Flowers

Track Listings

1. I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love

2. Me for You

3. You've Got the Right to Know

4. We Go Through Changes

5. Special Part

6. No Plans for Tomorrow

7. How Can You Stop Loving Someone

8. Flowers

9. God Will Take Care of You

Flowers,The Emotions,Sony,Meditation,Pop,R&B,Smooth Soul,Soul,Soul/Reggae/Rhythm & Blues

Flowers

Flowers

Sam's Town
Average customer rating:

The Killers --- Not So Good

Not a CC from Hot Fuss

A stunning transformation

As good as Hot Fuzz... just different

doesnt measure up to hot fuss

Sam's Town
The Killers
Manufacturer: Island
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Information

The Black Parade

The Open Door

ASIN: B000GY729M
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Tracks:

Sam's Town
Enterlude
When You Were Young
Bling (Confession of a King)
For Reasons Unknown
Read My Mind
Uncle Jonny
Bones
My List
This River Is Wild
Why Do I Keep Counting?
Exitlude

Amazon.com

The Killers five-million-selling debut, 2004's Hot Fuss, saw the stylish Las Vegas quartet mining inspiration from its favorite '80s British acts Duran Duran, the Cure, and the Smiths. On its follow-up, the group turns its focus homeward. First there's the album title, Sam's Town, which pays tribute to the old-school local casino where the band got its start. Then there's the music inside, a collection of windswept rockers in the vein of Bruce Springsteen that leave the indie-disco vibe of "Mr. Brightside" in the desert dust. Working with producers Alan Moulder and Flood (best known for their work with U2, Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails), everything here sounds bigger and shinier, with full-blown strings and choirs coloring epics like "When You Were Young" and "The River Is Wild." Coming soon to a stadium near you. --Aidin Vaziri

Customer Reviews:

The Killers --- Not So Good.......2007-08-06

Upfront I must admit that I am 55 years old and maybe I am just out of the demographic for this stuff nowadays. I bought this based on the reccomendation of my kids, (Should have seen this coming, since they have led me to other stuff that was just a bit beyond my comprehension at my rapidly advancing age.), but alas I was not impressed by what I heard.

It is just too dark and gloomy for my taste. I have by the way worn out my copy of Costello Music by the Fratellis so I think there may just be hope for the old geezer! LOL :)

Not a CC from Hot Fuss.......2007-07-24

The 2nd album from the killers doesn't dissappoint at all, it has 7 to 8 songs that easily could be picked as single, track 6 "read my mind" being my favorite. Sam's town, When You were young,Bling, For Reasons Unknowned, Uncle Johnny, Bones, This River is Wild, all great songs, and above all this is not a carbon copy from hot fuss.

A stunning transformation.......2007-07-24

SAM'S TOWN immediately hits the listener with a sound that is significantly different from HOT FUSS. If it wasn't for the vocals, it would be fair to say you were listening to a totally different band. This type of change is risky in a new band; the fear being that fans will be alienated. Personally, I love when bands continue to evolve and search for new sounds and themes. It keeps things from becoming boring and it prevents that, "Didn't I hear this before?" feeling.

The question is it successful? The answer is, "Yes."

Hard driving anthems relating to genuine emotions triumph over artifice and The Killers pull it off very well here. Flowers' voice strains for creditability when pushed, but he pulls it off and while lacking the force of many other rockers, his vulnerability makes the songs that much better. While they don't all come off with the same power , the songs hold up in their new settings and the total package comes together. While still not a classic, this is a worthy effort from The Killers and I hope they continue to push themselves to make music worth listening to.

As good as Hot Fuzz... just different.......2007-07-14

The title says the bulk of how I feel. I listen to the album in its entirety whenever I listen to it... I like every song though there are some that I like more than others (which is the same with Hot Fuzz).

The music is a bit bolder, and a bit more grandiose (musically and lyrically), but the synth is still there and after giving the album a listen or 3 you'll be singing along to each track. The lead singer's (Flowers) voice sounds a bit different to me on this album, but not for better or worse, just slightly different. The album definitely seems to be more mature (but I have no idea where the Springsteen analogy came from), the songs and the hooks aren't as poppy (at least not in every song) and it takes more than one listening for some songs to grow on you. (For instance I didn't like 'Sams Town' (track 1) the first couple times I heard it, but now its one of my favorites).

Overall, if you like popular music, or alternative music in general... its worth listening to, but I wouldn't expect a life altering experience.

doesnt measure up to hot fuss.......2007-07-09

sorry to all of you who really like this album, but in my own opinion, it can't measure up to 'hot fuss'

Average customer rating:

It IS a SACD Hybrid if the copyright is 2002 ABKCO
Not as advertised
Near Classic '66-67 Stones
Where The Summer of Love Found The Stones
Everybody Should Get Flowers

Flowers
The Rolling Stones , and Rolling Stones
Manufacturer: Abkco
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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December's Children (And Everybody's)
Their Satanic Majesties Request
Out Of Our Heads
Between The Buttons
England's Newest Hitmakers

ASIN: B00006AW2N
Release Date: 2002-08-27

Tracks:

Ruby Tuesday
Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby Standing in the Shadow?
Let's Spend the Night Together
Lady Jane
Out of Time
My Girl
Backstreet Girl
Please Go Home
Mother's Little Helper
Take It or Leave It
Ride on Baby
Sittin' on a Fence

Album Description

This Super Audio Compact Disc (SACD) recording offers high-resolution sound and is playable on both standard CD players and SACD-compatible devices.

Album Description

Remastered reissue of 1967 album, suitable for standard & 'Super Audio' CD players. Digipak.

Customer Reviews:

It IS a SACD Hybrid if the copyright is 2002 ABKCO.......2007-05-31

I just got mine and thought the same thing the last poster did -- that Amazon screwed up and this isn't a SACD hybrid as advertised. But it IS one. If you look on the disk itself, you will the DSD and Super Audio CD. I was angry at first because I already have the regular CD and wanted the SACD hybrid, but after opening it I am a happy camper. FWIW, it is in a cardboard case and the case says nothing about being a SACD hybrid.

Not as advertised.......2007-05-17

Flowers was advertised as a SACD hybrid, I received the remastered CD. This rating only reflects Amazons incorrect listing on the website.

Near Classic '66-67 Stones.......2007-03-12

"Flowers" holds the same place in the Stones' U.S. catalog that "Yesterday...and Today" held in the Beatles' - until the CD era, when the Beatles eliminated those bastardized US Capitol releases with UK editions of all catalog titles up to "Sgt. Pepper's", for it was those UK Parlophone albums that the Beatles and George Martin meticulously prepared and programmed. (This international uniformity lasted until enough time had elapsed to allow for nostalgia and commerce to warrant repackaging those American Beatles titles in expensive boxed sets).
But the Stones' UK catalog was never so clearly superior; the British Deccas are not necessarily superior to their US counterparts. Certainly original Decca vinyl was sonically preferable to London's 'fake stereo' in the '60s. Otherwise, however, the biggest difference was cultural: hit singles have always sold albums in the States. In England their inclusion on LPs was seen as redundant. If the Beatles always produced their albums in England, by 1964 The Stones were recording - in superb stereo - at Chicago's Chess Studios, and soon they stormed the charts and defined their times with 'The Last Time', 'Satisfaction' and other classics recorded at RCA in Hollywood. Partly this may have to do with Andrew Oldham's awareness that his role as producer was limited, and that to make great sounding records the Stones needed terrific engineers like Ron Malo (Chess) and Dave Hassinger (RCA). Which brings us to the rather maligned US-only "Flowers", like "December's Children" a hodge-podge that has steadily gained the status of near-classic, an album that sounds remarkably vital forty years after its release.
Not really, contrary to general assumption, a 'compilation', "Flowers" was issued in June 1967, the same month Brian Jones escorted Nico to the Montery Pop Festival where, still the wizard and true star ahead of the curve, he appeared onstage resplendent in his baubles and singular finery to introduce his friend Jimi Hendrix to America. But it was also a period of stress and crisis in the Stones' world, with the band unable to tour - Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Brian Jones (along with various friends and family) had all been busted for drugs during the preceding months, and the completion and release of "Their Satanic Majesties Request" would be delayed until November; radiant doomed Brian Jones was privately in the midst of a free-fall that would lead to his inevitable dismissal from the Stones, followed, just weeks later, by his death July 3, 1969.
At the time of release most of "Flowers" was new to the US audience (which might explain why it was another smash hit, reaching # 3 in "Billboard", during a 35 week chart run), containing tracks from UK versions of "Aftermath" and "Between The Buttons" that were deleted before Stateside release, along with two classic late '66 hit singles previously unavailable in album form. Three tracks had not been released anywhere by the Stones. As such "Flowers" at first sounds somewhat like a cross between the two previous studio albums. (It was, however, oddly flawed by the inclusion of three hits already available on the US editions of those albums - 'Let's Spend The Night Together,' 'Ruby Tuesday,' and 'Lady Jane').
Musically 1966 - 67 was the period during which Brian had lost interest in the guitar, instead coloring each song with an array of different instruments that always seemed to deepen the mood and power of the music. The Stones, with Ian Stewart and Jack Nitzche helping out, were experimenting, moving away from the classic American blues/r&b/soul/country forms that had inspired their first five albums. The music here is detailed and carefully textured, the songwriting sharp and acerbic, though often here with an introspective, late-night ambience that distinguishes it from the more willful "Buttons". "Flowers" does finally establish its own identity disctinct from the the two earlier classics, as exemplified by the English-folk/Appalachian tone of the exquisite closing track ('Sittin' On A Fence'). One is struck by the band's effortlessly great songwriting and ability to create fresh settings for each track. 'Sittin' On A Fence' is a brilliant example of the Stones' ambivilance (remember "Salt Of The Earth" or "Street Fighting Man")as well as a dramatic and effective climax to a great set. Elsewhere, 'Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby' remains a work of blistering power and density, its amphetemine fueled roar of guitar feedback, Wyman's impossibly heavy bass, and otherwordly pop-art horns concealing a dazzling lyric of Freudian sexual repression that demands to "tear through the shadow..." during its bridge. 'Out Of Time,' is both shorter and in a different mix from the UK version. The sole cover, 'My Girl' is lovely but minor, a bit too respectful of the Temptations' original to be considered inspired (compare the band's 1978 re-invention of 'Imagination'). Side two (of the vinyl album) provides one gem after another, from the waltz-time class analysis of 'Backstreet Girl', with Brian's gorgeous accordion and Mick's brutal yet tender vocal; 'Please Come Home' is 'Mona' on on acid, its relentless, hypnotic Diddleybeat transformed by Brian's theremin and what sounds like either synthesizer or mellotron, Keith's virtuosic guitar swirling through the mix atop Charlie Watts' perfect drumming (and, by the way, Shirley Watts makes a singular appearance here on backing vocals). 'Mother's Little Helper' is of course a classic single and another masterful track, with the droning guitar and Brian's sitar(?)providing a sense of dread and foreboding while Mick's vocal projects absolute confidence. 'Take It Or Leave It' is a pensive jewel, 'Ride On Baby' a unique rocker on which Keith's guitars are restrained but trenchant while Charlie's congas and Brian's harpsichord, bells, and harp (not harmonica) stand out as especially inventive.
Why not five stars? As stated, the three re-runs are simply lazy. Let us rewrite history by replacing them: open this album with another non-album single from '66, 'Sad Day'. Replace 'Let's Spend the Night' with 'Mother Baby's' B-side, the psychedelic blues 'Who's Driving Your Plane?' and insert the hotel room insomnia and restlessness of 'What to Do' as track five (in place of 'Lady Jane'). Now we have an album that is thematically and musically a far more cohesive statement. (And of course we use the full 5:37 'Out Of Time')...With the CD format and a multi disc changer anyone can program the album this way, and it's how I now choose to listen to it.
It doesn't matter anymore if this album was put out as stopgap. The 1966-67 Stones made accomplished, frequently startling music that can't be categorized as merely 'transitional', and some of the best appears on "Flowers", in remastering that, since the 2002 catolog upgrade, is superb. Finally, ponder the album jacket - on the front cover, Brian's is the only flower whose stem is without any leaves at all...

Where The Summer of Love Found The Stones.......2006-11-14

Crippled by drug busts and court appearances, the summer of '67 Stones had little time to come up with new material, much less an answer to the revolutionary pop of the Beatles' just-released Sgt. Pepper. Therefore Decca records was forced to put out this compilation of hits and outtakes dating back as far as Dec. '65 ( those being "My Girl," "Out of Time," "Mother's Little Helper," "Backstreet Girl" and "Sittin' On A Fence"). But that's hardly a raw deal, as the album is in essence a mini-greatest hits of the Stones at the peak of their mid-sixties creativity:
the shimmering Jan '67 single of "Ruby Tuesday"/ "Let's Spend The Night Together" (the latter of which makes its contemporary "Strawberry Fields" sound like a druggy chore by comparison), The anarchic energy of Aug '66's "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby," the glorious chorus in "Out of Time" from the Aftermath album, and so on. But the true forgotten gems here are "Backstreet Girl," a decadent acoustic waltz with the late multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones on accordian (the fact that his flower on the album cover had no leaves was a band in-joke), with Mick's lyrics pointing the finger at the philandering of his fellow pop stars as much as himself, and "Sittin' On A Fence," Keith and Brian doing some lovely acoustic dueling as Mick ponders his old classmates and the life he could have led. An album released in summer, it's actually perfect for a cold winter's night, talented young men conjuring all kinds of visions for one's own darkness.

Everybody Should Get Flowers.......2006-08-29

OK...To understand Flowers, you have to first realize the context in which it was released. Flowers was released as an American only album of material that was not issued on previous albums, material that was cut from the American versions of albums released in their full 14 track format in Britain, or singles that had not made it into an album yet. Also don't forget that the Stones weren't touring at the time, attempting to find the same refuge that the Beatles had in their studio to try some experimentation a la Sgt. Peppers which became Satanic Majesties. Now that the proper context has been established, this album finds the Rolling Stones at the peak of their mid-60's creative power. Group founder Brian Jones had not yet cashed out on his drug and alcohol binges and he was totally into what has retrospectively been dubbed "flavoring" the albums and tracks that the Stones were putting out. The album is strung together with singles: "Ruby Tuesday" b/w "Let's Spend the Night Together", "Have You Seen Your Mother?", "Mother's Little Helper", and "Lady Jane". This material coupled with the leftovers from the British releases of Aftermath and Between the Buttons helps make this album somewhat eclectic like the other two albums but no less entertaining. The psycho-Bo Diddley "Please Go Home" is great 60's style garage-psyche rock. Anytime the Stones go Bo Diddley is worth listening to, by the way. "Out of Time" is a great companion piece to "Under My Thumb" from Aftermath, as it features much of the same instrumentation, with Brian Jones anchoring the song on his marimbas once again. "Back Street Girl" and "Ride on Baby" both fall into the same vein, with the use of the classical instruments on the rock tracks for that mock-Baroque feel that many of the 60's bands like the Kinks and Yardbirds went for with their use of harpsichords, etc. "Sitting on a Fence" and "Take It or Leave It" are also like songs, with similar feels and good acoustic guitar work. "My Girl" to me is the one oddity on the album but somehow it works with the eclecticness of the finished product.
This album was one of the first albums that I ever bought when I got into the Rolling Stones. It was also the first Stones album that I bought my fiancee when we were 16. We both loved it and I have never regretted that choice. For me, the albums Aftermath and Between the Buttons represent height of the Stones in the 60's before they changed directions forever. This album, Flowers, bridges the two in the same way that Rubber Soul and Revolver were bridged by Yesterday and Today. These albums form critical trilogies of albums at points where two bands were reaching critical mass just as the dream of the 60's was ending for so many.
Now for the disclaimer: as some reviewers have pointed out, this album is not part of the canon of Rolling Stones albums. That may be true but when you compare this album to others such as Exile on Main Street and Sticky Fingers or Beggars Banquet and Let It Bleed, but you are essentially comparing different bands and different times when holding Flowers against these rockers. Flowers is a great album that is completely misunderstood and underestimated. This album came out in 1967 and when compared with other albums of that time and place it shines with the best of them.

DEBUT ~ Nathan Gunn - "American Anthem" from Ragtime to Art Song / Kevin Murphy

Average customer rating:

okay
A promise about to be fulfilled
Amazing collection - amazing voice.
Amazing recordings
First Rate Singing!

DEBUT ~ Nathan Gunn - "American Anthem" from Ragtime to Art Song / Kevin Murphy
Nathan Gunn , and Kevin Murphy
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000IWW3
Release Date: 1999-05-18

Tracks:

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American Anthem

Customer Reviews:

okay.......2007-01-05

I heard wonderful things about this recording... but was a little disappointed. It is good, but nothing spectacular.

A promise about to be fulfilled.......2006-12-17

Not all of EMI's Debut seeries make it to the U.S., but since this one features an American singer, it did (as did the one featuring rising pianist Jonathan Biss). Nathan gunn is certainly well kn0wn now, after high-profile Met appearances in The Magic Flute and Harbison's An American Tragedy. The past few years have seen him mature, even though his voice will never be heroic. Gunn is very well suited to songs, although he makes a moving (and physically handsome) Billy Budd.

Her he sounds a little stiff, and he cannot carry off the numbers that re comic (Bolcom's Fur) or popular (Buddy, Can You Spare a Dime?), but his straightforward masculinity works extremely well in Gene Scheer's Holding Each Other, he has enough poetry for Barber's Sure on This Shining Night, and just enough savoir faire for Rorem's Early One Morning. The voice itself isn't intrinsically beautiful, which may in the end mean that Gunn falls behind young counterparts like Gerald Finley and Simon Keenlyside, both of whom he resembles. Even so, this is a nice debut, and one can say that gunn's promise is being fulfilled.

Amazing collection - amazing voice........2006-02-22

Nathan Gunn has chosen a collection of mostly obscure songs and has applied his remarkable baritone voice to music not usually in the operatic repetoire. What results is a CD of depth, some humor, and extraordinary listenability. It's nice to see one of my favorite opera stars branch out. Bravo!

Amazing recordings.......2006-01-02

I first listened to this recording at the recommendation of a voice teacher and I am eternally grateful. I strongly recommend this album. Nathan Gunn is an extremely talented singer. As a singer myself (also a baritone like Nathan Gunn) I find much in his voice to model.

Nathan Gunn has an extremely beautiful voice, superb technique and execution, and has a very natural sound. There is an old steriotype of opera as sounding forced or artificial, but Nathan Gunn does a great job of avoiding this. He does a great job of communicating the "story" of the song to the listener, and I frequently found myself taken to the world of the song. Listening to many of his songs are like opening a good book and Nathan Gunn takes you there.

Highly recommended.

First Rate Singing!.......2005-12-20

I only recently discovered Mr. Gunn, but after hearing this recording, it makes me wonder why his name has eluded me for so long. Simply put, Nathan Gunn sings like a god! His voice is pure, and hypnotically beautiful to listen to. Turn on this CD and you will be wrapped in the most luxurious blanket of sound--his phrasing is impeccable, and his dynamics are wonderfully varied without being affected. His recording of Barber's "Nocturne" is haunting. "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime" shows he isn't afraid of low notes, and the ending has some of the most spectacular high notes I've ever heard from a baritone. The Copland songs are also well done, as are the two John Jacob Niles selections. I wasn't familiar with Gene Scheer's songs prior to this CD, but they are all quite remarkable, though most especially "Lean Away" and "American Anthem." This is the best addition to my CD collection in a long time. I'm only saddened by the fact he doesn't have more recordings available. Mr. Gunn, I know you're busy with your opera schedule, but for those of us who can't make it to New York to see you in person, please record another CD!

Average customer rating:

Welcome to "alternative" classical music!
It's Yo-Yo so it's Exquisite
Love it- great for weddings
Stellar album
**Superb**

Appalachia Waltz / Ma, Meyer, O'Connor

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002C0Y
Release Date: 1996-09-24

Tracks:

The Green Groves of Erin - The Flowers Of Red Hill
Appalachia Waltz
Chief Sitting In The Rain
Mama
Butterfly's Day Out
Druid Fluid
First Impressions
Etienne Et Petunia
F.C.'s Jig
College Hornpipe
Pickles
Old Country Fairytale
Schizoozy
Star of the Country Down
Speed The Plow Medley
Fair Dancer Reel

Customer Reviews:

Welcome to "alternative" classical music!.......2007-02-19

It's wonderful to hear three such talented musicians put together a collection of non-classical music on revered instruments. This is not "The Yo-yo Ma Show" with two other guys! The music is varied but the performances are great and -- in some cases, e.g. Appalachia Waltz -- fantastic. I was driving the first time I heard the title piece and immediately started sobbing and had to pull over; it was that beautiful! This would be a good CD choice for children to listen to, as it gives a fine exposure to the amazing sounds that the three instruments can make when in the right hands.

It's Yo-Yo so it's Exquisite.......2007-02-12

Yo-yo Ma has never been content to stick with the standard cello classics. Of course he has recorded the classics - the magnificent Bach Cello Suites (incredible and the visual DVD only enhances the effect), Vivaldi, Beethoven, Faure, Dvorak, etc. His evolution as an artist is an on-going process, thus there's Yo-Yo playing Tango (Astor Piazzolla), Yo-Yo playing Jazz (Claude Boling), Yo-yo playing Brazilian music or John Williams. And now we have the Apalachia Waltz, a beautiful, virtuoso and haunting piece.
I, too, found many of the sounds unique. For a real experience, listen in a darkened room with a pair of superior earphones - the things you pick up will shock. I literally turned my head several times, convinced that the artist was in the room.

As one reviewer noted, this is not supposed to be the rustic sound one might imagine or (the reverse) simply an intellectual exercise. The artist (with able assistance) seems to draw on some kind of inner reserve and literally pour his soul into his newest project. I, for one, applaud this widening of the boundaries between genres and hope that it continues.
Let's not forget the other artists, particularly Meyer. Many times the celebrity saps all the attention leaving a wake of sore feeling in their wake. Ma has always been one to give credit where credit is due and in this case it is due to those who ably assisted him. My grade - A

Love it- great for weddings.......2007-01-24

I used this and Appalachian Journey for my wedding music. I used Track 2 (Appalachian Waltz) as my entry music. The rest I just had playing on a cd player as background music while my guests were waiting on me. It was perfect for our outdoor Fall wedding. Hearing track 2 always brings the memory of our beautiful day flooding back.

Stellar album.......2006-11-10

This disc is top-notch in all respects. The playing is great by Ma and O'Conner for sure, but the bass work is awesome. Meyer is as good a player as there is in the world at the present time in my opinion. I am a cellist and bassist and find it difficult to believe that some of the things he does are possible. If you like top quality string playing, order this album today.

**Superb**.......2006-07-19

I absolutely love this album -- the music resonates with one's soul. Even if you don't have a cello fetish as I, you can't go wrong with this album. It offers a wonderful range from adagio to allegro.....A true musical feast. I especially enjoy Butterfly's Day Out and First Impressions. Dolce...

Average customer rating:

i love the sunshine
Summer album.
Has its moments but is tepid compared to, say, 11
Emotion To Spare
OK but their traditional style is better

Bees + Flowers + Things
Incognito
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tracks:

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Summer in the City
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Amazon.com

Jean-Paul Maunick and his Incognito mates have spent the last 30 years refining and boiling down their version of acid jazz to a smoothly textured, immaculately produced sheen. Bees + Things + Flowers has a more retro vibe about it, filled with peaceful soul, stellar vocalists, and a few smartly executed covers. "Summer in the City" is a prime example of the latter, featuring a loopy vocal line, nimbly negotiated by Carleen Anderson, that floats over soft horns and snippets of playful synth. The singers Maunick brings in are often given the spotlight, even on a jazz flight like "Stand;" of course, a singer like Jocelyn Brown isn't exactly easy to upstage. At times, the record sacrifices tight structure for wandering bliss, like on the nine-minute Earth, Wind & Fire closer "That's the Way of the World." On the other hand, it's not like you can't wait for that nine minutes to end. Maunick, as always, makes it sound like there's all the time in the world. --Matthew Cooke

Album Description

The enduring success of Incognito is one of the great stories of UK music. Inspired by the acoustic and soulful-yet-Laidback funk of Bill Withers, the haunting string arrangements of David Axelrod, and the close harmonies of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, bees + thing+flowers was recorded with the 'unplugged' concept in mind. Every instrument is acoustic except the Fender Rhodes electric piano and Fender electric bass. The new album is a mixture of the old ('Deep Waters,' 'Still a Friend of Mine'), the borrowed ('Everybody Loves the Sunshine,' 'Tin Man') and the new ('Crave').

Customer Reviews:

i love the sunshine.......2007-07-30

who is joy rose and where has she been hiding. everybody loves the sunshine is the bomb. talk about a nice cd. to bad the smooth jazz station here in las vegas never played this song on the radio, with all due respect to roy ayers this song was much better, though mary j blidge did it gorgeous also. track 2 everyday is also very smoothing and of course maysa on here makes me smile. glad i bought this one also, buy it folks and get your smile on, trust me

Summer album........2007-05-31

The album starts with song titled "Everybody Loves The Sunshine". That's 100% true. Everyone rates Incognito's "Adventures in Black Sunshine" as the top class and it will be difficult for the band to surpass The Adventure's great musical and commercial success.

"Bees + Flowers + Things" may be targeted at a narrower group of Incognito fans than any of their previous albums. Because of the style chosen for the album: relaxed, tranquil, unhurried summer music. Newcomers to Incognito may feel it to be too mediocre and they may find it appropriate to better start with another Incognito's album, for instance "Adventures in Black Sunshine". For the Incognito fans "Bee + Flowers + Things" may present a difficult load on ear as the initial expectation to hear the Incognito's original style will not match the reality. I stopped playing the CD half way during first listening session. The next day I tried "BFT" again, as background music. And I stopped the CD less than half way through it. The marketers call it "post-purchase dissonance". There will be moments when you expect to finally hear "that deep-low solid boom" and it does not happen... It took me courage to load the CD in my player in two days and... enjoy the album.

The music is very delicate. There are points I found to be of possible importance to enjoy this album. (i) It does not work as background music and requires attention of the listener because the idea is in the detail. (ii) It is more comfortable to listen to this CD at somewhat lower than average loudness level as jumping above breaks the intimacy of music. (iii) The music is better played at the twilight as the song collection does not fit daytime. You may find it different from my experience and that will be fair enough.

As to the repertoire, I would include a couple of more songs a-la "Summer In The City" to pour more energy in music. Anyway the vocals are powerful enough in themselves to deliver that energy. I also found that starting listening to the CD from track 8 "Crave" and then moving to the beginning to track 1 is a good way to set the mood and enjoy the music. You may wish to try this.

The arrangements are perfect. They are subtle and all about the details - this is why the album requires full listener's attention to understand the music.

A star in my rating is eaten by the sound engineering. It could have been better. Such delicate music is about a detail. The sound quality does not deliver that final "dzing" to appreciate the micro-details of wonderful human voice and perfect instrumental play. With a better sound mastering the album would be a top notch for those who is about understanding the music.

Has its moments but is tepid compared to, say, 11.......2007-05-05

I love Incognito and the usual suspects are all here: great performances and amazing vintage sounds married to Steely Dan quality production. This album was supposed to be a change for them and I totally applaud their choice to try to mix it up. Unfortunately, the album just doesn't have the burn of other Incognito albums, leading to an overall so-so performance for them. The covers of their own material---some of their best material, like "Still a Friend of Mine"---just never seem to make it off the runway for me. Other tracks where they're covering other people actually work better. Tin Man and, especially, That's the Way of the World groove. On That's the Way of the World Incognito manages to channel EWF in their heyday (no small feat and I bet they're one of the few bands who could manage it given the vocal talent they have) and sound like they're having an amazing time doing it. In short, it might grow on me so I'm not writing it off right yet, but I don't anticipate this would be anything like 11, 100 Degrees and Rising, Adventures in Black Sunshine, or No Time Like the Future in terms of rotation on my player.

Emotion To Spare.......2007-04-02

Jean Paul 'Bluey' Maunik has always been a great assembler of talent,much in the same way Quincy Jones and Normman Connors were in past years.So it's only fitting a CD like 'Bees + Things + Flowers' has a guest list for the ages;it is after all something of a tribute to the songs that inspired this group in the beginning.Strangely enough I am not familier with all of these songs,even though I love them all.The Axlerodish orchestrations and Chicago style horns (the band Chicago I mean) really combine well.As far as originallity "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" and "Tin Man" seem to stick too closely to the originals,except maybe in vocal arrangement on the latter and the abundance of fender rhodes piano soloing,which is omnipresent throughout.On the other hand "Summer In The City" sounds very nice;it's similar only to BB Kings 70's version in that it's reduced to a slower crawl tempo but this version is heavy on the groove,not the blues.And Incognito fans will be especially shocked by "Alway There" because,for one the band have done this song in the traditional dance style ad infinitum and because here it's dropped right down to slow jam pace,almost unrecognizable.The most incredible thing about this is how the CD closes-a nine minute version of "That's The Way Of The World".Now here's a song that's been covered by so many people and always sticks close to the original.This keeps only the melody and basic arrangement,but the production is very spare and the overall mood very loving;the heavy gospel/cinematic melodrama Maurcie White and Philip Bailey baught to the terrific original is absent from it.You can say this is the "no drama" version of the song and I am not being unfair because the original is a classic and I love both versions.It's just a great song whoever's doing it.One thing that Incognito fans will not find on this,as you would on CD's such as No Time Like the Future , Eleven or even the earliest effort Jazz Funk is uptempo dance and funk tunes;everything here is very soft and mellow and is perfect accompanyment to a beautiful,sunny summer afternoon.If you like your musically incredibly well done this will interest you.

OK but their traditional style is better.......2007-03-08

I am a huge Incognito fan, having all their CDs and having seen them in person several times. This CD is a remake of many of Incognito's previous works. It is "acoustical," not the big band party sound we are used to. Too bad -- that's what Incognito does best. It is like Incognito made into elevator music -- a watered down version of their work. Go for the other CD's; much better. Incognito go back to your roots!

Average customer rating:

Broken Flowers
Great collection
Well-themed soundtrack for an easy to watch movie.
good, but not as good as Ethiopiques
What's Good is GREAT

Broken Flowers: Music from the Film
Original Soundtrack , and Mulatu Astatqe
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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Ethiopiques, Vol. 4: Ethio Jazz & Musique Instrumentale, 1969-1974
Dual Mono
Truly She Is None Other
Broken Flowers
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

ASIN: B0009XT914
Release Date: 2005-08-02

Tracks:

There Is An End - The Greenhornes
Yegelle Tezeta - Mulatu Astatke
Ride Your Donkey - The Tennors
I Want You - Marvin Gaye
Yedermo Sew - Mulato Astatke
Not If You Were The Last Dandy On Earth - Brian Jonestown Massacre
Tell Me Now So I Know - Holly Golightly
Gubelye - Mulatu Astatke
Dopesmoker - Sleep
Requiem, Op.48 (Pie Jesu) - Oxford Camerata
Ethanopium - Dengue Fever
Unnatural Habitat - The Greenhornes

Amazon.com

Will this soundtrack do for Ethiopian composer and musician Mulatu Astatke what Titanic did for Celine Dion? Well...maybe on a much, much smaller scale. Astatke's circle of Western fans has already expanded thanks to the compilation Ethiopiques, Vol. 4: Ethio Jazz & Musique Instrumentale, 1969-¬1974, and Jim Jarmusch's movie puts his hypnotic instrumentals to great use. This isn't surprising, since Jarmusch is a filmmaker with a natural affinity for music and its use onscreen. Here, a three-minute excerpt from stoner-rock legend Sleep's titanic "Dopesmoker" only offers a sample of the song (it actually lasts an hour) but it still sounds awesome, especially stuck between an Astatke track and Gabriel Fauré's "Requiem, Op. 48 (Pie Jesu)." Garage vets the Greenhornes and Holly Golightly contribute tracks together and separately, while indie-rockers Brian Jonestown Massacre's "Not If You Were the Last Dandy on Earth" (an answer song to the Dandy Warhols' "Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth") sounds as bilious now as it did in 1997. This is a rare case of a soundtrack that pulls together a broad range of artists yet remains oddly consistent--no doubt because it was assembled by a director with vision instead of a focus group. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Broken Flowers.......2007-06-19

the movie was good, but the music almost ruined it for me. if this had better music, it would have definatly been a better movie. the times where there was music i couldn't concentrate on the movie, i just wanted to cover my ears. even so, please do see the movie.

Great collection.......2007-02-13

This is an excellent collection.. if you saw the movie Broken Flowers you will recognize some of the music. Very relaxing and inspiring tunes if you can get into this type of music.

Well-themed soundtrack for an easy to watch movie........2007-01-22

I walked into Broken Flowers expecting another low-key performance from Bill Murray like his role in Lost in Translation. Great movie to take in easily without loud distractions or tedious moments... quietly funny.

This mood could have been ruined, however, if the soundtrack did not assist the mood of the movie by providing casual transition music. The great additions of Astatke, Greenhornes, and Golightly have already been mentioned, but Marvin Gaye and Dengue Fever also add a sharp quality to an already wide-ranging soundtrack. Marvin Gaye's "I Want You" is a sensual classic that shows how his later period of work was evolving instrumentally as well as vocally. Dengue Fever's "Ethanopium" provides a jazz-funk background to the movie that fits in well to Broken Flowers' sometimes quirky plot. Although the tune is missing the Khmer style of vocalist Chhom Nimol, the track signifies the eclectic sound of the band.

Both artists, as well as those previously mentioned, make the soundtrack to Broken Flowers enjoyably unique.

good, but not as good as Ethiopiques.......2006-07-27

Great sound track. I loved the movie, mainly because I love watching Bill Murray, but even he couldn't have kept my interest if it wasn't for the music. It led me delightfully from one scene to the next. When I finished watching the movie, I said, "what was that music, and where can I get it."

What's Good is GREAT.......2006-07-23

Movie soundtracks (and anthologies in general) tend to be "hit-and-miss" affairs. The BROKEN FLOWERS soundtrack is no exception, but its "hits" are so good, it's hard to quantify an overall ranking for this CD vis-a-vis the misses.

I see the other reviews here rightly concentrate on the brilliant and haunting Ethiopian jazz of Mulatu Astatke. This is the music that drew me to the CD in the first place, and it is otherworldy in quality and sound. Also noteworthy are the two wonderful tracks featuring Holly Golightly.

That leaves a couple of indifferent tracks, and a couple of unlistenable ones courtesy of the Brian Jonestown Massacre and Sleep. Program these songs out and you have a shorter, 5-star CD. Leave them, and you have, uh, this!

Gilbert & Sullivan - Highlights from The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Yeomen of the Guard, Trial of Jury

Average customer rating:

The Best Of Gilbert And Sullivan
Pure delight
Delicious G&S samplings abound here.
Fine Intro to G&S

Gilbert & Sullivan - Highlights from The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Yeomen of the Guard, Trial of Jury
Nicholas Folwell , Arthur Sullivan , Marie McLaughlin , Rebecca Evans , Anthony Rolfe Johnson , John Mark Ainsley , Alwyn Mellor , Anne Howells , Barry Banks , Eric Garrett , Felicity Palmer , Gareth Rhys Davies , Janice Watson , Julie Gossage , Neill Archer , Pamela Helen Stephen , Peter Savidge , Richard Stuart , Richard Suart , Richard Van Allan , Sir Thomas Allen [baritone] , Sir Charles Mackerras , and Welsh National Opera
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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The Gilbert and Sullivan Overtures

ASIN: B000003D1Y
Release Date: 1996-01-23

Tracks:

A Wandering Minstrel I
Behold The Lord High Executioner!
Three Little Maids From School Are We
Braid The Raven Hair
The Flowers That Bloom In The Spring
On A Tree By A River, A Little Tom-tit Sang, 'Willow, Tit-willow'
For He's Gone And Married Yum-Yum
We Sail The Ocean Blue
I'm Called Little Buttercup
My Gallant Crew
When I Was A Lad
Things Are Seldom What They Seem
Never Mind The Why And Wherefore
Climbing Over Rocky Mountain
Poor Wand'ring One
How Beautifully Blue The Sky
I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major-General
When The Foeman Bares His Steel
Ah, Leave Me Not To Pine
With Cat-Like Tread
Is Life A Boon?
I Have A Song To Sing, O!
Were I Thy Bride
Oh, A Private Buffoon Is A Light-Hearted Loon
When A Wooer Goes A-Wooing
When I, Good Friends, Was Called To The Bar
A Nice Dilemma We Have Here
Oh, Joy Unbounded

Customer Reviews:

The Best Of Gilbert And Sullivan.......2004-03-15

At the end of the 19th century (1870's, 80's and 90's) the compatible duo of librettist and composer Gilbert and Sullivan popularized the pre-Broadway entertainment of Savoy opera. These were light operas or operettas whose content was satire and comedy, full of bouncy melodies and beautiful singing, highly entertaining theatrical works staged at London's Savoy theatre. Gilbert and Sullivan did not always get along and in fact there was a time when they ended their professional relationship because personal conflicts surfaced. But they managed to create the world's most beloved light operas, over 40 of them. Their most famous are what I call the Big Three- The H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates Of Penzance and The Mikado. Other works include their first hit Trial By Jury, The Yeomen Of The Guard, Princess Ida, The Gondoliers, Patience and several others. A standard signature of Gilbert and Sullivan was in the colorful cast- a comic actor with a special kind of baritone voice, a canary-like and sweet-voiced coloratura or lyric diva, a mezzo soprano with strong chest register and a lyric tenor as the romantic hero. On this album, English conductor Sir Charles Mackerras, a popular figure in the classical music scene and opera, guides the Chorus and Orchestra Of the Welsh National Opera in generally well-delivered performances of excerpts from the operas The Mikado, The H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates Of Penzance, Yeomen Of The Guard and Trial By Jury. Although I feel that the recordings made by the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, with Isodore Godfrey conducting and starring the best cast of the Gilbert and Sullivan repertoire- the singers of the 60's and 70's- tenor Phillip Potter, soprano Valerie Masterson, baritone John Reed, Donald Adams and mezzo soprano Christine Palmer. Their version of the Pirates Of Penzance and the Mikado far outshine the Welsh National Opera in technical mastery and vibrant tone color.

But these are fine excerpts. Especially appealing is the famous and cheerful "Three Little Maids From School Are We", a trio that imitates Japanese style melody. Most of the Mikado does this, for it was inspired by Japanisme or the new fashion in Victorian England- everything Japanese, from prints to paintings to poetry. Gilbert and Sullivan simply "Japanized" their English operettas. The Finale "For He's Gone To Marry Yum Yum" is an ebullient and pleasant finale. Not featured here is the domineering and powerful Katisha, a figure who stands out in the Mikado.

The H.M.S. Pinafore is Gilbert and Sullivan's most popular work. The sea chanty "We Sail The Ocean Blue" opens the opera with appropriate atmosphere and it seems to fit perfectly with the other scene in which the Captain greets his crew and they sing his praises "My Gallant Crew..I am the Captain Of The Pinafore". A beautiful melody that seems to come out of a romantic Offenbach tune is "I"m Called Little Buttercup". The finale, not featured here, is also very engaging "For He Is An Englishman" which can almost resemble a British national anthem. The Yeomen Of The Guard was Gilbert and Sullivan's "serious opera" eventhough it remains very Savoyard. The plot deals with Tudor England and takes place at the London Tower. "I have a song to sing" makes use of what can be taken for an English ballad of the Renaissance. Trial By Jury, about the eccentric and hilarious activity of a court trial, has a sextet that although different in composition, has the sextet "Che Mi Frena" from Donizetti's Lucia Di Lammermoor in mind. All in all, an excellent recording sure to delight young and old.

Pure delight.......2003-08-02

--Gilbert & Sullivan--
William Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan were a match made in heaven, yet on earth their pairing seems even with hindsight a most unlikely coupling. Both were destined for other things, Gilbert in fact for decidedly non-musical careers. Introduced by a mutual friend, Fred Clay, the fledgling lyricist Gilbert met the military-band-leader's son Sullivan and together continued to conspire to inspire the delights of audiences from high Victorian times down to the present, as their work in musical theatre comedy continues to provide merriment throughout the English-speaking world and beyond.

--The Music--
This collection includes highlights from five of the most popular Gilbert & Sullivan operettas: The Mikado, HMS Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance, The Yeoman of the Guard, and Trial by Jury. The arrangements and orchestrations are delightfully energetic and clear; the characterisation and vocal qualities of the leads are perfect for their roles. The haughty if misplaced Lord of the Admiralty has the perfect combination of insecurity and pompous officiousness. The Plaintiff and the Defendant in the Trial are perfectly cast. This is a collection of highlights - at least three but no more than seven songs each, but this gives a good flavour of the music. The recordings on this collection come from complete performances by Mackerras and the WNO.

--Sir Charles Mackerras--
Mackerras is one of the geniuses of the twentieth century musical scene. Having a conducting career that includes the Hamburg Opera, the English National Opera (formerly Sadlers Wells Opera), and the Welsh National Opera (the performers for this piece), he has also conducted major orchestras on the continent of Europe and in the United States. The holder of many major awards and honourary doctorates, he has devoted much time and energy to the preservation and performance of eighteenth and nineteenth century music, as well the restoration of historical musical venues, such as the Estates Theatre in Prague, scene of the original production of Don Giovanni (Mackerras conducted the opera there to commemorate the bicentenary of the death of Mozart).

--Welsh National Opera Orchestra and Chorus--
The seeds of the WNO were planted in Cardiff during World War II by music lovers; the first performances occurred a year after the war's end, with Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci on the bill, with Faust the next night. Popular appeal was so great that the WNO was established, later adding choruses in both Cardiff and Swansea. The professional chorus was established in 1973, with a strength that matches the orchestra. They continue an ambitious performance schedule for recording and live events; Mackerras remains the Conductor Emeritus, as the WNO continues under the direction of Carlo Rizzi. The list of awards the WNO has won over the years is staggering - they are a world class institution by any measure.

--Other performers--
Notable singers such as Richard Stuart, Rebecca Evans, Felicity Palmer, John Mark Ainsley and Anne Howells lead the chorus with stunning vocals and clever characterisations of the parts they play. Many (such as Stuart and Evans) play the leading roles across several of the pieces of the disc.

--Liner Notes--
The liner notes give a good introduction and biographical information about Gilbert and Sullivan, as well as synopses of the five pieces presented here. It does not, unfortunately, include any information about Mackerras, the WNO Orchestra and Chorus, or the other special performers. It also does not include the lyrics to the songs. Were the quality of the CD not so great, this might cost it a star in rating.

--Overall Impressions--
I play this CD in my car, in my home and in my office frequently. It is a great sing-along work and a great comedic relief from the stresses of the day. The music is bubbly and clear; the recording quality is excellent and crisp. I recommend this to any Gilbert & Sullivan lover, any fan of musical comedy, opera and operettas, and anyone who delights in good music.

Delicious G&S samplings abound here........2003-05-06

The first thing I should be saying is "What an infectuous G&S CD." Indeed this is, with this fine sampling of the peppy and bright Mackerras series. I know I have praised its "Mercedes-Benz quality" elsewhere on these pages, but that doesn't stop me from saying that everyone is in fine voice. This generously filled CD may only focus on five operas, but at least you can savour a reasonable choice sampling of delights from each one. Of particular interest is Richard Suart's patter-baritone parts and the soaring lyric soprano of Rebecca Evans. The selection on this disc is filled with a mixture of familiar favourites and lesser-known gems such as the female choruses in Mikado and Pirates. Mackerras is a true G&S conductor, but one who always springs rhythms crisply, and adopts peppy tempo for the fast bits. The one drawback is that this selection is far too infectuous that you'll want to shell out money to buy the full 5-CD Mackerras cycle - an incredible bargain with most of the operas fitted onto one disc each. But still, this is at least a decent G&S sampling for beginners, capped with Steven Ledbetter's copious liner notes. It will leave you wanting to say "dammit I'm going to play it again."

Fine Intro to G&S.......2000-12-30

This is the perfect CD for those who may not be familiar with G&S, or for the initiated who want a smattering but don't have the mother of all CD changers. The difficulty with any G&S Greatest Hits CD is determining which pieces to leave off; while one could easily point to any number equally good bits, it would be difficult to argue about the quality of the choices included. The only problem, such as it is, is that after listening to it I am usually induced to go back and listen to the whole opera anyway. The Mackerras recordings are uniformly excellent. I have read elsewhere the criticism that they are too 'operatic' for light opera. If by this it is meant that the singers are too good, then I leave it to the discretion of the listener when the singing becomes too good to be enjoyable.

Average customer rating:

This is a question
What a thrill to find this!
Pretty good album.

Tchaikovsky: Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000003F68
Release Date: 1991-09-06

Tracks:

Swan Lake - Waltz
Symphony No. 6 Pathetique - Allegro Con Grazia
Eugene Onegin - Polonaise
Pas De Deux
Waltz Of The Flowers
Andante Cantabile
Serenade For Strings - Waltz
Marche Slave
Swan Lake - Final Scene
1812 Overture

Customer Reviews:

This is a question .......2006-08-03

I was directed to this CD from an online link is track #8 conducted by Aruther Fiedler????

What a thrill to find this!.......2004-05-27

I have looked and looked for "The Polonaise" from "Eugene Onegin" and began to think I never would find it. It is one of my very favorites. However, sitting through that entire opera for just this one piece was a bit tiring. Although, it really was worth it to be transported for just a few minutes. I don't remember where I even got this CD, but played it and was estatic to hear "The Polonaise"! Beautiful piece, beautifully done. This is not to say that the rest of the CD is not 5 star, too. It is!
I hope you enjoy this CD as much as I.

Pretty good album........1999-08-03

I think that these are my favorite Tchaikovsky songs, but there are much better classical albums out there, so buy others.

Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [20 CD Set]

Average customer rating:

Mill. Classical review
classical music for the unitiated
Some little gems there that I had forgotten!
A very helpful collection
Excellent!

Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [20 CD Set]

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00000K1C9
Release Date: 1999-08-24

Tracks:

Brandenbutg Concerto No.3 In G First Movement
Overture No.3 In D Second Movement
Violin Concerto In E First Movement
Prelude In C minor
Jesu Bleibet Meine Freude (Chorus From Cantata No.147)
Overture No.2 In B minor Minuet And Badinerie
Oboe Concerto In D minor Second Movement
Brandenburg Concerto No.4 In G Third Movement
Musical Offering - Fuga canonica
Easter Oratorio - Overture
Minuet In D minor
Kommst Du Nun, Jesu, Vom Himmel herunter(From Choral Prelude BWV 650
Brandenburg Concerto No.1 In F Second Movement
Art Of The Fugue - Contrapunctus 9
Concerto For Flute, Violin, Harpsichord And Strings. Triple Concerto - Third Movement
Overture No.4 In D - Réjouissance
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Water Music - Alla Hornpipe
Xerxes - Ombra Mai Fu (Largo)
Messiah - And The Glory Of The Lord
Concerto Grosso In A Minor, Op. 6, No. 4 - Larghetto Affettuoso
Organ Concerto In F, Op. 4, No. 4 Allegro
Water Music - Air
Messiah - For Unto Us A Child Is Born
Concerto Grosso In B flat, Op. 3, No. 2 - Largo
Salomon - Sinfonia, Act 3
The Choice Of Hercules - While For Thy Arms
Water Music - Allegro (Suite No. 1)
Suite No. 5 In E - Air With Variations
Jephtha - How Dark, O Lord
Organ Concerto In F, Op. 4, No. 5 Alla Siciliana - Presto
Mi Palpita Il Cor (Solo Cantata) S'un Di M'adora
Water Music - Andante Allegro Da Capo
Concerto for Trumpet & Orchestra in E-flat: First Movement
Symphony No. 94 in G: Surprise Symphony-second movement
Concerto for Violin No. 2 in D: Third Movement
Flute Trio No. 31 in G: Second Movement
Symphony No. 31 in D: Hornsignal-First Movement
String Quartet No. 17 in F, Op. 3, no. 5: Serenade Quartet-Second Movement
Sinfonia Concertante in B-flat for Violin, Cello, Oboe, Bassoon and Orchestra-Third Movement
Concerto for 2 Horns & Orchestra in E-flat: Second Movement
Symphony No. 88 in G: Fourth Movement
String Quartet No. 77 in C: Kaiser Quartet-Poco adagio cantabile
Notturno No. 1 in C: Second Movement
Symphony No. 98 in B: Londoner No. 4-Fourth Movement
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - first movement
Piano Concerto in A - second movement
Flute Concerto in D - Rondeau
Serenade - Minuet
Violin Concerto - first movement
Symphony No. 40 in G minor - first movement
Clarinet Concerto - second movement
Turkish March
Divertimento - Minuet
Horn Concerto No. 3 in E-flat - first movement
Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67-First Movement
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27, no. 2: Moonlight Sonata-First Movement
Overture
O welche Lust (Prisoners' Chorus)
Ha, welch ein Augenblick (Pizarros's Aria)
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37: Second Movement
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, Op. 61: Third Movement
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13: Pathétique-Second Movement
Sympony No. 6 in F, Op. 68: Pastorale-First Movement
Fantasy for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra in C minor, Op. 80: Choral Fantasy - Finale
German Dance No. 1 In C
Impromptu Op. 90, No. 3 In G-Flat
Heidenroslein
Ave Maria
Der Lindenbaum
Quintet In A 'Trout Quintet' - Andante
Mass No. 6 In E-Flat - Kyrie
Die Schone Mullerin Des Mullers Blumen
German Dance No. 2 In G
Piano Sonata In B-Flat
Nachtgesang Im Walde
Winterreise - No. 15: Die Krahe
German Mass - Zum Sanctus (Heilit, Heilig Ist Der Herr)
Symphony No. 8 In B Minor 'Unfinished' - Second Movement
Waltz No. 1 in E-flat, Op. 18 Grande Valse brillante
Nocturne in E-flat, Op. 9, no. 2
Etude in G-flat, Op. 10, no. 5
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21-Second Movement
Mazurka in D minor, Op. 33, no. 2
Prelude in D-flat, Op. 28, no. 15 Raindrop
Etude in C, Op. 10, no. 1
Nocturne in D-flat, Op. 27, no. 2
Impromptu No. 4 in C-sharp minor, Op. 66 Fantasy Impromptu
Scherzo in B minor, Op. 20
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35-Third Movement
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11 - Third Movement
Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor - first movement 113.String Seranade - Waltz
Violin Concerto - second movement
The Sleeping Beauty - Waltz
Capriccio Italien, Op. 45
Swan Lake - Waltz
Eugene Onegin - Polonaise
The Nutcracker - Waltz of the Flowers
Orchestral Suite No. 4 - Mozartiana - Third Movement
Swan Lake - Dance of the Swans
Symphony No. 6 in B minor - Pathétique - Third Movement
Hungarian Dance No.5
Lullaby
Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op. 68 - Third Movement
Intermezzo in E-flat, Op.117, no. 1
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, Op. 77 - Third Movement
Waltz, Op. 39, no. 15
Concert for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in B-flat, Op. 83 - Second Movement
String Quintet in G, Op. 111 - Second Movement
Symphony No.4 in E minor, Op. 98 - Third Movement
Intermezzo in A minor, Op. 76, no. 7
Hungarian Dance No.1 in G minor
German Requiem Selig sind die Toten (Final Chorus)
Die Fledermaus - Overture
Kaiser Waltz, Op.437
Thunder And Lightning Polka, Op. 324
Roses From The South Waltz, Op. 388
AnnenPolka, Op. 117
Vienna Blood Waltz, Op. 354
Eljen A Magyar Polka, Op. 332
Wine, Women and Song Waltz, Op. 333
On The Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz, Op. 134
Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg - Overture
Tannhauser - Die Pilger sind's (Pilgims' Chorus)
Tannhauser - O du mein holder Abendstern (Wolfram's Aria)
Lohengrin - Act 3 Prelude and Bridal Chorus
The Flying Dutchman - Jo-ho-he Traft ihr das Schiff (Senta's Ballad)
The Flying Dutchman - Steuermann, lass die Wacht (Sailors' Chorus)
Die Walkure - Wintersturme wichen dem Wonnemond (Siegmund's Aria)
Die Walkure - Ride of the Valkyries
Siegfried Hoho! Hoho! Hohei! Schmiede mein Hammer (Siegfried's Forging Song)
Tristan und Isolde - Liebestod
Thus sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 (excerpt)
Don Juan, Op. 20
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64, I.Nacht
Don Quixote, Op.35, first movement: Introduction
Salome, Op. 54, Dance Of The Seven Veils
Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59, Finale: Hab' mir's gelobt ihn lieb zu haben
Piano Concerto 2 In C minor, Op. 18 - First Movement
Vocalise, Op.34, No. 14
Prelude In G Sharp minor, Op. 32, No. 12
Piano Concerto No. 4 In G minor, Op. 40 - Third Movement
Symphony No. 2 In E minor, Op. 27 - Third Movement
Piano Concerto No. 1 In F sharp minor, Op. 1 - Second Movement
Rhapsody, Op. 43 On A Theme By Paganini
Hungarian Rhapsody No.2
Liebestraum No.3 in A-flat
Piano Concerto No.1 in E-flat - third movement
Angelus
Mephisto Waltz No.1 (Dance in a Village Tavern)
Prelude and Fugue on B-A-C-H
Dante Symphony - Finale. - Purgatorio - Magnificat
Les Préludes
Boléro
Daphnis et Chloé first movement: Nocturne
Rhapsodie Espagnole
Shéhérazade - first movement: Asie
Ma Mère l'Oye - fourth movement: La Belle et la Bête
Introduction and Allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet, and String Quartet
La Valse
Slavic Dance No. 1 in C, Op. 46, no.1
Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 'From the New World' - second movement
Humoresque, Op. 101
Slavic Dance No. 8 in G minor, Op. 46, no. 8
Serenade for String Orchestra, Op. 22 - second movement
Romance for Violin and Orchestra In F minor, Op. 11
Symphony No. 7 in D minor - third movement
Melodie (Songs My Mother Taught Me)
Carneval Overture, Op. 92
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B minor, Op. 104 - third movement
Symphony No.4 In A, Op. 90. Italian - First Movement
Frühlingslied In A, Op. 62, No. 6
Wedding March (From A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61)
Duetto In F, Op.30, No.6 (From Songs Without Words)
String Symphony No.9 In C. Schweitzer Symphony - Third Movement
Concerto For Violin, Piano And String Orchestra No. 1 In D minor - Second Movement
Symphony No.3 In A minor, Op.56 Scottish - Third Movement"
Notturno (From A Midsumment Night's Dream, Op. 61)
Rondo Capriccioso, Op.14
String Symphony No. 12 In G minor - First Movement
Venetian Gondola Song In F Sharp minor, Op.30, No.6
Scherzo (From A Midsumment Night's Dream, Op. 61)
Violin Concerto In E minor, Op.64 - Third Movement
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 1, Op. 46 - Morgenstimmung
Holberg Suite, Op. 40 - I. Prelude. Allegro vivace
Holberg Suite, Op. 40 - IV. Air. Andante religioso
Arietta, Op. 12, no. 1
Homage March from Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op. 56
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 2, Op. 55 - Solveig's Song
Wedding Day at Troldhauen, Op. 65, no. 6
The Last Spring, Op. 34, no. 2
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 1, Op 46 - Anitra's Dance
Nordic Melody Op. 63
Notturno, Op. 54, no. 4
Elegie, Op. 47, no. 5
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 2, Op. 55 - Arabic Dance
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 - Allegro
Symphony No. 3 in E flat, Op. 97 - Rhenish - first movement
Traumerai (from Kinderszenen, Op. 15)
Mondnacht (from Eichendorff-Liederkreis, Op. 39)
Aufschwung (from Fantasietucke, Op. 12)
Triolett, Op. 114, no. 2
Tanzlied (No. 1 from Duets, Op. 78)
Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120 - second movement
Frühlingsgruss
Abschied (from Waldszenen Op. 82)
Dichterliebe, Op. 48 - Im wunderschonen Monat Mai
Manfred Overture, Op. 115
Romance in F sharp, Op. 28, no. 2
Die Rose stand im Tau
Liebesgarten (from Four Duets, Op. 34)
Warum? (from Fantasiestucke, Op. 12)
Kennst du das Land, Op.79, no. 29 (from Lieder der Mignon, Op. 98a)
Von fremden Landern und Menschen (from Kinderszenen, Op. 15)

Album Description

An extraordinary 20-CD collection of great works by Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Ravel, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff, J. Strauss, R. Strauss, Schumann, Wagner, Dvorak, Grieg and Liszt. It also features worldrenowned artists such as Sir Neville Marriner, Martha Argerich, Ivo Pogorelich, Hermann Prey, Reiner Goldberg, Sylvia Sass, Jochen Kowalski, Peter Schreler and many more. This exquisite, copper metallic, deluxe boxed set is the perfect gift for the classical music neophyte.

Customer Reviews:

Mill. Classical review.......2007-05-13

This is a great set of recordings for the money, the only problem was I've had to clean some of the CD's before they played correctly.

classical music for the unitiated.......2007-04-01

This set is a good way to start listening to classical music. It's very well produced and easy to listen to. I purchased it to use as part of my world history high school class. It would have been nice to have some bio information on the composers. However, the product is exactly as advertised and good value for the money. The students were intrigued by how many of the excerpts they had heard before.

Some little gems there that I had forgotten!.......2007-03-30

Although I studied classical music at school, I had all but forgotten it until I bought this set. I heard several tracks I haven't heard for over 30 years, and I had been humming Brahms's 'Hungarian Dance no. 5' for years without ever knowing what it was and it was on the disc, so that was nice.

I found it to be a very good selection overall, but I felt too much had already been heard on TV, which of course is what lots of newcomers to classical music might appreciate. I managed to find about 2 hours of tracks that I wanted to keep, which works out quite expensive per disc, but I did find some wonderful music I had completely forgotten about, so it was worth it. All in all, it represents good value, and I have only knocked one star off as so much of it had been used in adverts.

It is definitely a good introduction to classical music, and it has made me want to listen to more of it, so I don't regret this 'expensive' purchase one bit!

Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [20 CD Set]

A very helpful collection.......2007-03-24

I define this set as an excellent way to find out who you like, and who you don't, among 20 of the important composers. It opens the door to purchasing more complete pieces by composers you do like, and can save a lot of time and money in the process.
To criticize the set for not containing more composers, or more than just snippets of those who are in the set, is missing the point: it is a helpful introduction to finding your way in the huge maze of classical music. It succeeds admirably in this.
Sound quality is uniformly very good on an audiophile system.
Highly recommended.

Excellent!.......2007-03-08

A great way to start a classical music collection. It's nice to have a full CD of each composer. It makes it easy to keep track of selections/composers I already have and what composers I still need to puchase to complete my collection.

Average customer rating:

An important debut release
It's indie rock and roll !!!
soldiers of glam
Best Album of 2004
Magnum Opus

Hot Fuss
The Killers
Manufacturer: Island
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000AA4LAK
Release Date: 2005-08-16

Tracks:

Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine
Mr. Brightside
Smile Like You Mean It
Somebody Told Me
All These Things That I've Done
Andy, You're A Star
On Top
Change Your Mind
Believe Me Natalie
Midnight Show
Everything Will Be Alright
Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll
The Ballad Of Michael Valentine
Under The Gun

Amazon.com

The Killers match postpunk guitars with a synthesizer overlay that recalls '80s New Wave without burying their sound in nostalgia. On their debut, Hot Fuss, frontman Brandon Flowers plumbs his imagination for tales of murdered lovers ("Jenny Was a Friend of Mine," "Midnight Show"), voyeurism ("Mr. Brightside"), and sexual confusion (the single "Somebody Told Me"). Flowers and his mates are obviously canny students; the total effect is of a playacted obsession, but one made irresistible by their skillful, catchy songs. If there's an occasional misstep (the painfully earnest line "I got soul but I'm not a soldier" from "All These Things That I've Done"), it seems of a piece with the Killers' influences. As it is, Hot Fuss is one of several recent releases that bring a diverting faux glamour to the mainstream rock scene. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

An important debut release.......2007-01-13

We needed this group to form and make this music.

I haven't gotten this excited about a new band in quite a while.

The Killers are destined to eventually be grouped with music greats like The Smiths, The Cure, REM, U2, Nirvana, and Coldplay in the near future.
This debut CD guarantees that!

Very original, fun and catchy - this CD is one of my favorites - I highly recommend it.

It's indie rock and roll !!!.......2007-01-11

I loved this CD!!! I know there are like 5 different versions of this album, and I chose this because it covers the songs I like, it's not too expensive and it arrived just in time for me to listen it over and over again before the concert. It's great, it is the nearest to collector's edition, without all the fuzz of searching.

soldiers of glam.......2006-12-31

Catchy, electrifying tunes that take the word "derivative" to all time highs. This band proudly wears its influences on its sleeves while delivering a fresh sound and brings the energy to new levels. The melodies are hypnotic and the vocalist makes the best of his abilities. They really seem to have striven to be good on every song on this release, which proves refreshing. Their determination was worth it.

The work is high energy and pleasantly addictive!

Best Album of 2004.......2006-12-15

This album was ripe with hits and remains in the CD changer in my car to this day. The Killers melded new wave, alternative, and rock influences and released quite possibly one of the best first albums anyone has seen in a at least a decade. There are a few songs on the album that i'm not hugely fond of, but the strengths more than overshadow the few weaker parts, and even the songs I skip are by no means terrible. Buying the import with these three bonus tracks and a bonus DVD with a few music videos on it was well worth it to me, and i'm glad I bought it over the lower priced regular version.

Here's my track by track analysis, with my score in parenthesis, 5 being the highest, 1 the lowest:

Jenny Was a Friend of Mine (5) - Terrific opener, driving rhythms, great chorus.

Mr. Brightside (5) - Probably the most recognized, if not overplayed track on the album, but with good reason, another driving, strong vocals.

Smile Like You Mean It (5) - Favorite song on the album, haunting lyrics, extraordinary use of guitars and synth, great percussion work, especially on cymbals. I don't think i'll ever get tired of this song.

Somebody Told Me (5) - Another driving rock song. Well-made for radio.

All These Things I've Done (5) - Yes, it's true that the line "I've got soul but i'm not a soldier" isn't the best writing in history, but the guitar and rhythm carry it, with good vocal variety. The video on the DVD of this song is pretty damned good as well.

Andy, You're a Star (3) - Mediocre at best, it's a change of pace from the rest of the album up until this point to be sure, but seems overly reptitive. It's either a 2 or 3 but is at a 3 at this point, though that might be overly generous.

On Top (5) - Good use of synth, could have been overdone but luckily they knew where to pull back with it and focus on the lyrics. Flowers' voice seems louder on this song than on previous tracks, and it helps to carry the tune.

Change Your Mind (5) - I was thrilled to see this song used in many of the trailers for 'the movie "Thank You For Smoking' earlier this year, as it's a neat song. The synth approaches borderline over the top, but the vocals are so wonderful, that it doesn't overpower. This is probably my third favorite on the disc, if not a close second.

Believe Me Natalie (5) - Carried by a heavy bassline, it's another storytelling type song, not a bad song, but nothing legendary. It's barely a 5 in my book, it's a good song but might score lower if compared to other Killers songs only. I do however score basing songs against other music of similiar genre, so it remains a 5.

Midnight Show (4) - Not a bad song, but the vocals seem to be lacking, and get lost in the background it seems at times.

Everything Will Be Alright (3) - I'm not sure how this song is even at 3 stars, it's a change of pace, but seems like a bad way to end an album, and this is where it did end on the normal version of the disc. It's not terrible, but probably the weakest track on the album. Could have been better if the vocals were done differently, I liked the rhythm, just hated the delivery.

Glamorous Indie Rock and Roll (5) - First of three bonus tracks, and is possibly my second favorite song. It's catchy as all getout, and Flowers' seems to be right on target with the vocal delivery and range. Great guitar work, and the bassline was done perfectly. Bonus points for the tambourine hit in the first verse as well, very nice.

The Ballad of Michael Valentine (5) - Solid tune, it has a few changes throughout of all the different instruments. Lots of cymbals at some points, but gets the job done.

Under the Gun (5) - Weakest of the 3 bonus tracks but still a good tune, though short. More substance would do it some good. Not the worst song they could have picked to end the album (see above).

Overall, this is a strong buy, and a worthy addition to anyone's collection that enjoys this genre of music.

Hot Fuss (Deluxe Tour Edition):
5 Star Songs: 11
4 Star Songs: 1
3 Star Songs: 2
Overall: Strong 5 (93% - 4.6/5)

Magnum Opus.......2006-11-29

Seldom does an album come along where every song is worth listening to repeatedly. Hot Fuss is one of those rare exceptions. Whether a listener will enjoy the music is a matter of personal preference. But if you do like the Killers, you certainly like the majority of songs on this album.

Like most performers, The Killers produce songs that have an acquired taste. Over time, you will find more and more of the songs on Hot Fuss appealing. In many cases, the songs have a buildup similar to those of Depeche Mode, where there is a great deal of anticipation during the escalating tempo. I find songs like "All These Things That I've Done" excellent for hardcore weightlifting because of this buildup.

While their genre hard to describe, the Killers sound similar to the Stokes with a little Cure, Depeche Mode and the Clash mixed in. Sublime [not the group Sublime, but Webster's definition] in many circumstances, there are coherent messages behind many of the songs on Hot Fuss. Others are just fund to listen to. Though, from my perspective, the verse "I wanna shine on in the hearts of men" in the "All These Things That I've Done" is simply inspiring.

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