At the Beginning

Editorial Reviews
LA Times
"crystalline purity..... a blend of intelligence and passion"

Cabaret Scenes Magazine
"A stunning beauty with a voice to match and the ability to make the audience laugh and cry"

Album Description
For her debut CD, At The Beginning, Stacy Sullivan teamed with award-winning producer, John Boswell, who has created incredible arrangements that showcase Stacy's talents with sophisticated elegance. Among the thirteen tracks, the CD contains classics like Someone To Watch Over Me, a medley of Always and Remember as well as the unknown Your Face, Your Smile by the late David Ackles. John Boswell's psychedelic take on the Leiber and Stoller hit, On Broadway; the sensual and passionate jazz styling of Don't Move A Muscle; and wistful turn of Noel Coward's Come The Wild, Wild Weather make this one CD that you will listen to over and over again.

At the Beginning

Tracks:

II: Andante - Stephen Hough
I: Adagio Sostenuto - Dame Moura Lympany
Jesus Bleibet Meine Freude (Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring) - Dame Moura Lympany
Nocturne No. 2 In E Flat - John Ogdon
Clair De Lune - Dame Moura Lympany
II: Adagio - Cecile Ousset
Tango - Dame Moura Lympany
Liebestraum No. 3 In A Flat - John Ogdon
Waltz No. 9 In A Flat - Dmitri Alexeev
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini - Cecile Ousset
Traumerei - Dame Moura Lympany
La Maja Y El Ruisenor - Magda Tagliaferro
Nocturne No. 5 In F-sharp Minor - Maurizio Pollini
Gymnopedie No. 1 - Aldo Ciccolini
Fur Elise - Dame Moura Lympany
Etude In E 'Tristesse' - John Ogdon
Fruhlingslied - Daniel Adni
II: Andante - Dmitri Alexeev

Tracks:

II: Adagio Cantabile - Walter Gieseking
II: Romanze - Annie Fischer
Aria - Maria Tipo
II: Romance (Larghetto) - Garrick Ohlsson
Granada - Gonzalo Soriano
Waltz No. 15 In A Flat - Maura Lympany
II: Largo - Andrei Gavrilov
An Den Fruhling - Daniel Adni
Nocturne No. 10 In A Flat - Daniel Adni
II: Adagio Un Poco Mosso - Walter Gieseking
La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin - Dame Moura Lympany
Cancons I Dansas No. 1 - Gonzalo Soriano
II: Adagio Sostenuto (Opening) - Cecile Ousset
Prelude No. 15 In D Flat 'Raindrop' - Dmitri Alexeev
Gnossienne No. 1 - Aldo Ciccolini
Berceuse - Jean-Philippe Collard
Minuet In G - Dame Moura Lympany
Berceuse In D Flat - Peter Donohoe

Customer Reviews:

something to have.......2007-03-14

These CD's are filled with all the awesome relaxing songs for the evening when you need it. It is just one of those must have items in your CD collection.

Excellent Music.......2007-02-19

This album was a "try and see" purchase but I love it. It makes great dinner music, great music to drift off to sleep with, or just nice background filler during social events needing a softer tone. It is not all solo piano music if that s what you are after; the other instruments blend very well however and don't challenge the piano playing. It is a piano album after all!

buy now.......2006-09-01

Want to know why I think the piano is the best musical instrument ever invented? Because no matter how the piano is played, it will always sound good. Whether the music is fast, slow, quiet or loud, it ALWAYS delivers with an appealing sound. This is something you need to buy.

Lovely.......2006-02-22

This is a beautiful calming cd. The playing is excellent and the pieces are well chosen.

Aesthetically Pleasing.......2005-09-14

I simply love piano music. If you're looking to relax, enjoy a peaceful time, then you must check out this album. If you truly enjoy piano music, this album is by far one of the best you can purchase.

As it says....it is the "Most Relaxing Piano Album in the World...Ever..." Well, I haven't listened to all piano albums in the world, but I don't need to, this one is just perfect for me, and I think you will agree!

I would say the pianists' are extremely accomplished. At times, I would admit-it's a bit 'spine tingling'!

Average customer rating:

Only thing wrong is the title... Good classical collection!

Candlelight Favorites (25)

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

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Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Sentimental Favorites (25)
25 Romantic Classics
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Symphony (25) Favorites
25 Concerto Favorites

ASIN: B0000058IB
Release Date: 1996-08-20

Tracks:

The Entertainer - Roger Shields
Nutcracker Suite (Chocolate) - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Water Music (Original No. 18) - George Frideric Handel
Concerto For 2 Oboes & Strings In D Minor, Op. 42 No. 2 (I. Largo) - A. Caroldi
Concerto For 4 Pianos In A Minor BWV 1065 (III. Allegro) - Bracha Eden
Symphony In G Major, K. 45a 'Lambacher - Sinfonie' (II. Andante) - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Trumpet Concerto In C (IV. Allegro) - Edward H. Tarr
Enigma Variations, Op. 36 (Beginning) - Sir Edward Elgar
Op. 289: Persian March - Johann Strauss II
Barcarolle - Susan Jolles
Concerto In D For Trumpet, 2 Oboes, Strings & Continuo (II. Largo) - Heinz Zickler
Prelude No. 6, Op. 28 - Walter Klien
Violin Concerto No. 1 In A Minor BWV 1041 (I. Allegro) - Susanne Lautenbacher
Suite For 2 Trumpets, 2 Oboes & Strings (II. Largo) - Heinz Zickler
Serenade No. 4 In D Major, K. 203 - Oscar Ravina
Violin Concerto No. 2 In B Minor, Op. 7 'La Campanella (II. Adagio) - Jean-Jacques Kantorow
Pictures At An Exhibition (I. Promenade) - Modest Mussorgsky
Variation On A Waltz By Diabelli, D. 718 - Peter Frankl
Water Music (Original No. 15) - George Frideric Handel
Le Coucou - Werner Simons
Plaisir D'Amore - Susan Jolles
Caucasian Sketches (IV. Procession Of The Sardar) - Mikhail Mikhaylovich Ippolitov-Ivanov
Salu D'Amour (Love's Greeting) - Sir Edward Elgar
Symphony No. 39 In F Major (II. Andantino) - Michael Haydn
Cello Concerto No. 2 In D Major, Hob VIIb/2 (II. Adagio) - Laszlo Varga

Customer Reviews:

Only thing wrong is the title... Good classical collection!.......2003-10-13

I've pondered the title of this fine classical collection for quite some time (far longer than is warranted, to be sure), and I've yet to come to a conclusion as to why this album is called CANDLELIGHT FAVORITES. While some selections are solemn (Enigma Variations), romantic (Variations on a Waltz), and intense (Concerto for 2 Oboes), far more pieces are bright (Water Music) and even whimsical (The Entertainer). Though it didn't exactly set the mood I was anticipating, this album will by no means be collecting dust on my shelf.

This collection surpasses many classical variety albums in its overall quality, regardless of the excellent price. The performances of the respective pieces are excellent as is the audio engineering, which is crisp and clear. What suprised me most, after a couple listens, was how well the widely varied pieces fit together as an album. The selections cross time from the early Baroque period into the 20th century, and they all have a certain continuity. This gives the album added value, as you'd have to purchase many albums to have the wide range of music represented here. CANDLELIGHT FAVORITES gives a mixture of instantly recognizable tunes with some "deeper cuts". It's essentially a classical "mix tape" of sorts, and it works well for both background and purposeful listening.

Tracks:

Mazurkas: Op. 6, No. 2
Mazurkas: Op. 7, No. 2
Mazurkas: Op. 7, No. 5
Mazurkas: Op. 17, No. 2
Mazurkas: Op 17, No 3
Mazurkas: Op. 17, No. 4
Mazurkas: Op. 24, No. 1
Mazurkas: Op. 24, No. 3
Mazurkas: Op. 30, No. 3
Mazurkas: Op. 33, No. 1
Mazurkas: Op. 33, No. 3
Mazurkas: Op. 33, No. 4
Mazurkas: Op. 41, No. 1
Mazurkas: Op. 41, No. 2
Mazurkas: Op. 50, No. 2
Mazurkas: Op. 50, No. 3
Mazurkas: Op. 56, No. 3
Mazurkas: Op. 59, No. 1
Mazurkas: Op. 59, No. 2
Mazurkas: Op. 63, No. 2
Mazurkas: Op. 63, No. 3
Mazurkas: Op. 67, No. 2
Mazurkas: Op. 67, No. 3
Mazurkas: Op. 67, No. 4
Mazurkas: Op. 68, No. 2
Mazurkas: Op. 68, No. 3
Mazurkas: Op. 68, No. 4
Mazurkas: Op posth. - 'Notre temps'
Mazurkas: Op posth - In B Flat

Tracks:

Sonata No. 3, Op. 58 In B Minor: Allegro maestoso
Sonata No. 3, Op. 58 In B Minor: Scherzo: Molto vivace
Sonata No. 3, Op. 58 In B Minor: Largo
Sonata No. 3, Op. 58 In B Minor: Finale: Presto, non tanto
Waltz, Op. 18 In E Flat Major
Sonata No. 2, Op. 35 In B-Flat Minor: Grave; Doppio movimento
Sonata No. 2, Op. 35 In B-Flat Minor: Scherzo
Sonata No. 2, Op. 35 In B-Flat Minor: Marche funebre
Sonata No. 2, Op. 35 In B-Flat Minor: Presto
Nocture, Op. 9, No. 1 In B Flat Minor
The Sheperd's Complaint: No. 5, Songs Without Words, Op. 67
Romance, Op. 28, No. 2 In F Sharp
Sonata No. 16, K. 570 In B Flat: II. Adagio

Tracks:

Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Introduction: Allegro vivace; Variation I: (Precedente)
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Tema: L'istesso tempo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation II: L'istesso tempo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation III: L'istesso tempo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation IV: Piu Vivo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation V: Tempo precedente
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation VI: L'istesso tempo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation VII: Meno mosso, a tempo moderato
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43:: Varation VII: Tempo 1
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation IX: L'istesso tempo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation X: Poco marcato
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation XI: Moderato
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation XII: Tempo di minuetto
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation XIII: Allegro
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation XIV: L'istesso tempo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43:: Varation XV: Piu vivo scherzando
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation XVI: Allegretto
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation XVII: [Allegretto]
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation XVIII: Andante cantabile
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation XIX: A tempo vivace
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation XX: Un poco piu vivo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation XXI: Un poco piu vivo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation XXII: Un poco piu vivo (Alla breve)
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation XXIII: L'istesso tempo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Varation XIV: A tempo un poco meno mosso
Concero No. 2, Op. 18 In C Minor: Moderato; Allegro
Concero No. 2, Op. 18 In C Minor: Adagio sostenuto
Concero No. 2, Op. 18 In C Minor: Allegro scherzando
Prelude, Op. 3, No. 2 In C Sharp Minor
Preludes, Op. 34: No. 24 In D Minor
Preludes, Op. 34: No. 10 In C Sharp Minor
Preludes, Op. 34: No. 5 In D Major

Tracks:

Concerto No. 3, Op. 26 In C: Andante; Allegro
Concerto No. 3, Op. 26 In C: Tema: Andantino
Concerto No. 3, Op. 26 In C: Variation I: Listesso tempo
Concerto No. 3, Op. 26 In C: Variation II: Allegro
Concerto No. 3, Op. 26 In C: Variation III: Allegro moderato (poco meno mosso)
Concerto No. 3, Op. 26 In C: Variation IV: Andante meditativo
Concerto No. 3, Op. 26 In C: Variation V: Allegro giusto
Concerto No. 3, Op. 26 In C: Tema: Listesso tempo
Concerto No. 3, Op. 26 In C: Allegro ma non troppo
Concerto: Allegro mastoso
Concerto: Andante con anima
Concerto: Allegro brillante
Preludes, Op. 34: No. 14 In E Flat Minor
Preludes, Op. 34: No. 10 In C Sharp Minor
Preludes, Op. 34: No. 5 In D Major

Tracks:

Concerto No. 2, Op. 19 In B Flat Major: Allegro con brio
Concerto No. 2, Op. 19 In B Flat Major: Largo
Concerto No. 2, Op. 19 In B Flat Major: Rondo: Allegro scherzando
Moment Musical: Moment Musical In F Minor, D. 780, No. 3
Waltz: Waltz In B Major, D. 145, No. 2
Waltz: Waltz In B Major, D. 145, No. 6
Waltz: Waltz In E Major, D. 365, No. 26
Waltz: Waltz In F Major, D. 365, No. 32
German Dances: German Dance In B Flat Major, D. 783, No. 6
German Dances: German Dance In B Flat Major, D. 783, No. 7
Waltz: Waltz, In F Major, D. 365, No. 34
Landler: Landler, In G Major, D. 734, No. 1
Landler: Landler, In D Major, D. 734, No. 2
Impromptu: Impromptu In A Flat Major, D. 935, No. 2
Romance: Romance In F Sharp Major, Op. 28, No. 2
Intermezzo: Intermezzo In E Major, Op. 116, No. 6
Sonetto No. 104 del Petrarca - Liszt
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 11 - Liszt
Mephisto Waltz No. 1 - Liszt

Tracks:

Partita No. 4 In D Major, BWV 828: Ouverture
Partita No. 4 In D Major, BWV 828: Allemande
Partita No. 4 In D Major, BWV 828: Courante
Partita No. 4 In D Major, BWV 828: Aria
Partita No. 4 In D Major, BWV 828: Sarabande
Partita No. 4 In D Major, BWV 828: Menuet
Suite In A Minor, BWV 818: Allemande
Suite In A Minor, BWV 818: Courante
Suite In A Minor, BWV 818: Sarabandes 1 & 2
Suite In A Minor, BWV 818: Gigue
Sonata In E Flat Major, K. 380 - L. 23
Sonata In B Flat Major, K. 570: 2. Adagio
From Iberia: Evocacion
Piano Playtime: No. 1: Waltz Of The Rainbow
Piano Playtime: No. 4: By The Brook
Piano Playtime: No. 5: Dancing Bagpipes
Piano Playtime: No. 6: Tricky Trumpet
Children's Corner: Dr. Gradus ad Parnassum
Children's Corner: Jimbo's Lullaby
Children's Corner: Serenade For The Doll
Children's Corner: The Snow Is Dancing
Children's Corner: The Little Shepherd
Children's Corner: Golliwog's Cakewalk
Toccata ostinato

Tracks:

Sonata In G Minor, Op. 19: Lento; Allegro moderato
Sonata In G Minor, Op. 19: Allegro scherzando
Sonata In G Minor, Op. 19: Andante
Sonata In G Minor, Op. 19: Allegro mosso; Meno mosso; Moderato; Piu vivo
Sonata In F Minor, Op. 120, No. 1: Allegro appassionato
Sonata In F Minor, Op. 120, No. 1: Andante un poco adagio
Sonata In F Minor, Op. 120, No. 1: Allegretto grazioso
Sonata In F Minor, Op. 120, No. 1: Vivace
Sonata In D Minor, No. 3, Op. 108: Allegro
Sonata In D Minor, No. 3, Op. 108: Adagio
Sonata In D Minor, No. 3, Op. 108: Un poco presto e con sentimento
Sonata In D Minor, No. 3, Op. 108: Presto agitato

Tracks:

Piano Sonata (1941): Molto moderato
Piano Sonata (1941): Vivace
Piano Sonata (1941): Andante sostenuto
Nocturne In E - Flat - Op 55, 2
Mazurka In C - Op 33, 3
Polonaise-Fantasie In A - Flat - Op 61
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: The Gnome
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: The Old Castle
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: Tuileries
Pictures At An Exhibition: Bydlo
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: Ballet Of The Unhatched Chicks
Pictures At An Exhibition: Samuel Goldenberg And Schmuyle
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: Limoges - The Market
Pictures At An Exhibition: Catacombs
Pictures At An Exhibition: Con mortuis In lingua Mortua
Pictures At An Exhibition: The Hut On Fowl's Legs
Pictures At An Exhibition: The Great Gate At Kiev
No 1 - Kinderszenen: About Foreign Lands And People
Sonata In E (K 380) - L. 23

Tracks:

Partita No. 4 In D Major, BWV. 828: Allemande (Beginning)
Sonata No. 10 In C Major, K. 330: 1. Allegro moderato (Beginning)
Sonata No. 3 In B Minor, Op. 58: 1. Allegro maestoso (Beginning)
Sonata No. 3 In B Minor, Op. 58: 3. Largo
Mazurka In A Flat Major, Op. 17, No. 3
Sonata No. 3 In D Minor, Op. 108: 2. Adagio
No. 4, Songs Without Words, Op. 67: Spinning Song
Interview With William Kapell

Amazon.com essential recording

Blessed with transcendent technique and an affinity for big, bold Romantic works, William Kapell has been hailed as America's greatest homegrown pianist. This comprehensive collection of his complete recorded output, previously unreleased recordings, and broadcast tapes adds luster to a reputation that's become legendary since his tragic death in a plane crash at age 31. The earliest recordings, from the mid-1940s, bristle with raw energy and virtuosic flourishes tempered by an innate musicality that rises above mere display.

The disc coupling Khachaturian and Prokofiev concertos is charged with excitement; the Rachmaninoff pairing of the Paganini Variations and the Concerto No. 2 weds the Grand Romantic style to poetic lyricism; and an inspired Liszt group is charged with dynamic energy. Best may be the two Chopin discs: spontaneous, rhythmically flexible sonatas and mazurkas. The later recordings demonstrate the repose that comes with artistic maturity, and the "live" broadcasts reveal Kapell's warmth and spontaneity in concert. Splendid transfers help make this long-awaited set appealing to music lovers in general, as well as piano buffs. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Very touched.......2006-09-24

I wrote my doctoral dissertation on William Kapell (we share the same school, and my teacher was a student of his), and to still see the outpouring of admiration and love for Kapell's art is still very moving for me.

In Memorium.......2005-10-29

I heard William Kapell play the Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini with the fledgling Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in the late 1940's or very early 1950's. My only memory of the occasion is that I was enthralled. Kapell has held me in thrall ever since.

A few years later, in the middle 50's, I bought Kapell's recording of the same work, with Fritz Reiner and the Robin Hood Dell Orchestra (alias of The Philadelphia Orchestra). I still have that LP, though I wore it out long ago. It was the beginning of my musical education. But since 1998, we have had this wonderful box of reissues from the vaults of RCA. The sound is mostly excellent, considering the age of the monophonic originals. To this day, Kapell's Rachmaninov Rhapsody remains-in my opinion-the most impassioned, yet the most musical, reading of the piece ever recorded. No one had, or has, Kapell's combination of white-hot temperament, technical brilliance, and musical insight. We have had musical geniuses; technical wizards abound. It is the combination of these gifts, as Kapell possessed them in particular, married to his incendiary passion, that made him unique.

He was still learning, and he was learning at such an astounding rate! He had moved from Khachaturian to the most unforgettable Chopin B minor Sonata ever recorded in little more than a decade. His deep throated, noble, and articulate Bach has caused some to speculate that Glenn Gould might have found his inspiration in Kapell. One Gould biographer, and a New York critic, wrote that the reverse was true. The critic acknowledged the error, in print, noting that Kapell could not have been influenced by Gould's style since he had been dead for two years by the time of Gould's debut recital in New York City in 1955.

The lyrical side of romantic music is not what Kapell was or is known for, not his "style" as people remember him now. But listening to the lyrical music in this set shows a side of him that was, nevertheless, as real as any, and perhaps more revealing. It also gives us a notion of what we might have expected of William Kapell had he lived a normal span of years and played a normal variety of music. In a live performance, he plays Chopin's Nocturne, Op. 9, No. 1, with melting legato and exquisite timing: his innate sense about when to tug on the beat and when to surge forward makes the music breathe. His use of dynamic variety demands the greatest respect: at one point, the repetition of a melodic phrase is but a pale echo of its first statement. His tonal palette is no less wondrous. When a deep bass note suddenly appears, early in the A section of the ABA structure, it sounds-not loud nor quiet, not muffled nor distinct-but awesomely subterranean. Kapell begins the piece without much sustaining pedal, but in the B section, he subtly adds more and more. Then, when the A section returns near the end, the pedal disappears. This dramatic change in color-along with Chopin's change of key-seems like the parting of clouds. We are in the hands of two masters here, Chopin and Kapell. Kapell gave this performance in Carnegie Hall in February of 1945, when he was twenty-two years old.

In the Bach and Chopin works I've discussed, the steely, percussive tone that some speak of is nowhere to be heard. Rather, we hear a full, rich, and complex piano tone. In the Chopin Sonatas, the Debussy pieces, and the Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Debussy, and Albeniz, the sound Kapell produces is beautiful and varied.

He was a chamber musician of the first order, as his collaborations with Heifetz prove. (He was one of the very few musicians who had the force of personality to make Heifetz accompany HIM. And you can hear it.) And if you've never heard Rachmaninov's great Cello Sonata, played here with the grand Russian/German cellist Edmund Kurtz, you're in for a treat. There are several fine, modern stereo recordings, but this one is special. The piano part is very important-Rachmaninov did write it, after all-and Kapell is magnificent. This was Rachmaninov's next published work after the 2nd Piano Concerto, to give you an idea of its melodic grandeur. If there is a flaw here, it is that the piano is recorded too far back, relative to the cello.

Kapell died on October 30, 1953. He had just turned thirty-three. He played his last recital in Geelong, Australia, on the 22nd. It included the Chopin 2nd Piano Sonata which contains the well-known "Marche funèbre." That performance is included here, transferred from the original acetates. It is a great performance but very hard to listen to now, in light of what was to follow just over a week later. I am writing this one day short of the 52nd anniversary of Kapell's death. Had he lived until today, he would be younger than either Earl Wild or Ivan Moravec, both of whom are still making magnificent music. For those of us who love William Kapell's music, it is heartbreaking to consider, and fruitless. Thank Heaven we have recordings like the ones in this set. They are essential for any lover of good music.

John Pendley

Priceless Souvenirs from a Rare Genius: Ave Atque Vale.......2005-10-28

During the last century we have had many tragic losses in the arts, often affecting men and women who are at the peak of their careers, shimmering with excellence, only to be silenced by death and all too often, by accidental death. The names of Anton Webern, Fritz Wunderlich, WG Sebald, Sylvia Plath, Dinu Lipatti, and so many others arise, but none as tragic as the death of William Kapell in 1953.

William Kapell is still considered by most as the America's greatest pianist, even fifty odd years after his death at the age of 31 in a plane crash. Those who heard him perform still rhapsodize over the magic he created. Those of us who are left with only recordings, such as this spectacular boxed set of all of his recordings, can only be uplifted by the man's genius, his extraordinary technical facility, and his intuitive, profound approach to the great works of music.

All styles of music were easily accessible to Kapell. Listen to the Mozart, Bach, Scarlatti, Paganini and Mendelssohn and try to imagine performances of more clarity and finesse than these. His Chopin is well represented in this set and glows with the uncanny power and tenderness that Chopin combined in his works. His works for solo piano by Rachmaninov and Shostakovich are the gold standard, and yet his Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Mussorgsky and Liszt raise the bar for excellence that has since not been excelled. Joyously this set includes concerti including Prokofiev, Beethoven, Khachaturian, and Rachmaninov with the various conductors who saw Kapell's gifts and championed them.

The memory of this great artist is felt throughout the year, but never as acutely as on October 29th which marks the date of his cruel death. The world was brightened for too short a time by William Kapell, yet because of his recorded legacy his legend lives on. This is an impossibly fine box set of treasures. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, October 05

Poetry without words.......2004-12-14

In listening ot this collection, I think of the other 20th century pianistic genius who died tragically young: Dinu Lipatti (d. 1950). Both men excelled at Chopin but each had a thoroughly individual sound. In addition to Chopin, the Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev are especially fine. Highly recommended.

What Is Technically Difficult Is Not Always Pleasant To Hear.......2004-10-02

Piano enthusiasts might find this set incredible, but I prefer my music to be pleasant. Consider your tastes before buying.

Aaron Copland and Virgil Thompson Sacred & Secular Choral Music

Average customer rating:

Aaron Copland and Virgil Thompson Sacred & Secular Choral Music

Manufacturer: Gloria Dei Cantores
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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The Queen

ASIN: B000062UT0
Release Date: 1998-11-01

Tracks:

In The Beginning - Luretta Bybee
Simple Gifts
The Boatmen's Dance
At The River
Zion's Walls
Ching-A-Ring-Chaw
Help Us, O Lord
Thou, O Jehovah, Abideth Forever
Have Mercy On Us, O My Lord
Sing Ye Praises To Our King
My Shepherd Will Supply My Need
The Morning Star
Green Fields
Death 'Tis A Melancholy Day
Kyrie
Gloria
Credo
Sanctus
Benedictus
Agnus Dei
Tribulationes Civitatum
De Profundis
When I Survey The Bright Celestial Sphere

Album Description

Celebrating the centenary of Aaron Copland's birth, Gloriae Dei Cantores presents a broad spectrum of choral music by Aaron Copland and Virgil Thomson. These two musical giants exemplified the ideals of American culture and established a truly American style for music. The centerpiece for this recording is the first American recording in many years of Copland's choral masterpiece In the Beginning, featuring American mezzo-soprano Luretta Bybee.

Also included are Thomson's beloved Four Southern Hymns and some of his fascinating early works written during his sojourn in Paris, and a selection of vibrant choral arrangements of Copland's Old American Songs.

Klezmer King
Average customer rating:

Abe Schwartz -- King of Yiddish Music

Old-Time American Roots Klezmer Music

Joy, Joy, Happy, Happy

Close your eyes and you're at a Jewish wedding

Time warp

Klezmer King
Abe Schwartz
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Jewish & Yiddish Music | Folk | Styles | Music
Klezmer | Folk | Styles | Music
General | International | Styles | Music
General | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The King of the Klezmer Clarinet

Yiddish-American Klezmer Music 1925-1956

Tanz! With Dave Tarras and the Musiker Brothers

Klezmer: Early Yiddish Instrumental Music 1908-1927

From Avenue A to Great White Way 1914-1950

ASIN: B000066401
Release Date: 2002-04-30

Tracks:

Russishe Shehr - Abe Schwart'z Orchestra
Ch'Sidishe Nigunim (Hasidic Melodies) - Boibriker Kapelle
Die Reize Nuch Amerika (The Trip To America) - Abe Schwartz's Orchestra
Die Greene Cousine (The Greenhorn Girl Cousin) - Abraham Moskowitz
Russian Scissors - Oriental Orchestra
Dovid'l Bazetzt Die Kalleh (Little David Seats The Bride) - Dave Tarras
Gelebt Und Gelacht (Live And Laugh) - Phillip Greenberg
T'Kias 'Shofer Blosen' (Blowing The Ram's Horn) - Sam Beckerman
Hurra! Far Unzer Held Levine (Hurray! For Our Hero Levine) - Irving Grossman
Der Shtiller Bulgar (The Quiet Bulgar) - Jewish Orchestra
Roumanian Doina - Abe Schwartz & His Daughter, Miss Schwartz
Zorg Nit Mama (Don't Worry, Mama) - Abe Schwart'z Orchestra
Hora Midor De Romania (Roumanina Hora) - Unknown Orchestra
Nit Die Hagode, Nor Die Kneidlech (Not The Haggadah, But The Matzo Balls) - Abraham Moskowitz
Frauen Liebe (Lady Love) - Abe Schwartz Orchestra
Akdomes Un Af B'ri (At The Beginning And Daybreak) - Boibriker Kapelle
Roumeinishe Doina - Naftule Brandwein
Der Automobile - Morris Goldstein
Yosel - Abe Schewartz's Orchestra
A Galitzianer Tenzil (Galician Dance) - Sam Beckerman
Die Boibriker Chasseneh - Pt. 1 (The Boibrik Wedding) - Boibriker Kapelle
Russian Sher - National Dance - Russkij Orkestr 'Novinka'
Mameniu, Liubeniu (Mama, My Beloved) - Abraham Brandwein
Fihren Di Mechutonim Aheim-Tanz (Escorting The Parents Of The Bride And Groom Home) - Naftule Brandwein
Lebedig Un Frehlach (Lively And Happy) - Abe Schwartz's Orchestra

Amazon.com

It would be impossible to overstate Abe Schwartz's influence on the development of klezmer music in America. He was a fine violinist and pianist, an excellent composer, an arranger who added modern instruments like saxophones and banjos to the Old World sound, and a bandleader with a nose for talent who helped launch the careers of Dave Tarras and Naftule Branwein, among others. The Klezmer King collects 25 tracks from the 75 or so sides that Schwartz recorded for Columbia between 1917 and 1935. Schwartz was remarkably versatile, and the selections include traditional dance tunes like "Roumanian Doina," Yiddish pop tunes such as "Die Greene Cousine," which was later a hit for Benny Goodman as "My Little Cousin," and sly social commentary like "Der Automobile." Also here are three versions of the old melody "Russian Sher," which were recorded in 1917, 1927, and 1935. Listening to them, you can trace Schwartz's style as it evolves from its European roots to a more American version of klezmer. The sound quality of these rare recordings is outstanding; there are almost no clicks, pops, or hiss to mar the music. The Klezmer King is an essential recording from one of the pioneers of New World klezmer. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews:

Abe Schwartz -- King of Yiddish Music.......2007-02-22

Abe Schwartz was an American klezmer pioneer who discovered such talents as Dave Tarras and Naftule Brandwein as well as inspiring the contemporary klezmer revival bands. Don't miss this collection of his original recordings.

Old-Time American Roots Klezmer Music.......2004-04-15

Abe Schwartz and his orchestra developed and defined klezmer music in America from the mid-1920s up until the 1940s and early '50s. If the beginning sounds of American roots klezmer music is of interest, this is the CD you want. I find that half-way through, my mind wanders. It sounds too schmaltzy for me. I love Central European and Balkan style music ... this CD has diluted versions of this styling. This CD contains Central/East European "cross over" music that is becoming Americanized. In reality it is not quite either, besides the violin, there is the requiste clarinet, other instruments are saxaphone, tuba, piccolo, alto sax, bass sax, drums, and other percussions. The music occasionally sounds like a Balkan Brass band ... fortunately the longing and nostalgia of the klezmer sound, the Jewish roots are evident in all the tracks. The 'sher', 'doina', and 'hora' are types of dance music played by this famous composer, bandleader, and fiddler. My favorite is "Escorting the Parents of the Bride and Groom Home" ("Fihren Di Mechutonim Aheim-Tanz') which features Naftule Brandwein on the clarinet. His improvisations and glissandos are brilliant. The famous klezmer clarinetist, Dave Tarras, is also featured on many of these recordings. "Hasidic Melodies" ("Ch'sidishe Nigunim") is one of my favorite examples of his playing. His command of the clarinet and the creative musical phrasing is phenomenal. "The Greenhorn Girl Cousin" ("Die Green Couisine") is famous for the music, lyrics, and message which brought to the public's attention the bad working conditions in the sweatshops, the first job of immigrants arriving in the USA. It is a catchy tune with Abe Schwartz featured on the violin and Abraham Moskowitz singing the vocals. Spin-offs of this song were written by many including one by Benny Goodman. Overall, if discovering and investigating early klezmer roots music is your goal, this CD will meet your criteria with highest expectations. Otherwise, give me "The Klezmatics", "The Klezmer Conservatory Band" or any modern klezmer group which expresses the music in a more explosive and exciting manner. For me, the modern sound is much more appealing than the early roots which is on this CD. Erika Borsos (erikab93)

Joy, Joy, Happy, Happy.......2004-02-05

I came to Klezmer music via Izaak Perlmann's "In the Fiddler's House," which is one of my all time favorite CDs. I'm just learning about the genre, via other Amazon reviewers, so have just recently arrived at this and other "Klezmer roots" CDs (Dave Tarras, as another reviewer mentions, is also excellent). It's just exceedingly harmonious, well orchestrated, tightly knit music, transported from the old world to the new. The tradition lives on, and an increasing number of us goyim are coming to appreciate it. Sound quality, these can't compete with modern recordings like those of the Klezmer Conservatory Band, or the Klezmatics, but it will definitely give you an idea of where they learned from. Mazaltov!!

Close your eyes and you're at a Jewish wedding.......2003-03-31

If you've ever heard new groups like the Yiddish Cup Klezmer Band and The Klezmatics and marveled at how they got all those great old tunes, look no further. Abe Schwartz, the Klezmer King is now available on CD. Before this, 78 RPM records these were remastered from was the only place you could hear him.

The Klezmer King album is old, both in sound and style. But keep in mind that clarinet klezmer is more of an American thing. This music is a generation or two removed from the original originals. Songs called Russian Sher and Roumanian Doina indicate that, just like today, wedding musicians from the old country were jamming the hits of the day as well as the "Jewish" stuff.

But it was guys like Schwartz, Dave Tarras and the Musiker Brothers, whom the new wave learned from. But unlike the younger versions, these melodies don't seem to have jazz-like improvisation. They are straight ahead rollickers, heavy on catchy rhythm and melody. There are a total of twenty-five tracks on the album and most are short and fast.

The instruments employed are the violin, played by Schwartz, the clarinet and horns. The beat is so danceable that you forget there's no percussion. That's traditional, because back in the old country, if the klezmorim had any percussion at all it was just a bass drum.

For you Yiddish speakers, The Klezmer King is not all instrumental. There are tracks that start with lively shouts as well as straight singing pieces like Mameniu Liubeniu or the satirical Hurra Far Unzerheld Levine.

Then there's Die Bolbriker Chasseneh, which has Schwartz introducing a bride and groom in between slow music. He raises his voice, half speaking and half singing in rapid-fire Yiddish. Then he gasps out that the couple is now officially married and the band breaks into fast, bouncy jamming. Close your eyes and you can imagine you're one of the guests. That goes for most of the tunes here.

If you didn't know the difference between a bulgar and freilach and nigun before, you better start learning. Abe Schwartz taught long of young folks about what it takes to be a king of klezmer. Companion CDs of Dave Tarras and the Musiker Brothers are available from Legacy Recordings.

Time warp.......2002-08-11

Listening to the 25 old but timeless cuts on this set of remastered Yiddish greats provides many layers of enjoyment. In hearing these long-forgotten tunes, one enjoys clarinet and violin strains influenced by ancient melodies and traditions. And some will recognize varied renditions of old favorites. The 6th cut, for example, Dovid'l Bazetzt die Kalleh, is engrained into my memory from Jewish Music, a Benedict Silberman recording, circa 1955, of Yiddish orchestrations.

The music is all decidedly Eastern European. The Roumanian Doina, for example, played by Abe Schwartz (violin) and his daughter, strongly resembles the brilliant Rom music generated by the same region.

No wonder. Born in Bucharest, Romania, Abe Schwartz (1881-1963) emigrated to the U.S. with his parents in 1899 and became the most influential composer, fiddler and bandleader to shape and define modern U.S. klezmer groups. He arrived in the musical establishment via an acquaintance from small jobs with David Nodiff, a part-time composer and so-called A&R (for artist and repertoire) man for Columbia Records, who helped bring klezmer and other ethnic musicians to record companies. Nodiff hired Schwartz in 1917 to find new Jewish talent and head up instrumental recording sessions.

This recording provides some of the time and style progression of Yiddish American music from 1917, when Schwartz recorded Russian Scissors for Columbia with the Oriental Orchestra. In 1927, he recorded the same tune again as Russishe Shehr, in a brassier rendition played by his own orchestra. Still a later 1935 version can be heard in Russian Sher National Dance, the 22nd cut, recorded with the Orkestr Novinka. (And that is the most recent recording here.) The musical and stylistic progressions from 1917 and 1918 through 1935 are admirably explained in an accompanying 8-page pamphlet.

This is not the jazzy stuff many will remember from the 1940s and 1950s. It came before the Barry Sisters, before Naftule Brandwein and Dave Tarras. Abe Schwartz was their mentor.

Tracks:

Toccata in d, BWV 565 - Hans Fagius
Spring From 'The Four Seasons', Op.8: I. Allegro - Nils-Erik Sparf
Spring From 'The Four Seasons', Op.8: II. Largo E Pianissimo Sempre - Nils-Erik Sparf
Spring From 'The Four Seasons', Op.8: III. Allegro - Nils-Erik Sparf
Air From Ste No.3 in D - Gunilla Von Bahr
Vivace From Double Con, BWV 1043 - Okko Kamu & Leif Segerstam
Largo From Lute Con in D - Jakob Lindberg
Badinerie From Ste No.2 in b - Gunilla Von Bahr
Canon - Gunilla Von Bahr
Largo From Piccolo Con In C, PV 79 - Gunilla Von Bahr
Jesu Bleibet Meine Freude - Hans Fagius
From Double Con In B Flat: III. Tendrement - Clas Pehrsson/Dan Laurin
From Double Con In B Flat: IV. Gayment - Clas Pehrsson/Dan Laurin
Second Mvt From 'Dixit Dominus' - Anne Sofie Von Otter
Andante Grazioso From Con in F - Annika Wallin/Arne Nilsson
Giazotto, Remo: Adagio - Gunilla Von Bahr
Excerpts From Les Folies D'Espagne - Manuela Wiesler
Dance Of The Blessed Spirits - Gunilla Von Bahr
Toccata From 'Suite Gothique', Op.25 - Hans Fagius

Tracks:

The Rite Of Spring (Beginning) - Swedish RSO/Sixten Ehrling
Fur Elise - Dag Achatz
The Flight Of The Bumble-Bee - Christian Lindberg/Roland Pontinen
To Music, Op.88 No.4 - Hakan Hagegard/Thomas Schuback
The Swan From 'Carnival Of The Animals' - Bengt Ericson/Karin Langebo
Traumerei - Roland Pontinen
Andante From Piano Con No.21, 'Elvira Madigan' - Staffan Scheja
Clair De Lune - Roland Pontinen
The Cats' Duet - Elisabeth Soderstrom
Bydlo From 'Pictures At An Exhibition' - Janos Solyom
Minuet (From String Quintet in E) - Gunilla Von Bahr
Slavonic Dance No.8 in g (Furiant), Op.46 No.8 - STAATSPHILHARMONIE RHEINLAND-PFALZ/LEIF SEGERSTAM
Syrinx For Flute Solo - Manuela Wiesler
First Mvt (Adagio Sostenuto) From 'Moonlight' Sonata, Op.27 No.2 - Yukie Nagai
First Mvt (Allegro) From 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' - Drottingholm Baroque Ensemble
Recuerdos De La Alhambra - Diego Blanco
Third Mvt (Adagio) From Cello Con in e, Op.86 - Torleif Thedeen
Champagne Galop - Stockholm Sinfonietta/Jan Olav Wedin

Tracks:

To Spring From 'Lyric Pieces', Book III - Eva Knardahl
The Swan Of Tuonela, Op.22 No.3 - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Sin in F - Niols-Erik Sparf
Kjempevise-Slatten (Balad Of Revolt) From 'Slatter Og Stev Fra Siljustol', Ste 2, Op.22 - Jan Henrik Kayser
Flicken Kom Ifran Sin Alsklings Mote (The Tryst), Op.37 No.5 - Anne Sofie Von Otter
Second Mvt (Adagio) From Pno Con in a, Op.16 - Roland Pontinen
Valse Triste, Op.44 No.1 - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Taagen Letter (The Fog Is Lifting) - Gunilla Von Bahr
Spring From 'Two Elegiac Melodies', Op.34 - Norwegian Chamber Orch/Terje Tonnesen
Herdmaiden's Dance From 'The Mountain King' - Stockholm Sinfonietta/Esa Pekka Salonen
Romance (Adagio) From 'Pastoral Ste', Op.19 - Hans Fagius
Fourth Mvt (Marcia) From Ser For Str Orch, Op.11 - Stockholm Sinfonietta/Esa Pekka Salonen
Gammal Fabodpsalm Fran Dalarna (Old Pastoral Hymn) - Hans Fagius
Midsummer Vigil, Op.19 - Royal Stockholm Phil Orch/Neeme Jarvi
Du Gamla, Du Friska, Du Fjellhoga Nord (Swedish National Anthem) - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi

Percy Grainger: The Complete Piano Music

Average customer rating:

Every last note...

Percy Grainger: The Complete Piano Music

Manufacturer: Nimbus Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Boccherini: Clavier Quintets (Complete)
Bartok: Complete Solo Piano Music

ASIN: B0000037AX
Release Date: 1997-11-18

Tracks:

Handel In The Strand
Bridal Lullaby
English Waltz
Mock Morris
To A Nordic Princess
In A Nutshell-Ste: I. Arrival Platform Humlet
In A Nutshell-Ste: II. Gay But Wistful
In A Nutshell-Ste: III. Pastoral
In A Nutshell-Ste: IV. 'The Gum-Suckers' March
Peace
Saxon Twi-Play
Andante Con Moto
Children's March
The Immovable Do
Sailor's Song
Colonial Song
Walking Tune
Harvest Hymn
In Dahomey

Tracks:

b flat Pno Con (Opening)
Cradle-Song
Love Walked In
Second Pno Con (3rd Movt)
Now, O Now, I Needs Must Part
Nimrod
Ramble On The Last Love-Duet
Chinese Melody-Beautiful Fresh Flower
Paraphrase On The Flower Waltz
Lullaby From 'Tribute To Foster'
American Song-The Rag-Time Girl
'Blithe Bells'
Fugue In a
The Man I Love

Tracks:

Country Gardens
The Merry King
Molly On The Shore
Irish Tune From County Derry
Knight And Shepard's Daughter
The Nightingale And The Two Sisters
Jutish Medley
Sussex Mummers' Christmas Carol
The Rival Brothers
Near Woodstock Town
Will Ye Gang To The Hielands, Lizzie Lindsay
The Brisk Young Sailor
One More Day My John (Easy Version)
Rimmer And Goldcastle
Spoon River
The Widow's Party
The Hunter In His Career
My Robin Is To The Greenwood Gone
Died For Love
Scotch Strathspey
One More Day My John (Complex Version)
Bristol Town
Hard-Hearted Barb'ra Helen
Mo Ninghean Dhu
Lisbon (Dublin Bay)
Stalt Vesselil
O Gin I Were Where Gowrie Rins
Shepard's Hey

Tracks:

Four Irish Dances: I. A March-Jig
Four Irish Dances: II. A Slow Dance
Four Irish Dances: III. The Leprechaun's Dance
Four Irish Dances: IV. A Reel
Nell
Apres Un Reve
Pno Con, First Movt
Tiger-Tiger
Air And Dance
Hornpipe
Toccata And Fugue in d
Lullaby From 'Tribute To Foster' (Easy Grainger)
Angelus Ad Virginem
Klavierstuck in E
Eastern Intermezzo
The Bigelow March
Pno Con, First Movt
At Twilight
Klavierstuck in a
Klavierstuck in B Flat
Klavierstuck in D

Tracks:

Children's March: 'Over The Hills And Far Away'
Up-Country Song (Colonial Song)
English Dance
Ye Banks And Braes O' Bonnie Doon
'Spoon River'-American Folk Dance
Train Music
Zanzibar Boat-Song
Paganini Varations, No.12
Green Bushes-Passacaglia On An English Folksong
William Byrd's Air And Variations For The Virginals 'The Carman's Whistle'
'A Dance Rhapsody'
Girl Crazy: Embraceable You
The Warriors-Music To An Imaginary Ballet

Customer Reviews:

Every last note..........2006-06-14

A super budget 5 CD collection of all of Grainger's Piano music.
Every last note!
The shipping alone would be $17.00+ for the 5 individual Cds.
Englishman Martin Jones plays these as if he wrote them. He is thoroughly inside this music.
I think his best work to date.
He is joined on CD #5 by Richard Mcmahon and Phillip Martin. Where they rollick in various combos and trios on 1, 2 and 3 pianos. This is exhilerating. Especially on an truly uplifting version of Green Bushes.
The entire set is strongly idiomatic and given a clear, crisp, warm and spacious recording. FIRST CLASS sound.
There are too many highlights to single out, but the In A Nutshell Suite and Green Bushes are especially GOOD!
There is not a bad note or "vibe" on any of these CDs.
Highly recommended for Granger fans and fans of English Piano Music.

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Night on Bald Mountain

Average customer rating:

Detailed Classical Tribute plus More
The depth of friendship and the meaning of life.

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Night on Bald Mountain

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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Felix Mendelssohn: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique/Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnol
Ravel: Boléro; Rapsodie Espagnole; La Valse
Gustav Holst: The Planets

ASIN: B00000298Y
Release Date: 1994-10-04

Tracks:

Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: I. The Gnome
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: II. The Old Castle
Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: III. Tuileries
Pictures At An Exhibition: IV. Bydlo
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: V. Ballet Of The Unhatched Chicks
Pictures At An Exhibition: VI. Samuel Goldenberg And Schmuyle
Pictures At An Exhibition: VII. The Market Place At Limoges
Pictures At An Exhibition: VIII. Catacombs. A Roman Grave
Pictures At An Exhibition: With The Dead
Pictures At An Exhibition: IX. The Hunt On Fowls' Legs
Pictures At An Exhibition: X. The Great Gate Of Kiev
Night On Bald Mountain
Khovanshchina: Dawn Over The River Moscow
Khovanshchina: Act IV, Scene II: Beginning

Customer Reviews:

Detailed Classical Tribute plus More.......2003-02-19

Classical music, perhaps like all music, was written for a variety of reasons, from being commissioned to being from the heart. The first selection, "Pictures at an Exhibition", was written from the heart. Mussorgsky was inspired by a collection of water colors and drawings by architect Victor Hartmann, a friend. The work is written as a literal walking amongst the paintings and drawings, and the impression these works left musically on Mussorgsky.

Throughout the work are "Promenades", which is literally the walking from one piece of art to the next. The other movements are Mussorgksy's interpretations of Hartmann's art.

The music ranges from dark and dreading, as in "The Gnome", to light and playful in "Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks", to the near martial music of "The Great Gate of Kiev", which immediately reminded me of Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture", which was written about seven years later. Each of these works is a vignette of Russian life that runs the gamut from the mundane to the magnificent.

The orchestral arrangements are full, making use of all instruments from piccolos to timpani and bass, allowing each section of the orchestra to be heard at particular moments, versus the favoritism of some composers. Maurice Ravel orchestrated this piece, and was able to musically insinuate the details and fullness of life in Russia. The music is heavily flavored by its Russian origin, yet is well within the pantheon of western classical.

The detail of each piece is significant, and the space available for this review is insufficient for that incredible detail. As a single example, "The Market Place at Limoges" is busy and full of activity. Women are talking and quarreling, people are buying, walking, haggling; the activity is hectic and chaotic. The music well details all this in a mere minute and twenty-nine seconds, yet you feel the individual and mass actions and the frenetic pace. Gorgeously created and executed.

However, this CD does not stop with the magnificent "Pictures at an Exhibition". This CD also contains "Night on Bald Mountain". You may remember this work as a significant part of the movie "Fantasia" by Disney. The animation was dark and serious and just as explosive as the music. If you remember the music being ominous and dark, then your memory is accurate. Once again, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov orchestrated the music to make full use of all the instruments, and you clearly hear contributions from the smallest brass instruments to the bass and timpani.

This CD also contains excerpts from Khovanshchina, an opera unfinished at Mussorgsky's death. The opera itself has been described as being inaccessible because it relies on Russian history of the fifteenth century. As with much classical music, and some progressive rock, you have to study the music at length to attempt to gain an understanding of it. Fortunately these excerpts are brief and have no vocal backing, so they may be enjoyed without requiring much effort at interpretation.

My favorite Russian composer has always been Tchaikovsky. Mussorgsky in many ways exceeds Tchaikovsky in the depth and detail of his musical vision. Listening to this recording of Mussorgsky has opened my eyes to a new depth of Russian classical music that I previously did not know existed. I highly recommend this recording as a good introduction to Mussorgsky, but be sure you move on and acquire more of his work, it's sure to be good.

The depth of friendship and the meaning of life........2000-07-09

Initially I was attracted to Mussorgsky because a couple of the musical vignettes that comprise "Pictures at an Exhibition" were used as character or event themes in the cartoon series "The Smurfs", to wit, "The Gnome" and "Tuileries". Eventually going beyond the mere entertainment value of these, I read the history of "Pictures" provided in the accompanying booklet.

Learning that the piece was composed by Mussorgsky as a tribute to his late friend Victor Hartmann, I listened to the recording all the way through, from a new perspective - How does the music convey Mussorgsky's feelings for his departed friend? The pace of this recording is slow - not lethargic, but pensive. Each vignette tells the musical story of Mussorgsky's reflections on the artwork of Hartmann, but more than that, the music is linked to the remembrance of his friend in each painting at the exhibition.

Each "Promenade" section becomes increasingly quieter and more reflective, as the impact of Mussorgsky's loss becomes more apparent to him, and by extension, to the listener. For instance, the "Tuileries" is not simply a giddy piece about children, but about human youth and innocence. "The Marketplace at Limoges" speaks to the joys and fears of adulthood and maturity, leading into the somber and emotionally gripping vignettes that end the piece. Musing on the "Catacombs" and "With the Dead" the listener feels loss and anguish, but there remains at this point a sense of wonder at the friendship that inspired this work.

"The Hut on Fowl's Legs" expresses frustration, even repressed anger with its mystical, unfathomable subject matter - Trumpets blare and horns wail and the surrounding violins ascending and descending scales sound like uncontrollable tears of joy and pain until they stop abruptly for the finale. "The Great Gate at Kiev" is the finale, in which the listener feels in the culmination of all the vignettes, the depth and pride of Mussorgsky's work. The grandeur of Ravel's orchestral rendering comes to complete fruition in this last vignette, where a solitary bell echoes out over the entire orchestra announcing to all the world the total worth of a friendship, and the importance of one man's life to another. To express this in words may be impossible, but Mussorgsky manages to achieve it musically, to spectacular and mind-shattering effect.