Now That's What I Call Music! 3

Amazon.com
This long-running British series has shown chart strength since the introduction of a U.S. version in late 1998. As with the hit-focused radio formats to which it nods, not every track is likely to connect with every listener; those who applaud the eclecticism of, say, Total Request Live, however, will no doubt be happy to see Blink 182, Garbage, and K-Ci & Jojo sharing space with the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears. Packed with 18 tracks and running more than 70 minutes, Now 3 is also a fine place for the curious to catch up with the tunes that ruled the airwaves in the late summer of '99. --Rickey Wright

Now That's What I Call Music! 3,Various Artists,Now That's What I Call Music (Series),Utv Records,Adult Contemporary,Alternative Pop/Rock,Club/Dance,Dance-Pop,Hip-Hop,Pop,Popular Music,Post-Grunge,Rock,Rock/Pop Collections,Teen Pop,Urban

---

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: my opinion Wonderful, but not my first choice THE BEST recording of the BEST oratorio ever... Too bad there are so few recordings of Elijah

Mendelssohn: Elijah Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Franz Joseph Haydn: The Creation Mendelssohn - Elijah / Terfel, Fleming, Bardon, Ainsley, Fulgoni, Paul Daniel Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) / Auger, Stilwell, Atlanta SO, Robert Shaw Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem [A German Requiem] ASIN: B0002XV31A Release Date: 2005-02-15

Tracks:

1. Introduction: As God The Lord Of Israel Liveth
2. Overture
3. No.1 Help, Lord! Wilt Thou Quite Destroy Us?
4. No.2: Lord! Bow Thine Ear To Our Prayer!
5. No.3: Ye People, Rend Your Hearts
6. No.4: If With All Your Hearts
7. No.5: Yet Doth The Lord See It Not
8. No.6: Elijah! Get Thee Hence
9. No.7: For He Shall Give His Angels Charge Over Thee
10. Recitative: Now Cherith's Brook Is Dried Up
11. No.8: What Have I Do To Do With Thee?
12. No.9: Blessed Are The Men Who Fear Him
13. No.10: As God The Lord Of Sabaoth Liveth
14. No.11: Baal, We Cry To Thee: Hear And Answer Us!
15. No.12: Call Him Louder, For He Is A God!
16. No.13: Call Him Louder! He Heareth Not!
17. No.14: Lord God Of Abraham, Isaac And Israel!
18. No.15: Cast Thy Burden Upon The Lord
19. No.16: O Thou, Who Makest Thine Angels Spirits
20. No.17: Is Not His Word Like A Fire?
21. No.18: Woe Unto Them Who Forsake Him!
22. No.19: O Man Of God, Help Thy People!
23. No.20: Thanks Be To God!

Tracks:

1. No.21: Hear Ye, Israel; Hear What The Lord Speaketh
2. No.22: Be Not Afraid, Saith God The Lord
3. No.23: The Lord Hath Exalted Thee
4. No.24: Woe To Him, He Shall Perish
5. No.25: Man Of God, Now Let My Words Be Precious
6. No.26: It Is Enough; O Lord Now Take My Life
7. No.27: See, Now He Sleepeth
8. No.28: Lift Thine Eyes To The Mountains
9. No.29: He, Watching Over Israel, Slumbers Not
10. No.30: Arise, Elijah, For Thou Hast A Long Journey
11. No.31: O Rest In The Lord
12. No.32: He That Shall Endure To The End, Shall Be Saved
13. No.33: Night Falleth Round Me, O Lord!
14. No.34: Behold! God The Lord Passed By!
15. No.35: Above Him Stood The Seraphim
16. No.36: Go, Return Upon Thy Way
17. No.37: For The Mountains Shall Depart
18. No.38: Then Did Elijah The Prophet Break Forth
19. No.39: Then Shall The Righteous Shine Forth
20. No.40: Behold, God Hath Sent Elijah
21. No.41: But The Lord, From The North Hath Raised One
22. No.41a: O Come Everyone That Thirsteth
23. No.42: And Then Shall Your Light Break Forth

Customer Reviews:

my opinion.......2007-08-01

This recording was reccomended somewhere as being even better than the newer version with Bryn Terfel and Renee Fleming - it really is tops, I think. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau is as lyrical as ever. And the other soloists are also breathtaking.

Wonderful, but not my first choice.......2007-04-07

I believe this was the first recording of Elijah in English that used an "international" conductor and some international singers. Fruhbeck gives a good, dramatic sweep to the piece, with some wonderful dramatic moments. This is an old fashioned performance, with only a solo quartet, and if there is a semi-chorus, I can't tell the difference. This means that the soprano is the Widow, and an Angel, the mezzo the Angel and Queen Jezabel, etc. You really should have a libretto, but you don't get one at this price.
Fischer-Dieskau roughens up his voice for the role, and therein lies a problem. The voice spreads and his diction suffers because of it; that and his unidiomatic pronounciation, with far too many rolled "r"s. He does the drama well, but what works well in lieder works here less well on the large scale. Odd, given his success as on opera singer (check out his Iago), that here he frequently comes off blustery.
Dame Gwyneth Jones belies her reputation and gives a contolled, dramatic performance, using her "edge" to advantage in "Hear Ye, Israel". Gedda's diction is amazing, with exactly the right color for this literature, and projecting a little more blood than an English tenor.
Dame Janet Baker is my star in this performance. Dramatic, heart-rending when need be, and in wonderful voice. She'll chill your blood when she tells the people of Baal to "slaughter him, do what he hath done!".
And as for the people of Baal, the Philharmonia Chorus is wonderful. Incisive and dramatic, with beautiful tone. I could do without the trick of the boy choir for "Lift Thine Eyes", and I miss the small ensembles, but all in all a fine performance, and good recording, circa 1968.
First choice in English, Daniels/Terfel: better Elijah in Terfel, better recording, more authentic orchestra, small vocal ensembles (as per the score) but inferior women (including Fleming: beautiful tone, but where's her head?). In German, it's Sawallisch/Adam all the way.
But if you're singing Elijah, and have a score, this is a good choice.

THE BEST recording of the BEST oratorio ever..........2006-08-15

Okay, I'm gonna admit I'm biased- I first sung in the chorus of Elijah when I was 14 and it made a BIG impression on me!
This recording is in every way wonderful. Starting with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. He IS Elijah to me. His singing is perfection. He has amazing phrasing and his diction makes it possible to understand the lovely, inspired libretto to this heavenly music. There are so many pieces that are ephemeral, but a couple of my favorites are: #14, Lord God of Abraham and #37, For the Mountains shall Depart. Dieskau does a great job of what I think of as compassionate, heartfelt singing. His interpretation sounds like the voice of God himself. It has a quality of kindness and yet he sounds just as convincing reprimanding the people of Baal. He is the true highlight of this recording.

That said, the rest of the cast is wonderful as well. Gwyneth Jones has a lovely, silvery voice that has a clarion bell-like tone that rings over the large orchestra with ease. She has occasional "misfire" but is a consistent performer. Dame Janet Baker and Nicolai Gedda both perform at a consistently lovely level. The orchestra and chorus are both wonderful. #15, Cast thy Burden upon the Lord, #32 He that Shall Endure to the End, and #38 Then Did Elijah are all highlights.

All said, for me the main reason to get this recording is Dieskau's Elijah- after all, he's the main character. But don't forget the lovely music. This story is exciting and passionate and sacred all at the same time. For me, it's the best oratorio that has a moving story and great music too.

Too bad there are so few recordings of Elijah.......2006-07-03

This is a good recording of an oratorio that deserves more attention. The chorus and soloists are very good--I just wish Fischer-Diskau wouldn't slide around so much in singing the title part!

Average customer rating: The greatest songs ever? A musical treasure-box a beautiful journey into melancholy

Dowland - The Collected Works / The Consort of Musicke, Rooley John Dowland , Anthony Rooley , Emma Kirkby , Christopher Wilson , The Consort of Musicke , Colin Tilney , Anthony Bailes , Jakob Lindberg , Nigel North , Glenda Simpson , Peter Holman , and John Donne Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Byrd, William | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Dowland | Dowland, John | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Holborne, Anthony | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by White | White, Robert | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Sacred & Religious | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems Ballets & Dances | Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Recorder | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Lute | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music Classical | Box Sets | Stores | 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 Byrd, William | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Dowland, John | ( D ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Holborne, Anthony | ( H ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music White, Robert | ( W ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Bargain Box Sets | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Bargain Box Sets | Opera & Vocal General | Opera & Vocal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Opera & Vocal General | Opera & Vocal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Dowland: Complete Lute Works, Vol.1-5 William Byrd: Consort Songs Bach: The Landowska Recordings Britten Conducts Britten Janácek: Operas ASIN: B000004CYV Release Date: 2007-03-13

Tracks:

1. First Booke Of Songes: I. Unquiet Thoughts
2. First Booke Of Songes: II. Who Ever Thinks Or Hopes Of Love
3. First Booke Of Songes: III. My Thoughts Are Wing'd With Hopes
4. First Booke Of Songes: IV. If My Complaints Could Passions Move
5. First Booke Of Songes: V. Can She Excuse My Wrongs
6. First Booke Of Songes: VI. Now, O Now, I Needs Must Part
7. First Booke Of Songes: VII. Dear, If You Change
8. First Booke Of Songes: VIII. Burst Fourth My Tears
9. First Booke Of Songes: IX. Go Crystal Tears
10. First Booke Of Songes: X. Think'st Thou Then By Thy Feigning
11. First Booke Of Songes: XI. Come Away, Come Sweet Love
12. First Booke Of Songes: XII. Rest Awhile, You Cruel Cares
13. First Booke Of Songes: XIII. Sleep, Wayward Thoughts
14. First Booke Of Songes: XIV. All Ye, Whom Love Or Fortune Hath Betray'd
15. First Booke Of Songes: XV. Wilt Thou Unkind Thus Reave Me
16. First Booke Of Songes: XVI. Would My Conceit
17. First Booke Of Songes: XVII. Come Again: Sweet Love Doth Now Invite
18. First Booke Of Songes: XVIII. His Golden Locks
19. First Booke Of Songes: XIX. Awake, Sweet Love
20. First Booke Of Songes: XX. Come, Heavy Sleep
21. First Booke Of Songes: XXI. Away With These Self-Loving Lads

Tracks:

1. Second Booke Of Songs: I. I Saw My Lady Weep
2. Second Booke Of Songs: II. Flow My Tears
3. Second Booke Of Songs: III. Sorrow, Stay
4. Second Booke Of Songs: IV. Die Not Before Thy Day
5. Second Booke Of Songs: V. Mourn, Mourn, Day Is With Darkness Fled
6. Second Booke Of Songs: VI. Time's Eldest Son
7. Second Booke Of Songs: VII. Then Sit Thee Down
8. Second Booke Of Songs: VIII. When Others Sing Venite
9. Second Booke Of Songs: IX. Praise Blindness Eyes
10. Second Booke Of Songs: X. O Sweet Woods
11. Second Booke Of Songs: XI. If Floods Of Tears
12. Second Booke Of Songs: XII. Fine Knacks For Ladies
13. Second Booke Of Songs: XIII. Now Cease My Wand'ring Eyes
14. Second Booke Of Songs: XIV. Come Ye Heavy States Of Night
15. Second Booke Of Songs: XV. White As Lilies Was Her Face
16. Second Booke Of Songs: XVI. Woeful Heart
17. Second Booke Of Songs: XVII. A Shepherd In A Shade
18. Second Booke Of Songs: XVIII. Faction That Ever Dwells
19. Second Booke Of Songs: XIX. Shall I Sue
20. Second Booke Of Songs: XX. Toss Not My Soul
21. Second Booke Of Songs: XXI. Clear Or Cloudy
22. Second Booke Of Songs: XXII. Humour Say What Mak'st Thou Here

Tracks:

1. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: I. Farewell, Too Fair
2. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: II. Time Stands Still
3. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: III. Behold A Wonder Here
4. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: IV. Daphne Was Not So Chaste
5. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: V. Me, Me, And None But Me
6. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: VI. When Phoebus First Did Daphne Love
7. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: VII. Say, Love, If Ever Thou Didst Find
8. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: VIII. Flow Not So Fast, Ye Fountains
9. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: IX. What If I Never Speed?
10. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: X. Love Stood Amazed
11. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XI. Lend Your Ears To My Sorrow
12. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XII. By A Fountain Where I Lay
13. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XIII. O What Hath Overwrought
14. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XIV. Farewell, Unkind
15. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XV. Weep You No More, Sad Fountains
16. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XVI. Fie On This Feigning!
17. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XVII. I Must Complain
18. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XVIII. It Was A Time When Silly Bees
19. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XIX. The Lowest Trees Have Tops
20. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XX. What Poor Astronomers Are They
21. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XXI. Come When I Call

Tracks:

1. A Pilgrimes Solace: I. Disdain Me Still
2. A Pilgrimes Solace: II. Sweet Stay Awhile
3. A Pilgrimes Solace: III. To Ask For All Thy Love
4. A Pilgrimes Solace: IV. Love, Those Beams That Breed
5. A Pilgrimes Solace: V. Shall I Strive Wih Words To Move?
6. A Pilgrimes Solace: VI. Were Every Thought An Eye
7. A Pilgrimes Solace: VII. Stay, Time, Awhile Thy Flying
8. A Pilgrimes Solace: VIII. Tell Me, True Love
9. A Pilgrimes Solace: IX. Go Nightly Cares
10. A Pilgrimes Solace: X. From Silent Night
11. A Pilgrimes Solace: XI. Lasso vita mia
12. A Pilgrimes Solace: XII. In This Trembling Shadow Cast
13. A Pilgrimes Solace: XIII. If That A Sinner's Sights
14. A Pilgrimes Solace: XIV. Thou Mighty God
15. A Pilgrimes Solace: XV. When David's Life
16. A Pilgrimes Solace: XVI. When The Poor Cripple

Tracks:

1. A Pilgrimes Solace: XVII. Where Sin Sore Wounding
2. A Pilgrimes Solace: XVIII. My Heart And Tongue Were Twins
3. A Pilgrimes Solace: XIX. Up Merry Mates
4. A Pilgrimes Solace: XX. Welcome Black Night
5. A Pilgrimes Solace: XXI. Cease, Cease These False Sports
6. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Lachrimae Pavane
7. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Can Shee
8. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Paduana
9. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: The Frogge
10. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Frog's Galliard
11. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Pavana And Galiarda
12. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Paduana Lachrymae
13. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Can She Excuse
14. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Pavion Solus cum sola
15. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Dowland's Almayne
16. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Piper's Paven And Galliard
17. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Pavan Lachrymae

Tracks:

1. Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: I. The Lamentation Of A Sinner
2. Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: II. Domine ne in furore
3. Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: III. Miserere mei Deus
4. Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: IV. The Humble Suit Of A Sinner
5. Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: V. The Humble Complaint Of A Sinner
6. Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: VI. De profundis
7. Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: VII. Domine exaudi
8. Lachrimae: Lachrimae Antiquae
9. Lachrimae: Lachrimae Antiquae Novae
10. Lachrimae: Lachrimae Gementes
11. Lachrimae: Lachrimae Tristes
12. Lachrimae: Lachrimae Coactae
13. Lachrimae: Lachrimae Amantis
14. Lachrimae: Lachrimae Verae
15. Lachrimae: Mr. John Langton's Pavan
16. Lachrimae: Mr. Nicholas Gryffith His Galiard
17. Lachrimae: Sir John Souch His Galiard
18. Lachrimae: Semper Dowland Semper Dolens
19. Lachrimae: Mr. Giles Hobies Galiard
20. Lachrimae: The King Of Denmark's Galiard
21. Lachrimae: Sir Henry Umpton's Funerall
22. Lachrimae: Mr. Henry Noell His Galiard
23. Lachrimae: The Earl Of Essex Galiard
24. Lachrimae: Mr. Bucton His Galiard
25. Lachrimae: Mr. George Whitehead His Almand
26. Lachrimae: Captain Digorie Piper His Galiard
27. Lachrimae: Mr. Thomas Collier His Galiard
28. Lachrimae: Mrs. Nichols Almand

Tracks:

1. Sacred Songs: Sorrow, Come!
2. Sacred Songs: I Shame At Mine Unworthiness
3. Sacred Songs: An Heart That's Broken And Contrite
4. Psalms: Psalm 100: All People That On Earth Do Dwell
5. Psalms: Psalm 38: Put Me Not To Rebuke O Lord
6. Psalms: Psalm 130: Lord To Thee I Make My Moan
7. Psalms: Psalm 104: My Soul Praise The Lord
8. Psalms: Psalm 100: All People That On Earth Do Dwell
9. Psalms: Psalm 134: Behold And Have Regard
10. A Prayer For The Queen's Most Excellent Majesty
11. Instrumental Music: Solus cum sola pavan
12. Instrumental Music: Lachrimae
13. Instrumental Music: Galliard
14. Instrumental Music: Pipers Pavan
15. Instrumental Music: Lachrimae
16. Instrumental Music: Lady Rich Galliard
17. Instrumental Music: Earl Of Essex Galliard
18. Instrumental Music: If My Complaints
19. Instrumental Music: Lachrimae Doolande
20. Instrumental Music: Lord Willoughbie's Welcome Home
21. Instrumental Music: My Lord Chamberlaine His Galliard
22. Instrumental Music: Comagain
23. Instrumental Music: Pavan Lachrymae
24. Instrumental Music: Sorrow Stay

Tracks:

1. Lute Music: Preludium
2. Lute Music: Lachrimae
3. Lute Music: Can She Excuse
4. Lute Music: Dr. Case's Pavan
5. Lute Music: Melancholy Galliard
6. Lute Music: Sir John Smith, His Almain
7. Lute Music: Fantasia
8. Lute Music: A Dream
9. Lute Music: Almain
10. Lute Music: The Queen's Galliard
11. Lute Music: Coranto
12. Lute Music: Resolution
13. Lute Music: Mrs. Vaux Galliard
14. Lute Music: Almain
15. Lute Music: Mr. Dowland's MIdnight
16. Lute Music: Fantasia
17. Lute Music: Loth To Depart
18. Lute Music: The Most Sacred Queen Elizabeth, Her Galliard
19. Lute Music: The Earl Of Essex, His Galliard
20. Lute Music: Pavan
21. Lute Music: John Dowland's Galliard
22. Lute Music: Aloe
23. Lute Music: The Lady Clifton's Spirit
24. Lute Music: What If A Day
25. Lute Music: Mr. Giles Hobie's Galliard
26. Lute Music: Come Away (Song arrangement)
27. Lute Music: Galliard
28. Lute Music: Fancy (Fantasia)

Tracks:

1. Lute Music: Lachrimae (Basic Version)
2. Lute Music: Galliard To Lachrimae
3. Lute Music: [Jig]
4. Lute Music: Galliard On 'Wasingham'
5. Lute Music: Complaint (Ballad Setting)
6. Lute Music: Mignarda (Galliard)
7. Lute Music: Semper Dowland Semper Dolens (Pavan)
8. Lute Music: The Frog Galliard
9. Lute Music: A Fancy (Fantasia)
10. Lute Music: Fancy (Fantasia)
11. Lute Music: Piper's Pavan
12. Lute Music: Captain Digorie Piper's Galliard
13. Lute Music: Lady Laiton's Almain
14. Lute Music: Dowland's Galliard
15. Lute Music: Dowland's First Galliard
16. Lute Music: Tarleton's Jig
17. Lute Music: Walsingham (ballad Setting)
18. Lute Music: Lord Willoughbie's Welcome Home (Ballad Setting)
19. Lute Music: Sir Henry Guilforde, His Almain
20. Lute Music: Pavan (Related To 'Lachrimae')
21. Lute Music: Mr. Langton's Galliard
22. Lute Music: Mrs. Clifton's Almain
23. Lute Music: Galliard
24. Lute Music: Lady Hunsdon's Puffe (Almain)
25. Lute Music: Galliard
26. Lute Music: Go From My Window (Ballad Setting)
27. Lute Music: Fancy (Fantasia)

Tracks:

1. Lute Music: Pavana Johan Douland
2. Lute Music: Mrs. Brigide Fleetwood's Pavan (Solus sine sola)
3. Lute Music: La mia Barbara
4. Lute Music: Sir Henry Umpton's Funeral (Pavan)
5. Lute Music: Lachrimae
6. Lute Music: Farewell Fancy (Chromatic Fantasia)
7. Lute Music: Farewell (On The 'In Nomine' Theme)
8. Lute Music: The King of Denmark's Galliard
9. Lute Music: Mrs. Vaux's Jig
10. Lute Music: Mrs. Nichol's Almain
11. Lute Music: Galliard
12. Lute Music: Lord Strang's March
13. Lute Music: Mrs. Winter's Jump
14. Lute Music: Can She Excuse (Galliard)
15. Lute Music: The Shoemaker's Wife, A Toy
16. Lute Music: Mrs. Norrish's Delight
17. Lute Music: Galliard
18. Lute Music: Mrs. White's Thing (Almain)
19. Lute Music: Mrs. White's Nothing
20. Lute Music: The Frog Galliard
21. Lute Music: Solus cum sola
22. Lute Music: The Lord Viscount Lisle, His Galliard
23. Lute Music: Orlando Sleepeth (Ballad Setting)
24. Lute Music: Robin (Ballad Setting)
25. Lute Music: Galliard (On A Galliard By Daniel Bacheler)
26. Lute Music: Forlorn Hope Fancy (Chromatic Fantasia)

Tracks:

1. Lute Music: The Lady Russell's Pavan
2. Lute Music: Fancy (Fantasia)
3. Lute Music: Sir John Langton's Pavan
4. Lute Music: Earl Of Derby, His Galliard
5. Lute Music: A Coy Toy
6. Lute Music: Fortune My Foe
7. Lute Music: [Almain]
8. Lute Music: Mr. Knight's Galliard
9. Lute Music: Sir John Souch His Galliard
10. Lute Music: Tarletone's Riserrectione
11. Lute Music: The Lady Rich, Her Galliard
12. Consort Music: Lachrimae Pavan
13. Consort Music: Can She Excuse Galliard
14. Consort Music: Captain Piper's Pavan And Galliard
15. Consort Music: The Frog Galliard
16. Consort Music: Round Battell Galliard
17. Consort Music: Fortune My Foe
18. Consort Music: Dowland's First Galliard
19. Consort Music: Katherine Darcie's Galliard
20. Consort Music: Tarleton's Jigge
21. Consort Music: Almain a 2
22. Consort Music: Mistress Nichols Almain a 2
23. Fullsack And Hildebrandt: Auserlesener Paduanen und Galliarden: Susanna Fair (Galliard)
24. Haussmann: Rest von polnischen und andern Tanzen: Mistress Nichols Alman a 5
25. Opusculum: Mr. John Langton Pavan And Galliard
26. Opusculum: La mia Barbara Pavan and Galliard
27. Opusculum: Lachrimae Antiquae Novae Pavan and Galliard

Tracks:

1. Consort Music: Mistress NIchols Almain
2. Consort Music: Volta a 4 ('Ioh. Douland')
3. Consort Music: Were Every Thought an Eye
4. Consort Music: Lady If You So Spite Me
5. Consort Music: Pavan a 4
6. A Musicall Banquet: I. My Heavy Sprite (Anthony Holborne)
7. A Musicall Banquet: II. Change Thy Mind Since She Doth Change (Richard Martin)
8. A Musicall Banquet: III. O Eyes, Leave Off Your Weeping (Robert Hales)
9. A Musicall Banquet: IV. Go, My Flock, Go Get You Hence (Anon.)
10. A Musicall Banquet: V. O Dear Life, When Shall It Be? (Anon.)
11. A Musicall Banquet: VI. To Plead My Faith (Daniel Bacheler)
12. A Musicall Banquet: VII. In A Grove Most Rich Of Shade (Guillaume Tessier)
13. A Musicall Banquet: VIII. Far From Triumphing Court
14. A Musicall Banquet: IX. Lady, If You So Spite Me
15. A Musicall Banquet: X. In Darkness Let Me Dwell
16. A Musicall Banquet: XI. Si le parler et le silence (Pierre Guedron)
17. A Musicall Banquet: XII. Ce penser qui sans fin tirannise ma vie (Pierre Guedron)
18. A Musicall Banquet: XIII. Vous que le Bonheur rappelle (Pierre Guedron)
19. A Musicall Banquet: XIV. Passava Amor su arco desarmado (Anon. Spanish)
20. A Musicall Banquet: XV. Sta notte mi sognava (Anon. Italian)
21. A Musicall Banquet: XVI. Vuestros ojos tienen d'Amor (Anon. Spanish)
22. A Musicall Banquet: XVII. Se di farmi morire (Domenico Maria Megli)
23. A Musicall Banquet: XVIII. Dovro dunque morire? (Giulio Caccini)
24. A Musicall Banquet: XIX. Amarilli mia bella (Giulio Caccini)
25. A Musicall Banquet: XX. O bella piu (Anon, Italian)

Customer Reviews:

The greatest songs ever?.......2007-07-26

I heard 'clear or cloudy', from this recording, on the radio recently and had to purchase it. It is strange but it is the sort of song that makes life prior to listening to it different from life after. I find it sad that so many people haven't heard it. There are also many other wonderful works in this collection. Given you get twelve well recorded CDs with top quality performances, this has to be one of the bargains of the age.

Please buy it.

A musical treasure-box.......2006-09-10

Both the music and this actual product are masterpieces. John Dowland's collected works here - covering 12 compact discs - exhibit the depth and power of this composer, a composer who many now regard as suffering from clinical depression. I doubt that the issue of the diagnosis of Dowland's depression can ever be settled, however, it is certainly obvious from his music, so completely on display here, that he was a man with very dark depths and corners in his mind. Dowland's various manifestations and "takes" on his own tune, "Flow my tears"/"Lachrimae" are here. This tune has haunted me ever since I first heard it when I was a child. It seems to sum up Dowland's feelings - at least Dowland seems to have thought so.

The First, Second, Third and Fourth Bookes of Songes, A Musicall Banquet, the keyboard transcriptions, all the lute music, consort music are here and virtually everything else written or supposedly written by John Dowland. Anthony Rooley and The Consort of Musicke perform this music with style and feeling throughout. This 12 CD set is something of a monument to the ensemble - I only wish they'd finished their collection of Monteverdi madrigals, which was equally good (La Venexiana are currently doing a magnificent job of recording all Monteverdi's books of madrigals for the GLOSSA label).

This is an expensive set, however, you will probably never need to buy another John Dowland CD again after buying and listening to this collection.

I bought this CD set on a mild Summer evening of 1998 and listened to it while sitting in my sun room - which a glorious orange sunset in progress, and a glass of wine. It brought back so many memories.

a beautiful journey into melancholy.......2001-06-15

I'm amazed at how many people tend to associate John Dowland's music with a tragic sense of drama. While no doubt this is art highly based on sadness, the "tragic" sense of it is more a legacy from the Romantic period. During the Renaissance, however, sadness was undestood as a very aesthetic way of approaching life. That is also the reason why Shakespeare's tragedies appear more sophisticated than his comedies.

Dowland, a contemporary of Shakespeare, discovered that meditating on a sad theme is, at the same time, a way of discovering a special beauty that we tend to avoid (maybe because of the "tragic" heritage of the Romantics). So, in the end, meditating on sadness is an uplifting experience! This box set is a journey into melancholy that includes songs, chamber music, pieces for lute, some rare sacred music and -as a highlight- Dowland's beautiful collection of seven pieces for viola which he called "Lachrimae" (Tears).

Average customer rating: Vol. 3 the third best now 3rd Time's A Charm Review for Now 3 Now 3

Now That's What I Call Music! 3 Various Artists , and Now That's What I Call Music (Series) Manufacturer: Utv Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post Grunge | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Teen Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General | Compilations | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Now That's What I Call Music! 2 Now That's What I Call Music! 4 Now, Vol. 1 Now That's What I Call Music! 5 Now That's What I Call Music! 6 ASIN: B000038IE0 Release Date: 1999-12-07

Tracks:

1. All Star - Smash Mouth
2. American Woman - Lenny Kravitz
3. What's My Age Again? - Blink 182
4. Bailamos - Enrique Iglesias
5. Sometimes - Britney Spears
6. All I Have To Give - Backstreet Boys
7. Tell Me It's Real - K-Ci & JoJo
8. The Rockafeller Skank - Fatboy Slim
9. Nookie - Limp Bizkit
10. Special - Garbage
11. If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time - R. Kelly
12. Get Gone - Ideal
13. Chante's Got A Man - Chante Moore
14. Hey Leonardo (She Likes Me For Me) - Blessid Union Of Souls
15. Why I'm Here - Oleander
16. Happily Ever After - Case
17. The Hardest Thing - 98 Degrees
18. Out Of My Head - Fastball

Amazon.com

This long-running British series has shown chart strength since the introduction of a U.S. version in late 1998. As with the hit-focused radio formats to which it nods, not every track is likely to connect with every listener; those who applaud the eclecticism of, say, Total Request Live, however, will no doubt be happy to see Blink 182, Garbage, and K-Ci & Jojo sharing space with the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears. Packed with 18 tracks and running more than 70 minutes, Now 3 is also a fine place for the curious to catch up with the tunes that ruled the airwaves in the late summer of '99. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

Vol. 3.......2006-07-18

A couple things happened here. First off 98% outshined The Backstreet Boys, and Rock outshined pop landing 9 of the 18 tracks here (yes the majority are pop/rock but it still counts). The all stars here are (not Smash Mouth) Oleander who broke onto the map with 'Why I'm Here' which is one of the best songs 'Now!' has ever featured. Other standouts include Blink 182's 'What's my Age Again' and Limp Bizkit's legendary Nookie which may be the biggest hit of that year. I have never been a fan of Smash Mouth, but the staying power of one 'All Star' is undeniable no matter how much I hate it, and while Britany isn't god-awful, 'Sometimes' is just not her ticket.

Latin superstar Enrique Iglasias delivers his universal hit 'Bailamos' which is better than anything washed up Rickey Martin could serve up. And Fatboy Slim deliver the anthum of the year, 'Rockafeller Skank' which was on everyones playlist back in the day.

Garbage, who I have so much respect for, suffered with 'Special' which was not one of my favorites, and while Lenny Kravitz doesn't suck he doesn't rock and I just don't really care for this song let alone him in general. R. Kelly's ballad is decent, he does have amazing talent despite what tabloid fodder he's become. There are a few tracks from some nobodies like Case and Chante Moore and then of course from some who stay around for aome unknown reason (take KC & JoJo for instance) but all in all this album, like the rest in the Now! series deliver the goods for whatever that's worth.

the third best now.......2006-06-10

wow, the first 8 now albums are awesome, the best being now 7, then now 5, then now 3. I borrowed this CD from a friend, since this one and three others were the only ones i had not listened to. I was impressed, and he wont be getting this CD back anytime soon!lol. I liked almost every song, so i will just shut up and tell you about each song.

All Star by Smash Mouth- Probably the biggest hit on the CD, every body has heard it. I love it. A+

American Woman by Lenny Kravitz- Lenny makes too many remakes, but oh well, this song is pretty cool. B-

Whats my Age Again?by Blink 182- This song, along with a few other songs on this cd, sound very familiar to me. I was only, like, nine in 1999, but my brother listened to a lot of this music, especially blink 182. I remember liking this song, and i still do. Check out there other hits and albums. This song is funny. A+(a very big hit too)

Bailomous by Enrique Iglesias- Man this CD brings me back to the good old days of being a kid. I recognize this song, and its no wonder. It was a monster hit, and enrique iglesias was probably the best latin artist during that short lived latin movement in the US(1999-2002) I love this song. A+

Sometimes by Britney Spears-I dont like many britney spears songs. This song also sounds familiar. Its ok, but i cant stand her voice that sounds like she has her nose clogged. C-

All I Have to Give by BSB- I cant stand this song, i hate it. I like the backstreet boys, all of there other hits are good, but geez, this one is terrible. sorry bsb. F

Tell me its Real by K-Ci and JoJo- I have only heard three songs by these guys, they are better than this one. D-

The Rockafeller Skank by Fatboy Slim- WOW!!!! If you dont recognize this song, u must be living under a rock. Even though the only lyrics are "right about now, the funk soul brother, check it out now, the funk soul brother" it still rocks, i remember lovin this song when i was little.A+

Nookie by Limp Bizkit- This song was a huge hit. I recognize it big time. While i hated it when i was little complaining to my brother "too loud" i love it now, this song just goes out and shows its mad, it doesnt candy coat it like other songs do. I love this song and limp bizkit. Its awesome, especially if your mad at someone. A+

Special by Garbage- BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Their name says it all. F--------

Hands of Time by R.Kelly- This is one of the few ballads that R 'n' B legend R.Kelly has made, and it is also one of his few songs i like. I recognize this one too, and i love this one. Its beautiful :-) B+

Get Gone by whatshisface- bad song. F

Chante's got a Man- I really recognize this song, i cant listen to it during the daytime, but at night its pretty nice. Its a sweet song that is nice and slow. B+

She likes me for Me by Blessid Union of Souls- I really recognize this one too, its a great song that has strange and funny lyrics. A+

Why I'm Here by Oleander- You are probably sick of me saying that songs sound familiar to me, but this one does, and its pretty cool. B-

The rest of these songs were just plain terrible, so i will skip them. I definetly recomend this cd.

3rd Time's A Charm.......2005-04-10

"NOW 3" shows the U.S. version of the popular "NOW" series perfecting everything that makes the albums work. ALL of the songs on here WERE hits during 1999, and many of them are great singles of '99; or any year for that matter. Due to consistency in the material, the album almost plays as a soundtrack to Summer '99; with a few dipping back into the Spring ("All I Have To Give", "Special"). The hip-hop/rap genre is completly ignored (Limp Bizkit's "Nookie" is more rock, despite shades of rap), but that's alright because the other genres are represented SO well. As always, the divertsity among the artists is very refreshing. The breakdown:
(1) Smash Mouth "All Star" A-. In only a short amount of time, this song has work it's way into a piece of "pop culture". It's always on radio, in dozens of movies and eveyone knows it. That's because the group made a catchy, lively and highly enjoyable song. It may not be about anything, but the song is a total joy to hear.
(2) Lenny Kravitz "American Woman" B. A good, if by-the-numbers remake (from the "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" soundtrack) of the '60s classic. Lenny vocal range is nicely displayed here, and it's suited for vthe film; even if the guitars fall a tad short of Lenny's usual work. Not a great remake, but not one without it's charms.
(3) blink-182 "What's My Age Again?" A-. Another example of how blink-182 dominated "punk-pop" music before their 2005 break-up. The song is short and goes by fast, yet it accomplishes everything it sets out to do. Not too deep, yet has a real connection to most young adults.
(4) Enrique Iglesias "Bailamos" A. Miles better than Ricky Martin's terrible "Livin' La Vida Loco". The secret is that Enrique has real conviction as he sings the lyrics, and the latin roots are kept intact with the beat. There is true fire and flair to be found in this wonderful dance song.
(5) Britney Spears "Sometimes" B+. Unlike "...Baby One More Time" and "(You Drive Me) Crazy", this single is actually about something. The lyrics are heartfelt and touching, althought Britney's voice isn't as strong as it should be to deliver them. A refreshing change of pace from her usual junk.
(6) Backstreet Boys "All I Have To Give" B. Good, but not the best ballad the Backstreet Boys have done. It preformed and written well, yet doesn't have the impact of songs like "Shape Of My Heart" and "As Long As You Love Me". Also a differnt kind of song for rap group Full Force to write.
(7) K-Ci & JoJo "Tell Me It's Real" A. The best single for K-Ci & JoJo as a duo (and as a part of Jodeci). The writing seems standard, but the boys deliver it with powerful conviction in their heartfelt voices. So positive and flowing with impact, this is what R&B should sound like.
(8) Fatboy Slim "The Rockafeller Skank" A. Many dance artists bring nothing new to the game, but Fatboy Slim has established himself by always doing his own thing. This song is absolutley about nothing, yet you're left with alot of praise for the originality he has laced his beats and production with. The end result is a bizzare masterpiece and one of 1999's best songs.
(9) Limp Bizkit "Nookie" A+. The song is hardcore and rough, but underneath the surface lies true depth and emotion. Connection's to the listener are found because the content is something that can be seen in daily life. Wheras most singles use material like this to create tragic songs, Limp Bizkit shows the side of rage; which seems to be in the realms of reality. Surprisingly, this is THE best song of 1999.
(10) Garbage "Special" A. There is much depth and dimension to be found in this single. The beat is toned down compared to their, also brilliant, "I Think I'm Paranoid"; but that is suitable for the song's tone. Shirley Mason sings with total conviction and creates true impact with ease.
(11) R. Kelly "If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time" C. Lacks all the power and edge that has put R. Kelly on top in the R&B world. Everything here seems standard and flat; there's no life or impact that his pevious single, "When A Woman's Fed Up", flowed with. We've heard this all before; ussually not this dragged out though. This is not one of his strongest works.
(12) Ideal "Get Gone" A. Odd that a one-hit-wonder group could outstage R. Kelly, but they do. This is a powerful, deep and heartfelt R&B track. The production, by Brian Michael Cox, creates a stark, cold feel that blends perfectly with the striking lyrics. An R&B treasure of emotion and impact.
(13) Chante Moore "Chante's Got A Man" B+. Despite it's awful, laughable title; this is a surprisingly effective R&B/pop song. Chante's voice has true conviction in it and lyric carry some impact. The big flaw is that the tone changes towards the end; kinda conflicting with the rest of the song.
(14) Blessid Union Of Souls "Hey Leonardo (She Likes Me For Me)". B. Pales compared to work by the Goo Goo Dolls and Matchbox Twenty, but still manages to be fairly entertaining. There is definetly real substance here; I just don't think it quite has the impact that it deserves. Maybe the insturmental over-shadow the lyrics a bit.
(15) Oleander "Why I'm Here" B-. Here is a song that really needs to polish everything a bit more. The beat is striking, the lyrics have some impact, the production is well done. But the impact isn't fully there. If they had taken everything and added a bit more, it would have worked even better.
(16) Case "Happily Ever After" B. A solid, if safe and standard, R&B tune. Case knows how to make a good R&B song, he just needs to take those skills and push them further. He works with good producers (Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis) and has a smooth voice; but better material would help him shine more. This is listensble, but could have been much more.
(17) 98 Degrees "The Hardest Thing" A. I love the way 98? blurred that line between pop and R&B with songs like this. It's made with "pop skills", yet the beautiful, heartfelt lyrics and somber tone play as R&B. This horn arrangments are especially utilized in bringing out the impact. Pop or R&B, it doesn't really matter which; this is a great song regardless.
(18) Fastball "Out Of My Head" A-. Doesn't have the exact impact of their huge hit "The Way", but it doesn't try to. This is something different thought; a small, heartfelt pop/rock tune. It keeps things short at about 2.5 minutes, yet delivers a rather large amount of emotion in that short time. Not groundbreaking, but very good.
Bottom Line: ***1/2. A very solid collection of music during the last year of the 1990s (and the 20th Century). Many of the best sinlges are included, and everything flows from one track to another with perfect ease. From K-Ci & JoJo and Smash Mouth to 98 Degrees and Limp Bizkit; there is something here for everyone.

Review for Now 3.......2004-11-25

Ok, I know this was released, like, 5 years ago, but I have never reviewed this. So, I will now.

1.Smashmouth - All Star: A- It's a pretty good song. It was overplayed, but now, you don't even remember it.

2.Lenny Kravitz - American Woman: C+ I thought this song was good, now it's just average and annoying.

3.Blink 182 - What's My Age Again?: A Great song...wish it was longer.

4.Enrique Iglesias - Bailamos: D It use to be fun, then I listened to it more, and it as annoying as hell.

5.Britney Spears - Sometimes: B+ Pretty good for Britney!

6.BSB - All I have to give: F Backstreet Boys is a no no.

7.K-Ci & Jo-Jo - Tell Me It's Real: C I didn't like this song at first, but it grew on me, but I would still like to listen to something else.

8.Fatboy Slim - The Rockafeller Skank: A+ I loved this song, but I didn't get the part that sounded like a lawnmower???

9.Limp Bizkit - Nookie: A- It was a little poppy for Limp Bizkit. Whatever, it's their best song made to date.

10.Garbage - Special: B I like the song. Nonetheless. Somewhat average.

11.R.Kelly - If I Could Turn Back The Hands Of Time: A I would have give this an F if it didn't grow on me.

12.Ideal - Get Gone: F Ideal should get gone out of the music industry.

13.Chante Moore - Chante's Got A Man: C I really tryed to like this song but I guess it's just your average boring R&B song.

14.Blessid Union of Souls - Hey Leonardo: A+ Sounds like Bowling For Soup w/o gross lyrics. Awesome!

15.Oleander - Why I'm Here: D I don't know? Why are you here?

16.Case - Happily Ever After: B- It's ok, but not the best.

17.98 Degrees - Hardest Thing: A I know, 98 Degrees is a boy band, but I thought it was pretty good.

18.Fastball - Out of my Head: A+ One of the best!

CD. Various Artists - Now 3 Overall Grade For CD: B-

So, it's not the best of the Now series, but it's worth picking up.

Now 3.......2004-10-30

Here are my reviews this is back when I was about 14 and listening to the music so I will be a tad biased on it.

1.All Star-Smash Mouth big song for 5 years 10/10
2.American Women-Lenny Kravitz a nice remake 10/10
3.Blink 182-Whats my age again they were better in 99. 10/10
4.Bailamos-Enrique Inglesias-A good first single 9/10
5.Sometimes-Britany Spears her second best 10/10
6.All I have to give-Backstreet Boys a good song 9/10
7.Tell me its real-KCi & JoJo-Nice song 10/10
8.Rockafellar Skank-Fat boy slim a good song 10/10
9.Nookie-Limp Bizkit this is there top song 10/10
10.Special-Garbage a nice dark track 9/10
11.If I could turn back the hands of time-R.Kelly Dope 10/10
12.Get Gone-Ideal Okay 8/10
13.Chantes got a man-Chante Moore good song 8/10
14.Hey Leonardo-Blessid Union of Souls better then most 9/10
16.Happily Ever after-Case great song 10/10
17.Hardest Thing-98 I admit I liked this song 10/10
18.Out of my head-Fastball a good closing song 10/10
You would think that since I love pure hip hop I would hate this but you would be wrong I had a bias to this.

Total-172 out of 180 that is about a 93%

Average customer rating: Brings you back to when you were young Good Variety OK But not as good as ones I bought in the past Now that's what I call great... Review

Now That's What I Call Christmas, Vol. 3 Various Artists Manufacturer: Strategic Marketing ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Classic | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music Similar Items: Now That's What I Call Christmas! The Signature Collection Now That's What I Call Christmas! James Taylor at Christmas Cool Yule Wintersong ASIN: B000I0QKJW Release Date: 2006-10-10

Tracks:

1. O Come All Ye Faithful - Nat King Cole
2. Jingle Bells - Frank Sinatra
3. Baby, It's Cold Outside - Dean Martin
4. My Favorite Things - Tony Bennett
5. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - Andy Williams
6. Silver Bells - Bing Crosby
7. It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas - Johnny Mathis
8. Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) - Elvis Presley
9. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland
10. Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer - Ella Fitzgerald
11. Frosty The Snowman - Gene Autry
12. The Little Drummer Boy - Peggy Lee
13. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - Burl Ives
14. Winter Wonderland - Louis Armstrong
15. Blue Christmas - Johnny Cash
16. Jingle Bell Rock - Brenda Lee
17. The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) - The Chipmunks

Tracks:

1. You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch - Thurl Ravenscroft
2. Little Saint Nick - The Beach Boys
3. Noel - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
4. Up On The Housetop - The Jackson 5
5. O Holy Night - Al Green
6. Christmas Time Is Here - Dianne Reeves
7. Christmas Is My Favorite Time Of Year - Kenny Rogers
8. Shimmy Down The Chimney (Fill Up My Stocking) - Alison Krauss
9. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Cyndi Lauper
10. Feliz Navidad - Celine Dion
11. I'll Be Home For Christmas - Gloria Estefan
12. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - Jessica Simpson
13. Merry Christmas, Baby - Christina Aguilera
14. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing/Gloria (In Excelsis Deo) - Mariah Carey
15. Santa Baby - Pussycat Dolls
16. Home - Ne-Yo
17. It Just Don't Feel Like Xmas (Without You) - Rihanna
18. Christmas Wish - Stacie Orrico
19. 12 Days Of Christmas - Relient K

Customer Reviews:

Brings you back to when you were young.......2007-01-19

This CD was very good. It reminded me of when I was younger and the types of songs my parents played while preparing for the Christmas Season. There are some newer titles and versions and all in all they are good.

Good Variety.......2007-01-16

This is a fun collection, and a worthy addition to the "Now That's What I Call Christmas" series. Nice variety of old and new.

OK But not as good as ones I bought in the past.......2007-01-12

This CD was somewhat of a dissapointment. Wasn't as good as I thought it would be. Was okay but definitely not one of my better Christmas CD's.

Now that's what I call great..........2007-01-11

Great mixture of classic songs and classic artists - something for everyone - now that's what I call a great 2 CD Christmas compilation!

Review.......2007-01-09

I did not like all the songs on this CD. Some of them were oaky. Would not purchase this item again.

Average customer rating: Goodall's Siegfried "Do you know what Wotan wills?" Slow and steady wins the race Absolutely better than you think, the best of Goodal's Ring! Better than you might think....

Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English) English National Opera Manufacturer: Chandos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Wagner | Wagner, Richard | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Opera & Vocal | Box Sets | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English) Wagner: The Rhinegold Wagner: The Valkyrie Wagner: Siegfried Wagner: Die Walküre ASIN: B000056KNC Release Date: 2001-02-27

Tracks:

1. Act I.: Prld - Barry Tuckwell
2. Act I., Scene 1: Wearisome Labour! - Gregory Dempsey
3. Act I., Scene 1: Hoiho! Hoiho! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
4. Act I., Scene 1: Well, There Are The Pieces - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
5. Act I., Scene 1: A Whimpering Babe - Gregory Dempsey
6. Act I., Scene 1: Much You've Taught To Me, Mime - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
7. Act I., Scene 1: I Found Once in The Wood - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios
8. Act I., Scene 1: And Now These Fragments - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
9. Act I., Scene 1: He Storms Away! - Gregory Dempsey
10. Act I., Scene 2: Hail There, Worthy Smith! - Norman Bailey/Gregory Dempsey
11. Act I., Scene 2: I Sit By Your Hearth - Norman Bailey/Gregory Dempsey
12. Act I., Scene 2: What You Needed To Know - Norman Bailey/Gregory Dempsey
13. Act I., Scene 2: The Fragments! The Sword! - Gregory Dempsey/Norman Bailey

Tracks:

1. Act I., Scene 3: Accursed Light! - Gregory Dempsey
2. Act I., Scene 3: Hey There! You Idler! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
3. Act I., Scene 3: Have You Not Felt Within The Woods - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios
4. Act I., Scene 3: Give Me These Pieces - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
5. Act I., Scene 3: Notung! Notung! Sword Of My Need! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
6. Act I., Scene 3: Hoho! Hoho! Hohi! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
7. Act II.: Prld - Barry Tuckwell
8. Act II., Scene 1: In Gloomy Night By Fafner's Cave I Wait - Derek Hammond-Stroud
9. Act II., Scene 1: To Neidhohl By Night I Have Come - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud
10. Act II., Scene 1: Not My Plan! - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud
11. Act II., Scene 1: Fafner! Fafner! You Dragon, Wake! - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud/Clifford Grant
12. Act II., Scene 1: Now, Alberich! That Plan Failed! - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud
13. Act II., Scene 2: We Go No Further! - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios
14. Act II., Scene 2: So He's No Father Of Mine - Alberto Remedios

Tracks:

1. Act II., Scene 2: Could I But Know - Alberto Remedios
2. Act II., Scene 2: See My Mother - Alberto Remedios
3. Act II., Scene 2: Ha Ha! At Last With My Call - Alberto Remedios/Clifford Grant
4. Act II., Scene 2: Who Are You, Youthful Hero - Clifford Grant/Alberto Remedios
5. Act II., Scene 2: The Dead Can Tell No Tidings - Alberto Remedios/Maurine London
6. Act II., Scene 3: Hehe! Sly And Slippery Knave - Derek Hammond-Stroud/Gregory Dempsey
7. Act II., Scene 3: Tarnhelm And Ring, Here They Are - Alberto Remedios/Maurine London/Gregory Dempsey
8. Act II., Scene 3: Be Welcome, Siegfried! - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios/Derek Hammond-Stroud
9. Act II., Scene 3: You Lie There Too, Mighty Dragon - Alberto Remedios/Maurine London
10. Act III.: Prld - Barry Tuckwell
11. Act III., Scene 1: Waken, Wala! Wala! Awake! - Norman Bailey
12. Act III., Scene 1: Strong Is Your Call - Anne Collins/Norman Bailey
13. Act III., Scene 1: You Unwise One, Learn What I Will - Norman Bailey
14. Act III., Scene 2: I See That Siegfried's Near - Norman Bailey

Tracks:

1. Act III., Scene 2: My Woodbird Fluttered Away - Alberto Remedios
2. Act III., Scene 2: Young Man, Hear Me - Norman Bailey/Alberto Remedios
3. Act III., Scene 2: Child, If You Knew Who I Am - Norman Bailey/Alberto Remedios
4. Act III., Scene 2: With His Spear in Splinters - Alberto Remedios
5. Act III., Scene 3: Here in The Sunlight - Alberto Remedios
6. Act III., Scene 3: Come, My Sword! - Alberto Remedios
7. Act III., Scene 3: Hail, Bright Sunlight! - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
8. Act III., Scene 3: Siegfried! Siegfried! Glorious Hero! - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
9. Act III., Scene 3: And There Is Grane, My Sacred Horse - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
10. Act III., Scene 3: Oh! I Cared Always - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios

Customer Reviews:

Goodall's Siegfried.......2007-06-22

This is completely worth it. Other reviews aptly pointed out everything good, and this *is* good--brilliant. Alberto Remedios is the best Siegfried I've ever heard, and Rita Hunter is a stunning and convincing Brunnhilde. If I could give this more than five stars, I would.

"Do you know what Wotan wills?".......2007-06-12

Okay, so we have the Solti, Bohm, Karajan, Goodall, Boulez, Janowski, Levine, Haitink, and Sawallisch Rings on the market (I haven't listened to the other Ring recordings yet, sorry to say). And all of these leave me to one conclusion: the many differences lead me to believe that all of these ring sets have their own authenticities and setbacks. And here they are:

TIMING (Estimate):
Solti's Ring: 14 hours, 30 minutes
Bohm's Ring: 13 hours, 30 minutes
Karajan's Ring: 14 hours, 50 minutes
Goodall's Ring: 16 hours, 50 minutes
Boulez's Ring: 13 hours, 40 minutes
Janowski's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes
Levine's Ring: 15 hours, 20 minutes
Haitink's Ring: 14 hours, 10 minutes
Sawallisch's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes

CONDUCTING:
Solti: Solti's conducting is driven with sheer muscle, but sometimes he makes the Ring overemotional. His Walkure & Gotterdammerung Preludes are clear examples: they're annoyingly bombastic. Nonetheless he almost seldom loses control with anything. His clear focus on the drama is astonishing.

Bohm: I must say his live Bayreuth recording brings out some of the best. He puts more faith in the orchestral score, but he also gives it more intensity. His tempi are some of the quickest, but they still don't seem rushed at all (except maybe "Wohin schleich'st du eilig und schlau"). I especially like his "Forging Scene" & "Hagen Summons the Vassals"; both are the most energetic on disc.

Karajan: Karajan's chamber approach is very interesting. Instead of going for the drama or the energy, the conductor goes for the beauty. Almost everything in his Ring sounds very ethereal because of his excessive use of lyricism. His orchestral preludes (except Walkure Act 1) sound more beautiful than others, and much of the soft parts (such as Siegfried Act Three Scene Three) are controlled nicely. His "Funeral March" and "Immolation" are recommendable. Siegfried Act Three Scene Two could have improved with more tension.

Goodall: Oh, boy. While I do praise Goodall with his amazing attention to detail, his ridiculously sluggish tempi will tick some Wagnerites off: nothing is faster than andante. But I did enjoy listening to the slow beauty of his "Wotan's Farewell/Magic Fire Music". This was recorded live and sung in English.

Boulez: Here it is, folks - the controversial Centennial Ring. To fit the Ring Cycle in the industrial age, Boulez gives it a very Schoenbergian, Bartokian atmosphere. Much of his tempi are very quick, very Bohm-like, though they're still not as fast as Bohm. Keep in mind, though, this live Ring works only if you hear AND see it (the DVD's work best).

Janowski: This is a very classical Ring. Instead of bombast, spacious, or lyrical passion, maestro Janowski gives us the straightforward approach. He goes straight for Wagner's original intentions (precise tempi, dynamics, flow of leitmotivs, etc.), which makes this another exquisite Ring. "Hagen Summons the Vassals" is probably the fastest I've ever heard (along with Sawallisch's). Rheingold Scene Four can be best described as "sensational".

Levine: While he does stay true to the score like Bohm, this conductor makes for a somewhat dull Ring. His handling of the orchestra is nice, but the moderately slow tempi he chooses is flawed. It should be more animated. His beautiful "Funeral March" and "Erda's Warning" are two of the few flawless features.

Haitink: This might be seen as a disappointment. If you want great conducting, then this is for you. If you want a persuasive array of singers, look somewhere else. Haitink's conducting saves this work from being a total flop. There is nothing quite like his Rheingold & Gotterdammerung ("Siegfried's Rhine Journey" is a bit forced, but magnificent nonetheless).

Sawallisch: I guess you can say that Sawallisch is half-Karajan, half-Janowski. While he does stay true to the orchestral score like Janowski, he also puts in a little Karajan-like lyricism. At some points he loses track with orchestra and singers (as does every live recording) but Bohm has more control. This was also recorded live.

ORCHESTRA:
Solti's Vienna Philharmonic: The woodwinds are the most beautiful in Solti's Ring (the "Forest Murmurs" is clear evidence of that). French horns and Wagner tubas make this a recommended listening. The strings in "Heda Heda Hedo" could've added a bit more work, but they are strikingly spectacular everywhere else. The orchestra gives it their all in Siegfried Act Two & Three, but they are at their weakest in Walkure Act One & Three (Bohm's Bayreuth does it better). Overall, it's the loudest and certainly most bombastic out of all the Ring orchestras combined.

Bohm's Bayreuth Festival: The ultimate Wagnerian orchestra gives it their all. The brass both high and low are the most powerful, while the woodwinds are the most delicate. The strings are muffled only a few times, otherwise the eighteen anvils are perfectly loud and clear. Erda's scenes aren't as effective as Janowski's, but the entire Walkure is more successful than Janowski's when it comes to tone & technique. Overall, this orchestra is the most dramatic.

Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic: The entire orchestra sounds polished, not to say that it is bad. Indeed the drama is still there, but much of the suspense is lacking (the scenes with Fasolt and Fafner come to mind). The brass sometimes overpowers the strings, which can be a serious problem. Gotterdammerung "Three Norns" Scene sounds very mysterious, very eerie.

Goodall's English National Opera: This orchestra sounds nice, even if the sluggishness can bring them down at times. The Flight of the Valkyries doesn't sound too good in a slow tempo, but the entire orchestra does sound lucid here. Siegfried Act Two Prelude is the creepiest. All of the leitmotivs are heard loud and clear, just like in Janowski's version.

Boulez's Bayreuth Festival: While it doesn't really pack the same punches as Bohm's Bayreuth, it still delivers a stunning performance. Orchestral interaction between characters (Ex. Siegfried's motifs mixed in with Mime's motifs) fares better than Berlin's and English National's. Rhine maiden motifs are given more wit, while the Dragon motifs are played with less eeriness. Beauty makes up for the irritatingly quick "Wotan's Farewell".

Janowski's Staatskapelle Dresden: This orchestra has the same force & flair as does Boulez's Bayreuth Festival, only Dresden sounds much clearer due to the fantastic digital sound. Even minor details are heard clear in this Ring. The strings imitate the Siegfried forest very well, while the woodwinds representing the songbird are wonderful (but not as wonderful as Solti's songbird). Dresden's "Magic Fire Music" (along with Berlin's) is the most extravagant.

Levine's Metropolitan Opera: The brass and woodwinds are the true stars. The strings sound too tired to continue on in Siegfried & Gotterdammerung. The Finale to Rheingold is absolutely stunning (the trumpets and trombones will not disappoint), and the Second Act of Walkure is the most impressive, the most refined.

Haitink's Bavarian Radio Symphony: This may very well be like Metropolitan, only this sounds much more poignant. The strings sound better and the percussion sound clearer. The leitmotivs are almost never screwed up. First scene of Rheingold will take one's breath away.

Sawallisch's Bavarian State: Wrong notes in this live recording won't matter, as the entire orchestra gets everything going in all four nights at the opera. The strings never surrender to imperfection, and the winds are marvelously aligned. I just wish that some of the singers would keep up with the orchestra.

SINGERS:
-Wotan
Solti: Hans Hotter is the superior Wotan. He sounds powerful throughout the Ring (except Rheingold, in which a less stellar George London performs).

Bohm and Janowski: Theo Adam in Bohm's live recording is another treat. While he is not as equally impressive as Hotter, he can certainly conjure up everlasting emotions. Adam sounds weaker in Janowski's studio recording, but he still doesn't disappoint.

Karajan: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau plays Wotan in "Rheingold," while Thomas Stewart replaces Fischer-Dieskau in "Walkure" and "Siegfried". I don't think Fischer-Dieskau was a good choice; he sounds too humane and too light. Stewart makes an astounding improvement in both "Walkure" and "Siegfried".

Goodall: Norman Bailey has that divine spark that Hotter used to cherish. He's heavy and unblemished, and he handles the English text with flair and sheen.

Boulez: If you watch Donald McIntyre on the Centennial Ring production, then you can tell that he's a fine "industrial" Wotan. If you just hear him on CD, then you'll be disappointed. His diction is weak, his emotions are forced, and his voice sounds robotic. The DVD's will do.

Levine and Haitink: James Morris is a notch below Hotter, Adam, and Bailey, but he overpowers Fischer-Dieskau pretty much throughout the Levine's and Haitink's Ring.

Sawallisch: I may be biased, but Robert Hale just didn't do it for me. He sounded dull and tedious, and his Wotan's Farewell wasn't enough to sadden me.

-Brunnhilde
Solti and Bohm: Birgit Nilsson is the best Brunnhilde on the market. Her Valkyrie cry is delightful, and her final scene in Gotterdammerung is brilliant beyond belief.

Karajan: Regine Crespin is without a doubt one of the finest Brunnhildes after Nilsson. She's fantastic in Walkure Act Three. I just wish she stayed on as the Valkyrie later on in the Ring (Helga Dernesch is no good in Gotterdammerung, sorry to say).

Goodall: Rita Hunter is at her strongest in Walkure and Siegfried. She is at her weakest in Gotterdammerung. What may have caused her downfall in the fourth installment? "The world may never know."

Boulez: How can anyone not be impressed by the Brunnhilde of Gwyneth Jones? One can almost feel her excitement during Siegfried Act Three, and her fear in Walkure Act Three. Her weakest point is probably during her Gotterdammerung Prologue (a bit too stressed).

Janowski: Jeannine Altmeyer is basically the most controversial Brunnhilde on CD. Some people say that she's too light and weak, while others say she sounds young and very enchanting. I'm with those who think Altmeyer was a good choice, but you yourself (the shopper) are going to have to decide whether she's good or not.

Levine and Sawallisch: Hildegard Behrens is just like Nilsson and Crespin: while she's not the best, she is definitely another perfect Brunnhilde of choice. She's at her most dazzling when she performs Walkure (Levine) and Siegfried (Sawallisch).

Haitink: Hmph. I was hoping that Eva Marton would do well here. I was seriously let down by her strained singing. She does okay in "Annunciation of Death", but she is at her worst in "Immolation".

-Siegmund & Sieglinde
Let's see. For the Siegmunds, we have James King for Solti and Bohm, Jon Vickers for Karajan, Alberto Remedios for Goodall, Peter Hoffman for Boulez, Siegfried Jerusalem for Janowski, Gary Lakes for Levine, Reiner Goldberg for Haitink, and Robert Schunk for Sawallisch. For the Sieglindes, we have Regine Crespin for Solti, Leonie Rysanek for Bohm, Gundula Janowitz for Karajan, Margaret Curphy for Goodall, Jeanine Altmeyer for Boulez, Jessye Norman for both Janowski and Levine, Cheryl Studer for Haitink, and Julia Varady for Sawallisch. Hmm . . . Jerusalem is good . . . and so is Vickers . . . Janowitz is charming, and so is . . . Oh, what the heck? All the singers for Siegmund and Sieglinde are fantastic. Three exceptions, though: Goldberg and Schunk don't sound heroic enough, and Norman for Levine doesn't sound young and innocent enough.

-Siegfried
Solti and Bohm: Wolfgang Windgassen may very well be the best Siegfried for the ages. His `Forging Scene" in both renditions are defiantly inspiring. His last scene in Gotterdammerung is celestial and overwhelming.

Karajan: Jess Thomas (Siegfried) and Helge Brilioth (Gotterdammerung) may not be as ideal as Windgassen, but they do know how to be a magnificent heldentenor. Thomas pulls it off with Act One and Three.

Goodall: Wow! What a singer that Alberto Remedios! He never drags in either of the last two installments, and he uses the correct emotions in every scene that he is in.

Boulez: Is Manfred Jung a good tenor? Yes. Is he a good Heldentenor? NO. He doesn't have that heroic voice like Windgassen and Remedios. Again, the DVD's are your safest bet.

Janowski and Sawallisch: Rene Kollo's Siegfried is a poetically expressive one. In Janowski's version he sounds playful when he's in Mime's home, and he sounds willed when he's in the Gibich Hall. He is not good enough in Sawallisch's version, however. His tiresome "Forging Scene" is obvious evidence of that.

Levine: Oh, Reiner Goldberg. At least you tried. Seriously, he sounds too tedious (especially in Gotterdammerung Act Three Scene Two) and too old. Levine should've chose Kollo or Jerusalem when he recorded his studio Ring.

Haitink: Have you ever seen Siegfried Jerusalem on the Levine/Metropolitan DVD? Well, here he is again, and this time, he sings with more valor and enthusiasm. Bravo!

-Alberich
Solti and Bohm: Gustav Niedlinger has a heaviness that overwhelms a few other baritones. When he sings his only sequence in Gotterdammerung Act Two Scene One, his emotion is so pure that his son Hagen would've drowned himself in tears (Too melodramatic? Sorry about that.). The only problem is that his character sounds too one-dimensional. Alberich isn't just some cardboard-cutout bad guy. He has a very good reason why he wants to take revenge on the world. Overall, Niedlinger is amazing throughout Wagner's Ring (He deserves many awards for "Bin ich nun frei?").

Karajan: I guess you can say that Zoltan Kelemen tries his best throughout. He is not good in Rheingold, but he gets better in Siegfried and Gotterdammerung.

Goodall: Derek Hammond-Stroud is three-dimensional, but not that much. Still, he can sound very demanding in Rheingold Scene One and Siegfried Act Two Scene One.

Boulez: What we have here is the weak Alberich of Hermann Becht. When he's in Nibelheim, the authority isn't there. When he's in the Neid-Hohle forest, the creepiness isn't there. And when he's near the Gibich house, the misery isn't there. Even on DVD he's unsatisfactory.

Janowski: Siegmund Nimsgern may be the most humane Alberich yet, but it's all good. He sings with more passion than Kelemen and more robustness than Hammond-Stroud. Niedlinger's ferociousness puts him below, however. "Schaf'st du, Hagen, mein sohn?" is noteworthy.

Levine and Sawallisch: Ekkehard Wlaschiha is one hell of a vigorous Alberich. I praise him in Rheingold Scene One and Three. His performance in Siegfried (both versions) could've improved with more distrustfulness towards Mime and the Wanderer.

Haitink: No offense, but Theo Adam as Alberich? Come on . . .

-Mime
Solti and Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is the creepiest Mime ever known to humankind. This dwarf outsings other Mimes on the market. When he sings "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" his anger and fear is the most effective to almost all Ring listeners.

Bohm: Erwin Wohlfahrt wins second place. He gives a first-rate performance in Siegfried Act One, but loses some of his edge in Act Two. He is an exceptional Mime nonetheless. Look for him in Karajan's Rheingold, also.

Goodall: Gregory Dempsey isn't emotional enough. He doesn't sound fearful or depressed at all, which makes him the dullest Mime for the Ring.

Boulez and Levine: Heinz Zednik is yet another excellent Mime, VERY fun to listen to. There is much humor and eccentricity in his voice, and that's what makes his dwarf much more compelling than Dempsey's dwarf. His performance in Rheingold Scene Three is pure gold, while his performance in Siegfried (particularly "Willkommen, Siegfried!") is a stunning achievement.

Janowski: Peter Schreier is for Siegfried, while Christian Vogel is for Rheingold. Vogel is less than perfect, while Schreier is way beyond outstanding. Schreier is less ghoulish and more benevolent, more three-dimensional than Stolze and Wohlfahrt. He is equal to Zednik when it comes to humaneness and lyricism. The only flaw I can find is his handling of "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" He could've added a bit more fear in that sequence.

Haitink: Peter Haage sounds like he's entertaining young kids. His version of Mime is a bit childish, and the dark humor that the dwarf brings out sounds-over-the-top here. Nonetheless, he is still entertaining to listen to ("Wer halfe mir?" has never sounded better).

Sawallisch: Helmut Pampuch is just like Schreier and Zednik: he's very VERY good. Nuff said.

-Loge
Solti: Set Svanholm may be the weakest Loge. He is not very ominous throughout all of his scenes, and his lack of a sinister atmosphere is greatly affects the entire Rheingold. But he'll soon be forgotten later on during the Trilogy.

Bohm: Why the heck would the conductor have Wolfgang Windgassen play both Siegfried AND Loge? The demi-god needs to sound different from a son of a Walsung. Again, another Loge that's marred by lack of cunning.

Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is easily the most entertaining Loge to listen to. He has the wit, the craftiness, and the untrustworthiness that the character deserves. His scenes in Scene Three are delightful.

Goodall: Emile Belcourt isn't as good as Stolze, but he certainly can make some of the best of an English-speaking Loge.

Boulez and Haitink: I can su