Holst, Gustav

The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe

Average customer rating:

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

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

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Mozart for Relaxation

ASIN: B00008RH16
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating:

Good selection
thunderous applause
Good Music at a Great Price
You will like this!
Good for the novice

25 Thunderous Classics

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004Y6SQ
Release Date: 2000-09-05

Tracks:

Also Sprach Zarathustra (Sunrise) - R. Strauss
Mars (The Planets) - Holst
Overture 1812 - Tchaikovsky
Entry Of The Gladiadtors - Fucik
Sabre Dance - Khachaturian
Procession Of The Sardar - Ippolitov Ivanov
Night On Bald Mountain - Mussorgsky
Anvil Chor (II Trovatore) - Verdi
The Thunderer March - Sousa
Thunder & Lightening Polka - J. Strauss
Prelude To Act III : Lohengrin - Wagner
The Ride Of The Valkryies - Wagner
Montagues & Capulets (Romeo & Juliet Ballet Suite) - Prokofiev
The Storm: Symphony No. 6 In F Major, 'Pastorale' - Beethoven
Rondeau - Edward Carroll
Overture: Fireworks Music - Handel
March To The Scaffold: Symphonie Fantastique - Berlioz
LesToreadors - Bizet
William Tell Overture: Finale - Rossini
Revolutionary Study - Abbey Simon
Fanfare For The Common Man - Copland
Sym No. 1 'Titan' IV Sturmisch Bewegt (Excerpt) - Mahler
Augurs Of Spring From Rite Of Spring - Stravinsky
Russian Dance From Petrouchka - Stravinsky
The Great Gate At Kiev From Pictures At An Exhibition - Mussorgsky

Customer Reviews:

Good selection.......2005-10-02

I bought this CD to use in my classroom as listening examples. I'm not just a super big fan of some of the performances, but they are all good and for the price you can't beat it. That's why I gave it 5 stars. It's worth more than it costs by far.

thunderous applause.......2005-08-31

This is a who's-who of great pieces of music you have heard all of your life, and never knew the names and stories! I listened to it over and over in the car and had my own concert! A friend borrowed it to add music to his Home Movies and it was perfect!

Good Music at a Great Price.......2004-03-06

I bought this CD mostly for "Entry of the Gladiators," which everyone will recognize as classic circus music. The performance on this CD (by Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops) is the best available version of Entry of the Gladiators. The rest of the CD offers mostly excerpts of classical music.

You will like this!.......2004-02-19

I had purchased an abundance of the "Favorites" collection and some were better than others.

This CD is at the top of them all. They may be short, but not that short. Wondrous music.

I can almost guarantee that you will like this music.
Well worth the price!

Good for the novice.......2002-06-08

The recordings on this disc are pretty good. However, the editors selected only the *loud* parts, as indicated by the title. I was pretty disappointed to find that the pieces are, in many cases, edited to reflect the most famous themes, etc, instead of including the whole work. In general, I would recommend this to the classical music novice, or someone who wants to expand their knowledge of classical music in general. Those who already are familiar with these pieces will probably feel gypped.

Average customer rating:

Censoring of Be Still My Soul
A good choice for first time buyers of Libera
Ethereal
Absolutely gorgeous!
True Angels

Angel Voices

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Visions
Free
Libera
Luminosa
Angel Voices 3

ASIN: B000IHY9QG
Release Date: 2006-10-25

Tracks:

Far Away
Sanctus
Ave Maria
Going Home
Be Still My Soul
Salva Me
I Vow To Thee, My Country
Voca Me
Always With You
We Are The Lost
I Am The Day
Recordare
Abide With Me
Silent Night
Going Home

Amazon.com

There's very little to say about this recording of ethereally beautifully singing by the 24 young English lads who make up the group Libera. Enormously popular in Asia, the group is part of a parish choir in South London that has been around for many years, with of course, changes in personnel as voices change. There are a couple of pieces here by well-known composers--Pachelbel, Sibelius, Holst, Dvorak--but to their music have been added words and, of course, it's all been "arranged." Texts, translations from Latin, and arrangements as well as original music are by Robert Prizeman, the choir's director, and some of the numbers are accompanied by quiet synthesizers, organ, and/or drums. There is something new-age about this project and some might find the effect syrupy, while others might long for the "real" thing, that is, boys with this talent singing some Renaissance or later music that is not designed simply as balm for the ears. But for what it is--a perfectly pitched choir with some outstanding solo work as well, singing easy-to-listen to short numbers--this is just lovely. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Censoring of Be Still My Soul.......2007-05-21

On the fifth track, Be Still My Soul, the arrangers reworked the original lyrics of Katharina A. von Schlegel and taken the third verse:

Be still, my soul:
when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened
in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know
His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe
thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul:
thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness
all He takes away.

And made it a combination of the third and second verse:

Be still, my soul:
when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened
in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know
His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe
thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul,
the waves and winds
still know His voice
Who ruled them
while He dwelt below.

In other words, they have taken the name of Jesus out of the original lyrics. The verse doesn't even make sense now. I feel it is awful that the one who can soothe all our sorrow and thy fears, Jesus, was censored from this beautiful work.

A good choice for first time buyers of Libera.......2007-05-17

A lot of reviewers have complained that Angel Voices is mostly a compilation that takes a few songs from each previous Libera album and reworks it. I imagine it is somewhat like a greatest hits, or favorites album, only all the songs have been re-recorded by the current set of boys that makes up the group.
Personally, this album was our first exposure to the group. We enjoy its mellowness, and the soaring vocals and harmonies. I am not sure that we would buy many of their other albums since this one has a nice mix of songs that are included on the other CDs.
We have given this CD as a gift as well as having it ourselves and everyone we have shared it with has loved it.

Ethereal.......2007-05-13

The harmonies on this cd are absolutely breath-taking. Incredible arrangements. Feel like I've been lifted right out of my body into something beyond this world. Perfect background music for meditation.

Absolutely gorgeous!.......2007-05-09

This album lives up to Libera's reputation--a must-have addition to your cd library

True Angels.......2007-05-07

If you enjoy the purest boy soprano sound, this one is a keeper - this is definitely going to be on the soundtrack for heaven. Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

HEAVENLY
Sweetest voices ever!
Awesome
Soothing and thought provoking
Pure Crystal

Free
Chris Dodd , Fiona Pears , Anthony Chadney , Ben Crawley , Christopher Robson , and Raoul Platt
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0002RUAAQ
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Tracks:

I Am The Day
Stay With Me
Voca Me
A Song Of Enchantment
Ave Verum
Do Not Stand At My Grave
When A Knight
A New Heaven
I Vow To Thee My Country
Lament
Twilight
Be Still My Soul
Adoramus

Amazon.com

English composer Robert Prizeman has taken a conventional English boy's choir--usually a haven for sweet songs and ecclesiastical renderings--and made them contemporary without selling out any of their intrinsic charm. Their stacked choral voices and lead sopranos, dressed up with electronica rhythms, synthesizers, and strings still sound like they could be coming from the church balcony, even while they exude an Enya-like appeal. While there are adaptations of Gregorian chants and Sibelius hymns, most of the songs are Prizeman originals based on those styles, with texts often drawn from Latin Liturgy. Except for the chilled romanticism of "Stay With Me," and the rhythm driven "Adoramus," whose chorus sounds like a Harry Potter incantation, few of the songs on Free have the anthemic pop appeal of "Salva Me" or "Vespera" from previous albums. Instead, Prizeman has opted for a more serene sound on Free, even with their first video from the disc, the yearning "I Am the Day." Some of it, like Prizeman's setting of a Walter de la Mare poem on "A Song of Enchantment," gets lugubrious. But most of Free floats on gentle soprano breezes, intrinsically innocent, even if the boys might be smoking cigarettes behind the altar. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

HEAVENLY.......2007-06-19

This cd is like listening to a heavenly choir. "Free" is an awesome audio experience. It can turn a stressful day into a calm evening.

Sweetest voices ever!.......2007-06-16

I happened across this CD at Borders and was able to listen to it! One of the sweetest and heavenly CDs ever! I bought two: one for myself and one as a gift.

Awesome.......2007-01-04

I never knew that young boys could have such wonderful voices, almost angelic. The music is very relaxing and haunting at times, but that's what makes it a good album to hear to. The harmonies were so beautiful. To all choir fans, this is a must-have album.

Soothing and thought provoking.......2006-02-23

Libera is an amazing group of boys and Robert Prizeman really knows how to put everything together. My favorite songs on "Free" are Voca Me, Stay With Me, Adoramus, I Am the Day and Twilight. Each time I listen to this disc, another song seems to start growing on me. This was my first Libera CD (I have since bought Luminosa, Libera and Visions) and at first I liked the faster more upbeat songs but as time went on I started to really love the softer ones like Do Not Stand at my Grave and Weep (beautifully done by Ben Crawley and Joseph Platt). The soloists are lovely with clear and pure voices, and the chorus just swells with harmonies. This is choir music for people who hate choir music.

Pure Crystal.......2006-02-20

Like Luminosa, this is incredible. I can only compare it to the beautiful, pristine, classical pieces of antiquity, such as Vivaldi's Spring and Bach's many ethereal melodies. It's beautiful.

Average customer rating:

Andre Previn-The Planets by JHA
Sometimes it's brilliant, sometimes it's not--but what did you expect with an interpretation of 'The Planets'?
Incredible music
Can't wait to go see it live!
From Mercury to Neptune...

Gustav Holst: The Planets, Op 32

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Grieg: Peer Gynt Suites/ Holberg Suite

ASIN: B000003CU0
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

l. Mars, The Bringer Of War
ll. Venus, The Bringer Of Peace
lll. Mercury, The Winged Messenger
lV. Jupiter, The Bringer Of Jollity
V. Saturn, The Bringer Of Old Age
Vl. Uranus, The Magician
Vll. Neptune, The Mystic

Customer Reviews:

Andre Previn-The Planets by JHA.......2007-04-06

I did not rate this #5, but it came very close. Any musical work that involves Andre Previn can be relied on to be outstanding, and this one was no disapointment.. Gustav Holst created the musical images and Andre Previn brought gave them life.. A most enjoyable CD..

Sometimes it's brilliant, sometimes it's not--but what did you expect with an interpretation of 'The Planets'?.......2006-10-01

There are so many recordings of this work. I often wonder how Gustav Holst would have felt if he were to have come to realize just how many people would treasure his beloved suite, `The Planets.' And so, as we begin the Twenty-first Century, we retain the legacy of this work through its myriad interpretations. And many would agree that no one recorded interpretation perfectly satisfies our respective views of how the suite should be performed. In essence, there exists in the grand multiplicity of recordings of this work no single, definitive edition. It is therefore necessary for the devoted fan of Holst's most masterful suite to collect as many versions as feasible in order to hear different aspects of the work performed to his or her native expectations.

And so we come to Andre Previn's interpretation of the suite. Overall, I believe Previn's is a competent performance. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra consistently produces satisfactory material (dare I mention Louis Clark's work with this orchestra on the Hooked On Classics series, a collection of albums for which many enthusiasts keep their deep affection a closely guarded secret), and Previn leads them very well in this recording. The best way to describe his performance here is that it offends no one--his tempi are within the range most people deem "acceptable," he does not emphasize any particular section within the orchestra, and he does not take any glaring liberties with the score. For that reason, I would say that Previn is a very good place for those who are searching for their first recording of `The Planets.'

However, we all have our preferences; some will find other versions far more enjoyable than Previn/RPO, and others will cite this one as the definitive recording. As for myself, I would have to say I fall in the middle. Previn's is a very good interpretation, but it is not my favorite. So far, James Levine/Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Charles Dutoit/Montreal Symphony Orchestra split that honor.

What follows is a detailed description of the five tracks to which I regularly listen. Note that my comments are restricted purely to Previn's interpretation of the suite; I assume my readers will have heard the work and are searching for a suitable recording.

"Mars, The Bringer Of War" - Previn is somewhat staid in this movement. Of course, my objectivity is somewhat compromised in that I have heard the Levine recording of the suite--one feels like he has just removed cotton balls from his ears when he hears the savage treatment the Chicago Symphony Orchestra brass give Holst's melodies. Previn takes a slightly faster tempo in this movement than that to which I am accustomed. The orchestra plays flawlessly, everything is exactly in place, yet the overall effect seems somewhat lost. The dynamics are too compressed, I believe. Even so, the brass section has a very nice tone, and the balance between sections is very nice. My final verdict is that you have not heard this movement performed to its full effect until you have heard Levine/CSO.

"Venus, The Bringer Of Peace" - Maestro Previn does better in this movement. The overall mood is captured beautifully, even though I prefer the soloists in Dutoit's recording (they are not bad here; it's just personal preference on my part for which I will not take away any points). Previn excels at delicate, pensive passages in exactly the manner that Levine does not. Levine is all about power and pomp, which shows on his interpretation of "Venus"--it sounds aimless and rushed. Even though I have praised Previn here, Dutoit/MSO remains the authority on this movement.

"Mercury, The Winged Messenger" - Yes! Previn does it here. His interpretation of this piece is superior to that of either Levine or Dutoit. The section beginning around the one-minute mark, where soli are passed between instruments, is beautiful in the extreme. The dynamic shifts throughout the movement are musical and pleasing. The balance between sections--especially important in this movement--is very well handled. Based on this performance, Previn sounds to me as though he might interpret Mendelssohn well (I should look into that).

"Jupiter, The Bringer Of Jollity" - This is by far my favorite movement in the suite. For me, the middle section of this movement ties with the haunting theme from the second movement of Dvorak's Ninth Symphony as the most beautiful melody in all music. Previn really delivers in this section. Of the three recordings I have, I would have to say that Previn's middle section is my second favorite (after Dutoit, even though he meddles with the score somewhat with some omissions of instruments). It would be my favorite if it were not for the flat, lifeless production. I will comment on the production later on in the review. As for the remainder of the piece, Previn brings to the surface many elements which often go unnoticed in other versions. In particular, Dutoit's version is bereft much of the interesting background instrumentation that is heard loud and clear in Previn's version. Previn takes a somewhat slower tempo than I have usually heard for this movement, perhaps to facilitate greater accuracy. In that capacity he succeeds brilliantly; technically, this is the finest recording of the three I own. Overall, this is a very solid recording of one of my favorite movements in all classical music.

"Saturn, The Bringer Of Old Age" - This is yet another shining moment for Previn. The dynamics are divine, the tempo is perfect, and the brass sounds particularly rich and wonderful. Previn voiced this section particularly well in this movement. The strings are smooth, the woodwinds expressive, and the percussion is spot-on. While the Dutoit recording might be just a little better (simply because of the soul-vibrating bass at the end of the movement--unequaled in any other recording), the distance between the two is so small that, on some days, I prefer Previn.

As for the next two movements, my objectivity fails. This is possibly because I have not heard either of them in over seven years. They are both far too abstract for my liking.

And now we come to the production quality. I cannot attest to the quality of other Telarc productions, but this one is absolutely pitiful. The high ranges sound dull and lifeless, the midrange is muddy and unfocused, and there seems to be a peak somewhere around the 130 to 160 Hz range that makes the music sound bloated. Additionally, the dynamics seem compressed somewhat (perhaps it is Telarc, and not Andre Previn, that has truncated the dynamic flow of "Mars"), and the recording level is very low (one must set the volume on the playback device to near maximum to experience an acceptable level). The poor quality actually mars my enjoyment of the suite and my evaluation of Previn's work. This is particularly apparent to me in "Jupiter", possibly because this is my favorite movement in the suite. As I said before, the middle section in Previn's interpretation would be my absolute favorite were it not for this lamentable production. Of the three recordings I own, Levine's is the best sonically. One could really believe he is in the hall listening to a live performance. Dutoit's is acceptable (it is a little weak in the bass and the strings sound a little harsh), considering that its sonic imperfections do not detract considerably from the experience.

Of course, that is my opinion. Your miles may vary.

However, despite the poor production, I would still recommend this recording as a solid reference as to how the suite should be performed. For the prospective buyer it would make an excellent first recording of the work, and it is also a fine supplementary purchase, even though it is fairly expensive. I would also recommend the other two recordings I have periodically mentioned: James Levine/Chicago Symphony Orchestra (on Deutsche Grammophon) and Charles Dutoit/Montreal Symphony Orchestra (on Decca/Penguin Classics). Beyond these are Karajan/Berliner Philharmoniker, Leonard Bernstein/New York Philharmonic, and Sir Adrian Boult's various recordings with different orchestras. I have heard none of these, but they are considered to be fine recordings of the suite.

Incredible music.......2006-07-31

I first heard "The Planets" at a barn concert in Wisconsin's Door County (an orchestra of high schoolers). As soon as I could get to a computer I ordered this opus recording and it is very good. The live performance was better than this recording but aren't they always??

Can't wait to go see it live!.......2006-07-04

I love the Planets, possibly my favorite Classical symphony. Holst was the best at what he did! From the highly rythmic section of mars, to the more lyrical section of Jupiter, to the strange sections of Uranus. It's great! Even better is the Rockford Symphony is doing this in Feb. I can't wait to see it! Go listen to this!

From Mercury to Neptune..........2006-02-03

I'd have to say that this is the finest recording of Gustav Holst's "The Planets" I've ever heard. Previn handles the tempi and the aggression/coolness of every segment very well. The Royal Philharmonic does a good job with the passion and power of Holst's most famous piece. Absolutely a must.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful! And with thanks to John Williams for introducing this listener to "The Planets!"
Streaming Space
ALMOST A REFERENCE RECORDING
It Doesn't Get Much Better
A fine CD at a friendly price

Holst: The Planets

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000050AQC
Release Date: 2001-04-10

Tracks:

The Planets: Mars, The Bringer Of War
The Planets: Venus, The Bringer Of Peace
The Planets: Mercury, The Winged Messenger
The Planets: Jupiter, The Bringer Of Jollity
The Planets: Saturn, The Bringer Of Old Age
The Planets: Uranus, The Magician
The Planets: Neptune, The Mystic
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: Suite
Star Wars: Main Title

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful! And with thanks to John Williams for introducing this listener to "The Planets!".......2007-05-07

I bought this CD after a Tanglewood concert a few years ago where John Williams, focusing on movie music including his own compositions, also conducted "The Planets." I recognized "Jupiter" as the theme music for a WQXR (the New York Times radio station) "New York at 6" program. It was a treat to find out where that piece came from. When I listened to this beautifully performed CD, I was pleasantly surprised to see Mr. Williams' movie music included -- a brilliant move on the part of this item's producers (just listen to "Mars" and then to "Star Wars"). As another reviewer has suggested, it's not clear why his music was included, but there are similarities here which I'd love Mr. Williams to discuss some day. I've since become an avid amateur astronomer, and so the themes, musical and otherwise, projected in the works of Holst and Williams have become a special treat for the mind as well as the ear.

Streaming Space.......2006-11-17

Music to travel by - to the market, the mountain top - anywhere.
Beautiful music performed beautifully. A treat for the ears and
the soul.

ALMOST A REFERENCE RECORDING.......2006-11-10

Very good recording of The Planets. I like it even better than the Sir Alexander Gibson recording, although that was my previous favorite. This piece needs to be played dynamically, and Mehta certainly does that. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a certain amount of bombast and a decent workout for their woofers.

It Doesn't Get Much Better.......2006-09-26

This is the fourth recording of "The Planets" I've purchased, and I am extremely pleased. The Los Angeles Philharmonic was at its best here, and much of that was owed to the genius of its then director Zubin Mehta. Crisp arrangements, and a full orchestral sound is how you achieve the full effect of "The Planets." Other conductors should take note. Not my favorite, that honor still goes to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, under the leadership of Leopold Stokowski. But you definitely can't go wrong with this one.

A fine CD at a friendly price.......2006-09-01

I've heard several recordings of "The Planets," and I like this one very much. The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra (with Zubin Mehta conducting) and the Los Angeles Master Chorale (Women's voices) do a fine job of capturing the drama of the work. And I think it was a good idea to couple it with a little of the outer-space-related music of John Williams.

Holst wrote selections about all eight planets, except for the Earth. But what about Pluto? Oh, wait, it got demoted last week! It's only a dwarf planet. Or maybe just a big rock. In any case, we hear some imaginative musical descriptions of the remaining planets.

I recommend this excellent performance.

Passion - Most Famous Orchestral Spectaculars [20 CD Set]

Average customer rating:

A good gift for novice

Passion - Most Famous Orchestral Spectaculars [20 CD Set]

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Classical Evolution: Spanish Guitar Music

ASIN: B00012QLTQ
Release Date: 2003-12-09

Album Description

Music can be both calming and relaxing, or invigorating and passionate...this phenomenal 20-CD set is definitely the latter. This amazing collection brings together for the first time the most passionate music of all time, from Ravel's Bolero, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Wagner's Magic Fire Music to Ravel's La Valse, Orff 's Carmina Burana and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. This is a must have collection for every passionate music lover.

Customer Reviews:

A good gift for novice.......2007-05-12

This was a good gift for somebody learning about Classical music in Japan.

Average customer rating:

STILL THE BEST OF HER ALBUMS
We are reviewing his talent, not his toughts
Charlotte's Debut
The Best from Charlotte Church that You Will Ever Hear!
Charlotte church is the best

Voice of an Angel

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Charlotte Church
Enchantment
Dream a Dream
Prelude: The Best of Charlotte Church
Our Favorite Things

ASIN: B00000I9CF
Release Date: 1999-03-16

Tracks:

Pie Jesu
Panis Angelicus
In Trutina
The Lord's Prayer
Jerusalem
Ave Maria
Psalm 23
I Vow To Thee, My Country
Danny Boy
My Lagan Love
Suo-Gan
A Lullaby
Amazing Grace
Three Welsh Bird Songs: Y Gylfinir/The Curlew
Three Welsh Bird Songs: Tylluanod/Owls
Three Welsh Bird Songs: Mae Hiraeth Yn Y Mor/There's Longing In The Sea
When At Night I Go To Sleep

Amazon.com

Those leery and weary of tasteless crossover need not shudder at the sight of this disc, which has sold over half a million copies in Europe. There's none of the softcore kiddie porn that came with Vanessa-Mae or the heavily packaged faux romanticism of Andrea Bocelli. (That of course doesn't necessarily mean that you'll want Voice of an Angel.) This 12-year-old Welsh soprano is so uncloyingly cute and has such an appealing personality (with just enough touch of cheek) that you'd almost rather have her as a dinner guest than on your CD player. Her small, attractive, sometimes unstable but always sincere soprano perhaps went to the top of the British charts because it clicks into the boy-soprano choir tradition so prevalent there, especially since many of the selections are sacred items such as "The Lord's Prayer" and "Ave Maria." And Church may pick up some fans thanks to the tail end of Celtic chic, with the Welsh folk songs and the rendition of "Danny Boy." But this promises to be yet another short-lived media phenomenon, rather than the beginning of a lengthy career. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

STILL THE BEST OF HER ALBUMS.......2007-05-03

This is the first of Charlotte Church's recordings, recorded back when she was still a normal, unspoiled 12-year-old Welsh girl. I first fell in love with her voice when I heard her singing "I Vow Thee My Country" on the radio about 8 years ago, and was blown away to find out that she was only 12 years of age!

I bought the CD shortly after that and have listened to it a bazillion times. Just recently, I decided to pull it out again and found myself enjoying it just as much now as I did then. She was probably in her best vocal form in this CD, before her voice became "overtrained," and eventually, ruined by her "Crazy Chick" habits.

Among the standouts -- besides "I Vow Thee My Country" -- are "Amazing Grace," "Ave Maria," "3 Welsh Bird Songs," "My Lagan Love," "Suo-Gan," "A Lullaby" and, of course, her signature song, "Pie Jesu." At the time, I thought she had the potential of becoming one of the greatest sopranos of all time once she reached adulthood. Sadly, this has not been the case, and her latest album, "Tissues and Issues," is a reflection of how far she has fallen both vocally and in her personal life.

If you buy only one Charlotte Church album, this would definitely be it.

We are reviewing his talent, not his toughts.......2007-04-25

This CD is excellent, I can't believe N Arey put one star because of this issue.
What a shame.

Charlotte's Debut.......2007-04-03

This is just a beautiful album -- beautiful, beautiful music. The first time I listened to it, I didn't like it very much. I was coming off a coffee rush with a splitting headache and it made me wince every time she hit a high note, but over the past few days it's really grown on me, and I like most of the songs on the CD. I was suprised by which songs really touched me the most. I'm a Christian, so I expected to like sacred songs such as The Lord's Prayer and Amazing Grace the best, but I find that I Vow To Thee My Country and Jerusalem stand out to me the most. (I'm moved to all but tears by the former). Danny Boy and Panis Angelicus are also remarkably well done. The Welsh Bird Songs are boring -- but at least the album has a strong finish with "When at Night I Go to Sleep". Charlotte did a great job. Beautiful music from a gifted little girl.

The Best from Charlotte Church that You Will Ever Hear!.......2006-11-28

This CD is simply amazing! I can honestly tell you that this is the best from Charlotte Church that you will ever hear! Her voice in this stage in her career is so mezmerizing and well-trained! Soon after her second album, which was self-titled, her voice began to deteriorate, probably because of her constant smoking and drinking. Now, we've reached a low point in Charlotte's career, in which she has now been donned the "Crazy Chick", and her latest CD, entitled TISSUES and ISSUES, is a major flop. More recently, Charlote mocked the Catholic Church, calling the Pope a "Nazi". She currently has her own television show, and in one episode, Church pretended to be a nun, and got "high" on Communion Waffers that were stamped with a smiley face, which resembles the drug ecstacy. She also broke open a statue to find Communion Wine, and placed her gum on a model of the baby Jesus. Honestly, you cannot find blame with the 12-year old Charlotte, for I'm sure that she never would do such an offensive thing! (My best advice for getting back at her is not buying her new album).

Anyways, back to the album. Charlotte's first four tracks are amazing! "Pie Jesu" was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, originally for his wife, Sarah Brightman. I prefer Charlotte's version of Sarah's because Charlotte's voice does not show too much vibrato. If you listen to Sarah's version with Paul Miles Kingston, the boy soprano, from THE ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER COLLECTION VOL.1, you'll hear the difference! "Panis Angelicus" is amazing, and Church even sang it to the Pope! (Not the recent Pope, but the Late Pope John Paul the II). The third track, "In Trutina" - which means "In Balance", is from Bizet's Carmen, which is beautiful. Compared to Brightman's version, Charlotte has much less vibrato. "The Lord's Prayer" is simply beautiful! Jerusalem is also a magnificent work. "Ave Maria" is amazing, with soaring vocals. I don't prefer this version of "Ave Maria" because it's "Ave Maria, Ave Maria, Ave Maria" over and over again. I much prefer the "Ave Maria" by Schubert, which Brightman sings very well. However, this version is still in my favorites. "Psalm 23" is beautiful! "I Vow to Thee, My Country" is a sort of dragged-out piece, but I still enjoy listening to it. I don't prefer it because the song stays in the same key and the same notes are sung all the time! The next piece is "Danny Boy", which is OK. To me, it seems as though Charlotte and the orchestra are always out of sync, but I'm not sure. Plus, this piece is in minor! I'm not too happy about that. "My Lagan Love" is a beautiful piece, with clear vocals and lyrics. "Suo-Gan" is an awesome piece. In fact, a choir that I was once enrolled in sang this song, although it was in English. "Amazing Grace" speeks its title, which is AMAZING! The next three tracks are from "Three Welsh Bird Songs". They're in a foreign language, and I have no clue what they say, but they are wonderful all the same. The last piece, "When At Night I Go to Sleep" is beautiful, but I find it too short!

Overall, this album is great. Besides a few tracks that aren't my favorite, I'm sure that any loyal Charlotte Church fan will buy this CD and will stick it in his/her collection. Please - boycott against TISSUES and ISSUES - It isn't the greatest album anyways, with drawn-out yuckie ballads and too-hyped up pop tunes.

Charlotte, I hope you can read this! I loved you when you were a Classical singer, but now, I can't stand to look at your music! God gave you a gift, Charlotte, and you kicked Him in the face! Just remember this when your record sales for TISSUES and ISSUES flop!

Charlotte church is the best.......2006-08-14

This is the beginning of Charlotte Church. It came out like in '99. I was so amazed by her voice that I had to go and get the cd. Wow, her voice is amazing and always will be in my opinion. Even, though she has a pop album out I still like it. Also plan on buying it too. There are so many good songs on the cd. It's hard to choose because her voice is angelic. For some people who think she has a kind of boy/girl voice- don't know what their talking about. Listen closely the next time you play it. I'm starting out in singing opera and Charlotte is my role model. There is no voice like her yet, even Hayley Westerna, who also has a beautiful voice...can't be in Charlotte Church's shoes. Hopefully, she'll go back to her classical music or just do both.

Average customer rating:

perfect selection for commencement/ graduation
Great Starting Point for Classical Music Novices
**An Exquisite Album**
Samples
Great Sampler!

Simply the Best Classical Anthems

Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Thunderous Classics
Thunder & Lightning
25 Thunderous Classics
The #1 Choral Album
Time Life Presents: Classical Thunder

ASIN: B00004SUVI
Release Date: 2000-04-25

Tracks:

Requiem: Dies Irae
Carmina Burana: O Fortuna
The Planets: Mars
The Ride Of The Valkyries
Chorus Of The Hebrew Slaves
Fanfare For The Common Man
Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1
Aida: Grand March
Summer - Four Seasons: Presto
Te Deum: Prelude
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra
Toccata And Fugue In D Minor
Symphony No. 5: First Movement
Spartacus: Adagio
Sabre Dance
Symphony No. 40: First Movement
Zadok The Priest
Turandot: Nessun Dorma

Tracks:

Also Sprach Zarathoustra
Romeo And Juliet: Dance Of The Knights
Requiem: Dies Irae
1812 Overture
Piano Concerto
Spring - Four Seasons: Allegro
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus
The Royal Fireworks: La Ruissance From Music
Flight Of The Bumble Bee
Symphonie Fantastique: March To The Scaffold
Carmen: Overture
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Jerusalem
The Planets: Jupiter
Symphony No 9, 'Ode To Joy'
Swan Lake: Scene
Enigma Variations: Nimrod
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini [Variation 18]
Pictures At An Exibitions: Promenade
Symphony For Organ No 3: Finale, Symphony For Organ No 3

Customer Reviews:

perfect selection for commencement/ graduation.......2007-06-11

We were concerned after reading some other reviews that this version of Pomp and Circumstance wouldn't be the correct movement or the full length version. This selection has the song for graduation AND the extended length, so it gives plenty of time for processionals. If this is what you need, this is the CD to get.

Great Starting Point for Classical Music Novices.......2004-08-13

"Simply the Best Classicial Anthems" is exactly what the title indicates. This is a collection of what the CD says are "36 of the most powerful classics on Earth". My review of this CD comes from someone who is a Classical Music Novice. I'm familiar with some of the composers, musical styles, musical periods, and some of the terminology that is key to understanding Classical Music. By no means am I an expert. I have basically popped in this two CD collection into my player and have enjoyed the sounds it produces. If you are in the same category as I am or maybe just wanting to be introduced to Classical Music - this is going to be a very good CD to have in your collection. For the more seasoned Classical Music fan, this could be either enjoyable or overkill.

The CD contains 36 songs composed by the legends of Classical Music Composers from the past. The bulk of the works come from Composers in the the 19th and 20th century, but there are works from the Romantic and Classical eras of the late 18th and early 19th century (such as Beethoven and Mozart). In general you will find most of the major names of Composers you would expect to find - names such as Tchiakovsky, Handel, Verdi, Strauss, Elgar, and Bach are all there. The only major composer who I would have expected to see on this CD that I don't see is Frederic Chopin. The composers of the late 20th century are not included on this collection - so you won't see Leonard Bernstein or John Williams on this set. While these Composers are excellent, I do think style of the tracks on this collection pre-date their style.

The recordings themselves are done by the great Orchestras around the world. For the most part, European Orchestras were used to deliver the tracks. There are a few exceptions: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra delivers "The Ride of the Valkyries"; The Toronto Symphony Orchestra delivers "Dance of the Knights"; and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra delivers Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture". Some of the European Orchestras that are well known include: BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra, Choeur Philhamonique de Strasbourg, and more. Also included are performances by well known names in the Classical space such as Marie-Claire Alain (Bach's "Toccate and Fogue in D Minor" and Saint-Saens' "Symphony for Organ No 3"), Piero Toso (Vivaldi's "Allegro From Spring - Four Seasons"), and Placido Domingo appears on Puccini's "Nessun Dorma".

The 2 Disc collection contains a total of over 2 hours and 6 minutes of music. The selections that are included in the set will sound very familiar to you when you play them. You probably have both heard and seen the names of tracks such as: Oref's "O Fortuna"; Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man"; Beethoven's "First Movement from Symphony Number 5" and "Ode To Joy"; Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance", and Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture". Many of the other tracks will also sound familiar, but maybe not so much by name - such as Wagner's "The Ride of the Valkyries", Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathoustra"; Grieg's "Piano Concerto", and "Dies Irae" (versions included by Mozart and Verdi - you can compare the two and judge for yourself). As for the Discs themselves, I think most of the casual fans will like the selections on Disc Two better, but Disc One is still very good. On a sidebar, the Israel Philharmonic's version of "1812 Overture" is by far the best you will hear - particularly at the end, the booming drums create almost a 3 dimensional vision of fireworks being launched into the air.

There one big negative on this collection is some of the recording quality. The clarity of the recording is there, but some of the recording levels leave a lot to be desired. On some of the softer parts, it is barely audible without significantly turning up your volume. This is very evident on "O Fortuna" where you will hear almost dead silence during from the 30 second to 1:30 mark of the track unless you crank your volume up. Same with the first few seconds of Strauss' "Also Sprach Zarathoustra" and Tchiakovsky's "1812 Overture". When the volume is cranked up you will hear them - but then the other sections will be way too loud. I'm surprised with modern technology that this couldn't be addressed better.

The liner notes are pretty thin. You do get the Composers, Performers/Orchestras, and recording dates. There isn't any more details than that and you won't learn anymore insight on the tracks than this information. Despite some of the shortcomings of the liner notes and recording volume, I still think this is an excellent place to start and do recommend this CD if you are a novice to Classical Music and are looking for a great place to start listening to what the Classics have to offer.

**An Exquisite Album**.......2004-02-21

Simply The Best Classical Anthems

Simply The Best Classical Anthems is a compilation album of `36 of the most powerful Anthems on Earth'. But, it is also said to be something else. It is said to be a gateway. A gateway to another world. A world where our imagination can run free without being shackled down by any borders or boundaries or rules or limits. A world that we have all seen or perhaps more accurately have all heard of but for many of us a world that we have never dared to enter. Never dared to enter because of fear. The fear of being ostracised and shunned by our community.

THE MYTH
`Classical Music!', I can hear some of you cry. `That isn't another world. That's just music for the upperclass, the high-brow, and the pompous.' Surprisingly, I too felt this way for a long time until I accepted the invitation made to me by Simply The Best Classical Anthems. I always felt that Classical Music was nice to listen to as background music for a Levis ad or a Car ad but I would consider people strange if they chose to hear it on its own. However, after having listened to this album I realised how wrong I was in my assumptions.

THE TRUTH
Music as with all forms of amusement helps to take you away from where you are now. It helps to relax you when you are stressed with anger; it helps to give you strength when you are vulnerable; it helps to keep your spirits up when you have faced tragedy or loss. It helps. And, for me the type of music that best conjures up the most passionate emotions (love, hate, courage and anger) at our most testing times is Classical Music.
How? I don't know.
Why? I don't know.
I can only promise you that in my experience it does.

THE CHEST
The album, in visual terms, is very difficult to overlook amongst the plethora of records that may surround it. This is because the album has a very distinct purple sleeve cover. Not any kind of purple mind you but the Cadbury's kind of purple. The kind of purple that carries with it an invitation. An invitation that if accepted promises you a treasure inside.
And since, I have always enjoyed the treasure within the purple Cadbury's Dairy Milk wrapper, I asked myself why would an album carrying the same invitation promise to be anything different? Thus, I parted with my tuppence worth and went back home to open this purple chest of promised treasures.

THE PROMISED TREASURE
As you may have guessed, the contents of the album are somewhat different to the contents of a Cadbury's bar. When I opened the album, I was presented with two compact discs. At first glance, there did not seem to be anything special about them. They were just your average, everyday, run of the mill compact discs. To tell you the truth, I was a bit disappointed because I suppose I had hoped for something more.
However, looks can be deceptive. (Afterall, a Cadbury's Dairy Milk does not seem very appetising until you taste it!) And, also come November each year, I am always bemused and surprised at how the shabby contents of a cardboard box can both light up the sky and light up the faces of the neighbourhood. Thus, I pushed aside my assumptions and I ignited the discs (not literally of course, I just pressed the play button on the CD player). And, I let the fireworks begin.

THE KEY
From the very beginning, you will feel like you have unlocked the doorway to something special. And, after a full two hours of listening to both discs, you will feel like you have been taken out of this world and transported to another. Welcome to the world of Classical Music.

GUIDANCE
In the beginning, continue to listen to both discs in one go (i.e. one after the other). After a while, you will know which tracks you enjoy listening to the most. For those tracks you enjoyed the most make a promise to yourself that you will listen to the whole of the piece from which that track came from.
Good Luck on your quest if you choose to accept it.
Ride amongst the Valkyries, listen to the Flight of the Bumblebees, and use The Planets to keep you on the path.

I am not a good reviewer because as with all of my reviews I refuse to comment too much about what is inside the product but rather more about what effect the product has had on me. (Me, me, me. Vain & Egotistic, I know, so my friends and family keep telling me). But, I just want to cause a raucous about the product, enough not to spoil but enough of a raucous to let you experience it for yourself.

So my final words are:
Simply The Best Classical Anthems is an invitation. An invitation to the world of classical music. A world where you can begin a never-ending quest of curiosity. A curiosity that will always be rewarded with fulfilment.

Do you accept such an invitation?

Hope you found this review helpful.

Samples.......2003-11-23

The samples are too short and the quality leaves a lot to be desired. Having said that the choices are wonderful and the price is great. If you're looking for a overview of the best of classical music then this is for you. However if it's quality you're looking for then spent the extra money and look at other choices.

Great Sampler!.......2002-03-20

This is a good sampler, since it covers what you would want in a classical music CD. Looking at the tracks, it has the classic hits, such as "Ride of the Valkyries," "Toccata and Fugue," "Fanfare for the Common Man," "'Jupiter' from `The Planets,'" "Eine Klein Nachtmusik," and "Hallelujah Chorus."

There are also some new pieces that I have fallen in love with, such as "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra," "'Promenade' from Pictures at an Exhibition." The compilers did an interesting double take by including both Verdi's and Mozart's "Dies Ire." I'm not sure which is better.

This music is good for the brain and good for the soul. There is a power and passion that the blaring and glaring music that makes up most of the FM band. I'm reminded of the religious man who said that there is no music in hell. Probably because they wouldn't appreciate it there.

These CDs has a good transfer from the analogue tapes; there is no hiss or fuzziness. The packaging hearkens back to 2001: A Space Odyssey, with the black monolith. And appropriately, "Also Sprach Zarathustra" is the opening track on Disk 2.

Holst: The Planets/John Williams: Star Wars/Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra
Average customer rating:

The planets are magnificent, and the cd is excelent

Lovely

If you like John Williams soundtracks, you'll love this!

You gotta love it! Perfect for the Sci-Fi fan.

Out of This World

Holst: The Planets/John Williams: Star Wars/Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Holst | Holst, Gustav | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles