Animals

Track Listings

1. Dolphins

2. Kangaroos

3. Tigers

4. Gorillas

5. Jaguars

6. JungleForest

7. Camels

8. Hippos

9. Snakes

10. Alligators

11. Vultures

12. Lone Wolf

Editorial Reviews
Paul Thomas, Latin Beat Magazine, 2004
Filing this disc under jazz/world does not do it enough justice. It's more of a musical fantasia. Recommended!

Product Description
Take a journey through a wildlife paradise as Frank Macchia's "Animals" creates jazz/world impressions of exotic animals from around the world. Featuring stunning solo performances by Mark Isham, Billy Childs, Vinnie Colaiuta, Grant Geissman and Bruce Fowler, "Animals'" captures the spirit of these wonderful creatures.

Animals

Animals,Frank Macchia,Cacophony Records,Jazz/world fusion impressions of exotic animals from around the world, featuring Mark Isham, Billy Childs, Vinnie Colaiuta & Grant Geissman and many more top jazz artists.

Animals

Tracks:

Pigs On The Wing 1
Dogs
Pigs (Three Different Ones)
Sheep
Pigs On The Wing 2

Amazon.com essential recording

Although not in the same vein as the deliciously hallucinogenic earlier Floyd works such as Ummagumma and Dark Side of the Moon, Animals is innovative and musically diverse in its own right. Inspired in part by George Orwell's political fable Animal Farm, Roger Waters condemns the avarice and inequalities of capitalism, metaphorically and musically grouping humans as pigs, dogs, and sheep. The pigs are self-righteous hypocrites inflicting their beliefs on everyone else, the dogs greedy money-grabbers, and the sheep witless followers. Dark, cynical, and brilliantly composed, Animals is an ingenious and under-acknowledged album. --Naomi Gesinger

Customer Reviews:

this is about the music, not the politics.......2007-06-15

politically, Roger Waters is a total idiot, but as a musician, he's awesome....this album is simply about the best rock piece ever....I read this more about (despite whatever Waters' intentions) as commentary about Man, not capitalism....aftyer all, capitalism is NOT an "ism", it is what Man would naturally do without any State apparatus lording over it with the threat of force. a real treat, but not something for a party, or dancing....which is a good thing.

Gilmour's Finest Hour.......2007-06-15

It could be said of most of Pink Floyd's recorded ouevre that it is something of an acquired taste. And the effort of acquiring the taste is made harder still by the subtleties of their music. That is, a Pink Floyd album will not disclose all of its facets to the listener at once. Rather, a certain amount of dedication, repeated careful review, is required to "see the whole", as it were.

This is probably truer of "Animals" than it is of any of their other work. "Animals", to begin with, lacks the lush, atmospheric Leslie-treated pianos and spacey guitars of "Meddle", or the warping, bubbling, synth-work and studio sleight-of-hand of "Dark Side" or "Wish." "Atom Heart Mother" and "The Wall" were recorded with full orchestras to assist in particularly emotional moments. Whether the orchestral experimentation of "Atom Heart Mother" and "The Wall" were successful is another question, altogether.

"Animals," then, is more of a straight-up rock and roll record than the other Floyd albums. It was basically written "on the fly," during the band's tours in support of "Wish" through '75-76. Although this is documented in interviews with Messrs. Gilmour and Water themselves, the fact could be confirmed from listening to live outings of songs from "Animals" -- they sound just like the studio versions, almost as though they were written with live, rather than studio, performance in mind. There are very little in the way of doubled instrumental parts or voices (some acoustic guitar parts are overdubbed in "Pigs", I believe, but other than that, the whole thing is basically just the four players and their voices).

The values have changed slightly, to, from a musical perspective. Gone are Gilmour and Wright's airy harmonizations from "Dark Side" and "Meddle", to be replaced by the throatier growling and ranting of Roger Waters, who sings almost the entirety of the album's lyrics. Gilmour sings the very beginning of "Dogs" ("You've gotta have a real need/Gotta sleep on your toes").

And the instrumental sound, or the approach, perhaps, has changed as well. Here, the guitar-playing of Gilmour takes on a decidedly more aggressive, charged, attitude. Witness, for example, the ragged outbursts between the first few verses of "Dogs"; Gilmour, although always capable of emotional depth, rarely chooses to depict raw anger in his solos.

The angriest moment comes at the finish of "Pigs." The song, which has built up nice bit of rhythmic tension with its half-time feel and the suggestive in-drawn breaths from Roger Waters in the final verse, suddenly lets loose with Gilmour's cataclysmic outro-solo.

The solo starts with the same note repeated almost a dozen times, picked hard (much harder than Gilmour's usually genteel touch), beat to within an inch of its life. He moves up the neck into stratospheric territory, then, in a musical gesture recalling Milton's description of Satan's defeat ("Hurled headlong flaming from th' ethereal sky/With hideous ruin and combustion down"), plummets back down with a series of triplets that return almost all the way to first position.

The intensity builds back up, until Gilmour finds a rapid-fire sixteenth-note triplet arpgeggio near the top of the neck and rides it out through the fade. This is not the beautiful, sensitive Gilmour we know from "Wish You Were Here," or "On the Turning Away." It is another personality altogether, but one capable of searing intensity.

Perhaps, in the final analysis, Gilmour's mastery is demonstrated by the fact that -- knowing that he could solo in the white-hot vein of an Eric Clapton or Robin Trower, say -- he chooses not to do so all of the time. The rareness of such an outburst -- I could almost say its uniqueness, but for the slightly less brillant solo of a similar emotional tenor at the end of "Comfortably Numb" -- is part of what makes it great.

Gilmour never quite equaled this moment at the end of "Pigs" in any of his subsequent outings. While "Comfortably Numb" is comparable, it does not quite echo the rawness of tone here. Also of note is some of the playing on his first solo album of 1977, "David Gilmour" (although there the emotional content seems to be more "woe" or "tragedy").

Furthermore, these are Waters's best lyrics -- they are by turns creepy, funny (some of the double-entendre in "Pigs On The Wing"), and accurate (the spot-on businessman psychoanalysis of "Dogs").

and Pigs do Fly.......2007-06-10

I guess I like Pink Floyd. This is quite a trippy collection, but worth a spin.

A biting social commentary which is still relevent to this day.......2007-05-30

I first got "Animals" way back in 1996. Being a major Floyd fan, I instantly fell in love with the exquisite lyrics and fantastic music. Eleven years later, being a bit older and a lot wiser, I see "Animals" as a piece of social commentary which is still relevant to this day.

I see the "Dogs" as the jackbooted "Waffen-SS-like" thugs that most soldiers and police officers have become in this day of encroaching tyranny. Have you noticed how increasingly militarized LEOs (law enforcement officers) have become? Have you noticed how thuggish the United States military has acted under not only the command of George W. Bush, but even under Bill Clinton?

I see the "Pigs" as the ones in power, the ones who ultimately call the shots in the world. I see the first group of pigs as the big central bankers (Rockefellers, Rothschilds, etc.) and corporate bigwigs (Ted Turner, Michael Eisner, etc.) who control the power through their fortunes in corporate neo-fascist fashion. I see the second group of pigs as the puppet politicians who are put in the government to give everybody the false assumption that they have a choice when it comes to elections (Republican and Democrat are basically one and the same). Finally, I see the third group of pigs as pro-censorship people such as Mary Whitehouse, Jack Thompson, Brent Bozell, and to some extent social commentators such as Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly and Michael Savage who have frequently called for the American government to impose virtually total tyranny.

I see the sheep as the willfully ignorant "be a follower, not a leader" masses that most everybody has become thanks to them being dumbed down by mainstream media, propaganda masquerading as news, and even violent entertainment. Have you noticed how people care more about "American Idol" than they do about their freedoms? Have you noticed how people care more about Britney Spears not wearing underwear than encroaching tyranny? Ultimately, the end of the song sees the sheeple being pushed too far, so they rebel against the dogs, but little do the sheeple know that the dogs are seen by the pigs as "expdendable" because the pigs are the ones who hold the power. In the end, the pigs remain in power, and soon they will have more jackbooted enforcers to enslave the sheep once again.

The issues that Waters covered in the album's original 1977 release still hold true 30 years later. "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it."

Animals Exposes Humanity In All Its Ugliness And Carnality.......2007-05-23

Animals by Pink Floyd exposes the carnal, materialistic side of humankind in all its ugliness. The album divides people into three groups: dogs, pigs, and sheep. The dogs signify people, especially those of low or middle social or economic status, who are so ambitious and competitive that they will step on other people's toes to get to the top of the social or corporate ladder. The pigs signify people, especially big-business tycoons or greedy politicians, who take advantage of people of lower social or economic status in order to advance their own commercial or political empires. The sheep are people of ordinary social status who blindly obey whatever society tells them to do even if they know it will compromise their moral or religious principles. At this point, Roger Waters was exerting greater control in the band and this caused hostility among the band members, particularly among keyboardist Richard Wright. The band began to feel more separated from its fans due to them playing in large venues such as football stadiums. The famous pig balloon that has become a staple in their concerts started here. Pink Floyd have never shied away from the hard realities of the human condition by creating a magical wonderland full of joy, peace, and harmony. They have never created a utopia in their work and probably never will. That's why their albums are so influential and continue to sell to this very day. Their music is objective not subjective. This is life as it actually is, not what we would like it to be, according to Pink Floyd.

Average customer rating:

For every ANIMAL Lover
best animals collection on CD
The Animals Retrospective
time to give em their props
All the great Animals songs you remember and then some

Retrospective
The Animals
Manufacturer: Abkco
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Retrospective

ASIN: B0002IQABI
Release Date: 2004-07-20

Tracks:

House Of The Rising Sun
I'm Crying
Baby Let Me Take You Home
Gonna Send You Back To Walker
Boom Boom
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Bring It On Home To Me
We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
It's My Life
Don't Bring Me Down
See See Rider
Inside - Looking Out
Hey GYP
Help Me Girl
When I Was Young
A Girl Named Sandoz
San Franciscan Nights
Monterey
Anything
Sky Pilot
White Houses
Spill The Wine

Amazon.com

The 22 tracks on Retrospective deftly chronicle the best years of the Animals, who were far and away the grittiest band in the British Invasion of the mid-1960s. Eric Burdon's magnificently raw vocals and the stabbing chords of Alan Price's Vox Continental organ gave their covers of American blues and R&B classic such as Sam Cooke's "Bring it on Home" and John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom" an authenticity that no other British groups could match. Their rough sound also gave songs like "Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" and "We've Got to Get of This Place" a real sense of rage and menace. By 1967 Burdon was the only remaining original member and he formed a new band that eschewed the blues and R&B of his early years in Newcastle in favor of a psychedelic, San Francisco-influenced sound. Songs like "When I Was Young" showed he had a real gift for the type of personal songwriting that was becoming popular in the late 1960s while the lyrically obscure "San Franciscan Nights" and "Sky Pilot" suggested he spent too much time hanging out with hippies. Even when they stumbled, the Animals were interesting, and when they hit the mark, they were as good as any band from the British Invasion. --Michael John Simmons

Customer Reviews:

For every ANIMAL Lover.......2007-07-25

This CD is a gem, every song a classic. If your a Animal fan this should be in your collection. The booklet also makes good reading and gives a bit of an insight to the band at different stages with different lineups.

best animals collection on CD.......2007-06-22

This collection of The Animals songs is excellent.One gets all the best big hits of The Animals.From the greatly arranged "it's my life" to the all time classic "the house of the raising sun".Also included is a couple of Eric Burdon solo hits.This is a must buy for any "Animals" fan.You get it all in one CD,which also in includes a short telling of the group's history, in the liners notes.I highly recommind this CD.

The Animals Retrospective.......2007-06-09

One of the best reissues of 2004 the Animals finally get a concise career spanning compilation that shows why they deserve the same recognition as the Rolling Stones. Retrospective is a generous 22 tracks that ends with "Spill The Wine" where Eric Burdon and War prove to be a great match. All the classics are here including "House Of The Rising Sun", "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", and "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place" as well as lesser known classics like "See See Rider" and "It's My Life" making Retrospective the perfect collection for casual fans as well as completists. Any rock fan should add this album to their collection.

time to give em their props.......2007-05-08

the Animals are probably the most underrated bands of that era. they are the most raw and gutsy of all the british bands incorporating the real blues and true grit in crafting of their body of work this cd is the Best , including hey gyp + dont bring me down ,among ALL their best including all the Eric Burden's acid days in San Fran

All the great Animals songs you remember and then some.......2007-05-01

The only compilation that had everything I wanted and remembered from their heyday. "Anything" surprised me and I've grown to like it. Of course, what Animals compilation would be complete w/o "House of the Rising Sun", "San Franciscan Nights", "Monterey" and definitely "Sky Pilot". If you want the most bang for your buck, this is it!

Average customer rating:

Romance of the Violin
End of the Day
Wonderful!
Over and over and over....
Non-standard CD format

Romance of the Violin
Claude Debussy , Fryderyk Chopin , Camille Saint-Saens , Franz Schubert , Vincenzo Bellini , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Christoph Willibald Gluck , Alexander Borodin , Antonin Dvorak , Claudio Monteverdi , Jules Massenet , Robert Schumann , Michael Stern , Craig Ogden , Gregory Knowles , John Constable , Jacob Heringman , and Stephen Orton
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Voice of the Violin
Ladies in Lavender
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto [Hybrid SACD]
Joshua Bell - Gershwin Fantasy
The Red Violin: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

ASIN: B0000DG06L
Release Date: 2003-10-28

Tracks:

O mio babbino caro (from 'Gianni Schicchi')
The Girl With Flaxen Hair (from Preludes, Book I; La fille aux cheveux delin: Prelude for Piano L 117/8)
Nocturne in C sharp minor (Op Post)
The Swan (from Carnival of the Animals)
Serenade (from 'Schwanengesang' song cycle for voice and piano, D 957
Casta Diva (from 'Norma')
Andante from Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major K. 467
Nocturne from Quartet for Strings No. 2 in D Major: 3rd movement
Dance of the Blessed Spirits (from 'Orfeo ed Euridice')
Songs My Mother Taught Me, song for voice and piano B104/4 Op 55/4
Pur ti Miro (from 'L'incoronazione di Poppea')
Elegie (Elegie 'O doux printemps d'autrefois' for voice and piano)
Traumerei ('Kinderszenen' for piano, Op 15, No. 7 'Dreaming')

Amazon.com

Every track on this CD contains a beautiful melody, many of them easily recognizable, all of them exuding tranquility. "O mio babbino caro" from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi opens the disc, with Bell delicately accompanied by a harp and spinning the long melody with great sensitivity. Bellini's "Casta diva" from Norma lives up to its reputation as the epitome of bel canto in Bell's hands; his violin sings. The middle movement of Mozart's 21st Piano Concerto takes well to the violin, and Debussy's "The Girl with the Flaxen Hair" is played with great warmth and sensuality. It would be easy to turn a recital like this into treacle, but Bell is wise enough to realize that the music is already sweet enough and he plays with great reserve and a minimum of sentimental slides. The light accompaniments always support, with woodwinds prominent but used with grace. This CD, in short, is a beauty: a fine gift, a lovely mood setter. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Romance of the Violin.......2007-07-16

While it's not my very favorite Joshua Bell CD, this is a pleasure to listen to!

End of the Day.......2007-06-08

I am a Joshua Bell fan, and this album is the one that I enjoy with my dessert, it calms me at the end of the day, and makes me think of my 6 year old granddaughter's visit. She has to have music on during meals at her home. Usually it is some kid stuff, but I do not have anything like she has at home, so I chose to play Joshua Bell during our dinner. When I placed the dessert before her, she looked up at me and said: "This music is so beautiful, I want to play the violin just like that". What more could I say.
He is inspiring, and she is right. This album is beautiful.

Wonderful!.......2007-05-30

I play this for my grandson to nap by. It is so relaxing and wonderful!

Over and over and over...........2007-05-17

That's how I want to play this CD! It's a wonderful line-up of rich, mellow, captivating compositions played with a warmth and vibrancy that is seldom heard. Joshua at his very best. You won't be disappointed.

Non-standard CD format.......2007-04-22

The music on this CD deserves five stars, but the CD itself is a non-standard format that doesn't work on all players. There's a tiny warning on the back of the CD. You won't notice the warning until you discover that the CD doesn't work on your player. My Macintosh computer wouldn't read the non-standard format so there was no way for me to listen in my office or put the music on my iPod.

A friend's PC was able to read the CD and make a copy in standard format that can be read on any player, including my Mac. The story had a happy ending, but I can not comprehend why the publisher chose the oddball CD specification.

The music is excellent and worth the trouble of making a copy, but the publisher really shouldn't make you go to that effort just to listen to a CD that you paid for.

Average customer rating:

Not The Original Album
Best of the Best
Great Band
The Best of the British Invasion
Buy Retraspective instead

Best of the Animals
The Animals
Manufacturer: Abkco
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Best Of Eric Burdon & The Animals, 1966-1968
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ASIN: B000003BDD
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

House Of The Rising Sun
I'm Crying
Baby, Let Me Take You Home
Around And Around
Talkin' Bout You
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Boom Boom
Dimples
We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
I'm In Love Again
Bury My Body
Gonna Send You Back To Walker
Story Of Bo Diddley
It's My Life
Bring It On Home To Me

Amazon.com

While they're best remembered for "House of the Rising Sun," the Animals had more than one track. What about "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" and "We've Gotta Get Out of this Place," to name but two, as well as a later incarnation's "San Franciscan Nights," Eric Burdon's ode to the flower power of 1967? Always rough and ready, the Animals were a blues band from Newcastle who never looked completely comfortable in their suits, but who nonetheless produced some great pieces of music--although whether there was ever quite enough to fill an entire album you have to judge for yourself. --Chris Nickson

Customer Reviews:

Not The Original Album.......2007-05-26

Although the cover of this is identical to the 1966 Album - this is NOT a reissue of that album. That album had 11 songs - two of which are NOT on this issue, which has 15 songs. It's a very good album and very representative of this oeriod of their output, but it should not be mistaken for a reissue of the 1966 MGM release.

Best of the Best.......2007-04-30

This is one of those classics that taken out of the cabinet - 30 years later - is still one of the greatest albums, blues, rock and roll or otherwise ever put together. My record is so scratched from over use and abuse through the years that I was forced to go to Amazon and buy the CD. Despite the skips, that rich, true groove, plastic fantastic and scratched album of mine will be sorely missed. I just couldn't bear to not hear the music.

Great Band.......2007-03-31

This band produced alot of good songs back in the 60's.
Their most well known song and a huge hit was House Of The Rising Sun.Thats got a tune that just seems to stick in you head.Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood is another one of my favorites here.Eric Burdon and the band had a special sound.We Gotta Get Out Of This Place is another big hit i love that tune.It's My Life is another well known song from the Animals.
Bands like this were around for a short time,but made some of the best songs.

The Best of the British Invasion.......2006-10-17

The Animals were one of the more grittier of the British Invasion bands. This collections features their hits from the original line up. After this line up the band changed dramatically and it is difficult to compare the two except for the fact they both have Eric Burdon as the front man. House of the Rising Sun is a classic, but other lessor know tunes are just as great like Bo Diddley and Carry my Body. I've enjoyed this CD for a long time and you will to if you enjoy R&B\Blues influenced rock.

Buy Retraspective instead.......2005-09-14

You will better off buying The Animals Retrospective because it has more hits on it.Like White Houses, Sky Pilot and San Franciscan Nights. This is cheap Greatest Hits and missing allots of hits

The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!

Average customer rating:

Lives Up To The Title, Fine Variety Of Genre's.
Good for relaxing pregnant women
Too much opera
Does what it set out to do, very well
TRULY The most relaxing and beautiful music ever written.

The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
Johann Sebastian Bach , Léo Delibes , Gabriel Fauré , Erik Satie , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Edvard Grieg , Johann Pachelbel , Claude Debussy , Felix Mendelssohn , Camille Saint-Saens , Henryk Gorecki , Antonio Vivaldi , Edward Elgar , Jocelyn Pook , Sergey Rachmaninov , Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni , Luigi Boccherini , Jules Massenet , Ludwig van Beethoven , Jacques Offenbach , Pietro Mascagni , Antonin Dvorak , Giacomo Puccini , Ralph Vaughan Williams , Alexander Borodin , Joaquin Rodrigo , and Samuel Barber
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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25 Classical Favorites
Mozart for Relaxation

ASIN: B00000I93Z
Release Date: 1999-03-30

Tracks:

Air 'On the G String' - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Morning - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Canon In D - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Gymnopedie No.1 - City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
II. Andante - Stephen Hough
Viens, Mallika - Mady Mesple
In Paradisum - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
Clair De Lune - Dame Moura Lympany
II. Andate - Yehudi Menuhin
The Swan - Osian Ellis
II. Lento E Largo - Tranquillissimo - Zofia Kilanowicz
II. Andantino - James Galway
II. Largo - Yehudi Menuhin
Nimrod - London Symphony Orchestra
Blow the Wind - Pie Jesu - Jocelyn Pook
Variation 18 - Cecile Ousset
Pavane Op.50 - Gareth Morris

Tracks:

Zion Hort Die Wachter Singen - South German Madrigal Choir
Adagio In G Minor - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Minuet - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. Largo - Andrei Gavrilov
Meditation - Hans Kalafusz
I. Adagio Sostenuto - Dame Moura Lympany
Belle Nuit, O Nuit D'amour (Barcarolle) - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
II. Andante - Nigel North
II. Adagio - Jack Brymer
Intermezzo - Philharmonia Orchestra
I. Moderato - London Chamber Orchestra
O Mio Babbino Caro - Montserrat Caballe
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves' - Sinfonia Of London
II. Adagio Sostenuto (Opening) - Cecile Ousset
Nocturne - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. Adagio (Opening) - Julian Bream
Adagio For Strings Op.11a - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Entr'acte To Act III - Orchestre National De France

Amazon.com

You want relaxing classical music that'll soothe your soul but won't lull you into sleep? Here's a double CD for you. The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World ... Ever! does its best to cover both well-worn classical favorites (Bach's "Air on the G String," Pachelbel's "Cannon," Debussy's "Clair de Lune") and some eclectic left-field choices (an excerpt from Górecki's Symphony No. 3, Jocelyn Pook's "Blow the Wind," and Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. The performances of most of these excerpts are top-notch--artists include Sir Neville Marriner, James Galway, Jacqueline du Pré and the Philadelphia Orchestra--and there's enough variety here for everyone. --Edward Garabedian

Customer Reviews:

Lives Up To The Title, Fine Variety Of Genre's........2007-02-04

This CD is a great way to enjoy a large variety of Classical Composers & many of their best known pieces. Vivaldi's "Four Seasons," is an all time favorite. There are vocals, Piano pieces, & some fine Violins. I found the latter the most enjoyable. Here you can find Rodrigo & Pachelbell. Samuel Barber's haunting Adagio will make your skin tingle. This may not be to everyones taste, but if you wish to relax? Give this a couple of listens.

Good for relaxing pregnant women.......2007-01-17

I stumbled onto this album whilst searching bit torrent websites for classical music. I don't normally listen to classical music but thought it might be relaxing for my pregnant wife. After hearing the quality of the performances, the arrangement, and the recording I decided to buy the album from amazon. All the songs you would expect from a "best album in the world" are there and they are not boring to listen to like a lot of other classical albums. I now play this album in the car constantly and the wife requested it be played at the hospital during the birth.

Too much opera.......2007-01-10

If it wasn't for the opera this would be a great CD.

Does what it set out to do, very well.......2006-11-15

So i'm a classical music veteran, someone who prefers to collect a complete work, rather than classical compilations. I probably would not have listened to this album at all if my dad didnt buy it for me as a gift. By now, i own the complete works that over half of the excepts on this disc come from. I am a purist if ever there was one.

That said, i totally adore this set because i have learned to take it on its own terms. These discs weren't meant for expert classical listeners, so a review from that sort of mindset is useless. This set was meant for pure, easy listening, and for a basic starters kit for classical newbies. Most of all, it was just meant to do what the title says, to relax the average human being. classical expert or not.

Yes, some of these pieces have been altered or shortened, like Mozart's Flute and Harp Concerto Andantino, but they have been edited for a good enough reason: the full versions would have been too long to flow with the rest of the album. And also, the full versions contain so much development that they don't become easy listening anymore. The shortened versions work in the context of the album. Most essentially, the shortened versions on the discs still convey the main flavor the composers were going for. The melodies and themes remain unchanged.

To sum up, it is true that when i want to actually listen deeply to classical music, this album would never be a choice. I would want to hear the complete works like the composers intended. But at certain times when i simply don't mind about that stuff, when i just need to loosen up and free my mind of stress with some nice melodies, this set does the job well enough.

Last but not least: being a purist and a classical buff, i am very particular about performance quality. I was very glad to find that EMI did not get lazy about this. All the artists are world-class, and all the performances are at least exceptional. Some performances are even quite excellent, like the Clair De Lune, which is one of the best i've heard. (Credit to Dame Lympany, the pianist.)

So once again, recommended for its stated purpose, to relax. I am a purist, a classical buff, and i still enjoy this disc. That says something.

TRULY The most relaxing and beautiful music ever written........2006-11-10

This album along with Volume 2 are now the two most valued albums in my music collection. I have all of the songs contained on these two albums but they are scattered through at least a dozen different albums and several are not performed by artists such as those that recorded this album and Volume 2.
SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!!!!

Average customer rating:

pure genius
Another great Yo-Yo Disc
first disc great- second a flop
Encore
The Versatile Yo-Yo Ma

The Essential Yo-Yo Ma

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Appassionato
Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone
Vivaldi's Cello
Classic Yo-Yo
Silk Road Journeys: Beyond the Horizon

ASIN: B000A7Q29G
Release Date: 2005-08-16

Tracks:

Prde from Suite No. 1 in G Major for Cello, BWV 1007
II. Largo from "Winter", Op. 8, No. 4, RV 297 from the Four Seasons
Jesus, bleibet meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring), BWV 147
Schafe kn sicher weiden (Sheep May Safely Graze), BWV 208
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Sleepers Awake), BWV 645
The Swan from Carnival of the Animals (Chamber Version)
Havanaise, Op. 83
Mtation from Tha
Liebesfreud Instrumental
Allegro ben ritmato e deciso from Three Preludes
Vocalise Vocal
IV. Allegro from Sonata in D minor for Cello and Piano, Op. 40
Andante Cantabile for Cello Solo and String Orchestra, Op. posth.
IV. Rondo alla Zingarese. Presto from Quartet No. 1 in G minor for Piano and Strings, Op. 25
III. Finale. Allegro moderato from Concerto in B minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 104

Tracks:

Cristal
A lenda do caboclo
Chega de Saudade Live
Wapango Live
Libertango
Appalachia Waltz Solo Cello Version
Butterfly's Day Out
1B
Pickin' from Three Pieces for Solo Cello
Simple Gifts
The Mission
Gabriel's Oboe
The Falls Album Version
The Eternal Vow from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
The Cellist of Sarajevo - A Lament in Rondo Form for Solo 'Cello, Op. 12
Chi passa per'sta strada
Mido Mountain (Chinese Traditional)
Mohini (Enchantment)
Baroque in Rhythm from Suite for Cello and Jazz Piano Trio
Anything Goes Instrumental
I Could Have Danced All Night Extended version

Amazon.com

Here are three dozen pieces of music, all played by Yo-Yo Ma, culled from his extensive discography. Aside from the technical mastery and beautiful tone that are absolutes in all of his playing, one is dazzled by his curiosity and ability to adapt to so many forms and types of music. His Bach and Vivaldi are pellucid and played with non-sentimental crispness, his tango music gritty and rhythmically pungent, his jazz seemingly spontaneous, the "Meditation" from Thais simply ravishing, "Anything Goes" a romp, and the Appalachian music performed with both respect and a great twang, while the traditional Chinese music is fascinating. It's really a matter of how much Ma loves whatever he plays here, how entirely he becomes involved in it, and what a fine partner he invariably is to other musicians. This collection is a doozy--it is truly "essential." --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

pure genius.......2007-05-21

No instrument asks more from the soul of an artist as the cello does.
Yo Yo Ma shows to be master of the instrument and his interpretations en technique are pure genius. Everyone should have this album in his (or hers of course) basic classical collection

Another great Yo-Yo Disc.......2007-05-15

The set-up with the classical pieces on the first disc and the other on the second is excellent.

first disc great- second a flop.......2007-04-12

the first disc is awesome. the second disc is weird and boring.

Encore.......2007-03-31

Incredible. My young cellist (son) loves it. Beautiful music. The album is well organized and each song transitions nicely.

The Versatile Yo-Yo Ma.......2007-03-29

I've found this collection to be extremely delightful! It gives you a sense of the versatility of Yo-Yo Ma like no other, with one disc being dedicated more to his classical side, while the other explores jazz and world music venues. Not your typical "greatest hits" collection.

Bernstein Favorites: Children's Classics

Average customer rating:

Wonderful
Brings back old memories
Could be better
Surprised at how wonderful this is -- a huge hit!
Leonard Bernstein and Peter and the Wolf

Bernstein Favorites: Children's Classics

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Classical Music for Children: A Toddler's Introduction to Classical Music
Children's Favorites
Pavarotti's Opera Made Easy-My Favourite Opera For Children
Classics for Kids
Peter And The Wolf

ASIN: B0000027CN
Release Date: 1991-05-03

Tracks:

Peter and the Wolf
The Carnival Of The Animals: I - Introduction And Royal March Of The Lion
The Carnival Of The Animals: II - Hens And Cocks
The Carnival Of The Animals: III - Mules
The Carnival Of The Animals: IV - Tortoises
The Carnival Of The Animals: V - The Elephant
The Carnival Of The Animals: VI - Kangaroos
The Carnival Of The Animals: VII - Aquarium
The Carnival Of The Animals: VIII - Personages With Long Ears
The Carnival Of The Animals: IX - The Cuckoo In The Woods
The Carnival Of The Animals: X - Aviary
The Carnival Of The Animals: XI - Pianists
The Carnival Of The Animals: XII - Fossils
The Carnival Of The Animals: XIII - The Swan
The Carnival Of The Animals: XIV - Finale
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Allegro maestoso e largamente (Full Orchestra)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Theme B (Woodwinds)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Theme C (Brass)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Theme D (Strings)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Theme E (Percussion)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Theme F (Full Orchestra)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Variation A (Piccolo & Flutes)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Variation B: Lento (Oboes)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Variation C: Moderato (Clarinets)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Variation D: Allegro alla marcia (Bassoons)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Variation E: Brillante - alla polacca (Violins)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Variation F: Meno mosso (Violas)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Variation G (Cellos)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Variation H: Communinciando lento ma poco a poco accel. al Allegro (Double basses)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Variation I: Maestoso (Harp)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Variation J: L'istesso tempo (French Horns)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Variation K: Vivace (Trumpets)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Variation L: Allegro pomposo (Trombones & Tuba)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Variation M: Moderato (Percussion)
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra (Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell): Fugue: Allegro molto (Full Orchestra)

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful.......2007-08-02

My son just turned 3 and absolutely loves Peter & the Wolf. He knows all the animals by heart and listens to it over and over. I grew up with this album and was so happy to find the Leonard Bernstein narration since I think it's the best. Highly recommend it.

Brings back old memories.......2007-05-13

Excellent, Excellent, Excellent!!!! I remember listening to Peter and the Wolf as a child and loving it. Now that I have three kids of my own, I thought this would be a great purchase. My 5, 3, and 1 year olds love it. Plus if you are a parent who wants your kids to appreciate music, Peter and the Wolf (Leonard Bernstein's narration is the best), The Carnival Of The Animals, and the introduction to the orchestra will give them a goods start. For $6.97 you cannot beat the price, and it would be an affordable and memorable gift to give friends as they begin to raise their own little ones.

Could be better.......2007-03-29

I am a little dissappointed with Bernstein's narration of Peter and the Wolf. I prefer the Disney rendition with Sterling Holloway. Bernstein didn't seem to put much drama into it, he sounded distracted and it just plain fell flat. The music was fine, and he did much better with The Carnival of Animals.

Surprised at how wonderful this is -- a huge hit!.......2007-03-18

I bought this for "music appreciation" education for my 6 yr. old. I thought it would be challenging to get him, as well as my 2 1/2 and 1 1/2 yr. olds, to let me play it in the car. I also thought it would bore and/or irritate my husband -- so I was nervous a bit. Well, I was completely wrong. We all "love" it.

It is high quality and pleasant to the ears. We play it whenever we are in the car. The narratives in "Peter and the Wolf" and "Carnival of the Animals" are very engaging and hold their attention. At home, my 6 yr. old sits at the dinner table and recites the entire narrative (along with the appropriate tune representing the characters) of Peter and the Wolf -- complete with Bernstein's accent! Great memory/recitation exercise and he does it voluntarily. My two year old asks for it EVERY TIME we're in the car and many times my 1 1/2 yr. old is fussy until we turn it on, then she's as content as can be.

All the kids have picked out characters to "be" in Peter and the Wolf and have assigned them to Mom and Dad. It's a lot of fun. My 2 yr. old always calls out when the cat comes along, "That's me!!" and my 1 1/2 yr. old always says, "Correct!" just before Bernstein does. The littlest to the oldest listen intently and engage with the narrator.

The last piece is my personal favorite, as it introduces each instrument in the orchestra and how it all fits together, and the music is beautiful (the kids like the music too, but prefer "Peter..."). My 6 yr. old has learned a lot from the last piece without realizing it; when I explain instruments of music we hear elsewhere, he calmly informs me, "I know that, Mom."

This fascination with the CD has lasted a long time; we did not just start listening to it last week. I think that reflects on how enjoyable it is for the whole family. My husband has told me repeatedly how glad he is we bought this. It is also a good buy here on Amazon -- I paid several dollars more for it.

Leonard Bernstein and Peter and the Wolf.......2006-11-10

I listened to this recording as a child and now will pass it on to my child!

Average customer rating:

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

Classics for Kids

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

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

ASIN: B000003FE3
Release Date: 1993-06-08

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Best Of Eric Burdon & The Animals, 1966-1968

Average customer rating:

Animals... Yea!
this is killer music!
The best
The Other Animals
Great Compilation Of Late-60s Eric Burdon

The Best Of Eric Burdon & The Animals, 1966-1968
Eric Burdon & the Animals
Manufacturer: Polydor / Umgd
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Best of the Animals
The Best of Eric Burdon & War
The Complete Animals
Soul of a Man
"The Yardbirds - Greatest Hits, Vol. 1: 1964-1966"

ASIN: B000001G1N
Release Date: 1991-06-11

Tracks:

Don't Bring Me Down
See See Rider
Inside Looking Out
Hey Gyp
Help Me Girl
When I Was Young
A Girl Named Sandoz
San Franciscan Nights
Good Times
Anything
Winds Of Change
Monterey
Sky Pilot
White Houses
River Deep, Mountain High

Customer Reviews:

Animals... Yea!.......2007-04-09

This is a pretty good compilation of the animals later work. It is regretable that it does not include the Bee Gees cover"To Love somebody" that was included on the original LP that only perhaps Janis Joplin covered better(debatable) I never liked the Bee Gees much but the Animals version rocks. But then just about anything the Animals did rocked.

this is killer music!.......2006-08-25

Prior to 1970, Burdon/The Animals could do no wrong. This is Burdon leaving his soul/blues and exploring broader landscapes. Not only are the songs great, but also I love the production. It is so raw!

The best song...River Deep Mountain High. For Tina Turner, it was a dog/overblown tune. For Burden, wow! awesome.

If you are checking out this cd, you must be an Animal's fan. This rocks harder. is more raw, more experimental that the animals yet still has the animals vibe. This is a true 5 star compilation.

The best.......2006-06-29

Excellent vocals and feet tapping rhythms, these songs all have meaning. Gooseflesh raising.

The Other Animals.......2006-03-23

I hate to start a review with a backhanded compliment, but I was surprised at how good this CD is. Somehow, Burdon's work of the late 60s has gotten lost in the public mind. We hear his early work with the Animals on the radio all the time as well as his later collaboration, "Spill the Wine," that he did with War. But what about the period from 66 to 68? This CD ably fills the gap in the collective consciousness. Here, Burdon used a different group from the one that made him famous in England. His new bandmates sound like the Newcastle Animals on heavy doses of psychedelia. But the group never strays too far from Burdon's R & B and blues roots. Sure, there's goofy, poppy stuff like "Sky Pilot," but for the most part, the new Animals play good old rock and roll. The bass work on "A Girl Named Sandoz" is absolutely filthy. Lapdance filthy. Burdon's voice maybe isn't quite as deep and bellowing as on his earlier work with the Animals. It sounds a bit scratchier, a bit more whiskey soaked than his earlier stuff. But it's still great. There are no weak songs, which cover a wide range of musical styles. Monterrey, for example, recounts that 1967 concert while imitating the sound of some of the groups who performed there. When Burdon talks about the Who, his band shifts into Who mode. When he talks about Ravi Shankar, the sitar strikes up. And so on. It's a fun, imiginative song. The CD concludes with River Deep, Mountain High, which reminded me of the Faces's tune, "Stay with Me." It's fast, long, and rocks. I bought this CD for the one song, "When I was Young." Thankfully, the rest of it was just as good. Recommended listening for anyone who likes Eric Burdon or the Animals.

Great Compilation Of Late-60s Eric Burdon.......2005-08-12

THE BEST OF ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS, 1966-1968 is a great collection that starts off in the Memphis-Chicago-Detroit-Great Plains blues-rock-soul vein of early Animals, and then quickly moves into psychedelia. The most compelling cuts on this anthology, which I own on cassette, are "Monterey", a hymn to the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, and the devastating anti-war screed "Sky Pilot", which was released during the height of the Vietnam War but was actually not specifically about that war; rather, it was a condemnation of war in general seen through the eyes of a military chaplain. This is a great anthology which any fan of classic rock should own.

Average customer rating:

Grand Animals, Grand Sophomore Album

Grand Animals
Robbers on High Street
Manufacturer: New Line Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Icky Thump
Easy Tiger
Favourite Worst Nightmare
Tree City
Fine Lines

ASIN: B000RGSON2
Release Date: 2007-07-24

Tracks:

Across Your Knee
The Fatalist
Crown Victoria
The Ramp
Kick 'em in the Shins
Nasty Numbers
Married Young
Your Phantom Walks the Hall
You Don't Stand a Chance
Guard at Your Heel
Keys to the Century

Amazon.com

Strings. French horn. Tuba. The second album by New York-based indie rockers Robbers on High Street features all the classic elements that are supposed to make second albums so terrible. All that's missing, really, is a children's choir. In this case, however, the group has balanced its studio ambition with just the right amount of real world restraint, coming up with a disc that actually improves on the first while maintaining the trio's wry quirks. Produced by Italian composer Daniele Luppi--best known for his string arrangements on Gnarls Barkley's St. Elsewhere and John Legend's Once Again-- the disc once again finds the trio mining its record collection for inspiration and coming up with an album that pays rich tribute to everything from high tension British guitar rock in "The Fatalist" to wobbly soft-focus indie pop in "Your Phantom Walks the Hall." --Aidin Vaziri

Album Description

Their sophomore album offers a fuller sound, courtesy of the band's exploration of new sonic territories and of the illustrious Italian composer Daniele Luppi, best known for his work with Danger Mouse and his string arrangements on Gnarls Barkley's "St. Elsewhere" and John Legend's "Once Again". Luppi ultimately captured a more complex sound, dipping into various styles, and pushing the band to expand their portrayal and visions of modern day society, with life-sized lyrical truths and bigger than life melodic hooks.

Customer Reviews:

Grand Animals, Grand Sophomore Album.......2007-07-30

I usually don't review albums so soon after getting them, but the Robbers' second album deserves an early review. I love it. It has so many different subtleties woven into the fabric of the music. What I love so much about this band is that they sound almost like they are from another time, maybe mid 70s? They are extremely talented young musicians, all of the members of Robbers being multi-instrumentalists & Ben, their singer, has been honing his already-gorgeous voice. He is not afraid of letting loose & really getting into the songs, rather than remaining detatched & too cool, as some singers today seem to be. 'Crown Victoria' is a swinging great time of a song & a perfect example of Ben, and the entire band actually, taking a risk on a style of song & working it so well that the song becomes the highlight of the whole album. 'The Ramp' is as hilarious as it is endearing: a tale about an accident that brings Leo Dicaprio to a dying boy's bedside! More album highlights include 'Across Your Knee' & 'Kick'em in