Volume 1: The Collection [Explicit Lyrics] [Import]

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. We've Arrived (Oh! But Yes)

2. This Is for the Homies

3. Me and Joe

4. Let's Have Some Fun

5. Supercuts (Yeah Boy)

6. Give Me the Mic

7. It's My Rope

8. Cooley High

9. Nobody Disses Me

10. Everlasting Bass

See all 11 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Once Again

2. When the Beat Comes In

3. Say It Loud

4. When He Plays

5. Party

6. Can U Back It Up

7. Were Gonna Kick It Once

8. Three the Hard Way

9. Hocus Pocus

10. Beat Blaster

See all 14 tracks on this disc

Disc: 1
1. We've Arrived (Oh! But Yes)
2. This Is for the Homies
3. Me and Joe
4. Let's Have Some Fun
5. Supercuts (Yeah Boy)
6. Give Me the Mic
7. It's My Rope
8. Cooley High
9. Nobody Disses Me
10. Everlasting Bass
See all 11 tracks on this disc
Disc: 2
1. Once Again
2. When the Beat Comes In
3. Say It Loud
4. When He Plays
5. Party
6. Can U Back It Up
7. Were Gonna Kick It Once
8. Three the Hard Way
9. Hocus Pocus
10. Beat Blaster
See all 14 tracks on this disc

Volume 1: The Collection,Rodney O & Joe Cooley,Kritican Ent.,Bass Music,Old School Rap,Pop,Rap & Hip-Hop,West Coast Rap

Tracks:

Secretly - Jimmie Rodgers
Love Me Forever - Four Esquires
When The Boys Talk About The Girls - Valerie Carr
What Is Love - The Playmates
First Anniversary - Cathy Carr (Stereo)
And That Reminds Me (My Heart Reminds Me) - Della Reese
Stay With Me (A Little While Longer) - Ed Townsend
Heartaches - The Marcels
Goodbye Cruel World - James Darren
You Don't Know What You've Got - Ral Donner
Johnny Angel - Shelley Fabares
Fortuneteller - Bobby Curtola (Stereo)
Poor Little Puppet - Cathy Carroll
Her Royal Majesty - James Darren
The Gypsy Cried - Lou Christie
The Kind Of Boy You Can't Forget - The Raindrops
Easier Said Than Done - The Essex
My Coloring Book - Sandy Stewart
Turn Around - Dick & Deedee
See You In September - The Happenings

Album Description

The first in a terrific new Eric oldies series which will focus on the years 1957 to 1964. This volume has a real teen POP flavor with 13 Top Twenty tracks drawn mostly from the Roulette/Colpix/Warner Bros. vaults. And for collectors there are FIVE songs appearing on CD for the first time anywhere! As always, all recordings have been digitally mastered in ultra-high quality and are in true stereo wherever possible. Includes an 8-page booklet with detailed liner notes on each song.

Customer Reviews:

I was blown away !.......2007-07-23

Eric records I was blown away after receiving my first three eric Hard to find compact disc. I am a baby boomer and I have been collecting music of all kinds. I mean records, 8 tracks, cassettes, and now compact disc. I have well over a thousand different types of original rock n roll. Now Eric has shown me that there is a company out there that finds the really true memories of the golden days of rock n roll. I have my wish list stocked with stuff I have been trying to find for decades. CONGRATULATIONS ERIC RECORDS !

Dennis in Ky.

Only label that can match ACE reissues.......2005-01-15

I am a enthousiastic collector, and have almost all the Time Life rock n roll stuff, as well as ACE cds of this era.
I could comment like this like I have on ACE editions, or the Eric Records HArd to Find 45s series. Excellent, and must have!
A few points why:
20 tracks per cd (Time life is also excellent, but you get 15 per cd!)
excellent booklets with background info
not the same old songs over again, but many rare and still excellent tracks!
last but not least amazing sound quality.
So although you might have some songs there on other collections like ACE, it is for above mentioned points alone worth it to always have an Eric copy as well.

Super fun collection.......2004-07-11

Once again Eric brings us a jam packed disc of cool oldies, put it on your player and go cruisin'!

If only every CD were done this well.......2004-04-23

Most of the conglomerate music companies have pretty much thrown in the towel when it comes to mining the vaults of rock and roll's early golden era. Thankfully, Eric Records, the small but potent label has graced the market with their outstanding single-artist and compilation CD's often offering the music of artists not found elsewhere. Anyone can throw together CD's of the top-10 songs over and over again but Eric has chosen to rescue many of the forgotten and overlooked tunes that many listeners still remember and want to hear again. Their "Hard To Find" series of CD's has been a collector's paradise. Now, in a new series, Eric continues to offer more rarely, if ever, found golden-era teenager tunes wrapped around a number of the more popular songs of the day. And in keeping with their high standards, these CD's offer the best in sound quality and are accompanied by insightful liner notes. This first volume, "Love Me Forever", in their new "Teen Time" series, offers eight top-10 songs, five top-20 charters and a sprinkling of chart-challanged sides. Though leaning toward the casual listener's musical memory, this piece does offer a few first-time-to-CD tunes represented by the Four Esquires' "Love Me Forever" and Cathy Carr's "First Anniversary" making it equally intriguing to the completist collector. While the appeal of the included tracks is an individual consideration, no domestic label puts together better compilation CD's than Eric and this new entry is another outstanding example of how it should be done.

Outstanding In Every Way!.......2004-04-19

There's no other way to put it than to say that this CD is flawless! How do they do it? Even the tracks that you might already have on other collections pale in comparison to the sound reproduced here. Some of the highlights here are the stereo single version of Fortuneteller by Bobby Curtola (debut), the stereo single version of First Anniversary by Cathy Carr (another CD debut), as well as CD debuts by Valerie Carr, Ed Townsend, and Cathy Carroll, and all the other tracks that will make your previous CD's obsolete. This is a must-have, for all serious collectors of the music of the first golden era of pop/rock. Bravo!

Julian Bream: The Ultimate Guitar Collection-Volume 2

Average customer rating:

Not ultimate- but wonderful, none-the-less
Very Nice Bream Collection
Not what I thought!
Ultimately Satisfying
Spectacular

Julian Bream: The Ultimate Guitar Collection-Volume 2

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Ultimate Guitar Collection
Together/Julian Bream & John Williams
Baroque Guitar
300 Years of Guitar Masterpieces
Together Again/ Julian Bream & John Williams

ASIN: B00004UEH6
Release Date: 2000-08-08

Tracks:

I: Allegretto
Capricho Arabe
A Fancy
Etude No. 5 In C
I. Allegretto
I. Allegretto
I. Allegro
The Wood So Wild
Adante; Molto Adagio; Adante
Fandango
Segovia, Op. 29
Fantasia XXII
II. Andante
Preludio
II. Andantino Grazioso
Fantasia
Bourree
Gigue
Polonaise, Op.2, No.2
Canario

Customer Reviews:

Not ultimate- but wonderful, none-the-less.......2007-04-14

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

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

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

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

Very Nice Bream Collection.......2005-03-03

I have volumes one and two, but I prefer volume two because it contains later recordings, which are of a better sound quality than the tin-can reverb that predominates in volume one. I really like the inclusion of about a half dozen lute pieces in addition to the guitar. I wasn't a lute fan before, but after hearing Bream playing lute on this CD, I am a convert. Ditto with what one reviewer said about Sor's Andantino Grazioso--purely delightful.

Overall, this CD consists of a good variety of masterfully played music. I only wish most of Bream's recordings were recorded using later technology, which would make his playing shine even more.

Not what I thought!.......2004-11-08

Well, a bit of a "anti-climax"! I was expecting something totally different. Not at all the kind of guitar music I like but will make out a great unexpected gift (hopefully). The delivery time from order to delivery was excellant, 19days - internationally!

Ultimately Satisfying.......2004-02-03

A wonderful companion to the first set, this edition includes 20 beautifully recorded pieces by one of the master guitarists of the twentieth century. And Bream is at his best in these recordings, showing off his amazing technique, as well as his almost daunting emotional power. An amazing gift to guitarists and music lovers.

Spectacular.......2002-02-11

The brilliance of Breams guitar/lute shines through. If you love any of his work you will love this, I can never get tired of his work.Especially this one. Antantino grazioso is absolutely amazing.

The Johhny Cash Collection Volume 1- 4 / Complete Sun Recordings

Average customer rating:

Johnny Cash 4 Cd Set Complete Sun Recordings
one of the greatest ever

The Johhny Cash Collection Volume 1- 4 / Complete Sun Recordings

Manufacturer: Record Sales
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Country | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Sun Years
The Collection: At Folsom Prison/At San Quentin/America
Carl Perkins - Original Sun Greatest Hits
Elvis At Sun
American Recordings

ASIN: B0009X62OG

Product Description

60 Johhny Cash Sun Records recordings on 4 CDs . Under license from Sun Entertainment.- ---DISC 1--- 1. Wide Open Road 2. You're My Baby 3. Two Timin' Woman 4. Goodnight Irene 5. Port of Lonely Hearts 6. My Treasure 7. Cry, Cry, Cry 8. Hey, Porter 9. Folsom Prison Blues 10. So Doggone Lonesome 11. Luther Played the Boogie 12. Mean Eyed Cat 13. I Couldn't Keep from Crying 14. New Mexico 15. Get Rhythm ---DISC 2--- 1. I Walk the Line 2. Goodbye Little Darling 3. There You Go 4. I Love You Because 5. Train of Love 6. Straight A's in Love 7. Don't Make Me Go 8. Next in Line 9. Home of the Blues 10. Give My Love to Rose 11. Ways of a Woman 12. Rock Island Line 13. Wreck of the Old 97 14. Belshazzar 15. Country Boyin Love ---DISC 3--- 1. Doin' My Time 2. If the Good Lord's Willing 3. I Heard That Lonesome Whistle 4. Remember Me 5. I Was There When It Happened 6. Come in Stranger 7. Big River 8. Ballad of a Teenage Queen 9. Guess Things Happen That Way 10. Oh, Lonesome Me 11. Sugartime 12. You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven 13. Born to Lose 14. Always Alone 15. Story of a Broken Heart ---DISC 4--- 1. You Tell Me 2. Life Goes On 3. You Win Again 4. I Could Never Be Ashamed of You 5. Cold, Cold Heart 6. Hey Good Lookin' 7. I Can't Help It 8. Blue Train 9. Katy Too 10. Fool's Hall of Fame 11. Thanks a Lot 12. Just About Time 13. I Just Thought You'd Like to Know 14. Down the Street to 301 15. I Forgot to Remember to Forget

Customer Reviews:

Johnny Cash 4 Cd Set Complete Sun Recordings.......2007-06-07

****************
Track Listings:
****************

DISC 1
1. Wide Open Road
2. You're My Baby
3. Two Timin' Woman
4. Goodnight Irene
5. Port of Lonely Hearts
6. My Treasure
7. Cry, Cry, Cry
8. Hey, Porter
9. Folsom Prison Blues
10. So Doggone Lonesome
11. Luther Played the Boogie
12. Mean Eyed Cat
13. I Couldn't Keep from Crying
14. New Mexico
15. Get Rhythm

DISC 2
1. I Walk the Line
2. Goodbye Little Darling
3. There You Go
4. I Love You Because
5. Train of Love
6. Straight A's in Love
7. Don't Make Me Go
8. Next in Line
9. Home of the Blues
10. Give My Love to Rose
11. Ways of a Woman
12. Rock Island Line
13. Wreck of the Old 97
14. Belshazzar
15. Country Boyin Love

DISC 3
1. Doin' My Time
2. If the Good Lord's Willing
3. I Heard That Lonesome Whistle
4. Remember Me
5. I Was There When It Happened
6. Come in Stranger
7. Big River
8. Ballad of a Teenage Queen
9. Guess Things Happen That Way
10. Oh, Lonesome Me
11. Sugartime
12. You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven
13. Born to Lose
14. Always Alone
15. Story of a Broken Heart

DISC 4
1. You Tell Me
2. Life Goes On
3. You Win Again
4. I Could Never Be Ashamed of You
5. Cold, Cold Heart
6. Hey Good Lookin'
7. I Can't Help It
8. Blue Train
9. Katy Too
10. Fool's Hall of Fame
11. Thanks a Lot
12. Just About Time
13. I Just Thought You'd Like to Know
14. Down the Street to 301
15. I Forgot to Remember to Forget

one of the greatest ever.......2005-10-19

Johnny Cash is one of the great American artists. These are the early classics. Cash is probably the only one is equally great as Elvis Presley. The collection is an event. My dad was a big fan of Johnny Cash and he introduced me to his music when I was a kid. I had many of his records when I was young. It was great to have that music around. I didn't realize how great Johnny Cash was until I was much older. There are a lot of the great early singles like "Hey, Porter" and "Folsom Prison Blues" and "I Walk The Line." There are other great tunes that you wouldn't get in a proper greatest collection like "Get Rhythm" and "Trail To Mexico." The greatness of Cash seems so effortless. These songs are so simple and so ingenious. There is a style of guitar picking that is essential to any Cash record. Some of the later stuff seems inspired by spiritual music. There are constant themes of respect for the land, and a sense of place, and being in jail. Johnny Cash is also known for love songs. Those are central to his work. There are many songs about being a loner like "I Heard That Lonesome Whistle Blow" and "Always Alone." One of Dad favorite's songs was "Hey, Good Lookin'." There are 61 gems in this collection. It is very fine. Johnny Cash is a poet and a great musician. He is a big influence on music.

Average customer rating:

Dissapointing!
Marc-Andre Hamelin Hyperion CD
This is it
this recording is very great
Fantastic

Marc-André Hamelin Live at Wigmore Hall

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Alkan: Symphony for solo piano
Alkan: Grande sonate 'Les quatre âges', Sonatine, Le festin d'Esope
Godowsky: Sonata; Passacaglia
Marc-André Hamelin plays Liszt
Godowsky: The Complete Studies on Chopin's Etudes

ASIN: B000002ZVE
Release Date: 1995-01-24

Tracks:

First movement from Piano Concerto No.3
Romanza for Piano Concerto No.1- Romanza; Larghetto
Trois Grandes Etudes, Op.76: Trois Grandes Etudes, Op.76 for the hands separately and reunited- Fantasie in A flat major (left hand)
Trois Grandes Etudes, Op.76: Trois Grandes Etudes, Op.76 - Introduction, Variation and finale in D major (right hand)
Trois Grandes Etudes, Op.76: Trois Grandes Etudes, Op.76 - Moument semblable et perpetuel [Rondo-Toccata in C minor] (hands reunited)
Sonatina No. 6: Sonatina No. 6; Kammer-Fantasie uber Carmen, BV284 , after Bizet
Danza festiva , Op. 38, No.3: Danza festiva , Op. 38, No.3( Forgotten Melodies, Vol.1)

Amazon.com

The Canadian pianist Marc-André Hamelin is quickly becoming a favorite with piano connoisseurs, particularly in late Romantic music. In this live recital, Hamelin concentrates mainly on unusual arrangements: a Beethoven movement as recomposed by Alkan, a Balakirev reduction of a Chopin concertos movement for solo piano, Busoni's Sonatina which uses themes from Bizet's Carmen. You have to be pretty far involved in the late Romantic ethos to appreciate these obscure tidbits, but if you are, Hamelin's virtuosic and colorful performances will prove extremely attractive. The live performance atmosphere comes across vividly in this recording, as does Hamelin's tone. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Dissapointing!.......2007-07-12

I have listened this recital, because of praises which written in this page. Very dissapointing. Actually Hamelin will stand among secondary rank in great pianists ad infinitum. He always shows that he "can play" this instrument. But nothing exciting or meditative or lyric...Just pure, superficial technic. My only favorite Hameline is the third part of the second concerto of Shostakovich. That was not bad. I think he is good as concert performer for one enjoyable night. But I can't believe that he can play Bach or late Beethoven or Brahms, adequately. He can only plays his eccentricities. Ofcourse one should also praise him for his "Alkan or Busoni effort"
You may want to hear just for Alkan's interesting transcription.

Marc-Andre Hamelin Hyperion CD.......2007-04-10

This is a wonderful CD full of out of the way pieces most of us do not know exsist. I loved the Chopin/Balakirev transcription of the Piano Concerto #1. Also try two other Hyperion CD's of Nikoli Kapustin, One played by Hamelin and the other by Steve Osborne. This is jazz in a classical format and it will wow your shirt off.

This is it.......2007-02-26

Hamelin is probably one of the greatest pianists ever, and his courage in championing such unusual and technically demanding material as Godowsky's Études turns him into one of the most interesting musicians today. As for this particular recording, it's needless to say that his playing is superb, as usual, and his technique is unassailable and immaculate. His choice of material is bold, to say the least. He starts off with a wonderful reading of Beethoven's third piano concerto and then goes on to overwhelm the listener with effortless and sublime renditions of works by Chopin, Medtner, Busoni and - oh my! - Alkan. I never thought I would ever come to like Alkan's works, but Hamelin's rendition of the Études are so effective and engaging that I began to take some interest in it. It's by far the best live recording I've ever heard and it certainly helped me redefine my ideas about what's possible for a human being to do on the piano.

this recording is very great.......2007-01-29

This recording was for me entree Marc Andre Hamelin. I think then he must is most amazing of technic since Liszt. No I did ever to hear Liszt, but I am pupil of Kremova, and she tell all pupil word of Mme Ida Nagy "et bene audet" of maestro. Of this recording not only is there all notes (Kremova required us learn Alkan op 76 naught if ever we may dare of playing recital!) but Mr Hamelin his of playing so confident and of "fun" and of warm! This recording is the very great. Did M Hamelin in real there play Alkan Beethoven No 3 cadenza! I would fainted were I present real there Wigmore Hall! Here it is on this recording! I would fainted! Is true.
I say here so will not so wounding, M Hamelin not is good play our Rachmaninov and Scriabin. So will not so harsh be Rachmaninov and Scriabin of his other recording difficult for artist such as M Hamelin are not the technic but the music sensiblite. M Hamelin a youth.
So! A great youth artist! Let he perform now youth accord a his greatness!

Fantastic.......2004-09-18

Hyperion recorded this CD from a series of live recitals given in June 1994, at Wigmore Hall. It is one of my favorite live albums. Hamelin performs Alkan's transcription of Beethoven's 3rd concerto, the Trois Grandes Etudes Op. 76, as well as Medtner, Busoni and a Balakirev transcription of Chopin.

Hamelin's performance of Alkan's Beethoven 3rd is a remarkable feat of the recording age. Most pianists would never even touch the work with it's brilliant 6 minute cadenza that echoes the finale of Beethoven's 5th symphony. To perform it live is quite another matter. It is uncertain whether the great Busoni played the work himself in a recital he gave in Berlin in 1906. Hamelin's is the only recording of Alkan's transcription I'm aware of, but it's probably the only one needed.

Balakirev's transcription of the Romanza of Chopin's first piano concerto is a loyal one. However, this is probably my least favorite track on the album. While pretty and thoughtful, it seems out of place in this energetic collection. Hamelin's interpretation is a bit too clean and cold for my liking. His technique is suitable to play tranquil pieces wonderfully, but here it just doesn't seem to work.

Alkan's Trois Grandes Etudes op 76. are some of the most technically challenging compositions in the entire piano repertoire. In Hamelin, Alkan has a faithful performer that is able to create the effects of a full-scale orchestra on the piano using a mere five fingers. Not only does Hamelin perform this work live, he does so flawlessly. The first is the 'Fantasie' for left hand alone, the second 'Introduction, Variations and Finale' for right hand alone. The final 'Rondo Toccata' is a dizzying piece, reminiscent of the final movement of Chopin's Funeral Sonata. The 30-minute performance of this work leads one to admire both Hamelin's pianism, as well as his physical endurance!

The Carmen Fantasy by Busoni is essentially a whirlwind tour of Bizet with the flair of Busoni. Hamelin could have let loose with this piece, but instead decides to let the work speak for itself. The result is a reflective piece that is filled more with the contrast of emotions than excitement. Hamelin's performance is good, but it would also be great to hear this piece played with more energy.

The final piece on this album is Medtner's Danza festiva No. 3. It's whimsical that brings the album to a joyful close. This time, Hamelin's dynamics are perfect and bring out the color and energy in the piece.

All in all, 'Live at Wigmore Hall' is a remarkable achievement that is well worth adding to your collection. Hyperion has done remarkably well in putting together this album. The sound quality is crystal clear, and the audience's rapturous applause really adds to the enjoyment.

Vladimir Horowitz, The Complete Masterworks Recordings 1962-1973, Volume VII: Early Romantics

Average customer rating:

The Schumann Kreisleriana is worth everything, and the Chopin is magical
Chopin + Schumann + Horowitz = Unforgettable Playing
Classic Chopin

Vladimir Horowitz, The Complete Masterworks Recordings 1962-1973, Volume VII: Early Romantics

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Vladimir Horowitz, Complete Masterworks Recordings 1962-1973, Vol. I: The Studio Recordings 1962-63
Late Russian Romantics
Vladimir Horowitz, Complete Masterworks Recordings 1962-1973, Vol. VI: Horowitz Performs Beethoven
Horowitz: The Historic Return Carnegie Hall 1965; The 1966 Concerts
The Complete Masterworks Recordings, Vol. 4: The Legendary 1968 TV Concert

ASIN: B00000290G
Release Date: 1994-07-19

Tracks:

Mazurka in A minor, Op. 17 No. 4: Lento, ma non troppo
Etude in G-flat major, Op. 10 No. 5: Vivace
Introduction & Rondo in E-flat major, Op. 16
Waltz in A minor, Op. 34 No. 2: Lento
Polonaise in A-flat Major, Op. 53: Maestoso
Mazurka in F-sharp minor, Op. 59 No. 3: Vivace
Mazurka in C-sharp minor, Op. 50 No. 3: Moderato
Mazurka in D-flat major, Op. 30 No. 3: Allegro non troppo
Mazurka in E minor, Op. 41 No. 2: Andantino
Mazurka in D major, Op. 33 No. 2: Vivace
Etude in C-sharp minor, Op. 10 No. 4: Presto
Etude in E major, Op. 10 No. 3: Lento, ma non troppo
Etude in C minor, Op. 10 No. 12: Allegro con fuoco
Prelude in B minor, Op. 28 No. 6: Lento assai

Tracks:

Posonaise in A major, Op. 40 No. 1: Allegro con brio
Prelude in D-flat major, Op. 28 No. 15: Sostenuto
Etude in E-flat minor, Op. 10 No. 6: Andante
Etude No. 2 in A-flat major from 'Trois Nouvelles Etudes': Allegretto
Mazurka in F minor, Op. 7 No. 3
Waltz in C-sharp minor, Op. 64 No. 2: Tempo giusto
Variations on a Theme by Clara Wieck from Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 14: Andantino
Kreisleriana, Op. 16: I. Auberst bewegt
Kreisleriana, Op. 16: II. Sehr innig
Kreisleriana, Op. 16: III. Sehr aufgeregt
Kreisleriana, Op. 16: IV. Sehr langsam
Kreisleriana, Op. 16: V. Sehr lebhaft
Kreisleriana, Op. 16: VI. Sehr langsam
Kreisleriana, Op. 16: VII. Sehr rasch
Kreisleriana, Op. 16: VIII. Schnell und spielend

Amazon.com essential recording

Schumann and Chopin were staples of Horowitz's repertory, and this late 1960s-early 1970s collection finds him at his mature peak, playing with elan and imaginative fantasy. The Kreisleriana is one of his greatest recordings, trumping rivals with its spectacular pianism and complete identification with the composer. The Chopin set typifies Horowitz's approach--big and bold, with personalized editorial emendations and an energy that shatters the conventional salon approach. But he also sings Chopin's touching melodies as few others can, making the lovely Op. 10 No. 3 Etude an achingly touching poem. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

The Schumann Kreisleriana is worth everything, and the Chopin is magical.......2005-12-20

This is a must have dual CD set of one of the great pianists of all time playing some of his favorite music. Later in life Horowitz made a TV show that became a best selling VHS tape entitled "Horowitz: The Last Romantic". If you ever heard him play, you know that title is appropriate and what the grand piano style was all about.

I have often referred to recordings of music as photographs of music. And just as photographs of people a wonderfully valuable, they are not the real person and do not capture the real person. Even a movie or documentary distorts the reality of the person. Still, we treasure our home movies, photos, and recordings. And we should. We just need to remember what they really are and that they are representations of reality (or of fictions if that is what they are) rather than real life.

It was my good fortune to hear Horowitz in recital three times; twice here in Ann Arbor and once in East Lansing. While I have heard dozens of great pianists, and hundreds of very fine quality, Horowitz (and Rubenstein) had a special charisma that was totally involving. His playing had special qualities that were unique to him. He played more quietly and yet was able to send that whisper of sound to the farthest rows in Hill Auditorium. I believe the secret of his power was that he had so many shades of pianissimo. While we clearly here a great dynamic range in these recordings, the compressed nature of recordings cannot capture the full range of what we heard in live performance.

The other thing he had was the ability to not only keep the voices clear in the music he was playing, but to give each voice its own character and sound. The recording of Schumann's fabulous Opus 16, Kreisleriana included here captures this ability to a stunning degree. This recording should be in your collection and studied carefully. While these phantasies are full of contrasts that make listening to them seemingly easy, there is so much quality and interesting music that they will reward as much close listening and study as you can lavish on them.

The other Schumann work included is the "Variations on a theme by Clara Wieck" (who became Schumann's wife and was a superb and important pianist).

The Chopin pieces included here are a wonderful collection of etudes, mazurkas, the two famous polonaises, preludes, waltzes, and the wonderful but not often heard "Introduction and Rondo in E-flat major Op 16". These are all full of magic and will hold your imagination closely. I find myself saying, "Oh, I LOVE this piece" and then the next one comes on, and I say the same thing again and then again for the next one. They are all pieces I have learned to play or want to learn (like the Intro & Rondo).

Get a hold of these disks if you can. Just a number of wonderful listening experiences.

Chopin + Schumann + Horowitz = Unforgettable Playing.......2003-04-12

Volume Seven of Sony's Horowitz reissue contains very convincing performances of Chopin and Schumann, Romantic composers whose music was sympathetic to the pianist's interpretive style.

It was not uncommon for Horowitz to bring to light a rarely played work by a well known composer, which is the case with Chopin's Introduction & Rondo in E-flat. This early composition (probably written for Chopin's most advanced pupils) abounds with glittery passagework and technical configurations similar to his Concertos (which Horowitz never recorded). Under Horowitz's hands, the work exceeds the boundaries of mere salon piece and emerges as a virtuoso tour de force.

Horowitz (who had a Polish grandmother and was fond of pointing out that he was "half as much a Pole as Chopin") considered the Mazurkas to be Chopin's greatest works, and often stated that there was more music in the shortest Chopin Mazurka than in the longest Mahler Symphony. The pianist treated the Mazurkas less as dance pieces than as "dance-fantasies" and his playing of the works was freer than the more straightforward Rubinstein. Highlights of this set include a seductive F-sharp Minor, Op. 59 No. 3.

Horowitz made several recordings of the ever popular A-flat Polonaise, and this one adheres most closely to Chopin's text. The introduction is very sparsely pedalled (as if Horowitz were saying "Look! I can play the tricky introduction without using the pedal to cover up insufficient fingerwork. Take THAT, Rubinstein!"). The remainder of the piece goes with gusto and flair (too fast to be a Maestoso), but he somehow misses the grandeur which Rubinstein brought to the piece--and which Horowitz himself would attain in his last years. The A-major Polonaise is also taken at a fast clip, but this somehow seems more appropriate to this work, and one is reminded of Chopin's remark that if he were able to play the piece the way he meant it to be played, the piano would lay in ruins afterward.

If anyone thought Horowitz, then approaching 70, had lost any of his fire, their worries were quickly dispelled with the Etudes included here. The C-sharp Minor goes at a rapid clip, but unlike many pianists, there is no loss of clarity. The famous Revolutionary Etude is given a more outwardly virtuosic performance then the pianist's 1963 recording, yet somehow the piece has less impact here.

The ubiquitous C-sharp Minor Waltz is from the Boston concert of April 7, 1968. Three days previously, the Reverend Martin Luther King had been murdered in Memphis. At the beginning of this concert, Horowitz came onstage with an African-American minister, and played Chopin's Funeral March in memory of Dr. King.

Horowitz learned Shumann's Kreisleriana in the 1930s, but did not play it in public until 1968. Several attempts to record the work in concert were not successful, and Horowitz came to the conclusion that he needed the peace and quiet of a recording studio to achieve the concentration for a performance suitable for posterity. Horowitz recorded the work at one inspired session on December 1, 1969, and this may well be the most successful Kreisleriana ever recorded. Ironically, Horowitz, who often had trouble holding together a Beethoven Sonata, makes this structurally splintered work emerge as one piece. This is one Kriesleriana which is never rambling or boring. There is virtuosity here, but never for its own sake, and there is poetry in plenty. This stands alongside the 1932 Liszt Sonata and 1951 Rachmaninoff Third Concerto as one of Horowitz's greatest recordings. However, it should be pointed out that this reissue of Kriesleriana uses a few alternate takes, which are markedly different from the original LP and an earlier CD issue (MK42409). Although the performance is basically similar, there are several differences in detail.

Schumann's Variations on a Theme by Clara Wieck, originally included as a filler for the Kriesleriana record, is given a straightforward reading here. It a lovely little work, but it is even more beautiful in its original context: as the third movement from the composer's Sonata in F Minor, another rarely played work Horowitz would bring to light in 1975.

The sound is more than acceptable here, and especially fine in the Schumann works.

Classic Chopin.......2000-11-23

Volume Seven of Vladimir Horowitz's "Complete Masterworks Recordings" ("Early Romantics") compiles almost two discs worth of classic Chopin performances. There's a little bit of everything here -- Polonaises, Etudes, Mazurkas and Preludes, but sadly no Nocturnes. The Chopin renditions here are as good as, if not better than, anything available -- Rubinstein, Kissin, Pollini and Cliburn included. And just when you thought the highlight of this collection was the Chopin material, on come two amazing pieces by Schumann, "Variations on a Theme by Clara Wreck" and "Kreislerania." The latter piece is a particular favorite of mine -- a wild and turbulent, and at times poetic and lovely, masterpiece which Horowitz captures in all its brilliance. In all, "Early Romantics" is a thoroughly enjoyable couple of discs that anyone should love.

The Segovia Collection, Volume 9: The Romantic Guitar

Average customer rating:

My Personal Favorite
The Greatest Classical Guitarist who ever lived!
An expressive Genius

The Segovia Collection, Volume 9: The Romantic Guitar

Manufacturer: Mca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Airs | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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The Segovia Collection, Vol. 2

ASIN: B000002OGJ
Release Date: 1991-06-04

Tracks:

Op. 62, No.2: Chant du Paysan, Op. 62, No.2
Op. 12, No. 2: Waltz, Op. 12, No. 2
Op. 30, No. 3: Song Without Words, Op. 30, No. 3
Canzonetta
Op. 19, No. 6: Song Without Words Op. 19, No. 6
Menuetto
Largo assai
Romanza
Andantino Variato
Op. 39, No. 2: Waltz, Op. 39, No. 2
Prelude in A
Romanza
Melodie
Preludio
Allegretto
Sonata
Homenaje, Pour Le Tombeau De Debussy
Prelude
Prelude: La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin

Amazon.com

Of all the discs in MCA's fine Segovia collection, this is the least successful, though fans of the great guitarist will naturally want this collection of transcriptions of piano works by various Romantic composers, including Grieg, Mendelssohn, Brahms, and Debussy. The problem does not lie with Segovia's performances, which are excellent, but with the music itself, some of which resists being performed on the guitar rather more than the Spanish pieces that are the "meat and potatoes" of the classical repertoire. If this one reservation doesn't trouble you, then by all means buy. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

My Personal Favorite.......2004-06-12

While Segovia's forte is Spanish music and his mastery of the Bach sonatas and partitas which were transcribed from the violin to the guitar, I keep finding myself listening to this CD on an almost daily basis. As a classical guitarist myself, hearing pieces like Grieg's piano works and Mendlesohns' string quartets played to perfection on his 1947 Herman Hauser II with such strength, clarity and authority makes me realize this man understood more about the music that went onto this one CD than most "musicians" past and present could ever hope to understand in a lifetime. His guitar sings like a human voice and when he plays it truly sounds like a choral ensemble being played through one instrument. Sweet!

The Greatest Classical Guitarist who ever lived!.......2000-09-22

Every classical Guitarist today owes a debt of gratitiude to Andres Segovia. He was not only an amazingly unique talent but an innovator as well. When he rediscovered the guitar it was a forgotten instrument that shared little respect from the musical community. He literally invented the technique that all classical guitarists use today. In addition he sought out and compiled thousands of lost pieces for the instrument. He also made many transcriptions of pieces written for other instruments such as the piano and translated them brilliantly into the language of the guitar. Out of the entire Segovia collection, this CD is my personal favorite for the diversity and choice of material. The waltzes are charming. My favorite cuts are Canzonetta and Song Without Words OP 19.no 6, both but Felix Mendelssohn. If you only buy one CD out of this collection it should be this one.

An expressive Genius.......1999-02-17

Segovia truly shows his expressive genius on this album. Many of these pieces were written for the piano but arranged for the the guitar by Segovia. These titles express much of what is moving about the romantic period in classical music and Segovia captures this in his masterful way. This is a must have for Segovia fans. If not for some noisy recordings, I would have given this album 5 stars.

Average customer rating:

Now it's possible to get your Partch all in a row

The Harry Partch Collection, Volume 1

Manufacturer: New World Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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The Harry Partch Collection, Volume 2
The Harry Partch Collection Volume 3
The Harry Partch Collection, Volume 4
Genesis of a Music: An Account of a Creative Work, Its Roots and Its Fulfillments (Da Capo Paperback)
Harry Partch: Enclosure 7

ASIN: B0002WZTKC
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Tracks:

Eleven Intrusions (1949-50)
Eleven Intrusions (1949-50)
Eleven Intrusions (1949-50)
Eleven Intrusions (1949-50)
Eleven Intrusions (1949-50)
Eleven Intrusions (1949-50)
Eleven Intrusions (1949-50)
Eleven Intrusions (1949-50)
Eleven Intrusions (1949-50)
Eleven Intrusions (1949-50)
Eleven Intrusions (1949-50)
Plectra and Percussion Dances-Satyr-Play Music for Dance Theatre (1952)- Castor & Pollux---A Dance for the Twin Rhythms of Gemini
Plectra and Percussion Dances-Satyr-Play Music for Dance Theatre (1952)- Castor & Pollux---A Dance for the Twin Rhythms of Gemini
Plectra and Percussion Dances-Satyr-Play Music for Dance Theatre (1952)- Ring Around the Moon---A Dance for Here and Now
Plectra and Percussion Dances-Satyr-Play Music for Dance Theatre (1952)- Ring Around the Moon---A Dance for Here and Now
Plectra and Percussion Dances-Satyr-Play Music for Dance Theatre (1952)- Ring Around the Moon---A Dance for Here and Now
Plectra and Percussion Dances-Satyr-Play Music for Dance Theatre (1952)- Ring Around the Moon---A Dance for Here and Now
Plectra and Percussion Dances-Satyr-Play Music for Dance Theatre (1952)- Even Wild Horses---Dance Music for an Absent Drama
Plectra and Percussion Dances-Satyr-Play Music for Dance Theatre (1952)- Even Wild Horses---Dance Music for an Absent Drama
Plectra and Percussion Dances-Satyr-Play Music for Dance Theatre (1952)- Even Wild Horses---Dance Music for an Absent Drama
Plectra and Percussion Dances-Satyr-Play Music for Dance Theatre (1952)- Even Wild Horses---Dance Music for an Absent Drama
Plectra and Percussion Dances-Satyr-Play Music for Dance Theatre (1952)- Even Wild Horses---Dance Music for an Absent Drama
Plectra and Percussion Dances-Satyr-Play Music for Dance Theatre (1952)- Even Wild Horses---Dance Music for an Absent Drama
Plectra and Percussion Dances-Satyr-Play Music for Dance Theatre (1952)- Even Wild Horses---Dance Music for an Absent Drama
Plectra and Percussion Dances-Satyr-Play Music for Dance Theatre (1952)- Even Wild Horses---Dance Music for an Absent Drama
Ulysses at the Edge (1955)

Album Description

This newly remastered reissue marks a welcome return to the catalog of the first volume of the classic 4-CD collection that was formerly available on the CRI label. The works recorded on this disc span the first six years of what Harry Partch (1901-1974), slightly tongue-in-cheek, called the "third period" of his creative life. They show him moving away from the obsession with "the intrinsic music of spoken words" that had characterized his earlier output (the vocal works of 1930-33 and 1941-45) and towards an instrumental idiom, predominantly percussive in nature. This path was to take him through the "music-dance drama" King Oedipus (1951)—-the culmination of his "spoken word" manner—to the "dance satire" The Bewitched (1954-55), in which his new percussive idiom manifests itself. The three works on this disc show Partch before, during, and after this period of transition. In their quiet, forlorn way, the Eleven Intrusions are among the most compelling and beautiful of Partch's works. The individual pieces were composed at various times between August 1949 and December 1950, and only later gathered together as a cycle. Nonetheless they form a unified whole, with a nucleus of eight songs framed by two instrumental preludes and an essentially instrumental postlude. Although foreshadowed by the dance sequences of King Oedipus, the Plectra and Percussion Dances (1952) are the first of Partch's major works to be wholly instrumental in conception. They stand in relation to Oedipus as a satyr play in relation to a Greek tragedy—hence the work's subtitle, "Satyr-Play Music for Dance Theater." He felt that after the prolonged period of composition and production of Oedipus it was "almost a necessity to give vent to feelings and ideas, whims and caprices, even nonsense, that seem to have no place in tragedy." The final work on this disc is Ulysses at the Edge, written at Partch's studio at Gate 5 in July 1955. Ulysses, which Partch describes as a "minor adventure in rhythm," is unique among his mature compositions in that, in its original form, it did not call for any of his own instruments. The version recorded here, for alto and baritone saxophones, Diamond Marimba, Boo, Cloud-Chamber Bowls, and speaking voice, is considered the third version of the piece.

Customer Reviews:

Now it's possible to get your Partch all in a row.......2006-02-20

Harry Partch is the quintissential mad genius of music--his image of music that was non-Eurocentric led to him devising his own tonal scale based on ancient Greek and Asian methods and then creating his own instruments. This series release of Partch music lets one organize his Partch tastes and get a real sense of his progress through time. This disc is superb for the Intrusions, ghostly little pieces that were my first introduction to this fine composer. I would also highly recommend volume 3, which has Barstow, one of my favorite Partch pieces.

Be prepared. This is classical music you have not been prepared for. If you're already a fan of Partch, aren't you glad SOMEONE is getting all his amazing stuff together in one tightly knit package?

Average customer rating:

Vineyard Collection Volume 1

Manufacturer: Vineyard
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Praise & Worship | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0009UBTLK

Average customer rating:

...why did I wait so long to discover you?

Singles Collection Volume 1
Discount
Manufacturer: New American Dream
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Punk | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Punk Revival | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Half-Fiction

ASIN: B000060OO7
Release Date: 2002-03-05

Tracks:

Never Ending Always
Rooftop Empathy
On The Tracks
Uptown Subway
Miller Street
Black Eye
All Too Often
Bloody Mediocrity
Streets
Trouble In The Sky
Me The Spy
Runaway
My Mileau
I Don't I Do
I Can't Tell You
Disappointed

Customer Reviews:

...why did I wait so long to discover you?.......2002-06-11

As an Milwaukee ex-pat in SF, I first heard of them on the WMSE (milw. school of eng.) radio stream back in feb, and found myself wanting to seek out this album. It's too bad I found about about them too late so no more tours.

I think it's going to be a long time until I like another female vocalist pop/punk band as much. It's too bad they broke up (right after high school or something?)...

Tracks:

Sonata In F Minor Op. 5: Allegro
Sonata In F Minor Op. 5: Intermezzo: Allegro
Sonata In F Minor Op. 5: Largo divoto
Sonata In F Minor Op. 5: Finale: Allegro risoluto
Zwei Marchen Op. 8: Andantino
Zwei Marchen Op. 8: Allegro
Sonaten-Triade Op. 11: No. 1 In A Flat Major
Sonaten-Triade Op. 11: No. 2 In D Minor (Sonata-Elegy)
Sonaten-Triade Op. 11: No. 3 In C Major

Tracks:

Sonata In G Minor Op. 22: Tenebroso, sempre affrettando - Allegro assai - Interludium (Andante lugubre) - Allegro assai
Sonata-Skazka In C Minor Op. 25 No. 1: Allegro abbandonamente
Sonata-Skazka In C Minor Op. 25 No. 1: Andantino con moto
Sonata-Skazka In C Minor Op. 25 No. 1: Allegro con spirito
Sonata In E Minor 'Night Wind' Op. 25 No. 2: Introduzione: Andante - Allegro
Sonata In E Minor 'Night Wind' Op. 25 No. 2: poco e poco Allegro molto sfrenatamente, presto

Tracks:

Sonata-Ballada In F Sharp Major Op. 27: Allegretto
Sonata-Ballada In F Sharp Major Op. 27: Introduzione: Mesto
Sonata-Ballada In F Sharp Major Op. 27: Finale: Allegro
Sonata In A Minor Op. 30: Allegro risoluto - Allegro molto
Vergessene Weisen (Forgotten Melodies) Op. 38: No. 1 Sonata-Reminiscenza: Allegretto tranquillo
Vergessene Weisen (Forgotten Melodies) Op. 38: No. 2 Danza graziosa: Con moto leggiero
Vergessene Weisen (Forgotten Melodies) Op. 38: No. 3 Danza festiva: Presto
Vergessene Weisen (Forgotten Melodies) Op. 38: No. 4 Canzona fluviala: Allegretto con moto
Vergessene Weisen (Forgotten Melodies) Op. 38: No. 5 Danza rustica: Allegro commodo
Vergessene Weisen (Forgotten Melodies) Op. 38: No. 6 Canzona serenata: Moderato
Vergessene Weisen (Forgotten Melodies) Op. 38: No. 7 Danza silvestra
Vergessene Weisen (Forgotten Melodies) Op. 38: No. 8 Alla Reminiscenza: Quasi coda

Tracks:

No. 1 Meditazione: Introduzione, quasi Cadenza - Meno mosso - Meditamente
No. 2 Romanza: Meditamente
No. 3 Primavera: Vivace
No. 4 Canzona matinata: Allegretto cantando, ma sempre con moto
No. 5 Sonata tragica: Allegro non troppo
Sonata In B Flat Minor 'Sonata Romantica' Op. 53 No. 1: Romanza: Andantino con moto, ma sempre espressivo
Sonata In B Flat Minor 'Sonata Romantica' Op. 53 No. 1: Scherzo: Allegro
Sonata In B Flat Minor 'Sonata Romantica' Op. 53 No. 1: Meditazione: Andante con moto
Sonata In B Flat Minor 'Sonata Romantica' Op. 53 No. 1: Finale: Allegro non troppo
Sonata In B Flat Minor 'Sonata Minacciosa' Op. 53 No. 2: Allegro sostenuto
Sonate-Idylle In G Major Op. 56: Pastorale: Allegretto cantabile
Sonate-Idylle In G Major Op. 56: Allegro moderato e cantabile

Amazon.com

Nikolai Medtner's chums at the Moscow Conservatory included Scriabin and Rachmaninoff. Like them, he was a brilliant pianist. Also like them, he composed an extensive body of distinguished piano music, most of which is relatively unknown. Its style resembles that of Rachmaninoff (who greatly admired it), although it lacks the latter's memorable melodies. Technically, it is just as difficult, requiring not only great fluency and endurance but also a wide range of colors. Marc-André Hamelin's prodigious technique makes him an ideal interpreter of Medtner's strong, clearly chiseled structures. His ability to play even the most complex and difficult passages at an even pace helps delineate and clarify them. Excellent recorded sound. --Paul Turok

Customer Reviews:

Wow!.......2007-07-14

Excellent (if you like Medtner's music). the piano is clear and wonderful.

Martin

Medtner's piano music is a strong, major addition to the piano standard repertoire, for both listener and performer. Beautiful........2007-05-02

When this 4CDs-album came out in 1998 I was one of the first in the states to purchase a copy, and even without knowing whether Medtner is my taste or not. I loved Hamelin's Scriabin-sonatas album so I didnt care about the high price of this Medtner-sonatas album. And I was right. With the first scanning of each disc I fell more and more in love with this gorgeous, rich, imaginative, romantic, melodic&rhythmic, intense, serious, profound, passionate...simply *beautiful* music. Medtner does not seem to strive for creating something extraordinary, innovative, modern, interesting per se but for pure musical intent. What you hear is pure (and absolute?) music by a genuine musician (Medtner) as natural and pianistic as one could imagine, with nothing else intended or presumed.
For comparative listeners, Geoffrey Tozer's boxed Medtner-sonatas set includes the complete Forgotten Melodies (I-III), not only I and II (Hamelin), but in the sonatas Hamelin plays with much more verve, drive, energy and speed. However, in the past years I tend to listen more of TozerPlayingMedtner...simply because he has been recording the complete Medtner solo music (prospected 9 volumes on Chandos) and I really enjoy the wealth of non-sonata music by Medtner which is less complex, of lighter content and much easier to understand. Many pianophiles whom I borrowed the Hamelin album thought that these sonatas were way too dense and heavy, yet in the end they fell in love with Medtner, too, when listening to his non-sonata pieces (Fairy Tales, etc.). They have become Medtner fans, yes!
As for my part, after having listened to Medtner sonatas for almost ten consecutive years, I somehow obtain the feeling that his other solo piano music is more enjoyable on a long-term basis. I cant listen to the sonatas nearly any more but I experience still lots of pleasure, fun and enjoyment listening to his other pieces. So thanks Hamelin for the convincing introduction to Medtner's world, and even more thanks to Tozer on Chandos (and Hamish Milne on CRD) for making this world my new home.

but it IS unjust;.......2006-10-03

that such beautiful music should be ignored! i never understood why rachmaninoff enjoyed more popularity than his more ingenious colleague, scriabin. i similarly don't understand why rach is deemed greater than medtner. perhaps it was sergei's larger-than-life presence as a pianist and conductor? i deem rachmaninoff one of the greatest pianist-conductors in history, but as a composer he ranks below both scriabin and medtner.
listen to medtner's music and be blown away by the intricacy and intimacy of his music. the density, the poignant lyricism. counterpoint unfolds and reveals music that is ten times more dense than rachmaninoff's (possibly excluding rach's 2nd and 3rd piano concerto).
you hear explosive genius, innovations, and emotions. a different trajectory from scriabin's music - not apocalpytic, but more rustic. more pastoral and fairy-like, if not as charged with pathos.
if you are a fan of piano music, or just keyboard music as a whole, if you're looking for something sexy, medtner's sonatas are the answer.
and hamelin's playing, i presume, does not need my vouching.

the war is Iraq is unjust.......2004-09-08

Medtner is a trult great composer and Hamelin is a truly great pianist, not just a technician.

contra drollere.......2004-06-23

Just a few words for those of you who are considering this set but have been given pause by the dissenting opinion in drollere's review, below.

I can understand that on first listen this music (like a great deal of classical music) may be difficult to parse -- to break into meaningful paragraphs and sentences, so to speak. And I know first-hand that when one can't yet hear the phrase structure in a piece of music, it tends to sounds like, yes, a long drum solo; it sounds like the music is attempting to express itself solely through superficial, local effects. drollere's review is actually a lovely, well-written description of the experience of listening to music without knowing how to parse it. One hears only "chords," "scales," "arpeggios," "melodies," and is aware that things seem to "change...every 20 seconds or so." In fact, listening to music this way - a bit like listening to the rise and fall of an actor's voice without being able to make out the words - often tends to give one an exaggerated impression of the surface effects, which I think must account for drollere's belief that this music is best characterized as "virtuosity for its own sake." Assessments like "the kinetic equivalent of serialism" and "a musical rubik's cube" really have nothing to do with Medtner - they just describe the general phenomenon of a piece of music being meaningless to a listener, in the truly musical sense of the word "meaning."

I was struck by these things, reading drollere's review, because they were so familiar to me: I am often frustrated by how long it takes me to come to terms with the form (and through it, substance) of a new musical work; sometimes it seems like I can listen to a piece 20 times and not yet know how to parse it. Frustrating indeed, because I, unlike drollere, know that at that point I'm still not qualified to form an opinion of the music. In a very real sense, I still haven't heard it. I might form an opinion about the fact that the music is still opaque to me (e.g. "I'm putting in an attentive, good faith effort to make sense of this music, so I declare that if I still don't know what's up after 20 listens, the composer isn't doing his/her job") but I'm simply not in a position to say anything about the composer's musical or aesthetic intentions or accomplishments. The composer didn't write the "drum solo" that I hear - it's just the raw data stream, not yet decoded by my brain, and as such isn't a work to be reviewed.

The irony of drollere's review is that the most outstanding aspect of this music, in exact opposition to what drollere says, is its "emotionally or imaginatively involving musical structure." Medtner's handling of sonata form is astounding - if you don't believe me or can't hear it, get a copy of the score and give yourself the assignment of breaking down the structure of one of the longer movements - the first piece I encountered was Op. 22, which is a good warm-up for the really sprawling ones, Op. 25/2 and Op. 53/2. I promise you that by the time you've gone through the purportedly tedious task of actually identifying the different themes and their recapitulations, noting thematic relationships, etc. etc., you'll realize how strong these pieces are, how exquisitely they fuse profound, heartfelt emotion with ingenious development - and then you'll be ready to listen again and hear it all. Or at least more of it. "What are the rewards of repeated listening?" indeed. Perhaps since July 28, 2003, drollere has found out the answer to that question, in which case I hope s/he will return and clean up around here. I just hate to think that anyone will be turned off to Medtner by a well-written but utterly rash review. Trust me: this is the real thing. The music is, if anything, better than the hype. Do not be dissuaded.

Rap Music:

Rap Music

rap music

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