Dances of Death [Import]

Dances of Death [Import]

Track Listings

1. Dances of Death (And Other Walking Shadows)

2. Introduction

3. Eruption

4. Beyond the Gates

5. Outburst

6. Days of Betrayal

7. Restless

8. Sanctuary

9. Finale

10. Transgressor

11. True Believers

12. Night on a Bare Mountain

13. Subterranean Sound of Hypernatural Voices

14. Appearance of the Spirits of Darkness Followed by That of Satan Himself

15. Glorification of Satan and Celebration of the Black Mess, The Sabbath R

16. At the Hight of the Orgius the Bell of the Village Church, Sounding in

17. Daybreak

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Subtitled 'And Other Walking Shadows'. Remastered reissue of 1990 album from the masters of technical/progressive thrash metal.

Album Description

Music can be both calming and relaxing, or invigorating and passionate...this phenomenal 20-CD set is definitely the latter. This amazing collection brings together for the first time the most passionate music of all time, from Ravel's Bolero, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Wagner's Magic Fire Music to Ravel's La Valse, Orff 's Carmina Burana and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. This is a must have collection for every passionate music lover.

Customer Reviews:

A good gift for novice.......2007-05-12

This was a good gift for somebody learning about Classical music in Japan.

Average customer rating:

Barry's first - incredible
Chronological order
Fantastic Soundtrack!! Great Remaster!!
The best of the series
Incomparable James Bond Soundtrack

From Russia with Love
Various Artists , and John Barry
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Goldfinger
Thunderball
You Only Live Twice
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Diamonds Are Forever

ASIN: B000087DS1
Release Date: 2003-02-11

Tracks:

Opening Titles: James Bond Is Back/From Russia With Love/James Bond Theme
Tania Meets Klebb
Meeting In St. Sophia
The Golden Horn
Girl Trouble
Bond Meets Tania
007
Gypsy Camp
Death Of Grant
From Russia With Love
Spectre Island
Guitar Lament
Man Overboard/Smersh In Action
James Bond With Bongos
Stalking
Leila Dances
Death Of Kerin
007 Takes The Lektor

Amazon.com

After the surprise success of 1962's Dr. No, the producers of the budding James Bond series began to establish what would become its trademark elements, with its debonair anti-hero frolicking libidinously through increasingly amped-up foreign intrigue and exotic locales. Musically, this soundtrack represents perhaps their most crucial decision: hiring band leader/budding composer John Barry as scorer. Abandoning the first film's calypso kitsch for an orchestra powered cocktail of elegance and jazzy sophistication, Barry immediately gave the Bond saga a focused musical language that would become arguably its most consistent element over the decades and amidst a revolving series of lead actors and increasingly improbable cinematic predicaments. While anchored by a medley that includes Monty Norman's "James Bond Theme," this soundtrack also introduced another longstanding Bond tradition, the pop-ballad title track/single, here penned by Lionel Bart and sung with urgent conviction by British crooner Matt Munro. This digitally remastered new edition features new liner notes, as well as artwork and stills from the film. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Barry's first - incredible.......2007-01-19

Well, what can you say that hasn't already been exclamated? Barry's score for FRWL is, of course, brilliant. Very creative use of eastern/oriental influences that blends effectively with 1960's orchestral sensibilities. The score is extremely dynamic without being overbearing. Barry does a great job of establishing main themes without resorting to predictable embellishments. Personal favourites include the main 007 theme(obviously), "Tanya meets Klebb", and "Spectre Island and Smersh" (classic 1960's Bond suspense). All the bongo parts and rhythmic ostinatos work fantastically well! Listen to pieces like "Girl Trouble", there's some extremely well-crafted and sophisticated exotic motifs there, superimposed over driving syncopated rhythms. We also find a lot of vibraphone/string unisons (my favourite combo) and of course, great brass parts. And let's not forget the solid title theme, beautifully rendered by british vocalist Matt Munro in classic Sinatra style. Munro really set the standard for future title themes. The recording is great, just the right balance between ambience and that nice analog grit that you find on so many 60's orchestral recordings. Some of today's soundtrack composers would do well to take a few lessons from the old masters - you rarely hear music of this dynamic range anymore, which is a real shame considering todays technology and the potential for dynamic range, noise floor levels and soundstage fidelity. But that's the way it usually goes, isnt it? I'm usually more partial towards the Barry's 1970's work and some of the 80s Bond soundtracks like Bill Contis amazing work on FYEO, but when it comes to the true masters and genre milestones, look no further that John Barry and FRWL.

Chronological order.......2006-11-20

Barry's first Bond score is, of course, brilliant. If you want to listen to it in film order, as I do, here's how to re-order the CD:

15, 1, 11, 2, 14, 16, First 1:00 of 9, 5, 7, 12, 8, 6, 3, 4, 18, 17, Second 1:00 of 9, 13, 10.

If you can't split up track 9, put it at the second spot. Also, tracks 4 and 12 do not appear in the actual film, but the positions are where Barry intended these cues to go.

Fantastic Soundtrack!! Great Remaster!!.......2006-03-04

This is really a remarkable soundtrack and the remastered sound is phenomenal!! To me this is where the music for the James Bond movies really began to take shape. There are themes developed here that have continued throughout the series of films. Great stuff, highly recommend!

The best of the series.......2006-01-12

Inventive, tuneful and just pleasant to listen to musical backdrop to what many, including me, believe to be the best of the Bond film series before they got so carried away with gadgets and world domination themes. John Barry is on top of his game really developing what musically becomes the Bond legacy. And best of all, the album stands well on its own as a listening expereince. When the track "007" begins it's like meeting an old friend. You've heard it before, but it's good to hear again.
Heartily recommend!

Incomparable James Bond Soundtrack.......2005-01-21

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE is a no-nonsense Bond film in the tradition of the Ian Fleming novels. The FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE soundtrack is an example of exceptional film scoring and a very satisfying album drawing on all the elements of the film's score to deliver an experience that musically runs the gamut of rhythm, romance, intrigue and flavorful vignettes of the film's locale that seems to go in tandem with Fleming's literary sense for these elements. John Barry began his "official" scoring duties in tandem with his screen credit on FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE bringing a highly recognizable and definitive substantiating sound to the Bond series that distinguished it with his unique and inimitable musical style. That has been a hallmark, which brings a cohesive quality to the whole series even in Barry's absence. John Barry not only firmly incorporated his prowess as a film composer with this soundtrack but also demonstrated his ability to establish his own unique sound on compositions composed by others. "From Russia With Love" from track 1 and "Bond Meets Tania" from track 6, with a melody composed by Lionel Bart, inimitably have that "Barry Sound" stamped on them. Once again Barry also demonstrated his unique musical handling of "The James Bond Theme" on track 14 with "James Bond With Bongos" while his "007 Theme" heard on tracks 7 and 18 bring a staccato and drive to the force of this James Bond classic. The re-mastering is good eliminating much of the background tape hiss. This recording sounds very good.

Top 100 Masterpieces of Classical Music (Collectors Edition) (Box Set)

Average customer rating:

Top 100 Masterpieces of Classical Music (Collectors Edition) (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Classical Moods
Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [20 CD Set]
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ASIN: B00008L428
Release Date: 2003-02-13

Dances with Wolves: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [SACD]

Average customer rating:

The movie it ain't!
Dances With Wolves
Dances With Wolves Soundtrack
not all SACD are surround
SACD, but NO surround sound

Dances with Wolves: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [SACD]

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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Dances with Wolves
Dances With Wolves: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Out Of Africa: Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack
Braveheart: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
The Last Of The Mohicans: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

ASIN: B00004THDI
Release Date: 2000-02-22

Tracks:

Main Title - Looks Like a Suicide
John Dunbar Theme
Journey to Fort Sedgewick
Ride to Fort Hays
Death of Timmons
Two Socks - The Wolf Theme
Pawnee Attack
Kicking Bird's Gift
Journey to the Buffalo Killing Ground
Buffalo Hunt
Stands With a Fist Remembers
Love Theme
John Dunbar Theme
Two Socks at Play
Death of Cisco
Rescue of Dances With Wolves
Loss of the Journal/The Return to Winter Camp
Farewell and End Title

Customer Reviews:

The movie it ain't!.......2007-06-21

I purchased this SACD after reading the glowing reviews and was disappointed when I listened to the recording. Despite being the soundtrack to a VERY LONG film, there was very little contrast in the 18 offerings on the disc. Unlike numerous classical SACDs that have greatly moved me, "Dances With Wolves" merely lulled me to sleep.

Dances With Wolves.......2006-03-03

this wonderfull score is the bast score of all time. You must have this score in your movie music collection.

Dances With Wolves Soundtrack.......2005-09-23

This is beautiful haunting music. One of the best all-time movie scores.

not all SACD are surround.......2005-05-05

I just wanted to let everyone know who read that review that he doesnt know what he is talking about. Yes this is a STEREO only SACD. SACD was first made only in stereo. There was no surround or hybrid SACD. And if you listen to SACD dont buy the regular CD this will blow it away.Im not trying to be mean just stating the facts. Ive been listining to SACD since 1999 when sony released this format and when I heard Billy Joel I was hooked. Have fun and buy them all because Sony is thinking of not doing SACD anymore and that would be awful.

SACD, but NO surround sound.......2005-02-13

Very nice music - nothing wrong with that.
But.... this is a stereo CD. It has SACD written all over it and my new Denon DVD-3910 DVD player does recognise this as an SACD, but it only has 2 channels, instead of 5.1. I do own several other SACD's and these DO play 5.1 channel. Very strange....
So perhaps it's smarter to order the Stereo CD, the one with the special bonus tracks (Dances with Wolves (Special Extended Edition).

Mussorgsky: The Nursery: Sunless; Songs and Dances of Death

Average customer rating:

Something very special
Music to make you forget who you are for a minute

Mussorgsky: The Nursery: Sunless; Songs and Dances of Death

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Lakme
The Devil's Trill: Showpieces for violin & piano

ASIN: B00008QSCF
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

Where Are You, Little Star?
Darling Savishna
I. With Nanny
II. In The Corner
III. The Beetle
IV. With The Doll
V. At Bedtime
VI. The Hobby-Horse
VII. The Cat 'Sailor'
Lullaby
I. Within Four Walls
II. You Did Not See Me In The Crowd
III. An End To The Futile, Hectic Day
IV. Ennui
V. Elegy
VI. On The River
King Saul
Hopak
The Wild Winds Blow
I. Trepak
II. Lullaby
III. Serenade
IV. The Field-Marshal
Mephistopheles' Song Of The Flea

Customer Reviews:

Something very special.......2004-04-21

The previous reviewer was pretty much spot on. Christoff is genuinely magnificent in these recordings, power and beauty coexist in his voice, and the deep emotion he expresses is made more powerful by being tempered by control. The accompaniment serves to showcase this voice and is more than adequate to this task. It is perhaps not always "Herbert Von Karajan" smooth, but this is probably no disadvantage, you could argue that this is in keeping with this selection of Mussorgsky's wonderful"rough hewn" folk flavoured music. As the previous reviewer indicated, this will appeal to fans of the unusual as it is in itself something remarkably different to almost anything I've heard before. I can say however that out of the 1000 + recordings I own, it is very probably the one I am most glad I purchased, and certainly one of my very favourites. Unfortunately I am probably preaching to the choir, as if you are reading this review you probably already enjoy Mussorgsky, or are at least familiar or interested in his work. You may also be a fan of Schubert's song cycles and Lieder.If that is the case then you should certainly enjoy this C.D. The sad point is that this recording should also appeal to people who as yet still believe that they have no interest in "Classical" music, and may never come across this recording. I would certainly recommend this to Tom Waits fans for a start, especially those who enjoyed his recent album "Alice",and also afficionados of Folk music, World music or the art of songwriting.
I know it's a cliche, but I'd have to give this 6 stars out of 5

Music to make you forget who you are for a minute.......2003-08-13

I was told about Christoff's 1950s recordings by a musician friend. I had heard a little bit about him, and was already
familiar with some of the Mussorgsky songs in another recording,
so figured I couldn't miss. To say that I was flabbergasted would be putting it lightly. The man was not only a superb singer - what control! what versatility! - he was a consummate actor. After all, they say he was the best Boris Godunov since Chaliapin - I believe it. But, to particulars: On the first half of this disc he is accompanied by a terrific pianist (whose name temporarily escapes me)and on the other half by the Orchestre de la Radiodiffusion Francaise, who are a tad ragged (as they often were) and undermiked at times but fine powerful accompaniment. If all you know of Mussorgsky is the Pictures - and you have a taste for the unusual - you owe it to yourself to pick this up. Your life will never be quite the same again, I guarantee it!

Dmitri Hvorostovsky - Songs and Dances of Death / Gergiev

Average customer rating:

ravishing !
Russia's Best!
The best russian performer
Dmitri at his darkest and most compelling
Breathtaking!

Dmitri Hvorostovsky - Songs and Dances of Death / Gergiev
Sergei Rachmaninov , Alexander Borodin , Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov , Sergey Rachmaninov , Anton Rubinstein , Valery Gergiev , and Dmitri Hvorostovsky
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000418A
Release Date: 1994-03-15

Tracks:

Sadko: 'Gorat kamennyj'; 'Gorat prekrasnyj'
Kashei The Immortal: 'Gluhaja noch'
Snow Maiden: 'Na t'oplam sinem more'
The Tsar's Bride: 'S uma nejdot krasvitsa!'
Prince Igor: 'Ni sna, ni otdyha izmuchennaj dushe'
The Demon: 'Ne plach dit'a'
The Demon: 'Na vazdushnam akeane'
The Demon: 'Ja tot, katoramu vnimala'
The Demon - Nero: ''Paju tebe, Boh Gimenej!'
Aleko: 'Ves' tabar spit'
Songs And Dances Of Death: Lulluaby
Songs And Dances Of Death: Serenade
Songs And Dances Of Death: 'Trepak'
Songs And Dances Of Death: The Field Marshal

Amazon.com essential recording

Mussorgsky's four songs known collectively as Songs and Dances of Death make up 20 minutes of the most intense storytelling in 19th-century song. At first, Hvorostovsky's voice seems almost too beautiful, his sound almost too youthful to fill out these narratives, but his concentration and breath control are so sensational that we realize what he's up to. He's spinning us seductively into the spooky world of these songs, where Death converses in turn with the mother of a dying child, a young girl, an old peasant, and dying soldiers; Hvorostovsky nicely changes his tone for each song. The rest of the CD is equally fine, with two arias from Anton Rubinstein's The Demon particularly compelling. Quite an adventure! --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

ravishing !.......2003-04-27

Out of my ever growing (15 recordings so far) Dmitri collection, this is one of the best, a cream of the crop CD, with a terrific selection of music, and the fabulous Siberian at his most intense and dramatic.
Recorded 9 years ago when he was 31, it is one of his earliest CDs, but from the start (listen to his amazing "Russian Romances" !), he sang with incredible maturity and vocal richness.

Valery Gergiev and the Kirov Orchestra provide perfect backing, with a good balance between orchestra and singer, lovely and lyrical for the melodious Tsar's Bride aria (my current favorite track), and with plenty of dazzle and muscle for the Moussorgsky pieces.
This is one of those CDs (and both Dmitri and Gergiev have a few of them), that captures the heart and soul of Russian music.

Russia's Best!.......2002-10-29

This is by far the most breathtaking interpretation of the Songs and Dances of Death by Mussorgsky you will ever hear! I have seen Hvorostovsky in concert twice and always yearn for more. His voice is just as incredible live. Every single aria on this disc is a jewell. You can feel the pathos and the agony of the Demon, the heartwrenching jelousy of Aleko, and the joyous abandonment of the singer in Nero. Hvorostovsky's voice is just as outstanding as Ghiurov's in his prime.
The choice of repertoire and Dmitri's interpretation makes this CD a must for those wishing to explore Russian opera. His impressive range allows him to sing at ease in both the baritone and bass tessitura. He will no doubt make an exciting Scarpia and an unforgettable Mephistophele (both Gounod's and Boito's)someday. I hope he considers these roles in the future!

The best russian performer.......2002-05-10

I want to say this: Dmitri is the best baritone in our days, but he is the best russian performer ever lived. You can hear all the fellings the song expresses, a beatiful, coloured voice with a magnificent sound. He is simply superb. The orchestra and the conductor are correct. Again, Dmitri is the most important presence in this Cd.

Dmitri at his darkest and most compelling.......2001-10-12

I couldn't agree more with Robert Levine and Stephen Ettinger's most informative reviews. Prior to purchasing this CD, I had read elsewhere that Hvorostovsky's upper register was in trouble on this album. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Having now heard the album I can happily report that Dmitri's upper, middle AND lower registers are perfectly equalized, and I strongly urge any doubting critics to retire gracefully. For this is a magnificent album from one of the most exciting baritones of the last 25 years. It ranks alongside Hvorostovsky's CD of the Sviridov song cycle, Russia Cast Adrift, as a celebration of sheer individualism in singing. Both albums display the hallmarks of this wonderful singer - the dark and intensely concentrated sound, the extraordinary breath control and superb attention to the phrasing. Just 31 when he recorded the present CD, Hvorostovsky brings such insight to his singing that he puts most of his contemporaries to shame. This album demonstrates everything that great singing should be: dazzling vocalism combined with innate feeling for the words.

Always at his best in the Russian repertoire, Hvorostovsky has chosen this programme wisely. He covers a wide range of moods, starting out with the joyous Venetian's Song from Rimsky-Korsakov's Sadko, and moving through some highly melodic works from Borodin and Rubinstein before arriving at Rachmaninov's darkly compelling Ves' Tabar Spit from the opera Aleko. For the latter he employs a more sombre style than the lustier approach favoured by, say, Ghiaurov, but this sets the scene well for the Songs and Dances of Death that follow.

These are the showpieces of the album, and I have never heard them more memorably performed. The variety of colours in Hvorostovsky's voice are a revelation, but what makes these songs stand out is the way he manages to convey so many different characters and moods. I loved the humour of his drunken peasant in the Trepak, and at the same time was thrilled by the terrifying power of his Field Marshall in the final song. These are truly astonishing performances.

As always, Hvorostovsky is provided with great support from conductor Valery Gergiev, and the sound quality is remarkably warm and vibrant. An unforgettable release and a must-have for anyone who loves great singing.

Breathtaking!.......1999-11-24

This is my favorite Dmitri Hvorostovsky CD. Not only he included the famous Russian opera arias for baritone, but he also added the magnificent "Songs and Dances of Death" by Modeste Mussorgsky brilliantly arranged for orchestra by Dmitri Shostakovich. Originally, Mussorgsky composed this terrifying masterpiece for different voices singing each piece, i.e. one for bass, one for tenor, one for contralto. Shostakovich decided to arrange it for orchestra for the Prima Donna of Bolshoi and his good friend Galina Vishnevskaya. He also made the pieces grimmer, so to speak, with his booming rhythmic percussion and "ticking clock" strings. In her book, Galina Vishnevskaya contrasts Shostakovich's terror of death to Mussorgsky's faithful acceptance of it.

Hearing Dmitri sing "Songs and Dances" in his baritone key is somewhat of a revelation. Not having the benefit of soprano's flying vocal pyrotechnics, Dmitri chose to put all the terror he could muster in his singing. On "Trepak" he resorts to folk song's vivacity and in "Field Marchall" he sings the voice of Death with suffocating anger towards the living. The "Serenade" sparkles with warm seductive sound and "Lullaby" sounds as it is sang by two different voices. It is indeed spine-chilling.

The rest of the album is just as impressive. The Rimsky-Korsakov and Borodin selections are a part of Russian traditional baritone repertoire; Hvoristovsky approaches them with utmost seriousness and dedication. The Rubinstein and Rachmaninov arias are rare, the ones from "Demon" and "Aleko" used to be sang by basses or bass/baritones, for example Nicolai Ghiaurov and George London. But Dmitri is able to hit the low notes just fine, thereby fending off some critic's preposterous remarks about his lower range. Actually he manages to sound like a lyric basso, which is quite an accomplishment. And the breath control on "Na Vozdushnom Okeane" is nothing short of remarkable. Valery Gergiev brings his trademark intensity and imaginative reading to the music and the Kirov Orchestra is in top shape. Somehow I think that transposing the Mussorgsky selections for the baritone was his idea. Btw, Dmitri's singing idol, the great Fyodor Chaliapin recorded only "Trepak" out of the whole song cycle. Thus Dmitri's is, in a sense, finishing what Chaliapin had started. As always, the Philips sound is wonderful and spacious. The booklet is informative, but a serious listener may want to do some more research. Personally I longed for Cyrillic texts, but the translations are pretty accurate, so that those unfamiliar with Russian could get an overall understanding, which is absolutely essential for this fascinating material.

Grieg: Peer Gynt Op23; Symphonic Dances Op64
Average customer rating:

THE Peer Gynt

Terrific, authoritative Grieg collection from Beecham

A CLASS ACT

One of the best of the series

Well deserves its rosette award.

Grieg: Peer Gynt Op23; Symphonic Dances Op64

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Grieg, Edvard | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00000GCAB
Release Date: 1999-01-12

Tracks:

'Peer Gynt' - Incidental Music: Wedding March
'Peer Gynt' - Incidental Music: Ingrid's Lament
'Peer Gynt' - Incidental Music: In The Hall Of The Mountain King
'Peer Gynt' - Incidental Music: Morning
'Peer Gynt' - Incidental Music: Ase's Death
'Peer Gynt' - Incidental Music: Arabian Dance
'Peer Gynt' - Incidental Music: Solveig's Song
'Peer Gynt' - Incidental Music: Anitra's Dance
'Peer Gynt' - Incidental Music: Return of Peer Gynt - Storm Scene
'Peer Gynt' - Incidental Music: Solveig's Lullaby
Symphonic Dance, Op.64 No.2
Concert Overture 'In Autumn', Op.11
An Old Norwegian Folksong With Variations, Op.51

Customer Reviews:

THE Peer Gynt.......2007-07-12

Sir Thomas Beecham was one of the giants in the "Golden Age of Conductors". In this famous recording he proves why. This familiar music has been recorded by numerous artists over the years but none has ever caught the real drama of the music like Beecham. The fact that this recording has never been out of print since it was first issued is a testament to its worthiness. If you do not now own the piece, buy this one. Even if you do own someone else's version, buy this one. You will not be disappointed. The only quibble which I have and which has been voiced by others, is the fact that the vocal parts are sung in German and not Norwegian. This is not a fatal defect in my opinion. Grieg himself and, for that matter, most Norwegians of his era were equally fluent in German. It is the music which is important and you will not find a better rendition of Peer Gynt than this one.

As an added bonus, there are some other delightful Grieg masterworks to savor.

Terrific, authoritative Grieg collection from Beecham.......2004-10-08

Okay, I'll admit that I am not as familiar with Sir Thomas Beecham's conducting as I am with, say, Herbert von Karajan's or Leonard Bernstein's. I've heard a few stories about his wise-old-man demeanor on the podium, but of his actual recordings I have heard only a handful. This is the only disc of his that I personally own, but it is a beauty. The booklet notes talk about Beecham's dedication to Grieg's music, especially his lesser-known works; that dedication is apparent in all of these performances. Of all recordings of selections from Grieg's complete incidental music for Ibsen's PEER GYNT, Beecham's would probably rank near the top, if not all the way at the top. The highlight of the performance, for me, is "Ase's Death", which I've never heard done as solemnly and beautifully (or as slowly) as it is here by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra strings under Beecham's direction. The rest is just as vividly characterized (wonderful "Morning", especially), with Ilse Hollweg making for a touching Solveig in "Solveig's Song" and "Solveig's Lullaby".

As for the fill-ups: Grieg's "Symphonic Dance No. 2" may not be a very substantial work, but Beecham makes a good case for it, wonderfully sentimental in the outer sections and troubled in the middle section. The concert overture "In Autumn" is also a fun and dramatic work; and the "Old Norwegian Folksong with Variations" is full of life and color through its many variations, especially in its final ones. The recorded sound is rich, warm analogue that truly brings out the luster of these performances. All in all, these are some terrifically authoritative Grieg performances from a conductor who apparently loved these works and was able to translate that affection into performance. Highly recommended.

A CLASS ACT.......2004-02-20

Much as I dislike the word, it's simplest to use it - Beecham had class. I do not believe I can even think of anything he ever did badly, or anything that is lacking in grace and elegance. There is strength there too, and obviously a touch (or more than just a touch) of arrogance. He was no great enthusiast for Bach, Beethoven or Brahms, and it's hard not to suspect that this was at least partly because these gardens of the muses were particularly well-tended by so many others. He was impatient and easily exasperated by Bruckner and Vaughan Williams, and I have to confess so am I. That left a great deal for Beecham to outshine all others in, and here he is outshining them all in Grieg's Peer Gynt.

It does not seem to me that Grieg is even remotely equal to the theme of Ibsen's Peer Gynt, which I believe rivals the story of Faust itself in its contemplation of the issues of love, death and redemption. Grieg does not have the `size' for that. What he is able to do is embroider the theme with musical numbers that are by turns picturesque, sentimental and sometimes even deeply felt beyond mere sentiment. It is a kind of music that called up Beecham's special wizardry in particular. The opening wedding march has the familiar Beecham swagger, the trolls in the Hall of the Mountain King are almost worthy of Peter Jackson, the hackneyed Morning breaks like the first morning, and Ase's death strikes a deeper note. Here the composer actually does get somewhere close, in a simplified way, to the complex tenderness and pathos of the scene where Gynt eases the worn-out old woman out of this world. The orchestral tone Beecham obtains near the end, and the exquisite timing of the final chords, are things worth getting this disc for on their own. Ilse Hollweg as Solveig is quite outstanding in the famous Solveig's Song and in the final lullaby.

For its time the recorded quality is quite extraordinarily good. Beecham was particularly adept at obtaining good recordings, by what combination of personal magnetism and outright intimidation I don't know although it's probably easy to guess. There is a fine little selection of makeweights bringing the playing time of the set to an hour and a quarter.

One of the best of the series.......2001-10-16

These performances are so good they actually made me reconsider the music. Prior to hearing Beecham's recording the only Grieg that I found really enjoyable were his lyric pieces played by Emil Gilels - and frankly I wondered how much of that could be attributed to Gilels. Modern versions of his orchestral music always felt a little empty and, inevitably, failed to inspire repeated listenings. This recording is so alive, vibrant and emotionally communicative that it's now a firm and much listened to favourite. Also the sound quality is hard to believe - over forty years old and it sounds better than almost all modern orchestral recordings - lots of detail and a lifelike warm tone. The recent remastering process used by EMI seems to work its wonders best with these 50's and 60's analog recordings. Anyway, this is the sort of CD I'd like to buy as a present for a good friend - just fantastic music making.

Well deserves its rosette award........2001-01-12

Beecham's recording of Grieg's Peer Gynt incidental music has been one of his most frequently reissued items since its first 1957 release. Purists and fuss-budgets might cavil at the vocal items being sung in German and the omission of two of the twelve items from the complete score, but there are enough merits to make this preferable to all other versions. The inimitable swagger, the tenderness, the beauty of phrasing, and the finely judged balancing of orchestral textures that Beecham could achieve are everywhere to be heard. Other Grieg works conducted by Beecham, less well-known, have been added, to provide 76 minutes of listening. Digital remastering has enhanced and clarified the stereo originals. This is one of the few CDs to receive a rosette in the prestigious Penguin Guide To Compact Discs.

Average customer rating:

One of the best of the Masterworks series
Will not buy this
Worth it!
Great way to jumpstart a schubert collection
Better to Pick a Few First-rate Performances

Schubert: The Masterworks [Box Set]

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ecossaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Mendelssohn: The Masterworks [Box Set]
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ASIN: B00062FLJC
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Customer Reviews:

One of the best of the Masterworks series.......2007-07-06

Brilliant Classics' "Masterworks" series, if you can get them cheaply (and currently they go for about $1/CD from Amazon's France Web site), are a great way to amass a significant library of the works of several great computers. The production values and the performances themselves are uneven, and the interpretations are not always historically-informed (unlike the bulk of Brilliant's "Complete Editions" of the works of Bach and Mozart). But there are numerous gems in the rough in The Masterworks, and the economic value is unsurpassed, even if you were to throw away half of the CDs in each set.

You're unlikely to throw away much of this Schubert collection though. This seems to be the finest of the Masterworks sets, with a succession of solid, often first-rate performances of most of the major Schubert works. Here's what you get:

- The symphonies, performed by The Hanover Band in a historically-informed style. Very interesting performances perhaps marred by an odd recording balance that makes the woodwinds sound distant. Takes up four CDs
- The six Latin masses. Also the Deutsche Messe in the version with wind instruments. Five CDs in all
- Edison Denisov's completion of Schubert's unfinished dramatic work Lazarus (2 CDs, Helmuth Rilling's premier recording)
- The last four string quartets (including the Quartettsatz) with #9 thrown in. Also the octet, piano quintet ("The Trout"), string quintet and both piano trios. In short all the canonical chamber works. Performances are strong, and well recorded
- Two CDs of violin/piano duets, including Op. 137 and Op. 162
- 19 of the 21 "canonical" piano sonatas (missing #7 and #12) as well as the Moments Musicaux, Impromptus, German Dances, Wanderer Fantasy and several other piano works, 11 CDs in all. As with the chamber music, the performances and recordings are strong, often stunning
- Two CDs of piano duets, including the Divertissements and D. 617
- Song cycles: Die Schöne Müllerin, Winterreise, Schwanengesang, and four CDs of standalone songs, including such "standards" as Erlkönig and Gretchen am Spinnrade. The singers are a bit uneven here, ranging from standouts Robert Holl, Deitrich Fischer-Dieskau and John Shirley-Quirk to the somewhat shrill Arleen Augér

Missing from the collection is Rosamunde, and a number of famous songs: Die Forelle (The Trout), Death and the Maiden, Ellens Gesang III (the so-called Ave Maria, D. 839), Der Hirt auf dem Felsen and Der Wanderer. But you do have almost all the important instrumental works, and most of the vocal works generally considered to be essential, with some padding added in the form of minor works such as the parochial Deutsche Messe, the German Dances, and the modernist-informed completion of Lazarus by the 20th Century Russian composer Denisov.

As with the other Masterworks sets, there are no program notes. You'll need to do your own research. Answers.com is a good starting point for Schubert compositions. There are also no song texts or translations provided, so again you'll need to track down your own. Try "The Lied and Art Song Texts Page" for lieder lyrics and translations. Hunt down a good price on this collection, browsing one of Amazon's European sites if necessary, and treat yourself to many hours of lovely music for the cost of a modest night out.

Will not buy this.......2007-03-16

I can't see D965 or D945 on this 40 disks worth of Schubert. Bizarre! There are so many great songs missing it scares me.

Worth it!.......2006-12-19

One of the best in "The Masterpices" series. Many of the discs (the symphonies in particular) were licensed from Nimbus and other full-line labels. Not all that long ago these discs would have set you back $18 to $20 a piece. That said, I still wouldn't part with my Hyperion collection. 40 CD's at this price... you can't go wrong.

Great way to jumpstart a schubert collection.......2006-12-19

Hartmut Holl, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Stephanie Brown, and Jaime Laredo as well as the Stuttgart Bach Collegium performing Schubert are hardly "left-behind artists and ensembles" as the previous naysayer states. These are licensed from major label releases and from the original masters issued at a bargain price, especially for the number of discs you get. Sound quality ranges from good to excellent. Good for all Schubertians and anyone who wants to jumpstart a Schubert collection.

Better to Pick a Few First-rate Performances.......2006-11-14

This is a bargain in dollar/listening time ratio, but who cares? There are many second-rate performances by left-behind artists and ensembles. Obviously the economics of resurrecting disks that don't require royalties has been the driving factor of selection. (On the other hand, the complete edition boxed sets of Bach and Mozart, which you'll find if you look, are stupendous successes artistically.)

Original Masters: Leopold Stokowski: Decca Recordings 1964-1975 [BOX SET]

Average customer rating:

My own life is behind these recordings
Don't go for broke unless you're a die-hard Stokowski fan
More Sensational Stokowski

Original Masters: Leopold Stokowski: Decca Recordings 1964-1975 [BOX SET]

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00067R3BQ
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Customer Reviews:

My own life is behind these recordings.......2007-06-10

I can assure that one of the reason I love music is due to these recordings of Mr. Stokowsky. My father had the record of Scherezade and, though my father was an ignorant about cultivated music, he knew very well what to appreciate. We never argued when I played Beethoven's first symphony so loud, however, he always did when I played Rolling Stones so loud. I adore that he taught me to appreciate Rimsky-korsakov's music as well as Tchaikovsky's Capriccio Spagnolo so young. He was wise, on his way. I can't help to cry for him, listening to Borodin's Palatsovian dances, because, it is great music, and, having into account that I used to love it by Mr. Stokowsky's work, it doubles my crying and my remembrance. He loved the record so much. I love you, daddy.

Don't go for broke unless you're a die-hard Stokowski fan.......2006-09-22

When Stokowski began to make Phase 4 recordings for Decca in 1964, he was already 82, but he hadn't lost his energy or his tendency to shape music in outlandish ways. I mostly love him, but this box set duplicates recordings that can be found on the Cala label, which has been releasing everything Stokowski in the world, and on Decca single CDs if you go to the used market.

I mention this because the whole box set, Vol. 2 in the Original Masters series, continas some forgettable performances, in particular the rhythmically slack Beethoven Sym. 5 and 7, the over-highlighted Schubert 'Unfinished,' and a live Brahms First that seems manic and forced too much of the time. However, if you think of Stokowski having little to offer in the German classics, here is an exceptional Beethoven Ninth, one of the best things from his late career and wonderful in every way.

Decca knows that the crowd-pleasers are the gaudy, multi-miked Phase 4 versions of Scheherazade, as bombastic as you could imagine, and lots of Russian fare, including Stoki's signature synthesis from Boris Godunov. The 1812 Over., by the way, isn't over the top and yet needed to be. Finally, this German-Russian collection contains a thrilling disc of Wagner excerpts, much of it grossly over-miked, but at its core containing very impressive, vital interpretations.

In all, I'd select the Wagner, the Beethoven Ninth, and the legendary Scheherazade as the best things here. Buy them separately or take the plunge for this whole box, your choice.

More Sensational Stokowski.......2005-06-08

It took me a while to purchase this six-disc set in UNI's "Original Masters" series, but I finally did this past weekend. Classical music fans seem to either love or hate Leopold Stokowski (I, of course, love him), and unfortunately much of "Decca Recordings 1964-75, Volume 2" will be old news to serious devotees of the conductor. While I'm not familiar with the complete Decca back-catalog, at least three full discs worth of material have been previously available in the old "Weekend Classics" series -- Beethoven's 5th & 7th, Beethoven's 9th, and the Wagner selections. (I'm pretty sure the Rimsky-Korsakov material on disc five, and the Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky pieces on disc six have been issued prior too.) This is good news for those who came to collecting classical CDs late (like me) because while the Wagner is still available individually, the Beethovens have been fetching absurd prices in the Amazon Marketplace. The only material receiving its first international release is contained on disc 3 -- a Schubert "Unfinished" with the London Philharmonic from 1969 and a rousing live performance of the Brahms 1st with the London Symphony on the occasion of the conductor's 60th anniversary leading that body. The original instruments crowd will surely turn up their noses at these legendary performances, but me, I'll just sit back and listen to some more sensational sounding Stokowski.

The Top 100 Masterpieces of Classical Music (Box Set)

Average customer rating:

Decent Quality, But a Little Rushed
Decent, but not exciting
Decent, but not exciting
Sounds good to me.
Wonderful Selection

The Top 100 Masterpieces of Classical Music (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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