Birth of Spring

Track Listings
 
1. Bloom
2. Seeds Are Walking
3. Dance of the Leaves
4. Stroll on the Park
5. Springtime

Birth of Spring,Various Artists,Eclipse Music Group,Nature,New Age / Meditation,Pop,Relaxation


Birth of Spring

Birth of Spring
Instruments of the Orchestra
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!
  • Beginner or Expert
  • Very Informative and Enjoyable
  • Frank's view
  • Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra
Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
Hungarian National Philharmonic OrchestraHungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
London Philharmonic OrchestraLondon Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Moscow Philharmonic OrchestraMoscow Philharmonic Orchestra | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
National Philharmonic Orchestra LondonNational Philharmonic Orchestra London | ( N ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
Blowout Box SetsBlowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
More Titles at Least 20% OffMore Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
All Classical Music BlowoutAll Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Hungarian National Philharmonic OrchestraHungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra | ( H ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
London Philharmonic OrchestraLondon Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Moscow Philharmonic OrchestraMoscow Philharmonic Orchestra | ( M ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
National Philharmonic Orchestra LondonNational Philharmonic Orchestra London | ( N ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
InstrumentalInstrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra Op34; Simple Symphony Op4
  2. The Mahler Symphonies: An Owner's Manual (includes 1 CD)
  3. The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (Book & CD)
  4. Study of Orchestration, Third Edition
  5. The Life and Works of Ludwig van Beethoven

ASIN: B00006O0NT
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

  1. Overture To 'Tannhauser'
  2. Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
  3. We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
  4. Hungarian Dance No.7
  5. The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
  6. Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
  7. But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
  8. The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
  9. The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
  10. Csardas Music
  11. The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
  12. The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
  13. Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
  14. The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
  15. Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
  16. Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
  17. The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
  18. Tzigane
  19. Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
  20. Caprice No.24
  21. The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
  22. Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
  23. Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
  24. Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
  25. Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
  26. The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
  27. The Violin Muted
  28. Clair De Lune
  29. The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
  30. Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
  31. The Pizzicato Violin
  32. Pizzicato Polka
  33. In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
  34. Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
  35. Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
  36. The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
  37. The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
  38. Hungarian Dance No.4
  39. Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
  40. The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
  41. Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
  42. Bolero
  43. Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
  44. Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
  45. Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
  46. Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
  47. Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
  48. Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
  49. And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
  50. Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
  51. The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
  52. Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
  53. The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
  54. Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
  55. Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
  56. The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
  57. Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
  58. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
  59. Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
  60. The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
  61. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
  62. Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
  63. Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
  64. Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
  65. Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
  66. To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
  67. Elfenreigen

Tracks:

  1. Introduction To The Viola
  2. Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
  3. Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
  4. Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
  5. Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
  6. Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
  7. The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
  8. Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
  9. The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
  10. Cypresses (No.9)
  11. The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
  12. Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
  13. The 'Period' Viola In Bach
  14. Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
  15. The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
  16. Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
  17. Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
  18. Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
  19. Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
  20. Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
  21. In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
  22. Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
  23. But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
  24. Elfentanz, Op.39
  25. Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
  26. The Protecting Veil (Opening)
  27. A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
  28. Flamenco
  29. Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
  30. Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
  31. It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
  32. Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
  33. It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
  34. Symphony No.9 (Finale)
  35. Introduction To The Double-Bass
  36. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
  37. But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
  38. Elegy No.1 In D Major
  39. The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
  40. Capriccio Di Bravura
  41. Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
  42. The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
  43. Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

  1. The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
  2. Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
  3. The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
  4. Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
  5. The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
  6. Sa'Dawi
  7. Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
  8. Chamber Music No.II
  9. The Piccolo - Aptly Named
  10. La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
  11. From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
  12. Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
  13. A Variety Of Techniques
  14. Chamber Music No.II
  15. Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
  16. The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
  17. From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
  18. Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
  19. An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
  20. Naelden, Naelden
  21. The Bachian Oboe
  22. Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
  23. Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
  24. Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
  25. The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
  26. The Swan Of Tuonela
  27. The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
  28. Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
  29. Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
  30. Bolero
  31. The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
  32. Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
  33. As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
  34. Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
  35. The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
  36. The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
  37. The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
  38. ...And Quite Low.
  39. Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
  40. The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
  41. Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
  42. But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
  43. Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
  44. Introduction To The Saxophone
  45. Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
  46. The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
  47. L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
  48. The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
  49. Bolero
  50. The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
  51. Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
  52. The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
  53. Sax-O-Phun
  54. The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
  55. Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
  56. The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
  57. Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
  58. Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
  59. And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
  60. Bolero
  61. The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
  62. Symphony No.3 (Opening)
  63. The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
  64. The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
  65. Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
  66. The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
  67. The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
  68. Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
  69. The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
  70. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
  71. The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
  72. Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
  73. Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
  74. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
  75. The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
  76. Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

  1. The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
  2. Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
  3. The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
  4. Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
  5. The Ceremonial Trumpet
  6. Fanfare For The Common Man
  7. Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
  8. Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
  9. The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
  10. Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
  11. The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
  12. Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
  13. The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
  14. Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
  15. The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
  16. Billy The Kid
  17. The Trumpet As Character Actor
  18. Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
  19. The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
  20. Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
  21. The Birth Of The Trombone
  22. Aenmerckt Nu Hier
  23. The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
  24. Canzon 12 In Double Echo
  25. The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
  26. Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
  27. The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
  28. Hosannah
  29. The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
  30. Symphony No.5 (Finale)
  31. The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
  32. The Trombone As Caricaturist
  33. Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
  34. The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
  35. The Horn And The Hunt
  36. Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
  37. The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
  38. Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
  39. The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
  40. Walter Music (Minuet 1)
  41. The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
  42. Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
  43. Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
  44. The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
  45. Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
  46. The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
  47. Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
  48. The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
  49. Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
  50. The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
  51. Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

  1. Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
  2. Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
  3. At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
  4. Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
  5. Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
  6. Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
  7. The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
  8. The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
  9. Den Hoboecken Dans
  10. Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
  11. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
  12. No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
  13. Gymnopedie No.2
  14. The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
  15. Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
  16. More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
  17. Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
  18. Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
  19. Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
  20. A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
  21. Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
  22. The Birth Of The Bongo
  23. Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
  24. From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
  25. Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
  26. From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
  27. Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
  28. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
  29. But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
  30. Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
  31. Taking Advantage Of Tunability
  32. Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
  33. The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
  34. Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
  35. Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
  36. The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
  37. Ravel And The Xylophone
  38. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
  39. Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
  40. Introducing The Vibraphone
  41. The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
  42. The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
  43. Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
  44. Folk Dances
  45. The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
  46. Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
  47. Introducing The Tubular Bells
  48. Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
  49. A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
  50. Carmen Suite (Introduction)
  51. But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
  52. Introducing The Celeste
  53. The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
  54. Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
  55. Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
  56. Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
  57. A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
  58. The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
  59. Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
  60. The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
  61. Petrushka (Russian Dance)
  62. The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
  63. Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

  1. Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
  2. Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
  3. But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
  4. Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
  5. The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
  6. An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
  7. Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
  8. Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
  9. Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
  10. Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
  11. Mahler's Sleighbells
  12. Symphony No.4 (Opening)
  13. A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
  14. Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
  15. Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
  16. Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
  17. National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
  18. And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
  19. And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
  20. The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
  21. The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
  22. The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
  23. The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
  24. The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
  25. The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
  26. The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
  27. The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
  28. There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
  29. The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
  30. Nocturnes
  31. Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
  32. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
  33. The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
  34. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
  35. The Oboe As Duck
  36. Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
  37. The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
  38. The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
  39. The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
  40. Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
  41. Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
  42. Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
  43. Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
  44. The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
  45. A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
  46. Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
  47. A Thunderstorm In A Million
  48. Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
  49. the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
  50. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
  51. Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
  52. The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

  1. The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
  2. Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
  3. A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
  4. Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
  5. Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
  6. String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
  7. The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
  8. String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
  9. The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
  10. String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
  11. The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
  12. String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
  13. The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
  14. String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
  15. The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
  16. Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
  17. Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
  18. String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
  19. The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
  20. Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
  21. Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
  22. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
  23. In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
  24. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
  25. In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
  26. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
  27. In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
  28. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
  29. Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
  30. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
  31. And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
  32. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
  33. The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
  34. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
  35. Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
  36. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
  37. A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
  38. Octet In F (Mvt 3)
  39. The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
  40. Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
  41. Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
  42. Canzon 28
  43. Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
  44. Symphony No.5 (Finale)
  45. From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
  46. Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
  47. Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
  48. The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
  49. Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
  50. When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
  51. Images (Gigues)
  52. A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
  53. Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
  54. The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
  55. Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
  56. Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
  57. Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
  58. A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

5 out of 5 stars Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

5 out of 5 stars Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

3 out of 5 stars Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

The one complaint I have is the last CD. This deals with the orchestra. I wanted more of a tour of how the orchestra has been used through history up to the present. Instead, it was a tour of how different groups of instruments sound. I thought it could have been better. The other 6 CDs are excellent.
Ottorino Respighi: The Ballad of  the Gnomes / Adagio with Variations for Cello & Orchestra / Three Botticelli Pictures / Suite in G major for Strings & Organ - The Philharmonia / Geoffrey Simon
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Respighi's catalogue MUST be celebrated!
  • If Fountains is your favorite, get this CD!
Ottorino Respighi: The Ballad of the Gnomes / Adagio with Variations for Cello & Orchestra / Three Botticelli Pictures / Suite in G major for Strings & Organ - The Philharmonia / Geoffrey Simon
Ottorino Respighi , Geoffrey Simon , Alexander Baillie , Leslie Pearson , and The Philharmonia
Manufacturer: Cala
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by RespighiAll Works by Respighi | Respighi, Ottorino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Tone PoemsTone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
CelloCello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Ottorino Respighi: Belkis, Queen of Sheba (Orchestral Suite) / Metamorphoseon (Theme & Variations)
  2. Respighi: Concerto for piano; Concerto a Cinque for orchestra
  3. Respighi: Piano Concerto / Fantasia Slava
  4. Ottorino Respighi: Concerto Gregoriano / Poema Autunnale / Ballata delle Gnomidi
  5. Respighi: The Birds; 3 Botticelli Pictures; Il Tramonto

ASIN: B00000FDLS
Release Date: 2006-11-20

Tracks:

  1. The Ballad Of The Gnomes (World Premiere Recording) - The Philharmonia/Geoffrey Simon
  2. Adagio With Vars - Alexander Baillie
  3. Thee Botticelli Pictures: I. Spring - The Philharmonia/Geoffrey Simon
  4. Thee Botticelli Pictures: II. The Adoration Of The Magi - The Philharmonia/Geoffrey Simon
  5. Thee Botticelli Pictures: III. The Birth Of Venus - The Philharmonia/Geoffrey Simon
  6. Ste in G: I. Prld - Leslie Pearson
  7. Ste in G: II. Aria - Leslie Pearson
  8. Ste in G: III. Pastorale - Leslie Pearson
  9. Ste in G: IV. Cantico - Leslie Pearson

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Respighi's catalogue MUST be celebrated!.......2007-07-03

Respighi, best known for his compositions of Rome, "Roman Festivals", "The Pines of Rome" and "The Fountains of Rome" and somewhat lesser known for his "Ancient Dances and Airs" has composed many other wonderful works and this album is a perfect sampling of those other works.

"Three Botticelli Pictures" of which "The Birth of Venus" is most beautiful (perhaps one of the greatest compositions ever, in my humble opinion), "Adagio with Variations" (pure ear candy for lovers of the Adagio), and "Suite in G major" which is very much in the vein of Camille Saint-Saens (one of my other favorite composers) in its inclusion of and consumption by the organ, all are wonderful excursions in to this genius' lesser known works.

"The Ballad of the Gnomes" is a tone poem in the style of Respighi's Rome Trio, but it also has the dark and ominous feel of his lesser known "Metamorphoseon Modi XII".

This album would be a wonderful addition to any classical collection and is highly recommended to anyone that is just learning of this wonderful Italian composer or who has been limited to only his more famous works.

A highly recommended album for anyone who loves orchestrations in the grand style of the true greats such as Bach, Handl, Brahms or Mozart. Please, do yourself a favor and buy this CD.

5 out of 5 stars If Fountains is your favorite, get this CD!.......2001-07-15

I say this because the consummate master of orchestration, Ottorini Respighi, will not disappoint fans of his most popular works -- his Roman Triptych (Roman Festivals, Fountains of Rome, and Pines of Rome). My personal favorite is Fountains, and this brings me to the richly luminescent and awe-inspiring pieces contained in this recording. The world premiere recording of The Ballad of the Gnomes, was composed during the time of the triptych (1920s), and is very similar to those tone poems. However, the feel of this tone poem differs because its story-line is based on Carlo Clausetti's poem Ballata delle gnomidi; a myth-based story of an innocent male dying at the hands of some very amoral females (gnomes). Similar to the myth of the Sirens luring seamen to thier deaths. In this tone poem Respighi weaves a very sinister mood throughout a turbulent score that brings to mind the undulating waves of Debussy's La Mer. For this reason, this piece, and the third movement of his Three Botticelli Pictures, reminds me of Fountains of Rome. The Adagio with Variations for Cello and Orchestra (Alexander Baillie, cello) is an extraordinary piece. The piece in one movement is rather short but very evocative and mellow. The orchestration and Respighi's usual transparency of voice bring a lovely, fantasy quality; especially to the end of the piece. I was so inspired by the piece, that being a bassoon player myself, I transcribed the piece for bassoon and piano (after having found that Respighi had originally written it for cello and piano and was asked to expand it for orchestra by a cellist friend whom the piece is now dedicated). Mr. Baillie is a master of the nuances and intricacies of the piece and performs it exquisitely. The Three Botticelli Pictures is a rather well-known piece in three movements depicting three separate, yet equally famous paintings by the 15th-century master Sandro Botticelli. The first movement Spring is full of horn calls evocative of Roman Festivals or Beethoven's 6th Symphony. The light mood of the piece is portrayed through varying string tremolos and the dancing meters throuhgout the winds. The second movement is a depiction of The Adoration of the Magi. A very solemn, solo bassoon is heard throughout the piece, weaving his music into and out of harmony with oboes playing the familiar 'O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.' A brief rhythmic interlude of piano, celeste, and harp suggest the trek of the Magi en route to the Christ-child. As I mentioned before, the third movement bears a striking resemblance to The Fountains of Rome. However, here the Birth of Venus, is not as tumultuous as the middle movements of Fountains. The gentle strings give a tremulus birth to the goddess and in a very Respighian crescendo, the piece climaxes and the same undulating strings carry the beauty out to sea. The final piece on the album is The Suite in G Major for Strings and Organ. Very baroque and Bach-like, Respighi based this piece on the old-style concerto grosso. The Preludio is very straight forward in it's intent, but the flourish of Respighian orchestration makes one wonder what Bach may have composed if he lived with the large orchestras of today. The sweeping string scales and the grandeur of the organ's first entrance are a fitting segue into a beautifully somber Aria that is the second movement. The fugue-like quality of the third movement's Pastorale is rich with the luminescent string voicing that Respighi is known for. The striking first chord of the final movement's Cantico is similar to Saint-Saens' final movement of his 3rd Symphony. The interplay between string voicing and between strings and organ come to many an urgent front before the piece ends. The listener almost wishes Respighi had written this last movement to include a chorus. However the majesty of the entire composition is by no means diminished without one, due to Respighi's omnipresent skill in orchestration. I am sure that if you enjoy anything Respighi; from his large works like The Pines of Rome to his smaller orchestrations of Ancient Airs and Dances; there will be something to match every taste on this recording. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
Classical Dreams: Music to Inspire
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • If stranded on an island and had one disc...
  • Truly inspired collection
  • Encore! Encore!
  • Encore! Encore!
  • Surprised and ... inspired
Classical Dreams: Music to Inspire

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

BalletsBallets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
PavanesPavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by BarberAll Works by Barber | Barber, Samuel | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by ElgarAll Works by Elgar | Elgar, Sir Edward | ( E ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Fauré, Gabriel | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Grieg, EdvardGrieg, Edvard | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by HolstAll Works by Holst | Holst, Gustav | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by HoneggerAll Works by Honegger | Honegger, Arthur | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by MahlerAll Works by Mahler | Mahler, Gustav | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by MassenetAll Works by Massenet | Massenet, Jules | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by MussorgskyAll Works by Mussorgsky | Mussorgsky, Modest | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by PartAll Works by Part | Part, Arvo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Ravel, MauriceRavel, Maurice | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by RachmaninovAll Works by Rachmaninov | Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by SatieAll Works by Satie | Satie, Erik | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by SibeliusAll Works by Sibelius | Sibelius, Jean | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by StravinskyAll Works by Stravinsky | Stravinsky, Igor | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Vaughan Williams, RalphVaughan Williams, Ralph | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by DebussyAll Works by Debussy | Debussy, Claude | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
DivertimentosDivertimentos | Serenades & Divertimentos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
SuitesSuites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
RomanticRomantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Incidental MusicIncidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Tone PoemsTone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Ballets & DancesBallets & Dances | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Vaughan Williams, Ralph | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General ContemporaryGeneral Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Theatrical, Incidental & Program MusicTheatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
ViolinViolin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
Houston Symphony OrchestraHouston Symphony Orchestra | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
London Philharmonic OrchestraLondon Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Royal Liverpool PhilharmonicRoyal Liverpool Philharmonic | ( R ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
CompilationsCompilations | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ChorusesChoruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Cathedral Dreams: Music to Inspire
  2. Williams: The Five Sacred Trees (Bassoon Concerto) / Takemitsu: Tree Line / Hovhaness: Symphony No. s, Op. 132 "Mysterious Mountain" / Picker: Old and Lost Rivers
  3. The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
  4. Modern Times

ASIN: B00005Q467
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Tracks:

  1. Antiphon: Ecce Annuntio Vobis - Dominique Vellard
  2. Symphony No. 5: Adagietto - Jukka-Pekka Saraste
  3. Gymnopedie No. 1 - Paul Tortelier
  4. Pavane - Paul Tortelier
  5. The Planets: Venus - Sir Charles Mackerras
  6. Old And Lost Rivers - Christoph Eschenbach
  7. Prld To The Afternoon Of A Faun - Dmitri Kitaenko
  8. Summer Pastorale - Jesus Lopez-Cobos
  9. Masques Et Bergamasques: Pastorale - Jean-Bernard Pommier
  10. Summa - Bournemouth Sinfonietta
  11. Pictures At An Exhibition: The Old Castle - Sir Charles Mackerras
  12. The Wounded Heart - Jonathan Rees
  13. Ser in e: Larghetto - Andrew Litton

Tracks:

  1. Apollon Musagete: The Birth Of Apollo - Jukka-Pekka Saraste
  2. Adagio for Strings - City Of London Sinfonia
  3. The Swan Of Tuonela - Paavo Jarvi
  4. Enigma Vars: Nimrod - RPO/Andrew Litton
  5. Petite Ste: En Bateau (Orch. Busser) - Jean-Bernard Pommier
  6. Holberg Ste: Air - Jonathan Rees
  7. Fantasia On 'Greensleeves' - Christopher Warren-Green
  8. Gymnopedie No. 3 - Paul Tortelier
  9. Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte - Jukka-Pekka Saraste
  10. The Last Spring - Jonathan Rees
  11. Thais: Meditation (From Thais) - Paul Tortelier
  12. Vocalise - Andrew Litton
  13. Mother Goose: The Fairy Garden - Dmitri Kitaenko
  14. Antiphon: Ecce Annuntio Vobis - Dominique Vellard

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars If stranded on an island and had one disc..........2006-01-23

I'd be tempted to make this the one, and I own over 2,000. I agree with what has been said above, but have a few thoughts of my own. I live near a major city with a known orchestra. Why are classical audienced declining? Maybe they're overplaying hackneyed works, and not playing some neglected masterpieces. In this double album there are some well known works, but some exquisite finds, like Picker's Old and Lost Rivers, Honegger's Pastorale, Arvo Part's Summa (!!!). Most highly recommended, with a good bottle of red wine.

5 out of 5 stars Truly inspired collection.......2004-12-07

I came upon this compilation while researching a somewhat obscure piece called "Summer Pastorale", which is contained in the collection. One look at the play list and I was sold - here were most of my favorite tone poems, adagios, and assorted short works, all on one CD (OK, two CD's...)

Another gem here that I had never heard before is Pick's "Old and Lost Rivers". Ravel's final movement from Mother Goose is one of his best orchestrations and at the top of my 'A' list.

About the only pieces I missed here were Debussy's Engulfed Cathedral and Respighi's fourth church window, St. Gregory the Great. Perhaps they would be a bit too dramatic for this collection, though.

The only shortcoming of this collection is the lack of liner notes, but this is a minor issue. The music is superb.


5 out of 5 stars Encore! Encore!.......2004-06-17

Like a few other reviewers here, I purchased this disc for Tobias Picker's "Old and Lost Rivers." But from the Gregorian chants that open this two-CD set to the closing strains of Ravel's "Mother Goose: The Fairy Garden," I was absolutely captivated by the beauty and cohesiveness of this compilation. Producer Robert Laporta has created a disc that passes muster with neophytes and long time classical music lovers alike. I humbly suggest -- make that BEG -- that Virgin Classics turn "Classical Dreams" into a series. I would love to hear a second volume featuring such favorites as the BBC Symphony Orchestra's interpretation of Delius' "On Hearing the 1st Cuckoo In Spring," the Royal Philharmonic's version of Vaughan Williams' "Fantastia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" and the London Symphony's recording of Vaughan Williams' "Symphony No. 3 Pastoral" (Andre Previn conducting both Vaughan Williams' selections). By far, this is the finest classical collection I have yet heard. Encore!

5 out of 5 stars Encore! Encore!.......2004-06-17

Like a few other reviewers here, I purchased this disc for Tobias Picker's miraculous (and criminally underrated) "Old and Lost Rivers." But from the Gregorian chants that open this two-CD set to the closing strains of Ravel's "Mother Goose: The Fairy Garden," I was absolutely captivated by the beauty and cohesiveness of this compilation. Producer Robert Laporta has created a disc both neophytes and long time classical music lovers can approve of. I humbly suggest that Virgin Classics turn Classical Dreams into a series. I would love to hear a second volume featuring such favorites as the BBC Symphony Orchestra's interpretation of Delius' "On Hearing the 1st Cuckoo In Spring," the Royal Philharmonic's version of Vaughan Williams' "Fantastia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" and the London Symphony's recording of Vaughan Williams' "Symphony No. 3 Pastoral" (Andre Previn conducting both Vaughan Williams' selections). By far, this is the finest classical compilation I have yet heard. Encore!

5 out of 5 stars Surprised and ... inspired.......2002-05-10

What a pleasant surprise this double CD turned out to be. I bought it used just for Picker's gorgeous and poetic "Old and Lost Rivers" but fell in love with the whole thing. I'm not usully one for "Best Of ---" or themed classical collections, but this one's in a class by itself. The selections are unusual and achingly lovely in themselves and as a whole. This is my new favorite disk. It's a relaxation or concentration tool... hell, it's a companion - it goes wherever my laptop and headphones go. You get over two hours of gorgeous and lyrical - never mushy, sentimental or tired - classical music, the perfect backdrop for everything from dinner dates to writing code. This CD has added sustained moments of beauty and poise to a busy life - which is more than I could have asked for!
Respighi: The Birds; Three Botticelli Pictures
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Respighi: The Birds; Three Botticelli Pictures

    Manufacturer: Capitol
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    All Works by RespighiAll Works by Respighi | Respighi, Ottorino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    Tone PoemsTone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
    Marriner, Sir NevilleMarriner, Sir Neville | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
    ASIN: B00000DNIP
    Release Date: 1990-10-25
    The Best of Stravinsky
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      The Best of Stravinsky

      Manufacturer: Madacy Records
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      BalletsBallets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
      All Works by StravinskyAll Works by Stravinsky | Stravinsky, Igor | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      SuitesSuites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
      Ballets & DancesBallets & Dances | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
      CDs Under $7CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
      CDs $7 - $10CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
      All Bargain TitlesAll Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
      4-for-3 Classical4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
      4-for-3 All Music4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
      ASIN: B000023VT7
      Release Date: 1999-09-28
      Classical Masterpieces (Box Set)
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Classical Masterpieces (Box Set)

        Manufacturer: Madacy Records
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        BalletsBallets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
        DancesDances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
        QuartetsQuartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by BeethovenAll Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by BerliozAll Works by Berlioz | Berlioz, Hector | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by DebussyAll Works by Debussy | Debussy, Claude | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by Franz Joseph HaydnAll Works by Franz Joseph Haydn | Haydn, Franz Joseph | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus MozartAll Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by SchubertAll Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by StravinskyAll Works by Stravinsky | Stravinsky, Igor | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by RossiniAll Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        PreludesPreludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        DivertimentosDivertimentos | Serenades & Divertimentos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        BagatellesBagatelles | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        Character PiecesCharacter Pieces | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        ImpromptusImpromptus | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        SonatinasSonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        SuitesSuites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        ClassicalClassical | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        RomanticRomantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        Incidental MusicIncidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        OverturesOvertures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
        Vocal & SongVocal & Song | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances
        RequiemsRequiems | Forms & Genres | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
        Ballets & DancesBallets & Dances | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
        General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
        General ContemporaryGeneral Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
        Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
        Theatrical, Incidental & Program MusicTheatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
        Vocal & SongVocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
        PianoPiano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
        ClarinetClarinet | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
        CelloCello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
        ViolinViolin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
        CompilationsCompilations | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
        GermanGerman | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
        ItalianItalian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
        RequiemsRequiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
        ClassicalClassical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
        ASIN: B00002JXEB
        Release Date: 2003-04-15
        Birth of Spring
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Birth of Spring
          Various Artists
          Manufacturer: Eclipse Music Group
          ProductGroup: Music
          Binding: Audio CD

          EnvironmentalEnvironmental | New Age | Styles | Music
          GeneralGeneral | New Age | Styles | Music
          MeditationMeditation | New Age | Styles | Music
          RelaxationRelaxation | New Age | Styles | Music
          NatureNature | New Age | Styles | Music
          CDs $7 - $10CDs $7 - $10 | New Age General | New Age | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
          CDs $7 - $10CDs $7 - $10 | Meditation | New Age | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
          All Bargain TitlesAll Bargain Titles | Meditation | New Age | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
          GeneralGeneral | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
          Meditation MusicMeditation Music | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
          ASIN: B00004RCTP
          Release Date: 1999-11-23

          Tracks:

          1. Bloom
          2. Seeds Are Walking
          3. Dance of the Leaves
          4. Stroll on the Park
          5. Springtime

          Pop Music:

          1. Blueprint For My Soul
          2. Breathe
          3. Christmas Angel: A Family Story
          4. Clash
          5. Crystal Water [Original recording remastered]
          6. Dawn at Trout Lake
          7. Didgeridoos: Ourimbah
          8. Distant Memories: Nature's Retreat
          9. Dolphins Harmony
          10. Fairy Night Songs

          Pop Music

          pop music

          Recommended Music:

          Full Service No Waiting

          Louis Kaufman plays Telemann and Spohr

          Platterback [Import]

          Music: Blues for Everybody [Import]

          Nothing But a Dream/Ways & Means [Enhanced] [Import]

          Instrumentales de Siempre

          Mad About Madeline!

          Mozart: Serenade in D Major, KV 250 (The Complete Works For Violin & Orchestra Volume 7)

          Miracles & Mountains

          New Chautauqua [Import]

          Music for Like Instruments - The Eb Saxophones

          Misty Rowe [CD-single] [Import]

          Mano a Mano

          Best of: 10 Best of Series

          Melting Pot