Classica [Import]

Classica [Import]

Track Listings

1. Cold Blue Steel

2. Tales From A Winter Come

3. Nostalgiaplatz

4. My Starving Bambina

5. Love Story

6. L'epoque Noire

7. Onirica East

8. Foto Blu Infinito

9. Winter

10. Outro-Spirit Of The Forest

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Atmospheric Death Metal. Novembre's Third LP Release. Recorded in 'outer Studios', Rome and Mixed in Los Angeles.

Tracks:

Pno Con No.1 in b, Op.23: Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Maestoso
Pno Con No.1 in b, Op.23: Andantino Semplice
Pno Con No.1 in b, Op.23: Allegro Con Fuoco
Piano Concerto No.2 in B-flat, Op.83: Allegro Non Troppo
Piano Concerto No.2 in B-flat, Op.83: Allegro Appassionato
Piano Concerto No.2 in B-flat, Op.83: Andante
Piano Concerto No.2 in B-flat, Op.83: Allegretto Grazioso

Customer Reviews:

Horowitz and Toscanini.......2005-12-31

For interpretation, I prefer the live concert performance that Vladimir Horowitz and Arturo Toscanini gave of the Tchaikovsky first piano concerto in 1943. That performance has also been digitally remastered by RCA Victor and it is very exciting, even including the applause at the end of both the first and third movements. That event took place in Carnegie Hall, as did the 1941 recording session included on this CD.

For many music lovers the 1941 recording, long available on 78-rpm discs and later on vinyl LPs, was the benchmark for interpretation of the Tchaikovsky concerto. It has been digitally remastered and remains an exciting, dramatic performance. Yes, there is some surface noise from the original sources (presumably 78-rpm disks since relatively few of RCA Victor's metal masters still remain from that era), but the performance more than makes up for any scratches or blemishes. This is one of the very Romantic interpretations of the concerto and it is an absolute treasure. It certainly shows how well Toscanini and Horowitz worked together.

The Brahms second piano concerto was recorded in 1940, also in Carnegie Hall, and this, too, is the epitome of Romantic performances. This is another extremely difficult work for the soloist and Horowitz was more than equal to the tasks. It is a wonderful recording of one of the longer piano concertos from the Romantic Era, a virtual symphony since it is in four movements rather than the usual three.

These are performances to enjoy over and over from two exceptional musicians, working with the top-notch orchestra that David Sarnoff assembled in 1937 for Toscanini.

Get Set for an Amazing Ride!.......2003-08-16

I'm not sure that these recordings are what you would call the
"definitive" performances of these two giants of the piano
repetoire, but they are certainly the most exciting and galvanic
performances of them you will find anywhere. Okay, so the
recordings date from 1941 and the sound is somewhat scratchy and
flat. So what? This is Horowitz at his absolute peak as a performer and Toscanini, while placing his orchestra completely
at the service of his soloist, makes sure Horowitz never engages
in the eccentricities, neuroses or exhibitionism that marred some of his subsequent concerto recordings.
There may be a few minor mistakes in the orchestra here and there
but I can't hear them. Horowitz is flawless and and daring to a
degree that only he could pull off. Certainly, you will never hear anyone take these two concertoes at a faster clip, and yet,
for all their formidable technical difficulties, not a single
note is missed or out of place. Every phrase is articulated with
incredible precision, nuance and feeling. You can actually start chuckling at how IMPOSSIBLY good it all is! The Brahms
Concerto is particularly astounding. The story goes that Horowitz heard a performance of this piece once in Berlin, fell in love with it, but thought he could do it better and taught it
to himself in six weeks! I believe it! His playing here is that
masterful and that sensitive!
This is the Horowitz of legend. Thank God these performances
were recorded! Compared to these HEROIC interpretations of these
two great concertoes, everybody else (and I mean that) simply
WIMPS out!
There are a lot of great recordings of these two pieces out there
by some truly great pianists, and they may have better sound, but
nothing matches this for its combination of technical brilliance,
daring and emotional commitment. There is a FIRE to these
recordings that simply has no equal.

Glazunov, Khachaturian, Kabalevsky: Violin Concertos

Average customer rating:

Transcendent...
Excruciatingly Beautiful
Superb recordings by Oistrakh

Glazunov, Khachaturian, Kabalevsky: Violin Concertos
Aram Khachaturian , Dmitry Kabalevsky , A. Gauk , and Kiril Kondrashin
Manufacturer: Classica D'oro
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No1, Op107; Violin Concerto No1 (revised), Op99

ASIN: B000062XA5
Release Date: 2002-03-05

Tracks:

Allegro Con Fermezza
Andante Sostenuto
Allegro Vivace
Moderato
Andante
Allegro
Allegro Molto E Con Brio
Andantino Cantabile
Vivace Giocoso

Customer Reviews:

Transcendent..........2006-03-29

An astounding performance of some exceptional music; this is one of those older recordings in which the somewhat limited fidelity is transcended completely and wonderfully by the music itself. Wow! ;-)

Excruciatingly Beautiful.......2004-04-28

I have a special affection for the excruciatingly beautiful Khachaturian Violin Concerto, and this is my choice for the best recording. Here is the spectacle of brilliant young David Oistrakh in 1940 during the depths of World War II, standing on stage in Moscow with a single violin engaging in mortal battle with the USSR State Orchestra -- a sublimely beautiful battle that cries out the overwhelming change and struggles of the 20th century. Oistrakh caught up in the maelstrom of history, and emerging. On the surface the score has an ethnic "oriental" Armenian romanticism, timeless, beautiful and moving, yet at it's core it is modern, gritty, frantic, gigantic, and this conflict reinforces the feeling of the collision between the past and future ages. Or of the lone individual caught in the forces of history, fate and society enlarged beyond human scale. As for the performance, Oistrakh is able to bend the tones, dig for the raw textures and build the tension to wring intense passion that literally flies off the recording. In the Allegro, at times the strange harmonies and rhythms flood forth so rapidly they are almost too fast to hear. The force of Oistrakh's playing makes me wonder if he will break his violin. In the dark Andante his soul overflows with sadness and regret. The word virtuoso barely begins to describe the dexterity and soul of this amazing performance. What art! The orchestra under conductor Alexander Gauk captures a certain older native tonal quality of Russian music that seems to belong to some eastern tone system, slightly different than our ears are used to. Khachaturian asked Oistrakh to premier the piece, and I believe this is the first recording of it. It is interesting to compare this version with Oistrakh's 1960s recording with the composer conducting, also very beautiful, but in the extreme moments a more careful performance, and so less passionate.

Superb recordings by Oistrakh.......2002-07-15

Soviet recordings in the 1940's cannot possibly compare to the engineering of today, so allowances must be made for the sound quality in these archived performances. That being said, there is little to diminish superb performances by Oistrakh. Only two recordings compare with this Khachaturian - Kogan's phenomenal contribution and Oistrakh's second recording with the composer conducting. Like the Kabalevsky, it is thrilling in pace and the evocation of its folksy soundscape. The Glazunov is beautifully played, offering a lyrical, poised alternative to Heifetz's dazzling panache, though the latter remains this reviewer's favorite.

Wilhelm Furtwangler: Beethoven Symphonies 5 & 7

Average customer rating:

Most Glorious Beethoven 5th I've Heard
Furtwangler = definitive performances = reference
Magnificent playing, dismal recording

Wilhelm Furtwangler: Beethoven Symphonies 5 & 7

Manufacturer: Classica D'oro
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7
Furtwangler Conducts Beethoven - Beethoven: symphonies no 3,4,5, & 9, Leonore
Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Symphony no 9 / Furtwangler, Schwarzkopf
Beethoven: Symphony No.9 'choral', 'egmont' Overture

ASIN: B000059LWX
Release Date: 2001-04-17

Tracks:

Beethoven-Sym No.5 in c, Op.67: Allegro Con Brio
Beethoven-Sym No.5 in c, Op.67: Andante Con Moto
Beethoven-Sym No.5 in c, Op.67: Allegro
Beethoven-Sym No.5 in c, Op.67: Allegro
Beethoven-Sym No.7 in A, Op.92: Poco Sostenuto-Vivace
Beethoven-Sym No.7 in A, Op.92: Allegretto
Beethoven-Sym No.7 in A, Op.92: Presto
Beethoven-Sym No.7 in A, Op.92: Allegro Con Brio

Customer Reviews:

Most Glorious Beethoven 5th I've Heard.......2006-11-11

I just listen to the lived 1943 recordings of Beethoven 5th and 7th and I thought I have heard enough 5th in my life...This performance by Furtwangler and BPO during the WWII is absolutely the best 5th I've come to know after so pretty much listening to all of mono, steoro, and digital recording available. Although I still prefer Sir Thomas Beecham and RPO's 7th, but the 5th alone is worth it. This is the most glorious Beethoven.

Furtwangler = definitive performances = reference.......2003-08-05

These performances, offered by Allegro in their 'Classica d'Oro' series, were formerly released thru a few other labels (notably Deutsche Grammophon and Music And Arts). Of course there are different bootlegs out there (some emerging possibly from Russia and Korea) but sound quality is not always a priority. I've had the chance to grab a (German-made) Deutsche Grammophon cd recently : It sounds "cleaner" than the Allegro -- a bit "more defined" could be a good description, but the difference is not huge. However, those original mono recordings are rather limited in their range, even though i've heard far worse. Nevertheless, the D G edition sounds good -- if you can't locate it or the excellent Music And Arts, you can safely acquire the Allegro which sound's ok. Concerning the Fifth, I 100% agree with the other reviewer that "nothing comes close to this one [...] for sheer power and awesome beauty." Furtwangler's genius can be witnessed in these heroic interpretations. His powerful Fifth will even manage to surpass the great Klemperer in specific areas. The war time worry is discernible as is the somber temper of these 1943 recordings. The singular atmosphere thus contributed the phenomenal result that goes beyond mere live music production. There were political and, above all, historical connections -- a crossfire of various predispositions and meanings that, in the end, have written a new chapter in the chronicles of Beethovenian music. The Seventh Symphony is just monumental as it should be. Probably -- and perhaps certainly -- the greatest performance from the archives (one of the greatest, for sure). Even the excellent Reiner (with C.S.O.) does not come close. I won't go into myriads of details about the performance, but i will just add that the fascination grows deeper with every new listening. There's a lot goin' on here. Furtwangler and the very strong Berlin Philharmonic play sometimes at frenzied levels and speeds, overlapping some wonderful soft passages -- almost unequaled for freshness and lyrical grandeur : This is Beethoven's territory! And what about the fact that such splendid music was created in the middle of chaos? Nonsense. Beethoven's (and Furtwangler's) artistic vision and response to chaos. In spite of somewhat limited sonics (i.e., it's not the latest DDD with full impact), these live performances are amazingly solid, powerful, energized and full of splendor. More definitive performances : A reference. *****

Magnificent playing, dismal recording.......2003-04-15

This is one of the most powerful renditions of Beethoven's fifth I've heard. I have Beethoven symphonic cycles by almost all the major conductors, and nothing comes close to this one by Furtwangler for sheer power and awesome beauty. I gave it five stars just because of the musical interpretive genius apparent. The first ovement is explosive, and the opening fermatas are interpreted as type II's (with a short pause after them.) This creates a tremendous sense of expectation for the repetition of the motif. The effect is made even more pronounced with the slightly slower-than-norm tempo, creating a sense of unique monumentality to the opening. The rest of the movement incorporates quite a lot of rubato that might be a little strange for those assustomed to the Toscanini/Beecham/Harnoncourt technique, but then again, that is the beauty of Furtwangler's interpretation. He 'goes with what the music demands' and makes up in sheer expressive beauty what he might lack in historical accuracy. (By the way, how does anyone really know, except by inference and implication if Beethoven did or did not use or want rubato in his performances?) The second movement is extremely lyrical and the variations are executed preserving the sense of overall unity. The third movement is probably unrivalled in the history of performance for the sheerly sinister. The rubato, the expressive pauses and the startling dynamic range and the blend of instrumental colours creates a morbid tension, almost psychosis. That is followed by a deliciously long buildup to the triumphant finale.
The seventh symphony is...sheer poetry. I need not say more.
The recording, on the other hand, is dismal. The CD has a horrible pause, a PAUSE, at the end of the third movement and the beginning of the fourth in the fifth symphony...! It ruins the continuity, wrecks the train of thought, it is musical barbarity! The sound quality could have been cleaned up a little more. The program notes border on the puerile. The orchestra sometimes sounds as though their sound emanates from the bottom of a well. But...all this is outweighed by the sheer beauty of Furtwangler's performance. Hence the five-star review.
It makes an interesting comparison, though, with the Karajan cycle (1963, I believe) with the same orchestra. The sound has altered a little, but the playing changed almost beyond recognition in the interval. Both versions are brilliant, but personally, I prefer the warm, glowing, expressive and personal style of Furtwangler. He was able to evoke the soul of the music. The picture he paints is alive, ever-changing and subtly persuasive...
Overall, a magnificent CD to own. Also well-worth looking at is the Beethoven's ninth symphony (available on its own), sixth and eighth symponies (available as a set) by Furtwangler. Recording quality is mildly better in these works.

Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin

Average customer rating:

Enescu's Sublimely Communicative Solo Bach
Revelatory!
Soulful and Utterly Convicted Playing
Enescu re-creates the locus for Bach's Sonatas and Partitas
A Seemless Robe

Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin

Manufacturer: Classica D'oro
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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Bach: Sonatas & Partitas for Solo Violin

ASIN: B000065UNG
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Tracks:

Sonata No.1 In G Minor, BWV 1001: Adagio
Sonata No.1 In G Minor, BWV 1001: Allegro
Sonata No.1 In G Minor, BWV 1001: Siciliano
Sonata No.1 In G Minor, BWV 1001: Presto
Partita No.1 In B Minor, BWV 1002: Allemande
Partita No.1 In B Minor, BWV 1002: Double
Partita No.1 In B Minor, BWV 1002: Courante
Partita No.1 In B Minor, BWV 1002: Double
Partita No.1 In B Minor, BWV 1002: Sarabande
Partita No.1 In B Minor, BWV 1002: Double
Partita No.1 In B Minor, BWV 1002: Bourree
Partita No.1 In B Minor, BWV 1002: Double
Sonata No.2 In A Minor, BWV 1003: Grave
Sonata No.2 In A Minor, BWV 1003: Fuga
Sonata No.2 In A Minor, BWV 1003: Andante
Sonata No.2 In A Minor, BWV 1003: Allegro

Tracks:

Partita No.2 In D Minor, BWV 1004: Allemande
Partita No.2 In D Minor, BWV 1004: Courante
Partita No.2 In D Minor, BWV 1004: Sarabande
Partita No.2 In D Minor, BWV 1004: Gigue
Partita No.2 In D Minor, BWV 1004: Chaconne
Sonata No.3 In C, BWV 1005: Adagio
Sonata No.3 In C, BWV 1005: Fuga
Sonata No.3 In C, BWV 1005: Largo
Sonata No.3 In C, BWV 1005: Allegro Assai
Partita No.3 In E, BWV 1006: Preludio
Partita No.3 In E, BWV 1006: Loure
Partita No.3 In E, BWV 1006: Gavotte En Rondeau
Partita No.3 In E, BWV 1006: Menuet I & II
Partita No.3 In E, BWV 1006: Bourree
Partita No.3 In E, BWV 1006: Gigue

Customer Reviews:

Enescu's Sublimely Communicative Solo Bach.......2005-06-21

This 2-disc set of Bach's Six Solo Violin Sonatas & Partitas deserves a 10-star rating. In some 40 years of collecting, I have never encountered anything that transcends what is heard here. This is quite simply some of the most supremely communicative solo playing of ANY composer's music by ANY instrumentalist.

Georges Enescu (1881-1955) was an extraordinary musician. One of the last century's most gifted composers, his works go far beyond the Two Romanian Rhapsodies for which he is most popular today. One of the greatest violinists of all time, Enescu was also a brilliant conductor: his Schumann 2nd Symphony on a Dutton CD (see my review) is one of the all-time great accounts, and there is also a phenomenal "live" Tchaikovsky 4th Symphony that was once available on a Dante LYS CD. The great pianist Alfred Cortot once admitted that Enescu's piano proficiency was superior to his own. Enescu was also blessed with a photographic memory (he knew most Western musical masterpieces, including some 150 Bach Cantatas, by heart).

The excellent essay by Lawrence Cosentino that accompanies this CD set relates that "Enescu's student Yehudi Menuhin called him 'the most extraordinary human being, the greatest musician and the most formative influence I have ever experienced.' Pablo Casals said he was the most phenomenal musical talent since Mozart.... The many tales of his boundless energy and facility simply boggle the mind. Once, as part of an impromptu lesson for an enthralled Amadeus Quartet, he sat down at a piano for several hours and played all of the Beethoven string quartets, with running commentary, off the top of his head."

These sublime Bach recordings were among the last Enescu ever made. Even in his late sixties and suffering from arthritis, Enescu retained a sovereign technique. Here and there is some imperfect intonation and a few signs of strain, but these are little more than tiny imperfections in a Grand Master painting. I have owned numerous sets of Bach's solo violin works over the years, but none of them (even Johanna Martzy's extremely secure readings on EMI) are a match for the profoundly musical insights of this one. Only the recordings left by Adolf Busch (incomplete) and Joseph Szigeti even approach the level set here by Enescu.

These recordings were made in 1949 for Don Gabor (proprietor of the fabled Remington LP label), and they were issued on an incredibly rare 3-LP set on the Continental LP label (also owned by Gabor). And when I say "incredibly rare," consider this: the 1995 edition of "Canfield's Guide to Classical Recordings" (the bible of rare LP collectors) lists the three Continental LPs as "the Holy Grail of all records!" The set is priced there at $4,000! So this well-transferred CD offering is a remarkable bargain.

Very highest recommendation.

Jeff Lipscomb

Revelatory!.......2004-12-11

A Cosmic Cycle of the Sonatas & Partitas.

One adjusts very easily to the mono sound and despite the flaws caused by his severe arthritis, what's more important is that the essence of the music still manages to shine (like a blaze of fire) through the technical aspect of his playing.

Thank God there was someone who understood (in the complete sense of the word) these Masterworks, and who gave humanity the oppertunity to hear the mysteries contained in them. We have been blessed with the genius and greatness of George Enescu!

Be ready to be transformed mentally, emotionally and spiritually!

Soulful and Utterly Convicted Playing.......2004-10-03

Enescu is simply incredible. Even now, over 50 years after this recording was made, he is still moving audiences with these magnificent performances. One of the greatest violinists of the past century, if not of all time, George Enescu had a deep devotion for the unaccompanied violin music of Bach. He was the revered teacher of Yehudi Menuhin, the violinist who, at 18 years of age, produced the first complete recording of the Sonatas and Partitas in history.
Enescu's 1949 recording of the S&P, reproduced here, is earthy, soulful, and spontaneous. Wracked with arthritis (that would eventually lead to his death) at the time of this recording, Enescu is clearly struggling, and his intonation in several places (most notably in the complicated arpeggio section in the G Minor Fugue) is considerably off. Technically, the recording can probably be bettered (certainly by the later set released by Grumiaux).
However, it is in the capturing of the sheer emotion - the sheer drama - of this the most incredible music ever conceived for anything, that Enescu triumphs over all others, even his youthful prodigy, Yehudi Menuhin. He plays with total conviction, with a love for this music that is almost palpable. There are times (such as the minuets from the E Major Partita) where the instrument seems to sing of its own accord, encouraged by the gentle bowing of the violinist - and there are times where the violin roars and declaims like a symphony orchestra (the final three variations from the D Major section of the Chaconne). Ravaged by arthritis, the physical act of rendering these pieces must have caused the violinist incredible pain, and even that comes through this music. One can sense the struggle between the artist, his instrument, and the music, especially in the great Chaconne and C Major Fugue. While the Grumiaux is a very fine set (and I enjoy it greatly) and is rightly considered a benchmark rendering, Enescu should not be passed over by any serious Bach enthusiast, and he should be considered indispensable for a collector of the Sonatas and Partitas. This is not the ideal way to meet the Six for the first time, but it is an incredible way to hear them after more exposure. Earthy, soulful, and totally convincing, George Enescu has left us with an enduring tribute, both to himself and to this monumental music.

Enescu re-creates the locus for Bach's Sonatas and Partitas.......2004-06-06

Having listened to so many renditions of Bach's Sonatas and Partitas, I found Enescu's the quintessential! As individual as Kuijken's, as lyrical as Oistrakh's, as intelligent as Milstein's, as elegant as Kogan's, and on and on. Sublimated (by) pathos and joy this interpretation comes as close as one can represent what the almighty might have made it sound in the imagination of Bach...

On a slightly different note, by learning anything about Enescu's life, as a teacher, player of several instruments, conductor, composer, and man, one can only add to one's image about art as life and life as art.

The inherent technical limitations become easy to overcome once the music comes on; only let there be this music!

A Seemless Robe.......2004-04-11

This is truth. After this all is trivial.
Enescu's bow weaves an amazing seemless robe of each movement, seeming to compress its time-span while expounding it depths and wonder.

Nowhere is this experienced to better effect than in the great Partita No 2, the mighty Chaconne is a revelation of glory because it is a revealtion of humility - deep insight, absolutely no attempt to draw attention from the music to the performer, not an grain of self-pity or self-regard.

A most wonderful and uplifting experience.
Take all but leave me this.

If Bach is played in heaven - and can we could doubt that he is - then this is how he is played!

No wonder Pablo Casals thought Enescu the greatest musical mind since Mozart!

Franco Alfano: Symphonies 1 & 2
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Little-Known Orchestral Music by Franco Alfano

Franco Alfano: Symphonies 1 & 2

Manufacturer: Cpo Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Weingartner: Symphony 2 [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B0007ORDQS
Release Date: 2005-03-22

Customer Reviews:

Little-Known Orchestral Music by Franco Alfano.......2005-03-23

To the degree that Franco Alfano (1875-1954) is remembered today outside Italy it is primarily for his completion of Puccini's last opera, 'Turandot,' at the request of the Ricordi publishing house after Puccini died before finishing that opera's third act. His completion has been roundly criticized, and indeed at the première performance Toscanini did not perform it out of homage to Puccini. But when he did, at the next performance, play the completion, he played a much cut version. Indeed Alfano's original version was never performed until some time in the 1980s. Be that as it may, Alfano in his own time was a fairly successful operatic composer and he is remembered for three in particular: 'Risurrezione,' based on Tolstoy's 'Resurrection,' 'Sakùntala,' based on a Sanskrit tale, and more recently 'Cyrano de Bergerac,' based on Rostand's famous play. All three are successful works.

Almost nobody knows that Alfano wrote two symphonies. But the cpo label, which has a genius for bringing us unknown or forgotten works, has just released this performance of Alfano's two symphonies. The first, written in 1910, is a rather rambling thing that doesn't quite cohere but which contains some striking music nonetheless. There is a medieval air that hangs over the work, and indeed it is subtitled 'Classica.' This certainly does not refer to the 'classical style' of composition, but rather seems to imply an evocation of ancient music, and it certainly has that. There are some faint Orientalisms not unlike those in Puccini--perhaps that's one reason Alfano was asked to complete Puccini's Chinese opera--with echoes of Respighi (who actually hadn't written all that much when this symphony was written), Rimsky-Korsakoff as well as Impressionistic washes of harmony reminiscent not so much of Debussy as of Scriabin. Melodic construction is odd, harmonic handling is a bit rough-and-ready, and the form is a bit hard to fathom--in all three movements--but there is something here, exciting orchestral color and repeated climaxes which, although they don't make much formal sense, are still pretty effective.

The Second Symphony, written in 1931, is written in a sparser, less colorful language, a rather more neo-classical style. There are some oddities--one passage in the first movement, repeated several times, has a strange sudden cutting off of final chords of several similar phrases; the first time through I thought it was a defect in the CD it was so unexpected; later I grew to rather like the effect, although I'm not quite sure what purpose it served other than to call attention to itself. It occurs to me just now as I write this that something similar happens from time to time in Janácek. Harmonies are more successfully managed, are a bit more astringent, and sound rather more 'modern' than anything in the First Symphony. The second movement, Largo, is a pastorale partaking of a summer-like languor. It has some lovely woodwind solos. The finale, 'Solenne--Allegro alla marcia (pomposo),' begins with hieratic trumpet fanfares which usher in a mock-serious march that has some similarities to Prokofiev's march from 'The Love for Three Oranges' which was written at ten years or so earlier. Considering that Alfano knuckled under to the demand of the Italian Fascist arts committee to make his music more accessible to the masses, one wonders if this ironic allegro is his Shostakovian nose-thumbing at the powers-that-were. For all its supposed high spirits, this march has an edgy undertone that suggests as much.

These two performances by the Brandenburg State Orchestra of Frankfurt (the less-well-known eastern Frankfurt am Oder, very close to the Polish border) under Israel Yinon scrambles at times, but gives a more-or-less adequate overall impression of these two symphonies, and let's face it, there are not likely to be any other recordings any time soon. So, if you're interested in the orchestral output of this Italian who is so often mentioned in the same breath as Malipiero, Casella, Pizzetti and Respighi, this is your chance to familiarize yourself with some.

Scott Morrison

Debussy: La Mer; Elgar: Enigma Variations

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Debussy: La Mer; Elgar: Enigma Variations

Manufacturer: Classica D'oro
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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Vladimir Horowitz plays Tchaikovsky:Piano Concerto No. 1/Brahms:Piano Concerto No. 2

ASIN: B00005YNG3
Release Date: 2002-02-05

Tracks:

Invitation To The Dance
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Act III. Entr'acte: Nocturne
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Act II. Entr'acte: Scherzo
La Mer: De L'aube A Midi Sur La Mer
La Mer: Jeux De Vagues
La Mer: Dialogue Du Vent Et De La Mer
Variations On An Original Theme 'Enigma' Op.36: Theme (Andante), I. CAE
Variations On An Original Theme 'Enigma' Op.36: II-HDSP
Variations On An Original Theme 'Enigma' Op.36: III-RBT
Variations On An Original Theme 'Enigma' Op.36: IV-WMB
Variations On An Original Theme 'Enigma' Op.36: V-RPA
Variations On An Original Theme 'Enigma' Op.36: VI-Ysobel
Variations On An Original Theme 'Enigma' Op.36: VII-Troyte
Variations On An Original Theme 'Enigma' Op.36: VIII-WN
Variations On An Original Theme 'Enigma' Op.36: IX-Nimrod
Variations On An Original Theme 'Enigma' Op.36: X-Inermezzo
Variations On An Original Theme 'Enigma' Op.36: XI-GRS
Variations On An Original Theme 'Enigma' Op.36: XII-BGN
Variations On An Original Theme 'Enigma' Op.36: XIII-Romanza
Variations On An Original Theme 'Enigma' Op.36: XIV-Finale

Fantasia Classica: Mozart-Beethoven-Vivaldi

Average customer rating:

Relaxation at a new level

Fantasia Classica: Mozart-Beethoven-Vivaldi
Rondó Veneziano
Manufacturer: BMG International
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

New Age | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000003Q0D
Release Date: 1999-09-21

Tracks:

Cosan Tutte
Don Giovanni
Die Zauberfl Pt. 1
Die Zauberfl Pt. 2
Romanza
Chiaro di Luna, Pt. 1
Chiaro di Luna, Pt. 2
Sonata a Kreutzer
Primavera
Estate
Autunno
Inverno

Album Description

1997 reissue of 1990 album for Italian progressive rock act paying homage to Mozart, Beethoven & Vivaldi. BMG.

Customer Reviews:

Relaxation at a new level.......1998-09-03

The music of Rondo Veneziano has not been vailable for sale in the U.S. until Amazon brought it to us.

Fantasia is a classic example of the skill for which Rondo Veneziano is known throught out Europe. The mood is fast paced yet soothing. A country drive or sunny Sunday morning cup of coffe is improved with this CD of new yet slightly familiar music.

Elgar Conducts Elgar
Average customer rating:

Milestone Performances

Historic Elgar!!!

Elgar Conducts Elgar
Elgar , Harrison , Lso , and New So
Manufacturer: Classica D'oro
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000063WXS
Release Date: 2002-04-02

Tracks:

Cello Concert In E Minor, Op.85: I. Adagio-Moderato - II. Allegro Molto - Beatrice Harrison
Cello Concert In E Minor, Op.85: III. Adagio - IV. Allegro - Beatrice Harrison
Symphony No.2 In E Flat, Op.63: Allegro Vivace E Nobilmente - Sir Edward Elgar
Symphony No.2 In E Flat, Op.63: Larghetto - Sir Edward Elgar
Symphony No.2 In E Flat, Op.63: Rondo: Presto - Sir Edward Elgar
Symphony No.2 In E Flat, Op.63: Moderato E Maestoso - Sir Edward Elgar

Customer Reviews:

Milestone Performances.......2006-12-29

Not only was Sir Edward Elgar the first major composer to extensively conduct on recordings of his own music, he was also a very fine, sensitive musician who clearly communicated his thoughts to the orchestra. These are truly "milestone" performances that show Elgar at his best and, fortunately, HMV (His Master's Voice) displayed special care in achieving the best possible sound while using a single microphone in the early days of electrical recording.

The second symphony is a particular musical treasure. The music alone is so remarkable, displaying a considerable range of emotion and power. There is deep drama at times, especially in the beginning, and a real sense of mystery in the second movement. The scherzo of the third movement is not only playful but magical, particularly as Elgar builds the intensity and excitement in this performance by the skilled musicians of the London Symphony Orchestra. HMV actually recorded part of the rehearsal of the third movement and it gives an idea of how Elgar coaxed the musicians into giving even more; while he wanted the music to move, he gently warned them "but not too fast." The effects are absolutely wonderful to hear, leading to the remarkably passionate fourth movement.

Some have said that Elgar had become "old fashioned" by even the 1920s and certainly in the early 1930s, as his life drew to a close; however, he was a consummate English gentlemen and a gifted musician. Much like his contemporaries, Richard Strauss (who was a friend) and Sergei Rachmaninoff, Elgar stuck with romanticism and continued to find new and imaginative ways to work with it. This is certainly clear in these two works. How wonderful that we can again hear Elgar's own thoughts on his own music in superbly remastered recordings.

Historic Elgar!!!.......2006-10-31

Besides being one of the greatest composers to emerge from England during the late 19th and early 20th century, Edward Elgar was also one of the pioneers of early recording. His recording career began in 1914 and continued until 1933, the year before his death at age 76.
While most of Elgar's recordings are hard to find highly prized collector's items, there are quite of few that have made it onto CD that are worth listening to. One is the 1932 recording of his Violin Concerto with Elgar conducting and Yehudi Menuhin performing the solo part (available as part of EMI's Great Recordings Of The Century series). The other is this CD which includes the 1928 recording of Elgar's Cello Concerto and Second Symphony in which the recording dates from a year earlier.
Despite the recordings being from 1927 and 1928, the sound quality and remastering on this disc is outstanding. There isn't even the slightest hint of hiss or surface noise heard on both works. Beatrice Harrison's cello performance on the concerto is awe-inspiring and is full of emotion and yearning throughout the pieces four movements. The performance of the Second Symphony is full of heroism and vigor and is very much a blueprint for which other conductors should follow. It's quite difficult to point out the main highlights throughout this long symphony as all of it has many high points and is one gem of a recording.
This CD is highly recommended for the devout Elgar fan and is an excellent document of this great composer as conductor. Also recommended is the above mentioned Violin Concerto from EMI Records which also features Elgar conducting his most famous piece, the "Enigma Variations". There is also a disc from Naxos which features Elgar conducting all of his Pomp and Circumstance marches as well as the Cockaigne Overture (in the original mono as well as "accidental stereo"). The Enigma Variations is also on the Naxos disc. All three of these discs including this one are well worth owning and provide the listener with how this music should really sound. What better way to hear a composers music that from the composer himself.

Bach: Notenbuchlein fur Anna Magdalena Bach

Average customer rating:

Bach: Notenbuchlein fur Anna Magdalena Bach

Manufacturer: Editio Classica / Harmonia Mundi
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Musettes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Notenbuchlein Fur Anna Madalena Bach: Polonaise G Minor BWV Anh. 119
Notenbuchlein Fur Anna Madalena Bach: Marche E Flat Major BWV Anh.127
Notenbuchlein Fur Anna Madalena Bach: Menuet G MG Minor BWV 114-115
Notenbuchlein Fur Anna Madalena Bach: 'Willst du dein Herz mir schenken' BWV 518
Notenbuchlein Fur Anna Madalena Bach: Rondeau B Flat Major BWV Anh. 183
Notenbuchlein Fur Anna Madalena Bach: 'Bist du bei mir', BWV 508
Notenbuchlein Fur Anna Madalena Bach: Aria fur Clavier G Major BWV 988, 1
Notenbuchlein Fur Anna Madalena Bach: 'So oft ich meine Tobackspfeife' BWV 515a
Notenbuchlein Fur Anna Madalena Bach: Marche G Major, BWV Anh. 124
Notenbuchlein Fur Anna Madalena Bach: Allemande D Minor BWV 812, 1
Notenbuchlein Fur Anna Madalena Bach: 'Dir, dir, Jehova, will ich singen' BWV 299
Notenbuchlein Fur Anna Madalena Bach: Praeludium C Major BWV 846, 1
Notenbuchlein Fur Anna Madalena Bach: Menuet G Major BWV Anh.116
Notenbuchlein Fur Anna Madalena Bach: Marche D Major, BWV Anh. 122
Notenbuchlein Fur Anna Madalena Bach: Musette D Major BWV Anh.126
Notenbuchlein Fur Anna Madalena Bach: Rezitativ 'Ich hab genug' und Arie: Schlummert ein, ihr matten Augen, BWV 82, 2 & 3
Notenbuchlein Fur Anna Madalena Bach: Choralbearbeitung: Wer nur den lieben Gott lasst walten, BWV 691
Notenbuchlein Fur Anna Madalena Bach: 'O Ewigkeit du Donnerwort' BWV 513 (4-stimmig)

Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos 1-4 /Rachmaninov, Ormandy, et

Average customer rating:

rachmaninov at best!
Grasp

Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos 1-4 /Rachmaninov, Ormandy, et

Manufacturer: Classica D'oro
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Horowitz Plays Rachmaninoff/Concerto for Piano in Dm; Sonata for Piano No2/Vladimir Horowitz, Pianist
Rachmaninov: The Symphonies
The Queen

ASIN: B000059LWP
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Tracks:

Pno Con No.1 in f#, Op.1: Vivace
Pno Con No.1 in f#, Op.1: Andante
Pno Con No.1 in f#, Op.1: Allegro Vivace
Pno Con No.3 in d, Op.30: Allegro Ma Non Tanto
Pno Con No.3 in d, Op.30: Intermezzo: Adagio
Pno Con No.3 in d, Op.30: Finale: Alla Breve

Tracks:

Pno Con No.2 in c, Op.18: Moderato - Allegro
Pno Con No.2 in c, Op.18: Adagio Sostenuto
Pno Con No.2 in c, Op.18: Allegro Scherzando
Pno Con No.4 in g, Op.40: Allegro Vivace
Pno Con No.4 in g, Op.40: Largo
Pno Con No.4 in g, Op.40: Allegro Vivace

Customer Reviews:

rachmaninov at best!.......2003-10-11

this is the best recording of rachmaninov piano concertos ever! who can play or interpret rachmaninov better than the composer himself?

Grasp.......2001-05-02

All four concerts with excellent quality of recording. Noise was the only one complains for previous editions of Rachmaninov original performance - not any more. Rare published concerts No. 1 with rest of 3 are excellent examples of how much more music performance means then just note generation. Take a look for various recording of the concerts with different conductors - similar parts are conducted with minutes in difference. Isn't also an evidence of how much a performer could bring (or lose) to initial composer idea?

Music Track:

Music Track

music track

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