Strings of Africa [Box set]

Disc: 1

1. Chant Avec Cithare

2. Chant de Femmes

3. Ubuhuha

4. Uuhuha

5. Complainte Avec Viele Monocorde

6. Chant et Arc Musical

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Gorodo

2. Vontsarotse

3. Revoro

4. Lomalilaly

5. Retsivery

6. Zahay Mangala-Bohinko Azy E Ia

See all 10 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Chant de Louanges Avec Petit Luth et Choeur de Voix a Bouche Fermee

2. Chant de Louanges Avec Guitare et Voix

3. Solo de Flute

4. Tambours

5. Chanteur de Louanges Avec Harped en Calabasse

6. Filles

See all 9 tracks on this disc

Tracks:

Bi Lambam
Salaman
Kita Kaira
Bafoulabe
Cheiknah Demba
Kora Bali
Kadiatou
Yamfa

Amazon.com

Back in the early '70s, a recording by kora masters Sidiki Diabate and Djelimadi Sissoko called Cordes Anciennes first brought this rich acoustic music of Mali to the world. More than 20 years later, their sons, the now world-famous Toumani Diabate and the junior Ballake Sissoko, have come together to pay tribute to their fathers with 1999's New Ancient Strings. While many of the songs come from the original repertoire, the music is all modern Mali. Toumani Diabate has toured the world as a soloist, as a member of fusion groups like Songhai (with flamenco fusionist Ketama), and he has incorporated subtle changes into his music that makes it a living affirmation of the strength of the ancient harp of Africa. Together Diabate and Sissoko explore their fathers' roots while traveling their own new routes. This is the first all-acoustic kora recording Diabate has done since his stunning Kaira, released more than 10 years prior to New Ancient Strings, and it shows a mature and forward-looking artist that would make the elder Diabate proud. --Louis Gibson

Customer Reviews:

Pure beauty .......2007-03-22

Another reviewer said that this music 'grows on you"- but on me it didn't have to. I think this is the most purely beautiful music I've ever heard (that, and certain pages of Bach and Mozart).

Even though - or because - it's desert music, it conjures up fast-flowing water at night: it's mellow, quiet, deeply relaxing, yet full of energy. I can listen to it before going to bed or while at work. I've never tried to play it when other people are around though, it strikes me as 'private moment' music. Think I might play it at my next dinner party to see whether the conversation stops!

I've been listening to West African music for years now, and it's all beautiful. But if you have to own only one CD of music from the Sahel, make it this one.

CELESTIAL MELODIES!!!!!.......2005-10-02

THIS IS THE KIND OF MUSIC I EXPECT TO LISTEN TO, WHEN I GO TO HEAVEN!!!!....WELL,.......IF I END UP GOING THERE!!!
I DON'T KNOW OF A TUNE MORE HARMONIOUS, ETHEREAL AND DIVINE THAN "KITA KAIRA"......OF ALL THE EARTHLY MUSIC THAT I'VE LISTENED TO, THIS IS THE CLOSEST THING TO HEAVENLY MUSIC!!!!
"YAMFA" IS ANOTHER OUTSTANDING MELODY FROM THIS GEM!!!
FROM THE "KAIRA" ALBUM..."ALLA LA KE", "KONKOBA" AND "KAIRA", COMPLEMENT THESE MASTERPIECES OF HARMONY!!!
I JUST HAVE TO THANK GOD FOR ALLOWING ME TO LISTEN TO THIS HEAVENLY MUSIC,.....RIGHT HERE..........ON EARTH!!!
TOUMANI AND BALLAKE THE TALENTED ANGELS ON KORAS!!!

The most unique CD I own. Absolutely Magical!.......2004-06-07

Thank God for Amazon's music samples. It's impossible to describe to someone just what this plucked African string music sounds like. You have to hear it for yourself. It's absolute auditory refreshment.

Heavenly !.......2003-05-17

this is one of my favorites. needless to say, it is beautifully ritualistic in the light of tranquility.

This should be 5 STARs only.......2003-02-12

Only 4.5 stars? What? Come on? This album is one of the most serene, tranquil, and masterful African albums I have heard. And I personally own over 120 albums from the continent. This is one of my favorites. Why? Well, the moment I turn this on, I am instantly transformed underwater to a surging seaweed garden. The seaweed is going back and forth slowly and in unison. I am submerged, weightless and floating. (Yes, I am sober.) The mood created by the instruments and musicians in this album is incredible. Very few albums affect my mood the way this one does. And I can listen over and over and over and it does the same effect everytime. I wouldn't be surprised if the reviewer at Amazon.com gets this album and listens to it while he/she is posting my review. This really is a 5-star work and only that. You will not be disappointed with owning this.

Average customer rating:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!
Beginner or Expert
Very Informative and Enjoyable
Frank's view
Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra

Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006O0NT
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

Overture To 'Tannhauser'
Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
Hungarian Dance No.7
The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
Csardas Music
The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
Tzigane
Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
Caprice No.24
The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
The Violin Muted
Clair De Lune
The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
The Pizzicato Violin
Pizzicato Polka
In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
Hungarian Dance No.4
Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
Bolero
Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
Elfenreigen

Tracks:

Introduction To The Viola
Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
Cypresses (No.9)
The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
The 'Period' Viola In Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
Elfentanz, Op.39
Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
The Protecting Veil (Opening)
A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
Flamenco
Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
Symphony No.9 (Finale)
Introduction To The Double-Bass
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
Elegy No.1 In D Major
The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
Capriccio Di Bravura
Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
Sa'Dawi
Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
Chamber Music No.II
The Piccolo - Aptly Named
La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
A Variety Of Techniques
Chamber Music No.II
Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
Naelden, Naelden
The Bachian Oboe
Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
The Swan Of Tuonela
The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
Bolero
The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
...And Quite Low.
Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
Introduction To The Saxophone
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
Bolero
The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
Sax-O-Phun
The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
Bolero
The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
Symphony No.3 (Opening)
The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
The Ceremonial Trumpet
Fanfare For The Common Man
Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
Billy The Kid
The Trumpet As Character Actor
Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
The Birth Of The Trombone
Aenmerckt Nu Hier
The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
Canzon 12 In Double Echo
The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
Hosannah
The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
The Trombone As Caricaturist
Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
The Horn And The Hunt
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
Walter Music (Minuet 1)
The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
Den Hoboecken Dans
Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
Gymnopedie No.2
The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
The Birth Of The Bongo
Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
Taking Advantage Of Tunability
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
Ravel And The Xylophone
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
Introducing The Vibraphone
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
Folk Dances
The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
Introducing The Tubular Bells
Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
Carmen Suite (Introduction)
But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Introducing The Celeste
The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
Petrushka (Russian Dance)
The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
Mahler's Sleighbells
Symphony No.4 (Opening)
A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Nocturnes
Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
The Oboe As Duck
Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
A Thunderstorm In A Million
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
Octet In F (Mvt 3)
The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
Canzon 28
Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
Images (Gigues)
A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

Tracks:

Sarabande [From Barry Lyndon]
Main Theme [From Midnight Cowboy]
Promenade Sentimentale [From Dive] - Mark Ayres
May It Be [From the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the]
Women of Ireland [From Barry Lyndon]
Adagio for Strings & Organ [From Gallipoli [
Romeo/Love Theme [From Romeo & Juliet)
Balcony Scene [From Romeo + Juliet]
Main Theme [From Chariots of Fire] - Mark Ayres
Main Theme [From Bilitis] - Mark Ayres
Main Theme [From Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence] - Mark Ayres
Main Theme [From Cinema Paradiso]
Main Theme [From Once Upon A Time in the West]
Deborah's Theme [From Once Upon A Time in America]
Suite: The Mission/Gabriel's Oboe/On Earth as It Is in Heaven ... - City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, Crouch End Festival Chorus

Tracks:

Suite: Mountains and Sunsets/The Wedding/You Only Live Twice [From You
Heart Asks Pleasure First [From The Piano]
Agnus Dei [From Platoon] - Crouch End Festival Chorus
Vide Cor Meum [From Hannibal]
Adagietto from Symphony No. 5 [From DeAth in Venice]
Any Other Name/Dead Already [from American Beauty] - Rick Clark,
Into the West [From the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King]
Where Dreams Are Made [From Artificial Intelligence]
Main Theme [From Somewhere in Time]
We Have All the Time in the World [From on Her Majesty's Secret ...]
Electronic Battlefield [From Patriot Games]
Now We Are Free [From Gladiator]
Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana [From Raging Bull]
Cavatina [From the DeErhunter]
Main Theme [From Out of Africa]

Customer Reviews:

"cinema's main stay themes prevail ~ City of Prague".......2004-08-15

What a crowning achievement to bring "Reel Chill:Cinematic Chillout Album", released by Silva America and featuring The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and the Crouch End Festival Chorus ~ conductors are Mark Ayres, Paul Bateman, Rick Clark, James Fitzpatrick, Nic Raine and David Temple director of the chorus ~ one can only expect the highest quality of performances and quench the thirst of all "film-score-buffs".

Sit back and unleash the first disc with composers ~ Albinoni, Craig Armstrong, John Barry, Vladimir Cosma, Enya & Nicky Ryan, Handel, Francis Lai, Ennio Morricone, Sean O'Riorda, Nino Rota, Ryvichi Sakamoto and Vangelis ~ taking each film score cue "BILITIS", "CHARIOTS OF FIRE", "CINEMA PARADISO", "DIVA", "GALLIPOLI", "THE LORD OF THE RINGS:THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING", "BARRY LYNDON", "MERRY CHRISTMAS MR. LAWRENCE", "MIDNIGHT COWBOY", "THE MISSION", "ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA", "ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST", "ROMEO & JULIET" and "ROMEO + JULIET", with arrangements that soar and then simmer into pure meditation of grandeur ~ classic film music prevails, as orchestration comes to the surface with pure originality ~ one masterpiece after another is long last presented as it should have been, is cause for celebration ~ each cue is a distinctive gift for striking modernism, touching on the transition of the period in this planets history.

Second disc is waiting in the wings are composers ~ Samuel Barber, John Barry, Patrick Cassidy, James Horner, Mahler, Mascagni, Stanley Myers, Thomas Newman, Michael Nyman, Howard Shore, John Williams and Hans Zimmer/Lisa Gerrard ~ take a musical ride with "AMERICAN BEAUTY", "A.I. ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE", "DEATH IN VENICE", "DEER HUNTER", "GLADIATOR", "HANNIBAL", "THE LORD OF THE RINGS:RETURN OF THE KING", "ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE", "OUT OF AFRICA", "PATRIOT GAMES", "THE PIANO", "PLATOON", "RAGING BULL", "SOMEWHERE IN TIME" and "YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE" ~ our composers with passion and skill for exploring human emotions, coupled with a unique gift for striking exotic orchestral colors, make this with all it's splendor unforgettable ~ themes that ring with familiarity as each film comes to mind through music.

Silva America gives the collector a treasure of thirty film cues that any "film-score-buff" would die for ~ in the past James Fitzpatrick (producer), Reynold da Silva (executive producer), mastered by Rick Clark and David Stoner (release co-ordinator) have given us compilation with such expertise and this one is no exception ~ keep up the outstanding limited editions and deluxe package releases, with your signature tidbits for all film music fans that's in all of us...gotta love it!

Total Time: 2-CD-Set ~ Silva America 1161 ~ (8/10/2004)

Average customer rating:

Simply Amazing!
One world
Beautiful
Breathtaking!
Beautiful. Simply beautiful.

No Boundaries

Manufacturer: Heads Up
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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

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Similar Items:

Voices from Heaven
Long Walk to Freedom
Raise Your Spirit Higher: Wenyukela
The Best of Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Blessed

ASIN: B00070EBDK
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Tracks:

Jabulani-Rejoice
Homeless
Awu Wemadoda
Amazing Grace
Dona Nobis Pacem
Ngingenwe Emoyeni (Wind Of The Spirit Of God)
Umzuzu Nayi Ujesu
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Sanctus (Heilig, Heilig, Heilig)
Ave Verum Corpus
Lifikile Ivangeli
Walil' Umtwana (The Child Is Crying)

Amazon.com

Ladysmith Black Mambazo proved itself pliable enough when the a capella group was heavily featured on Paul Simon's Graceland. Other crossover collaborations have followed, but few work as seamlessly as this collection, which features old LBM songs, Zulu traditionals and European classical material done in collaboration with the English Chamber Orchestra. The rich vocal sound literally fuses with the classical musicians in much the same way as a classical choral group does. To its credit, the orchestra (and arranger Isak Roux) loosens up to fit the more oral/aural traditions of the singers--the music is less precise and reliant on virtuosity. The orchestra provides a particularly sympathetic counterpoint on the traditional "Awu Wemadoda" and is downright playful sounding on "Dona Nobis Pacem." Sounding as elegant and reverent, Ladysmith more than meets the orchestra halfway on the famous Bach choral piece "Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring." Making borders and boundaries irrelevant, this is a work of startling beauty that couldn't be improved upon. --Tad Hendrickson

More Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Graceland
Gift of the Tortoise
Raise Your Spirit Higher

Journey of Dreams
Gospel Songs
Umthombo Wamanzi

Customer Reviews:

Simply Amazing!.......2007-02-12

I have been a fan of Ladysmith for many years and have a few of their albums but this is simply amazing! Music truly has no boundaries and they have used their God given talent to touch the lives of many people. It doesn't sound like it's possible, but they have really crossed many boundaries and this album is just another example of how far one can go if only they believe!

One world.......2007-01-12

This CD has multipal messages, but the one that strikes me most is the juxtaposition of European "classical" and African "classical". The human soul is one and at the same time unique. That message comes through clearly, and as a bonus, the powerful messages that each track provides in both content and style must not be missed.

Beautiful.......2005-04-26

I had never heard of this group before and since I like to investigate different types of music, I decided to give it a try. I have truly enjoyed this CD. The more I listen, the more I like. I would highly recommend.

Breathtaking! .......2005-02-11

When I first saw the album, I thought---what???? Traditionally, Ladysmith Black Mambazo sings acapella with the notable exceptions of the times they accompany Paul Simon. The group sings a beautiful, close harmony and uses vocalese techniques to provide the occasional percussive click or ululation. Still, the lineup was hard to resist.

"No Boundaries" is pretty amazing stuff, let me tell you. With the help of the English Chamber Orchestra directed by Ralph Gothoni, the two groups meet together on each other's common ground. Ladysmith sings traditional "Amazing Grace", Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" Schubert's "Sanctus." Then the orchestra gets into the African groove for music from South Africa.

Altogether a beautifully arranged, sung, and orchestrated work. If you are new to Ladysmith, this is a good CD to start. If you're an old fan, you'll definitely want "No Boundaries" to complete your collection.

Beautiful. Simply beautiful........2005-02-05

The collaboration between Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the English Chamber Orchestra cannot be improved. The sound that both ensembles make together truly is beautiful indeed, as the original Mambazo songs (of which includes "Jabulani (Rejoice)", "Lifikile Ivangeli (The Gospel Arrives)"), the Zulu traditional selections ("Awu Wemadoda (Hey, Man)", "Walil'Umntwana (The Child is Crying)") to the classicals "Dona Nobis Pacem", a joyous song in its own right, "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" and "Ave Verum Corpus". This album definately and distinctly proves that music has no boundaries. Mambazo founder and lead singer Joseph Shabalala and Orchestra conductor Ralf Gothoni (along with arranger Isak Roux) have brought to their many fans a selection of compelling and captivating tunes.

Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos 1-5; Wedding Cake Caprice-Valse

Average customer rating:

A very good collection of moving compositions.
Nothing but the Best
Buy it for all the five concerti, just don't expect much from the second concerto

Saint-Saëns: Piano Concertos 1-5; Wedding Cake Caprice-Valse

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Saint-Saens: Introduction and Rondo capriccioso in Am; Danse macabre Op40
Poulenc: Piano Works
Prokofiev: The Five Piano Concertos; Overture on Hebrew Themes
Beethoven: Piano Trios, Vol. 1; Itzhak Perlman; Vladimir Ashkenazy; Lynn Harrell
Beethoven: Piano Trios, Vol. 2; Itzhak Perlman; Vladimir Ashkenazy; Lynn Harrell

ASIN: B0002XV30Q
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Tracks:

I. Andante - Allegro Assai
II. Andante Sostenuto Quasi Adagio
III. Allegro Con Fucco
I. Andante Sostenuto
II. Allegro Scherzando
III. Presto
I. Allegro Moderato - Andante
II. Allegro Vivace - Andante - Allegro

Tracks:

I. Moderato Assai - Piu Mosso (Allegro Maestoso)
II. Andante
III. Allegro Non Troppo
I. Allegro Animato
II. Andante - Allegretto Tranquillo Quasi Andantino
III. Molto Allegro
Wedding Cake - Caprice-Valse Op.76
Africa Fantaisie Op.89

Customer Reviews:

A very good collection of moving compositions........2007-05-07

We heard the Piano Concerto No. 5 in F on National Public Radio and decided that we must have this piece of music in our CD collection. We selected this CD since the two CDs allowed us to purchase all 5 of Camille Saint-Saens' Piano Concertos. This CD has become one of our favorites and we play it often, discovering more interest in the work of Saint-Saens with each playing.

Camille Saint-Saens' sense of drama, his lyric runs, his ability to evoke mystery, all make this listening experience highly recommended. I am fascinated by the way Saint-Saens creates rich variations of his themes as he takes us from movement to movement. Saint-Saens has the ability to develop ethereal melodies and variations on themes that are hypnotic and mystical. His piano runs are pushed for dramatic effect. The creative and amusing variations of his themes are pleasant and amusing.

This CD is highly recommended. In addition to the 5 Piano Concertos, Saint-Saens' Wedding Cake Caprice and the Africa Fantaisie are included. I found Jean-Phillippe Collard's interpretation to be masterful and rich, capturing the vast complexity and variation that Saint-Saens created in his compositions.

Nothing but the Best.......2007-04-01

To the other reviewer, you are a fool to give these CDs anything less than 5 stars, and you should be banished to hearing Fur Elise permanently until you repent of your ways. As a classical piano composer and teacher, I am definetely spoiled with piano music, it's true. But this is a real gem, TRUE ART, where even a metronome is rendered petty and useless to this, thank you very, very, much. Saint-Saen's 5 Piano Concertos, and David Helfgott's performance of Rachmaninoff's 3rd Piano Concerto IS as good as it gets. This is art with a soul, their is no hidden agenda, no undercurrent to this music. This recording is fine, don't listen to the other reviewer. I would give it 10 stars if I had the option. Much of these 2 CDs is compltely unique in the realm of piano music. The 2nd Mov. of the 5th Concerto is unforgettable, just to name one. Go ahead and get this one, if you don't, you are sinning, right now.

Buy it for all the five concerti, just don't expect much from the second concerto.......2006-06-01

There are two albums of Saint-Saens' complete piano concerti available in the Amazon catalogue. This from EMI classics, and one from Decca. With two extra tracks thrown in (the "Wedding Cake" waltz, Opus 76, and "Africa Fantaisie," opus 89), this is the better bargain. Plus it's cheaper. I highly recommend it for these reasons, especially if your only interest is familiarization with all of Saint-Saens' five piano concertos, as was mine. Whether the Charles Dutoit performance is better, I can't say as I don't own it.

As for the performances in this disc:

My interest in Saint-Saens' piano concertos was fired up when I first heard his 2nd Piano Concerto performed by Cecile Licad. That stupendous performance (yes, I considered that adjective very carefully and find it absolutely appropriate) was also conducted by Andre Previn and accompanied by the London Philharmonic Orchestra (another Brit orchestra). That recording is also available in Amazon catalogue. Do buy it if you are a connoisseur of Saint Saens' second piano concerto. It is a definitive performance, one that am sure even Saint-Saens would approve of VERY enthusiastically. Just listen to the cadenza of the first movement in the Music Sampler and hear for yourselves.

Now back to this album. As noted earlier, it is also conducted by Andre Previn. But what a difference a pianist makes. I refer here to the performance of the second piano concerto. I skip it, actually. Having been spoiled--blissfully, ecstatically--by the Licad stunner, I cannot bear the stultifying interpretation in this one. I just listen to the other piano concertos and enjoy them. These piano concertos are excitingly atmospheric, with the composer's unmistakable mix of boister and mystery. As noted from an Amazon review of the Decca album, a recording of all of Saint Saent's five piano concerti is rare enough. So for that reason and the cheap price, this album is a good buy. I just try not wonder how other pianists, like Licad for instance, would play them. I just enjoy Saint Saent's piano music, The other performances are still very enjoyable, excluding other considerations. After I received this album from my sister as her Amazon gift, I now know that Saint Saen's piano concertos really rock!!! They are for me.

For the price and the extra tracks I'd give this album four stars. But for its dismal second piano concerto (cringe, cringe), three stars.

Average customer rating:

Highly recommended

Ultimate Movie Album

Manufacturer: Polygram Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Paramount 90th Anniversary Collection: Scores
Reel Love: The Cinematic Romance Album
Reel Chill: The Cinematic Chillout Album
The Incredible Film Music Box
The Queen

ASIN: B00005QC28
Release Date: 2001-11-20

Tracks:

Bridget Jones's Diary: Out Of Reach - Gabrielle
Gladiator: Now We Are Free - Gavin Greenaway
Moulin Rouge: One Day I'll Fly Away - Nicole Kidman
Notting Hill: When You Say Nothing At All - Ronan Keating
American Beauty: Dead Already - Thomas Newman
Braveheart: Main Theme - For The Love Of A Princess - London Symphony Orchestra
Four Weddings And A Funeral: You're The First, The Last, My Everything - Barry White
O Brother Where Art Thou: Down To The River To Pray - Alison Krauss
Hannibal: Vide Cor Meum - Gavin Greenaway
The Shawshank Redemption: Courtyard Theme: Che Soave Zeffiretto (Marriage Of Figaro) - Chor und Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin
The Thomas Crown Affair: Windmills Of Your Mind - Sting
Platoon: Adagio - Neville Marriner
Ghost: Unchained Melody - Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
Fantasia: The Sorcerer's Apprentice - Montreal Symphony Orchestra
The Big Lebowski: Just Dropped In (To See What My Condition Was In) - Kenny Rogers & The First Edition
Philadelphia: La Mamma Morta - Monserrat Caballe
Snatch: Hernando's Hideaway - The Johnstone Brothers
Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels: Eighteen With A Bullet - Lewis Taylor And Carleen Anderson
A Room With A View: O Mio Babbino Caro - Sylvia McNair

Tracks:

Billy Elliot: Cosmic Dancer - Marc Bolan & T-Rex
Captain Corelli's Mandolin: Pelagia's Song - Orchestra
Four Weddings And A Funeral: Love Is All Around - Wet Wet Wet
Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves: Maid Marian At The Waterfall/Everything I Do - Michael Kamen
Dances With Wolves: John Dunbar Theme - John Mauceri
American Beauty: Any Other Name - Thomas Newman
Gladiator: The Battle (Excerpt) - Gavin Greenaway
The Silence Of The Lambs: Goldberg Variations (Aria) - Andrei Gavrilov
Notting Hill: She - Elvis Costello
Pulp Fiction: Son Of A Preacher Man - Dusty Springfield
Mission Impossible: Main Theme - Orchestra
Waking Ned: Let The Draw Begin - Orchestra
Out Of Africa: Love Theme - John Williams
Shine: Piano Concerto No.3 In D Minor, Op.30 - Concertgebouw Orchestra
The Godfather Part III: Intermezzo From Cavalleria Rusticana - Pavarotti
The Mexican: End Credits Medley - The Hollywood Film Chorale
Body Heat: Main Theme - John Williams
Apocalypse Now: The Ride Of The Valkyries - Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Star Trek: The Final Frontier - Main Theme & March Of The Klingons - John Williams

Album Description

UK compilation featuring a combination of hit songs & theme music from some great soundtracks. Tracks include, Gabrielle 'Out Of Reach' (Bridget Jones Diary), 'Now We Are Free' (Gladiator), 'Dead Already' (American Beauty), Alison Kraus 'Down To The River To Pray' (O Brother Where Art Thou), Ronan Keating 'When You Say Nothing At All' (Notting Hill) & many more. 35 tracks on 2 CDs. 2001.

Customer Reviews:

Highly recommended.......2002-08-20

This pricey UK import CD filled a lot of gaps in my music collection and is an excellent overview of notable music of (mostly) recent films. It's difficult to find consistently listenable soundtrack collections like this, by that I mean free from the obligitory Whitney Houston or Celine Dion embarrassments. Usually rights issues prevent comprehensive compilations like this in the US, too. While I enjoy a lot of soundtrack music, there aren't so many complete soundtracks that I would care to own, some examples of exceptions being Ennio Morricone scores and the About a Boy Soundtrack. While certainly most of these tracks are the actual recordings used in their respective films, I noticed that "La mamma morte" from Philadelphia is not the Maria Callas version. There might be other cases like this, I'm not sure. And "Unchained Melody" from Ghost is an orchestral version, not the pop song (but I consider this a plus). This collection seems to focus on the subtle and quirky, yet melodic music of indie films, with less emphasis on the loud sweeping orchestral scores of major Hollywood hits, but of course there are a few like Gladiator and Braveheart, which are welcome here because like I've said, I probably wouldn't listen to the whole score. I love the two Thomas Newman compositions from American Beauty, and it's good to have some music from films by the Cohen Brothers here. My only complaint would have to be the order of the songs. You would think they would avoid jumping back and forth between pop songs, orchestral scores, and quiet music, but it just seems thrown together by random. I would compare this collection to the excellent "Miramax Films Greatest Hits" but the makers of that album knew to group the two pop/rock songs at the end.

Saint-Saëns: The Complete Works for Piano & Orchestra

Average customer rating:

Russian Nights
Renaissance Man
Critically acclaimed - and a favorite of mine, too
A Fine Set, But Not as Fine as It Might Be
An Outstanding Set

Saint-Saëns: The Complete Works for Piano & Orchestra

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Classical | Imports | Stores | Music

Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

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Similar Items:

Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos / Paganini Rhapsody
Saint-Saëns: Les 5 Symphonies
Mendelssohn: Piano Concerti Nos. 1 & 2; Capriccio Brillant; Rondo Brillant
Rubinstein: Piano Concerto No. 4; Scharwenka: Piano Concerto No. 1
Scharwenka: Piano Concerto No. 4 in F minor; Sauer: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor

ASIN: B00005NUPA
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Amazon.com

Pianist Stephen Hough is a certified genius, recipient of a 2001 MacArthur Foundation "genius grant." Although he apparently received the award for his explorations of uncommon piano repertoire, he also deserved it for the quality of his piano tone, which is extremely beautiful, as conveyed here by Hyperion's lush recording of the Saint-Saens piano concertos. Unlike most previous volumes of Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto series, this one includes some familiar works, especially the Second Piano Concerto. If you listen to that first, you'll realize just how good Hough's performances are throughout this set, since he matches any of the great pianists who have recorded the work. Notice the way he zips through the incredibly fast finale without the slightest hint of effort or rush. Although the Second, Fourth, and Fifth Concertos are the only ones still heard in our concert halls, all these pieces have their attractions--especially the delightful waltz "Wedding Cake," which would make a great concert encore. Sakari Oramo, the new music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, provides alert accompaniment, rich in detail, and the orchestra plays beautifully. This isn't an inexpensive set, but quality like this is cheap at any price. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Russian Nights.......2007-05-08

Great music! And it came with a freebie trial CD of some other Classical CDs- like getting a free CD.

Renaissance Man.......2006-04-05

Saint-Saens was a Renaissance man: botany, astronomy, archeology, mathematics, natural history, and philosophy were subjects he participated in throughout his life. He wrote articles, read papers at scientific societies, contributed notes to learned journals on the eclipse of the sun, and published a volume of poetry. Saint-Saens was also a musical child prodigy; began piano lessons at age 2 ½, at 3 wrote his first composition, and memorized a recital of Mozart and Beethoven concertos, as well as music by Handel, Hummel, and Bach. This CD of piano/orchestral works is a showcase of Saint-Saens' brilliant musical mind, one which was considered old-fashioned by modern composers of the time, and fused Classicism and Romanticism together, a style today's society is happy to have, since Saint-Saens could have easily been successful in another career.

The four character pieces for piano and orchestra are all rather interesting. Wedding Cake (6')is a waltz-caprice for piano and strings alone; a dainty showpiece in a whimsical setting, sparring gentility vs. extroverted. The Allegro Appassionato (5') is also a showpiece with lightning-quick orchestral and piano work, with a lush, contrasted middle. Rhapsodie d'Auvergne (8') uses a folk-based melody Saint-Saens heard a French washer-woman singing. Fresh, captivating melody and orchestration, the music is emotionally moving, along with come snappier folk-like ideas in contrast. The last, Africa (9'), is taken from Saint-Saens' many travels abroad: Algeria, Canary Islands, Africa, Russia, South America, USA, Scandinavia, and Indonesia; Saint-Saens in fact studied the folk music of North Africa. The work, Africa, is a sort of fantasy on many tunes from North Africa, another neat orchestral/piano showpiece.

The five piano concertos show a growth in composition from Saint-Saens over a period of time. The first (26')is inspired by the Fontainebleau forest; there is fresh vitality, youthful optimism, as well as occasional Spanish harmonic inflections, a trend Saint-Saens will continue more in his lifetime. The second concerto (21'), with its gruff, minor opening, is a Romantic counterpart to his first; long sweeping lines, a fanciful scherzo, and dramatic sweep throughout show a maturing Saint-Saens. Concerto No. 3 (25')shows Saint-Saens' penchant for melody; while the opening is a bit wandering and ponderous, there is a catchy, heroic theme; an emotional second mvt., and an infectious finale theme, a heavy barcarolle/dance type feel, for an emotional and fun concerto. The fourth concerto (24'), only in two movements, begins with a sneaky theme in a sort of theme and variation form, along with a chorale reminiscent of his "Organ" Symphony, but ending with a lively scherzo, a simple melody, and a dashing finale, showing simplicity and classicism in his mature style. The last concerto (27'), often called "Egyptian", is unabashedly Romantic, including some bold and striking Spanish rhythms, some unusual modes and syncopations, some orientalism (weird voicings and multi-cultural devices that are unusually forward-looking for Saint-Saens), and an optimistic finale. The evolution of time shows Saint-Saens embracing the past, with a special hold on Romanticism, but surprises me with no lack of inventiveness in later life, not to mention a never-quelling mind for tunefulness, evident in all of these works.

These are very good performances by Stephen Hough on piano and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Sakari Oramo. The orchestra is rich and full, all voices speak clearly and play with lightness, humor, and grandeur when asked for; all in all a terrific ensemble presentation. The pianist is remarkably at home; nothing is heavy (which is rarely called for in Saint-Saens), bringing out the classicism in his music. Instead, texture and color are Saint-Saens' best Romantic attributes, and Hough brings those out, not to mention extremely clean playing. The piano is miked close, and the sound is forward and "dry", but Hough backs off when his role requires it, and the piano and orchestra work remarkably well together, playing off one another at times. The Hyperion sound is excellent and makes the disk a success, a resonant atmosphere and crisp playing are captured on this disk well. The CD's are full as well: CD1 at 79+ minutes and CD2 at 76 minutes, is a lot of music, and the extra four character pieces on top of the concertos makes this a must-have. Excellent performances with amazing sound; recommended. TT: 155.28

Critically acclaimed - and a favorite of mine, too.......2003-09-24

This wonderful recording of the Saint-Saens concertos does a fine job of rendering the Romantic style without getting smug about it. Hough gives them an appropriately warm and colourful feel, without lapsing into the overly lush and indistinct sound I associate with other performances. The four non-concerto pieces make this a very nice set, and the flamboyant 'Africa' in particular will keep you coming back for more.

I have always been a fan of Stephen Hough, from the first time I saw his hands dissolve into an utter blur - not for one measure or passage, but for most of a fiery encore (we got three out of him that night!). These discs prove his facility with somewhat mellower fare, and have brought Saint-Saens back to my attention after years of (unintentional) neglect. If you want mighty and massive, Saint-Saens' German or Russian contemporaries will be more satisfying; but lyrical works like these should not be overlooked if you want to be acquainted with the best of the piano concerto form.

A Fine Set, But Not as Fine as It Might Be.......2003-07-29

The most remarkable feature of this recording may also be one of its chief drawbacks-namely that all of Saint-Saens' concerted music of piano is crammed onto two chock-a-block discs. I doubt, given the technical limitations of the compact disc, that Hyperion could have added a brief etude or caprice to either of these CDs. Great value, then, except that it seems this compactness came at a price. Almost all of these works seem rushed in spots, as if Hough and company knew they were working against space constraints. I can't say for a fact that this is true, but while there is no end of brio and élan in these performances, there is often a lack of the Gallic elegance that Saint-Saens also provides in works that, not surprisingly, the suave, fastidious craftsman Maurice Ravel cited as models for his concertos.

If all you know is the popular Second Concerto, which some wag once claimed as traversing music history "from Bach to Offenbach," then you only know the shallowest of Saint-Saens' concertos. If you are not familiar with the Fourth Concerto, Saint-Saens' finest orchestral work, you should be. Built on the same architectural principles as the composer's popular Organ Symphony, this is more successful still and certainly more tasteful, though, as in the Organ Symphony, the finale is the weakest bit and keeps the concerto in the realm of the near-great rather than the great. Hough and Oramo lavish their best work on this concerto, and the performance is a winner, from the mysterious opening to the resounding appearance of the motto theme in chorale treatment by the brass. (After that, it's all downhill for the concerto anyway, as Saint-Saens ends with some especially empty display work for the pianist.)

Elsewhere, I find a lack of willingness on the part of the soloist and conductor to let the music expand naturally. This is especially true in the slow movement of the Egyptian Concerto (No. 5), which here lacks the requisite exoticism and even mysticism, I think. Ditto Saint-Saens' other North Africa-inspired piece titled simply "Africa." There may be something of the slapdash about this work anyway, though I enjoy it, but the performers give this less-than-vintage Saint-Saens no time to breathe, which it sorely needs if it is to survive at all. There's a tendency to rush the charming First Concerto, too, and there, despite all the brilliance, goes some of the charm. On the other hand, the underrated Third Concerto sounds imposing and even important in Hough's performance, and if he can't do much for the commonplace music of the finale, no one else can either.

One other problem has to do with the recording. In general, Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto series has featured fine, natural sound, but here the sound is very close and dry, with the piano placed in an unnaturally forward and rather airless perspective.

So while I'm, as always, impressed by the brilliance of Hough's playing in these concertos, I think something important is missing. And as fine as the Fourth Concerto and parts of the other concertos are in these performances, overall I prefer Jean-Phillipe Collard and Andre Previn. The sound on their EMI discs (catalog number 73356) is more recessed and maybe a little lacking in presence but much more realistic overall. And the performances have all the Gallic elegance that Hough and Oramo's lack. Add to this EMI's two-fer price, and you can't go wrong.

So if your budget allows for two sets of Saint-Saens concertos, certainly Hough's should be one of them. Otherwise, I think Collard is your man.

An Outstanding Set.......2001-12-13

I read a comment several years ago by the pianist Phillipe Entremont that he felt the Saint Saens concerto's lacked the emotional charge of the German concertos (Beethoven, Schumann etc.) I think this comment is shortsighted in that it neglects the many concertos written for the instrument between Beethoven and Saint Saens, a tradition that the Romantic Piano Series provides insight into. It is arguable that Saint Saens (a true Renaissance man) was the most accomplished composer-performer of his day and his piano concertos represent a high point. Perhaps the awful truth is that these concertos are fun to listen to. They are virtuoso pieces that sparkle and delight. Perhaps not as profound as some concertos but works that should be heard much more frequently in the concert hall.

I have had the Roget set for several years and have the Cortot recording of the Fourth concerto, and agree without reservation that Stephan Hough plays remarkably well. He captures the brilliance of these concertos remarkably well. The only drawback of the set is that the Third concerto was recorded at a different venue and has a dryer sound. The added bonus of this set are the shorter pieces Saint Saens wrote for piano and orchestra that were included on this set. For me, this is the set of these concertos to have, and I hope listeners unfamiliar with them will buy it. They do not disappoint.

Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 1; Wedding Cake; Rapsodie d'Auvergne; Allegro appassionato; Africa
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Saint-Saens PC1

Terrific selection and terrific artists for Saint-Saens

Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 1; Wedding Cake; Rapsodie d'Auvergne; Allegro appassionato; Africa

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Saint-Saëns, Camille | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000002RR1
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 1 In D Major, Op. 17: Andante - Allegro assai
Piano Concerto No. 1 In D Major, Op. 17: Andante sostenuto quasi adagio
Piano Concerto No. 1 In D Major, Op. 17: Allegro con fuoco
'Wedding Cake' Caprice-Valse, Op. 76
Rhapsodie d'Auvergne, Op. 73
Allegro appassionato, Op. 70
'Africa' Fantaisie, Op. 89

Customer Reviews:

Saint-Saens PC1.......1999-12-11

It's wonderful. The composer has a magic touch that will move your heart in a very gentle way. A rubdown for the soul.

Terrific selection and terrific artists for Saint-Saens.......1999-12-05

This is one of our favorite CDs - we bought it for the outstanding recording of Rhapsodie d'Auvergne which is a lovely piece - very well done, and found this to be a little gem of a CD - the Piano Concerto #1 is wonderful - see if you can pick up Danny Elfman's theme for the Batman movie in it. Collard is terrific - playing with a nimble passion.

Camille Saint-Saëns: Chamber & Orchestral Pieces For Various Instruments

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Joy and glory, exuberance and pristine musicality!
ANOTHER GREAT COLLECTION FROM THE GREAT FRENCHMAN
ANOTHER GOOD COLLECTION FROM THE GREAT FRENCHMAN

Camille Saint-Saëns: Chamber & Orchestral Pieces For Various Instruments

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Saint-Saëns: Works For Violin, Cello

ASIN: B000001K6N
Release Date: 1994-08-22

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.1 In D Major, Op.17: Andante; Allegro assai
Piano Concerto No.1 In D Major, Op.17: Andante sostenuto, quasi adagio
Piano Concerto No.1 In D Major, Op.17: Allegro con fuoco
Piano Concerto No.2 In G Minor, Op.22: Andante sostenuto
Piano Concerto No.2 In G Minor, Op.22: Allegro scherzando
Piano Concerto No.2 In G Minor, Op.22: Presto
Piano Concerto No.4 In C Minor, Op.44: Allegro moderato
Piano Concerto No.4 In C Minor, Op.44: Allegro vivace; Allegro

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.3 In E-Flat Minor, Op.29: Moderato assai
Piano Concerto No.3 In E-Flat Minor, Op.29: Andante; Allegro non troppo
Piano Concerto No.5 In F Major, Op.103: Allegro animato
Piano Concerto No.5 In F Major, Op.103: Andante
Piano Concerto No.5 In F Major, Op.103: Molto allegro
'Africa,' Fantasy For Piano And Orchestra, Op. 89

Tracks:

Rapsodie d'Auvergne, For Paino And Orchestra, Op.73
'Wedding Cake,' Caprice Valse For Piano And Orchestra, Op.76
Fantasie For Violin And Harp, Op.124: Poco allegretto
Fantasie For Violin And Harp, Op.124: Allegro
Fantasie For Violin And Harp, Op.124: Vivo e grazioso
Fantasie For Violin And Harp, Op.124: Largamente
Fantasie For Violin And Harp, Op.124: Andante con moto
'La muse et le poete,' For Violin, Cello And Orchestra, Op.132
'Cypres et Lauriers,' For Organ And Orchestra, Op.156
'Morceau de concert,' For Horn And Orchestra, Op.94
'Romance,' For Horn And Orchestra, Op.36

Customer Reviews:

Joy and glory, exuberance and pristine musicality!.......2007-02-13

A fair revival of his musical legacy has come, at last. The genius, figure and even melodic brightness of Camile Saint Saens is still distant to be universally accepted. "Why cannot we" , he once said, "understand that in art, as in everything else there are some things to which we must not accustom ourselves."

Because somehow, fortunate or unfortunately for him, these were years of tremendous transition state in all orders. A new world was emerging, where bitter hopes were born from the expected Progress utopia; the art was expanding as a huge tree, where the innovative sounds were in the light of day. And Saint Saens, being an isolated man, did not seem to realize the world far from being attached to musical conservatism, was on the other hand, searching and enriching with new proposals. In transition epochs, the classic mood immersed into the chamber music genre remained in abeyance, because literally, there was not time for his works grew up and be part of the collective memory, falling into oblivion very soon.

On the other hand Berlioz's expansive wave, was extremely huge to maintain mesmerized many generations of French listeners, people or critics. The compass pointed out to Austrian and German lands where Mahler, Wagner and Bruckner were the most eminent composers and its musical legacy was being revised and delighted for outer audiences. Russia would bring another name Stravisnky who would become the future embodiment of new musical proposals, and additionally, Claude Achilles Debussy was establishing new landscapes with his impressionistic compositions; the world was in a boiling point process in all orders. All these factors blended, shadowed and froze many Opus of this composer.

So, in the light of the elapsed years, his music has deserved major attention, according the great number of new recordings in the market. And this is a good new, although a whole century was required to revisit and open the dusty pages of his works.

That's why this album fits as ring to finger, it allows to enjoy and appreciate with major objectivity, the splendor and lyric exuberance of many neglected works. Far beyond his classic trilogy Carnival of animals, Third Symphony and his second Piano Concert.

On the other hand the excel pianism of Gabriel Tachino in these piano concerts is worthyto hear and although in the second concerto we have several options to choose (Emil Gilels or Jeanne Marie Darre) and the Fourth there is no version that can match with Casadesus- Bernstein), Tachino gives us memorable set.

In this unknown chamber music genre, you will find treasured pages that will be part of you at the recent future.

ANOTHER GREAT COLLECTION FROM THE GREAT FRENCHMAN.......2001-03-03

Just as Vox's 2-CD packaging of the complete Saint-Saens works for violin/orch. & cello/orch. gives you a solid third of this man's oevure, this 3 disc set of all of the existing works for piano/orch., plus "La muse et le poete" (a violin/cello/orch. rhapsody that didn't fit on the other VoxBox collection), Fantaisie (duet for harp/violin) and 2 horn/orch. works (plus one more oddity that I'll get to in a minute) gives you everything else of Saint-Saens' that wasn't nailed-down! What a bargain for a near-lifetime of artistic achievement! The performances on this disc of the concertos may not be the most solid (although I do like it better than the Phillipe Entremont version that's still available in some areas), but the forces are good enough to make this more than passable for a budget label release. Now the most extraordinary discovery for me on this collection is a piece titled "Cypres et Lauriers," for Organ and Orchesrta, and believe me, I'm glad to have the CD just for this! Even though it falls short of fulfilling one's craving to hear a re-creation of Symphony #3, it's a fine piece for its own sake, and virtually impossible to find on any other recording, so this is the perfect incentive for ownership.

ANOTHER GOOD COLLECTION FROM THE GREAT FRENCHMAN.......2001-03-03

Just as Vox's 2-CD packaging of the complete Saint-Saens works for violin/orch. & cello/orch. gives you a solid third of this man's oevure, this 3 disc set of most of the existing works for piano/orch.(Only thing that's missing is the Allegro Appassionata, which is a brief passage that usually runs about 5 mins.), plus "La muse et le poete" (a violin/cello/orch. rhapsody that didn't fit on the other VoxBox collection), Fantaisie (duet for harp/violin) and 2 horn/orch. works (plus one more oddity that I'll get to in a minute) gives you everything else of Saint-Saens' that wasn't nailed-down! What a bargain for a near-lifetime of artistic achievement! The performances on this disc of the concertos may not be the most solid (although I do like it better than the Phillipe Entremont version that's still available in some areas), but the forces are good enough to make this more than passable for a budget label release. I kind of also wish the sound could be improved as well--This is analog material from the 70's, but I've heard recordings from that period with much more fidelity. Now the most extraordinary discovery for me on this collection is a piece titled "Cypres et Lauriers," for Organ and Orchesrta, and believe me, I'm glad to have the CD just for this! Even though it falls short of fulfilling one's craving to hear a re-creation of Symphony #3, it's a fine piece for its own sake, and virtually impossible to find on any other recording, so this is (at least for me) the perfect incentive for ownership.

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Beautiful music for a once great empire

Mali: Ancient Strings
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Buda Musique
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Africa | International | Styles | Music

Mali | Africa | International | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

New Ancient Strings
Kaira
Djelika
In the Heart of the Moon

ASIN: B000059TAJ
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Tracks:

Sunjata - Sidiki Diabate/Batourou Sekou Kouyate
Julu Kara Nayni - Sidiki Diabate/Djelimadi Sissoko
Ala La Ke - Sidiki Diabate/Djelimadi Sissoko
Duga - Sidiki Diabate/Djelimadi Sissoko
Kayra - Batourou Sekou Kouyate/Sidiki Diabate
Kulanjan - Batourou Sekou Kouyate/Sidiki Diabate
Toutou - Sidiki Diabate/Batourou Sekou Kouyate
Mamadou Bitiki - Batourou Sekou Kouyate
Tara - Batourou Sekou Kouyate/N'Fa Diabate
Asumba - Batourou Sekou Kouyate/N'Fa Diabate
Ala L Ke - Batourou Sekou Kouyate
Suba Ni Mansaya (Spiritual And Temporal Power United) - Sidiki Diabate/Djelimadi Sissoko
Lanpan Teren - Batourou Sekou Kouyate

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful music for a once great empire.......2001-05-24

Malian music is some of the best music you will run across in Africa. The enchanting sounds of the kora takes you back to the once great empire of Mali. The empire beside egypt was one of the richest empires in Africa. Jelis or griots as the western world knows them still tell the tales of the great sunjata to mansa musa. The cd ecompasses on a mgacial journey and on empires that once were and still live in the imnds and hearts of the fabric of time. I recommend anybody interested into learning about Mali and the mende people pick up this cd.

World Music: