Yang [Import]

Track Listings

1. Masculinity

2. Summer

3. New Day

4. Mountains

5. Liveliness

6. Sun

7. Steam

8. Fire

9. Soul

10. Brightness

11. Gods

Yang,Lin Fu Chang,Rmh,New Age

Yang [Import]

Tracks:

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

Amazon.com

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating:

Music with Heart
Brilliant Artist!
Incredible technique and emotional range
Incredible Musicality and Technique!!!
any kid can do it

Romance de Amor

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Si ji (Four Seasons)
Romance
Chamber Music
Jubilation
Shostakovich: Violin Concertos

ASIN: B000HIVGT4
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Tracks:

Asturias
Romance De Amor
Recuerdos De La Alhambra
Zapateado
Michelle
Cavatina
El Colibri
El Condor Pasa
Seis Por Derecho
Un Sueno En La Floresta
Etude No. 7
La Cumparsita
I Believe
Sakura
Spring Breeze
Anak

Customer Reviews:

Music with Heart.......2007-08-05

I've listened to a lot of excellent classical guitarists. Having recently purchased this CD, I find it to be a refreshing new collection. Putting her own interpretation into the Romance de Amor, this is my favorite rendition of that traditional song.

Every once in a while, a classical musician comes along who just has "it", that something that conveys to the listener the very heart and soul of the performer. Someone like Jacqueline du Pre on the cello or Emil Gilels on piano. Xue Fei Jang is such a performer. If you love classical guitar, you can't go wrong with this CD.

Brilliant Artist!.......2007-06-01

I just received Xuefei Yang's "Si Ji" and "Romance De Amor" from Amazon. Xuefei's playing is both powerful and exquisite. Specifically, I want to mention about the piece "Romance De Amor". This is my all time favourite solo guitar piece. Xuefei's interpretation of this piece is personal and intimate, and I enjoyed it very much. She plays it as if gently caressing her lover in her arms, almost to the point of being too careful; by her playing, one can really hear that she loves the piece "Romance De Amor".

With due respect to Xue Fei's insightful performance, I have my very own reference performance of "Romance D'Amour" that is truly haunting, romantic, passionate, and nostalgic. Listening to it really gives a sense of the 1970's -- the self discovery and the lost of innocence of the period. It is the best I have heard (maybe you may feel the same if you heard it). Many other performances simply fall flat compared to the one I have.

About it's history: My father bought a classical guitar music tape in 1979 when I was living in Macao. This tape has travelled far with us, and been played many, many times. The tape is by some foreign label that probably does not exist anymore; internet searches does not bring anything up. Consequently, I cannot find a copy of this anywhere in CD format or tape. What a shame.

Last year, I bought myself an elite Nakamichi (one of the best) 3-head tape deck and a Pioneer CD recorder (not the computer kind), and transferred this music from tape to CD. Now, it is preserved and I no longer need to worry about further deteriorating the tape everytime I play it. The transfer is as ideal as I can get it, with a bit of tape hiss, but with the Nakamichi deck's purity and great sonics shining through.

Drop me an email at "kyleyyi@gmail.com" for further discussion on this rendition if you're interested. And yes, it is also called "Romance D'Amour".

Incredible technique and emotional range.......2007-05-12

Following "Si Ji" is no small task. That CD was a masterpiece of modern guitar; so different from anything else out there that it shines in a totally different light.
That being said, "Romance de Amor" showcases some of the great gems of this instrument's repertoire by one of the world's premier guitarists. Yang Xue Fei is a masterful technician, but make no mistake, emotionally she gives her all in every note. After listening to 3 of her CD's (the two already mentioned, and "Classical Guitar") I've been impressed with her passion for music. I've heard her say that she looks at the guitar as a lover. Her playing shows this by being at turns powerful, seductive, intimate, tender and even humorous. She can play incredibly fast and still retain her phrasing and subtlety.
"Asturias" has rarely been so explosive
"Requerdos de la Alhambra" breaths with a life of its own thanks to her pacing
"El Colibri" is a great example of her speed and accuracy
If you are at all a fan of classical guitar, you've heard these pieces from other artists. Part of the fun of this genre is hearing how individual artists interpret the same piece. I love the sensitivity of Ana Vidovic, the smokiness of Lily Afshar, the intelligence of the Assad brothers and the sheer artistry of John Williams, and this is just to name a few. One might think that Segovia laid down the law for pieces like Asturias (judging from Christopher Parkening's description of his studies with this great master, Segovia certainly thought so), but Yang Xue Fei is such a wonderful talent, she is a law unto herself. She displays a vitality that makes each piece uniquely hers. To take ownership of these songs with such authority across the board makes this CD a worthy addition to any collection.

Incredible Musicality and Technique!!!.......2007-03-24

Wow! I just bought this cd and have listened to it over and over again. Fantastic interpretations of the classics. I fell in love with these standards all over again. Incredible tone and technique. Buy it now!!!!

any kid can do it.......2007-03-20

just terrible makes one want to leave the room

Average customer rating:

Successful crossing over from East to West
One of the best solo guitar albums I have ever heard
Virtuoso playing and an unusual repetoire

Si ji (Four Seasons)

Manufacturer: Gsp Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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Romance de Amor
Paul Galbraith: French Impressions
Mel Bay presents Ana Vidovic: Guitar Virtuoso
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A Jug of Wine and Thou

ASIN: B000AXWHEY
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

Wang Huiran: Yi Dance
He Luting: Shepherd Boy with Flute
Dietmar Ungerrank: Intonation & 4 Sound-and-Image Compositions - Intonation
Dietmar Ungerrank: Intonation & 4 Sound-and-Image Compositions - Long Out-stretched Pier with its Shadows
Dietmar Ungerrank: Intonation & 4 Sound-and-Image Compositions - Wind on The Hill
Dietmar Ungerrank: Intonation & 4 Sound-and-Image Compositions - Waiting for Guests
Dietmar Ungerrank: Intonation & 4 Sound-and-Image Compositions - Land Circus
Traditional - Heavenly Bird
Tradional - Lantern Song
Traditional - Mayila
Evan Hirschelman: Meditation No.2
Evan Hirshelman: Meditation No.1
Stephen Goss: The Blue Kite
Stephen Goss: Yellow Earth
Stephen Goss: Farewell My Concubine
Carlo Domeniconi: I Ching - 1 T'ai
Carlo Domeniconi: I Ching - 3 Lin
Carlo Domeniconi: I Ching - 4 T'ung len
Carlo Domeniconi: I Ching - 5 Huan
Carlo Domeniconi: I Ching - 6 K'uei
Carlo Domeniconi: I Ching - 7 Chieh
Stephen Funk Pearson: South China Sea Peace
Thierry Rougier: Four Seasons - Spring
Thierry Rougier: Four Seasons - Summer
Thierry Rougier: Four Seasons - Autumn
Thierry Rougier: Four Seasons - Winter

Customer Reviews:

Successful crossing over from East to West.......2007-07-06

Nowadays many classical musicians move to 'cross-overs' between Western classics to exotic works, and Chinese musicians and composers pioneer in cross-overs from Chinese music to Western.
Alas, not all attempts are successful. Either there has not been enough nurturing in the Chinese repertoire, or the western playing style has not yet been fully developed.
Ms. Yang is a young classical guitarist. Gathering from what she said in her own introduction to this disc, she is a musician with a great ambition. It is true that the classical guitar may not have a substantial repertoire as other western instruments like the violin and piano. Hence drawing materials from other culture in a guitarist's repertoire is both a necessity and an endeavour.
A guitarist from Beijing, Ms. Yang is familiar with classical Chinese instruments like the gu qin, the zheng and the pipa. These ancient Chinese instruments are like the guitar- all are played by plucking strings set on wooden surfaces. So as Ms Yang herself noted - the guitar originated from the Middle East, a 'cross-over' area of Eastern and Western culture.
In many of the modern works recorded in this disc, Ms Yang played the guitar to the effect of those ancient Chinese instruments, and this is quite stunning. Her familiarity with the Eastern musical style is fully demonstrated, adding the requisite flavour of authenticity to her interpretation. There are a number of great compositions of the gu qing, the zheng as well as the pipa, and I truly look forward to Ms Yang's transcriptions of those to the guitar in due course.
A highly recommended recording for guitar players, guitar lovers and Chinese music fans alike.

One of the best solo guitar albums I have ever heard.......2006-10-06

One of the most original CDs I've ever heard. This CD is full of incredible music. Yang XueFei plays with sensitivity, creativity and passion.
When I played this CD for my guitar teacher, he commented that it was rare for him not to have heard at least one piece on any particular classical guitar CD, yet all these pieces were new to him. Carlo Domeniconi (who wrote the masterpiece "Koyunbaba") has composed an outstanding suite based on the I Ching. The 3 pieces by Stephen Goss, which are based on Asian films, are themselves cinematic: "The Blue Kite" is a work of minimalist beauty. There are many other talented composers lending their gifts to this CD. Most of the selections are either composed for Yang Xuefei or are arrangements by her. All are inspired by Chinese culture and music. My favorite piece is "Long Outstretched Pier with its Shadow" (by Dietmar Ungerrank); it is elegantly written and the execution is sensual and rich.
Yang XueFei's technical agility, especially the right hand, (as in "Yi Dance") goes beyond that of her contemporaries. As impressive as this is, the passion she imbues into each work is what connects her to the songs and ultimately to the audience. Technique is there to help her express what is inside of her. It is as if the guitar is her lover. This just isn't a great guitar album; it is a great album period. Its emotional complexity deepens with each listening. Buy it!
I've also purchased "Romance de Amor" which is extremely good as well (listen to her version of "Requerdos de la Alhambra" as compared to one of her heroes, John Williams on "The Guitarist"), but "Si Ji" is totally unique. Don't miss it.
As an aside, If you do end up buying and enjoying this CD, you might listen to Lily Afshar. The influence of her Persian heritage is similar in effect to "Si Ji" by Yang XueFei. Both artists have breathed life into the modern repertoire of guitar music.

Virtuoso playing and an unusual repetoire.......2005-10-26

I am a classical guitar student, and an over-the-top consumer. So I have a lot (many dozens) of classical guitar CDs. They are for the most part quite good, but they tend to blend. I might be able to distinguish Tennant's Rodrigo or Barrueco's Scarlatti, but too many guitarists play an awful lot of the same repetoire, and they play it quite similarly.

This CD is quite different. The pieces are all Asian in flavor and by composers I had never heard of. And they are quite beautiful. Ms. Yang appears to be quite young, so this could be the start of a long and interesting career. But at least one of the pieces was written for her, so she has already apparently developed a solid reputation.

Average customer rating:

Seen this from a mile away.
Do my ears deceive me?
HAHA! A modern minstrel show indeed...
Nothing Special... but it'll do
Dork music

USA (United State of Atlanta)
Ying Yang Twins
Manufacturer: Tvt
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Gangsta & Hardcore | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Southern Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0009E32HA
Release Date: 2005-06-28

Tracks:

All Good Things (Intro)
F*** The Ying Yang Twins
Long Time feat. Anthony Hamilton
Live Again feat. Adam Levine of Maroon 5
We At War (Skit)
Ghetto Classics
The Courthouse (Skit)
23 Hr. Lock Down feat. Bun B
Sex Therapy 101 (Skit)
Wait (The Whisper Song)
Sex Therapy 102 (Skit)
Pull My Hair
Sex Therapy 103 (Skit)
Bedroom Boom feat. Avant
The Walk feat. Da Muzicians, Countrie Biggz, Homebwoi & BG
Hoes feat. Jacki-O
Badd feat. Mike Jones & Mr. Collipark
Put That Thang Down feat. Teedra Moses
Shake feat. Pitbull
My Brother's Keeper feat. Anwar
Dedication & Upcoming Events (Skit)
U.S.A.

Amazon.com

On an album filled with a conventional spread of crunkadelic beats and yelled out choruses so popular in the dirty south, it's unexpected that the heart of the Ying Yang Twins new album would be the downtempo salaciousness at the center: "Wait," "Pull My Hair," and "Bedroom Boom." Guaranteed to either titillate or offend (or perhaps, both), the songs find the Ying Yang Twins pioneering a whole new sub-genre, what Mike Banner has (jokingly?) called "intimate club." If you prefer your Ying Yang fix outside the sheets though, they have some vigorously upbeat tracks like "Ghetto Classics" (which samples Art of Noise's 1980s new wave hit, "Beat Box") and the infectiously bilingual "Shake" feat. Miami's Pitbull. The album even gets serious with the somber "23 Hr. Lock Down" feat. UGK's Bun B who speaks on his partner's Pimp C's incarceration, as well as the single mama's anthem, "Live Again." -- Oliver Wang

Album Description

Atlanta's Ying Yang Twins follow up their platinum breakthrough TVT Records cd, "Me & My Brother" and its massive hit "Salt Shaker", with the album of their career, "United State Of Atlanta." Kaine and D-Roc's latest smash, "Wait (The Whisper Song)," dominated clubs, radio and TV music video countdowns throughout the spring of 2005. A second single, "Badd" featuring Mike Jones looks just as strong, even as fans can't get enough of the "Wait" remix featuring Lil Scrappy, Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliot and 106 & Park's Free. No longer just a Dirty South phenomenon, Ying Yang Twins have enlisted the help of guest stars Anthony Hamilton, Pitbull, Maroon 5 (yes that Maroon 5), Bun B, BG, Avant, Jacki-O and r&b singer Teedra Moses to present their most diverse and surprising album yet. Once again, DJ Smurf handles a lot of the production duties, and Lil Jon oversaw a track for his homies as well.

Customer Reviews:

Seen this from a mile away........2006-11-09

The Ying Yang Twins have really been a plague on hip-hop; they opened the doors for the D4L's, Dem Franchize Boyz, and Jibbs' of the world. Sure, there were wack emcees long before the Ying Yang Twins ever came onto the scene, but the entire 'snap' genre basically derived from the Ying Yang Twins; D4L and DFB can argue all they want, but neither created this sub-genre of hip-hop. The Ying Yang Twins did, and that reason alone is enough to condemn them to bargain bin sales.

Now, granted, I'm not part of their targeted audience; I'm a head who's grown up with the likes of the Wu-Tang Clan, Big L, Mic Geronimo, and Jeru the Damaja. However, at the same time, I'm not a certified hater of most mainstream hip-hop; there's a couple dozen commercial acts I can appreciate. Unfortunatey for Kaine, D-Roc, and most of all, myself when listening to this album, the Ying Yang Twins aren't part of that group. But, even the biggerst of Twin haters has to admit this music was made for the clubs, and no where but the clubs; and it was directed strictly at the women who love to shake their *sses. Granted, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, except for the fact that this album is a glorified doorstop outside of clubs.

At times, the Ying Yang Twins do show - believe it or not - growth. Live Again and Long Time(both back to back tracks) show they have their hearts in the right place; they just can't get the rest of their mind, body, nor soul there. Those tracks are two shining moments on the album, if only for the guest appearances from Adam Levine(who sounds at home yet again on a hip-hop release, oddly enough) and the soulful crooner, Anthony Hamilton. They also show that, at the very least, they can think of innovative ways to say the same damn thing, as on "Wait(The Whisper Song)" - the approach they took can be respected, but the lyrics are borderline retarded, even for YYT standards; come on, "beat the ***** up" being whispered nonsensically ten to twelve times in a row? This takes misogony to another level.

"Badd" manages to succeed on Ying Yang standards thanks to a guest appearance from Mike Jones(who nearly sounds average when paired with the Ying Yang Twins; quite a step-up!), and "Shake" is also your typical YYT song, with a guest appearance from Pitbull. To be perfectly honest, this is about your typical Ying Yang Twins album; which isn't a good thing. It's probably the best of their five released albums, but as the rating would imply, that's not neccessarily a good bunch. The few moments of sincerity, and original ideas save this from one star territory, but I still wouldn't recommend this to anyone other than a female wanting to shake what her mama gave her.

Do my ears deceive me?.......2006-10-30

Standout tracks: LIVE AGAIN, GHETTO CLASSICS, 23HR LOCKDOWN, WAIT(creative for a ying yang song), THE WALK, BADD, PUT THAT THANG DOWN, SHAKE, MY BROTHER'S KEEPER etc. Filler: Long time(too churchy), F**k the ying yang twins(worst anti-hater record ever made),Pull my hair(GROSS plus thats not even a beat!), Bedroom Boom(softest f**k song ever made), Hoes and U.S.A. Bottom line: I cant lie to you I was never a fan of the ying yang twins. I always equated them to be hip hop's Beavis and Butthead but D-roc and Kaine stop being Tweedledumb and Tweedledumber for a brief moment and put together an okay effort. Songs like Live Again, Ghetto Classics and 23hr Lockdown have little gems in them which is kind of surprise because they have been playing the role of Pinky and the Brain since they first came in the game. Congratulations Ying Yang you've finally made a decent album. Dont f**k it up!

HAHA! A modern minstrel show indeed..........2006-08-14

Wow so in history class they told me because of its racist themes and such that minstrel shows are long gone but they obviously haven't heard THIS trash.

Sheesh, where do I even begin? You thought Fiddy was bad? How about Chingy? Lil Jon? Nope, they're not nearly as bad as these wastes of flesh. These guys are a disgrace to the black race, Aaron McGruder is totally right (creator of the Boondocks) if Martin Luther King Jr. did somehow get resurrected he would definitely scoff at the state of Black America, perhaps it was a tad exaggerated but it still made an excellent point. Afterall it was Chris rock that said, "There are black people and there's n***ers!" Then everyone in the audience laughed their *sses off because it's true. Unfortunately these guys fall in the latter group.

Don't give me that rubbish on how it's just the music, no way folks, this goes far beyond the music itself. This is a reflection of the sad state our society is in. Ok people you want to talk about the actual MUSIC? We shall then, but these cliched annoying 'beats' lack so much substance that I'm just wasting text space talking about the 'music'. The lyrics? They bring new meaning to the word STUPID.

So there you have it, this logic pretty much applies to all their cds and anyone else like them (the aforementioned rap degenerates) they really take the cake for Retards of the Decade when we talk about "I Love the '00s" in 10 years. By the way check out the Boondocks, it's a great comic-turned-cartoon, it's very fresh and unique.

Nothing Special... but it'll do.......2006-07-29

This album is pretty hot and cold. Some songs are really good while others just plain suck.
F*** the Ying Yang Twins- 4.5/5
Long Time- 2/5
Live Again-4.5/5
Ghetto Classics- 3.5/5
23hr. Lockdown- 4/5
Wait- 5/5
Pull My Hair-2.5/5
Bedroom Boom- 2/5
The Walk- 5/5
Hoes- 4/4
Badd- 5/5
Put That Thang Down- 4.5/5
Shake - 4/5
My Brothers Keeper- 2/5

Dork music.......2006-07-13

Ok, booty rap was good in the 90's, when it was offensive and raunchy like, 2 live crew, Disco Rick and The Dogs, Poison clan etc.....But this is just wack weak lyrics, corny typical krunk beats that start all sounding the same....And is it just me are these guys as rappers, just horrible there voices all raspy, and annoying and one the guy's from the groups always does that annoying shout thing in interviews like hahhhhherrrrrr.....( what is he on crack or something)So if you like radio friendly, pretty boy music then the Ying Yang twins are for you peace....

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3, Scriabin Etudes

Average customer rating:

First class
Lang Lang - A stylish Virtuoso...or is he?
TERRIBLE sound quality
Oh dear
Waste of lunch money...

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 3, Scriabin Etudes
Sergei Rachmaninoff , Alexander Scriabin , Yuri Temirkanov , and St. Petersburg Philharmonic
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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Memory [Includes Bonus CD]

ASIN: B00006419G
Release Date: 2002-04-23

Tracks:

I. Allegro Ma Non Lanto
II. Intermezzo: Adagio
III. Finale: Alia Breve
Encore: Liu Yang River
Etude Op. 2, No. 1 In C-sharp Minor
Etude Op. 8, No. 2 In F-sharp Minor
Etude Op. 8, No. 3 In B Minor
Etude Op. 8, No. 8 In A-flat Major
Etude Op. 8, No. 10 In D-flat Major
Etude Op. 8, No. 11 In B-flat Minor
Etude Op. 8, No. 12 In D-sharp Minor
Etude Op. 42, No. 4 In F-sharp Major
Etude Op. 42, No. 3 In F-sharp Major
Etude Op. 65, No. 3 In G Major

Amazon.com

Recorded during live concert performances, Lang Lang's second Telarc release justifies all the positive buzz surrounding this young pianist's rapidly ascending international career. He brings plenty of finger power and long-lined drama to Rachmaninov's ubiquitous Third Concerto, yet takes plenty of time to let the lyrical, soaring tunes spin without an inkling of self-indulgence. He admirably adjusts the piano part to accompany when he doesn't bear the melodic burden, and he gets more expressive mileage from transitions than many pianists do. For once, the thicker, more difficult first movement cadenza doesn't sound unwieldy and elephantine. The piano is a little too prominent in the mix next to Temirkanov's sensitively detailed, flowing orchestral support. While Lang Lang has not fully internalized the quivering underbelly of Scriabin's passionate keyboard writing, his poised and secure readings of 10 Etudes still boast plenty of dynamism, idiomatic nuance, and roaring, Horowitz-like octaves. Watch this pianist! --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

First class.......2007-05-17

I can't understand the bad opinions about this extraordinary pianist and this pleasant CD. Even after so many versions of Rachmaninoff Third Piano Concert Lang Lang give us a new one, fresh and powerful. Scriabin Etudes also sound clean, passionate, great! The only strange thing is the audience laughing when the artist announces a chinese song as encore.

Lang Lang - A stylish Virtuoso...or is he?.......2006-03-03

My opinion of Lang Lang is very complicated. He is a young virtuoso with impeccable clarity and technique. I have seen him live, and he performs very clearly and with refined pianism. His playing is clean and accurate, no question about it. However, the problem lies with Lang Lang's interpretation. He isn't mature enough to interpret music correctly. Many people know this and criticize him for it, and revere Yundi Li as an alternative. Lang Lang lacks the musical experience and maturity to properly interpret certain styles, and I hope he doesn't try to interpret late Beethoven or the Liszt sonata. That said, however, his interpretations of Russian music are much more fitting. Typically Russian music is more free-spirited and flamboyant than its German counterpart. While his Rachmaninoff is decently-interpreted, his Scriabin is worth mentioning.

Lang Lang interprets Scriabin like no other. There are good and bad things to this. He is so unsure of himself musically that his Scriabin etudes are mere guesswork. Compare his recordings to the great Scriabin legends of Sofronitsky, Horowitz, and even Kissin. Case in point, his uncertainty actually leads him to play Scriabin in a very unique and interesting style. He plays it schizophrenically, which may be appropriate - Scriabin, though brilliant, was crazy (hypochondria and synaesthesia being the smallest examples). Lang Lang's "guesswork" actually works out in these etudes, because they are young, showy pieces, so the schizophrenic, unsure interpretation works out nicely for him. However I think Lang Lang would poorly interpret late Scriabin as it is very mature and atonal.

If you are looking to purchase this CD, let me give you a good summary. The Rach Concerto 3 is well done, clean and accurate, but nothing spectacular: don't expect a 1951 Horowitz recording here, just a clean and accurate recording. The Scriabin etudes are fascinating to listen to and showcase a very interesting interpretation that surpringly works (his Op. 8/3 and 65/3 are unparalleled in my opinion).

Unlike a few others, I have no problems with sound quality. The sound is crystal clear, what I would expect from a modern recording like this. Good luck in your purchasing endeavours!

TERRIBLE sound quality.......2005-10-24

I love Lang Lang and bought this CD specifically for that reason -- but I was very disappointed at the sound quality. Usually Telarc has great recordings, but this one was the worst I have ever heard. I was not able to finish listening to it.

What an awful way to showcase a major young talent.

Oh dear.......2005-01-27

Unfortunately, the technical engineering of the live recording in Albert Hall is of such poor quality that it compares with recordings of 30-40 years ago. Despite Mr. Lang's artistry and that of Temirkanov and the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, I am gravely disappointed by this purchase. By comparison with the Carnegie Hall concert and Deutsche Gramaphon's technical expertise, this really rates no stars at all.

Waste of lunch money..........2005-01-24

Maybe its just me but the piano is out of tune badly enough that it should not have been recorded. I had to force myself to finish listening to the concerto and did not even bother with the rest. Sad piece of work.

Average customer rating:

maybe a two and a half
Youve heard it all before
Great Party Album
exlax in my stomach
Good Album....

Chemically Imbalanced
Ying Yang Twins
Manufacturer: Tvt
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bred 2 Die Born 2 Live
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Konvicted

ASIN: B000J1040Q
Release Date: 2006-11-28

Tracks:

INTRO
KEEP ON COMING
1st BOOTY ON DUTY
JACK IT UP FEAT. TAURUS
JIGGLIN
TAKE IT SLOW FEAT. LOS VEGAZ
PATRON SKIT
BIG BOY LIQUOR FEAT. K.T AND HUGGY
SMOKE BREAK SKIT
COLLARD GREENS
WATER
DANGEROUS FEAT. WYCLEF JEAN
FAMILY
FRIDAY
LEAVE
ONE MO FOR THE ROAD SKIT
OPEN
IN THIS THANG STILL

Amazon.com

The Ying Yang Twins leave the yin and the yang behind on their fifth disc in favor of full-on freaky imbalance (the chemical part comes courtesy of themes and song titles like "Smoke Break" and "Patron"). But collaborative disorientation rarely makes so much sense: an "Intro" by executive producer Mr. Collipark alerts fans that the first half of the disc is standard YY--party beats, strip-club dramas, crunky wild-child stuff--while the second half tries a little harder, bringing co-producer Wyclef on board for a reach at lyricism and melody. Whether you shuffle the tracks or play it straight, though, the Twins come across at ease throughout. First single "Dangerous," with Wyclef, takes leave of raunch in favor of a kind of souped-up hip-hop sensuality, and "Jack It Up" jerks listeners back to the ATL with a dose of Lil Jon-style dirtiness. As musical experimentation goes, Imbalanced lacks the cleverness of 2005's USA: United States of Atlanta, but only because it doesn't get much cleverer than that disc's "Wait (The Whisper Song)." Still, if Chemically Imbalanced proves anything, it's that Ying Yang Twins have a lock on innovation. Even when they're out of synch. --Tammy La Gorce

Album Description

What do "Salt Shaker", "Badd", "Shake" featuring Pitbull, "Wait (The Whisper Song)", "Bedroom Boom" and more have in common? After selling over 2.5 million albums, The Ying Yang Twins have shaken off the novelty rap label and evolved into a massive hit making machine dominating BET, MTV, radio, the internet, magazine covers, you name it. With this year's release of the new single "Dangerous" featuring and produced by Wyclef, their sound has evolved yet again, while still maintaining the Ying Yang infamous party edge. Ying Yang has increased its fan base with each album and this year will be even BIGGER and more comically deranged!!! Or is that "Chemically Imbalanced"?! Hanh!

Customer Reviews:

maybe a two and a half.......2007-04-22

only two and a half three bececasue besides a select few songs from like 1 to 10 there just not good, there tryign to do someting else...and then from 11 to whaterver it goes to is pretty good, proably about 80 percent of those songs are good so its a so and so cd but definalty worth picking up if you a fac of ying yang,

Youve heard it all before.......2006-12-28

im not a kid but i do know good music when i hear it and this is not it. this so rehashed and just not fresh at all. chorus about girls and their body parts.....verses about girls and their body parts....track 2 blatently rips off Ms New Booty, and the rhymes are nothing you havent heard before......overall just a whack effort. i wouldnt even recommend this for a party cd, unless you wanna make everyone clear out. these guys need to get a real job, which probably means working at Burger King.

Great Party Album.......2006-12-17

I'll make this short and sweet. If you like the Ying Yang Twins you will love this album. It has a different feel but it is still 100% Ying Yang. The various producers bring a fresh vibe to the proceedings. In a year that has been suprisingly hit and miss for Hip-Hop this set is one of the hits.

exlax in my stomach.......2006-12-01

Oh there definitley is a balance with the chemistry that is going on in this album. It is the chemistry of a WHOLE box of exlax mixing with my digestive system and the aftermath that arrives in my toilet. This is what occurs when I listen to the lyrics of the ying yang twins. The beats are hot, don't get me wrong. But a song is incomplete when it doesn't have any good lyrics to go with that beat. So that makes an album of incomplete songs because every bar that dribbles off the crusty lips of the ying wack twins are no better than a bar my son can spit. Buy an instrumental of this album and avoid making your eardrums hurt by hearing the lyrics.

Good Album...........2006-12-01

I like the ying yand twins songs and this album does not disappointment me.. good work
couple songs are extremely good
thanks
kiran

Average customer rating:

Alright for what it is
Trash at its worst
I dont like crunk
So Sick Of This...
I'm Shakin it ova here boss!

Me & My Brother
Ying Yang Twins
Manufacturer: Tvt
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Southern Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

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USA (United State of Atlanta)
My Brother & Me
Alley...Return of the Ying Yang Twins
Kings of Crunk
U.S.A. (Still United)

ASIN: B0000AQS48
Release Date: 2003-09-16

Tracks:

Them Braves
Hahn
Whats Happnin! feat Trick Daddy
Grey Goose
Salt Shaker feat Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz
Georgia Dome (Get Low Sequel)
What The Fuck! feat Bone Crusher & Killer Mike
Calling All Zones
Me & My Brother
Hard feat K.T.
The Nerve Calmer
Naggin
Naggin Part II (The Answer) Performed by Ms Flawless and Tha Rhythum
Armageddon

Customer Reviews:

Alright for what it is.......2006-08-08

The Ying Yang Twins' crunk collection, "Me and My Brother" is b-grade, with several truely unlistenable songs. However, for what it is (mindless, Lil' Jon-esque, loud crunk) it's alright. There are certainly several excellent songs which make up for the terrible ones.

The best song on the album, is, even after their latest release "United State of Atlanta" is the best song they've ever done, and that's Salt Shaker. A truly hot Lil' Jon provided beat, combined with solid flows from D-Roc, Kaine, and Lil' Jon make this one a crunk and club classic. "What's Happenin'" featuring Trick Daddy is one of the best gun songs ever, with a loud bass line, and a hook that will get stuck in your head. "Georgia Dome (The Get Low Sequel)" follows a similar beat(To "Get Low"), and some how manages to be more disgusting. "Calling all My Zones" is also nice, with a solid ending verse from Khujo of the Goodie Mob.

However, there are a lot of pretty awful songs in this one, hense the three star rating. "What the F***" describes pretty much what I was thinking when I heard this song. It's a bit of a shame, because it seems like the twins really wanted this to be a big club banger, but it ends up being just plain strange, with a solid verse from Killer Mike as it's only redeeming value. "Hard" is also pretty terrible, as is "Armageddon" and "The Nerve Calmer".

Overall, if you are a crunk fan, this one's for you, if not, there are many better albums out there to get used to this sub-genre.

Top 5.

1. Salt Shaker feat. Lil' Jon and The East Side Boyz
2. What's Happnin! feat. Trick Daddy
3. Calling all my Zones feat. Hitman Sammy Sam and Khujo Goodie
4. Me and My Brother
5. Georgia Dome (Get Low Sequel)

Trash at its worst.......2006-07-02

Their new stuff is even worse. But this is still sexist, boring, annoying music at its worst. There are much better artists out there, so why listen to these two untalented rappers?

I dont like crunk.......2006-07-02

This is certainly the worst of it. At least Lil Jon has good beats and stuff. This has none of that, and it is just annoying. Support better artists.

So Sick Of This..........2006-07-02

I don't want to hear any more of their music on the radio. It is all just nonsense, and none of it should have ever been made. They are one of the worst hip hop acts in recent memory.

I'm Shakin it ova here boss!.......2006-05-04

This is a minstrel show. Period point blank. These guys set black people back 20 years. Look at them in "black face" on the cover of their album. They look like al jolsen twins. Then the music they make is insulting to every race color and creed. Any music that makes you feel dumber when you listen to it should be banned. I'm calling my alderman now to start the movement. LOL.

Twelfth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition: Joyce Yang, Silver Medalist

Average customer rating:

Teenage Glory
Joyce has a big heart and huge sound
Makes Horowitz and Rubenstein Sound like novices !
Definitely Yang, and not Yin: An Inspiring Young Pianist to Watch!
A True Treasure

Twelfth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition: Joyce Yang, Silver Medalist

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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The Twelfth Van Cliburn Piano Competition - In the Heart

ASIN: B000B66OP8
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Tracks:

Overture
Courante
Gavotte I & II
Passepied I & II
Sarabande
Bourree I & II
Sarabande
Bouree I & II
Reminiscences De Don Juan
Piano Sonata No.1
Piano Sonata No.1
Sonata In D Major, K.492
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6

Customer Reviews:

Teenage Glory.......2007-08-02

The competition entries by a 17 year old pianist who won the second place.
This about sums up the recordings here in a nutshell.
I was being informed that this soloist performed exceedingly well in a chamber ensemble piece with the Takacs Quartet. No doubt that accounts for a major part of her being placed second in this marathon piano competition.
However, solely from the pieces recorded here, they are truly teenage works. The technique is in development and the touching requires further work undoubtedly. Overall, the baroque pieces of Bach's French Overture and the Scarlatti Sonata in D Minor are stylistically sound, with good tempi control, but still lacking in contrapunctal finesse, and the touching a trifle too nimble in places to give due to the dynamics and musical lines.
But what really bothers are the Liszt dual presented here.
The Reminiscences de Don Juan, or Don Juan Paraphases, is not just a technical showpiece, but also a keen tester of the performer's musicality. Joyce Yang plays at a moderate speed, with sufficient technical prowess judging from a 17 year-old girl. However, the technique isn't really brilliant, nor the interpretation truly successful. Of the three main components of the Reminiscences, the first is the duet between the Don and the Commendatore at the final scene of Mozart's original opera Don Giovanni as well as in the same opera's Overture. This part is sadly underplayed in the opening section of the Reminiscences. The music is there, but Joyce seemed rather clueless in its treatment. As for the second major component, the duet between the Don and Zerlina, Joyce failed to impress her listeners that this is a duet sung by two characters. The middle section of this part saw this aria merging with the dark undertones of the theme of the overture, and too much liberty had been taken in respect of the tempo and rhythm to a glaring slackening. The third major theme of the Champagne aria enters abruptly as if an entirely new movement, and again the merging with the theme of the overture is not markedly effective. The theme of this aria is again clueless without any sense of a libertine at all. At times, almost too graceful. A wayward rubato further destroyed the entire musical sense of the aria. This, together with the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6, present an overall choppy and disjointed performance that missed out the essentials.
The Carl Vine Sonata, however, is a good technical showcase for Joyce Yang.
Return in 5 years' time for further recordings by this pianist.

Joyce has a big heart and huge sound.......2006-09-15

I've seen 2 master classical pianists, Mitsuko Uchida, and Joyce Yang. I have Mitsuka's 5 CD box set of Mozart on Phillips. I was told it took Spivey Hall, on Clayton College Campus in Atlanta 20 years of consecutive invitations before they could schedule her recital, Halloween, Oct 31st 2002. I was 2nd row, what I call the handkerchief section. Violinist Mark Steinberg accompanied her that memorable evening of Mozart's five violin Sonatas. My favorite performance still, was Joyce's Silver Medal recital inside Harris Concert Hall, in Aspen, July 2nd, 2005, performing Bach, Vine, Scarlatti, Currier, Chopin & Liszt. I sat front row center at Lakewood Cultural Center for Joyce's March 23 2006 recital, and 4th row again in Aspen for her Prokofiev piano concerto with the Aspen Festival Orchestra, July 2nd 2006. All 3 times I was greeted by her with a hug backstage Aspen and in the public lobby at Lakewood. She has a magnetic, sparkling, bubbling, wonderful spirit and personality, is constantly laughing off all the well deserved fans praises, and even introduced me to her Mom. I told her it's becsause of her sophomore yr high school tour to Decatur, Illinios' Millikin University recital, that my Mom attended that I discovered her prior to winning the Van Cliburn silver. Oh, and Alexander Kobrin, did not "blow away the competition", during the 17 day competition in the opinion of some judges and reporters of the Dallas Morning News who proclaimed "Joyce Yang...won the heart right from the start... She's a brilliant pianist and million-volt presence on stage". Whew, I'm going again 4th row to see Joyce with the Colorado Symphony Oct 1st 2006. Also reccommend Jennifer Lim, Canadian pianist, Juillard & Curtis Institute trained, with perhaps the finest Chopin recording on the Green House label.

Makes Horowitz and Rubenstein Sound like novices !.......2006-02-27

Listened to her perform at Barns at WolfTrap much the same works that are on the CD. Yang is an exceptional performer who really does excel in all of her work. She is a rising star and this CD is a must have!

Definitely Yang, and not Yin: An Inspiring Young Pianist to Watch! .......2005-10-24

Joyce Yang won the silver medal at the recent 12th Van Cliburn Competition. She also received first place for the best performance of a contemporary piece; and first place for the best performance in chamber music (with the Takacs string quartet.) If you have a chance, take a look at the DVD of the competition--where her chamber performance is briefly shown. A testament to the respect and chemistry between her and the Takacs string quartet is that she has been invited to perform with them on one of their next tours.

Joyce Yang is young but she is not a newcomer--she came from Korea to study at Juilliard and won a competition to perform with the Philadelphia Orchestra at the age of thirteen, playing the same Prokofieff Concerto #2 that she performed in the final concerto round of the Van Cliburn. Her playing is clean and musical. There is a maturity and a grasp of the music that is palpable. Plus, she has a charismatic personality that imparts passion and a plucky sense of humor. What I can't figure out is how someone with such thin arms and fingers can play with such stamina and musicality. She "gets" really complex music, like the Vine sonata...and then rolls right into the Liszt right afterwards.

Joyce Yang has the potential to become a truly great pianist. How she matures as an artist and grows as a person will be watched with great interest. Buy this CD!! I hope she records with the Takacs Quartet--buy that one too if it comes along!

A True Treasure.......2005-10-16

Ms Yang plays with a maturity that far exceeds her age of 19. For those that have had the privalege of viewing her performance at the 12th Van Cliburn Competion know the pure depth of emotion she expresses through her music. Treat yourself to her wonderful performance. Your spirit will soar!

Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen (Box Set)

Average customer rating:

Surprisingly Good
Excellent recording at reasonable price
A Ring Cycle for everyone!
An excellent complete Ring at a reasonable price.

Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Brilliant Classics | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00005YCS5
Release Date: 2001-06-12

Customer Reviews:

Surprisingly Good.......2004-11-20

I picked up a copy of this set very cheaply on Ebay [UK] with no big expectations about its quality, having been brought up on the old maxim that you get what you pay for. Boy, was I ever wrong. This edition surpasses my expectations big time and while my ultimate wish is to be wealthy enough to own a set of Solti's Ring Cycle I am beginning to enjoy this set more and more.

The vocals come through clearly and for a live performance the sound is very clean. My edition came with the lyrics in German only, so unless your German is reasonably good you will need to find an English translation somewhere to help you out, but this is a small quibble. If you know the storyline you'll be able to follow things reasonably well. Having caught the Wagner bug at age 15 I can once again feel the bug takingi ts effect:-)

Excellent recording at reasonable price.......2004-01-26

In my view this recording is under-rated by Wagnerians, perhaps because they are a bit snooty about a conductor who doesn't have the same international reputation as Karajan or Solti. Don't be fooled! This is an excellent recording, with crystal-clear sound quality and some great performances from the singers. Neuhold moves the action on at a good pace and the fact that it was recorded live adds excitement. There is very little audience noise throughout. At this price I recommend this recording highly, particularly for newcomers to the Ring cycle who can't afford the Solti. Even seasoned Wagnerians will enjoy it too, I think.

A Ring Cycle for everyone!.......2003-03-03

Such a bargain, this Ring cycle is. When I first wanted to listen to Wagner's magnum opus, I had to borrow from libraries and friends. While in college, I scraped up enough to by Furtwangler's old mono recording. Great performance but depressed sonics.

Now comes this excellent performance, live (all the better), with excellent sound! And at a price even poor students on a budget can afford. Better yet, have mom and dad spring for your copy. No family should be without one!

An excellent complete Ring at a reasonable price........2003-01-20

I got this ... fairly cheaply and was surprised by the quality of the recording and the performance. This is a live performance that was digitally recorded (DDD), so the sound is quite good with almost no audience noise. The conducting is thoughtful and lyrical, and the quality and accuracy of the playing is quite good. The singers are not particularly world-famous as in the Solti or Karajan recordings, but the singing is clear and crisp, so that you can easily understand and/or follow the lyrics in the libretto. The fact that it is a live performance lends an immediacy and excitement that is lacking in the glitzier studio-recorded performances. Those who enjoy the 1953 Bayreuth recording by Krauss will find much to enjoy here. I have listened to many renditions of the Ring cycle over the years, and I would place this recording close to the top (after Krauss, Solti, and Karajan). It's a delightful discovery at a bargain price for a complete Ring cycle. I would highly recommend it, even as a first introduction to the Ring. The version I got did not come with a libretto, but that was no problem since I have libretti from other sets of the Ring that I own. In addition, several websites carry the German libretto with an English translation.

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

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Handel: The Masterworks (Box Set)

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.)

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