Leyenda

1. Choro

2. Courante

3. The Search

4. La Catedral (Preludio Saudade)

5. Tristeza

6. Gavotte en Rendeau

7. Leyenda (Asturias)

8. Dr. Macumba

9. La Catedral (Alegro Solemne)

10. La Samba

Editorial Reviews

Karen Gibson
We have been playing it nightly in our restaurant in Devon, UK. Can't wait for volume 2!!

Product Description
Instumental acoustic guitar music. Breathtakingly beautiful Spanish, Brazilian and Classical guitar with a jazz tinge. Solo performances carry most of the disc while three of the ten tracks are played with a full band and percussion. Duarte's tasteful arrangement of Pat Metheny's "The Search" is a must listen.

Leyenda

Customer Reviews:

Two-and-a-half hours of bliss.......2007-04-04

This may be the best money I've ever spent. I got 2-1/2 hours of bliss for less than what I'd usually pay for one CD -- and you know how it is with music. You buy an album because of a song or two that you love, and you find that you like maybe half the songs on it. There's not a single selection in this one that I would've left out. It includes Joaquin Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez, performed by Pepe Romero on the guitar with the Acadamy of St. Martin in the Fields. I needed to replace my old LP recording of that. But I also get 30 other classical compositions and traditional Spanish pieces, each special in its own way.

Have you ever heard music that you wanted to last forever, maybe even to dive inside and live there for a while, immersing yourself in sound? That's how I feel about this collection. The only problem I have with it is that I bought it thinking it might be nice to listen to while I write. Not so. It's terrible for that. I'll sit with my hands poised above the laptop keyboard, assuring myself I'll get some work done while I listen. The music takes hold and carries me away.

I'm not expert at describing this or any type of music. I just know what I love. You might too, if you enjoy classical or Spanish guitar -- unless you have absurd expectations about combining listening with work.

not what i expected.......2007-03-26

This CD for me was a waste of money. Its just not what i thought it would be. Others may enjoy it but for me..it wasnt what i was hoping to hear.

excellent guitar performances.......2006-07-27

Outstanding guitar performances. I gave it only 4 stars because I do not personally like some of the compositions.

Essential Guitar..........2005-07-26

Up until this collection, I'd never heard the "Cavatina" played in the Deer Hunter movie. After hearing it, I could play it all day and not tire of it! It moves me that much, considering that it's almost "not" a classical guitar selection. The rest of the music is first rate! Excellent playing, but the "Cavatina..."
Buy it and enjoy!!!!

Lives up to its Name!.......2005-06-10

If you only bought this double CD set, you'd have a good starter collection of classical guitar music. It includes most of the standards, as well as rarer pieces. In addition to the many solo pieces, there are several excerpts from orchestral works, with Rodrigo's indispensible Adagio from "Concierto de Aranjuez" topping the list. There are also several flamenco numbers included, complete with heel taps and castanets.

The recording quality is uniformly good, even on the tracks by Segovia. I don't know if they were remastered or recorded late in his career, but they're free of the surface noise present in so many of his recordings. The set clocks in at a generous 2 1/2 hours - one of the greatest deals in instrumental music; this is not a "bargain" quality set. Listen to the samples online - great stuff.

My only mild criticism is in the marketing. The advertising features John Williams and Julian Bream. Each contributes exactly one track. I would have enjoyed more pieces by them for stylistic comparison. But the less well-known (at least to guitar music neophytes like me) artists are every bit as good, and I intend to obtain more of their work.

Average customer rating:

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

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

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

ASIN: B00006B66L
Release Date: 2002-10-08

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Amazon.com

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating:

Like a rainy day in a good bookstore
Not "Ultimate", but Wonderful!
Everyone would love this album!
Incredible
One well worth the price of two

Ultimate Guitar Collection

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Julian Bream: The Ultimate Guitar Collection-Volume 2
Essential Guitar: 33 Guitar Masterpieces
300 Years of Guitar Masterpieces
Baroque Guitar
Classic Williams: Romance of the Guitar

ASIN: B00000I9M1
Release Date: 1999-03-09

Tracks:

Allegro Giusto
Largo
Allegro
Packington's Pound
Greensleeves
Fantasia 'A Fancy'
Canarios
Sonata In D
Leyenda (Asturias)
The Three Cornered Hat: The Millar's Dance
Recuerdos De La Alhambra
Choros No.1
Andantino Espressivo
Poco Animato
En Los Trigales
Allegro Con Spirito
Adagio
Allegro Con Brio

Tracks:

Mallorca, Op. 202 - Albeniz
Cataluna
Granada
Sevilla
Cadiz
Cordoba
Dedicatoria
La Maja De Goya
Danza Espanola No. 4
Valses Poeticos - Granados
Danza Espanola No. 5 - Granados
Fandango
Passacaglia
Zapateado

Customer Reviews:

Like a rainy day in a good bookstore.......2007-07-10

"Always pleasant, never a false cord." That's what I think each time I listen to this collection. I guess I should be listening more closely, but I find the music and the virtuosity with which it is played to be a springboard to other thoughts and activities. I can read with it in the background, write with it or simply drift into thought. And that is really quite enough for me.

Not "Ultimate", but Wonderful!.......2007-03-29

As good a guitarist as Julian Bream is, one must begin by acknowledging that the title of this 2-CD set containing 32 admittedly seminal pieces written for hand-played strings ( primarily, the lute) is a tad hyperbolistic. An "Ultimate" collection of anything would have to be more complete, by definition, than any two CDs can be and, again, it almost goes without saying that no two people are apt to be in total agreement about what should or should not have been included in any such collection. All caveats considered and aside, this is, indeed, a thoughtfully selected and masterfully performed collection of what is, unarguably, some of the very best classical pieces ever written for the lute. Bream plays some of them on the guitar and others on a renaissance lute - the latter giving a somewhat truer indication of the stylings and musical nuances intended by the various composers. But, even the pieces he plays on the guitar - an instrument that, in it's current form, did not exist when many of the pieces were originally composed - are sensitive and lyrical interpretations that sound as if they MIGHT have been composed for the guitar.

Without spending space here reiterating the specific pieces, their titles and lengths, I will simply list the composers whose works Bream presents so nicely in this collection. They span a range of about five centuries beginning in the time of England's Elizabeth I and spanning the years through to the 20th Century's premier Spanish and Brazilian classical guitar composers. The list reads like a `Whose Who" of classical plucked-string instrument music and of composers whose keyboard compositions work particularly well on the strings of a lute or guitar, and includes;
- John Dowland
- Francis Cutting
- Antonio Vivaldi
- Gaspar Sanz (*)
- Mateo Albeniz (*)
- Manuel de Falla
- Enrique Granados (*)
- Hector Villa-Lobos, and
- Joaquin Rodrigo
(*) = Pieces originally written for keyboard play.

Every classical guitarist has his own recognizable style and approach to the instrument and the material. An experience listener would not confuse Bream's work with that of Andres Segovia, for example: but it is not that one is better than the other. Each, in his own distinctive way, is simply superb. Though the Spanish influence is clearly audible with both musicians, Bream's stylings have a more contemporary lilt and inflection than do those of Segovia; he makes each piece his own. One suspects that each time he plays a piece it comes out differently according to the moment, his mood, the instrument and God knows what else. Segovia, on the other hand, was well known for his constancy once he had found a version of each piece that fully suited his own ear and temperament.
While I am admittedly a Segovia fan, I find Bream's renditions to be noticeably fresher and each infused with an aura of presence in the here-and-now which I find especially enjoyable.

The collection is neither complete not `ultimate', but it is VERY good and well worth having in any collection of classical guitar music. In fact, for audiophiles not familiar with this genre, it is a fair place to begin to develop an ear for and a listener's knowledge of and experience with the classical guitar.

I recommend it highly.

Everyone would love this album!.......2007-01-16

This album is fantastic. Easy to listen to and wonderful background music for working or dinner parties

Incredible.......2005-10-24

This is the leading guitar player of his generation at his best.

He is especially amazing in the second CD, with some of the solo guitar transcriptions of Albeniz. His rendition of Rodrigo's three pieces is also sublime.

I can't imagine anybody buying this cd then regretting it.

One well worth the price of two.......2004-09-25

This two cd set is an odd juxtaposition. The first cd consists of a sampler of Bream's career output - but without (and I believe the omission is disgraceful) any acknowledgement of Bream's significant contribution toward the creation of a truly 20th century concert repertoire for guitar. The second cd is a re-release of his superb early 1980's recording of Albeniz and Granados transcriptions with the added bonus of a sublime interpretation of the "Three Spanish Pieces" by J Rodrigo.

Speaking as a musician I find the selections and the production of the first cd problematic. We get a few of the more lightweight examples of renaissance lute and baroque guitar (but no JS Bach and no (solo) baroque lute work); we get no vihuela repertoire and nothing truly representative of classical period composition. We do have all six movements from two contrasting concertos but the remainder of the cd consists mostly of neo-romantic repertoire from the twentieth century. Worse still, the recording quality is highly variable; for example one of the Villa Lobos pieces sounds as though it was recorded in an indoor swimming complex. Given the cd's title more care should have been taken to better represent Bream's career and musical diversity. In the opinion of one familiar with Bream's output this is a disappointing selection. Well played but not representative of the artist nor the art form.

However the opposite is the case with the second cd. These recordings were made at a time when Bream set out to commit to (then) vinyl, via the guitar, the musical heritage of Spain. Bream here was at the height of his interpretive power - and a fine film documentary also resulted from this endeavour.

The inclusion of the Rodrigo set makes this cd a better buy than the original Albeniz and Granados recording, although those who find this compilation rewarding might perhaps profit from researching Bream's catalogue, and adding the complete recording from which the Rodrigo is sourced (circa 1980-90) to their collection.

As for the Albeniz and Granados Bream offers his own transcriptions. These tread a fine line between fidelity to the piano scores and Bream's concept of what works on the guitar. As a general observation Bream seeks to include significantly more of the original score's textures than do many of his peers (e.g. J Williams, P Romero). At the same time he is not averse to significantly modifying the original (e.g. amongst others 'Granada' and 'Cordoba'). Such a process is part of any transcription but here the results are not only excellent but also personal to Bream, as a result we have further confirmation of the craft of a great performing artist.

Every listener will discover their own favourites and I have more than space allows me to relate. I believe that Bream brings more expression to his performances of the Valses Poeticos by Granados than any other guitarist I have heard, and the Passacaglia by Rodrigo is played with such a sense of a brooding menace that my spine tingles every time I listen to it.

The second cd alone is worth twice the compilation's asking price.

Average customer rating:

Awesome violin Vanessa-Mae
Amazing....

Ultimate Collection

Manufacturer: EMI
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Vanessa-Mae The Violin Player
Subject to Change
Best of Vanessa-Mae
Storm
Choreography

ASIN: B0000DFZ86
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Tracks:

Classical Gas (Single Version)
I Feel Love (Single Version)
Picante
Red Hot (Symphonic Mix)
Yantra
Bach Street Prelude
Leyanda
Cotton Eyed Joe
I Can Can (You?)
Widescreen
Nightflight
Toccata & Fugue
Four Seasons Spring Allegro Part 1
Scherzo In C Minor For Violin & Piano

Album Description

2003 UK compilation for the world-renowned classical crossover star features 14 tracks. Copy Controlled. EMI Gold. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome violin Vanessa-Mae.......2007-07-21

I 'found' Vanessa-Mae a few years ago. I am so blown away by her unusual talent in classical violin. My all time favorite is Toccata and Fugue. As a classical music lover, this gives me goosebumps. I am wondering why I am not hearing her in this year-2007. It is as if she made these awesome tracks and then no media news about her. That to me is a shame, for we need more real artists, not these talentless pop stars in rehab! This CD is a charm, you will love it!

Amazing...........2005-05-28

she is an Excelent and great violin player, her music is unique, if you love instrumental music, you can't miss it.

In the Spanish Style / Christopher Parkening

Average customer rating:

Never ever to find more graceful play!
Grunting and moaning explained
Great Introduction to Classical Guitar
Excellent collection
Parkening in top form

In the Spanish Style / Christopher Parkening

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Christopher Parkening - A Tribute to Segovia
Christopher Parkening plays Bach
Simple Gifts: Christopher Parkening
Artistry of Christopher Parkening
Christopher Parkening - The Great Recordings ~ By America's Preeminent Guitar Virtuoso

ASIN: B000002RNK
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Suite espanola: Leyenda
Capricho arabe (Serenata)
Rumores de la Caleta (Malaguena)
Prelude No. 1
Prelude No. 2
Prelude No. 3
Estudio brillante
Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Fantasia: Fantasia No. 10
Estudio No. 17 In E Minor
Estudio No. 19 In B Flat
Twelve Etudes: Etude No. 1 in E Minor
Twelve Etudes: Etude No. 11 In E Minor
Vals venezolano No. 3
Four Preludes
Catalonian Song
Romance

Customer Reviews:

Never ever to find more graceful play!.......2007-03-09

The incredible representation and sound Parkening created by the guitar is
sublimity itself. Though I have listened to many a world-famous guitarist,
I have never been so fascinated as by his play. I couldn't but make intimate friends of mine a present of Parkening's CDs like "In the Spanish Style", through which I felt I could show them what real music is like. I never ever imagine I could find more graceful play than that of Christopher Parkening at least in the world of the guitar.

Grunting and moaning explained.......2006-01-03

I met Parkening in 1972, a few years after this album was first released. I asked him about the "groans" that could be heard. He explained that at the time he let his thoughts wander and thought about the future, when some Swiss moron named Peter Gilman would complain about the recording. Absentmindedly, he groaned at the thought of it all. He told me if ever I should meet Peter that I was to apologize.

Peter, sorry about that.

Great Introduction to Classical Guitar.......2005-04-07

My parents had this on vinyl when I was kid. I listened to it a lot in high school when I was listening to a lot of musical styles. This and Parkening's Bach CD are probably my two favorite classical guitar discs.

As a rock/blues/pop guitarist, I've been learning some classical over the last few years. And this disc has been my reference. Parkening's playing is confident and enjoyable. Capricho Arabe stands out as does the Sor studies that he covers.

My only complaint is Leyenda, his performance is less than passionate and the recording doesn't sound EQ'd correctly in a few spots. Other artists have better recordings of this song (John Williams comes to mind).

If you are looking for a great classical guitar CD, this is a great place to start.

Excellent collection.......2004-05-06

This is the album that made me want to take up classical guitar. Great selection of songs, played with incredible feeling and tone. Brilliant performances of Capricho Arabe, Recuerdos and the Villa-Lobos and Ponce Preludes. His rendition of Romance is what every student should strive for. The student (Parkening) has most definitely learned all of his master's (Segovia) lessons and went even further. Still fresh after 25 years of regular listening.

Parkening in top form.......2004-02-28

Christopher Parkening's technical prowess is in full effect here, showing he's truly the ultimate successor to the great Andres Segovia.

I don't know about grunting, but if you listen closely, there is some noticeable sighing from Parkening on a few of the tracks, especially the third. Presumably, he was getting weary from all the work his fingers were getting in playing those immensely complex arrangements. But to go as for as to say it ruins the recording is ludicrous. In fact, the sighing adds to the intimacy and accessibility of the recording. I had always felt distant while listening to a Parkening album because he sounded TOO polished. He plays great here, but to hear his voice, even in its slightest audible sound, adds to the album's charm.

Tracks:

Moderato
Mosso
Cantabile
Presto
Gol-e Gandome
Dareneh - Jaan - Aziz Joon
Leila - Leila
Jaan - E - Maryam
Lala-ee
Waltz, Op. 8, No. 4
Tango, Op. 165, No. 2
Sevilla
Estrellita
Andaluza
Petenera
Asturias - Leyenda
Aire De Joropo
Recuerdos De La Alhambra
Jugueteando

Customer Reviews:

Bravo!.......2007-02-14

I decided to purchase this CD because I was so impressed by "Hemispheres", Lily's latest recording! This is incredible guitar playing! This is the most astonishingly artistic performance of "Koyunbaba" I have ever heard! Lily is a great artist!

Beautiful Music Elegantly Played.......2004-09-17

My wife's cousin attended a concert by Ms. Afshar and bought this album for me. She knew I loved guitar music and liked to hear new performers and new melodies.

I have played this album over again and again. It offers serious music that functions equally well as background and music closely attended to. To the largely Spanish, Latin American and Italian repertoire (Albeniz, Domeniconi, Ponce, Granados, etc.), Afshar adds her own arrangement of five lovely Persian ballads. It would be wrong to say that they are the high spot of the program because the quality of music in this disc is uniformly high throughout.

Late one night, seeking to calm down after a stressful day, I played this record by Afshar. I followed it with John O'Dette on lute playing Dowland's, and then Zanon playing Villa Lobos's guitar pieces. Who was best? All were first rate.

wow.......2004-04-06

This is the ultimate makeout album. If you want to score with a cultured girl, this is the disc to buy.

The Best Koyunbaba!.......2001-06-29

Wow!, Ms. Afshar's interpretation of Domeniconi's Koyunbaba is simply wonderful! There is more expression, more emotion, more "Easternness" to her version than to that of Antigoni Goni, or of John Williams (on "The Guitarist"). You haven't really heard Koyunbaba until you've heard this one.

Ms. Afshar's five Persian ballads are evocative, and only available on this CD. As a plus for guitarists, Mel Bay has issued the score of all five.

This CD is music to be enjoyed!

Remarkable work by Lily Afshar.......2001-03-21

This CD is one of my most priced CD's in my collection of classical guitar songs. Truly remarkable work by Dr. Afshar.

Average customer rating:

The Best Compilation of the Man on 2 Discs! Great Sound Quality Too!
Relaxing and Enticing to the Ear
A little something for everybody

The Ultimate Guitar Collection

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Classic Williams: Romance of the Guitar
The Guitarist
El Diablo Suelto - Guitar Music of Venezuela
Spanish Guitar Music
Essential Guitar: 33 Guitar Masterpieces

ASIN: B0007TFH52
Release Date: 2005-03-29

Tracks:

Suite Espanola, Op.47: Asturias (Leyenda)
Cavatina From The Deer Hunter
Lute Suite No.4 In E Major, BWV 1006a: Prelude
Triangular Situations
Recuerdos De La Alhambra
Romance
Dance From La Vida Breve
Sonata In E Major, K 380
Como Llora Una Estrella (Valse-Cancion)
The Mission
El Colibri
Gymnopedie No.3
Courante
La Catedral
El Condor Pasa
Salut D'Amour
Malinke Guitars
Concerto For Lute (Guitar), Two Violins (Strings) And Basso Continuo In D Major, R.93: I. Allegro Giusto
The Entertainer

Tracks:

Concierto De Aranjuez: II. Adagio
El Diablo Suelto (Valse)
Preludio En Do Menor (In C Minor)
Suite Espanola, Op.47: Sevilla (Sevillanas)
Gnossienne No.1
Cueca
Schindler's List
Lute Suite No.4 In E Major, BWV 1006a: Gavotte
Nkosi Sikelel'i Afrika
Pavane
Trio For Violin, Lute (Guitar) And Basso Continuo In C Major, R.82: III. Allegro
Sunburst
The Godfather
Scherzino Mexicano
Aeolian Suite For Guitar And Small Orchestra: I. Aeolian Chant
3 Blues For Classic Guitar: Spanish Guitar Blues
3 Blues For Classic Guitar: Blues For Felix
3 Blues For Classic Guitar: Swing 59
The Black Decameron: The Flight Of The Lovers Through The Valley Of The Echoes
Una Limosna Por El Amor De Dios
Saltarello
12 Piezas Caracteristicas, Op.92: No.12 Torre Bermeja (Serenato)

Customer Reviews:

The Best Compilation of the Man on 2 Discs! Great Sound Quality Too!.......2006-04-21

The title very aptly describes this great classical guitar album showcasing some of the best ever works of John Williams on 2 discs. The track selections are great as they span the centuries from the Baroque greats of Bach and Vivaldi to the modern day composers such as Stanley Myers and York. John even flirts with Blues and Jazz-style pieces and they actually sound very good. In addition, they did a much better mastering job on this version than on the single disc, "Classic John Williams" album that was released a few years earlier and so the sound quality is much better. John Williams' playing is without peer and his technique is superior to the vast majority of the exponents of classical guitar that are out there. I've heard recordings of many others who have tried to play "Cavatina" for example and they have never come close to the natural and flowing version that John plays. If you are a fan of this type of music or of John Williams' work, this is the best compilation that you can get that's out there. Highly recommended!

Relaxing and Enticing to the Ear.......2006-01-26

The first song on this set is why I bought the whole album. It blows you away listening to the precise picking and the gorgeous way it is done. Not robotic like some freaks out there. This is true beautiful music. Runs together like a long summer drive in the country. It is just a perfect album to listen to at home or on the go.

A little something for everybody.......2005-06-15

First, this is gorgeous guitar playing by someone who knows what he's doing. John Williams (not to be confused by the film score composer of the same name) is a superb classical guitarist. Many of these pieces are *classical* in nature, while a few are more *popular*. Many are solo, the rest in small chamber groups. Some will get your toes tapping, some will start you daydreaming, and some will make you cry with their beauty. All of it is magnificent.

Christopher Parkening - The Great Recordings ~ By America's Preeminent Guitar Virtuoso

Average customer rating:

Excellent recording
Highly Recommended!
Amazing
A gentleman musical agreement!
Extreme virtuosity

Christopher Parkening - The Great Recordings ~ By America's Preeminent Guitar Virtuoso
Johann Sebastian Bach , François Couperin , Gabriel Fauré , Isaac Albeniz , Anonymous , Francisco Tarrega (y Eixea) , Silvius Leopold Weiss , Claude Debussy , Maurice Ravel , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Gordon Young , Georg Philipp Telemann , Heitor Villa-Lobos , Manuel de Falla , Manuel Ponce , Enrique Granados , Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco , Andrew York , Fernando Sor , Gaspar Sanz , Joaquin Rodrigo , and Christopher Parkening
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

Christopher Parkening plays Bach
Simple Gifts: Christopher Parkening
In the Spanish Style / Christopher Parkening
The Christopher Parkening Guitar Method - Volume 2: Guitar Technique
Christopher Parkening - A Tribute to Segovia

ASIN: B000002RTR
Release Date: 1993-09-14

Tracks:

Fugue From Violin Sonata No. 1, BWV 1001 - J S Bach
Estudio brillante
Etude No. 1 In E Minor
Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Leyenda
Romance
Rumores de la Caleta
Capricho Arabe
Cantata 147: Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Well-Tempered Clavier: Prelude No. 1
Well-Tempered Clavier: Prelude No. 6
Cantata 140: Sleepers Awake
Prelude, Fugue, And Allegro: Allegro
Cantata 208: Sheep May Safely Graze
Les Barricades mysterieuses
Preambulo & Allegro vivo: Preambulo And Allegro vivo
Passacaglia
The Girl With The Flaxen Hair
Gymnopedie No. 1
Empress Of The Pagodas
Afro-Cuban Lullaby

Tracks:

Fourth Lute Suite: Praludium
Fairest Lord Jesus
Praise Ye The Lord, K. 339
Simple Gifts
Hymn Of Christian Joy
Cantata 29: We Thank Thee, Lord
Cantata 156: Arioso
Cantata 99: What God Hath Done
Canon
Dolly Suite: Berceuse
La Vida breve: Spanish Dance No. 1
Terezinha De Jesus
Prelude (In The Baroque Style)
Goyescas: Intermezzo
Prelude & Fugue No. 4 In E: Fugue
Evening Dance
Variations On A Theme Of Mozart
Canarlos
La Maja de Goya
El Noi de la Mare
Concierto de Aranjuez: Adagio - J. Rodrigo

Customer Reviews:

Excellent recording.......2007-05-12

If you are a fan of classical guitar than this is a must own set. I enjoy every moment.

Highly Recommended!.......2006-12-23

I would recommend this CD to anyone who loves music--period! Christopher Parkening is unquestionably one of the greatest classical guitarists of all-time. He embodies personal excellence like no other and is a brilliant artist. This CD is a must-have for any classical enthusiast. My favorite pieces include: Tárrega's "Recuerdos de la Alhambra," "Romance," Bach's "Prelude No. 6," and Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez." There are other versions of these pieces as well, but I always prefer Parkening's renditions, as they are oh so extraordinary--especially the recording of Aranjuez!! Other guitarists never seem to capture the essence of Rodrigo's musical masterpiece (e.g., Göran Söllescher in "Mad About Guitars"). But Parkening did! And the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was a perfect accompaniment.

This CD is definitely worth buying. Included is a CD booklet, which illustrates the history of Parkening's illustrious career, interesting tidbits about all 25 recorded pieces, and several photos of his early life to his "breathtaking performance" at Rodrigo's 90th birthday celebration at the Royal Festival Hall in London, 1992.

Amazing.......2006-05-08

I am not going to go into great detail. I am working on a degree in classical guitar and I can say this is something to strive for. His musical interpretation of the peices represented here are some of the best I've heard. His tone,color, and phrasing is incredible.

A gentleman musical agreement! .......2006-03-16

In guitar ` s playing there have been many renowned performers, gifted of exuberant technique. But curiously the Apollonian playing is not by itself strictly enough. The guitar is the instrument which is closer to heart as any other one. It demands from you passion and sentiment. There have been three well known guitarists, one of them from England and the other one from Spain and the third one from Japan whose sensibility was totally absent in their performances.

But fortunately for us, there have been notable interpreters that have been maintained a desired balance and contrast between brain and heart, achieving great distinction and total acknowledgement around the world. I would name seven primordial names along the instrument `s story. First of all: the mythic soloist Andres Segovia, Regino Sainz de la Maza, John Williams, Alirio Diaz, Manuel Berrueco, Siegfried Behrend and Christopher Parkening, among the most representative ones of a great list.

Christopher Parkening `s career has made a brilliant colorist, an impeccable and sensitive interpreter of this well reduced repertoire. His profound artistic conviction and convincing phrasing has been a perpetual motive of constant invitations and presentations around the world.

Extreme virtuosity.......2005-09-25

CP has become my chief inspiration to improve as a classical guitarist. His performances here are, without exception, phenomenal. He makes the most difficult pieces sound effortless. I prefer CP over John Williams because, while Williams is also unquestionably a master, he sounds a bit robotic to me at times. CP, on the other hand, never sacrifices musicality to precision. He sublimely maintains both.

Average customer rating:

One of he greatest voice ever!
overall
Beautiful

Zarzuela Arias & Duets

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Spanish & Portugese | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Caballe, Montserrat | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

$7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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Similar Items:

Preludes & Choruses From Zarzuelas
Romanzas de Zarzuelas
Zarzuela: Spanish Operetta
On the Wings Of Song and Zarzuela Arias - Victoria de los Angeles
Gitano

ASIN: B000003FW6
Release Date: 1995-09-04

Tracks:

El Rey que rabi?: Mi t?o se figura
El Caser?o: Bueno d?as
La Canci?n del olvido: Marinela, Marinela
El Cabo primero: Yo quiero a un hombre
La Leyenda Del Beso: Amor, mi raza sabe conquistar
Bohemios: No quiero que sepa que aqu? vengo yo
La generala: Mi dulce sueno de adolescente
MARINA: Pensar en ?l
La Dolores: !Dolores m ... ! Aquu!
El Nino jud?o: De Espana vengo
Luisa Fernanda: Caballero del alto plumero
La Rosa del Azafr?n: No me duele que se vaya
Don Gil de AlcalBendita cruz
El D?o de la Africana: Comprende lo grave de mi situaci?n

Customer Reviews:

One of he greatest voice ever!.......2007-01-10

A privilege to hear this wonderful voice in these native, for her, works.

overall.......2006-03-16

Great recording
Great music selection, Great orchestration

Every thing is what I was looking for.
I wish you had the same subjects in DVD
Thank you

Beautiful.......2001-09-29

This is a must have if you are not familiar with zarzuela (Madrid's response to Vienna's operetta). It's a nice combination of arias sung by Caballe in beautiful voice and joined by her husband tenor Bernabe Marti for the duets. The CD comes with translations for non Spanish speaking which will greatly improve your satisfaction.
Caballe is in as beautful voice as ever and feels at home with this non very taxing repertoire. She doesn't overindulge in her other times frequent "floatiness" and is very expressive throughout. Thogh sometimes when some coloratura is needed she tends to drop the consonants blurring her enunciation of the words. We are used to this from her opera recordings though she's not as bad as Sutherland.
Marti is a nice tenor but is not in the same league as Caballe. That's why he never got star recognition though he made a few recordings whith his wife, like Bellini's "Il Pirata". His is a lyrical tenor, a little throaty but with nice projection of the sound. He sounds a little strained over the "passagio" but hits all the notes. More importantly, he compensates for his lack of vocal lustre with burning impersonations of his characters. Passionate and burning in some, tender and caressing in others. In this respect is better than his wife who is a little more doll like hidding behind her vocal resources. So I specially enjoyed the many and varied duets in this recording.
Strongly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Que Viva Zarzuela!!
Preludes & Choruses From Zarzuelas
overall
The Dance of the Lovers is Here!
¡Olé!

Preludes & Choruses From Zarzuelas

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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Similar Items:

Zarzuela Arias & Duets
Zarzuela: Spanish Operetta
Romanzas de Zarzuelas
Viva la Zarzuela!
Gitano

ASIN: B00007FKQI
Release Date: 2003-02-18

Tracks:

Preludio
El Noble Gremio...
Intermedio
Coro De Doctores
Preludio
Intermedio
Seguidillas
Preludio
Preludio
Se Marcha Furioso
Preludio
Intermedio
Ronda De Enamorados
Preludio (II Acto)
Ensalada Madrilena

Customer Reviews:

Que Viva Zarzuela!!.......2006-11-10

Zarzuela is Spanish operetta. This is a fine collection of choruses and preludes from various famous Zarzuelas, particularly for a beginner in the genre. If however you have been "enrollado" in Zarzuela for a while it's a lot like popular classics or "Opera Goes to the Movies" It'll be stuff you've heard before. Maestro Roa knows how to conduct with finess and fire, whichever is required and the performances are easy to appreciate and very easy to understand the lyrics if you speak Spanish. I highly reccommend this disc to anyone who wants to take away the veil of mystery surrounding Zarzuela and start exploring on your own. This disc is an excellent place to begin!

Preludes & Choruses From Zarzuelas.......2006-07-17

Preludes & Choruses From Zarzuelas~ Miguel Roa was something quite new to me. Having mostly listened to classical from France, Germany, Austria, Russia and Italy I had not listened much to Spanish composers. The end result is that the music is very easy to listen to but feels light and I feel that it sounds a bit to much like movie soundtrack music. The book-let is quite well done and the painting on the front is splendid. The liner notes and the essay inside are well done and it is not overlong or too verbose. I must say that I had never ever heard of any of these composers before and it was a with an adventurous spirit that I started listening to this recording and to my pleasant surprise it was quite good and I therefore give it 4 out 5 stars.

overall.......2006-03-16

Great selections
Great orchestration
Every thing I was expecting
Wish you had this or any other like it in DVD
thank you

The Dance of the Lovers is Here!.......2003-09-07

For many years an ancient 78 of one of the items found on this welcome CD was the most requested item for playing on the national radio broadcaster in Australia. Requests for full details of the item always yielded an announcement that everything on the record label was printed in Spanish, that there was not much of it, and all that could be deciphered and translated approximated to "The Dance of the Lovers".

Well, the same item features on Track 13 of this CD in a digitally recorded 1999 Madrid recording, and full information is provided about it and the other zarzuela excerpts in notes by Manuel Garcia Franco. This once popular item on Australian airwaves is a simple verse and chorus, the first in the minor and the second in the major mode. Framed in a short introduction and coda, it is sung twice, and what the female chorus members sing the first time is sung by the male chorus members the second time, and vice versa.

Although the Spanish composers of the zarzuela excerpts included here are represented in my collections by solo items from singers such as Supervia and de los Angeles, the choruses and orchestral excerpts found on this CD are all new to my ears. I have never seen a zarzuela and, welcoming and recommending this collection of samples, would like to read reviews or communications from others with better information.

¡Olé!.......2003-02-26

I know almost nothing about zarzuelas, other than that they're Spanish light operas, immensely popular in Spanish-speaking areas and virtually unknown everywhere else. Why they didn't travel and Viennese operetta did, I'll never know; they're a heckuva lot more exciting!

If this disc is any indication, the music, the rhythm, the overall feeling of zarzuela music is infectious. I put this CD on and then couldn't stop listening to it. According to the liner notes, these orchestral selections and choruses are among the best-known from this genre. I can see why they're popular. The playing and singing of the Comunidad de Madrid Orchestra and Chorus are exemplary.

Now please excuse me, while I go sign up for castanet lessons.

World Music: