The Power of Classical Music

Editorial Reviews
From Parents' Choice®
Well-produced and deftly performed classical "greatest hits" by Mozart, Beethoven, Tcaikovsky, Bach, Grieg, etc., but not innovatively child-oriented; similar collections can be found in most music stores. A portion of sales benefit the "Rowell Foster Children's Positive Plan." A 1999 Parents' Choice® Approved winner.

Reviewed by Lynne Heffley, Parents' Choice® 1999

About the Artist
Twin Sisters Productions, Inc. is a women-owned company started by twin sisters Kim Mitzo Thompson and Karen Mitzo Hilderbrand. Kim has a masters degree in "Integrating the Arts in the Elementary School Curriculum". Karen is a graduate of Purdue University with a degree in Industrial Engineering. Both sisters are avid music lovers, taking after their father who has been a member of the Shaker Symphony for the past forty-three years. Using her musical background in the classroom, Kim taught her... read more

Album Description
Featuring the renowned music of Mozart, bach, Schumann, Grieg and other famous composers, "The Power Of Classical Music" combines combines unique solo instruments with Nashville's finest 16 piece string ensemble. From Mozart's well known "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" to the inspiring "Morning Mood" selection from Grieg, the musical patterns and brilliant melodies create a beautiful listening album for children and adults. Beacause research confirms that music has a positive effect on brain development and intelligence, we encourage you to play music for your child everyday. The beautiful arrangements will be calming at nap time and inspiring during playtime and travel time.

The Power of Classical Music

The Power of Classical Music, Music, Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Fryderyk Chopin, Christoph Willibald Gluck, Edvard Grieg, George Frideric Handel, Franz Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Bobby Taylor, Baroque Suite/Partita for Orchestra, Chamber, Chamber Music, Children's, Childrens, Classical Period Serenade/Cassation/Divertimento, Classical Sonata/Sonatina for Keyboard, Flute Solo/Sonata, Keyboard, Keyboard Work with Descriptive or Unclassified Title, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous Music, Nocturne for Keyboard, Orchestral, Pop, Quartet for Four String Instruments, Romantic Orchestral Music, Romantic Sonata/Sonatina for Keyboard, Suite for Orchestra

Inhuman Rampage
Average customer rating:

Video Games + Metal = Dragonforce

Dont get this, its not worth it.

It may be cheesy, but I love it!

They should be called StudioForce (or maybe DragonFarce)

Speed Metal's Finest

Inhuman Rampage
Dragonforce
Manufacturer: Roadrunner Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sonic Firestorm

The Valley of the Damned

The Crusade

A Matter Of Life And Death

The Black Halo

ASIN: B000FKO5DI
Release Date: 2006-06-20

Tracks:

Through The Fire And Flames
Revolution Deathsquad
Storming The Burning Fields
Operation Ground And Pound
Body Breakdown
Cry For Eternity
The Flame Of You
Trail Of Broken Hearts

Album Description

Prepare yourself for a gripping, exhilarating ride when DragonForce release their much-anticipated US debut, 'Inhuman Rampage' on Roadrunner Records. The album's title is an apt summation of a devastating musical journey, an unstoppable force that the six-man group brings forth on tour, leaving devastated cities in its wake. Combining the primal force of Power Metal with hard-earned musical proficiency, influences from band members' various cultural backgrounds and generous quantities of muscular melody in a unique style that they call 'Extreme Power Metal', DragonForce have established themselves as THE premiere international Heavy Metal export. The US version contains an enhanced video of "Through The Fire & Flames".

Album Description

After speeding to international sales over 85,000 in just three months, Dragonforce is poised to dominate the US. This 6-piece power metal band has no comparison. Combining blistering solos with epic choruses the band is ready to change the face of metal. Since forming in London in 1999, Dragonforce has taken UK, European and Japanese audiences by storm. 2003's debut album Valley Of The Damned set the stage and standard for a sound brimming with speed, technicality, catchiness and most importantly a lot of fun. On the heels of their first headlining US tour in May, the buzz on the street is growing and spreading through an infectious word of mouth reaching fans of all genres.

Customer Reviews:

Video Games + Metal = Dragonforce.......2007-06-22

Man this is really a revolution in power metal sound dragonforce, yeah i've never hear unique sound like this in power metal before, its have a video games sound, its video games from NES and atari era and herman li says yes vid games is one of his inspiration.

Dragonforce is very fast and unique power metal sound.

Dont get this, its not worth it........2007-06-08

If you want a good band, get something by Iron Maiden, Slayer, Slipknot, Trivium, 3 inches of blood, black sabbath, manowar or even kasabian. Anyway if youre die hard, read on.

1. Through the fire and flames: Brilliant introduction and tune. 9/10

2. Revolution Deathsquad: The chorus is awesome, but the rest is ok. 7/10

3. Storming the burning fields: This isnt one of the good tracks. Starts of good but theres little more to it. 6/10

4. Operation ground and pound: Excellent lyrics and singing. 9/10

5. Body Breakdown: Relatively slow, but a good tune. 8/10

6. Cry for Eternity: my favourite on the cd. 10/10

7. The Flame of youth: Didn't manage to get into this track. 6/10

8. Trail of broken hearts: A great way to end the cd, a soft track that concludes the other seven. 9.5/10

I dont suggest this to hardcore metal fans, but it makes a good addition when you have loads of music.

It may be cheesy, but I love it!.......2007-05-30

I do, I love it. I find myself trying to figure out what video game they got a particular melody from and I'm like, "what is that, Mega Man 3?" But, the cheesy part is not the main thing I like about it. It is the over-all vibe that this music carries. The insane speed and terrific melody of it all coupled with the beautifully vague fantasy of the lyrics gives me bouts of joy at times. When I'm in the mood for it, it is the best. I like many different kinds of music and when I'm in the mood for extreme power metal, nothing beats DragonForce.

They should be called StudioForce (or maybe DragonFarce).......2007-05-18

I fell for the hype and bought it. It was cool the 1st time then it was just noise. Very fast noise played well mind you but nothing to remember despite the press their getting. (What ever happen to The Darkness? Weren't THEY supposed to take the world by storm?)
If you go see them in concert you'll see why some call them Studioforce. Not nearly that good live. Very messy. I'll stick to Dream Theater for my speed kick. At least they can reproduce live what they release.

Speed Metal's Finest.......2007-05-14

The words upbeat and metal may seem to be strange bedfellows, but in this case DragonForce pulls it off very well. They are exceptionally goofy as well, and are willing to sing about: glory; honor; fighting demons; fighting wizards; more glory; and overcoming insurmountable odds, usually faced while fighting even more demons. Silly as all these are, they make for some really entertaining music.

Average customer rating:

dragon overated
Meh....
Conan the Guitararian
Excellent Metal
Awesome!

Sonic Firestorm
Dragonforce
Manufacturer: Noise
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Valley of the Damned
Inhuman Rampage
The Black Halo
Ecliptica
Silence

ASIN: B0001Z3HUY
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Tracks:

My Spirit Will Go On
Fury Of The Storm
Fields Of Dispair
Dawn Over A New World
Above The Winter Moonlight
Soldiers Of The Wasteland
Prepare For War
Once In A Lifetime

Customer Reviews:

dragon overated.......2007-06-25

dragonforce is awesome dont get me wrong, but there are much better bands out there. this cd is great i love it. a few songs on here somewhat suck. but its worth buying. if anything the best two songs are the first two. if you dont like anything else with a constant whammy, just buy the songs you like on itunes.

Meh...........2007-05-02

This is my first (and only) Dragonforce CD and honestly I tried... I tried real hard to like it, but I just don't get what people see in it. Yes, these guys are very skilled. Which is why I can't possibly give them a very low rating; guys this technically adept don't deserve the lowest rating! But these songs are just so uninteresting to me. One track sounds exactly like the next. It's just shred, shred, shred, at full-throttle, nonstop. I guess that's the point... but I find myself thinking "I can't wait for this CD to end already so I can put on something else..."

And in fact I like power metal as a genre, in general. Including the fantasy lyrics and everything. But I guess I like something with a bit more added interest, like some symphonic elements maybe, or a bit more progressive elements, or at least some occasional variation in tempo! A lot of folks put down Yngwie Malmsteen for "soul-less shredding" and I've never agreed with them; I like Yngwie Malmsteen's music a lot and I find quite a few of his compositions interesting and emotionally rich as well. But for some reason that is the very problem I have with this Dragonforce CD; the compositions don't seem very creative, and in the midst of all this breakneck speed it just seems to lack feeling...

Conan the Guitararian.......2007-04-14

No seriously, this album is amazing. Dragonforce is amazing. Any band that sings about epic quests, battling demons, blazing mountains of power, heroes of the night, fires of doom, tasting steel death, and so on, deserves homage. All you hear from most rock bands today is some punk kid whining about how depressed he is, or that he's lost without his girlfriend, or that he hates society. Then there is Dragonforce. Epic songs at a mind-exploding pace combining every fantasy book and RPG game I've played crunched into audio bliss.

Excellent Metal.......2007-02-21

Incredible music! To all those who love speed metal, this is one of the greatest!

Awesome!.......2007-02-19

This is awesome. Very intense, powerful...a 'marathon of music.' The lyrics are amazing, as are the vocals and guitars. The melodies are great as well; this is one of those CDs where you can just totally lose yourself for an hour again and again. And scream along to the music. Or, just enjoy it quietly, whichever you like...either way, definitely awesome, and definitely a worthy purchase.

Average customer rating:

Vallet of the Damned
Not as good as Sonic Firestorm or Inhuman Rampage
I'm sorry, but I have to state my opinion
the force of a dragon
A good Debut from the fastest power metal band

The Valley of the Damned
Dragonforce
Manufacturer: Noise
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sonic Firestorm
Inhuman Rampage
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Winterheart's Guild

ASIN: B000089J0R
Release Date: 2003-02-25

Tracks:

INVOCATION OF APOCALYPTIC EVIL
VALLEY OF THE DAMNED
BLACK FIRE
BLACK WINTER NIGHT
STARFIRE
DISCIPLES OF BABYLON
REVELATIONS
EVENING STAR
HEART OF A DRAGON

Customer Reviews:

Vallet of the Damned.......2007-05-22

The first Dragonforce Album. A must have for any Powermetal lover or just anyone who loves melody and people how know how to play their instruments

Not as good as Sonic Firestorm or Inhuman Rampage.......2007-03-08

I own all three of Dragonforce's albums, and this was the last one that I purchased. It definitely has a different sound to it than Sonic Firestorm and Inhuman Ramapge. VOtD isn't quite as filled with guitar shreddage and the overall recording sounds kind of echoey and hollow. I really like the sound of their last two albums better than this one. If you are new to Dragonforce I would suggest Sonic Firestorm and Inhuman Rampage, in that order, before you purchase this album. They have better recording quality and I think also better songs and overall a better sound.

I'm sorry, but I have to state my opinion.......2007-03-04

I believe Dragonforce is one of the worst bands ever. Now, I didn't say they aren't talented, what I'm saying is their music has no emotion. This is in no way metal. Metal is about AGGRESSION. If you add in a lead guitarist that plays video game riffs all day, there's no way you can headbang. The guitar solos are so robotic, it's ridiculous to the point that you have to stop playing all these annoying scales over and over again. Listen to a Darrell Dimebag solo. THAT'S EMOTION. This whole band sounds like something out of a Sonic the Hedgehog video game.To be honest, I have no idea how anyone could listen to something like this.
This band is TERRIBLE.

the force of a dragon.......2007-02-08

Love them or hate them. The best or the worst.
That's usually how it goes with Dragonforce. Despite whatever people say, I think Dragonforce's first effort, Valley of the Damned, is a great effort.

Valley of the Damned is THE song on this album. Everything else pales in comparison. In true Dragonforce style, the song is fast and the lyrics stay in the genre of fantasy. The outro to the song declines in speed, showing that the Li and Totman are indeed human.

Other good songs off the CD are Black Fire, Starfire, and Black Winter Night. The track to avoid is Revelations. If you memorize Valley of the Damned and listen to Revelations, you can clearly see a strong resemblence. If I were to listen to Revelations without even hearing Valley, I would still say it's a mediocre song.

If you like fast power metal with crazy guitar solos, then you'll enjoy Valley of the Damned. And if you're a true Dragonforce fan, you'll start to count how many times you hear "Over mountains high" in their songs...so far, I'm up to three.

A good Debut from the fastest power metal band.......2006-11-20

Dragonforce was first introduced to me by a friend. He told me that this one song called "Valley Of The Damned" is really good, so I took a listen and I was instantly hooked. Everything about it was great. The solos (keyboard and guitar), catchy drum beats and guitar riffs, excellent basslines, and the list goes on and on. So I went to the store and bought this immedietly. Little did i know that all of the songs sounded exactly the same. It wasn't exactly the wisest move in the world, but it sounds great nonetheless. I was yawning through all of it and I was sleeping at the end. But after a while these songs get better and better, but don't expect a masterpiece, but a very hungry band that was in the big leagues for the first time.

Fav. Tracks: Invocation of Apocolyptic Evil/Valley Of The Damned, Black Winter night, Starfire

Bach: The Four Great Toccatas and Fugues [SACD]

Average customer rating:

txbjones
My Fav CD now
Absolutely incredible experience
Bach: The Four Great Toccatas and Fugues
Beyond Fantastic

Bach: The Four Great Toccatas and Fugues [SACD]

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture etc. / Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops (Multichannel Hybrid SACD)
Mozart: Requiem in D Minor, K. 626 [Hybrid SACD with CD-ROM track of Mozart's Original Manuscript]
Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition, A Night on Bald Mountain, and Other Russian Showpieces [Hybrid SACD]
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Vivaldi: Four Seasons [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B00008PX99
Release Date: 2003-04-01

Customer Reviews:

txbjones.......2007-06-30

WOW - you have to listen to believe - my wife said she had not heard this music this good in some churches - channel separation is excellent - music is excellent - this is 1st SACD I have heard so I am in awe - all I can say is WOW

My Fav CD now.......2007-06-05

I have listened to this SACD several times in 2 days now, and it is my favorite now. On the Sony PS3, this SACD shows up as either a 2 channel or 8 channel from the XMB->Music->CD menu. I never listened to the 2 channel version, but listening the 8 channel version on my 7.1 Yamaha receiver just puts right there.

Absolutely incredible experience.......2007-05-22

Although I can't add much to the detailed reviews you'll read below, this ranks as the most amazing SACD I've had the pleasure of listening to. Sitting in the middle of my speakers, listening to the distinct sound of all four organs, was almost like a religious experience. Yes, it will indeed give your bass a workout, and should be a reference work for your system's bass performance. But I was equally amazed at the total musical range of these organs, and by the performer's dexterity in bringing out such a varied sound. Listen to the end of each piece as the last notes slowly fade away. The liner notes say that the hall's reverberation time is 6 seconds, but it seems even longer to me.

Bach: The Four Great Toccatas and Fugues.......2007-05-06

This CD is only worth junk to me as I do not have the advanced equipment on which to play it. I was ripped off by Amazon.

Beyond Fantastic.......2007-02-13

This is the most exciting and dramatic pipe organ recording I have ever heard. This recording has extremely low pedal tones that will rock the walls. My home theater system, which was primarily designed for music, has a Velodyne F 1500R sub-woofer, that is given a real workout by this marvelous recording. Guests who hear this recording in my home are astounded by the full range and drama of this truly unique pipe organ recording. (For that matter, I'm astounded by it.) Since I got this recording, I have become a fan of the Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C Major, BWV 564 which concludes the disc. One can see why Mr. Biggs saved this one for last.

This recording was originally made as a quadrophonic recording in October of 1973 at the Cathedral of Freiburg in Germany. With the advent of SACD, the full potential of the original master tapes can now be enjoyed in the home. This recording, however, has to be played on an SACD player.

The Cathedral has four pipe organs, that can be played from a central console. The recording gives each corner speaker it's own pipe organ, two in front, and two in the rear. The reverberation time of the Cathedral is six seconds which greatly enhances the feeling of spaciousness in this recording.

Those of you who are pipe organ fans should not miss out on this very special recording. If you do not have SACD yet, this recording alone is sufficient reason to make the move to SACD. If you are familiar with "Absolute Sound" magazine, then you know the name Harry Pearson. This recording was given Mr. Pearson's top rating, a "10", which is saying something.

Even if your not a pipe organ fan, and have a really great sub-woofer that needs a good workout, this is the way to go for an unequaled demonstration disc.

Average customer rating:

It a little different for them
WHAT HAPPENED!?!
Therion, freed from their chains...
Gothic Therion... Gothic Greatness!!!
Therion reimagined..........brilliant work!

Gothic Kabbalah
Therion
Manufacturer: Nuclear Blast Americ
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Illumination
Celebrators of Becoming
Lemuria/Sirius B
Nine Destinies and a Downfall
Griefshire

ASIN: B000KRN65E
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Tracks:

Der Mitternachtsl
Gothic Kabbalah
Perennial Sophia
Wisdom and the Cage
Son of the Staves of Time
Tuna 1613: Momentum Excitationis
Trul
Close Up the Streams

Tracks:

Wand of Abaris
Three Treasures
Path to Arcady
TOF - The Trinity
Chain of Minerva (2012)
Falling Stone
Adulruna Rediviva

Customer Reviews:

It a little different for them.......2007-07-12

It sounds like a slight departure from the Lemuria sound that I love. Feels a little less opera and a little more Lacuna Coil.

WHAT HAPPENED!?!.......2007-06-25

Maybe my standards have gotten too high after so many excellent CD's released by THERION. If this was a new band, I'd probably say it was pretty good as a first effort --- But not for THERION! I'll have to say that I was really disappointed with Gothic Kaballah. Everything that makes THERION stand out and above other bands is missing. The heavy guitars mixed with the backing orchestra is not here. The subtle (haunting) female singing has been replaced by more commercial lead female singing. The rythmic crunching of the bass guitar is gone. There are many different instruments used throughout the music, but without the full orchestra to back it up, it just sounds like they tried throw as many instuments as they could onto one CD. I guess if this is the worst that THERION puts out, then it's not too bad .......... It's just that they've done so much better before. I just hope that they get back to their roots in the future and don't continue in this direction. There are more than enough radio-friendly female-fronted bands out there right now. Let's hope that THERION doesn't fall into the same cookie-cutter frame that everyone else seems to be rushing into. I'm not dissing THERION for this CD, but it's their own fault that I'm so critical. Like I said before, maybe my standards are just too high based on everything that they put out before Gothic Kaballah.

Therion, freed from their chains..........2007-05-09

I don't know if it's due to their issues with their record label, but Therion seem to finally have shaken their orchestral shackles, which in my opinion kept them from truly finding their footing as a band. This is a mature album, where the instrumental choices seem to have been carefully considered, instead of simply thrown in because they could.

They've also lost the simplistic goth air they were carrying like an albatross for the last few years. Their themes are still in line with the goth ethos, but they have a much broader palette. This again is indicative of their maturity as a band.

Proof that you can do much more with less... Bravo.

Gothic Therion... Gothic Greatness!!!.......2007-04-28

Hell well...

The very first time I discovered this band was with Vovin Album.. I remember what this made me feel, It was like a shock!!! Sometimes you imagine an amount of things that you would like to gather in a band, to be perfect but It stays like a dream... This dream comes true to me with Therion... One of my TOP 3 bands... Opeth - Therion - Nevermore are my Trinity!!!! Thanks to the Gods for given me these Titanic Bands!!!!

Ahh, almost forgot... This Album it's great at all it's components, amazing Letters (for those who like Esoterism), Incredible singers and the unique sound of Therion... What else you could ask??? Just Great!!!

Tidelson!!!! I am your follower!!!!

Therion reimagined..........brilliant work!.......2007-03-28

There seems to be a school of thought out there that "Gothic Kabbalah" is kind of the climax of a sequence that started with "Voices of the Runes" and continued with "Lemuria/Sirius B". Maybe its because I'm not really very steeped in the lyrics and mythology of the thing, but to me "Gothic Kabbalah" sounds more like a whole new direction. Its always a little scary when a band you really like does something like this, but this is one of the times it really works.

This isn't a CD that is going to grab most people and pull them in right away. Its more an intricate piece of work that reveals itself over time...the more you put in, the more you get out of it. I've listened to it a half dozen times, at least, and I keep hearing new things and I keep "going whoa" at how seamless, detailed and beautifully crafted it all is. This approach isn't for everybody; if you have to have bombast and raw power your results may vary. But those who appreciate creativity, originality, pure musucianship and that incredibly addicting mix of beauty and power should rush out and get this.

Major points on the audio quality front too. This may be the best sounding metal CD I've ever heard. It has a very smooth and powerful sound and its extremely detailed and balanced across the entire spectrum. Guitars sound great and don't drown out anything else (all of you other bands, engineers, and producers - pay attention!)

If I had to choose between the last two Therion CDs I would probably still pick "Lemuria/Sirius B" over "Gothic Kabbalah" and I would definitely recommend "Lemuria/Sirius B" as a starting point for the uninitiated. But I think Therion made the absolutely correct choice in going in another direction (really, how do you top "Lemuria/Sirius B"?), I love the results so far, and am 100% behind "Gothic Kabbalah" and the "new" Therion. Nightwish is always going to be #1 for me, but I think Therion are the only ones out there that are on the same level.

Average customer rating:

Antiphonal Masterpiece
All-star brass
Instant playing
A VERY special album
I think Gabrieli would like this album

The Antiphonal Music of Gabrieli

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Gabrieli: The Canzonas and Sonatas from Sacrae Symphoniae 1597

ASIN: B0000029PE
Release Date: 1996-10-01

Tracks:

Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon Septimi Toni No. 2
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon Duodecimi Toni
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon A 12
Giovanni Gabrieli: Sonata Octavi Toni
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon Per Sonare No. 27
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon Quarti Toni
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon A 12
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon Per Sonare No. 28
Giovanni Gabrieli: Sonate Pian'e Forte
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon Primi Toni
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon Septimi Toni No. 1
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon Noni Toni
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon Per Sonare No. 2
Giovanni Gabrieli: Primo Tono
Giovanni Gabrieli: Secondo Tono
Giovanni Gabrieli: Terzo E Quarto Tono
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon Per Sonare No. 1 La Spiritata
Giovanni Gabrieli: Ottavo Tono
Giovanni Gabrieli: Nono Tono
Giovanni Gabrieli: Decimo Tono
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon Per Sonare No. 3 Intonazioni D'organo
Giovanni Gabrieli: Undicesimo Tono
Giovanni Gabrieli: Duodecimo Tono
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon Per Sonare No. 4
Giovanni Gabrieli: Fantasia In The Sixth Tone
Giovanni Gabrieli: Tocata In D Minor
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon Prima In G Major
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon Seconda In C Major
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon Terza In A Minor
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon Quarta In G Minor
Giovanni Gabrieli: Canzon Quinta In G Minor
Giovanni Gabrieli: Toccata In G Major

Amazon.com

Venice was a good place to be in the 17th century if you liked to hang out in church--not that you had much choice in those days. Gabrieli's reputation rests on his "polychoral" compositions: works for several choirs, a choir being any size group of voices or instruments. For example, a sacred composition for three choirs might have two brass groups and one chorus, or two choruses and one brass ensemble. The idea was to keep things flexible to allow for changing local conditions. The result, in any case, was a magnificent "question and answer" style of writing, in which great blocks of harmony challenged each other from opposite sides of San Marco Cathedral. If this sort of thing intrigues you, then you owe it to yourself to hear this terrific collection. It's a cosmic experience. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Antiphonal Masterpiece.......2007-05-16

This recording unifies arguably the 3 best brass sections from American Brass orchestras in a performance of the antiphonal music of Giovanni Gabrieli. The Chicago, Philadelphia, and Cleveland brass sections are used here and they work together as groups as well as they ever did with their corresponding orchestras. This was recorded without conductor, rehearsal, or even a tuning note, however, this is irrelevant when looking at the result. Given performers of the caliber of Adolph "Bud" Herseth, Arnold Jacobs, and Gilbert Johnson it is little wonder that this fine quality could be achieved with minimum preparation. I have looked at a number of other examples of this music including recordings by the Empire Brass and the Canadian Brass (and friends) and neither comes close to the emotion and beauty of this performance.

The different groups played directed off the vocal and instrumental parts written by Gabrieli making any adjustment for transposition in their head on sight, thus allowing them all to be as much focused on the music as possible as they were not looking at 3rd generation arrangements which always tend to leave out markings. These possibly were the best brass performers in America at the time and their interpretations are unified through exceptional listening across the ensemble for intonation, style, and tempo. A slightly non-justifiable reason that I hold for this album's excellence is the raw energy and beauty of this unprepared collaboration. In the time of Gabrieli, rehearsals were rare, and musicians would, on a daily basis, sit down and perform music that they hadn't studied, and while these are not the original instruments for which Gabrieli wrote, the quick pacing of this production (one weekend) to me lends more on the positive side for the enjoyment of the listener.

In short, this is a remarkable collaboration of some of the best performers on fantastic Renaissance literature and worthy of owning merely for that fact, and when combined with live and engaging performances where the music is played expertly from one section to the next off of each individual, this album becomes a gem for anyone with an interest in the brass ensemble sound.

All-star brass.......2007-01-17

If you like antiphonal music or even just music, it doesn't get any better! With the best brass players in the world playing Gabrieli, you couldn't want more musically!

Instant playing.......2006-07-11

I very like the diversity of instruments used in this recording, and it is shure something special to have all the first brass of so many US orchestras together. But they play on first sight, without preparation, and this results in lack of precision, it is just not the right kind of music to do "ad-hoc". They would do very well with Jazz, but not with Gabrieli. Nevertheless the performance is by far better then the one of Empire Brass. Overall I would recommend the complete Gabrieli Works on Naxos played by London Brass. They lack diversity of instruments because they play on Trumpets and Trombones only, but there is the precision adn musicality.

A VERY special album.......2005-08-03

If you've been into brass for 40 years, you probably already know that this is a very unusual gathering of the top of the top!
My only complaint is with the web site sound samples being MONO !
This album is in STEREO and really portrays the placement of the 3 major antiphonal quintets! You won't be disapointed.

I think Gabrieli would like this album.......2005-04-28

The purists have a good point - this recording is not historically accurate. In Gabrieli's time most written music was for sacred events. I'm sure the church officials would have objected to the volume level and intensity of this recording. Composers in the Renaissance and Baroque periods were pretty much slaves to their employers. I think that if Gabrieli had present day instruments and full performance control he would have performed his works differently.
If you love quality brass music read the five star reviews and buy this album!

Average customer rating:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!
Beginner or Expert
Very Informative and Enjoyable
Frank's view
Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra

Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006O0NT
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

Overture To 'Tannhauser'
Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
Hungarian Dance No.7
The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
Csardas Music
The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
Tzigane
Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
Caprice No.24
The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
The Violin Muted
Clair De Lune
The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
The Pizzicato Violin
Pizzicato Polka
In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
Hungarian Dance No.4
Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
Bolero
Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
Elfenreigen

Tracks:

Introduction To The Viola
Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
Cypresses (No.9)
The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
The 'Period' Viola In Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
Elfentanz, Op.39
Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
The Protecting Veil (Opening)
A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
Flamenco
Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
Symphony No.9 (Finale)
Introduction To The Double-Bass
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
Elegy No.1 In D Major
The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
Capriccio Di Bravura
Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
Sa'Dawi
Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
Chamber Music No.II
The Piccolo - Aptly Named
La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
A Variety Of Techniques
Chamber Music No.II
Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
Naelden, Naelden
The Bachian Oboe
Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
The Swan Of Tuonela
The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
Bolero
The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
...And Quite Low.
Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
Introduction To The Saxophone
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
Bolero
The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
Sax-O-Phun
The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
Bolero
The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
Symphony No.3 (Opening)
The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
The Ceremonial Trumpet
Fanfare For The Common Man
Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
Billy The Kid
The Trumpet As Character Actor
Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
The Birth Of The Trombone
Aenmerckt Nu Hier
The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
Canzon 12 In Double Echo
The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
Hosannah
The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
The Trombone As Caricaturist
Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
The Horn And The Hunt
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
Walter Music (Minuet 1)
The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
Den Hoboecken Dans
Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
Gymnopedie No.2
The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
The Birth Of The Bongo
Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
Taking Advantage Of Tunability
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
Ravel And The Xylophone
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
Introducing The Vibraphone
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
Folk Dances
The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
Introducing The Tubular Bells
Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
Carmen Suite (Introduction)
But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Introducing The Celeste
The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
Petrushka (Russian Dance)
The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
Mahler's Sleighbells
Symphony No.4 (Opening)
A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Nocturnes
Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
The Oboe As Duck
Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
A Thunderstorm In A Million
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
Octet In F (Mvt 3)
The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
Canzon 28
Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
Images (Gigues)
A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

Tracks:

Dies Irae
Tuba Mirum
Pie Jesu
O Fortuna
Dies Irae
Rex Tremendae
Confutatis
Lacrimosa
Polovtsian Dances
Missa: Kyrie Eleison
Hallelujah Chorus
The Shepherd's Farewell
Sanctus
The Heavens Are Telling
'Va, pensiero' (Chorus Of The Hebrew Slaves)
Nyne Otpushchayeshi (Now Let Thy Servant Depart)
Dies Irae

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful choir music CD.......2007-07-12

I just enjoy in it very much. The best of the choir music in very good performance.

Best of American Choral Singing!.......2003-02-08

This CD could be the cornerstone of your choral music library! Wonderful performances of all of the essential choral pieces give a wonderful introduction to choral music for someone new to it, and also give a nice sampler of the best pieces for someone already familiar with the music. Listening to each excerpt may inspire you to purchase the entire work!

As you would expect of performances by Robert Shaw's groups, these performances are really extraordinary and show the best of American choral singing.

A good album, but--.......2001-12-28

The three stars I have given this album are not for the performances, which are all tremendous and deserve five stars or more, but for the idea of releasing this sort of compilation. Every single one of these selections is part of a larger Shaw-recorded work already released by Telarc, and you are far better off seeking the complete recordings that all these pieces are from, than just buying a mere "sampler". (Shaw, however, never did get around to recording the complete " L' Enfance du Christ".) Of course, that can be very expensive for some people, and if one cannot afford all those recordings, I suppose this is the next best thing. One can't shake off the feeling, however, that because Shaw is no longer with us, Telarc is desperately trying to give the impression that "new" Shaw recordings are constantly being released by them, when the truth is that nearly all the new ones are mere recyclings. (The last complete Robert Shaw album released by Telarc was Dvorak's "Stabat Mater", a CD well worth buying.)

Awesome.......2000-04-04

This album is so up-lifting. As the music soars, so do your spirits.

Average customer rating:

Excellent
E.Power Briggs Organ playing Bach's best
The benchmark of the four tocatta's and fugue's
Nothing can top this one!!!
A great recording by a great organist

Bach: The Four Great Toccatas & Fugues

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Works for Organ - Essential Classics
The Biggs Bach Book
Bach: The Four Great Toccatas and Fugues [SACD]
Bach: Four Great Toccatas & Fugues
Bach: Great Organ Works

ASIN: B0000026HJ
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Toccata And Fugue In D Minor, BWV 565: Toccata
Toccata And Fugue In D Minor, BWV 565: Fugue
The Four Great Toccatas & Fugues: Toccata
The Four Great Toccatas & Fugues: Fugue
The Four Great Toccatas & Fugues: Toccata
The Four Great Toccatas & Fugues: Fugue
The Four Great Toccatas & Fugues: Toccata
The Four Great Toccatas & Fugues: Adagio
The Four Great Toccatas & Fugues: Fugue
The Four Great Toccatas & Fugues: We All Believe In One God
The Four Great Toccatas & Fugues: Jesus, My Joy
Fantasy In G Major, BWV 572

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2007-06-22

This is possibly the best recording made of classical music in history. The opening Toccata is backed by a number of excellent fugues, with the first track becoming extremely well known but usually not played in its entirety. What I really like is the futuristic gothic sound which is the look and feel I go for on a daily basis. The 1700s was right here right now but didn't date very bad at all. The sound is still modern and Bach is a lot better than Mozart. My social worker got me into some classical music, at least to the point where I wasn't shy to check it out at the library and rip it on my hard drive. Better than Handel's Messiah. I love it!

E.Power Briggs Organ playing Bach's best.......2007-03-16

This is simply the best recording of Bach's Toccata & Fugue D-minor on an organ; or, should I say organs, as this recording was made while Briggs played simualtaneously on the four antiphonal organs in the Cathedral of Freiburg Germany. The set-up was made possible by the ability of one organ keyboard to play all of the four organs in the cathedral at once. A totally unique organ system in all of the world I understand.
But this special set-up is just a great addition to the best recorded playing of this most famous (and best work in my view)of Bach's Toccata & Fugue in D- minor. I'm no expert...just a listener...but man, this guy Briggs could really play that thing.
Turn this up as high as the law will allow and engulf yourself in this best organ piece ever written, played by one of the best organ players ever and played on one of the best organ set-ups ever recorded.
You just won't find better.

The benchmark of the four tocatta's and fugue's.......2006-06-05

This has been, by far, my favorite album in my collection. This is the best way to experience Bach's true genius. By having available four instruments controlled by one console allowed Mr. Power-Biggs to let the listener hear what Bach wanted you to hear in his music. If he were alive today, I'm sure Bach would have been the greatest proponent of multi-channel recording. If only Michael Murray would go to Freiburg and re-create this great performance, perhaps adding the Passacaglia and Fugue in c, and the 'Great' Fantasia and Fugue in g, or the Prelude and Fugue in a (BWV543). What an awe inspiring album this would be, recorded in DTS!

Nothing can top this one!!!.......2005-04-27

This recording has a long history for me. It is the first album I ever ordered. I was 12 years old at the time (1977).
I had the stereo pressing and wore it out. I was thrilled when this album was finally issued on CD. Even though I don't have the Super Audio CD version, the original CD release can hold its own against any disc. The Chorale Preludes ("We all believe in one God" and "Jesus, my joy") and the Fantasy in G major - none of which appeared on the original LP release - are also quite enjoyable.

My only complaint is that the original 1974 album cover for "The Four Great Toccatas and Fugues" was not reproduced for the CD release. It does, however, appear on the Super Audio CD.

This is the CD by which I measure all other performances of these works, including earlier recordings made of them by E. Power Biggs. In some instances, I believe that once you're accustomed to hearing a piece performed a certain way, then you will use that approach as your yardstick to measure other performances of that same work. That hasn't applied to me in all cases. I replaced my first recording of Brahms' "Haydn Variations" with a version I heard by a different conductor and orchestra. I made the same switch with Haydn's "Surprise Symphony" a few years later.

Happily, I feel I have the definitive rendition of Bach's Four Great Toccatas and Fugues. Buy it, crank it up and enjoy it!!!

A great recording by a great organist.......2003-08-12

This recording of Bach's four great Toccata & Fugues is noteworthy for two reasons. First, Biggs' performance in all four is exceptional, leading me quickly from indifference to the two least-known to being a great fan of all of them. Second, this recording, heard in a good pair of headphones, gives you not only left and right stereo but an astonishing sense of forward and back. The way the engineers managed to create this effect, in a way that's easily reproduced without expensive audiophile equipment, is simply amazing.

At the time of this recording, the Freiburg Muenster boasted two large organs in the crossing, a choir organ, and a supplemental set of pipes (mainly trumpets and other ornamental stops) near the main entrance on the nave, all of which could be operated from one console. Biggs handles this awesome array of organ power superbly, choosing his stops for maximum musical -- and spatial -- effect. While the rare effect of playing four organs at once is apparent with speakers, the front/back effect is best heard through headphones.

Tracks:

Overture To The Marriage Of Figaro
Piano Sonata No. 15, K .545
The Sleigh Ride (From Three German Dances, K. 605)
Horn Concerto No.4, K.495
Variations On Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, K. 265
Violin Concerto No.4, K. 218
Piano Sonata No.10, K. 331- (Rondo Alla Turca)
Piano Concerto No.21, K.467
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - (Romance)
Serenade For Winds, K.3 75 - (Adagio)
Selections From The 'Marriage Of Figaro': Cavatina - ('Se Vuol Ballare, Signor Contino')
Selections From The 'Marriage Of Figaro': Aria - ('Non Piu Andrai')
Selections From The 'Marriage Of Figaro': Terzetto - ('Susanna Or Via Sortite')
Symphony No. 38, 'Prague' - (Andante)
Ave Vernum Corpus, K. 618

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyable Classical Music.......2006-10-26

This cd is great because unlike other classical music cds made for babies, this one even adults can enjoy. Sometimes they change the song so that it sounds more like something a baby will appeal too, but this one just keeps the original song format which means even people without babies would be able to enjoy some of Mozart's classics.

Beautiful Collection of Classical Music.......2006-08-07

This is a fantastic CD of beautiful music. It is uplifting and soothing at the same time. I have several good classic music compilations CDs, but this is my favorite and the one that gets played daily! When the littlest one is napping, it goes on. When I'm cooking, it goes on. When we have the TV off and the kids are playing games or making puzzles, it is on! It stays in my kitchen CD player so at a touch of a button, lovely music can fill the house.

Check out the samples above (my [...] especially likes #5, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star). It is not "children's music," a disc of lullabies, or something to reserve for baby shower gifts. I cannot say enough good things about this disc! This is great music that makes you feel good - if it is building our brains too, all the better! Try it and enjoy :)

Build baby's brain with Classics Vol 2.......2006-07-25

I am a true fan of Classical music and this was purchased as a gift for a co-worker who is adopting a child from China. Therefore I did not open it nor listen to it. The recipient is now overseas picking up their daughter so I know they haven't had the opportunity to listen to it. I think it's a great idea, though.

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