And His Orchestra V.2 [Import]

Track Listings

1. Quien Llorara

2. Casera Ten Cuida'o

3. El Loco

4. Que Mujer

5. El Timbalero

6. Que Chevere

7. Rico Melao

8. Meche

9. Besitos De Caramelos

10. Tiene Saoco

11. Llegue

And His Orchestra V.2,Orlando Marin,Fania,Latin

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:

The Godfather: I. Sicilian Pastorale
The Godfather: II. The Immigrant (The Godfather II)
The Godfather: III. The Pickup
The Godfather: IV. Kay (The Godfather II)
The Godfather: V. Love Theme
The Godfather: VI. A New Carpet (The Godfather II)
The Godfather: VII. Godfather's Waltz
The Godfather: VIII. End Title (The Godfather II)
8 1/2: La passerella di addio
La Dolce Vita: La tromba di Polydor
Prova D'Orchestra: I. Risatine Maliziose (Malinconiche)
Prova D'Orchestra: II. I Gemelli allo Specchio
Prova D'Orchestra: III. Valzerino No. 72
Prova D'Orchestra: IV. Attesa
Prova D'Orchestra: V. Galop
Prova D'Orchestra: VI. Risatine Maliziose (Finale)
Rocco E I Suoi Fratelli: I. Titoli
Rocco E I Suoi Fratelli: II. Canzone Barese ('Paese mio')
Rocco E I Suoi Fratelli: III. Milano e Nadia
Rocco E I Suoi Fratelli: IV. Terra Lontana
Rocco E I Suoi Fratelli: V. Finale - Nadia
IL GATTOPARDO: I. Titoli
IL GATTOPARDO: II. (No.6) Viaggio a Donnafugata
IL GATTOPARDO: III. (No.19) Angelica e Tancredi
IL GATTOPARDO: IV. (No.11) Angelica e Tancredi
IL GATTOPARDO: V. (No.7) I Sogni del Principe
IL GATTOPARDO: VI. (No.3) Partenza di Tancredi
IL GATTOPARDO: VII. (No.21) Amore e ambizione
IL GATTOPARDO: VII. (No.22) Quasi in porto
IL GATTOPARDO: IX. Finale

Customer Reviews:

You've never heard "The Godfather" like this.......2003-08-13

For me the highlight of this disc is a short suite from "Rocco and His Brothers," with some pungent accordion work and 1950's jazz influences. This is glorious and rarely performed music, and conductor Riccardo Muti and the fine La Scala musicians should be thanked for presenting it so beautifully. (The film itself, available on DVD, is one of Visconti's best and well worth seeking out.) But there isn't a stale moment anywhere.

The melancholy themes from "The Godfather" have probably never been played so well. The famous opening trumpet solo, combining loneliness and menace in equal parts, is beautifully done, as are the relatively upbeat selections from "8-1/2" and "La Dolce Vita." Throughout the production, it is marvelous to hear these scores played with such passion and commitment, and the La Scala musicians sound sweepingly involved.

But for many listeners the highlight will be the dazzling and haunting waltzes from "The Leopard," with their melodic arcs echoing the grand scale of Visconti's masterpiece. This is truly evocative film writing.

An excellent introduction to Rota's music, played with suave intensity by one of the best conductors in the world. (For those interested, Muti and La Scala recorded another Rota CD with additional dances from "The Leopard," as well as music from "La Strada" and the "Concerto for Strings" -- also highly recommended.)

Italian Scala and Muti feels Rota!.......2001-07-25

Perhaps this is the most powerfull collection of film music of Nino Rota, and Muti knows and feel this music. Splendid perfomance and sound.

Average customer rating:

Wild Variations of Quality
Wonderful
A real winner with plenty of talent.

Masters of the Voice: Soprano

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Czech | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Masters of the Voice: Tenor
Masters of the Keyboard
Masters of the Guitar
Masters of the Bow: Cello
Masters of the Trumpet

ASIN: B0002IQAR2
Release Date: 2004-07-13

Customer Reviews:

Wild Variations of Quality.......2006-12-15

While many selections on this disc are enjoyable, some are absolutely execrable. Leontyne Price's performance of "He shall feed his flock/Come unto him" from "Messiah" is almost unbearably embarrassing to listen to, as is Mirella Freni's horrible "O Mio Babbino Caro." Equally baffling is the choice of Renata Tebaldi's "Un bel di", when there are far better performances of it available. A late recording of Birgit Nilsson's "Komm, o Hoffnung" does not do justice either to her or to Beethoven. One wonders why there are multiple tracks of Joan Sutherland, Cheryl Studer, and Montserrat Caballe, yet equally fine singers such as Margaret Price, Luciana Serra, and Hildegard Behrens are unrepresented. Get a pair of earplugs before listening to June Anderson's off-pitch, shrill quacking, hooting, and shrieking rendition of "Glitter and Be Gay," surely a lowlight of the album.

Wonderful.......2006-07-31

I picked up this cd at the library and it just blew me away! What a great collection! I highly recommend it.

A real winner with plenty of talent........2004-10-06

This 2-CD selection from Deutsche Grammophon, "Masters of the Voce, Soprano" follows a review we did earlier on the "Masters" series for tenors in which we rated the tenor package a success. This offering succeeds on multiple levels as well and proves to be an equally enjoyable listen. DG has put together 30 popular and diverse arias that not only give us a good sampling of some of the finest opera music being performed, but provides a sampling of some of the greatest operatic talent to sing those arias. We state at the outset that when reviewing a CD selection such as this, we don't set out to review the talent; the performers are first in their class and need only be acknowledged. Their work is neither new nor novel here. Rather, it is in the way the package is put together that earns either praise or criticisms - and no other. And that's what we offer here. First, with regard to the technical aspects of the recording: it is as you would expect from a digital transfer - smooth, clear and even throughout. This is a major plus when you consider that the performances were all recorded under differing circumstances, with different orchestras and choruses. Next, there is the selection of music. This can be tricky if not done well, but it was done well here and as a result gives us a pleasurable listening experience that offers continuity - meaning you don't have to sit with a clicker in hand waiting for that one cut that just seems out of place. There's none of that here; it's an enjoyable listen throughout. Lastly, but certainly not least, and what elevates this selection is the diversity of truly superstar singers. Joan Sutherland's lyric beauty truly shines when singing Rossini's "Bel raggio lusinghier" from "Semiramide" and "Ah, je veux vivre" from Gounod's "Romeo & Juliet", and the "Bell Song" from Delibes "Lakme". And it isn't just Sutherland's delivery that gets our attention. Brigit Nilsson's dramatic power in "Battle Cry" from Wagner's "Die Walkure" raises the hair on the back of ones neck. They're all here: Cheryl Studer, Kathleen Battle, Leontyne Price, Renee Fleming, Mirella Freni, Renata Tabaldi, Angela Gheorghu and more. Throughout, "Masters of the Voice: Soprano" offers a nice cross section from the lyric coloratura to the dramatic soprano, and a solid display of technical expertise in the way that the music is blended such that this 2 CD set can be added to anyone's collection with assurance that it will be enjoyed and listed to for years to come - and why not, it's some of the best.

Average customer rating:

Great Reference CD!
Interesting musical selections, but ...
A Nice Wedding Compilation

Bride's Guide to Wedding Music, Vol. II

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Bride's Guide to Wedding Music
25 Wedding Favorites
Classical Wedding
A Bride's Guide to Wedding Music
Classical Wedding Traditions

ASIN: B00000631X
Release Date: 1998-05-05

Tracks:

Messiah: Pastoral Symphony
Love's Ole Sweet Song
In dulci jobilo
A Dream
The Prince Of Denmark's March: Trumpet Voluntary
Wedding March From Lohengrin: Bridal Chorus
Variations on a Theme by Haydn: St. Anthony's Chorale
Cantata No.140: Sleepers, Awake!
Guitar Concerto in D: Largo
Cantata No. 99: What God Hath Done, Is Rightly Done
Tempo di Minuetto
Cantata No. 85: See What His Love Can Do
Orchestral Suite No.3 In D: Air On The G String
Ave verum corpus
Serse: Largo
Suite No.3: Siciliana
Water Music - Suite No.2: Andante - Allegro
Trumpet Concerto In A-Flat: Allegro
Premiere Suite: Rondeau
Cantata No.129: Praise Be To God
Water Music - Suite No.2: Alla hornpipe

Customer Reviews:

Great Reference CD!.......2006-01-09

This is a great compilation, CD, along with Bride's Guide to Wedding Music Volume I, to use as a reference for some of the more popular wedding songs, such as Trumpet Voluntary, Vivaldi's Spring from the Four Seasons, Trumpet Tune and Canon, i.e. Pachelbel's Canon. All of the musicians are generally superb, and the sound quality is very good. However, this is most useful if you are playing the CD at your wedding, or using it as a reference CD to talk over with an organist, a string quartet, etc. I only gave it four stars based on practicality, not on quality. If it were just quality, I would give it five stars. I purchased this CD since I am in the process of making my own wedding CD (I am a professional, freelance violinist), and this was nice to listen to, even just as background music for dinner.

Interesting musical selections, but ..........2005-01-06

As the other reviewer noted, one doesn't have to be getting married to enjoy this CD...and the musical selections are certainly interesting, even eclectic. I have to wonder, however, who picked these out with what criteria since at least a couple of these melodies are not traditional wedding tunes. By this I mean the lovely arrangement of Michael Praetorius' "In Dulci Jubilo." In his home country of Germany, where I used to live until a couple of years ago, this is a Christmas carol, sung at Christmas Eve services throughout the land. The lyrics aren't especially suited to any sort of wedding, really. Unless you're marrying in December, I personally would steer clear of this song. And if the wedding's in June and you have European guests, don't be surprised if eyebrows are raised when this melody is played!

A Nice Wedding Compilation.......2001-07-24

This album provides you with some good reference materials on planning the music for your wedding. Many of us may sit around wondering what on earth "Tempo di Mineutto" is. Well, with this album you will wonder no more. This is a pretty good compilation of some wedding favorites set in order that they would appear in your ceremony (prelude, processional, ceremony and recessional). Even if you aren't planning a wedding, this album provides you with some really good classical music to relax by. At a good discount, this CD is a nice addition to any collection. I would recommend this disc.

Music In Film (National Public Radio Milestones Of The Millennium)

Average customer rating:

Worth it for "Conquest" alone
A GREAT COMPILATION!
So So Compilation
Deserves more than five stars
Music In Film (NPR Milestones of the Millennium

Music In Film (National Public Radio Milestones Of The Millennium)

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Star Wars | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Movie Scores | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

In Session: Film Music Celebration
Varese Sarabande 25th Anniversary Celebration
Paramount 90th Anniversary Collection: Scores
Cinema Century
Hollywood's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2

ASIN: B00000HXL1
Release Date: 1999-01-12

Tracks:

Robin Hood And His Merry Men (The Adventures Of Robin Hood - 1938)
Cantata For Mezzo-Soprano, Chorus, And Orchestra: Song About Alexander Nevsky (Alexander Nevsky - 1938)
Title Theme (Laura - 1944)
Conquest (Captain From Castile - 1947)
Film Suite For Orchestra: Morning on the Ranch (The Red Pony - 1949)
A Place In The Sun: Suite (A Place In The Sun - 1951)
Theme (High Noon - 1952)
'Andante (With Dignity) - Presto barbaro' (Symphonic Suite) (On The Waterfront - 1954)
Prelude (East Of Eden - 1955)
Working On The Bridge (The Bridge OnThe River Kwai - 1957)
Parade Of Charioteers (Ben-Hur - 1959)
Theme (The Magnificent Seven - 1960)
Prelude (Vertigo - 1958)
The Murder (Psycho - 1960) - Psycho
La passerella di addio (8.5 - 1963)
Main Title (The Lion In Winter - 1968)
Main Theme (Star Wars - 1977)
The Imperial March (The Empire Strikes Back - 1980)
The John Dunbar Theme (Dances With Wolves - 1990)
Leaving Port (Titanic - 1997)

Amazon.com

Good film music should be seen and not heard--that is, it's usually there for background, to reinforce what you're seeing, not to draw attention to itself. So why listen to it? Often that's a mystery, but the items in this collection seem to have been selected because they are interesting music (Prokofiev, Copland, Bernstein) or because they are so familiar that they bring back memories of favorite movies (Laura, High Noon, Star Wars). Like much movie music, a lot of these items are sentimental and overblown, even the more famous ones. (Those famous screaming strings in Psycho can sound silly without the onscreen action.) But if you want one movie-music CD in your collection, this may be the one to have. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Worth it for "Conquest" alone.......2005-09-12

The stirring martial music from the movie "Captain from Castille" ("Conquest") is on this album and so far as I know it's the only CD you'll find it on. But other tracks are great also, including the "Parade of the Charioteers" from "Ben Hur," the theme from "The Magnificent Seven," and "The Imperial March" from Star Wars.

A GREAT COMPILATION!.......2005-06-05

I've come to appreciate soundtracks more and more. This compilation progresses chronologically through 60 years of film music, starting with 1939's "The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood", and ending with "Titanic". It encompasses a huge range of styles. Along with the usual suspects - music from "Ben-Hur", "The Magnificent 7", "Star Wars", et al, there are a few real sleepers, like John Barry's medieval-flavored theme to "The Lion in Winter", or Leonard Roseman's lyrical "East of Eden". Blessedly, most of the tracks are original recordings, conducted by the composers, among them Leonard Bernstein and Aaron Copland. Only those of us burned by tinny, tacky, sacriligiously rearranged retreads on obscure labels can appreciate this.

There are a few notable omissions. The prolific Randy Newman isn't represented, though Uncle Alfred is. And NO Ennio Morricone? - incredible! Presumably, this has more to do with Sony's current copyrights and contracts than the relative merits of the composers. And it's fine to have John Williams included twice, but why two pieces from "Star Wars"? Why not the theme from "Jaws", for instance? Or "Sugarland Express", for a really unexpected treat? But these are minor quibbles. And for whatever it's lacking, there's no fluff substituted. This is real music from fine craftsmen, which sometimes attains art. A great intro to the form, and wonderful just to listen to. I bought it used - one of my best deals ever!

So So Compilation.......2002-01-14

My major interest in this CD was in the selection entitled "Robin Hood And His Merry Men" (duration: 4 min, 28 sec), conducted by John Williams, and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. It turns out that this is a re-issue of the track from Sony Classical SK 62788, 1997. Surprisingly, this performance is poky, ponderous, and prodding. The conducting is, well, somnambulistic. Miking/mixing/processing yields a sonic brick deficient in instrumental nuances while sounding like way too many musicians were shoe horned into the recording studio. As for the rest of the tracks, it's hard to believe, but Silva America offers better compilations! Best to skip this one.

Deserves more than five stars.......2000-06-23

I have several discs of film music, and this one if by far the best. As one of the previous reviewers noted, there are many peices absent that could have been included here, but I don't see how anyone could be completely satisfied with any compilation that fit on just one disc.

The performances here are crisp and clear, and include a good selection of both old and new, ranging from traditional film favorites like the Star Wars theme, to less common selections like the screeching strings from Psycho (at least, I think they're less common, but I could be wrong). And I could listen to the Magnificent Seven theme over and over.

Anyway, this is a great disc for almost anyone. If you're looking for one thing in particular, find that film's soundtrack, but otherwise, this is a fantastic disc, and one of my favorites!

Music In Film (NPR Milestones of the Millennium.......2000-05-02

Great CD;the music is crystal clear with an excellent variety demonstrating the wide variety of musical talents in Hollywood. Liner notes are also most interesting, explaining some of the history behind the cuts and pointing out differences in the composers styles...as with John Barry. His style ranges from "the Lion in Winter" bold dramatic soundtrack to the exquisitley tender "Dances with Wolves" theme music. A CD to enjoy over and over

Average customer rating:

A Treasury of English Song

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music

$6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

English Song
Favorite English Songs
Songs by Roger Quilter
Songs My Father Taught Me
Gabrieli · Monteverdi · Vivaldi - Venetian Church Music / Taverner Consort, Choir & Players · Andrew Parrott

ASIN: B0001O2OBI
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Essential Aaron Copland: 12 Greatest Hits

Average customer rating:

Aaron Copland: Essential Classics

Essential Aaron Copland: 12 Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000D1FK8
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Tracks:

Fanfare For The Common Man
Very Slowly
Allegro
Moderate: The Bride And Her Intended
Fast: The Revivalist And His Flock
Allegro: Solo Dance Of The Bride
Meno Mosso
Doppio Movimento: Variations On A Shaker Hymn
Moderato: Coda
Buckaroo Holiday
Corral Nocturne
Saturday Night Waltz
Hoc-Down
Lincoln Portrait
Ceremonial Fanfare

Tracks:

Quiet City
New England Countryside
Barley Wagons
Sunday Traffic
Grovers Corners
Threshing Machines
El Salon Mexico
The Open Prarie
Street In A Frontier Town
Celebration - Billy In Prison - Waltz
Danzon Cubano
Lento - Molto Allegro - Adagio Molto
Andante Moderato
Allegro Vivo

Customer Reviews:

Aaron Copland: Essential Classics.......2003-11-21

This excellent introduction to the symphonic Copland repackages an earlier "Decca Double Decker" (see B000004284). Deleted are "Old American Songs" and added are "Billy the Kid" and "Danzon Cubano". These recordings were made from 1969-1994. The sonics are exemplary. The performances are all very good to excellent. Everyone has their personal favorites of these works so your mileage may vary.

Dorati & Detroit SO > Rodeo, El Solon Mexico, Dance Symphony. Howarth & London Sinfonietta > Music for the Movies. Marriner & The Academy > Quiet City. Metha & LAPO > Fanfare for the Common Man, Appalachian Spring, Lincoln Portrait with Gregory Peck, narrator. Philip Jones Brass Ensemble > Ceremonial Fanfare. Zinman & Baltimore SO > Billy the Kid, Danzon Cubano.

Gregory Peck comes across very, very well. Warm, personal, forthright. Worth the price of the disc just to hear him deliver the words wrapped in Copland's music as directed by Metha and performed by the LA Philharmonic Orchestra.

Don't expect any copious liner notes here -- there aren't any. Just a listing of what's what and who did what. Two panels of the folded sheet are needlessly occupied by advertising other "essential" CDs. I would gladly rip them out if I didn't like the overall design so much. The art direction and design of the package is stellar but lacks "essential" or any background information.

Unless I'm mistaken, there are 5 "hits" on the first disc and 6 on the second. That's 11. The subtitle here is "12 Greatest Hits". Am I missing something?

Tracks:

Dance Of The Tumblers
Intermezzo e Humoreske
Rocky Point Holiday
The Firebird - Berceuse And Finale
The Firebird - Berceuse And Finale
Piano Concerto No. 21 - Andante
Symphony No. 1 - Allegretto Con Grazia
Symphony No. 9 - Scherzo
Concerto In F, RV 569 - Allegro
The Padstow Lifeboat
Escales - Anime (Valencia)
The Times Of Day - Der Morgen
The Makropulos Case
E.C.F., From Presque Isle
Pictures At An Exhibition: Baba Yaga; Great Gate At Kiev
Pictures At An Exhibition: Baba Yaga; Great Gate At Kiev

Customer Reviews:

Tutti.......2000-05-06

Although a compilation of various pieces, this CD has the drama and sonic impact which will test the limits of your system. The orchestral presentations are first class. The sound stage presentations with the left to right width and the front to back depth give the listener an outstanding three dimensional impression of the actual orchestra instrument placement in the recording hall as well as the hall's ambient sound.

I have from time to time heard the expression 'sound windows' when discussing Speakers in an audio system. This CD will give you an excellent opportunity to check the clarity and precision of your system....in particular the bottom end capabilities of both the ampifier and the speakers.

I stronly recommend using this CD as a true Reference CD Rrecording when evaluating enhancements or upgrades to your system. Bring this CD to your dealer and listen carefully.

Get to know what your system is capable of and what it is not capable of delivering before and after listening tests for your new component.

Good Luck

WONDERFUL SAMPLER CD!.......2000-02-26

It does the trick. It literally samples the entire recent Reference Recordings catalogue, with varied excerpts from all kinds of music, a rare and exciting compilation wel worth the price. I reccommend it highly.

Tutti - Orchestral Sampler.......2000-02-02

This sampler is not your typical classical sampler. As seen from the track listing, it contains a diverse, but incongrous, selection of orchestral pieces, mixing Mozart, Vivaldi and Rimsky-Korsakov with more contemporary composers such as Bruckner, Arnold, and Paray. Although the list of selections is tempting and attractive to those who want to expand their musical knowledge, the combination just doesn't work. The jump from Mozart to Paray to Arnold to Vivaldi is unsettling to the ear, although it may be suited to a music education class. If, however, you seek less traditional (less soothing), less harmonic (more tempestuous), orchestral music, this may be the collection for you. The conducting and performances are very good. It certainly will never be background music for dinner!