| 1. Al Son de la Lata (El Chorizo) |
| 2. Baile Encantado |
| 3. Con Tu Swing y el Mio |
| 4. Victima Mas |
| 5. Tragico |
| 6. Si No Eres Tu |
| 7. Amigo de Que (Como Pantera) |
| 8. Mendigo de Amor |
De Tu a Tu,Orquesta Kache,Sony International,Latin,Latin Jazz,Latin Music,Salsa,Tropical
Average customer rating:
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Nessun Dorma ~ 20 Great Tenor Arias / Pavarotti, Carreras, Domingo, Bergonzi, Aragall, Björling, Di Stefano, Kollo, Corelli, Del Monaco...
Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000007OTX Release Date: 1998-06-09 |
Tracks:
- La Boheme: Che gelida manina
- Manon Lescaut: Donna non vidi mai
- Carmen Bizet: La fleur que tu m'avais jetee (Flower Song)
- Luisa Miller: O! fede negar potessi .. Quando le sere al placido
- La Traviata: Lunge da lei ... De' miei bollenti spiriti
- Martha: M'appari
- Giordano: Amor ti vieta
- L'Africaine: Mi batte il cuor .. O paradiso
- La Favorita: Favorita del re . . . Spirto gentil
- Werther: 'Pourquoi me reveiller'
- Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: 'Morgenlich leuchtend in rosigem Schein'
- Les Contes d'Hoffmann: O Dieu! De quelle ivresse
- TOSCA: E lucevan le stelle
- Pagliacci: Recitar! ... Vesti la giubba
- Il Trovatore: Di quella pira
- Aida: Se quel guerrier .. Celeste Aida
- TOSCA: Recondita armonia
- L'Elisir d'Amore: Una furtiva lagrima
- La Gioconda: Cielo e mar!
- Turandot: Nessun dorma
Customer Reviews:
The End of the Big Voice?.......2007-04-16
Fla Gator Lady.......2007-01-12
20 Great Tenor Arias.......2007-01-09
Plesantly surprised..........2006-01-14
First it is a great buy. A booklet with pictures of each tenor, a small bio, the year recorded and TRANSLATIONS of each aria are provided. This is really nice. It seems more & more that translations are being left out. Being a former opera singer, I may know most of the words, but sometimes it's just nice to read along (sometimes it's just nice to listen too).
Being on the Decca label, there is admittedly quite a few Pavarotti selections. Out of 20 selections, he has 6 of them. But I love Pavarotti, so this is no problem for me. These are all early recordings & his voice is magnificent! Being a singer, I still marvel at his ability to sing "All'armi!" on a high D and still say the 2nd syllable "mi" on such a note! WOW. There is also of course his very sweet, impassioned and lyrical turn as Rodolfo in "La Boheme" as well as the lesser known (although I still have it on casette) "La Favorita" which has a particularly high tessitura.
Also featured are a young Plácido Domingo singing a VERY nice "Flower song/ La fleur que tu m'avais jetée" from Carmen. He usually sounds too pushed for me on the top notes (as one might expect from a Pavarotti fan, I like free top notes) but in this recording he is pretty darn fabulous. He also sings an aria from "Tales of Hoffman/Les Contes d'Hoffman" and I have always felt that he, like Neil Schicoff, were well suited to this role.
Lamentably there are only one selection each from Carreras, Correlli, Monaco, Aragall & Kollo. Especial kudos to the young recording they feature for Aragall. He had a very free and nice high tenor well suited to Verdi. Of course as his career went forward with the natural darkening of his voice and the "heavier" roles, he did start to develop a wobble. But this recording is before that. His top, his phrasing are all beautifully done in his featured aria from "La Traviata."
Mario del Monaco's "E lucevan le stelle" is hauntingly beautiful and has such a wonderful pianissimo in it that it makes you just want to gasp for beauty's sake. I now know every tenor I've heard sing this aria was trying to emulate what he did.
This is a great CD because it does bring together on one CD some of the greatest singers of the 20th/21st century. Bergonzi, di Stefano, Björling, in addition to the previously mentioned artists is quite an impressive collection. I'm sure there's only one of each for Carreras, Aragall (I believe they are formerly EMI/Angel artists) and perhaps some of the others because they are "imported" from another label. There's so much Pavarotti on this CD because he IS a Decca artist.
A highly recommended CD, affordable, not the usually obscure and unpolished artists that are sometimes found on compilations. Plus acutal linear notes and translations. Nicely done, Decca!!!
Absolutely Agree About Corelli.......2005-05-27
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The Most Famous Opera Duets
Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000002SCA Release Date: 1994-04-12 |
Tracks:
- Les Peurs des perles Act 1 - Au fond du temple saint
- Madama Butterfly Act 1- Vogliatemi bene, un bene piccolino
- Le Nozze di Figaro Act III - Sull'aria - Le Nozze di Figaro
- La Traviata Act I - Un di, felice, eterea
- Lucia Di Lammermoor Act I - Ah! Verranna a te sull'aure
- Tristan und Isolde Act II - O sink hernieder, Nacht der Liebe
- Carmen Act I - Parle-moi de m
- Die ZauberflAct I - Bei Mern, welche Liebe F
- Lakmct I - Viens, Mallika
- Rigoletto Act I - il sol dell'anima
- Der Rosenkavalier Act II - Mir ist die Ehre wilderfahren
- Don Giovanni Act I - Li darem la mano
- La Boh Act IV - O Mimi, tu pi torni
- Il Trovatore Act IV - Miserere...Quel suon, quelle preci
Amazon.com
This is a misnomer--not all of these duets are all that famous--but it's a fine compilation nonetheless. You'll hear selections from Bizet's The Pearl Fishers (Nicolai Gedda and Ernest Blanc at their most elegant French), Madama Butterfly (Carlo Bergonzi and Renata Scotto--an impassioned pair), Lucia di Lammermoor (a classy Alfredo Kraus and Edita Gruberova), the lovely Lakme duet, The Presentation of the Silver Rose from Der Rosenkavalier (with the earnest Christa Ludwig and the other-worldly Teresa Stich-Randall), and a fine Trovatore "Miserere" (with Leontyne Price and Franco Bonisolli singing up a storm). There are many others, too--a veritable cornucopia of couplings--and a treat for the opera lover. --Robert LevineCustomer Reviews:
Can't go wrong.......2007-07-14
Most Famous???.......2007-05-14
Only one song knew well.......2007-05-14
The Most Famous Opera Duets.......2007-01-05
Thanks again!!!!!
Good selection of opera highlights.......2006-11-04
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The Great Recordings
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0001Y4JG6 Release Date: 2004-05-11 |
Tracks:
- Son Vergin Vezzosa - Paul Plishka
- Eccomi... Oh! Quante Volte
- Mira, O Norma
- Santo Di Patria... Allor Che I Forti Corrono... Da Te Questo
- Contro Un Cor Che Accende Amore - Nicolai Gedda
- Che M'apporti? - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
- Quel Sangue Versato Al Cielo S'innalza - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
- Vorrei Spiegarvi, Oh Dio, K.418
- Amor, Op.68 No.5
Tracks:
- Martern Aller Arten
- E Strano! E Strano!
- Ah, Fors'e Lui
- Follie! Follie!
- Sempre Libera
- Ces Murs Silencieux - Pardonnez-moi, Dieu De Toute Puissance - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
- Toi! Vous! - Oui! Je Fus Cruelle Et Coupable! - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
- N'est-ce Plus Ma Main? - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
- Robert, Toi Que J'aime
- Tu Ne Chanteras Plus?
- Chere Enfant Que J'appele
- Meine, Lippen, Die Kusen So Heiss
- Wien, Wien, Nur Du Allein
- Always Through The Changing
Customer Reviews:
RIP, BEVERLY SILLS 1929-2007.......2007-07-03
This wonderful CD set is a perfect compilation of her art as can be found anywhere. Her finest roles and performances are captured here, most of them derived from the Westminster/Audio Treasury recordings from her prime. Listening to them again demonstrates to me why she was so special, and such an inspiration to music lovers everywhere.
Brava Sills!.......2007-02-02
Bellini, I Puritani, "Son vergin vezzosa." Wonderful. Sutherland owns this--but so does Beverly Sills. Contemporary sopranos such as Netrebko and Gruberova have also sung this on their respective CDs, and while their product is nice, it simply does not compare. Sills is remarkably agile with her voice; the trills are well done; she cleanly hits high notes; the overall effect can only be described as wonderful.
Bellini, Norma, "Mira, o Norma". This is smoothly sung and very melodic. The technique that she exhibits does not overwhelm the music.
Rosini, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, "Contro un cor che accende amore." Again, her agile voice is well deployed. The florid singing is well done.
Donizetti, Roberto Devereaux, "Che m'apporti." Her clean, light voice matches well with this aria. Smoothly sung. Her "Quel sangue versato al cielo s'innalza," which follows, is well done. High notes cleanly hit, a smooth line.
Verdi, La Traviata, "E strano. . . .Sempre libera." Again, what agility! In "Sempre libera," she reveals a rich voice and, again, wonderful agility. This is an animated version of one of Verdi's showcase pieces.
Lehar, Giudetta. "Meine Lippen." A lot of fun! This is smoothly sung.
In the final analysis, this is a nice potpourri of Beverly Sills' repertoire. Those not familiar with her work will find this a nice entree to her oeuvre; those familiar with her will find this a good compilation.
Sills fits my bill.......2006-03-13
The Great American Soprano.......2005-10-01
My Favorite Woman.......2005-08-05
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The Best Opera Album in the World...Ever!
Manufacturer: Angel Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0000084JD Release Date: 1999-07-27 |
Tracks:
- La Traviata: Libiamo Ne'lieti Calici (Brindisi) (Atto I) - Alfredo Kraus
- Il Barbiere Di Siviglia: Largo Al Factotum (Atto I) - Thomas Hampton
- La Boheme: Che Gelida Manina (Atto I) - Roberto Alagna
- La Boheme: Si. Mi Chiamano Mimi (Atto I) - Mirella Freni
- L'amico Fritz: Suzel, Bon Di (Cherry Duet) (First Part) (Atto II) - Bernard Haitink
- Nabucco: Va, Pensiero (Chorus Of Hebrew Slaves) (Atto III) - Bernard Haitink
- Rigoletto: La Donna E Mobile (Atto III) - Roberto Alagna
- Lakme: Viens, Mallika (Flower Duet) (Acte I) - Mady Mesple
- Gianni Schicchi: O Mio Babbino Caro - Victoria De Los Angeles
- Tosca: Recondita Armonia (Atto I) - Placido Domingo
- Tosca: Vissi D'arte (Atto II) - Maria Callas
- Tosca: E Lucevan Le Stelle (Atto III) - Placido Domingo
- Adriana Lecouvreur: Ecco: Respiro Appena ... Lo Son L'umile Ancella (Atto I) - Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
- Les Pecheurs De Perles: Au Fond Du Temple Saint (Acte I) - Nicolai Gedda
- Le Nozze Di Figaro: Non Piu Andrai (Atto I) - Thomas Allen
- Le Nozze Di Figaro: Voi Che Sapete (Atto II) - Ann Murray
- Le Nozze Di Figaro: E Susanna Non Vien!...Dove Sono (Atto III) - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
- Martha: M'appari (Ach So Fromm) (Akt III) - Roberto Alagna
- Tristan Und Isolde: Mild Und Leise (Liebestod) (Akt III) - Helga Dernesch
Tracks:
- Aida: Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi!...Celeste Aida (Atto I) - Placido Domingo
- Il Trovatore: Vedi! Le Fosche Notturne Spoglie (Anvil Chorus) (Atto II) - Bernard Haitink
- Samson Et Dalila: Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix (Acte II) - Maria Callas
- Carmen: L'amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle (Habanera) - Victoria De Los Angeles
- Carmen: Votre Toast (Toreador's Song) (Acte II) - Maria Callas
- Carmen: La Fleur Que Tu M'avais Jetee (Acte III) - Roberto Alagna
- Les Contes D'Hoffman: Belle Nuit, O Nuit D'amour (Barcarolle) (Acte II) - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
- Andrea Chenier: La Mamma Morta (Atto III) - Maria Callas
- Pagliacci: Recitar!...Vesti La Giubba (Atto I) - Jose Carreras
- Madama Butterfly: Un Bel Di Vedremo (Atto II) - Renata Scotto
- Cosi Fan Tutte: Soave Sia Il Vento (Atto I) - Margaret Marshall
- La Rondine: Chi Il Bel Sogno Di Doretta (Atto I) - Montserrat Caballe
- Die Zauberflote: Der Vogelfanger Bin Ich Ja (Akt I) - Walter Berry
- Die Zauberflote: Der Holle Rache (Akt II) - Edita Gruberova
- Rusalka: Song To The Moon (Act I) - Lucia Popp
- La Wally: Ebben? Ne Andro Iontana (Atto I) - Maria Callas
- Werther: Toute Mon Ame Est La!...Pourquoi Me Reveiller? (Acte III) - Roberto Alagna
- Turandot: Signore, Ascolta! (Atto I) - Montserrat Caballe
- Turandot: Nessun Dorma (Atto III) - Jose Carreras
Customer Reviews:
Latter-day also-rans.......2007-05-28
A well-sung compilation.......2003-09-15
This cant be the best.......2003-04-20
TRUE OPERA LOVERS CANNOT POSSIBLY LIKE THIS!.......2002-11-27
Come on! You can't like crook Pavarotti once you have heard Giuseppe Di Stefano!! You can't like ... connductor Riccardo Muti if you have listened to Arturo Toscanini!!
True opera lovers, especially lovers of Puccini, go for the Immortal, the Sublime, the Beautiful in opera: GO FOR GIUSEPPE DI STEFANO!
Go hear his performance of "E lucevan le stelle" as in EMI Callas/Di Stefano "Tosca" or "Che Gelida manina" always as in EMI Callas/Di Stefano "La Boéme" and you'll know what I mean.
Even if you Hate Complilations, Get This One.......2002-06-21
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Viaggio Italiano / Andrea Bocelli
Manufacturer: Philips ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0000041OA Release Date: 1997-11-18 |
Tracks:
- Turandot: Nessun dorma
- L' Arlesiana: Lamento di Federico
- Macbeth: Ah, la paterna mano
- Rigoletto: La donna e mobile
- Elisir d'amore: Una furtiva Iagrima
- Panis Angelicus
- Ava Maria
- O Sole Mio
- Core n'grato
- Santa Lucia luntana
- I' te vurria vasa
- Tu, 'ca nun chiagne!
- Marinarello
- Piscatore 'e Pusilleco
- Message Bocelli
- Adeste Fideles (bonus track)
Amazon.com essential recording
Opera is in fashion, and the woods are full of pop vocalists who think they have the chops to sing arias. The best contender so far is Andrea Bocelli, who at least has a real voice, if a small one, and sometimes manages a really exciting tenor sound. Unfortunately, he is inconsistent in his tone and production, and, despite the fact that he's singing in his native language, he often sounds as though he has only the barest idea of what the words mean. The Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Vladimir Fedoseyev, plays stodgily. Anyone with a real interest in tenor arias would be much better advised to check out recordings by the young Luciano Pavarotti. --Sarah Bryan MillerCustomer Reviews:
A Marvelous Performance of Adeste Fideles.......2006-11-13
Bocelli never disappoints!.......2006-07-07
Worst C.D Ever...But still a great artist.......2006-06-22
I just had to write this review. I recently purchesed 3 Bocelli C.Ds and was rewarded with 1 Very good , 1 not bad, n this one that STINKS...IF THE REVIEWERS WERE HONEST I COULD HAVE SAVED SOME MONEY.... I buy a lot from Amazon, ITs a great site, and 99 percent of the time when i read reviews they are on the money and help me out a great deal....With that said
Let me say that this cd entices you with all the big name italian songs, BUT DONT LET IT FOOL YOU..It sounds like it was made in 1 day. Who ever mixed the album has Bocellis voice so loud it sounds like he is SCREAMING ( I THINK HE IS) AND the
orchestra sounds like it is made of 3 pieces as you can only faintly hear it. There is not 1 song on this C.D ID recommend.
But dont worry , if you like Bocelli and dont know what to buy
let me tell you that I Enjoyed (Cieli Di Toscana) The first song Melodramma Rivals Bocellis Con Te Partiro Which is on his ROMANZA C.D AND HIGHLY Recomended, Also Sogno is Another very good C.D. So save yourself money and stay away from this one.
Also his Verdi CD IS VERY well made, not as strong a voice as Caruso , but once you hear Bocelli you wont care. Great Great voice that is very Hypnotic and when you hear him you wont care if he is as good as Caruso because he is Different , totally different and there both great Tenors. Peace
the Perry Como of operatic tenors.......2006-03-25
Absolutely lovely!.......2006-02-25
I am not an opera expert by any means, so I don't get hung up on whether or not someone is techically perfect or not. If I like it, that's good enough for me!
My teenage sons and I were in a pizza place the other day and above the noise, I heard a beautiful song- a male singer- and was shushing the boys, trying to determine who it was. With great patience, my 17 year old son said, "Mom, that's Andre Bocelli. Can't you tell?"
Enough said.
Average customer rating:
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Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00006O0NT Release Date: 2002-12-03 |
Tracks:
- Overture To 'Tannhauser'
- Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
- We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
- Hungarian Dance No.7
- The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
- Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
- But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
- The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
- The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
- Csardas Music
- The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
- The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
- Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
- The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
- Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
- Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
- The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
- Tzigane
- Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
- Caprice No.24
- 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.
- Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
- Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
- Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
- Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
- The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
- The Violin Muted
- Clair De Lune
- The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
- Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
- The Pizzicato Violin
- Pizzicato Polka
- In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
- Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
- 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...
- The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
- 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
- Hungarian Dance No.4
- Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
- The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
- Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
- Bolero
- Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
- Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
- Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
- Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
- Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
- Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
- And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
- Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
- The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
- Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
- The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
- Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
- Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
- The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
- Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
- Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
- Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
- The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
- Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
- Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
- Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
- Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
- Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
- To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
- Elfenreigen
Tracks:
- Introduction To The Viola
- Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
- Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
- Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
- Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
- Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
- 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.
- Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
- The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
- Cypresses (No.9)
- The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
- Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
- The 'Period' Viola In Bach
- Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
- The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
- Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
- Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
- Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
- Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
- Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
- In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
- Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
- But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
- Elfentanz, Op.39
- Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
- The Protecting Veil (Opening)
- A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
- Flamenco
- Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
- Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
- It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
- Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
- 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.
- Symphony No.9 (Finale)
- Introduction To The Double-Bass
- The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
- But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
- Elegy No.1 In D Major
- 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.
- Capriccio Di Bravura
- 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)
- 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....
- Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds
Tracks:
- The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
- Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
- The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
- Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
- The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
- Sa'Dawi
- Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
- Chamber Music No.II
- The Piccolo - Aptly Named
- La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
- From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
- Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
- A Variety Of Techniques
- Chamber Music No.II
- Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
- The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
- From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
- Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
- An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
- Naelden, Naelden
- The Bachian Oboe
- Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
- Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
- Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
- The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
- The Swan Of Tuonela
- The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
- Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
- Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
- Bolero
- 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...
- 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)
- As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
- Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
- 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).
- The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
- The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
- ...And Quite Low.
- Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
- The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
- Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
- But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
- Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
- Introduction To The Saxophone
- Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
- The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
- L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
- The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
- Bolero
- The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
- Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
- The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
- Sax-O-Phun
- The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
- Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
- The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
- Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
- Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
- And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
- Bolero
- The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
- Symphony No.3 (Opening)
- The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
- The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
- Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
- The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
- The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
- Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
- The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
- Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
- The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
- Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
- Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
- The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
- Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)
Tracks:
- The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
- Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
- The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
- Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
- The Ceremonial Trumpet
- Fanfare For The Common Man
- Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
- Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
- The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
- Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
- 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
- Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
- The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
- Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
- The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
- Billy The Kid
- The Trumpet As Character Actor
- Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
- The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
- Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
- The Birth Of The Trombone
- Aenmerckt Nu Hier
- The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
- Canzon 12 In Double Echo
- The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
- Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
- 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.
- Hosannah
- The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
- Symphony No.5 (Finale)
- The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
- The Trombone As Caricaturist
- Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
- The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
- The Horn And The Hunt
- Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
- The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
- Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
- The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
- Walter Music (Minuet 1)
- The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
- Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
- Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
- The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
- Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
- The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
- Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
- The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
- Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
- The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
- Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)
Tracks:
- Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
- Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
- At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
- Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
- Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
- Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
- The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
- The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
- Den Hoboecken Dans
- Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
- Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
- 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.
- Gymnopedie No.2
- 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...
- 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)
- More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
- Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
- 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.
- Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
- A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
- Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
- The Birth Of The Bongo
- Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
- From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
- Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
- From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
- Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
- Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
- But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
- Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
- Taking Advantage Of Tunability
- Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
- 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.
- Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
- Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
- The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
- Ravel And The Xylophone
- Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
- Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
- Introducing The Vibraphone
- The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
- The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
- Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
- Folk Dances
- The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
- Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
- Introducing The Tubular Bells
- Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
- A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
- Carmen Suite (Introduction)
- But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
- Introducing The Celeste
- The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
- Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
- Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
- Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
- 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
- The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
- Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
- The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
- Petrushka (Russian Dance)
- The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
- Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)
Tracks:
- Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
- Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
- But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
- Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
- The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
- An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
- Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
- Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
- Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
- Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
- Mahler's Sleighbells
- Symphony No.4 (Opening)
- A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
- Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
- Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
- Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
- National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
- And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
- And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
- The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
- The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
- The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
- The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
- The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
- The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
- The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
- The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
- There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
- The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
- Nocturnes
- Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
- The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
- The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
- The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
- The Oboe As Duck
- Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
- The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
- The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
- The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
- Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
- Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
- Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
- Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
- The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
- A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
- Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
- A Thunderstorm In A Million
- Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
- the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
- The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
- Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
- The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)
Tracks:
- The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
- Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
- A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
- Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
- Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
- String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
- The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
- String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
- The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
- String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
- The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
- String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
- The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
- String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
- The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
- Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
- Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
- String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
- The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
- Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
- Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
- In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
- In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
- In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
- Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
- And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
- The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
- Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
- A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
- Octet In F (Mvt 3)
- The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
- Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
- Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
- Canzon 28
- Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
- Symphony No.5 (Finale)
- From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
- Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
- Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
- The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
- Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
- When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
- Images (Gigues)
- A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
- Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
- The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
- Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
- Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
- Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
- A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')
Customer Reviews:
Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04
Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12
Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20
Frank's view.......2006-08-19
Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08
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:
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Amore II ~ Great Italian Love Arias
Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00004C4MX Release Date: 2000-02-01 |
Tracks:
- Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro
- La rondine: Chi il bel sogno di Doretta
- La Boheme: Quando m'en vo
- La Boheme: Mi chiamano Mimi
- La Boheme: Che gelida manina
- TOSCA: Vissi d'arte
- Madama Butterfly: Un bel di
- Madama Butterfly: Bimba dagli occhi pieni di malia
- Turandot: Tu, che di gel sei cinta
- Rigoletto: La donna e mobile
- Rigoletto: Caro nome
- La Traviata: Lunge da lei...De miei bollenti spiriti...oh mio rimorso
- Aida: Celeste Aida
- L'Elisir d'Amore: Prendi, per me sei libero
- L'Elisir d'Amore: Una furtiva lagrima
- Don Pasquale: Quel guardo il cavaliere
- Fedora: Amor ti vieta
- Turandot: Nessun dorma
Customer Reviews:
heywhattsamattayou.......2007-06-12
full of passion and love.......2007-03-31
Absolutely Beautiful!.......2002-03-02
Where is Amore I?.......2001-02-16
Average customer rating:
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Pavarotti: Greatest Hits
Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0000042HZ Release Date: 1997-09-30 |
Tracks:
- Turandot: Nessun dorma
- La Boheme: Che gelida manina
- La Traviata: Brindisi
- Aida: Se quel guerrier io foss ... Celeste Aida
- L'Elisir d'Amore: Una furtiva lagrima
- Rigoletto: Questa o quella
- Martha: M'appari
- TOSCA: E lucevan le stelle
- Fedora: Amor ti vieta
- Pagliaccci: Recitar!... Vesti la guibba
- Manon Lescaut: Donna non vidi mai
- Rigoletto: La donna e mobile
- L'africana: Mi batte il cuor ... O paradiso
- Werther: Pourquoi me reveiller
- Carmen: La fleur que tu m'avais jetee
- Manon Lescaut: Ma se vi talenta ... Tra voi, belle
- La Gioconda: Cielo e mar!
- TOSCA: Recondita armonia
- La Favorita: Spirito gentil
- II torvatore: Di quella pira
- L'amico Fritz: Suzel, buon di
Tracks:
- O sole mio
- Torna a Surriento
- Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna: Core 'ngrato
- Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna: Funiculi Funicul
- Notte 'e piscatore
- O Holy Night (Cantique de Noel)
- Panis angelicus
- Ave Marie: Ave Maria
- Mattinata
- La danza
- Caro mio ben
- Caruso
- My Way
- Santa Lucia
- Tu che m'hai preso il cuor
- Mamma
- La mai canzone al vento: La mia canzone al vento
- Volare
- Passione
- Granda: Granada
Customer Reviews:
Cornucopia of Pavarotti's works.......2007-03-01
Disc 1 features estimable works such as "Nessun dorma" (well done, with his voice showing to good effect), "Che gelida manina" (excellently done, with good characterization), ""Celeste Aida" (elegantly sung), "Di quella pira" (a much better than average version), "E lucevan le stelle" (Pavarotti does a nice job in the Puccini-Verdi repertoire), "La donna e mobile" (sung with aplomb), "Recondita armonia" (the other aria from Tosca, which also shows Pavarotti's voice off to good effect), and so on.
Disc 2 is especially interesting, because it features a more popular set of works, from the redoubtable "O sole mio" (richly orchestrated and nicely sung, not overpowered by Pavarotti's operatic voice), "Core n'grato" (compare with Caruso's version), "Oh, holy night," "La danza" (spritely sung with excellent breath control in a treacherous song), "Santa Lucia" (again, smoothly sung), "Ave Maria" (seemingly sung with respect and affection).
A cornucopia of Pavarottiana. For those fans of Pavarotti, this "greatest hits" collection will be welcome. For those who may not be aware of this tenor when his voice was still fresh, this is a fine entrée to his work.
Don't...!!!.......2005-01-24
R. J. Rogers
Great Tenor - Poor CD Quality.......2004-10-11
I particularily enjoy the first disc which contains just about all the major tenor arias. The singing is superb and listening to this CD it becomes obvious what the fuss over the pre-3 Tenors Pavarotti was all about - the man really did have one of the greatest tenor voices of all time.
His diction was flawless, his line perfect and his interpretation in keeping with the greatest of the Italian tenors of days gone by.
The second disc is interesting in that it is a bit uneven. It contains a few neapolitan standards, a x-mas song, a duet with Frank Sinatra and some other random selections.
Overall this is a 5 star CD but due to the extremely low volume, particularily on the first and most important disc I can only give it a 4 star rating.
On a final note, anyone puzzeled by the current hype over the now againg and commercially over-blown Pavarotti should purchase this CD. This is the great tenor in his prime and as such a CD well worth having...even if you're not a Pavarotti fan.
I'm still not, but I recognize greatness when I hear it.
Great Music......Horrible Mastering.......2004-07-24
The song choices are good with the exception of "My Way" with Frank Sinatra. Both singers sound ....ummm...let's just say less than their best on the recording. It sits out like a boil on a pretty girl's face.