Field, John

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Average customer rating:

Star Wars: A Musical Journey (2005) (V)
Not one of his bests, but very close
John Williams' finest work
A Great Conclusion to the Prequel Trilogy
Williams is slumming it

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
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Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

ASIN: B000850IS6
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Tracks:

Star Wars and The Revenge Of The Sith
Anakin's Dream
Battle Of The Heroes
Anakin's Betrayal
General Grievous
Palpatine's Teachings
Grievous and the Droids
Padme's Ruminations
Anakin vs. Obi-Wan
Anakin's Dark Deeds
Enter Lord Vader
The Immolation Scene
Grievous Speaks to Lord Sidious
The Birth Of The Twins and Padme's Destiny
A New Hope and End Credits

Amazon.com

John Williams' lovely and moving score for the sixth Star Wars film brings thirty years of collaborating on George Lucas' beyond-popular intergalactic franchise to a close. (Is this really the end of Star Wars? Can't Lucas and Williams work together on a prequel to these prequels? Let us hope so, and that Jar Jar Binks is nowhere near it.) As this music accompanies the most exciting Star Wars film in many a moon, the soundtrack itself is more fun, more evil, more nasty and bumpy. Many of the heroic, anthemic themes woven throughout Episode Three: Revenge of the Sith will necessarily be familiar to any fan of the series, from the "Imperial March" to the main theme. It's remarkable how stirring the latter can be, no matter how many times you've heard it, and even for those who do not have all their money invested in S.W. memorabilia. There is a lot of new music here, and the lush, extensive range of both Williams and the London Symphony Orchestra is on display, most notably in the menacing, percolating "General Grievous" and the rousing "New Hope" end theme. --Mike McGonigal

<span class="h1"><strong>The Force Is Also with: </strong></span> <table border="0" cellpadding="4" width="100%" cellspacing="4">

<tr class="tiny" align="center" valign="top"> <td> <img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0002YCVLU.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg" border="0">
Star Wars Trilogy soundtrack box set</td>

<td> <img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000062VVV.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg" border="0">
Star Wars Episode II sountrack</td>

<td> <img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00006HBUJ.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg" border="0">
Star Wars Episode II, Attack of the Clones</td> </tr>

<tr class="tiny" align="center" valign="top"> <td> <img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00003CX5P.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg" border="0">
Star Wars Episode I, The Phantom Menace</td>

<td> <img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00003CXCT.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg" border="0">
Star Wars Trilogy on DVD</td>

<td> <img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0345428838.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg" border="0">
Star Wars, Episode III - Revenge of the Sith</td> </tr> </table>

Customer Reviews:

Star Wars: A Musical Journey (2005) (V).......2007-06-21

product: Star Wars: A Musical Journey (2005) (V), included as bonus disc in Episode III soundtrack.

The bonus dvd with this soundtrack was the reason I purchased. I enjoy film soundtracks, and science fiction, but this dvd was a real highlight for me. I got the soundtrack cd out of the local library. The cd was missing from the case, but I found this wonderful dvd instead that I went out to purchase later.

With optional segments of dialog from Ian McDiarmid, this film is a stunning visual and musical overview of the full epic story of episodes I-VI of Star Wars. For those of us who felt that eps. IV-VI fell short of our expectations, this film presents them well as parts of the whole story. The Musical Journey also stands as a summary of the entire SW opus for someone who is not familiar with the Star Wars characters and plot. Highly recommended.

Options: no subtitles or other options.

Not one of his bests, but very close.......2007-05-21

The Episode III soundtrack is very good. Not great, but very, very good. You can tell that Williams is getting old, but he still manages to weave together a very memorable score.

My favorite tracks are "Battle of the Heroes," "Anakin's Betrayal," Palpatine's teachings, "Anakin vs. Obi-Wan," and the "Immolation Scene."
The others are very good as well, but these are especially nice. "Battle of the Heroes" is Dual of the Fates for Revenge of the Sith. "Anakin's Betrayal" is a very sad track that is, in my opinion, one of William's most powerful pieces. "Palpatine's Teachings" is really, really neat. It's very dark and moody, a perfect piece for the evil emperor. The only weird thing is the end. "Anakin vs. Obi-Wan" is the action piece that plays during the battles of Anakin and Obi-Wan, and Yoda and the Emperor. Finally, "The Immolation Scene" is another sad piece, even more so than "Anakin's Betrayal."

Although I really like this CD, there are some things that are missing (as usual). First, the whole sequence where the droids are looking for Obi-Wan after he was shot. You see Obi-Wan in his ship with Senator Organa on the Hologram (or whatever it is), and Obi-Wan says that his clones turned on him. That was some pretty awesome music that OF COURSE was left out of the CD. Then there was Dual of the Fates in the movie, but completely absent from the CD. And probably the most annoying was that whole piece of music before Obi-Wan and Anakin fight. It was so touching and sad and I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY LEFT IT OUT! Absolutely amazing. Also, did anyone notice that some little bits were cut out? For example, in Anakin vs. Obi Wan, they cut out about a second or two of choir. What?! What the heck is with that? It's when Anakin is running on the long thing and jumps on the droid on the lava. Also, there was some pretty cool drumming when you see Yoda and the Emperor fighting, and you can see the whole stadium (the big room). There's also drumming in "Enter Lord Vader" that is muted in the soundtrack.

Oh well...if I'm going to collect movie scores, I'm going to have to get used to the fact that in almost all cases there's not going to be every bit of music. I've experienced this in both Pirates of the Caribbean, Jurassic Park I (there was very little left out on this score), and almost everything else. At the moment, I'm just waiting for the 22nd, for the Pirates of the Caribbean 3 soundtrack. It's gonna be amazing.

See Yu

John Williams' finest work.......2007-04-20

There is little more I can say that hasn't already been said about the soundtrack to Episode 3, especially what Amazon contributor Dan Mohr wrote in his review of the soundtrack on 2/2/2006. His review captured almost all the thoughts, feelings, and emotions I had when I first listened to the soundtrack, and was, IMO, the best review of John Williams' greatest masterpiece.

Having said that, I will say that few soundtracks have ever so perfectly captured the underlying emotional currents of their respective movie; in the case of ROTS, the contemporaneous tragedies of Anakin's fall to the Dark Side, the extermination of the Jedi, and the rise of the oppressive Empire. The listener is confronted with the depth and totality of the evil that has beset the entire galaxy to a degree that the film could not reach in only 2 hours.

Bravo, Dan Mohr, and BRAVO John Williams!

A Great Conclusion to the Prequel Trilogy.......2007-04-07

This is a great work of art. I rank it 4th among Star Wars soundtracks after A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and The Phantom Menace. I had a hard deciding which I thought was better, The Phantom Meance or Revenge of the Sith, but I decided that The Phantom Menace lays the foundation for so much that is in this soundtrack and is thus the more masterful work. But that doesn't mean that this score still isn't great. Every piece is a thrill to listen to and pace never lets up. "Battle of the Hereos" is an amazing piece and the rendition of the "Funeral Theme" from Episoded I captures the film's tragety magnificently. Also I do not think John Williams could have portrayed the Jedi's extinction more perfectly than he did in "Anakin's Betrayal". This is without a doubt the best score of 2005 and one of the best of the decade.

Williams is slumming it.......2007-04-01

Williams's score for Revenge of the Sith is almost entirely overbearing, lacking any emotional subtlety. The music is overcomplicated and even a bit confusing, especially in the tracks that correspond to action sequences in the movie. His overuse of choral tracks and vocals is too bombastic and irritating to be listened to without the explosions and laser blasts of the soundtrack to soften them. (Yes, this music is actually softened by the sounds of warfare.) Worst of all, much of the music has simply been lifted from earlier scores. At times his self-imitation was so blatant that I actually wondered whether the editor who had complied this score had made a mistake and I was listening to The Empire Strikes Back or A New Hope. Also suffers from not including the entire score, in some cases cutting out musical segues in obvious and awkward ways.

Average customer rating:

A Long Time Ago...
Spectacular!
Star Wars Tunes
My son loves it
Star Wars Saga

Music from the Star Wars Saga
John Williams
Manufacturer: Silva America
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
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The Complete Visual Dictionary of Star Wars: The Ultimate Guide to Characters and Creatures from the Entire Star Wars Saga
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

ASIN: B0002OOUTG
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Tracks:

Main Theme
The Asteroid Field
Princess Leia
The Imperial March
Yoda's Theme
Forest Battle
Han Solo And The Princess
The Flag Parade
Anakin's Theme
The Adventures Of Jar Jar
Duel Of The Fates
Across The Stars
The Throne Room - Finale

Customer Reviews:

A Long Time Ago..........2007-01-12

I bought this CD to play at work for background music and it's great for that. The only thing missing is the usually obligatory 20th Century Fox theme before the main Star Wars theme. Other than that, the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and the Crouch End Festival Chorus do a very fine job with Maestro Williams' music, indeed.

Spectacular!.......2007-01-12

I thought this cd was excellent! I bought it as a gift for my brother, who is a huge Star Wars fan, and he loved it. The music reminds me of the best parts of the movies. I think anyone who is a fan should get a copy.

Star Wars Tunes.......2007-01-09

My kids love the Star Wars movies so I bought this hoping we would have something new to listen to in the car. They love it and I love listening to something different. John Williams is genius.

My son loves it.......2005-09-11

My six-year old has become a huge fan of Star Wars and enjoys listening to this disc. It has the best tracks of each episode.

Star Wars Saga.......2005-07-20

Wonderful music. Best from all the movies. How can you go wrong?

The Military Band: Salute to the Services

Average customer rating:

Marching along
Traditional American marches
GREAT MUSIC!
Why not ZERO?
Great Military Music

The Military Band: Salute to the Services
Francis Saltus Van Boskerek , Robert M. Crawford , John Stafford Smith , John Philip Sousa , American Traditional , Joseph Franz Wagner , Charles A. Zimmerman , and Felix Slatkin
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sousa's Greatest Hits
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ASIN: B000006OGX
Release Date: 1998-06-02

Tracks:

Reveille
Salute To The Services: The US Field Artillery March
Salute To The Services: Anchors Aweigh
US Marines On Parade
Salute To The Services: US Air Force Song
Salute To The Services: Semper Paratus
Salute To The Services: The Stars & Stripes Forever
Salute To The Services: Semper Fidelis
Salute To The Services: National Emblem
Salute To The Services: El Capitan
Salute To The Services: Washington Post
Salute To The Services: The Thunderer
Salute To The Services: Under The Double Eagle
Salute To The Services: American Patrol
Salute To The Services: The Star Spangled Banner
Taps

Customer Reviews:

Marching along.......2007-05-12

I am a walker..(up to 15 miles per week) Having made this purchase... I now march along with Sousa and the other greats on this fine album....I heartily recommend it to all....as well as Amazon's timely and fairly priced services...

Traditional American marches.......2007-03-22

These are traditional American marches well played and stirring. The CD and case are of good quality, and the sound is excellent.

GREAT MUSIC!.......2007-03-11

This is an unusual Music CD to a great price.
Something to celebrate July 4 and our nation.
Highly recommended.

Why not ZERO? .......2007-01-27

I would give this one ZERO.....absolutely waste of money. The sound quality is terrible on my Made in Japan SONY / Kenwood / Panasonic CD / MP3 Players. Also, the collection of the noise is not all that impressive, I have seen much better calming peaceful MUSIC. Do not waste money, I think it is rediculous to have a band for military, How about a band for PEACE?

Great Military Music.......2007-01-11

The CD was just what I needed for a special memorial tribute to our service people that have passed on. The recording was clear and bright. The music selections were well performed and TAPS was especially evoking.

Average customer rating:

Unique historical icon
Memories of the past
Outstanding!
A True Classic
It was ok

Soviet Army Chorus & Band

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Best of the Red Army Choir
Russian Favourites
Echoes of a Red Empire
Best of Communism: Revolutionary Songs
Balalaika: Russia's Most Beautiful Songs

ASIN: B000002ROZ
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Song Of Youth
A Birch-Tree In A Field Did Stand
Far Away
Volga Boat Song
You Are Always Beautiful
Along Peter's Street
Tipperary
Ah! Lovely Night
Kamarinskaya
Annie Laurie
Song Of The Plains (Meadowland)
Kalinka
Bandura
Oh No! John!
Snow Flakes
Ukranian Poem
The Decembrists: Soldier's Chorus

Customer Reviews:

Unique historical icon.......2007-04-11

Wonderfully atmospheric choral singing in the distinctive style of these cultural ambassadors for the Soviet regime. In their day they had a worldwide and appreciative audience as the Soviet Authorities sought to attach an attractive "human" persona to their mighty military machine.The power, precision and technical proficiancy of these (and other) performers served, whether justifiably or not, to enhance the Soviet military image.Wonderful Russian bass and tenor voices gave western ears fresh insights into 'music of the people' from both sides of the Iron Curtain. The propaganda effect was priceless and we are left today with a nostalgic example of the effective political use of music.

Memories of the past.......2007-02-13

My parents bought the vinyl recording of the Album when it first came out and I used to listen to it a lot. It is wonderful to have it available on CD without the scratches that go along with records. They sound as brilliant and stirring as the first day I heard them. I especially love The Soldiers Chorus from the play The Decembrists.

Outstanding!.......2005-08-27

I first discovered this album as a LP in the late 1960s. Granted, the recording techniques then are not as sophisticated as they are now, but the quality of the voices on this CD is excellent, and the music will send chills down your spine.

There are subsequent albums of the "Red Army" (whom I've seen in person) -- while good, the original "Soviet" is still the best.

If you love great soloists, outstanding choral work, and stirring music, you will appreciate this album.

A True Classic.......2004-12-17

Rich and often powerful music. Much magnificent singing and orchestration. The effort of the chorus to sing "Tipperary" in english is, alone, well worth the price of purchase.

It was ok.......2004-08-15

It's an ok album. The songs are nice but I bet half of the tracks are in mono, which was disappointing. I would recommend "Best of The Red Army Choir" instead.

15 Nocturnes of John Field (1782 - 1837)

Average customer rating:

hypnotizing in its beauty
Field's Nocturnes
Composer who should be better known
Thank you John O'Conor
Perfect!

15 Nocturnes of John Field (1782 - 1837)
John Field , and John O'Conor
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

John Field: Sonatas and Nocturnes
John Field: Piano Concertos 1 & 2
John Field: Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 5
John Field: Piano Concertos Vol. 2, No. 4 in E flat major & No. 6 in C major
Field: PIANO CONCERTOS Vol. 1

ASIN: B000003CVP
Release Date: 1991-07-01

Tracks:

Molto Moderato
Moderato E Molto Espressivo
Poco Adagio
Andantino
Andante
Andante
Andantino
Adagio
Moderato
Lento
Lento
Molto Moderato
Molto Moderato
Molto Moderato
Allegretto

Amazon.com

Regardless of who was first to coin the term "Nocturne," 19th-century Irish composer John Field's Nocturnes, 15 of which are included here, stand side by side with those of Chopin for their consummate tunefulness, harmonic ingenuity, and pure pianistic resourcefulness. Fellow Irishman John O'Conor informs each of these gems with interpretive authenticity, unpretentious refinement, and elegance. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

hypnotizing in its beauty.......2007-06-10

This album's simple grace and natural beauty continue to amaze me everytime I listen. It's the perfect soundtrack for so many moments too, when you want beautiful music that is accessible enough to keep people energized, but invisible enough to just be in the background pleasantly. We listen to it at dinnertime often, or in the morning, or in the setting sun.

Field's Nocturnes.......2007-03-14

If proof were needed of Irish composer John Field's place in musical history, his "Nocturnes" are it. Chopin's nocturnes are directly traceable to Field's influence, and both composers wrote their works for piano. His influence has continued. This is piano music. Listen and learn.

Composer who should be better known.......2007-01-10

These nocturnes by John Field, the originator of the form, are sadly little known. They are lovely pieces played exquisitely by John O'Conor. The sounds are like a shimmering liquid magic poured over you when the day has been chaotic and ugly . . . suddenly you're smoothed out and all is well. Anyone who likes the Chopin Nocturnes played by someone like Moravec should get this album. It's a delightful surprise and real treat.

Thank you John O'Conor.......2005-02-21

This was one of my very first CD purchases when I finally crossed over to digital in 1990 and about 1300 CDs later, it's still one of the ones I play most often. Comparisons to Chopin are unnecessary, this gorgeous music stands on its own. I was unfamiliar with Field's work when I purchased this and John O'Conor can be credited with a mini renaissance of John Field - there are now numerous Field works available in the catalog.

In my view, Field's Nocturnes are still not as popular as they should be - they may not be as musically complex as the more famous Romantic piano composers, but they are always beautiful. I can't imagine a more sympathetic performance than that given by Mr. O'Conor. I've been playing this CD regularly for 15 years and I really have no desire to hear any other performance of this beautiful music.

The CD cover effectively captures the mood these pieces evoke. The music is consistently gentle and tranquil but never even remotely dull. This would be an excellent purchase for someone just starting to explore classical music (stay away from those dreadful compilations!). In fact, this would be a great purchase for people who profess not to like classical music. It's difficult for me to believe that there's anybody who wouldn't find moments when this CD would create just the mood they were looking for. Even headbangers need some reflective time.

Perfect!.......2003-03-20

This disc is absolutely wonderful. Every piece is composed with luxurious beauty, delicacy, and sensuousness. The inevitable comparison to the Nocturnes of Chopin do not even slightly dim the luster of these exquisite little gems, most under five minutes in length. They are certainly not as perfectly crafted as Chopin's, but they can stand on their own as delightful listening music, sublime in simplicity and flowing lyricism. John O'Conor performs flawlessly; it is obvious that he takes great pleasure in allowing the piano to sing to us.

Average customer rating:

not to great
Not so bad, 100 tunes for 4$
You get what you pay for.
Now I know why there were no song samples to listen to ...

100 Favorite Patriotic Songs

Manufacturer: Bci / Eclipse Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000A1HT8
Release Date: 2003-08-12

Tracks:

America the Beautiful
All Quiet on the Potomac Tonight
Ballad of the Green Berets
On Top of Old Smokey
Coyote Warrior
Semper Fidelis
Breeze from Alabama
Onward Christian Soldiers
Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming
Patriot
Sweet Betsy from Pike
Marines' Hymn
America Is
When Johnny Comes Marchin' Home
Happy the Soldier
American Trilogy
Home Sweet Home
Washington Post March
Enraptured I Gaze
Jeannie With the Light Brown Hair
Yellow Rose of Texas
Over There
Simple Gifts
Liberty Bell
Star Spangled Banner

Tracks:

God Bless the USA
Yankee Doodle Dandy
Katy Cruel
I Vow to Thee My Country
King Cotton
Beautiful Dreamer
America
American Patrol
Mine Eyes Have Seen the Beauty
Mohican Dream
Red, White and Blue
Some Folks
Liberty Song
Pomp and Circumstance
Hail to the Chief
Bennington Rifles
Peace on the Battlefield
I've Been Working on the Railroad
Under the Double Eagle
Red River Valley
My Country 'Tis of Thee
Camptown Races
Wild Blue Yonder
Hands Across the Sea
Fanfare for the Common Man

Tracks:

Stars and Stripes Forever
Living in America
Home on the Range
Old Colony Times
Clementine
Invincible Eagle
Ring Ring de Banjo
Yankee Doodle
Largo from "The New World"
To a Wild Rose
Hail Columbia
Alexander's Ragtime Band
Gettysburg
Carry Me Back to Old Virginny
Capitan
Prairie Daughter
Little Brown Jug
Marching Through Georgia
Entertainer
Steamboat Around the Bend
Revolutionary Tea
Cassions Keep Rollin' Along
Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier
Amazing Grace
Grand Old Flag

Tracks:

God Bless America
National Emblem
Soldier, Soldier Won't You Marry Me
Anchors Away
Oh, Susannah
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp
Toast
Dixie
St. Louis Blues
Appalachian Spring
Bonnie Blue Flag
Old Hundreth
Swanee River
Battle Cry of Freedom
U. S Field Artillery
Sidewalks of New York
Chester
Auld Lang Syne
Kingdom Come
My Old Kentucky Home
Hail to the Spirit of Liberty
Battle Hymn of the Republic
Shenandoah
Abraham's Daughter
This Land Is Your Land

Customer Reviews:

not to great.......2007-04-04

We were disappointed with this CD, but for the price I guess we can't expect much. I didn't care for the new style presentation of the songs. I like a more traditional rendering.

Not so bad, 100 tunes for 4$.......2005-06-22

I red the comments of two other people who have bought this 4 CD BOX SET and it is not really so bad. I will even add that there are some excellent tunes. However, I must agree with the fact that few tunes seem to have been recorded 40 or 50 years ago, mainly when you hear the scratches of an old turntable but it is just 2 or 3 tunes. Furthermore, if you do not know American music, it is a good BOX SET to buy if you consider that you received 4 CD for 4$ including 100 tunes. On these 4 CD, I have heard some orchestration that I have never heard before and I consider that they are different but interesting. Any way, after hearing these 100 tunes, you will say to yourself that you like this tune, this other tune, this other tune and so on and you will be able to buy a more expensive CD with the tunes that you like. However, I have bought many CDs in the last few weeks and as you know, there are always some tunes that you like and some tunes that you do not like on every CD that you will buy. So, don't buy it at 25$ but at 4 or 5$ dollars, it is a very good choice for 100 tunes.

You get what you pay for........2004-07-04

You get what you pay for. The singers put their own spin on the singing of each song. If you didn't hear the words you would not recognize some of them. Even some of the music sounds like a bad recording of music played on a turntable. Definitely not worth the price.

Now I know why there were no song samples to listen to ..........2004-07-04

I wish this review had been here when I was thinking of purchasing it. I guess you get what you pay for. If you are thinking of buying this, you are better off recording your own CDs (or at least buying one that you can listen to a sampling of the songs). This album includes songs that were mere recordings of the songs playing on an old record player. It's almost so unbelievable that it is funny.

John Williams Conducts John Williams: The Star Wars Trilogy

Average customer rating:

Best of Episodes IV - VI
If you don't want to buy each score, get this compilation
una gran seleccion de star wars
Star Wars Music Sampler
You just want more!

John Williams Conducts John Williams: The Star Wars Trilogy
John Williams , and The Skywalker Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Music from the Harry Potter Films

ASIN: B000002712
Release Date: 1991-07-01

Tracks:

Star Wars-Main Theme
Princess Leia
The Little People
The Imperial March
Yoda's Theme
Parade of the Ewoks
The Asteroid Field
Luke and Leia
The Cantina Band
Here They Come!
Jabba The Hutt
The Forest Battle
Throne Room and Finale

Customer Reviews:

Best of Episodes IV - VI.......2007-05-16

It has been said before -- if you want the best all on one CD, then this is the best sampler to get.

Conducted by the Skywalker Symphony Orchestra, there shines through an obvious love of the material being played. These are among the best versions I've ever heard of these songs and the production quality is first rate.

My only slight niggle would be that at times, the horn section seem to come through a little too strong, but that might just be my tastes and my sound system. And it is not enough to keep me from giving it 5 stars. All the best from 3 of the best movie soundtracks in the past 30 years.

If you don't want to buy each score, get this compilation.......2006-09-29

This is a great representation of the excellent music Williams wrote for the original trilogy. Many of these tracks are completely fantastic. There are a couple of tracks that I wouldn't have added to this compilation in favor of adding others (the sand people track is pretty boring) and the cantina music ends with some really weird sounding synth effects or something, but the rest of the album is great. I'd give it 4 1/2 if I could.

una gran seleccion de star wars .......2005-01-08

Lo primero que llama la atencion es la orquesta, es un conjunto selecto de interpretes de Los angeles, San francisco y otros que reunidos forman esta Skywalker Symphony Orchestra que instalada en el rancho de george lucas se dio la tarea de registrar este conjunto de temas de Star Wars.
Y el resultado es esplendido hay que decirlo, el sonido es excelente, existe gran fiato y la orquesta suena grandiosa.
La seleccion esta bien hecha, como es una grabacion de 1991 se obto por recordar lo mejor y grandes momentos, asi no podia dejarse de lado la musica de la cantina una pieza exquicita que se le agrego algunos toques con sintetizadores y suena increible. Esta parades of Ewoks y little people que son muy entretenidas llenas de un encanto casi infantil, nada que comentar respecto de los temas inolvidables de la princesa Leia, de Yoda y el de Luke y Leia, hermosos, la cautivante marcha imperial y la apoteosis de la batalla en los bosques de Endor. Ademas la voragine de campo de asteroides y here they come!, y el exquisito solo de tuba en Jabba the hutt. Para finalizar el principio y el fin, el tema principal es sin lugar a dudas una pieza que no podra ser igualada, increible, y para finalizar throne room en una presentacion incomparable.
Es un CD grandioso, que hace Williams mejor director junto aun grupo grandioso de interpretes para una seleccion sin igual.

Star Wars Music Sampler.......2003-07-12

The Star Wars Trilogy: John Williams Conducts John Williams is a 13-track "sampler" of selected orchestral arrangements from the 1977-83 "Classic" Episodes of George Lucas' space opera set "a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away." Not to be confused with either the Varese Sarabande 1983 recording with a similar title, this 1990 Sony Classical offering showcases the Skywalker Symphony Orchestra under the direction of the composer.

While none of the material here is surprising - we HAVE heard all these themes before in the London Symphony Orchestra-performed original soundtracks in their various incarnations - the Skywalker Symphony (a group of talented musicians assembled especially for this performance) performs Williams' concert hall arrangements with clarity and love for the material. There was also an attempt to add more variety to the 13 tracks to further avoid confusion with the other "Star Wars Trilogy" single CD collection. The Cantina Band (that jazzy Benny Goodman style bauble from Star Wars) and the bouncy The Little People are here, as well as the more "traditional" Main Title, Princess Leia's Theme, Yoda's Theme, and the famous Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme). Particularly impressive is the concert hall arrangement of The Throne Room/Finale, which is very different from the film version.

While I prefer the individual film scores from either the Soundtrack Anthology or the Special Edition collections, for listeners on the go, younger music lovers, or newcomers to John Williams' music, The Star Wars Trilogy: John Williams Conducts John Williams is still worth a listen.

You just want more!.......2003-03-04

That's right. When it ends, you just want more, and more.

I gave it a 4 stars rating, only because of this. I have all the music from Star Wars, and definitely I think it's a crime to make a compilation from such a terrific soundtrack. You MUST have the entire score.

Tracks:

Sonata for Piano, Op 26: Allegro energico
Sonata for Piano, Op 26: Allegro vivace e leggiero
Sonata for Piano, Op 26: Adagio mesto
Sonata for Piano, Op 26: Fuga: Allegro con spirito
Excursions, Op 20: Un poco allegro
Excursions, Op 20: In Slow Blues Tempo
Excursions, Op 20: Allegretto
Excursions, Op 20: Allegro molto
Nocturne, Op 33: Moderato
Three Sketches: Lovesong: Tempo di valse: Allegretto
Three Sketches: To My Steinway (To No.220601): Adagio
Three Sketches: Minuet: Tempo di minuetto
Interlude I ('For Jeanne'): Adagio, ma non troppo
Ballade, Op 46: Restless
Souvenirs, Op 28: Waltz: tempo di valse, Allegro con brio
Souvenirs, Op 28: Schottische: tempo si Schottische, Allegro ma non troppo
Souvenirs, Op 28: Pas de deux: Adagio
Souvenirs, Op 28: Two-Step: Allegro molto
Souvenirs, Op 28: Hesitation Tango: Con moto
Souvenirs, Op 28: Galop: Allegro molto

Customer Reviews:

Barber: genius; Pollack: great, but not as great as John Browning.......2007-05-29

This CD includes a mini biography of the composer and a short description of each piece, which is always a plus. I am still amazed he wrote those 3 sketches at such a young age! Barber's music is always lyrical, even when it sounds a-tonal. While John Browning is the most popular interpreter of Barber's music, Pollack also does a wonderful job. The only problem I have is his playing of the Nocturne, op. 33, because he plays it very heavily and too fast, much unlike a nocturne should be.

A variety of emotions.......2006-11-16

This CD collects all the published piano music of Samuel Barber, including the highly regarded masterwork SONATA, OP.26. The SONATA, in four movements, goes from the severe in the first movement to the openly joyous in the second; the third movement builds slowly to a mighty grumbling before just as slowly resigning itself to a quiet resolve. The final movement is all energy, requiring great technical prowess, which pianist Daniel Pollack has. It's an excellent performance.

Some of the other pieces, though less demanding, are most enjoyable. The four EXCURSIONS explore "regional idioms," including boogie-woogie, the blues, and country roots (this last is delightful). The four SOUVENIRS show Barber at his most humorous: the Waltz is laugh-out-loud charming, and the Hesitation Tango is just that - and very compelling. This is an excellent CD all around, from the varied and intelligent music of Barber to the assured, lyrical interpretations by Pollack. Highly recommended.

Samuel Barber's Piano Music.......2003-11-26

Samuel Barber's(1910 --1981) music is lyrical, romantic, and accessible. But his music still manages to be challenging. As is the case with many American composers, Barber tried to develop an American voice by combining art music with American themes derived from jazz and American popular culture. Again, Barber wrote in an accessible way using sophisticated 20th century compositional techniques.

Although he did not compose a great deal of music for solo piano, much of what Barber did write is outstanding. This disc on the budget-priced Naxos label includes all of Barber's published solo piano music performed by Daniel Pollack. Pollack knows and plays this music well indeed. He performed Barber's piano sonata at the First International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in 1958. The CD includes detailed, insightful liner notes by Victor and Marina Ledin.

Barber's piano sonata op 26 (1946) is the highlight of this disc and is a work that has become an important part of the piano repertory. The work is in four movements, and in it Barber uses an expansive musical vocabulary which includes serial composition. The work is romantic and virtuosic and immediately appealing. Vladimir Horowitz championed this music and it has been recorded many times.

The sonata opens with a two-note falling figure with the second note heavily accented that becomes the basis for the opening allegro movement. Throughout the first movement, loud, virtuosic passages alternate with quieter sections, with feathery piano writing in the instrument's high register. The two-note figure is prominent at the end of the movement with a shift in accent to the first note of the pair. The second movement is a short, light scherzo which picks up on the quieter portions of the first movement. The third movement, an adagio, is spare and minimalist. It rises to a large climax before the music falls away pensively over a walking bass. The last movement is a fugue which begins rapidly and quickly develops to a frenzied, cataclysmic conclusion.

The other extended works on this CD are two piano suites. The first suite, "Excursions" Op. 20 (1942-1944) was also championed by Horowitz. It consists of four movements based upon American jazz and popular song. The first movement features a syncopated theme with repeated notes over a boogie-woogie theme in the bass. The second movemement develops as a blues, with a slow-drag theme that becomes more prominent as the movement progresses. It reminded me of a Gershwin piano prelude. The third movement consists of a lyrical, rippling theme in a moderate tempo which undergoes brief variations. The final movement is a foot-stomping barn dance. The movement reminded me of a conservative Charles Ives.

The other suite in this collection is titled "Souvenirs", op 28 (1951-1952) It consists of six short dance movements. (Barber used it for a ballet.) I loved this piece. It is deliberately anachronistic in character and is a throw-back to a hotel-style elegance just before WW I. In listening to this suite, I tried to think of the tone it intended to convey. Some people find this music light and frivolus while others find it ironic. I heard it as loving, but detached and a bit distant. Barber is trying deliberately to recreate a musical experience in an idiom that is no longer his. I think the tone is affectionate, with the music played straight (rather than satirically), but with a distinct feeling of looking back. Thus the title, "Souvenirs".

There are a number of short pieces on this CD including three sketches dating from Barber's 13th year. I enjoyed the Nocturne which is highly chromatic (op. 33) and the late Ballade, Op. 46 among these short works.

This disc is part of the Naxos "American Classics" series. It will allow the listener to get to know some great works of 20th century American piano music.

What's the rush?.......2003-10-22

I can't tell if the overly fast tempi on much of this recording is so all the works could be jammed onto one CD, or if Mr. Pollack was dared to see how fast he could go. To be fair, he starts the Sonata at the metronome marking in the score (which some performers do not) but he doesn't keep it there. He pulls back tremendously in the second theme, then rushes through much of the closing theme so quickly as if to suggest that hearing the notes is not the important part. I'm impressed at how fast he can play certain parts (and the scherzo), but what honestly is the point? Passages in the development and coda are reduced to a blurry mash. Along with this he punches many notes (first and third movements), especially in the base, that have no need for added emphasis. Barber provided enough angularity to this piece that just playing it gets the message - and the music - across. The fourth movement, I will concede, is as admirable as any other performance.
The rest of the works on the CD fare better - in areas where a change in tempo might be tasteful, Mr. Pollack seems invariably to push ahead but it doesn't sabotage anything as badly as the Sonata.
Despite the tempting price, a newcomer to Barber's piano output would do better to buy John Browning's recording and come back to this one later for a different viewpoint.

Barber at a bargain.......2001-09-10

Daniel Pollack has a special relationship to this music. He premiered Samuel Barber's Piano Sonata in the Soviet Union, and played it to wildly enthusiastic acclaim during the 1958 Tschaikovsky competition. That was the year Cliburn took the Gold medal, but Pollack was also a winner, and was very well received.

I am very familiar with the Sonata. I performed it at my senior piano recital in college. I also had the pleasure of playing most of the Sonata for Daniel Pollack when I competed in a college-based piano competition. It was a special pleasure for me to learn how intimately he knows this piece. Pollack plays the Sonata with tremendous energy, brilliance and passion. The recorded sound of this Naxos CD is bright and a little too resonant for my taste. Still, the performance is thoroughly exciting, sometimes to the point of being overwhelmingly powerful (for example, at the end of the fugue).

I own eleven recordings of the Barber Piano Sonata on CD or LP. Although Pollack's is not my first choice, his playing is so exciting and powerful that I regard his performance as special and worth having. My favorites are Cliburn and Horowitz. My other recordings include Garrick Ohlsson, Willis Deloney, two by John Browning, Leo McCawley, Earl Wild, Peter Lawson and Ruth Laredo. It would be difficult to rank these performances, as they all have something special to commend them. Pollack's passion and abandon stand out in this group.

The other Barber works are less familiar to me, and so I am less able to comment on them. They seem beautifully played and, again, only hampered a little by the overly resonant sound.

Tracks:

Here Am I, Oh Lord, Send Me
I Shall Not Be Moved
Nearer My God To Thee
Baby What's Wrong With You
It Ain't Nobody's Business
Salty Dog Blues
Coffee Blues
Avalon, My Home Town
Make Me A Pallet On The Floor
Since I've Laid This Burden Down
Sliding Delta
Monday Morning Blues
Richland Women Blues
Candy Man
Stagolee
My Creole Belle
C.C. Rider
Spanish Fandango
Talking Casey
Chicken
You Are My Sunshine

Amazon.com essential recording

This inappropriately titled album is actually a concert recording from a performance at Oberlin College in 1965. Regardless, Hurt's rich, gentle voice and relaxed, flowing guitar lines could soothe the stormiest Monday. Among the hymns and traditional songs heard here are "I Shall Not Be Moved," "Nearer My God to Thee," "Since I've Laid This Burden Down," and "You Are My Sunshine." Complementing those are Hurt folk/blues staples, notably "Monday Morning Blues," "Coffee Blues," and "C.C. Rider." The blues patriarch's warmth and geniality come through here with such emotional intimacy that you can't help being deeply moved. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

A blues pioneer.......2007-05-30

Mississippi John Hurt is one of those old blues singers of the same generation at Son House and Charlie Patton. On this CD, there are no liner notes to provide context. However, the Wikipedia notes that he recorded some of his music in the later 1920s (he was born in 1892 or 1893). The records did not do well and the record company went down the tubes during the Depression. Hurt, then, returned to his home in Avalon, Mississippi, worked as a sharecropper, and played local parties and dances.

Here are some illustrative cuts from this CD:

"Avalon My Home" refers to his home town (as one might well guess!). His guitar work is simple but well played. He has a smooth voice (nothing like Howlin' Wolf!). His home town is "always on my mind." "New York is a good town, but it's not for mine."

"Monday Morning Blues" is a song that speaks to many of us, as he observes that it's often hard to get started on Monday morning. Again, good clean acoustic guitar playing and a clear but expressive voice.

"Woke up in the morning
With Monday morning blues."

"Stagolee" focuses on "a bad man." The song is about a hard case, and features, again, nice guitar playing. Typical line:

"Please don't take my life,
He's a bad man."

Stagolee ended up at the gallows, apparently to the relief of many.

"C. C. Rider" "made me love you." Expressive singing over a love affair.

Finally, "You Are My Sunshine." There is a nice introduction to the song addressed to the audience by Hurt. He urges a sing-along style. A nice, affecting version, well sung and well played.

A very nice introduction to the work of Mississippi John Hurt.

the face of serenity and a gentle nature,.......2007-04-01

I first seen the face of Mississippi John Hurt on a Taj Mahal album,
"Recycling the blues and other related stuff" which is also an excellent
album/CD in its own right. But were here to talk about Mississippi John
Hurt, well it was way after living as Dr. Hunter S. Thompson suggested,
"GONZO LIVING", and I was in a music store shuffling through the blues
music when I come across that face again, it was Mississippi John Hurt,
I had a name for that angelic face I had seen so long ago, and the
impression of the kind/pain in his eyes made me sure I had my man. Well
if you have read any of my other stuff, you may know that I feel that
"Best of...," albums are for people who weren't paying attention the
first time around, well this time that was me. Thank your local deity
for recorded music, so one may take the make up exam. Also this album is
a wonderful work on its own, or a great primer for understanding this
incredable man, I would like to have met him, and listen to his stories,
and ask him if he was aware of his genuine, gentility and just to be in
the presence of that well spring shown by his eyes. As for the CD proper,
"Make ne a pallet on the floor", "Salty Dog Blues", or "Coffee Blues"
they are steller, along with the rest of the music on the double CD.
I would recomend buying this CD if you are into acoustic music, if it be
acoustic folk, blues or world.

Great album, but..........2006-07-07

It's a live album recorded at Oberlin College in 1965 in front of an audience and not what most people think of as a "Best of". Someone mentioned this below, but I thought it was worth pointing out again. The audience is very, very quiet (except when they are overly amused by a few subtle lyrical slip ups - if they didn't laugh you really wouldn't notice too much in my opinion... sorta annoying).

Very very good.......2005-08-29

Transcends blues to be just a fun, sad, uplifting, great cd. Recommended for anyone.

it may not be his best, but:ý.......2002-05-15

This disc is a fine place to dive into the wonderfully gentle blues of this wonderfully gentle man. There was nothing flashy about John Hurt, and maybe for that reason his music may stick to your ribs for a long, long time.

Songs of Free Men/ A Paul Robeson Recital

Average customer rating:

Robeson on wax
The voice, the sound quality and the interpretation
A Voice from the 40s, often dated, often moving
Robeson at his best
some of the greatest songs of the last century

Songs of Free Men/ A Paul Robeson Recital

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Paul Robeson Live at Carnegie Hall
Ballad for Americans
Ol' Man River: His 25 Greatest
Paul Robeson - Here I Stand
Spirituals

ASIN: B0000029YJ
Release Date: 1997-12-09

Tracks:

Balm in Gilead
Chassidic Chant
Quiet Flows The Don: From Border To Border
Quiet Flows The Don: Oh, How Proud Our Quiet Don
Elijah, Op. 70: The Lord God Of Abraham
The Purest Kind Of Guy
Joe Hill
The Peat-Bog Soldiers
The Four Insurgent Generals
Native Land
Song Of The Plains
Cradle Song
Within Four Walls
By An' By
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
John Henry
Water Boy
My Curly Headed Baby
Mah Lindy Lou
Wagon Wheels
The House I Live In
Showboat: I Still Suits Me
Sylvia
Showboat: Ol' Man River
Porgy And Bess: It Ain't Necessarily So

Amazon.com

There was nothing like the Robeson sound, ever. To describe his deep, rich, perfectly equalized instrument is futile. Go instead to "Balm in Gilead," the opening track, and see if you can listen to the last pianissimo phrase without falling to pieces. Robeson was at his best when the music was slow and the words contained spiritual or social messages. Faster, lighter fare like Kern's "I Still Suits Me" or Gershwin's "It Ain't Necessarily So" find the serious-minded singer out of his element, lacking irony and swing. "Old Man River," though, gets a simple, dignified treatment. It's Songs of Free Men, though, that will just keep Robeson's artistry rolling along, especially in Sony's astonishing transfers. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Robeson on wax.......2007-06-19

I found this album in a thrift store last week, for a couple of dollars. It's the original pressing on four 78 RPM records, in a gatefold format. It's in pristine condition. I really bought it for the incredible cover art, although I hope to be able to listen to it in this format at some point.

The voice, the sound quality and the interpretation.......2004-09-24

Put this on your stereo and if it is good enough the depth and richness of Robeson's voice will make your fillings rattle and your chest rumble. The power of his voice is awesome. This CD is superbly recorded with no audible noise at normal listening levels.

A Voice from the 40s, often dated, often moving.......2002-09-01

"Red diaper babies" have greeted this disc with nostalgic joy, and it captures a time and an aesthetic and a political belief with precision. Anyone interested in the emotional life of the pro-Soviet left of the 1940s should buy this disc. It's something like Henry Wallace set to music. There is much more to Robeson than that, however, and Sony has given us Robeson whole: there are songs by American masters of the musical, there are labor songs, religious songs, as well as the kind of faux-folk songs which the butcher supreme Josef Stalin encouraged and which were not taken seriously inside the USSR (except at gunpoint!!) but which were taken up by dupes around the world. This is Robeson at his least savory - willing propagandist for a vile mass murderer. Songs such as "Native Land" (fittingly, Robeson is referring to the Soviet Union) and the Red Army song are the equivalent of the "Horst Wessel Song", anthems of murder, and it is difficult to listen to the worst of them without retching. On the other hand, Robeson's commitment to American folk culture was real. "Balm in Gilead" is deeply beautiful; "John Henry" is heroic; "By an' By" is both resigned yet hopeful. "Joe Hill" captures an era in labor history. Anyone interested in American popular song should hear these. Turning to Broadway, his "Old Man River" is very fine, though Robeson changed the lyrics for political reasons and Leonard Warren has done the song better. I disagree with the editorial reviewer: "I Still Suits Me" is wonderfully playful and shows Robeson using his gorgeously rich voice to tease and poke fun. However, Marc Blitzstein's "Purest Kind of a Guy" is beyond saving - another example of Robeson recording an unworthy song by a political fellow-traveller. Ugh. But for every miss there are two hits. Robeson performs Mendelssohn's Elijah with nobility, and sings his favorite song, "Water Boy", with joyous pride: "There ain't no hammer that's on these mountains that rings like mine, boys, that rings like mine."
No one need have any fears about the mono sound quality. The orchestra in the second half of the program is at times a little dwarfed by Robeson's voice, but it generally sounds clean and colorful, and the great artist's voice rings like no other.

Robeson at his best.......2000-05-12

It's hard to believe that most of these recordings pre-date the advent of magnetic tape: the CD transfer is superlative. The songs and performance are beyond reproach. Notable is the imaginative packaging in miniature 'record album' format, complete with the original cover art, and a replica of the original Columbia record label applied to the CD.

In response to a previous question: Robeson's performance of Danny Boy (Londonderry Air) can be found on the Vanguard LP entitled "Robeson" (VRS-9037).

some of the greatest songs of the last century.......2000-05-05

In the 1940s, before rabid McCarthyism and racism had taken its toll on him, Robeson made these wonderful recordings of spirituals, classics and pop tunes. Accompanied by the solo piano of the incomparable Lawrence Brown, or by an orchestra, the songs ring out with pride, dignity, skill and unmatched integrity. The shameful treatment that Robeson was subject to from American authorities certainly seem grotesquely absurd to a modern listener. The wonderful version of "The House I Live In" included on this cd should forever kill off any suspicion that Robeson did not love his country deeply. This album ought to be heard by millions of people, world wide. Robeson's voice is nothing less than a glorious high point in 20th century music, and it's hard to think of any recording capturing it to greater advantage.

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