Echoes

1. Keys

2. Hi-Life

3. Mambo

4. Voices

5. Canyons

6. Endless Race

7. Chief Inspector

8. Waltz

9. Jungle

10. Rain

Echoes,Wally Badarou,Polygram Records,Adult Alternative,Ambient,Electro-Acoustic,Ethnic Fusion,R&B

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Average customer rating: Floyd Fever If you only could have ONE Pink Floyd Disc, this is the one. Not the very best of Floyd Great Introduction to Pink Floyd shine on

Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd Pink Floyd Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Supergroups | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Who: The Ultimate Collection Wish You Were Here Dark Side Of The Moon The Wall (Deluxe Packaging Digitally Remastered) Early Days & Latter Days: Vol. 1 & 2 ASIN: B00005QDW5 Release Date: 2001-11-06

Tracks:

1. Astronomy Domine
2. See Emily Play
3. The Happiest Day of Our Lives
4. Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)
5. Echoes
6. Hey You
7. Marooned
8. The Great Gig in the Sky
9. Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
10. Money
11. Keep Talking
12. Sheep
13. Sorrow

Tracks:

1. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts 1-7)
2. Time
3. The Fletcher Memorial Home
4. Comfortably Numb
5. When the Tigers Broke Free
6. One of These Days
7. Us And Them
8. Learning to Fly
9. Arnold Layne
10. Wish You Were Here
11. Jug Band Blues
12. High Hopes
13. Bike

Amazon.com

Echoes is a double-CD collection of some of Pink Floyd's best songs. It's also a fascinating document of the band's history. They began life as Syd Barrett's phantasmagoric plaything before clasping the wings of Icarus and ascending toward the sun on an epic space-rock odyssey, eventually turning left once they reached the dark side of the moon and burning up on reentry, crash-landing on every earthlings' home hi-fi. And it's all here--30 years of the Floyd's awesome back catalog trimmed down to two handsome CDs. It's worth remembering that, despite a fondness for pyrotechnics, Pink Floyd were never a prog-rock band. Sure, some of their songs are a bit long, and they never released singles (at least not for 11 years), but the same could be said for Led Zeppelin. Clinically devoid of the faux-classical overtures and vainglorious musicianship of that era, Pink Floyd were a pole apart; Meddle's epic maritime tone poem "Echoes" remains the Floyd's apogee. But here, on this collection, "the albatross" which "hangs motionless upon the air" has had its wings clipped--seven full minutes are missing, but you'd never be able to tell. The sonar bleeps, the screeching seagulls, the howling winds are all retained, and whoever wielded the editorial axe, Eugene, did so carefully.

Interestingly, the album's nonchronological track listing works--the summery, childhood enchantment of "See Emily Play" is right next to the school discipline of "Happiest Days of Our Lives"--and at least this way no one will switch off when material from A Momentary Lapse of Reason comes around. Despite the curious omission of "Atom Heart Mother," this really is the very best of the Floyd--from the throbbing "One of These Days" to the pop operatic "Great Gig in the Sky" to the genius silvery fluidity of Dave Gilmour's guitar work. This is timeless, as many members of Sigur Rós, Radiohead, and the Beta Band will attest. --Kevin Maidment

Customer Reviews:

Floyd Fever.......2007-07-20

This two disc Floyd compilation is a great buy. It's an excellent overview of Floyd's hits, showcasing their weird but intriguing sounds and lyrics. This collection is particularly good for people who like Floyd, but aren't such hard-core fans as to have all of the individual albums. The obvious hits from the radio [Brick in the Wall, Hey You, Money, Learning to Fly] are here, as well as lesser-played but still great stuff, like Arnold Layne and Fletcher Memorial Home, and when the Tigers Broke Free, which is a heartfelt reflection on losing a father to war.

If you only could have ONE Pink Floyd Disc, this is the one........2007-07-02

Most would think that would be DSOTM. It's a close call. But, since this set has most of the best cuts from DSOTM, and the best cuts from every other release, this would be my choice.

Disc 2 of this set has been my bedtime CD for over a year now.

Only two comments. I could do without "Bike". That song just creeps me out, especially the freaky noise at the very end.

Secondly, I'm disappointed that they cut Gilmours Blues solo in SOYCD.

I still give it 5 stars though.

EDIT: BTW... If you are a guitar player, there is what is probably one of the best TAB books ever produced for this album. It covers every song, exactly, and has every Gilmour solo.

http://www.amazon.com/Pink-Floyd-Echoes-Best/dp/0757908039/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-3072233-2244740?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1184174143&sr=8-2

Unfortunately, it is out of print so you will have to go with a listed used copy.

I'd get it while you can.

Not the very best of Floyd.......2007-06-19

Even though this is supposed to be the "Best" of Pink Floyd I would beg to differ. Right now I have a list in front of me of Pink floyd songs that were unjustly omitted. On the other hand, there are a handful of songs here- mainly in Floyd's later years- that are mediocre at best and have no business being on this album. It's still a sure bet for die-hard Floyd fans, however. The best Floyd albums are The Wall, Dark Side of the Moon, and Wish you were Here.

Great Introduction to Pink Floyd.......2007-06-11

Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd, is a great introduction to this classic ahead of its time rock group. For those of you not born in the 50's or 60's that could have enjoyed the classic Dark Side of the Moon during its release, this is a tremendous way to find out what all of the fuss was/is about. I am certain that this great CD set will inspire people to purchase much of the Pink Floyd collection, especially some of the bigger hits like The Wall and Dark Side. Many of these songs are simply haunting, while others prove to show how versatile this super group has been over the years. An outstanding value. 5 Stars!
~ Pink Floyd

shine on.......2007-04-23

If you're gonna side-step the actual albums and simply dip into a compilation of this seminal band, then this is a safe bet for a solid primer. This collection is substantive, richly entertaining and demonstrates the enduring appeal of one extraordinary band.

Average customer rating: A natural calm Excellent Best sleep aid without a prescription great "ocean sounds" CD Relaxing to Ocean Waves of the Echoes of Nature CD

Echoes of Nature: Ocean Waves Various Artists Manufacturer: Delta ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Environmental | New Age | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music Nature | New Age | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Environmental | New Age | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Environmental | New Age | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Echoes of Nature: Thunderstorm Thundering Rainstorm Mountain Streams Echoes of Nature: Morning Songbirds Peaceful Ocean Surf ASIN: B000001V38 Release Date: 1993-04-13

Tracks:

1. Pleasant Beach
2. Low Tide
3. Big Surf
4. Pebble Beach

Customer Reviews:

A natural calm.......2007-07-26

I play this CD at the end of my day when I want to unwind and de-stress. It naturally calms you and helps you to relax.
I am not a pill taker at all, and am into more natural ways to find peace and calm. I highly recommend this one.

Excellent.......2007-06-10

My wife loves going to sleep to the sound of ocean waves (and I like it too) without someones music. She loves this CD.

Best sleep aid without a prescription.......2007-04-28

As a life-long insomniac (only kid in kindergarten with bags under his eyes), finding this disc was a true godsend. I bought it on a whim and didn't really learn of its magic until years later, when I got divorced and went through a spell of even worse-than-usual sleepless nights. I found that playing it softly on repeat was enough to help me drop off every time. Not only that, but whenever I woke during the night the waves were there to wash me right back into dreamland. It's been several years now, and a happy second marriage has helped me sleep better, but when I have those tough nights "Ocean Waves" is still there to help me through. Possibly the best money I ever spent on a CD.

great "ocean sounds" CD.......2007-04-09

Great - - four tracks of beautiful & relaxing sounds of ocean waves! Although description on "CD case" mentions sounds of sea lions/sea gulls, I'm unaware of "sounds of creatures", which is an asset for sleeping. I put this CD on repeat & sleep with these beautiful sounds of ocean waves. So much - - for such a low price! Highly recommend!

Relaxing to Ocean Waves of the Echoes of Nature CD.......2007-01-27

I am sitting here listening to the CD as I type. We live 20 miles from
the Gulf Coast of Florida and don't always get a chance to go to the
beach, so this is as close as I get. I love listening to the calming
sound of the waves rushing into the beach and I was pleasantly surprised
to hear the sea gulls. I highly recommend this CD as a relaxation tech-
nique for those like me who have trouble unwinding at the end of the day.
I also highly recommend the "Thundering Rainstorms" CD.
This society that we all live in is always, "Rush, Rush, Rush" and these
CD's have a real calming effect. LOVE THEM!!!!

Average customer rating: Better than Mozart (for work, anyway) Soothing Thunderstorm Where are the thunderstorms? Best of the Series! Relaxing Moments

Echoes of Nature: Thunderstorm Various Artists Manufacturer: Delta ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Environmental | New Age | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music Nature | New Age | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Environmental | New Age | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Environmental | New Age | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Echoes of Nature: Ocean Waves Thundering Rainstorm Echoes of Nature: Morning Songbirds Echoes of Nature: Rainforest Echoes of Nature: Wilderness River ASIN: B000001V3A Release Date: 1993-04-13

Tracks:

1. Showers
2. Thunder & Rain
3. Jamboree

Customer Reviews:

Better than Mozart (for work, anyway).......2007-01-31

I'm a writer, and I'm always looking for background sounds that inspire creativity, while not distracting the mind from the task at hand. Several years ago, a friend suggested I try this CD (Echoes of Nature: Thunderstorm) and I was immediately hooked. The CD makes you feel that you are out in nature, and the sound patterns hook your mental neurotransmitters together in a way that even surpasses the reputed benefits of Mozart and other classical music. I have friends who use soft jazz, or rock, or country when they work, but nothing has worked for me as well as this CD, for jobs that involve mental creativity and dexterity. I've tried several CDs in this series, and the ones that I recommend the most are "Thunderstorm" and "Morning Songbirds" and "Rainforest". These three have only nature sounds, with no accompanying music. I know there are other lines of nature recordings out there, and some of them are very good. But, the price of these Echoes of Nature recordings is unbeatable, and the quality is excellent.

Soothing Thunderstorm.......2007-01-10

The soothing sounds of a thunderstorm are wonderful for background sound. I recommend this item to anyone who needs to step back from the daily stress and relax. Excellent sound quality. I like to combine it with ocean sounds as well.

Where are the thunderstorms?.......2006-11-28

This cd is terrible. It is basically an entire cd of nothing but rain. There are a couple of thunderclaps here and then, but %99 of the cd is just rain.

Best of the Series!.......2006-05-30

Just the thing if your trapped in the city, and need some refreshing sounds to relax to. Well done! The storm passes over and you're left with the sweet songs of the frogs and birds in the deep country!

Relaxing Moments.......2006-03-02

I've really enjoyed this cd. If you like to just relax and listen to the sound of the rain or rain storm this cd is for you. It doesn't hide the great sounds of nature with an overpowering music track. Relaxing and restful but without getting wet.

Average customer rating: Great cd for great price Relaxing Echoes of Nature: Morning Songbirds birds in paradise Echoes of Nature: Morning Songbirds

Echoes of Nature: Morning Songbirds Various Artists Manufacturer: Laserlight ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Environmental | New Age | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music Nature | New Age | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Environmental | New Age | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Environmental | New Age | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Echoes of Nature: Rainforest Echoes of Nature: Ocean Waves Echoes of Nature: Thunderstorm Bird Sounds Mountain Streams ASIN: B000001V39 Release Date: 1993-04-13

Tracks:

1. Pacific Surf & Songbirds
2. Predawn
3. Rain With Pygmy Owl
4. Marsh
5. Sparkling Water
6. Brookside Birds
7. Bobwhite, Doves & Cardinals

Customer Reviews:

Great cd for great price.......2007-03-16

I love this cd. I just moved to the city from the suburbs and I miss hearing the birds in the backround all day, especially to wake up in the morning. The only "natural" sounds here are traffic, people walking by screaming and cursing profanities, and boys bouncing basketballs.(Oh and the occasional gun-shot.)
So, this is a PLEASURE to my ears. When we are finally living as God intended, on this earth in a paradise, then we will live without pollution and in peace with everyone, including the animals.
Until then, we have cd's with nature sounds on them.
As another reviewer stated, the first track does open kind of unnaturally with the sound of the surf, but it gets better. And in another track the water reminded me of gurgling bath water, but other than these minor flaws, it's great, and i'm very satisfied.

Relaxing.......2007-01-18

I loved listening to this cd before bed. It was relaxing. The sound is realistic and there is no music distracting me from the natural sounds.

Echoes of Nature: Morning Songbirds.......2006-11-03

Tinnitus sufferers---this is your CD. All Echoes of Nature CDs let you listen to the "sounds of nature" without disturbing high and lows of music. I have screeching tinnitus in both ears and take solace in these tapes. Try them!

birds in paradise.......2005-09-18

I was staying in a highly rated hotel in Nice,France recently. The lobby was filled with the sounds of birds. For quite a while I searched everywhere but could not find any. Then it dawned on me that the songs were coming from the speakers overhead. I could not wait to find this CD. I'm going to put it on while I get a massage!

Echoes of Nature: Morning Songbirds.......2005-09-06

This has become my "sleep" CD. It's wonderfully relaxing. There are many different kinds of birds and their songs along with nature sounds. I simply love it and plan on purchasing many more in this series. Money well spent.

Average customer rating: A Chandelier of Dreams and Sound Very Good, Just Different Trimmed & Tight Pelican not their best, but still great Richly deserving of praise

City of Echoes Pelican Manufacturer: Hydrahead Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Experimental Rock | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Similar Items: Given to the Rising Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun Era Vulgaris Enter At the Soundless Dawn ASIN: B000PA9OP2 Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

1. Bliss In Concrete
2. City Of Echoes
3. Spaceship Broken-Parts Needed
4. Winds With Hands
5. Dead Between the Walls
6. Lost In the Headlights
7. Far From Fields
8. A Delicate Sense Of Balance

Album Description

the band that brought you australasia and the fire in our throats will beckon the thaw (decibel magazine's album of the year for 2005) returns with opus number three, a series of (r)evolutionary instrumental ruminations on touring and the homogenous effects of globalization. with shorter songs and expanded catchiness, city of echoes is pelican's "pop album," according to guitarist laurent schroeder-lebec, a deftly executed reminder that these dudes can do whatever they feel like and still make those hairs on the back of our necks stand up like tiny little boners. which is a-okay by us, because whenever lsl and fellow guitarist trevor de brauw join forces with the now-la-based herweg brothers--larry (drums) and bryan (bass)--to form the ultimate instrumental quadrangle, it's all shazzam! and the next thing you know, they're dropping so many suckas with all those sweet, victorious riffs that it begins to feel like chicago in july, when everybody's air-conditioners simultaneously shit the bed and the old folks start piling up like logs at the city morgue. when the heat wave passes and the humidity subsides, the pelican dudes stand on top of the proverbial heap, possibly hoisting a chalice of some type--maybe even a sword, but not in a manowar kind of way--as the reverberations from their own amplified gloriousness rain upon their heads (and all of our heads, really) like manna from heaven. amen.

Customer Reviews:

A Chandelier of Dreams and Sound.......2007-07-06

Anxiously awaiting this release was not without merit, because I know by now after Australasia and "Fire in our Throats..." that these guys don't deal out filler. With the varying differences in overall structure between the albums "Australasia" (released 2003) and "The Fire in our throats will beckon the thaw" (2005) I was very curious to see where exactly the new album "City of Echoes" would land.

Needless to say that they are heading much more into the ethereal and eclectic territory I found with the previous release, but are still able to retain some hard edges when it comes to great riffs throughout an album. If any song displays this nice mix, it is the first one titled "Bliss in Concrete" which, like many of the tracks on this album, is a bit shorter in length than some of the marathon tracks of the previous album. Despite shorter time within a track, these guys are still able to put a ton of structure in melody and varying time sequences throughout the song. For one song that clocks in less than six minutes, the first track has enough depth to it to be granted its own universe. For an instrumental album, Pelican does an excellent job of producing varying harmonies that are both uplifting and dark and come out with an overall solid song. When experiencing a Pelican album I think one thing that comes to mind is the word EFFORT. These guys are not just noodling around; they are creating some great instrument driven music.

The segments from the title track is no less powerful as "City of Echoes" is a song with some great driving guitars that is backed up by at times, a soulful and somber addition of ambience. If you are new to Pelican I would suggest starting out with Australasia, but if you like deep, instrumental rock/metal music that is minus the vocals then I doubt you will have any regrets if this album is your first listen of the band's music.

Within the tracks on this album there are some that stand out to me more than others, but overall I feel it is a complete album. There is enough art, texture and sonic soundscape here to chew on for quite some time...or at least until their next studio release, which again I will be anxiously waiting for.

Very Good, Just Different.......2007-06-27

Compared to their last LP, "The Fire In Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw," City Of Echoes is a much safer release. Just looking at the track time and overall length of the album should lend some insight to this; the average track time of TFIOTWBTT was a whopping 8:20, whereas the average here is around 5:19 (admittedly, the latter's track count was greater by 1). The longest track in The Fire was over eleven minutes long, while Echoes longest, the title track, only measures in at 7. Also, City of Echoes is about 16 minutes shorter than TFIOTWBTT.

What this does to the sound is even more obvious; Echoes sounds much more organized and harmonic, even condensed when compared with TFIOTWBTT. Each song seems to sustain itself, though there is variation. For example, my personal favorite, track 3, begins with a simple, repeated piano note that in an almost symphonic progression is fleshed out into a full, more staggering chorus of guitar. The interesting aspect here is that it doesn't grow into a towering wave like, say "The Last Days of Winter" did on TFIOTWBTT, but has what you might consider checkpoints where the song grows. This could be anything from another guitar layer to a change in riffs. Either way the sound doesn't sneak up on you as it has on other releases, but rather jumps at you suddenly.

This album doesn't sound quite as epic; instead it sounds intelligent and meticulous, and I have to say that I grow more fond of its accessibility and forwardness with each listen. Perhaps you could slake it up to the band wanting a safer record as I already have, but the bottom line is that the music is still well executed and definitely exhibits movement and variation.

Personally, if I were to sum up the differences from previous releases I would have to say that structure has been emphasized in place of using space and tension. Not to say that these elements are entirely absent, they just aren't as dominant.

Either way, this is a very strong release with a satisfying albeit different sound. It may very well be that the band hoped to add some shorter pieces to their catalogue. If you were a fan before, the best advice (as always) is to listen to the album a couple times and personally decide about the differences.

Trimmed & Tight Pelican.......2007-06-19

"City of Echoes" is Pelican's third LP and continues the band's style of instrumental post-rock/metal. Gone are the drawn-out progressive pieces such as "March to the Sea" or "Nightendday" that took the listener on lengthened ten minute plus journeys. Instead "City of Echoes" delivers eight condensed and concise tracks, all roughly around the six-minute mark, and all keeping the themes and ideas trim and tight.

Obviously personal taste will have a major role in determining the result of this new direction. I can see it bringing in new fans due to accessibility, or perhaps reeling back old listeners who became bored with the old longer compositions. On the flipside I can also see it disappointing a portion of fans - those that liked the band's progressive approach. Initially I was quite firmly in the latter camp, irritated by my initial listens I thought Pelican had completely lost their song writing ability, as the album sounded like a confused mess of noise and heavy riffs. But it really did grow after a few more listens, and I began to pick out song structures that initially seemed scrambled.

I appreciate "City of Echoes" more by treating it as one large song, as this way I find it encompasses all of the old elements combined into a more dynamic and contrasting composotion - an aspect lacking in many of the individual compositions. This includes the rich and beautiful acoustic passages (represented by my favourite track on the album "Winds With Hands"), melancholy guitar motifs (evident throughout but most notably in the beautiful title track and "Far from Fields") and thundering riffs (something in plenty with the monstrous "Dead Between The Walls", and the fierce climax to the opener "Bliss In Concrete"). However, this seems slightly lacking as the older compositions would contrast dynamics more effectively and build up to climaxes in typical post-rock fashion, akin to Godspeed You! Black Emporer or Explosions In The Sky. With this new approach the elements are all there, but just divided and cut up into individual short songs.

This approach is certainly a risky development by the band, and is running the risk of the "hardcore" fans throwing the sold-out label at them. But, to Pelican's credit, I think they have done enough. "City of Echoes" is a detachment from the old progressive styling, and is not the ideal direction I personally want from them, but they retain enough of the old magic and formula for me to enjoy it, and give it a good rating.

not their best, but still great.......2007-06-13

Much more straight forward than 'the fire in our throats will beckon the thaw' much like Mogwai's Mr. Beast was. City of Echos has some of Pelican's best riffs on it, really a spectacle to behold. If you're a pelican fan you should already own this.

In terms of songs, this album has some really really good ones. Far from fields, Lost in the headlights truly are beautiful and spaceship broken- parts needed has the best ending to a song ever.

There are also definite lows to this album however which is why it's not my favorite. For starters it's much less progressive- which will probably appeal to most people but I felt it was one of the defining factors that made pelican so great. There are no epics on City of Echos, instead there are just really good solid riffs that change almost right after they start. Which leads me to my next point. many of the songs have almost a rushed feeling. In the sense that no riff/idea really stays around to long and isn't elaborated upon like in past releases. All of these songs in my opinion would've sounded much better if they had been longer and progressed upon more. No walls of sound like angel tears or march into the sea. I also really could have done without 'winds without hands' it seems that pelican has a tradition on each LP of having an acoustic track ( '-' on the fire in our throats and 'untitled' on australasia) which was a tradition I liked until now. winds without hands is just boring and could've done without it personally.

Overall though I like City of Echos just not the direction that pelican is deciding to take with their music. still a decent release, still recommended. 4 stars

Richly deserving of praise.......2007-06-09

This really is a great album. By the way, there are no vocals, in case you're new to Pelican. To me, that's a good thing: the truly beautiful guitar work can really shine without the distraction of forced lyrics or drug-induced ramblings.

Speaking of which, what's up with Amazon's Editorial review? Maybe I haven't listened to City of Echoes in the right *eh-hem* state yet, but I'm definitely not getting the whole pile-of-elderly-heat-stroke-victims vibe from it. Just sayin'.

Average customer rating: Echos of Nature: Bringing the Outdoors In relaxing and entertaining great value Echoes of Nature Above any expectations!

Echoes of Nature: The Natural Sounds of the Wilderness Various Artists Manufacturer: Delta ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Environmental | New Age | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music Nature | New Age | Styles | Music General | New Age | Box Sets | Stores | Music Environmental | New Age | Box Sets | Stores | Music Similar Items: ECHOES OF NATURE: The Natural Sounds Of The Wilderness, Part 1 (5 CDs) Echoes of Nature: Morning Songbirds Solitudes: Thunderstorm in the Wilderness Echoes of Nature: Rainforest Thundering Rainstorm ASIN: B000001VWD Release Date: 1993-04-13

Tracks:

1. Deep Woods - Echoes Of Nature-American Wilds
2. Songbirds - Echoes Of Nature-American Wilds
3. Wilderness Rainshower - Echoes Of Nature-American Wilds
4. Frog Chorus - Echoes Of Nature-American Wilds
5. Crickets & Wolves - Echoes Of Nature-American Wilds
6. Cicadas - Echoes Of Nature-American Wilds
7. Midnight Seranade - Echoes Of Nature-American Wilds

Tracks:

1. Pleasant Beach - Echoes Of Nature-Ocean Waves
2. Low Tide - Echoes Of Nature-Ocean Waves
3. Big Surf - Echoes Of Nature-Ocean Waves
4. Pebble Beach - Echoes Of Nature-Ocean Waves

Tracks:

1. Pacific Surf & Songbirds - Echoes Of Nature-Morning Songbirds
2. Predawn - Echoes Of Nature-Morning Songbirds
3. Rain With Pygmy Owl - Echoes Of Nature-Morning Songbirds
4. Marsh - Echoes Of Nature-Morning Songbirds
5. Sparkling Water - Echoes Of Nature-Morning Songbirds
6. Brookside Birds - Echoes Of Nature-Morning Songbirds
7. Bobwhite, Doves & Cardinals - Echoes Of Nature-Morning Songbirds

Tracks:

1. Showers - Echoes Of Nature-Thunderstorm
2. Thunder & Rain - Echoes Of Nature-Thunderstorm
3. Jamboree - Echoes Of Nature-Thunderstorm

Tracks:

1. Duet - Echoes Of Nature-Frog Chorus
2. Water Frogs - Echoes Of Nature-Frog Chorus
3. Frog Chorus - Echoes Of Nature-Frog Chorus

Customer Reviews:

Echos of Nature: Bringing the Outdoors In.......2007-03-13

Echos of Nature is a very nicely recorded collection of nature sounds with no musical accompaniment and minimal white noise or wind picking up on the mic, as I've noted on other collections. The Songbirds CD, however, was defective or warped and would not play the first track on some CD players. On other players the track skipped and generated hissing and scraping sounds as the disc spun. Fortunately, you can order these CDs separately, which is what I did (and it is now one of my favorites in the collection).

There are a few nature sounds these collections tend to overlook, in my opinion. I'd like a CD with the sound of wind whistling around the eaves or through the trees (with and without a track that includes wind chimes of various kinds). A whale call CD would have been nice also. So, too, would have been the sound of wood burning in a fireplace. Last but not least, a night track with owls and wolves in the far, far distance would have rounded things out nicely. (In fairness, however, these are sounds just about every nature collection fails to include.)

Comparing this set to the 10-CD set I bought elsewhere, the quality of the audio is very good. Nearly everyone will find something to enjoy about this collection. And if you want even more, the same company offers a Rainforest CD collection (though I understand some of the tracks are identical to the shorter tracks offered in this series).

A few years ago, I would not have imagined myself buying anything of this sort. But having done so, I would recommend this to anyone who would like an alternative to music while studying, relaxing, meditating or falling asleep. If you'd like a way to de-stress or a vacation and just can't get there, Echos of Nature will provide a pleasant mini retreat for a very reasonable price.

relaxing and entertaining.......2007-03-10

These 5 CD's can be used to help you relax, or can be used to encourage creativity, or just to give you the feeling that your some place else. The waves could have been more intense, needs more "boom" when the waves crash, but otherwise the CD's are very realistic. And the price is excellent! I would recommend these.

great value.......2007-01-13

I like these 5 CDs very much. The sounds of nature are very relaxing. You get 5 CDs for the price of one. And this is great too.
"Morning birds" is a little dissapointing for me. Compare to others CDs this is not a hole piece but many separated tracks. But overall I would recomend it very highly.

Echoes of Nature.......2005-07-05

I liked the tapes especially the bird sounds that were actual sounds. However, one of the series has canned music. I would prefer all natural sounds.

Above any expectations!.......2004-05-08

... I am in cacoon of sound ... no railroad, no highway is heard... - that was the purpose to buy.
The sound is very natural - not naturalistic like in best computer games - but very real. Transitions from track to track are very mild and smooth - noticable, but no gaps or silence pauses. Very impressive.

Average customer rating: just rain Echoes of Nature: Rainforest CD Good CD Good Sound Quality The Perfect Relaxation CD!!!!

Echoes of Nature: Rainforest Various Artists Manufacturer: Delta ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Environmental | New Age | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music Nature | New Age | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Environmental | New Age | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Environmental | New Age | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Echoes of Nature: Jungle Talk Echoes of Nature: Morning Songbirds Echoes of Nature: Ocean Waves Echoes of Nature: Thunderstorm Echoes of Nature: Wilderness River ASIN: B000001V4Q Release Date: 1993-09-21

Tracks:

1. Tropical Rain
2. Jungle River Birdsong
3. Birdsong

Customer Reviews:

just rain.......2007-03-28

It is a rainforest. Don't buy if you are expecting anything more than rain. Threw it away.

Echoes of Nature: Rainforest CD.......2007-02-24

The only reason I rated this two stars was because my bird could care less about this CD. I originally was online with some bird websites. I have a cockatiel and she is so whiney (squawking - screaming) when you leave the room. One of the reviewers said this CD did the trick for his bird. Well I think I have a special needs bird :) The CD itself is soothing for me. However, it doesn't do anything to quiet my needy cockatiel.

Good CD.......2006-05-29

This is a good CD, but not the best one. I have got various rainforest CDs in the past. Some were terible and some were great. Most of the Echos of Nature CDs are pretty good. The only problem is that if you here 10 sceconds of each track, you pretty much heard the whole CD.

Good Sound Quality.......2005-11-08

You'd think that recording quality would not be an issue with these "background" CDs, but some are terrible. In contrast, this one was well-engineered.

The Perfect Relaxation CD!!!!.......2005-09-10

I bought several Rainforest CD's in an effort to get relaxing rain sounds. This is my favorite one because there are no SCREAMING birds/animals!!! This CD has three tracks...Tropical Rain, which is perfect to fall asleep to...sounds like rain hitting leaves, Jungle River...sounds more like a small water fountain...but still relaxing, and Birdsong...which is still relaxing because there are no screaming birds...which I found to be a very common theme in my other rainforest cds. There is no music with these tracks!!! Which I love because why would you want chessy music when you're trying to relax with the sounds of nature???!!!??? It's great to fall asleep to or just to relax to...Hope you enjoy it. :-)

Average customer rating: delightful experience Excellent Compilation with Marvelous Tracks Beyond the first Silk Road CD Excelent!!! One of the Best !

Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Ma, Yo-Yo | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Sony | Computers Brands | Computers Features | Electronics | Desktops | Monitors | Networking | Notebooks Similar Items: Silk Road Journeys: When Strangers Meet The Silk Road: A Musical Caravan Obrigado Brazil Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone The Essential Yo-Yo Ma ASIN: B0007TFHEI Release Date: 2005-04-05

Tracks:

1. Mohini (Enchantment)
2. Oasis
3. Distant Green Valley
4. Akhalqalaqi Dance
5. Echoes Of A Lost City
6. Mountains Are Far Away
7. Yanzi (Swallow Song)
8. Battle Remembered
9. Summer In The High Grassland
10. Kor Arab (The Blind Arab)
11. Shikasta (Minstrel's Song)
12. Night At The Caravanserai
13. Gallop Of A Thousand Horses
14. Tarang (Currents)
15. Sacred Cloud Music

Amazon.com

It is a perilous proposition when genres clash--and no such collaboration is more potentially fraught than when improvisation-trained folk musicians sit in with Western classical instrumentalists, who are taught to interpret a printed score. The renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma has devoted much of his professional life to such intercultural experiments. But the traditions of nations situated along the ancient Silk Road, which began in the Far East, meandered through Asia and terminated in Europe, are especially dear to him. These lushly arranged pieces range from moody scenic vistas to percussive Turkish hip-shakers and they make very pleasant listening. If they owe more to the European canon than the ethnic sources that inspired them, they are also the result of respectful give-and-take between a team of acknowledged masters. And nobody is more of a team player than Maestro Ma, an impassioned, fearless musical seeker and a gracious, deferential colleague. --Christina Roden

Interview with Yo-Yo Ma
Yo-Yo Ma speaks about his latest adventures involved in this new installment of the ongoing Silk Road Project--an epoch-making collaboration among musical colleagues. Read our special interview to learn more about Ma's musical philosophy.

Amazon.com

It is a perilous proposition when genres clash--and no such collaboration is more potentially fraught than when improvisation-trained folk musicians sit in with Western classical instrumentalists, who are taught to interpret a printed score. The renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma has devoted much of his professional life to such intercultural experiments. But the traditions of nations situated along the ancient Silk Road, which began in the Far East, meandered through Asia and terminated in Europe, are especially dear to him. These lushly arranged pieces range from moody scenic vistas to percussive Turkish hip-shakers and they make very pleasant listening. If they owe more to the European canon than the ethnic sources that inspired them, they are also the result of respectful give-and-take between a team of acknowledged masters. And nobody is more of a team player than Maestro Ma, an impassioned, fearless musical seeker and a gracious, deferential colleague. --Christina Roden

Interview with Yo-Yo Ma
Yo-Yo Ma speaks about his latest adventures involved in this new installment of the ongoing Silk Road Project--an epoch-making collaboration among musical colleagues. Read our special interview to learn more about Ma's musical philosophy.

Customer Reviews:

delightful experience.......2007-07-04

this collection of music is quite a cultural experience. I've been hooked since I opened the cover!

Excellent Compilation with Marvelous Tracks.......2007-01-20

I enjoyed this compilation of Silk Road music very much. It delivers a nice, diverse sample of music from the region. My favorite track of the CD is Shikasta, but I like the others as well.

Beyond the first Silk Road CD.......2006-11-23

Yo-Yo Ma went beyond indeed. The first CD with Silk Road ensemble (When Strangers Meet) was inconsistent and somewhat experimental. This one however, is superb. As if in the 5 years the musicians got to know each other (but in truth, only a few musicians are the same). 23 traditional Eastern instruments are listed plus a number of western strings and other percussion was used. So the music on this CD gets my full attention, and as the title of first track suggests, you (can) get enchanted.
The tracks are ordered into three parts: Enchantments (1-5), Origins (6-9) and New Beginnings. First track is strangely familiar (like it was used in some film, but there is no mention of this). In third track this theme gets Chinese interpretation. The style from one track to the other changes, so you can't get bored or overexcited. Second is simply very nice, the fourth great intro of Armenian wind instrument duduk (played by famous Gevorg Dabaghyan), accompanied by percussion mostly, albeit the piece is short. 5 is gentle with cello and xun (Chinese ocarina), 6 orchestral from slow to cool, 7 again gentle with cello and vocal, 8 starts with yearning duduk and turns into orchestral battle, 9 cello and percussion. Track 10 is the only one with prominent vocal (love song) and introduces us to the last part of CD, which are more like jam sessions of all instruments. 11 and 13 are very lively. The last one, track 15, brings us a new interpretation of very ancient Chinese melody played on pipa.

Some would probably say this CD is commercialized. Personally I don't see any wrongdoings in this as long the music stays a high quality one. For the more authentic Silk Road one can always buy The Silk Road: A Musical Caravan.

Excelent!!!.......2006-01-15

One of the best concerts I attended in my life (so far... :-)...)

One of the Best !.......2005-12-06

This album has captured the soul of the Silkroad. There is not a single track in this album I don't like. I've been listening to it over and over and over again since I first got it. I think it's much better than the first one.

Average customer rating: Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material! Beginner or Expert Very Informative and Enjoyable Frank's view Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra

Instruments of the Orchestra Various Artists Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music National Philharmonic Orchestra London | ( N ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | 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 Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra | ( H ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra | ( M ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music National Philharmonic Orchestra London | ( N ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra Op34; Simple Symphony Op4 The Mahler Symphonies: An Owner's Manual (includes 1 CD) The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (Book & CD) Study of Orchestration, Third Edition What to Listen for in Music ASIN: B00006O0NT Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

1. Overture To 'Tannhauser'
2. Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
3. We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
4. Hungarian Dance No.7
5. The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
6. Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
7. But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
8. The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
9. The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
10. Csardas Music
11. The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
12. The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
13. Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
14. The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
15. Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
16. Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
17. The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
18. Tzigane
19. Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
20. Caprice No.24
21. The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
22. Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
23. Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
24. Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
25. Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
26. The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
27. The Violin Muted
28. Clair De Lune
29. The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
30. Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
31. The Pizzicato Violin
32. Pizzicato Polka
33. In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
34. Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
35. Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
36. The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
37. The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
38. Hungarian Dance No.4
39. Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
40. The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
41. Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
42. Bolero
43. Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
44. Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
45. Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
46. Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
47. Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
48. Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
49. And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
50. Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
51. The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
52. Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
53. The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
54. Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
55. Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
56. The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
57. Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
58. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
59. Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
60. The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
61. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
62. Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
63. Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
64. Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
65. Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
66. To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
67. Elfenreigen

Tracks:

1. Introduction To The Viola
2. Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
3. Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
4. Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
5. Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
6. Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
7. The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
8. Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
9. The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
10. Cypresses (No.9)
11. The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
12. Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
13. The 'Period' Viola In Bach
14. Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
15. The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
16. Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
17. Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
18. Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
19. Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
20. Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
21. In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
22. Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
23. But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
24. Elfentanz, Op.39
25. Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
26. The Protecting Veil (Opening)
27. A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
28. Flamenco
29. Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
30. Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
31. It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
32. Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
33. It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
34. Symphony No.9 (Finale)
35. Introduction To The Double-Bass
36. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
37. But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
38. Elegy No.1 In D Major
39. The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
40. Capriccio Di Bravura
41. Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
42. The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
43. Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

1. The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
2. Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
3. The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
4. Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
5. The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
6. Sa'Dawi
7. Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
8. Chamber Music No.II
9. The Piccolo - Aptly Named
10. La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
11. From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
12. Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
13. A Variety Of Techniques
14. Chamber Music No.II
15. Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
16. The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
17. From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
18. Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
19. An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
20. Naelden, Naelden
21. The Bachian Oboe
22. Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
23. Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
24. Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
25. The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
26. The Swan Of Tuonela
27. The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
28. Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
29. Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
30. Bolero
31. The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
32. Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
33. As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
34. Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
35. The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
36. The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
37. The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
38. ...And Quite Low.
39. Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
40. The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
41. Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
42. But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
43. Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
44. Introduction To The Saxophone
45. Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
46. The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
47. L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
48. The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
49. Bolero
50. The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
51. Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
52. The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
53. Sax-O-Phun
54. The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
55. Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
56. The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
57. Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
58. Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
59. And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
60. Bolero
61. The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
62. Symphony No.3 (Opening)
63. The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
64. The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
65. Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
66. The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
67. The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
68. Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
69. The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
70. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
71. The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
72. Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
73. Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
74. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
75. The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
76. Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

1. The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
2. Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
3. The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
4. Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
5. The Ceremonial Trumpet
6. Fanfare For The Common Man
7. Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
8. Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
9. The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
10. Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
11. The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
12. Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
13. The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
14. Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
15. The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
16. Billy The Kid
17. The Trumpet As Character Actor
18. Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
19. The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
20. Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
21. The Birth Of The Trombone
22. Aenmerckt Nu Hier
23. The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
24. Canzon 12 In Double Echo
25. The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
26. Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
27. The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
28. Hosannah
29. The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
30. Symphony No.5 (Finale)
31. The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
32. The Trombone As Caricaturist
33. Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
34. The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
35. The Horn And The Hunt
36. Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
37. The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
38. Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
39. The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
40. Walter Music (Minuet 1)
41. The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
42. Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
43. Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
44. The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
45. Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
46. The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
47. Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
48. The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
49. Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
50. The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
51. Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

1. Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
2. Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
3. At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
4. Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
5. Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
6. Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
7. The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
8. The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
9. Den Hoboecken Dans
10. Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
11. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
12. No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
13. Gymnopedie No.2
14. The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
15. Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
16. More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
17. Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
18. Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
19. Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
20. A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
21. Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
22. The Birth Of The Bongo
23. Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
24. From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
25. Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
26. From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
27. Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
28. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
29. But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
30. Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
31. Taking Advantage Of Tunability
32. Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
33. The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
34. Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
35. Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
36. The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
37. Ravel And The Xylophone
38. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
39. Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
40. Introducing The Vibraphone
41. The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
42. The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
43. Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
44. Folk Dances
45. The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
46. Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
47. Introducing The Tubular Bells
48. Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
49. A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
50. Carmen Suite (Introduction)
51. But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
52. Introducing The Celeste
53. The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
54. Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
55. Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
56. Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
57. A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
58. The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
59. Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
60. The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
61. Petrushka (Russian Dance)
62. The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
63. Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

1. Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
2. Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
3. But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
4. Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
5. The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
6. An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
7. Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
8. Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
9. Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
10. Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
11. Mahler's Sleighbells
12. Symphony No.4 (Opening)
13. A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
14. Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
15. Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
16. Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
17. National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
18. And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
19. And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
20. The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
21. The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
22. The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
23. The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
24. The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
25. The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
26. The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
27. The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
28. There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
29. The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
30. Nocturnes
31. Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
32. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
33. The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
34. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
35. The Oboe As Duck
36. Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
37. The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
38. The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
39. The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
40. Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
41. Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
42. Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
43. Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
44. The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
45. A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
46. Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
47. A Thunderstorm In A Million
48. Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
49. the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
50. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
51. Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
52. The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

1. The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
2. Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
3. A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
4. Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
5. Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
6. String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
7. The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
8. String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
9. The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
10. String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
11. The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
12. String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
13. The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
14. String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
15. The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
16. Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
17. Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
18. String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
19. The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
20. Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
21. Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
22. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
23. In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
24. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
25. In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
26. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
27. In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
28. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
29. Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
30. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
31. And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
32. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
33. The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
34. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
35. Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
36. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
37. A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
38. Octet In F (Mvt 3)
39. The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
40. Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
41. Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
42. Canzon 28
43. Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
44. Symphony No.5 (Finale)
45. From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
46. Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
47. Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
48. The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
49. Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
50. When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
51. Images (Gigues)
52. A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
53. Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
54. The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
55. Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
56. Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
57. Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
58. A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

The one complaint I have is the last CD. This deals with the orchestra. I wanted more of a tour of how the orchestra has been used through history up to the present. Instead, it was a tour of how different groups of instruments sound. I thought it could have been better. The other 6 CDs are excellent.

Average customer rating: if you want nature audio, and only that, this is it... Was looking forward to receiving this... Excellent nope nope

Echoes of Nature: Wilderness River Various Artists Manufacturer: Delta ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Environmental | New Age | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music Nature | New Age | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Environmental | New Age | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Environmental | New Age | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Echoes of Nature: Ocean Waves Echoes of Nature: Thunderstorm Mountain Streams Echoes of Nature: Morning Songbirds Echoes of Nature: Rainforest ASIN: B000001V4T Release Date: 1993-09-21

Tracks:

1. Big River
2. Streamside Songbirds
3. Small Rapid
4. Crickets & Water

Customer Reviews:

if you want nature audio, and only that, this is it... .......2006-12-29

i've been falling asleep to this disc for more than 10 years - can't sleep w/o it -- i've gotten my husband hooked as well, and just bought another to bring with me when i'm on the road!

often, when nature sounds are coupled with music, they become obscured by the instrumentation playing along with it. also, i have found it hard to fall asleep to this 'nature music,' as with repetitive play, i begin to memorize the melodies and become distracted by them. this cd is the perfect remedy -- just bare nature, ideal white noise.

Was looking forward to receiving this..........2002-10-17

but it sounds like running bath water. I too have had exposure to real woods, real rivers - this is not it.

Excellent.......2002-08-25

I don't know how anybody can say this CD is very short - it's 60 minutes long! And how many tracks do you need? It's nature. I think it delivers exactly what is promised: river sounds. If you like the sound of running water, I think you will like this CD. The production quality is excellent. Sometimes running water tends to sound like static when recorded, but not here.

nope.......2002-01-16

Was NOT impressed. Not much to it either.....very short CD with only a few tracks.

nope.......2002-01-16

Was NOT impressed. Not much to it either.....very short CD with only a few tracks.

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