In the Mood [Import]

In the Mood [Import]

Track Listings

1. Noahs Dream

2. Planet Earth

3. Children Play

4. In The Mood

5. Medley In Control Livin I

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Japanese Tour Souvinir Edition, an Acoustic EP Including Noas Dream, Planet E, Children Play, Rebel Ale, in Control, and a Medley of Living in Hysteria, Gate of Heaven, Hell for Sale.

Tracks:

You're Beautiful
The Way We Were
Yesterday
I'm In The Mood For Love
If
The Way You Look Tonight
If I Ain't Got You
Love Theme From "Romeo & Juliet"
It Had To Be You
The Shadow Of Your Smile
Fly Me To The Moon / You Make Me Feel So Young
As Time Goes By
You Raise Me Up

Amazon.com

I'm in the Mood for Love...The Most Romantic Melodies of All Time is Kenny G's twist on the trend that's found artists, from Rod Stewart to Gladys Knight to Barry Manilow, repurposing classics for modern consumption. Or is it? A scan of the track selection is as likely to get listeners wondering whether he's covered these songs before as it is to drum up curiosity about how they'll sound spiraling out of his signature sax. For instance: silky as "The Way We Were," the Barbra Streisand chestnut, comes across, it stirs a sense of déjà vu as much as wonderment; as does the Sinatra medley "Fly Me to the Moon/You Make Me Feel So Young." Such familiarity is without doubt the product of impeccable taste and a seasoned ear--somebody, whether it's Kenny G or a behind-the-scenes studio type, knows what works for the curly-topped jazzman and what's better left un-saxed. Still, such scrutiny can make for a disc that's aurally matchy-match; a stab at an out-there number--Etta James' "At Last" or U2's "With or Without You"--might have worked, too. That said, hats off to the G-man for pronouncing a couple of recent hits among the most romantic of all time: Alicia Keys "If I Ain't Got You" deserves it especially, and is mesmerizing here. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

Never Disappointed.......2007-07-27

I have always enjoyed the artistry of Kenny G. This album is no exception.

A Romantic CD to Listen With a Loved One..........2007-05-29

For me, Kenny G's albums are a hit or miss. This is a hit. Here we got 13 songs, ranging from standards to torch songs. Kenny G also plays tenor saxophone a bit more than his previous recordings.

Highlights include "You're Beautiful", "Yesterday", "I'm in the Mood for Love", The Way You Look Tonight, & an interesting version of Alicia Keys's "If I Aint Got You" (however alto saxman Eric Darius's version is better).

The surprise tracks however is "The Shadow of Your Smile" & "Fly Me to the Moon/You Make Me Feel So Young". The former has a bossa nova favor to it while the latter is done behind a big band.

This album will not appear to everyone; most purists & anti-Kenny G people won't touch this with a 39 1/2 foot pole. For the rest of us, this is great for those nights with that special someone.

Getting In The Mood.......2007-05-29

Everyone gets in the mood for love every now and then.So when that mood hits you it"s so nice to have Kenny G"s "I"m In The Mood For Love" comming to your rescue.Along with that someone special in your life.Compiling a list of great romantic melodies is no easy task.With so many great romantic melodies to choose from.But Kenny G does manage to put together a good list of songs.Kenny G mixes some old songs in with some not so old songs.And the end result is a wonderful melody of sound.All design to get and keep you in that special mood for love.Now all these songs have been recorded before.But on this album Keeny G gives us his very own romantic interpertations of classics like "I"m In The Mood For Love","If" and "The Way We Were".The album gets off to a good start with James Blunt "You"re Beautiful" very nicey done by Mr G.And he takes it soft and easy on the songs "Yesterday" and "The Shadow Of Your Smile".He picks it up a bit on the songs "Fly Me To The Moon" and "You Make Me Feel So Young".These two songs bring back memories of Frank Sinatra.And the song I like the most on the album "The Way You Look Tonight" I think this song as a great feeling to it.I ready like this album but like so many other Kenny G fans.I can"t wait until he does his next album of original music.But until then just sit back with a cool glass of wine and enjoy this music by yourself or with someone you love.

just sit back and enjoy.......2007-05-26

This latest cd by Kenny G is one that will make you just sit back and enjoy. That special someone and a glass of wine helps to add to the mood that is set when listening to this cd. This cd might just bring back some of those special memories. Can't go wrong with this one. True romantics will love this cd.

As good as ever.......2007-02-11

If you have always liked Kenny G's music, you will like this album. He has taken a long break from new studio recordings, but this album proves he hasn't ignored his instrument during his hiatus! Everyone is doing standards these days, and they lend themselves well to Kenny G's style. Recommended!

Average customer rating:

Good Music to Sleep By
Enjoyment
Best Music to Have on When You Work
Excellent for Massage!
MOZART FOR MEDITATION

Mozart for Meditation

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Beethoven at Bedtime: A Gentle Prelude to Sleep
Debussy for Daydreaming: Music to Caress Your Innermost Thoughts
Bach at Bedtime: Lullabies for the Still of the Night
Baroque at Bathtime: A Relaxing Serenade to Wash Your Cares Away
Mozart at Midnight

ASIN: B0000041CD
Release Date: 1995-01-17

Tracks:

Flute Concerto No. 1 In G
Piano Concerto No. 23 in A
Horn Concerto No. 4 In E-Flat
Symphony No. 31 In D: Symphony No. 31 In D - Andante
Piano Concerto No. 15 In B-Flat
Violin Concerto No. 4 In D
Wind Serenade No. 12 In C Minor - Andante: Wind Serenade No. 12 In C Minor
Concerto For Flute And Harp I - In C - Andatino
Piano Concerto No. 27 In B-Flat
Symphony No. 34 In C: Symphony No. 34 In C - Andante Di Molto
Fantasia In D Minor

Customer Reviews:

Good Music to Sleep By.......2007-06-08

Well, as far as music for meditation goes, I'm not so sure about this product for that purpose. When I meditate, I tend to need more monotonous sounds to do it by - however, this CD is GREAT for relaxation and sleeping. So I still give it 4 out of 5 stars even though I won't be using it for its stated purpose. Still well-worth the money.

Enjoyment.......2007-05-07

All the pieces are the perfect ones for the relaxation. As a collector I am impressed of the selections chosen for this album.

Best Music to Have on When You Work.......2007-01-22

When I am working and I need to block out sounds to concentrate on what I am doing, I always put on this CD. Besides the fact that it is easy to listen to, it doesn't distract me from my work, and I never get bored or tired of the music. I'm reluctant to purchase a similar album in the fear that it won't be as good as the Mozart Meditation.

Excellent for Massage!.......2006-04-06

I'm a licensed massage therapist, and I absolutely adore using this CD during my sessions! It's a great alternative to the new age-y music styles that are so pervasive in the relaxation music scene -- my clients find this CD soothing & relaxing, and not at all "weird". This music suports a "relaxed but focused" atmosphere -- it serves as excellent white noise in the lobby area, and I even use it at home as a soothing backdrop for reading/ sewing/ paperwork/ etc. Excellent arrangements & clarity -- DON'T MISS!

MOZART FOR MEDITATION.......2005-09-07

Excellent CD. Love to have it playing in the background of my daily schedule. Soothing. Gentle. Contemplative. HIghly recommend it.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful!!!
Relaxes your mind.
Relaxing music from a great composer
Better than just an introduction
Great CD

Grieg: Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Debussy's Greatest Hits
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Saint-Saëns: Greatest Hits
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Rimsky-Korsakov: Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000002A21
Release Date: 1994-08-09

Tracks:

Peer Gynt Suite No. 1: Morning Mood
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1: Ase's Death
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1: Anitra's Dance
Peer Gynt Suite No.1: In The Hall Of The Mountain King (Peer Gynt Suite #1)
Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 16: I Allegro molto moderato
Norwegian Dance, Op. 35 No. 2
Sigurd Jorsalfar: Homage March
Jeg elsker dig, Op. 5: Jeg elsker dig, Op. 5 (Ich liebe dich)
Lyric Suite, Op. 54: No. 3: Norwegian March
Two Elegiac Melodies, Op. 34: No. 1: Heartwounds
Two Elegiac Melodies, Op. 34: No. 2: The Last Spring
Lyric Suite, Op. 54: No. 4: March of the Trolls
Peer Gynt Suite No. 2: I The Abduction of the Bride - Ingrid's Lament (Peer Gynt Suite No. 2
Peer Gynt Suite No. 2: II Arabian Dance
Peer Gynt Suite No. 2: III Solvejg's Lullaby
Peer Gynt Suite No. 2: IV Peer Gynt's Return Home

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful!!!.......2007-05-14

I bought this for my husband but fell in love with it myself. I had never heard of it but now consider Edvard Grieg my favorite composer. It is magnificent.

Relaxes your mind........2005-12-30

The peer gynt suite is very delicate and it relaxes me. Whenever I hear the first movement of Peer Gynt, I feel as if I am walking along the forest at dawn with sunshine passing through the tall trees. It calms me and I usually close my eyes to imagine Grieg's creative masterpiece. What also interests me the fourth movement. It starts with slow and quiet and then slowly the music accelerates with power. Like the title, "Mountain King," says itself, you can feel the grandness of the music toward the end.

The piano concerto in a minor is my favorite. This music seem to convey the full spectrum from quiet and delicate or gracious feel of music to more powerful and magnificent all proportionally adequately. It is very enjoyable. Whenever I listen to this music, I feel as if I am resting in the high mountainn looking at the full panorama. Anyway, that's just my imagination I feel from his music and of course, yours can be very different from mine.

As for the CD quality, I hear no distraction sound and it is recorded well, I think. The little cover booklet can be informative about Grieg. Also nice price from Amazon.

Relaxing music from a great composer.......2005-08-02

I absolutely loved the string music on Track 3. I remembered it from an old PC RPG called Quest for Glory IV. I was disappointed to find out that Track 4 was only a minute and a half long, because I grew up loving that song from the various places I heard it (Fantasia and a kid Detective PC game from the late 80's).
Overall, though, Grieg's greatest hits is a must-have for collectors of classical music. Grieg is revered as Norway's greatest composer of all time and he certainly has a knack for creating imagery of bustling fjords and majestic mountainsides with interlaced river ravines.

Better than just an introduction.......2004-04-28

This CD goes beyond just introducing Grieg. It is a truly beautiful and for me, invaluable collection of this excellent composer. Grieg had an inimitable gift for exploring emotion, often sadness and nostalgia. However, he also had a large touch of the virtuoso, as demonstrated by the famous Piano Concerto. True, the last 2 movements are not included here; however, the first is still stunning. The Peer Gynt Suites are wonderfully played, and Ase's Death and Heartwounds are especially noteworthy - the lush orchestral sounds of these gorgeous pieces unfold exquisitely. Homage March is a nice change of pace, upbeat and with a memorable theme, and Leonard Bernstein moves at a devilish pace in March of the Trolls. This CD will not disappoint you - buy it today!

Great CD.......2002-01-29

For an intro to Greig, this is great. The "hall of the mountain king" is done very well.

Average customer rating:

Awsome Instrumental Music
The Bing Crosby songs are very good but....
AMAZING! Hauntingly beautiful...
A great soundtrack for a lover of WKW films
as gorgeous as the film!

In the Mood for Love (2000 Film)
Various Artists - Soundtracks
Manufacturer: Higher Octave OmTown
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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In the Mood for Love - Criterion Collection
2046
2046
Mis Mejores Canciones: 19 Super Exitos
2046

ASIN: B000050G51
Release Date: 2000-11-06

Tracks:

Yumeji's Theme - Umebayshi Shigeru
Mo-wan's Dialogue - In The Mood For Love ST
Angkor Wat Theme I - Michael Galasso
ITMFL I - Michael Galasso
Aquellos Ojos Verdes - Nat King Cole
Shuang Shuang Yan - Deng Bai Ying
ITMFL II - Michael Galasso
Radio Zhou Xuan Announcement/Hua Yang De Nian Hua - Zhou Xuan
Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps - Nat King Cole
Bengawan Solo - REBECCA PAN
ITMFL III - Michael Galasso
Si Lang Tan Mu - Tan Xin Pei
Shuang Ma Hui - Zhang Yun Xian/Hou Li Jun
Blue - Michael Galasso
Hong Niang Hui Zhang Sheng - Zheng Jun Mian/Li Hang
Li-zhen's Dialogue/Te Quiero Dijiste (Magic Is The Moonlight) - Nat King Cole
Angkor Wat Theme II - Michael Galasso
Yue Er Wan Wan Zhao Jiu Zhou - Chiu Wai Ping
Casanova's Flute - Michael Galasso
Yumeji's Theme/Li-zhen's Dialogue - Umebayasi Shigeru
Angkor Wat Theme Finale - Michael Galasso

Amazon.com

Soundtracks are a mixed bag at best. Some are little more than an assortment of pieces, but others hang together effectively on their own, like this one. The idea of Chinese music--both popular and operatic--juxtaposed with the sounds of Nat King Cole performing Latin music might seem bizarre, but it works beautifully, sustaining a lush, romantic mood created both by the strings and the '40s Chinese music, itself a tinkling Hollywood pastiche. But as atmospheric as all this is, one track stands out above the others: "Blue," actually a version of the classic "St. James' Infirmary," takes on another dimension in Chinese hands. While familiar but completely alien at the same time, the slithering Asian sonorities mesh perfectly with the African-American form to create something evocative but with a sadness that goes beyond blues. The movie is of a time and place; the soundtrack is of a mood and yearning. Listen at night, with someone you love close by. --Chris Nickson

Customer Reviews:

Awsome Instrumental Music.......2007-03-09

The soundtrack is really good; I didn't like some of the songs (the Chinese ones) but there are only 3 in the whole CD. The instrumental music is awesome making the soundtrack an average good.

The Bing Crosby songs are very good but...........2006-07-17

In my opinion it`s the Bing Crosby-songs that makes this album worth buying, but these songs can be bought on compilations. The rest of the music is for people with special interest for backgroundmusic in films.

AMAZING! Hauntingly beautiful..........2006-05-09

So beautiful and emotional, it makes you want to cry! The score for the film and the collection of music together is absolutely breathtaking....

A great soundtrack for a lover of WKW films.......2006-03-22

I loved the film, so I love the soundtrack, which brings back memories of the film. WKW uses period music to evoke the emotions and feel of the time period of the film.

as gorgeous as the film!.......2006-02-11

Film soundtracks are often disappointing---there are songs from the movie that are not on the CD, songs on the CD that were not in the film, different versions of songs on the CD than in the film, etc.

Happily, this soundtrack is absolutely faithful to the film, and it is masterfully interwoven with dialogue excerpts from the film which complement and build on the music instead of being obtrusive. I don't understand a word of Chinese but still enjoyed listening to the actors' voices, and also liked the bits of traditional Chinese music as well. There are some tracks that I don't remember from the film but they are not throw-away filler in any way, just beautiful extras in the same vein.

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

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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)
What to Listen for in Music
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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

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.

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 2 In F Minor, Op. 21: Larghetto
Nocturne No. 5 In F Sharp, Op. 15 No. 2
Berceuse In D Flat, Op. 57
Nocturne No. 2 In E Flat, Op. 9 No. 2
Waltz No. 9 in A-flat, Op. 69 No. 1 ('Farewell')
Prelude No. 7 in A, Op. 28 ('Les Sylphides')
Nocturne No. 1 In B Flat Minor, Op. 9 No. 1
Prelude No. 4 In E Minor, Op. 28
Andante Spianato In E Flat, Op. 22
Nocturne No. 21 In C Minor, Op. Posth.
Nocturne No. 20 In C Sharp Minor, Op. Posth.
Nocturne No. 8 In D Flat, Op. 27 No. 2
Piano Concerto No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 11: Romance (Larghetto)

Customer Reviews:

A great selection.......2007-03-13

My two favorite pianists are Chopin and Bill
Evans, both for the same reasons: they both had the hand independence, ability to play those fast, multi-noted runs, and they both had what can't be taught, touch and taste. This an excellant overview of his work and will hopefully lead the listener to more of his work (especially the Preludes).

The best Chopin you can buy.......2004-07-15

The most sensitive piano playing I've ever heard. My wife likes it too.

Romantic Evening Music.......2004-05-26

The Phillips label "Set Your Mood" contains classical music for any frame of mind, life event, setting or mood. Others in the series include "Mozart For Your Morning Commute" "Bach For Barbecue" "Baroque For Bathtime" "Beethoven For Book Lovers" "Tchaikovksy For Teatime" "Liszt For Lovers" "Puccini And Pasta" and countless of other delightful albums, each with
its own theme and each containing beautifully performed classical music. On this album, the music of Chopin is meant to accompany your romantic evening or your drinking champagne after dinner. The music of Chopin does effectively describe nocturnal scenes and has a very melancholy romanticism which is very internal and reflective. It's perfect ambiance music. If I owned an office I would pipe in Chopin for the Musak.

The selected pieces here are exquisite and some of Chopin's most beautiful works for piano, the instrument that he made entirely his own in the 19th century. Frederic Chopin, a shy, sickly Polish man, composed countless of nocturnes and preludes, all which bear a sad, introspective, wistful and evening feel. The famous Nocturne No. 2 in E Flat is on here, the so called "Murmurs Of the Seine" a romantic description of the moonlit Seine river. In other preludes, such as the "Raindrop" Chopin captured the sound of water and rain perfectly, as he does with some of his other works. There is fluidity, finesse and elegance in everything he wrote. The opening excerpt is the Larghetto from his Piano Concerto No. 2, a slow movement whose dreamy mood is absolutely breathtaking. It was for this movement and the following Berceuse In D Flat Major Opus 57 that I even bought this album. The Berceuse is a sublime piece, full of intricate trills, falls, runs and an unforgettable melody. It really is rather difficult to play as well. Chopin made the piano a singing voice, with leaps, octaves and floritura. It's really on the same level as Franz Liszt, though Liszt preferred more dynamic, dramatic even shocking sounds while Chopin's music remained ever gentle and romantic. This is a great album for fans of Chopin. The piano artists here, especially Claudio Arrau are doing a remarkable job with the music.

Best Interpretation of Chopin.......2003-08-11

I found this CD on line after hearing a recording of a Chopin prelude on WCRB 102.5, the Boston classical station. I didn't know the pianist but when I found it to be Claudio Arrau, I had to hear more of him. I have kept Vladimir Ashkenazy in such high esteem in his piano interpretation of Chopin and Rachmaninov that I was floored to find in Arrau an even higher level of sensitivity to the emotion of the pieces, in this case, those of Chopin. It is true that the somewhat tacky cover and concept of saving Chopin for champagne and romance may be off-putting, but if this is the way to bring such wonderful recordings to more listeners, then I am all for it.
I can't begin to express the delight and even rapture I experience when I listen to this CD. I need to save it for special times, so it won't become too familiar to me.

oh, and another thing..........2001-06-07

I wrote this review b/c I am revisiting the site to get a shower present for my sister. I'm going to send her this, a champagne topper thing and a champagne cooler. I love thematic gifts, so that's another fun thing about this CD, it works for giving. I know my sister isn't a big Classical fan, but I am pretty sure she will like this for the same reasons I did (in my other review.)

Average customer rating:

Tempting Temptations
breaths new life into mostly Broadway standards...
In A Mellow Mood
in amellow mood
If I Could Give It More Than 5 Stars I Would!!!

In A Mellow Mood
The Temptations
Manufacturer: Umvd Special Markets
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Song For You
The Temptin' Temptations
For Lovers Only
Gettin' Ready
The Temptations Sing Smokey

ASIN: B00000DBYC
Release Date: 2003-02-25

Tracks:

Hello Young Lovers
A Taste Of Honey
For Once In My Life
Somewhere
Ol' Man River
I'm Ready For Love
Try To Remember
Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)
What Now My Love
That's Life
With These Hands
The Impossible Dream

Amazon.com

With a couple of exceptions, the showroom- and talk-show-ready Temptations of In a Mellow Mood (1967) are handed the most impersonal, clichéd sort of standards. "Hello Young Lovers," "Try to Remember," and too many others here go through the motions of connecting with listeners but are so haplessly written that the reined-in quintet is hard-pressed to fill them with more than a thimbleful of sweat. "Somewhere" is a foolproof melody that might have made a fine change of pace on a record like With a Lot o' Soul, but this version of "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)" has none of the redeeming qualities of Dionne Warwick's. Paradoxically blessed with little of the class the group normally commanded, Mellow Mood stands as an expression of Berry Gordy's worst aesthetic impulses. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

Tempting Temptations.......2007-07-19

This is one of the Temptations historical classical landmarks and greatest albums... very serene, loving,and asuring...The title is sooo appropriate... "Mellow Mood"

breaths new life into mostly Broadway standards..........2007-04-26

While I am not an expert on Motown music, I have liked most of what I've heard from The Temptations ("Just My Imagination" is my favorite"). This imaginative recording is full of rich contrasts of emotion, color and harmonies; breaths new life into mostly Broadway standards.

P.S. See also the outstanding Temptations Christmas record.

In A Mellow Mood.......2007-03-29

This is a wonderful cd. If you like the classic Temp`s, you must get this one.Paul on Who can I turn to is great,not to mention David on Impossible Dream,my favorite.This is a must have for any Temp`s collection.

in amellow mood.......2007-02-13

i love the temps but i do not like this album it does not have umph the temps usually have i brought as a combination with another temp cd sorry i brought it

If I Could Give It More Than 5 Stars I Would!!!.......2006-09-14

This Lp is magnificent! It all starts off with my fave Hello Young Lovers! (David does a great job with this one! But I adore Paul's version at the T.C.B show. Whoo! Paul really shined on that one!) Next, A Taste of Honey (Eddie's voice is amazing on this record!), For Once In My Life (PAUL PAUL PAUL! Love this record Close 2nd fave! Paul sang this record straight from his soul!) Somewhere , Not one of my faves. Ol Man River (Melvin's bass! Amazing!), I'm Ready For Love not one of my faves either, Try To Remember (Eddie's voice is incredible on this record He makes you feel so relaxed. He sounds so peaceful and beautiful! Definitely one of my faves!), Who Can I Turn To (PAUL PAUL PAUL! Amazing! Of course one my faves also!), What Now My Love (Not one of my faves but I love it in the Live! Lp when they mixed it with Yesterday), That's Life (Whooo! Love it!), With These Hands (Eddie: delightful! Incredible record! Definitely one of my faves also!), and The Impossible Dream (David: wonderful! Loved it! But I also loved Paul's version!) Definitely get this Lp. One of all-time faves of The Tempts! You will not I repeat will not be disappointed!

Average customer rating:

Oh so cool
Don't mess with Mister In Between.
JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED
Cool tunes
Great mood music

In a Sentimental Mood
Dr. John
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack: The Legendary Sessions, Vol. 1

ASIN: B000002LHG
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Makin' Whoopee!
Candy
Accentuate The Positive
My Buddy
In A Sentimental Mood
Black Night
Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin'
Love For Sale
More Than You Know

Amazon.com

Mac Rebennack's long commercial drought finally ended in the late '80s with In a Sentimental Mood, an album of pop standards bearing almost no connection to New Orleans R&B roots. His album-opening duet with Rickie Lee Jones, "Making' Whoopee," was a big hit after it was included on the Sleepless in Seattle soundtrack, and it's easy to understand why Harry Connick Jr. fans who'd bought When Harry Met Sally were seduced by this coy come-on. Still, it's odd to hear Rebennack's scruffy baritone in service to such lush, sweeping orchestration (and to hear him sing a line like "I've got a sweet tooth for your sweet heart"). The Doctor does lend a nice bluesy feel to a Satchmo favorite, "My Buddy," and to Charles Brown's classic, "Black Night," and his version of "More Than You Know" is a small miracle of understatement. --Keith Moerer

Customer Reviews:

Oh so cool.......2007-03-09

I was staying at a tiny bed and breakfast in Cape Town when I heard this CD. I asked who it was and the owner said - oh my father-in-law loves him and so does my husband - as if that was answer enough and handed me the cover. I wrote it down and the very first time I got near a computer ordered it and several other Dr John's from Amazon. I have played it over and over since, straight repeat or shuffle. It is a lovely listenable delightful rendering of some great songs. The man's voice is magic - I am no expert but I know what I like and I love this.

Don't mess with Mister In Between........2005-11-21

This is an album of Dr. John performing standards. Standards with a New Orleans influence. It's a good album, tastefully done. Fans of "The Night Tripper" should enjoy it.

JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED.......2005-10-27

A too brief dose of mellowed down blooze/jazz/RNB (and practically any other genre you can conjure up) as only New Orlean's own funky maestro can administer it. Like Ray Charles, Joe Cocker, and damned few others, the gravelly, soul-sational Dr. John can literally cover any standard and own it forever. His sly, steamy duet with Rickie Lee Jones on MAKIN' WHOOPEE is the perfect intertwining of two of modern music's most intriguing talents, and the ivory tinkler's breezy rendering of DON'T LET THE SUN CATCH YOU CRYING is pure laid back nirvana. No matter what kind of mood you may find yourself in, the doctor's got your prescription. RATING: FIVE BLACK KEYS

Cool tunes.......2002-09-15

Some of the tracks on this CD are singularly special. "Makin' Whoopee" featuring Rickie Lee Jones is an absolute treat, a very nice pairing. "My Buddy" is just achingly good, as is "More Than You Know." There are some fine musical performances, notably the sax solo by Joel Peskin--edgy and cool. The charts are altogether mellow and Dr. John's gruffly appealing voice is a perfect compliment to his fluid piano playing. These are true "oldies but goodies" -- songs by Johnny Mercer, Duke Ellington and Cole Porter. Classic songs by the classic Dr. John.
Recommended.

Great mood music.......2002-05-10

This is an excellent CD for setting the mood at a patio gathering of friends, or a small dinner party for two. Some feel-good music with a touch of sentiment. Highly recommend.

Average customer rating:

The Whole Thing
Hauntingly Beautiful
Good-enough readings but outstanding sound
Passionate
Maybe this is THE (one disc-) Peer Gynt album to own ...

Grieg: Peer Gynt

Manufacturer: Virgin Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0007Z47JI
Release Date: 2005-06-07

Tracks:

No. 1 At The Wedding (Prelude To Act I)
No. 2 Halling
No. 4 The Abduction Of The Bride
No. 6 Peer Gynt And The Woman In Green
No. 7 Peer Gynt: 'You Can Tell Great Men By The Style Of Their Mounts!'
No. 3 Springar
No. 8 In The Hall Of The Mountain King
No. 9 Dance Of The Mountain King's Daughter
No. 12 The Death Of Ase (Prelude To Act III)
No. 13 Morning Mood (Prelude To Act IV)
No. 15 Arabian Dance
No. 16 Anitra's Dance
No.17 Peer Gynt's Serenade
No. 19 Solveig's Song
No. 20 Peer Gynt At The Statue Of Memnon
No. 21 Peer Gynt's Homecoming. Stormy Evening On The Sea (Prelude To Act V)
No. 22 The Shipwreck
No. 23 Solveig Sings In The Hut
No. 25 Whitsun Hymn: 'O Blessed Morning'
No. 26 Solveig's Cradle Song

Customer Reviews:

The Whole Thing.......2007-05-10

If there's an earlier 'Peer Gynt' recording that's complete (as opposed to just the 'suite') I've never heard of it. This is the entire incidental music to the play, not just the usual 'Dawn', 'The Hall of the Mountain King' 'Solveig's Song', etc.
Jarvi's reading is smooth and incisive and the choral parts are wonderful. I've never heard a scarier version of HOTMK. I never even knew that there was a solo vocal part for Peer himself, but here it is.

My only complaint-and it's a tiny one-is that the selections are not in the order that they would appear in Ibsen's play. But that's picking a very small nit indeed.

Hauntingly Beautiful.......2007-03-11

Conductor Paavo Jarvi does a masterful job of leading the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra plays with great emotion and precision creating an exciting and almost hypnotic effect. Although Beecham's version is very good, his Peer Gynt does not come close to matching the sheer beauty of Jarvi's.
The soloists on this album are outstanding. I consider baritone Peter Mattei to be the most talented baritone of his type today and his rendition of Peer Gynt's Serenade is nothing short of incredible. Soprano Camilla Tilling as Soveig has a lovely ethereal sound to her voice which is used to great effect in her songs. Tilling has the loveliest female voice I have ever heard. Mezzo Charlotte Hellekant has also grown on me as Anitra. Many of these vocal songs are not included on other versions of Peer Gynt, which is a great shame. The choir, something I don't usually enjoy, is very impressive.
I would rate this CD as by far the best version of Peer Gynt and perhaps my favorite CD of all time. The sound quality of the recording should also be mentioned because it is absolutely stunning.

Good-enough readings but outstanding sound.......2007-02-21

I don't find that Paavo Jarvi and his Estonian forces have much to say in the familiar numbers from Peer Gynt. You must turn to Beecham for sheer delight in famous numbers like In The Hall of the Moutain King, Morning, Anitra's Dance, and so on. Where this recording scores is in the unfamiliar numbers; Peter Matteo's excellent rendition of the little-known Peer Gynt's Serenade is one highlight, as is the convincingly crude folk fiddling that begins half a dozen numbers.

Secondly, there's the sound. The engineers have achieved quite exceptinally clear, open sonics that I've never heard the like of in Peer Gynt. Even when Jarvi's conducting is ordinary and his Estonian musician ae playing at far less than virtuosic level, the gorgeous sounds coming out of one's speakers remain alluring. As far as completeness goes, the Ruud 2-CD set from Bis is unchallenged.

Passionate.......2006-08-18

The story line gives the listener a guide to follow the music, but the score leaves out the connections for the listener to only imagine the performance. The music is passionate and descriptive and introduces the listener to the singing voices of parts of the presentation that are left out in the "Suite." I appreciate hearing it over and over.

Maybe this is THE (one disc-) Peer Gynt album to own ..........2006-02-15

... to keep closely beside the gorgeous, incisively intelligent and deeply concentrated performance (also on 1 CD) with Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra and Barbara Hendricks singing the role of Solveig (Sony Classical).
Together with the recordings by Neeme Jarvi (27 cues; DGG), Marriner (only 12 cues; EMI), Tate (17 cues; EMI), Blomstedt (19 cues; Decca), Dreier (the first truly complete recording of all of the original music (1978); 32 cues, including 'Bridal Procession', 'Solveig's Song' and three 'Norwegian Dances' all of them n o t originally written for the play; Unicorn UKCD + NKFCD) and Ruud (the first complete recording with 29 cues plus all of the dialogue, making a total of 51 cues, coming up on 113 minutes; BIS), these two (1-CD) albums by Paavo Jarvi and Esa-Pekka Salonen are as complete as can get concerning this so called 'incidental' music for the Henrik Ibsen play of Peer Gynt. Nowadays, Peer Gynt is Norway's No. 1 national epic, thereby giving this music extra significance and poignancy. Originally, there are in all some twenty-six numbers of incidental music for the play: almost ninety minutes of music, as can be learned from the booklet-essay. And according to the booklet, twenty of those are on this album; No. 5, 10, 11, 14, 18 and 24 are left out of this recording. 'Solveig's Song' wasn't originally written for the stage play but nonetheless included as such on this CD, so actually 19 original pieces from Peer Gynt, op. 23 are on this album, and not 20. But anyhow, such 'criticism' would amount to nitpicking ;-)
Here I would like to warn the reader that this will be a somewhat one-sided review, as I have only ever heard the Peer Gynt-recordings of Esa-Pekka Salonen, Per Dreier (freshly inspired, very natural performances) and this newest one of Paavo Jarvi. So this review is, for what it is worth, a personal and somewhat subjective approach, leaving out many other alternatives ...

Anyhow, as for the one-CD albums of Peer Gynt, op. 23, the merits of the Salonen/Oslo Philharmonic album (aside from the artistic ones, which are huge, as well as spot on as far as the 'Nordic' atmosphere of the music is concerned) lie in the fact that - up to now - it has been as near 'complete' a rendering of the music for Peer Gynt - as much as fits on one CD - as one might wish, covering the whole dramatic arc of the play from beginning to end (but without any of the spoken dialogue). I believe that this new recording with Paavo Jarvi is even more complete - as could be fitted on one disc - and gives the listener an even better feel of the drama of the play, if only because there is more singing here, namely by Peer Gynt (in the delightful 'Peer Gynt's Serenade'). Also, one hears here seldomly recorded, but wonderfully evocative pieces, such as 'Peer Gynt and the Woman in Green', 'Peer gynt: you can tell great men by the style of their mounts', 'Peer Gynt at the Statue of Memnon' (similar to 'Prelude Act III: Deep in the Coniferous Forest' on the Salonen/Oslo Philharmonic album. Actually it is the same piece, but it was never intended as the prelude to act III) and 'The Shipwreck'. Simply delightful, all this! As are all the soloists - truly, the best one could wish for! - singing in this recording. If I may steal a quote from Tim Ashley, The Guardian, May 13, 2005: "Peter Mattei is the swollen-headed Peer, Camilla Tilling a dignified, unsentimental Solveig and the incomparable Charlotte Hellekant a camp but lethally seductive Anitra." But although Camilla Tilling's Solveig is superb, IMHO she is not as completely involved-sounding or as convincing in the projecting of the troubled mind and heart of (especially the elderly) Solveig as does Barbara Hendricks for Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Even more than Esa-Pekka Salonen's performance with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, this recording offers the listener a more 'true to the letter-performance', as the music is here performed as heard during the play, as witnessed by 'Solveigs vuggevise' ('Solveig's Cradle Song'), where her singing is interlaced with the 'Whitsun Hymn', which, to the ears of this listener, only heigtening the sense of drama and storytelling.
All in all a fantastic album, I believe, and one that brings into focus the drama even more than other recordings of this music. Even though the orchestral playing of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra is maybe a (slight) nodge below that of the Oslo Philharmonic under Salonen and missing out on the deepest or finer layers of melancholy and dramatic tension (which are indeed touched upon by Salonen, I think), it is warmly sympathetic and more lush (as is the acoustics of the recording venue).
The really adventurous or Peer Gynt-completists (and once taken this step, the all too brief Suites will never be an option again!) should really go for Dreier or Ruud - this last one is said to be simply magnificent (music as well as acting) - but this generous one disc album, with some of the most gorgeous playing and singing, is warmly recommended (at least, in my opinion) to anyone who loves this wonderfully evocative music. Delightful!

Average customer rating:

Something about it...

Zen Peace
Aeoliah
Manufacturer: Oreade Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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Angel Love

ASIN: B000055YCP
Release Date: 2001-04-03

Tracks:

The Tao Of Zen
Unfolding Lotus
Zen Peace
Reflections Of A Pearl
Inner Chamber
Mystic
Temple Bells
Angels Of Compassion
Radiance

Customer Reviews:

Something about it..........2005-09-27

There's something about Aeoliah (and this CD in particular) that I find particularly relaxing, soothing, even euphoric. I have a rather large collection of "new age" music, and it's rare that any of it affects me the way this music does. When I put on the headphones and listen, I find myself not so much listening to the music as absorbing it. Soon, I'm in a sort of twilight state where the concerns of the world are left behind completely. I can't emphasize enough how rare it is that music affects me this way -- it need not be listened to "actively" the way a lot of music requires in order to enjoy it. I do recommend headphones for this music -- just put them on, and (although best listened to while relaxing in bed or on a comfortable chair/couch with no distractions) there's no need to concentrate on the music. Just relax and allow Zen Peace to carry you away.

My highest recommendation -- 5 stars.

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