Sorcerer

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
After six years without any new recordings, pioneering ambient artist Michael Stearns has unleashed a torrent of music with three releases on his own Earth Turtle label and this CD with Ron Sunsinger on Spotted Peccary. In a way, Sorcerer is an extension of their 1994 album, Singing Stones, but Sorcerer is an even more abstract and experimental work. Inspired by the spiritual writings of Carlos Castaneda, Stearns and Sunsinger create a dark and perilous world. On an album that's more sound design than music, they mix electric and acoustic sounds from prepared guitar to bowed metal with environmental recordings. Electronically processed, reversed, and otherwise distorted, they emerge with a surrealism that makes Dali seem like a hardcore realist painter. There are no rhythms to grab onto and no melodies to speak of until the very last track, when Peruvian shaman Don Augustine Rivas sings an Ayahuasca Icarro song. Until that respite, it's a tableau of demonic groans, shuddering metal on metal, and turbulent free falls, all orchestrated into a shifting, enveloping, and precarious soundscape. --John Diliberto

Alternate Music Press
I praise Spotted Peccary for releasing this album...far above the achievements of many current instrumental releases.

Sorcerer

Sorcerer,Michael Stearns & Ron Sunsinger,Spotted Peccary,Contemporary Instrumental,New Age,New Age / Meditation,Pop,Progressive Electronic,Space

Sorcerer

Tracks:

Prologue
The Arrival of Baby Harry
Visit to the Zoo and Letters from Hogwarts
Diagon Alley and The Gringotts Vault
Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters and The Journey to Hogwarts
Entry into the Great Hall and The Banquet
Mr. Longbottom Flies
Hogwarts Forever! and The Moving Stairs
The Norwegian Ridgeback and A Change of Season
The Quidditch Match
Christmas at Hogwarts
The Invisibility Cloak and The Library Scene
Fluffy's Harp
In the Devil's Snare and The Flying Keys
The Chess Game
The Face of Voldemort
Leaving Hogwarts
Harry's Wondrous World
Hedwig's Theme

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

You needn't see the film of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone to appreciate the wonder, magic, and fearful chills of J.K. Rowling's phenomenal bestseller in John Williams's outstanding score. Williams typically avoids the source material for the films he scores, but he reportedly derived great pleasure and inspiration from Rowling's first Harry Potter adventure, and created a perfect motif (fully expressed in "Hedwig's Theme") to dominate his score. It's first heard as a dreamy celesta waltz and embellished through myriad incarnations and moods, often with a sinister edge befitting the darker tones of Chris Columbus's direction. Evident are fantastical allusions to Saint-Saëns and Tchaikovsky (among others), and Williams's epic track is "Quidditch Match," a breathtaking frenzy to accompany the film's dazzling highlight. And while Williams occasionally flirts with self-plagiarism (with inevitable variants of his Hook and Star Wars themes), this is nevertheless a richly regal score that brilliantly evokes the mystery and magic of Harry Potter's world. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

A must have..........2007-07-30

This is a must have for any REAL HP fan.....had to have it! Along w/ the other ones available :)

Rather good.......2007-07-27

While it's not like the scores for LOTR, it's certainly along those lines. There's really a lot to be said for a live symphony orchestra instead of synthesized electronics playing a score by a renowned composer.

Excellent.......2007-07-27

This CD is brilliant! A must for any fan of Harry Potter and classical music.

Soundtrack from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Movie.......2007-05-17

We love the music from this composer (John Williams - also composed Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Superman) to begin with and wanted this soundtrack. It doesn't disappoint. My children are so excited about the upcoming HP movie that we play this soundtrack on the way to school each morning.

John Willams at his best!.......2007-02-20

This soundtrack is great. As you listen you can visualize what's happening just by the music! Lovely!

Average customer rating:

Just for kids?? No way!!
The best classical album for kids!
Great for Preschool Children

Classics for Kids

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

$7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Classical Music for Children: A Toddler's Introduction to Classical Music
Children's Favorites
Bernstein Favorites: Children's Classics
Pavarotti's Opera Made Easy-My Favourite Opera For Children
Peter and the Wolf / Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra / Carnival of the Animals

ASIN: B000003FE3
Release Date: 1993-06-08

Tracks:

The Nutcracker Excerpts (Tchaikovsky)
The Nutcracker Excerpts (Tchaikovsky)
The Nutcracker Excerpts (Tchaikovsky)
Parade of The Wooden Soldiers (Jessel-MacDonald)
Carnival of The Animals Excerpts (Saint-Saens)
Carnival of The Animals Excerpts (Saint-Saens)
Carnival of The Animals Excerpts (Saint-Saens)
THe Girl With The Flaxen Hair (Debussy)
Hoedown from Rodeo (Copland)
Little Waltz from The Toy Box (Debussy)
Viennese Musical Clock from Hary Janos (Kodaly)
Mother Goose Suite Excerpts (Ravel)
Mother Goose Suite Excerpts (Ravel)
March of the Siamese Children from The King and I (Rogers)
Dreams frin Scenes From Childhood ( Schumann)
March of The Toys from Babes In Toyland (Herbert)
Childhood Games Excerpts (Bizet)
Childhood Games Excerpts (Bizet)
The Toy Trumpet Al Hirt, trumpet (Scott)
The Little Train of Caipira (Villa-Lobos)
The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Dukas)
Waltz from The Sleeping Beauty (Tchaikovsky)
Lullaby (Brahms)

Customer Reviews:

Just for kids?? No way!!.......2005-04-08

This is wonderful classical music. If the kids like it, great! But, make no mistake about it, this is good for anyone. This is wonderful study music, reading music, or just plain relaxing music. Highlights include "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers"; "March of the Toys" (from BABES IN TOYLAND -- the reason I bought this CD); "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"; "The Little Train of Caipira" (no longer little when the music is over); and the audience favorite "Hoedown" (i.e. "Beef, it's what's for dinner!").

If you're into that whole thing of classical music sharpening a youngster's intellect, then this won't disappoint. If you're just into good old fashioned classical music in general, it won't disappoint you either. Also, I highly recommend to both groups the classical CD BUILD YOUR BABY'S BRAIN.

The best classical album for kids!.......2002-12-12

This is a wonderful album. Very high quality, and every selection is beautiful. My daughter (who usually asks me to turn my classical music off) loves to pretend to gallop like a horse during "Rodeo" and march like a soldier during "Parade of the wooden soldiers". This is a pleasure for the whole family!

Great for Preschool Children.......2000-10-12

I use this CD with my preschool music group. The kids love it! This CD enables children learn about classical music without over extending their attention spans.

Average customer rating:

Children's Favorites a solid purchase
The perfect package
A Wonderful Introduction to the Classics

Children's Favorites

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Inventions | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Children's Music | Styles | Music

Compilations | Children's Music | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | Children's Music | Indie Music | Stores | Music

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

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

CDs Under $7 | Children's Music | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music

All Bargain Titles | Children's Music | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music

Classical Music for Children: A Toddler's Introduction to Classical Music
Classics for Kids
Pavarotti's Opera Made Easy-My Favourite Opera For Children
Bernstein Favorites: Children's Classics
World's Very Best Opera for Kids... in English!

ASIN: B00004Y6T3
Release Date: 2000-09-05

Tracks:

March Of The Tin Soldiers - Leon Jessel
Variations On 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' - Walter Klien
The Nutcracker: Dance Of The Reed Flutes - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
The Nutcracker: Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
The Sorceror's Apprentice - Paul Dukas
Peter And The Wolf (Extract) - Brandon de Wilde
Invention No. 8 In F Major - Christiane Jaccottet
Invention No. 11 in G Minor - Christiane Jaccottet
Invention No. 13 in A Minor - Christiane Jaccottet
Prelude And Fugue No. 21 In B Flat Major (Book 1) - Christiane Jaccottet
Sonata For 2 Pianos In D Major, K. 448, 1st Mvt. - Rudolf Firkusny
III. Allegretto - Walter Klien
Kinderszenen: Of Strange Lands And People - Walter Klien
Kinderszenen: Curious Story - Walter Klien
Kinderszenen: Entreating Child - Walter Klien
Kinderszenen: Perfect Happiness - Walter Klien
Introduction And Royal March - Marylene Dosse
The Elephant - Marylene Dosse
Kangaroos - Marylene Dosse
The Aquarium - Marylene Dosse
Cuckoo In The Woods - Marylene Dosse
Birds - Marylene Dosse
Fossils - Marylene Dosse
The Swan - Marylene Dosse
Finale - Marylene Dosse

Customer Reviews:

Children's Favorites a solid purchase.......2006-03-09

This CD mostly delivered what was expected of it. The only critique I have is that some of the tempos could have been cleaner, and that it should be cross-referenced by the other composers besides J. S. Bach.

The perfect package.......2005-10-23

This is the most wonderful collection to have on 1 CD. Children from birth on up can benefit from this musical collage.
Songs from the "Nutcracker" are familiar and comfortable for many children. What child wouldn't love "March of the Tin Soldiers?"
Selections from Saint-Saens' "Carnival of the Animals" is a must in my creative movement library. Every child should be exposed to this music. Well,I believe every age should be.

A Wonderful Introduction to the Classics.......2003-03-11

With total playing time clocking in at 78:04 minutes of music, you'll be paying about 6-cents/minute, which is a better bargain than long distance phone calls, and often more rewarding!

This disc is far superior than most other "Classics for Kids"-type recordings I've sampled for a number of reasons:

1) This album was expertly engineered. The production quality on this disc is first-rate from start to finish with crisp, clear sound.

2) The pieces were expertly picked. There is wonderful sonic variety here, spanning hundreds of years of wonderful melodies. There are orchestral pieces, harpsichord pieces, solo piano, and a piano concerto, capped off with Saint-Seans whimsical Carnival of the Animals. What kid (or adult) wouldn't love that?

3) The performances are, without exeption, expert! The pieces were definately screened for quality as well as content. Many are simply a joy to behold. Walter Klein is a particular stand-out, almost giddily prancing through Schumann's pieces. Believe it or not, he sounds even more impressive when backed up by the always inspiring Minnesota Orchestra on Mozart's Piano Concerto #17.

Tracks:

Toccata And Fugue In D Minor - (by Bach)
The Nutcracker Suite Op.71A: Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy
The Nutcracker Suite Op.71A: Chinese Dance
The Nutcracker Suite Op.71A: Dance Of The Reed Flutes
The Nutcracker Suite Op.71A: Arabian Dance
The Nutcracker Suite Op.71A: Russian Dance
The Nutcracker Suite Op.71A: Waltz Of The Flowers
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Rite Of Spring

Tracks:

Symphony No.6 ('Pastoral') Op.68: I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Symphony No.6 ('Pastoral') Op.68: II. Andante Molto Mosso
Symphony No.6 ('Pastoral') Op.68: III. Allegro/IV. Allegro/V. Allegretto
Dance Of The Hours (From The Opera 'La Gioconda')
A Night On Bald Mountain
Ave Maria Op.52 No.6

Amazon.com essential recording

It's hard to believe now that Walt Disney's bold 1940 impressionistic experiment in wedding then-state-of-the-art animation with classical music was a rather resounding failure upon its release. The cliché proves the rule: Fantasia was decades ahead of its time (Disney even launched a "psychedelic"-themed rerelease campaign in the late '60s). It's even harder to fathom that then-Disney management spent over a million dollars in the early '80s replacing the muscular Leopold Stokowski score with a digitally recorded clone, then another undisclosed fortune to digitize Leo and put him back alongside Mickey at the conductor's podium in the '90s! This much-traveled Stokowski score will gain no points for subtlety (a symphonic Shaq attack is more like it), but it was Walt's first--and only!--choice and has never sounded better. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Mickey mouse on cover, elevator music for 70 year olds.......2007-06-04

I bought it a couple of years ago looking at the cover but was extremely disappointed when my 18-month old insisted on "Mickey" today and I chucked it into my DVD player. Our baby started crying aloud suggesting "what is this rap?" Disney folks ought to know better not try and market elevator music for 70-year olds to little toddlers regardless of how fantasia the cover looks like!

Optical soundtrack recording limitations.......2007-03-05

The soundtrack recordings for "Fantasia" were provided
to the theaters of 1940 as optical tracks on the side
of the film being shown. Such recordings cannot be
compared to the magnetic tape recordings made after WWII
(using captured or "liberated" German machines at first),
to say nothing of the current digital technology.

An analog optical soundtrack on motion picture film was
bad enough, but the film itself was nitrate, notorious
for disintegrating over a relatively short period of time,
as well as for its flammability. The prints in
circulation wore out until "the sound had gotten so bad,
theaters were refusing to book the film" according to a
Disney spokesman quoted in the New York Times of March
11, 1982.

Stokowski knew what a difference stereo recording made,
compared to mono, because almost a decade earlier, he and
the Philadelphia Orchestra participated (without the
players' knowledge) in a series of experimental high
fidelity and stereo disc recordings made by Bell
Telephone Labs. At the time, Bell Labs and Western
Electric tried to interest several manufacturers of
phonographs in the new technology, but the Great
Depression was underway, and the idea of marketing
phonographs with two stylii and two loudspeakers was
deemed unfeasible. (The Bell system had 33-1/3 rpm
discs with two parallel grooves, requiring two stylii
for playback.)

The Fantasound process, as I understand it, required a
theater to install a single loudspeaker behind the screen
and three loudspeakers along each of the two side walls,
resembling somewhat today's "surround sound." But the
idea was not to produce true stereo sound, but rather
the "ping-pong" stereo concept, with the sounds from the
loudspeakers following the cartoon characters as they
moved back and forth across the screen.

I sometimes wonder if the original recordings were made
with discs, not on soundtrack film -- in which case they
might still exist somewhere in the Disney archives. The
many thousands of original cartoon animation cels used to
create the film images were not treated as archival
material, such as the original Technicolor negatives
of "Gone With The Wind" which were stored in underground
Kansas caves, where the temperature remained steady for
decade after decade. Instead, the cels were either
destroyed or individually distributed to interested
parties. All told, it's remarkable that the film and
soundtrack have survived almost seventy years in the
shape they're in.

Stokowski was not thrilled with the end product
of "Fantasia" because, reportedly, Disney engineers
played with his recording, snipping off beats to match
the animation and enhancing crescendos. Stravinsky --
the only composer represented who was still living at
the time -- also was appalled at Stokowski's rearrangement
of his work (which Stravinsky sold to Disney for $5,000
because he needed the money at the time), to say nothing
of the dinosaurs prancing about to his ballet. The 1940
audiences were either outraged (the purists), puzzled or
bored (the general public), or snickering that Disney
had "lost it" (the film industry). But some of us loved it.

Yet "Fantasia," like "The Rite of Spring," proved far
more durable than its critics could imagine. At the
time, I was familiar with the music of Beethoven's Sixth
Symphony, Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker", Bach's "Ave Maria,"
and even Ponchielli's "Dance of the Hours," but "The Rite
of Spring," and "The Sorceror's Apprentice," and "Night on
Bald Mountain" as well as Bach's "Toccata and Fugue" were
revelations for me. I didn't know then that Stokowski
tinkered with those scores, but now I have a large number
of various performances of all of them in my recording
collection. My "Fantasia" recordings were issued on LPs
in the 1970s and are treasured as historic artifacts.

In effect, that is what this two-CD album is. It's a
mistake to listen to it as performances comparable to
modern digital recordings. Enjoy them for what they are
- historical efforts to popularize classical music.

Richard Q. Hofacker, Jr., Basking Ridge, NJ

Review of soundtrack Fantasia issues.......2007-02-16

Thanks to the other reviewers for honest opinions on sound quality of this product issue. The FANTASIA soundtrack deserved better, and fortunitely, I once bought a 2-volume cassette edition of Fantasia, remastered original soundtrack edition, purchased at Tomorrowland souvenir shop at Disneyland back in 1990. Still have it, in great condition box set, and even the new boom boxes sold in todays market, feature cassette and cd play. Muchos grac!

Fantasia.......2007-01-10

I am satisfied that the CD is of the original production of Fantasia, which I feel is superior to the current DVD. I hope that a DVD version of the original version will be made available at some time. The sound quality leaves a little to be desired, however.

low-fi fantasia.......2007-01-10

I was disapointed with the low-fi recording. I realize the soundtrack is from the 1940's, but I assumed it has been re-mastered. Rather muddy sound.

The Music of John Williams: 40 Years of Film Music

Average customer rating:

Very disappointing, considering what it could have been
Always a pleaser
JOHN WILLIAMS 40 Years of Film Music
Movie Music Magic & Memorabilia
John Williams: 40 Years of Outstanding Film Music

The Music of John Williams: 40 Years of Film Music

Manufacturer: Silva America
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Star Wars | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

John Williams - Greatest Hits 1969 - 1999
Jerry Goldsmith: 40 Years of Film Music
The Essential Elmer Bernstein Film Music Collection
John Barry: The Collection
Summon the Heroes

ASIN: B0000C6K09
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Tracks:

The Sugarland Express-Main Theme
Jaws-Main Theme
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind-Suite
Raiders Of The Lost Ark-March
Raiders Of The Lost Arc-The Map Room:Dawn
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrail-Adventures On Earth
Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom-Mine Car Chase
Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom-End Credits
Empire Of The Sun-Exsultate Justi
Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade-Indy's First Adventure

Tracks:

Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade-End Credits
Always-Follow Me/Dorinda's Solo Flight
Hook-Main Themes
Jurassic Park-Main Themes
Schindler's List-Main Theme
Amistad-Dry Your Tears, Afrika
Saving Private Ryan-Hymn To The Fallen
A.I. Artificial Intelligence-Where Dreams Are Made
Minority Report
Catch Me If You Can

Tracks:

The Rare Breed-Suite (Universal Emblem/Hilary's Plight/Scottish Romeo/The Hunt)
Jane Eyre-Suite: The Jane Eyre Theme
Jane Eyre-Suite: To Thornfield
Jane Eyre-Suite: Restoration
The Cowboys-Overture
The Poseidon Adventure-Prelude
The Towering Inferno-Main Titles
Family Plot-End Titles
The Fury-Main Titles
Superman-Main Theme
Dracula-Main Titles & Storm
The River-Main Theme & Love Theme
The Witches Of Eastwick- Dance Of The Witches

Tracks:

Born On The Fourth Of July-End Credits
Presumed Innocent-End Titles
JFK-Arlington/End Titles
Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone-Hedwig's Theme
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets-Fawkes The Phoenix
Star Wars: A New Hope- Main Theme
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back-Hans Solo And The Princess
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back-The Imperial March
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace- Anakin's Theme
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace-The Flag Parade
Star Wars: Attack Of The Clones-Across The Stars
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace-Duel Of The Fates

Customer Reviews:

Very disappointing, considering what it could have been.......2007-04-20

Take a look at the running times:

Disc 1: 60 minutes
Disc 2: 50 minutes
Disc 3: 61 minutes
Disc 4: 58 minutes

What gives Silva? There is *MUCH* more John Williams in the silva screen back catalogue by the Prague Philharmonic than what is in this set, and thats not including their entire discs devoted to Star Wars Films, Indiana Jones Trilogy etc. Why isn't Hook "When You're Alone" included on Disc 2? There's room. Why isn't 1941 on Disc 1? There's room. Why isn't Earthquake on Disc 3? There's room. Why isn't Far and Away on disc 4? There's room. Where's the other ten minutes of the Rare Breed suite on disc 3? Why isn't Midway on disc 1? Where are the Land of the Giants, Time Tunnel and Lots In Space tv themes? Etc. Etc. Etc.

C'mon Silva, most of these 4 disc mega boxes released in the past few years are packed to the brim, but not this one, and with new recordings made after this was released (the terminal, munich, geisha, war of the worlds, star wars ep 3, harry potter 3), it only makes sense for a "re-do" in the next couple of years.

Further, with Silva releasing the 100 Greatest Film Themes on six discs in a couple of months, it's only a matter of time before we see the ultimate six disc john williams set.

This isn't a BAD set to own, but it could have been much better and when compared to the Jerry Goldsmith and John Barry sets in this same series, this one is a major letdown.

Always a pleaser.......2007-03-31

I listen to music all day with patients in my dental chair. This one is a winner with everyone. Patients always comment on how they recognize a song. Who doesn't love John Williams? His music transcends time.

JOHN WILLIAMS 40 Years of Film Music.......2007-01-10

This 4 cd pack is an anthology of all John Williams works. From his earlier works "The Poseidon Adventure" and "Jaws" right through "Indiana Jones" and the most recent"Star Wars" prequel movies are included. Williams work in thriller and horror are also included. If you are into soundtracks and love movie music this is an essential buy. The quality of the music is excellent. With ten or more tracks on each cd it's well worth the money.

Movie Music Magic & Memorabilia.......2006-12-13

This four CD set expands on the previously released John Williams Greatest Hits. It's a grand collection of nearly four hours of famous music scores from over forty years. There are many songs never before available in any collection. The short liner notes tell a great tale of musical movie history and include all of his numerous award nominations and wins. Each song (oddly enough) mentions the actors and the director, so fond are John Williams's memories of his work with these people. All of the conductors are mentioned along with specific orchestras, choirs, arrangement and orchestration specialists and even the publishers (contractual, I am sure). The only things missing are his early television scores, such as those for "Lost In Space" (by Johnny Williams back then). But with four discs, one has nothing to complain about and everything to enjoy!

John Williams: 40 Years of Outstanding Film Music.......2006-11-28

I have been a huge fan of John Williams and I have known about his music for years. However, I never actually bought any of his music on CD. I was rather skeptical about purchasing this CD but when it arrived I knew I had made the right choice. The sound quality of the compilation is outstanding. The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra do a great job under the direction of Paul Bateman. The original London Symphony Orchestra CDs of John Williams' Star Wars Trilogy CDs are marginally better but this is still a great CD compilation. If you love ET, Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Harry Potter, you will love this compilation soundtrack. Buy it, listen to these CDs in the car and enjoy every minute of the collection!!!

Average customer rating:

Not all that impressed
Fifty Very Talented Fingers...
The Browns are Great
Outstanding Young Pianists
Disappointed

The 5 Browns
The 5 Browns
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

No Boundaries
No Boundaries
Romance Of The Violin (Live From New York In Concert)
Ancora
Greatest Hits Volume One

ASIN: B0006HHU5A
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Tracks:

Rimsky-Korsakov: Flight of the Bumble Bee
Bernstein: Scenes from West Side Story
Dukas: The Sorcerers Apprentice
Ravel: La Valse (po choraphique)
Friedman: Tabati usique, Op. 33 No. 3
Rachmaninoff: Moments musicaux, Op. 16 No. 4
Rachmaninoff: Ele from Morceaux de fantaisie, Op. 3
Debussy: LIsle joyeuse
Prokofiev: Sonata No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 28
Bowen: Toccata, Op. 155
Grieg: In the Hall of the Mountain King, from Peer Gynt, Op. 23

Amazon.com

Their story is truly one of the more unusual tales of classical music today. Pop music has produced world-famous examples of all-in-the-family groups (which typically gave way to one or two solo stars as the years passed). And of course there's the Trapp Family singers of The Sound of Music fame. But the sibling pianists known as the 5 Browns are in a category all their own. They've gotten mega-exposure from profiles on 60 Minutes, Oprah, and the like as the first example in the history of the esteemed Juilliard School of Music in which five members of the same family have won admission (scholarships at that!) and studied concurrently. But if this sounds like a P.T. Barnum publicity stunt, make no mistake: Desirae, Deondra, Gregory, Melody, and Ryan are the real thing--musicians of intense dedication and talent. Their debut CD offers different perspectives on this pianistic quintet. It's not surprising that the literature isn't exactly overflowing with arrangements for five pianos--so only 4 tracks here actually have all ten hands busy tickling the ivories (arrangements of "Flight of the Bumblebee," West Side Story scenes, The Sorcerer's Apprentice and music from Grieg's Peer Gynt). The flip DVD side includes videos of their amazing in-sync dexterity for "Flight" and the Bernstein excerpts, plus a charming interview introducing the very down-to-earth Browns. They talk about how they took to the piano, one by one, at a very early age and also point out that they remain each other's best friends, which helps them weather the stresses of the competitive classical performing arts world. Other tracks involve several four-hands settings and some solos (my own favorite is Melody's beautiful rendition of Debussy's gorgeous "L'Isle joyeuese"). We're sure to hear more from this amazingly talented family--whether as a group or as soloists. --Sarah Chin

Album Description

CD AUDIO SIDE: Entire Album

DVD SIDE: * Entire Album in 5.1 Surround Sound and enhanced LPCM Stereo * Video Performances: - Rimsky-Korsakov: The Flight of the Bumble Bee (arr. Jeffrey Shumway) - Bernstein: Scenes from "West Side Story" (arr. Kendall Briggs) * Exclusive interview footage with The 5 Browns This disc is intended to play on standard DVD and CD players. May not play on a limited number of models.

Customer Reviews:

Not all that impressed.......2007-06-01

I can't help but thinking that this is just another group of virtuoso kids that is being used for the fame of another. The music lacks fullness and invention, and tends to be a doubling of a lot of standard voicing. There is some ornamentation, and there's no doubt that each of these kids is a giften pianist, but as a group, I was not all that impressed. Cute group, though.

Fifty Very Talented Fingers..........2006-12-05

I got this CD for Christmas, and I was a little reluctant to listen to it, thinking "Oh what a yawn. Probably Mozart and Bach and--horror of horrors!--Rachmaninoff!" Well needless to say, boy was I wrong! I caught the name 'Bernstein' in the track listing, and although I had never really listened to Lenny's works, I always thought he sounded like an interesting guy, so in went the disc into the player, and on went 'Scenes from West Side Story.' I listened to it once. I listened to it twice. The third time I was hooked. I didn't recognize anything they were playing, but man it was good! It was awesome! The Browns' masterful piano version of Bernstein led me to explore deeper the marvellous music of West Side Story. To this day, after listening to recording after recording of Bernstein's West Side Story suites, the 5 Browns have a timeless rendition. It's positively brilliant. That's the only word for it--for them. They're glorious. Let classical music bore you no more, for the piano has found fifty VERY talented fingers to capture its beauty. Personally I think the very best track is West Side Story, but don't forget about The Flight of the Bumble Bee and the very fun In the Hall of the Mountain King. This is music at the height of its glory. And of course don't miss No Boundaries (note my review: I was the one who raved about The Firebird.) Enjoy, bambini!

The Browns are Great.......2006-08-04

I had vaguely heard of the Browns before I popped their CDs in my player. WOW!! What playing & what great enthusiasm. They obviously have fun making music together and they have the chops to make it exciting for the listener. Especially fun are the excerpts from Bernstein's West Side Story & Grieg's Peer Gynt. The DVD video bits are a nice bonus.

Outstanding Young Pianists.......2006-07-14

I was fortunate to see the 5 Browns in person therefore, it has been enjoyable to listen to the music that they performed in the concert. These 5 siblings are so refreshing and so talented. I recommend this CD to anyone who is looking for a CD that has outstanding piano music performed by 5 very talented young people.

Disappointed.......2006-06-07

BUYER BEWARE! When the CD Cover warns you that the "...audio side of this disc does not conform to CD specifications and therefore not all DVD and CD players will play the audio side of this disc." THEY ARE DEAD SERIOUS. I bought the album, tried it in FIVE different CD and CD/DVD players - NONE of them would play the CD. Fortunately, the retailer who I bought the CD/DVD from was willing to allow me to return it (sounds like they have had similar problems!) The 5 Browns are great artists, however, it is VERY disconcerting that their CD producers/manufacturers are putting these kind of limitations on their product.

Average customer rating:

Movie Themes CD
"three decades of film composers ~ Simply The Best"

Simply the Best Movie Themes

Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Great Movie Love Themes: Five Star Collection
Hollywood's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
Hollywood's Greatest Hits, Vol. 1
Paramount 90th Anniversary Collection: Scores
The Wings of a Film: The Music of Hans Zimmer

ASIN: B0001CNRL6
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Tracks:

Theme From Mission Impossible - Schifrin
Theme From Gladiator - Zimmer
Hedwig's Theme - Williams
Harry's Wondrous World - Williams
Allegro Moderato - Symphony No. 8 'Unfinished' - Schubert
Suite From Shakespeare In Love - Warbeck
Out Of Africa - Barry
Requiem, Rex Tremendae - Mozart
Prelude In E Minor, Op. 28, No. 4 - Chopin
Suite No. 3 In D, Air On The G String - J.S. Bach
I Will Always Love You - Parton
Symphony No. 40, Molto Allegro - Mozart
Finlandia - Sibelius
My Heart Will Go On - Horner

Tracks:

Theme From Lord Of The Rings - Shore
Overture To All That Jazz - Kander & Ebb
'Trout' Quintet, Theme, Andantino And Variations - Schubert
Prelude No. 15 In D-Flat - Chopin
Windmills Of Your Mind - LeGrand
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You - KAMEN
Theme From Schindler's List - Williams
Also Sprach Zarathustra, Excerpt - Strauss
Symphony No. 3, Lento Cantabile - Semplice - Gorecki
Die Walkure, Ride Of The Valkyries - Wagner
Goldberg Variations, Aria Da Capo - J.S. Bach
Theme From License To Kill - KAMEN
Sonata No. 8, Op. 13, 'Pathetique,' Andante Cantabile - Beethoven
Die Another Day - Arnold
Symphony No. 9, Ode To Joy, Excerpt - Beethoven

Customer Reviews:

Movie Themes CD.......2007-03-10

Very nice CD with beautiful music from past movies. Very relaxing music to listen to.

"three decades of film composers ~ Simply The Best".......2004-03-06

Rhino Movie Music presents "Simply The Best Movie Themes", featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and other various artists ~ within the realm of the following composers David Arnold, John Barry, Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, Wendy Carlos, Fred Ebb, James Horner, James Newton Howard, Michael Kamen, John Kander, Michel Legrand, Alex North, Basil Poledouris, Howard Shore, Wladyslaw Szpilman, Stephen Warbeck, John Williams and Hans Zimmer ~ each composer has created one or more of the scores in this twenty nine classic line up.

Film scores covering over three decades with "2001:SPACE ODYSSEY", "A CLOCKWORK ORANGE", "APOCALYPSE NOW", "THE BODYGUARD(I Will Always Love You)", "CHICAGO(Overture to All That Jazz), "DIE ANOTHER DAY", "EYES WIDE SHUT", "FEARLESS", "GLADIATOR(Theme)", "HANNIBAL", "HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE(Hedwig's Theme)", "HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE(Harry's Wondrous World)", "THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER", "JURASSIC PARK:THE LOST WORLD", "LICENSE TO KILL, "LIVING DAYLIGHTS", "THE LORD OF THE RINGS(Theme)", "MINORITY REPORT", "MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (Theme)", "OUT OF AFRICA", "THE PIANIST", "ROBIN HOOD, PRINCE OF THIEVES", "SCHINDLER'S LIST", "SE7EN", "SHADOWLANDS", "SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE", "THE SIXTH SENSE", "THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR"and "TITANIC(My Heart Will Go On)" ~ a mixture of original compositions and classics of the old masters. Loaded with not just themes, but full of orchestral arrangements that are fresh and rewarding ~ sure to bring back those special moments from the film.

The presentation is superb with every cue inclusive with spectacular performances from suspense, romance and adventure all rolled into a two disc package. Rhino must be commended on doing such a great job and doing it well. Most serious "film-score-buffs" will welcome this compilation, has many cues available all under one banner ~ Rhino Records...gotta love it!

Tracks:

The A-Team - Nic Raine
The Addams Family - Nic Raine
The Adventures Of Robinson Crusoe - Nic Raine
Airwolf - Derek Wadsworth
The Avengers - Mike Townend
Barnaby Jones - Jerry Goldsmith
Batman - Nic Raine
Battlestar Galactica - Nic Raine
Baywatch - Derek Wadsworth
Beverly Hills 90210 - Derek Wadsworth
Bewitched - Nic Raine
Between The Lines - Mark Ayres
The Bill - Nic Raine
Bonanza - The Philharmonia Orchestra
Brideshead Revisited - Derek Wadsworth
Buck Rogers In The 25th Century - Nic Raine
Burke's Law - Derek Wadsworth
Cagney And Lacey - Derek Wadsworth
Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons - Mark Ayres
Casualty - Mark Ayres
Cheers - Mark Ayres
Dallas - Nic Raine
Dangerman (Secret Agent) - Mike Townend
Doctor Who - Mark Ayres
Doctor Kildare - Jerry Goldsmith

Tracks:

Doogie Howser, M.D. - Derek Wadsworth
Dynasty - Nic Raine
The Equalizer - Derek Wadsworth
Falcon Crest - Derek Wadsworth
Fireball XL-5 - Derek Wadsworth
The Fugitive - Nic Raine
Hawaii 5-0 - Mike Townend
Hercules: The Legendary Journeys - Nic Raine
The High Chaparral - Nic Raine
Highway To Heaven - Derek Wadsworth
Hill Street Blues - Derek Wadsworth
The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy - Mark Ayres
The Incredible Hulk - Derek Wadsworth
Jason King - Mike Townend
Jesus Of Nazareth - Paul Bateman
Joe 90 - Derek Wadsworth
Johnny Staccato - Derek Wadsworth
Knight Rider - Derek Wadsworth
Kojak - Mike Townend
L.A. Law - Derek Wadsworth
Land Of The Giants - Nic Raine
Little House On The Prairie - Derek Wadsworth
Lonesome Dove - Nic Raine
Lost In Space - Nic Raine
Lou Grant - Derek Wadsworth

Tracks:

Magnum, P.I. - Derek Wadsworth
A Man Called Ironside - Mike Townend
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. - Derek Wadsworth
M*A*S*H - Nic Raine
Miami Vice - Mark Ayres
Mike Hammer - Derek Wadsworth
Mission Impossible - Mike Townend
Monty Python's Flying Circus - Nic Raine
The Munsters - Derek Wadsworth
Murder She Wrote - Derek Wadsworth
Newhart - Derek Wadsworth
North And South - Derek Wadsworth
Northern Exposure - Derek Wadsworth
NYPD Blue - Mark Ayres
The Outer Limits - Nic Raine
Perry Mason - Mike Townend
The Persuaders - Mark Ayres
Peter Gunn - Mike Townend
Police Squad - Nic Raine
The Prisoner - Mike Townend
Quantum Leap - Derek Wadsworth
Randall And Hopkirk (Deceased) - Mike Townend
Red Dwarf - Mark Lambert
The Rockford Files - Mike Post
Roseanne - Dan Foliart

Tracks:

The Saint - Mike Townend
Seaquest DSV - Nic Raine
Space 1999 - Derek Wadsworth
Star Trek - Mike Townend
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Derek Wadsworth
Star Trek: Voyager - Nic Raine
St. Elsewhere - Derek Wadsworth
The Streets Of San Francisco - Nic Raine
Stingray - Barry Gray
Taxi - Derek Wadsworth
Thunderbirds - Derek Wadsworth
Thirty Something - Derek Wadsworth
The Time Tunnel - Nic Raine
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy - The Philharmonia Orchestra
The Twighlight Zone - Nic Raine
Twin Peaks - Derek Wadsworth
U.F.O. - Derek Wadsworth
The Virginian - Nic Raine
Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea - Nic Raine
Wagon Train - Paul Bateman
The Waltons - Jerry Goldsmith
The Wild Wild West - Derek Wadsworth
Young Riders - John Debney
Xena: The Warrior Princess - Paul Bateman
The X-Files - Mark Ayres

Customer Reviews:

Two tracks I really like.......2007-07-21

The Mission Impossible theme is performed well.
The Fireball theme is actually much improved on this version. I prefer the orchestra and the vocals over the original.

Quantity Over Quality.......2007-01-15

As a musician myself, I know too well that one of the most important ingredients in ANY performance (live or recorded) is passion. The recordings here generally lack the same passion and sheer drama of the originals. Much of the instrumentation has been reduced to a cheezy, thin, plastic synthesized replica. The performances are simply a watered-down lackluster version of the classic originals. If it were not for the sheer volume of tracks compiled here, I would have rated the comp only "one star".

Mediocre.......2006-05-17

The sound quality for this collection isn't much better than the samples offered by Amazon.

One Hundred Greatest TV Themes.......2005-08-06

I have watched almost all the shows that are on these 4 cd's. Many were made before I started watching TV. Most I've seen once or twice before.

Pretty close to original recordings.......2005-07-24

Definitely not as good as the originals. You'll probably notice the slight differences since it's stuff you saw and listened to every week or everyday in reruns growing up, but it's still an amazing collection.

Average customer rating:

Classic Scary Music
Classical and great
Great collection, but they missed one
The Perfect Halloween-Themed Classical Album
Spooky Classical Music That Is Great For Halloween Or Anytime Of The Year!

Classics from the Crypt

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

$6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Halloween Hits
Chiller
Very Scary Music: Classic Horror Themes
Fright Night: Music that Goes Bump in the Night
Halloween Howls

ASIN: B000003FAI
Release Date: 1992-09-08

Tracks:

Toccata & Fugue In D Minor, BWV 565
Danse Macabre
Funeral March Of A Marionette - Arthur Fiedler
Night On Bald Mountain
Symphonie Fantastique - March To The Scaffold - Georges Pretre
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 - In The Hall Of The Mountain King
Mephisto Waltz - Fritz Reiner
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Symphonie Fantastique - Dream Of A Witches' Sabbath - Georges Pretre

Customer Reviews:

Classic Scary Music.......2007-01-10

If you're looking for classic haunted castle type scary music, this is a good CD.
Used this in a haunted maze in our basement, and it helped freak the kids out fairly well.

Classical and great.......2006-11-28

A must-have for your Halloween music collection. Different and strong, the music will definitely get you in the Halloween mood. I played it on my stereo while answering the door to trick-or-treaters. It made me feel "oh-so-spooky" and festive.

Great collection, but they missed one.......2006-06-10

An excellent compilation of the darker side of classical music, although I would have preferred a different rendition of Toccata and Fugue in D (New York Philharmonic perhaps), it's still quite good.

But how could the series producer leave off Ravel's Pavane For a Dead Princess? It's preferable to Symphonie Fantastique - March to The Scaffold, plus Berlioz already makes an appearance with Dream of a Witches' Sabbath. If there was room, Verdi's Requiem would have been a nice addition too.

So I have to go with 4 stars only.

The Perfect Halloween-Themed Classical Album.......2005-10-17

What better way to celebrate Halloween than by throwing a party and popping this recording on the stereo. This is classical music with a Halloween theme. Conductors Eugene Ormandy and George Pretre (whom I would have never believed did this kind of stuff) conducts classical music with a dark and Gothic twist. The cover is attrative- a cartoon drawing of the Phantom of the Opera playing on his organ. The first track is Bach's Toccata and Fugue for organ in D minor. It is genuinely considered a Halloween piece, and has been associated with such films as Dracula. The malevolent sound of the Toccata (the opening chords) are especially memorable. Danse Macabre was Saint Saen's ode to Halloween and it is a devilish waltz for violin. Gounod's Funeral March of a Marionette became famous for the theme to Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Night on Bald Mountain by Mussorgsky was used in Disney's Fantasia, in the last segment and is very frightening and brisk. Lisz's Mephisto Waltzes are piano pieces that evoke a wild frenzy but I find nothing dark about it. It is difficult music to play however. The music of Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique utilizes many horror themes. In the Romantic Era, Gothic lore spread and such figures as Mary Shelley and Bram Stroker would write novels of Gothic horror -Frankenstein and Dracula. In the Symphony Fantastique, a young man falls in love with an elusive woman. He imagines she is unfaithful to him and then has a disturbing dream in which she is a witch in a coven. Then he is marched to a scaffold and beheaded. The music is very compelling and dark. All the music here is great to listen to on Halloween and the conductors and orchestra play them well. A must have.

Spooky Classical Music That Is Great For Halloween Or Anytime Of The Year!.......2005-10-16

I love Classical music, it is one of my favorite styles of music and I also like Halloween and scary movies, etc, I bought this CD because I heard, In The Hall of the Mountain King, Night on Bald Mountain, Dance Macabre and Funeral March of a Marionette and I liked them. Dance Macabre was used in a season 4 episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer called Hush. Also Funeral March of a Marionette was used as the theme for Alfred Hitchock Presents. All of these pieces are great and I also liked Tocata & Fuge in D minor. This CD with it's spooky sounding classical music is great for playing on Halloween but can really be listened to anytime and not just on Halloween and I highly recommend it!

Average customer rating:

Hallo-wha?
An interest take on the usual
Could have been great but . . .
It's not That bad...
Tries to please everyone

Halloween

Manufacturer: American Gramaphone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

Halloween | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Halloween, Vol. 2: Creatures Collection
Halloween: Monster Mix
Mannheim Steamroller Meets The Mouse: Unique Musical Creations Based On Disney Songs
American Spirit
Yellowstone: The Music of Nature

ASIN: B0000AOV3N
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Tracks:

Toccata In DeMole
Hall Of The Mountain King
Harvest Dance
The Flying Dutchman
Z-Row Gravity
Funeral March Of A Marionette
Rock & Roll Graveyard
Night On Bald Mountain
Crystal
All Hallow's Eve
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Rite Of Twilight
Ride Of The Falkyries

Tracks:

Enchanted Forest
The Other Side
Enchanted Forest II
The Reaper
Ghost Voices
Alien Spaceship
Enchanted Forest III
Mountain King
Digital Death
Souls Demise

Customer Reviews:

Hallo-wha?.......2006-04-19

Let me start by saying I've never listened to Steamroller before picking this up. I am a big fan of Halloween and have quite a collection of music/sound fx so naturally, this was a must buy when I saw it.
Strictly from a Halloween fan's point of view, I can't recommend this except maybe for a kids party. The synth on the tracks really removes any spookiness from the tunes and makes them fall short of Halloween-worthiness. Tocatta and Hall of the Mountain King are some of my absolute favorite classical pieces and here they are given a royal treatment...if they were produced on a Commodore 64, or Casio keyboard for you younger folk.
The FX disc isn't horrible, but it's below the average generic sound fx you find in the bargain bin. Again, not much scary except for the fact that I spent money on this.
If possible, check it out before you buy.

An interest take on the usual.......2005-11-06

I wasn't sure what I'd think of this from reading other reviews, but I really did like it. I'm not really familiar with Mannheim's other stuff (but if the rest of the Autumn cd is anything like Harvest Dance, I'm looking forward to getting it), so I didn't have any preconceived ideas. I have a lot of the classical pieces on other cds, but I like the different twist given to them here. And I did like the sound effect cd. Nicely spooky (I have enough other sound effects cds with screaming and muching ghouls, etc).

Could have been great but . . ........2004-10-15

As a big Steamroller fan, perhaps my hopes were set a little too high. I envisioned more original music (perhaps a more scarier vibe than the silly one this CD has to it) and maybe a few covered tunes. Chips originals (from the Fresh Aire series)found on this CD outshine the weak efforts put forth on the covered and rearranged tracks. The sound effects disc sets a great(and creepy)mood, that should had been followed through with some new and equally scary compositions.

If you're a die hard Mannheim fan (as in 'I just have to own everything Chip puts out') I say go for it. But otherwise spend your Halloween money elsewhere. Overall this is a forced and lazy effort.

It's not That bad..........2004-06-14

It's not scary. There, you have it, that's what it all boils down to. With a creepy cover like that, you'd think it would be terrifying! It's not, but it's not bad, either!

A lot of the songs sound kind of like low-budget MIDI tunes that are sometimes embedded in websites.. but I think that might have been what the Steamroller was going for. Kind of like a broken Music Box? Anyway, only a few sound low budget, the rest sound good, even a few are a little "eerie" but at the same time, there's a lot that pretty much remind me of something you would hear come out of sesame street toy. The sound effects are great, though.

There's a few songs that are bad. there's a few that are "babyish" but there's also Lots that really capture the mood of halloween and some of it's eerieness. I can't really recommend it for Halloween itself (maybe if you already have every halloween cd already) but I think any Chip Davis fan should give it a listen.

Tries to please everyone.......2004-06-02

One of the neat things about the holiday of Halloween is that it is so versatile. Where Christmas has a very straightforward story (Santa or Jesus, take your pick), Halloween can be many things. Some people see it as a sort of Mardi Gras atmosphere, where any kind of costumed theme is suitable. Others see it as a dark holiday, only suited gothic castles, zombies, and monsters. Still others celebrate it in the style of gory slasher movies, complete with deranged serial killers and buckets of blood. And then there is the non-scary childrens Halloween, where the ghosts are cute and jack-o-lanterns all have goofy grins.

This CD covers all these aspects of Halloween, which virtually garantees that no one will like every song. However, I would suggest that you pick and choose the tracks you like from the CD, as part of your overall Halloween soundtrack. You will probably find at least several tracks you like. And of you like Mannheim Steamroller, you will like most of them.

Pop Music:

Pop Music

pop music

Recommended Music:

One Drop in a Dry World [Limited Edition] [Import]

Orient Express

Percy Mayfield Live [Live]

Music: Blazin' [CD-single] [Import]

Pop Music pop-music-24