Modern Mandolin Quartet

Track Listings
 
1. Concerto in D Minor for Two Violins (Vivace)
2. Canzonetta
3. Abendkonzert
4. Teasing Song/Limping Dance
5. Pizzicato
6. Asturiana
7. Vida Brevé (Dance #1)
8. Galop
9. Assez Vif et Bien Rythme
10. Pavane Pour la Belle au Bois Dormante
11. Lebhaft
12. Langsam
13. Dance of the Maramaros
14. Valse (Ma Mie Qui Danse)
15. Alla Danza Tedesca

Modern Mandolin Quartet,Dana Rath,Paul Binkley,Windham Hill Records,Chamber Jazz,Jazz Music,Neo-Classical,New Acoustic,New Age / Meditation,Pop


Modern Mandolin Quartet

Modern Mandolin Quartet
A Winter's Solstice, Vol. 4
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Timeless classic
  • So relaxing... perfect after a long stressful day!
  • Excellent CD.
  • Fine Christmas Collection!
  • The last "good" Winter's Solstice
A Winter's Solstice, Vol. 4
Steve Erquiaga , Oystein Sevag , Paul McCandless , Michael Manring , Nightnoise , Will Ackerman , Barbra Higbie , Mike Marshall , Modern Mandolin Quartet , and Various Windham Hill Artists
Manufacturer: Windham Hill Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000000NJZ
Release Date: 1993-08-24

Tracks:

  1. Carol Of The Bells - Windham Hill Artists
  2. Silent Night - Steve Erquiaga
  3. Crystal Palace - Oystein Sevag
  4. Winter Bourne - Paul McCandless
  5. Dona Nobis Pacem - Michael Manring
  6. Wexford Carol - Nightnoise
  7. Just Before Dawn - Will Ackerman
  8. We Three Kings - Barbra Higbie
  9. Angels We Have Heard On High - Mike Marshall
  10. Sheep May Safely Graze - Modern Mandolin Quartet
  11. Trumpet Tune - Alex De Grassi
  12. Three Candles - Scott
  13. The Rain From The Four Seasons - Turtle Island String Quartet
  14. Christmas Hymn - Billly Childs
  15. Asleep The Snow Came Flying - Tim Story

Amazon.com

In 1993, Windham Hill Records released its fourth album of seasonal music recorded by the label's artists and unavailable in any other collection. Only a few of the tracks on A Winter's Solstice IV lend credence to the label's unfair stereotype as the home for new age background music. Many of the musicians come from such respected jazz bands as Oregon and the Freddie Hubbard Quartet, and from such respected folk bands as the David Grisman Quartet. Several tackle such classical pieces as Bach's "Sheep May Safely Graze" (the Modern Mandolin Quartet), Purcell's "Trumpet Tune" (solo guitarist Alex de Grassi) and Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" (the Turtle Island String Quartet). From Liz Story's "Carol of the Bells" to Nightnoise's "Wexford Carol," this is rigorous instrumental music for the most part, no matter how quiet and pretty it may seem at first listen. --Geoffrey Himes

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Timeless classic.......2006-10-12

This is superb music, and that it is supposed to be "Christmas" music is almost beside the point. Yeah, it wouldn't be Christmas without it, but for me this disc can be a salve against the hostilities of an uncaring world. Such "therapy" need not always take place in December.

5 out of 5 stars So relaxing... perfect after a long stressful day!.......2005-12-01

Windham Hill artists have a long tradition of coming up with very relaxing, chill renditions of holiday favorites as well as their own original seasonal music. All the music on this album brings to mind the most peaceful images of the winter season - a warming fire away from the bleak chill of winter; a snowy winter wonderland; simply being with the people you love most. This album is perfect for a quite evening away from anything and everything.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent CD........2005-09-04

Continuing in the beautiful series of Winter's Solstice music, this CD contains traditional and non-traditional Christmas music. However, it should be played year around for its soothing and beautiful sounds.

5 out of 5 stars Fine Christmas Collection!.......2004-12-15

The Windham Hill series (Winter Solstice) fhas been outstanding, featuring a sampling of their artists. You get a wide range of performers (Nightnoise, Turtle Island String Quartet, etc.) that you might not run into otherwise. The result is a superior collection for the holiday season, but not so overtly Christmas that you can't play it at other times.
I particularly like Øystein Sevåg's contribution. I can't rave enough about the beauty of these pieces. It's wonderful to play while entertaining, or to get you in the Christmas-card-writing mood, or just sit and soak it up while gazing at your twinkling tree lights.

5 out of 5 stars The last "good" Winter's Solstice .......2004-11-06

The first four Winter's Solstice recordings are simply outstanding. Unfortunately, something about the series went suddenly wrong starting with Vol. 5.

Back to Vol. 4. I'm particularly fond of Øystein Sevåg's piece. The ensemble's Carol of the Bell's is great, too--great bass and piano, especially.

Vol. 2 remains my favorite of the series. I live in California, but when I play it late at night, it feels like there's a fresh blanket of snow around my house.
Vivaldi's Greatest Hit: The Ultimate Four Seasons
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Active or Passive Voice?
  • Four Seasons a Winner
  • A New Twist for an Old Favorite!
  • Not as much fun as it could be given the premise
Vivaldi's Greatest Hit: The Ultimate Four Seasons

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  5. Ravel: Boléro

ASIN: B0000894R5
Release Date: 2003-02-18

Tracks:

  1. I. Allegro - Vladimir Spivakov
  2. II. Largo - Amsterdam Guitar Trio
  3. III. Allegro - Michala Petri
  4. I. Allegro Non Molto - Larry Coryell
  5. II. Adagio/Presto - Tracy Scott Silverman
  6. III. Presto - Gottfried Von Der Goltz
  7. I. Allegro - James Galway
  8. II. Adagio Molto - Larry Coryell
  9. III. Allegro - Vladimir Spivakov
  10. I. Allegro Non Molto - Ransom Wilson
  11. II. Largo - Gottfried Von Der Goltz
  12. III. Allegro - James Galway
  13. I. Allegro (Alternate Version) - Michala Petri
  14. III. Allegro (Alternate Version) - Gottfried Von Der Goltz
  15. I. Allegro Non Molto (Alternate Version) - Gottfried Von Der Goltz
  16. II. Adagio/Presto (Alternate Version) - James Galway
  17. III. Presto (Alternate Version) - Larry Coryell
  18. III. Allegro (Alternate Version) - Amsterdam Guitar Trio
  19. I. Allegro Non Molto (Alternate Version) - Gottfried Von Der Goltz
  20. I. Allegro Non Molto (Alternate Version) - James Galway
  21. II. Largo (Alternate Version) - Vladimir Spivakov
  22. II. Largo (Alternate Version) - Larry Coryell
  23. III. Allegro (Alternate Version) - Gottfried Von Der Goltz

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Active or Passive Voice?.......2006-11-29

Part One: It must have been the wax.
------------------------------------
While it is essential for any artist to interpret the work of another before them, a regard for the original author must remain intact. This is an ambitious recording, however, we are rarely judged by our intent and far more often by our act. All too often in this recording we are listening to the artist playing an author's work rather than the author's work being played by an artist. Hubris abounds in this recording, from its conception to its release, and unfortunately suffers an all too predictable fate.

Part Two: I can see the numbers.
-------------------------------
However, even more disenchanting than the usurping of a masterwork is the lack of inspired performances, as if each is so out of context that within the confines of these "snippets" the artist never engages leaving the listener equally disengaged, akin to a polished paint-by-numbers canvas executed in water color by a haphazard collection of period icons. If this was the very first recording of this sterling composition, it may well have been the very last.


end

5 out of 5 stars Four Seasons a Winner.......2005-07-21

This is the second copy of Vivaldi's Greatest Hit I have purchased. I liked it so much, I decided to buy another copy to give my 15-yr-old nephew, who is a violinist and lover of classical music. He loves it, too, so two thumbs up from this reviewer.

5 out of 5 stars A New Twist for an Old Favorite!.......2004-05-28

I own two other renderings of "The Four Seasons" in addition to this one, and this disc is my favorite. Vivaldi intended for "The Four Seasons" to be a multimedia experience, incorporating music, image, and poetry. This collection truly captures that spirit of versatility by arranging the work for several different instruments (not just guitar, as the previous review would have you believe). In addition, the movements rendered with soloist Gottfried von der Goltz on the Baroque violin sound almost completely different from any previous recordings. His style is hard, almost violent, while his instrument sounds much darker and richer than a modern violin. It adds a depth to "The Four Seasons" lacking in many new studio recordings. The third movement from "Summer" in particular is stunning, with von der Goltz transforming it from a mere succession of rushing 16th notes into an exuberant, virtuosic portrait of a prairie thunderstorm. The guitar, flute, and electronic arrangements (only one electronic arrangement, however) are excellent, retaining the true spirit of the original while managing to add something new. The disc contains the entire cycle of the seasons twice, with various different instrumentations playing each movement. Lovers of "The Four Seasons," Baroque music, or classical music in general will find MUCH to appreciate here!

3 out of 5 stars Not as much fun as it could be given the premise.......2003-04-16

This isn't a bad album. It's a perfectly nice run-through of Four Seasons, twice. But the premise is that there are many different performers in many different styles, and the actuality comes out less varied than one would hope.

The performers are certainly all-stars, and there's nothing wrong with any of the performances. It's just that, they're, well, the same performances those all-stars could give any time. There are no new interpretations of the work. There are very few adaptations to unusual instruments - except for the movements done mainly on guitar, everything else is essentially the basic original orchestration, with different soloists filling in instead of the violin - Michaela Petri on recorder, James Galway on flute, etc.

And I didn't feel that the choice of which soloists did which movements was as inspired as it could have been. In several movements, the soloists hardly came across as soloists at all. The order in which the performers appeared, appeared to have been chosen at random. That is, every movement was played in order, with some randomly chosen set of artists doing it. Then, the (nearly) whole thing was played again, this time with the artists chosen randomly a different way, so that Michaela Petri was doing a different movement from the first time through.

Many casual listeners to classical music aren't aware that each "Season" is actually made up of three sections. The recording switches performers with every section. I personally think this would have been more effective if one set of performers had done all three sections of a season, long enough for the listener to really get a feel for their sound, then switched to another performer only with the change of seasons. With 8 seasons to go through (four times two), that still would have allowed for plenty of variety, and left one much more able to appreciate that variety.

If you don't already have a recording of "The Four Seasons" then this one isn't bad at all - go ahead and buy it. But if you already have several recordings, you won't be adding anything unusual or radically different to your collection.
A Windham Hill Wedding Album
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Great album for a contemporary wedding
A Windham Hill Wedding Album

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00008RV0C
Release Date: 2003-04-15

Tracks:

  1. Arioso - Paul McCandless
  2. Wedding Rain - Liz Story
  3. Canon - James Galway
  4. Menuet From Le Tombeau De Couperin - Paul McCandless
  5. Processional - Will Ackerman
  6. Brandenburg Concerto No.3: I - Modern Mandolin Quartet
  7. Loreta And Desiree's Bouquet, Part I - George Winston
  8. Gymnopedie No.1 - Tim Story
  9. Nocturne From String Quartet No.2 - Turtle Island String Quartet
  10. Ave Maria - Paul McCandless
  11. If You Believe - Jim Brickman
  12. Nocturne In E Minor, Op.72 No.1 - Steve Erquiaga
  13. Intermezzo From Carmen - Thea Suits-Silverman
  14. Ave Verum Corpus - Paul McCandless

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great album for a contemporary wedding.......2006-11-07

This album was perfect for our wedding ceremony. Loved it!
Intermezzo
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Intermezzo
    The Modern Mandolin Quartet
    Manufacturer: Windham Hill Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
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    MeditationMeditation | New Age | Styles | Music
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    1. Modern Mandolin Quartet
    2. Pan American Journeys
    3. The David Grisman Quintet

    ASIN: B000000NHT
    Release Date: 1990-06-26

    Tracks:

    1. St. Qt. #5 Finale
    2. Empress of the Pagodas
    3. Cool
    4. Gavotte
    5. Maid With the Flaxen Hair
    6. Polka
    7. GM Fugue [Not Live]
    8. Hoedown
    9. Brasilieras #5
    10. Child Juliet
    11. St. Qt. #1 First Movement
    12. Intermezzo
    The Nutcracker Suite
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Sugar Plum Mandos!
    The Nutcracker Suite
    The Modern Mandolin Quartet
    Manufacturer: Windham Hill Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | New Age | Styles | Music
    General ChristmasGeneral Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
    General ChristmasGeneral Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
    ASIN: B000000NIV
    Release Date: 1991-07-01

    Tracks:

    1. Nutcracker Suite: Overture
    2. Nutcracker Suite: March
    3. Nutcracker Suite: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
    4. Nutcracker Suite: Russian Dance
    5. Nutcracker Suite: Arabian Dance
    6. Nutcracker Suite: Chinese Dance
    7. Nutcracker Suite: Dance of the Mirlitons
    8. Nutcracker Suite: Waltz of the Flowers
    9. Winter from the Four Seasons: Allegro Non Molto
    10. Winter from the Four Seasons: Largo
    11. Winter from the Four Seasons: Allegro
    12. Overture from the Magic Flute
    13. Winter's Chill

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Sugar Plum Mandos!.......2004-11-18

    This is a great CD. I got it in 1991 when it came out way before I was into the mandolin. Now that I play (try at least), I can really appreciate the talent on this disc. If you love mandolin music this is a must have. If you love Christmas music this is a wonderful departure from the standard choral or traditional orchestral fare. This CD gets lots of play time in my house.
    Tchaikovsky's Greatest Hit: The Ultimate Nutcracker
    Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
    • Very Cool!
    • Delightful!
    • Not what I was expecting
    Tchaikovsky's Greatest Hit: The Ultimate Nutcracker

    Manufacturer: RCA
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    4. The Best of Spike Jones

    ASIN: B0003035D6
    Release Date: 2004-10-26

    Tracks:

    1. The Nutcracker; Overture Ormandy, Eugene
    2. The Nutcracker; Act I; March Ormandy, Eugene
    3. The Nutcracker; Act II - Divertissement; Variation II: Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy Ormandy, Eugene; Smith, William
    4. The Nutcracker; Act II - Divertissement; Russian Dance Ormandy, Eugene
    5. The Nutcracker; Act II - Divertissement; Arabian Dance Ormandy, Eugene
    6. The Nutcracker; Act II - Divertissement; Chinese Dance Ormandy, Eugene
    7. The Nutcracker; Act II - Divertissement; Dance of the Mirlitons Ormandy, Eugene
    8. The Nutcracker; Act II - Divertissement; Waltz of the Flowers Ormandy, Eugene
    9. The Nutcracker Suite; Overture Modern Mandolin Quartet
    10. The Nutcracker Suite; March Modern Mandolin Quartet
    11. The Nutcracker Suite; Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy Modern Mandolin Quartet
    12. The Nutcracker Suite; Russian Dance Modern Mandolin Quartet
    13. The Nutcracker Suite; Arabian Dance Modern Mandolin Quartet
    14. The Nutcracker Suite; Chinese Dance Modern Mandolin Quartet
    15. The Nutcracker Suite; Dance of the Mirlitons Modern Mandolin Quartet
    16. The Nutcracker Suite; Waltz of the Flowers Modern Mandolin Quartet
    17. Nutcracker Suite; Part One: The Little Girl's Dream: Miniature Overture - March Jones, Spike and His City Slickers
    18. Nutcracker Suite; Part Two: Land of the Sugar Plum Fairy: Lemon Drop Waltz - Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy Jones, Spike and His City Slickers
    19. Nutcracker Suite; Part Three: The Chinese Dolls/The Fairy Ball (Chinese Dance; Dance of the Flutes) Jones, Spike and His City Slickers
    20. Nutcracker Suite; Part Four: The Mysterious Room: The Forbidden Room - Arab Dance Jones, Spike and His City Slickers
    21. Nutcracker Suite; Part Five: Back to the Fairy Ball: They Dance on the Seat of their Pants - Russian Dance - Waltz of the Flowers Jones, Spike and His City Slickers
    22. Nutcracker Suite; Part Six: End of the Little Girl's Dream: Granny Speaks - Goodnight, Sleep Tight Jones, Spike and His City Slickers
    23. The Nutcracker: Dance of the Reed Flute First Piano Quartet
    24. The Nutcracker: Waltz of the Flowers First Piano Quartet

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Very Cool!.......2007-03-29

    Was looking for Spike Jones' Nutcracker and ended up with alot more at one decent price.

    5 out of 5 stars Delightful!.......2007-01-04

    From the clever series title (so-and-so's greatest hit) to the lighthearted artwork by "Mutts" creator Patrick McDonnell, this CD will delight everyone who has an ear for good music and well-recorded sound, and who appreciates musical humor.

    The disc leads off with a lush "straight" reading of the suite by Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra, recorded in 1972.

    Then the Modern Mandolin Quartet has a crack at it. You'll like the harmonious and percussive sounds of the plucked mandolins along with the creative orchestrations and ornamentations. Recorded in 1991.

    For the piece de resistance, we hear Spike Jones and his City Slickers (plus a supplementary chorus) perform their recited/sung/played version, recorded in 1945. The music is well performed (as are all of Jones recordings), with tasteful (?) and sparingly applied (for this group) sound effects. The rhythmically delivered lyrics are suggestive of Vachel Lindsay, or perhaps Gilbert and Sullivan. Be warned - the emotional impact is cumulative. If you try to resist, you may suddenly find yourself on the living room floor kicking and gasping for breath.

    Last we hear two movements by the First Piano Quartet (four pianos, that is) recorded in 1950. The mood here is redolent of the novelty piano genre -elaborate piano arrangements played with elegance, flair, and rich chordings.

    Do your music-loving friends a favor. Next Christmas, buy a copy of this modestly-priced CD for each of their stockings.

    2 out of 5 stars Not what I was expecting.......2004-12-13

    With its whimsical artwork on the cover, and release date of October 2004, I was expecting a 21st century recording of the music of that perennial Christmas Favorite Ballet, The Nutcracker. Instead, some of the recordings date back to 1945 (according to the liner notes), and sound it.

    This CD can be viewed as four different versions of the SAME songs:

    Version 1 consists of songs Songs 1 - 8, by the Philadelphia Orchestra with Eugene Ormandy conducting, was essentially what I was expecting, even though it was recorded in 1972.

    Version 2 consists of Songs 9 - 16, by the Modern Mandolin Quartet, are Nutcracker songs played presumably on four Mandolins.

    Version 3 consists of songs 17 - 22, were recorded in 1945 and sound it. They contain words, and are by Spike Jones, who is known for his novelty song "Der Fuhrer's Face." These songs likewise essentially are novelty songs.

    Version 4 consists of songs 23 and 24. Their instrumentation is piano only. Unfortunately they were recorded in 1947 and sound it, which means that even on my $50 walkman they sound like a 78-RPM record. Version 4 was the most disappointing Version.

    Overall I give this two stars. Version 1 is four star, which may say more about my lack of knowledge of classical music and recordings than its true quality. Version 4 is zero stars. Version 2 depends on whether one likes the Mandolin Quartet interpretation, and Version 3 depends on how much you like a slapstick novelty interpretation.
    Modern Mandolin Quartet
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Modern Mandolin Quartet
      Dana Rath , and Paul Binkley
      Manufacturer: Windham Hill Records
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | New Age | Styles | Music
      MeditationMeditation | New Age | Styles | Music
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      ASIN: B000000NDW
      Release Date: 1990-10-25

      Tracks:

      1. Concerto in D Minor for Two Violins (Vivace)
      2. Canzonetta
      3. Abendkonzert
      4. Teasing Song/Limping Dance
      5. Pizzicato
      6. Asturiana
      7. Vida BrevDance #1)
      8. Galop
      9. Assez Vif et Bien Rythme
      10. Pavane Pour la Belle au Bois Dormante
      11. Lebhaft
      12. Langsam
      13. Dance of the Maramaros
      14. Valse (Ma Mie Qui Danse)
      15. Alla Danza Tedesca
      Interplay
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Interplay

        Manufacturer: D'note Classics
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        Riley, TerryRiley, Terry | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | New Age | Styles | Music
        MeditationMeditation | New Age | Styles | Music
        ClassicalClassical | Indie Music | Stores | Music
        GeneralGeneral | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
        ASIN: B00001QGLT
        Release Date: 1999-09-14

        Tracks:

        1. Interplay: Shoka
        2. Interplay: Interplay - Inner Voices
        3. Interplay: Rishi's Dance
        4. Interplay: Thyaga
        5. Elements: Fire
        6. Elements: Earth
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        Nutcracker Suite
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Nutcracker Suite

          Manufacturer: Modern Mandolin Quart
          ProductGroup: Music
          Binding: Audio CD

          GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
          ASIN: B0009N2T5W
          Release Date: 2004-01-01

          Product Description

          New Cd ! Modern Mandolin Quartet Nutcracker Suite. New Recording! Tchaikovsky's classic is set next to Spanish music by Llobet, French music by Faure and Delibes, and Italian music by Vivaldi. What Modern Mandolin Quartet expressed about the making of this cd. "The four expressive pieces by Miguel Llobet are actually his arrangements for solo guitar of traditional Catalan folk melodies, re-arranged for mandolin quartet. The interesting, often strange harmonies he chose and the delicate texture of the guitar music made these pieces quite fun and natural for the MMQ." "The Nutcracker Suite, well there's an adventure. So many amazing melodies and so much other-worldly magic, and so much fun to play. Also so interesting to revisit this music after our previous recording of 1991. So much time has passed! I have to say we were inspired by the Berlin Philharmonic recording with Mstislav Rostropovich, who bends the rules to bring magic to every moment." "The Pavanne by Gabriel Faure provides a meditative moment after the energy of the Nutcracker Suite. The haunting melody is bathed in harmonies which are quite rich and reminded us of jazz chords, so one day we started improvising and decided to include two solos (Matt Flinner and Gyan Riley) in the finished product." "The Vivaldi Concerto in D is our nod to the traditional plucked string repertoire. Its joyful energy and the quieter evocative quality of the second movement made this concerto a pleasure to play. The Flower Duet by Delibes was actually a last-minute addition when we found ourselves with some extra studio time on the last day. We enjoyed the singing quality of the music (it's from an opera, after all) and thought it made a nice ending to the album."
          Pan American Journeys
          Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
          • Impeccable tone, terrific musicianship, eclectic selections
          Pan American Journeys
          The Modern Mandolin Quartet
          Manufacturer: Windham Hill Records
          ProductGroup: Music
          Binding: Audio CD

          GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
          GeneralGeneral | New Age | Styles | Music
          MeditationMeditation | New Age | Styles | Music
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          1. Intermezzo

          ASIN: B000000NK1
          Release Date: 1993-10-12

          Tracks:

          1. Redona
          2. Elements IV: Water
          3. Berceuse
          4. Ojos Brujos
          5. Four, For Tango
          6. Assanhado
          7. Piano Preludes I
          8. Piano Preludes II
          9. Piano Preludes III
          10. Danca, Bachianas Brasilieras #5
          11. The Louie Louie Variations

          Customer Reviews:

          4 out of 5 stars Impeccable tone, terrific musicianship, eclectic selections.......2003-02-16

          In a departure from the acoustic New Age of much of the rest of the Windham Hill catalog, and in a further departure of the mandolin from its bluegrass association, the MMQ interprets modern classical pieces of the Americas. With arrangements ranging from the sweet (Brouwer's "Berceuse"), to the opaque (Piazzolla's "Four for Tango"), to garage mandolin (The Louie Louie Variations), don't dismiss this disc as dinner music. You may find yourself coming back to it when you won't be distracted.

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