I Heard a Symphony [Import]

Track Listings
1. Love Child
2. Nathan Jones
3. Stoned Love
4. Reflections
5. Crazy 'Bout The Guy
6. Up On The Ladder To The Roof
7. You Can't Hurry Love
8. You Keep Me Hangin' On
9. I Hear A Symphony
10. How Do You Keep The Music Playing
11. First Time On A Ferris Wheel
12. Automatically Sunshine
13. Back In My Arms Again
14. Love Is Here & Now You're Gone
15. I'm Gonna Make You Love Me
16. He's My Man
17. Sukiyaki
18. Never Can Say Goodbye
19. Stop In The Name Of Love
20. Baby Love
See all 36 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Double Pleasure. 2004.

I Heard a Symphony,Supremes,Double Pleasure,Oldies,R&B/Soul


I Heard a Symphony [Import]

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

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  2. The Mahler Symphonies: An Owner's Manual (includes 1 CD)
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  4. Study of Orchestration, Third Edition
  5. The Life and Works of Ludwig van Beethoven

ASIN: B00006O0NT
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The one complaint I have is the last CD. This deals with the orchestra. I wanted more of a tour of how the orchestra has been used through history up to the present. Instead, it was a tour of how different groups of instruments sound. I thought it could have been better. The other 6 CDs are excellent.
Christmas Rhapsody
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Amazing skills, yet too busy for listening enjoyment
  • John Bayless Christmas Rhapsody
  • best concert pianist in the world
  • My favorite of the season
  • Best Piano Christmas CD ever!
Christmas Rhapsody

Manufacturer: Koch Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0002VEQ5C
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Tracks:

  1. O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL / ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH / HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING
  2. I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS / "GOING HOME" NEW WORLD SYMPHONY
  3. SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN / DANCE OF THE SUGAR PLUM FAIRY
  4. THE CHRISTMAS SONG
  5. RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER / LET IT SNOW
  6. AVE MARIA
  7. O COME O COME EMANUEL / O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM / THE FIRST NOEL
  8. WINTER WONDERLAND / JINGLE BELLS
  9. SILENT NIGHT / O HOLY NIGHT
  10. SWEET LITTLE JESUS BOY / AWAY IN A MANGER / WHAT CHILD IS THIS?
  11. JESU JOY OF MAN'S DESIRING / AMAZING GRACE
  12. HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS
  13. WHITE CHRISTMAS

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Amazing skills, yet too busy for listening enjoyment.......2006-12-13

I can't believe how well John Bayless has mastered the piano. This is very obvious from the first song that you ever hear him play. I'd really like to watch him play in concert. However, the songs on this album are too much work for me to listen to. The music is so busy that I can hardly concentrate on the melody and it hardly gives me the peace I expect from traditional Christmas music. Some of my favorites for this category are Jim Brickman, David Huntsinger, and Tim Janis.

5 out of 5 stars John Bayless Christmas Rhapsody.......2006-02-13

Christmas Rhapsody has quickly become one of our all time favorite Chistmas CDs. We love it so much that it is February 10th and we are still listening to it.

5 out of 5 stars best concert pianist in the world.......2005-08-18

John Bayless is the best concert pianist in the world. This album shows his genuis. Perfect music to listen to any time of the year.
This is the best Christmas album on the market.

5 out of 5 stars My favorite of the season.......2004-12-31

This is the holiday music I have listened to throughout the season, and it is so beautiful I cannot bear to put it away yet. I love Bayless's work at any time, and these arrangements simply take my breath away. His blending of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" with "Going Home" from the New World Symphony is particulary poignant. And his signature "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring/Amazing Grace" is seasonless and timeless. Christmas is over, but get this anyway; it's wonderful.

5 out of 5 stars Best Piano Christmas CD ever!.......2004-12-15

David Lanz? Jim Brickman? John Tesh? Move over guys... John Bayless has done what no others could... Taken the xmas classics to a new level of musical enjoyment! By combining the songs together, and making them so rich and full of life, this will be my favorite Christmas CD for a looooooooooong time.
Joy to the World - Eugene Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Joy To The World........a joy indeed!
  • If you like classical Christmas music, this is for you
  • "Joy To The World . . . The Lord Has Come . . . And Heaven And Nature Sing"
  • Christmas music done in Ormady's rich "Philadelphia Sound"
  • A Timeless Christmas Classic
Joy to the World - Eugene Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003EPC
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Hark! The Hearld Angels Sing
  2. Away In The Manger
  3. The Little Drummer Boy
  4. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
  5. Waltz of the Flowers
  6. What Child Is This
  7. Sleigh Ride
  8. The First Nowell
  9. Carol of the Bells
  10. O Come, All Ye Faithful
  11. Joy to the World
  12. I Wonder As I Wander
  13. Good King Wenceslas
  14. Silent Night
  15. Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
  16. Angels We Have Heard On High
  17. Silver Bells
  18. Messiah: Pastoral Symphony (Messiah)
  19. Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Joy To The World........a joy indeed!.......2007-03-16

This wonderful CD has everything to celebrate the great joy of the Christmas season. Recorded in the early 1970's it still sounds as fresh and timeless as it did way back then.
The orchestrations are majestic and imaginative without being mushy or too symphonic in structure.The addition of the chorus in most of the carols is an added bonus. The singers and orchestra blend wonderfully without either dominating the other too much. The programme of selected songs is excellent and with some lovely orchestra only tracks the CD is not tiring to listen to creating a well balanced programme.
Maestro Eugene Ormandy conducts the Philadelphia Orchestra with great zeal and a passion for the music that is felt by the listener.The chorus master is the very talented Robert Page and the carols are arranged and orchestrated by the great Arthur Harris.
The sound quality is excellent and the CD has been beautifully remastered without any loss of crispness or dynamics.The stereo balance and instrument placement sound superb with the singers centre stage.
This is a remarkably good CD from the RCA Gold Seal range and is a must for lovers of really good seasonal music played with love and passion for the joys of the Christmas season.
Thank you for taking the trouble to read my review and I wish one and all much enjoyment from this lovely CD.

Happy listening!

5 out of 5 stars If you like classical Christmas music, this is for you.......2007-01-13

A truly great collection of classical Christmas music. Highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars "Joy To The World . . . The Lord Has Come . . . And Heaven And Nature Sing".......2006-12-15

For those of you who, like me, love traditional and old-fashioned Christmas carols with a chorus and a full orchestra, this album is just a perfect listen this Yuletide season. It's always been a delight listening to this classic Christmas CD, "Joy to the World with Eugene Ormandy and The Philadelphia Orchestra and Chorus." It creates a nostalgic feeling and an atmosphere of an old-fashioned Christmas that reminds me so much of the past Christmas celebrations I had with my late parents. This is the kind of Christmas music they so loved.

The Philadelphia Orchestra and Chorus under the direction of Robert Page performed ten of the nineteen tracks and The Philadelphia Orchestra performed the rest of the tracks without the Chorus under the baton of one of the most respected names in conducting and orchestration, Eugene Ormandy. Arthur Harris beautifully and traditionally arranged all the songs. This is one of the greatest Christmas albums ever recorded and a worthy addition to your Christmas collection.

The true essence of Christmas is captured by the artful blend of voices from the chorus combined with the sublime orchestration from the first carol, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" to the last piece, Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah."

Each and every track is a highlight and sacredly performed. My top favorites are "Silent Night," Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers" from "The Nutcracker," "Angels We Have Heard On High," "Away In A Manger," "What Child Is This? (Greensleeves), and "Joy To The World."

"Joy to the world
The Lord has come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing."

Joyfully recommended!

5 out of 5 stars Christmas music done in Ormady's rich "Philadelphia Sound".......2004-12-04

"Joy to the World" has Eugene Ormandy with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Chorus providing a rich selection of Christmas songs, both classical and traditional, arranged by Arthur Harris. It is the former that are most impressive, although there are fewer of them, starting with Mendelssohn's "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers" from "The Nutcracker," then ending with Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desire," and the "Pastoral Symphony" and "Hallelujan Chorus" from Handel's "Messiah."

Eugene Ormandy (born Jenö Blau in Budapest) was one of the most famous of the popular American conductors of the 20th century, known best for his long time relationship with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Originally gaining public notice with the orchestra when he served as a last-minute replacement for an ill Arturo Toscanini in 1931, Ormandy would serve as Musical Director in Phialdelphia from 1938 until 1980. Under his baton the Philadelphia Orchestra became known for its warm tones, textured romantic "Philadelphia Sound," which is well represented on this Christmas album. I always thought Ormandy's interpretation of Rachmaninoff was particularly strong, although I do not know enough about classical music to articulate a coherent defense of that position beyond noting that when Vladimir Horowitz played Rachmaninoff's Third Concerto on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his Carnegie Hall debut, he picked Ormandy as the conductor of the orchestra that night.

There is over an hour's worth of music here for you to enjoy if you like more of the classical approach to your Christmas music. But Ormandy's work is always marked by an ability to bring out the emotions of music being played by a symphonic orchestra. That is why the standout tracks here are "The Little Drummer Boy," "I Wonder as I Wander," and "What Child Is This?" You would not normally think of these songs as working as well song by a chorus that by a single individual, but this album will get you to rethink your position. In terms of choirs at Christmas I still have a preference for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Ray Conniff Singers (I embrace the extremes), but in terms of listening to an orchestra play Christmas music, this is as good as it gets.

5 out of 5 stars A Timeless Christmas Classic.......2003-12-08

I'm a lover of traditional Christmas music and I've acquired about 20 CDs of it. There's nothing my family likes better in December than putting on some good Christmas music and getting in the mood for the season, hearing once again the old favorites you've known since childhood. Of all the Christmas music CDs I've tried, I have two desert-island favorites, the two I always reach for first. This is one of them. I think it's one of the greatest recordings of traditional Christmas music ever made. The arrangements (by Arthur Harris) are joyous, beautiful, and soul-stirring; the performances are heartfelt and magnificent. If you can listen to this CD and not feel filled by the Christmas spirit, you must be (a) named Ebeneezer Scrooge, or (b) deaf. This one is a timeless Christmas classic, not to be missed. Warmest recommendation.
Incredible Christmas Album
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Incredible Christmas Album

    Manufacturer: Decca
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B0000D1FKB
    Release Date: 2003-10-14

    Tracks:

    1. What Child Is This? - Vanessa Williams
    2. Winter Wonderland - Ella Fitzgerald
    3. White Christmas - Bing Crosby
    4. The Christmas Song - Mel Torme
    5. Silver And Gold - Burl Ives
    6. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Perry Como
    7. Silver Bells - The Ames Brothers
    8. Mary's Boy Child - Harry Belafonte
    9. The White Snows Of Christmas - The Kingston Trio
    10. Koppangen - Anne Sophie Von Otter
    11. Mary Did You Know - Hayley Westenra
    12. We Three Kings Of Orient Are - Anadian Brass
    13. The Homecoming - John Tesh
    14. Shepherd's Pipe Carol Choir - Shoir Of St John's College
    15. Carol Of The Drum - John Williams
    16. Once In Royal David - Academy Of St Martin-In-The-Fields
    17. Les Anges Dans Nos Campagne - Gheorghe Zamfir
    18. Carol Of The Bells - Musica Sacra
    19. I Saw Three Ships - Mantovani & His Orchestra
    20. Sleigh Ride - Arthur Fiedler
    21. The Christmas Waltz - THE LIVING STRINGS
    22. Christmas Bells - Mantovani & His Orchestra
    23. Patapan - London Symphony Orchestra
    24. We Wish You A Merry Christmas - The Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
    25. Jingle Bell Rock - Bond

    Tracks:

    1. Adeste Fidelis (O Come All Ye Faithful) - Academy Of St Martin-In-The-Fields
    2. O Holy Night - Luciano Pavarotti
    3. O Tannebaum - Vienna Boys' Choir
    4. Ave Maria - Luciano Pavarotti
    5. Joy To The World - Joan Sutherland
    6. Ding Dong! Merrily On High - John Rutter
    7. Do You Hear What I Hear? - Anthony Way
    8. O Little Town Of Bethlehem - The Choir Of King's College
    9. Coventry Carol - London Symphony Orchestra
    10. Away In The Manger - The Choir Of King's College
    11. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear - Leontyne Price
    12. Hark! The Hearld Angels Sing - Academy Of St Martin-In-The-Fields
    13. Deck The Halls - London Symphony
    14. Gesu Bambino - Luciano Pavarotti
    15. The First Nowell - The Choir Of King's College
    16. Still, Still, Still - Vienna Boys' Choir
    17. King Jesus Hath A Garden - John Rutter
    18. Child In The Manger - John Rutter
    19. The Holly And The Ivy - The Choir Of King's College
    20. In Dulci Jubilo - The Choir Of Kings College
    21. God Rest Ye Merr yGentlemen - The Choir Of King's College
    22. Jesu, Joy Of Mans Desiring - Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra
    23. Good King Wencelas - John Tesh
    24. Twelve Days Of Christmas - Anthony Way
    25. Silent Night - David Willcocks
    Seen and Heard
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Seen and Heard

      Manufacturer: Philips
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

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      ASIN: B000276K4Q
      Release Date: 2004-06-15

      Tracks:

      1. Kanon in D
      2. Sonata Pian' E Forte
      3. Canzon in Echo Duodecimi
      4. Allegro
      5. Largo
      6. Allegro
      7. Allegro Con Brio
      8. Ride Of The Valkyries
      9. Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy
      10. Strike Up The Band
      11. Alexander's Ragtime Band
      12. 76 Trombones (From The Music Man)
      13. I Got Rhythm (From Girl Crazy)
      14. Carousel Waltz (From Carousel)
      15. American Patrol
      16. Send In The Clowns (From A Little Night Music)
      17. Memory (From Cats)
      18. Music Of The Night (From Phantom Of The Opera)
      19. Bess You Is My Woman Now (From Porgy And Bess)
      20. Bill Bailey
      21. Bye Bye Baby
      22. Maple Leaf Rag
      Light of the World
      Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
      • Light of the World
      • "I'll give him my heart"
      Light of the World

      Manufacturer: Integrity Media
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music
      GospelGospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music
      Praise & WorshipPraise & Worship | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      General ChristmasGeneral Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
      General ChristmasGeneral Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
      Similar Items:
      1. Christmas at the Brooklyn Tabernacle
      2. Live...This Is Your House
      3. God Is Working
      4. Songs from the Altar
      5. I'm Amazed Live

      ASIN: B0000AYLJ0
      Release Date: 2002-07-01

      Tracks:

      1. It's Christmas
      2. Christmas Carol Medley: Tell Me The Story Of Jesus/The First Noel/Angels We Have Heard On High...
      3. Glory To God
      4. Light Of The World
      5. O Holy Night
      6. I'll Give Him My Heart
      7. Peace On Earth
      8. The Birthday Of A King
      9. The Worship Medley: He Came/Jesus The Son Of God
      10. His Plan

      Customer Reviews:

      1 out of 5 stars Light of the World.......2007-01-10

      Did not like the "jazz" music on this hymn/. Would prefer a religious and harmonious arrangement.

      5 out of 5 stars "I'll give him my heart".......2005-11-20

      I brought this CD last year after hearing the title song on the radio. After a friend listened to it I gave her the CD as a gift. Now I'm ordering me another copy. The beginning of the song is sung by a child. The voice of this child is so sweet that it just made me cry because its sung from the heart. The question that's asked is "What could I give him, poor as I am...?" After that line, just get the tissues out.
      #1 Christmas Album
      Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
      • A Christmas celebration for Classical Music Lovers only
      • This may be a good album; the marketing ploy is shameless
      • Touch of angle, touch of heart
      #1 Christmas Album
      Placido Domingo , Luciano Pavarotti , Kiri te Kanawa , Franz Gruber , Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky , and Joan Sutherland
      Manufacturer: Decca
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

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      Similar Items:
      1. Christmas Adagios
      2. The Three Tenors Christmas
      3. O Holy Night / Luciano Pavarotti / Special Deluxe Edition (Decca)
      4. Ultimate Classical Christmas Album of All Time
      5. A Gala Christmas in Vienna

      ASIN: B00005Q6LG
      Release Date: 2001-10-09

      Tracks:

      1. Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful) - Luciano Pavarotti/London Voices
      2. Silent Night (Stille Nacht) - The Bach Choir/Sir David Willcocks
      3. Ave Maria - Leontyne Price
      4. Once In Royal David's City - Robin Barter/David Briggs/The Choir Of Kings College, Cambridge/Stephen Cleobury
      5. Ding Dong! Merrily On High - The Choir Of King's College, Cambridge/Stephen Cleobury
      6. Joy To The World - Joan Sutherland
      7. Good King Wenceslas - Simon Keenlyside/Richard Suart/Stephen Cleobury/The Choir Of St John's College, Cambridge...
      8. Wiegenlied (Brahms' Lullaby) - Renata Tebaldi
      9. In Dulce Jubilo - The Choir Of King's College, Cambridge/Sir David Willcocks
      10. Christmas Oratorio: Pastoral Sinfonia - Stuttgarter Kammerorchester/Karl Munchinger
      11. Messiah: For Unto Us A Child Is Born - Chicago Symphony Chorus And Orchestra/Sir Georg Solti
      12. Ave Maria - Kiri Te Kanawa
      13. L'Enfance Du Christ: Shepherds' Farewell - St Anthony Singers
      14. Mille Cherubini In Coro - Luciano Pavarotti
      15. See Amid The Winter's Snow - Simon Preston/The Choir Of King's College, Cambridge/Sir David Willcocks
      16. What Child Is This? - Anthony Way/Tom Finucane/John Scott
      17. The First Nowell - David Briggs/The Choir Of King's College, Cambridge/Stephen Cleobury
      18. O Tannenbaum - Leontyne Price
      19. While Shepherds Watched - Simon Preston/The Choir Of King's College, Cambridge/Sir David Willcocks
      20. Away In A Manger - Anthony Way/The Choir Of St Paul's Cathedral/John Scott
      21. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - John Scott/James Blades/David Corkhill

      Tracks:

      1. Deck The Hall - Joan Sutherland/The Ambrosian Singers
      2. The Holly And The Ivy - Jonathan Lamb/Christopher Hughes/Simon Haynes/Roland Robertson/The Choir Of King's College...
      3. Panis Angelicus - Luciano Pavarotti/Wandsworth Boys Choir
      4. In The Bleak Midwinter - Anthony Way/The Choir Of St Paul's Cathedral
      5. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - John Scott/James Blades/David Corkhill
      6. German Dance No.3, K.605: Sleigh Ride - Wiener Mozart Ensemble/Willi Boskovsky
      7. The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Joan Sutherland/The Ambrosian Singers
      8. Shepherds In The Fields Abiding - The Choir Of King's College, Cambridge/Sir David Willcocks
      9. Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle - Renata Tebaldi
      10. I Saw Three Ships - Mark Tinkler/William Kendall/The Choir Of St. John's College, Cambridge/George Guest
      11. O Holy Night - Leontyne Price
      12. O Little Town Of Bethlehem - David Briggs/The Choir Of King's College, Cambridge/Stephen Cleobury
      13. Gesu Bambino - Luciano Pavarotti/Wandsworth Boys' Choir
      14. Rocking - The Choir Of King's College, Cambridge/Sir David Willcocks
      15. The Virgin's Slumber Song - Joan Sutherland
      16. Child In A Manger - The Choir And Orchestra Of Clare College, Cambridge/John Rutter
      17. Hosanna In Excelsis - Placido Domingo/James Lancelot/Winchester Cathedral Choir
      18. The Nutcracker: Waltz Of The Snowflakes - Members Of The Finchley Children's Music Group
      19. White Christmas - Kiri Te Kanawa/London Voices
      20. The Skaters' Waltz - National Philharmonic Orchestra/Douglas Gamley
      21. Mary's Boy Child - Kiri Te Kanawa/London Voices

      Customer Reviews:

      4 out of 5 stars A Christmas celebration for Classical Music Lovers only.......2002-11-06

      The cover of this 2 disc set features half a dozen of the great voices of our time: Pavarotti, Domingo, Joan Sutherland, Renata Tebaldi, Kiri Te Kanawa, and Leontyne Price. However, selections by these soloists comprise only 2/5 of the set, the rest being choral and orchestral works.

      Nor are these fabulous voices given equal representation. Pavarotti and my personal favorite, Joan Sutherland, have four songs apiece; Price and Kanawa have three apiece; Renata Tebaldi two and only one for Placido Domingo.

      However, this is basically a very good collection. The first disc is a bit on the solemn side, while the second is brighter. Pavarotti leads off the entire collection with "Adeste Fideles" and returns later on the first disc with "Mille Cherubini in Coro". His renditions of "Panis Angelicus" and "Gesu Bambino" help grace the second CD.

      Joan Sutherland brightens the first disc with her "Joy To The World" and then sets the lighter mood of the second disc with "Deck The Halls" and later returns with a sprightly "Twelve Days of Christmas". She also gives us the beautiful and tender "Virgin Slumber Song". Leontyne Price gives us Schubert's "Ave Maria", "O Tannenbaum" and "O Holy Night". Kiri Te Kanawa gives us Bach/Gounod's "Ave Maria", surprises us with "White Christmas" (a very beautiful & unique interpretation), and winds up the entire set with "Mary's Boy Child". Renata Tebaldi's contributions are Brahms' "Lullaby" and "Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle". Placido Domingo's sole appearance is with the dynamic "Hosanna in Excelsis" from Lloyd Weber's Requiem.

      It is a splendid feast of vocal performances. However, the choral and orchestral selections have weak spots. I was especially disappointed in the Chicago Symphony & Chorus rendition of "For Unto Us a Child Is Born", and also thought that a good rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus would've worked better. The orchestral selections did have bright spots such as "Sleigh Ride" (Mozart's, not Leroy Anderson's), Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Snowflakes" from the Nutcracker, and the "Skater's Waltz".

      All in all, this is a collection which belongs in your Christmas Classical collection, but can't be considered an absolute essential.

      3 out of 5 stars This may be a good album; the marketing ploy is shameless.......2001-11-15

      I have not listened specifically to this edition, but I can tell you with near absolute certainty that this is a classic example of marketing at its most shameless. This is nothing more than a reissue of "The Greatest Christmas Show on Earth", but with a different title! (Something similar was done back in 1963, when the Harry Simeone Chorale's ever-popular 1958 LP, "Sing We Now of Christmas", was retitled and re-released as "The Little Drummer Boy"--its current CD title--, but at least the advertising there seemed slightly more honest.)

      Everything on "The #1 Christmas Album" is exactly the same as on "The Greatest Christmas Show on Earth", right down to the order of the musical selections on the album. Only the cover design is different. Decca/London apparently believes that it can fool its customers into thinking that they are buying another album if they simply change the title. Of course, the album itself is reasonably good, though not on the level of most of my favorite Christmas albums, not even the now-deleted RCA Victor "Christmas Treasures", a collection culled from RCA Victor's Living Stereo series. The offense lies in the marketing gimmick,something I have never seen in all my years of avid CD buying. This is worse than all those "collections" which just rehash old material--at least each collection is a newly organized album.

      5 out of 5 stars Touch of angle, touch of heart.......2001-11-14

      If you enjoy opera or choir, this is a must collection. The Choir of King's College probably knows the secret how to make the listener flying among thousands of Christmas candles. Pavarotti's opening is so mighty that remind people, this year, to be courageous and to believe (not limited from religious sense but the humanity perspective.) And his Mill Cherubini and Panis Angelicus can vibrate one's tear from the heart, reflecting to the tragedy and the war in 2001. As for the sopranos, this collection is a Jewel. Joan Sutherland's Deck The Hall and The Twelve Days of Christmas bring out the merry atmosphere of the season and cheer one's mood to celebrate. Also her Virgin's Slumber Song has so much beauty and grace . Kanawa's Ave Maria is so dramatic performed that perfectly drawn out the human's longing for love and protection. All the orchestra also have done a splendid job. The arrangement is perfect there is no dull moment from the beginning to the end.
      Joy to the World
      Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
      • Perfect for the Season
      • FOR WHISTLING OR SINGING ALONG
      Joy to the World

      Manufacturer: Compendia
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

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      Similar Items:
      1. 50 Most Loved Christmas Carols
      2. The Joy of Christmas
      3. A Festival of Carols in Brass

      ASIN: B000003QWB
      Release Date: 1994-06-07

      Tracks:

      1. The Nutcracker Ste: Miniature Ov - London Festival Orch
      2. The Nutcracker Ste: March - London Festival Orch
      3. The Nutcracker Ste: Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy - London Festival Orch
      4. The Nutcracker Ste: Russian Dance: Trepak - London Festival Orch
      5. The Nutcracker Ste: Arabian Dance - London Festival Orch
      6. The Nutcracker Ste: Chinese Dance - London Festival Orch
      7. The Nutcracker Ste: Dance Of The Mirlitons - London Festival Orch
      8. The Nutcracker Ste: Walts Of The Flowers - London Festival Orch
      9. Carol Of The Bells - London Festival Orch
      10. Sleighride - Rochester Pops Orch
      11. Ov To Hansel And Gretel - London Festival Orch
      12. Three German Dances: Sleighride - Rochester Pops Orch
      13. Angels We Have Heard On High: Vars - Lyn Larsen
      14. Snowdrops Waltz - Rochester Pops
      15. Babes In Toyland: March - Rochester Pops
      16. A Scottish Carol - Lyn Larsen
      17. Mount Of Olives: 'Hallelujah!' - Carlo Curley/Chm Chr Of Grand Rapids
      18. Thais: Meditation - Lyn Larsen/Carlo Curley
      19. Choral, Sym No.9 in d: Finale - Chor

      Tracks:

      1. Messiah-Part One: Ov - Royal Choral Society
      2. Messiah-Part One: Comfort Ye - Royal Choral Society
      3. Messiah-Part One: Every Valley - Royal Choral Society
      4. Messiah-Part One: And The Glory Of The Lord - Royal Choral Society
      5. Messiah-Part One: Thus Saith The Lord Of Hosts - Royal Choral Society
      6. Messiah-Part One: But Who May Abide - Royal Choral Society
      7. Messiah-Part One: And He Shall Purify - Royal Choral Society
      8. Messiah-Part One: Behold! A Virgin Shall Conceive - Royal Choral Society
      9. Messiah-Part One: For Behold! Darkness Shall Cover The Earth - Royal Choral Society
      10. Messiah-Part One: The People That Walked In Darkness - Royal Choral Society
      11. Messiah-Part One: O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings To Zion - Royal Choral Society
      12. Messiah-Part One: He Shall Feed His Flock - Royal Choral Society
      13. Messiah-Part One: I Know That My Redeemer Liveth - Royal Choral Society

      Tracks:

      1. Messiah-Part Two: For Unto Us A Child Is Born - Royal Choral Society
      2. Messiah-Part Two: And Suddenly There Was With The Angel A Multitude - Royal Choral Society
      3. Messiah-Part Two: Glory To God - Royal Choral Society
      4. Messiah-Part Two: Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter Of Zion - Royal Choral Society
      5. Messiah-Part Two: His Yoke Is Easy - Royal Choral Society
      6. Messiah-Part Two: Behold The Lamb Of God - Royal Choral Society
      7. Messiah-Part Two: He Was Despised - Royal Choral Society
      8. Messiah-Part Two: All We, Like Sheep - Royal Choral Society
      9. Messiah-Part Two: Hallelujah! - Royal Choral Society
      10. Messiah-Part Two: The Tpt Shall Sound - Royal Choral Society
      11. Messiah-Part Two: Amen - Royal Choral Society

      Tracks:

      1. Hymns Of Christmas: Joy To The World - Irish Promenade Orch
      2. Hymns Of Christmas: In Dulci Jubilo - Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      3. Hymns Of Christmas: Away In The Manger - Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      4. Hymns Of Christmas: Sans Day Carol - Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      5. Hymns Of Christmas: Adeste Fidelis - Irish Promenade Orch
      6. Hymns Of Christmas: Whence Is That Goodly Fragrance - Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      7. Hymns Of Christmas: Born On Earth The Divine Christ Child - Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      8. Hymns Of Christmas: Down On Yon Forest - Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      9. Hymns Of Christmas: I Saw Three Ships - Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      10. Hymns Of Christmas: Fant on 'Greensleeves' - Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      11. Hymns Of Christmas: Silent Night - Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      12. Hymns Of Christmas: O Little Town Of Bethlehem - Irish Promenade Orch
      13. Hymns Of Christmas: Jesu, Thou The Virgin Born - Plymouth Festival Orch & Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      14. Hymns Of Christmas: Savior Of The World Is Born - Plymouth Festival Orch & Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      15. Hymns Of Christmas: The First Nowell - Plymouth Festival Orch & Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      16. Hymns Of Christmas: On Christmas Night - Plymouth Festival Orch & Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      17. Hymns Of Christmas: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Plymouth Festival Orch & Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      18. Hymns Of Christmas: Little Drummer Boy - Irish Promenade Orch
      19. Hymns Of Christmas: How Brightly Shown The Morning Star - Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      20. Hymns Of Christmas: God Is Born - Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      21. Hymns Of Christmas: In Nightly Stillness - Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      22. Hymns Of Christmas: O Holy Night - Irish Promenade Orch
      23. Hymns Of Christmas: In The Manger - Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      24. Hymns Of Christmas: Lullay, Dear Jesus - Chor/Bel Canto Voices
      25. Hymns Of Christmas: Merrily To Bethlehem - Chor/Bel Canto Voices

      Tracks:

      1. A Baroque Christmas: Christmas Oratorio: Sinf/The Four Seasons: Winter - Stuttgart RSO
      2. A Baroque Christmas: Allegro Non Molto - Camerata Academica Of Salzburg
      3. A Baroque Christmas: Largo - Camerata Academica Of Salzburg
      4. A Baroque Christmas: Allegro - Camerata Academica Of Salzburg
      5. A Baroque Christmas: Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - St. Louis Brass Qt
      6. A Baroque Christmas: Canon in D - London Festival Orch
      7. A Baroque Christmas: Messiah: Sinf - Stuttgart RSO
      8. A Baroque Christmas: Sheep May Safely Graze - Philip Brunelle
      9. A Baroque Christmas: Air On A 'G' Str - RPO
      10. A Baroque Christmas: Samson: Awake The Tpts Lofty Sounds - Carlo Curley/Chm Chr Of Grand Rapids
      11. A Baroque Christmas: Brandenburg, Con No.2 in F: Allegro - Camerata Romana
      12. A Baroque Christmas: Fanfare ('Masterpiece Theatre' Theme) - Cathedral Brass
      13. A Baroque Christmas: Arioso For Brass - St. Louis Brass Qt
      14. A Baroque Christmas: Rondeau - Carlo Curley
      15. A Baroque Christmas: Table Music Ov - Camerata Academica Of Salzburg
      16. A Baroque Christmas: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God - Carlo Curley/Chm Chor Of Grand Rapids
      17. A Baroque Christmas: Joy To The World - Chor

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Perfect for the Season.......2005-11-19

      I purchased this years ago and the enjoyment has grown every Christmas. Handel's Messiah is beautiful, The Nutcracker is a classic and the arrangement of hymns conveys the true wonders of the season. While there is a place for pop carols, these classics should be in every Christian's music library. I loved this so much, I actually purchased a complete replacement set when I lost one of the discs. Certainly an excellent value that any music lover would treasure.

      4 out of 5 stars FOR WHISTLING OR SINGING ALONG.......2003-12-28

      The gifted Richard Hayman (Boston Pops arranger for more than 30 years) offers an interesting collection of holiday favourites. The back cover says "Orchestra and Chorus" - beware, there is no chorus. The sub-title "Philharmomic Symphony Orchestra" is rather pedantic. Why not simply "Richard Hayman and His Orchestra"? The opening and closing numbers are sing-along medleys... the liner notes offer the words. Two Leroy Anderson numbers receive a fair treatment: SLEIGH RIDE and SONG OF THE BELLS, the latter being played rrather slowly. There is a beautiful rendition of MUSIC BOX DANCER, the only version I know that uses the music box. The counter-melody is too loud and takes away the charm of the main theme. A few compositions by the conductor himself. A great collection for tree-trimming, whistling or singing along.
      The Best of Naxos Vol 8
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        The Best of Naxos Vol 8
        Various
        Manufacturer: Naxos
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        GigueGigue | Baroque Dance Suites | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
        SarabandeSarabande | Baroque Dance Suites | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
        GavottesGavottes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by BrahmsAll Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        All Works by Robert SchumannAll Works by Robert Schumann | Schumann, Robert | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        BalladsBallads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        CanonsCanons | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        EtudesEtudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        FantasiesFantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        SonatinasSonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        IntermezzosIntermezzos | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        VariationsVariations | Variations | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        ScherzoScherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
        Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
        Vocal & SongVocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
        PianoPiano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
        Biret, IdilBiret, Idil | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
        CompilationsCompilations | Classical | Styles | Music
        ClassicalClassical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
        CDs Under $7CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
        All Bargain TitlesAll Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
        ASIN: B00000142P
        Release Date: 2001-01-01

        Tracks:

        1. Allegro
        2. Andante (Nach Einem Altdeutschen Minneliede)
        3. Scherzo: Allegro Molto E Con Fuoco
        4. Finale: Allegro Con Fuoco
        5. Allegro Non Troppo, Ma Energico
        6. Andante Con Espressione
        7. Scherzo: Allegro
        8. Finale: Introduzione (Sostenuto) - Allegro Non Troppo E Rubato
        9. The Fairy Queen - The Scholars Baroque Ensemble
        10. The Barber of Seville - Largo al factotum della citta - Roberto Servile/Sonia Ganassi/Hungarian Radio Chorus/Failoni Chamber Orch, Budapest/Will Humburg

        Tracks:

        1. Allegro Maestoso
        2. Andante Espressivo
        3. Scherzo: Allegro Enregico
        4. Intermezzo: Andante Molto
        5. Finale: Allegro Moderato Ma Rubato
        6. No. 1 In D Minor: Andante
        7. No. 2 In D Minor: Andante
        8. No. 3 In B Minor: Intermezzo, Allegro
        9. No. 4 In B Major: Andante Con Moto

        Tracks:

        1. No. 1 Capriccio In F Sharp Mi