Classical music reviews

I saw this work performed live in Chicago years ago, and bought the CD. I was lukewarm.

I've long been a fanatic, mesmerized by the early Glass recordings, up through "Akhnaten" (and I saw the Ensemble live in concert a few times, and I even saw "Einstein on the Beach" live), but I never got so turned on by his subsequent works.

Probably "La Belle" is one of the best of his later works. Maybe I'll eventually be able to get more into them in a few years.

I bought the CD as soon as it came out about ten years ago. One day when I was sick at home (before computers demanded we work during sick days), I pulled out an old VHS tape of La Belle et la Bete and the new CD and attempted to play them with a tolerable degree of syncronicity.

It was quite a challenge at times, but the magic of the original film is captured so incredibly well in the music I wished that Glass had procured the rights to sell the film with his alternate soundtrack. In fact, according to a Terry Gross interview on Fresh Air, it took some effort to persuade the Cocteau heirs to allow Glasss to just do a few live performances (opera singers and the silenced film together).

I just found out today that the combined product has existed for a couple of years and it is already in my shopping cart.

I can't wait!

I agree with previous reviewers that this represents Philip Glass at his very best, but I want to warn potential buyers that there is a much better way to get the work, and that is by buying The Criterion Collection 2002 DVD version of the Jean Cocteau BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (the 1998 version does not contain the Glass work). That disc contains not only the fully restored film but contains as an alternative soundtrack the Philip Glass opera. Since Philip Glass originally composed the opera as a mixed media presentation of opera to accompany that film, this is unquestionably the preferred format. Seeing the movie while listening to the opera brings home the enormity of Glass's achievement. Incredibly, his music creates a second great film, one that stands as a monument to the genius of the original film. Moreover, Glass's composition perfectly complements the film, meshing with it completely in mood and tone.

Philip Glass is unquestionably one of the most interesting and least consistent musical talents in the world today. He is capable of being repetitious and boring, but he is equally capable of producing something profound and sublime. Perhaps because he was composing a piece to mesh with another work, limitation in this case inspired him to be more creative than usual. The music consistently attempts to mimic the organs that once provided the musical background for silent films in the Golden Age of cinema, and does so magnificently.

So, while I can't recommend the musical work highly enough, I do strongly recommend getting it in the 2002 Criterion DVD version. On top of the advantage of getting the film and a ton of extras, the two sets cost about the same, so there is no financial disadvantage to getting the DVD.

There are three or four CD's that are required listening in every December. Leontyne Price's makes the list-- with stars. This CD is a reissue from a LP recorded in 1961 and includes many, many great selections: Mendelssohn ("Hark!The Herald Angels Sing"), Schubert ("Ave Maria"), Bach ("Ave Maria" and "Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her") and Mozart ("Alleluja"). In addition, "Silent Night," "We Three Kings," "God rest ye merry, Gentlemen" and four other traditional Christmas songs are included. Ms. Price's a capella version of "Sweet li'l Jesus defies description. I'm not sure how to describe what she does on "Angels we have heard on High" except to say that her voice soars and floats as she plays with the melody line. She's obviously having a good time on this one. The two Bach numbers are wonderful, her version of "O Holy Night" is as good as any you'll ever hear, and the closing "Alleluja" is simply magnificent.

I purchased the LP of this "Leontyne Price Christmas Songs" the December that John Lennon was killed. It was a great comfort at such a dark time. It's a great gift for someone you love. I'm always surprised when music lovers have not heard of it. I cannot say enough good things about this CD that deserves more than five stars.

This is one of the recordings that made me fall in love with opera. My father owned a drugstore and I started working at eth store when I was in junior high. He loved Christmas and would always play holiday music once Thanksgiving arrived. He used 8-track tapes that could repeat over and over again. Most of the recordings would be light and airy music that would encourage people to shop, but every now and then he would slip in this Leontyne Price recording, much to the chagrin of the employees. I would often switch to the track that contained Ms. Price singing "Von Himmel Hoch" pretending it was a joke, but secretly I could hardly believe that anyone could create such music. I also loved her singing of Mozart's "Alleluia."

Now when I listen to Leontyne Price's Christmas album, I no longer pretend to make fun of it. I suppose I have become my father (musically at least) and simply enjoy it. As I listen to it today, I am less impressed with Ms. Price's tremendous vocal gifts, as wonderful as they are, but of her ability to bring out the richness of each work she performs. The simple title of the recording CHRISTMAS SONGS is appropriate because the recording is about the music itself, not the performer. From my point of view this makes the recording unique. I have a number of Christmas recordings in my collection from just about every opera singer imaginable, but I always find that this recording is one of the best vocally because Price obviously loves the music, brings the music to life in her signature style, but allows the recording to be about the music and not the performer. Come to think of it, she did this onstage as well, which may be why she is considered by so many to be a musician rather than a performer and why she was so beloved when she sang and her recordings are still treasured by so many to this day.

There's no need to tarry too long in this 'review'. Others have already eloquently lavished praise on this recording. I simply must add my own hosanna to theirs. Without a doubt, the singing of soprano Leontyne Price -"La Splendissima" - is incomparable here. There has never been a soprano with a timbre so incredibly distinctive & beautiful that also infuses her music with a rare humanity and humility. Every Christmas is inauguarated with this recording at my home, and those fortunate enough to receive this CD as a gift from me, are infinitely grateful & astounded by Ms. Price's gifts.(especially those not inclined to Opera singers!)
Her collaboration here with Maestro Von Karajan is just as rewarding as all of the others including "Carmen", "Tosca", the Verdi "Requiem"(VHS/DVD), and a legendary "Il Trovatore". These (2) musical 'giants' seem to derive inspiration from each other that ignites a passionate response from each as well. Nowhere is this more evident than in their now 'classic' rendition of the Schubert "Ave Maria". Listen to the ethereal, voice-like intro of the orchestral strings that precedes Ms. Price's celestial vocalism. It's magical! The programme is diverse and deeply satisfying for the Season. Miss Price's singing, whether in this rep, singing Spirituals, the recital stage, or Grand Opera, is almost always an inveterately soulful experience. It is no less so here. Celebrate the Season (any Season you like) with "La Splendissima" Leontyne Price singing classical 'Soul' music at Christmas. Get this!!!!!!!!

Only those of us who lived through the Leinsdorf years in Boston know how stiff and inexpressive he was as a conductor. These readings date from those times, and I never pass up an opportunity to warn listeners off--just as a bit of delayed revenge. Sound is excellent in the new remastering, but there is no reason to consider Leinsdorf a competitive Mahler conductor.

Leinsdorf's posthumous reputation has taken many hits of late. He is characterized as stiff and cold, but I have to disagree. His RCA/Decca recordings of the Mozart Da Ponte operas are still among the finest on disc. Leinsdorf's more objective Mahler performances constitute a welcome alternate view to more hyper-emotive Mahler performances of the 1960s and 70s. Tastes vary, of course, but if you prefer a performance that allows the music to speak for itself you won't be disappointed in this Mahler 3rd. While Horenstein's Unicorn recording remains the touchstone (for me at least)there is much to admire here. While her voice may not have the ideal weight, Verrett's singing is well thought out and pleasing to the ear. The virtues of Leinsdorf's objective style are evident in Symphony No. 1 as well. The High Performance re-mastering is very well done.

As a sidebar, a few years back I found an Italian RCA CD remastering of the First in a local cut-out bin. In a strange and wonderful coupling, the performance is paired with Leontyne Price's Strauss Four Last Songs with Maestro Leinsdorf.

I generally agree with the fine gentleman below and respect his judgements on many reviews but in this case I'd say it was Boston itself (one dreary dull town back in 1960) and maybe the uncomfortable seats in the hall that led him to such a sour appraisal of Leinsdorf's work. I have an old Dvorak "New World" of Leinsdorf's that's a fave and nobody's come close on the Prokofiev Fifth he recorded in Boston--the ending is Twilight-zonish and maniacal--an essential quality all conductors miss when they follow the "festive" line. Then there's Korngold's Tote Stadt, which, if anything, he applied some much-needed control to and then arrived at a whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Mahler's works, since Bernstein and a few others, have taken on the form of the giant Macy's Thanksgiving Day balloons. Mahler couldn't exceed Beethoven in raw genius so he attempted to overwhelm him with Giants, Ogres, and Cyclopses (?) that get to be a bit much if made to dance and cavort too outrageously. Pity Mahler never recorded them so we could have a sense of just how much hyperbolic amperage to apply to these Frankensteins but Bruno Walter, who should know something as he was Mahler's assistant, was often (and still is) accused of restraint in the music. Ditto with Karajan (not his assist) who tends to actually play up the quality of the writing rather than the hand-wringing and teeth gnashing. Mitropoulos, another Mahler doyen, may not be the best source for authenticity as he would even turn the Brahms Lullaby into some insanely frenzied demon. I love Mitropoulos dearly but frankly, he was nutz. So was Bernstein.

So, maybe an under-inflated performance be a good one and in this case it is. Suddenly the Mahler Third doesn't seem like it sprawls over four LP sides, it might even fit onto one CD (in a sense). I love this performance, it's not a monster anymore, just a great symphony that fits well between mature performances of the Second and Fourth. I also love Leinsdorf's Mahler Fifth and I notice another reviewer says the same thing. Blame the fact that although I live in Massachusetts I never go to Boston. Everything there sounds bad. One last thing, what is wrong with considerate, technically accomplished, and talented conductors who don't feel much need to hem and haw over the music, who aren't afraid to let the composer speak for his or her self? I'm growing to appreciate solid musicians like Cluytens, Schuricht, Leinsdorf, Kempe, Jochum (who, by being merely conscientious makes Bruckner actually work), and others. Meanwhile I also love Scherchen, Stokowski, Silvestri, Bernstein, and Mitropoulos (not to mention Furtwangler, natch). There's a place for all these old greats.

Mahler still needs sorting out. He's possibly the Great Symphonist of at least the turn of the last century, if not the whole century--slightly more consistently inspired than Shostakovich (not that comoposers fault, admittedly), a hair more overwhelming than Nielsen overall (although Nielsen--piece for piece can operate at a much higher velocity), and generally more memorable than Sibelius, who sort of wandered off there toward the end and beached himself. Mahler's music will establish itself solidly once we've weaned (mostly younger) conductors from the hyperbolic approach, although that's taking far too long. I'd look seriously at this performance as a model, add in Bruno Walter II and Kubelik I along with Szell IV and, again, Leinsdorf V. That's about as far as I'm going to commit myself. Regardless of his standing (which is high no matter what), these symphonies should flow very well and consistently from one to ten in the same way the Beethoven and Brahms symphonies (and Schumann if you think about it) work as solid edifices. That won't happen if each one is bent out of shape.

On a final note in what's turning into a fantasia on The Symphony: one mid and two late century composers have this quality of turning out a fairly solid series of consistently high-quality symphonic works and oddly, all are British. Vaughn Williams really needs to be looked at firmly, and so do Malcolm Arnold and Robert Simpson. Arnold is the real sleeper here, often there is a sense of universal greatness still unappreciated.

[BMG, no doubt, is going to deep-six this release ASAP as I seriously doubt its been a super seller for them and they have already killed a number of great recordings in this outstanding series. I'll be amazed if they reissue it. Grab it while you can!]

[PPS--I neglected to mention that the Boston Symphony of this era was one of the most beautiful-sounding orchestras imaginable, up there with the Concertgebouw and the Berlin]

This CD is an interesting pairing of performances - different orchestras, different conductors, different soloists. The one very important constant is the quality of the performances of these two Mahler works.

George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra preserved a performance of Mahler's light-filled Symphony No. 4 that still is a difficult interpretation to match. The reading is light, airy, delicate and absolutely gorgeous in sound. Szell finds exactly the right tempi for each movement, even for the last movement that most conductors rush. And Judith Raskin's 'Das himmlische Leben' is the epitome of innocence of a child's vision of the heavenly life.

For this listener the true jewel of the recording is Frederica Von Stade's performance of the 'Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen' with the fine collaboration of Andrew Davis and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. It is a matter of taste as to whether the mezzo or the baritone version is preferred, but with this illuminating interpretation by Von Stade the scales tip toward the mezzo soprano sound. Hers is a rich, glowing tone with impeccable enunciation of text. Both of these performances rank among the finest available on recordings. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, October 05

Contrary to almost all the other reviewers who seem to have bought this disc for the 4th Symphony, I actually bought it for the Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen. Frederica von Stade is one of my favorite singers period, and her work in these songs is outstanding. These songs are glorious, emotional, and a highly personal Mahlerian testament. Von Stade infuses them with the emotional force they demand, and carries you with her. Wonderful songs, wonderful singing.

Once again we have Szell and Cleveland at the height of their powers digging into what for them would be a rare performance of the Mahler repetoire. The opening movement as a fine sense of "gemutlekeit" and a balance of textures which is definitely PERFECT. Rarely has any orchestra been so ably caught sonically and we are in for a real treat. As a counter measure the Kubelik is very similar in the way the music is allowed to flow as well. I really reccommend this disc simply becuase of the impeccable phrasing and well nigh perfect intonation in the different choirs.

As to the vocal solist Raskin does a commendable job and has some of the boyish quality really needed! She was tremdously good and one wonders where she is these days! This is a superb disc for the people out there who want a non fussy interpretation which really sticks close to the score.

Keep your Klemperer discs as well...Szell and Kemperer were much more alike than one would wish to think!

Many of the less imaginative people in the field of classical music have declared its imminent death for years. Citing the end of innocence brought about by World War Two, as well as the supposed inferiority of postwar works, these false Cassandras chirp endlessly that doom is coming--or has already come. I do not agree. There have been many wonderful composers since the last great war. More importantly, of late there have been many exceptional artists. Marc-Andre Hamelin is one example. His ability to breath life into old favorites, as well as buried gems speaks powerfully to open vistas of classical music's future. This disc is a case in point:

It is a thrilling live performance that plays to Hamelin's strengths. Hamelin owns the music of Alkan--his playing of Alkan's reworked Beethoven affims his mastery. The same could be said of Hamelin's Medtner. Though very different bests, these pieces show Hamelin's range and virtuosic power. The other pieces form a very pleasing and dynamic performance. Highly recommended.

Hyperion recorded this CD from a series of live recitals given in June 1994, at Wigmore Hall. It is one of my favorite live albums. Hamelin performs Alkan's transcription of Beethoven's 3rd concerto, the Trois Grandes Etudes Op. 76, as well as Medtner, Busoni and a Balakirev transcription of Chopin.

Hamelin's performance of Alkan's Beethoven 3rd is a remarkable feat of the recording age. Most pianists would never even touch the work with it's brilliant 6 minute cadenza that echoes the finale of Beethoven's 5th symphony. To perform it live is quite another matter. It is uncertain whether the great Busoni played the work himself in a recital he gave in Berlin in 1906. Hamelin's is the only recording of Alkan's transcription I'm aware of, but it's probably the only one needed.

Balakirev's transcription of the Romanza of Chopin's first piano concerto is a loyal one. However, this is probably my least favorite track on the album. While pretty and thoughtful, it seems out of place in this energetic collection. Hamelin's interpretation is a bit too clean and cold for my liking. His technique is suitable to play tranquil pieces wonderfully, but here it just doesn't seem to work.

Alkan's Trois Grandes Etudes op 76. are some of the most technically challenging compositions in the entire piano repertoire. In Hamelin, Alkan has a faithful performer that is able to create the effects of a full-scale orchestra on the piano using a mere five fingers. Not only does Hamelin perform this work live, he does so flawlessly. The first is the 'Fantasie' for left hand alone, the second 'Introduction, Variations and Finale' for right hand alone. The final 'Rondo Toccata' is a dizzying piece, reminiscent of the final movement of Chopin's Funeral Sonata. The 30-minute performance of this work leads one to admire both Hamelin's pianism, as well as his physical endurance!

The Carmen Fantasy by Busoni is essentially a whirlwind tour of Bizet with the flair of Busoni. Hamelin could have let loose with this piece, but instead decides to let the work speak for itself. The result is a reflective piece that is filled more with the contrast of emotions than excitement. Hamelin's performance is good, but it would also be great to hear this piece played with more energy.

The final piece on this album is Medtner's Danza festiva No. 3. It's whimsical that brings the album to a joyful close. This time, Hamelin's dynamics are perfect and bring out the color and energy in the piece.

All in all, 'Live at Wigmore Hall' is a remarkable achievement that is well worth adding to your collection. Hyperion has done remarkably well in putting together this album. The sound quality is crystal clear, and the audience's rapturous applause really adds to the enjoyment.

From track 1 on, it is clear that Hamelin is one of piano music's most meteoric talents ever to blaze the pianistic firmament. He dispatches Beethoven as if driven by the very fires of Hell. Surprising, as elements of wry humour are often a characteristic of this artist. But with that aside, this is a brilliantly successful recital.

Hamelin has no equal as an interpreter of Alkan; he inhabits the overheated world of this strange proto-Lisztian figure with a completeness that combines a total mastery of its fearsome technical challenges with an innate understanding of its sometime elusive emotional content.

A huge achievement...and not only technically but musically as well. Hamelin delivers on every level: this recording had me gasping in disbelief, and then laughing out loud at the sheer audacity of it all. Hamelin is a revelation. Where was I before I discovered Him? I might as well have been unconscious.

Rabin is spectacular!!! Just listen to his rendition of Zigeunerwiesen, he has no equal for this piece - not even close! I have been waiting for the re-release of this set for over 5 years, asking EMI if they would ever consider it. My thanks to EMI for listening. This is a re-release they wont regret. I have a collection of classical violin by many artists, but there is something very special about these recordings by Michael Rabin. His interpretations and the gusto of his playing take your breath away.

I cannot imagine any collection of classical music without this set of CDs.

I have to second Scott68. Rabin was one incredible violinist.
I agree, the Paganini Caprices (age 15!) Wieniawski and others were never topped by anyone! This guy had more equipment than
the guys on 'Home Improvement' and Bob Vila put together. Sell
your cans, bottles, and put a 2nd mortgage on the house if you have to! These things go OOP so fast that you have to act quickly. If you can't find it here, check froogle-dot-com,
but get it. You won't be sorry. The guy was a freak of the violin, a new Paganini. This set is guaranteed to drop your jaw.

If you don't have these CD's get them, you won't be disappointed, especially if you love the violin as I do. If you're a Rabin fan too then this small investment is money well spent. A better set of recordings of violin classics couldn't be found anywhere. Rabin quite simply was the greatest violinist of the 20th century, rivalling, and in some ways surpassing the venerable Heifetz. He was also known for his phenomenal virtuosity and 'voluptuos' tone somewhat reminiscent of Perlman.

This boxed set includes many of the virtuoso pieces that made him famous as well as more reflective pieces like Bach. Listen to these and judge for yourselves what a truly great violinist was Rabin.

All in all I was very pleased with this recording. The only complaints that I have would be that Konstanze's and Blonde's voices sound very dry to me. Personally I prefer a Soprano with a more rich, "wet" sounding voice if you will. Orgonasova execute's "Marten Allen Arten" very well, with a display of impeccable technique. I think Hauptmann plays Osmin very well, capturing the Powerful, Menacing, yet Slightly "Oafy" essence the character demands (although As I have witnessed here and in a recording of La Clemenza di Tito that I bought that also has Hauptmann in it, he isn't the best when it comes to coloratura passages; his voice sounds rather "klunky" when executing a sixteenth note run). The lead Tenor (can't remember his name), gives an excellent performance, have at times a very playful sound (such as in his duet with Osmin, "Vivat Bacchus"), or in his opening aria,where he sounds like a teenage boy pining over a girl, which is done very tastefully. Like I said, Overall, this is a wonderful performance, and I think it would be worth your money.

This is one of the most delightful opera recordings I've encountered. Gardiner brings the freshness of his authentic-performance approach to one of Mozart's freshest-sounding works. (The composer was 25 when he wrote it in 1781).

The role of Konstanze is very demanding, but throughout, Luba Organasova shows that she has what it takes. The conclusion of "Martern aller Arten", where she sings against fortissimo chords from the full orchestra, is thrilling; the Penguin Guide aptly describes her performance with the words "tremendous swagger."

Yet my favorite singer on the recording is the Blonde, Cyndia Sieden, who has a voice of silver and sings with great verve and charm. There's perfect moment in "Durch Zaertlichkeit und Schmeicheln" when she sings a meltingly tender and poignant passage--then punctuates it with a giggle. Stanford Olsen sings Belmonte with beautiful tone and conviction, though the coloratura passages in his part occasionally give him trouble. Not so Cornelius Hauptmann, the Osmin, who handles the comic arpeggios and trills of "O, wie will ich triumphieren" with panache. He also plays his character very well--comically, but not too coarsely.

The Turkish music, with cymbals, bass drum, triangle, and flageolet, is often in faster-than-expected tempo, colorful and stirring. There's some new music, too, only recently rediscovered at the time the recording was made: a little march for winds, coming just before the Pasha's entrance.

If you like Mozart or opera at all, you shouldn't hesitate--treat yourself to this recording.

This opera has always been one of Mozart's most popular. Except, apparently, for the very first performances, audiences have loved it. If you have somehow not heard it yet, I believe you will love it as well. The music is delightful and the story is wonderfully preposterous and provides for many delights. This is an easy opera to love because of the wide variety of music it contains. Lyric love tunes, aching arias, rousing marches, and wonderful ensemble pieces. Oh, and there is no recitative (that half-sung talking in Grand Opera that some people dislike). Instead, the characters converse (although in German).

If you are new to opera and want to learn why you should love it, this should be one of your early experiences because it will delight you and encourage further explorations. The "Turkish" music that was so in vogue in Mozart's time, keeps on delighting people today.

This performance / recording is very fine. I bought it because of Stanford Olsen who sings Belmote. He sang the tenor in a performance of "Messiah" here in Ann Arbor a couple of years ago and I was most impressed. He is terrific here as well (listen to the aria Mozart said was his favorite of the Singspiel on track 7). Olsen has a beautiful voice with great tone and facility. He sings with intelligence, wit, and delight in the music. I think he should be better known.

Cornelius Hauptmann is just magical as Osmin, Luba Orgonasova is a delightful treasure as Konstanze. I can understand why Belmonte goes to all the trouble to rescue her! Cyndia Sieden, Uwe Peper and Hans-Peter Minetti sing their roles wonderfully as well.

This recording on two CDs also provides a wonderful booklet that includes a nice essay on the historical background of the Opera (Singspiel, really, since it singing it in German deserved a German word rather than the Italian word opera) and its place in Mozart's life in Vienna, notes on this recording and the edition of the score from which it was performed, and a synopsis of the story. And, thankfully, there is a complete libretto. These are provided in English, French, German, and Italian.

There are nice pictures of the main soloists and Gardiner, but I can't find any biographical information on these artists in this booklet and that would have been nice to have. However, a delightful addition that is provided is the inclusion of the silhouettes of the singers who created the main roles in the original production. Most cool.

This recording would be a nice addition to your library and you will find it holds up well under repeated listenings. In fact, like all great music, it will reveal more to you with each hearing.

For a full-blown review of the works on this set, see my review of the Mozart Complete Piano Concertos Boxed Set, which you can find easily by doing an Amazon search using the words "Mozart Marriner Brendel" and which shows the facade of a building with sky behind it on the cover. (What they has to do with Mozart I don't know.) That is exactly the same set as this, only re-released in a thinner, space-saving box format with the discs in paper sleeves. The above set is the original incarnation, in a larger "brick" box with plastic cases and different liner notes. This set is about five inches thick, vs. the 1.5 inches for the reissue box. The liner notes are better here--there are two essays, and one is by Brendel himself, along with photos of the participants. The booklet in the newer boxed set has a very generic essay on the concertos with no commentary from Brendel and no photos. The music sounds the same, and is presented in the same order. Your choice--if you have space limitations on your bulging shelves you'll want the other box. If space is not a concern and the price is cheaper here, goes with this issue. Either way you'll get a very fine overview of the piano concertos, well-played but not always the most memorable. You'll definitely want to round out your favorites with other great recordings.

Great Quality. Only negative thing is maybe too high priced.

If you need an introduction to Mozart, this starting point remains unmatched. While not my first Mozart, this collection was the first CD i owned. The purchase has never been regretted. Indeed, it maintains a pride of place in my shelves.

Brendel's performance throughout this series is impeccable. He delves into Mozart's music as if he'd been sitting in a salon with Mozart reviewing the composition. There is a strong sense of time and place in all the renditions of the master's expressive genius. Brendel has avoided the trap of "updating" the performance to some 20th Century idea of how they should be rendered. Brendel brings a sense of the delicacy to his performances without losing an iota of the power behind Mozart's compositions. Brendel seems to impart Mozart's evolving maturity as he recaptures the fourteen year duration over which these pieces were composed. Mozart would hear his music with pride were he here to enjoy Brendel's recreations.

This collection sits quite close to my CD player. It takes little prompting to reach for it and randomly bring Mozart back to life through Brendel's playing. Choosing a "favourite" is difficult, if not impossible, but the 21st seems selected more often than not. Brendel's talent takes the listener into realms of musical rapture whichever concerto is played. It's impossible not to listen to these pieces without feeling a sense of reverence, both for the composer and his modern interpreter.

Marriner and The Academy undeservedly have been overlooked here. To a new generation it must be noted that Neville Marriner kept the Academy of St Martin in the Fields at the apex of the Baroque for many years. This orchestra is the ideal choice to accompany Brendel's rendition of Mozart's music. While the initial cost of this set may seem intimidating, the investment is more than worth the outlay. Take the plunge, remembering that you'll be enriching your life with the purchase.

I ordered two copies of this CD, one for me and one for my daughter. It will not play on my CD player, a Technics model. We have never had anything like this happen before. My spouse took the CD to a neighbor's home and was able to play it on his player. On the strength of that, I gave my daughter her copy. I have no idea whether she has tried to play it or not. My guess is that she won't until next Christmas. She is overworked and that won't be a high priority. In case you are wondering, our CD player continues to work well, playing all our other CDs.

Like many others on this page, I grew up listening to the original recording. It always started the Christmas season in our home. How wonderful to find it again on a beautifully remastered CD! Can't wait to send a copy to my parents. There are many, many great tracks here, but quite simply, you should own this recording for "Away in a Manger". It is magnificent, soaring, tender, almost heartbreakingly beautiful. This arragement has stayed with me for 40 some odd years. I can assure you that you'll never hear a finer version. Buy it!

In August or September of 1963 I received a call from my high school music teacher. They were looking for a small audience to act as acoustic padding to soak up some of the reverberation of the Salt Lake Tabernacle. Get down there quick, he said, Bernstein's recording with the Choir. I went and sat through the first of two sessions for this recording. It was fascinating. Bernstein came out and greeted us remarking that he always remembered his concert in the Tabernacle because "it was the loudest applause he had ever heard" (the Tabernacle itself lending to that amplification). He launched right into "Joy to the World" making adjustments to the freshly finished arrangement. All the arrangers were present. The ink wasn't dry on their manuscripts. The NYP would sight read through them a couple of times, Bernstein would adjust, and they'd do a take or two. The Choir had been preparing for many weeks. The sessions weren't entirely smooth. Bernstein was an entirely different personality than their long experience with Ormandy had been. Bernstein demanded precision. He usually got it by the final take. The album was released in less then two months. Eventually it "went gold" -- unusual for 'classical' albums of the time. I started playing it in October, 1963. There hasn't been a Christmas since that these wonderful arrangements and the memories of that summer haven't graced our family's celebration. It's advent on CD was late but most welcome.

If I am in a parallel universe separate from the one where Barenboim is considered "great", at least the Gramophone agrees with me, saying of this Mahler Fifth, "We get the externals, the hyped-up brass and the tough, resplendent strings, while a good deal has been lost in the way of naturalness and inevitability." They go on to say that Barenboim isn't in Mahler's world, just his own approximation of it.

I heard Barenboim conduct this symphony two nights ago with the CSO, and he still does it the same way as on the CD, with arbitrary changes of tempo, faked emotions, no grasp of overall structure, etc. When the orchestra isn't blasting away full tilt, which is undeniably a thrill, one notices how neutral and uninvolved Barenboim's conducting really is.

Enough. A lot of people here love this CD, apparently, but I will stick with Abbado/Berlin, my two Bernsteins, Karajan, Rattle, Barbirolli, and so on. There are lots of great Mahler Fifths out there without having to sink this low.

This splendid recording of Mahler's 5th Symphony is unquestionably among the best out there. Barenboim and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra give a more passionate, technically perfect reading than the critically acclaimed Deutsche Grammophon version with Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The Chicago Symphony's brass section gives some of its most polished, lyrical playing that I've heard recorded. Yet the other sections, most notably the strings and woodwinds, play with the brass' high level of precision and passion. Barenboim's reading of Mahler's score is livelier and faster than Bernstein's, though he does opt for slower tempi in the second and fourth movements to bring forth these movements' rich textures with greater clarity than Bernstein ever did. The sound quality is impeccable; it certainly doesn't sound like a live recording. I'd venture to say that this fine recording will be remembered as one of Barenboim's great artistic triumphs with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

This recording enters a catalog full of great performances. But I can't imagine a better performance than the one presented on this disc. The first movement begins with an unaccompanied trumpet solo. As far as notes and rhythms are concerned, the solo is not difficult. But the fact that this is an unaccompanied solo and the fact that it is the first notes heard in the symphony causes even the most talented soloists to sweat. After all, you never get a second chance to make a first impression in a live performance. The soloist in this recording makes a great first impression. One senses a natural unfolding of the solo. The beautiful tone quality achieved by the soloist forshadows the playing of the orchestra to come. The Chicago Symphony plays so flawlessly that you won't believe it's a live recording. Just listen to the lower strings at the beginning of the second movement. They play with incredible intensity. I like the slower tempo taken by Barenboim in this movement. It makes the music sound fresh. Let's face it. This is a complicated, noisy movement that can sound muddy if played by those less capable. Under Barenboim's steady hand, the tempo never drags. The Adagietto is moving, especially the final bars. Again, the basses shine at the end of the movement. The final movement, like the second, can be mishandled. Once again, Barenboim adopts a slower tempo which allows for more intensity and clarity. Of course, the CSO is famous for it's brass section. Brass fans will not be disappointed. In spite of the bombastic nature of this symphony (that is a good thing), the clarity of the recorded sound is amazing, probably thanks to rather close microphone placement. Unfortunately, it exposes a few minor mistakes from the percussion section. Hey, nobody's perfect. The cover photo is cool too. Nice packaging. Informative notes in three languages and a roster of the CSO. I put it at the top of the catalog.