Classical Music

Joshua Bell is an amazing violinist who is able to perform effectively in a wide range of musical genres. Although I prefer his recordings of the great classic concerti, this is still another beautiful cd.

Forty years passed between the composition of Corigliano's "Sonata for violin and Piano" (1963) and the Red Violin Concerto premiere in 2003. The two works are very different in scope and scale, but to my ears they have a lot in common. I don't guarantee that I could recognize a previously unheard piece of music instantly as Corigliano's, but I'd be willing to try. In his notes for this CD, Corigliano says: the sonata is "for the most part a tonal work, although it incorporates non-tonal and poly-tonal sections within it, as well as other 20th-century harmonic, rhythmic and construction techniques. The listener will recognize the work as the product of an American writer, although this is more the result of an American writing music than writing 'American' muisc -- a second-nature unconscious action on the composer's part." Gosh and golly, John, I think you may be optimistic about most listeners, but I hear what you mean. The great Czech composer Leos Janacek described his own efforts to shape his music, even instrumental, to the sound of the Czech language; most serious performers and listeners have agreed that he succeeded. This sonata by the young Corigliano sounds a lot like similar works by Janacek, except that the melodic language IS different and DOES sound like Americam English in some subjective manner that I can't quite define. I hear a slangy, sarcastic, but tender American voice in the phrases of the violin. I like this piece of music, and I appreciate the pairing of youthful and mature compositions on this CD.

Joshua Bell is a thrilling performer. I can't compare his playing of these two compositions to anyone else's, since I haven't heard any other, but Bell clearly has the bowing technique to meet any eccentic demands of the music. The 4th Movement "Accelerando Finale" of the Concerto calls for very violent bowing, incorporating the fiddle into the overall percussion texture of the music. It makes a witty and vigorous conclusion for a showy concerto.

The nucleus of the Red Violin Concerto is music that Conigliano composed for a film, which I haven't seen. Since I enjoy the Concerto thoroughly, I guess I'll rent the film.

You may have overheard at some party the following or a similar comment coming from a self-proclaimed music expert: "I only listen to Beethoven and the real music. The contemporary composers just don't cut it". Then somebody asks: "Which contemporary composers do you have in mind?" The answer follows: "They are all so bad that I don't even remember their names". I shall spare you my pontification that there is a difference between ignorance (not all of us are familiar with all the composers) and stupidity (the refusal to get educated). Instead, I make a claim that even the staunchest haters of the contemporary composers will cave in to John Corigliano, if they only let themselves be exposed to his music. After hearing his music, they will be swept of their feet and they will never forget his name! John Corigliano is one of the most distinguished contemporary composers and has received all major awards, which you can find listed on Google. After hearing his compositions on this CD you will understand why these awards are given to him. It also becomes clear that these compositions will survive our times. Give yourself a chance to participate in the musical present and the future! This is not to say that you should dump all dead composers whom you love so dearly, just add somebody who is alive!

Maestro Joshua Bell excels in his hauntingly beautiful performance. The violin part is stunningly beautiful, and the performance does it justice. In a mix of unprecedented virtuosity and a sublime interpretation, Maestro Bell affirms that he is one of the best.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, with Marin Alsop conducting, was great. It is difficult to choose between all great moments, but I especially liked the orchestral drama and the hell which was raised by the percussions (I have not been so excited about the percussions since I heard Carmina Burana).

The notes that accompany this CD are written masterfully by John Corigliano, who clearly also has a great talent of communicating with the listeners via the written words. He talks about his father, a very prominent violinist, and how he came to appreciate violin and its technical difficulties by listening to his father. Then he explains how he used the Baroque device of a chaconne (a repeated pattern of chords) to structure the red violin concerto. He offers further insights into his music, which will guide the listener to pick up and identify various innovative elements.

As an overall experience, one cannot escape the excitement that one has witnessed the greatness of Corigliano as a composer, and a great symbiotic relationship with Joshua Bell, with the result that 2+2 is more than 4!

If you happen to be among the many who greatly treasure Joshua Bell's expressive, lyrical style of playing (myself included), then you'll find much to rejoice in this recently released recording of composer John Corigliano's "The Red Violin" concerto for violin and orchestra. It's a fascinating four movement work which opens with a long Chaconne that's replete with extremely demanding phrasing from Bell's violin; observant fans may recognize that it was an important part of Corigliano's original movie score for the film of the same title, featuring Bell's energetic rhapsodic playing as the Red Violin's "voice". Moreover, it is a film score that seems to have some elements in common with the somewhat atonal film score that Corigliano composed for the film "Altered States"; the atonal aspects seem to be emphasized via percussion in each of the succeeding movements after the Chaconne (first movement). Recorded back in 2003 at the world premiere live concert debut, this work also features excellent playing from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra under the baton of its now current music director, Marin Alsop.

Rounding out this recording is a spirited performance of an early Corigliano work dating from the early 1960s, the Sonata for violin and piano. In stark contrast with Corigliano's recent work like the violin concerto, this is a musically enticing work that represents his early interest in tonal music. It also is a splendid piece that underscores the close collaboration Bell has had with his frequent accompanist, pianist Jeremy Denk. Without a doubt, fans of both Corigliano's music and Bell's sterling musicianship will want to add this fine CD to their collections.

Before Corigliano, the genre of crossover concerto was occupied by Miklos Rosza and Korngold, both of whom applied lush, easy to assimilate music familiar from Hollywood movies. I loved the music to "The Red Violin," and unlike its predecessors, the Red Violin Concerto actually adapts a film score. The new version is a fusion of the haunting melody that recurred throughout the film with modernist orchestral turns, most of which can be found in previous Corigliano scores like his wildly popular Sym. #1 on the theme of AIDS.

I'm not sure the hybrid is better than the original, but the point is moot -- Joshua Bell's authoritative performance sweeps away all objections, for many fans at least, and in their debut CD, Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Sym. give their all. The BSO hasn't made a commercial recording in eight years, and they sound first-rate. If only they had been recorded under the great Russian maestro, Yuri Temirkanov, who served as music director for a few brief years. Sony's sonics are breathtaking in their impact and dynamic range, so all in all, this is a successful crossover enterprise. Personally, however, I find more enjoyment from the film score, which has no pretensions to being concert-hall music and therefore contains a much higher romantic swoon factor.

Excellent purchase, swiftly sent. I'm very pleased and hope to use this service again from the US to Spain

I did not listen the Pollini's apassionata, but after listen many famous pianist playing this piece, the Rubinstein's performance is the best!

If you like this piece, especialialy the apassionata, you will be happy listening this CD!

Perfect selection of piano pieces played by the magical hands of Arthur Rubinstein. The plastic LP version of this, cut decades ago, strongly contributed to my own desire to play piano. And what joy it brought to be able to play these pieces using Rubinstein as a model!

This is a lovely CD - there is no doubt about that. The playing is smooth and beautiful, the music is some of the greatest ever composed, and the sound is pretty good. Rubinstein certainly plays extremely well, and while this is lovely and beautiful, I feel that at times it is missing some sort of drive.

The style fits the "Moonlight" sonata's first movement. It is slow, deep, and emotional. The typical beauty that you can't help but love. The second movement, however, began to lose me. It's pretty as well, quick and light, however it bored me slightly more. Here Rubinstein seemed to save it by having contrasting dynamics, but the overall impression was still less favorable. The third movement fit well - it had plenty of pull, plenty of strength and enough spark to keep me listening and enjoying it.

However, it is in the "Pathetique" that I feel this tug is most lacking. The beginning part is lovely and flows well, but once we get to the fiery part, it's too slow, too precise, and not nearly exciting enough. To put it simply - just not the way a good Pathetique should sound. The second "adagio" movement presents us with another slow, beautiful movement. Here, there is not much to complain about. The third movement sort of felt empty again, or at least too withdrawn.

Overall, in the first two movements of "Les Adieux" I felt that again there was elegance and beauty but nothing exciting to make me feel, "Oh, THIS is Beethoven!" It didn't feel quite right. The third movement picked up a bit, much to my delight. The same seemed to apply to the "Appassionata".

Mostly, while I enjoy and love this disc, I feel that some aspects are extremely lacking. It is probably Rubinstein's "Pathetique" that bothers me most (as it is my favorite among the four), especially since it was the most disappointing.

Recommended to some either looking for an introduction or to long-time lovers. Rubinstein's Beethoven is lovely and beautiful, but I think I ought to keep looking for that perfect one.

I put all these sonatas performed by Rubinstein along with the same ones performed by Van Cliburn and Rudolf Serkin onto a dsic and have enjoyed listening and comparing. Today I put together a Rubinstein concerto disc and had almost 25 minutes of filler space at the end and added the 23rd sonata. I have listened many times to this performance and have yet to make it through the 3rd movement without a BIG chill going up and down my spine. WOW!

Most of my CD-Rs have one of Beethoven's named sonatas at the end if there is filler space. It is music I cannot get enough of and never grow tired of.

Great guitar music. CD arrived in perfect condition and a bit earlier than expected.

I heard this music on FM radio and enjoyed the soothing sounds so much that I ordered two of John William's CD's right away. He's an amazing and skilled classical guitarist. This CD is my favourite, but I also really love Places Between where Williams plays with John Etheridge, live in Dublin. It's great as background music for entertaining or just being inspired.

Header might sound corny, but there simply is no other way for me to put it when it comes to Barrios' wonderful guitar compositions. He was an amazing talent, and so is John "Guitar" Williams, who does the interpretations.
Buy it. Sit back. Enjoy.

Agustín Barrios "El Indio Mangore" at last received a web deserved homage from one of the most prominent guitarist of the last Century, John Williams whose profound love for every one of these pieces results more than obvious, at the monet you listen the first bar.

As a matter of fact, Williams plays with astonishing Latin taste; which demonstrates his grade of conviction and commitment respect this poet - composer.

To my view (in case I was inquired for the best piece) I would choose " Sueño en la floresta" hovered by a dark poetry of unsuspected lyric flight.

Piece by piece, a masterwork, all the way!

This is a masterpiece of a recording by one of the greatest guitarists in the world of the work of Barrios, an unappreciated composer. I recommend this highly for anyone that loves the classical guitar, student or professional. Williams brings great sensitivity to the nuances of these compositions and tremendous skill to these emotionally complex pieces. My only concern is that this is also packaged as "From the jungles of Paraguay" giving the impression that this are two different recording when they are exactly the same. I believe this CD is the original package.

For concentration enhancement, its done wonders for enduring focus for both my studies and every day menial tasks. I find my mind wandering far less. The only discrepancy I can see is its encompassing effectiveness. I have experienced better results for both memory and concentration with other audios. With this audio Ive experienced an awakened drive to be productive or use my mind. Memory isnt necessarily effected, but I have a state of mind where I can sit and do something for an extended period of time. In all honesty, its smooth classical feel alone would be worth the purchase. I have a pretty vast collection of both classical works and mind enhancement music tracks so I have much to compare it with. In conclusion, for concentration it does its job well. For extended effects in relation to memory, mental clarity and cognition there are other products that work better.

There are two ways that one can listen to this: one, mixed in at random with other stuff and two, by itself in a deliberate manner.

As a collection of "song length" compositions, this is a nice way to get some classical music into one's collection. It would be a good gift for a student. Mixed with other tracks, it's refreshing to listen to. I don't that you get the full effect of this CD when listening to it this way.

Ideally, this is a CD to listen to in a deliberate way. Listen to it when you first get to work in the morning, and are organizing your day. Put this is a study center for students. The power is this CD is in repeated listening and to create a "sense of space."

This CD had a tremendous effect on my ability to concentrate on my work and improved my ability to articulate both written and verbal communication. Listen to it on your way to work and you will have a renewed sense of clarity about many things.

I've been using this title for several months, and have found that it really helps me to focus in on the task at hand and get it taken care of easily. The fact that the music is wonderfully arranged and played is just an added bonus!

Hello:

Allow me first to say I'm a Law Student and the substantial amount of reading I face with everyday it is sometimes impossible to acquire concentration for extended periods of time. I bought this CD a week ago and i must say this was a gift from God. I play the CD while I do my usual readings and I have noticed that not only i go through my readings faster, but also everything I read sticks with me (reducing the law school chiche of READ, RE-READ and READ AGAIN in order to understand the law), PLUS the music is BEAUTIFUL!!!. I will definitely recommennd this CD if you're a student, or a workaholic or simply you jsut want to enjoy the riches of delighting your ears to the magnificent sounds of classical music.

"The Piano" is one of the most powerful soundtracks of the '90s. It's no wonder that Nyman played excerpts from the soundtrack for Live Earth in Japan. In "The Piano", music is the movie's language. Ada uses her piano, at first stranded on the New Zealand beach, to communicate her deepest desires.

"To the Edge of the Earth" is a mysterious, eerie sonic description of Ada's journey with her daughter from Scotland to the enigmatic Land of the Long White Cloud. "A Wild and Distant Shore" again describes the New Zealand wilderness. "The Heart Asks Pleasure First" is the simple love theme that returns in many forms. "Deep into the forest" has an urgency, describing Ada's husband spying on her and her lover. "The Embrace" and "Bed of Ferns" are incredibly erotic. There is melancholy in "The Sacrifice" and "I clipped your wing." "Dreams of a Journey" is more joyous than the opening song, bringing the story full circle.

The only weak song in the whole score is the clunky "Here to there."

"The Piano" is a classic soundtrack;without the movie, it stands on its own. Forbidden love never sounded so beautiful.

This is very unique piano music, kind of like a mix of folksy and classical. Some of the songs are soulful and moving, others are playful and uplifting. I loved this music so much, I bought the book of sheet music. It is above my limited skill as a pianist, but I want to play these songs so badly, I am motivated to practice.

I've loved Michael Nyman's film scores since 1988s "Drowning By Numbers". Whenever I watch a film that he has scored I have to buy the soundtrack, so I guess that makes me a fan. You don't have to see the movie, but who wouldn't want to see a work of such profound visual and auditory cinematic beauty?
The track "The Heart Ask Pleasure First" which returns as "The Promise" conjures up images of crashing waves and Ada's sad determination. I don't believe Harvey Keitel would have been nearly so scrumptious without the aid of this gorgeous score.

Has no-one ever remarked on the similarity between the piano theme of this movie and the piece Opening on Philip Glass' Glassworks? I too love the music on this CD but every time I hear the piano theme I hear the opening of Glassworks.

I saw the film, The Piano, many years ago. I loved the music very much. I listened to this album over and over. I then lost the CD a couple of years ago. I recently purchased it again. I turned it on, to have some music to relax to while I took a bubble bath. I pressed play, got in the tub, and began to listen. I had to get out of the tub and stop it from playing, otherwise my tears would cause the bathtub to overflow. In other words, this goes beyond normal relaxing piano music. The emotion it evokes is pretty raw. But when you're in the mood, it's a great album.

I often listen to this album while cleaning up dinner, and moving into a more relaxing mode. Great choices - many wonderful favorites.

I ordered this CD to use in my classroom with Quantum Learning. It is great!

The CD I received came from Amazon Return Center. On my stereo at home absolutely no sound came out. I tried it out in my car, and it played, but with blips every few seconds. The CD is no good, but since I opened the package I can't return it, and nowhere on this site can I find a place to discuss this matter with an Amazon representative. At least the CD is an inexpensive one, so I'll eat the cost. But I think I'll order my CD's from a local store from now on. This review shouldn't even earn one star, but I couldn't proceed without checking it.

a great selection of baroque favorites, but the sound quality, especially on the pachelbel canon, not great at all. for that reason, i cannot recommend getting it. what do you expect for five dollars, right !>? i would suggest spending a little more money and getting something that you can't bear to part with, for continued listening enjoyment.

I bought this album a number of years ago and always enjoy listening to it. You really can't go wrong with an album that begins with Pachelbel's "Canon" and ends with Clarke's "Trumpet Voluntary." Also included are works by Handel, Bach, Vivaldi and many other lesser known Baroque composers. Almost all of the works that were chosen are true classics. The performances are stellar. When I need some beautiful music to calm my spirit or provide a backdrop when I'm reading, this album is perfect. It's not remarkable enough to earn 5 stars, but I'm happy to recommend it to anyone, especially at such a reasonable price.

THE BUTTERFLY LOVERS was China's greatest classical violin concerto. Written and performed in 1954, the music was recorded on a vinyl record on one side with YOUTH on the other side.

China's Great Leap Forward and Great Cultural Revolution destroyed copies of the original recording. Only a few survived. Luckily I preserved the two songs on cassette tape before the record was destroyed in a Texas flood following a hurricane.

Nothing compared with the original despite the "pops," scratches, and other distortions that were inherent in vinyl records. All other interpretations that came afterwards were not the same.

On the other hand, this particular CD version of THE BUTTERFLY LOVERS comes close for good reasons. Musicians from the 1954 Shanghai Conservatory Symphony Orchestra were gathered for the 1992 studio recording. Unfortunately, the original violinist was absent. So, an international contest was organized to seek out the replacement. Takako Nishizaki won.

The only difference between the original 1954 version and the newer 1992 recording was a short two second segment. Nishizaki interpretation was a bit faster and brighter. This may not be a distraction for many, but for a purist like me, it was noticeable.

'The Butterfly Lovers' may be the most famous work in the Chinese classical canon, and its narrative may be derived from Chinese folklore, but there is very little Chinese about it. A conventional violin concerto from the softer Romantic spectrum (cf Bruch, Elgar), its broad melodies, spaces for virtuosic solo playing and orchestral development are overlaid with Chinese folk colour, in the same way a Hollywood film set in China might do. It is no more authentically Chinese than Massenet's 'Le Cid' is Spanish, or 'Madama Butterfly' is Japanese.

For the listener, this is a relief. Anyone who has seen 'Farewell My Concubine' will know that native Chinese music, to the uninitiated Western ear, sounds like a lunatic running amok in a kitchen, all clanging percussion and wailing stutters. 'Lovers' tells its love story in unabashed Western romantic colours that paint pictures and stir emotions - even its rhythmic passages are reassuringly familiar.

The other pieces on the CD follow the same pattern, all soupy, dreamy melancholy, all wonderfully touching, strongly evoking natural or communal worlds. Nishizaki is considered the leading interpreter of this music, but it is surely not because she is Asian, but because of her experience in the Romantic violin repertoire, from Beethoven to Brahms to Berg. What IS authentic about this recording is that she is accompanied by the orchestra and conduuctor who gave the piece's premiere in 1959.

'The Butterfly Lovers' violin concerto is NOT the best that Chinese music has to offer, despite being one of the most well-known works in the Chinese repertoire. This goes for any interpretation of this work by any conductor and orchestra, not just this one. The first and the last ten-minute sections of the music (the entire concerto is nearly thirty minutes long) are admittedly just exquisite, but the middle portion, which is supposed to depict the struggles of the heroine against her adversaries, is utterly ruined by the use of the wood clapper, an extremely crude Chinese instrument which should never have been admitted into the otherwise beautiful work. It's as if a large carbuncle were painted onto the nose of the Mona Lisa. The composers He Zhanhao and Chen Gang really should have known better. Much of Chinese music is actually genuinely beautiful, but there are also 'earsores' aplenty -- some of which have been unhappily incorporated into the concerto.

I wish to comment a little incidentally on the uncharitable characterization of Chinese music provided by one of the reviewers below, darragh o'donoghue, to the effect that native Chinese music sounds like 'a lunatic charging through a kitchen'. I really don't think such a comment is fair to Chinese music at all -- there is a great deal of authentic Chinese music that is quite as beautiful as anything by, say, Ralph Vaughan Williams. To make sweeping claims on the music of a cultural tradition on the basis of what one finds in a few films would be about as objective as, say, saying of Western music that it sounds like the screams of barbarians solely on the basis of listening to Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps. Or rap or heavy metal.

When the "Butterfly Lover Concerto" was first conceived, it was intended to distill the best of Western classical and traditional Chinese folk music into an well-paced and passionate narrative drama. To bring out its full color and texture, Chinese folk musical instruments were brought in. The concerto divides into "Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai studying together", "saying goodbye", "Zhu resisting the arranged marriage"), "Liang and Zhu meeting again in Zhu's house, and finaly "Lovers transforming into butterflies". The violinist here is the voice of the young lovers. In neither the Naxos or Marco Polo version could Ms. Nishizaki convey much emotion through her interpretation. Too many details, when emphasized and refined, would have significantly elevated the interpretation, were sadly neglected. The Bratislava Orchestra in the Marco Polo CD did not provide enough support, sounding perfunctory and all too timid. In contrast, the Shanghai orchestra in the Naxos CD did a much better job in maintaining the dialogue with the soloist. As for other pieces played by Nishisaki, I feel that she was competent, but lacked character.

To this date, Ms. Yu Li Na, the first person ever to play the Butterfly concerto, remains its best interpreter. Technically superb, she never let it overshadow the most important elements in the concerto: love, loss, and devotion. And she made it sound SO easy. Her attention to the details was exquisite and gratifying: I feel like I can hear the lovers murmur, the wills clash and butterflies fluttering in the storm. It takes a lot of guts to display such vulnerability and intimacy in her interpretation.

In a recording from the late 50s (which I think is available on cassettes), Ms. Yu also recorded the pieces which Ms. Nishizaki played in the Naxos and Marco Polo CDs. She brought much more vitality and intimacy to her music. You don't just hear the music, you see vivid images and hear laughters and shouts of joy.

I do not usually write such long reviews. But the "Butterfly Lover Concerto" is very close to my heart. Tapes of her music are usually available in Chinese bookstore. I sincerely hope whoever is interested in modern Chinese music also takes the time to discover Ms. Yu.

This is the best Chinese music of all. Also the performer Takako Nishizaki is the top violin performer in Japan. She is also the best of all performers for "Butterfly Lovers". Highly recommended. If you have any thing connected to China or Chinese culture, this is one you must have and love.

We purchased this as a gift to another great pianist, Josh Singletary, member of Tribute Quartet. It's still sealed, but experience tells us that, like our previous purchases, it will be fine!

The shipping was great! The price was great! The CD is great! All in all, it was great!

These are the F&T I remember...wonderful performers of unforgettable music. If the sound quality was the one of EMI-CAPITOL "Film Classics" it would be really perfect.
Ciao,
Franco

I don't know about these being their "all-time greatest hits." After all, they had 17 of them and, in an 11-track release, someone is going to argue the point when examining the six NOT included. Adding to the argument is the inclusion of four that only scored on the Adult Contemporary (AC) - or Easy Listening - charts which were first introduced in 1961. And while it can be argued that "a hit is a hit is a hit" until your blue in the face, the fact remains that anything registering on the Billboard Pop Hot 100 was a much more significant hit than those making only the AC.

So, for the record, the Hot 100 hits left out were: Love Theme From One-Eyed Jacks which reached # 37 in April 1961; Theme From "Goodbye Again" which, with its melody based upon Brahm's Symphony No. 3 - Third Movement, settled at # 85 in June 1961 (both were before the introduction of the AC charts); Lisa, the title song from the film, which only made it to # 98 in June 1962; The Theme From Lawrence Of Arabia, a # 84 in early 1963; and Antony And Cleopatra Theme, which made it to # 83 in July 1963.

In addition to the foregoing, they also omit these two that only made the AC charts: Pieces Of Dreams, the title song from the film, which reached # 28 in October 1970; and The Music Lovers (Main Title), also from a film of the same name, which went to # 39 in March 1971.

Even so, the 11 included here are nicely representative of Arthur Ferrante and Louis Teicher, who met while child students at Juilliard, and who actually began their recording career at Columbia in 1953. But it wasn't until 1960, and a contract with United Artists, that they had their first hit single, Theme From The Apartment, a # 10 Hot 100 AND # 24 R&B late that summer. Before the year was out they were back with another movie theme, this time Exodus, which AGAIN made both charts, peaking at # 2 Hot 100 and # 6 R&B.

Although they would have no further R&B cross-overs, they continued the pattern of movie themes in 1961 with the two mentioned above as well as Tonight (From West Side Story) which became their second-best hit at # 8 Hot 100 in November. In addition to Lisa mentioned above, 1962 also produced Smile (# 18 AC/# 94 Hot 100) from the Chaplin film Modern Times, while in 1963 hey had the two hits discussed above.

They were then off the charts completely during the peak of the British Invasion in 1964/65, but returned in 1966 with Khartoum, again from a film of the same name, taking it to # 21 AC in August, and in December saw A Man And A Woman ("Un Homme Et Une Femme"), from the Anouk Aimee film, rise to # 24 AC. Between that and late 1969 they had just one hit, when Live For Life (Vivre Pour Vivre), from the Candice Bergen movie, made it to # 27 AC.

Another solid hit from a movie then followed in late 1969 when Midnight Cowboy, featuring the guitar of Vincent Bell, went all the way to # 2 AC and also a solid # 10 Hot 100. They then broke from the movie pattern in the spring of 1970 when their cover of the Dylan hit, Lay Lady Lay, Reached # 16 AC/# 99 Hot 100. That was followed by Pieces Of Dreams and The Music Lovers, as detailed above, and in the spring of 1972 they had their final hit when Love Theme From "The Godfather" yopped out at # 28 AC.

So, not a bad little compilation of "some of their greatest with excellent sound quality. What you don't get in these Capitol-EMI "10 Best" cheapos are liner notes.

Wonderful music. Takes me back to the sixties...too bad Ferrante & Teicher are not still performing. I saw them perform twice and both times was a "standing ovation" performance.

My 4-year old granddaughter asked for the "whole version of the Ther Nutcracker Ballet, because all of the songs are not on Fantasia". Well, how could I not send this to her? She loves it and listens to it every night before bed.I listened to parts of the CD and it is lovely, much better than some of the newer recordings. This would be a very worthwhile gift for any toddler or adult who likes classical music, ballet or just music in general.

This recording of the Utah Symphony is GREAT if you are looking for danceable tempi for the "Nutcracker"- not too fast and no dragging parts. The Grand Pas is practically perfect and Snow Scene is wonderful. I have over a dozen recordings of this ballet and this is far the best- no need to slow down or speed up any parts!

As the last of Tchaikovsky's ballets, "The Nutcracker" features some of the most interesting harmonic and rhythmic textures of the Romantic era. It's a popular subject for recording. At present, we have versions by Valery Gergiev, Charles Mackerras, Antal Dorati, Eugene Ormandy, Andre Previn, Richard Bonynge, and many others. All are fine in their own right, but the best recordings of the ballet tend to be among the most overlooked: Neeme Jarvi's excellent (but sadly out-of-print) recording with the Scottish National Orchestra, Arthur Rodzinski's quirky take with the Royal Philharmonic, and John Lanchbery's theatrically insightful version with the Philharmonia Orchestra. Perhaps the most underrated recording of "Nutcracker" is this 1961 account from Greek-born, Swiss-American Jewish conductor Maurice Abravanel with the Utah Symphony Orchestra. Yes, you read correctly: the Utah Symphony Orchestra.

Despite the lack of name recognition of the orchestra, this "Nutcracker" is exemplary: clear, warm and brimming with energy. The Utah musicians produce a beautiful sound that works delightfully on a dramatic level. The first time I heard this recording, I was completely blown away. It is so free of pretense, it feels like one is hearing this music for the first time.

Abravanel's tempi choices are perhaps the most judicious and insightful I've heard: nothing sounds forced and everything is imbued with excitement and drive. It is clear from the start that this man understands this music. At times, his choices may lean on the fast side, but nowhere near the rapidfire pace of Gergiev or Dorati (whose three recordings are spoiled for me by almost flippantly delirious tempi). In fact, everything feels refreshingly grounded without ever becoming heavy-handed (which has been my problem with Previn's recording). The "Journey through the Pine Forest" has a sense of momentum without being jarring and overstated. The popular "Russian Dance" is given a performance as raucous and red-blooded as anything the Bolshoi or Kirov has ever managed. The famous "Waltz of the Flowers" is handled sensitively, becoming a breathing and moving piece, and the final "Pas de Deux" is given a lilting, romantic performance that still manages to shift tempos subtly.

The most interesting part of the recording is actually a piece I tend to skip over on most recordings: the "Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy" can often be boring and uninspired. Here, the celeste takes on an interesting glittery, toy-like quality that has character and charm. I haven't heard anything like it on any other recording. This is bound to be what entranced Tchaikovsky enough to have the instrument imported from France for the very first performance.

The sound quality is excellent, especialy considering this is a forty year-old analog recording. From the first few bars of the "Miniature Overture" I was struck by how vivid the sound actually was. For some reason, digital recording can sometimes lack the natural warmth and depth of analog. There is no such problem here. The sound is rich and living. Vanguard has done a wonderful job restoring this much neglected recording. Hopefully, this review will help bring Abravanel and company some much needed attention. (Also recommended is a 1967 recording of "Swan Lake" from the same group, a suite from which is included as a bonus here.)