Symphony of Life [CD-single] [Import]

Product Description
Taken from the 2001 album, Just Me. Tracks, 'Symphony Of Life' & three non-LP tracks, 'Symphony Of Life' (Metro Mix 7 inch mix, Paulmac's Extended Euromix) & 'Symphonie De L'Ame'. Columbia.

Symphony of Life,Tina Arena,Sony Int'l,5"CD Singles,Adult Alternative Pop/Rock,Pop,Rock

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Average customer rating: Star Wars: A Musical Journey (2005) (V) Not one of his bests, but very close John Williams' finest work A Great Conclusion to the Prequel Trilogy Williams is slumming it

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Star Wars | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Soundtracks | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Sony | Computers Brands | Computers Features | Electronics | Desktops | Monitors | Networking | Notebooks Similar Items: Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Music from the Star Wars Saga Star Wars Trilogy Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope ASIN: B000850IS6 Release Date: 2005-05-03

Tracks:

1. Star Wars and The Revenge Of The Sith
2. Anakin's Dream
3. Battle Of The Heroes
4. Anakin's Betrayal
5. General Grievous
6. Palpatine's Teachings
7. Grievous and the Droids
8. Padme's Ruminations
9. Anakin vs. Obi-Wan
10. Anakin's Dark Deeds
11. Enter Lord Vader
12. The Immolation Scene
13. Grievous Speaks to Lord Sidious
14. The Birth Of The Twins and Padme's Destiny
15. A New Hope and End Credits

Amazon.com

John Williams' lovely and moving score for the sixth Star Wars film brings thirty years of collaborating on George Lucas' beyond-popular intergalactic franchise to a close. (Is this really the end of Star Wars? Can't Lucas and Williams work together on a prequel to these prequels? Let us hope so, and that Jar Jar Binks is nowhere near it.) As this music accompanies the most exciting Star Wars film in many a moon, the soundtrack itself is more fun, more evil, more nasty and bumpy. Many of the heroic, anthemic themes woven throughout Episode Three: Revenge of the Sith will necessarily be familiar to any fan of the series, from the "Imperial March" to the main theme. It's remarkable how stirring the latter can be, no matter how many times you've heard it, and even for those who do not have all their money invested in S.W. memorabilia. There is a lot of new music here, and the lush, extensive range of both Williams and the London Symphony Orchestra is on display, most notably in the menacing, percolating "General Grievous" and the rousing "New Hope" end theme. --Mike McGonigal

The Force Is Also with:

Star Wars Trilogy soundtrack box set	Star Wars Episode II sountrack	Star Wars Episode II, Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode I, The Phantom Menace	Star Wars Trilogy on DVD	Star Wars, Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

Customer Reviews:

Star Wars: A Musical Journey (2005) (V).......2007-06-21

product: Star Wars: A Musical Journey (2005) (V), included as bonus disc in Episode III soundtrack.

The bonus dvd with this soundtrack was the reason I purchased. I enjoy film soundtracks, and science fiction, but this dvd was a real highlight for me. I got the soundtrack cd out of the local library. The cd was missing from the case, but I found this wonderful dvd instead that I went out to purchase later.

With optional segments of dialog from Ian McDiarmid, this film is a stunning visual and musical overview of the full epic story of episodes I-VI of Star Wars. For those of us who felt that eps. IV-VI fell short of our expectations, this film presents them well as parts of the whole story. The Musical Journey also stands as a summary of the entire SW opus for someone who is not familiar with the Star Wars characters and plot. Highly recommended.

Options: no subtitles or other options.

Not one of his bests, but very close.......2007-05-21

The Episode III soundtrack is very good. Not great, but very, very good. You can tell that Williams is getting old, but he still manages to weave together a very memorable score.

My favorite tracks are "Battle of the Heroes," "Anakin's Betrayal," Palpatine's teachings, "Anakin vs. Obi-Wan," and the "Immolation Scene."
The others are very good as well, but these are especially nice. "Battle of the Heroes" is Dual of the Fates for Revenge of the Sith. "Anakin's Betrayal" is a very sad track that is, in my opinion, one of William's most powerful pieces. "Palpatine's Teachings" is really, really neat. It's very dark and moody, a perfect piece for the evil emperor. The only weird thing is the end. "Anakin vs. Obi-Wan" is the action piece that plays during the battles of Anakin and Obi-Wan, and Yoda and the Emperor. Finally, "The Immolation Scene" is another sad piece, even more so than "Anakin's Betrayal."

Although I really like this CD, there are some things that are missing (as usual). First, the whole sequence where the droids are looking for Obi-Wan after he was shot. You see Obi-Wan in his ship with Senator Organa on the Hologram (or whatever it is), and Obi-Wan says that his clones turned on him. That was some pretty awesome music that OF COURSE was left out of the CD. Then there was Dual of the Fates in the movie, but completely absent from the CD. And probably the most annoying was that whole piece of music before Obi-Wan and Anakin fight. It was so touching and sad and I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY LEFT IT OUT! Absolutely amazing. Also, did anyone notice that some little bits were cut out? For example, in Anakin vs. Obi Wan, they cut out about a second or two of choir. What?! What the heck is with that? It's when Anakin is running on the long thing and jumps on the droid on the lava. Also, there was some pretty cool drumming when you see Yoda and the Emperor fighting, and you can see the whole stadium (the big room). There's also drumming in "Enter Lord Vader" that is muted in the soundtrack.

Oh well...if I'm going to collect movie scores, I'm going to have to get used to the fact that in almost all cases there's not going to be every bit of music. I've experienced this in both Pirates of the Caribbean, Jurassic Park I (there was very little left out on this score), and almost everything else. At the moment, I'm just waiting for the 22nd, for the Pirates of the Caribbean 3 soundtrack. It's gonna be amazing.

See Yu

John Williams' finest work.......2007-04-20

There is little more I can say that hasn't already been said about the soundtrack to Episode 3, especially what Amazon contributor Dan Mohr wrote in his review of the soundtrack on 2/2/2006. His review captured almost all the thoughts, feelings, and emotions I had when I first listened to the soundtrack, and was, IMO, the best review of John Williams' greatest masterpiece.

Having said that, I will say that few soundtracks have ever so perfectly captured the underlying emotional currents of their respective movie; in the case of ROTS, the contemporaneous tragedies of Anakin's fall to the Dark Side, the extermination of the Jedi, and the rise of the oppressive Empire. The listener is confronted with the depth and totality of the evil that has beset the entire galaxy to a degree that the film could not reach in only 2 hours.

Bravo, Dan Mohr, and BRAVO John Williams!

A Great Conclusion to the Prequel Trilogy.......2007-04-07

This is a great work of art. I rank it 4th among Star Wars soundtracks after A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and The Phantom Menace. I had a hard deciding which I thought was better, The Phantom Meance or Revenge of the Sith, but I decided that The Phantom Menace lays the foundation for so much that is in this soundtrack and is thus the more masterful work. But that doesn't mean that this score still isn't great. Every piece is a thrill to listen to and pace never lets up. "Battle of the Hereos" is an amazing piece and the rendition of the "Funeral Theme" from Episoded I captures the film's tragety magnificently. Also I do not think John Williams could have portrayed the Jedi's extinction more perfectly than he did in "Anakin's Betrayal". This is without a doubt the best score of 2005 and one of the best of the decade.

Williams is slumming it.......2007-04-01

Williams's score for Revenge of the Sith is almost entirely overbearing, lacking any emotional subtlety. The music is overcomplicated and even a bit confusing, especially in the tracks that correspond to action sequences in the movie. His overuse of choral tracks and vocals is too bombastic and irritating to be listened to without the explosions and laser blasts of the soundtrack to soften them. (Yes, this music is actually softened by the sounds of warfare.) Worst of all, much of the music has simply been lifted from earlier scores. At times his self-imitation was so blatant that I actually wondered whether the editor who had complied this score had made a mistake and I was listening to The Empire Strikes Back or A New Hope. Also suffers from not including the entire score, in some cases cutting out musical segues in obvious and awkward ways.

Average customer rating: When Musicans were Musicians alas gone forever Great music! WHAT A PERFORMANCE! Best Ein Heldenleben I have ever heard I guess I just don't get the whole Reiner-worship cult

Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra; Ein Heldenleben [Hybrid SACD] Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Tone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music $7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition, A Night on Bald Mountain, and Other Russian Showpieces [Hybrid SACD] Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Stravinsky: Song of the Nightingale [Hybrid SACD] Brahms, Tchaikovsky: Violin Concertos [Hybrid SACD] Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; etc. [Hybrid SACD] Ravel: Daphnis et Chloe [Hybrid SACD] ASIN: B0002TKFQI Release Date: 2004-09-14

Tracks:

1. Sunrise - Fritz Reiner
2. Of The People Of The Unseen World - Fritz Reiner
3. Of The Great Longing - Fritz Reiner
4. Of Joys And Passions - Fritz Reiner
5. Dirge - Fritz Reiner
6. Of Science - Fritz Reiner
7. The Convalescent - Fritz Reiner
8. Dance Song And Night Song - Fritz Reiner
9. Night Wanderer's Song - Fritz Reiner
10. The Hero - John Weicher
11. The Hero's Adversaries - John Weicher
12. The Hero's Companion - John Weicher
13. The Hero's Battlefield - John Weicher
14. The Hero's Works Of Peace - John Weicher
15. The Hero's Retreat From The World And Fulfillment - John Weicher

Customer Reviews:

When Musicans were Musicians alas gone forever.......2007-07-10

Wonderfull zara,Musicanship beyond reproach.HSACD Analogue off the charts.Now my Gripe Heldenleben,along with Tod Und Verklarung Strauss's Greatest Orch Works,The Damn Trumpets and high Strings are blasting out too much.They Obscure all of the woderful canonic and Countrapuntal weaving of RS's themes(in this leitmotif heavy work)going on with the Horns,WW's and low strings,espically in the Hero's Battlefield(RS's greatest Orch acheivement).Kempe blends and balances this whole double coda section so marvelously and with more warmth,passion and musicality.Granted i'm hearing some things i've not heard in other versions,which is why i like many readings of a work.And on that basis plus for zara and the hsacd sound.. i recomend this CD.But i have to agree with the other reviews,that Reiner features the big dramatic over the top(sometimes cold)gesture over warmth and balance.Kempe is still the best for Tod and Heldenleben.

Great music!.......2007-06-13

Downloaded to my pc. Then ripped some
tunes for my MP3, which I use in the
gym. Good way to exercise listening
to good music. Quality is great!

WHAT A PERFORMANCE!.......2007-03-08

I couldn't agree with Mark or Larry less. I don't consider myself a Reiner cultist, but I found these performances of Strauss's bombastic hits driven and compelling. Frankly, I bought this CD to hear what an SACD release of a 50-year old recording would sound like and was quite impressed with the sound as well as the performance. In quiet passages, especially on the Heldenleben recording, there was audible hum (the reason for my 4-star vs. 5-star rating of this performance) but the clarity of the recording- even the violins, which are always the achilles heel of an orchestral recording, was remarkable given the vintage of the performance. Without considering the sound, however, this is a performance worth having and I'm glad I ]spent the ridiculously low price of less than $8 to own and enjoy it. I wouldn't hesitate recommending this recording.

Best Ein Heldenleben I have ever heard.......2007-01-22

Many people would be more interested in Zarathustra but I bought if for Heldenleben. I heard it on a streaming radio station and it was spectacular. The sound quality is amazing not to mention the performance.

I recommend it to anyone who likes R. Strauss as I do (my favorite classical composer).

I guess I just don't get the whole Reiner-worship cult.......2006-12-09

Let's see, I've owned these recordings on LP, cassette and at least 3 prior CD incarnations. I've dumped them all off in the past because I have never heard what so many others hear in these recordings. Where most hear demonstration-class recordings of a virtuosic band in a top-ranked interpretation, I hear a shallow, brittle and depth-less recording of a decent orchestra with less-than-sterling technical execution in a rather perfunctory interpretation by a fabled conductor.

Being so far off in my assessment when compared to received opinion, I've come to believe that there is something wrong with my ears. With that in mind, I picked up this recording/mastering for $5 at the Tower close-out yesterday, hoping to have my reaction to these recordings changed. Sorry to say I'm again gravely disappointed in these recordings on every level (as mentioned above).

If you really want to hear Richard Strauss in all his glory - both sound-wise and interpretively - than I suggest you turn to Karajan's non-digital DG recordings, Mehta's set with the LA Phil or Kempe's recordings on EMI (though I'm not fond of Kempe's Alpine Symphony).

I think I'm finally ready to give up on these over-rated recordings.

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: So I'm just learning violin... Joshua Bell...

The Essential Joshua Bell Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Bloch | Bloch, Ernest | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chausson, Ernest | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Fauré, Gabriel | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Kreisler | Kreisler, Fritz | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Sarasate | Sarasate, Pablo de | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Prokofiev | Prokofiev, Sergei | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Concerto Grossi | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Bell, Joshua | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Baltimore Symphony Orchestra | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Cleveland Orchestra | ( C ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Voice of the Violin Romance of the Violin Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto [Hybrid SACD] Joshua Bell - Gershwin Fantasy Violin Favourites & Virtuoso Showpieces ASIN: B000A8AXUY Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

1. Allegro Molto Appassionato
2. II. Sicilienne
3. II. Adagio
4. IV. Allegro Quasi Presto
5. III. Allegro Giocoso, Ma Non Troppo Vivace
6. Caprice Viennois
7. Toy-Soldiers March
8. Waves At Play - Samuel Sanders
9. II. Andante Assai
10. Spanish Dance - Samuel Sanders
11. Nigun (Improvisation)
12. Zigeunerweisen, Op.20

Customer Reviews:

So I'm just learning violin..........2006-09-21

and I can not play like Joshua Bell. For this, he better consider himself damn lucky as the world could not handle two of us Joshua Bells.

This was my first exposure to this phenom. Sorry, I had never heard of him until I got my first issue of STRINGS magazine and he was on the cover. My wife liked the cover and wanted to know if I got better would I not only sound like him but would I also look like him? I guess we'll never know how that will actually turn out. Safe to say, I'll end up not looking like him as I can never be quite as good as him. Again, damn lucky for Josh as I don't think the world could handle two of us.

This disc is an absolute gem not only for the Joshua Bell and violin fan, but the arrangements and the sound quality is superb. What this disc made me realize is that there are truly only a few out there that have complete and total control of their craft. It also made me decide that I would like to perhaps pick up a few more Joshua Bell recordings. For my wife, I guess I'll just duplicate them and give the copies to her in a blank cd case. I can tell her it's me playing. That ought to heat things up!

Joshua Bell..........2005-12-05

This CD is a wonderful CD to see how Joshua Bell interprets some of the standard repertory of violinists of this century. The only thing I was dissapointed in slightly was that it included music from other CD's already produced by Bell, but otherwise, a wonderful gift for someone who has never heard Bell before.

Average customer rating: Narration with music

Story Of Dvorák In Words And Music Manufacturer: Vox (Classical) ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs Under $7 | Symphonies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Symphonies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Symphonies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Story Of Brahms The Story of Tchaikovsky Story Of Verdi In Words And Music Mendelssohn In Words And Music Stories Of Schumann And Grieg ASIN: B000001KD7 Release Date: 1995-04-16

Tracks:

1. Furiant
2. Allegro Grazioso
3. Allegro Grazioso
4. Scherzo
5. Opening
6. Serbian Dance
7. You Ask Why My Songs
8. Kolo
9. Nature, Life And Love Motive
10. Kolo
11. Allegro Non Troppo
12. Kolo
13. Allegro Assai
14. Eja, Mater Fons Amoris
15. Kolo
16. Allegro Molto
17. Dumka
18. Scherzo Caprccioso, Op. 66
19. Allegro Moderato
20. Allegro Moderato
21. Largo
22. Vivace Non Troppo
23. Humoresque In G Flat Major, Op. 108 No. 7
24. Allegro
25. Allegro
26. Polka
27. Slavonic Dances
28. Slavonic Dances
29. Slavonic Dances
30. Slavonic Dances

Customer Reviews:

Narration with music.......2006-01-07

I ordered this CD because of the price, and quickly found out why it is a cheap one. The narration is fine, but it is spoken over the music, and the music is just excerpts except for the featured selections at the end of the CD, which is all of four pieces. This is a great CD for the car - a little audio learning lesson, and does give a good intro into some of Dvoraks most famous pieces. But, it is no Carl Haas rendition.

Average customer rating: AN EXCELLENT INTRODUCTION TO NORWAY'S GREATEST COMPOSER

The Best of Grieg Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Grieg, Edvard | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Character Pieces | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music $6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Grieg, Edvard | ( G ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Best of Haydn Best Of Rimsky-Korsakov Best of Elgar Best of Schumann Best of Schubert ASIN: B0000014H9 Release Date: 1994-02-15

Tracks:

1. Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op.16: Allegro molto moderato
2. Two Elegiac Pieces, Op.34: Last Spring (Varen)
3. Norwegian Dance No.2, Op.35: Allegretto tranquillo e grazioso
4. Peer Gynt Suite No.1, Op.46: Morning
5. Peer Gynt Suite No.1, Op.46: Anitra's Dance
6. Peer Gynt Suite No.1, Op.46: In the Hall of the Mountain King
7. Peer Gynt Suite No.2, Op.55: Arabian Dance
8. Peer Gynt Ste No.2, Op.55: Solveig's Song
9. Holberg Suite, Op.40: Prelude
10. Holberg Suite, Op.40: Andante
11. Norwegian Bridal Procession, Op.19, No.2
12. Lyric Suite, Op.54: No.3 Notturno
13. Lyric Suite Op.54: No.4: March of the Dwarfs
14. Wedding Day At Troldhaugen, Op.65, No.6
15. Two Elegiac Melodies, Op.34: Heart Wounds (Hjertesar)
16. Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op.56: Homage March

Customer Reviews:

AN EXCELLENT INTRODUCTION TO NORWAY'S GREATEST COMPOSER.......2000-05-18

When i first picked up this cd, i must say that i was somewhat dubious in doing so. 'It's just another Grieg collection', i was thinking to myself. However, this collection is more than this. It offers an excellent insight to Norway's greatest composer. Fine for anyone who wishes to find out more about this great composer.

Average customer rating: Good job Masterful! Great CD of Classical music's power pieces!

Time Life Presents: Classical Thunder Manufacturer: Time Life Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Berlioz | Berlioz, Hector | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Copland | Copland, Aaron | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Falla | Falla, Manuel de | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gershwin | Gershwin, George | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Grieg, Edvard | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Holst | Holst, Gustav | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Janácek, Leos | ( J ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Khachaturian | Khachaturian, Aram | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mussorgsky | Mussorgsky, Modest | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Orff | Orff, Carl | ( O ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Respighi | Respighi, Ottorino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Saint-Saëns, Camille | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Sibelius | Sibelius, Jean | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Stravinsky | Stravinsky, Igor | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wagner | Wagner, Richard | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Prokofiev | Prokofiev, Sergei | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sinfonia | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Tone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Requiems | Forms & Genres | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music Cantatas | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Similar Items: Thunderous Classics Thunder & Lightning 25 Thunderous Classics Classical Thunder II: Time Life Library of Classical Favorites Simply the Best Classical Anthems ASIN: B00081U6XC Release Date: 2005-04-26

Tracks:

1. Introduction
2. Ride Of The Valkyries
3. Mars, The Bringer Of War
4. Montagues And Capulets
5. Sabre Dance
6. William Tell Overture (Conclusion)
7. In The Hall Of The Mountain King
8. The Hut On Fowl's Legs
9. The Great Gate At Kiev
10. Fanfare For The Common Man
11. Allegro Con Brio
12. Marche Au Supplice (March To The Scaffold)
13. Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen One)
14. Circus Maximus
15. Les Toreadors
16. Finlandia, Op.26
17. 1812 Overture, Op.49 (Conclusion)

Tracks:

1. Procession Of The Nobles
2. Rakoczy March
3. Ritual Fire Dance
4. The Hero's Battlefield
5. Pines Of The Appian Way
6. Dies Irae
7. Allegro Con Brio
8. Allegretto
9. Air Et Danse Bacchanale
10. Farandole
11. Infernal Dance Of King Kastchei
12. O Fortuna
13. The Wedding Of Kije
14. Hurricane
15. Marche Slave, Op.31

Customer Reviews:

Good job.......2005-08-26

I remember when I was little, I had this cd, but i lost it. I bought a similiar type of one through TIme Life and decided to try the Classical Thunder one. I have like it so far.

Masterful!.......2005-06-15

This two CD set is magnificent. I got the set in the early 1990's when it was advertised on television, along with other releases in Time Life's set. I was struck by the interpretations of the conductors. Whenever I hear these pieces now, I judge them against this recording. Amazing selection as well. There are staples of orchestra repetoire, like Beethoven symphonies, but also gems that are not heard very often, like the Rimsky-Korsakov "Procession of the Nobles." A very impressive recording.

Great CD of Classical music's power pieces!.......2005-06-07

I got this CD when I was around 16 because I loved a lot of the music on this double CD set. As a student pursuing a Music Education major, it has been a great asset for my musically, and just great for listening to. I will drive on short trips and take this with me and blast it louder than the guy in the next car blasting rap music. I also take it skiing as it sets a great tempo down the mountain. This is a great CD for anyone that loves music.

Average customer rating: same ol' same ol' Music that touches my soul If you buy only one CD this year..... buy this one! Truly the Music of Life Mr. Curiale's life IS his music

The Music of Life/Joseph Curiale Manufacturer: Orchard Road ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Awakening The Calm: Inspired 20th Century Classics The Spirit of Creativity Speaking of Faith ASIN: B00005S81D Release Date: 2001-12-01

Tracks:

1. Tea in Chinese Camp: Sky Blue after Rain
2. Tea in Chinese Camp: A Cup of Kindness
3. Tea in Chinese Camp: Double Happiness
4. Passages: Liquid Autumm
5. Passages: Middle Essence
6. An American Variation
7. The Music of Life: Prairie Hymn
8. The Music of Life: A Prayer
9. The Music of Life: A Gathering of Atoms
10. Shadow and Light
11. Heaven and Earth
12. Wind River (I Am)

Customer Reviews:

same ol' same ol'.......2006-08-26

Slightly more creative than AWAKENING, but not by much. There is money to be made here, however. I am sure there will be other pieces to follow by Curiale. Hope to see some definitive innovations in future compositions.

Music that touches my soul.......2003-11-15

I was fortunate enough to be at the debut performance of "The Music of Life" in Akron in 2002. When I heard the swell of strings in "Prarie Hymn", I was transported to another time and place. It still has a tremendous effect on me every time I listen to it. Curiale has become my favorite composer since.

If you buy only one CD this year..... buy this one!.......2002-06-05

Life: ever tried to sum up what it means? It's not something you'll likely be able to do in one hour, but if you have that much time to spare in your life, then buying and listening through once to this latest CD from Joseph Curiale would be an hour well spent. Trouble is, that one time through this disc just isn't anywhere near enough; listen once and you'll get hooked.

Curiale's first album, Awakening, was once described in a British magazine review as 'film music without the film', an opinion that kind of depends on whether one has the imagination to close one's eyes and see the pictures for oneself... not difficult with music of this level of filmic colour and imagination.

Music of Life begins with Tea in Chinese Camp, a triptych that takes its name from three Chinese teacups unearthed in a small Californian town and given to Curiale by a local historian there. Each movement of this opening work is as finely crafted and richly coloured as the ornaments from which they take their names and one can imagine clearly from the music the possible worlds that, by cradling the fragments of china cup, one holds in one's hand; erhu soloist Karen Han turns in an awesome performance throughout the hauntingly beautiful 'A Cup of Kindness'.

'Liquid Autumn' paints exquisite strokes about that most colourful of seasons - most notably with the liquid tone of French Horn player Stephanie O'Keefe. to whom the track is dedicated.

(I am skipping forwards a little now, but 1000 words is not nearly enough space to really tell you about Joseph of this disc...)

Halfway through the CD and one arrives at 'American Variation', a track which Curiale admits to being his "...symphonic Opus#1".
Written as an essay of the deep emotional experiences he had whilst living in Japan for many years, Curiale's 'American Variation' features two of the traditional instruments of Japan - the koto and shakuhachi - and conjures vivid imagery of a country which for me too has a deep emotional resonance. For anyone who has travelled to Japan, this work will doubtless take you straight back again and for anyone who has never been, Curiale and soloists paint a picture so vivid that one simply has to let one's eyelids drop to begin the journey. Any fans of the work of Ryuichi Sakamoto, especially his soundtracks (Last Emperor/Little Buddha) will find enormous enjoyment in Curiale's orchestrations and the rich and broad palette he uses in this work in particular.

'Shadow and Light' (track 10), like many of the works on the disc recorded in London's famed Abbey Road, brings together the extraordinarily talented violist Yuko Inoue, flautist Pippa Davies, Geoff Brown on English horn, Caroline Dearnly on cello and pianist Kelvin Thomson. Dedicated to artist Nao Otomo, 'Shadow and Light' celebrates and explores the middle-world between these two extremes; the delicate and rippling piano providing the ever-present line along which the other instrumentalists travel and inter-twine.

'Wind River' is a fittingly grand ending to this CD, bringing to bear the full force of The London Symphony Orchestra, in a work originally written for the University of Wyoming in recognition of the new millennium. Saturating himself in the state and all he could read about it for one year has made a work that lives and breathes in its form. The opening brass lines set the scene, and one feels the space and temple-like grandeur of the vista open. Curiale's brass and wind lines are what sing through in this piece, and are what give form to both the boldness and delicacy of the image of landscape he is conjuring.

There's so much more one could say about Music of Life, but really I would just say to you to buy it and by doing so to embark upon a musical voyage that no music-lover should miss.

Truly the Music of Life.......2002-04-14

My words cannot do this music justice. The music of life? Yes, it is the music of life, and each time I listen to it, I feel the Earth dancing within me. Somehow, Joseph Curiale has found the very center of existence and painted it with sound. His music is the beauty of a single tulip poking its head through winter's snow. It is a ray of morning sunshine, damp grass between naked toes. It is the ocean's icy finger's caressing a human body, a rainbow on a stormy day, the peace of a summer's afternoon spent alone. It surely is the music of life, and my love for it continues to grow.

Mr. Curiale's life IS his music.......2002-01-17

"The Music of Life" by composer Joseph Curiale is an outstanding example of the most sublime music being written today. Beautifully orchestrated, rhythmically exciting, and emotionally uplifting, this second CD by Mr. Curiale is nothing less than a musical look into his very inner being.

Each composition offers us a glimpse into an intense personal relationship between the man and his art. He does not take composition lightly: composition for Mr. Curiale is an intense, exhausting experience, an outpouring of his entire heart and soul into his work. It is this deep personal expression that sets his compositions apart from his colleagues.

The composer, a master at orchestration, successfully melds Western sonorities with Oriental modalities, thereby creating a style of music uniquely his own. Listen to his "Tea in a Chinese Camp" featuring erhu artist Karen Han and to "An American Variation" to hear the influence that his years living in the Far East have left on him. On the other hand, listen to "Wind River (I Am)" to actually "hear" the great state of Wyoming in its entire natural splendor, and also to "Prairie Hymn", a hymn dedicated to the spirit of the American Heartland and its people.

This CD should be in every music lover's library as a fine example of the best of contemporary music today.

Average customer rating: Great Virtuosity, but For the Music, Get Kempe! Historic stereo recordings of Richard Strauss An outstanding event of incalculable transcendence! This music? Garbage? You've got to be kidding. Not Garbage at all

Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra; Ein Heldenleben Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Tone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music $7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta; Hungarian Sketches Strauss: Til Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks/Don Juan/Death And Transfiguration Hovhaness: Mysterious Mountain Strauss: Don Quixote; Don Juan Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition ASIN: B000003FE9 Release Date: 1993-03-09

Tracks:

1. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: Sunrise
2. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: Of The People Of The Unseen World
3. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: Of The Great Longing
4. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: Of Joys And Passions
5. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: Dirge
6. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: Of Science
7. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: The Convalescent
8. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: Dance Song And Night Song
9. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30: Night Wanderer's Song
10. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero
11. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Adversaries
12. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Companion
13. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Battlefield
14. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Works Of Peace
15. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40: The Hero's Retreat From The World And Fulfillment

Amazon.com essential recording

RCA Victor's 1954-vintage stereophony has scarcely aged, all to the better of these ageless performances, heard in their finest transfers yet. Fritz Reiner's Ein Heldenleben fuses drama, poetry, scrupulous balances, bracing rhythm, and purposeful detail into a cogent whole. Much the same holds true for Reiner's Zarathusatra from the same year. Yes, the organ is foully out-of-tune, and a few exposed tympani notes are similarly suspect. Some may prefer Reiner's less flashy, more internalized 1960 Zarathustra remake, although it doesn't quite make the sonic impact of its hallowed predecessor. May this disc never be deleted. --Jed Distler

Amazon.com

This recording was the hi-fi demo disc of the 1950s. On CD, it still sounds pretty incredible; an achievement as remarkable technically as it is musically. And what playing! Fritz Reiner sadistically enjoyed driving his players to despair. There's a famous story about principal trumpeter Adolph (Bud) Herseth, who played his tricky little fanfare at the beginning of the second half of Zarathustra so perfectly so many times that even Reiner finally gave up. Most critics and Strauss lovers consider Reiner's performance of A Hero's Life to be the best ever committed to disc, and I'd be the last one to disagree. This is one of those recordings where everything just went right. --David Hurwitz

Amazon.com

Ein Heldenleben can occasionally sound like 30 minutes of real music with a 15-minute violin concerto placed in its middle; it requires an interpreter with grip and a long view of the score to hold the piece together. Fritz Reiner was just that, and his 1954 account of Heldenleben is still on the top of the pile. It is a formidable reading--huge, massive, yet with an Old World expressiveness in the strings and gloriously transparent textures. Reiner's interpretation of Zarathustra, recorded at the same time, is equally impressive. Stunning is the only word to describe the remastering job RCA has done with the original recordings: the richness of sound is staggering for documents now more than 40 years old. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Great Virtuosity, but For the Music, Get Kempe!.......2006-08-07

This issue will appeal to those who find in Richard Strauss a great orchestrator. But if you pass this by and get the Kempe recordings on EMI with the Staatskapelle Dresden, you will find Strauss the Great Composer.

Historic stereo recordings of Richard Strauss.......2006-03-28

Fritz Reiner (1888-1963) and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra were among the first musicians in the U.S. to make commercial streophonic recordings, in March 1954 in Chicago's historic Orchestra Hall. (A few stereo recordings were made by Thor Johnson and the Cincinnati Symphony in 1953 by Remington and given some limited release on tapes and discs.)

In 1954, RCA Victor taped two extended masterpieces by the German composer Richard Strauss (1864-1949), using a pioneering triple-track stereo tape system. RCA used separate equipment at the recording sessions in Orchestra Hall, one for the conventional monaural recordings and one for the stereo recordings. Intended to be experimental recordings, the stereo versions first appeared on home reel-to-reel tapes within a year. With the advent of the Westrex stereo cutting system, the recordings were first issued on discs in 1958 as part of RCA's highly-acclaimed "Living Stereo" series.

Reiner had the advantage of clearly understanding Richard Strauss and his music because the two musicians were close friends and corresponded until shortly before Strass died in late 1949. Strauss, who himself made some experimental high fidelity recordings of his major works in 1944 with the Vienna Philharmonic, greatly admired what Reiner achieved. He would have certainly applauded these definitive, first stereo recordings of two of his extended symphonic poems.

"Also sprach Zarathustra" was based on the writings of Friedrich Nietzsche and is a very deep, intense, often melancholy work with several very spectacular musical sequences, including a hypnotic waltz sequence. Scored for very large orchestra, the symphonic poem runs continuously and was often "ruined" by LP recordings because it was necessary to split the music near the halfway point. The CD version does not have this annoying interruption. Instead, we can thoroughly enjoy this very exciting performance, superbly played by the Chicago musicians. It is always a treat, too, to hear what happens AFTER the famous opening minutes of the work, which became so famous when Stanley Kubrick used it in his 1968 science fiction epic "2001: A Space Odyssey."

We know that Fritz Reiner was a perfectionist and he sought very high standards. Arturo Toscanini was known for occasional outbursts when musicians failed to play their best; Toscanini admired Reiner and invited him to guest conduct the NBC Symphony Orchestra. Reiner, however, could absolutely terrify musicians as he sought the highest standards in playing; sometimes he used anger and other times he used biting sarcasm. The excellence which both Reiner and Toscanini sought from their orchestras are quite apparent in the numerous outstanding recordings they made.

Toscanini did not particularly enjoy making recordings, especially before the invention of magnetic tape. On the other hand, Reiner readily embraced recording and determined to leave lasting documents of the high standards he sought. This is quite apparent in "Also sprach Zarathustra." The recording still amazes us, both for its remarkably high quality sound and the intensity of the performance.

A similar treasure is realized in Strauss' "Ein Heldenleben" or "A Hero's Life." Filled with quotes from earlier Strauss works, this is an intense, powerful, and dramatic work that seems something of an ego trip for the composer since he is clearly the "hero" of the story. However, Strauss may actually be celebrating his accomplishments and achievements, often as he sought to please his wife Pauline, who clearly expected nothing but the best from her husband.

The terrifying battle sequence remains a high point of this extended work and, fortunately, we can hear it without the annoying interruption that often occurred on LPs in the middle of the spectacular music with its heavy use of percussion. Once again, the music is continuous and did not lend itself to the 33-1/3 rpm discs. Reiner's powerful performance compares well with the much-admired performances by Willem Mengelburg and the New York Philharmonic (1928 for Victor) and Sir Thomas Beecham and the Royal Philharmonic (1958 for Capitol).

An outstanding event of incalculable transcendence!.......2005-11-14

Orchestra Hall, Chicago March 8, 1954. Fritz Reiner would conduct the most famous of all his recordings ever made. Strauss Also sprach Zaratustra will be performed with such electrifying flair, mercurial rapture, vibrating intensity and delirious apotheosis as possibly has been made.

This is in few words the meaning of this historic legacy. The astonishing fact that features the edification of a supreme masterpiece is precisely not being conscious about it. This surprising element works out without a logic support. It is the happy result of a sum of fortunate details, the passionate conveyance, ardent conviction, astonishing exactitude and marvelous meticulousness that the 110 members of the Chicago Symphony brought that historic date.

This evening the whole Universe was a silent witness of a work in progress.

This music? Garbage? You've got to be kidding........2005-04-04

I strongly disagree with AaLii. This music is not overblown, pretentious, and cacophonous pieces of garbage, but melodic, timeless, and harmonious works of music. Fritz Reiner has been overshadowed in recent years by Sir Georg Solti when it comes to the CSO, but in my opinion, was just as good a conductor. I like his recording of Zarathustra even better than Solti's, and his Ein Heldenleben is excellent, too. Of course, Solti did excellent Strauss with the CSO, but this disc is very special.

It's hard to believe that these recordings were made over 50 years ago because they sound like they were recorded just yesterday! I take my hat off to the engineers at RCA for their brilliant restoration work to keep this in the permanent catalogue. Don't ever let it be deleted!

Not Garbage at all.......2005-02-24

No need to repeat what so many other writers have said about these classic recordings, they are simply magnificent and the music is wonderful. One writer called the music garbage. Nonsense. It may not be Beethoven but it is unique and makes your sound system sound so wonderful. Another great recording of Also Sprach is by Sir Charles Mackerras and the Royal Philharmonic on their label. I believe it is no longer available but I was very lucky and bought it at Big Lots for only $3.00. The playing of the Royal Philharmonic is outstanding.

Average customer rating: first-rate interpretations, second-rate recorded sound Not worth it!!!!!!! Wonderful Interpretation throughout.

Strauss: Tone Poems Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Tone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Box Sets | 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 Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Schumann Piano Works Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 20, 23, 24, 26 & 27 Mozart: Requiem / Davis (Penguin Music Classics Series) Schumann: The Four Symphonies; Genoveva & Manfred Overtures Smetana: Má Vlast ASIN: B00002DF9N Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

1. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Night - Sunrise - Berliner Philharmoniker
2. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: The Ascent - Berliner Philharmoniker
3. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Entering The Wood - Berliner Philharmoniker
4. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Wandering By The Brook - By The Waterfall - Apparition - Berliner Philharmoniker
5. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Flowery Meadows - On The Mountain Pasture - On The Wrong Track Through Thickets And Undergrowth - On The Glacier - Berliner Philharmoniker
6. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Precarious moments - On The Summit - Vision - Berliner Philharmoniker
7. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Rising Mists - The Sun Gradually Dims - Elegy - Berliner Philharmoniker
8. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Calm Before The Storm - Berliner Philharmoniker
9. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Thunderstorm, Descent - Berliner Philharmoniker
10. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Sunset - Berliner Philharmoniker
11. An Alpine Symphony, Op.64: Epilogue - Night - Berliner Philharmoniker
12. Don Juan, Op.20: Tone Poem After Nikolaus Lenau - Berliner Philharmoniker
13. Waltzes From Act III - Berliner Philharmoniker

Tracks:

1. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Introduction - Michel Schwalbe
2. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Of The Backworldsmen - Michel Schwalbe
3. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Of The Great Longing - Michel Schwalbe
4. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Of Joys And Passions - Michel Schwalbe
5. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: The Song Of The Grave - Michel Schwalbe
6. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Of Science - Michel Schwalbe
7. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: The Convalescent - Michel Schwalbe
8. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: The Dance Song - Michel Schwalbe
9. Thus Spake Zarathustra, Op.30: Song Of The Night Wanderer - Michel Schwalbe
10. Festival Prelude, Op.61 - Wolfgang Meyer
11. Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks, Op.28 - Berliner Philharmoniker
12. Salome, Op.54: Dance Of The Seven Veils - Berliner Philharmoniker

Tracks:

1. A Hero's Life, Op.40: The Hero - Erich Muhlbach
2. A Hero's Life, Op.40: The Hero's Adversaries - Erich Muhlbach
3. A Hero's Life, Op.40: The Hero's Companion - Erich Muhlbach
4. A Hero's Life, Op.40: The Hero's Battlefield - Erich Muhlbach
5. A Hero's Life, Op.40: The Hero's Works Of Peace - Erich Muhlbach
6. A Hero's Life, Op.40: The Hero's Retirement From The World And Fulfilment - Erich Muhlbach
7. Death And Transfiguration, Op.24 - Staatskapelle Dresden

Customer Reviews:

first-rate interpretations, second-rate recorded sound.......2006-07-30

What admirable interpretations from Böhm! He breathes so much character into each of the musical "paragraphs" in these readings. Each theme is given its own distinct tempo, chosen with exceptional judgement to emphasize its idiosyncracies and expressive character; and Böhm can turn his orchestra on a dime when a good deal of contrast is called for between the end of one paragraph and beginning of the next. There's also enourmous dynamic range and contrast, form the softest pianissimi to thundering fortissimi. These are readings that really bring out the broad ebb and flow of these long pieces, emphasizing the structure, the architecture of them. They're really fantastic.

Do be warned, though, that the recorded sound is very dated: generally it's rather one-dimensional and the resolution is not very high, so that you mostly hear only the most prominent voices of the ensemble at any given time. It's at its worst in the Alpine Symphony, which sounds like a scratchy, screechy 1930's film soundtrack. In the rest of the pieces it ranges from good to serviceable; but if there's any repertoire that really benefits from today's high-fidelity recording technology, massive post-Romantic orchestral scores like these are certainly a front-runner. Buy this set for the marvellous interpretations, but you'll want to explore other, better-recorded readings as well to really hear the full depth and resonance of the orchestral sound.

Not worth it!!!!!!!.......2006-07-19

This seems like a great deal with the amount of material and the price, but the truth is "cheap price, cheap recordings" . I highly suggest if you want to get the most of Richard Strauss's tone poems you should buy different recordings. The main thing I was disappointed with on this box set was the recording of An Alpine Symphony. The recording of the alpine symphony was too old and weak, sloppy and loud (only at times),and just ok overall. The alpine symphony is on the first cd so I after I listened to that, I had a bad attitude about the rest of it. Even though, all of the other recordings are pretty good or ok.

Personally, I would suggest Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic when it comes to Richard Strauss's tone poems.

Wonderful Interpretation throughout........2006-01-01

This collection is a wonderful package in that it brings together one of Strauss's life friends and largest advocates (Karl Bohm) with two incredible GERMAN orchestras playing their own nationalistic music.

These recordings rank among my most cherished and loved. Highlights (for me) include the climax of sunrise in the Alpine Symphony, the huge reverberations as the massive sound of the fff chords carry over into silence in Heldenleben, and the wicked-crazy horns as they rip through the Waltz from Rosenkavalier.

These are prime interpretations (better, I feel than any other -- and I mean ANY - sorry Karajan fans!!!). And these two wonderful forces play their musical heritage with passion and brilliance.

As another reviewer pointed out, the sound quality leaves something to be desired, however it is not quite as bad as they would have us believe. What we first must take into account is that Strauss' huge tone poems put enormous demands on the recording equipment of its day that could not be met. Also, Bohm was stressed above all else that "the melody be prominent". Yes - as a result the recording really kicks out the melody line.

Okay - take that into account and listen to these with some imagination. I assure you that you will be able to hear the detail of Strauss' music - but more importantly the style and idea of it. Listen like you would look at a black and white photo. While the B&W leaves more for your imagination, you still "get the picture" - and sometimes the B&W reveales more! It's exactly the same with this incredible box of Strauss.

The interpretation is absolutely stunning and revealing. Bohm nailed this on the head and truly captured the essence of this music. I feel this is a wonderful place for you to start if you know little Strauss - and if you know much about Strauss, this is a great place for you to hear a different, but seemingly perfect interpretation of Strauss.

Meditation Music:

1. Texture Vision
2. Thank You for the Music [Import]
3. The Album
4. The Bodyguard [Soundtrack]
5. The Definitive Collection [Import]
6. The House on Christmas Street
7. The Singles: The First Ten Years [Import]
8. Those Were the Days: Music of James Last [Import]
9. Totally Sensational 70's: 1977-1979
10. Valentine Smith

Meditation Music

meditation music

Meditation Music

Popcorn [Box set]

Kalinnikov: Overture To Tsar Boris/Symphony No.2/The Cedar And The Palm

Italian Arias & Cantatas

Music: Undiscovered Soul [Extra tracks]

Hed Kandi Spring Sampler 2005

Heartbeat Pt.2 [CD-single] [Enhanced] [Import]

International Music: A Tribute To Valor

Levon Helm

Introducing

Handel: Israel in Egypt, Coronation Anthems [Import]

Jazz Prophets V.1 [Import]

Grandes Exitos: En los 70 [Import]