Bortniansky, Dmitri

Average customer rating:

Best of the best

Essential Tchaikovsky

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Essential Mozart: 32 Of His Greatest Masterpieces
Essential Beethoven
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ASIN: B000060O5I
Release Date: 2002-03-12

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.1 In B Flat Minor, Op.23: I Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Maestoso (Excerpt) - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Romeo And Juliet: Love Theme - Wiener Philharmoniker
Symphony No.6 In B Minor, Op.74 'Pathetique': I Adagio - Allegro Non Troppo (Excerpt) - Philharmonia Orchestra
Swan Lake: Scene (Act III) - Herbert Von Karajan
Swan Lake: Waltz (Act I) - Herbert Von Karajan
Swan Lake: Dance Of The Little Swans - Herbert Von Karajan
Il Adagio Cantabile E Con Moto Souvenir De Florence, Op.70: II Adagio Cantabile E Con Moto - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Melodie Souvenir D'un Lieu Cher, Op.42: Melodie - Philip Moll
June: Barcarolle The Seasons, Op.37b: June: Barcarolle - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Eugene Onegin: Waltz - Valery Gergiev
Piano Concerto No.1 In B Flat Minor, Op.23: II Andantino Semplice - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Sleeping Beauty: Pas D'action (Adagio) - Wiener Philharmoniker
Sleeping Beauty: Waltz - Wiener Philharmoniker
Marche Slave, Op.31 - Zubin Mehta

Tracks:

Violin Concerto In D Major, Op.35: I Allegro Moderato (Excerpt) - Kyung Wha Chung
Symphony No.5 In E Minor, Op.64: II Andante Cantabile, Con Alcuna Licenza - London Symphony Orchestra
The Nutcracker: Overture - Charles Dutoit
The Nutcracker: Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy - Charles Dutoit
Serenade For Strings In C Major, Op.48: II Waltz - St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra
String Quartet No.1 In D Major, Op.11: II Andante Cantabile - Gabrieli String Quartet
Eugene Onegin: Polonaise - Valery Gergiev
Capriccio Italien, Op.45 (Excerpt) - Valery Gergiev
Symphony No.4 In F Minor, Op.36: III Scherzo: Pizzicato Ostinato, Allegro - London Symphony Orchestra
Elegie For Strings - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
None But The Lonely Heart, Op.6 No.6 - Dmitri Hvorostovsky
The Divine Liturgy Of St. John Chrysostom, Op.41: Otche Nash (The Lord's Prayer) - St. Petersburg Chamber Choir
Valse Sentimentale, Op.51 No.6 - Arthur Grumiaux
The Nutcracker: Dance Of The Reed Pipes (Mirlitons) - Wiener Philharmoniker
The Nutcracker: Waltz Of The Flowers - Wiener Philharmoniker
1812 Overture, Op.49 (Conclusion) - Zubin Mehta

Customer Reviews:

Best of the best.......2004-03-14

There's something for every Tchaikovsky lover on this disc. From Swan Lake to Onegin, many of Tchaikovsky's most-known melodies are on this disc. I'd have preferred more than an excerpt of the first movement of Piano Concerto No. 1, but this disc is a great introduction to Tchaikovsky's works.

Shostakovich: 24 Preludes & Fugues op. 87 / Jarrett

Average customer rating:

It doesn't get any better than this.
IMPROVISED CLASSICAL MUSIC
A great combination...
My pick from Jarrett/Ashkenazy/Nikolayeva
far and away the best, and don't give me no lip!

Shostakovich: 24 Preludes & Fugues op. 87 / Jarrett
Keith Jarrett
Manufacturer: Ecm Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Dark Intervals

ASIN: B000006MTX
Release Date: 2000-01-25

Tracks:

Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No. 1 In C Major
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No. 2 In A Minor
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No. 3 In G Major
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No. 4 In E Minor
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No. 5 In D Major
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No. 6 In B Minor
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No. 7 In A Major
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No. 8 In F Sharp Minor
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No. 9 In E Major
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No. 10 In C Sharp Minor
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No. 11 In B Major
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No. 12 In G Sharp Minor

Tracks:

Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No.13 In F Sharp Major
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No.14 In E Flat Minor
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No.15 In D Flat Major
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No.16 In B Flat Minor
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No.17 In A Flat Major
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No.18 In F Minor
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No.19 In E Flat Major
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No.20 In C Minor
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No.21 In B Flat Major
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No.22 In G Minor
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No.23 In F Major
Preludes And Fugues Op. 87: Prelude And Fugue No.24 In D Minor

Customer Reviews:

It doesn't get any better than this........2006-07-14

I am not a music "expert" so you may take this review with a grain of salt. I know what I like and this is amazing. Absolutely beautiful. In my humble opinion, it is warmer, more nuanced, and less rigid than the Nikolaieva or Ashkenazy versions. This would be on my "desert island" Top 5 list, no question about it.

IMPROVISED CLASSICAL MUSIC.......2005-06-12

All the great classical composers were great improvisors. Because of the constraints of the academy, one wonders if most of todays players could even fake "Happy Birtrhday".

We are lucky to have someone like Keith Jarrett alive in our own time. Since he is capable of actually improvising profound music, he seems to bring a liveness and spontenaity to this Shostakovich masterpiece. The first recording I ever heard was by Ashkenazy and even then I felt that something was missing. Then I heard the Jarrett version and it came to life! I'm sure any criticism by classical purists is just jealousy...this is perhaps like hearing a great musician/composer, such as Liszt, playing Chopin...or perhaps like Chopin playing Bach!

There are so many college trained "button-pusher" pianists around today that it is refreshing to hear the emotional vividness and luminous technique displayed by Jarrett in this recording. I assumed that these pieces would be dark and posess and dated, pre WORLD WAR II quality, but like the Bach pieces that inspired them, they convey all sorts of emotions that are beautifully realized by Keith Jarrett.

He makes the other versions seem like journeyman efforts that were played by pianists who had to seek out a teacher to told them "How" they should be performed.

A great combination..........2005-05-16

- Warm spring afternoon
- Shostokovich Preludes and Fugues
- Keith Jarrett

Jarrett's peculiar bright aspect works exceptionally well with the more lyrical, optimistic pieces, (most of them, I think). For pieces having that Shostakovich life-is-out-of-kilter feel the color contrast is striking, but it's odd and unsettling in the bottomless-despair ones (few are in this category). I think Shostakovich would be pleasantly surprised by the way these sound. On the other hand, Jarrett does miss some of the curled-up dimensions in these multidimesional gems. An interesting, refreshing, virtuoso reading, but by no means definitive as some corners are left undusted. Too much reverb in the recording space for my taste.

My pick from Jarrett/Ashkenazy/Nikolayeva.......2005-01-16

I own recordings of this work by Jarrett, Ashkenazy and Nikolayeva (on Hyperion). Ultimately it is Jarrett's version that I find myself listening to most often. My main gripe with Nikolayeva is that she can be excessively slow. Ashkenazy -- though technically strong as one would expect -- has a tendency to hammer out some of the fugues in rigid staccato that suppresses the natural lyricism of the music. The flip side as argued by another reviewer is that Jarrett is sometimes "mushy", but that seems a little harsh to me. Unless you have a very particular opinion on how these pieces must sound (in which case you can listen to them yourself) this recording makes a fine choice.

far and away the best, and don't give me no lip!.......2004-11-25

Keith Jarrett himself must have expected wildly polarized reviews on his take of Shostakovich's preludes and fugues, and it's no wonder, as he is more popularly known as a modern jazz master.

As I have had access to a public radio station music library, I decided to spend a weekend comparing and contrasting the different recording of this Opus 87, with score in-hand, by Jarrett, Nikolayevna, and Ashkenazy. I rate Jarrett first, second place going to Nikolayevna, and Ashkenazy bringing up a rather indifferent rear.

Jarrett's interpretation seems to be most often panned on grounds that he "doesn't understand the music", which is sheer hogwash. Add this to the fact that most critics fail to state what are the prerequisites for understanding this music, and I suggest it's a lot more than understanding Shostakovich's "pain"; a rather over-romantic view of a composer who could and did write extremely emotional music, but also music with humor and grace. There's a lot more to Shostakovich than just "pain". Jarrett has obviously studied the pieces well, and plays each prelude and fugue with flawless technique and even daring interpretation that is notably original, the most obvious case being the C-major fugue being taken at what sounds like a *very* slow pace. But having access to the score, he's taking it at the specified tempo: 92-to-the-quarter, interpreting the "alla breve" by playing very legato. So why do the other recordings have it so fast?

Jarrett's A-major fugue shines like the sun; his A flat-major fugue becomes a giddy, but slyly understated dance. (I should add here that in the A-flat prelude Ashkenazy makes a rather shocking note discrepancy in the main theme that either passed a producer's ear or was mis-read in the printed edition.) The more somber pieces are played with respect and deep concentration.

Add to this ECM's top-shelf engineering that provides a realistic, deep piano sound, and you've got a five-star set in your hands.

The pieces were written for Nikolayevna, but her autumn-years recording seems a bit one-dimensional to my ears at times, and the dynamics are a bit narrow as well, although she obviously has played these pieces for a very long time and seems to have absorbed them to the point where her interpretations seem more introverted, if that is your taste. The piano sound is broad, though it has a bit more hammer sound than Jarrett's.

For Ashkenazy, I have nothing exceptional to report. The Decca sound is dry, his rubato doesn't work for me and almost sounds as if he is unsure of himself in places, and overall it doesn't seem to add any air of authority or authenticity. Add to this Decca's assertion that since Askenazy is Russian, his recording is the final word on it, which is pretty trite.

Jarrett gives a modern, up-to-date performance that I think will stand the test of time, while the Askenazy will ultimately be re-packaged as a budget set.

Go with Jarrett; the man who dares to play classical music that is absolute, stripped bare of tuxedo snobbery. He gives his all for this one, and it shows.

Average customer rating:

The Best
Buy This Now!!!!

Rachmaninoff for Relaxation

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Debussy for Relaxation
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ASIN: B00005KCGZ
Release Date: 2001-06-19

Tracks:

Rhap On A Theme Of Paganini, Op.43: Var 18 - Dmitri Alexeev
Sym No.2 in e, Op.27: III. Adagio - The Philadelphia Orch/Eugene Ormandy
Prld in G, Op.32 No.5 - Alexis Weissenberg
Vocalise, Op.34 No.14 - Anna Moffo
Prld in F - Mikhail Kazakevich
Prld in D, Op.23 No.4 - Barry Douglas
Prld in E-flat, Op.23 No.6 - Barry Douglas
Vc Con in g, Op.19: III. Andante - Janos Starker/Shigeo Neriki
It's Peaceful Here, Op.21 No.7 - Vladimir Spivakov/Sergei Bezrodny
Pno On No.1 in f#, Op.1: II. Andante - Byron Janis
Pno Con No.2 in c, Op.18: II. Adagio Sostenuto - Barry Douglas

Customer Reviews:

The Best.......2002-08-31

I thought this was so good, especially tracks 8 thru 11 that I bought copies for my six siblings.

Buy This Now!!!!.......2001-09-07

This is a beautiful work by the master composer Rachmaninoff. I have been a fan of his work, but when I heard this recording it nearly blew me away. Listen to Vocalise - the beauty of this track is what sold me on the rest of the album.

Grieg: Piano Concerto - Sonata Op. 7, Lyric Pieces Opp. 43, 54 & 65

Average customer rating:

Great Greig collection!!
Andsnes Gives Grieg Back to Contemporary Audiences
Amazing!
Outstanding Grieg program
Great Performances of Grieg's Piano Music

Grieg: Piano Concerto - Sonata Op. 7, Lyric Pieces Opp. 43, 54 & 65
Edvard Grieg , Leif Ove Andsnes , Dmitri Kitayenko , and Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004LCAV
Release Date: 2000-06-27

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Moderato Molto E Marcato
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Andante Molto
III. Alla Menuetto
IV. Finale (Molto Allegro)
No.4 Andante Con Sentimento
No.5 Allegro Moderato
No.6 Allegro Scherzando
No.1 Allegro Con Moto
No.4 Andantino Serioso
Agitato

Tracks:

I. Butterfly
II. Solitary Wanderer
III. At Home
IV. Little Bird
V. Erotik
VI. To Spring
I. Shepherd Boy
II. Norwegian Dance
III. Procession Of The Trolls
IV. Notturno
V. Scherzo
VI. Bells
I. From Early Years
II. Peasant's Song
III. Melancholy
IV. Salon
V. Ballad
VI. Wedding Day At Troldhaugen

Customer Reviews:

Great Greig collection!!.......2006-03-01

So far there is a unanimous Amazon 5-star vote for this CD so I'm going to add my voice to the choir, and add to what other reviewers have said.

Aside from the Piano Concerto, Peer Gynt Suites, and a few lyric pieces here and there, Greig's music is largely overlooked. So it is very refreshing to find such a great *double* album that presents so much great piano music. Yes, the piano concerto is here, and it is an excellent recording, however, you should own this album for the performance of the rare Sonata, op. 7, the three sets of Lyric Pieces (op. 43, 54, & 65) and other beautiful piano miniatures here. The Sonata, timing about 20 minutes, is a full blown romantic work that could join the canon of great sonatas with those of Schubert, Chopin, and early to middle Beethoven (while leaving late Beethoven and Brahms in a class by themselves). The first movement of the sonata is short but epic in its emotional scope and thematic development, and the other movements are similarly excellently composed without going into the details. This is definitely a piece that more pianists should be familiar with.

The program choice to include full sets of Lyric Pieces is also very pleasing. Often, these works are presented individually. It is pleasant to hear them as complete sets in the published order, which brings out the contrasting characters and colors which the composer certainly had in mind when he published them. Greig's music is indeed a distinct breed: rhapsodic impulse and subtle harmonic touches originating from his Norwegian heritage often hint towards Debussian impressionism and late Brahms, but always maintain their distinct voice. Among the special gems here are the Butterfly (op. 43, no. 1) with its flittering right hand movements; 'To Spring' (op. 43, no. 6); Norwegian Dance (op. 54, no. 2), where a carefree opening turns into a thumping syncopated peasant dance; The March of the Trolls (op. 54, no. 3) which scampers left and right; and the famous Wedding Day at Troldhaugen (op. 65, no. 6) which brings the second disc to a rousing conclusion. Excerpts from Greig's Poetic Tone Pictures, op. 3 and Album Leaves, op. 28 (nos. 1 & 4) are also gorgeously played.

Though Andsnes has, in recent years, delivered impressive recordings of Schubert Sonatas, and Mozart and Rachmaninoff concerti (the latter with the Berlin Philharmonic) and has achieved tremendous international renown, these Grieg recordings from the early part of Andsnes' career (late 80s, early 90s)--which demonstrate pianistic subtleties, stunning technique, incredible character, fluid and poetic phrasing, and a strong overriding sense of form and structure--could be enough to convince you that Andsnes belongs in the pantheon of great living pianists: Argerich, Brendel, Kissin, Bronfman, Ax, Pollini, Barenboim, etc. This music is not often played by musicians of Andsnes stature and global reputation. The sound quality from the Virgin engineers is perfect--clear, crisp and full. This is a sensational album of piano music that show both the composer and performer in the best possible light: a must for piano-philes and Greig fans, and very highly recommended for everyone else. I believe the Amazon price of this *double* album (more than 2 hours!) is $7.97. Which means you can't afford to pass it up.

Andsnes Gives Grieg Back to Contemporary Audiences.......2005-12-03

Leif Ove Andsnes is a once-wunderkind of the piano who has matured into one of the finest pianists of today. His ability to finesse the subtleties of Mozart and Haydn, find the visceral flow of the Romantic composers such as Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Schubert, Liszt, and Rachmaninoff, and still open the way for new works by contemporary composers such as Kurtag and Dalbavie is evidence of his enormous musicality and intelligence. But the joy of hearing Andsnes resurrect Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto, once the staple of every orchestra season but now generally and mistakenly dismissed as second class music, is cause for celebration. His current degree of insight and elegance in his interpretation of this concerto is strongly evident in his performances with the LA Philharmonic and Esa-Pekka Salonen as he begins a long artist in residence period. The collaboration is majestic and deeply moving.

This recording dating back to 2000 and performed with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Dmitri Kitayenko is strong but lacks the conviction of his current interpretation. That could be in part due to the less than rich sounding orchestra and somewhat pedestrian conducting. But still, Andsnes illuminates the Grieg with full-bodied sound, facile technique, allowing the music to come solidly from his hands and heart, proving that this concerto is simply not passé. With Andsnes it is truly important.

The bonus of this generous and reasonably priced 2 CD set is the inclusion of the 'Piano Sonata in E Minor, Op. 7', three excerpts from 'Poetic Tone-Pictures Op. 3', two excepts from 'Album Leaves Op. 28', the 'Agitato for piano', and 17 of the 'Lyric Pieces'. Andsnes traverses the various moods and technical challenges of these works with ease and conviction. He simply understands this repertoire better than anyone performing today. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, December 05

Amazing!.......2004-07-26

I just heard this performance of the Grieg piano concerto on a local classical music channel. I have not been very enthusiastic about this work up to now: on my CD which has the Schumann together with the Grieg, I play the Schumann regularly but the Grieg only rarely. That is until now: I just ordered this 2-CD set and hope, the rest of the recordings are as perfect as the piano concerto.

Outstanding Grieg program.......2002-10-02

The Andsnes--Kitayenko performance of the Piano Concerto--a warhorse if ever there was one--is the finest that I have ever heard. There is a great temptation for overkill in performing this but here it is played with quietly poetic but deeply felt emotion and with great flair in the robust third movement. Andsnes' traversal of the Lyric Pieces is on an equal footing with the legendary Gilels treatment(on DG Originals). This is one of the great bargains in classical music. Two CD's for the price of one mid-priced CD: vintage wine performances at a beer price.

Great Performances of Grieg's Piano Music.......2001-08-28

Not only is Leif Ove Andsnes one of our finest pianists, but he certainly must be reckoned as one of the foremost interpreters of Edvard Grieg. This splendid two CD compilation is replete with Andsnes' technically proficient, lyrical playing. His splendid performance of Grieg's piano sonata is certainly the highlight of this collection, but also worth noting are his compelling performances of the Lyric Pieces and the Piano Concerto. Indeed, his elegant, yet somewhat subdued, performance of the Piano Concerto is among the finest I have heard on a studio recording. The Bergen Philharmonic's playing is replete with warmth and brilliance. Those unfamiliar with Andsnes' playing should find this excellent two CD set quite rewarding.

Average customer rating:

my favorite music to teach ballet class
A "Must Have" Addition to Your Collection!
Superb music for ballet classes
Beautiful!
expected a lot more

Music for Ballet Class

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Ballet Class Accompaniment | Compilations | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00004TWWR
Release Date: 1999-03-01

Tracks:

Warm- Up Tendu 2/4 Tchaikovsky
Plie 4/4 Stolyar
Tendu 4/4 Spachik
Tendu With Plie 3/4 Russian Folk
Degage'(Battemant Jete') Russian Folk
Rond De Jambe Par Terre 3/4 Brahms
Fondu 3/4 Russian Folk
Frappe' 2/4 K.F. Bach
Adagio 4/4 Paganini
Petit Battement 3/4 Kramer
Strech 3/4 Unknown
Adagio 6/8 Van Zuppe'
Battement Tendu 2/4 Glazunov
Fondu Or Ronde De Jambe Par Terre 3/4 Drigo
Pirouettes Or Ronde De Jamb En'Lair 3/4 Rimsky-Korsakov
Slow Pirouettes 3/4 Dvorak
Grande Battemant 2/4 Stolyar
Small Jumps 2/4 Adam
Ensemble' 2/4 Minkus
Jete' 2/4 Drigo
Sissonne Petit Cabriole 6/8 Schumann
Sissonne Fermee' 3/4 Van Zuppe'
Grande Allegro ( Grande Sissonne ) 3/4 Russian Folk
Grande Allegro 3/4 Stolyar
Fouette' Turns Or Pique En Tournant 2/4 Drigo
Grande Reverance Or Port De Bras 2/4 Tchaikovsky
grande reverance' or port de bras 2/4 Tchaikovsky "Black Swan"

Album Description

27 selections for full barre and center work, suitable for pointe work also. Featuring great ballet music from Swan Lake, Raymonda, Esmerelda, La Bayadere, and more. Composers include: Tchaikovsky, Pugni, Brahms, Rimsky-Korsakov, Dvorak, Drigo and more. Dmitri Roudnev brings you beautiful class music that reflects his experiences as a student and soloist of the Bolshoi Ballet. Roudnev loved the musicality of Bolshoi classes and he brings these feelings to his high quality recordings. The CD provides excellent tempos and accents, the signature of Roudnev's musical direction.

Customer Reviews:

my favorite music to teach ballet class.......2005-04-10

I love all the cd's in this series. They are inspiring and the tempos are perfect for any class. There are always different cd's out there if you need a change of pace after awhile,but you will always come back to these. I also find his videos to be very helpful . His exercises in the Russian method are a great learning and teaching tool.

A "Must Have" Addition to Your Collection!.......2001-06-22

Dmitri Roudnev's CDs for ballet class are not only an excellent investment in your teacher's toolbox, but if you are a beginning, intermediate or professional dancer look no further - this is the CD you have been looking for! I know each volume well because I teach with them, dance to them three times a week in class with Dmitri, and use them at home to do barre work on the days I don't have class. I never tire of the tracks, and neither do my students. The music grows with your students, from their first plie to their best jumps, leaps and turns! You will not be disappointed with this CD, or any of the CDs in his five-volume collection.

Before meeting Dmitri and trying his CDs I was always disappointed with the music CDs I was able to find. They didn't inspire musicality or passion. Something was always wrong with one or many of the tracks - the tempo, length, selection etc. Dmitri's CDs are a pleasure - well thought out, easy to use and well received by my students. I find that my students no longer trudge along to the track, but are now far more expressive and engaged in their work. Roudnev constantly emphasizes musicality in class - one is not dancing if they are just doing the steps. His passion for this art form is easily "heard" in his CDs for ballet class.

Each track is certainly long enough to perform any exercise in ballet class en croix and often long enough to perform the exercise twice. There are many music CDs for ballet, but very few are geared specifically for teaching ballet class. Even fewer have been so carefully conceived as Dmitri Roudnev's CDs have. Full recordings of ballet works are fine for teaching variations or preparing students for performing with a live symphony, but they are rarely a good choice for technique training. The Russian schools of ballet have produced some of the best dancers ever known, including Dmitri Roudnev. Dmitri follows this rich tradition and provides music for class with a repertoire that is complex, musical, inspired, and excellent for students at any level.

Also, please be aware that these CDs are not just the quick collaboration of an instructor and an accompanist trying to make a few extra bucks. Instead each CD is created for the dancer with the interest of developing the best technique and highest level of musicality possible. Remember that Dmitri even uses these CDs in his classes when he teaches! He observes how the students work to the tracks, and asks for feedback. He recently asked for our feedback on the soon to be released Volume V.

In closing, Dmitri loves ballet, and should you get to meet him, you will love Dmitri. While a CD is never a substitute for a person, his CDs are the next best thing. Dmitri's heart and soul are in these CDs, and so too will Dmitri's heart and soul become a part of your students.

Superb music for ballet classes.......2001-05-25

This is an exceptional CD for ballet classes. Tempos excellent and allow for flexibility in constructing exercises. Phrasing and melodies superb. The way the music is played helps students achieve coordination and good form in their work. All four of the Roudnev CDs are great. I cannot recommend them too highly.

Beautiful!.......2001-01-23

Perfect for ballet class. Each track is the perfec tempo and length. Others in this series are even better!

expected a lot more.......2000-12-27

The tracks are too short to complete a full barre exercise en croix; the music is simplistic and uninspired. I bought this CD to play at home to supplement my ballet classes. It may be okay for a beginnners class of small children but with all the great ballet music out there today, why bother with this one? It's not worth the money.

Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1; Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1

Average customer rating:

Sarah Chang: Beauty of Presence, Deportment and Musicality
Chang's playing delights, but be careful . . .
Shostakovich Violin Concerto #1 and Prokofiev Violin Concerto #1
Another Superb Performance
good recordings

Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1; Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1
Dmitri Shostakovich , Sergey Prokofiev , Sarah Chang , Simon Rattle , and Berlin Philharmonic
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No. 1; Cello Sonata
Fire & Ice
Dvorák: Violin Concerto / Piano Quintet / Sarah Chang
Sweet Sorrow
Mendelssohn, Sibelius: Violin Concertos

ASIN: B000CR5RYU
Release Date: 2006-03-07

Tracks:

I. Nocturne. Moderato
II. Scherzo. Allegro
II. Passacaglia. Andante
Cadenza
IV. Burlesque. Allegro Con Brio
I. Andatino
II. Scherzo. Vivacissimo
III. Moderato

Amazon.com

Sarah Chang's new CD of two of the most flavorful Violin Concerti to come out of 20th-century Russia is a winner. The first movement of the Shostakovich finds Chang playing, at first, with no vibrato, and the effect is haunting and as properly spooky as the composer wanted. Her many levels of both dynamics and vibrato are very much on display throughout, and in the Scherzo, she builds to a wonderfully maniacal climax. The Passacaglia is played with ease, its cadenza beginning at a snail's pace but picking up speed as it goes along, and she plays it all with a powerful arm. The Burlesque is a complete tour de force, whipped through at such a fast tempo that the listener wonders if Chang will be able to keep it up: she does. The Prokofiev Concerto is a lyrical work, and Chang underscores the fine melodies in the first and last movements with grace. She doesn't forget the work's demonic side either, and the Scherzo sounds really crazy. Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic are closer to partners than accompaniment, and they have no trouble keeping up with Chang. A thrilling release. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Sarah Chang: Beauty of Presence, Deportment and Musicality.......2006-12-09

Sarah Chang walks out onto a concert stage and the audience gasps. Not only is she a stunning figure with wholly committed stage deportment, she is one of the rare artists so involved with the music she is offering that she feels compelled to turn to the first violin section and play along with them in the extended orchestral tutti setting the stage for her entrances. The orchestra loves her, the conductors love her, the audience loves her and the composers surely would love her.

This exciting CD features Chang in two invigorating works that she is making her own - the first violin concerti of both Shostakovich and Prokofiev. Her tone is huge, her technique is pliant and in keeping with the composer's specific instructions, and the result as displayed on this very beautiful collaboration with the Berlin Philharmonic as conducted by Simon Rattle is a pair of performances will be difficult to imitate.

Chang seems to be visiting the entire violin concerto repertoire and she is equally at home in the Romantic works as she is in the contemporary works. Chang is at the beginning of a remarkable career and we can only expect more great recordings from this unique young beauty. Grady Harp, December 06

Chang's playing delights, but be careful . . . .......2006-09-27

Sarah Chang's playing of the Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1 is exciting, uplifting, at times risky, and always radiant. It's as if someone forgot to teach her the necessary limitations and traditional contraints of her instrument. Or maybe she just ignored them. That is the wonderful news awaiting you in this recording.

The thing to be careful about is that playing like hers will you make aware all over again of how the playing of many a big-name violinist may be wholly adequate and even inspired, but not really much fun to listen to.

Shostakovich Violin Concerto #1 and Prokofiev Violin Concerto #1.......2006-08-09

Sarah Chang, today is one of the worlds best violinists out there. I admire her for her fantastic interpretation skills that she uses. She takes a piece of repertoire and knows how to set the mood to capture the emotion whether it is warm, sensitive, dramatic, eerie and plays with a handful of grace.
In her latest album release of the Shostakovich and Prokofiev Violin Concertos no.1 her palette of color and interpretation really shine. Personally, I bought the album because of the Prokofiev Concerto but with the Shostakovich as the main feature this album in my mind was a seller. She plays both of the pieces magnificently in similar fashion as the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto when she was only 11 and playing on a three-quarters size violin. However, her maturity is much more present in this release fourteen years later. Now in her mid-twenties Sarah's palette has more color and texture than before.
I have several interpretations of the Shostakovich Violin Concerto in my collection. Midori, Salerno-Sonnenberg, and now Ms. Chang's version. In an additional report I will compare Midori's and Chang's recording for they have different qualities. Ms. Chang's version is wonderful with Simon Rattle conducting the Berliner Philharmonic. The Shostakovich No. 1 is one of those pieces that the orchestra is just as involved as the violin soloist.
The First movement is done in first class style with all of the highs and low in place. The effect is very dark and eerie leaves mystery in the listener's head. Most of the transitions are performed with grace. In addition there is a sense of Sarah playing with more power than I'm used to from hearing her in the past not a drastic change but noticeable.
The Second movement is one of the more difficult parts of the work. The First movement ends and boom the second movement begins with a bang on the G-string of the soloists. Sarah's execution on this may be first rate but I question the power of her g-string. This is one of the qualities that I think hold her back just slightly. The Berliner Philharmonic has a few major sections in this movement that are more demanding than the soloist and they perform with lots of power and no holding back. The effect is like dramatic fireworks. There is one section near the end wear the soloist falls off just a tad but quickly makes up for it.
In the third movement known as the "Passacaglia andante" The Orchestra introduces the opening theme in the woodwind section before the soloist enters and reiterates this theme and takes it a step farther. Ms. Chang plays this part with a lot of grace and style. Her E-String Highlights are powerful in the following section but the orchestra does overpower her a bit so that she is not heard as well. Then the soloist plays a variation to the opening theme after this the orchestra fades down to piano(soft) and Sarah plays a second variation before the cadenza.
The maturity demonstrated in the cadenza section really shows. She takes her time in the opening and the harmonics at the end of the first two verses really shine. In the second part of the cadenza there is a gradual increase in speed. Sarah still takes a little time so the phrases come out clearly and distinctly. Chord execution is above first rate. This is a major plus toward owning this album. The Cadenza leads right into the Final movement without any pauses. Again Grace is scattered everywhere in the final movement and not rushed but speed is there. The Soloist and Orchestra execution could not be any higher. A five-star rating for the Finale. The Best recording of the Shostakovich I believe that I own.
Next, is the very lyrical Prokofiev Violin Concerto #1. As a listener when performed well this piece is an artistic gem filled with beauty love and grace. Unlike the Shostakovich the Prokofiev Concerto is in three movements instead of four and the soloist shines a bit more in the highlight. Uplifting qualities are present throughout.
The First movement opens with the orchestra strings playing tremolo with the Soloist entering with the lyrical opening theme. As one of those soloists Sarah Chang is at her best in this movement with all the highs and lows in place. The structure of this movement help her to paint a picture of stars in the sky with shooting stars and comets in the opening and conclusion. Breathtaking! In the more technically more demanding middle section of the movement which is faster again Sarah picks a good tempo so that she can accurately portray the picture the piece paints. The First movement is five-stars.
The Second movement which is a Scherzo Vivace is fast and it appears to me that Sarah and Orchestra open close to full speed. One thing to remember when listening to this concerto is that the three movements are evenly technically demanding. The Quality here is first rate, a part of this movement I like is when the main theme at the beginning of the piece reappears and you can hear the beautiful notes of the woodwind section. Then leading into a dramatic orchestral transition and somewhat eerie violin g-string. The Scherzo ends suddenly.
The Third movement has much passion and senses of love. Sarah Chang plays this movement beautifully w/ long bow strokes and holding out of the notes and adding lots of vibrato and using deep tones. The Soloists chord sections in this movement in some sections are lyrically beautiful and lead the whole range of dynamic exploration Forte to Piano. There is a section in the middle where she reiterates the opening theme of the movement in chords and exudes passion. Following is a part with harp in the backdrop Then a question and answer section leading to a fortissimo section followed by a question section. Finally, the reintroduction of the main theme from the First movement making the closing extra special in a conclusion that is slow and beautiful. The listener by the end of Concerto No.1 is so drawn into the dreaminess of the piece that the ending is surprising and unexpecting Very exhilirating This is the effect that Sarah has when performing the Prokofiev. This is a great CD album to own if you are a violinist, music fan in general, or fan of Sarah's.

Another Superb Performance.......2006-07-29

This recording is absolutely stunning and reveals a most talented artist. I compare it to her unmatched Sibelius CD. I have not listened to many Shostakovitch #1, however I listened to many Sibelius concertos and I must say that her Sibelius is the best I ever heard. This Shostakovitch, Prokofiev CD in my view is on the same difficulty and virtuoso level as her Sibelius performance which puts the performance on this CD at the very top. I listened to this CD over 25 times so far, keep playing it over and can't seem to get tired of it. Each time I play it, I appreciate it even more. If you liked her Sibelius you'll appreciate this CD very much. Hope the talented Sarah Chang continue to deliver similar outstanding performances in the future.

good recordings.......2006-07-19

I like the fact that Sarah Chang is moving away from just keeping her music clean and technically perfect. She seems to be pretty spontaeous when it comes to interpreting a piece of music, unlike, let's say, Hilary Hahn. The result is very beautiful music-making, but it has its cons, such as her getting too emotional on one note, and "swelling" it (delaying the vibrato, and leaning on the note). However, she brought a fresh, new interpretation to these GREAT works, all the while staying true to many of the things Oistrakh did. Her power and intensity's most admirable. The Berlin Philharmonic and Simon Rattle were just great- enough said.

Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C minor for Piano, Trumpet and Orchestra Op. 35; Concerto No. 2 in F Major for Piano and Orchestra Op. 102; Quintet in G minor for Piano and Strings Op. 57 - Yefim Bronfman (piano), Los Angeles Philharmonic, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Juilliard String Quartet

Average customer rating:

Fizzy and infectious in the concertos, uplifting in the Piano Quintet
More of the Spectrum of Shostakovich
Not worth it!
Great Soaring Piano Concerto
buy it for the quintet!

Shostakovich: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C minor for Piano, Trumpet and Orchestra Op. 35; Concerto No. 2 in F Major for Piano and Orchestra Op. 102; Quintet in G minor for Piano and Strings Op. 57 - Yefim Bronfman (piano), Los Angeles Philharmonic, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Juilliard String Quartet
Dmitri Shostakovich
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Shostakovich: The String Quartets

ASIN: B000034CZ5
Release Date: 1999-11-23

Amazon.com

This is a splendid recording, featuring three of Shostakovich's major works involving his own instrument, the piano. They display all the mercurial, contradictory aspects of his style, from dance-hall banality to sophisticated counterpoint and inspired melodic inventiveness, from mournful desolation and bleak hopelessness to the wild, obsessive, sardonic humor of desperation. The two piano concertos, though written over 20 years apart, show a certain similarity in their melancholy slow movements and frantically rollicking Finales, though the first, more popular one, opens with a highly dramatic movement, the second with a relatively peaceful one. The recording brings together a Russian-born virtuoso pianist with a special affinity for the composer's style, a great quartet steeped in 20th-century music, and a first-rate orchestra. The resulting performances are brilliant, moving, and exciting; Bronfman's virtuosity is stunning and the solo trumpeter in the first concerto is terrific. The string playing is wonderful--rich and colorful in sound, rhythmically incisive, deeply expressive; the first violinist's tone soars radiantly in the many stratospheric passages. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Fizzy and infectious in the concertos, uplifting in the Piano Quintet.......2006-01-11

After dulling my senses listening to the two Shostakovich piano concertos in lackluster readings by Mihail Rudy and Mariss Jansons, I needed a tonic. This CD shoots out of the speakers with infectious joy. It's also in Sony's best 24-bit sound, and on that basis alone would rank among the veyr best. Bronfman and Salonen have decided to cut loose (something neither does that often), catching Shostakovich's witty side perfectly. The composer himself is even more unbuttoned in his classic EMI recording, but in inferior sound.

The major work here, however, is the Piano Quintet, a large-scale work in the affirmative mode of the Fifth Sym. Shostakovich seems to be parodying nothing here; although there are haunting moments, particularly the string canon in the first movement and the solo violin that opens the slow movement, the Quintet, rare for this composer, is not clouded by melanchily. The Scherzo is rollicking, the finale presents a dancing tune one could almost whistle, alternating with ghostly memories of the first movement. Sony captures the sound of Bronfman's piano and the Julliard Quartet with amazing depth and fidelity--I've never heard any chamber work recorded so brilliantly.

In all, this is Shostakovich at his most lovable--a very unlikely word applied to him--played with geniality and tremendously appealing sonics.

More of the Spectrum of Shostakovich.......2005-11-27

During the past two years the Los Angeles Philharmonic has been delighting audiences with a Shostakovich Festival and during that time frame the orchestra is performing all fifteen symphonies, most of the concerti and chamber works as well as the quartets by both members of the orchestra and visiting ensembles. It is a time to respect the spectrum of the genius of Shostakovich as well as to broaden each of our exposures to works we might not know.

This CD recorded in 1999 serves as happy adjunct to this Shostakovich Festival. Yefim Bronfman is the fine soloist who offers both piano concerto numbers 1 and 2 (with the excellent assistance of trumpeter Thomas Stevens on the first) in collaboration with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the LA Philharmonic. The performances wink and dazzle and then turn to the quiet nostalgia in the slow movements. This is simply excellent Shostakovich in writing and performance!

The final work on this ambitious CD is the Quintet for piano & strings in G Minor here performed by Bronfman and the Julliard String Quartet. The balance is perfection! This is a very fine recording that stands with the finest for the concerto recordings and adds the tasty dollop of the Quintet as a superb bonus. Recommended. Grady Harp, November 05

Not worth it!.......2005-02-17

The downright stupid introductory essay in the booklet of this CD sets the tone for what one is about to hear. The playing is uninspired, the interpretations are one-dimensional. Shostakovich and listeners deserve better than this. I regret having bought it!

Great Soaring Piano Concerto.......2003-11-04

Having just recently heard a perfomrance of Concerto No. 2, I was knocked out by the beauty and intense beauty of the piece. Learning that he wrote it for his son, a budding pianist explains even more. From the sections that begin as a piano exercise, then bursting forth into joy and full throttled joy, this is sensuous, fun music. No wonder this is included in collections of romanctic piano music.

The First Concerto is a fitting tribute of sorts to his job as pianist for a silent theater, with chasing sounds of strings and piano then orchestra along with some brilliant solo trumpet.
Playful, fun listening.

The third piece for Quintet for Piano and Strings again exhibits great sensual style, with its beautiful falls and energetic crescendos. There is a delightful bolero type dance, then dropping again into a tragic sounding, all then resolved in balance and a sense of rightness at the end. Magnificent with the strings, especially the soaring violin section in the Intermezzo.

buy it for the quintet!.......2002-01-26

This recording falls under the unfortunate "almost there" category.
High marks for Bronfman, who plays with sparkle and fire throughout. Unfortunately, the orchestral treatment is not nearly as convincing.
After comparing this recording with an earlier Chandos disc featuring Maxim conducting and Dimitry Jr. as piano soloist(con. no. 1), I find the "in-the-family" reading in ways more compelling.
Truly, Bronfman brings out more color, and a livelier performance- more natural pianism. But the orchestral rendering here is noticeble subdued, further worsened by the prominent soloist level of the mix.
Lest we forget, Shost. played up the drama of the soloist(individual) vs. orchestra(powers that be) nature in his concertos. On the Chandos disc we are asked to consider this.
There, the real sarcasm and hints of things darker is easily apparent. A much more emotionally complex reading.
Here with Salonen, we miss out almost totally. It is much too "pretty", almost Mozartian.
Other faults worth mentioning-
dry recording sound throughout,
defensive posture in the liner notes.

On the upside, the quintet is another story.
Here the balance between charm and passion is sucessful and convincing. A worthy antitode.

Favorite Classics of Ballet for Ballet Class
Average customer rating:

Great for All Levels!

ballet at its best

accepetable

Good, but not perfect

Do not pass go, don't collect $100...Purchase this CD today!

Favorite Classics of Ballet for Ballet Class

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Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004TWWQ
Release Date: 2000-05-01

Tracks:

Warm up tendu, Minkus "Don Quixote"
Plie, Minkus "La Bayadere"
Tendu, Minkus "Paquita"
Tendu Tchaikovsky "Theme and Variations"
Degage, Offenbach
Rond de jambe par terre, Minkus "La Bayadere"
fondu, Tchaikovsky "Children's Album"
frappe, Tchaikovsky "Sleeping Beauty
petit battement, Tchaikovsky "Sleeping Beauty"
adagio, Minkus "La Bayadere"
ronde de jambe en l'air, Ober "Grande Pas Classique"
grande battement Shneitzgoffer
stretch "Russian Folk Melody"
adagio, Tchaikovsky "Swan Lake"
tendu, Shestakova
fondu Peregolezi
grande battement Drigo
slow pirouettes Minkus "Don Quixote"
small jump Tchaikovsky "Pas de Trois"
ensemble Minkus, "La Bayadere"
jete, Glinka "Ivan Susanin"
brise, Adan "Giselle"
sissonne ferme, Pugni "Frescoes"
sissonne ouverte, Levenskold "La Sylphide"
big jump, Adan, "Le Corsaire"
big jump, Sholtz/Strause
fouette turns or pique, Minkus,"Don Quixote"
reverance Minkus, "Don Quixote"

Album Description

The fourth volume of former Bolshoi dancer Dmitri Roudnev's highly acclaimed ballet class recordings with selections of your favorite ballet classics. Played exquisitely by former accompanist for the famed Kirov Ballet Theater's company classes and Vaganova Academy classes. Roudnev puts emphasis on excellent tempos and accents for the young student. Suitable for all level of student as well as the professional dancer and all methods of study.

Customer Reviews:

Great for All Levels!.......2007-01-18

The Music on this CD is beautiful. It's great to hear pieces of music that the students have either performed in or will be in the future. My only disappointment is that some of the music isn't long enough. For endurance, I like music that is really long and repeats on the other side. Other than that,this is a great CD.

ballet at its best.......2004-05-28

I loved this cd! it's a little slow but it can be speed up and it still is wonderful to dance to. This is a great cd for a beginning class to introduce classic themes from the most beloved ballets and for the most advanced students ready to dance them. The only thing that was incorrect was that the selection for fouettes on tournant says it's supposed to be Don Quixote when it's really Paquita. It's still wonderful music but I thought it was going to be from the grand pas de deux in act 4.

accepetable.......2004-01-05

I would really have liked if the CD went acording to the levels and order of exercises for Vaganova Syllabus. The adagio snd petits battments were too fast, and it is missing a grand adagio. Other then those few problems it is quite good, and the music sounds the way each movement is suppose to be done which is wonderful.

Good, but not perfect.......2003-02-28

Dmitri is an excellent teacher, and this CD is a very good one to use in a Vagonova-style class. However, those more accostomed to American ballet will find the accents on the frappe tracks unfamiliar. The tempi on the petit allegro tracks are very slow, again a setback to those more accostomed to the American style (or the British style, for that matter). Still, the track for fouette turns is the best tempo I've ever found. Overall, this CD is worthy of a place in a collection, but if you only buy one cd of music for ballet class and you were not trained in strict Vagonova style, go for anything with Lynn Stanford.

Do not pass go, don't collect $100...Purchase this CD today!.......2001-06-13

In short, don’t think about it – buy all of his CD’s – Volumes I, II, III, and IV. Also, be on the lookout - he just recorded Volume V which should be released late June/early July after “Ballet Intensive Moscow 2001.” You cannot go wrong with Roudnev’s CD’s!

Now for more detail: If you do not know Dmitri Roudnev, you should. He is not only a master ballet dancer, but also a true master ballet instructor. I have the good fortune and pleasure of taking class with Dmitri three times a week. I can honestly say that class with Dmitri has been and continues to be time and money well spent! I received most of my prior ballet training from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and thought the training I received could not be topped. With all due respect to the amazing teachers I had at CCM, Dmitri Roudnev runs races around them all!

In addition to taking class with Dmitri, I also teach ballet. Before meeting Dmitri and trying his CD’s I was always disappointed with the music CD’s I was able to find. They didn’t inspire musicality or passion. Something was always wrong with one or many of the tracks – the tempo, length, selection etc. Dmitri’s CD’s are a pleasure – well thought out, easy to use and well received by my students. I find that my students no longer trudge along to the track, but are now far more expressive and engaged in their work. Roudnev constantly emphasizes musicality in class – one is not dancing if they are just doing the steps. His passion for this art form is easily “heard” in his CD’s for ballet class.

Also, please be aware that these CD’s are not just the quick collaboration of an instructor and an accompanist trying to make a few extra bucks. Instead each is created for the dancer with the interest of developing the best technique and highest level of musicality possible. How about this for an endorsement: Roudnev uses these CD’s in his classes when he teaches! He observes how the students work to the tracks, and asks for feedback. He recently asked for our feedback on the soon to be released Volume V. ....

In closing, Dmitri loves ballet, and should you get to meet him, you will love Dmitri. While a CD is never a substitute for a person, his CD’s are the next best thing. Dmitri’s heart and soul are in these CD’s, and so too will Dmitri’s heart and soul become a part of your students.

Tracks:

Kak molody my byli (How young we were)
Podmoskovnye vechera (Moscow nights)
Shum berioz (The whisper of birches)
Ne speshi (Do not hurry)
Nezhnost (Tenderness)
Zhdi menia (Wait for me)
Tri goda (Three years)
Vechernay pesnya (Evening song)
Ty moya melodiya (You are my melody)
Moskovskie okna (Moscow windows)
Kak mnogo devushek horoshih (There are so many girls)
Blagodariu tebia (I'm grateful to you)
Ia liubliu tebia, zhizn' (I love you, life)
Vecher na reide (Evening in the harbor)
S chego nachinaestia Rodina (Where does Motherland come from?)
Russkoe pole (Russian field)
Special Bonus Track: Rodina slyshit (Motherland hears)

Customer Reviews:

JUST PERFECTION!!.......2006-04-08

I have all of Dmitri's recordings and this is my favorite due to the quality of the songs, Dmitri's mastery of all of them and the really lush orchestrations. All of the songs are just gorgeous and his voice so beautiful that I listen to this all day at work on my portable CD player. I recently saw him in concert and purchased the DVD of the "War Songs" which were featured in the second half of his concert. Of course, I recommend the CD and the DVD as really stunning. However, if I could only listen to one of his CD's, this is my favorite. As a former singer who trained for 15 years, I can tell you that Dmitri's vocal technique is perfect, just perfect! The voice comes from heaven! Don't wait to get this one!

Hvorostovsky...........again, magic.......2006-02-14

Moscow Nights - This collection is emotionally draining, sad; the minor keys, the great poets and composers, an era unexpressed to Americans. It is a revelation, tended by one of the most beautiful of Russian voices. Listen to it in pieces, in a quiet space, and ponder. Dmitri commands an opera stage - two visits to Queen of Spades at the Met- can lead to no other conclusion. However, it is his quiet recollections of Russian folk music, Russian sacred music, and Soviet music that arouses his greatest talents. This is a recording to be treasured.

hvorostovsky does it again.......2005-05-01

This is the latest installment of the succesfull Hvorostosky/Orbelian collaboration. In "I met you my love" the spotlight was on the socalled Russian Romances, russian art songs of the 19e century. Then came " Where are you my brothers" a collection of Russian war songs. This title contains a collection of the best post war(50s&60s) songs. If you love melodious songs in minor key this is it.The selection is quiet varied and everybody will have his or her own favourites. For me there was'nt a redundant song. The singing is as always faultless and inspired, the Moscow Chamber Orchestra plays topnotch and the arrangments by Evgeny Stesyuk are as always beautifull. But be warned this cd can have a depressing effect because besides being beautifull this music is also mostly very moving. Buy if you love russian music and good musicianship you can't go wrong with this one.

Operas Greatest Moments / Domingo, Price, Caballé, Kraus, Norman, Lanza

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My FIRST opera cd
Better compilations available
My desert island CD pick
Fine Querschnitt!
A collection of opera gems on one CD

Operas Greatest Moments / Domingo, Price, Caballé, Kraus, Norman, Lanza

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ASIN: B000003FDD
Release Date: 1992-11-10

Tracks:

La Traviata: Libiamo, ne' lieti calici (Brindisi)
Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro
Il Barbiere Di Siviglia: Largo al factotum
Les Pecheurs Des Perles - Au fond du temple saint
La Boheme: Mi chiamano Mimi
Pique Dame: Yeletsky's Aria (Act ll, Scene1)
La Wally - Ebben? Ne andro lontana
L'elisir D'Amore: Una furtiva lagrima
Die Walkure: Du bist der Lenz
La Forza Del Destino: Pace, pace, mio Dio
Pagliacci: Vesti la giubba
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Dove sono i bei momenti
Rigoletto: La donna e' mobile
Madama Butterfly: Un bel di
Die Zauberflote: Ach, ich fuhl's
Aida: Se quel guerrrier io fossi; Celeste Aida
Carmen: L'amour est un oiseau rebelle (Habanera)
Turandot: Nessun dorma

Customer Reviews:

My FIRST opera cd .......2006-09-29

I purchased this compilation in late summer 1994. I always skipped over Merrill's "Largo al factotum", just because I am not a big fan of that aria - kinda hokey to me :) I fell madly in love with the two contributions by Miss Leontyne Price!!! Especially "Pace, pace mio dio", the reference recording of that aria! I like Caballe's performance of "Si, mi chiamano Mimi", and the Domingo and Hvorostovky recordings. This disc opened up a whole new world for me. Yes, I have discovered MANY different singers than those included on this cd, but it started it all for me. It is a good sample of some very fine singing on the RCA label. OH! Let's not forget the superb Pearl Fisher's duet, sung by Bjoerling and Merrill!!

Better compilations available.......2003-09-26

I recently began collecting compilations of great opera performances as raw material for custom CD's. After listening to this CD side-by-side with others, I ended up using not a single selection from it. Three double CD's that, in my opinion, have much more to offer, in both quantity and quality, are (1) Decca's The #1 Opera Album, (2) EMI's The Opera Album, and (3) Warner Brothers' Simply The Best Night At The Opera. If I could have only one, it would be the Decca product, but each has it's own strengths, unlike the RCA disc. The caveat here is that taste in music is a highly personal matter.

My desert island CD pick.......2003-01-10

I could -- and sometimes do -- listen to Nessum Dora over and over. I have never felt music so passionately as I do the selections on this CD. It is truly the best of the best: the best "songs" from the best operas being sung by the best singers at their very best. I challenge anyone who doesn't like opera or ever music to listen to this CD. You will fall deeply in love.

Fine Querschnitt!.......2001-10-12

This is a good set as it includes some of the very finest moments of recorded opera history, noticably with Jussi Björlings Pearlfishes, which was one of his most inspired singings, Placido Domingo in his charming interpretation in The Loves Exlire, Anna Moffo outside the Wienniese standards is interesting, and Montserrat Caballe was really the best Mimi that ever sung that role, and I don't think that many today doubt that Lanza was one of the finest and most flexible voice that have sung Verdi. There is a nice querschnitt through the century as old pearls have been mixed with new. I enjoyed immensely to hear Caballes Mimi and Normans "Du bist der Lenz" or Kraus clicky "Donna Mobile" and a fresh new Ben heppner in 3D sound in one and the same hour.

A collection of opera gems on one CD.......2001-04-07

I have to agree that these are some of opera's greatest moments in the later part of the 20th century. The Pearl Fishers Duet (Au Fond du Temple Saint) sung by Jussi Björling, Robert Merrill is a big favorite of mine. Monserrat Caballe sings La Boheme here, and I couldn't believe my ears; maybe the best version of this I've ever listened to.

I like these assortments of opera arias for the variety, for having all my favorites on one CD, and for the great performances you can find sometimes, like Caballe's here.

Music Composers:

Music Composers

Music Composers