Classical music reviews

This CD is so commanding in its musicality that one can hardly imagine being able to sit still for the live recital itself, given in Carnegie Hall in Feb. 1993. Kissin had already made the debut of a lifetime, also recorded by RCA, but this Chopin recital and its compansion from the same event exhibit a towering mastery. The famous showpieces--the F minor Fantasy, Grande Valse Brillante, F-sharp minor Polonaise, Scherzo #2--eclipse all rivals unless you go back to Rachmaninov, and the audience knew it. Their applause is a roar of ecstatic approval.

Yet behind the shattering virtuosity works a sensitive musical mind, and so it's sad to think that 13 years later, Kissin seems to have coarsened that imaginaiton by relying too much on his bravura technique.

I thought Rubenstein was the gold standard for Chopin. However, after listening to this CD I must confess that I have *never* heard better versions of the Nocturnes (A & C) or the Fantasy. Evgeny Kissin is definitely at his best here.
I am at a loss for words to express how beautifully the music has been rendered. The sound quality is very good. Superb. Absolutely a must have CD.

This is for sure the most impressing CD I have so far listened about Chopin at all! Actually it's simply the best piece of music I have listened ever.
The initial Fantasia Op.49 it's simply great and Kissin shows all his wonderful talent(I saw him in life concert in London at Royal Hall and I was deeply admired of his genius).The Nocturnes are really touchy and incredibly smoothly played. The Great Walzer are also played with extreme sensibility that I was almost moved by them. But in my opinion the best piece of music I have ever listened about composition and performance is The Polonaise Op.44. In fact it had so deeply touched me when I listend at it the first time, that I will always remember the atmosphere created from this music in a small room of a Residence in London with 2 Japanise friends of mine drinking wine and eating chease....while this music was plaing at candel-light...was impressing the feeling created by this music! You will listen at the end of this performance a large clapping hands from the audience (the CD is life recorded at Carnegie Hall in New York). You want a suggestion from me? Buy this CD and you will have forever a piano masterpiece with you for all the best moment of your life. I really mean it.
Bye from Italy.
Your faithfull Luca (greetings to all my friends around the world)

Having heard fawning comments about the Rumanian's perfection, as well as nasty ones about his reputation being "overblown" by an early death (as if it weren't the other way around), I decided to listen to the man himself.

After considering so many interpretations of Chopin's Waltzes, including that of Rubinstein and Ashkenazy, Lipatti's still remains in a class of its own. His interpretations are the most integrated, logical, and impressionistic, framed by swirls of pianistic colour (no wonder he was hailed by Poulenc in his French debut for "divine spirituality"!) that convey a breathtaking virtuosity. But his pieces are never "pious" or weighty -- nothing is overstated, and there is an element of charm and flamboyance (witness Waltz No. 13) in which he communicates refined emotion from a rich, tonal palette. A beautifully balanced and proportioned sense of structure permeates every piece.

It is difficult to categorize Lipatti. Overall, his style represents a perfect balance between the Classical restraint (Fischer, Schnabel) and Romantic sentiment (Moiseiwitsch, Horowitz) of his time.

This is, note-for-note, about the greatest piano CD I've ever heard. He plays with so much freedom and groove, it's unbelievable.
Sometimes the only CD that can follow it is some Best of Art Tatum compilation. My favorite pianist is Thelonious Monk. My favorite piano composition is Beethoven Op.111. But this CD is outrageous.
Thanks to all you other reviewers for your much more Chopin-literate comments. I'll just say that anyone who loves the piano should own this.

Yes, luminous is the word that describes Lipatti's recording of the Fourteen Waltzes best: "bright or shining, especially in the dark."

I bought this CD fourteen years ago, and since then I have not found an interpretation that even comes close to Lipatti's. His recording of Chopin's waltzes is worlds apart from those of all other pianists. No one else captured the terrifying and exhilarating coexistence of darkness and light in these ostensibly innocent pieces as convincingly as Lipatti.

Waltzes are dances of joy, very easy to learn and perform. Once very popular among all classes, their emotional range covered everything from the exuberant to the sentimental. Today, they have a reputation for either rustic fun or plain kitsch.

What Lipatti found in Chopin's waltzes goes far beyond the conventional. Played by him, these dances are testament to the pleasure to live in the face of suffering. Lipatti is the one pianist who can genuinely express both the joy of living and the awareness of mortality in as simple a piece of music as a waltz.

Playful, wise, sublime. Luminous. Listen!

I can't over-exaggerate the impact this album had on me when my Dad played it for me when I was about 6. It encouraged me to become a guitarist, and hearing it was my first truly profound musical experience that I can remember.

I love all kinds of music, but nothing has touched me like this album in the 19 years since then. Parkening's reading of Bach arranged for the classical guitar is flawless on this recording; no one, not even his mentor has matched it.

"Jesu, Joy or Man's Desiring", "Sheep May Safely Graze" and especially "Sleepers Awake" are the best renditions of these songs that I've heard, regardless of the arrangement. His control and dynamics are just staggering.

I can't explain where this album or music came from. It's my absolute favourite album. It's part of human evolution and the continually unfolding Great Work.

The are times when the musician, the composer, and the instrument just match perfectly; this disc is an example of that.

Nevermind that Bach never wrote a single note for the guitar, many of his pieces actually work better on the guitar than they would the clavier. The guitar provides much more opportunity for the musician to impart emotion by varying volume and tone. And Parkening capitalizes on that opportunity beautifully.

His playing is clean, thoughtful, and competent. This is, in my opinion, clearly Parkening's best recording. I highly recommend it. (I also recommend his In the Spanish Style, another of my favorites).

I have loved this recording for over 20 years. I had it on vinyl and was thrilled when it was released in 1985 onto CD along with 6 extra cuts. Originally a Bach interpretive LP of 10 tracks, the CD release added 6 compositions from Couperin, Handel, Weiss, Scarlatti and Visee.

This is now a rare recording, so get it while you can. It's peaceful, highly skilled and simply Christopher Parkening, playing bare and alone, and shining like the sterling musician he is!

I love misia's voice. It is unique and full of passion and emotion. I believe that she is the modern day Amalia Rodriguez. Garras Dos Sentidos is the second Misia album that I have purchased, and while it is very much up to her high standard of quality, It is not as beautiful as Paixoes Diagonais. I only wish that more of her music becomes available here in the U.S.A.

I have all of Misia's CDs, plus many more fado albums, and I have no hesitation in saying, like the first reviewer, that this is the best. Some tracks stand out, such as Danca de M�goas, where the poem is by the great 20thC poet Fernando Pessoa, N�o me chamem pelo nome, with words by the 19th/20thC gay poet, Antonio Botto, and Da vida quero os sinais. These all bring me out in goosebumps, but the album as a whole makes for very fine listening. Misia has just been made a chevalier des arts et lettres by the French government, and it may not be long before she is properly recognized in the Anglo-Saxon world as one of the greatest voices of her generation and a true heiress to the great Am�lia.

I was desperate for a good fado fix and this did the job! Her vocals are strong and smokey: she sings her heart out! She doesn't sing to please the quiet calm some people may be seeking in Portuguese music, but rather an emotional course of notes and vocal projections that capture the essence of the pieces on the album.

This one is definitely a "keeper"!

I agree this album is wonderful, but does not hold a candle to the New York Philharmonic and Sharon Isbin..Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez / Villa-Lobos: Guitar Concerto / Ponce: Concierto del sur. To compare go straight to Rodrigo's Adagio. Sharon's guitar playing and the Philharmonic are simply breathtaking and set that Adagio apart from any other verion ever.

An excellent cd. definitly my favourite recording of the Vivaldi, an excellent Scarlatti, and the best "fall of the house of Usher" (beside Koshkin's own) i've yet heard.

However - I have to say I prefer Fernandez' interpretation of the Violin prelude; while nowhere near as clean as Williams' Fernandez' reccording seems to me to be a better interpretation of violin music, more "frenzied" if you like, and with a more exhilerating tempo.

Also there are better recordings of the Adagio. I'm a great fan of Williams but I think Rodrigo needs a less subtle approach. Williams is still very expressive though.

This CD is great; almost beyond words. Williams brings a lot of diverse song styles and artists into one cd, from Yuco to Rodigo--showing the great sensitivity and huge variety of sounds and textures that can be made from one instrument. This is the guitar the way its meant to be played!

(PS. . .if you're a guitar player like I am, check out his tremelo! It's PERFECT. It seriously makes me wanna cry.)

This is a very succesful performance of Mahler's may be the most terrific symphony. Bernstein recorded it in 1960's with New York Philharmonic for CBS Records, but it is not so impressive like that interpretation with Wiener Philharmoniker. In that performance there are horrific, powerful moments, but somewhere so romantic, sensitive passages, and they played all of that passages amazing. It is a live performance, recorded in 1988 in Grosses Musikvereinsaal.

Mahler's Sixth Symphony called "Tragic" sounds like a sountrack of a horror film! As you know, Sixth Symphony is Mahler's most pessimist work and however written (with Kindertotenlieder) in his happiest years of his life (1904). Because, Mahler married to Alma Schindler, and they had a new girl, named Maria. Even so, this is a propethic work (!). Mahler, used hammer blows (in last movement) explains that his three Fate strokes which will to be in next years of his life. And these Fate strokes are: his daughter's sudden death in 1908 (at age 4!), his departure from Vienna Opera Court and his heart disease!... And then, the composer used cowbells in offstage, too. This explains the Alpine landscapes that impressed Mahler, and extreme loneliness and a mystic atmosphere. Even so, this is only symphony which finishes with dark atmosphere, not with a glory scene. And the last sudden exploding chord of music (in last seconds) usually scares me. The music finishes like an iron curtain falls in scene...

The orchestra is huge (as usual in Mahler): 5 flutists, 5 oboists, 5 clarinettists, 5 basoonsists, 8 horns, 6 trumpets, 4 trombones and a tuba, huge percussion includes bells, gong, hammer, 2 set timpani, 2 harps, celesta and about 50 - 60 strings.

The 1st movement begins like a Nazi March! This "risoluto" and tragic opening continues with a apassionata "Alma" theme, so this movement has a full of drammatic atmosphere. Especially the moments between durations 18"00 - 19"00, the Alma theme comes again and this passage is may be the most romantic moments of whole symphony, you can weep when listen it... The 2nd movement is played as Andante, as Mahler himself decided later to choice as 2nd movement, not as a Scherzo. It is peaceful music and portrays a illusionary happiness. The 3rd movement is Scherzo, and it is I think not a Scherzo, but a "Dance of Death", with devil's laughters, but in Trio section, describes the games of children, but in finish section there is a drammatic explosion and this game melody sounds now when goes away and dying in a whimper... The apocalyptic Finale is the prophetic movement. It begins as a nightmare - a silent terror, and then continues with a heroic-tragic march. This march portraits the hero (Mahler), but then the three hammer blows (by the way, in that rec. the Hammer Blows are really earth-shattering!), and then defeat and abandons himself to his doom...

Highly recommended for any Mahlerians and music lovers.

Despite the shibboleth that Bernstein radically changed as a conductor in his old age, many of his Mahler interpretations stayed basically the same between the first cycle from NY in the Sixties and the one twenty years later from Europe. That's not the case here, however. There are very big differences between his 1967 reading--a bargain on a single mid-price Sony CD, and his Vienna 1988 version, on two full-priced CDs with the Kindertotenlieder as a filler.

Sound: The NY Phil. is caught in totally clear sonics from Avery Fisher Hall. Inner detail is nicely captured, and the orchestral balance is natural. But we are in a different league with DG's digital recording from a live performance in Vienna's Musikverein, where the sonics have incredible urgency and impact.

Orchestra: The NY Phil. plays beautifully (although calling them the world's Mahler orchestra, as the Amazon reviewer does, is silly). Yet the Vienna Phil., even in a live setting, play with incomparable accuracy, power, sweetness, and style.

Interpretation: Bernstein in NY is fast enough in the first movement to be called brisk, which leaves no breathing room for the immense inner detail Mahler provides. Bernstein slows down by two min. in Vienna, which is all to the good. He also slows down by two min. in the Schrezo and the Andante--played in that order. They are also more expressive given a bit more leisure. But it's the last movement, which went from being one of the fastest on CD at 28 min. to the absolute slowest at 33 min., where the greatest improvement occurs. Here Bernstein creates a complete wowrld, full of magical color and haunting details. It becomes almost a symphony in itself--no music lover should pass up the experience of hearing it. By comparison the whole of Bernstein's earlier effort is eclipsed; it is even a bit literal, contrary to those reviewers who call it excessive.

In sum, Bernstein's Vienna Sixth is one of a kind, a must buy. If you want a single disc version, the recent Abbado on DG from Berlin is more exciting, brilliantly played, and imaginative than the NY reading from Bernstein. As to the Kindertotenlieder filler, also from Vienna in 1988, the young Thomas Hampson can't rival his female counterparts--Christa Ludwig, Janet Baker and Kathleen Ferrier--but he has far more warmth and emotional impact than Fischer-Dieskau, his closest rival among the men. Bernstein conducts extremely well, but he did the same in his two earlier versions with Jennie Tourel and Janet Baker. All three are worth owning and treasuring.

Like Mahler's fifth, his sixth is somewhat a bout between triumph and defeat. While the fifth eventually leads to glory, the sixth is, what critic Jack Diether (mentioned in the booklet of the earlier Lenny recording) said, an "exhilierating" and "catharic" work, and leads to defeat through one's tragic but non-sentimental demise.

Lenny packed a lot of punches leading the New York Philharmonic in the previous recording with Sony, but he doesn't seem to lose his vigor and enthusiasm in this performance with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra either.

But if you want a really devastating "Hammer" used in the nerve-wrecking final movement... this is the one (if not one of so) to look for. In some recordings, it was either barely audible or sounded quite wimply. When I was listening to the "hammer" in the earlier Lenny's, and Boulez's with the same orchestra, I was like, "That's it?" The "Hammer" used in these recording were not as shocking, abrupt, nor loud enough to blow away the listeners as intended. The performances are all good, but where's the "hammer"???

Found this recording and the quest for a devastating "hammer" over. At the beginning, after the harp begins to disappear (contrary to others, which actually seems to anticipate the stroke... not as exhilerating) high into thin air..... B-L-A-A-A-MMM!!!!! Out of nowhere, it strikes the hero of the story like as if tragedy has struck him. Two more "hammer" blows, including the final "one has died" motif, are almost as devastating as well.

More benefits. Within the same movement, both times when we arrive at the B-flat development??? (as much as I can tell you), you can actually hear the stokes as powerful as gun-powder, and they're probably not meant to be "hammers" at all. Gave me goosebumps with much excitement. Could happen to you to.

Horrific!!! (And I mean horrifically terrific... quite oxymoronic...) This is the one to look for. As for the remainder of the performance, you won't be disappointed either.

On paper this has to be a seemingly preposterous combination: a 17th century piece of classical music, ambient motifs, Indian meditation vocals, a soprano, and world music rhythms. It's not the first time Pachelbel's Canon has been given a modern treatment but this version is outstanding, though it will probably have classical music purists nonplussed.

The arrangements of the Canon are sympathetic and difficult to fault, I suspect that this is because the composer behind Continuo -- Victor Friedberg -- is classically trained. He shows real talent in adding rhythms and effects around the Canon that add to its emotional impact without sounding too incongruous. The rhythms and meditation vocals instil a distinctly (Asian) Indian feel to the music, which coupled with ambient effects and pop style beats makes for an interesting and very satisfying listening experience to those willing to take the music on its own terms.

I have a real soft spot for the Canon and have been playing Continuo's meditations a lot in the few weeks it's been in my possession. Every now and again I come across music which is addictive and demands repeated plays that I don't easily tire of, Continuo is the latest of such music to be keeping my CD player busy. A little more variety would be welcome though, I would have awarded it 5 stars if some of the meditations weren't too much alike.

Pachelbel's Canon has long been one of my favorite pieces of music. It's one of those things I can listen to over and over again. But sometimes you just want to hear a little different interpretation. Enter Continuo... I first heard an abbreviated version of "Intro" a few years ago on a sampler CD of unknown origin. I was completely amazed. Continuo's arrangement works on so many levels for me - it's Classical and New Age and Spiritual and slightly operatic (opera-lite, perhaps is a better descriptive) - all rolled into one. I'm not sure why, but I only got around to buying the full CD last year. Although everything revolves around the Canon, each meditation is unique and wonderful and original. The sounds and sound effects woven into and around Pachelbel's beautiful melody are nothing short of genius. This CD, for me at least, calms me when I'm upset, relaxes me when I'm stressed and just makes me happy in general.
It's flawless.
Continuo should be a part of everyone's CD collection. In other words - by all means, buy this CD!

There aren't enough words to describe what one listening can convey. I first heard this album when I walked into a new-agey store in New York's Greenwich Village. Within minutes I found myself at the counter purchasing a copy. Fortunately it's a CD because if it were an album it would be worn thin by now.

As someone else stated, I had this tape years ago and it was my very favorite. I lost it and couldn't remember the title. I looked in music stores - everywhere. I finally did a search on Amazon.com. The one song I really remembered was "Man from Casaeria". The music was beautiful. I finally found the name of the album and was thrilled to see that I could still order it. I have it on my computer now and play it whenever I want to hear relaxing music - Christmas or not! It is the BEST ever CD!!!!!! P.S. I have since also found the tape I had lost!

Ok, so I collect holiday CD's and have Many! THIS one is my all time favorite. The whole family loves it. We take it out Thanksgiving and play it non-stop through the holidays. It is hard to describe because of the different melodies, some serene, some lively. Did I mention that I love this cd?!

This collection is one of the top three albums of my over 500 CD collection of holiday music. I find The Man from Ceasaria to bring a refreshing MidEast flavor to any celebration, and the Return of the Magi is especially moving. John Doan's version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen is one of the perfect evocations of how the holiday feels as you're packing up the ornaments and reflecting on all that's happened in this season and seasons past.

This album is especially suited to sitting quietly by the fire or dozing off to sleep -- or anytime that the joy and hecticness of the season threatens to make you forget the real reasons behind it.

I am not a classical music expert but I am an expert when it comes to a great product. I have listened to the works of rubenstein and Horowitz, but nothing is comparable to this great collection of polands favorite son. The nocturnes are dreamy and romantic. The other pieces though not as mesmerizing have plenty of depth and feeling. This is a collection that you will listen to over and over again. Although this music is great anytime, it's especially meaningful during a light rainfall. Go ahead and make this investment. It's only $100.00. For the next 100 days save a dollar and you will have it paid for. I promise you won't be sorry. Excellent! Excellent!

In my opinion, this is the apex of classical music. You will not find a better CD for Chopin or any piano recordings. There may be plenty of comparable CDs, but nothing can claim to surpass this.

Although some pieces are not as good as those by other artists, Ashkenazy's interpretations of Chopin are the best I've ever heard. Add in his amazing technical performance and you've got some sublime music.

Listening to these pieces have immensely helped my own Chopin reportoire. I don't play to mimic Ashkenazy, but I use his insights and apply my own style over that and end up with something exponentially better than what I could produce on my own.

The price is something you have to seriously consider. A hundred bucks. Yeah, that's a lot of money, but that's 48 cents per song. And you'll listen to these songs dozens of times, at least, I guarantee. Plus it's a great deal... if you were to get all the Ashkenazy-Chopin CDs available on Amazon, overlapping pieces as little as possible, you'd pay $30 more and still not have everything.

This is an investment for life and will definitely remain one of my favorite CD sets for decades. Decades. A hundred bucks for decades of amazing music. This stuff is larger than today, larger than life.. music this good is something you can't afford to pass up because of temporary financial difficulties.

My opinion.
If you do not agree, at least be tolerant.
Tolerance can stop wars.
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Well, here is my review:

Lets imagine that Chopin himself has recorded his own compositions in a perfectly clear CD. I am sure that some classical music reviewers would say "This is not the way Chopin is meant to be played". These classical music "pundits" are very intolerant.

Interpretation and emotion feeling is also a matter of taste, so that the only one who can give a final answer is Franois (Frederic).

Ashkenazy is gifted with a phenomenal technique, a great pianist. So that this collection is for sure 5 stars. Enjoy it.

Ah, if you like to see piano technique in action, listen to Georgy Cziffra's interpretation of Etude op. 10 no. 4. (Search the album in my reviews.)

Sorry but from listening to the 1 minute clip of the final movement pc 21, I have to go with Uchida, who in my opinion is the master of Mozart's last 8 pc;s.
I do not care for uchida's recordings of the 1-19, too thick handed for the style of those concertos.
Quick, nimble, playful was not present in Uchida of the 1-19.
Ashkenazy here is too busy with conducting to get the piano down with perfect nuances, which Mozart demands.

Respectfully
Paul Baton Rouge

paulfbest@cox.net

EDIT, I've just added to more clip r4eviews , opening move 21 and opening from the 24th pc. Reconfirms my opinuion that Uchida is much better articulated. And though Tate is aweful in the syms , in the pc's he's much more on to of things concentrating in conducting. Ashkenazy is juggling both, successful at times I'll admit. At other times sloppy. Its impossible for any performer to both conduct and play paino. Impossible as this set shows.
Nice Day
Yeah I see 0/5 acceot my opinions based a few clips. I;ve been clip reviewing for yrs, and have a good knack, get 80%+ correct.

Rarely do soloists and orchestras create such an amazing musical experience. Even more rare is that this experience is duplicated over two dozen times. Vladimir Ashkenazy and the Philharmonia Orchestra create what is truly one of the crowning achievements of audiophile history.

I have owned this set now for nearly half a decade and I am still surprised by Ashkenazy's level of musicianship. Not that I have ever doubted his skill, rather, I am still amazed that this master of Rachmaninoff and the romantics approaches these pieces so perfectly. Ashkenazy plays these concertos as they should be played. His typical sense of drama is somewhat subdued, replaced with a sublime sense of delicacy and classical phrasing. He brings out the beautiful chromaticism, the magical melodies, and the pure beauty of Mozart effortlessly.

What is even more wonderful is that the orchestral accompaniment is top notch. Although these are not period performances, the Philharmonia plays with a classical grace and level of perfection that push these performances over the top. The orchestra's sound is full, accompanying Ashkenazy's "full" sound quite well. As mentioned above, Ashkenazy (who conducts these performances from the piano) instills in the orchestra the perfect balance of classical grace and dramatic flair.

Finally, the recorded sound is flawless. This set is so appealing to me because Ashkenazy approaches these performances in an organized, coherent fashion. Unlike his set of the Beethoven concertos (where Ashkenazy's technique, phrasing, and ultimate interpretation is dramatically different in each concerto), Ashkenazy maintains a sense of classical style throughout the cycle. And not only are the interpretations so consistent, but the sound is as well. It almost seems as if all the concertos were recorded in one session.

Moments like this are rare in music. There are certainly individual performances of the concertos that may be more appealing here or there, but all in all Ashkenazy's cycle delivers the most consistently fresh, powerful, and beautiful interpretations. For those that are not sure they want to invest so much for this set, look into Decca's CD of the "Big Six" concertos (20-25) on two CDs. But you would be missing out. Ashkenazy does not "run through" the earlier concertos but actually plays them all as if they were all equally masterful. I highly recommend this set. It is a wonderful musical investment.

Ashkenazy's style is a very good fit with Mozart's piano works: light, articulate and playful. I could never part with this set. Those who only listen to the most popular concertos are missing out on some of the earlier works, which are just stunningly beautiful. The numerous scales in Mozart's scores represent a huge technical challenge, and Ashkenazy's natural fluidity makes the music very smooth and moving.

The orchestra is well balanced and remarkably well recorded. Overall, this is by far the best complete set of concertos out there. Warmly recommended.