: there is Roman piece, and post CE pieces. This does not interfere with the overall impression, however. The sounds here are not melodic, but dissonant, rough, grating, sharply delineated, but utterly compelling. And if one listens long enough, there is a method to all this madness, much like peeling an onion: persistence pays off, and further layers of delight are revealed. As a side note, I have often played this for friends, even those whose tastes are more conventional than mine. Everyone has loved it.
   
   A favourite; a treat for the senses.



2. This music is almost like hearing ghosts. In a way the listener does hear ghosts, for the music has been saved from oblivion, and experts do not know everything about it. As much as possible, traditional instruments have been reconstructed based on pictures found on documents like vases and paintings. Sometimes you hear only a little fragment of something, about a minute. It's intriguing to think about who may have sung/played this music. The notes explain some of the technical details; musicologists will find that interesting. Because I know little about music, I wish for better notes about other things. For example, I would like more information in English about provenance, titles, and lyrics--as far as they are known. I wanted to know the words I heard sung. Other than the shortage of helpful notes, this is very interesting music.



3. The first remark concerns the instruments of this music, instruments that have been reconstituted on the model of the ancient ones. We will consider them as germanely faithful, and they create sounds, a sound environment or ambience that is particularly original. The second remark is that this music is based on the pythagorian five-note scale that corresponds to the first five degrees of our modern major scale. Then a second group of these five degrees and intervals are added to the first five in a second identical group constituting a ten-note scale that will be the basis of all western music up to the Renaissance, and thus the basis of all Christian sacred music of the Middle Ages, a music known as gregorian. So, in this surprising sound ambience we also recognize some elements we have already heard and enjoyed in our heritage. Just take track # 3, ? Premier hymne delphique ? Apollon ?. Some of the chords are so close to gregorian music, and yet the instruments are so different, that we may think we are at the crossroads between some extraterrestrial music and gregorian chanting. In fact we are here at the very source of gregorian music that was to borrow everything from ancient Greek music. And then put this track # 3 in parallel with track # 16, ? Hymne chr?tienne (sic) d'Oxyrhynchus ? and you will hear the direct filiation. Track # 8 will provide you with the model of the traditional musics we find in the mountainous areas of the Mediterranean, Sicilia, Sardinia, Corsicca and Provence, among others, the music of shepherds and fishermen when coming back to land, a music that will become religious and christian later on and that still exists, mainly in the form of a polyphony. But the worst part - and also the best in a way - is that we only have fragments, tidbits, and that it is the concrete realization of the tremendous waste history has willed us and yet also the concrete evidence that history is never able to destroy something completely and that we have the means to reconstruct what has been destroyed with a specific procedure of genetic musical archaeology. To conclude we must take into account this recording is from 1978, i.e. a long time ago. To get a more complete vision we have to look for more recent recordings.
   
   Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, Universit? Paris Dauphine, Universit? Paris I Panth?on Sorbonne



4. I was expecting something a little more vigorous. But it is still fun. In a sober way.



5. Pretty much everything that I can think of to say about this CD has already been said here.

   I agree that it is a bit weird. I don't listen to it very often either.

   But having said that my tastes in music are not so much driven by intellect, so it doesn't bother me that liner notes might not be as complete as they could be.

   I bought this CD in Japan back in the mid-1980's when compact discs were still an upcoming trend and LP's dominated. It's believable but still somehow amazing that I paid the equivalent of more than thirty U.S. bucks for what is now practically a steal.

   I also am wondering why the quality of this old disc is deterioriating. Yes! There are scratchy sounds abounding where studied silence was once 'heard.' Consequently, I listen even less than I would otherwise. (I had considered putting it on an MD with the soundtrack to 'Gladiator' and then listening to both on the 'shuffle' mode.)

5 comments about Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite/Mississippi Suite.

1. I have the original vinyl record,and i was expecting
   great sounds from the new c.d.,alas the storm section
   was quite disapointing,as the vinyl record had the
   wind roaring enough to give the listener goose bumps,
   and this is lacking on the c.d.
   At least this recording still has the magic of yesteryear.
   john.



2. I used to listen to this symphony on a record album as a child. This recording brought back great memories and this is a great production. Love it. The symphony really takes you there.



3. When these recordings first came out I was too young to
   have it on record, but later I had it on tape, and now
   on CD. This is the best recording by far of these two works.
   This recording I really love it. I remember as a teen in
   the late 80's and early 90's comming home from school, how
   I loved to listen to the "Grand Canyon Suite", how much
   I like the "special effects" such as the "thunder storm" in the
   last movement, and the "donkey" or "horse" steps as it would walk
   through the desert. Grofe used such "special effects" I guess
   to help us imagine better what he was trying to describe in his
   music. The Mississippi Suite has always been a favorite too, with
   its "Mardi Gras" finale, which depicts a carnival parade, so pupular
   in the south as in many parts of the world. Kostalanetz, Bernstein
   and the New Yorkers really put a "good show".



4. While driving through the Painted Desert in Arizona on my way to NAU in Flagstaff I was listening to this CD and it just made the Painted Desert come alive. I could just picture each area of the Grand Canyon as the music came on. It was one of the most plesant drives I've taken in years. Also I was replacing a CD that had gotten stolen and I missed this mucic, so I ordered a replacement. I'm glad that I did. I danced to this mucis years ago at a ballet recital and the music had always remained with me. I really recommend playing this music as you pass through the Grand Canyon area but it's just as beautiful if you're sitting in your own living room or parlor listening to it.



5. I first had the Grand Canyon Suite conducted by Berstein as a vinyl recording. I missed it very much when I could no longer play it. I have two other conductors and orchestras doing Grand Canyon, but they are both lacking the expression in which this performance excels. I was thrilled to get this CD!! Berstein definitely understands the power of this great composition.
   
   Kostelanetz does a great job with the Mississippi Suite. I have it on one other CD and, though that one is good, Kostelanetz brings a flavor to it that makes me think I am actually on the river. I was born in Memphis and go back to visit relatives frequently. The music and the flow and the majesty of the river is wonderfully depicted.