Antartica

Track Listings

1. Emperor Penguins

2. Weddell Seals (mothers & pups)

3. Weddell Seals (underwater)

4. Adelie Penguins

5. Canada Glacier

6. Wind Harps from the Taylor Valley

7. At the Sea Edge

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
Renowned naturalist and sound designer Dr. Bernie Krause has traveled the world capturing the soundscapes of exotic natural environments. Dr. Krause began his groundbreaking work in bioacoustics and environmental recording in the late 1960's, and much of his work has been accomplished with techniques and technologies that he personally developed. His "In A Wild Sanctuary" (1970) recording earned a place in history as being the first recording to use environmental sounds as both a central component of orchestration and as a statement about the environment.

Dr. Krause's diverse achievements include 10 recordings for The Nature Company that have enjoyed over $24 million in gross sales over a period of 6 years. Development of the audio technology innovation known as the Intelligent Show System (for public exhibitions and installations), and his Music and Word Series of spoken word documents that include "Ishi - The Last Yahi." Dr. Krause recently published the book "Wild Soundscapes" (2002) that includes a full-length CD featuring a sampling of natural sounds.

Product Description
A combination of uncertain and dramatic weather and the relatively light density of creature sounds, makes the Antarctic one of the most difficult places on earth to record. This polar region provides a test for recordists that only a significant few can endure and survive. Not only is it hard on humans, but it is often fatal for equipment. Weddell, leopard seals and penguins require hydrophones (underwater mics) to capture their special voices. Although these creatures have been recorded many times over the years, recordist Doug Quin devised an array of hydrophones, especially designed for this project, to obtain the first stereo/surround examples of these animals heard in any medium. To create this kind of magic with natural sound as a source requires time, patience, perseverance, and a keen compositional sense to make lyrical the pristine voices heard on this CD. Quin is clearly the master.

ANTARCTICA. Antarctica is known as the wildest place on earth. Every creature in this remote environment is elegantly adapted to life in a deep freeze. Experience the otherworldly voices of Leopard and Weddell seals and the creak and groan of glaciers. Then hear a colony of 160,000 Adelie penguins on Antarctica's frozen shores and a gathering of Emperor penguins at the edge of the sea ice.

Antartica,Wild Sanctuary

Antartica

Average customer rating: 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

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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:

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

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

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.

Average customer rating: A Great First Buy on Ralph Vaughan Williams. Vaughan Williams' wonderful music at last... Previn & Vaughan Williams: An Excellent Coupling Can't get any better Comprehensive and Impressive Collection

Vaughan Williams: The Nine Symphonies Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Vaughan Williams, Ralph | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Incidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Vaughan Williams, Ralph | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Euphonium | Brass | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Tuba | Brass | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Vaughan Williams, Ralph | ( V ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Vaughan Williams: Orchestral Works Sibelius: The 7 Symphonies; Finlandia; Kullervo; etc. Ludwig van Beethoven: The 9 Symphonies - Arturo Toscanini / NBC Symphony Orchestra Kurt Atterberg: The Symphonies (Box Set) Vaughan Williams: Serenade to Music; The Lark Ascending; Fantasia on Greensleeves; English Folk Song Suite; In the Fen Country; Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1 ASIN: B00011MK74 Release Date: 2004-03-09

Tracks:

1. A Song For All Seas, All Ships - Andante Maestoso - London Symphony Chorus
2. On The Beach At Night, Alone - Largo Sostenuto - London Symphony Chorus
3. Scherzo: The Waves - Allegro Brillante - London Symphony
4. The Explorers - Grave E Molto Adagio - London Symphony Chorus

Tracks:

1. Lento: Allegro Risoluto
2. Lento
3. Scherzo (Nocturne)
4. Andante Con Moto; Maestoso Alla Marcia; Allegro; Lento; Epilogue
5. Allegro Pesante - James Oliver Buswell IV
6. Adagio - James Oliver Buswell IV
7. Presto - James Oliver Buswell IV
8. Overture

Tracks:

1. Molto Moderato - Douglas Cummings
2. Lento Moderato - Douglas Cummings
3. Moderato Pesante - Douglas Cummings
4. Lento - Douglas Cummings
5. Allegro
6. Andante Moderato
7. Scherzo: Allegro Molto
8. Finale Con Epilogo Fugato: Allegro Molto

Tracks:

1. Preludio: Moderato
2. Scherzo: Prestso
3. Romanza: Lento
4. Passacaglia: Moderato
5. Explorer
6. Poet
7. Queen
8. Allegro Moderato - John Fletcher
9. Romanza: Andante Sostenuto - John Fletcher
10. Finale: Rondo Alla Tedesca - John Fletcher

Tracks:

1. Allegro
2. Moderato
3. Scherzo: Allegro Vivace
4. Epilogue: Moderato
5. Moderato Maestoso
6. Andante Sostenuto
7. Scherzo: Allegro Pesante
8. Andante Tranquillo

Tracks:

1. Spoken Introduction - The Ambrosian Singers
2. Prelude: Andante Maestoso - The Ambrosian Singers
3. Spoken Introduction - The Ambrosian Singers
4. Scherzo: Moderato; Poco Animato - The Ambrosian Singers
5. Spoken Introduction - The Ambrosian Singers
6. Landscape: Lento - The Ambrosian Singers
7. Spoken Introduction - The Ambrosian Singers
8. Intermezzo: Andante Sostenuto - The Ambrosian Singers
9. Spoken Introduction - The Ambrosian Singers
10. Epilogue: Alla Marcia Moderato (Ma Non Troppo) - The Ambrosian Singers
11. Fantasia (Variazioni Senza Tema)
12. Scherzo Alla Marcia (Per Stromenti A Fiato)
13. Cavatina (Per Stromenti Ad Arco)
14. Toccata

Customer Reviews:

A Great First Buy on Ralph Vaughan Williams........2007-06-05

Vaughan Williams' wonderful music at last..........2007-04-21

Previn & Vaughan Williams: An Excellent Coupling.......2007-01-10

Can't get any better.......2004-07-19

Comprehensive and Impressive Collection.......2004-04-07

Listening to his second symphony, A London Symphony, one hears typical Vaughan Williams-almost entirely melodic in its conception, with lots of diatonic, modal or pentatonic writing, and a touch of chromatic harmony to flavour the melody. It's beautiful, and the music spans a wide emotional gamut from intense introspection to joyous celebration. Only in the 4th Symphony does VW really open himself to a more contrapuntal and dissonant style, and the consequence is that the composition becomes quite reminiscent of Prokofiev or Schostakovich, the two other great Symphonists of the time. Following the 5th Symphony, however, I feel that VW's artistic output suffers. The later pieces, with the exception of the 7th Symphony, Sinfonia Antarctica-based on music he'd composed for the film Scott of the Antarctic--lack the vigor and excitement of the earlier works. They're more introspective, perhaps as befits an older composer, but they don't speak to me as strongly as, say, the later symphonies of Mahler or Schostakovich. Perhaps it is that VW was resistant to change in his basic musical outlook, but by the 1950's, the diatonic/pentatonic ideas he frequented had become increasingly irrelevant. That VW was brilliant and a master craftsman is unquestionable, but he seemed to need new fuel for his compositional fires and was unwilling to consider the atonality of Schoenberg and his followers, the rhythmic vitality of Stravinsky and Bartok, or even the orchestral colours and dramatic juxtapositions of Gustav Mahler. There are still many moments of brilliance, but as a whole the later works move me less.

All of the performances by Andre Previn and the London symphony Orchestra are superb-no one plays this music better. With 9 Symphonies and four other orchestral works-the Concerto Accademico, the Tuba Concerto, the Wasps Overture, and Three Portraits from The England of Elisabeth-this collection is packed with value, and I can scarcely do it justice in the limited room I have. While the Concerto Accademico seems aptly titled and not terribly engaging, the Three Portraits are a gem of VW's work for television. Its worth the price for the first two symphonies and the Sinfonia Antarctica alone, everything else is just gravy--or perhaps I should say, baked beans on toast! All in all, a terrific deal.

Average customer rating: Excellent performances of one of our greatest symphonists. Unbelievable Sound Quality A Tale of Two Eighths Best "Sinfonia Antartica" Currently Available Pure music

Vaughan Williams: Symphonies Nos. 7 "Sinfonia antartica" & 8 Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Vaughan Williams, Ralph | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Vaughan Williams, Ralph | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs Under $7 | Symphonies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Symphonies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Symphonies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Vaughn Williams: Symphonies Nos. 5 and 9 Vaughan Williams: Phantasy Quintet/String Quartets 1 & 2 Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony (original 1913 version) / Butterworth: The Banks of Green Willow - London Symphony Orchestra / Richard Hickox Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 2; The Wasps Vaughan Williams: Symphonies Nos. 3 "Pastoral" & No. 6 ASIN: B00000AELD Release Date: 1998-08-25

Tracks:

1. Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No. 7): Prelude: Andante maestoso - Lento - Poco animato - Piu mosso - Tranquillo - Andante moderato con moto - Largamente
2. Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No. 7): Scherzo: Moderato
3. Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No. 7): Landscape: Lento -
4. Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No. 7): Intermezzo: Andante sostenuto - Allegretto - Pesante - Tempo primo tranquillo
5. Sinfonia Antartica (Symphony No. 7): Epilogue: Alla marcia, moderato (non troppo allegro) - Andante maestoso
6. Symphony No. 8 In D Minor: Fantasia (Variazioni senza Tema): Moderato - Presto - Andante sostenuto - Allegretto - Andante non troppo - Allegro vivace - Andante sostenuto - Largamente - Tempo primo ma tranquillo
7. Symphony No. 8 In D Minor: Scherzo alla Marcia (per stromenti a fiato): Allegro alla marcia - Andante - Tempo primo
8. Symphony No. 8 In D Minor: Cavatina (per stromenti ad arco): Lento espressivo
9. Symphony No. 8 In D Minor: Toccata: Moderato maestoso
10. Movement Superscriptions For Sinfonia antartica: Prometheus Unbound: Prelude: 'To Suffer Woes Which Hope Thinks Infinite' (Percy Bysshe Shelley)
11. Movement Superscriptions For Sinfonia antartica: Book Of Common Prayer, Psalm 104: Schezro: 'There Go The Ships'
12. Movement Superscriptions For Sinfonia antartica: Hymn Before Sunrise, In The Vale Of Chamouni: Landscape: 'Ye Ice Falls!' (Samuel Taylor Coleridge)
13. Movement Superscriptions For Sinfonia antartica: The Sun Rising: Intermezzo: 'Love, All Alike,' (John Donne)
14. Movement Superscriptions For Sinfonia antartica: Message To The Public: Epilogue: 'I Do Not Regret This Journey;' (Captain Robert Falcon Scott)

Customer Reviews:

Excellent performances of one of our greatest symphonists........2004-04-28

First, the man was a superb melodist. He was not a mere tunesmith, to be sure, but crafted works that are primarily conceived in terms of melodic development, and this makes his work immediately appealing. Second, he was a highly original thinker who used his colossal technique (he had a doctorate in composition and studied with Ravel) for surprisingly modern ends. His music can at times sound like a mixture of Bach and Debussy, but it is always unmistakably Vaughan Williams. He had a penchant for modal counterpoint, and his streams of parallel chords place his work squarely in the 20th century.

Vaughan Williams' unique talent for scoring is evident throughout this excellent recording of his 7th and 8th symphonies. The "Sinfonia antartica" is based upon a film score he supplied for a film about the explorer Robert Scott. It is by turns brooding and wistful--an ideal introduction to this magnificent composer. Symphony No. 8 is a more eclectic affair, brighter in temperament overall, but a rewarding example of the surprises that lurk around every corner of RVW's work.

Was he the greatest symphonist of the 20th century? The jury's still out. He certainly created a body of symphonic work that is second to none in its richness, diversity, and consistency. Mahler, Sibelius, and Shostakovich are usually considered the most important symphonists of the last century, but for those who seek other fare, you can't do better than Vaughan Williams.

Unbelievable Sound Quality.......2002-03-17

Not a bad accomplishment for budget-price label Naxos!

A Tale of Two Eighths.......2001-07-30

The Vaughan Williams eighth symphony exhibits a few interesting parallels with the eighth symphony of the composer whose oeuvre established the "rule of nine" in the writing of symphonies: Beethoven.

Beethoven's Opus 93 strikes some listeners as both "a step backwards" from the rambunctious and expansive seventh (with its electrifying "double scherzo" and achingly intense theme-and-variations slow movement), and a mystification before the grandiose Opus 125. It is something of a look back towards Haydn; it is charming, and elegant, and seems to do entirely without the dramatic musical rhetoric of which Beethoven's third, fifth and seventh symphonies provide ample and potent illustration. It is the sort of thing which "musical progressivists" say we composers cannot do; you can almost hear the phrase spoken, "you can never go back."

Yet, in his eighth symphony, Beethoven succeeds, marvelously and musically; he does, and does not, "go back." Vaughan Williams does something of the same, in his eighth. Even though Vaughan Williams' seventh was composed originally as film music, and then adapted as a symphony in his `cycle' (or perhaps because of this), the eighth seems like a deliberate step away from musical dramtization, and into the realm of abstract, `pure' music, a music which functions on its own, not driven by any extra-musical `program.'

Now, the `point' to which Beethoven does and does not go back, is Haydn; the generation before, and a composer with whom Beethoven had taken lessons. The `point' to which Vaughan Williams does and does not go back, is musical Impressionism, and specifically Ravel. Vaughan Williams had taken some lessons with Ravel; and the `return to pure music' in the eighth is doubly apt here, as part of Ravel's Impressionism is a sort of `romantic neo-classicism' exemplified in "Le Tombeau de Couperin" and the piano concertos.

That Vaughan Williams made his eighth with the Beethoven-parallel in mind, seems to me confirmed in the opening of the second movement. Vaughan Williams' all-winds scherzo begins with too much of a `metronomic' gesture for this to be coincidental. This parallel does not become burdensome, because the `metronomic piece' functions differently in the two eighth symphonies: it is the slow movement in the Beethoven Op. 93, followed by the lovely Menuet and Trio (good heavens! didn't Beethoven realize how passé this was?), while in Vaughan Williams' eighth it serves as a scherzo followed by a richly beautiful slow movement for strings alone (in timbral balance of the string-less scherzo).

Where Vaughan Williams `does not go back' is, about two-thirds into the first movement, where, after some moments of trumpet-&-string doublings which seemed to evoke the sound-world of Prokofiev, the relatively smooth calm of most of the movement yields to the sort of orchestral menace normally associated with Shostakovich. This fury lasts but a moment, and gives way again to the idyllic calm of the opening material, but here is a musical point at which you wonder if it is really possible to `go back' ....

The last movement of the Vaughan Williams' eighth is bright and resplendent. It is almost mis-labeled; `toccata' traditionally means a `touched' piece, a keyboard work with figurations more characteristic of two hands at a keyboard, rather than a large ensemble of single-line instruments. But Vaughan Williams has a history of adapting the idea of the Toccata, as in his Toccata Marziale for band; and my musicological quibble does not get in the way of the piece, which reminds me more of a jubilant carillon.

--Karl

Best "Sinfonia Antartica" Currently Available.......2000-10-24

Pure music.......1999-07-26

Average customer rating: FAT FREE GOOD MUSIC GOO STUFF! undark smart geared*in 'intelligent' A great mix top-notch trip-hop tracks -- way cool!

Plug In + Turn On X.3: Electronic Trip Hop Abstraction Pronoia , DJ Unknown Face , Tek 9 , Alex Reece , Karma , Mystic Moods , Antartica , Visit Venus , and Jaziac Sunflowers Manufacturer: Instinct Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Techno-House | Compilations | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Acid Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music Techno-House | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music Acid Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Plug In + Turn On X.4 Plug In + Turn On ASIN: B000001UWB Release Date: 1996-05-14

Tracks:

1. Syracuse - Pronoia
2. Dat's Cool - DJ Unknown Face
3. Old Times/New Times - Tek 9
4. Pulp Fiction - Alex Reece
5. High Priestess - Karma
6. Listen - Mystic Moods
7. Dehydration Part 11 - Antartica
8. Janine - Pronoia
9. Harlem Overdrive - Visit Venus
10. Look Up Dere - Karma
11. Spacehopper - Jaziac Sunflowers

Customer Reviews:

FAT FREE GOOD MUSIC.......2000-01-26

GOO STUFF!.......1999-04-07

undark smart geared*in 'intelligent'.......1999-03-29

A great mix top-notch trip-hop tracks -- way cool!.......1999-01-17

Average customer rating: Best of Boult's Vaughan Williams Vaughan Williams his way

Vaughan Williams: Symphonies 1-9 / Boult Ralph Vaughan Williams , and Sir Adrian Boult Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1-7 Hindemith: Concert Music; Horn Concerto; Clarinet Concerto and others Vaughan Williams: The Nine Symphonies; Job (Box Set) Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 1-6 Vaughan Williams: A Sea Symphony ASIN: B00007A3E2 Release Date: 2004-04-13

Customer Reviews:

Best of Boult's Vaughan Williams.......2004-08-01

Vaughan Williams his way.......2004-06-27

And that best describes what I feel about Sir Adrian Boult conducting Vaughan Williams in this collection. He lets the music speak for itself. He never tries to give particular emphasis to some element in the score as many conductors do. These recordings date from the 1950s, all but the 8th and 9th being mono. But the age of the recordings and the mono sound in no way detracts from the listening pleasure they bring. I put them alongside any of the competiton and these recordings hold their own or come out far ahead. I've compared them to three other complete cycles:

Boult/EMI - Amazon asin # B00004YA0V (8 CDs)
Handley/CFP - Amazon asin # B00006J3LP (7 CDs)
Previn/RCA - Amazon asin # B00011MK74 (6 CDs)

Compared to his own later readings on EMI, I find Boult gets a more restrained performance from the orchestra in these earlier Decca recordings, thus heightening the effect of letting the music speak for itself. And I find the Decca recording a little bit brighter and more well balanced. A good symphony to highlight this effect is the Sea Symphony. The choir in the EMI recording tries to hard to make the music sound good, where the choir in the Decca sounds relaxed, confident, unstrained. And the sound on the Decca is more open, less opaque than the EMI.

The Previn cycle is quite good throughout, and features several additional pieces, some of them rare in recordings (this Decca cycle occupies the fewest number of disks of the 4 cycles, 5, but only has the symphonies, nothing more). The obvious comparison with the Previn cycle is the Sinfonia Antartica, no. 7. Only Previn and this Decca recording include the narrative. Sir Ralph Richardson in the Previn is very dramatic and expressive, embellishing the text with much emotion. Sir John Gielgud on this Decca recording is by comparison quite unemotional; like Boult, he speaks eloquently enough to not seem monotonish, but lets the words do the talking, not his interpretation of the words. He makes a good fit for Boult's similar reading of the music. And Richardson makes a similarly good fit for Previn's more dramatic reading. I am quite fond of Previn's recording, but after I listen to the magnificent Boult reading here, I find myself appreciating Previn less, for he emphasizes one emotional element in the music at the cost of all others. The Decca was recorded 1952, but even today it is of demonstration quality, especially with the stunning organ in the ice fall scene. Try as hard as they may, no other recording has come close to this one, engineered by the famous John Culshaw.

Which brings me to the Handley recordings. Handley, incidentally, fully admitted he tried to capture the organ scene in Sinfonia Antartica as well the Boult/Culshaw recording, but couldn't quite pull it off. The 5th symphonty is for me the highlight of Handley's set. Handley's recording is a masterpiece both of musical interpretation and audio engineering. This Boult recording comes the closest I've heard to the Handly interpretively, perhaps even edging it out a little once again because of Boult's refusal to indulge in over expressiveness. The sound on the Handley has a littel bit of an edge, but not by much. The sound int eh Boult/Decca recording is nowhere near as lively and opulent as the Handley, but once again is far brighter and more open than the Boult/EMI.

Decca has pulled off one of the best engineering jobs with these remasterings. I found the sound to be excellent throughout. The Sea Symphony, Sinfonia Antartica, and Symphony No 9 in this set are not be missed by any Vaughan Williams fan.

So, does this get my top choice recommendation?

Maybe.

If it's going to be your only Vaughan Williams collection, I would recommend either the Previn or the Handley instead, for with those sets you get other pieces in addition to the symphonies, and thus a better representation of Vaughan Williams artistry. Boult's EMI set is the most comprehensive collection of works, and the readings of the symphonies are somewhat comparable to the Decca set, but the execution is nowhere close to the masterly execution in the Decca set, and thus diminishes its attractiveness.

But if you want the best collection of the symphonies and will supplement it with other choices for some of the other works, then by far I would chose this set for the symphonies.

Average customer rating: Boult makes this a great symphony sheer Heaven,if not exactly quiet! Symphony of the South Pole Brilliant- A story told through an orchestral masterpiece Feel the cold pain

Vaughan Williams: Sinfonia Antartica/The Wasps Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Vaughan Williams, Ralph | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Vaughan Williams, Ralph | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Vaughan Williams: A Sea Symphony Ralph Vaughan Williams: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 5 Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony; Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony (original 1913 version) / Butterworth: The Banks of Green Willow - London Symphony Orchestra / Richard Hickox Vaughan Williams: An Oxford Elegy/ Flos Campi/ Sancta Civitas/ etc. ASIN: B000002S2Q Release Date: 1991-10-11

Tracks:

1. Sinfonia Antartica: Prelude (Andante maestoso) - John Alldis
2. Sinfonia Antartica: Scherzo (Moderato) - John Alldis
3. Sinfonia Antartica: Landscape (Lento) - John Alldis
4. Sinfonia Antartica: Intermezzo (Andante sostenuto) - John Alldis
5. Sinfonia Antartica: Epilogue (Alla marcia) - John Alldis
6. Aristophanic Suite 'The Wasps': Overture - London Philharmonic Orchestra
7. Aristophanic Suite 'The Wasps': Entr'acte - London Philharmonic Orchestra
8. Aristophanic Suite 'The Wasps': March Past of the Kitchen Utensils - London Philharmonic Orchestra
9. Aristophanic Suite 'The Wasps': Entr'acte - London Philharmonic Orchestra
10. Aristophanic Suite 'The Wasps': Ballet and Final Tableau - London Philharmonic Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

Boult makes this a great symphony.......2005-11-29

sheer Heaven,if not exactly quiet!.......2004-12-30

Symphony of the South Pole.......2002-04-05

Brilliant- A story told through an orchestral masterpiece.......2001-07-28

Feel the cold pain.......2000-11-02

This record is the best performance available and incredible. Sir Adrian Boult feels the pain of his countrymen and the orchestra too. For englishmen this was one of the sadest happenings of the 20th century

I bought this record after hearing it live in Mexico city, that was a great performance. I had a previous CD on the complete Leonard Slatkin Vaughan Williams symphonies, but I like this one a lot more.

Highly recommended.

Average customer rating: VW Can't miss Vaughan Williams the Great European Symphonist

Vaughan Williams: Symphonies #1-9, The Lark Ascending, Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, In the Fen Country - Haitink, Bostridge, Chang (7 CD's) Ian Bostridge , Sarah Chang , Felicity Lott , Jonathan Summers , Amanda Roocroft , Shauss , and Charles-Marie Widor Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Vaughan Williams, Ralph | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Vaughan Williams, Ralph | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Mahler: The Symphonies Mahler - The Complete Symphonies / LPO, Tennstedt Symphonies 1-9 Shostakovich: Complete Concertos Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen ASIN: B0002RUAFQ Release Date: 2004-11-02

Tracks:

1. I: A Song For All Seas, All Ships: Behold, The Sea Itself - Jonathan Summers
2. I: A Song For All Seas, All Ships: Today A Rude Brief Recitative - Jonathan Summers
3. I: A Song For All Seas, All Ships: Flaunt Out, O Sea, Your Seperate Flags Of Nations! - Jonathan Summers
4. I: A Song For All Seas, All Ships: Token Of All Brave Captains - Jonathan Summers
5. I: A Song For All Seas, All Ships: A Pennant Universal - Jonathan Summers
6. II: On The Beach At Night, Alone: On The Beach At Night, Alone - Jonathan Summers
7. II: On The Beach At Night, Alone: A Vast Similitude Interlocks All - Jonathan Summers
8. III: Scherzo: The Waves - Jonathan Summers
9. IV: The Explorers (Grave E Molto Adagio - Andante Co Moto): O Vast Rondure, Swimming In Space - Jonathan Summers
10. IV: The Explorers (Grave E Molto Adagio - Andante Co Moto): Down From The Gardens Of Asia Descending - Jonathan Summers
11. IV: The Explorers (Grave E Molto Adagio - Andante Co Moto): O We Can Wait No Longer - Jonathan Summers
12. IV: The Explorers (Grave E Molto Adagio - Andante Co Moto): O Thou Transcendent - Jonathan Summers
13. IV: The Explorers (Grave E Molto Adagio - Andante Co Moto): Greater Than Stars Or Suns - Jonathan Summers
14. IV: The Explorers (Grave E Molto Adagio - Andante Co Moto): Sail Forth - Jonathan Summers
15. IV: The Explorers (Grave E Molto Adagio - Andante Co Moto): O My Brave Soul! - Jonathan Summers

Tracks:

1. I. Lento - Allegro Risoluto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
2. II. Lento - London Philharmonic Orchestra
3. III. Scherzo (Nocturne): Allegro Vivace - London Philharmonic Orchestra
4. IV. Andante Con Moto - Maestoso Alla Marcia (Quasi Lento) - Allegro - London Philharmonic Orchestra
5. Fantasia On A Theme - London Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

1. I: Molto Moderato - Amanda Roocroft
2. II: Lento Moderato - London Philharmonic Orchestra
3. II: Moderato Pesante - Presto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
4. IV: Lento - Moderato Maestoso - London Philharmonic Orchestra
5. I: Allegro - London Philharmonic Orchestra
6. II: Andante Moderato - London Philharmonic Orchestra
7. III: Scherzo: Allegro Molto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
8. IV: Finale Con Epilogo Fugato: Allegro Molto - London Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

1. I: Preludio: Moderato - Sarah Chang
2. II: Scherzo: Presto - Sarah Chang
3. III: Romanza: Lento - Sarah Chang
4. IV: Passacaglia: Moderato - Sarah Chang
5. Norfolk Rhapsody No.1 - Sarah Chang
6. Romance For Violin And Orchestra - Sarah Chang

Tracks:

1. I: Allegro - Ian Bostridge
2. II: Moderato - Ian Bostridge
3. III: Scherzo: Allegro Vivace - Ian Bostridge
4. IV: Epilouge: Moderato - Ian Bostridge
5. In The Fen Country - Ian Bostridge
6. I: On The Wenlock Edge - Ian Bostridge
7. II: From Far, From Eve And Morning - Ian Bostridge
8. III: Is My Team Ploughing? - Ian Bostridge
9. IV: Oh, When I Was In Love With You - Ian Bostridge
10. V: Bredon Hill - Ian Bostridge
11. VI: Clun - Ian Bostridge

Tracks:

1. I: Prelude: Maestoso - London Philharmonic Choir
2. II: Scherzo: Moderato - London Philharmonic Choir
3. III: Landscape: Lento - London Philharmonic Choir
4. IV: Intermezzo: Andante Sostenuto - London Philharmonic Choir
5. V: Epilogue: Alla Marcia, Moderato (Non Troppo Allegro) - London Philharmonic Choir

Tracks:

1. I: Fantasia: Moderato - Presto - Andante Sostenuto - Allegretto - Andante Non Troppo - Allegro Vivace - Andante Sostenuto - Tempo I, Ma Tranquillo - London Philharmonic Orchestra
2. II: Scherzo Alla Marcia: Allegro Alla Marcia - Andante - Tempo I (Allegro) - London Philharmonic Orchestra
3. III: Cavatina: Lento Espressivo - London Philharmonic Orchestra
4. IV: Toccata: Moderato Maestoso - London Philharmonic Orchestra
5. I: Moderato Maestoso - London Philharmonic Orchestra
6. II: Andante Sostenuto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
7. III: Scherzo: Allegro Pesante - London Philharmonic Orchestra
8. IV: Andante Tranquillo - London Philharmonic Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

VW Can't miss.......2007-04-01

Vaughan Williams the Great European Symphonist.......2004-12-15

Average customer rating: BEST COMPLETE SURVEY Still the Best As good as anyone needs--this isn't Beethoven Consider Supplementing This Core Set What's the hurry to have 'em all?

Vaughan Williams, The Complete Symphonies Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Vaughan Williams, Ralph | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Vaughan Williams, Ralph | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music Similar Items: Debussy, Ravel: Orchestral Works Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies & Tone Poems Strauss: Orchestral Works Symphonies 1-3 / Piano Concerto 1-4 / Isle of Dead Liszt: Works for Piano and Orchestra ASIN: B00004YA0V Release Date: 2000-11-07

Tracks:

1. I: A Song For All Seas, All Ships - London Philharmonic Choir
2. II: On The Beach At Night, Alone - London Philharmonic Choir
3. III: Scherzo: The Waves - London Philharmonic Choir
4. IV: The Explorers - London Philharmonic Choir
5. Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
6. Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
7. Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
8. Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
9. Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
10. Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
11. Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
12. Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
13. Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
14. Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir
15. Symphony (Symphony No.1) - London Philharmonic Choir

Tracks:

1. Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Tallis - London Philharmonic Orchestra
2. I: Lento - Allegro Risoluto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
3. II: Lento - London Philharmonic Orchestra
4. III: Scherzo (Nocturne): Allegro Vivace - London Philharmonic Orchestra
5. IV: Andante Con Moto - Maestoso Alla Marcia - London Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

1. I: Molto Moderato - Margaret Price
2. II: Lento Moderato - Margaret Price
3. III: Moderato Pesante - Margaret Price
4. IV: Lento - Margaret Price
5. I: Preludio: Moderato - London Philharmonic Orchestra
6. II: Scherzo: Presto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
7. III: Romanza: Lento - London Philharmonic Orchestra
8. IV: Passacaglia: Moderato - London Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

1. I: Allegro - New Philharmonia Orchestra
2. II: Andante Moderato - New Philharmonia Orchestra
3. III: Scherzo: Allegro Molto - New Philharmonia Orchestra
4. IV: Finale Con Epilogo Fugato: Allegro Molto - New Philharmonia Orchestra
5. I: Allegro - New Philharmonia Orchestra
6. II: Moderato - New Philharmonia Orchestra
7. III: Scherzo: Allegro Vivace - New Philharmonia Orchestra
8. IV: Epilogue: Moderato - New Philharmonia Orchestra

Tracks:

1. I: Prelude: Andante Maestoso - London Philharmonic Choir
2. II: Scherzo: Moderato - London Philharmonic Choir
3. III: Landscape: Lento - London Philharmonic Choir
4. IV: Intermezzo: Andante Sostenuto - London Philharmonic Choir
5. V: Epilogue: Alla Marcia - London Philharmonic Choir
6. I: Overture - London Philharmonic Orchestra
7. II: Entr'acte - London Philharmonic Orchestra
8. III: March Past Of The Kitchen Utensils - London Philharmonic Orchestra
9. IV: Entr'acte - London Philharmonic Orchestra
10. V: Ballet And Final Tableau - London Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

1. I: Fantasia (Variazioni Senza Tema) - London Philharmonic Orchestra
2. II: Scherzo Alla Marcia - London Philharmonic Orchestra
3. III: Cavatina - London Philharmonic Orchestra
4. IV: Toccata - London Philharmonic Orchestra
5. I: Moderato Maestoso - London Philharmonic Orchestra
6. II: Andante Sostenuto - London Philharmonic Orchestra
7. III: Scherzo: Allegro Pesante - London Philharmonic Orchestra
8. IV: Andante Tranquillo - London Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

1. Serenade To Music - Norma Burrowes
2. In The Fen Country - New Philharmonia Orchestra
3. The Lark Ascending - Hugh Bean
4. Norfolk Rhapsody No.1 - New Philharmonia Orchestra
5. English Folk Song Suite - London Symphony Orchestra
6. Fantasia On 'Greensleeves' - London Symphony Orchestra
7. Untitled - London Symphony Orchestra
8. Untitled - London Symphony Orchestra

Tracks:

1. I: Toccata: Allegro Moderato - Victor Babin
2. II: Romanza: Lento - Victor Babin
3. III: Fuga Chromatica (Allegro) Con - Victor Babin
4. Finale Alla Tedesca - Victor Babin
5. Introduction - London Symphony Orchestra
6. Sarabande Of The Sons Of God - London Symphony Orchestra
7. Satan's Dance Of Triumph - London Symphony Orchestra
8. Minuet Of The Sons Of Job And Their Wives - London Symphony Orchestra
9. Job's Dream - London Symphony Orchestra
10. Dream Of The Three Messengers - London Symphony Orchestra
11. Dance Of Job's Comforters - London Symphony Orchestra
12. Elihu's Dance Of Youth And Beauty - London Symphony Orchestra
13. Pavane Of The Sons Of The Morning - London Symphony Orchestra
14. Galliard Of The Sons Of The Morning - London Symphony Orchestra
15. Altar Dance - London Symphony Orchestra
16. Epilogue - London Symphony Orchestra

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