Friends/20/20 [Extra tracks] [Original recording remastered]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
What happens when the goose stops laying golden eggs? That's the dilemma the Beach Boys faced when Brian Wilson underwent a self-imposed creative cooling-off period after the mysterious Smile album debacle. And after producing what averaged to better than three albums a year for the previous half-decade, who could blame him? Nevertheless, the band's failure to capitalize on the musical revolution symbolized by Sgt. Pepper saw their American fortunes plummet from world-beaters to also-rans, seemingly overnight. But ironically, as the times were a-changin', so was the Beach Boys sound, even if few in America were listening. Friends is easily the band's most tranquil album, a missive of peaceful good tidings fatefully issued amidst the assassinations and street riots of 1968. And if Brian was absent from many of the group's photos during the troubled era, he was still involved behind the scenes, as the vocal harmonies of the title track, "Be Here in the Mornin'," and others attest; his instrumental arrangements may be low-key, though ever inventive, as "Diamond Head" also confirms. Still, the blunt, confessional message of Wilson's "Busy Doin' Nothin'" is equally hard to miss.

20/20 marked the 20th--and last--album of the band's first Capitol era. The album is a collection of singles (the nostalgic "Do It Again," Carl Wilson's vibrant showcase "I Can Hear Music") and a couple of key Smile scraps (the transcendent a cappella album intro "Our Prayer" and the American gothic-tinged "Cabinessence," with obtusely punning lyrics courtesy of Van Dyke Parks) set amidst productions that are mostly divided among various band members. Perhaps most notable is the continued blossoming of Dennis Wilson's talents on "Be with Me" and "Never Learn Not to Love" (the latter reputedly originally given to Wilson by temporary housemate Charles Manson; strange days, indeed). This digitally remastered edition of the long out-of-print twofer edition includes the reminiscences of Brian Wilson and insightful liner notes by Beach Boys and the California Myth author David Leaf and features five bonus cuts: "Break Away," the band's vocally spectacular, if woefully underappreciated, last Capitol single; the B-side "Celebrate the News," sung and produced by Dennis; the beautiful '68 outtake, "We're Together Again"; a snippet of Brian's soaring falsetto paying tribute to Bacharach's "Walk on By"; and a medley of "Old Folks at Home"/"Ol' Man River" that underscores the band's distinctly American historical and artistic heritage. --Jerry McCulley

Friends/20/20, Music, The Beach Boys, Pop, Pop/Rock, Popular Music, Psychedelic Pop, Rock, Rock & Roll, Rock/Pop, Sunshine Pop

Average customer rating: Friends is Meant For You if you're a fan 20/20... The Forgotten Gem Outrageously Great Albums- Well Kept Secret Among Elite Music Appreciaters Friends-Brian Wilson's favorite Two Gems on One CD!

Friends/20/20 The Beach Boys Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Smiley Smile/Wild Honey Sunflower/Surf's Up Today/ Summer Days (and Summer Nights) Carl & The Passions - So Tough / Holland Little Deuce Coupe/ All Summer Long ASIN: B00005ABWY Release Date: 2001-04-10

Tracks:

1. Meant For You
2. Friends
3. Wake The World
4. Be Here In The Mornin'
5. When A Man Needs A Woman
6. Passing By
7. Anna Lee, The Healer
8. Little Bird
9. Be Still
10. Busy Doin' Nothin'
11. Diamond Head
12. Transcendental Meditation
13. Do It Again
14. I Can Hear Music
15. Bluebirds Over The Mountain
16. Be With Me
17. All I Want To Do
18. The Nearest Faraway Place
19. Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song)
20. I Went To Sleep
21. Time To Get Alone
22. Never Learn Not To Love
23. Our Prayer
24. Cabinessence
25. Break Away
26. Celebrate The News
27. We're Together Again
28. Walk On By
29. Old Folks At Home/Ol' Man River

Amazon.com

20/20 marked the 20th--and last--album of the band's first Capitol era. The album is a collection of singles (the nostalgic "Do It Again," Carl Wilson's vibrant showcase "I Can Hear Music") and a couple of key Smile scraps (the transcendent a cappella album intro "Our Prayer" and the American gothic-tinged "Cabinessence," with obtusely punning lyrics courtesy of Van Dyke Parks) set amidst productions that are mostly divided among various band members. Perhaps most notable is the continued blossoming of Dennis Wilson's talents on "Be with Me" and "Never Learn Not to Love" (the latter reputedly originally given to Wilson by temporary housemate Charles Manson; strange days, indeed). This digitally remastered edition of the long out-of-print twofer edition includes the reminiscences of Brian Wilson and insightful liner notes by Beach Boys and the California Myth author David Leaf and features five bonus cuts: "Break Away," the band's vocally spectacular, if woefully underappreciated, last Capitol single; the B-side "Celebrate the News," sung and produced by Dennis; the beautiful '68 outtake, "We're Together Again"; a snippet of Brian's soaring falsetto paying tribute to Bacharach's "Walk on By"; and a medley of "Old Folks at Home"/"Ol' Man River" that underscores the band's distinctly American historical and artistic heritage. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Friends is Meant For You if you're a fan.......2006-07-10

20/20... The Forgotten Gem.......2006-05-22

Outrageously Great Albums- Well Kept Secret Among Elite Music Appreciaters.......2005-11-06

Friends-Brian Wilson's favorite.......2005-10-03

Two Gems on One CD!.......2005-09-21

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 General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music National Philharmonic Orchestra London | ( N ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra | ( H ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra | ( M ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music National Philharmonic Orchestra London | ( N ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra Op34; Simple Symphony Op4 The Life and Works of Ludwig van Beethoven What to Listen for in Music Study of Orchestration, Third Edition The Life and Works of Frédéric Chopin ASIN: B00006O0NT Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

1. Overture To 'Tannhauser'
2. Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
3. We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
4. Hungarian Dance No.7
5. The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
6. Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
7. But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
8. The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
9. The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
10. Csardas Music
11. The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
12. The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
13. Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
14. The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
15. Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
16. Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
17. The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
18. Tzigane
19. Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
20. Caprice No.24
21. 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.
22. Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
23. Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
24. Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
25. Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
26. The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
27. The Violin Muted
28. Clair De Lune
29. The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
30. Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
31. The Pizzicato Violin
32. Pizzicato Polka
33. In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
34. Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
35. 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...
36. The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
37. 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
38. Hungarian Dance No.4
39. Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
40. The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
41. Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
42. Bolero
43. Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
44. Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
45. Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
46. Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
47. Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
48. Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
49. And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
50. Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
51. The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
52. Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
53. The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
54. Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
55. Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
56. The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
57. Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
58. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
59. Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
60. The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
61. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
62. Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
63. Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
64. Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
65. Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
66. To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
67. Elfenreigen

Tracks:

1. Introduction To The Viola
2. Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
3. Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
4. Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
5. Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
6. Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
7. 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.
8. Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
9. The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
10. Cypresses (No.9)
11. The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
12. Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
13. The 'Period' Viola In Bach
14. Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
15. The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
16. Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
17. Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
18. Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
19. Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
20. Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
21. In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
22. Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
23. But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
24. Elfentanz, Op.39
25. Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
26. The Protecting Veil (Opening)
27. A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
28. Flamenco
29. Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
30. Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
31. It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
32. Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
33. 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.
34. Symphony No.9 (Finale)
35. Introduction To The Double-Bass
36. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
37. But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
38. Elegy No.1 In D Major
39. 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.
40. Capriccio Di Bravura
41. 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)
42. 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....
43. Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

1. The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
2. Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
3. The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
4. Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
5. The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
6. Sa'Dawi
7. Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
8. Chamber Music No.II
9. The Piccolo - Aptly Named
10. La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
11. From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
12. Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
13. A Variety Of Techniques
14. Chamber Music No.II
15. Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
16. The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
17. From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
18. Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
19. An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
20. Naelden, Naelden
21. The Bachian Oboe
22. Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
23. Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
24. Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
25. The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
26. The Swan Of Tuonela
27. The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
28. Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
29. Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
30. Bolero
31. 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...
32. 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)
33. As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
34. Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
35. 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).
36. The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
37. The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
38. ...And Quite Low.
39. Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
40. The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
41. Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
42. But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
43. Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
44. Introduction To The Saxophone
45. Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
46. The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
47. L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
48. The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
49. Bolero
50. The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
51. Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
52. The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
53. Sax-O-Phun
54. The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
55. Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
56. The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
57. Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
58. Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
59. And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
60. Bolero
61. The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
62. Symphony No.3 (Opening)
63. The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
64. The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
65. Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
66. The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
67. The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
68. Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
69. The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
70. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
71. The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
72. Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
73. Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
74. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
75. The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
76. Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

1. The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
2. Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
3. The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
4. Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
5. The Ceremonial Trumpet
6. Fanfare For The Common Man
7. Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
8. Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
9. The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
10. Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
11. 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
12. Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
13. The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
14. Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
15. The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
16. Billy The Kid
17. The Trumpet As Character Actor
18. Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
19. The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
20. Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
21. The Birth Of The Trombone
22. Aenmerckt Nu Hier
23. The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
24. Canzon 12 In Double Echo
25. The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
26. Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
27. 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.
28. Hosannah
29. The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
30. Symphony No.5 (Finale)
31. The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
32. The Trombone As Caricaturist
33. Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
34. The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
35. The Horn And The Hunt
36. Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
37. The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
38. Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
39. The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
40. Walter Music (Minuet 1)
41. The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
42. Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
43. Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
44. The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
45. Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
46. The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
47. Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
48. The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
49. Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
50. The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
51. Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

1. Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
2. Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
3. At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
4. Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
5. Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
6. Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
7. The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
8. The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
9. Den Hoboecken Dans
10. Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
11. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
12. 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.
13. Gymnopedie No.2
14. 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...
15. 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)
16. More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
17. Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
18. 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.
19. Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
20. A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
21. Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
22. The Birth Of The Bongo
23. Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
24. From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
25. Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
26. From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
27. Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
28. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
29. But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
30. Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
31. Taking Advantage Of Tunability
32. Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
33. 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.
34. Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
35. Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
36. The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
37. Ravel And The Xylophone
38. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
39. Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
40. Introducing The Vibraphone
41. The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
42. The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
43. Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
44. Folk Dances
45. The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
46. Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
47. Introducing The Tubular Bells
48. Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
49. A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
50. Carmen Suite (Introduction)
51. But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
52. Introducing The Celeste
53. The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
54. Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
55. Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
56. Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
57. 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
58. The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
59. Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
60. The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
61. Petrushka (Russian Dance)
62. The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
63. Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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.

The one complaint I have is the last CD. This deals with the orchestra. I wanted more of a tour of how the orchestra has been used through history up to the present. Instead, it was a tour of how different groups of instruments sound. I thought it could have been better. The other 6 CDs are excellent.

Average customer rating: Highly recommended Top-Notch Richter Excellent set for a great price Terrific Richter set

BBC Friends: Richter (Great Performers of the Twentieth Century) Schumann Manufacturer: BBC Legends ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Franz Joseph Haydn | Haydn, Franz Joseph | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Robert Schumann | Schumann, Robert | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rachmaninov | Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Nocturnes | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Variations | Variations | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Richter, Sviatoslav | ( R ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Beethoven: Sonatas for piano No29; Sonatas for piano No3 Piano Sonatas Nos 40 41 44 48 52 The Sofia Recital 1958 Sviatoslav Richter Plays Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann Sviatoslav Richter Plays Chopin, Debussy, Beethoven ASIN: B00005Y33C Release Date: 2002-03-12

Tracks:

1. Haydn: Piano Sonata No. 37 in E major: Allegro moderato
2. Haydn: Piano Sonata No. 37 in E major: Andante
3. Haydn: Piano Sonata No. 37 in E major: Finale. Tempo di Menuet
4. Chopin: Nocturne in E minor, Op. posth. 72 No. 1: Andante
5. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 11 in B flat major, Op. 22: Allegro con brio
6. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 11 in B flat major, Op. 22: Adagio con molta
7. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 11 in B flat major, Op. 22: Menuetto
8. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 11 in B flat major, Op. 22: Rondo. Allegretto
9. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: Introduzione col Basso del
10. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: Tema
11. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: Variotaion I
12. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: Variation II
13. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: Variation III
14. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: Variation IV
15. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: VAriation V
16. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: Variation VI
17. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: Variation VII. Canone
18. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: Variation VIII
19. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: Variation IX
20. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: Variation X
21. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: Variation XI
22. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: Variation XII
23. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: Variation XIII
24. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: Variation XIV
25. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: Variation XV
26. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: Coda
27. Beethoven: 15 Variationen mit einer Fuge: Finale. Alla Fuga. Allegro con

Tracks:

1. Schumann: Etudes symphoniques, Op. 13: Thema. Andante
2. Schumann: Etudes symphoniques, Op. 13: Etude I. Un poco piu vivo
3. Schumann: Etudes symphoniques, Op. 13: Etude II
4. Schumann: Etudes symphoniques, Op. 13: Etude III. Vivace
5. Schumann: Etudes symphoniques, Op. 13: Etude IV
6. Schumann: Etudes symphoniques, Op. 13: Etude V
7. Schumann: Etudes symphoniques, Op. 13: Appendix: Variation I
8. Schumann: Etudes symphoniques, Op. 13: Appendix: Variation II
9. Schumann: Etudes symphoniques, Op. 13: Appendix: Variation III
10. Schumann: Etudes symphoniques, Op. 13: Appendix: Variation IV
11. Schumann: Etudes symphoniques, Op. 13: Appendix: Variation V
12. Schumann: Etudes symphoniques, Op. 13: Appendix: Etude VI. Agitato
13. Schumann: Etudes symphoniques, Op. 13: Appendix: Etude VII. Allegro
14. Schumann: Etudes symphoniques, Op. 13: Appendix: Etude VIII
15. Schumann: Etudes symphoniques, Op. 13: Appendix: Etude IX. Presto
16. Schumann: Etudes symphoniques, Op. 13: Appendix: Etude X
17. Schumann: Etudes symphoniques, Op. 13: Appendix: Etude XI
18. Schumann: Etudes symphoniques, Op. 13: Appendix: Etude XII. Allegro
19. Chopin: Nocturne in F major, Op. 15 No. 1: Andante cantabile
20. Rachmaninov: Prelude Op. 23 No. 1 in F sharp minor: Largo
21. Rachmaninov: Prelude Op. 32 No. 9 in A major: Allegro moderato
22. Rachmaninov: Prelude Op. 32 No. 10 in B minor: Lento
23. Rachmaninov: Prelude Op. 32 No. 12 in G sharp minor: Allegro
24. Rachmaninov: Prelude Op. 23 No. 8 in A flat major: Allegro vivace
25. Rachmaninov: Prelude Op. 32 No. 1 in C major: Allegro vivace
26. Rachmaninov: Prelude Op. 32 No. 2 in B flat minor: Allegretto
27. Rachmaninov: Prelude Op. 32 No. 6 in F minor: Allegro appassionato
28. Rachmaninov: Prelude Op. 32 No. 7 in F major: Moderato
29. Rachmaninov: Prelude Op. 23 No. 2 in B flat major: Maestoso
30. Rachmaninov: Prelude Op. 23 No. 4 in D major: Andante cantabile
31. Rachmaninov: Prelude Op. 23 No. 5 in G minor: Alla marcia

Amazon.com

The "Eroica" Variations, for example, have a Promethean quality and a manic energy that are missing in the studio versions. Richter's Schumann was never less than inspired and never more so than on this occasion in Royal Festival Hall, London, in 1968, when he played the Symphonic Études. There is technical control, variety of nuance, and grasp of design. And there is Richter's chord playing, which was one of the wonders of 20th century pianism. There are other great performances of this work, but none in which every chord in the insanely difficult finale rings out with such power, majesty, and clarity. It's impossible to think of another pianist--not even the composer himself--who ever played Rachmaninov's Preludes with such power and finesse. In the carillon display of the B-flat major Prelude, for example, Richter emphasizes the lower notes of chords in a manner that makes the bass sonorities all but seize the listener by the throat. Piano playing doesn't get any better than this. --Stephen Wigler

Customer Reviews:

Highly recommended.......2006-08-23

Top-Notch Richter.......2005-06-25

Excellent set for a great price.......2003-09-07

Terrific Richter set.......2002-07-15

Average customer rating: The true roots of the blues showcase of the blues' greatest strength One of the best blues CD's I've ever owned! Essential! Furious Bottleneck Growl

Masters of the Delta Blues: The Friends of Charlie Patton Various Artists Manufacturer: Yazoo ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Delta Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Blues | Compilations | Blues | Styles | Music Acoustic Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music 1920-1929 | Decades | Compilations | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music 1930-1939 | Decades | Compilations | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General | Blues | Indie Music | Stores | Music Traditional Blues | Blues | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Mississippi Masters: Early American Blues Classics 1927-1935 Back to the Crossroads: The Roots of Robert Johnson Complete Recorded Works (1928-1929) Blues Masters, Vol. 8: Mississippi Delta Blues The Best of Blind Lemon Jefferson ASIN: B000000G8E Release Date: 1991-11-26

Tracks:

1. Rowdy Blues - Kid Bailey
2. Big Fat Mama Blues - Tommy Johnson
3. I Am In The Heavenly Way - Bukka White
4. Future Blues - Willie Brown
5. Brown Mama Blues - Ishmon Bracey
6. On The Wall - Louise Johnson
7. Walking Blues (Unissued Test) - Son House
8. Canned Heat Blues - Tommy Johnson
9. Promise True And Grand - Bukka White
10. Mississippi Bottom Blues - Kid Bailey
11. Maggie Campbell Blues - Tommy Johnson
12. My Black Mama (Part 1) - Son House
13. My Black Mama (Part 2) - Son House
14. Yellow Bee - Bertha Lee
15. Long Way From Home - Louise Johnson
16. M And O Blues - Willie Brown
17. Button Up Shoes (Take 1, Unissued Test) - Tommy Johnson
18. Mind Reader Blues - Bertha Lee
19. Louisiana Home Blues (Take 1, Unissued Test) - Tommy Johnson
20. Dry Spell Bones (Part 1) - Son House
21. Dry Spell Bones (Part 2) - Son House
22. Preachin' The Blues (Part 1) - Son House
23. Preachin' The Blues (Part 2) - Son House

Customer Reviews:

The true roots of the blues.......2005-02-08

showcase of the blues' greatest strength.......2003-11-29

One of the best blues CD's I've ever owned! Essential!.......2001-02-06

Furious Bottleneck Growl.......2000-01-07

This CD is essential for rare inclusion of all six demonic Son House performances originally cut on acetate in 1930. It was these recordings that inspired Alan Lomax to look up House in the early 40's for the Library of Congress Archives.

It is worth mentioning that do to Paramount's inferior treatment of the source material, there is considerable auxilliary noise on those six sides. But Son's guitar and voice still threaten to impale you like a hot skewer.

Son House would have been a preacher, but for the fact that he shot a man dead and was banished from Clarksdale for the rest of his life.

This was the belle epoque of Delta Blues, a time when the legendary rivalry between House and Charlie Patton was at a peak, and when another legend, Robert Johnson, would pick up a couple licks from Son House himself. The way of life that existed in the Delta back then is gone forever, and for all of that progress and new found civility, we shall never be fortunate enough to hear anything like this ever again.

For anyone hoping to hear a mellow country rover picking away on his front porch, Son House will send you to intensive care. This is truly "where the soul of man never dies."

Average customer rating: Stunning music from an under rated trio

My Fair Lady (20 Bit Mastering) Shelly Manne & His Friends Manufacturer: Contemporary ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music Hard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music Cool Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music ASIN: B00004UEN6 Release Date: 2000-08-01

Tracks:

1. Get Me to the Church on Time
2. On the Street Where You Live
3. I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face
4. Wouldn't It Be Loverly?
5. Ascot Gavotte
6. Show Me
7. With a Little Bit of Luck
8. I Could Have Danced All Night

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Stunning music from an under rated trio.......2004-03-07

One of the best is still with us and has been gloriously remastered with the K2 20bit process. These cuts sound like they were recorded last week rather than almost 50 years ago. While Shelly Manne (who, along with bassist Leroy Vinnegar, was THE rhythm of the "West Coast Sound") is one of my favorite drummers he often "takes charge" of his groups, which is fine in his horn based quarts and quints but he can overpower a trio with ease. Here he wisely dials it back a notch or two allowing Andre Previn and Leroy Vinnegar to investigate and develop some of the most beautiful music to ever enter the American (English?) Songbook.

Previn, in particular, seem to be at home with this material. His tempo and harmonic interplay breath life and vitality into tunes that were pop hits of their day. While everyone's favorite will likely be the beautiful "On the Street Where You Live", my personal pick is the haunting and lovely "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face" which Previn handles better than ANYONE (including the aforementioned Oscar Peterson).

The ensuing album is a true classic that has withstood the test of time. Besides being a stunning take on what many consider to be the twentieth century's finest example of musical theatre (OK, that's my opinion) it is also a testament to mid century "modern jazz" before that term became perjoritive.

Buy this CD, it's timeless.

Average customer rating:

Instant Live: Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN 6/20/06 Phil Lesh & Friends Manufacturer: Instant Live Rec. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Blues Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Rock Jam Bands | Jam Bands | Rock | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Instant Live: Bethel Woods P.A.C. - Bethel, NY 7/9/06 Instant Live: Nikon at Jones Beach Theater - Wantagh, NY 7/7/06 Instant Live: Starlight Theatre - Kansas City, MO 7/19/06 Instant Live: Mizner Park Amphitheatre - Boca Raton, FL 6/22/06 Instant Live: Charter One Pavilion - Chicago, IL 7/16/06 ASIN: B000HEV850 Release Date: 2006-09-12

Tracks:

1. Jam 1 - Set 1
2. Sittin on Top of the World
3. Friend of the Devil
4. Dire Wolf
5. Deep Elem Blues - Mickey Rafael
6. Tennessee Jed
7. Pride of Cucamonga
8. Sugaree - Mickey Rafael

Tracks:

1. Jam 1 - Set 2
2. Althea
3. Mississippi Half-Step
4. Jam 2 - Set 2
5. Peaceful Valley
6. Viola Lee - Mickey Rafael

Tracks:

1. Casey Jones - Mickey Rafael
2. Death Don't Have No Mercy
3. Goin' Down the Road - Mickey Rafael
4. Attics - Mickey Rafael

Average customer rating: An often overlooked gem A Mixed Bag... but Loads of Fun!! Friends A Mediocre End to The Capitol Era Let's Be 'Friends'...

Friends/20-20 (Capitol) The Beach Boys Manufacturer: EMI Int'l ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Blues | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Blues | Imports | Stores | Music Classic Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Pop | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Smiley Smile/Wild Honey Beach Boys' Party!/Stack-O-Tracks Sunflower/Surf's Up ASIN: B000008DA6 Release Date: 2000-01-25

Tracks:

1. Meant for You
2. Friends
3. Wake the World
4. Be Here in the Morning
5. When a Man Needs a Woman
6. Passing By
7. Anna Lee, The Healer
8. Little Bird
9. Be Still
10. Busy Doin' Nothin'
11. Diamond Head
12. Transcendental Meditation
13. Do It Again
14. I Can Hear Music
15. Bluebirds over the Mountain
16. Be With Me
17. All I Want to Do
18. Nearest Faraway Place
19. Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song)
20. I Went to Sleep
21. Time to Get Alone
22. Never Learn Not to Love
23. Our Prayer
24. Cabin Essence
25. Break Away [*]
26. Celebrate the News [*]
27. We're Together Again [Mono Version][*]
28. Walk on By [Mono Version][*]
29. Old Folks at Home/Ol' Man River [*]

Album Description

Album Details

Customer Reviews:

An often overlooked gem.......2001-03-28

A Mixed Bag... but Loads of Fun!!.......2001-02-24

Although I used to always hate Friends, I find it now to be a guilty pleasure. To be sure, I think you will find the last four '60's albums to be tough first listens (if you were first weaned on the Endless Summer like I was), but they are worth the effort! Friends opens with a quick "hello, good morning, how are you" before jumping into the title track, which is a fun little waltz. Wake the World will make you chuckle (it's the tuba bassline!). Be Here in the Morning is warm and cuddly (how in the world did Brian sing that high?) When a Man Needs a Woman is alright. The happy joy-joy vibes on this album are contagious. No wonder Brian Wilson claims that this is his personal favorite among the Beach Boys long players. To top it off, you have a couple of great instrumentals from Brian (Passing By and Diamond Head), the first fruits of Dennis Wilson's songwriter talent (Little Bird, Be Still), and directions to Brian's house (listen to Busy Doin' Nothin' closely!). Except for the pedantic load of junk that is Transcendental Meditation, this album's only fault is it's brevity (25min or so).

The real gem in this 2fer, however, is 20/20. This album is comprised mainly of singles (Do It Again, I Can Hear Music, Bluebirds Over the Mountain, Cottonfields), leftover tracks (I Went to Sleep), better Dennis Wilson songs (Be With Me, Never Learn Not to Love) and a couple of Smile tracks (Cabinessence, Our Prayer) for good measure. I Can Hear Music is one of the top five moments in the Beach Boys careers; beautiful!! I will be sure to play this at my wedding if I ever have one. Time to Get Alone is great (check out the "deep and wide" in the second verse!!) Bluebirds rocks (a great version is contained on Live '69)! Cottonfields is fine (although not as good as the single version), and Never Learn Not to Love, courtesy of Charles Manson, is down right creepy. Be With Me shows a fast-maturing Dennis and a gorgeously orchestrated backing track. All I Want to Do is an absolute horror to be ignored. All told, a good album, and arguably the best post-Pet Sounds effort.

Also, check out the bonus tracks!!! Walk on By is so beautiful it is scary. Brian's falsetto is aching. Old Man River is neat (love that trombone part! never saw the show the tune is from). We're Together Again should have probably stayed in the can (my opinion; the song Friends conveys the sentiment better), but Celebrate the News is a forgotten classic.

Buy this CD! You will be glad to have it in your collection, and it will force you to re-evaluate your opinion of the largely Brian-less late '60's lineup if you still think their post Pet Sounds stuff... It isn't. That would come later. Buy this and enjoy!!

Friends.......2001-02-03

A Mediocre End to The Capitol Era.......2001-02-01

20/20, a contractual obligation to Capital, was culled from recent singles, Smile songs, and the bland dribble the group was writing at the time. Brian's songwriting dominance is truly missed. Again, only about 4 songs hold up: "Do It Again", "I Can Hear Music", "Our Prayer", and "Cabin Essense". "Do It Again" contains an irressible funky drum opening. The song was a welcome return to the Beach Boys's hedonistic early 60's Surf music. Brain said the song was probably his best collaboration with Mike. "I Can Hear Music"(the first Beach Boys song without Brian's vocals) is a beautiful remake of an old Phil Spector song. Carl gives it his all. "Cabin Essense" is the best realized Smile track. It's a truly incredible piece of mystical and strange music. If there's any reason to buy this Cd, it's to hear "Cabin Essense".

After 20/20, the Beach Boys went over to Warner Bros. records. Brian and the boys seemed more inspired, and the group composed some of their finest songs. Sunflower(1970) and Surf's Up(1971) are excellent albums, and showcase the best songs that Dennis, Al, Bruce, Mike, and Carl ever wrote.

Let's Be 'Friends'..........2001-01-19

Take the title track for instance, with its measured waltz-time tempo and astounding instrumentation and vocals. Are there any artists today who can write songs like this? If so, please fill me in. How about the Jobim-influenced "Busy Doin' Nothin'"? A masterpiece of understatement! The chord changes are simply amazing. I aquired the chord charts to FRIENDS, and the sequences are nearly as difficult as PET SOUNDS, yet this record seems as remarkably simple as PET SOUNDS is complex! I love to listen to both records back-to-back, always amazed that one band had so much talent that they could pull off both these magnificient albums and still have so much more left to say after that. FRIENDS holds a special place in my heart.

20/20, on the other hand, maybe the worst Beach Boys album of the post-Surf, pre-15 BIG ONES era. Granted that it has some stiff competition, but the record simply sounds patched together compared to unified statements like SMILEY SMILE or SUNFLOWER. (Actually it was patched together-- three singles, two songs from the unreleased SMiLE album and some various studio stuff.) It does, however, contain an absolutely magnificient composition by Dennis Wilson titled "Be With Me" that has to rank amongst the best symphonic pop of all time. It's a simply heartbreaking performance, and is reason enough alone to give 20/20 a spin.

The five bonus tracks are all superb. Brian's "Breakaway" is a great single, and Dennis's "Celebrate the News" is its even better b-side. (The song rocks!) The three Brian Wilson studio outtakes show that his command of the recording studio did not desert him after the SMiLE debacle, as is so often claimed. All together, this package is a remarkable value, even at import prices.

Average customer rating:

20 Golden Pieces of Louis Armstrong & Friends Louis Armstrong Manufacturer: Bulldog Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music New Orleans Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music New Orleans & Dixieland Jazz | Compilations | Jazz | Styles | Music Dixieland | Jazz | Styles | Music Classic Vocalists | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Traditional Jazz | Jazz | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Traditional Jazz | Jazz | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Vocal Pop | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Vocal Pop | Pop | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classic Vocalists | Broadway & Vocalists | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classic Vocalists | Broadway & Vocalists | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music ASIN: B000003R08 Release Date: 1993-04-05

Tracks:

1. Someday (You'll Be Sorry)
2. Hee-Bee Jee-Bees
3. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
4. Muskrat Ramble
5. Dear Old Southland
6. That Lucky Old Sun
7. Black And Blue
8. Panama
9. Royal Garden Blues
10. Chinatown My Chinatown
11. Swing That Music
12. Tiger Rag
13. Baby Won't You Please Come Home
14. Storyville Blues
15. Jeepers Creepers
16. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
17. Brother Bill
18. Old Rockin' Chair
19. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
20. I'm Not Rough

Average customer rating:

What Are Friends For Various Artists Manufacturer: Spine Punch Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music ASIN: B000CAKUXU Release Date: 2005-08-09

Average customer rating:

Return of the Liquidator: 20 Skinhead Classics 1968-1970 Harry J & His Friends Manufacturer: Trojan Records UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Reggae | International | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Reggae | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music ASIN: B00005YLX7 Release Date: 1995-01-01

Tracks:

1. Jack the Ripper - Harry J & His Friends
2. Big Three - Harry J & His Friends
3. My Cherie Amour - Harry J & His Friends
4. Liquidator - Harry J & His Friends
5. Don't Let Me Down - Harry J & His Friends
6. Spyrone - Harry J & His Friends
7. Reach for the Sky - Harry J & His Friends
8. Interrogator - Harry J & His Friends
9. Jay Moon Walk - Harry J & His Friends
10. Elcong - Harry J & His Friends
11. Je T'Aime - Harry J & His Friends
12. Dog - Harry J & His Friends

Tracks:

1. No More Heartache - Beltones
2. Soul Scorcher - Carl Bryan
3. Rich in Love (La la Always Stay) - Glen Adams
4. Please - Trevor Shield
5. Since You've Been Gone
6. Home Without You - Beltones
7. Cool Down
8. Darling If You Love Me - Tony Scott
9. Mr. Lonely - The Jamaicans
10. What Am I to Do? - Tony Scott
11. Tons of Gold - Val Bennett
12. Peace of Mind - Bob Andy
13. Festive Spirit - Dave Barker, Glen Brown
14. Cambodia - Blake Boy
15. Put a Little Love in Your Heart - Marcia Griffiths
16. Equal Rights - The Cables
17. Weep - Bob Andy
18. Young Gifted and Black - Bob Andy, Marcia Griffiths,

Music Review:

1. I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again, Mama [Extra tracks]
2. If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears [Original recording remastered]
3. Imagine (Original Soundtrack) [Soundtrack]
4. Immigrant Song [CD-single]
5. In the Dark
6. In The Heat Of The Night/Crimes Of Passion [Import] [Original recording remastered]
7. Initiation
8. Jefferson Airplane/ Jefferson Starship/ Starship - Greatest Hits
9. Jefferson Airplane Takes Off [Extra tracks] [Original recording remastered]
10. Jimi Hendrix: Blue Wild Angel Live at the Isle of Wight (Digipak) [Live]

Music Review

Music Review