The Complete Animals [Import]

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
41 track 1990 EMI retrospective with hits, rarities & three previously unreleased tracks: 'Baby What's Wrong', 'F-E-E-L'and 'Don't Want Much'. Includes their first six U.S. top 40 hits: 'The House Of The Rising Sun', 'I'm Crying', 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood', 'Bring It On Home To Me', 'We Gotta Get Out Of This Place' and 'It's My Life'. Double jewel case.

Tracks:

Boon Boom
Talkin' Bout You (Full Version)
Blue Feeling (Previously Unreleased In The UK)
Dimples
Baby Let Me Take You Home
Gonna Send You Back To Walker
Baby What's Wrong (Previously Unreleased)
The House Of The Rising Sun
F-E-E-L (Previously Unreleased)
I'm Mad Again
The Right Time
Around And Around
I'm In Love Again
Bury My Body
She Said Yeah
I'm Crying
Take It Easy
The Story Of Bo Diddley
The Girl Can't Help It
I've Been Around

Tracks:

Memphis Tennesee
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Club-A-Gogo
Roadrunner
Hallelujah I Love Her So
Don't Want Much (Previously Unreleased)
I Believe To My Soul
Let The Good Times Roll
Mess Around
How You've Changed
I Ain't Got You
Roberta
Bright Lights Big City
Worried Life Blues
Bring It On Home To Me
For Miss Caulker
I Can't Believe It
We've Gotta Get Out Of This Place
It's My Life
I'm Gonna Change The World

Album Description

41 track 1990 EMI retrospective with hits, rarities & three previously unreleased tracks: 'Baby What's Wrong', 'F-E-E-L'and 'Don't Want Much'. Includes their first six U.S. top 40 hits: 'The House Of The Rising Sun', 'I'm Crying', 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood', 'Bring It On Home To Me', 'We Gotta Get Out Of This Place' and 'It's My Life'. Double jewel case.

Album Details

Re-mastered Two CD Set featuring all the Tracks Produced by Mickey Most. Includes Previously Unreleased Tracks: 'blue Feeling', 'baby What's Wrong', 'f-e-e-l' and 'don't Want Much'.

Customer Reviews:

excelente compilacion, cruda y austera , imprescindible.......2006-12-18

gran edicion que reune las obras de los animals bajo la perspectiva de su productor. temas iniciales, todavia enfrascados en el r&b primigenio, mucho bob didley y demas....encontramos la version definitiva de house of the rising sun..que mas decir......booklet modesto, sonido acorde a los años de las grabaciones. documento de una epoca........

whats not to like?.......2006-09-08

This is a prime collection of their early, very R& B influnced work. They were just finding themselves and expanding into similar covers that other gritty Brittish bands were exploring. You can never go wrong with any Animals recording. This is very primal rock and roll. The sound quality is good for such old, presumably remastered or rediscovered recordings

Now Let's Hear This Story About Bo Didley.......2005-11-30

The reason I chose this compilation above others was the inclusion of,'The Story of Bo Didley.' I thrilled to this mesmerizing slice of rock revisionism when it first hit the airwaves. I can't recall clearly, but I think,'The House of The Rising Sun,' was already out there, and what a pounding chunk of R & B that was. It alerted me to Dylan, and retrospectively to Leadbelly. But neither of them surpassed Eric Burdon and Alan Price's take. The Bo Didley story just romped on and on, flashing light on Bo's humble beginnings(I didn't even know who he was), Dylan, payola, The Stones & the Mersey beat. And of course, when Bo visits England with Jerome Green and his gorgeous sister,'The Dutchess' Burden twists on a feigned Southern accent to declaim his own emulations of the Blues, telling us that according to Bo, their music was, 'the biggest load of rubbish I ever heard, in my life'. But not in my life. Bo and the black bretheren came after Eric in my life. So thanks, Animals. I look at Pricey stumbling around the keyboard in Pennebaker's film,'Don't Look Back', and can't believe this innocent' was capable of those deep organ notes that set a new agenda for Rock music, paving the way for the ethereal sounds of Garth Hudson, I suggest. We'd have to wait on Don McLean's nostalgic,'American Pie' for an equivalent and qualitative summary of Rock's progress. And it packed nothing like the impact on the membranes as this Animalism!

This really is the best of The Animals.......2005-04-13

The original Animals were my favorate band as a teenager, and this collection captures the band at its early, bluesy best. Unlike many of the other Animals CDs which focus mainly in the group's well-known singles, this collection includes all of the material from their early albums along with a few "never before released" items.

Songs such as "Bright Lights, Big City," "I'm Mad Again," "Hallelujah, I Love Her So," "Worried Life Blues," and "Blue Feeling" are among The Animals' best, yet are often omitted from CD collections.

For serious Animals aficianados, this CD also includes different versions of "Dimples" and "Talkin' Bout You" than were released on the original American albums. (On the down side - and it is the ONLY down side - this CD has the British version of "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place," which I regard as inferior to the American release; others will disagree about this, and still others won't be able to tell the difference between the two.) The previously unreleased material is also pretty good, unlike a lot of the previously unreleased material found on CDs of other bands.

Most of this material has stood the test of time, so younger listeners may enjoy it as much as those of us who first heard it 40 years ago.

Sixties R+B from Newcastle.......2004-02-09

The Animals, a group that included Eric Burdon and Alan Price, were the first major pop stars to emerge from Newcastle, a city located about 300 miles north of London, therefore far removed from where most talent scouts were searching. It is fortunate for us all that the Animals were discovered because they recorded some of the best R+B music to come of the UK in the sixties.

Their biggest hit was House of the rising sun, a re-working of a folk song (apparently inspired by Josh White's version of the song) that gave them a transatlantic number one hit. They had five other top ten UK hits with Mickie Most, these being I'm crying, Don't let me be misunderstood (a cover of a Nina Simone song), Bring it on home to me (a Sam Cooke cover), We gotta get out of this place (the version included here is the UK version - a markedly different recording was released in America but was unavailable for inclusion in this set) and It's my life.

Apart from their singles, the Animals recorded many other covers including Boom boom, Dimples, I'm mad again (all John Lee Hooker), Around and around, Memphis Tennessee, How you've changed (all Chuck Berry), I'm in love again, I've been around (both Fats Domino), Talking about you, Hallelujah I love her so and I believe to my soul (all Ray Charles). These covers clearly demonstrate what their main influences were, but they also wrote some of their own songs.

All the music I've mentioned so far and much more can be found on this excellent compilation. Nevertheless, despite the title of the compilation, it isn't actually their complete recordings - there is a sub-text explaining that these are the complete recordings that they made with Mickie Most as producer, although the liner notes describe their whole career. After the split, they switched to another record label, where they had some success using the name Eric Burdon and the Animals, including two more UK top ten hits (Don't bring me down, San Franciscan nights) and several lesser hits, all of which can be found elsewhere (search for Eric Burdon). Alan Price left the group before the split with Mickie Most and had several hits as a solo singer. These are also outside the scope of this collection but are easy to find.

This complete collection (apart from the American version of We've got to get out of this place) of the first and most important part of the Animals' career may be more than some people want - there are single CD collections available if you just want the hits - but if, like me, you like to explore beyond the hits, this is for you.

Average customer rating:

Like a box of your favorite chocolates...

For When You're Alone (Dig)
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music

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

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
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For Your Dreams (Dig)
For a Lazy Afternoon (Dig)
For Your Soul (Dig)
Dinner for Two
For My Love

ASIN: B00006JK9Z
Release Date: 2002-09-24

Tracks:

Air On G String - Karl Richter
Andantino - Arthur Grumiaux
Larghetto - Manfred Clement
Bourree 1 & 2 - Pepe Romero
Contrapunctus No.9 - Sir Neville Marriner
Adagio - Heinz Holliger
Siciliana - Boston Symphony Orchestra
Siciliano - Irena Grafenauer
Larghetto, Con Sordini - Heinz Holliger
Andante - Heinz Holliger
Aquarium - Andre Previn
Berceuse - Julian Lloyd Webber
Andante Con Moto - Maria Graf
Largo - Catherine Mackintosh
The Bells - Frederick Fennell
Chorale Prelude: 'Wir Glauben All An Einen Gott', BWV 680 (Giant Fugue) - Leopold Stokowski
Nocturne, Op.19 No.4 - Mischa Maisky
Adagietto - Adagio - Myung-Whun Chung
Larghetto - Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

Like a box of your favorite chocolates..........2003-05-01

This is a really well-thought-out selection of quieter Baroque, Classical and Romantic works, played primarily on strings but not exclusively. Some of the works are transcribed to other instruments--oboe in the case of a Bach harpsichord concerto, guitar instead of solo cello in the Bouree. This CD includes a lovely, lilting work by Pergolesi, who lived from 1710 to 1736. His wistful and playful music always provokes a happy-sad reaction from me because it's so beautiful and there is of course so little of Pergolesi due to his tragically short life.

Tracks:

Concerto No. 2, Op. 18 In C Minor: Moderato; Allegro
Concerto No. 2, Op. 18 In C Minor: Adagio sostenuto
Concerto No. 2, Op. 18 In C Minor: Allegro scherzando
Concerto No. 3, Op. 30 In D Minor: Allegro ma non tanto
Concerto No. 3, Op. 30 In D Minor: Intermezzo: Adagio
Concerto No. 3, Op. 30 In D Minor: Finale: Alla breve

Tracks:

Concerto No. 1, Op, 1 In F Sharp Minor: Vivace
Concerto No. 1, Op, 1 In F Sharp Minor: Andante
Concerto No. 1, Op, 1 In F Sharp Minor: Allegro vivace
Concerto No. 4, Op. 40 In G Minor: Allegro vivace
Concerto No. 4, Op. 40 In G Minor: Largo
Concerto No. 4, Op. 40 In G Minor: Allegro vivace
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Introduction: Allegro vivace
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation I: (Precedente)
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Tema: L'istesso tempo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation II: L'istesso tempo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation III: L'istesso tempo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation IV: Piu vivo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation V: Tempo precedente
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation VI: L'istesso tempo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation VII: Meno mosso, a tempo moderato
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation VIII: Tempo I
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation IX: L'istesso tempo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation X: Poco marcato
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XI: Moderato
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XII: Tempo di minuetto
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XIII: Allegro
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XIV: L'istesso tempo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XV: Piu vivo scherzando
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XVI: Allegretto
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XVII: (Allegretto)
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XVIII: Andante cantabile
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XIX: A tempo vivace
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XX: Un poco piu vivo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XXI: Un poco piu vivo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XXII: Un poco piu vivo (Alla breve)
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XXIII: L'istesso tempo
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XXIV: A tempo un poco meno mosso

Tracks:

Isle Of The Dead, Op. 29
Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14
Symphony No.3, Op. 44 In A Minor: Lento; Allegro moderato
Symphony No.3, Op. 44 In A Minor: Adagio ma non troppo
Symphony No.3, Op. 44 In A Minor: Allegro

Tracks:

Sonata, Op. 30, No. 3 In G: Allegro assai
Sonata, Op. 30, No. 3 In G: Tempo di minuetto, ma molto moderato e grazioso
Sonata, Op. 30, No. 3 In G: Allegro vivace
Sonata D. 574 In A: Allegro moderato
Sonata D. 574 In A: Scherzo: Presto; Trio
Sonata D. 574 In A: Andantino
Sonata D. 574 In A: Allegro vivace
Sonata, Op. 45 In C Minor: Allegro molto ed appassionato
Sonata, Op. 45 In C Minor: Allegretto espressivo alla Romanza
Sonata, Op. 45 In C Minor: Allegro animato

Tracks:

Partita No. 4, BWV 828: Sarabande
Harpsichord Suite No. 5: Air And Variations - 'Harmonious Blacksmith'
Sonata, K. 331: III: Turkish March
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Thema: Allegretto
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation I
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation II
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation III
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation IV
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation V
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation VI
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation VII
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation VIII
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation IX
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation X
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation XI
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation XII
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation XIII
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation XIV
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation XIX
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation XXII
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation XXIII
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation XXIV
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation XXV
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation XXVI
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation XXVII
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation XXVIII
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation XXXI
32 Variations, WoO 80 In C Minor: Variation XXXII
Return Home
Polish Songs: The Maiden's Wish
Die schone Mullerin: Das Wandern
Schwanengesang: Serenade
Polonaise No. 2 In E
Songs Without Words, Op. 67: Spinning Song
Impromptu, Op. 90, No. 4 In A Flat
Concert Etude No. 2: Gnomenreigen
Orfeo ed Euridice: Melodie
Etude, Op. 104b, No. 2 In F
Etude, Op. 104b, No. 3 In A Minor
Spanisches Liederspeil: The Smuggler
Minuet, Op. 14, No. 1 In G
Liebesfreud

Tracks:

Sonata No. 2, Op. 35 'Funeral March': Grave; Doppio movimento
Sonata No. 2, Op. 35 'Funeral March': Scherzo
Sonata No. 2, Op. 35 'Funeral March': Marche funebre
Sonata No. 2, Op. 35 'Funeral March': Presto
Carnaval, Op. 9: Preambule
Carnaval, Op. 9: Pierrot
Carnaval, Op. 9: Arlequin
Carnaval, Op. 9: Valse noble
Carnaval, Op. 9: Eusebius
Carnaval, Op. 9: Florestan
Carnaval, Op. 9: Coquette
Carnaval, Op. 9: Replique
Carnaval, Op. 9: Sphinxes
Carnaval, Op. 9: Papillons
Carnaval, Op. 9: A. S. C. H. - S. C. H. A. (Letteres dansantes)
Carnaval, Op. 9: Chiarina
Carnaval, Op. 9: Chopin
Carnaval, Op. 9: Estrella
Carnaval, Op. 9: Reconnaissance
Carnaval, Op. 9: Pantalon et Colombine
Carnaval, Op. 9: Valse allemande
Carnaval, Op. 9: Pganini (Intermezzo)
Carnaval, Op. 9: Aveu
Carnaval, Op. 9: Promenade
Carnaval, Op. 9: Pause
Carnaval, Op. 9: Marche des 'Davidsbundler' contre les Philistins
Nocturne, Op. 9, No. 2 In E Flat
Waltz, Op. 64, No. 2 In C Sharp
Waltz, Op. 64, No. 3
Ballade No. 3, Op. 47 In A Flat
Mazurka, Op. 68, No. 2
Waltz, Op. Posth. In E Minor

Tracks:

Partita No. 3, BWV 1006: Preludio
Partita No. 3, BWV 1006: Gavotte
Partita No. 3, BWV 1006: Gigue
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Scherzo
Liebersfreud
Die schone Mullerin: The Brooklet
Polka de V.R.
Etude-tableau, Op. 39, No. 6 In A Minor
Prelude, Op. 3, No. 2 In C Sharp Minor
Sorochintsy Fair: Hopac
Lullaby, Op. 16, No.1
Tsar Saltan: Flight of the Bumblebee
The Ruins Of Athens: Turkish March
Scherzo In A Flat
The Seasons: November: Troika
Prelude No. 8, Op. 11, No. 8 In F Sharp
One Lives But Once
Powder and Paint
Polka italienne (Piano 4 Hands)

Tracks:

Concerto No. 2, Op. 18 In C Minor: Maderato; Allegro
Concerto No. 2, Op. 18 In C Minor: Adagio sostenuto
Concerto No. 2, Op. 18 In C Minor: Allegro scherzando
Prelude, Op. 23, No. 10 In G Flat
Prelude, Op. 32, No. 3 In E Major
Prelude, Op. 32, No. 7 In F Major
Prelude, Op. 32, No. 6 In F Minor
Etude-tableau, Op. 33, No. 2 in C Major
Etude-tableau, Op. 33, No. 7 In E Flat
Daisies, Op. 38, No. 3
Oriental Sketch
Melodie, Op. 3, No. 3 in E
Serenade, Op. 3, No. 5 In B Flat
Humoresque, Op. 10, No. 5 In G
Lilacs, Op. 21, No. 5
Moment Musical, Op. 16, No. 2 In E Flat

Tracks:

Mazurka, Op. 63, No. 3 In C Sharp Minor
Nocturne, Op. 15, No. 2 In F Sharp
Waltz, Op. 18 'Grande valse brilliante' In E Flat
Waltz, Op. 34, No. 3 'Valse brilliante' In F
Waltz, Op. 64, No. 1 'Minute'
Waltz, Op. 69, No. 2 In B Minor
Waltz, Op. 70, No. 1 In G Flat
Scherzo No. 3, Op. 39 In C Sharp Minor
Waltz, Op. 64, No. 1 'Minute' In D Flat
Le coucou
L'Arlesienne Suite No. 1: Minuet
Carnival Of The Animals: The Swan
Songs Without Words, Op. 67: Spinning Song
Waltz
Lyric Pieces, Op. 12: Elfin Dance
Etude, Op. 28, No. 6 In F Minor
If I Were a Bird
La jongleuse
Dr. Gradus ad Parnassum
Children's Corner: Golliwogg's Cakewalk
The Seasons: November: Troika
Humoresque, Op. 10, No. 2 In G
Waltz, Op. 40, No. 8 In A Flat

Tracks:

Prelude, Op. 23, No. 5 In G Minor
Prelude, Op. 32, No. 12 In G Sharp Minor
Prelude, Op. 3, No. 2 In C Sharp Minor
Prelude, Op. 32, No. 5 In G
Serenade, Op. 3, No. 5 In B Flat
Lilacs, Op. 21, No. 5
Polichinelle, Op. 3, No. 4 In F Sharp Minor
Polka de V.R.
Liebesleid
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
Pastorale In E Minor
Theme and Variations
Waltz, Op. 42 'Two - Four' In A Flat
Waltz, Op. 64, No. 3 In A Flat
Polka de V.R.
Bacarolle, Op. 10, No. 3 In G Minor
Prelude, Op. 3, No. 2 In C Sharp Minor

Amazon.com

We remember Rachmaninov today mostly for the music he wrote. But as this set quickly reveals, he was one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century, able to play his own music and a great variety of others with tremendous personality and a technique that is still astonishing. There's no point picking highlights from this set, since they are everywhere. But if you've never heard Rachmaninov play Schumann's Carnaval, try starting there for one of the most imaginative recreations of a piece of music ever recorded. The set also includes Rachmaninov's only recordings as a conductor in two of his own major works. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Save some $ money! Get the newer January 2006 reissue set instead........2006-05-17

At the time of this review, whenever you search for a phrase such as "Rachmaninoff Complete", amazon's search engine always lands on this out-of-print recording (ASIN: B000003FB7) . It's also no fun to see that it costs more than a hundred bucks! But if you type "B000A2AD2S" in the search box, you'll see the new reissued set for half the price. It's the exact same 10 CDs. Just the cover art is different.

Unfortunately, this situation is a common pattern with amazon's listing of classical music: when you use your intuition and type in common-sense search phrases for Bach, Mozart, etc, you often get the ultra-expensive out-of-print ships-in-4-weeks items as the default item. It takes a lot of detective work to find the newer reissue recordings. For example, to find the new reissue without knowing the ASIN, I had to enter just "Rachmaninoff" in the search text (deliberately left the word "Complete" out of the search) so it would no longer lock me into this item page that you're looking at and give me a full listing instead. I then sorted the listing by "Original Release Date" and found it on the 2nd page. There's no picture on the new item which doesn't give you any confidence that you found the right one. Don't worry, B000A2AD2S is what you want.

For product research, it's good to have both ASIN product listings because the older out-of-print B000003FB7 has the sound samples (and also all the helpful customer reviews) while the new B000A2AD2S has the better price and availability.

To make things even more confusing, the amazon staff sometimes copies entire customer reviews to the new item which would then make THIS review seem strangely out of place. If that happens and I notice it, I will delete this review for B000003FB7.

(In another strange twist, amazon searches in rock/pop usually points you to the newer cheaper remastered/repackaged/reissued/whatever of a particular recording. I don't know why it works the opposite way in classical music?!?!)

6, or Even 7 Stars!.......2005-06-04

Hofmann hit the nail on the head when he said Rachmaninov had "arms of steel and heart of gold". From this album, we can have a clear picture of Rachmaninov's vison of music, of his musical mind and thoughts and moreover his own playing.

While Kempff's playing would often remind of the protestant church music, Rachmaninov bring to our mind the chanting of the Orthodox church, which is much thicker and darker. On top of that, his playing is orchestral which is so powerful and full colours. Yet, it is nothing like Richter, where often the whole piece is just one phrase.

Here each piece has it's own life and identity each with a focal point. It is water tight compact and yet very much natural and alive, never as hair-raising as Horowitz. But, it is not natural in Arrau's way. It is somewhere in between, closer to Argerich but with more consistency and depth. And like Casals' playing, it keeps our attention from the first note up to its focal point until its very end. But unlike Casals, he touches our hearts. It is very emotional but never to the point of being sentimental-- the performance of his own concertos, for example, can tell you that.

Sure, he did have fingers of steel that helped him to bring out whatever colour or atmostphere as appropriate. And despite that fact that there are some minor alterations on the scores like his Chopin, he is one of the few pianists who could really show you every note on the score counts and, above all, how it counts...

His Chopin may not be as neurotic as Cortot. Nonetheless, he sheds light on the dark and nervous side of Chopin so well: a very throbbing interpretation that is so unique. We also have him accompanying Kreisler on some violin sonatas, something that one could turn to time and again, year after year. What a great chamber musician and accompanist he was...!

The recorded sound of the CDs do vary, and some are more acceptable than the others. But for genuine music lovers, they should be able to get over this very soon: how else would they benefit from one of the greatest legacies of a genuinely great musician!

A must have for Piano and classical music lovers.......2005-04-04

To respond to a review about the sound quality-for those people who have no experience with historical performances i.e cortot-hofmann-etc these discs are for the most part much better recorded. There are the inevitable pops and hisses but if these things disturb you, or you cant get past them, then you shouldnt be listening to this kind of thing anyway. the importance here is in the playing, and the playing is extra ordinary. I you want to buy a disc for the reperatoire then i can think of hundreds of performances that will satisfy, but only people with a true interest to hear and study these pieces will be beyond satisfied. I know that may not sound like a lot of fun, but these discs are fun, great, and for me, almost too good to be true. Again, if sound disturbs you, then you may be listening to the music for the wrong reasons. Take from it the playing, the revelations that Rach provides to his pieces, and how fortunate we are that it sounds as good as it does.

Ah, Rachmaninoff, brilliant star of music, how we adore you.......2003-09-14

The music of Rachmaninoff is beyond words, furthermore, beyond imagination. He was a genius, no doubt, and nobody will ever understand how incredibly lucky we are to be blessed with his compositions. Furthermore, it is truly astonishing to hear Rachmaninoff play his own work. There is nothing so beautiful on this earth and there never will be.

Review from a spoiled modern listener.......2003-07-13

I'll admit that I'm a spoiled modern listener, accustomed to having the bang and hiss edited out of a recording, and it took me a while to warm to these. Rachmaninoff's performances are splendid, but if you can hardly hear them over the cacophony of background noise, what's the use? His performance of his own, often overlooked Concerto No. 4 finally made me sit up and listen, even though I've owned two versions of this piece for a number of years (Ashkenazy & Wild).

Average customer rating:

Good, not great.
Incredible!
overly rich nostalgic pieces and particles of the piano

The Piano Album

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00000C2KC
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Tracks:

Hexentanz
Chant Polonais No. 1 In G 'Maiden's Wish'
The Crimson Petal
The Fuchsia tree
Capriccio In F Minor, Op. 28 No. 6
Minuet In G, Op. 14 No. 4
Nocturne, In B Flat, Op. 16 No. 4
Etude In A-Flat Major, Op. 1 No. 2
Melodie In E
Caprice-Burlesque
My Favorite Things
Kashmiri Song
Music Box
The Swan
Papillons
The Gardens Of Buitenzorg- (From 'Java Suite', Book 3)
Waltz In A, Op. 2
En route, Op. 9
Sicilliano, Op. 42 No. 2
Caprice espagnol, Op. 37

Tracks:

Variations Brillantes Op. 14
The Enchanted Nymph
Der Kontrebandiste
Melody In F
Gargoyles, Op. 29: I. Presto
Gargoyles, Op. 29: II. Adagio semplice, ma con molto rubato
Gargoyles, Op. 29: III. Allegro moderato
Gargoyles, Op. 29: IV. Presto feroce
The Musical Snuffbox
The Musical Snuffbox
Etude de style, Op. 40 No. 1 'Agilite'
Till I Wake
Weep You No More
March Of The Siamese Children
Valse mignone
Serenata, Op. 15 No. 1
Bourree (From Violin Sonata No. 2)
Erinnerungen (Triakontameron No. 25)
Adagietto (From 'L'Arlesienne')
Ungarishe Zigeunerweisen

Customer Reviews:

Good, not great........2002-05-22

I got this double cd, since a fellow reviewer of Hamelin's Kaleidoscope said he couldn't fully endorse that disc, since this cd would be so much better. Wrong again, sewer boy!

Thanks to Arthur Schnabel complete recordings of Sonatas, Concertos and Variation Works have become the mainstay of the recorded piano repertoire. Nowadays, it is hard to imagine that this has not always been the case. Yet, just have a look at the complete Rachmaninov recordings on RCA to see that even this giant mostly recorded little trifles, since the record buyers of his time prefered snacks over meals.

This generous and economic double cd contains a compilation of mostly romantic smaller scale works, that Rachmaninov's clientele would have enjoyed. Some are obscure, others e.g. Ljadov's snuff box and Taussig's Gypsy tunes are pretty well known.

Hough-a man from the splendid 1961 vintage, just like Hamelin and your's truly- is a highly accomplished pianist. His playing is good, yet not up to the Hamelin standards. The repertoire, however, started to bore the hell out of me after a while. I admit, that there are true exceptions like the Liebermann Gargoyles, but for me this set was simply too much of a good thing.

The interpretations vary from decent to good. I used to own an lp of the French virtuoso Setrak, that contained both the Ljadov and Taussig mentioned above and believe you me those interpretations dwarfed what we get here.

In conclusion, a generous compilation of smaller scale pianoworks. Good clean piano playing and more than adequate recordings.

Incredible!.......2001-01-12

I am a pianophile and longtime record collector, and this is one of the most awe-inspiring recordings I have ever heard. Stephen Hough's pianism - and I don't mean to be hyperbolic - simply exhausts all adjectives one might try to use to describe it. This is the kind of album to listen to not so much for the music (though these are charming and now-rarely heard pieces) but for the artistry of the performer. For stunning virtuosity, listen to the final measures of the Moszowski piece or to the MacDowell; for rich tone and melting legato listen to Hough's own transcriptions of the two Roger Quilter songs. Out of hundreds of CDs I have heard, this is one of my absolute favorites - and a steal at the price. Stephen Hough is the modern day Cortot, Gieseking, Rachmaninoff, and Joseph Levine, for he has it all - drama, precision, color, intellect, raw strength, and yes - delicacy. I rarely make recommendations like this, but you absolutely must hear this recording.

overly rich nostalgic pieces and particles of the piano.......2001-01-06

This is music that seems to have lapsed into a forgotten time warp, like when you open that old wood truck in the attic to find odd bits and particles,objects,dolls and photographs that immediately transports you into another fantasia place. That's what this music does. Hough has selected for the most part fast filigreed,rapid cascades and ribbons of pieces. Each however has its own narrative,its own special tale to reveal, a special musical texture,an endearing melody. Needless to say most of the composers here are those you've never heard before,like Ignaz Friedman, whose "Music Box" is not what you think, yes it has that timbre of forever moving tickly tones,for a ballerina popping out of a ceramic box. But there is a large pallette of sophistication here as well with the unique timbre of the piano. Every piece does this admirably. The Hexentanz of MacDowell (arr.Liszt) is a helter-skelter piece never stopping,scaling the upper regions of the keyboard,and this would be an encore work. It keeps you on the edge of your upholstered chair.Leoplold Godowsky is not an unfamiliar name,he is a specialist in the art of the arragement trying to capture a timbre, and here in Camille Saint-Saens forever memorable "Swan"the final days of post-romantic Louis Napoleon the Third era is handled with just a few more ripples in the pond than before almost imperceptible.

Amazon.com

This series of Saint-Saëns' piano music, recorded in 1974, will be of interest to the composer's admirers, but it's not likely to win any awards. Most of the music consists of glittering generalities, with few memorable moments and a lot of padding. Saint-Saëns had inspirations, but he didn't waste many of them on his solo piano music. In the few cases when a piece has become familiar, we can tell that Dosse's performances are mostly just adequate, seldom exciting or insightful. She gets around the keys well enough, and the last of the Six Etudes (based on the composer's own Fifth Piano Concerto) is pretty dazzling, but elsewhere she seems to be just going through the motions. The solo piano music, recorded by the wonderful Elite team of Nickrenz & Aubort, has splendid sound quality. But the duets, recorded in Stuttgart, sound boxy and flat--except for "Carnival of the Animals," with the sparkling chamber orchestra. This certainly isn't a bad set, but it's only a compelling purchase for lovers of this composer who can't get enough of his piano music. Well, now they can. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Decent performances but terrible sound quality.......2007-06-01

The performances on this collection were decent, although it is somewhat hard to judge them, not being familiar with most of the items. However, the sound quality is way below expectations for something that was originally recorded in ca. 1974 (more like what one would expect from the 1920s or 1930s). There are inexplicable bumps and pops (no pits or scratches obvious on the CDs), and the general acoustics are very subdued (as if the transfer were done using a tape recorder on a monophonic turntable). One cannot claim that it this way because of the budget price - other labels have managed to do much better in their offerings at this price point (such as the D. Scarlatti sonata selection by Pletnev on Virgin Classics which I had purchased in the same order as this CD set).

Proto-Modern Music.......2004-05-21

Saint-Saens didn't believe that music must express deep emotion to be worthwhile. He was more interested in beautiful surfaces than in profundity. The composer's aesthetic, which might be described as "decorative," justifies certain limitations and is not all that different from Milhaud's or Poulenc's, although the musical idiom is more 19th century than 20th century.

Because this is a "complete works" set of CDs, the quality of the compositions is predictably uneven. Several of the many pieces included are too protracted, formulaic and even dull, but few are without any interest. Almost all seem impersonal and dispassionate. That said, much of the music is lovely, frequently colorful and occasionally dazzling. Saint-Saens piano writing is almost always transparent, elegant, ironic and wry. Some pieces, like the Scherzo for Two Pianos (which is organized as a palindrome), the Valse Gaie and the Etude en Forme de Valse, are stunning mixtures of modern musical language and traditional gestures. There is truly no other music like this.

Admirers of French music are fortunate that Vox decided to reissue these performances, which range from adequate to excellent.

COMPLEMENTS STEPHEN HOUGHT SAINT SAENS CONCERTOS.......2003-08-12

I AM LISTENING TO THE FOURTH OF FIVE CDS PLAYED ON THE PIANO BY FRENCH WOMEN MARYLENE DOSSE AND ANNIE PETIT. THEY ARE EXCELLENT ESCAPISMS. I DON'T KNOW ONE FROM THE OTHER, BUT JUST LAY BACK ON A SULTRY DAY AND ENJOY.
I THOUGHT I MAY HAVE DUPLICATED SAINT-SAENS COMPLETE WORKS FOR PIANO AND ORCHESTRA BY SAKARI ORAMO UNDER STEPHEN HOUGH OF THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM ORCHESTRA, BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE. WITH VOX I GOT 5 CDS AT HALF THE PRICE OF THE HOUGH TWO CDS. SO THE SELECTIONS AREN'T FAMILIAR. WHO NEEDS MORE OF THE SAME?

Average customer rating:

Stephen Hough is a genius
Just Some Info About This Recording
light little pieces, fun but not too serious

My Favorite Things: Encores

Manufacturer: Music Masters Jazz
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Tracks:

Hexentanz
Maiden's Wish, Op. 74, No. 1
Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal
Fuchsia Tree, Op. 25, No. 2
Capriccio in F Minor
Minuet in G
Nocturne
Etude in a Flat Major
Melodie in E
Caprice-Burlesque
My Favorite Things
Kahmiri Song
Musical Box
Swan
Papillons
Gardens of Buitenzorg
Waltz
En Route, Op.9
Siciliano
Caprice Espagnol

Customer Reviews:

Stephen Hough is a genius.......2003-09-01

Spectacular pianist. Stephen Hough takes technique to a new level. Crisp, clear notation with beautiful phrasing and unbelievable dexterity. At times, it seems as though these pieces were composed for four-hand piano. This the album which first captivated my ear for Hough.

Just Some Info About This Recording.......1999-05-11

I think the reason this recording is out of stock is that the content is duplicated by the Stephen Hough's CD entitled "The Piano Album". Perhaps it was simply reissued under a different name.

light little pieces, fun but not too serious.......1998-10-17

Hough is definitely good to listen to, and this album is a collection of light little pieces that he can have some fun with. There are quite a few short pieces that are hard to find in other "all time favorite" collections.

A Child's Garden Of Dreams/Symphony No. 2

Average customer rating:

Deeply satisfying music
Child's Garden of Dreams

A Child's Garden Of Dreams/Symphony No. 2

Manufacturer: Albany Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000049P2
Release Date: 1996-01-23

Tracks:

A Child's Garden Of Dreams: I. There is a desert on the moon...
A Child's Garden Of Dreams: II. A drunken woman falls into the water...
A Child's Garden Of Dreams: III. A horde of small animals...
A Child's Garden Of Dreams: IV. A drop of water is seen as it appears...
A Child's Garden Of Dreams: V. An ascent into heaven...
Symphony No. 2: I. Moderato
Symphony No. 2: II. 'Deep River'
Symphony No. 2: III. Allegro Molto

Customer Reviews:

Deeply satisfying music.......2002-04-03

I first heard Maslanka's Symphony No. 2, 3rd Movement performed by the Wichita State University Band several years ago and immediately fell in love with it. I've somehow managed to damage the CD and I'm gladly replacing it today. I highly recommend this CD not only for the incredible music itself, but also for what I feel is the intensity of the performance, the strength of the soloists and ensemble, and the deep sense of soul they bring to their music. If you're looking for a flawless performance, buy something by the Eastman Wind Ensemble or one of their many equals. If you haven't performed music of this type and caliber, it's easy to nit-pick the infrequent performance problems on this recording. If you're fortunate enough to have been part of a close-knit ensemble and enjoy modern wind music, this is a disc you must own.

Child's Garden of Dreams.......2000-11-02

This pretty much is a must have for anyone serious about good band music. A Child's Garden of Dreams is probably one of the best pieces of band literature ever written. Very fun to play also.