7 [Import]

1. Toute Une Vie Sans Te Voi

2. Je Suis La Seule

3. Ma Reverence

4. Si Je Danse Pour Toi

5. Lerida (Dans La Ville De)

6. Celui Qui N'essaie Pas

7. Mi Maitre Mi Esclave

8. Maso

9. Salsa

10. Pour Celle Que J' Aime

7,Veronique Sanson,Wea,World Music

Average customer rating: WOW! Chill - Out Virtuosos at Work 5 stars? Nah. Mere Words Cannot Explain This Music Fantastic

Simple Things Zero 7 Manufacturer: Palm Pictures (Audio ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ambient | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Trip-Hop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music Acid Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: When It Falls The Garden Details Moon Safari Colour the Small One ASIN: B00005R5M6 Release Date: 2001-11-13

Tracks:

1. I Have Seen
2. Polaris
3. Destiny
4. Give It Away
5. Simple Things
6. Red Dust
7. Distractions
8. In The Waiting Line
9. Out Of Town
10. This World
11. Likufanele
12. End Theme
13. Salt Water Sound
14. Spinning

Amazon.com

Zero 7's ability to conjure beautiful lullabies with all the romance of 1960s French pop (as found on their debut LP, Simple Things) would have made them the toast of soundtrack composers and chill-out connoisseurs the world over. Unfortunately, two Frenchmen beat Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker to the title of "masters of comedown cool," leaving the London duo to be forever called "the British Air." And this is fair; the similarities between Zero 7's lush cinematic soundscapes and those of Air's Moon Safari and the Virgin Suicides score are so strong as to sound almost intentional. Nonetheless, their debut is a truly gorgeous album. It has all the tried and tested atmospheric tricks--bleeps and whooshes layered over plodding Fender Rhodes chords, swathes of strings and tender trumpet parps--but it's Binns and Hardaker's languid grooves and the soft melancholy of their melodies that make dream-state instrumentals "Give It Away" and "Polaris" utterly enchanting. The real power of Simple Things, however, is in its songs. As beautiful as the ambient strains are, when laid beneath the seductive vocals of Australian diva Sia on the ethereal "Destiny" or the heart-breaking "Distractions," their potency becomes apparent. --Dan Gennoe

Album Description

2001 debut full length for dance act described as, 'the British Air', the follow-up to two limited, critically acclaimed EPs. Highlights include the awesome African influenced instrumental passage 'Likufanele', the velvety 'I Have Seen' feat. Mozez & the quiet storm of 'Destiny' feat. Sia. Quango.

Customer Reviews:

WOW!.......2007-08-04

This is a dynamite CD! Over 72 minutes long with clean tasty production & beautiful singing & melodies. It's universally appealing:I've played this for many people of different backgrounds from Brazilian to American and they all like it. This music takes you to another place. Get this one it's a keeper!

Chill - Out Virtuosos at Work.......2007-08-01

I'm very skeptical of ambient-type releases. However, zero7's "simple things" is a very listenable album. English artists have always been generally comfortable in an electronic environment, and zero7 is no exception. This album will range from excercises in electronic minimalism to tracks weaving funky bass lines laced with sultry vocal tracks and sprinkled with notes of rising string instruments.

The problem with most ambient music is that it is far too passive; produced with the full intention of staying in the background without being intrusive. "simple things" does not fall into that category. There is a soul, a backbone if you will, to the production. This album is just sexy and is a perfect soundtrack to any amorous couple's bedroom.

5 stars? Nah........2007-07-30

I am a big downtempo fan, and finally got around to checking out this album, based on its popularity and reviews. The music is ok, but nothing really stood out for me. The track I liked the most was track 11. Check out Bar Lounge Classics - volumes 1, 2 and 3. Great stuff there.

Mere Words Cannot Explain This Music.......2007-07-24

I've listened to a lot of music in my day, but I can safely say I had not lived musically until I heard this CD. Blowing me away would not be strong enough to describe Simple Thing's effect on me. Don't be deceived by reviews that paint this music as existing only relative to others (Air), or depicting it only as a brand of tricky electronic virtuosity. Rather, this is incredibly ethereal music that demands a careful and intent listening. Listen on the freeway when you can focus on the sounds and not be distracted by the demands of stop and go driving. Go into a meditative state and then listen. Or, use some of a well-known herb and prepare to be sent into the stratosphere. The depths of the musicianship and craftmanship behind this performance are beyond my comprehension. I've listened to thousands of CD's in my day, in all genres, but this one has become my favorite after only several listenings. Nothing at all short of incredible.

Fantastic.......2007-04-05

Suave, Refined -- So Cool. I really enjoy this album.
My favorites in this album are "Destiny", "Distractions" (sublime) and "In the Waiting Line".

Average customer rating: Romance of the Violin End of the Day Wonderful! Over and over and over.... Non-standard CD format

Romance of the Violin Claude Debussy , Fryderyk Chopin , Camille Saint-Saens , Franz Schubert , Vincenzo Bellini , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Christoph Willibald Gluck , Alexander Borodin , Antonin Dvorak , Claudio Monteverdi , Jules Massenet , Robert Schumann , Michael Stern , Craig Ogden , Gregory Knowles , John Constable , Jacob Heringman , and Stephen Orton Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bellini, Vincenzo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Borodin | Borodin, Alexander | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Debussy | Debussy, Claude | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gluck | Gluck, Christoph W. | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Massenet | Massenet, Jules | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Monteverdi | Monteverdi, Claudio | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Puccini | Puccini, Giacomo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Saint-Saëns, Camille | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Robert Schumann | Schumann, Robert | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Nocturnes | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Bell, Joshua | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classical | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Sony | Computers Brands | Computers Features | Electronics | Desktops | Monitors | Networking | Notebooks Similar Items: Voice of the Violin Ladies in Lavender Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto [Hybrid SACD] Joshua Bell - Gershwin Fantasy The Red Violin: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ASIN: B0000DG06L Release Date: 2003-10-28

Tracks:

1. O mio babbino caro (from 'Gianni Schicchi')
2. The Girl With Flaxen Hair (from Preludes, Book I; La fille aux cheveux delin: Prelude for Piano L 117/8)
3. Nocturne in C sharp minor (Op Post)
4. The Swan (from Carnival of the Animals)
5. Serenade (from 'Schwanengesang' song cycle for voice and piano, D 957
6. Casta Diva (from 'Norma')
7. Andante from Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major K. 467
8. Nocturne from Quartet for Strings No. 2 in D Major: 3rd movement
9. Dance of the Blessed Spirits (from 'Orfeo ed Euridice')
10. Songs My Mother Taught Me, song for voice and piano B104/4 Op 55/4
11. Pur ti Miro (from 'L'incoronazione di Poppea')
12. Elegie (Elegie 'O doux printemps d'autrefois' for voice and piano)
13. 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.

Average customer rating: Sarah's Best Easy Listening CD Best Brightman CD Sarah Brightman is a Classic Not The Best - Not the Worst - From Sarah Brightman Nice Cover

Sarah Brightman Classics Sarah Brightman , Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni , Francisco Tarrega , George Frideric Handel , Fryderyk Chopin , Sergey Rachmaninov , Giacomo Puccini , Antonin Dvorak , Andrew Lloyd Webber , Ludwig van Beethoven , Joseph Marie Canteloube , Francesco Sartori , and Paul Bateman Manufacturer: Angel Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Albinoni | Albinoni, Tomaso | ( A ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Canteloube, Joseph | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Puccini | Puccini, Giacomo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tarrega | Tarrega, Francisco | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rachmaninov | Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Requiems | Forms & Genres | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Guitar | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music National Philharmonic Orchestra London | ( N ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Czech | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Brightman, Sarah | A to B | Featured Performers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classical | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Time to Say Goodbye Eden (US Release - 16 tracks) The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection Diva: The Singles Collection La Luna ASIN: B00005RD78 Release Date: 2001-11-20

Tracks:

1. Ave Maria (new recording)
2. La Wally (from Time To Say Goodbye)
3. Winter Light (new recording)
4. Anytime, Anywhere (from Eden)
5. Alhambra (new recording)
6. Lascia Ch'io Pianga (from Eden)
7. Dans La Nuit (new recording)
8. Serenade/How Fair This Place (from La Luna)
9. O Mio Babbino Caro (new recording)
10. La Luna (from La Luna)
11. Pie Jesu (new recording)
12. Figlio Perduto (from La Luna)
13. Nessun Dorma (new recording)
14. Bailero (from Eden)
15. Time To Say Goodbye (New solo version--previously unavailable)

Amazon.com

Have some friends who still haven't discovered what the Sarah Brightman fuss is all about? You'll find the perfect introduction to make converts of them all in Classics, so they'll have no more excuses to remain clueless. Sporting a Botticelli-inspired image of the platinum-selling soprano on the cover, Classics is a classy anthology including highlights from three of Brightman's chart-topping releases along with seven new tracks. Songs personally selected by the diva as her favorite classical interpretations are culled from her previous blockbusters: Time To Say Goodbye, Eden, and La Luna. And whether you're a fan already in the fold or one in the making, the new material here shows the diva at the top of her form, in new renderings of "O Mio Babbino Caro" and "Nessun Dorma" (accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic)--fascinating displays of the operatic confidence she's developed over her career. Other new offerings include a touching version of Schubert's "Ave Maria,' "Winter Light," a fresh take on her signature song "Pie Jesu" (from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem). "Alhambra" and "Dans La Nuit"--a real treat, bathing the listener in Brightman's silky, sensuous vocalism--add two original titles to her famous adaptations of classical melodies to new lyrics (using Chopin's haunting E major Etude in the latter case). All told, a lovely affirmation of the directions Brightman has boldly taken in her career to date. -Sarah Chin

Amazon.com

Sarah Brightman Photos

More from Sarah Brightman

Time to Say Goodbye	Diva: The Singles Collection	Eden
Diva: The Video Collection	Live from Las Vegas	La Luna (Live in Concert)

Customer Reviews:

Sarah's Best Easy Listening CD.......2007-03-15

Sarah Brightman's talent is limitless. Her soprano and/or alto voice is among the best and she lets it show in 'CLASSICS'. CLASSICS is a beautiful, easy listening, and peaceful CD. CLASSICS is one to listen to in tranquil or relaxing moments. "CLASICS" is a collection of great pieces of music written by great composers (Shuburt, Handel, Chopin, Puccini, and the like). I have listened to CLASSICS about 15 times now and it always puts me in a quiet and peaceful mood (I am ~50 years old).

Best Brightman CD.......2007-02-07

A classical composition which showcases the beautiful voice of Sarah Brightman. A timeless CD which will continue to be a favourite over the years.

Sarah Brightman is a Classic.......2007-01-02

Sarah Brightman is at her best in "Classics." From Dvorak's "Rusalka" (Opera B.203) to Beethoven's haunting Op 52, slow movement (Symphony #7), Brightman's voice and lyrical style are a joy. I particularly enjoy her performances of Schubert's Ave Maria and Andrew Lloyd Weber's Pie Jesu. This is a great add to my collection of serious music.

Not The Best - Not the Worst - From Sarah Brightman.......2006-12-30

After purchasing this CD for my iPod for iTunes, I must say that I'm a little bit dissapointed. 7 new recordings and 8 old ones, ones that I already happen to have. I do like the fact that they're all on one CD! Some of her new recordings, including, "Ave Maria", "Winter Light", "Alhambra", "Dans La Nuit", and the new recording of "Pie Jesu" are just too breathy for my taste. It seems as with every changing CD, Sarah's voice changes. I'm not saying that the result is bad; it actually gives the songs more of a dream like quality, but I'm used to the younger, more Andrew Lloyd-Webber integrated Sarah. Scooping continually occurs in new recordings of "O Mio Babbino Caro", and "Nessun Dorma". In some tracks from La Luna, like "Figlio Perduto", Sarah's voice is TOTALLY dominated by harmonizing recordings that sound almost mechanical.

OVERALLY - The new songs sound O.K. and the old recordings are just as good as they were back then. This album is still a great buy!

Nice Cover.......2006-12-27

I'm a heterosexual guy who's not an opera aficionado - I only mention these facts because I seem to be right in the bull's-eye of the target market for this product. Sarah B. has a nice voice and she's pretty. Both of these are featured prominently on this CD. The cover and several pages in the insert are devoted to what must have been a very long and expensive photo shoot (and Photoshop) of a semi-clad Sarah looking marvelous. (The CD also comes with a flyer so you can buy various Brightman "Classics" apparel - perhaps not for the heterosexual male).

As far as the music goes: not bad, not great. I don't claim to have the most discerning ears for this sort of music, but everything was OK by me. However, the pieces on the CD with which I'm somewhat familiar, such as "O Mio Babbino Caro," didn't sound quite as good as other versions I've heard (and that includes by Charlotte Church, not just opera stars). Also, the solo version of "Time to Say Goodbye" didn't sound nearly as good to me as the duet with Bocelli.

In sum, there were 3-4 songs I liked enough to rip to MP3s - which is enough so that I didn't feel ripped myself...

Average customer rating: Toscanini's last Beethoven cycle -- a unique, bargain glimpse of the performing rite i can't take it anymore Classic circa 1950 Beethoven Symphony Cycle Beethoven's symphonies Great Historical Collection

Ludwig van Beethoven: The 9 Symphonies - Arturo Toscanini / NBC Symphony Orchestra Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer) , Arturo Toscanini (Conductor) , and NBC Symphony Orchestra Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Toscanini, Arturo | ( T ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Toscanini, Arturo | ( T ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Brahms: The Four Symphonies Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Capriccio Espagnol; Russian Easter Overture Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos Vaughan Williams: The Nine Symphonies Beethoven - The Complete String Quartets / Alban Berg Quartet ASIN: B0000CNTLU Release Date: 2003-12-09

Customer Reviews:

Toscanini's last Beethoven cycle -- a unique, bargain glimpse of the performing rite.......2007-06-30

This set's insighful and irresistable, especially at the 'Amazon' price. 5 stars from me!

Imagine being able to hear works played by musicians with direct links to performers who've remembered what the composer wanted in performance of his/her works during his/her lifetime. Such opportunities arise through listening to recordings made by maestros like Arturo Toscanini (born 1867, began orchestra conducting 1886) whose musicianship -- not just in terms of scholarship and technical powers -- take us to a view of the contemporary Beethoven performing rite that seems to have dimmed with successive generations. Not that every Toscanini performance of a work is the same -- indeed there's noticeable evolution -- but his basic underlying approach remained sufficiently consistent for it to be captured in recordings, like this set, made quite late in his career (it ended in mid-1954, he died early 1957).

This Beethoven cycle is ADD mono and may not be any sonic improvement over either RCA's "74321", or "GD", series CDs of the same cycle; and it's unlikely to be sonically better than the superb LP transfers in the 100-disc set released (in the late 1970s) by RCA Japan (n.l.a.). But if you don't already own this latest RCA CD package, then, at the 'Amazon' price, it'll be an indispensible part of your Beethoven cycle experience.

The NBC Symphony is in great form (Toscanini reportedly said it didn't really become a top symphony orchestra until around its 1950 continental US tour and these discs are from that period) and the recorded sound, for the most part (say except for the Seventh's last movement) captures the dynamics and unique, chrystaline fabric of the Toscanini orchestral sound.

There's apparently some confusion over whether the set's 'Eroica' is the 1949 "studio" or 1953 "live" (broadcast) performance, but the insert-booklet's per-movement timings indicate it's the 1953 one (which is broader and differently inflected compared to the '49, and some earlier, Toscanini Eroicas; the 1949 one is included in RCA's "GD" CD series). Anyhow, this kind of issue is more for discographers than those out on a journey of important musical discovery.

Buy this set, especially at the price, the performances shouldn't fail to stimulate and inspire!

Some suggested references:-

'The Toscanini Legacy' by Spike Hughes (pub. 'Dover')
'Toscanini and the Art of Conducting' by Robert C. Marsh (pub. 'Collier Books') (in UK, titled 'Toscanini and the Art of Orchestral Performance' (pub. 'Allen & Unwin'))
'Arturo Toscanini - The NBC Years' by Mortimer H. Frank (pub. 'Amadeus Press').

i can't take it anymore.......2007-06-02

i'm tired of aficionado's bashing toscanini around while praising furtwangler as the ultimate interpreter of beethoven. just as an average "uneducated" listener is likely to praise karajan, an average "uneducated" aficionado is likely to praise furtwangler as the only viable option of beethoven performance.
which is just utterly not true!
don't get me wrong - i love furtwangler. he is one of the conductors i revere most, and i DO think that his beethoven is rarely surpassed. but there are a million ways to perform a piece! and most likely than not, this is not a matter of the cliched "subjective vs. objective" argument that most people put forward.
to argue that beethoven would not have conducted his music a la toscanini is absurd. very presumptious, of you ask me. actually, comparing beethoven's metronome markings with furtwangler's and tostanini's recordings, toscanini actually is closer to the norm. furtwangler actually disregards a lot of beethoven's instructions regarding tempi, phrasing, development, dynamics, etc.
many people, including me, would argue that furtwangler is not disregarding beethoven's intentions at all. beethoven's intention when, for instance, composing the first movement of the eroica, was not, as toscanini has said, "allegro con brio." it was the expression of beauty, the expression of the human soul. beethoven might've heard in his head the movement much faster than is usually performed. but music that occures in the mind and in the physical is significantly different (think of printing - the blue on your computer screen doesn't really turn out to be the blue you want when you print it out!). if furtwangler's performances best achieve this end (which i do believe they do), he has serviced beethoven immensly.
but who is to judge that furtwangler expressed what beethoven intended? perhaps beethoven intended a different kind of beauty? a different kind of soul? and this is why people who love music often have more than one record of the same music.
toscanini was a supreme maestro in his own right. he might not have the ability to direct a mind towards musical epiphany like furtwangler, or to steadily provoke the mind and heart to a state of climax like klemperer, but he does have a supreme sense of orchestral control. no one makes tuttis sound like tuttis as toscanini. he also has an insuperable talent of conveying musical excitement: not even erich kleiber, who in my opinion had one of the most powerful rhythmical senses amongst all the great conductors, can imbue a performance with as much explosive propulsion.
i must admit that i was also infected with the "toscanini-hate" for a while, particularly because sergiu celibidache, absolutely one of the greatest conductors, derided him as being a "note-factory." compared with celibidache or furtwangler, toscanini is a note factory. but this is merely because he prefers a more "absolute music" approach. to him, music is not an emotional, or spiritual language. it is just music. what the audience feels from the music is because of the innate quality of the notes themselves, not because the conductor tries to express them. one might say that people who prefer the first chords of the fifth symphony to be blatantly like "fate knocking on the door" would be disappointed by toscanini. but in a sense, such expectations are naive. to some performers and listeners, fate knocking on the door does not have to take on the gothic melodrama that most modern performances aim to achieve.
surely, there are sets out there that please me more - and this is not a collection of toscanini's best performances. there is a particularly noteworthy seventh on naxos coupled with an equally compelling fifth. this collection, however, serves as a worthy exponent of the virtues of toscanin's art.
for catharsis, look to furtwangler. for a sense of musical consummation, look to klemperer. elegance and liveliness, to erich kleiber. rough-edged and fiery, hawk-eyed execution, to schuricht. weingartner, walter, carlos kleiber, bohm, scherchen, and kempe also provide heartwrenching accounts. amongst the HIP performers, only gardiner had me convinced. actually, toscanini wouldn't be on top of my list of favorite beethoven conductors. but for others, he surely is, and it is more than a proper position.

Classic circa 1950 Beethoven Symphony Cycle.......2007-05-30

Toscanini was born in 1867, the same year as my great grandfather. According to RCA, his first gig as a conductor was in 1886! These recordings were made at Carnegie Hall between November 1949 and November 1952 except symphonies 4 & 5 which were taken from NBC broadcasts.

After seeing a great performance of Verdi's La Traviata, I bought Toscanini's rendition of the preludes from this opera. This was in 1978. Toscanini's music were on budget lps at the time. And being in college, I was on a budget. I have several of his budget lps plus this Beethoven Symphony cycle on the RCA plum dog label from the 1950s that I bought used. I have always enjoyed the performances and have always had misgivings about the at best AM radio like fidelity of the recordings.

I recently listened to Toscanini's Brahms Symphonies at Rhapsody and the remastering has almost brought the sonics into the space age. WOW! The Beethoven symphonies too are at Rhapsody. They sound pretty good, but far from the great Analog of the late 50s to when digital kicked in circa 1980. When the music intensifies, it seems to my ear to start to distort a little and get a little shrill. Kinda like a movie theater where you can enter and egress with abandon as long as no one yells "Fire!!"

If we look at the fidelity coming from the 1930s and 40s, all complaints would be dropped and instead our astonishment would be given at just how great they sound. For historical recordings, they do sound GREAT. I enjoyed listening again to them.

Toscanini has gone from being the best thing since sliced bread to being regarded as an out of favor commissar who is now commissaring in outer Siberia. By listening to these recordings I would hope that your perspective will improve and that you would realize that Toscanini was a pretty good conductor, who brought great classical music to the masses, who had wide influence that is still felt thru his understudies, and that he was not the boogie man!

Beethoven's symphonies.......2007-05-12

When the master conducts the master, you will get nothing but a superb rendition of excellent musice. A must for classics lovers

Great Historical Collection.......2007-05-07

Any collection of all nine Beethoven symphonies is likely to have some great recordings and some not-so-great ones, and this collection is no exception. On balance, however, if you appreciate the Toscanini style (generally fast paced), this group ranks very close to the 1963 Karajan with the Berlin SO and right there with Walter and the Columbia SO. Plus, this is the most economical way to get Toscanini's recordings of the third, seventh and ninth, so the others are a "bonus."

Average customer rating: Just what you would expect Wonderful collection and price! Like Floating On A Cloud Bach Good CD, especially for novices

25 Bach Favorites Manufacturer: Vox (Classical) ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Concertinos | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Concerto Grossi | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Inventions | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Organ | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Cantatas | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Magnificats | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs Under $7 | Fugues | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Fugues | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs Under $7 | Preludes | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Preludes | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: 25 Mozart Favorites 25 Beethoven Favorites 25 Vivaldi Favorites 25 Tchaikovsky Favorites 25 Handel Favorites ASIN: B0000058I1 Release Date: 1996-08-20

Tracks:

1. Toccata In D Minor For Organ
2. Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 In F: I. Allegro
3. Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 In G: I. Allegro
4. Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 In D: II. Affetuoso
5. Concerto For 2 Violins In D Minor: I. Vivace
6. Concerto For 2 Violins In D Minor: II. Adagio
7. Violin Concerto No. 1 In A Minor: I. Allegro
8. Violin Concerto No. 2 In E: I. Allegro
9. Magnificat In D: Magnificat
10. Magnificat In D: Deposuit potentes
11. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I: Prelude 1
12. Concerto For 3 Harpsichords In C: II. Adagio
13. Concerto For 2 Harpsichords In C Minor: II. Adagio
14. Concerto For 4 Harpsichords In A Minor: First Movement
15. Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
16. Toccata, Adagio & Fugue In C: II. Adagio
17. Partita No. 3 For Solo Violin: Prelude
18. 2-Part Invention: No. 8 In F
19. Wachet Auf: Sleepers Awake
20. Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 In G: III. Presto
21. Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 In F: III. Allegro assai
22. Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 In D: III. Allegro
23. Orchestral Suite No. 2 In B Minor: VII. Badinerie
24. Mass In B Minor: Gloria
25. Mass In B Minor: Dona Nobis Pacem

Customer Reviews:

Just what you would expect.......2007-05-19

I was looking for a CD of exclusively Bach music, not necessarily played by a famous artist or orchestra. This had a lot of his well-known pieces and was exactly what I was looking for.

Wonderful collection and price!.......2007-05-11

I found this to be a nice collection of favorites, especially to keep in the car and listen to. It is a variety of well known compilations. Although not encompassing, it is perfect as a review for driving, relaxing, and enjoyment. Plus, the price is right!

Like Floating On A Cloud.......2006-09-20

My first real appreciation of this sound was from watching the film "Slaughterhouse Five" in the theater, back in the '70s. That soundtrack was just a taste of what you get with this recording. My family pops this CD in the car stereo on long trips, and glide down the highway to some original smooth grooves. Helps the miles pass swiftly. Music for the soul.

Bach.......2006-08-27

Surely you don't need me to review the guy. You know who he is, you've heard his music, and I hope you own some. So let me turn the podium over to a cat named Picasso, and you can read into that whatever you wish. She's in a chair, near the CD player. She has entered the room specifically for the music. Her eyes are squinted, almost but not quite shut, little face concentrating on just how contented those sounds make her feel. Nobody can say why they move her so, any more than we can say why they move us so. If we knew the answer to that one, we'd copy the guy. But anyway, she loves the music, and don't you dare make a sound such as squeaking your computer chair. If you do, her golden orbs will open, fix upon your face, and shame you. Yes they will. But if you are quiet long enough, you can watch a little calico sleep, with the very same sweet kitten face that drew you to her five years ago. Bach is gooooood.

Good CD, especially for novices.......2005-10-12

I was looking for a recommended Bach CD - certain music by a certain orchestra - and stumbled on this. It is an excellent choice for a new library. I think when there was more than one movement to a piece, it would have made more sense to go ahead and keep the movements together instead of separating them, but a novice listener would not notice. A great way to become exposed to a great composer.

Average customer rating: Great for the road Beethoven 25 Favorites 25 Beethoven Favorites bEtHoVeN mAnIaC Great Price...Not so good itself

25 Beethoven Favorites Manufacturer: Vox (Classical) ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Ecossaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Bagatelles | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Incidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra | ( C ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Minnesota Orchestra | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs Under $7 | Sonatas | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Sonatas | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs Under $7 | Symphonies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Symphonies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Symphonies | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: 25 Mozart Favorites 25 Bach Favorites 25 Tchaikovsky Favorites 25 Vivaldi Favorites 25 Classical Favorites ASIN: B0000058HX Release Date: 1996-08-20

Tracks:

1. Egmont Overture - Ludwig Van Beethoven
2. Symphony No. 5 In C Minor - Ludwig Van Beethoven
3. Piano Sonata No. 21 In C Major - Alfred Brendel
4. Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor - Jerome Rose
5. Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor - Jerome Rose
6. Piano Sonata No. 23 In F Minor - Jerome Rose
7. Symphony No. 6 In F Major - Ludwig Van Beethoven
8. Symphony No. 7 In A Major - Ludwig Van Beethoven
9. 'The Creatures Of Prometheus' Ballet - Ludwig Van Beethoven
10. Violin Concerto In D Major - Susanne Lautenbacher
11. Sonata For Violin And Piano No. 5 In F Major - Aaron Rosand
12. Piano Trio In B Flat - Mannheimer Trio
13. Fse - Various Artists
14. Quintet In E Flat For Piano And Winds - Abbey Simon
15. 'Chorale Fantasy' In C Minor For Piano, Chorus And Orchestra - Walter Klien
16. Piano Concerto No. 2 In B Flat - Alfred Brendel
17. Piano Concerto No. 3 In C Minor - Ludwig Van Beethoven
18. Piano Concerto No. 4 In G Major - Alfred Brendel
19. Piano Concerto No. 5 In E Flat - Alfred Brendel
20. Symphony No. 3 In E Flat - Ludwig Van Beethoven
21. 'The Ruins Of Athens,' - Ludwig Van Beethoven
22. 'Corolian,' - Ludwig Van Beethoven
23. Ecossaise For Piano - Alfred Brendel
24. Symphony No. 9 In D Minor - Ludwig Van Beethoven
25. Symphony No. 9 In D Minor - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Customer Reviews:

Great for the road.......2007-05-11

I found this to be a nice collection of favorites, especially to keep in the car and listen to. It is a variety of well known compilations. Although not encompassing, it is perfect as a review for driving, relaxing, and enjoyment. Plus, the price is right!

Beethoven 25 Favorites.......2006-11-21

Very good! I ordered it especially for Piano Sonata No. 8 Pathetique

25 Beethoven Favorites.......2006-11-05

Good overview of his works----an introduction into his depth as a composer

bEtHoVeN mAnIaC.......2005-11-03

[...] Honestly, it isn't THAT THAT great, but its good enough for its price. I'd say that your $ pays off, for a while. I've noticed how after a long time, it gets aggrivating at times. No harm meant, "Beethoven lover". I just mean don't plunge into this cd with all the hopes in the world. Besides, it's just my opinion, so you may like it more than me. All i can say is; a) listen to some samples before you buy, b)know this is not REALLY the great Beethoven himself, and c) enjoy YOUR music, whatever it may be.

Great Price...Not so good itself.......2005-05-19

This a great priced cd, but the content is why it is so cheap. It's a true-amateur album. Beethoven Lover is over her/his head. This is the real world, not a fantasy-everyone-likes-every-type-of-music world. Deal with it and agree with me. It isn't so great.

Average customer rating: Why are you waiting? Chopin: Favorite Piano Works Chopin: Favorite Piano Works (London 2 CD) chopins Mazurkas REST FOR THIS WEARY SOUL

Chopin: Favorite Piano Works Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Ballads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Nocturnes | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Ashkenazy, Vladimir | ( A ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Barcarolles | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Chopin: The Complete Nocturnes And Impromptus Beethoven: Favourite Piano Sonatas / Vladimir Ashkenazy Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol. 1 Essential Mozart: 32 Of His Greatest Masterpieces Liszt: Favourite Piano Works ASIN: B00000427J Release Date: 1996-02-13

Tracks:

1. Grande Valse brillante, op. 18
2. Fantaisie Imprpmptu, Op. 66
3. Nocturne In E flat Major, Op. 9 No. 2
4. Waltz In A Minor, Op 34 No. 2
5. Mazurka In D Major, Op. 33 No. 2
6. Scherzo In B Flat Minor.D Flat Major, Op. 31
7. Waltz In A flat Major, Op 69 No. 2
8. Nocturne In F Sharp Major, Op. 15 No. 2
9. Waltz In B Minor, Op. 69 No. 2
10. Ballade In G Minor, Op. 23
11. Mazurka In B Flat Major, Op. 7 No. 1
12. Waltz In G Flat Major, Op. 70 No. 1
13. Nocturne In B Major, Op 32 No. 1
14. Polonaise In A Flat Major, Op. 53

Tracks:

1. Ballade No3 In A Flat Major Op.47
2. Prelude In C Sharp Minor, Op. 45
3. Waltz In D Flat Major, Op. 64 No. 1 'Minute'
4. Waltz In C Sharp Minor, Op. 64 No.2
5. Etude In C Minor, Op. 10 No. 12 'Revolutionary'
6. Etude In G Flat Major, Op.10 No.5 'Black Key'
7. Nocturne In F Minor, Op. 55 No.1
8. Polonaise In A Major, Op. 40 No. 1 'Military'
9. Barcarolle In F Sharp Major, Op. 60
10. Prelude In D Flat Major, Op.28 No. 15 'Raindrop'
11. Etude In A Minor, Op. 25 No. 11 'Winter Wind'
12. Etude In E Major, Op. 10 No. 3 'Tristesse'
13. Scherzo No.3 In C Sharp Minor, Op.39

Customer Reviews:

Why are you waiting?.......2006-12-16

Ashkenazy is one of the titans of Chopin. Davidovich and Arrau are the other two. They're all you need. Get Davidovich for the concertos, (inlcuding the Krakowiak--Op 14), Arrau for the nocturnes and a few micscellaneous pieces. Ashkenazy handles everything else.

(Btw, Ashkenazy vs. Davidovich re. the impromptus is a toss up. But since the impromptus aren't on this disc, you can make that critical decision another time.)

Ashkenazy's scherzo #2 (op. 31) IS the best. Period. Other interpretations that your favorite classical music station may substitute are downright lame.

The rest are basically sublime. The first and 4th ballades will send shivers up your spine by Vlad's sheer technical ability. His artistry is second to none.

Chopin: Favorite Piano Works.......2006-07-25

An excellent complilation of Chopin works which includes 3 of the pieces I am currently learning. Definitely has encouraged me to improve my piano skills and allow me to better appreciate his style of music.

Chopin: Favorite Piano Works (London 2 CD).......2006-02-24

Beautifully done 2 CD of Chopin works. I've played it every weekend since I got it, loving every track. It's well performed and recorded, and is an excellent collection for anyone interested in Chopin or his adopted homeland of Poland. And, of course, you can't often go wrong with the London Label.

chopins Mazurkas.......2005-08-08

this is a wonderful collection of the mazurkas but Ashkenazy plays a lot of them too fast my music teacher played these with more pathos he seems like he cant get done fast enough with some of them some introductions should be slower with more feeling otherwise all the mazurkas i wanted are in this disc just wish i had got better artist like Claude Arrau

REST FOR THIS WEARY SOUL.......2005-03-09

On vinyl I owned Ashkenazy's complete recordings of Chopin's piano works. Prior to purchasing this CD of what I call "highlights from Vladimir's Chopin Recordings", I had not replaced them in this format. What a joy it is to hear Vladimir Ashkenazy play these works again. I'm reminded of how much I loved his playing of Chopin on vinyl looking forward to each "new release" with great anticipation. Being, what is referred to, as a "senior citizen" , Chopin's music means ever so much to me offering rest for this weary soul. Vladimir Ashkenazy's performances on these discs are first rate and ones I truly love. As a previous reviewer pointed out, this compellation is a bargain-great price, great music, great sound and great performances by a master of Chopin's music.

If you love Chopin, as I do, buy this recording it will sooth your soul as only great music can.

Average customer rating: Chant Chant PEACE FROM WITHIN Gregorian Chant RELAXING

Chant Gregorian Chant , and The Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos Manufacturer: Angel Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Sacred & Religious | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems Vocal & Song | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Chants | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music $9.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classical | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Chant II Lost in Meditation: Meditative Gregorian Chants, Vol. 1 Gregorian Chants: The Best of the Benedictine Monks of St. Michael's Lost in Meditation: Meditative Gregorian Chants Salve Regina: Gregorian Chant ASIN: B000002SKX Release Date: 1994-03-15

Tracks:

1. Puer Natus Est Nobis: Intriot (Modo VII)
2. Os Iusti: Gradual (Modo I)
3. Christus Factus Est Pro Nobis: Gradual (Modo V)
4. Mandatum Novum Do Vobis: Antiphonal And Psalm 132 (Modo III)
5. Media Vita In Morte Sumus: Responsorio (Modo IV)
6. Alleluia, Beatus Vir Qui Suffert: (Modo I)
7. Spiritus Domini: Introit (Modo VIII)
8. Improperium: Offertorio (Modo VIII)
9. Laetatus Sum: Gradual (Modo VII)
10. Kyrie XI - A: (Modo I)
11. Puer Natus In Bethlehem: Ritmo (Modo I)
12. Jacta Cogitatum Tuum: Gradual (Modo VII)
13. Verbum Caro Factum Est: Responsorio (Modo VII)
14. Genuit Puerpera Regem: Antiphonal And Psalm 99 (Modo II)
15. Occuli Omnium: Gradual (Modo VII)
16. Ave Mundi Spes Maria: Sequenza (Modo I)
17. Kyrie Fons Bonitatis: Trope (Modo III)
18. Veni Sancte Spiritus: Sequenza (Modo I)
19. Hosanna Filio David: Antiphonal (Modo VII)

Amazon.com

Thanks to good marketing, good cover art, and good luck, this disc probably has sold more copies than most other recordings of Gregorian chant put together. It's often quipped that most of those discs have been listened to exactly once and put away--to the puzzlement of many musicians and critics, who point out that there are more beautiful, more varied performances by professional singers available. Yet the singing of these Spanish Benedictines has a special quality that probably explains this disc's popularity--a reverent serenity that no doubt stems from the fact that the monks are actually praying, not just performing. Granted, Chant can become a bit monotonous with repeated listening, but it really gives you the sense of devotion that has always been the purpose of "Gregorian" chant. If this recording (ahem) enchants you at first, wonderful. If you get bored with it later, don't give up--there has been an extraordinary variety of styles and sounds over the 1,500-year history of plainchant, so go exploring with Anonymous 4, Ensemble Gilles Binchois, Sequentia, or Ensemble Organum. You won't be sorry. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Chant.......2007-06-25

The CD was received on time and in excellent condition. I use the CD in the evenings to slow me down and get me in a relaxed mood.

Chant.......2007-03-09

It is a true to life portrail of the medieval prayer form.

Some things are ageless.

PEACE FROM WITHIN.......2007-01-09

I can't understand most of the latin words in these chants but the spirituality, harmony and the "music" in the monks' voices are refreshing to the soul. I know that several monks sing but you basically hear one voice. I would suggest that a pocket size book with the translation of each chant should accompany each CD.

Gregorian Chant.......2006-08-13

I purchased this item because one of my children has been going through the Tomatis method of auditory integration training to correct some auditory processing issues that affect his ability to communicate. The Gregorian Chant was recommended as a follow up because of its many and pure sound frequencies. After listening to different samples of the Chant, I picked the one sung by the Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos for its sound clarity. Also, it has been interesting to see the reaction of all my children. Two of them weep when they listen to the chant and the other one seems be soothed by it. As an adult, it is this soothing effect from the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos that I find most fascinating.

RELAXING.......2006-03-24

EXCELLENT FOR RELAXING, MEDITATION, OR INTROSPECTION. WHEN I HAVE HAD A BAD DAY, I POP THIS IN ON MY WAY HOME FOR RELAXATION.

Average customer rating: something to have Excellent Music buy now Lovely Aesthetically Pleasing

The Most Relaxing Piano Album in the World...Ever! Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Fauré, Gabriel | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Granados, Enrique | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Grieg, Edvard | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Liszt | Liszt, Franz | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Satie | Satie, Erik | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Robert Schumann | Schumann, Robert | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Shostakovich | Shostakovich, Dmitri | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Debussy | Debussy, Claude | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rachmaninov | Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Bagatelles | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Character Pieces | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Nocturnes | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Variations | Forms & Genres | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classical | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever! The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Ever, Volume II The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe The Most Relaxing Jazz Music in the Universe The World's Favorite Piano Music ASIN: B000059Q4Q Release Date: 2001-03-27

Tracks:

1. II: Andante - Stephen Hough
2. I: Adagio Sostenuto - Dame Moura Lympany
3. Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude (Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring) - Dame Moura Lympany
4. Nocturne No. 2 In E Flat - John Ogdon
5. Clair De Lune - Dame Moura Lympany
6. II: Adagio - Cecile Ousset
7. Tango - Dame Moura Lympany
8. Liebestraum No. 3 In A Flat - John Ogdon
9. Waltz No. 9 In A Flat - Dmitri Alexeev
10. Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini - Cecile Ousset
11. Traumerei - Dame Moura Lympany
12. La Maja Y El Ruisenor - Magda Tagliaferro
13. Nocturne No. 5 In F-sharp Minor - Maurizio Pollini
14. Gymnopedie No. 1 - Aldo Ciccolini
15. Fur Elise - Dame Moura Lympany
16. Etude In E 'Tristesse' - John Ogdon
17. Fruhlingslied - Daniel Adni
18. II: Andante - Dmitri Alexeev

Tracks:

1. II: Adagio Cantabile - Walter Gieseking
2. II: Romanze - Annie Fischer
3. Aria - Maria Tipo
4. II: Romance (Larghetto) - Garrick Ohlsson
5. Granada - Gonzalo Soriano
6. Waltz No. 15 In A Flat - Maura Lympany
7. II: Largo - Andrei Gavrilov
8. An Den Fruhling - Daniel Adni
9. Nocturne No. 10 In A Flat - Daniel Adni
10. II: Adagio Un Poco Mosso - Walter Gieseking
11. La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin - Dame Moura Lympany
12. Cancons I Dansas No. 1 - Gonzalo Soriano
13. II: Adagio Sostenuto (Opening) - Cecile Ousset
14. Prelude No. 15 In D Flat 'Raindrop' - Dmitri Alexeev
15. Gnossienne No. 1 - Aldo Ciccolini
16. Berceuse - Jean-Philippe Collard
17. Minuet In G - Dame Moura Lympany
18. Berceuse In D Flat - Peter Donohoe

Customer Reviews:

something to have.......2007-03-14

These CD's are filled with all the awesome relaxing songs for the evening when you need it. It is just one of those must have items in your CD collection.

Excellent Music.......2007-02-19

This album was a "try and see" purchase but I love it. It makes great dinner music, great music to drift off to sleep with, or just nice background filler during social events needing a softer tone. It is not all solo piano music if that s what you are after; the other instruments blend very well however and don't challenge the piano playing. It is a piano album after all!

buy now.......2006-09-01

Want to know why I think the piano is the best musical instrument ever invented? Because no matter how the piano is played, it will always sound good. Whether the music is fast, slow, quiet or loud, it ALWAYS delivers with an appealing sound. This is something you need to buy.

Lovely.......2006-02-22

This is a beautiful calming cd. The playing is excellent and the pieces are well chosen.

Aesthetically Pleasing.......2005-09-14

I simply love piano music. If you're looking to relax, enjoy a peaceful time, then you must check out this album. If you truly enjoy piano music, this album is by far one of the best you can purchase.

As it says....it is the "Most Relaxing Piano Album in the World...Ever..." Well, I haven't listened to all piano albums in the world, but I don't need to, this one is just perfect for me, and I think you will agree!

I would say the pianists' are extremely accomplished. At times, I would admit-it's a bit 'spine tingling'!

Average customer rating: I really dig Zero 7 Different, yes, but excellent nonetheless... My review of The Garden Great ambiance! Very Little For Such Talent

The Garden Zero 7 Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Ambient Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Ambient | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Versions Simple Things When It Falls Colour the Small One Pocket Symphony ASIN: B000FC2G8W Release Date: 2006-06-06

Tracks:

1. Futures
2. Throw It All Away
3. Seeing Things
4. The Pageant Of The Bizarre
5. You're My Flame
6. Left Behind
7. Today
8. This Fine Social Scene
9. Your Place
10. If I Can't Have You
11. Crosses
12. Waiting To Die

Amazon.com

"Upbeat" seems like an odd description of a recording that includes song titles like "Throw It All Away" and "Waiting to Die." Yet fans of Zero 7 (the English sound-design duo of Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker) will indeed discover that the group's third release exhibits a slightly more animated pace--more multitempo than downtempo--than its predecessors, the seductively trippy Simple Things and the like-minded When It Falls. Craving a follow-up to the breathy, interstellar soul of "Destiny" from the group's debut disc, or "Passing By" from When It Falls? You may struggle to find similar magic here. Even so, The Garden is an intriguing listen, showcasing the sophistication that makes Zero 7 the Steely Dan of chillout--wry, intelligent lyrical observations, inventive musicianship, a detached sense of cool forged by the duo's heady blend of folk, jazz, '70s soul, and electronica. The Kraftwerk-like "Seeing Things"--the disc's lone instrumental--and the pulsing "You're My Flame" are useful tracks to gauge this album's elevated vibrancy. Sia Furler is the group's only returning vocalist, and the absence of Sophie Barker and Tina Dico, the gentle Christine McVie counterpoints to Furler's rough-hewn Stevie Nicks, is noticeable. Mozez and his Seal-like soul is also gone, replaced by more folk/pop-oriented José Gonzãlez. Binns even spends 80 seconds as the quiet lead voice on the slow-building brass outburst "Your Place." Furler's up-and-down vocals on "The Pageant of the Bizarre" will stick in your mind, but her best work comes on two clever lampoons of pampered lifestyles, "This Fine Social Scene" and "Waiting to Die." (Sample lyric: "Now is a good time for tasty glass of wine; let's not worry ourselves about carbon dioxide.") Different, yes, but worthwhile. --Terry Wood

Album Description

Zero 7, aka Sam Hardaker and Henry Binns, are back with a gorgeous new album, The Garden. It was produced by Sam and Henry and mixed by Phil Brown, who has worked with such luminaries as the Rolling Stones, Brian Eno and Talk Talk. It features vocal performances by Jose Gonzalez, Sia Furler and Henry Binns. The band's previous albums, Simple Things and When It Falls, were critically acclaimed and rooted them firmly alongside Royksopp & Lemon Jelly as leaders in their field. The Garden sees Zero 7 take a fresher, more upbeat musical direction while still maintaining their trademark sound, and could well turn out to be the soundtrack to the summer.

Customer Reviews:

I really dig Zero 7.......2007-06-10

The band, their music and art have found a great new, welcome home in our collection. I'm glad I was turned onto this band. Great for downtempo and coolin' out.

Different, yes, but excellent nonetheless..........2007-06-07

I began to listen to Zero 7 around the same time that this album was released, but held off until I was able to assimilate and process their earlier releases. Clearly the band has evolved into something more complex and dynamic, while trending towards a style which put off many of its early listeners. When subjectively measured against Zero 7's previous album, this release can come off as a rude departure from their old styles. However, if objectively analyzed by its own merits, this CD easily holds up to the musical quality of Zero 7's previous releases.

Songs like "Throw It All Away" and "This Fine Social Scene" exemplify the versatility of the band and will, most likely, provide a glimpse of future albums in a style more refined and cohesive than previously explored.

My review of The Garden.......2007-05-26

Never really was a huge fan of Zero 7 especially when they first came out with the song "Destiny". I did though like their second cd "When It Falls". A few years ago I was in to chill out music but now I am not so much in to the genre anymore. When I saw "The Garden" at my local library I thought I would check it out. "The Garden" shares the same warm vibe that "When it Falls" possesses. The music is nice to listen to on a weekend morning with a cup of coffee and the morning paper. Unfortunately I just couldn't really get into the cd. I especially wasn't big on the more groove laden tracks like "This Fine Social Scene" and "Crosses". Not a huge fan of the cowbell and it really got on my nerves in the song "Crosses". It makes me think of the old Blue Oyster Cult song "Don't Fear the Reaper". The instrumental tracks were far more interesting because they weren't bogged down by such boring vocals from everyone who contributed to the album. I wish I was able to get into this album like I did with the last Zero 7 cd but I just can't. Too boring and lifeless which is what chill out music has become.

Great ambiance!.......2007-05-07

This is one of those CDs that can stay in the spinner for months, really great for car or home.

Very Little For Such Talent.......2007-04-05

I was surprised when I purchased this album. Not as interesting as I
thought it would be. I found it boring. The only song I liked was
"the Pageant of the bizarre"; it's truly Zero 7.

Rock Music:

1. A Life of Song [Import]
2. A Proper Introduction to Xavier Cugat: Say "Si Si"
3. Akwaba Beach
4. Alone Alieno [Import]
5. Alpensahne Die Zweite [Import]
6. Aquarela Carioca [Import]
7. Asian Fusion
8. Atide
9. Barney [Import]
10. Bebel Remixed [Import]

Rock Music

rock music

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Soul Finger

Prison De Londres [Import]

Song for Juli

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Piano Classics: Popular Works for Solo Piano

Plectrist [Import] [Original recording remastered]

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