The End Complete

1. I'm in Pain

2. Back to One

3. Dead Silence

4. In the End of Life

5. Sickness

6. Corrosive

7. Killing Time

8. End Complete

9. Rotting Ways

Tracks:

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Prologue: One Ring ...
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Shire
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Bag End (Featuring ...)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Very Old Friends
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Flaming Red Hair
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Farewell Dear Bilbo
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Keep It Secret, Keep ...
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/A Conspiracy Unmasked
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Three Is Company
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Passing of the Elves
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Saruman the White
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/A Shortcut to Mushrooms
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Strider
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Nazgul ...

Tracks:

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Weathertop
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Caverns of Isengard
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Give Up the Halfling
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Orthanc
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Rivendell
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Sword That Was ...
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Council of ...
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Great Eye
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Gilraen's Memorial
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Pass of Caradhras
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Doors of Durin
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Moria
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Gollum
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Balin's Tomb

Tracks:

Khazad-Dum
Caras Galadhon (featuring Lament for Gandalf, performed by Elizabeth Fraser)
The Mirror of Galadriel
The Fighting Uruk-hai
Parth Galen
The Departure of Boromir
The Road Goes Ever On (part 1)
May It Be (composed and performed by Enya)
The Road Goes Ever On (part 2. featuring In Dreams, perfomed by Edward Ross)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Khazad-D
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Caras Galadhon ...
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Mirror of Galadriel
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Fighting Uruk-Hai
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/Parth Galen
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Departure of Boromir
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Road Goes Ever ...
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/May It Be
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring/The Road Goes Ever ...

Amazon.com

As fans of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy know, each film exists in two versions: the theatrical one and the extended one that appeared on DVD. This luxurious box set--which also comes with a detailed essay on the movie's musical themes--features the full extended score, so many cues not on the CDs of the individual movies are included. Granted, the majority of listeners will be perfectly happy with the shorter versions of the scores--it's a safe bet that most people can live without hearing, say, Ian McKellen's 35-second-long ditty "The Road Goes Ever On" at the beginning of "Bag End," or Viggo Mortensen's performance of his own composition, "The Song of Lúthien," within the track "The Nazgûl." But if you're a completist and/or a devotee of Howard Shore's pounding tympani and overwhelming choral compositions (featured particularly prominently on disc 3, a large chunk of which is devoted to a battle scene), then this set is a dream come true. Audiophiles should note that the fourth disc, a DVD, offers the score in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Fire up those speakers so the whole shire can hear. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Album Description

An epic film score receives epic treatment with The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring/Complete Recordings. Released for the first time on CD, the complete score for the first film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy contains more than 180 minutes of music on three CDs plus a DVD-Audio disc of the entire score in Surround Sound. Breathtaking and majestic, the 2001 Oscar and Grammy winning score compsted by Howard Shore also includes Enya's Oscar nominated "May It Be." For fans of any of The Lord of the Rings films, the Fellowship of the Ring/Complete Recordings is an essential experience.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful.......2007-06-15

I picked up this set because I am both a LOTR fan, movies and books and I need music to help me work. There are some tracks that I skipped over, like the short little ditties in the bar, but many of the songs, such as the Elvish chants are easy to get lost in - its just too bad they don't last longer. The packaging really is well done, though the DVD disc was loose when I received it in the mail, but unharmed. I will have to wait until the price on the second set comes down a little more, but I can't wait for ROTK.

Awesome.......2007-06-12

This is by far the editon to get if you loved the lord of the rings soundtrack. It has every song on it from the extended edition. and the DVD-A version is very nice.

Excellent Music tracks from Movie.......2007-05-03

Brings the movie back as you listen to the full version of the track.

Complete?.......2007-04-07

This CD collection is wonderful; it has much of the material from the movie that was only included in the extended edition DVD, but it is far from complete. While it does have the complete version of "The Passing of the Elves" and two versions of "The Road Goes Ever On", many of the songs are highly incomplete and inferior to the originals. "Aniron," the theme for Aragorn and Arwen performed by Enya, is incomplete and the lyrics are hard to match to what is being sung. The sound quality for this song is even worse on the accompanying DVD, which is supposed to have all of the music in "superior sound". The song "Prophecy" is reduced to two barely-audible lines and "May It Be" is shortened and different than the original. $60 for this when there are more complete songs on the original soundtrack is ridiculous.

Great Collection, Poor Packaging.......2007-04-03

I realy can't add to what others have said about this set, the music is simply the best LOTR soundtrack collection out there! It is all here, and the contents of this set will make any LOTR fan happy and the music DVD is a great one disc addition if you want to hear the entire score in one sitting (to which I have done a number of times already).
My only complaint is the somewhat flimsy cardboard box that houses the contents of this musical treasure. Mine came damaged, and considering the price, I expected better packaging. This is a minor quabble on my part and NO, I havent returned it due to the fact that the music itself Is what I truly treasure, It just would have been nicer to have recieved it undamaged.

Music-5
Packaging-3

*for the record I had rated this Item 5 stars not the 3 stars that is showing at the top of my review*

Average customer rating:

2 Great Albums
Good two albums
Obituary Rules
Easily worth your money.
beauty

The End Complete/World Demise
Obituary
Manufacturer: Roadrunner Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Slowly We Rot/Cause of Death
Frozen in Time
Slaughter in the Vatican/The Law
Consuming Impulse/Testimony of the Ancients
Effigy of the Forgotten/Pierced from Within

ASIN: B00015U6DK
Release Date: 2004-01-27

Tracks:

I'm in Pain
Back to One
Dead Silence
In the End of Life
Sickness
Corrosive
Killing Time
End Complete
Rotting Ways
I'm in Pain [Live][*]
Killing Time [Live][*]

Tracks:

Don't Care
World Demise
Burned In
Redefine
Paralyzing
Lost
Solid State
Splattered
Final Thoughts
Boiling Point
Set in Stone
Kill for Me
Killing Victims Found [*]
Infected [Live][*]
Godly Beings [Live][*]
Body Bag [Live][*]

Album Description

UK twofer combines two of the death metal act's 90s albums, both with bonus tracks, 'The End Complete' (1992) includes 'I'm In Pain' (Live) & 'Killing Time' (Live), 'World Demise' (1994) includes, 'Killing Victims Found', 'Infected' (Live), 'Godly Beings' (Live), & 'Body Bag' (Live). Roadrunner. 2004.

Customer Reviews:

2 Great Albums.......2006-02-04

Obituary changed the world of Death Metal. When Death Metal was all fast drumming and lightning fast guitar work, and Black Metal was High Pitched vocals (shrills) and more of the same, Obituary came and slowed it down just a bit, and for some reason if just FIT. What really makes Obituary stand out from the others is the vocal work of John Tardy, who I believe might be one of the best vocalist in Death Metal Genere (second to Chris Barnes) These are classics to have in your collection, and even though I am not happy with the direction RoadRunner Records took over the past few years (the dumped almost all their death metal acts and replaced it with the likes of Slipnot and such) my hats off the the label from giving us the "Two from the Vault Series" Its nice to see that the old school death bands are getting remastered and put out in these collections. Hopefully younger audiences will pick up on these, and ditch their Korn, My CHemical Romance, Slipknot, and other nonsense nu Metal bands and learn something about extreme music. Whats even better is there is another Obituary "Two from the Vault" Series. They were one of the best, and still kick some a** today with their new CD "Frozen in Time" If you don't know anything about Obituary, I suggest you get to know them soon..ENJOY

Good two albums.......2005-07-11

I have to say first off that I liked James Murphy on "Cause of Death" so I am VERY partial here. "The End Complete", to me, is the superior of the two albums but has one MAJOR flaw: EVERY SINGLE solo by Allen West sounds the same. It's one thing if it's like Kirk Hammett soloing where every one has the same scale but this guy is repetitive! The riffs are good, the drumming is excellent and, well, the vocals are what I expect from John Tardy. Unfortunately I can't stand the soloing sooo...I hope that Frozen in Time is a ton better! But, these two albums are worth it, that's why I have both of them!

Obituary Rules.......2005-02-28

I wasn't a fan back in the day, being more into thrash and power metal back then. I picked this 2 for 1 release up because I wanted to hear the band due to the fact that everything I had ever heard about this band was good.

My favorite here is The End Complete. There are not too many vocal parts in some of the songs. It is the technical musicianship of this band that really stands out. The riffs are slow to mid pace generally speaking, then there are some speed changes which lead into the faster sections, and usually an Alan West lead guitar break and solo will come into play around this time as well.

The musicianship is technically brilliant throughout. The drumming is another highlight: fast, accurate, perfectly timed, and used very well to introduce and initiate speed changes. The drums sound very crisp and clean, not like sticks on a trash can lid at all. The overall sound of course is very intense and heavy, but its obvious the band is in complete control at every moment, and totally enjoying it as well.

Another great thing I respect about Obituary is that the lyrics are decent, and inspiring, sort of like apocolyptic poetry. There's none of the sicko CC lyrics or the anti-God rubbish of Deicide, and what a bunch of losers that band are.

Obituary certainly deserve respect for what they achieved. And to hear these classics re-released, and sample the astounding consistent outstanding quality of the music, you know that this was truly a great band. Get into Obituary if you never did before. If you are into class musicianship, this band definitely should be for you

Easily worth your money........2004-07-10

Obituary embodies death metal - tortured vocals, creepy guitars, and blasting drums. At other times, they embody doom metal, with sludgy riffs and a slow pace. Whatever, Obituary are awesome, and this two-fer set is probably the best way to get into them. It packs their best album (The End Complete) with a good album (World Demise), for the price of one. Each album is remastered, and features bonus tracks.

On the downside, no lyrics are included (though the vocal are partially understandable). Plus, the cover artwork is horrible. What's with the cheesy, kinda CG looking hands and crypt, with the bands name looking very out of place? Would it have been so hard to simply have the band logo, and pictures of the albums included?

Anyway, those complaints mean nothing when the music included is this good. Well worth buying.

beauty.......2004-05-04

yes yes...amazing...best ever..great metal....blasted this in a mall parking lot in front of a bunch of freaks, with their black hair, clothes, and mutilation scars..yes yes...i felt IMMORTAL!!!! this music is top notch death metal...buy it or may you forever hold you peace, or go buy slipknot, you worthless maggot!!!

Average customer rating:

Brilliant Recordings
A- for effort
What can you say?

Psalms of David Complete
Choir of St Paul's Cathedral , and Scott
Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

The Psalms of David from Kings Choir of Kings College, Cambridge, Vol. 1
Psalms For The Soul
Treasures of English Church Music
The Oxford Guide to The Book of Common Prayer: A Worldwide Survey
Praise to the Lord - Hymns From St. Paul's Cathedral

ASIN: B00006GO6J
Release Date: 2002-10-08

Amazon.com

This complete 12-disc survey of The Psalms of David from St. Paul's Cathedral is both a remarkable historical record of Anglican chant at its finest and an astonishing musical experience. Contained here are all 150 psalms in their traditional English garb from the 1549 Book of Common Prayer, with revised or entirely new musical settings as published in The New St. Paul's Cathedral Psalter, edited by the choir's musical director John Scott, itself a revision of the 1875 Cathedral Psalter. As such, these recordings represent the very backbone of the Anglican liturgy, but even a casual listener will be in no doubt that they also offer music that is both contemplative and richly varied when removed from its liturgical context.

The art of "pointing"--or setting--psalm texts has been essayed by many English composers, from William Croft through the Wesleys and William Boyce in earlier times to the great flowering in the late 19th century under Stainer and Barnby, with further contributions from Parry, Stanford, Elgar, Howells, and a host of choirmasters and organists, including Sir David Willcocks and John Scott himself. All are represented here. Recorded throughout in the vast acoustic of their cathedral, the St. Paul's choristers enunciate the words precisely, backed by inventive though unobtrusive organ accompaniment. Taken individually, it's possible to isolate moments when the choir seem to drag their feet or fail to give due weight to the words (Psalm 125, "They that put their trust in the Lord," seems far too subdued, for example), and the massive Psalm 119 is awkwardly split across discs 10 and 11, but overall this set is nothing less than a document of invaluable cultural and musical significance. --Mark Walker

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant Recordings.......2007-06-11

In our view the changes in pointing, and excellent selection of chants, give deeper meanings to the Psalms than those achieved in the "standard?" Parish Psalter.

We found great Spirituality and a wonderful sense of Worship whilst listening to this set. This is often sacrificed for brilliance of musical performance in other recordings.

Unfortunately the "St.Paul's Psalter" is not available (June 2007) but we are told that a new print run may happen within 12 months. This would be a most valuable companion to the recordings when and if it becomes available.

A- for effort.......2006-02-23

This grand undertaking deserves high praise, and I'm struck, listening to chant after chant, how much Anglican chant as it used to be until the changes of the 70s was one of the great Victorian contributions to English life and art. For anyone who wants to hear almost the entire repertoire of Anglican chant deployed in singing the whole book of Psalms, this is an unrivalled source. It is wonderful, too, to hear the Coverdale translation: you realize what the churches have lost by abandoning the proper & regular singing of the Psalms. So one is immensely grateful to Hyperion for putting out this recording. It's not perfect, though.

The rhythmic pacing, though a little slow for my taste, is steady and sensitive, the diction clear, and the organ accompaniment superb (Providing an expressive accompaniment to a choir singing in 4-part free rhythm, and improvising descants to the melody at the same time, isn't easy). And of course there's the cavernous acoustic of St. Paul's, very impressive in the more thunderous psalms. Unfortunately, though, the "forward" style favored for the St. Paul's boys produces a sound that's unpleasantly chesty in the lower registers and reedy in the higher ones. The poorly integrated choral sound caused by this kind of voice-production can be downright unpleasant for anyone used to, or trained in, the classic English choral style. In fact, one has to wonder why this choir was chosen for such a huge project: even allowing for the near-universal decline in standards of vocal training for boys in England, better sounds than this can still be heard.

What can you say?.......2003-01-03

I almost hate to criticize this terrific thing. After all, where else can you get all 150 Psalms in a single collection sung by one of the world's great choirs?

How much do I like it? I bought it *twice*. I originally bought all the CDs separately, before they came out with a single boxed set. They were stolen from my car (and, God willing, maybe they converted some poor thief to Anglican Cathedral Music and got him into church). After they were stolen, I immediately bought them again.

One of the great pleasures of life is listening to the Morning and Evening Psalms while driving to and from work, and making listening a regular feature of Morning and Evening Prayer.

So what's the criticism? The sound is a bit muddy, so the words can be rather difficult to understand without reading along (which is a real problem when driving), and personally, I prefer the Psalter from the 1979 BCP instead of the old one, from the Great Bible. But that's unreasonable. They ARE a British choir after all. Those are the only criticisms.

Anyhow, if you have a taste for choral cathedral music, this is genuinely indispensible. St. Paul's has given the world a great blessing.

Classics Explained: Rite of Spring
Average customer rating:
Classics Explained: Rite of Spring
Stravinsky , Rahbari , and Brt Po Brussels
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Classics Explained: Pastoral Symphony

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An Introduction to Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 2

ASIN: B00007FPFN
Release Date: 2003-07-15

Average customer rating:

Classic Death Metal, 5 Stars All The Way

The End IS COMPLETE!

Some of the heaviest tones ever recorded. Best metal album 1992!

The epitome of death metal...period.

The End Complete

The End Complete
Obituary
Manufacturer: Roadrunner Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music
Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000000H7F
Release Date: 1992-04-21

Tracks:

I'm in Pain
Back to One
Dead Silence
In the End of Life
Sickness
Corrosive
Killing Time
End Complete
Rotting Ways

Customer Reviews:

Classic Death Metal, 5 Stars All The Way.......2007-05-04

God, I love Obituary. They are no truly one of the greatest and I DO mean one of the greatest death metal bands of all time. I've been a fan of theirs guys ever since I bought both 1989's "Slowly We Rot" and 1990's "Cause of Death" (which were both death metal classics and some of my favorite death metal albums I own) about four years back, and I still listen to them both to this day forward. Then a year later, I would go on to buy both 1994's "World Demise", and of course the album that I'am reviewing right now 1992's "The End Complete". Released in the year of 1992, Obituary's third studio album "The End Complete" is a true death metal classic. This album is also (from research that I did) is the best selling death metal album of all time as well. To me, "The End Complete" is arguably one of Obituary's best albums as well as being their best written album too. John Tardy is one of the best death metal vocalists of all time, and one of my favorites as well. His vocals on here are some of the most harsh, sickest, gutteral, and best sounding on here, I mean he just sounds like a freakin beast. Lead guitarist Allen West and rhythm guitarist Trevor Peres are both great guitarists. They both rip, tear, and slaughter through every song with heavy chainsaw like buzzing riffs, and Allen's solos are just absolutely fast, ripping, and wild throughout. Frank Watkins's bass is pretty good, and Donald Tardy's drumming is just great on here as well with plenty of great double bass kick action. Every song is a classic but my favorites on here are "I'm in Pain" "Back to One", "Sickness", "Killing Time", "In the End of Life", "Corrosive", and "The End Complete". There's also a couple of live versions of "I'm in Pain" and "Killing Time" which were both recorded live during the band's Back From the Dead World Tour in Austria as well. So anyways if you're a fan of Obituary, death metal, heavy metal, etc. you seriously gotta get your hands on this death metal classic known as "The End Complete". This my friends is classic essential death metal man. Enjoy and happy headbanging.
Jeremy's song ratings:
1. I'm in Pain (4:01) - 5/5
2. Back to One (3:42) - 5/5
3. Dead Silence (3:21) - 5/5
4. In the End of Life (3:41) - 5/5
5. Sickness (4:06) - 5/5
6. Corrosive (4:11) - 5/5
7. Killing Time (3:59) - 5/5
8. The End Complete (4:03) - 5/5
9. Rotting Ways (5:17) - 5/5
10. I'm in Pain (Live Bonus Track) (4:49) - 5/5
11. Killing Time (Live Bonus Track) (4:03) - 5/5

The End IS COMPLETE!.......2006-05-21

M.C. Undead traded some 80's rock tape which he can't recall with some dumb punk kid who gave him The End Complete by Obituary in 1992 after Hurricaine Andrew destroyed his home. The End Complete simply was Complete as far as death metal goes. It carried M.C. Undead through dark times and tribulations especially since after Andrew everything really seemed like The End Complete. Every Single Friggin Track Overtly slays anything in its path...Nuff Said.

Some of the heaviest tones ever recorded. Best metal album 1992!.......2005-09-22

Alan West returns to Obituary and the result is 1992's "The End Complete" -the epitome of what a Death Metal album should be.
From the opening feedback and John Tardy's "UnAowhroahhhhhh!" you just know it gonna be great. West comes in with a wild solo and then Obituary keeps delivering the goods.

The drumming is good with lots of tom on double-bass fills, and lots of heavy cymbal beatings. John Tardy's vocals have never sounded better, not only because his voice is decipherable, but because the throaty nature fits the heavy music so well. His also makes better use of his vocal range on this album. And who could forget the dual axeman of Peres and West -which goes between the sludgy main guitar to West's wild soloing and then back again. The production is great as always, would we expect anything less from Scott Burns?

Simply put the best written and arranged Obituary album. Best Obituary album? It is a close tie between this and 1989's "Slowly We Rot" but I think "The End Complete" has the edge. This was also one of the best selling Death Metal albums of all time, if not THE best selling Death Metal album, selling more than 500,000 copies 1/2 of which in the first year and a half alone. And while Obituary would go the political route with their next album and then descend into literal retirement, you can always listen to this album and point to a time where Obituary had it all going for them. And while the Death Metal genre has been swallowed by self-parody and the ability not to make good music since about 1995, it good to know that you can listen to the "old days" when Florida Metal was rich and ambituous as exampled by "The End Complete".

The epitome of death metal...period........2004-03-04

I'm no longer a fan of the tired old death metal genre, but this album still gets some spin time in my cd players. Obituary's first two albums weren't too shabby, but "The End Complete" was simply the perfect death metal album. Not too technical, but really damn effective. Obituary conveyed the heaviest of metal without moving far from a mid-paced tempo. In fact the mid to slow paced beats made the chainsaw chugging riffs seem all the heavier. Pretty extraordinary album for it's time, and it still sounds just as good today. The band unfortunately never released another worthwhile album after this, though "World Demise" had it's moments (everything past that was garbage). There were some great death metal albums in the late 80's/early 90's...but this is the one that really made a lasting impact. This is death metal...everything now is just contrived.

The End Complete.......2004-03-04

Right up there with Cause of Death and Slowly We Rot, This is a KILLER cd, John Tardy's vocals are right at their peak, just like on Cause of Death, the riffs are Heavy, the drumming is great, and for the person who said "The production sounds muddy", you might want to fix your stereo, because it sounds fine from here, even if it did have bad production, you can get past that, production is not everything, My favourite tracks are "I'm in Pain", "Killing Time", "The End Complete", but they all KILL, buy this album today!

An Introduction to Schubert's Piano Quintet "Trout"

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An Introduction to Schubert's Piano Quintet "Trout"

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000076FX6
Release Date: 2003-01-21

Schumann: The Complete Piano Works (Box Set)

Average customer rating:

Schumann: the personification of the Romantic ages!
Good for the rare pieces.....but...
Mystery Solved
Mystery meat

Schumann: The Complete Piano Works (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Nuova Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000058THK
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Customer Reviews:

Schumann: the personification of the Romantic ages!.......2007-08-06

For some, Robert Schumann was the genuine personification of the XIX Century. If we analyze his entire life, surely we would be unable to find other composer more enrooted conscious or unconsciously with basic premises of this artistic movement. No other composer in that Century could shape with major vigor such level of febrile poetry, bowing phlegm, imaginative restless, fiery melodic fantasy and unequaled introspection those well known facets of his intimacy like him.

Since his stormy love affair and marriage with Clara Wieck, his terrible personal disgrace when he maimed his finger pursuing major virtuosity, until his progressive metal illness and final breakdown. But on the other hand, he anticipated by far the initial seed of the Symphonic poem, through his countless and dissected works of marked self biographical landmark or those lovable pieces dedicated to his daughter, moreover he influenced in straight line to Claude Debussy because somehow he depicted the first signals of a unthinkable musical Impressionism, but take a look around his Third Symphony for instance, Carnival for piano and his unforgettable and majestic lieder, as human being he remarked the grandness of his contemporary Chopin and torched the path for other late composers.

There have been relatively few pianist really worried for diffusing his entire work for piano with such level of vehemence and rapture.

And Demus, indeed, has been one of of them. His lavish musicality, articulated fingering and golden phrasing deserves him a very special place among the great ones at the moment to make a selected list among the most remarkable interpreters of Schumann's bequeath for the piano.

Good for the rare pieces.....but..........2006-11-08

Overall, you will be hard up to find a more thoroughly complete two hand piano survey of Schumann's piano opus. However, for the more "popular" pieces such as the op 17, or the kinderszenen, these are decent to mediocre versions are best. They arent bad, Jorg Demus is a skilled pianist, though has always in my view been more successful in a supporting role, as evidenced by his masterful accompaniment in Dichterliebe and assorted Schubert lieder. If you are familiar with Richter's masterful Schumann interpretations-or Horowitz for many of the works, or Lupu, Argerich, these pale in comparison. If you are out for quantity-I would recommend the Ashkenazy set-though it is incomplete. Again, many of the works by schumann that you can only find here will only be of interest to the absolute Schumannaholic, which I am, but it is kind of a two way street because if you are a schumann madman, then you will know how third tier these performances truly are.

Mystery Solved.......2006-10-07

First off, thanks to WTA for his extremely thoughtful and comprehensive review, which helped me decide to purchase this Nuova Era set (his reasoning about the unlikelihood that Demus would record this huge corpus again was especially insightful).

I own the original 20-LP/6-volume Musical Heritage Society set issued between 1971 and 1973. Having seen the CD set in a store last year, I was puzzled about whether it was a transfer of these invaluable discs, which contain vast tracts of Schumann that you will be hard pressed to find elsewhere (included, for instance, are several posthumously issued works and even a few pieces played from unpublished manuscripts). WTA's review gave me enough clues to suspect that these discs were exactly what I'd been waiting for.

Having just received them, I'm happy to confirm that they are indeed the MHS performances (minus most of the four-hand works, however; see below). I instantly recognized the character of the piano sound and the recording acoustic (both much improved on CD), and a quick check of rhetorical gestures in a sonata movement that I especially value in Demus's hands showed the CD and LP versions to be identical. MHS did not always provide track timings for individual sections of the big piano suites. But where such detail exists, respective CD and LP timings are consistently mere seconds apart -- easily the result of different engineering choices for silent lead-ins and lead-outs to each track.

A further clue comes from a small note on the jewel-box tray inserts, indicating a 1989 digital remastering. I can think of no fully digital (DDD) recording that would be getting remastered so early in CD history. Anything from the '80s would almost certainly be making its first appearance in the new storage medium. Moreover, the sound has none of the hallmarks of DDD recordings (as WTA notes, for instance, Demus's recordings have detectable [but nonintrusive] background hiss).

So for all these reasons, I feel confident in declaring that this set is basically the old MHS offering. There are two sad omissions, however:

(1) The CD set includes all the solo pieces in the LP set, as well as a short, posthumously published F-minor Scherzo on CD 12 that MHS seems to have left out. Nuova Era, alas, omits the vast majority of the often-delightful four-hand works, for which Norman Shetler joined Demus (most of these items appeared in MHS's five-disc finale). The Sketches for Pedal Piano, Opp. 56 & 58, are here (perhaps because they were originally conceived for a now-forgotten solo instrument that had a pedalboard [Alkan was said to have been its greatest master]; on a modern instrument, Schumann's pedal-piano music thus takes two pianists), but -- shame on Nuova Era! -- Shetler gets no credit as the second pianist. If you'd like a fine but inexpensive tour of the four-hand output, try the three-disc VoxBox ("Schumann Complete Works For Piano 4-Hands") featuring Peter Frankl, Andras Schiff, et al.

(2) The CD set lacks the superb MHS album notes by Douglas Townsend. Also missing is Demus's own illuminating statement about recording these works across a span of about three years. These are thoroughly digested interpretations: Demus not only memorized every note but also played every last work in concert. Complete recordings like this one are not necessarily commercial gimmicks, as some so carelessly assert. A serious and sensitive musician who takes on such a task will uncover secrets and interconnections that only exposure to a composer's full output in a given area can progressively disclose. As Demus explains (in Herman Adler's translation from the German), "Only by knowing Schumann's creative output in its totality has it been possible to uncover fresh facets in overfamiliar standard works. [. . .] In the music of no other composer do we find as many cross-relations and associations throughout his work. Schumann likes to quote himself as well as other composers, as did, later, his French brother-in-spirit, Claude Debussy. [. . .] Only knowledge of this entire universe will result in something I would call *Stilsicherheit* (stylistic assurance)."

But let's not dwell on what's *not* here. As WTA observes, this is a deeply rewarding collection that every serious Schumann-lover will want to explore. Are these performances the last word on Schumann's poetic realm? Of course not: no such "last word" exists. The essential thing is that throughout this enormous journey, Demus never falsifies the music, and he plays with an honesty that can be far more illuminating than flashier approaches.

So, Schumann-lovers, get this set as cheaply as you can -- but one way or another, get it while you can!

Mystery meat.......2006-04-10

I don't think I've ever before experienced such frustration in trying to assess a product. Here a well-regarded and fairly well-known pianist sits down and records all (even that's up for grabs) the piano music of a pretty well-known and well-regarded composer and barely a peep out there in Internet land.

What I did encounter after a lot of searching, and according to different reviewers who deigned to barely mention this bulky and hard-to-ignore boxed set, was this dopey basketful of professional opinions:

1) The recording quality was poor according to one guy
2) The piano was out of tune according to some editor who happened to also be a piano tuner
3) The music was criminally recorded using a piano with beat hammers and strings
4) Demus may or may not have recorded the set with a period instrument that also may have had beat hammers and strings
5) Nobody should record Schumann on a period instrument according to another expert (without really letting us know if this was the case here)
6) The interpretations were wooden
7) The interpretations were fabulous despite the crappy sound and beat up old out-of-tune piano
8) Nobody was sure if this was his complete Schumann recorded in the 1970s and released on Musical Heritage or these were new DDD recordings as listed

OK--as the notes with this set absolutely stink and no one out in Internet land seems to have any consistent and coherent thing to say about it, this then is my judgement, based on careful listening and a few intelligent guesses.

1) The interpretations are great, wonderful, really enjoyable, idiomatic--some might consider them slightly wooden because there's next-to-no pedal which leads me to believe it is a period instrument he's recorded on. This isn't Argerich slamming away at these so don't expect that. Yamaha fans will be disappointed. Demus clearly knows his Schumann and plays crisply and accurately.
2) The sound quality, while hardly SACD, is just fine and, again if this is a period instrument and I sure tend to think so, what I'm hearing would be about right. I rather like the engineering as the result is intimate and warm
3) Honestly, did Demus record all these in the 1970s without them getting any attention and then do it all over again in the 1980s just to get ignored again? I hear distinct tape hiss if I listen closely, this doesn't sound like a 1989 DDD recording (which the box claims it to be) which is probably why the recording has some warmth and (audible tape hiss)
4) Who am I to argue with an editor/piano tuner but if this piano is out of tune I'm not noticing it one zot. Also, didn't they tune pianos a little differently way back in 1850 or so?

SO--I'll guess this is the complete piano music of Robert Schumann (perhaps minus one small piece according to yet another miffed commentator, although he keeps talking about a 12 CD set and this has 13 discs!)recorded in the 1970s with Jorg Demus playing a piano built around 1850 or so with everything that implies. I'll also guess that a lot of reviewers out there, left to fend for themselves without some promotional sheet from the label, maybe without even free promo copies, were really reaching a bit. Even if I'm wrong I seem to be doing better than the second-guessing I found elsewhere and anyway the result is really enjoyable. I simply like this set a lot even if someday I may discover it is, in fact, Ernest Borgnine playing a badly tuned pool hall upright in 1953. Less than no stars to Nuovo Era for never seeming to get the presentation of this delightful set right--license it to Brilliant and they'll do it up properly for Pete's sake and maybe you'll actually sell a few. They might even be able to kick down that DDD tape hiss a bit. It's also too danged expensive given even the putative late recording date--it shouldn't be more than $120 under any circumstances. I got mine for less than $40 at a classical cut-outs and deletions place.

Conclusion: This whole situation is sad. Jorg Demus is a great pianist and he obviously loves Schumann. Schumann's piano music is worth the effort. This should be a well-known and highly-regarded set and I'm happier with this than with any other big box of piano I may own, short of a Brahms set.

Percy Grainger: The Complete Piano Music

Average customer rating:

Every last note...

Percy Grainger: The Complete Piano Music

Manufacturer: Nimbus Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Boccherini: Clavier Quintets (Complete)
Couperin: 4 Livres de pièces de clavecin [Box Set]
Bach: Complete Works - 155 CD Box Set

ASIN: B0000037AX
Release Date: 1997-11-18

Tracks:

Handel In The Strand
Bridal Lullaby
English Waltz
Mock Morris
To A Nordic Princess
In A Nutshell-Ste: I. Arrival Platform Humlet
In A Nutshell-Ste: II. Gay But Wistful
In A Nutshell-Ste: III. Pastoral
In A Nutshell-Ste: IV. 'The Gum-Suckers' March
Peace
Saxon Twi-Play
Andante Con Moto
Children's March
The Immovable Do
Sailor's Song
Colonial Song
Walking Tune
Harvest Hymn
In Dahomey

Tracks:

b flat Pno Con (Opening)
Cradle-Song
Love Walked In
Second Pno Con (3rd Movt)
Now, O Now, I Needs Must Part
Nimrod
Ramble On The Last Love-Duet
Chinese Melody-Beautiful Fresh Flower
Paraphrase On The Flower Waltz
Lullaby From 'Tribute To Foster'
American Song-The Rag-Time Girl
'Blithe Bells'
Fugue In a
The Man I Love

Tracks:

Country Gardens
The Merry King
Molly On The Shore
Irish Tune From County Derry
Knight And Shepard's Daughter
The Nightingale And The Two Sisters
Jutish Medley
Sussex Mummers' Christmas Carol
The Rival Brothers
Near Woodstock Town
Will Ye Gang To The Hielands, Lizzie Lindsay
The Brisk Young Sailor
One More Day My John (Easy Version)
Rimmer And Goldcastle
Spoon River
The Widow's Party
The Hunter In His Career
My Robin Is To The Greenwood Gone
Died For Love
Scotch Strathspey
One More Day My John (Complex Version)
Bristol Town
Hard-Hearted Barb'ra Helen
Mo Ninghean Dhu
Lisbon (Dublin Bay)
Stalt Vesselil
O Gin I Were Where Gowrie Rins
Shepard's Hey

Tracks:

Four Irish Dances: I. A March-Jig
Four Irish Dances: II. A Slow Dance
Four Irish Dances: III. The Leprechaun's Dance
Four Irish Dances: IV. A Reel
Nell
Apres Un Reve
Pno Con, First Movt
Tiger-Tiger
Air And Dance
Hornpipe
Toccata And Fugue in d
Lullaby From 'Tribute To Foster' (Easy Grainger)
Angelus Ad Virginem
Klavierstuck in E
Eastern Intermezzo
The Bigelow March
Pno Con, First Movt
At Twilight
Klavierstuck in a
Klavierstuck in B Flat
Klavierstuck in D

Tracks:

Children's March: 'Over The Hills And Far Away'
Up-Country Song (Colonial Song)
English Dance
Ye Banks And Braes O' Bonnie Doon
'Spoon River'-American Folk Dance
Train Music
Zanzibar Boat-Song
Paganini Varations, No.12
Green Bushes-Passacaglia On An English Folksong
William Byrd's Air And Variations For The Virginals 'The Carman's Whistle'
'A Dance Rhapsody'
Girl Crazy: Embraceable You
The Warriors-Music To An Imaginary Ballet

Customer Reviews:

Every last note..........2006-06-14

A super budget 5 CD collection of all of Grainger's Piano music.
Every last note!
The shipping alone would be $17.00+ for the 5 individual Cds.
Englishman Martin Jones plays these as if he wrote them. He is thoroughly inside this music.
I think his best work to date.
He is joined on CD #5 by Richard Mcmahon and Phillip Martin. Where they rollick in various combos and trios on 1, 2 and 3 pianos. This is exhilerating. Especially on an truly uplifting version of Green Bushes.
The entire set is strongly idiomatic and given a clear, crisp, warm and spacious recording. FIRST CLASS sound.
There are too many highlights to single out, but the In A Nutshell Suite and Green Bushes are especially GOOD!
There is not a bad note or "vibe" on any of these CDs.
Highly recommended for Granger fans and fans of English Piano Music.