Appalachian Music

Good ol' passionate Bluegrass Music! Just go ahead and click "Add to Cart"....you know the rest! No regrets here.

Excellent selection of songs and artists. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Shipping was very timely

Not Great sound quality, Look for a CD by a group called "Shades of Grass" if you like great Bluegrass music.

This is the definitive one-stop choice for a package of all-time classic bluegrass hits in their original forms, and at a bargain price to boot. I enjoy the fact that the collection takes a long view, running from the oldest bluegrass tunes from Bill Monroe, originator of the genre, to a modern practitioner like Alison Krauss. Don't fail to read the liner notes, they're very informative and well-written.

Best introduction to Traditional Bluegrass that I have seen.

It has probably the best known songs in bluegrass. If you listen to bluegrass at all, you will probably know some of them. But this is only a stepping stone. From here you can move on to albums by the invidual artists as well as others like "The Seldom Scene". Or possibly "new grass" like "Hayseed Dixie" They do some interesting covers of AC/DC, Lynyrd Skynyrd and other groups.

Can I give this two and a half stars? That'll be five for the performances and zero for the sound, then.

Seriously, the performances are everything you might expect- energetic, exciting and wholly idiomatic. Lenny and the NY Phil are just in their element.

But the sound... now, CBS were never noted for their sonics, and this compilation - even with presumably sympathetic remastering - shows why.

On a half decent system, let alone high-end, this sound doesn't seem to have emanated from anything remotely resembling an orchestra- spot miked, giant instruments leap and screech around, no stage, depth, warmth, ambience or hall sound. Violins sound more like giant kajoos. Ouch. Not a good advert for analog, this sounds more like generation zero digital on a bad day.

I wish I could say more nice things, but this sounds just nasty. Even with these performances, I just find it difficult to listen through to the music.

I have always been a fan of both Copland and Bernstein. The two speak to me with their music like few other composers can. When Bernstein leads a talented group in Copland, it doesn't get much better.

Two of the most moving and emotional pieces ever written are Beethoven's 7th - Allegretto, and Copland's Appalachian Spring - Moderato-Coda. The harmonies and emotion that come from each is astonishing.

Bernstein's treatment of Appalachian Spring, and in particular Moderato-Coda on this album represent to me the finest recording of this American classic. I can listen to it 100 times, and still come away drained emotionally from the experience. Thank God that these two men graced the same earth that I live on in a time when they could be recorded for the generations.

Copeland's Appalachian Spring and other suites such as Rodeo and Billy the Kid are are at their finest in the hands of Leonard Bernstein. Bernstein gives clarity and strength to America's best composer still to date.

Listening to this CD is a great pleasure and leaves one in an optimistic and forward-looking mood

Being a nostalgia buff, I am always drawn to movies such as these and the actors that really fit the part. Yes, it is on my favorites list.

wow! This is my favorite Classical CD. If you're Bipolar and on an upswing this CD will have you soaring with Eagles.

As an American living abroad, this made me homesick. I listened 3 times in 24 hours and it only got better.

I totally respect YoYo Ma but this CD was a little disappointing because all the tunes were more like jaz and improv than nice tight blue grass and Appalachian fiddle tunes. One reel was nice but they all had a slow dirge quality that disappointed me.

This CD is certainly a collection of very talented musicians. The songs reflect great musical skill. Guests on the CD help to bring out the best of the featured musicians. I would recommend this CD highly.

A most interesting and varied collection ....beautifully put together and recorded...Appalachian at it's finest and all topped off by Yo Yo Ma....

Tracks #6 and #14 and are particularly beautiful and moving

"Appalachian Journey" takes three of our finest classical musicians (Meyer, O'Connor, and Ma) and mixes them with folkie vocalists like James Taylor and Allison Krauss to create a 'grassical' sound that's got elements of both genres. Mostly instrumental, this CD's great as a relaxing background when you don't want the music to overpower you.

Rebecca Kyle, April 2009

In accordance with the other reviews, this CD is really amazing, and it seems to be hard to get tired of listening to it. The composition and musicianship is really amazing.

I am a bit of a music snob. This album wowed me completely and I listen to it several times a week on average.

I love this CD. I bought it back when it was first released and have been through 2 discs. Living in Florida and missing my Mid-western Illinois Autumns, this music allows me the joy of Fall. Not sure it was meant to do that but somehow it does.

Relaxing and transporting...I never tire of this disc.

Appalachian Waltz shows the best of American music with premier performers. A delightful experience.

This album defies categorization. It is a mind-blowing combination of strings that hits a deep emotional chord with me. Pure joy. Don't be fooled by the title of the cd: Appalachia Waltz. It is not a traditional bluegrass or Appalachian music album; far from it. If you like experimental music you will love this, it has an avant-garde sensibility to it, yet has a melodic classical element as well.

I can't recommend this album highly enough.

For lovers of old folk music, this collection is a must have. The music is absolutely amazing, from the ballads to the gospel tunes, and the novelty songs, it just is incredible start to finish. It's also an important work in the history of acoustic music when one considers the influence it's had on so many musicians. This set is lots of great listening.

I bought this item as a gift. I am not necessairly a folk music enthusists.

However, the delivery and order process was a pleasent experience and what I would expect from Amazon. I have made other purchaes from Amazon in the past and continue to have good experiences when ordering from them.

The gift of Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music was a big hit with the recipient. It appears the CD set was well documented with booklets and a guide explaining the history and recorded dates of the music. This was a 6 CD set with the CD's packaged as two CD's to a case.
If you enjoy American Folk Music, you will find this collection to be a valuable listening experience.

Great stuff. Yet some of the singing is almost too real, too raw. Bob Dylan cites this album as a main inspiration, and you can hear his singing and songwriting style in a lot of the songs. Not for everybody, and may be even too much for casual folk music fans. Has to be listened to in the context of a historical document.

The price dropped after I ordered this and before I even received the package. Amazon would not give me the lower price saying that they don't adjust "completed" orders. So they consider an order is "complete" as soon as you order..not when you receive it. This was my last order.

There are some truly haunting performances here, and some funny ones, and some of everything, really. This stuff is so far deeper and weirder and spookier than any folk I've ever heard. It's the motherlode; Harry Smith wandered around and got these recordings before radio started, and thus we get true folk music, passed down the generations and from that area, or from the motherland of the musicians, with the spirit of the New World.
The vibes are palpable, varied, and intense. Lots of "mistakes", but so much feeling that missed notes only add to the experience.
If you've ever liked any folk music at all, whether Leadbelly, the Seegers, the Carter family, early Dylan, or if you need to know where real country music comes from, this is your collection.
Too many highlights to list. Beautiful and detailed booklet with notes on each tune makes it even better...though listening first with no preconceptions and creating your own story for the songs is probably an even better way to let this stuff seep into your subconscious.
Best of all, it's probably at your local library.

My ESL students (3rd-5th grade children from China) love learning vocabulary, story-telling skills, and natural science with Pete! These are the most wonderful songs for children of all ages! Especially little ones--AND much older ones, such as those who are learning English. "Racoon has a bushy tail"--My teenaged daughter asked me why this is the "MOST PLAYED" selection on my ITunes. Why? It's a cool song. <3 to Pete and all his learners.

As a child growing up in New York City I sat on the deck of Pete Seeger's boat "The Clearwater" and listened to him sing and play banjo to us (city kids). The memories of those sumer days and that wonderful music is still strong for me more than 30 years later. When I purchased this CD for my seven month old son two weeks ago I was curious to see if I would enjoy the music as much now as I did as a child. Happily my son LOVES this CD, and so do my husband and I. The songs are playful and melodic in a way that most children's music these days can't quite pull off. I recommend this CD highly for the whole family.

This is a wonderful cd for children and adults. The songs are simple and fun--a reminder of a gentler time. My children loved these songs as much as I loved them when I was a child. Highly recommended.

My parents borrowed this record from the library and recorded it to casette to listen to on our first long car trip.I was probably four years old. It quickly became a family favorite. Somewhere a long the way the tape was lost. Two decades had passed when just the other day I happend to catch a snippet of Froggie Went A Courtin on a public radio station. All of those memories came flooding back. Now I am buying it for my own children. I don't know what speaks more powerfully for this album than that.

I was just introduced to this music in a playgroup for 6-12 month olds. They were all babbling and playing away when we turned on "I had a rooster". Within seconds the babies were completely silent and looking towards the direction of the music completely entralled! Some of them even started bouncing to it! A huge hit! I immediately came home and ordered a copy.

This is an excellent introduction to the folk and traditional music of the Southern Highlands, both instrumental and vocal, sacred and secular. 24 tracks and not a dud to be found. My favorites include ballads by Doc Wallin and Jean Richie, accompanied lyrical songs by Clarence Ashley and Doc Boggs, and fiddle tunes from Wade Ward. Best track of all has be Lesley Riddle's `John Henry' - I have lots of recordings of this quintessential American folk ballad, and nothing quite approaches Riddle's performance. If you love this music you may already have many of these recordings, but it's nice to have them all in one place. If not but you're interested, this CD is a great place to start.

A wonderful collection of true folk music. These recordings haven't been softened by the modern sounds or current bluegrass. These recordings sound like they're of neighbors out singing on their porches having a great time. Some of the vocalists are a little rough around the edges, but that's what makes this truly great! Music like this is hard to find and I'm thrilled by my copy of this album.

Transaction was great!!!!!...product arrived in great time, sooner than expected...the condition of the the product was excellent...this is a X-mas gift for my dad...but the sample tracks seemed wonderful...

Great recordings of a wide variety of songs. Entertaining, great to just listen to, or to learn music from. Nice variety of classic sounds.

I love Appalachian Folk Music and this CD included most of the best. It was true blue original recording of this music.

songcatcher is a movie soundtrack. we liked the movie as well as the soundtrack. song catcher II is the actual music from the actual people who live in the hills. they live a simple life and their music is simple as well. we give the soundtrack high marks but think we like this one better.

I had seen the original movie of The Songcatcher and enjoyed the history and sound of the music. Then I began to look for a copy of it and couldn't find one, so when I saw that the music was available I ordered it from Amazon. It's a wonderful history of how music began in this country. I love it. Hollywood decided to do a remake of the movie, but it isn't as authentic a story as the first, too bad they have to mess with stuff they don't understand. As for dealing with Amazon, I am always satisfied with the efficiency and ease of purchase. Thank you.

This is a wonderful CD. It has songs that are in the movie, but are done by mainstream artists. I have enjoyed comparing the different recordings of the same song, and how the different accents and vocal qualities change the music. It's also a wonderful way to understand the folk music better.

I grew up here in southern Kentucky along the Cumberland Gap. This music rings in my childhood memories. My Mama and aunts and cousins sittin around on the porch of Aunt Marthys playin an singin these and other songs. Some words are different from the ones recorded (Songcatcher) like the song of Barbry Allen. But these are songs that I now sing with my daughters and hope they sing with theirs someday. I hope they won't be lost.

very good - a requested birthday gift, so it was wanted. Thank you.
Lorna Doone Duterrow

This sweet collection of Copeland's music is classic American composition. I prefer classics written here because they are as unique as this precious country is.

Tho' not Amazon's problem, I thought THIS PARTICULAR album (CD) was not good. Other Copeland CD's I have are great. Not this one!

Copeland has long been one of my favorite composers. He just takes you wonderfully away!

I was pleasantly surprised by the overall quality of this recording. I used to think that only Angel Records could produce such quality. The people who did the mixing made me feel like I was standing next to the conductor. Every solo instrument seemed to sound its best.
I also liked the interpretation. I though it was traditional and being a tone poem I had no problem closing my eyes and "seeing" the action.

This CD contains three of Aaron Copland's more popular works: "Fanfare for the Common Man"; "Rodeo," and "Appalachian Spring." Louis Lane conducts the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and they play Copland's works well.

A few brief comments about each. "Fanfare for the Common Man" is one of my favorite fanfares. The name alone biases me in its favor. But the cadence is wonderful, beginning with percussion. Then, the soaring horn. Then percussion again. 3:14 of wondrous, powerful music. I often get goose bumps listening to this short piece. The liner notes comment that the key to this work's continuing popularity is ". . .the soaring, heroic character of its opening trumpet line. . . ."

"Rodeo" is another enjoyable work. Its four movements go from "Buckaroo Holiday" to the well known "Hoe Down.""Buckaroo Holiday" is a lively piece and will be familiar to many. It begins with a toe-tapping introduction, The final movement, "Hoe Down," has been used as a theme in advertisements put out by beef growers in the U. S, (as I recall, Robert Mitchum was one of the early pitchmen in this ad, with Copland's work backing him up). This is another fast-paced, lively piece. Its energy is maintained throughout. The title, "Hoe Down," is lived up to by the music (and by this performance) and if I could dance I'd probably get up and dance!

The final piece is the 22 minute "Appalachian Spring." The song "Simple Gifts" serves as a theme interspersed here and there. This work starts out at a slow, contemplative pace. This is a good version of Copland's composition.

All in all, this is a good version of these three works. If you like Copland, I would suspect that you would like this CD.

This is one of my all time favorite CD. When critics call Sharon Isbin the "Monet of the guitar" or the "preeminent guitarist of our time" they only begin do justice to her mastery of the instrument. On this CD my favorite pieces are Agua E Vinho, Cancíon y danza for guitar, Recuerdos de la Alhambra. They are superbly played; they are flawless, passionate ,very moving. I cannot help feeling transcend when listening to Dreams of a World. Ms. Isbin does more than play nice music from all over the world; in this CD she shares her heartfelt dreams of a world.

I highly recommend Dreams of a World.

From the moment I put this CD on my player to the time the CD ended, I was transfixed. This CD is such a delight to the ears, that it is difficult to put into words the emotions experienced while listening. I attended a NY Philharmonic performance several weeks ago with guest soloist Sharon Isbin. Her live performance was mesmerizing. She did an encore performance of "Recuerdos de la Alhambra" which took my breath away. The NY Times reviewer called it a "...virtuoso encore...". How wonderful that this piece appears on Dreams of a World. A CD that will transport you around the world with the flavors of outstanding compositions interpreted by a musician who is one of the greatest living classical guitarists today. Do yourself a favor and experience the magic.

This has long been my favorite classical guitar recording, and I just put it on again after hearing another recent favorite recording ("Reflections of Spain") played by David Russell, who is perhaps the most gifted contemporary guitarist on record. I was inspired to do so by Russell's performance of the "Cancion y Danza No. 1" by Antonio Ruiz-Pipo, which though quite excellent, I knew right away was quite different from Isbin's take on the same piece.

First, let me say, I hope that they are good friends, because they are both landmark musicians and worthy "competitors." Both clearly play with absolute love for both the music and the instrument. In short, I prefer Isbin's recording of the Pipo "Danza," even though, overall, Russell's playing is technically cleaner and more facile (but not by much). (Across his entire CD, I recall barely any string noise from Russell, where as Isbin manages a mere dozen or so clear such imperfections across her entire and ample CD; big deal).

I think the thing that draws me to Isbin in this piece (and her CD, in general) is her incredible variety of rhythm, attack, and tone color, all of which combine to give an impression of near perfect balance between spontaneity and precision. She has a way of taking time without the slightest sense of delay or heaviness. This is probably because her tempo never changes, only the rhythm around it, which is a classic hallmark of rhythmic mastery. This means that she hears and feels, both deeply and objectively, every moment of "sound and space" (notes and rest) from beginning to end, like an unbroken line painted across a master's canvas. Combined with this, she uses the space between her bridge and finger board to elicit the most amazing contrasts in tone color (one of the great contributions of Segovia to the art).

Russell plays with equal mastery of rhythm and attack, perhaps aided by the remarkable sonic depth built into his guitar. While he makes maximum use of that wonderful guitar sound, he is somewhat less dramatic in his changes of volume and tone color between phrases, aiming for a more consistent and lyrical quality, certainly another aim of mastery in itself, but there in lies the difference. Still, his sharp shaping of phrases, especially in his choice of Spanish music on his entire CD, with that impeccable technique behind it, weaves a spell all its own.

So, even though Russell's is among the finest pure Spanish musical CDs available, and one of my favorite in that genre (musical realm), I still have to give my nod to Isbin's multi-national effort for its unmatched ability to conjure, especially today, the most sublime dreams of a better world.

I was introduced to Ms. Isbin's music this winter during a trip when a friend had "Dreams of a World" on for 3 days straight, dawn to dusk. Typically, after listening to the same CD twice, one gets bored or annoyed. Yet, this was not the case; on the contrary "Dreams of a World" warmed us up --it was delicately beautiful. Ms. Isbin employs an astonishing pallet of colors, which she blends with unprecedented technical mastery and imaginative nuances throughout her oeuvre.

Cancion y danza for guitar, Agua E Vinho Mahar and Yerushala'im shel zahav are pieces which can easily be overly sentimental and languorous. Ms. Isbin keeps a pleasant balance between the melancholy in her phrasing, the underlying dynamism of her voice
and the warm character of the pieces. I can only recommend Dreams of a World to anyone in search of high quality music played by an artist, not merely a technician.

You don't have to be a classical music expert to love this CD. It is accessible to both the novice as well as the sophisticated listener.

Dreams of a World is the type of CD you come back to over and over again. Each listening reveals a new layer of complexity and mastery. To master an instrument requires a unique blend of disciplined technique and creative emotion. One may aspire to being a perfect technician and yet lack in emotive nuance. One may aspire to evoke emotion and yet lack proper technique. In either case the listener is left wanting. Isbin however, inspires by combining flawless technique with passionate creativity. For example, the works by Neomi Shemer shimmer. Isbin's technique, her emotion, and her versatility shine forth on this CD. This is a beautiful work, and should be in every music lovers collection.