Water Wheel

Product Description
contemporary jazz instrumental piano & chamber orchestra: twelve, eleven…nine, eight…cycle & play harmonic overtones sparkle above symphonic water wheel perca mundo piano tapestry cascading, hands intertwine, change rhythms anniversary: our tenth procession: Peruvian birds to African rhinos, rhythms of the forest intensify, then silence as each approach water wheel harmonics return in a star cluster, spiraling through the night sky tiger chimes: Asian cat approaches; shall we respect her with ceremony or quickly exit her presence red pandas coon to a diatonic scale; winds swirl as flutes through branches of their homes cats dancing, as the neighborhood sleeps, felines sleek out to dance & play return: full cycle through the large wooden wheel, black swan approaches waiting: we know she's coming; she may be about to be born, but we can do little to embrace our Sichuan daughter prior to the destined time intruments: upright bass, shakuhatchi, winter bells, water wheel, perca mundo, piano, violin, tiara blues, french horn,

wind,

cymbals, cello, flugle flute, vibes, oohs & ahs, andes flute, crotales, timpani

Water Wheel,Ken Ziegler,DesignTalk Studios,contemporary jazz instrumental piano, percussion & chamber orchestra

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Average customer rating: breakdown by cd. I'm not a music expert

Dvorák: The Masterworks [Box Set] Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Serenades & Divertimentos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music | Divertimentos Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Tone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Requiems | Forms & Genres | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music St. Louis Symphony Orchestra | ( S ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Czech | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music St. Louis Symphony Orchestra | ( S ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Brilliant Classics | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Mendelssohn: The Masterworks [Box Set] Vivaldi: The Masterworks (Box Set) Haydn: The Masterworks [Box Set] Brahms: The Masterworks (Box Set) Schubert: The Masterworks [Box Set] ASIN: B00062FLJW Release Date: 2004-11-30

Customer Reviews:

breakdown by cd........2007-01-14

CD1-7:SYMPHONIES 1-9

CD8:PIANO CONCERTO

CD9:VIOLIN CONCERTO & CELLO CONCERTO

CD10-11:REQUIEM

CD12-13:STABAT MATER

CD14:PIANO TRIOS OP.90 "DUMKY" & 21

CD15:PIANO TRIOS OP.65 & 26

CD16:PIANO QUARTETS

CD17:PIANO QUINTETS

CD18:STRING QUINTETS

CD19-20:MUSIC FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO

C21:SERENADE/HAUSMUSIK

CD22-31:THE COMPLETE STRING QUARTETS

CD32:SLAVONIC DANCES OP.46 & 72

CD33:PIANO DUET SLAVONIC DANCES

CD34:PIANO DUET LEGENDS FROM THE BOHEMIAN FOREST

CD35:PIANO WORKS

CD36-37:RUSALKA

CD38-40:SYMPHONIC POEMS

I'm not a music expert.......2005-08-25

I don't know too much about music. I own over 700 cds, but I don't play music and I don't have much experience with this music. My only point of reference was the ninth symphony, seeing as every other piece in this box set was new to me. It sounds fine, nothing wrong with it as far as I can see.

Now, here's what you'll get in this box set, seeing as Amazon does not give it a description. 40 cds! no joke, you get 40 cds in this box set. It features:
1. Complete symphonies
2. Complete symphonic poems
3. Cello concerto
4. Piano concerto
5. Violin concerto
6. Requiem
7. Stabat Mater
8. Slavonic Dances
9. Complete String quartets
10. Chamber music
11. Piano Works (solo and duet)
12. Rusalka

As far as I can tell, the only things missing are The Spectre's Bride and Jacobin. Seeing as it is 40 cds, i have not had an opportunity to listen to it, however what i have heard i have been quite satisfied with.

Average customer rating: Maybe it is time to rethink these works Arguably the Definitive Set of Dvorak Symphonic Poems Fantastic performances Jarvi and the RSNO do Dvorak's glitter and gore proud!

Dvorak: Symphonic Poems Manufacturer: Chandos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Tone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Dvorák: The Symphonies Dvorak: Slavonic Dances Dvorák: Legends Tchaikovsky Symphonic Poems / Manfred Symphony Dvorák: The String Quartets ASIN: B00000IM6P Release Date: 1999-04-13

Tracks:

1. Overture: My Home, Op. 62 - Dvorak
2. The Water Goblin, Op.107 - Dvorak
3. The Golden Spinning Wheel, Op.109 - Dvorak

Tracks:

1. The Noon Witch, Op. 108 - A. Dvorak
2. The Wood Dove. Op. 110 - A. Dvorak
3. The Hero's Song, Op. 111 - A. Dvorak

Customer Reviews:

Maybe it is time to rethink these works.......2006-07-30

Antonin Dvorak's (1841-1904) most popular composition is his Symphony No. 9 ("From the New World"). Written in America, it was Dvorak's last symphony, and his greatest orchestral work. Or, at least that is what everyone thinks.

As it turns out, Dvorak returned to his home in Bohemia after the completion of the New World Symphony and set out to compose a series of symphonic poems based on tales from "The Garland," which contains a collection of Czech folk ballads. Four of Dvorak's symphonic poems are directly based on the grisly tales from this collection, while the final and fifth symphonic poem, "The Hero's Song" (Dvorak's final orchestral work) is based on Dvorak's general ideas about an adventurer setting out in the world.

First things first, this is some of greatest music of the Romantic tradition available. Each of these pieces contains the best elements of Dvorak's music: the orchestration is colorful, the tunes are distinctive, and the codas are some of the most exciting in classical music. Dvorak was clearly at his creative height when the symphonic poems were composed. What makes these pieces truly spectacular is Dvorak's vivid portrayal of the macabre stories from "The Garland." And the word "macabre" isn't used lightly here. These stories involve decapitations, murders, witches and goblins.

The first symphonic poem "The Water Goblin" concerns a goblin who forces a girl, who has fallen into a lake, to live with him in the watery depths. The girl's only consolation is her half-goblin baby. Eventually, the girl escapes, but the goblin finds her and kills the baby. Not really a happy story, but Dvorak's depiction of all of these events is masterful. The goblin theme is menacing, the girl's lament is lovely, and the gruesome events concluding the story are depicted in dramatic fashion by the orchestra. The CD notes by Gerald Larner are extremely detailed and explain the stories much better than I have with "The Water Goblin" above. Further the notes reconcile Dvorak's musical ideas to the story in a manner which anyone can understand.

I won't try to describe the remaining symphonic poems, as the stories are far too detailed and I probably couldn't do the music justice. Suffice it to say, the remaining pieces are fabulous. And despite the long length of these works ("The Golden Spinning Wheel" is 27 minutes long) there is not a dull moment. As a side note, the earlier "My Home" overture opens the program and is included primarily as a filler. Nevertheless, the performance of that work is also great.

Given that Dvorak worked on these pieces simultaneously (they are labeled with contiguous opus numbers) and that they were based on stories from the same source, one could argue that the symphonic poems could be viewed as a single multi-movement work, perhaps a proramme symphony based on nationalistic elements. In such a work, "The Wood Dove" would constitute the adagio; "The Noon Witch" would probably be the scherzo; while "The Hero's Song" would serve as the finale, bringing the whole thing to a triumphant (emphasized) close. Of course, such an idea conflicts with the romantic idea that Dvorak wrote nine symphonies, with his dark and dramatic ninth being is crowning achievement.

All of that is hypothetical though. You just need to know that this release is a must classical music lovers. These works should be far better known and can stand as equals along side the best moments within Dvorak's symphonies. Get this disc, you won't be disappointed.

Highest recommendation!!

CD 1: 57:14
CD 2: 53:57

Arguably the Definitive Set of Dvorak Symphonic Poems.......2005-01-08

This 2-CD set of Dvorak's complete symphonic poems should arguably be considered the definitive choice for anyone who wants a complete recording of these pieces. Although the two great Dvorak interpreters, Kertesz and Kubelik, have made recordings of these pieces, Jarvi's set should arguably be considered a more appealing and engaging interpreter of these underrated gems. Jarvi's interpretations tend to be more vivid than his illustrious predecessors and the Scottish National Orchestra players respond well to his inspired direction and to this rarely-heard Dvorak repertoire, with the atmospheric and reverberant Chandos recording allowing the listener to immerse himself in the grisly and grutesque fairy-tale world of the Erben ballads that inspired these four works. Jarvi highlights many nuances in the four poems, from the drama of The Noonday Witch to the exotic surroundings of the Water Goblin, from the frightful incidents in The Golden Spinning-Wheel to the misleadingly pastoral Wood Dove, and the vividness of his interpretations make you wonder why people don't consider these pieces as durable as the New World Symphony. Jarvi's set is the only complete set of Dvorak symphonic poems to include the rarely-heard Hero's Song, with its bold, swaggering character and a forward drive the typefies some of the Mahler symphonies. This is as well-played as the Erbenesque poems and the My Home Overture, which makes a fitting fill-up to this set with its homage to a Czech playwright. An added bonus is the superb and lucid booklet notes by Gerald Larner, featuring all the details of the symphonic poems to guide the listener along. This set is now doubly attractive at a superb bargain price. All-in-all, a must-have for any Dvorak lover.

Fantastic performances.......2004-03-28

Although one would not expect the Royal Scottish Orchestra under Neeme Jarvi to produce the best recordings of the rarely performed Dvorak symphonic poems, Jarvi has created electrifying performances of the four poems and the rarely heard Hero's Song.
I have Kubelik's version on DG as well as these recordings. Although Kubelik does some very interesting things with the poems, bringing out nuances of the scores and delightful orchestral effects, he does not have the convection that Jarvi has. Rather, it sounds as if Kubelik is treating these works as inferior; he is not convinced by them. Jarvi, on the other hand, has totally immersed himself in the music of the Bohemian master, producing a complete traversal of the symphonies with the orchestra. And his love of Dvorak is evident here. Jarvi is completely aware of the charm and beauty of these works, as well as their musical importance. He performs these works smashingly, especially the Water Goblin, which he champions. The sound of the orchestra is warmer and smoother than Kubelik's performances. My only complaint would be that the orchestra does sound a bit distant in these recordings - the acoustics are not top notch. However, Jarvi's energy and belief in these works make this CD a must for any Dvorak lover.

Jarvi and the RSNO do Dvorak's glitter and gore proud!.......2000-10-19

This 2-CD compilation is one of Chandos's generous reissues of "fillers" that accompanied Jarvi's performances of Dvorak's symphonies, but as other critics have noted, these tone poems are much more than a few extra minutes of music pinned to end of a CD. Instead these beguilingly childlike but often rather grisly works are models of late-Romantic music-making writ large. Except for the 1894 opus 62 and the opus 111, Dvorak's last orchestral piece, the music in this set is based on some folk ballads written by Dvorak's compatriot Karl Jaromir Erben, a sometime poet. The fairy tales each tell a chilling story often interspersed with gore (I'll let you find out the details, which Gerald Larner's lucid liner-notes handle beautifully), but Dvorak is hardly put off by the subject matter and paints a gorgeous program in sound for each one, filling all with one heart-easing (or heart-rending, when necessary) melody after another. Highlights include the lovely lullaby for the half-goblin baby in the center section of The Water Goblin, the King's warmly grand tune and the Janacek-like obsessing string-figures for the three gruesome exchanges in The Golden Spinning Wheel, and the poignant conclusion to The Wood Dove. So what of Jarvi's performances of these fascinating works? I looked at the playing time of some of these pieces (27:02 for the Spinning Wheel alone) and thought I might get bored by a certain symphonic sameness, which can often be the case with lesser-known Dvorak conducted and played without even the last ounce of concern, but this was never the case here. Jarvi and his Scots play every note with interest and loving conviction, so that the tales engross and entertain, as Dvorak knew they could. The sound is vintage Chandos, reverberant as many recordings are from this source and venue (Henry Wood Hall) but sonically spectacular: the engineers handle the fortissimo marching figures at the opening of the Spinning Wheel with the same attention as the breathless entry of the Noon Witch in that tone poem. All-in-all, an unusual bargain and an absolute must!

Average customer rating: Bad ... Hard to put your finger on. Nubia Revisted

Explorer: Nubia - Escalay the Water Wheel Various Artists Manufacturer: Nonesuch ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music Environmental | New Age | Styles | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Eclipse A Wish Music of Nubia Al Oud Muwashshah ASIN: B00006C75W Release Date: 2002-08-27

Tracks:

1. The Water Wheel
2. Remind Me
3. Song With Tar

Amazon.com

When this set--part of the Nonesuch Explorer Series--was first released, Hamza El Din had already headlined at the Newport Folk Festival and Woodstock and released an album on the Vanguard label. But this was the one that put him on the map, bringing his oud (Arab lute,) tar (an ancient frame drum), and plaintive vocals to a much wider audience. Born in 1929, El Din has dedicated his life to the music of his ancestral homeland of Nubia, much of which now lies underwater in the shadow of the Aswan Dam. The title track, a 21-minute meditation based on the creaking, rhythmic sounds of a wooden water wheel, later became his signature work. Despite the unadorned simplicity of his forces, El Din evokes centuries of laboring agrarian workers. He later re-recorded the piece several times, including a version with the Kronos Quartet, but he has never quite duplicated the tidal ebb-and-flow of the original performance. --Christina Roden

Customer Reviews:

Bad ..........2003-04-08

in an attempt to expand my musical horizions, i have been buying cds in the Explorer Series. This is one of my favorites. It is very mellow and very powerful, it comes highly recommended.

Hard to put your finger on........2002-10-31

After hearing a review of the Explorer series on NPR, I decided to look at the CDs and this is the one I chose to order. I was not disappointed. It is a very mellow CD that is quite unlike anything else in my collection. Listening to it is almost like meditating...a religious experience.

Nubia Revisted.......2002-10-15

This recently re-released CD, formerly available under the title "Escalay: the Water Wheel" features three of Hamza el-Din's greatest performances. Drawing firmly upon his lively and exotic Nubian background, Hamza weaves it together with his natural gift for playing the oud (an istrument of Arab rather than Nubian origin). This CD is unlike anything you have ever heard before. Although there are many similarities with other Middle Eastern and African styles (due to shared history and cultures from Egypt to Ethiopia) it is still unique and beautiful. Check it out.

Average customer rating: Bohemian American Variegated Sounds Not played with total conviction The stuff is almost 30 years old One of Dvorakýs finest recordings a basic recommendation and a real bargain

Slavonic Dances / Overtures & Symphonic Poems Dvorak , Brs , and Kubelik Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Smetana: Má Vlast Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos Dvorák: The Symphonies Dvorák: The Nine Symphonies Mendelssohn: 5 Symphonies; 7 Overtures ASIN: B000065TV2 Release Date: 2002-06-11

Customer Reviews:

Bohemian American Variegated Sounds.......2004-04-15

Marvelous three-disc set of Dvorak's patriotic, overture and symphonic poems and variations at an affordable price with satisfactory recording quality which has been freshly transferred to CD form.

His Slavonic roots seem to leap out of this music in the Slavonic Dances, which are played here with robusto and eubilence by the Kubelik led Bavarian Radio Symphony.

This pious man who said that "he studied with the birds, flowers, God and myself" exerts in this collection a humility yet assertive control of his music, showing tranquility and robust outbursts of joy. The Hussite Overture was of real interest to this reviewer as not only is it passionately played as am quite of fan of this Bavarian reformer who truly was inspirational and foundational to Luther.

Their rendition of Carnival is electrifying and warm, especially the nature theme of the clarinets.

The Wood Dove is very much a mood swinger with is funeral dirge march catapulting into a marvelous love song and sweet violin solo.

Highly enjoyable recording.

Not played with total conviction.......2004-03-29

Although Kubelik's cycle of the symphonies on DG with the Berlin Philharmonic may be the best ever recorded, this set of Dances, Overtures, and Symphonic Poems is not as grand or as well conducted. What we find here is Kubelik just conducting the pieces rather than truly interpreting them. Although he does bring out some wonderful nuances in the score, highlighting some delightful orchestral effects, the overall feeling of the overtures and the poems is less than satisfying. The playing sounds lifeless and rather dull in the overtures and poems. Take Istvan Kertez's reading of the overtures or Neeme Jarvi's recording of the Symphonic Poems - both conductors are playing with total conviction. Here, Kubelik is simply performing the works.

The dances, however, are delightfully played and recorded. Kubelik seems to be having fun while performing these lighthearted dance pieces, and his energy is evident in the recording, the quality of which is quite good. Although for the overtures I suggest Kertez with the London Symphony Orchestra and Neeme Jarvi with the Scottish National Orchestra for the symphonic poems, this is a delightful set for the dances. Recommendable.

The stuff is almost 30 years old.......2004-02-13

Great performances but the dynamic range is dull. Okay on good equipment though. As others noted, the music and the performance are great.

One of Dvorakýs finest recordings.......2003-10-07

It is well known that Kubelik's performances of Dvorak's music are among the best ever. This set of CD's is a blessing, you get the famous Slavonic Dances among with the Symphonic Poems and Overtures all togehter, and with Kubelik!!!

This version of the Slavonic Dances is wonderfull. Actually, for me the only one that equals its quality is the Antal Dorati's with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on Decca, which, by the way, happens to have a better sound than Kubelik's. Regarding the Symphonic Poems and the Overtures, you just won't find a better recording than this one, not to mention the fact of having all this works together. The sound is good, and the performances are outstanding.

a basic recommendation and a real bargain.......2002-07-15

This 3CD collection should get the attention of those who like Dvorak's music because, in addition to his frequently recorded Slavonic Dances, it includes all of his concert overtures and tone poems, and also, the Symphonic Variations. These works, apart from the Carnival Overture, are not often recorded, but are nevertheless major works. Here you have this music in first class performances by one of the premiere interpreters of this music (i.e. Rafael Kubelik), in very fine sound, and offered at a superbudget price. If you want all or most of these pieces, but do not yet have them, this is really a no brainer. Get them!

Average customer rating:

Tracing a Wheel on Water Manufacturer: Aaron Larget-Caplan ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Classical | Styles | Music ASIN: B000FTAP5G Release Date: 2005-01-01

Tracks:

1. Six for a Dance by Lior Navok -world premiere
2. Equinox by Toru Takemitsu
3. Two Wind Dances, Mov. I -Dance of Zephyrus by Daniel Pinkham -world premiere
4. Two Wind Dances, Mov. II- Dance of Boreas by Daniel Pinkham -world premiere
5. Cancion de Cuna by Leo Brouwer
6. Tracing a wheel on water by Kevin Siegfried -world premiere
7. Ojos Brujos by Leo Brouwer
8. El Abejorro by Emilio Pujol
9. La Catedral, Mov. I- Preludio saudade by Agustin Barrios Mangore
10. La Catedral, Mov. II- Andante religioso
11. La Catedral, Mov. III- Allegro Solemne
12. Tango en Skai by Roland Dyens

Album Description

Tracing a wheel on water features classical guitar solos of the last 100 years, six countries, & with various compositional styles, from energetic & twisted dance to folk lullaby and picturesque sounds of Latin America and more. Includes three World Premieres by Daniel Pinkham, Kevin Siegfried, & Lior Navok.

Average customer rating: Robeson at his best

A Lonesome Road - Paul Robeson sings spirituals and songs Manufacturer: Asv Living Era ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Foster, Stephen | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Robeson, Paul | ( R ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Traditional & Vocal Pop | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Green Pastures Paul Robeson Live at Carnegie Hall ASIN: B000001HFH Release Date: 1994-04-20

Tracks:

1. Ol' Man River
2. My Curly Headed Baby
3. Water Boy
4. I'm Goin' To Tell God All O' My Troubles
5. Oh! Didn't It Rain
6. Little Pal
7. There's No Hiding Place
8. Poor Old Joe
9. Scandalize My Name
10. Ezekiel Saw The Wheel
11. Sinner, Please Don't Let This Harvest Pass
12. Just Keepin' On
13. Mah Lindy Lou
14. Steal Away
15. Mighty Lak' A Rose
16. Deep River
17. Hear The Lambs A-Cryin'
18. Get On Board, Little Children
19. Old Folks At Home (Swanee River)
20. Witness
21. Oh! Rock Me, Julie
22. Li'L Gal
23. I Got A Home In That Rock
24. Lonesome Road

Customer Reviews:

Robeson at his best.......2001-03-24

This album consists of recordings Paul Robeson made in Britain durong the 1920s. He is accompanied by the great pianist Lawrence Brown or by a small orchestra led by Ray Noble. The songs on this disc are spirituals or pop songs of the era, and Robeson shines on every one of them. Robeson has an uncanny ability to make any song his own property, and this is especially true on his version of "Little Pal" - originally a saccharine semi-racist ballad written for Al Jolson. Robeson turns the song into a searing lament of an estranged father, and makes the song valid even today with his urgent, committed delivery. The majority of the songs on the cd are spirituals, and Robeson's versions are definitive in every sense of the word. All in all, there isn't a bad track here, and as an introduction to Robeson's work the record is priceless. The only aspect worth criticizing is the fact that the liner notes seem to shy away from the fact that Robeson was the first important black artist to actively fight for civil rights. The music here, however, is extremely beautiful.

Average customer rating: 20 Hours of Dvorak at a Bargain Price

Dvorák: The Complete Published Orchestral Works Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music General | Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Divertimentos | Serenades & Divertimentos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Tone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Russian National Orchestra | ( R ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Czech | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Wagner: Tristan und Isolde [Includes Bonus DVD] ASIN: B0001FYRB2 Release Date: 2004-07-20

Tracks:

1. Allegro
2. Adagio Molto
3. Allegretto
4. Finale: Allegreto
5. Allegretto
6. Molto Moderato
7. Allegro Giusto
8. Molto Maestoso
9. Allegro Giusto

Tracks:

1. Allegretto
2. Poco Adagio
3. Scherzo: Allegro Con Brio
4. Finale: Allegreto Con Fuoco
5. Allegro Con Moto
6. Allegretto Grazioso
7. Un Poco Allegretto E Grazioso
8. Andante Con Moto
9. Andante

Tracks:

1. Allegro Moderato
2. Adagio Molto, Temp Di Marcia
3. Allegro Vivace
4. Allegro Non Tanto
5. Adagio
6. Scherzo: Furiant: Presto
7. Finale: Allegro Con Spirito

Tracks:

1. Allegro
2. Andante Sostenuto E Molto Cantabile
3. Scherzo: Allegro Feroce
4. Finale: Allegro Con Brio
5. Allegro Con Brio
6. Adagio
7. Allegretto Grazioso - Molto Vivace
8. Allegro, Ma Non Troppo

Tracks:

1. Allegro, Ma Non Troppo
2. Andante, Con Moto
3. Andante Con Moto, Quasi L'istesso Tempo - Allegro Scherzando
4. Finale: Allegro Molto
5. Allegro Maestoso
6. Poco Adagio
7. Scherzo Vivace - Poco Meno Mosso
8. Finale: Allegro

Tracks:

1. Adagio- Allegro Molto
2. Largo
3. olto Vivace
4. Allegro Con Fuoco
5. Sumphonic Variations, Op. 78

Tracks:

1. Allegro Agitato - Jeno Jando
2. Andante Sostenuto
3. Allegro Con Fuoco
4. The Water Goblin, Symphonic Poem, Op. 107

Tracks:

1. Allegro Ma Non Troppo - Ilya Kaler
2. Adagio Ma Non Troppo - Ilya Kaler
3. Allegro Giocoso, Ma Non Troppo - Ilya Kaler
4. Romance For Violin And Orchestra In F Minor, Op. 11 - Ilya Kaler
5. Mazurka For Violin And Orchestra, Op. 49 - Alexander Trostianski

Tracks:

1. Allegro - Maria Kliegel
2. Adagio Ma Non Troppo - Maria Kliegel
3. Finale: Allegro Moderato - Andante - Allegro Vivo - Maria Kliegel
4. Walderuhe For Cello And Orchestra, Op. 68/5 - Dmitry Yablonsky
5. Rondo For Cello And Orchestra, Op. 94 - Dmitry Yablonsky

Tracks:

1. No. 1 In C Major
2. No. 2 In E Minor
3. No. 3 In A Flat Major
4. No. 4 In F Major
5. No. 5 In A Major
6. No. 6 In D Major
7. No. 7 In C Minor
8. No. 8 In G Minor
9. No. 1 In B Major
10. No. 2 In E Minor
11. No. 3 In F Major
12. No. 4 In D Flat Major
13. No. 5 In B Flat Minor
14. No. 6 In B Flat Major
15. No. 7 In C Major
16. No. 8 In A Flat Major

Tracks:

1. Rhapsody, Op. 14
2. No. 1
3. No. 2
4. No. 3

Tracks:

1. The Noon Witch, Op. 108
2. The Golden Spinning-Wheel, Op. 109
3. The Wild Dove, Op. 110

Tracks:

1. Moderato
2. Tempo Di Valse
3. Scherzo: Vivace
4. Larghetto
5. ale: Allegro Vivace
6. Moderato, Quasi Marcia - Oslo Philharmonic Wind Soloists
7. Minuetto - Oslo Philharmonic Wind Soloists
8. Andante Con Moto - Oslo Philharmonic Wind Soloists
9. Allegro Molto - Oslo Philharmonic Wind Soloists
10. Notturno In B Major, Op. 40
11. Five Prague Waltzes
12. Polka In B Flat Major, Op. 53 A / 1

Tracks:

1. I
2. II
3. III
4. IV
5. V
6. VI
7. VII
8. Preludium (Pastorale)
9. Polka
10. Sousedska (Minuetto)
11. Romance (Romanza)
12. Fineal (Furiant)
13. Andante Con Moto
14. Adagio
15. onderato (Alla Polacca)
16. Andante
17. Allegro
18. Polonaise In E Flat Major
19. Festival March, Op. 54

Tracks:

1. King And Charcoal Burner, Overture
2. Prelude To Act 1
3. Prelude To Act 2
4. Ballet Music From Act 3
5. Overture
6. Prelude To Act 2
7. Infernal Dance From Act 2
8. Prelude To Act 3
9. Overture
10. Polonaise
11. Dmitrij, Overture
12. Armida, Overture

Tracks:

1. Vanda (Overture), Op. 25
2. In Nature's Realm (Overture), Op. 91
3. Carnival (Overture), Op. 92
4. Othello (Overture), Op. 93
5. My Home (Overture), Op. 62

Tracks:

1. Hussite Overture, Op. 67
2. Selma Seklak Overture, Op. 37
3. Dramatic Overture, Op. Posth
4. Scherzo Capriccioso, Op. 66
5. A Hero's Son, Op. 111

Customer Reviews:

20 Hours of Dvorak at a Bargain Price.......2004-08-03

This 17-CD set collects together in one box all the published orchestral works of Antonin Dvorak. It's neatly done: each CD is in a paper envelope and there is a 51-page booklet (with knowledgable and helpful notes for each disc) all fitted into a cardboard box no thicker than that ordinarily used for a two-CD opera recording. All this music has been issued previously on separate discs or sets by Naxos and most of it is, if I'm not mistaken, still available that way. But this collection is one easy way to scoop up all of Dvorak's orchestral music at once. There is much music here that is almost never heard, certainly not in the concert hall and even on CD. For instance, I cannot recall ever seeing a recording (and I know I've never heard in performance) Dvorak's 'Intermezzi.' And the rarely-heard 'Legends' are nicely done here by Stephen Gunzenhauser and the Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra. Of course, the name of the orchestra tells you something: some of these performances were recorded before the breakup of Czechoslovakia into Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Yes, some of the recordings go back to the late 1980s. No matter - the sound is quite acceptable throughout.

There are numerous participants in these recordings, many of them orchestras in the Czecho-Slovak area, as well as the Polish National Radio Orchestra, the Russian Philharmonic and even London's Royal Philharmonic (in a smashing performance, with Maria Kliegel, sure one of our best current cellists, in the Cello Concerto). Conductors include Gunzenhauser, Antoni Wit, Camilla Kolchinsky, Dmitry Yablonsky, Michael Halasz, Zdenek Kosler, Libor Pesek, and Robert Stankovksy.

Obviously one wouldn't buy this set for the most familiar Dvorak pieces - the 'New World' Symphony, the Cello Concerto, the Slavonic Dances - if that was all one was interested in. There are too many fine performances of those already on the market. But how many of you have recordings of poorly known but top-drawer works like the 'Czech Suite,' the 'American Suite,' (it is fashionable to dismiss this suite, but it's actually one of Dvorak's best), or some of the orchestral music from his many operas--overtures to 'King and Charcoal Burner,' 'The Jacobin,' 'Kate and the Devil,' 'Rusalka'? All of these, and more, are here. I recently returned from a trip and the only music I took along was this box of Dvorak. I never got sated, or bored, by it.

I was also quite taken by the performance of one of my favorite pieces by Dvorak, his 'Wind Serenade,' here played by the Oslo Philharmonic Wind Soloists. And there are marvelous performances by Gunzenhauser and the Polish NRSO of 'The Noon Witch,' 'The Golden Spinning Wheel,' and (a particular favorite of mine) 'The Wild Dove.'

And then there's the super-bargain Naxos price. This is an easy recommendation for the music lover in the market for this specific collection of music.

Scott Morrison

Average customer rating: ESCALAY's oud features Nubian classical traditions. The Soul of Nubia Pure Beauty~! I just love it slight disappointment

Escalay: The Water Wheel Hamza El Din Manufacturer: Nonesuch ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Egypt | Africa | International | Styles | Music General | Africa | International | Styles | Music Sudan | Africa | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Middle East | International | Styles | Music Arabic | Middle East | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Al Oud A Wish Eclipse Music of Nubia ASIN: B000005IW8 Release Date: 1998-01-13

Tracks:

1. The Water Wheel
2. I Remember
3. Song With Tar

Amazon.com

One of the first world-music releases to reach Western ears (originally issued in 1968), this album rightfully established Hamza El Din as one of the leading instrumentalists on the lutelike oud, which he taught to guitarist Sandy Bull and others. The three tracks that comprise this disc, all lengthy improvisations, showcase El Din's remarkably fluid technique and his Nubian roots, whether on the traditional "Song with Tar" or "I Remember," which was originally performed by Egypt's greatest diva, Om Kalthoum. Perhaps the best example of El Din's instrumental meditations, however, is the title track, which is his own composition. Its lines ripple and sway, then stop to ponder and work around a phrase before moving on--a style unique at the time, but which influenced a generation of oud players that followed. A masterpiece. --Chris Nickson

Customer Reviews:

ESCALAY's oud features Nubian classical traditions........2004-09-02

WATER WHEEL describes the experiences of the boy who keeps the water wheel going: the fugue grows and the oud draws on Nubian classical tradition to back its rhythmic melody.
 A specialty item for avid oud enthusiasts.

The Soul of Nubia.......2002-10-15

Hamza el Din is one of the world's greatest musicians. Those familar with music from Africa and the Middle East may have heard similar sounds, but nothing quite approaches the traditional music of Nubia. The Nubians, who played a vital role in Egyptian history from pre-dynastic times into the Christian era, have long inhabited the lands in southern Egypt/northern Sudan for as long as anyone can remember, and cling fiercely to their proud history. Hamza el-Din embodies all that is great and ejoyable about Nubian music. Its lively and exotic, and yet at the same time easily approached. One thing to note here, the oud (on which Hamza is self-taught btw) is not a traditional Nubian instrument. It is an Arab instrument, but Hamza plays it in a uniquely Nubian way.
If you appreciate the music of Africa and/or the Middle East, then check this CD out. Its well worth the buy, and is likely unlike anything you've ever heard.

Pure Beauty~!.......2002-07-17

I could listen to it all day. The artist is a natural and rare genius. I love you Hamza!

I just love it.......2001-08-10

"Escalay: The Water Wheel" was recorded over thirty years ago after Hamza El Din attracted the attention of musicians like Joan Baez and Mickey Hart. There is much more to the story than that. Hamza El Din was born in "Nubia" (Sudan) where the oud, or "Arab lute" is as foreign as it is in America. He decided to become a musician when he was a young man, studying engineering in Cairo. He is the first person to play traditional Nubian music on the oud. The results are stunning. I don't know anything about traditional Nubian music, nor do I know much about the oud, having only a few CDs of Arabic oud music in my collection; I just know I really like this recording. It has three songs: The title track "The Water Wheel" is a musical description of oxen turning a water wheel to irrigate the fields; the combination of Hamza El Din's playing and singing are enchanting. The second selection is a song by Egyptian composer Mohammed Abdul Wahab (or Mohamed Abdel Wahab, see other CDs of his music). The last selection is a tradtional Nubian song featuring the Tar, or Nubian drum. Also worth noting are the excellent notes by Elizabeth Warnock Fernea, author of several books about the Middle East; "Street in Marrakech" and "Guests of the Sheik", for example.

slight disappointment.......2001-03-09

Maybe it's because of the great buildup given it by other reviewers, including Amazon's, but Escalay was a little disappointing to me. The playing is not particularly difficult level, and there are other oud recording that show more virtuosity, like those of Munir Bachir. Hamza's vocalizations are more musically interesting elsewhere also. While the oud does not by design have the dynamic range of the European style classical guitar, what it is capable of is very well produced here. My 4-star rating is for "worthwhile" but not a "must-have."

Average customer rating: Musical but unexciting Dvorak Rare music Harnoncourt, Mackerras, Jarvi, Kertesz, and Kubelik all better Rattle's readings Lacking in character Reveling in the sound of a great orchestra

Dvorák: Tone Poems Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Tone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Debussy: La Mer Grieg: Peer Gynt Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 Schubert: Symphony No. 9 "The Great" Richard Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme ASIN: B0009U55Z6 Release Date: 2005-08-02

Tracks:

1. Allegro. Ma Non Troppo
2. Molto Vivace
3. Lento
4. Allegro, Ma Non Troppo
5. Andante, Marcia Funebre
6. Allegro
7. Molto Vivace
8. Andante

Tracks:

1. Allegretto
2. Andante Sostenuto E Molto Tranquillo
3. Andante
4. Allegro Vivo
5. Andante Mesto Come Primo
6. Un Poco Piu Mosso
7. Allegro Vivace

Amazon.com

By 1896, Dvorák had written some of his greatest works, including nine symphonies. Back from America, he was at the height of both his fame and his compositional power. Perhaps seeking a path less traveled, he wrote these four "orchestral ballads," as he called them, in quick succession, turning from his strict symphonic style to a more narrative, operatic form. However, his choice of literary inspiration can only be explained by his ardent patriotism: the poetry of Karel Jaromir Erben, an iconic Czech national poet. Archivist of Prague and collector of folk songs, he must have had a wild, perhaps folklore-influenced imagination. The poems are relentlessly gruesome and blood-thirsty, describing cruelty, mutilation, murder, suicide, and vengeance. That these horrors were alien to the warm-hearted composer is proved by his music. Although it illustrates character, atmosphere and every mood from drama and lamentation to exuberance, it is ravishingly beautiful. Its ardent, caressing lyricism, soaring melodies, inspired harmonies, daring modulations and ecstatic climaxes are literally breath-taking. Why these towering masterpieces are so rarely heard is a mystery; it is easy to ignore the grim literary content and surrender to the music, and the masterly, colorful orchestration must make them wonderful to play as well. Recorded live, the performance is superb: grand and sweeping yet sensitive to every timbral and expressive nuance, but the extreme, often sudden dynamic contrasts require a finger on the volume control. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Musical but unexciting Dvorak.......2007-05-03

Like the Harnoncourt-Concertgebouw package of this exact concert, this meticulously produced twofer from Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic includes four Dvorak tone poems -- "ballads" the conductor calls them -- in a poorly-construed package that takes up two CDs when the whole thing could have been delivered on a single CD, either in super audio or with a cut or two, to offer this for a discount.

As it is, Amazon sells this as a two-for-one proposition. However, because almost every other rendition of these four works -- "The Golden Spinning Wheel", "The Wood Dove", "The Noonday Witch" and "The Water Goblin" -- you can put your hands on is more exciting than these, the value of this is significantly degraded. Most other reoordings are also more Slavic, something you probably wouldn't expect from a German orchestra and British conductor.

And they don't let you down in that regard! Rattle's attack in this music, if you dare call it that, is ultramusical and international. He eschews overstatement, both musically and emotionally, 100 percent of the time. I haven't heard hundreds of recordings of this music but every one I've heard is more exciting than these, more given to Slavic temperament, and many are just as involving from an architectural standpoint.

Rattle by contrast carries on with genial performances that emphasize individual elements of the score, almost as if he's tending too much to the trees and not enough to the forest This is fine as far as it goes but it leaves too much out of the music and basically misses the big picture.

These exact four tone poems were released on another twofer by Harnoncourt a few years back that received plentiful critical plaudits and are still considered de rigeur interpretations in the Penguin Guide (even though the disks have apparently been withdrawn in USA). Other remarkable recordings have been turned in by Czech conductors Talich, Chalabala, and Kubelik. Some notable non-Slavs have done them too -- Jarvi, Gunzenhauser,and American Theodore Kuchar -- to some or great acclaim.

In addition I note the same marketing shortcoming as the Harnoncourt issue: Rattle and Harnoncourt put 83 minutes and 81 minutes of music, respectively, on two CDs. In the super audio era where companies can squeeze this much music on one SACD, why didn't EMI choose to do that and release this as an SACD? It would have given the recording a novelty no other could match. Furthermore, they could have marketed this as one of the reasons the Berliners chose Rattle as their conductor -- because they wanted to perform repertoire outside their historic and expected range.

Indeed, when Rattle arrived in Berlin, the story was his selection marked a turning point in the history of the great orchestra. Rattle's charge was to take the orchestra in new and different directions, both interpretively (with his penchant for period performance) and in terms of repertory. This recording was a chance to capitalize on all that. It now appears to be an opportunity lost.

Rare music.......2007-01-20

I picked up this two-disc set because I am a fan of Dvorak's music. Having listened to this set, I am glad I got it on sale. These four tone poems are nowhere near as enjoyable as the nine symphonies, and the orchestration itself is somewhat bland. Overall, not that great a purchase except for the die-hard Dvorak fan.

Harnoncourt, Mackerras, Jarvi, Kertesz, and Kubelik all better Rattle's readings.......2006-09-01

As overjoyed as I am to see these late orchestral gems performed by a "name-brand" orchestra and conductor for a major label, I find these performances too problematic to recommend whole heartedly. As with his other recent efforts with EMI, Rattle's work here is mostly a mixed bag, where moments of tremendous energy are followed by dead patches of truly stiff playing. It doesn't help that Rattle never lets loose, keeping these romantic symphonic poems ridiculously earthbound when transcendence is so necessary. Take, for example, the rising climax of the Water Goblin - over a tremendous drum roll, the brass play the creatures theme as he struggles with the maiden. The goblin is, of course, defeated, leading into a wonderful coda, which carries the tremendous tension of that final outburst with the added irony of sorrow for the water spirit. However, here, this tremendous moment is so underplayed. The trumpets are barely audible (forget the lower brass) and Rattle carries the affair with a perfunctory nonchalance. Kertesz (Decca), Jarvi (Chandos), and Harnoncourt (Teldec) all surpass Rattle in this poem. Or take the Golden Spinning Wheel. Barely audible horns (a serious and persistent problem in this series) in no way conjure the heroic, bucolic sound necessary to call the procession together. Even in the Noonday Witch, the best in the set, the necessary amount of sleaze and grotesque is conspicuously absent. Rattle is unable to change the color and timbre of his band to suit these four remarkably different and brilliantly orchestrated works, instead choosing a "one size fits all" approach ill fitting for music as dynamic as this. Worse still, EMI's engineers heavily emphasize the strings while placing the brass (especially the horns) so far back in the rear that they are practically inaudible. For the symphonic poems, look to Kertesz (the Wood Dove is absent), Jarvi (a particularly wonderful Water Goblin), Harnoncourt (the poems are coupled with brilliant readings of the symphonies), Kubelik (not particular favorites of mine but still stunning readings) or Mackerras (who's stunning reading of The Golden Spinning Wheel is coupled with an equally fierce 6th Symphony). There is better Dvorak out there. I would pass on this.

Lacking in character.......2006-07-03

I'd happen to be a lot less enthusiastic about Simon Rattle's recordings of Dvorak's magnificent symphonic poems, especially when confronted with the existing catalogue - Kertesz, Talich, Kubelik, but also recently, Harnoncourt come to mind.

What I find cruelly lacking in Rattle's approach is his reluctance to take any risks, avoiding all dramatic tension with a Berlin Philharmonic appearing stiffer and more immovable than ever. Too much is taken for granted here - the luxurious sound machine included - and that's exactly what this music doesn't need. Dvorak's poems need character before anything (recently, Nikolaus Harnoncourt with the superior Concertgebouw Orchestra perfectly understood that - just compare his "Water Goblin" with Rattle's). As Andrew Huth in the excellent liner notes with this CD explains, Dvorak "was always anxious to be appreciated as a Czech artist" - and these symphonic poems are prime examples of Czech culture. Rattle and his plush but in the end rather impersonal orchestra deliver very little in that respect, neither in spirit nor in sound, though. It's big, loud, and far too superficial, not helped by the rather undefined recording quality secured by the EMI engineers. Disappointing.

Reveling in the sound of a great orchestra.......2006-03-05

To add a few thoughts from this listener: I bought this CD recently because I was intrigued with Rattle's recording of Debussy that came out about the same time. I was not (and am still not) crazy about Rattle's interpretation of the Debussy, but the playing and sound of this superb orchestra under Rattle was so fine that my curiousity compelled me to try this disc as well. I was not disappointed.

The music is well-described in the other reviews. Dvorak, to my mind, tended to do a better job with the open-ended format of these tone poems than he sometimes did with symphonic form. Perhaps he felt less constrained. In any event, these tone poems are indeed top-drawer Dvorak, and less known than they should be.

A couple of reviews in the major publications have been critical of Rattle's interpretation of these works. That's fair. As with Rattle's Debussy disc, from time to time he seems to become absorbed in the beauty of the individual moment, in the process letting the pulse drift and losing the thread of the musical architecture.

But I have to admit that he's a master at making the most out of the beauty of the individual moment, and with the Berlin Philharmonic, has a superb vehicle with which to do it.

As with the Debussy disc, the recording seems to me to be excellent, although I have to agree with others that the exceptionally wide dynamic range in some quiet spots almost causes you to wonder where the sound went. (It's entirely possible, though, that part of that is Rattle's doing--it is entirely consistent with, for example, his recording of Sibelius's 4th Symphony with Birmingham years ago.) What I particularly like, though, is how different the orchestra sounds with EMI versus DG. I hear more individual detail in the EMI recordings; a more close-in perspective, and less of a glossy homogenous sheen on the strings. (This is not to dis the DG "style"--I really enjoyed the sound on DG's recent Abbado Pelleas excerpts disc as well--although some of the Karajan efforts suffered from "too much of a good thing.")

So, one could ask for performances with more forward motion and coherence, but, when the playing and sound of the orchestra are this good, there is some real listening pleasure to be had.

Average customer rating: Arguably the Definitive Set of Dvorak Symphonic Poems

Dvorák: Complete Symphonic Poems Manufacturer: Chandos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Tone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music ASIN: B000000AJV Release Date: 1992-10-28

Tracks:

1. My Home, Ov Op.62
2. The Water Goblin, Symphonic Poem Op.107
3. The Golden Spinning Wheel, Symphonic Poem Op.109

Tracks:

1. The Noon Witch, Symphonic Poem Op.108
2. The Wood Dove, Symphonic Poem Op.110
3. The Hero's Song, Symphonic Poem Op.111

Amazon.com

With Rafael Kubelik's classic performances on DG shamefully out of print, this is just about the only show in town for Dvorák's symphonic poems. Fortunately, they are very fine performances, marred only by the slightly overreverberant recording in a couple of works. Purely from the musical standpoint, Neeme Järvi's extremely direct, exciting conducting suits these colorful and dramatic works very well. It's also great to have the last and most neglected of the five, Heroic Song, included for a change. It's no less enjoyable than the other four, and only the fact that it's not based on a folk tale has prevented it from receiving the attention it deserves. A fine set. - -David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Arguably the Definitive Set of Dvorak Symphonic Poems.......2005-01-12

This 2-CD set of Dvorak's complete symphonic poems, which was recorded in parallel to Jarvi's complete cycle of symphonies, should arguably be considered the definitive choice for anyone who wants a complete recording of these pieces. Although the two great Dvorak interpreters, Kertesz and Kubelik, have made recordings of these pieces, Jarvi's set is perhaps a more appealing and engaging interpreter of these underrated gems. Jarvi's interpretations tend to be more vivid than his illustrious predecessors and the Scottish National Orchestra players respond well to his inspired direction and to this rarely-heard Dvorak repertoire, with the atmospheric and reverberant Chandos recording allowing the listener to immerse himself in the grisly and grutesque fairy-tale world of the Erben ballads that inspired these four works. Jarvi highlights many nuances in the four poems, from the drama of The Noonday Witch to the exotic surroundings of the Water Goblin, from the frightful incidents in The Golden Spinning-Wheel to the misleadingly pastoral Wood Dove, and the vividness of his interpretations make you wonder why people don't consider these pieces as durable as the New World Symphony. Jarvi's set is the only complete set of Dvorak symphonic poems to include the rarely-heard Hero's Song, with its bold, swaggering character and a forward drive the typefies some of the Mahler symphonies. This is as well-played as the Erbenesque poems and the My Home Overture, which makes a fitting fill-up to this set with its homage to a Czech playwright. An added bonus is the superb and lucid booklet notes by Gerald Larner, featuring all the details of the symphonic poems to guide the listener along. All-in-all, a must-have for any Dvorak lover.

Meditation Music:

1. Whisper Me
2. Women of Ireland, Pt. 1
3. 801 Live [Live]
4. A Different Shore
5. A Higher Place
6. A Musical Mirage: Oceans of Light
7. Album 2
8. Another Sun
9. Aras
10. At Peace

Meditation Music

meditation music

Meditation Music

Music Review: 100 % Black V.4 [Import]

Nocturne / Aubade / Feuillet D'Album

Seven Cats [Import]

Music: Clementi: Piano Trios Op. 28 / Op. 32

Soundtrack [Import]

Soapbox Jive

Spirit Of America [Gold CD]

Run [CD-single]

Quanto Mais Curtido Melhor [Import]

Rachmaninoff: Vespers, Op. 37

Nights of the Iguana [Box set] [Import]

Out On a Rock

Season Of Da Siccness [Explicit Lyrics]

Double V

Mountain Music