Coda [Original recording remastered]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Coda, released in 1982 after the breakup of the band, was the result of a trawl through the studio archives in search of leftover material. In fact, they had already used up almost all of the good stuff; this was Led Zeppelin's only disappointing album. Nevertheless, even relatively poor material by Led Zeppelin is decent and some tracks here are classic, notably "Poor Tom," "Ozone Baby," and "Wearing and Tearing." The latter, one of three outtakes from the In Through the Out Door sessions, features a particularly high-octane blend of stripped-down, grungy rock & roll and is considered their response to the then-burgeoning punk movement. With so little studio material available, live versions of "I Can't Quit You Babe" and "We're Gonna Groove" from 1970 flesh out the set; the former features some blistering playing. --James Swift

Coda, Music, Led Zeppelin, Pop, Rock, Rock/Pop
Baby Beethoven
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Baby loves this mucic!
  • Music to her ears!
  • ok
  • Ugh! Glorified Music-Box Music
  • A Classy Classical CD
 Baby Beethoven
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Buena Vista
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000065V7N
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Product Description

The Baby Beethoven music CD is an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award winner. Featuring 19-tracks, the 35-minute collection designed as a playful introduction to the drama and range of Beethoven's music. All of the pieces featured on the Baby Beethoven music CD were composed in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and trace the range of history's most famous musician. Masterfully re-orchestrated by the Baby Einstein Music Box Orchestra for little ears, Baby Beethoven music CD is an excellent audio accompaniment to any child's playtime. Tracks from this delightful CD are featured on Baby Einstein's Baby Beethoven DVD.Musical Selections:1. Tune up and theme from Symphony No. 9, 2nd movement2. Symphony No. 1, 1st movement, Op. 213. Minuet in G4. Sonata in F5. Sonata No. 14 (Moonlight), 2nd movement, Op. 27, No. 26. The Ruins of Athens, Turkish March, Op. 1137. Rondo in C, Op. 51, No. 18. Fur Elise, WoO 599. Rondo a Capriccio in G, Op. 12910. Symphony No. 5, 1st movement, Op. 6711. Military March No. 1 in F, WoO 1812. Sonatina in G13. Sonata 8 (Pathetique), 3rd movement, Op. 1314. Symphony No. 9, 4th movement, Op. 12515. Sonata No. 2, 1st movement, Op. 2, No. 216. Allegro for a Flute Clock17. Symphony No. 6, 3rd movement, Op. 6818. Sonata No. 8 (Pathetique), 2nd movement Op. 1319. Symphony No. 9, 4th movement coda, Op. 125Age: Birth +Awards:* Billboard Magazine Top Midline Classical Albums (#2) - 2004* Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award (2002)

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Baby loves this mucic!.......2007-02-17

Puts our 6-week old daughter to sleep. What more could you ask for!

4 out of 5 stars Music to her ears!.......2006-11-04

One of the first things I bought for my infant daughter was a collection of the Baby Einstein cd's, and I'm so glad I did! My girl just loves to listen and brightens up everytime the orchestra tunes up at the start of the cd. It is simplified, so not as thrilling for mom, but no real complaints... It certainly beats the Wiggles.

3 out of 5 stars ok.......2006-02-15

This CD is just ok. I like the "Baby Needs..." collection much better. The music in this CD is nice, but some of it is fast paced and does not work well to listen to during nap time. My son seems to enjoy it, though. It is nice for playtime.

1 out of 5 stars Ugh! Glorified Music-Box Music.......2005-12-04

My husband and I are fans of classical music with a substantial CD collection. When we found out we were pregnant, I picked up the Baby Beethoven CD from my local library to see what it was like.

It's glorified music box music... some of the pieces are almost impossible to distinguish without checking the jewel case for the name.

If you really want to expose your child to Beethoven, don't waste your time with this CD. For soothing sleepy-time music, try "Beethoven at Bedtime."

5 out of 5 stars A Classy Classical CD.......2005-04-15

Classical music makes your baby smart? Who cares what the "experts" say? As a mom, I judge any children's music CD by how often my kids ask to hear it. And Baby Beethoven CD gets two tiny thumbs up! My 5-year-old daughter has enjoyed this music since she was small (we also own the VHS tape). Now her younger sisters love it, too. The play list of 19 selections ranges from soothing symphonies, such as Symphony No. 6 in F major ("Pastoral"), to lively sonatas, like the Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor ("Pathétique") that inspire my girls to leap and twirl across the room. And that makes this CD a smart buy.
Coda
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Scraping the bottom of the barrel...
  • CODA IS A COMPILATION OF STUDIO OUTTAKES AND UNRELEASED LIVE TRACKS.
  • Leftovers? Retreads? The Rest?
  • Even Zeppelin's "trash" is great....
  • A great but wrongly panned Zep version of The Beatles' Let it Be
 Coda
Led Zeppelin
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002JSR
Release Date: 1994-08-16

Tracks:

  1. We're Gonna Groove
  2. Poor Tom
  3. I Can't Quit You Baby
  4. Walter's Walk
  5. Ozone Baby
  6. Darlene
  7. Bonzo's Montreux
  8. Wearing And Tearing

Amazon.com

Coda, released in 1982 after the breakup of the band, was the result of a trawl through the studio archives in search of leftover material. In fact, they had already used up almost all of the good stuff; this was Led Zeppelin's only disappointing album. Nevertheless, even relatively poor material by Led Zeppelin is decent and some tracks here are classic, notably "Poor Tom," "Ozone Baby," and "Wearing and Tearing." The latter, one of three outtakes from the In Through the Out Door sessions, features a particularly high-octane blend of stripped-down, grungy rock & roll and is considered their response to the then-burgeoning punk movement. With so little studio material available, live versions of "I Can't Quit You Babe" and "We're Gonna Groove" from 1970 flesh out the set; the former features some blistering playing. --James Swift

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Scraping the bottom of the barrel..........2007-05-09

Released two years after the band's breakup, "Coda" is a collection of leftovers from Led Zeppelin's career. Fair warning, I tend to hate these kinds of compilations-- most of the time the stuff left in the bucket was left there for a reason, and while demos can be interesting to hear, they're usually of limited value. This record collects two tracks recorded live in 1970 and subsequently overdubbed ("We're Gonna Groove" and "I Can't Quit You Baby"), one leftover each from "Led Zeppelin 3" ("Poor Tom") and "Houses of the Holy" ("Walter's Walk"), no less than three from "In Through the Out Door" ("Ozone Baby", "Darlene" and "Wearing and Tearing") and a drum feature by John Bonham with subsequent overdubs by Page ("Bonzo's Montreaux").

"Coda" pretty much lives up to my previous comments-- nothing here is awful, "Poor Tom" has a nice chug to it, "Darlene", while in serious need of lyrical development, has a decent riff, but by and large it moves from one unmemorable piece ("We're Gonna Groove") to another ("Ozone Baby"). The only real (and quite noteworthy at that) is "I Can't Quit You Baby"-- a downright explosive performance, guitarist Jimmy Page provides response to vocalist Robert Plant's call over a nice blues groove before cutting loose into one of his fiercest solos on record. But one track doesn't do much to resurrect an album, and this one is pretty much for collector's only.

5 out of 5 stars CODA IS A COMPILATION OF STUDIO OUTTAKES AND UNRELEASED LIVE TRACKS........2007-02-26

I will be writing a review on the legendary compilation album simply entitled "CODA" by one of Rock's greatest legendary bands, I give you one of England's pride and joy's, the MIGHTY LED ZEPPELIN. "CODA" was originally released in 1982 on Vinyl/LP and Cassette on the Swan Song Inc. Records label which is distributed by Atlantic Records. This album would eventually see its release on Compact Disc in the late 80's. As always, if I hear any new additional information concerning this legendary album or the artist, I will edit this review immediately so that you the consumer will get the best informative and most accurate review possible.

CODA in the dictionary means the final passage of a movement or composition. After John Bonham passed into immortality in September 1980, many Rock critics as well as many fans such as myself have wondered if Atlantic Records and Swan Song Inc. would ever go through the vaults and release an album consisting of unreleased outtakes and live tracks by LED ZEPPELIN? It would take two years before the world got its answer. The release of "CODA" would express many different opinions from millions of fans as well as the Rock critics. In my opinion, "CODA" is LED ZEPPELIN'S planned farewell. "CODA" is also a beautiful tribute to the late great John Bonham. In reality, "CODA" is a very good album. "CODA" actually spans from 1969 to the final 1978-1979 "IN THROUGH THE OUT DOOR" sessions.

In my opinion, the best songs on this album are the a*s kicking "We're Gonna Groove," (1969) the incredible "Walter's Walk," (1972) the breathtaking "Ozone Baby," (1978) the groundbreaking "Darlene" (1978) and the blistering killer Rocker "Wearing And Tearing." (1978)

The other songs such as the great acoustic "Poor Tom," (1970) the live sound check rehearsal "I Can't Quit You Baby" (1970) and the incredible "Bonzo's Montreux" (1976) are all also very good tracks that deserve to be heard.

Listening to all these great songs makes me wonder why LED ZEPPELIN omitted these songs from their perspective albums. These songs are really good.

Overall, this is definitely an album worth seeking and checking out.

I would like to highly recommend purchasing this legendary album to own as a valuable and important part of his or her own personal music collection. This album will definitely prove to stand the test of time and will always be around to be enjoyed, appreciated and cherished for many years to come, NOW AND FOREVER.

In closing, with the success of "CODA," there would be more unreleased concerts and albums from LED ZEPPELIN in the years ahead to keep the ZEPPELIN legend alive. As it seems, there is still plenty of air left in the ZEPPELIN blimp to keep the LED ZEPPELIN legend alive and kicking. With this in mind, it would seem that LED ZEPPELIN is REBORN all over again. So here's to you Robert, Jimmy, John Paul and the late great John Bonham. And as the saying goes, "AND THE REST IS ROCK N' ROLL HISTORY," am I wrong? Thanks for reading my review and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it for your reading pleasure. I also hope that you will read all of my other reviews in the near future when time permits. LED ZEPPELIN FOREVER. R.I.P. MR. JOHN HENRY BONHAM. Long Live Rock n' Roll. Rock out always and take it easy. Forever In Rock, John L.

5 out of 5 stars Leftovers? Retreads? The Rest?.......2007-02-13

Better than most rock groups at their zenith. I really, really like this cd a lot. Especially the version in the Complete Studio Recordings.

5 out of 5 stars Even Zeppelin's "trash" is great...........2007-01-10

Despite the fact that this album is leftover tracks over the course of Led Zeppelin's career, the 8 tracks are excellent, and this album has a coherent feel despite being recorded over a period of 8 years or so. I find that remarkable. Led Zeppelin shows the world how great they were/are with this album. It's an album of rejected songs, and it's stil better than most of the drek out today (and even back in Zeppelin's heyday). The only other artists who have great "rejected" songs are Bob Dylan and Frank Zappa. There isn't a wasted track here. I really like the killer riff from Walter's Walk, the scorching We're Gonna Groove, and the insane I Can't Quit You Baby (which is superior to the version on Led Zeppelin I). Despite having a mere 8 tracks and just over a half hour long, you should pick this up. It's awesome.

5 out of 5 stars A great but wrongly panned Zep version of The Beatles' Let it Be.......2006-08-10

Led Zeppelin's odds and ends album Coda was released in November of 1982.
How this album came to be, let's set the stage shall we.
In 1980, Led Zeppelin were riding high on the success of In Through the Out Door which was on its way to selling 7 million copies in the US alone(not bad for Zep standards and outsold Zep 3 and Presence). The band toured Europe and were selling out venues nightly but then traged struck, drummer John Bonham passed away on September 25, 1980 as the band was rehearsing for a US tour. Over two months later, the band broke up after the death of Bonham whose style was hard to replicate and deemed him irreplaceable.
Throughout 1981 and 1982, guitarist Jimmy Page worked on the soundtrack to Death Wish II and Robert Plant released his solo debut Pictures at Eleven(which hit #3 in the US). Also, Page went through the Zep vaults to cobble together a final Led Zeppelin album which would be called Coda.
The recordings were from between 1970 and 1978 with some fresh overdubs by Plant and Page where required as followed.
We open with the rocker We're Gonna Groove which is the same version as it would appear on the 2003 Led Zeppelin DVD and recorded at The Royal Albert Hall in January, 1970(not Morgan Studios like the notes stated). It's the same version as on the DVD but Page overdubbed guitar solos in 1982 to fill out the song(the overdubs are not on the DVD version) and Plant's voice went through a phaser(unlike teh DVD version). Next is Poor Tom which is a great countryish outtake from Led Zeppelin III. The song has Page playing acoustic guitar over a classic Bonzo drum pattern with Jonesy filling out the bass and Plant singing and playing harmonica. Next is I Can't Quit You Baby which is the same song as on Led Zeppelin I, but on steroids. Harder drumming and more furious guitar & singing than on the original. It has a very raw feel to it. This track is also on the Zep DVD from Royal Albert Hall but shortened for vinyl constraints(and not a rehearsal like the liner notes state). The first half ends with the Houses of the Holy outtake Walter's Walk. This rocker just rocks and would have appeared on Houses save time constraints and there were no lyrics so Plant recorded the vocals in 1981/82 with fresh lyrics.
The album's second half consists of the outtakes from In Through the Out Door except as noted. The rocker Ozone Baby is from the ITtOD sessions and was one of the rock radio hits from the album. Darlene is next and is one of the album's best tracks and the biggest rock radio hit from the album. Another ITtOD outtake which just rocks. Next is Bonzo's Montreux which is a John Bonham drum workout that was recorded in Montreux in 1976. It just features Bonham and Page messing around in the studio one day and Page later added some electronic stuff to it. The closing Wearing and Tearing is Zeppelin's answer to the punk music movement that was popular in Europe at the time(it didn't get big in the US until years later) and is from the ITtOD sessions. It has a very fast-paced beat and is a killer rocker.
Coda, when released, quickly stormed to #4 on the Billboard album chart and went Platinum quick but by then Men at Work, Michael Jackson, A Flock of Seagulls and later Duran Duran were all dominating the US music scene.
In 1993, this album was re-issued on The Complete Studio Recordings box set(see review) with the four bonus tracks that appeared on Led Zeppelin's 1990 and 1993 box sets.
If you are an unbiased Zep fan(like myself), pick this up, if not your loss.
Recommended!
The Godfather: Trilogy 1, 2 & 3
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Noticeably different from the original soundtrack, but that doesn't make it any less fantastic.
  • pensieri da Staciella
  • Do not confuse music you love with rendition you won't
  • Great Quality
  • Disappointing performance of classic Godfather music...
 The Godfather: Trilogy 1, 2 & 3

Manufacturer: Silva America
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  5. Italian Mandoline: Funiculi Funicula

ASIN: B000059LEY
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

  1. The Godfather: The Godfather - Waltz
  2. The Godfather: Love Theme From The Godfather
  3. The Godfather: Sicilian Pastorale
  4. The Godfather: The Pick-Up
  5. The Godfather: The Godfather - Tarantella
  6. The Godfather: The Godfather - Mazurka
  7. The Godfather: The Godfather - Finale
  8. The Godfather - Part II: The Immigrant
  9. The Godfather - Part II: Kay
  10. The Godfather - Part II: Marcia Stilo Italiano
  11. The Godfather - Part II: The Godfather Part II - End Title
  12. The Godfather - Part III: Marcia Religiosa
  13. The Godfather - Part III: Marcia Festa
  14. The Godfather - Part III: The Immigrant/Love Theme From The Godfather III.
  15. The Godfather - Part III: The Godfather III - Intermezzo
  16. The Godfather - Part III: Prld From Cavalleria Rusticana
  17. The Godfather - Part III: Coda - The Godfather Part III Finale

Amazon.com

The Godfather saga may have its roots in pulp fiction, but the vision of director Francis Ford Coppola turned the story of Don Vito Corleone into an epic, multigenerational metaphor for modern American society and its place in the world. Coppola's musical choices were equally sage; aged Italian scoring legend Nino Rota's mournful solo trumpet theme ("Godfather Waltz") would become both a crucial, emotional link in all three films and an enduring modern icon on a par with the themes to Star Wars and Jaws.

This compendium gathers key themes from the Godfather trilogy in modern rerecordings, by conductor Paul Bateman and the Prague Philharmonic, that are sonically pristine and faithful to the originals. Utilizing the rich musical heritage of his native Italy (and occasionally evoking memories of his great collaborations with Fellini), Rota's Godfather music would ultimately net him his only Oscar ®, for Godfather II. Carmine Coppola, the director's father, supplements Rota's work with music that's more distinctly ethnic, while the prelude from Italian classical composer Pietro Mascagani's masterful opera Cavalleria Rusticana becomes a crucial element in Godfather III, filling the void left by Rota's passing in 1979. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Noticeably different from the original soundtrack, but that doesn't make it any less fantastic........2006-11-10

When I first reading the reviews to this Soundtrack collection, I was a bit skeptical, as I read many reviews which mentioned the differences among this collection and the original soundtracks. Being a huge fan of the films and their music, I was a bit nervous about my purchase, but figured how bad could it sound? It's the Godfather!

However, when I got the CD in the mail, I was pleasantly surprised. While I did notice some differences (Tarantella sounds somewhat changed) between the Collection songs and the original analogs, they were not a change for worse. These tracks produced the same, if not greater emotional response than those from the films.

Listening to the whole soundtrack is a great experience from beginning to end for fans of the films and their music, and I absolutely praise the Prague Philharmonic orchestra, Crouch End Festival Chorus, and conductor Paul Bateman for their excellent transition of the original work into this 30th Anniversary collection.

If you like the music from the films, get this disc!

4 out of 5 stars pensieri da Staciella.......2004-06-29

E un vero piacere per me quando ascolto a chisto disco perche le canzoni mi fanno ricordare Sicilia. Ma chisto disco manca solamente una canzone speciale, "E Bruciata La Terra." 'Sta canzone era cantata dal figghiu di Michele quando sono in Sicilia. Chista canzone e una canzone di Sicilia antica, rappresenta la cultura siciliana, e veramente e una canzone beddissima.

2 out of 5 stars Do not confuse music you love with rendition you won't.......2003-11-11

I would not like to repeat what another reviewer said there: this is no original soundtrack. It is a very professional - and very uninspired - job by Prague Philarmonic who might have followed the music sheet but they lost the magic.

Yes, the tunes are memorable and, right from the first movements, they evoke the ghosts of complex cinematic imagery that are so deeply ingrained in the mind of anyone who loves this film. But the magic is gone. You know it's not THE soundtrack, and you've heard the real thing so many times.

The truth is that if you had Pavarotti to sing classic songs of The Rolling Stones, you would be disappointed with the result - despite the fact that Luciano has a much better voice than Mick Jagger.

Those artists who recorded the original soundtrack 30 years ago in Hollywood - and who remembers their names today? - were probably not as accomplished as the Prague Philarmonic. But they created the real thing, and therefore this cover disc will forever be no more than nice background music. That's all I use it for.

5 out of 5 stars Great Quality.......2003-07-15

I bought this after watching the movies for the first time, and listened to it, without noticing any difference. I just went, "what an amazing remastering job", then I saw that they were re-recorded. I never thought there was that big a difference when watching the movies over and over, and I really scrutinize re-recordings generally(like those done for Star Wars).

I bought the regular Godfather 1 cd after this, and I've hardly touched it since I bought it. I think this Godfather Trilogy is far superior in audio quality and performance. I think it has more feeling then the originals.

2 out of 5 stars Disappointing performance of classic Godfather music..........2003-01-09

I am a die-hard Godfather afficianado and I was terribly disappointed in this CD. When I purchased it, I didn't realize it was not a recording of the original soundtrack from the movie. Instead, it is a reproduction of the songs by The City of Prague Philharmonic. The performance is technically accurate, but does not at *all* convey the emotion of the movie's moments. It's as if the musicians studied the score, but never saw the movie. In track after track, the rhythms are not quite right, the mood is not set, etc, which is jarring for someone who knows the movies well. If you just want to hear some pleasing music, buy this CD. If you intend to buy a CD of The Godfather soundtrack in order to re-experience the magic of the Godfather movies themselves, look elsewhere.
Bryars: Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • excellent
  • Almost there (get rid of tom waits)
  • Unique and Magnificent
  • Borrow it first
  • Gavin Bryars Never Failed Me Yet
 Bryars: Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000040UT
Release Date: 1993-08-10

Tracks:

  1. Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet: Tramp With Orchestra I (String Quartet)
  2. Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet: Tramp With Orchestra II (Low Strings)
  3. Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet: Tramp With Orchestra III (No Strings)
  4. Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet: Tramp With Orchestra IV (Full Strings)
  5. Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet: Tramp And Tom Waits With Full Orchestra
  6. Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet: Coda: Tom Waits With High Strings

Amazon.com

This late minimalist, 74-minute piece for orchestra and tape has had, and continues to have, a near-legendary effect on its audience. It's the rare work created specifically to tug gently at one's heartstrings that actually does, and not subtly, either. It starts with a found recording of a homeless man singing a halting, simple melody looped over and over. Then Bryars builds and buttresses this with a full orchestra brought in incrementally, from the first carefully placed short pendulum string sweep to, 10 minutes from the end, the gravelly-voiced singer Tom Waits joins in. It's an obvious but effective work--appealing to all the basics of our emotional nervous system, but still tragically beautiful. --Robin Edgerton

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars excellent.......2007-05-07

the item purchased is in perfect condition and it has been shipped in time

4 out of 5 stars Almost there (get rid of tom waits).......2007-04-10

This is a pretty moving and relaxing piece, especially considering that a single sample is looped for 74 minutes but around it there is slow orchestral development. Near the end, it is completely destroyed by the annoying and gratuitous addition of Tom Waits. If you can, I suggest finding a shorter copy of it with no Tom Waits on it, apparently Bryars made a 60 minute version for tape and a 25 minute version for vinyl both before this one and both out of print for Brian Eno's Obscure label.

5 out of 5 stars Unique and Magnificent.......2007-03-30

A fantastic work with an incredible story behind it. I originally heard an exerpt from this work which was played during a radio interview, and I was absolutely captivated. I think this CD is great, however my partner and a couple of friends have suggested it is a little too repetitive. I think the repetition, with such a subtle progression, is the key to this deeply moving album. I would highly recommend this as an interesting and unique addition to any music library. Be aware: playing the full CD may not be to everyone's liking, although I think most would enjoy some smaller portion of the 74+ minutes. I think few would not be touched by the story behind it!

2 out of 5 stars Borrow it first.......2006-11-06

Buy CDs that you expect you'll want to play reasonably often; otherwise borrow them, as I did with this one, from a library - - that'd be my advice. Borrow it again if you find you want to listen to it again.

I don't think this is a religious piece; at least, to me it seems to be about experimentation (taken, as one reviewer put it, to the breaking point). It concludes with Mr. Waits sounding truly drunken.

I made it through the entire CD in two sittings.

5 out of 5 stars Gavin Bryars Never Failed Me Yet.......2006-03-30

The controvery rages. Is it rubbish or a work of genius?

When I first heard the original on Sinking Of The Titanic, I thought it was really irritating, and I couldn't get the tune out of my head for days. I put the cd away for a few weeks......and then something made me pull it out and listen again. Still irritating.....but there was something about it that made me want to come back and give it another go. The third time around, I *really* started to listen -- and I was hooked. The gradual background (at first) orchestration grows into something fascinating and wonderful, and you just *have* to listen.

Forget about the religious aspect. It's doesn't detract from the music, and I don't think Bryars meant for this to be a religious work anyway. It's an extremely moving piece, simple, rich, and gloriously done. And probably unlike anything else you've ever heard.

Listening to a short clip won't do you any good, but the cd sells cheap enough to take a chance on for a complete listen. But be forewarned: even one complete listen ain't gonna do it. You'll have to stay with this one for a few more turns to appreciate it. You'll want to use the cd for an air catcher on your wind chimes at first, but hang in there, and you'll be richly rewarded.
Story Of Dvorák In Words And Music
Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
  • Narration with music
 Story Of Dvorák In Words And Music

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

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ASIN: B000001KD7
Release Date: 1995-04-16

Tracks:

  1. Furiant
  2. Allegro Grazioso
  3. Allegro Grazioso
  4. Scherzo
  5. Opening
  6. Serbian Dance
  7. You Ask Why My Songs
  8. Kolo
  9. Nature, Life And Love Motive
  10. Kolo
  11. Allegro Non Troppo
  12. Kolo
  13. Allegro Assai
  14. Eja, Mater Fons Amoris
  15. Kolo
  16. Allegro Molto
  17. Dumka
  18. Scherzo Caprccioso, Op. 66
  19. Allegro Moderato
  20. Allegro Moderato
  21. Largo
  22. Vivace Non Troppo
  23. Humoresque In G Flat Major, Op. 108 No. 7
  24. Allegro
  25. Allegro
  26. Polka
  27. Slavonic Dances
  28. Slavonic Dances
  29. Slavonic Dances
  30. Slavonic Dances

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Narration with music.......2006-01-07

I ordered this CD because of the price, and quickly found out why it is a cheap one. The narration is fine, but it is spoken over the music, and the music is just excerpts except for the featured selections at the end of the CD, which is all of four pieces. This is a great CD for the car - a little audio learning lesson, and does give a good intro into some of Dvoraks most famous pieces. But, it is no Carl Haas rendition.
Orchestral Excerpts for Violin
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • valuable asset
  • Hats off, gentlemen, a genius!
  • This man is a genius!
 Orchestral Excerpts for Violin
William Preucil , Bedrich Smetana , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Ludwig van Beethoven , Felix Mendelssohn , Johannes Brahms , Robert Schumann , and Richard Strauss
Manufacturer: Summit(Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000F1UN
Release Date: 1998-11-17

Tracks:

  1. Don Juan
  2. Don Juan
  3. The Bartered Bride
  4. The Bartered Bride
  5. Sym No.39
  6. Sym No.39
  7. Sym No.39
  8. Sym No.39
  9. Sym No.39
  10. Sym No.39
  11. Sym No.39
  12. Sym No.39
  13. Sym No.39
  14. Sym No.39
  15. SymNo.3
  16. SymNo.3
  17. SymNo.3
  18. SymNo.3
  19. SymNo.3
  20. SymNo.3
  21. SymNo.3
  22. SymNo.3
  23. Sym No.9
  24. Sym No.9
  25. Midsummer Nights Dream
  26. Midsummer Nights Dream
  27. Sym No.2
  28. Sym No.2
  29. Sym No.2
  30. Sym No.2
  31. Sym No.2
  32. Sym No.2
  33. Sym No.2
  34. Sym No.2
  35. Sym No.2
  36. Sym No.2
  37. Sym No.2
  38. Sym No.2
  39. Sym No.2
  40. Sym No.2
  41. Sym No.2
  42. Sym No.2
  43. Sym No.2
  44. Sym No.2
  45. Closing Comments

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars valuable asset.......2006-03-15

This cd is a valuable asset for the aspiring professional violinist. It's the next best thing to having a lesson on these orchestral excerpts.

4 out of 5 stars Hats off, gentlemen, a genius!.......2002-12-10

Severance Hall, 3rd row center, Beethoven Concerto, Preucil and the Cleveland Orchestra...

...musical nirvana

(Bill, do you need a roadie?)

5 out of 5 stars This man is a genius!.......1999-04-12

The first time I heard William Preucil play "live," it was the Symphony No. 5 by Shostakovich. He was a young man and my expectations weren't ready for what came next. Having collected all of the top recordings, I ran home after the concert to confirm, this guy played -- far and away -- better than any recording I had ever heard. The last time I heard William Preucil play "in person," it was a Mozart Divertimento with a chamber orchestra. How often do you go crazy over a violin solo from a Mozart Divertimento? Although Mr. Preucil's solos were extended, not a single note went by without the entire audience sitting on the edge of their seats, riveted. Years later, I was in a CD shop talking about recordings of violinists when the shop owner mentioned, "the most memorable" violin solo he had ever heard. It was William Preucil's performance that night, of this Mozart Divertimento. I wasn't the only one to maintain that recollection. Next, I was in a movie theater where the New York City Ballet's production of the Nutcracker had been released as a feature film. Having recently studied and listened to EVERY recording available to Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty Ballet, I was surprised during the film to hear the big violin solo from Sleeping Beauty suddenly begin during a film adaptation of Nutcracker. More surprising, it was obvious to me that the violinist here was better than any recording (ever made, probably) of the Sleeping Beauty ballet. My precise thoughts were, "This playing is as good as William Preucil...I guess violinists are getting better because I thought only he was this good!" I waited through the end credits, because I had to know the name of this violinist whose playing is equal to my memory of William Preucil. I had to smile when the end credits said, "William Preucil, concertmaster." Not surprisingly, William Preucil is now concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra. There is nobody like him on the planet and all I can say is, if you are interested in violin playing at all, you cannot afford to pass up on this incredible opportunity to hear Mr. Preucil play and give "advice" on some great excerpts from the orchestral literature for violin. The man is a genius!
Raisin (1973 Original Broadway Cast)
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Good performances but an unnecessary musical
  • Raisin is almost operatic
  • Underrated throbbing score!
 Raisin (1973 Original Broadway Cast)
Judd Woldin , and Robert Brittan
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00000252B
Release Date: 1992-11-24

Tracks:

  1. Prologue
  2. Man Say
  3. Whose Little Angry Man
  4. Runnin' To Meet The Man
  5. A Whole Lotta Sunlight
  6. Booze
  7. Alaiyo
  8. Sweet Time
  9. You Done Right
  10. He Come Down This Morning
  11. It's A Deal
  12. Sidewalk Tree
  13. It's A Deal-Coda
  14. Not Anymore
  15. It's A Deal (Reprise)
  16. Measure The Valleys
  17. Finale

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Good performances but an unnecessary musical.......2004-04-26

Winner of the 1974 Tony Award for Best Musical (an admittedly slow season for new musicals) this show is fine example of the trend of taking successful plays and turning them into musicals. The result in this case is acceptable but nothing special has been added by musicalizing the play. That said, at least this show doesn't cheapen the source material. The performances are all fine especially Virginia Capers as Mama and Joe Morton as Walter Lee. As always, Sony has done a splendid remastering job, restoring a song that had been left off the original Lp due to timing restraints ("Booze"... although the synopsis, reprinted from the LP jacket, makes no mention of the tune.) The booklet has some interesting notes about the creation of the show. It also reprints the show's logo which makes it look like one of those inane 1960s musical comedies instead of a serious musical play. I prefer the original play (and the movie) which remain powerful enough wthout songs.

4 out of 5 stars Raisin is almost operatic.......2003-05-24

Listening to this CD we once again get to know Lorraine Hansberry... but from a different perspective. To render "Raisin in the Sun" to a musical play did her justice. This recording is superb. The liner notes do not help understand the musical plotting and I wish they did.

4 out of 5 stars Underrated throbbing score!.......2000-11-21

I own the original LP of this show and played it until it is now close to wearing out. An absolutely incredible cast brings the Raisin in the Sun story to vivid musical life. Harold Wheeler did the orchestrations and the score moves and pulses with feeling and life.
Schubert-Soirée
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Excellent!
 Schubert-Soirée

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001GIG
Release Date: 1993-05-10

Tracks:

  1. Polonaise for Vn and Orch in B flat D 580
  2. Five German Dances: 1. Deutscher Tanz in C-Trio I-Trio II
  3. Five German Dances: 2. Deutscher Tanz in G-Trio I-Trio II
  4. Five German Dances: 3. Deutscher Tanz in D-Trio
  5. Five German Dances: 4. Deutscher Tanz in F
  6. Five German Dances: 5. Deutscher Tanz in C-Trio I-Trio II-Coda
  7. Rondo for Vn and SO in A D 438
  8. Five Menuets from D 89: 1. Menuett in-C-Trio I-Trio II
  9. Five Menuets from D 89: 2. Menuett in F
  10. Five Menuets from D 89: 3. Menuett in G-Trio I-Trio II
  11. Five Menuets from D 89: 4. Menuett in G
  12. Five Menuets from D 89: 5. Menuett in C-Trio I-Trio II
  13. Con Movement for Vn and Orch in D

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Excellent!.......2005-09-23

It's surprising that there have been no reviews written for this album before mine. I chanced upon this CD and it is now defintely one of my favourites. I'm not particularly a fan of Schubert so I was pleasantly taken aback by this CD. Among the many classical CDs that I own, this is definitely one that uplifts the spirit. Enjoy it!
Classical Evolution: Famous Ballet Works
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Classical Evolution: Famous Ballet Works

    Manufacturer: Delta
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000065ARJ
    Release Date: 2002-05-07

    Tracks:

    1. Sabre Dance - Hungarian State Orchestra
    2. Slavonic Folk Melody With Variations - Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra
    3. Festive Dance And Waltz Of The Hours - Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra
    4. Notturno - Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra
    5. Music Of The Automats And Waltz - Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra
    6. Csardas - Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra
    7. Prelude - Les Chasseresses - Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra
    8. Intermezzo - Valse Lente - Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra
    9. Pizzicati - Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra
    10. Cortege De Bacchus - Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra
    11. Moderato - Sofia National Opera Orchestra
    12. Allegretto - Sofia National Opera Orchestra
    13. Allegro - Sofia National Opera Orchestra
    14. Andantino - Sofia National Opera Orchestra
    15. Coda Allegro - Sofia National Opera Orchestra
    Schubert Complete String Quartets Vol. 6: Quartet No. 15 (1826); Five German Dances with seven trios and a coda, D. 9
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Often expressive and dramatic, at times a little plodding and not too concerned with architectural coherence
    • A Fine Budget Version of Schubert's Last String Quartet
    • A Beautiful Conclusion to This Series
    		 Schubert Complete String Quartets Vol. 6: Quartet No. 15 (1826); Five German Dances with seven trios and a coda, D. 9

    Manufacturer: Naxos
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B0009JMEHY
    Release Date: 2005-06-21

    Tracks:

    1. Allegro Molto Moderato
    2. Andante Un Poco Moto
    3. Scherzo: Allegro Vivace
    4. Allegro Assai
    5. No.1 In C Major
    6. No.2 In G Major
    7. No.3 In D Major
    8. No.4 In F Major
    9. No.5 In C Major

    Customer Reviews:

    3 out of 5 stars Often expressive and dramatic, at times a little plodding and not too concerned with architectural coherence.......2006-08-14

    In the 6th volume of its complete traversal of Schubert's compositions for string quartet on Naxos, the Kodaly Quartet brings together the great quartet opus 161, one of the last works of Schubert's desperately short life and one of his most poignant compositions, and an early rarity, written when he was 16, the 5 German Dances D. 90. The latter is written in a typically "gallant" style, with no great depth but full of charm. But the big nut on this CD is of course the 15th quartet.

    In the first movement "Allegro molto moderato", the Kodaly Quartet is quite dramatic, very attentive to the movement diverse moods, from harrowing vehemence to hushed mystery, and nicely retains the dance-like lilt of the second theme; there is a price to pay, however, in the multiplication of tempo transitions, none of them prescribed by Schubert ; one senses musicians interested in immediate dramatic impact rather than architectural coherence. The second movement "Andante un poco moto" is taken by the Kodaly quartet at a very deliberate, not very "motorized" tempo (almost as slow as the Quartetto Italiano in their recording from 1976), making it sound more like an adagio in plaintive tone, almost a funeral march, with accents that evoke not so much cries of revolt or pain as moans; the approach is effective in its own way, but it is not exactly what Schubert wrote. And here again, in the more animated passages, the Kodalys do not hesitate to perceptibly accelerate tempo; Quartetto Italiano was more consistent in that respect.

    Under the Kodaly's bows, the Scherzo's "Allegro vivace" (3rd movement) is not particularly vivacious, but nonetheless sufficiently light and full of bounce, as befits this musical invention which suggests the bumblebee's flight or the butterfly's flutter (and the elve's dance will do, too). The middle trio however is rather mawkish, and again the Kodalys imperceptibly speed up their tempo in the second part. Their Finale is somewhat disappointing, due to a tempo that is too deliberate to evoke the race to the abyss that others conjure (Gidon Kremer and friends on Sony take as much time to get through the movement - but with the repeat) and, while the ensemble's tone production until then had been not exceptional but unexceptionable, the 1st violin becomes a bit sour in its upper registers.

    Not an exceptional version then, but at that price one that remains very acceptable.

    4 out of 5 stars A Fine Budget Version of Schubert's Last String Quartet.......2005-06-25

    Schubert's 15th and last string quartet is one of his most important works. It was written between the 20th and the 30th of June 1826 (Schubert died in 1828, when he was only 31 years old). This quartet is an incredibly masterful display of emotional depth, extraordinary harmonic progressions, and sheer rhythmic impetus.

    The first movement opens in a very direct fashion - it lacks the usual formal introduction. There are some ethereal soft echo effects here from the cello, accompanied by tremolos in the upper strings. Schubert knew he was dying at the time he wrote this music, and it is a very moving mixture of defiance, anguish and resignation. The second movement is a songful and serene night piece that is disturbed by two violent outbursts. Again the cello plays a very important part here, introducing the first plaintive motif and repeating the songful theme after each outburst. The scherzo, which is based on a quavering figure that is interspersed with some short spiccato themes, has been likened to a dance of elves. The finale was once described by writer J. A. Westrup as "a mad rondo, violent in rhythm and wild in harmony." Abrupt alternations between major and minor lead to some very unexpected harmonic progressions - this is Schubert at his most creative and audacious.

    This budget stereo Naxos recording by the Kodaly Quartet concludes its survey of Schubert's string quartets. I feel this is the finest single-disc stereo version, and the inclusion of the lovely German Dances as a filler makes this CD a most attractive purchase. I certainly prefer the warm, mellow playing here by the Kodaly to the brash and rather hard-boiled Sony CD account by the Juilliard Quartet (I absolutely love the latter's Bartok & Schoenberg recordings, but they tend to be too assertive in Schubert). Likewise, I think the Kodaly's account is far better than the Lindsay Quartet's (ASV), which has some dreadfully out of tune playing (I have weeded both the Juilliard and the Lindsay recordings).

    To my ears, the main stereo competition here is the extremely polished Quartetto Italiano (available in an inexpensive Philips "two-fer" of Schubert's four last quartets). While I prefer the latter, I'm also keeping the Kodaly (the German Dances, while brief, are pretty indispensable). If memory serves, an orchestrated version of the first Dance was used in a highly-effective way with other Schubert works (especially the Piano Trio #1) in Stanley Kubrick's brilliant film "Barry Lyndon."

    However, this Vol. 6 of the Kodaly Quartet's Schubert is the only one in their series that I will be keeping. That's not to say that the series is in any way unattractive. But Schubert's first seven quartets are fairly early, immature works, and I can't see owning multiple versions of them. And there are simply better versions of the later quartets. All 15 quartets were once available on mono Westminster LPs from the early 1950's (in excellent sound). These were performed by the wonderful Vienna Konzerthaus Quartet (Kamper, Titze, Weiss and Kvarda), all of whose members were players in the Vienna Philharmonic under conductor Wilhelm Furtwangler. This remains my "desert island" version of the complete quartets (they have been issued on CDs in Japan on the MCA label).

    The great Busch String Quartet (Adolf Busch, Gosta Andreassen, Karl Doktor, and Hermann Busch) recorded the "ne plus ultra" account of #8, a superb #14 (unfortunately, due to 78 rpm constraints, the latter is shorn of all the repeats), and #15. These are available, along with the Fantasie in C (Busch & Serkin) and the Piano Trio #1, on a Pearl CD set.

    My personal favorites in the last three Schubert quartets:

    #13. The Vienna Konzerthaus captures like no other ensemble the intensely Brucknerian span of this gorgeous work.

    #14. In chronological order, my all-time favorites of this stunning masterpiece are the ORIGINAL 1927 Budapest Quartet (Emil Hauser, Joseph Roisman, Istvan Ipolyi, and Harry Son) on a hard to find Novello CD; the 1927/28 Capet Quartet (a reading of extraordinary spiritual purity on Biddulph); the heartbreakingly beautiful 1936 Busch Quartet (Pearl); the c. 1950 Vienna Konzerthaus (a uniquely warm and gemutlich account on Westminster LP and Japanese MCA CD); and the gloriously well-played c.1951 Hollywood Quartet (mine is on a Capitol LP).

    #15. The Busch and the Vienna Konzerthaus are both supremely eloquent here, but my ultimate allegiance is to the latter's inimitable warmth and lyricism.

    All of those versions are, of course, in monophonic sound. For a single CD version of #15 in good stereo sound, I feel this effort by the Kodaly Quartet is clearly the one to own.

    Jeff Lipscomb

    5 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Conclusion to This Series.......2005-06-25

    The Kodály Quartet has been slowly recording all of Schubert's string quartets and with this Volume 6 we come to the end. The CD contains Schubert's last finished quartet, No. 15 in G Major, D. 887, Op. 161, and the disc is filled out by Five German Dances, D. 90. The Kodály Quartet has more or less become the Naxos label's house quartet, having recorded large chunks of the central quartet literature for them. This is good, because not only are they a wonderful quartet, they are non-interventionist without being bland. String quartet playing is hard work and requires much slow, thoughtful study on the part of the players. It is to the Kodály's credit that they have taken a slow and steady course through the Schubert quartets, some of which they surely had never played before; the early apprentice works in particular are almost never played and yet the Kodály played them not only with musicianly respect but with love and admiration.

    When we get to Schubert's last quartet, though, we have an undisputed masterpiece that every quartet worthy of the name plays. Its opening movement is one of the most marvelous (and harmonically complicated) works he ever composed. It takes fifteen minutes to play and works its magic in subtle ways. For instance, when it comes time for the recapitulation the first theme is changed from minor to major, and the second from major to minor. Had anyone ever thought to do that before? The minor key cello theme that opens the Andante is one of Schubert's patented melodies; it almost tears your heart out with its gentle pathos. In the Scherzo we are in familiar elfin Schubertian territory that evolves into ländlerisch folk dance rhythms in the Trio, gentle, not turbulent. And this prepares us for the high spirits of the Finale, a rowdy tarantella. The Kodály play this quartet with a maximum of relish, a minimum of gratuitous edge. They make this complex quartet what it is really meant to be, a thoroughly comprehensible compendium of 1826 quartet writing, easy on the ear and rewarding for the analytic mind. This is a beautiful performance worthy to stand beside any of the earlier treasured recordings (Busch, Alban Berg, Quartetto Italiano) this marvelous quartet has been afforded.

    The disc is rounded out by five German Dances written when Schubert was sixteen. They are notable for their rough good humor. No. 4 lasts a mere 50 seconds but is infectious enough to have this listener up and stomping his feet in an enthusiastic approximation of dancing. The Kodály's approach is, fittingly, more rough and ready in these pieces than in the subtleties of the 15th Quartet, evidence that they are really entering into the spirit of the music itself rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.

    Although with a timing of only 59+ minutes, this CD is heartily recommended for its marvelous musicmaking.

    Scott Morrison

    Music Review:

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    2. Countdown To Ecstasy [Original recording remastered]
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