Live from Robert's [EP] [Live]

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Shine up your boots and get that hair slicked back because Live from Robert's Western Wear is the next best thing to a trip to the honky tonks of lower Broadway. BR5-49 was the prime mover behind the revitalization of Nashville's live country music scene, and this album documents the joyous mess that is their live show, complete with ambient yee-has and the band glad-handing the crowd for tips. Lest numbers like "Me 'n' Opie" have you thinking that the band is all about kitsch, check out their cover of the Louvins' bloodthirsty ballad "Knoxville Girl." Well, actually, it's a traditional number, but the Louvin Brothers made it famous, and the band does a dandy, Louvin-like job with the song's eerie soaring harmonies. Live at Robert's is a rip-roaring three-day bender of an album: sometimes sloppy, never especially original, but always a heck of a lot of fun. --Mary Park

Live from Robert's,BR5-49,Arista,Country,Country & Western,Country-Rock,Neo-Traditionalist Country,Pop
Live from Across the Pond
Average customer rating: 0 out of 5 stars
  • Excellent
  • Increasingly dull
  • marvelous
  • Amazing
  • Editorial review?
Live from Across the Pond
The Robert Cray Band
Manufacturer: Vanguard Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Contemporary BluesContemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. The Road to Escondido
  2. Dirty Deal
  3. Strong Persuader
  4. Can't Quit the Blues
  5. Heavy Picks: The Robert Cray Band Collection

ASIN: B000GY73IW
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Tracks:

  1. Phone Booth
  2. Poor Johnny
  3. Our Last Time
  4. Right Next Door (Because Of Me)
  5. 12 Year Old Boy
  6. I Guess I Showed Her
  7. The Things You Do To Me

Tracks:

  1. I Was Warned
  2. Twenty
  3. Bad Influence
  4. The One In The Middle
  5. Back Door Slam
  6. Time Makes Two
  7. I'm Walkin'

Amazon.com

Subtlety is both a blessing and curse for Robert Cray. In the studio, his increasingly restrained arrangements have served to frame his growing mastery of classic Memphis soul, allowing his soaring, vibrato-rich voice to carry tunes that directly echo the Stax years. That can work well live, too, and does so here in "Phone Booth" and the funky distillation "Back Door Slam," an ode to sexy down-home belters like Little Johnnie Taylor. But too often Cray downplays his incendiary guitar abilities on stage, which makes long numbers like "The One in the Middle" interminable, and leaves this two-disc live set--recorded during a week of shows opening for Eric Clapton at London's Royal Albert Hall in May 2006--full of cold spots. Things heat up whenever Cray picks up his Stratocaster in earnest, whether he's plucking out fat, singing notes à la Albert Collins in his radio hit "I Guess I Showed Her" or weaving a slow, soulful path through the bridge of the ballad "The Things You Do to Me," using his whammy bar and unpredictable variations on the melody to conjure shades of introspection. Overall, this set will please Cray's die-hard fans, but is unlikely to lure new listeners. --Ted Drozdowski

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Excellent.......2007-04-18

Dont like his politics, but love his music. Good to finally get a live CD.

1 out of 5 stars Increasingly dull.......2007-04-04

I saw Robert Cray on this tour and have seen him more than 10 times. We just him opening for Clapton last month. Sadly, his live shows get duller every year. He seems to be stuck playing these mid-tempo songs from his playbook that just aren't that interesting. Phone Booth and Our Last Time are slowed down to the point where they have lost whatever charm they once possesed. Songs such as Bouncin Back, Consequences, Picture of a Broken Heart, or Survivor would have made a much stronger playlist.

There are some bright lights on this album: I Was Warned and Time Makes Two are riveting and intense. It is time for Cray to get some new collaborators as he and his longtime band have settled into a deep and somnambulent rut.


There are many better ways to enjoy Cray's music than this. I strongly recommend Strong Persuader and I Was Warned as the best ways into his songbook.

5 out of 5 stars marvelous.......2007-03-23

Refer to my first review of the Robert Cray Band. There is nothing to add.

5 out of 5 stars Amazing.......2007-03-15

I saw him first on Eric Clapton's Guitar Festival and was blown away. This CD is another amazing performance live and the man is brilliant. Not a real blues fan until now but his guitar work can change your mind. His band is top notch too, never thought I could groove to an organ before.
Love this album bought two, one for a friend, you must share this man.

Highly recommend it.

4 out of 5 stars Editorial review?.......2007-03-04

This isn't a review of the album, it's a review of Ted Drozdowski's (?) editorial review. I just heard Cray open for Clapton in Dallas a few nights ago. I didn't hear Cray downplaying his "incendiary" guitar abilities on stage, either in this album or the recent concert, as Drozdowski contends. B.B.King says he plays in "sentences." Cray is similar--but with longer, more complex sentences. Still, though, sentences. The contrast was startling when Clapton came out and played his melodic paragraphs. Neither is better. They're the unique voice of the respective artist. Cray is so smooth that the transition from vocal to guitar solo is seamless. He's always "incendiary," but it's often a slow burn.
Oh, and BTW, Cray doesn't have a "whammy bar." He plays a Strat with a hard-tail bridge (i.e., no tremelo).
Angel: Live Fast, Die Never - Music from TV Series
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Vampire Muzak
  • Exactly what I expected
  • Music to remember
  • Love the show - Love the music
  • more please!
Angel: Live Fast, Die Never - Music from TV Series

Manufacturer: Rounder / Umgd
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Film ScoresFilm Scores | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Buffy The Vampire Slayer: The Album (1999 Television Series)
  2. Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Radio Sunnydale
  3. Firefly (Original Television Soundtrack)
  4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Once More, with Feeling
  5. Serenity

ASIN: B0008FPJ7Q
Release Date: 2005-05-17

Tracks:

  1. Angel Main Theme The Sanctuary Extended Remix performed by Darling Violetta
  2. Start The Apocalypse
  3. The End Of The World
  4. Massive Assault
  5. Home
  6. Hero featuring vocals by Elin Carlson
  7. Judgment & Jousting
  8. The Birth of Angelus featuring vocals by Elin Carlson
  9. Rebellion
  10. The Trials for Darla
  11. Dreaming of Darla
  12. Untouched / Darlas Fire
  13. Darlas Sacrifice
  14. Welcome To PYLEA
  15. Through The Looking Glass
  16. Castle Attack
  17. Cordy Meets Fred
  18. Princess Cordelia
  19. Farewell Cordelia
  20. Im Game by Christophe Beck
  21. Touched performed by Vast
  22. LA Song performed by Christian Kane
  23. Lady Marmalade performed by Andy Hallett
  24. Its Not Easy Being Green performed by Andy Hallett,
  25. A Place Called Home performed by Kim Richey

Album Description

Fans of Angel have continually hoped to one day hear an album. Their wait is finally over. Live Fast, Die Never: Music from the TV Series features * A newly-recorded, full-length version of the main-title song * 3 songs performed by cast members as were featured in episodes of the show (a karaoke bar was a recurring location) * Score by the show's composer, Robert Kral *key songs to the show performed by Vast and Kim Ritchie *notes from Joss Whedon and extensive cast photos from all 5 seasons Angel is Academy® and Emmy® -nominated writer Joss Whedon's humorous exploration of the twists and turns of adulthood set against a backdrop of supernatural adventure and is seen currently on TNT.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Vampire Muzak.......2007-04-01

The music on the series was very effective and enjoyable, but being written in service to the story and visuals makes it a little unsatisfying with the music alone.

4 out of 5 stars Exactly what I expected.......2007-03-26

I wish it had a few more darker songs on the album but what I got is exactly what I expected it to be. I am very satisfied with my purchase.

3 out of 5 stars Music to remember.......2007-03-13

The opening track of the album by Darling Violetta, is absolutely fantastic. Having all the Buffy albums and knowing how thought provoking the music is from that show, I did expect more from the Angel album. But it's still good music and any fan would be happy to say they have it.

4 out of 5 stars Love the show - Love the music.......2007-01-20

It is wonderful music!!! It is as huanting as it was while watching the show!

5 out of 5 stars more please!.......2006-12-05

One of my favorite is season 5 episode 6 "The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco " I wish this compilation include the guitar solo section. I am completely opposite to the one of the reviewer. I love the music part only. I find it inspiring. There's some Hans Zimmer style in it. I really dig it...quiet yet powerful. However, it start to become a little too formulated. Too much of the same thing is definitely not a good thing. Ahhh, classic tragic hero stories. I can't resist.
Martha Argerich and Friends: Live from the Lugano Festival, 2006
Average customer rating: 0 out of 5 stars
  • Lots of Schumann, not much Argerich, plus some real oddities
Martha Argerich and Friends: Live from the Lugano Festival, 2006

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. A Piano Evening with Martha Argerich [DVD Video]
  2. Haydn: Piano Sonatas
  3. Martha Argerich and Friends Live from the Lugano Festival 2005: Chamber Music
  4. Volodos Plays Liszt
  5. Piano Quintet in F Min / Complete String Quartets (1, 2, 3)

ASIN: B000PFU9OM
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

  1. I: Sostenuto Assai/Allegro Ma Non Troppo
  2. II: Scherzo: Molto Vivace
  3. III: Andante Cantabile
  4. IV: Finale: Vivace
  5. I: Allegro Assai Vivace
  6. II: Allegretto Scherzando
  7. III: Adagio
  8. IV: Molto Allegro E Vivace
  9. I: Zart Und Mit Ausdruck
  10. II: Lebhaft, Leicht
  11. III: Rasch Und Mit Feuer

Tracks:

  1. I: Mit Energie Und Leidenschaft
  2. II: Lebhaf, Doch Nicht Zu Rasch
  3. III: Langsam, Mit Inniger Empfindung
  4. IV: Mit Feuer
  5. I: Introduzione: Adagio Mest/Allegro
  6. II: Scherzo
  7. III: Largo
  8. IV: Finale: Allegro Vivace

Tracks:

  1. I: Nauges
  2. II: Fetes
  3. I: Andante
  4. II: Allegretto
  5. III: Largo
  6. IV: Allegretto Scherzando
  7. I: Overture
  8. II: Idylie
  9. III: Cadenza
  10. IV: Menuet
  11. V: Finale Alla Marcia

Amazon.com

This inexpensively priced 3-CD set of music from the 2006 Lugano Festival with pianist Martha Argerich at its center presents a fascinating cross-section of chamber music, expertly performed. In addition to Argerich, we hear from 15 other instrumentalists - pianists, cellists, violinists, violists, a flugelhorn player (who plays along with Argerich in three of Schumann's Fantasiestücke, to very strange and not very welcome effect), and a wind ensemble made up of members of the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana that plays with cellist Gautier Caupcon in Friedrich Gulda's Concerto for Cello and Wind Orchestra: a jazzy, definitely eclectic, and playful finale to the third CD. The infrequently played but rapturous Schumann Piano Quartet is a particular treat. Ravel's transcriptions of two Debussy Nocturnes for two pianos played by Sergio Tiempo and Karin Lechner are a delight as well. This is an off-the-beaten-track collection that will fascinate true devotees of chamber music. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Lots of Schumann, not much Argerich, plus some real oddities.......2007-06-08

EMI has gotten into the pleasanat habit of issuing a 3-CD bargain box of Martha Argerich's summer music from Lugano, and they are caviar for chamber music lovers, mixing familiar and unfamiliar works in sterling live performances. It's hard to think of any comparable series meeting such high standards since the heyday of the Marlboro Festival under Rudolf Serkin in the Fifties and Sixties. This 2006 edition is no exception, my only disappointment being the absence of Argerich herself in so many works. She even gives up her place in the two-piano arrangement of Debussy's Nocturnes to her protege Sergio Tiempo (she has been a long-time devotee, if not addict, of two-piano arrangements that almost every other serious musician eschews).

The dominance of works by Schumann reflects Ms. Argerich's personal fondness for him, and she appears in the Piano Quartet, which has enjoyed a wonderful, highly personal reading by Glenn Gould and the Juilliard Qt. (Sony), among others. This one displays every virtue of live musicmaking, with Argerich's fervent, spontaneous playing leading the way. Compared to earlier sets, the 2006 collection contains more rarities and because of all the sSchumann, less representation by great composers. The flugelhorn arrangement of Schumann's Fantasiestucke for clarinet sounds like a joke. The once unknown Tanayev Piano Quintet gets a committed reading that should help to boost its popularity. The Debbusy Nocturnes actually bring pleasure in the two-piano arrangement. You won't be prepared for Gulda's concerto for Cello and Piano, which sounds like three-beer night at your local German jazz club. But its worth a smile and a listen.

In the end, however, this installment might be best left to connoisseurs while newcomers to Argerich's summer festivities should begin with the earlier, more conventional editions.

Here's the listing of works and personnel since Amazon doesn't supply it:


Martha Argerich / Renaud Capucon / Lida Chen / Gautier Capucon - Piano Quartet in Eb op.47 (Schumann).

Gautier Capucon / Gabriela Montero - Sonata for cello and piano No.2 in D op.58 (Mendelssohn).

Sergei Nakariakov / Martha Argerich - Fantasiestucke op.73 - version for flugelhorn and piano (Schumann).

Nicholas Angelich / Renaud Capucon / Gautier Capucon - Piano Trio in D minor op.63 (Schumann).

Lilya Zilberstein / Dora Schwarzberg / Lucy Hall / Nora Romanoff-Schwarzberg / Jorge Bosso - Piano Quintet in G minor op.30 (Taneyev).

Sergio Tiempo / Karin Lechner - Three Nocturnes : Nuages / Fetes (Debussy transcribed for two piano Ravel).

Alissa Margulis / Polina Leschenko - Sonata for violin and piano No.1 (Schnittke).

Gautier Capucon / Alexander Rabinovich-Barakovsky - Concerto for cello and windband (Gulda).
Live from Austin TX
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • So What If He Can't Sing
  • My favorite REK album
  • Not the Best of the Best
  • Outstanding
Live from Austin TX
Jr. Robert Earl Keen
Manufacturer: New West Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. What I Really Mean
  2. The Party Never Ends
  3. No. 2 Live Dinner
  4. Live at the Ryman
  5. Gringo Honeymoon

ASIN: B00064VKYU
Release Date: 2004-11-02

Tracks:

  1. Dreadful Selfish Crime
  2. Blow You Away
  3. Shades Of Gray
  4. I'm Goin' To Town
  5. That Buckin' Song
  6. I Still Miss Someone
  7. The Coming Home Of The Son & Brother
  8. The Road Goes On Forever
  9. Merry Christmas From The Family
  10. Snowin' on Raton
  11. Not A Drop Of Rain
  12. Wild Wind
  13. Goin' Nowhere Blues
  14. Down That Dusty Trail
  15. Feelin' Good Again
  16. Walkin' Cane
  17. Travelin' Light

Amazon.com

Those who have experienced a Robert Earl Keen show in his native Texas know it can be hard to hear the artist amid all the whooping and partying of his rabidly loyal following. This 2001 taping from the Austin City Limits series gives the singer-songwriter's range the attention it deserves. An eight-minute rendition of Keen's signature anthem, "The Road Goes On Forever," shifts that epic into overdrive, as the furious interplay of guitarist Rich Brotherton and steel guitarist Marty Muse finds the band firing on all cylinders. Yet the subtler selections are every bit as impressive, with his reflective rendition of Townes Van Zandt's "Snowin' on Raton" and the brooding melancholy of Johhny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone" highlighting the performance. Though Austin City Limits typically condenses an artist's appearance into a half hour for airing, this CD (with the performance also available as a DVD) presents the full studio concert. --Don McLeese

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars So What If He Can't Sing.......2006-07-26

Okay, REK can't sing. Neither can Bob Dylan. That's not the point. When you combine this excellent backing group with the gravelly voice of REK it works. It's really about the energy and the story telling anyway. Personally, I love this recording front to back. If you're a long time REK fan you already own this... if you're new to REK this album is for you.

5 out of 5 stars My favorite REK album.......2006-06-09

This is my favorite record REK has made. No. 2 Live Dinner was very disappointing because you can't hear Keen for all of the yelling/singing from the crowd, it ruins that album. "The Live Album" is a great one, but this one is even better IMO. What you've got here is an older REK with his full catalog with him - without the drunken fans screaming over his voice. He is great live and this time around you can actually hear him clearly.

3 out of 5 stars Not the Best of the Best.......2005-11-12

I'm not from Texas and I'm a relatively new REK fan, but this album was something of a disappointment for me. I own a number of his discs including "What I Really Mean" and "The Party Never Ends" and I love what I hear. I picked up some older ones too and loved them. I was excited to buy this live experience and it leaves me luke warm.

For a man who has a vocal range of about five notes, you'd think he could sing those few notes in tune. The opening track -- a rather odd version of "Dreadful Selfish Crime" sounds like a tone deaf drunk with laryngitis singing really bad karaoke. I could do without it. It hurts my ears. In fact, if I didn't have faith in the artist I would have turned the disc off after this track.

The band on this CD really rocks. That's the saving grace of the disc I think. "The Road Goes on Forever" is superb and REK even manages to do a decent job on the vocals on "Merry Christmas from the Family" and "Not a Drop of Rain." The instrumental music really drives this performance and it's too bad that the lead vocals can't seem to stay remotely in the same key as the rest of the band on most of the songs.

OK, I know that Robert Earl Keen is not known for the quality of his vocals, but for the intense story-telling and imaginative insight into humanity and its foibles. Love that part, for sure. He's kind of a Texas Bob Dylan of the millennium. But, I have to be truthful and say that this album disappoints because of the very tenuous vocals and the way that so many of the really hit-you-where-it-lives lyrics are lost in the mumble.

5 out of 5 stars Outstanding.......2004-11-06

No. 2 Live Dinner has always been my favorite Robert Earl Keen CD. However, I think Live from Austin may be even better. The sound is better than Dinner and the tracks are a really good cross-section of REK's best stuff. Aside from a "new" version of Dreadful Selfish Crime (my favorite REK song) that is, well, different, the CD is flawless (I like the track, I'm just too accustomed to the versions on No. 2 Live Dinner and on Party Songs). I would LOVE to see the DVD, but cannot find here in stores (but I'm seeing REK live tomorrow night, so the problem will soon be solved).
Horowitz Live and Unedited [includes Bonus DVD]
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A historical legacy!
  • Masterpieces played by the great Horowitz
  • Insert Here Any Superlative You Can Think Of
  • WHAT IS GOING ON?
  • Just the Facts...
Horowitz Live and Unedited [includes Bonus DVD]

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

MazurkasMazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
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  1. The Magic of Horowitz
  2. Horowitz: The Last Recording
  3. Horowitz in Moscow
  4. Horowitz in Moscow
  5. Horowitz Encores

ASIN: B0000CF314
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Tracks:

  1. Organ Toccata, Adagio And Fugue In C Major, BWV 564 I. - J.S. Bach
  2. Organ Toccata, Adagio And Fugue In C Major, BWV 564 II. - J.S. Bach
  3. Organ Toccata, Adagio And Fugue In C Major, BWV 564 III. - J.S. Bach
  4. Fantasy In C Major, Op.17 (I)
  5. Fantasy In C Major, Op.17 (II)
  6. Fantasy In C Major, Op.17 (III)
  7. Piano Sonata No. 9 In F Major, Op. 68 'Black Mass' - Scriabin
  8. Poeme In F-Sharp Major, Op. 32, No. 1 - Scriabin

Tracks:

  1. Mazurka In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 30, No.4 - Chopin
  2. Etude No. 8 In F Major, Op. 10 - Chopin
  3. Ballade in G Minor, Op. 23, No.1 - Chopin
  4. Serenade For The Doll No.3 - DeBussy
  5. Etude In C-Sharp Minor, Op.2, No.1 - Scriabin
  6. Etude No. 11 In A-Flat Major, Op.72 - Moszkowski
  7. Traumerei
  8. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (1)
  9. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (2)
  10. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (3)
  11. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (4)
  12. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (5)
  13. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (6)
  14. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (7)
  15. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (8)
  16. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (9)
  17. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (10)
  18. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (11)
  19. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (12)
  20. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 (13)

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A historical legacy!.......2006-03-28

Despite I am not a Horowitz admirer, it 's worthy to underline and emphasize the colossal pianism and thunderous fingering around every one of its different performances.

The special distinction around this album is the fresh inspiration and notable musicality emanated in this Recital, that deserves to be catalogued as a cult recording among the impressive and even excellent live recordings in the Sixties.

A bravura performance and a genuine expression make of this album a very special recommendation.

5 out of 5 stars Masterpieces played by the great Horowitz.......2004-12-12

This Carnegie Hall return recital is one of the greatest recordings by Horowitz. With a huge audience, Horowitz did not disappoint. He plays the Bach/Busoni as only he can play; it is eternally beautiful. Schumann has some mistakes, but those mistakes make the playing even more fascinating. The Scriabin is also excellent.

I am confident in saying that Horowitz's mazurka here is the best recording of op. 30 no. 4. Horowitz takes his time and does not rush the tempo, which is soooo easy to do with this piece. The etude is played awesomely, but the real treat is the Ballade no. 1. Horowitz played this piece all his life and played it very different many times, but this ballade is the best, most musical he ever played, mistakes and all.

The encores are also a treat, and the complete Kinderszenen bonus is another reason to buy this cd. The bonus dvd contains Liszt's Au Bord D'une Source, Chopin's Black key etude, and Moszkowski's etude in f major, op. 72, no.6.

This cd is my favorite, and I have a lot...

5 out of 5 stars Insert Here Any Superlative You Can Think Of.......2004-06-10

For those of you who don't enjoy reading long drawn-out reviews: This is the best CD set I could possibly imagine buying before I bought it. After I bought it, I wept twice in the first listening of just the second disc. The Chopin recordings on this disc are simply legendary, definitive, and indescribably beautiful.

Horowitz out-did even himself at this concert. Sure, wow, wrong notes, even in the first couple measures. Who cares. You had better not. I noticed two exposed wrong notes in my first listen of this disc. It is by far the best CD set I own.

Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C Major: Sure, wrong note. Grand. I'm not too large a fan of this piece, but, regardless, if you like Bach, you like Horowitz for this recording.

Fantasy in C Major: True to its title, this performance was indeed fantastic. Horowitz is acclaimed most for his different tones on the piano. Let me tell you, that is for a reason.

Scriaban: I, personally, do not like Scriaban. An acquired taste. If you do like him, however, you will by all means enjoy these two recordings of the Black Mass Sonata and the Poeme in F-sharp Major.

The Chopin: The Mazurka is the greatest mazurka recording I have ever heard, period. The Etude is technically flawless and musically flawless. The Ballade. One of my favorite pieces of all time. This is my favorite recording, simply. It is quite, quite unbelievable. I wept. Every theme Chopin includes, Horowitz includes with care. This piece is one that takes a long long long time to figure out. Musically, it is one of the hardest. Horowitz seems to finally understand it after having played it for almost forty years undoubtedly. I have heard roughly 10 or 12 recordings of this piece, and Horowitz's trumps all.

The encores: Debussy, Scriaban, Moszkowski are all wonderful in their own right, but Traumerei is practically Horowitz's child. People in the audience were weeping when they heard this piece. I went in with the intention of not weeping, and failed miserably. It is the singly most beautiful performance I have ever heard.

Buy this set. You will absolutely not regret it.

5 out of 5 stars WHAT IS GOING ON?.......2003-12-27

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? WHY CANT YOU JUST LEAVE THE POOR MAN ALONE? I AM A PIANO STUDENT WHO JUST FINISHED A CONCERT SERIES OUTSIDE OF MY OWN COUNTRY AND I HAVE JUST READ SOME OF THE OTHER REIEWS ABOUT HOROWITZ HERE AND I AM FRANKLY DIGUSTED.
ARE WRONG NOTES ALL YOU PEOPLE LISTEN TO?
HOROWITZ WAS BRILLIANT, YES, BUT HE WAS ALSO HUMAN LIKE ALL OF US. I MAKE MY FAIR SHARE OF WRONG NOTES AND WOULD HATE TO THINK THAT THEY WOULD BE THE ONLY THING THAT AN AUDIENCE WOULD REMEMBER AFTER A CONCERT. WRONG NOTES ARE A PART OF LIFE AND SOMETIMES ITS MORE IMPORTANT TO TAKE RISKS, EVEN IF IT RESULTS IN FAILIURE. ITS WHAT BREATHES LIFE INTO A PERSONS PLAYING, KNOWING THAT ONE SPLIT NOTE OR TWO IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. GIVEN THE CHOICE BETWEEN BEING MORE MUSICAL OR MORE TECHNICAL, I WOULD RATHER BE A MUSICIAN AND NOT A ROBOT.
IN HOROWITZ'S PLAYING, THERE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO LISTEN TO. SO NEXT TIME YOU SWITCH ON ONE OF HIS RECORDINGS, WHY NOT TRY TO FORGET EVERYTHING YOU HAVE HAD BRAINWASHED INTO YOU ABOUT PERFECTION AND JUST LISTEN WITH YOUR HEART INSTEAD OF YOUR HEAD.

HOROWITZ WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST PERSON TO TELL YOU THAT A PERFECT TECHNIQUE IS A COMPLETE MYTH. EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES, WE CANT BE PERFECT FOR YOU ALL THE TIME, SO JUST GIVE US A BREAK.

5 out of 5 stars Just the Facts..........2003-11-29

This is not a review per se. My review is elsewhere on this page. But I wanted to follow-up and correct a few errors, which have been circulated in regard to this recording.

First, the corrections used on the original version of Horowitz at Carnegie Hall were not made at a "patch session at Carnegie a few days" after the concert. Columbia's engineers had already recorded Horowitz's rehearsals and used that material for the editing.

Second, the editing in the album was neither as extensive as some have suggested, nor as insignificant as the anonymous reviewer from Baltimore states.

Here is a (mostly) complete list of the patches on the original album, which have been removed from this new edition:

Bach-Busoni: Preludio: Measures 2-12 and parts of the coda (Horowitz, by the way, does not play the ossias at bars 8, 10, and 12); Intermezzo: Small patches at bars 7 and 11; Fugue: Several edits between bars 97 and 110, and again in the coda.

Schumann Fantasy: 1st Movement: patches at 7:32 and 10:21; 2nd Movement: small patches at 2:44 and 4:32, and a series of patches in the coda 6:58-7:39; 3rd Movement: No edits.

Scriabin: Sonata No 9: No Edits. Poem in F-sharp: Patch from 2:16-2:26

Chopin: Mazurka: Small edit at 2:02; Etude: Patched sections from 1:27-1:33 and 2:15-2:20; Ballade: Small edits at 2:04 and 4:52, at least four patches in the coda.

None of the encores were edited.

Patched or not, the 1965 return concert contains some stunning piano playing. Can anyone imagine the pressure Horowitz was under on that day? To prove you have not just retained your original greatness, but have deepened and become even greater cannot have been easy. The new, unedited version of the concert is not a revelation, but serves as a reminder of Horowitz's all too human frailty.
Live from Robert's
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • I HATE country music, but....
  • Bettie Page fan turns country
  • It's okay, but...
  • Just purchased this CD--Love it
  • Hellacious honky tonk from a new breed
Live from Robert's
BR5-49
Manufacturer: Arista
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Alt-Country & AmericanaAlt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music
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  1. Coast to Coast
  2. Big Backyard Beat Show
  3. BR5-49
  4. This is BR549
  5. Tangled in the Pines

ASIN: B000002VI5
Release Date: 1996-04-30

Tracks:

  1. Boot Plug (Dialog)
  2. Hillbilly Thang
  3. 18 Wheels And A Crowbar
  4. Bettie Plug
  5. Bettie Bettie
  6. Me 'N' Opie (Down By The Duck Pond)
  7. Tip Plug (Dialog)
  8. Knoxville Girl
  9. Ole Slewfoot
  10. Bonus Track

Amazon.com

Shine up your boots and get that hair slicked back because Live from Robert's Western Wear is the next best thing to a trip to the honky tonks of lower Broadway. BR5-49 was the prime mover behind the revitalization of Nashville's live country music scene, and this album documents the joyous mess that is their live show, complete with ambient yee-has and the band glad-handing the crowd for tips. Lest numbers like "Me 'n' Opie" have you thinking that the band is all about kitsch, check out their cover of the Louvins' bloodthirsty ballad "Knoxville Girl." Well, actually, it's a traditional number, but the Louvin Brothers made it famous, and the band does a dandy, Louvin-like job with the song's eerie soaring harmonies. Live at Robert's is a rip-roaring three-day bender of an album: sometimes sloppy, never especially original, but always a heck of a lot of fun. --Mary Park

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars I HATE country music, but...........2002-03-19

Like most people that are actually FROM Nashville, I hate country music, but these guys aren't your typical country band. BR5-49 is the punk rock of country bands. They got all of the humor ("Me n' Opie Down by the Duck Pond," "Bettie Bettie") and catchy sounds ("Hillbilly Thang") that keep most punk bands going. Why can't all country be like this? I can't wait to get their self-titled studio album...

5 out of 5 stars Bettie Page fan turns country.......2001-07-07

I'm not a country fan. I bought this CD to use portions of the song "Bettie-Bettie" for my desktop Betty Page theme. BUT, I can't stop listening to it. This is a light, fun, swing beat album. I can't say that I'm a country music fan now, but I think I'm going to try some more BR5-49 anyway.

2 out of 5 stars It's okay, but..........2001-01-21

The CD has few standouts. Little swing or twang. It's kinda lukewarm. The highlights are their bantering between songs like a true bar band. A couple of times listening to it is enough. Sold my copy and don't miss it. I'm satisfied with their first release.

5 out of 5 stars Just purchased this CD--Love it.......1999-07-08

We have been to Robert's in Nashville and it is a great place and this CD really gives the true atmosphere of Robert's This is the first of BR5-49's music that I have purchased and will purchase much more. This is a sound I LOVE.

3 out of 5 stars Hellacious honky tonk from a new breed.......1998-11-10

BR5-49 sound a whole lot like the Kentucky Headhunters might have if they'd missed out on the British Invasion bands. They have the same twisted sense of humor, the same great musical chops, and more than a touch of redneck soul to add a little authenticity to the proceedings. Three stars is not a slap in the face; it's just that this is a decent introduction to a band with a lot of potential. It's still a bit of a work in progress, but hell, gettin' there is half the fun.
Martha Argerich and Friends: Live from the Lugano Festival
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Highly engaging summer music--the real spark is Argerich
Martha Argerich and Friends: Live from the Lugano Festival

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Martha Argerich and Friends Live from the Lugano Festival 2005: Chamber Music
  2. Chamber Music-Haydn/Rachmanin
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  5. Martha Argerich and Friends: Live from the Lugano Festival, 2006

ASIN: B0009LNQV0
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

  1. I. Allegro
  2. II. Larghetto
  3. III. Gavotte: Non Troppo Allegro
  4. IV. Finale: Molto Vivace
  5. I. Ouverture Miniature
  6. II. Danses Caracteristiques:A. Marche: Tempo Di Marcia Viva
  7. II. Danses Caracteristiques:B. Danse De La Fee Dragee: Andante Non Troppo
  8. II. Danses Caracteristiques:C. Danse Russe - Trepak: Tempo Di Trepak, Molto Vivace
  9. II. Danses Caracteristiques:D. Danse Arabe: Allegretto
  10. II. Danses Caracteristiques:E. Danse Chinoise: Allegro Moderato
  11. II. Danses Caracteristiques:F. Danse Des Mirlitons: Moderato Assai
  12. III. Valse Des Fleurs
  13. I. Andante - Moderato
  14. II. Allegro Non Troppo
  15. III. Largo
  16. IV. Allegretto

Tracks:

  1. I. Allegro - Lilya Zilberstein
  2. II. Adagio - Lilya Zilberstein
  3. III. Un Poco Presto E Con Sentimento - Lilya Zilberstein
  4. IV. Presto Agitato - Lilya Zilberstein
  5. I. Allegro Moderato - Renaud Capucon
  6. II. Andante Un Poco Mosso - Renaud Capucon
  7. III. Scherzo: Allegro - Renaud Capucon
  8. IV. Rondo: Allegro Vivace - Renaud Capucon

Tracks:

  1. I. Allegro Brillante
  2. II. In Modo D'una Marcia - Un Poco Largamente
  3. III. Scherzo: Molto Vivace
  4. IV. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
  5. I. Mit Leidenschaftlichem Ausdruck
  6. II. Allegretto
  7. III. Lebhaft
  8. I. Allegro Con Fuoco - Renaud Capucon
  9. II. Lento - Renaud Capucon
  10. III. Allegro Moderato. Grazioso - Pochettino Piu Mosso - Grazioso - Renaud Capucon
  11. IV. Allegro Ma Non Troppo - Renaud Capucon

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Highly engaging summer music--the real spark is Argerich.......2006-01-06

This bargain 3-CD set is called "Martha Argerich and Friends," but is that enough to warn buyers that she apears only half the time? That half is the best part of this colleciton, taped live across three summers, 2002-04 in LUgano, Italy. the half without Ms. Argerich features stellar musicians, particularly Maxim Vengerov and Yefim Bronfman, but theyir participation is surprisingly low-key.

Argerich loves to play two-piano music, a genre I find too bangy to be interesting much of the time. She zips through a piano transcription of Prokofive's Sym. 1 with Yefim Brongman, and sparkles in a similar arrangement of the Nutcracker Suite with a parnter unknown to me, Mirabela Dina. I'm sure a lot of listeners will have as much fun with fluff as she does.

Her two major contributions come in a riveting Shostakovich Pianto Trio #2, one of his undoubted masterpieces, with Vengerov almost dominatig the ensemble in his mesmerizing account of the violin part. This reading isn't as fiery as Argerich is wont to be, but it has passion enough ot stand beside the best performances (the composer's own and the one with Richter and the Borodin Trio). The second-best thing here is the Schumann Piano Quintet, again finding Argerich in vigorous but not slashing mode (Gott sei dank), easily taking charge and making this a quintet for piano solo with string obligatto. A fine account despite the imbalance.

The half without Argerich is pleasantly done. I had hoped for much more form Vengerov and Bronfman in the Brahms Violin Sonata #3--maybe the warm July breeze off the lake made them a bit drowsy. A Schubert Piano Trio #1 again finds Bronfman in too relaxed mode; the piece lacks spine and attack. The rest of these three CDs is filled out with Argerich accompanying Geza Hosszu-Lagocky (a fine violinist unknown to me) in Schumann's late, rather debilitated Violin Sonata #1, a lovely account without quirks, and a pleasant but hardly memorable Dvorak Piano Quartet #2 led by Walter Delaunt.

All in all, a bargains et of very good performanes that sometimes rises higher than that.
Barbara Cook Sings Mostly Sondheim (Live at Carnegie Hall 2001)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Wow!
  • Everyone Should Whistle
  • An amazing intro to the body of work of a true master
  • Beautiful, moving concert
  • ... and I love Barbara Cook
Barbara Cook Sings Mostly Sondheim (Live at Carnegie Hall 2001)

Manufacturer: Drg
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Barbara Cook's Broadway!
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ASIN: B000059LFF
Release Date: 2001-05-08

Tracks:

  1. Everybody Says Don't
  2. I Wonder What Became of Me?
  3. The Eagle and Me
  4. I Had Myself a True Love
  5. Into the Woods / Giants in the Sky (Malcolm Gets)
  6. Another Hundred People / So Many People (Malcolm Gets)
  7. Let's Face the Music and Dance / The Song Is You (duet with Malcolm Gets)
  8. Happiness
  9. Loving You
  10. You Could Drive a Person Crazy
  11. Not A Day Goes By / Losing My Mind

Tracks:

  1. Buds Won't Bud
  2. I Got Lost in His Arms
  3. West Side Story Segment: Something's Coming / Tonight (Malcolm Gets)
  4. Move On (duet with Malcolm Gets)
  5. Medley: Hard Hearted Hannah / Waiting for the Robert E. Lee / San Francisco
  6. Ice Cream
  7. Send in the Clowns
  8. The Trolley Song
  9. Not While I'm Around (duet with Malcolm Gets)
  10. Anyone Can Whistle

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Barbara Cook is one of today's most accomplished song stylists, and if you don't believe us, just listen to this live album. It's a master class in the art of singing. It documents an evening at Carnegie Hall during which Cook proved that she can dissect and extract the substance out of the simplest of lyrics. One of the best surprises is "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" (from Company), which is taken at an amiable trot and allows the singer to display its humor. Cook is not a swinging singer and uptempo is not her pace; give her a ballad, though, and she'll wring the last drop of emotion out of it. Her version of "Losing My Mind" (here paired with "Not a Day Goes By") is simply astonishing. The singer also performs songs that Sondheim has said he wished he had written, an awful lot of them by Harold Arlen. No complaints here. Guest Malcolm Gets solos on a few songs and duets with Cook on others, including "Let's Face the Music and Dance." This is classic material done masterfully by a classic singer. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Wow!.......2004-02-20

Having read the other reviews there is little more for me to add. I have been a Barbara Cook fan for a longtime and for me, this is one of her best concerts ever. I do, however, prefer the DVD. As with some other reviewers, I do not want to hear Malcolm Gets (as much as I like him) when I want to listen to Barbara. Her flawless interpretation of music is a hard act to follow for any singer! I managed to see this concert 4 times over a year and a half. Each time I saw her the voice was stronger and more assured (I would not have thought that possible). I can't help but think we will have the pleasure of hearing Ms Cook for many years to come. For those people who enjoyed his CD I strongly recommend purchasing the DVD. Barabara's rendition of So Many People is breathtaking (literally, I don't think I breathed once during the entire song). If you ever have opportunity to see her live - go! She has an ability to make you feel as if every song she sings and every word she speaks is directed to you alone. She can take a large venue and make it feel as intimate as your own living room. Having had the pleasure of meeting her I can say she is as youthful and pleasurable in person as she is in her performance.

5 out of 5 stars Everyone Should Whistle.......2003-10-11

After being privileged to attend this concert, I had to own the CD. Once a lyric coloratura and the original Cunegonde in Bernstein's Candide, Ms. Cook has become (in her 70s) a true diva, blessed with a velvety, warm sound. Every note has meaning. Her high B-flat on "Ice Cream" is still the envy of any soprano today. Everyone should whistle after hearing the superb performances on this CD. Even better, though, is the experience of having been in the concert hall for the live performance. Brava, Ms. Cook!

5 out of 5 stars An amazing intro to the body of work of a true master.......2003-06-16

When I first bought tickets for the 'Mostly Sondheim' show on tour (in San Francisco) I figured it couldn't be too bad. Besides, I had only been exposed to a few of his songs (Anyone Can Whistle, Losing My Mind...) and had only seen "A Little Night Music". On the way out of the theater I immediately picked up this recording of the program. It is truly amazing. I immediately began listening to it and have barely put it down in the last few months. Furthermore, my Sondheim CD collection increased in size from an unflattering zero to five (and it's still growing)! This is an amazing introduction to the works of Stephen Sondheim, who is now my favorite modern musical composer). Buy this now if you don't already have it!

4 out of 5 stars Beautiful, moving concert.......2003-04-13

This is a wonderful CD set with a great selection of songs. I do want to express a slight reservation, however. Barbara Cook has been one of my favorite singers for a number of years and the way her voice defies time is extraordinary -- for her to be singing with such bright, beautiful tone in her mid-70s with no wobble or beat in the voice is an amazing achievment.

I do have to say that by 2001, when this concert was recorded, Cook seemed to have a lost a little bit of power and intensity in her singing. This is only natural for someone of her age. Her voice is still lovely, but you can sense her keeping it in reserve a bit. She's as expressive as ever, but compare the rendition of "I got lost in his arms" on this album to the one on her previous album recorded in 1999, "The Champion Season", and there's less urgency and vocal depth in her singing here. That said, the high B at the end of "Ice Cream" is sensational.

So, despite that caveat, this is, again, a wonderful album, a must for Cook fans, especially for the gorgeous renditions of songs I'd never thought I'd get to hear her perform: "Not a Day Goes By", "Happiness/Loving You", "San Francisco", etc. Buy it!

1 out of 5 stars ... and I love Barbara Cook.......2003-02-11

This recording is a disappointment for me. It is not her best work, and Malcolm Gets is uninspired. My biggest complaint however is the engineering of the recording. Throughout the speaking was to soft, the singing volumes uneven, and the applause deafening. I will be passing this CD on to friends, and will later donate it to my local library.
Classical Heartbreakers
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • a terrific compilation for beginners
  • "Classical heartbreakers" broke my heart
  • A Fantastic Compilation
Classical Heartbreakers

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000B09Z9
Release Date: 2004-01-13

Tracks:

  1. Piano Concerto No. 1 - Andre Previn
  2. Intermezzo - Philharmonia Orchestra
  3. Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini - Sir Simon Rattle
  4. O Mio Babbino Caro - London Symphony Orchestra
  5. Viola Da Bamba Sonata In G Minor - Ton Koopman
  6. Beim Schlafengehen - London Philharmonic Orchestra
  7. Schindler's List Theme - Tasmin Little
  8. Clair De Lune - Dame Moura Lympany
  9. Symphony No. 5 - New Philharmonia Orchestra
  10. Ebben? Ne Andro Lontana - Philharmonia Orchestra
  11. Moonlight Sonata - Dame Moura Lympany
  12. Violin Concerto No. 1 In G Minor - Yehudi Menuhin
  13. E Lucevan Le Stelle - Georges Pretre
  14. Nocturne In C Sharp Minor - Maria Tipo
  15. Adagio For Strings - Philadelphia Orchestra
  16. Cello Concerto - English Chamber Orchestra
  17. Piano Concerto No. 2 In F - English Chamber Orchestra
  18. Va Pensiero - Bernard Haitink

Tracks:

  1. Adagio In G Minor - Sir Neville Marriner
  2. The Heart Asks Pleasure First / The Promise - Michael Nyman
  3. Time To Say Goodbye - Orchestra
  4. Goldberg Variations - Maria Tipo
  5. Barcarolle - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
  6. Piano Concerto No. 2 - Sir Simon Rattle
  7. Nimrod - London Symphony Orchestra
  8. Vissi D'art - Maria Callas
  9. Cavatina - Manuel Barrueco & Steve Morse
  10. String Quintet In C - Laszlo Varga
  11. J'ai Perdu Mon Eurydice - John Eliot Gardiner
  12. Etude In E 'Tristesse' - John Ogdon
  13. Addio Del Passato - London Symphony Orchestra
  14. Double Violin Concerto - Bath Festival Orchestra
  15. Queen Symphony - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
  16. Piano Concerto No. 1 - Garrick Ohlsson
  17. In Paradisum - English Chamber Orchestra
  18. My Heart Will Go On - Orchestra
  19. Rhapsody In Blue - Andre Previn

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars a terrific compilation for beginners.......2006-02-07

I agree with P. Grupe-for classical music lovers, it is a let down to listen to cut tracks of well-performed classical greats, like Chopin's 1st piano concerto in this collection. Nonetheless, this is a terrific compilation for people beginning to get interested in classical music. This compilation is an eclectic mix of the familiar (Beethoven's moonlight sonata, Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini variation no. 18, Myer's Cavatina, Barber's "Adagio for Strings, etc.), the contemporary (Michael Nyman's The Promise, Horner's My Heart Will Go On), and the truly moving (Bach's Double Violin Concerto, Bruch's Violin Concerto, Schubert's String Quintet in C)-relatively obscure pieces usually left out in less inspired and mediocre classical music compilations. It is gratifying to see that opera music has not been left out. Get this cd if only for the Maria Callas tracks, Lucia Popp's performance of Strauss' Beim Schlafengehen, and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's Addio del passato.

2 out of 5 stars "Classical heartbreakers" broke my heart.......2004-06-27

I am an avid listener of classical music, and I purchased this CD expecting to get some of the best classical music ever composed. I guess I expected a bit much though. Although the recording is filled with high quality performances of fantastic pieces, I was disappointed to find that only about half of the pieces are contained in their entirety on this 2-disc set. Songs such as Rhapsody in Blue and Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata were not recorded in full for this album, which caught me off guard and bothered me quite a bit.

Anybody who is unfamiliar with classical music will appreciate this album. Since it features some of the most moving classical pieces ever written, it is sure to entrance listeners. And by not placing entire 10-minute pieces on the CDs, it will not run on and bore those unaccustomed to the length of most classical music. However, if you are already well-versed in classical music and can listen to entire symphonies with ease, I would advise against buying this album. I now feel a desire to go out again and find the full versions of some of these pieces, since I feel I was cheated by only getting introductions or short movements on most of the album. Guess I should have paid a little more attention to what I was buying.

5 out of 5 stars A Fantastic Compilation.......2004-05-01

Most of the musical pieces in this compilation are from versions as they appear in various movies. This is Classical music from classic movies such as: Somewhere in Time, Schindler's List, English Patient, The Piano, Platoon, et al. But make no mistake; the music is what's really worth mentioning here.

The title says it all. It claims to have "the most moving Classical music of all time," and they certainly have a case, as it is chock full of the kind of emotional pieces that can easily bring you to tears. This double CD compilation with 37 passionately beautiful pieces is a steal at $16.99.

If you've ever recorded your favorite songs on to tape, or burned them on to a CD, you'll see that this compilation is exactly what EMI Records has done. It is like a greatest hits, volume 1, of poignant Classical music. Almost all of the musical pieces are classic favorites, though there are a few contemporary ones also.

I found the music on this CD powerful and moving as advertised, and I think that Classical music fans should truly enjoy it. It is well worth the price it's being sold for, and I highly recommend it.

Since there is some missing information as to who the composers and artists are, here they are:

Disk 1

Tchaikovsky - Piano Concerto No. 1 in B Flat Minor Op.23: I. Allegro Non Troppo E Mol; Andre Previn; Horacio Gutierrez; The London Symphony Orchestra

Mascagni - Intermezzo (Cavalleria Rusticana) {Raging Bull}; Riccardo Muti; The Philharmonia Orchestra

Rachmaninov - Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini - Variation #18 {Somewhere in Time}; Cecile Ousset; City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra; Sir Simon Rattle

Puccini - O Mio Babbino Caro (Gianni Schicchi) {A Room with a View};
Montserrat Caballe; The London Symphony Orchestra; Sir Charles Mackerras

Bach - Viola da Gamba Sonata in G Minor BWV1029 - II. Adagio (Opening) {Truly, Madly, Deeply}; Jordi Savall; Ton Koopman

Richard Strauss - Beim Schlafengehen (Vier Letzte Lieder) {The Hours}; Klaus Tennstedt; London Philharmonic Orchestra; Lucia Popp

Williams - Schindler's List (Theme) {Schlinder's List}; Iain Sutherland; New World Philharmonic; Tasmin Little

Debussy - Clair de Lune {Frankie and Johnnie}; Dame Moura Lympany

Mahler - Symphony No. 5 in C Sharp Minor: IV. Adagietto (Conclusion) {Death in Venice}; New Philharmonia Orchestra; Sir John Barbirolli

Catalani - Ebben? Ne Andrò Lontana (La Wally) {Diva}; Maria Callas; The Philharmonia Orchestra; Tullio Serafin

Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 14 in C Sharp Minor "Moonlight" Op. 27/2 - I. Adagio S; Dame Moura Lympany

Bruch - Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor - II. Adagio (Opening) Sir Yehudi Menuhin; The Philharmonia Orchestra; Walter Susskind

Puccini - E Lucevan le Stelle (Tosca) {The Man Who Cried}; Carlo Bergonzi; Georges Pretre; Orchestre De La Societe` Des Concerts Du Conservatoire

Chopin - Nocturne in C Sharp Minor Op. Posth {The Pianist}; Maria Tipo

Barber - Adagio for Strings {Platoon} Eugene Ormandy; Philadelphia Orchestra

Elgar - Cello Concerto in E Minor Op. 85 - I. Adagio - Moderato (Opening) {Hilary and Jackie}; London Philharmonic Orchestra; Norman Del Mar; Robert Cohen

Shostakovich - Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Op.102 - II. Andante Dmitri Alexeev; English Chamber Orchestra; Jerzy Maksymiuk

Verdi - Va, Pensiero (Chorus of Hebrew Slaves) (Nabucco) {The Godfather, Pt. 3}; Bernard Haitink; Covent Garden Chorus & Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Disk 2

Albinoni - Adagio in G Minor (Realised Giazotto) [Extract] {Gallipoli}; Academy of St. Martin in the Fields; Sir Neville Marriner

Nyman - Heart Asks Pleasure First/The Promise {The Piano}; Unknown artist

Quarantotto & Sartori - Time to Say Goodbye; David Abel

J.S. Bach - Goldberg Variations - Aria {The English Patient}; Maria Tipo

Offenbach - Barcarolle (Les Contes d'Hoffmann) {Life Is Beautiful}; Choeurs Rene Ducios; Clu; Elisabeth Schwartskopf; Jeannine Collard; Orchestre De La Societe` Des Concerts Du Conservatoire

Rachmaninov - Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor - II. Adagio Sostenuto (Opening) {Brief Encounter}; Cecile Ousset; City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra; Sir Simon Rattle

Elgar - Nimrod ("Enigma" Variations) {Elizabeth}; The London Symphony Orchestra; Sir Adrian Boult

Puccini - Vissi d'Arte (Tosca); Georges Pretre; Maria Callas; Orchestre De La Societe` Des Concerts Du Conservatoire

Myers - Cavatina {The Deer Hunter}; Manuel Barrueco; Steve Morse

Schubert - String Quintet in C D956 - II. Adagio (Opening) {Carrington}; Hungarian Quartet; Laszlo Varga

Gluck - J'Ai Perdu Mon Eurydice (Orphée et Eurydice); Anne Sofie Von Otter; John Eliot Gardiner; Orchestre De L'Opera De Lyon

Chopin - Étude in E "Tristesse" Op.10/3; John Ogden

Verdi - Attendo, Attendo...Addio del Passato (La Traviata); Dame Kiri Te Kanawa; Myung-Whun Chung; The London Symphony Orchestra

Bach - Double Violin Concerto in D Minor BWV 1043 - II. Largo Ma Non Tanto {Children of a Lesser God}; Bath Festial Orchestra; Christian Ferras; Sir Yehudi Menuhin

Kashif - Queen Symphony - III. Adagio {Who Wants to Live Forever - Save Me}; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Tolga Kashif

Chopin - Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor - II. Romance (Larghetto) (Opening) {The Truman Show}; Garrick Ohlsson; Jerzy Maksymiuk; Polish National Symphony Orchestra

Faure - In Paradisum (Requiem) {The Thin Red Line}; Cambridge Choir of Kings Choir; English Chamber Orchestra; Stephen Cleobury

Horner - My Heart Will Go On {Titanic}; David Abel

Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue (Conclusion) {Manhattan}; Andre Previn; The London Symphony Orchestra
Martha Argerich: Live from the Concertgebouw 1978 & 1979 - Schumann, Ravel / Argerich
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Argerich radiates spontaneity and freedom--mesmerizing
  • An evening with a legend
  • A free spirit.
  • Simply wonderful
  • Amazing and beautiful
Martha Argerich: Live from the Concertgebouw 1978 & 1979 - Schumann, Ravel / Argerich

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ravel, MauriceRavel, Maurice | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by Robert SchumannAll Works by Robert Schumann | Schumann, Robert | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
SonatasSonatas | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
Argerich, MarthaArgerich, Martha | ( A ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Martha Argerich Plays Chopin: The Legendary 1965 Recording
  2. Debut Recital / Martha Argerich
  3. Live from the Concertgebouw, 1978 & 1979
  4. Martha Argerich: Live from the Concertgebouw, 1978 & 1992
  5. J.S. Bach: Toccata, Partita, English Suite 2/ Martha Argerich

ASIN: B000055WFF
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

  1. Des Abends
  2. Aufschwung
  3. Warum?
  4. Grillen
  5. In Der Nacht
  6. Fabel
  7. Traumes Wirren
  8. Ende Vom Lied
  9. Modere
  10. Movt De Menuet
  11. Anime
  12. Ondine
  13. Le Gibet
  14. Scarbo

Amazon.com

While the keyboardist herself continues to limit her public performances, great reissues featuring Martha Argerich's riveting live displays of solo piano virtuosity just keep coming out. Someone at the record label clearly knows what she's doing. Argerich's two previous recital discs from Amsterdam's Concertgebouw chronicled her performing the unusual (Bach, believe it or not) and the predictable (Mozart and Beethoven). On this disc (recorded in 1978 and 1979 but still boasting superb sonics), Argerich is again in her element with electrifying readings of Schumann's Fantasiestücke and Ravel's Sonatine and Gaspard de la nuit. While Gaspard offers the clearest portrait of her prodigious technical skills, Argerich's Schumann is simply stunning. She throws caution to the wind and probes the work's emotional depths with all the intensity she can muster. Intense and lovely, this is incredible music-making and a must-have for piano lovers. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Argerich radiates spontaneity and freedom--mesmerizing.......2006-07-27

I'm not always a fan of Argerich when she gets into crash-and-bang mode, but when she manages to hold herself (slightly) reined in, she deserves every accolade thorwn her way. She plays Schumann with great imaginative freedom, and since he, among all composers, should be played with spontaneity, there have been few to match Argerich. These eight Fantasiestucke are supberb. (A reviewer above was at a 1979 concert that preceded this one, and Argerich's tight black T-shirt seems to have convinced him that she was 18 at the time--she was 38.)

But we shouldn't spill all the superlatives before getting to her Ravel. The Sonatine may be short and slight, but it displays some of Ravel's most exquisite tuoches. ARgerich elevates the score to the heights of a Debussy Prelude with her amazingly sensitive imagination. Gaspard de la Nuit was a showpiece for her teacher, Michelangeli. If his version didn't exist, we would consider ARgerich's matchless for touch and control, yet she is far less cool than Michelangeli, whose tone was glassy where hers is emotionally more yielding. The repeated midnight bell in Le Gibet is almost gentle, while Scarbo is all brilliance and nerves.

In sum, a great recital, even if 51 min. is stingy

4 out of 5 stars An evening with a legend.......2005-11-10

Those who had the priviledge to attend any of Martha Argerich's solo recitals will usually say her concerts were major events in the classical-music world and were attended by the best and brightest. When people heard of Argerich playing in town, calanders were cleared and buzz began. People came with a tantalizing sense of expectancy to witness something unique, awesome and, sadly, something all too rare (she largely stopped solo recitals in the 80's). And while many in attendance were devoted purists, for one night this "purity" was often set aside to be freely engulfed by the sheer magnetism and pure drama of Argerich's playing and alluring Argentinian mystique - albeit much of her playing being heavy on individualism.

The live recordings of Schmumann and Ravel on this CD capture the electricity of such long-talked about concerts and are a special piece of history for Martha's fans. Of course, much of the tempos will be fast and overdriven, but perhaps the question is to what extent such tempos and rhythms adds to (or detracts from) the resulting music. I think a main thing that attracts people to Miss Argerich's music is her ability to create "a true event" from the music - music filled with a sense of an unfolding drama and an animated life that she breathes into the music - all combining to create an event that is a memorable moment in time that moves you and leaves you even tingling with excitment, awe or musical inspiration. True, with this artist much of this excitement and sheer drama will be from the performer and less perhaps from the composer. But, is that a bad thing? I guess it depends on many things and your perspective at the time.

No piece better represents Argerich's ability to create this unfolding sense of drama better than her electrifying performance of Ravel's rather strange and seethingly-virtuostic work, "le Gaspard de la Nuit." This is the star of the CD and a performance often noted in the music critic world as most fascinating. Right from the cascading opening bars of the mesmerizing "water-effects" of Ondine, Argerich creates an charged atmosphere of expectancy and excitement. Her dramatic rolling build up in the middle and later "outburst" from the so-called water nymph is sheer mastery of pianism for its tingling effects. The middle movement le Gibet (the gallows) like the others is based on a scene from a imaginative literary work. Here, Martha exudes a most convincing stillness of death and desolation (in spite of a brisk pace even) as she continues her (Ravel's) build-up of the drama. Strangely in this movement, an audience member's creaking chair eerily adds to the chilling scene (like the corpse swinging on the wooden gallows). A rather creepy coincidence! In the last movement, she introduces the audience to the menacing figure Scarbo in the first few bars climaxing with a stunning, two-note "flutter" possessing a piercing electricity unlike any other. Its enough to send chills down your spine especially if you know the story behind this work. So, especially in this most frenzied-by-design movement, Argerich's blazing pianism finds its perfect home and definately adds - or even creates its own category of performance - by its uniqueness and ability to powerfully move the listener. The Gaspard is one of her most notable concert performances to be experienced, and she delivers the imagery and effect that Ravel probably intended in this piece of program music.

If there is one movement that Argerich's rushed tempos starts to detract, it is the opening movement of the Sonatine (Modere). Here, Argerich speeds by the more subtle beauty inherent in this work and creates more inner tension and nervousness than ideal for its more subtle intentions. Critics often cite her missing the inner beauty and soul of some music in the quest for virtuosity and this is one example of that I think. Some movements in the Schumann work also fall in this category too in an otherwise passionate performance (Schumann's music takes well to her style for sure). Yet, she turns right around in the second Sonatine movement (menuet) to reveal a work of delicate artisty and nuance with a wonderfully flowing and most natural tempo.

So, while other artists (Angela Hewitt for one) consistently represent more accurately the composer's musical intent and tempo indications, the final measure to many will be the overall effect on the music and listener - does it just seem rushed or does it seem to match the spirit of the music and add to its powers of peruasion? I would say in this CD, the "Gaspard" is the piece that Argerich does best in this manner, the Fantasiestuck also, but less in parts of the Sonatine. Gramophone gave this CD high marks and was not able to resist the allure of her mesmerizing performance of 'le Gaspard.' As far as sound quality, it is bright and full, fairly closely miked. There is some analog "hiss" (heard mostly in headphones) and some audience coughing, but nothing bad enough to detract from its magical moments and sense of being witness to a musical legend and magical moment in time.

5 out of 5 stars A free spirit........2002-10-23

This live recording demonstrates that Argerich is one of the very few pianists who can actually breathe soul into the music she plays. While other pianists have no problem playing all the notes and giving a musically correct presentation of the works they play, Argerich actually makes the music come alive. When she plays, the music speaks directly and effectively to the audience. She's not an academic pianist who strives for political correctness or one who modifies her speech in order to offend the least. No, what she wants to say she says it with the utmost conviction and confidence. Her honesty and boldness is in her personality as well as in her playing. That is why her playing always provokes the strongest reactions - either love or hate. No matter what, she claims all the freedom that all true artists deserve and never permits herself to be imprisoned between bar lines. Hers is a free spirit, and to listen to Argerich is to embark on a journey that is fantastic and unforgettable.

5 out of 5 stars Simply wonderful.......2002-06-22

I bought this disc as a sad reminder that she probably won't be giving many more recitals, or recording much new repertoire, let alone ever tour the African continent, and becuase she is a great pianist I never heard live. I was completely bowled over. Most live recitals one listens to every now and again, but her unique Argerich combination of energy, craftsmanship and mercurial insight that reveals new splendours even in well-known works, is simply addicting. I LOVE this disc.

5 out of 5 stars Amazing and beautiful.......2002-04-19

My daughter and I just heard Martha Argerich play in Philadelphia in April, 2002. Instead of the listed Chopin, she chose to play Schumann. In the twenty years since this album was recorded, she has lost none of her technical ability or delicacy of feeling. What a range. What a musician..... I found myself wishing the patron would have either had the foresight to bring lozenges or the decency to leave the auditorium. Aside from that, this is a wonderful disc. Miss Argerich demonstrates that playing with speed and power are *not* the same as "banging on the keys". Buy it.

Music Album:

  1. Long About That Time
  2. Lots & Lots of Trucks
  3. Love Stories [Import]
  4. Moonlight Becomes You
  5. Munly & The Lee Lewis Harlots
  6. My Maria/Calabasas [Import]
  7. Naked
  8. New Kid in Town
  9. Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line: The RCA Years [Box set]
  10. Orion the Final Performance

Music Album

Music Album