Songs in a Minor [Limited Edition] [Import]

Track Listings

1. Piano And I

2. Girlfriend

3. How Come You Dont Call Me

4. Fallin

5. Troubles

6. Rock Wit U

7. A Womans Worth

8. Jane Doe

9. Goodbye

10. The Life

11. Mr Man (Duet With Jimmy Cozier)

12. Never Felt This Way

13. Butterflyz

14. Why Do I Feel So Sad

15. Caged Bird

16. Loving You (Hidden Track)

17. Fallin (Extended Remix Feat Busta Thymes And Rampage) (Bonus

18. A Womans Worth (Remix Radio Edit) (Bonus Track)

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Another re-issue of her debut album from the far East. This new Asian edition includes a bonus 2 track CD featuring, 'Fallin' (Extended Remix Featuring Busta Rhymes & Rampage)' & 'A Woman's Worth (Remix Radio Edit)'. Packaged in a slimline double jewelcas

Songs in a Minor,Alicia Keys,EMI,R&B/Soul,Soul/R & B

Tracks:

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

Amazon.com

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating:

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

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

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The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Ever, Volume II
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The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe
25 Classical Favorites
Mozart for Relaxation

ASIN: B00000I93Z
Release Date: 1999-03-30

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Amazon.com

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating:

Excellent Introduction to Spanish Classical Guitar Music
The guitar is an orchestra in miniature!
GUITAR MAJESTY
Sweet, sweet music, an essential addition to your collection
A True Classic

Spanish Guitar Music

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Essential Guitar: 33 Guitar Masterpieces
300 Years of Guitar Masterpieces
Baroque Guitar
Masters of Flamenco Guitar
Classic Williams: Romance of the Guitar

ASIN: B00005YJ4Q
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Tracks:

Albeniz: Asturias
Albeniz: Tango
Sanz: Canarios
Rodrigo: Fandango
Torroba: Nocturno
Segreras - El Colibri
Albeniz: Sonata in D
De Falla: The Corregidor's Dance
De Falla: Fisherman's Song
De Falla: The Miller's Dance
Torroba: Madronos
La Nit de Nadal
El Noy de la Mare
Granados: Ma Maja de Goya
Abeniz: Cordoba
Tarrega: Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Granados: Spanish Dance No. 5
El Testamen de Amelia
Villa-Lobos: Prelude No. 4 in E Minor
Albeniz: Sevilla
De Falla: Homanaje
Mudarra: Fantasia
Turina: Fandanguillo

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Introduction to Spanish Classical Guitar Music.......2005-09-18

As a sampler, this CD is an excellent introduction both to Spanish classical guitar music and to guitarist John Williams.
The music ranges from Renaissance composers (Sanz, Mudarra) and harmonized folk melodies to standard 20th Century works (Rodrigo, Torroba etc).

John Williams is excellent throughout. The CD is also cheap, and can be used either just for enjoyment, or further to explore other recordings by Williams, the classical guitar repertoire, or other classical guitarists.

As a marketing ploy, it is very effective.

For the collector or classical guitar enthusiast, the chief disadvantages of the CD are duplication of other recordings, and that the way at least some of the works on this CD are listed isn't helpful in telling the listener the set(s) to which these pieces belong and how to find them (e.g. "from ______, Op # "). The font listing the titles and track numbers is small and somewhat hard to read.

However, this CD should attract many listeners and enthusiasts both to the classical guitar, the repertoire, and guitarist John Williams - and I'm all for that.

Over 70 minutes playing time.

Recommended.

The guitar is an orchestra in miniature!.......2005-02-05

This admirable concept belongs to Hector Berlioz and it must not be a surprise the best guitarrists in the story have in common this trademark.

John Williams has always known the delicate equilibrium between the expresiveness and the glamouer. His impresive technique however is not exposed as his prima edonna. He goes directly to the soul of the composer, melts in his spirit and let the music sharp the qith eloquent conviction the composer's demanded atmosphere.

From Granados to Albeniz, from Rodrigo to Agustin Barrios - El indio Mangore -, from Moreno Torroba to Ponce , you will find the warmth, the passion and the Midas touch of this golden guitarrist.

GUITAR MAJESTY.......2004-12-21

John Williams is a true Guitar virtuoso. His repetoire is very extensive and I use his music in my office while I work at my daily office duties. This album is a must for all guitar enthusiasts old or young.

Sweet, sweet music, an essential addition to your collection.......2004-12-07

I originally bought this album three years ago, looking for a good introduction to Spanish guitar music. And this one fits that need perfectly. I still listen to and enjoy it today. I play this for guests at happy hour or dinner for a relaxed atmosphere. At Amazon's current price, this is a great value.

A True Classic.......2004-01-26

This album/cd is extraordinary. All the songs are gorgeous and exciting to listen to. John Williams' interpretation and technique are perfect. After 22 years of listening to it, I still enjoy and appreciate it more every time. I love giving it as a gift.

Average customer rating:

Yo-Yo Ma is a genius

The Dvorak Album

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Simply Baroque
Paris La Belle Époque
Vivaldi's Cello
Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone
Brahms: Cello Sonatas

ASIN: B0002VEPIU
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Tracks:

Concerto in B minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 104
Klid (Silent woods) for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 68, No. 5
Slavonic Dance No. 2 in E minor, Op. 72
Humoresque No. 7 in G-flat Major, Op. 101
Songs My Mother Taught Me from Gypsy Melodie, Op. 55

Amazon.com

This compilation of music by Dvorak played by Yo-Yo Ma is just beautiful. Ma seems to understand just when Dvorak wants to be super-Romantic and sappy and when he is in fact being merely his usual expressive self. The former comes into bloom with the Slavonic Dance, in which he's accompanied by Itzhak Perlman and "Songs My Mother Taught Me," with Patricia Zander at the piano. But when it comes to revealing Dvorak as one of the most insightful and truly passionate of composers, with a particular understanding of the cello, Ma's playing of the B minor Concerto (under Kurt Masur, with the New York Philharmonic), the latter description comes into play. Ma gets every nuance out of the cello, and the way in which Masur, for instance, leads the winds against the cello at the start of the 2nd movement is just gorgeous. "Klid" ("Silent Woods") is given a deeply affecting reading as well, under Seiji Ozawa. 2004 is the 100th anniversary of Dvorak's death; this CD is fine tribute. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Yo-Yo Ma is a genius .......2004-11-16

words fail me on how to describe performance in this CD.It's very good, one of the best interpretations I have heard in a very long time. I must confess that since i discovered Ma du Pre I have not been able to listen to anything else nor did I attempt to do so. But out of the blue I bumped into this CD by chance & after hearing Yo Yo Ma's phraising especially the 1st movement infact the whole of Dvorak Cello was like something new to me.Ma plays with passion,emotions & strong commitment to the music in a different way.The Ochestra is in top form & allows the solo cello to shine at the right time.I never thought there is another interpretation that could surpass M.Rostropovich(Im sorry to say this I know he is a living legend & the 1969 record with Karajan is held in high esteem). Ma is accompanied by my favourate violinist Itzhak Perlman on "Humosresque no.7 for piano" & "Slavonic Dance no.10 in E minor"- the results are so sweet as many people know Perlman is a romantic specialist his tone with Ma's cello is heavenly.With regard to the "songs my mother taught me" the cello sounds good not best for the track personally im so used to hear the song being played on violin.There's nothing wrong with the cello it's just that it 's tone is a bit too strong for the composition but it's very well interpreted by Ma. They call this transcription in musical terms. Actually Ma deserves an apology as im one of those who have accused him of lacking in emotions &"look at me now i can play anything" attitude.I think those allegations are baseless & unwarranted when u hear this CD u will know u are into something beautiful. Overall grab this very fast before many people realise Yo-Yo Ma 's greatest gift of song.

Average customer rating:

A strong force in the music world
Doesn't get any better than THIS!!!
Songs Of A Classic!
Very listenable
nice CD

Songs in A Minor
Alicia Keys
Manufacturer: J-Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005JXS6
Release Date: 2001-06-26

Tracks:

Piano & 1 (intro)
Girlfriend
How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?
Fallin'
Troubles
Rock Wit U
A Woman's Worth
Jane Doe
Goodbye
The Life
Mr. Man (featuring Jimmy Cozier)
Never Felt This Way (interlude)
Butterflies
Why Do I Feel So Sad
Caged Bird (outro)

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

She may be beautiful, but Alicia Keys is a musician first and foremost. She plants herself firmly behind the piano keys on her debut, unlike many of the booty-waggin' junior divas who are crowding the R&B videoscape these days. Though many of the tracks on Songs in A Minor are embellished with adolescent angst, this 20-year-old's substantial, gorgeously soul-drenched alto putties the cracks between notes with astonishing ease. "Fallin'," the album's first single, showcases Keys at her best. She wails plaintively and passionately over rolling blues chords, in the tradition of the greats that this young talent clearly wants to align herself with--Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, and Aretha Franklin. She swoops and soars over the spicy, flamenco-fueled melody that opens "Mr. Mann," one of the many winning tracks gathered here. And she digs deep into a remake of the beloved Prince B-side, "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" packing more heat into her melismatic wails than most singers twice her age. --Sylvia W. Chan

Customer Reviews:

A strong force in the music world.......2007-06-01

Alicia Keys, asside from her somewhat corny change of name, is a very giften vocalist, songwriter and pianist. She will most certainly be around the popular music scene for a long time.

Doesn't get any better than THIS!!!.......2007-01-31

The beautiful,heart wrenching,ballad"Goodbye"ALONE,makes this album,worth its' weight,in,DIAMONDS'!!!The lyrics'have the ability,to,HURL you backwards'through,TIME,to the moment,of your very FIRST,heartbreak!! Alicia does,an,UNSURPASSED,job,of making you see(and FEEL)this,through the eyes'of a(young,innocent) individual,who's,encountered this(DISCONCERTING)life,experience,for the FIRST time!!!Nostalgic lyrics such as"Is,THIS,the END???Are you SURE??How should you KNOW,when you've NEVER been,in love,BEFORE?!?(followed by)It's so HARD,to just LET GO,And this is the one and ONLY,love,I've EVER,known!!!the begging line,is CLASSIC(and true!!)How do you LOVE,someone,that's HURT,you oh so bad??With intentions' "good"was all he,EVER had..But how do,I let go,when I,loved him for so,LONG,and,I've,given him ALL,that,I,COULD!!! Summed up,with,HOW,do you find the,WORDS',to say...To say"Goodbye"...Find,the words'to say"Goodbye"...."When your heart,DON'T,have the HEART,to say...To say"Goodbye"!!!(other chilling lyrics'include:"Maybe,love,was,our whole(????)Giving up,what seems' your,LIFETIME,what,went wrong,with something,ONCE,so GOOD??!!? Ican't leave,out her brave confession:"I know,NOW,I was naive',never knew,where this would lead"...(ANTI,man bashing warning)And,I'm NOT,trying,to take away...From,the GOOD,man that he IS(not was)!!Alicia,turns'it personal,when she belts' out:"MY,heart,dont have,the heart,to say"Goodbye"This song,hits' VERY,close to home,with me also,because,a few years ago(which seems'like yesterday,to me)I had to,break off,my longest relationship(5 years')with a woman,that,I was still DEEPLY,in love with,because,after half,a DECADE,of recieving,not,an,IOTA,of,affection,I came,to the(VERY LATE)conclusion,that,if,she wasn't giving ME,any "natural"affection,then she MUST'VE,been giving,it to someone else!! Understand:sex,was NO problem,however,if,I desired,a hug,or just a loving kiss,and,some cuddling...NOTHIN' HAPPENING!! Wasn't my first time "at the pplate"but,nonetheless,it was the HARDEST,decision,I had,to make in my 35 years' of,existence!!!Alicias'SUPERB,song,then,as well as,NOW,soothed/soothes'the,pain associated,with that,tormentous,time in my life!!!BIG-UPS'to Alicia,for that MASTERPIECE!!! I,reccomend this album,as STRONGLY,as,I recommend,wearing,WARM clothes'in Michigan,after August,to EVERYONE,who might have had,a similiar situation,occur in their,life!!!

Songs Of A Classic!.......2006-10-28

Considering the fact that I heard her sophomore album "The Diary Of Alicia Keys" before hearing "Songs In A Minor", the multi-platinum, critically-acclaimed album from singer/songwriter/pianist/musician Alicia Keys, I had high expectations of this album. Surprisingly, this album is just as good as its successor, showcasing all of Alicia Keys' talents to the fullest degree. Although this album is a lot more ballad-heavy and slightly lacks the diversity of her sophomore album, that doesn't mean that this album is any less soulful, emotional or stellar.

"Fallin'", the classic R&B/Soul #1 U.S. smash hit piano ballad that solidified Alicia Keys as a force to be reckoned with, tells the story of a woman indecisively caught up between leaving or staying with her man, and with a combination of ethereal choir background vocals and moody violins towards the end of the song, it's definitely one of the best tracks on the album ; "A Woman's Worth", another masterfully arranged classic R&B/Soul where piano keys and wah wah guitar strings (amongst other instruments) are used in all the right places, finds Alicia Keys soulfully singing about how a real relationship is nothing without respect and how materialistic offerings won't always make the cut ; "Troubles", with its true-to-life lyrics and darkly moody instrumental arrangements, sounds both depressing and uplifting at the same time ; "How Come You Don't Call Me", a self-explanatory piano ballad written by none other than the Purple man himself Prince, finds Alicia Keys effortlessly pushing her powerful vocals to extraordinary heights with emotion and passion ; the huge assortment of instruments on the production of "Rock Wit You" is downright amazing if not a bit too lengthy ; "Mr Man", one of my album favourites, is a classy duet violin ballad with forgotten R&B/Soul singer Jimmy Cozier (the album's only guest artist) ; "The Life", another piano-driven ballad, finds Alicia talking about life (obviously) ; and the Hip-Hop-lite production from Jermaine Dupri supports Alicia Keys' feelings of envy and jealousy against another woman on "Girlfriend".

Alicia Keys, being the multi-talented songstress she is, has managed to create a wonderful debut that has "classic" written all over it. Perhaps the album's only weak points lie in the following two songs - "Butterflyz" & "Caged Bird". The former track lacks the lyrical complexity and genuinely captivating realness of the other tracks, while "Caged Bird" falters with its overly mellow production. However, such flaws can be excused because Alicia Key's vocals are so vibrantly soulful and hypnotic that such flaws fly past with little to no notice. Definitely 5 stars!

5 Best Tracks:
"Fallin'"
"A Woman's Worth"
"Troubles"
"How Come You Don't Call Me"
"Girlfriend"

Album Favourite:
"Mr. Man (feat. Jimmy Cozier)"

Honourable Mentions:
"The Life"
"Rock Wit You"

Very listenable.......2006-10-23

This is the first CD I bought by Alicia Keys, and I really love this CD. It's one of the few CDs that I still listen to reguarly months after I bought it (usually I listen to it a lot during the 1st month, then the CD start collecting dust). First, she writes and performs her own songs, something I feel should be prerequisit but not common enough among the popular musicic stars. Second, the second half of the CDs are not fillers. They're wonderful songs that stand up to repeated listening. Third, even though every piece is wonderful, it still feels like an album, with themes connecting the pieces. Also, I like her voice - very sultry.
Lastly, I just want to address a comment made by previous reviewer: I think most people recongize the beginning of the Piano & I comes from Moonlight Sonata. Brahms didn't credit Beethoven either when he wrote Symphony no.1 either - but who care? Everybody already knew. The fact she used a segment from Beethoven does not mean lack of originality.
Anyways, I know some of the reason I like this CD is like duh! But it's really impossible to put music preference into words anyway, so just listen and enjoy the CD!

nice CD.......2006-08-20

this CD has some nice r&b tunes with piano hooks but in the end it was all about marketing. These songs aer no different from other r&b artists, she was just marketed as a piano player and all that. She's talented don't get me wrong but she's like the girl next door. I also found it weird how inside the cover it says "all songs written by alicia keys" followed by a "except where mentioned" and it turns out that though she's co wrote many of the songs, only about 4 of them were written all by herself with no co-writers and these were: Fallin, Butterflyz, Caged Bird and the bonus track at the end. Those songs are actually really pleasant to listen to. Also the Prince remake how come you don't call me was well done; songs like rock with you, the life and jane doe had some good piano licks; woman's worth had some pretty lyrics and music; and girlfriend was a hip hop song produced by no other than jermaine dupri who's worked with everyone anyways. Anyways check out this album but don't fall for the marketing hype.

Average customer rating:

A Man and His Art - Magnificently Captured
What can you say - it's Segovia!
EVERYBODY KNOWS
Immortal guitar
WOW

Art of Segovia
Andres Segovia
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Essential Guitar: 33 Guitar Masterpieces
The Segovia Collection
Baroque Guitar
300 Years of Guitar Masterpieces
The Best of Andrés Segovia: The Millennium Collection

ASIN: B00006B66L
Release Date: 2002-10-08

Tracks:

Andante
Andantino
Lento
Romance De Los Pinos
Madronos
Serenata Burlesca
Variations On A Theme From Mozart's 'The Magic Flute'
Mesto E Calmo
Theme, Variations & Finale
Cancion Mexicana No.X
Sevillana, Op.29
Sarabanda
Capriccio Diabolico, Op.85
Tonadilla For Guitar On The Name Of Andres Segovia
No.1 In E Minor
No.3 In A Minor
Guitarreo
Segovia, Op.29

Tracks:

If My Complaints
Now, O Now I Need Must Part
Sarabande
1. Prelude (Transposed In D Major)
4. Tempo Di Bourree
Courante
3. Gavotte En Rondeau
Aria E Corrente
Moderato
Menuet In G Major
Andantino Variato
No.7 In A Major
2. Canzonetta
2. Quasi Lento (Preludio)
1. Andantino Poco Allegretto (Allegretto)
2. Il Vecchio Castello
Allegretto
Tres Calme Et Doucement Expressif
No.4 In E Flat Minor
5. Asturias. Leyenda - Preludio
7. Zambra Granadina
Estudio Sin Luz
Allegro Con Brio

Amazon.com

DG has put together a fascinating compilation of Segovia's art that reminds us what a protean figure he was. Segovia single-handedly put the instrument on the map by making classical guitar concerts popular events, broadening the instrument's repertory through commissions and transcriptions, and convincing even doubters that it could be a vehicle for serious music. He's heard here in brief pieces recorded between 1952 and 1969. Even in those made when he was well into his 70s, his fingers remain nimble and interpretations lively. Listening straight through, one hears many all-time Segovia favorites as Turina's Sevillana and Albeniz's Asturias and Zambra Granadina and renews appreciation for path-breaking composers like Castelnuovo-Tedesco. He wrote extensively for Segovia and his Capriccio diabolico and Tonadilla are pieces of real substance. Disc two is largely made up transcriptions and it's amazing how well so many of them work on the guitar, at least under Segovia's magic fingers. Thus the transformations of Bach's violin music and even a Chopin Prelude sound idiomatic, and the gorgeous melodies of the Canzonetta from Mendelssohn's Op. 12 String Quartet are irresistible here. An entrancing set. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

A Man and His Art - Magnificently Captured.......2007-04-06

This 2-CD set produced by Deutche Grammmophon and first released in 2002 is one set of the hundreds that could have been or the dozens that actually have been made and sold successfully all over the world. The exceptional feature of this particular collection is not, of course, the performer. Quite to the contrary, the miraculous consistency of stylings and performance are amongst the most remarkable aspects of the man who was, arguably, the 20th Centry's virtuoso supreme of the classical guitar, Andres Segovia (1893-1987.) Rather, it is the collection itself - the pieces chosen to be produced on this one set - this, to steal a German word, gestalt. While his style did not remain constant throughout his long life and career, by the time he had developed his most masterful skills that included doing his own arrangements - the era represented on this particular set (1951-1960) - his playing had become completely his own - unchallenged and unmatched by even other clearly great guitarists with whom he shared this era.

There are a total of 31 pieces played on these CDs and while a playlist would be an unnecessary use of space here, a list of the composers represented is not. More than the specific pieces Segovia gives us here, the range of composers chosen by the compilers and editors - with each piece rearranged by Segovia himself, tells us a great deal about his interests, talents and musical range. These composers include:
Isaac Albeniz, Johann Sebastian Bach, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Frederic Chopin, Claude Debussy, John Dowland, Manuel de Falla, Cesar Franke, Girolamo Frescobaldi, Edvard Grieg, George Frederic Handel, Felix Mendelsohn, Frederico Moreno Torroba, Modest Mussorgsky, Nicolo Paganini, Felipe Pedrell, Manuel Ponce, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Joaquin Rodrigo, Albert Roussel, Domenico Scarlatti, Alexander Scriabin, Segovia's own composition of Estudio sin luz, Fernando Sor, Francisco Tarrega, Joaquin Turina and Heitor Villa-Lobos. A truly magnificent and broad ranging collection held together by Segovia's unique personal style, approach and sound.

Largely self-taught, Andres Segovia did things with a guitar that others only imagined. He didn't just play Bach, for example - music written for an entirely different type of instrument (keyboards.) He went a step further, and recorder Bach's keyboard lessons written for his students (the Two and Three Part Inventions) and made them sound as if they had been written for the guitar! His artistry is evident to even the casual listener and in this collection, any devote of classical guitar and/or of Segovia as an individual artist, will not be disappointed.
Perfect listening for anytime. Hypnotic and, simply, unsurpassed. A necessary addition to any serious classical guitar collection.

What can you say - it's Segovia!.......2007-02-10

I saw Segovia perform live in my youth. What a treat! Anyone who loves Classical Guitar should love this collection.

EVERYBODY KNOWS.......2007-01-13

EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT ANDRES SEGOVIA WAS/IS THE WORLD'S GREATEST CLASSICAL GUITAR PLAYER. THIS CD IS A COMPILATION OF HIS RECORDINGS FROM THE THE EARLY 50'S TO THE LATE 60'S. HIS GUITAR MASTERY IS UNQUESTIONED AND HE IS AN INSPIRATION. I WISH I COULD PLAY GUITAR LIKE ANDRES SEGOVIA (BUT I CAN'T AND I NEVER WILL!).

Immortal guitar.......2006-08-02

Two CD's with Segovia's immortal music - an incredible treat at a great price!

WOW.......2006-02-23

Even though there is hiss from the original analog recordings this one is a must. Segovia! What more can you say. Anyone who likes classical guitar will love this.

Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

Average customer rating:

Waste of money
Great Music Compilation
If you like classical music don't buy this CD.
A must for anyone wanting the staples of classical music
A great compilation

Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

Manufacturer: Utv Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music
25 Classical Favorites
The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe
The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Ever, Volume II

ASIN: B00004GOZA
Release Date: 2000-02-08

Tracks:

Adagio In G Minor
Jesu, Joy OF Man's Desiring
Moonlight Sonata - Adagio sostenuto
March Of The Toreadors (Carmen)
Celebrated Minuet
Polovtsian Dance No. 1 (Prince Igor)
Cradle Song
'Minute' Waltz
Suite Bergamasque: Clair de Lune
Largo
Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1
Rhapsody In Blue - Andante And Finale
Peer Gynt Suite: Morning
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
Liebestraum
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Wedding March
'Masterpiece Theater' Theme: Rondau (First Symphonic Suite)
The Great Gate Of Kiev

Tracks:

Eine klein Nachtmusik - Allegro: Eine kleine Nachtmusik - Allegro
Orpheus In The Underworld: Cancan
Carmina Burana - O Fortuna
Canon In D
Lietenant Kije Suite - Troika
Turandot: Nessun dorma
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini - 18th Variation: Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini- 18th Variation
Bolero - Conclusion
The Tale Of Czar Sultan: Flight Of The Bumblebee
William Tell Overture - Finale
Carnival Of The Animals: The Swan
Gymnopedie No. 3
Ave Maria
Blue Danube Waltz
Thus Spake Zarathustra - Sunrise
Firebird Suite - Finale
1812 Overture - Finale: 1812 Overtune - Finale
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves'
Anvil Chorus (II Trovatore)
The Four Seasons - Largo From 'Winter'
Die Walkure: Ride Of The Valkyries

Amazon.com

For those who want the most remembered passages of classical music's best-loved works, here's a package for you. On this bargain priced double-CD, you'll find music from 40 different classical composers; for the most part, the recordings excerpted here are some of the very best. Of course, you only get one Bach sampling (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, played by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra) and one Mozart (A Little Night Music conducted by Herbert von Karajan), but this is still a nice collection--perhaps the starting point for a budding collection of classical music. This set's downfall? Unfortunately, though the liner notes discuss the evolution of classical music chronologically, the tracks are programmed in alphabetical order by composer's last name. This makes for some startling transitions! Emil Gilels's reflective performance of the Adagio from Beethoven's "Moonlight" sonata is followed by the crashing cymbals and bombast of Carmen's "March of the Toreadors," a recipe for a heart attack if there ever was one. Still, there's something here for everyone and the liner notes even explain what movies this music can be found in. A nice touch. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Waste of money.......2006-01-12

Watch out for the volume leveling mentioned in another review. Surely the compliers could have come up with a better sort order than by composer. The change in tempo/volume between pieces makes it impossible to enjoy. My two CD's ended up in the trash.

Ken

Great Music Compilation.......2005-08-15

This is a great CD full of many songs that you will recognize and enjoy. If you are someone who likes classical music but doesn't necessarily know which songs or which composers you like, then this CD is for you. You will likely recognize many of the songs as the classical songs you would have picked out to be your favorites.

If you like classical music don't buy this CD........2005-03-11

Most of the tracks were chopped down to 3-4 minutes so some of the best parts of the compositions are missing. I don't know what I was thinking trying to buy 40 classical songs on two CD's. If you really want to enjoy the music you would do better to purchase a CD with fewer, but better quality tracks.

A must for anyone wanting the staples of classical music.......2005-02-23

In my years of experience teaching Fine Arts to high school students, I know that the majority, if not all, of the music included on this album is commonly used in collge music appreciation courses. This is an excellent sample of truly all the "greatest hits" of classical music. My students enjoy listening to the music and have later told me when take their required music apreciation courses in college that they "already know it all" because of this CD! The recordings are clear, the selections are passionate, and the listener will gain a familiarity with all of the most commonly heard classical music used in tv commercials, movies, etc.
I recommend this album, along with the boxed set, "Age of the Classics" for anyone who is interested in becoming familiar with the most famous staples of classical music.

A great compilation.......2005-02-09

This cd somes up some of the greatest pieces of instrumental (and is some cases choral) music ever written. It is a great starter for a beginning classical music lover or a quick and easy all-in-one for those of us who study classical music for a living. I highly recommend this cd to anyone who wants to love or already does love classical music.

Reflections of Spain: Spanish Favorites for Guitar

Average customer rating:

Fuller versions of two classics
Exquisite music
beautiful reflections
The Best
Yet another Spanish guitar music....

Reflections of Spain: Spanish Favorites for Guitar
David Russell , Isaac Albeniz , Enrique Granados , Joaquin Malats , Francisco Tarrega , and Antonio Ruiz-Pipo
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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300 Years of Guitar Masterpieces
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ASIN: B00005V0WV
Release Date: 2002-01-22

Tracks:

Serenata espanola (Joaquin Malats)
Capricho Arabe (Francisco Tarrega)
Recuerdos de la Alhambra (Francisco Tarrega)
Andaluza (Spanish Dance No. 5) (Enrique Granados)
Danza melancolica (Spanish Dance No. 10) (Enrique Granados)
La Maja de Goya (from Tonadillas al estila antiguo) (Enrique Granados)
Valses poeticos - Vivace, poeticos, Tempo de vals noble, Tempo de vals lento, Allegro humoristico, Allegretto, Sentimental, Vivo, Presto (Enrique Granados)
Sevilla (from Suite espanola, Op. 47) (Isaac Albeniz)
Mallorca, Op. 202 (Isaac Albeniz)
Asturias (from Suite espanola, Op. 47) (Isaac Albeniz)
Cancion y Danza No. 1 (Antonio Ruiz-Pipo)

Amazon.com

David Russell was born in Glasgow, Scotland, but his family moved to Spain while he was still a young boy so he could study music in the birthplace of classical guitar. On Reflections of Spain, Russell plays the music of his childhood home with all the joy you would expect from someone revisiting a beloved place. Russell's formidable technique is powered by a keen intelligence and tempered by an emotional delivery. He plays chestnuts like Tarrega's "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" and Albeinez's "Austurias" with a fond intimacy that rescues them from cliché. Perhaps the finest moments on the CD are Russell's guitar arrangements of four of Granados's compositions. Although Granados wrote pieces like "Danza Melancolia" and "Andaluza" for piano, Russell's thoughtful versions remind us that the folk dances that inspired them were originally accompanied by the guitar. David Russell is one the finest classical guitarists to emerge in recent years, and his playing on Reflections of Spain is a near perfect wedding of technique and temperament. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews:

Fuller versions of two classics .......2007-07-29

One additional element worth noting: David Russell plays the "full" versions of both 'Recuerdos de La Alhambra' (Tarrega) and 'Sevilla' (Albeniz)on this recording. He plays all the repeats in Recuerdos, which times out at 5:31, almost twice the length of most recordings due to the repeats. Hey, the more of Russell's liquid-smooth tremolo we get, the better! On 'Sevilla' Russell repeats the entire 'A' section at the end. Nearly all guitarists in the past (Segovia, Williams, Bream, etc. etc.) have played the piece with a curtailed A section at the end.
The Granados arrangements are wonderful. Russell's sheet music arrangements of Spanish Dances 5 and 10 and 'La Maja de Goya' are available - it's great to have a clean, modern arrangement of the Spanish Dance #10 in particular.

Exquisite music.......2007-06-09

This is my most favorite CD. David Russell has exquisite taste and exquisite execution. He is an absolute master of the classic Spanish guitar, and he shows off this mastery in this beautiful CD. Each piece is a joy to savor. His crystalline technique makes this a superb addition to anyone's collection. You will smell the lemon blossoms in the courtyard of the Mezquita in Cordoba when you listen to this marvelous recording.

beautiful reflections.......2006-07-07

Having just returned to England after a long spell living in Spain I was searching for an evocative suite of Spanish guitar music to accompany my extensive array of photographic studies. Being familiar with the work 'Recuerdos de la Alhambra' I was immediately attracted to this compilation: 'Reflections of Spain'. The music was a revelation. David Russel made the guitar sing lyrically, recalling many bitter sweet moments of life in Iberia. The light and shade of the choices included covered such a broad scope as to fit my purpose exactly and give enjoyment better than I could have hoped for.

The Best.......2006-04-16

This is the best Spanish guitar CDs that I have found. Even with "Essential Guitar: 33 Guitar Masterpieces" having more tracks and two CDs, this is better material. I am not saying that "33 Guitar Masterpiece" was bad, I actually rate it second. No need to skip through "Reflections" like many other compilations of this mixed type CD. The quaility is crisp but lower overall peak (loudness) sound compared to some of my other CDs. Read reviews of other CDs of this type because there is many that have substandard recording measures. I believe this is a must for the any guitar lover!!!

Yet another Spanish guitar music...........2006-03-09

Like every one else I have probably heard all other worthy versions of most of these tunes....I happened to find out about David Russell via reading a bio of Barrios and recommended recordings....it said...Dave Russell is the man...I had not heard of him before that...I got the CD...and WOW...!!then I got interested in his music so I bought anything I could from him including the Aire latino , plays Bach and this one....this guy was born to play the classical guitar...

This is the first artist that I hear uses proper dynamics in his performance...the rest of the pack do not nearly use the guitar as a guitar they use it just another vehicle to play a composition....David's strumming...pulling pushing the music and his singing tone is above all others...not as controled as other classical players....if people played the guitar as a guitar not as a lute..or harpsicored or a piano...then this is what it should sound like...acoustic guitar's range is very limited ...but in the hands of a master...there are no limits....

Average customer rating:

I hate to be rude, but . . .
Outstanding
Sacred Songs
My favorite of Fleming's CDs so far
Inspiring and beautiful

Sacred Songs

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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