Barber, Samuel

The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!

Average customer rating:

Lives Up To The Title, Fine Variety Of Genre's.
Good for relaxing pregnant women
Too much opera
Does what it set out to do, very well
TRULY The most relaxing and beautiful music ever written.

The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
Johann Sebastian Bach , Léo Delibes , Gabriel Fauré , Erik Satie , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Edvard Grieg , Johann Pachelbel , Claude Debussy , Felix Mendelssohn , Camille Saint-Saens , Henryk Gorecki , Antonio Vivaldi , Edward Elgar , Jocelyn Pook , Sergey Rachmaninov , Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni , Luigi Boccherini , Jules Massenet , Ludwig van Beethoven , Jacques Offenbach , Pietro Mascagni , Antonin Dvorak , Giacomo Puccini , Ralph Vaughan Williams , Alexander Borodin , Joaquin Rodrigo , and Samuel Barber
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Caballe, Montserrat | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Ever, Volume II
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25 Classical Favorites

ASIN: B00000I93Z
Release Date: 1999-03-30

Tracks:

Cantata No.140: Sleepers, Wake !
Adagio In G Minor
String Quintet In E Op. 13 No. 5: Minuet
Keyboard Concerto No. 5 In F Minor BWV 1056: II: Largo
Thais: Meditation
Piano Sonata No.14 In C Sharp Minor 'Moonlight' Op. 27 No.2: I: Adagio sostenuto
The Tales Of Hoffman: Belle nuit, o nuit d'amour - Barcarolle
Concerto for Two Mandolins: II: Andante
Clarinet Concerto In A K.622: II: Adagio - Opening
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo
String Serenade op. 22: I: Moderato
Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro
'Sir John In Love': Fantasia On 'Greensleeves'
Piano Concerto No. 2 In C Minor Op. 18: II: Adagio sostenuto - Opening
String Quartet No.2 In D#: Nocturne
Concierto de Aranjuez: II: Adagio - Opening
Adagio For Strings Op. 11a
Carmen: Entr'acte To Act III

Tracks:

Suite No. 3 In D BWV 1068: Air 'On The G string' - J.S. Bach
'Peer Gynt' Incidental Music Op.23: Morning
Canon In D
Cantata No. 147: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring - Bach
Gymnopedie No. 1
Piano Concerto No. 21 In C 'Elvira Madigan', K. 467: Andante
Lakme: Viens, Mallika
Requiem Op. 48: In Paradisum
'Suite Bergamasque': Clair de lune - DeBussy
Violin Concerto In E minor Op. 64: Andante - Mendelssohn
'The Carnival Of Animals': The Swan
Symphony No.3 'Symphony Of Sorrowful Songs': Lento E Largo - Tranquillissimo
Flute And Harp Concerto In C - K. 299: Andantino
The Four Seasons: The Four Seasons Largo ' Winter'
'Enigma' Variation Op. 36: Nimrod
Blow The Wind - Pie Jesu
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini: Variation 18
Pavane Op. 50

Amazon.com

You want relaxing classical music that'll soothe your soul but won't lull you into sleep? Here's a double CD for you. The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World ... Ever! does its best to cover both well-worn classical favorites (Bach's "Air on the G String," Pachelbel's "Cannon," Debussy's "Clair de Lune") and some eclectic left-field choices (an excerpt from Górecki's Symphony No. 3, Jocelyn Pook's "Blow the Wind," and Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. The performances of most of these excerpts are top-notch--artists include Sir Neville Marriner, James Galway, Jacqueline du Pré and the Philadelphia Orchestra--and there's enough variety here for everyone. --Edward Garabedian

Customer Reviews:

Lives Up To The Title, Fine Variety Of Genre's........2007-02-04

This CD is a great way to enjoy a large variety of Classical Composers & many of their best known pieces. Vivaldi's "Four Seasons," is an all time favorite. There are vocals, Piano pieces, & some fine Violins. I found the latter the most enjoyable. Here you can find Rodrigo & Pachelbell. Samuel Barber's haunting Adagio will make your skin tingle. This may not be to everyones taste, but if you wish to relax? Give this a couple of listens.

Good for relaxing pregnant women.......2007-01-17

I stumbled onto this album whilst searching bit torrent websites for classical music. I don't normally listen to classical music but thought it might be relaxing for my pregnant wife. After hearing the quality of the performances, the arrangement, and the recording I decided to buy the album from amazon. All the songs you would expect from a "best album in the world" are there and they are not boring to listen to like a lot of other classical albums. I now play this album in the car constantly and the wife requested it be played at the hospital during the birth.

Too much opera.......2007-01-10

If it wasn't for the opera this would be a great CD.

Does what it set out to do, very well.......2006-11-15

So i'm a classical music veteran, someone who prefers to collect a complete work, rather than classical compilations. I probably would not have listened to this album at all if my dad didnt buy it for me as a gift. By now, i own the complete works that over half of the excepts on this disc come from. I am a purist if ever there was one.

That said, i totally adore this set because i have learned to take it on its own terms. These discs weren't meant for expert classical listeners, so a review from that sort of mindset is useless. This set was meant for pure, easy listening, and for a basic starters kit for classical newbies. Most of all, it was just meant to do what the title says, to relax the average human being. classical expert or not.

Yes, some of these pieces have been altered or shortened, like Mozart's Flute and Harp Concerto Andantino, but they have been edited for a good enough reason: the full versions would have been too long to flow with the rest of the album. And also, the full versions contain so much development that they don't become easy listening anymore. The shortened versions work in the context of the album. Most essentially, the shortened versions on the discs still convey the main flavor the composers were going for. The melodies and themes remain unchanged.

To sum up, it is true that when i want to actually listen deeply to classical music, this album would never be a choice. I would want to hear the complete works like the composers intended. But at certain times when i simply don't mind about that stuff, when i just need to loosen up and free my mind of stress with some nice melodies, this set does the job well enough.

Last but not least: being a purist and a classical buff, i am very particular about performance quality. I was very glad to find that EMI did not get lazy about this. All the artists are world-class, and all the performances are at least exceptional. Some performances are even quite excellent, like the Clair De Lune, which is one of the best i've heard. (Credit to Dame Lympany, the pianist.)

So once again, recommended for its stated purpose, to relax. I am a purist, a classical buff, and i still enjoy this disc. That says something.

TRULY The most relaxing and beautiful music ever written........2006-11-10

This album along with Volume 2 are now the two most valued albums in my music collection. I have all of the songs contained on these two albums but they are scattered through at least a dozen different albums and several are not performed by artists such as those that recorded this album and Volume 2.
SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!!!!

The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe

Average customer rating:

the most relaxing classical music in the university
Relaxing Classical Music
Stress-freedom
Greatly enjoy!
the most relaxing classical music in the universe

The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe
Johann Sebastian Bach , Ralph Vaughan Williams , George Frideric Handel , Gustav Holst , Samuel Barber , Edvard Grieg , Jean Sibelius , Antonin Dvorak , Franz Liszt , Charles Gounod , Fryderyk Chopin , Alexander Borodin , Maurice Ravel , Antonio Vivaldi , Satie, Erik , and Various Artists
Manufacturer: Denon Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mozart for Relaxation

ASIN: B00008RH16
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

Canon - Pachelbel
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik-Andante - Mozart
Fur Elise - Beethoven
String Quartet #1 - Tchaikovsky
Clair De Lune - Debussy
Idyl for Strings - Adagio - Janacek
Adagio in G Mnor - Albinoni
The Girl with the Flaxen Hair - Debussy
Air on a G String - Bach
Greensleeves - Vaughn Williams
Largo from Xerxes - Handel
Prelude in C - Bach
The Planets - Venus - Holst
Goldberg Variations - Aria - Bach
Adagio for Strings - Barber

Tracks:

Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun - Debussy
Fur Elise - Beethoven
Holberg Suite - Sarabande - Grieg
Valse Triste - Sibelius
Concerto in F Minor - Largo - Bach
Serenade for String - Moderato - Dvorak
Liebestraume - Liszt
Ave Maria - Bach/Bounod
Etude in E Major - Chopin
String Quartet No 2 - Nocturne - Borodin
Arabesque - Debussy
Pavane for Dead Princess - Ravel
The Four Seasons - Largo - Vivaldi
Gymno0pedie 1 - Satie
Moonlight Sonata - Adagio - Beethoven
Piano Concerto No 21 - Andante - Mozart "Elvira Madigan"

Customer Reviews:

the most relaxing classical music in the university.......2007-05-12

All my favorites. I can start the CD player, which is wired to speakers in every room of my house, and just let it play, along with "The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the World" and "The Most Relaxing Classical Guitar in the World." I enjoy an awareness of familiar and beautiful strains of my favorites all day long and never get tired of it.

My brother visited me recently and noticed it right away. That will be another order for this fabulour music.

Relaxing Classical Music.......2007-01-08

I was not really a classical music fan but I am now. I purchased this cd for my 14 year old grand-daughter, not knowing we would both enjoy the music so much. She has always enjoyed classical music along with all of the other teen music, rap, rock, country, etc.
Also, it really helped being able to listen to parts of the music before purchasing.

Stress-freedom.......2006-03-14

Perfect music to end the work day. After listening to this I can face the evening. If the morning is hard, a little at lunch time gets me through the afternoon.

Greatly enjoy!.......2006-02-23

I first developed a taste for this music a number of years ago when my daughter started playing in the orchestra. The reason I made this purchase however, was because I have a great deal of difficulty with anxiety and I was looking for ways to find help. I love these CDs. It helps so much to sit and close my eyes and enjoy the music. The CDs are full of beautiful music.

the most relaxing classical music in the universe.......2005-09-21

it's the best next to the first one...

Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3; Poulenc: Organ Concerto; Barber: Toccata Festiva

Average customer rating:

A Missed Opportunity?
A Sound Spectacular
The Organ at Verizon Hall
Great Concert; Great Recording--Wish the Levinson Piece was Here
Superb Barber--variable Poulenc and Saint-Saens

Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3; Poulenc: Organ Concerto; Barber: Toccata Festiva

Manufacturer: Ondine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Mahler: Symphony No. 6; Piano Quartet [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B000LP4OII
Release Date: 2007-02-13

Tracks:

Toccata Festiva,Op.36 For Organ And Orchestra
Andante
Allegro Giocoso
Subito Andante Moderato
Tempo Allegro, Molto Agitato
Tres Calme. Lent
Tempo De L'Allegro Initial
Tempo Introduction. Largo
I. Adagio Allegro Moderato
Poco Adagio
II. Allegro MOderato Presto Allegro Moderato
Maestoso-Allegro-Molto Allegro Pesante

Amazon.com

This disc is drawn from the concerts inaugurating the new organ in Philadelphia's concert hall, a fine instrument well-captured by the engineers. But along with the sense of occasion, organist Olivier Latry and the orchestra deliver stunning playing of a stimulating program. Barber's celebratory overture is an apt opener, full of color and sparkle. The Poulenc is especially notable for the intensity soloist and the orchestra bring to one of the finest modern concertos in the repertory. Saint-Saëns' Symphony is almost on the same level, slightly marred by a sluggish slow movement but with plenty of excitement elsewhere. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this disc is the playing of the orchestra, full of life and vitality. The sheer sound of the Philadelphia strings is captivating enough, but the fetching wind solo turns and section work remind us of the continuing greatness of this ensemble. Latry too, is outstanding in the Barber and Poulenc works and an incisive presence in the Saint-Saëns. -- Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

A Missed Opportunity?.......2007-06-20

For a long time I have admired Christoff Eschenbach as a pianist and accompanist; my Eschenbach/Fischer-Dieskau/Schumann is delightful. This is my first exposure to him as a conductor - sadly, I am disappointed.

The Barber and Poulenc I quite liked although, to me, they were of secondary importance as I bought the CD for the Saint-Saëns/Dobson/Latry/Philadelphia partnership; one that works very well on this disc - a superior recording responsible for most of the four stars awarded. The factor out of balance in this equation is Eschenbach.

Solti could be irritatingly slow but he was, by comparison with Eschenbach in this performance, positively Toscanini-esque. All four sections of the Organ Symphony were taken at much too slow a pace but the "poco adagio" was thoroughly somnambulant and the "maestoso" section anything but. That the Philadelphia Orchestra was able to maintain the excellent cohesion displayed at this less-than-pedestrian pace is a measure of their quality.

If it is the Saint-Saëns that you want, you could do much better elsewhere. This work requires a powerful organ with convincing plein jeu (preferably but not necessarily in the French symphonic tradition) but so many recordings have either employed asthmatic instruments or, as to a degree obtains in this case, contrived a solo/orchestra imbalance. This balance is unusually difficult to achieve but, in my view, was nicely accomplished by Jane Parker-Smith and the London Philharmonic in 1982/83. The two dates arise from the orchestral and solo parts being separately recorded at different times and at different venues. Perhaps this is a "cheat" but it resulted in what I consider the best recording of this work and the one I would recommend.

A Sound Spectacular.......2007-05-15

This is a must have recording! It's just fantastic. The organ and symphonic playing are mesmerising.

The Organ at Verizon Hall.......2007-05-09

Quite a debut! Three great works for organ and orchestra on one SACD. My landmark for the Saint-Saens is a live perfomance at Symphony Hall in Boston with E. Power Biggs and Charles Munch when the organ was in its prime. This would be "The" performance for me. Biggs released the same organ with the Poulenc and the Barber on an Allen. When the pedal point comes in on the Biggs-Burgin, it still sets the floor vibrating. Biggs and Munch were not able to 'release' because of contracts [Biggs to Columbia and Munch to RCA] but hopefully that can be found in the BSO Transcription Trust and released now. In the meantime, this recording is very, verrrrry satisfying. The Dobson Organ is a treasure to Philadelphia. My only reservation is: Does Eschenbach really, REALLY grasp the Philadelphia strings in these three pieces!

Great Concert; Great Recording--Wish the Levinson Piece was Here.......2007-04-25

I attended many of the events of the Premiere Organ Festival, including one of the concerts from which this recording originated. I join many of the other reviewers who wish the Gerald Levinson commission was here instead of the Poulenc concerto. I had always found the Poulenc work curiously lifeless and mechanical in the past. However, a later performance by the Pittsburgh Symphony with Michael Stairs (I think) was a revelation.

Both the Barber and the Saint-Saens show the new organ to be a masterful partner with the Philadelphia Orchestra. As a subscriber, I'm looking forward to many grand events in the forseeable future!

The Organ Symphony in particular was well-balanced in peformance and recording. I have at least one recording of this work where the pianos are missing. Here they are right where they supposed to be.

As many of you may know, the Cooper Memorial Organ is provided with two mutually exclusive consoles and playing actions. One is a moveable electronic action console and the other a mechanical tracker action key desk. Both are used here. The Barber, the Poulenc and the missing Levinson were played on the floor on a beautiful curvilinear console which emphasizes horizontal lines and appears to be as large as an aircraft carrier. The Saint-Saens was played from the mechnical key desk above [there is a television monitor instead of the traditional mirror}. One can see both in the candid photo of the concert on page 20 of the CD's booklet.

Oddly enough, the booklet DOES NOT have a listing of the organ's specifications. I guess you will have to wait for a recital disc which I hope is forth-coming!

Superb Barber--variable Poulenc and Saint-Saens.......2007-04-25

This disc features at terrific account of the Barber--by far the best performance and recorded sound I've yet heard. Five stars all around! Eschenbach does a superb job of making this under-rated work make sense to me. Marin Alsop does a fine job on her Naxos Barber disc, but you must hear this Phialdelphia performance if you want to dig deeper.

The Poulenc, unfortunately, is less than noteworthy. I am the last person to know the finer points of Poulenc, but it just seems this performance cannot make up its mind where it wants to go. There are some shifts in tempo that fail to sound convincing, for instance. At this point in listening to the disc, I also came to feel the recorded balance was not as good as in the Barber.

I feel better qualified to say something about the Saint Seans, since I own over a dozen recorded performances of this work on CD--from the classic Munch/BSO forward in time. I feel that Eschenbach would certainly have benefited from a bit more of the energy that Munch brought to that reading in spades, but, of course, there can be little doubt that Eschenbach enjoys far superior sonics.

They are not the best sonics I believe this work has received on CD, however. My impression, at least from this recording, is that the Verizon Hall has less liveliness than other venues. Perhaps this is a trade-off that comes with making a live recording in a packed hall--more bodies mean less liveliness in the hall than otherwise. I am not sure. All I know is that I was dissapointed to hear the orchestra sound backwardly placed and have little "air" around it, and to hear the organ--while certainly massive and arresting in sound--seem less than convincingly placed in relation to the orchestra. As for the performance, I feel there are also better combinations of grandeur and warmth to be found on CD, for example the Levine, Maazel, Dutoit and Barenboim accounts. All of these readings feature different couplings, so you have some additional factors to consider in a purchase.

My personal favorite--among my dozen or so--remains one I bought as an afterthought in a Glasgow, Scotland record shop last summer: an EMI CD by Andrew Litton and the Royal Liverpool Orchestra recorded in Liverpool Cathderal back in 1987. From the first note to the last, it holds all the elements of this French masterpiece in balance, and the recorded soundstage is entirely believable--in fact, it is wonderfully open and airy (as one would expect, given the venue). And what an organ! It is a joy to hear and is also recorded in real time with the orchestra. Of course, there is more reverberation than some might think ideal in this recoding, but I am willing to look past it as the performace is so compelling. Sadly, this disc is now out-of-print. My fond hope is that it will make a return soon. Until then, I'd recommend all lovers of this work to seek it out: You will be richly rewarded if you can find it!

In summary, a first-rate Barber that is real treasure and almost reason enough to purchase this disc. You will find better versions of the other coupling elsewhere. Very fine--if not exactly ideal--sound all around.

Average customer rating:

Superb
Powerful and Moving
Barber's adagio
My inner beauty
Oscar Wilde plays Barber?

Barber's Adagio

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000025TX
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Adagio For Strings, Op. 11
Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
Fantasia On 'Greenleaves'
String Quartet No. 1,. Op. 11: 'Andante Cantabile' - Tchaikovsky
Symphony No. 5 In C Sharp Minor: 'Adagietto'

Customer Reviews:

Superb.......2007-05-15

Bernstein's usual wonderful interpretations of 5 pieces.
This is probably the best performance of Barber's Adagio you can find and I have heard them all. One other note is Williams' Fantasia on a theme by Thomas Tallis... it is spellbinding. This cd is definately worth the price if you are into slower strings.

Powerful and Moving.......2007-02-07

Barber's Adagio for Strings has become my favorite piece of music ever since hearing this recording several years ago. I definitely recommend this for anyone who likes violin music.

Barber's adagio.......2007-02-01

This sounds like a great recording of the Adagio adopted for orchestra.
I personally discovered another cd called Cathedral Classics recorded by Dale Warland Singers which gives a superior recording of the same music.
Dale Warland gives an unmatched quality that is available on the Internet.

My inner beauty.......2007-01-20

This music brings thoughts to my mind. I relax and think about good memories. But something in the music makes me sad sometimes and I can't stop listening to it because it is so beautiful. I want this CD to be played at my funeral. Only because it would bring good thoughts to people who know me now, but also just because it is so serene.

Oscar Wilde plays Barber?.......2005-07-12

Apparently, Thomas R. Brown is the only reviewer who has actually listened to this disc.

The performance of the Barber is not only the worst performance of the Adagio that I've ever heard; it's probably the worst performance of any piece by a major orchestra that I've ever heard, live or recorded. The complete lack of synchronization between the various string sections is embarrassing; the sloppy entrances are distracting and graceless. The orchestra sloshes from phrase to phrase like water in a bucket being carried over rough terrain. One wonders whether Bernstein was bothering to conduct at all, or was making everyone guess. This performance would have been unacceptable from my Youth Orchestra 25 years ago.

The other tracks are considerably better, but it's hard to make up for such a pathetic effort on the lead track.

Average customer rating:

Good and inexpensive collection

Best Classics 100 Volume 1

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000GPIPQA
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Tracks:

The Arrival Of The Queen Of Sheba - Sir Neville Marriner
I. Allegro - Yehudi Menuhin
Toccata In D Minor BWV565 - Wayne Marshall
III. Rondo (Allegro Vivace) - Barry Tuckwell
I. Allegro Con Brio - Philharmonia Orchestra
1812 Overture - Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphony No.9 In D Minor Choral Op.125 - The Westminster Choir
I. Allegro Molto Moderato - Cecile Ousset
Alla Marcia - Halle Orchestra
Jupiter, The Bringer Of Jollity - Philharmonia Orchestra
I. Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Maestoso - Horacio Gutierrez
Symphonic Poem, Op.26 - Halle Orchestra
Gloria All'egitto - Chorus Of The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Montagues And Capulets - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Radetzky March - Willi Boskovsky
Pomp And Circumstance March No.1 - Royal Choral Society
I. Allegro Ma Non Tanto - Mikhail Rudy
Symphony No.3 In C Minor Organ Op.78 - Mathias Eisenberg

Tracks:

Air On The G String - Sir Neville Marriner
Dance Of The Blessed Spirits - New Philharmonia Orchestra
Canon In D - Sir Neville Marriner
II. Adagio - Sabine Meyer
Aria - Julia
Adagio In G Minor - Sir Neville Marriner
I. Adagio Sostenuto - Dame Moura Lympany
II. Andantino - James Galway
II. Andante - Yehudi Menuhin
II. Andante - Stephen Hough
II. Largo - Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
II. Adagio - Yehudi Menuhin
Nimrod - London Symphony Orchestra
II. Adagio - Julian Bream
The Lark Ascending - Migel Kennedy
IV. Adagietto - New Philharmonia Orchestra
Variation 18 - Cecile Ousset

Tracks:

Au Fond Du Temple Saint - Nicolai Gedda
Song To The Moon - Lucia Popp
Dome Epais - Mady Mesple
La Fleur Que Tu M'avais Jetee - Nicolai Gedda
Che Faro Senza Euridice - Agnes Balsta
Casta Diva - Maria Callas
Che Gelida Manina - Roberto Alagna
O Mio Babbino Caro - Angela Gheorghiu
Bailero: Chants D'Auvergne - Victoria De Los Angeles
Vogliatemi Bene - Carlo Bergonzi
Va, Pensiero - Chorus Of The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Es Lebt' Eine Vilja - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Ombra Mai Fu - Richard Lewis
Ave Maria - Gerald Moore
Minuit, Chretiens - Roberto Alagna
Nessun Dorma - Jose Carreras

Tracks:

Overture - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude - Sir Neville Marriner
I. Allegro - Emil Gilels
Trumpet Voluntary - Maurice Andre
Judex - Halle Orchestra
Overture - Polish Chamber Orchestra
Sarabande - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Waltz Of The Flowers - Andre Previn
Troika - London Philharmonic Orchestra
Fantasia On Greensleeves - Sir John Barbirolli
Clair De Lune - Dame Moura Lympany
Scene Act II, No.10 - Andre Previn
Cavatina - Manuel Barrueco
II. Romance (Larghetto) - Garrick Ohlsson
My Heart Will Go On - Orchestra
Time To Say Goodbye - Orchestra
Walzer, Op.314 - Berliner Philharmoniker

Tracks:

Cavaleria Rusticana - Philharmonia Orchestra
II. Adagio Sostenuto (Opening) - Cecile Ousset
Morning - Sir Neville Marriner
Romance - Piers Lane
Adagio For Strings - Philadelphia Orchestra
The Story Of The Kalender Prince - Philadelphia Orchestra
Meditation - Anne-Sophie Mutter
Prince Igor - Beecham Choral Society
Adagio Of Spartacus And Phrygia - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Fantasy Overture - Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
II. Allegretto - Philharmonia Orchestra
II. Largo Ma Non Tanto - Yehudi Menuhin
Schindler's List Theme - Tasmin Little
Dance Of The Reed Flutes - Andre Previn
V. Allegretto - The Philadelphia Orchestra

Tracks:

Zadok The Priest - Royal Choral Society
Zion Hort Die Wachter - Suddeutscher Madrigalchor
Miserere Mei, Deus - Stephen Cleobury
Sanctus - Chor der St. Hedwigs-Kathedrale
Panis Angelicus - Halle Choir
L'Enfance Du Christ - Choeurs Rene Duclos
Sanctus - Heinz Hoppe
In Paradisum - Peter Barley
Laudate Dominum - Edda Moser
Cantique De Jean Racine - MONKS AND CHOIRBOYS OF DOWNSIDE ABBEY
Ingemisco - Luciano Pavarotti
Ave Verum Corpus K618 - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
I Know That My Redeemer Liveth - Elizabeth Harwood
The Heavens Are Telling - John Shirley-Quirk
Pie Jesu - Victoria De Los Angeles
Lacrimosa - David Bell
Hallelujah Chorus - Ambrosian Singers

Customer Reviews:

Good and inexpensive collection.......2007-03-17

EMI's Best Classics 100 provides six CDs with seven hours of selected classical music. The cover does a poor job of portraying who does the selecting and who performs the piece -- information inside however does detail the symphonies being recorded. Recordings from the Polish Chamber, Berlin Symphonies, Royal Philharmonic etc are mentioned. The recording quality is good and the price is low, representing a good purchase for a general collection.

Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music

Average customer rating:

CD set is misnamed
Do not Buy
Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music
Seek better versions
It Is What It Is

Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music

Manufacturer: Compendia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits
25 Classical Favorites
25 Romantic Classics
The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe

ASIN: B000003QWH
Release Date: 1994-06-09

Tracks:

Canon In D
'Brandenburg' Concerto No. 3: Allegro
The Four Seasons - The Winter: Largo And Allegro
Fanfare ('Masterpiece Theatre' Theme)
Camerata Romana: Air For The 'G' String
'Eine kleine Nachtmusik': Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 21 ('Elvira Madigan' Theme): Andante
Introduction To Symphony No. 5
'William Tell' Overture: Finale
'Aida': Triumphal March
On The Beautiful, Blue Danube Waltz
'The Nutcracker': Waltz Of The Flowers
'1812' Overture: Finale

Tracks:

Sabre Dance
'Light Cavalry' Overture: Finale
Carmen: The Toreadors
' Midsummer Night's Dream': Wedding March
Radetzky March
Symphony No. 9, 'Choral': Finale
'Prince Igor': Polovstian Dance No. 17
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Peer Gynt: Solveig's Song
Sleepers, Wake
Water Music: Hornpipe
Symphony No. 9, 'From The New World': Largo
Emperor Waltz
'Emperor' Quartet: St. Anthony's Chorale
'The Tales Of Hoffman': Barcarolle
L'Arlesienne: Farandole
'The Nutcracker': Dance Of The Mirlitons
'The Nutcracker': Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy
'Rhapsody In Blue': Highlight
'Orpheus In The Underworld': Can-Can

Tracks:

Introduction To 'Also sprach Zarathustra'
Symphony No. 4, 'Italian': Saltarello: Presto
Piano Concerto No. 20: Romance
'The Valkyrie': Ride Of The Valkyries
'The Four Seasons' - The Spring: Allegro
Toccata and Fugue
Trumpet Voluntary
'Royal Fireworks Music': la rejouissance: Allegro
'Moonlight' Sonata: Adagio Sostenuto
London Festival Orchestra: Overture To 'The Barber Of Seville'
Piano Concerto No. 2: Adagio Sostenuto

Tracks:

Carmina Burana: Introduction To 'Carmina Burana'
Peer Gynt: Dawn From 'Peer Gynt'
Lohengrin: Prelude To 'Lohengrin'
'Lieutenant Kije': Troika From 'Lieutenant Kije'
Adiago For Strings
'Carmen': Habanera From 'Carmen'
'Double' Concerto: Allegro From 'Double' Concerto
The Marriage Of Figaro: Overture To 'The Marriage Of Figaro'
(Rondo) Alla Turca
Xerxes: Largo From 'Xerxes'
Symphony No. 5: Allegro vivace From Symphony No. 5
'Swan Lake': Scene: Enchanted Lake From 'Swan Lake'
Clair De Lune
Bolero

Customer Reviews:

CD set is misnamed.......2007-06-08

They should have titled this "classical music for people who love classical music" because most of the selections are typical classical music. The title suggests it would be lively selections of "light classical" music that is more upbeat, i.e. Sabre Dance, etc. I really don't hate classical music at all and have many classical CDs in my collection but I really wanted to hear more exciting selections. I won't be purchasing any more of this set but if you like traditional classical music these are good one.

Do not Buy.......2007-02-21

I do know it says classical music for people who hate it, but serioulsly you would have better luck never listening to classical music again. The recordings are awfull and do not do justice to any of the composers. Buy something else.

Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music.......2007-01-30

We love this set of CD's. I just got a new copy because my kids keeping taking our first copy with them so that they can listen at work or in their bedrooms but then I can never find them.

Seek better versions.......2006-12-09

If you are fairly new to classical purchases then compilation CD's can be useful for deciding what to buy next. Sometimes you only need a small taste of a piece to inspire you to buy a release with the whole performance on. The problem with this compilation however is that most of the versions are poor in performance or recording quality (or both) when compared to the best versions and the fact that the conductors aren't even credited on the track listing made me suspect that this would be the case. One of my favorite classical pieces is Tchaikovsky's 1812 festival overture but if the first CD version I had heard had been the finale excerpt that is on this compilation I may not have gone on to buy the whole thing. Luckily I heard Adrian Leaper's version first and Adrian's version is rather good.
My classical CD buying experience is limited to only a couple of dozen discs but I have found that the Naxos and Deutshe Grammophon releases are fairly safe. Avoid any release which does not name the conductors on the track listing or sleeve notes.

It Is What It Is.......2006-10-27

It's fitting that this page is fraught with the same kind of silly snobbery that turns people off from classical music (and necessitates collections like this) in the first place.

Any criticism of this compilation, which focuses on the quality of the performances or the fact that many tracks are excerpts, misses the point. This is not a collection for people who consider such things, nor does it purport to be. The idea is to package as many ultra-famous classical melodies as possible in one affordable collection and market it to people who have never purchased a classical recording. As such, top-tier performances are likely too expensive to be sold so cheaply and are unnecessary anyway. Those of us who already know and love a piece or two can forgive the compilers the inclusion of sub-par recordings, when we are exposed to so many other beautiful pieces for the first time.

It probably comes as a shock for some to hear that most people are not familiar with these classics. We may hear snippets on TV or movies, but are left with no idea as to the composer or historical context. With that in mind, it is extremely intimidating to begin buying classical. I suppose those among us, who so thoroughly dismissed the very notion of a boxed set like this, would have us begin by buying full albums by reputable interpreters. Surprisingly enough though, the majority of people would consider that a tad cost-prohibitive.

To conclude, this is a STARTER collection. It will either affirm a listener's feelings about classical music or lead to an interest in purchasing better recordings. Ideally, I suppose the interpretations would be better, but, for reasons mentioned above, that just isn't in the cards for a collection of this nature. If you're familiar with 50 different recordings of "The Ring" series, or have season tickets to the New York Philharmonic, then this probably isn't for you. For us cretins with limited foreknowledge of classical music though, it serves as a succinct introduction with little to complain about.

Barber: Adagio for Strings, Op. 11/Orchestral Music; Leonard Slatkin

Average customer rating:

Best Barber CD available
GET this disc- it is absolutely phenomenal
The Best of Samuel Barber
Heavenly
THere's no better value on CD.

Barber: Adagio for Strings, Op. 11/Orchestral Music; Leonard Slatkin
Samuel Barber , Leonard Slatkin , and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Barber's Adagio
Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta; Hungarian Sketches
Barber's Adagio / Munch, Galway, Boston SO Strings
Agnus Dei: Music of Inner Harmony
Barber: Violin Concerto; Cello Concerto; Piano Concerto

ASIN: B000002RQE
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Overture To 'The School For Scandal', Op. 5
Adagio For Strings, Op. 11
(First) Essay For Orchestra, Op. 12
Second Essay, Op. 17
Third Essay, Op. 47
Medea's Dance Of Vengeance, Op. 23a

Customer Reviews:

Best Barber CD available.......2006-10-31

Much better than the Zinman disk in my view. Buy it for the Adagio. Love it for all of the pieces. Gorgeous!

GET this disc- it is absolutely phenomenal.......2004-07-27

THis CD is worth 10 times its weight in gold. Just get it, get it now, before you have to hear a minute more bad music.

It'll play in your head for the rest of your life.

What a great investment in your mind.

Have you bought it yet?

The Best of Samuel Barber.......2003-12-23

Samuel Barber's most popular orchestral works have seldom been as well-performed as they were by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin. This wonderful EMI recording is a lasting testament to the great things that Slatkin accomplished during his long tenure in St. Louis.

The overture to "The School for Scandal" was an early triumph for Samuel Barber and it was clearly an exciting, dramatic, and sometimes lyrical work. Slatkin is very sensitive and understanding of this music and was able to lead the St. Louis musicians in one of the best performances of this popular work.

Perhaps Barber's best-known work is the "Adagio for Strings," originally part of a string quartet. It bears the distinction of having a world premiere under the legendary Arturo Toscanini. It's interesting to note that Barber had gone to Italy one summer and managed to meet the Maestro, who was on his own summer vacation. Toscanini was impressed with the aspiring, young composer and was soon even more impressed with the "Adagio for Strings." Toscanini chose to premiere the "Adagio" with the NBC Symphony on a broadcast performance. It is one of the most deeply moving compositions by any American composer. I've seldom heard such a powerful performance as this one by Slatkin and the St. Louis orchestra.

Toscanini also premiered the first of Barber's "Essays for Orchestra." Interestingly, however, the first recording of this energetic, colorfully orchestrated work was by Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra in a 12-inch 78-rpm RCA Victor Red Seal recording. Slatkin not only conducted this work but the two essays which followed, the third of which is one of Barber's later works (with rather spectacular, imaginative writing for percussion).

Finally, there is the rather jazzy and compelling "Medea's Dance of Vengeance." One critic referred to this as a boogie woogie for orchestra. It is very syncopated and almost overwhelming in its intensity, particularly in this performance. Anyone familiar with the legend of Medea will recognize that Barber has managed to faithfully depict the horrible events in this memorable work.

Heavenly.......2003-04-12

Slatkin and Barber go hand in hand. This recording will be celebrated for generations to come.

THere's no better value on CD........2002-10-05

I must have listened to this CD a thousand times, and I want to hear it a thousand more. There is so much more to Samual Barber than the one piece he's popular for. Check it out!

Average customer rating:

GORGEOUS!
Wonderful intro To MEHDl ...
great
The Complete Wedding Album
Almost the compete wedding album

The Complete Wedding Album

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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