Beethoven: Symphony No. 9
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| 166 of 169 people found the following review helpful  The definitive Four Seasons performance, By FargoUT "Boyd P." (Salt Lake City, UT USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (Audio CD) Sitting here, listening to the Four Seasons performance played by Itzhak Perlman, Isaac Stern and the Israel Philharmonic, I've realized how important a musician is in the performance of a piece of music. While the Perlman/Stern/Zukerman/Mintz performance is wonderful to listen to, it lacks a certain something (and not to mention the horribly loud applause that interrupts the mood of the piece).All is better in Joseph Silverstein's rendition of the piece. I remember purchasing this version on tape a few years back, and was still amazed at the beauty. Now on CD, it sounds even better. Silverstein is a master, and he rightfully plays the piece straight out. It's rather difficult to listen to any other performance of the Four Seasons after Silverstein and the Boston Symphony have played it. All in all, I'd say it is not just one of the best Four Seasons performances ever recorded... it is one of the best recorded performances of any classical piece in history. You will not be... Read more 62 of 62 people found the following review helpful Stunning, beautiful recording, By gmeyer (Beavercreek, OH United States) - See all my reviews This review is from: Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (Audio CD) This is one of the first CD's I ever bought in the early 80's (my CD jacket says it was released in 1982) and I still play it constantly. Back then, I had learned to always look for the classical recordings by the Telarc label because their recording techniques were far above any other labels. I still believe that. This disk still has to be one of the best recordings of this piece ever. The accoustics are perfect and while I don't pretend to be an expert on evaluating classical music, I find the playing by the Boston Symphony ensemble breathtaking. It's just too bad this CD is buried in a huge pile of other Vivaldi recordings of the Four Seasons. It should be at the top of the stack for more visibility. 57 of 59 people found the following review helpful A Technical Masterpiece, By Richard Seastrand (Falls Church, VA United States) - See all my reviews This review is from: Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (Audio CD) I'm certainly not a music critic, so I'll simply say that this performance is the most disciplined yet passionate I've ever heard. What particularly impresses me is the engineering. The clarity and balance is incredibile. In other recordings I've heard, the harpsicord sounds like it's buried under a quilt. Here it is perfectly articulated. The bass is full yet never boomy and the strings are crisp but never raspy. It doesn't get any better than this. |
The Baroque Christmas Album
All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed. This compilation of re-issues, originally recorded in the 1990s and 2001 features music, by Bach, Charpentier, Gabrieli, Schütz, Corelli (the famous beloved "Pastorale") and Praetorius, all of it beautiful and just right for celebrating a festival of light, hope, worshipful praise, and jubilation. It is performed to perfection by several period vocal and instrumental groups, the latter tuned to various "authentic" pitches. Some of the pieces are excerpts from longer works, some are arrangement Read More »
Music from a Farther Room
For anyone who has attended Josh Groban's phenomenal live show, you will have undoubtedly had the pleasure of seeing and hearing his lead violinist, Lucia Micarelli. Lucia came to Josh's tour after appearing with the Trans- Siberian Orchestra playing arenas across the U.S. in 2003. With the close of the second leg of Josh's tour, Lucia is recording her debut album in New York and London with producer Paul Schwartz. Musical selections will range from the works of composers Ravel and Ennio MorricoJosh Groban fans who caught the singer's 2004 Closer tour would no doubt take note of Lucia Micarelli, who was the violinist and concertmaster for Groban. Like her boss, who also is executive producer of Music From A Farther Room, Micarelli is a young, attractive, and talented player who has the classical training, but who is also enchanted with pop music. Also like her boss, her strain of classical crossover works thanks to tasteful accompaniment, in this case from arranger/compo Read More »
5 Stars: Favorites from the 5 Browns
All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed. Read More »
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Sarah Brightman Photos 
Read More »| 123 of 136 people found the following review helpful  Know What You're Getting Into, By This review is from: Classics (Audio CD) Few artists engender such strong reactions as does Sarah Brightman. She is truly a love-it-or-hate-it proposition. This album is a perfect example of what divides people about her. The album is called "Classics" and is an album of classical material done Sarah Brightman-style. If you already like her voice and the production style of her music, it's probably for you. Sarah has never claimed to be a legit opera singer, and you'll probably find this CD in the vocals section of your store, not the classical section. So if you like legit classical singers or traditional opera recordings, of COURSE you're not going to like it. So put your axe away and buy something else. Sarah Brightman sings the classics her way; she does not try to imitate anyone else or give a traditional recital. A lot of the arguments made by reviewers here are old hat, from way back in the "Classical Barbra" days of Streisand's 70's classical album. They're TIRED, OLD arguments. Sarah's and Barbra's CD's... Read more 42 of 44 people found the following review helpful Brightman's Voice = Lovely Instrument, By A Customer This review is from: Classics (Audio CD) Listening to Sarah Brightman sing makes one realize that the human voice is truly the most lovely musical instrument (I think Chopin said this). I have 3 of Sarah Brightman's other CDs (Eden, La Luna, and Andrew Lloyd Webber) and this is my favorite of all three. I realize that the critique of music is a very subjective matter (there are beings that actually enjoy rap "music") so I should mention that La Luna is my least favorite of all because it's a bit "dark" and minor sounding. Most of the selections on this CD are very melodic and "happy" (sorry, I'm not a professional music person). All of the songs on this CD are derived from classical music, hence the name "Classics." I must mention that I am partial to classical music. This CD has taken the best parts of classical pieces and set them to words. Lovely! There are a few operatic pieces which are delightful. Listening to a Sarah Brightman CD versus today's pop music is like eating a... Read more 33 of 35 people found the following review helpful What more is there to say!?, By This review is from: Classics (Audio CD) There is no doubt (at least in my mind!) that Sarah Brightman has an exquisite voice, but just as important, she has incredible control over her voice which allows her to perform to perfection everything she sings whether it be opera arias, popular tunes, or jazz -- and let us not forget that she does all of this in five different languages! As many know, Miss Brightman likes to 'theme' her albums and "CLASSICS", I believe, is no exception. Each song flows beautifully into the next, creating a feeling of harmony and tranquility. While I have heard some complain that only four new songs are offered on this CD, it's important to note that many of the songs found on previous albums are presented here with new arrangements. I realize this is only a matter of opinion, but I rather enjoy hearing different arrangements, and in fact, find it refreshing. Additionally, since the previous recordings she has selected for this CD are among my favorites, I cannot complain on that note... Read more |
