Farewell Concert [Box set]

Product Description:
The legendary country group's farewell concert DVD (PAL/Region 0) combined with a bonus live CD, with the same 21 tracks, for a limited time only at this special price!

Tracks:

Amazing Grace
Fanfare: Jubilant
Trot & Canter Medley: The Keel Row/Dundee
Marches Medley: The Back O'Bennachie/The Drunken Piper/72nd's Farewell To Aberdeen/Corriechoillie...
Cornet Carillon
Scottland The Brave
Slow Air & Jigs Medley: Leaving Rhu Vaternish/Nameless/The Duck/Eleanor's/Drummer's Salute
Russian Imperial Anthem
Slow March & Walk Medley: Garb Of Old Gaul/Men Of Harlech
March, Strathspey, Reels And March Medley: Achany Glen/Craig-A-Bodaich/Dalnahasaig/Mac Farlane's...
Slow Air: Going Home
Evening Hymn: Abide With Me
Reville: Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
Quick Marches Medley: Third Dragoon Guards/Highland Laddie

Album Details

Tracks Include: Amazing Grace, Paloma Blanca, Moonliner Rock March, Turn on the Sun, the Highland Cradle, Brazil, Going to Pitlochry and More.

Customer Reviews:

Great music.......2007-04-05

The pipes, like a few other things, are something you either love or hate. If you are not a Scot, they may sound like someone is scalding cats. If you are Scot, or even partly so, they will make your blood boil. This album certanily does that. It has a mix of traditional and more upbeat music. The traditional "Amazing Grace" is fantastic and the last selection is an upbeat Caribbean rendition that is great.

Not just pipes.......2007-02-12

I purchased this CD looking for bagpipe tracks to listen to. The recording of Amazing Grace is flawless, and inspiring. However - much of this CD is the entire band playing more modern music (of course this album was recorded in the 70's). The pipe playing is excellent, but this is not really a bagpipe CD.

Finally Found It!!.......2005-08-03

I have been searching for a CD of this recording for ages! In 1971, when it was originally released, I was 10 years old and couldn't appreciate the album that my brother played endlessly. As I got older I started to miss it. I found a cassette copy several years ago, but am afraid to use it anymore for fear of it breaking. My brother told me he had found a copy of the CD at his local Borders, and since I don't have one in my neighborhood I checked good old Amazon!! I have just ordered and I am looking forward to receiving it. I'm not a music critic, but after hearing many pipe and drum recordings, this has got to be the best I've ever heard.

A thousand horse cavalry charge!.......2005-06-11

I judge bagpipes by Scotland the Brave. This is magnificant; like a thousand horse cavalry charge. The only problem is that, at 45 seconds, it is too short.

It would have been far better if it had been played once on pipes alone and then again with the brass dropped in behind the pipes. A thousand highlanders screaming across the battlefield, followed by the thousand horse cavalry charge. Just thinking about it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand and my blood pressure go through the roof.

This album is magnificent, but it could have been awesome.

Updated Amazing Grace.......2003-05-09

Having reviewed the original "Amazing Grace" recording by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards from 1971 it seems that Amazon.com now offers a series of recordings that the bands released in the late 70 and 1980s under the same title. The first half of this CD contains tracks from a 1976 release of the bands entitled "The Lengendary Amazing Grace" In addition to a fine updated version of the now famous tune four years after its original world wide hit, this part of the CD contains some interesting selections for band and pipes. "Una Palma Blanca" is a true example of how the RSDG bands went to great lengths to explore the full combined sound. The regimental band supports the pipes with a variety of modern sounds including an electronic bass guitar which many military bands in fact use for concert purposes today providing as it does a useful Continuo bass line for a military band. "Theme in Glory" and "Turn on the Sun" are additional examples of just how good the RSDG bands had mastered the concept of combing their resources. These are truly exciting pieces to listen too. The regimental band shows its stuff with "Rockout" an arrangement of classic old rock music themes. The pipes and drums provide three medleys and are simply surperb. One can hear that a distinctive change had taken place in the ensemble sound of the pipe band since 1971. The RSDG drummers have incorporated the use of their tenor drums to creat an amazing drummers' accompaniment to the pipes. This innovation would become standard in the piping world, but it owes its origins largely to the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards pipes and drums. Listen to how magificent the pipe band sounds when they first enter to the 6/8 medley starting with "Macneils of Ugdale". You won't find a better sound even today. The Retreat medley starting with "Lochanside" is also amazing. Its worth getting the CD just for those tracks as well as the others. Perhaps the most haunting combined tune is an arrangment of Handel's "Largo" with the solo pipes doubling for the voice parts. Truly beautiful and moving.

Tracks:

Tsar Saltan: Flight of the Bumblebee
Capriccio espagnol, Op. 34: Alborada. Vivo e strepitoso
Capriccio espagnol, Op. 34: Variazioni. Andante con moto
Capriccio espagnol, Op. 34: Alborada. Vivo e strepitoso
Capriccio espagnol, Op. 34: Scena e canto gitano
Capriccio espagnol, Op. 34: Fandango asturiano
Sadko: Song of India
The Snow Maiden: Dance of the Tumblers
Le Coq d'or Suite: IV. Introduction and Bridal Procession
Mlada Suite: Procession of the Nobles
Tsar Saltan Suite, Op. 57: Farewell of the Tsar
Russian Easter Overture
Sheherazade Symphonic Suite: The Young Prince And The Young Princess
Sheherazade Symphonic Suite: IV. Festival at Bagdad - The Sea - Shipwreck

Customer Reviews:

A fine sampler.......2003-04-24

I purchased this CD to sample some of the pieces of Rimsky-Korsakov that I did not already own. The CD is a compilation of recognized conductors. The performances are competent, if not really inspired. Rimsky-Korsakov offers very listenable, approachable music and very rich orchestration. But this is a sampler, where most pieces are incomplete. If you are ready to jump in with both feet, purchase Scheherazade & Russian Easter Overture by Jose Serebrier, Scherazade & Cappricio Espanol by Mackerras/LSO, and Neeme Jarvi on Chandos ($$) for the rest.

I was first put off by the sonics of this CD, particularly the dynamic range, but this varies with each of the many recorded pieces.

In its favor, this CD is inexpensive, but don't expect to receive more than what you pay.

OUTSTANDING.......2002-09-16

This is a good selection of outstanding works of one of the best Russian composers. I enjoyed it very much.

Fun CD.......2002-01-29

I really appreciated the variety on this CD, from the light, bouncy bumblebee to the more bombastic pieces. I think this makes a really good intro to Korsakov's works.

Average customer rating:

GREAT!
A relaxing journey into our Colonial past
Fantastic!
Cold Mountain type music that's great

Colonial America

Manufacturer: Maggie's Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Early American Roots
The World Turned Upside Down
Music of the American Revolution: The Birth of Liberty
Celtic Roots
The Spirit of '76 and Ruffles and Flourishes

ASIN: B0000C9Z9X
Release Date: 2003-09-01

Tracks:

Rickett's Hornpipe/ Fishers Hornpipe
Maiden Lane/ Jack O' Lent/ Chestnut/Bonny Broom
Parting Friends/Primrose
Flowers of Edinburgh/East Neuke of Fife
Prelude / La Catherine
Planxty Browne/Planxty Burke
Cutie Clat Her
John Come Kiss me Now
Scots Tune
Carolan's Farewell to Music
A Port
Yeil, yeil
Kedron/Saint's Delight/Promised Land
Gird the Logie
La Belle Cavalier
La Luxillier/La Balanje
Federal Overture
Death & Life

Album Description

Spirited new sounds from across the sea to the shores of the New Land. From the first colonists to the American Revolution and the birth of our republic Hesperus Early Music Ensemble's music reflects a time of new ideas, freedom and vitality. In town and village, parlor and ballroom, from the Appalachians to the great concert halls hear the musical pulse of early American music performed on a wide variety of folk and early music instruments. Includes: lively country-dance tunes, evocative Shape Note Hymns, old time Appalachian fiddle tunes, graceful European parlor music, French cotillions, divisions and improvisations. Introduction -The English Colonies in America were a patchwork-not just of territories whose boundaries became state lines, but of people from different places and classes with widely different values and experiences. This recording presents music from that patchwork; from England, the Colonial homeland; Scotland and Ireland, the homes of the largest groups of immigrants outside England; and France, the ally of the Patriots, and music written in the United States. More recordings by HESPERUS from Maggie's Music are Celtic Roots featuring Scottish fiddler, Bonnie Rideout and Early American Roots. Hesperus Ensemble is THE sought after musical group for period music that is both authentic, and most important fun, lively and spirited. They are frequent performers at the Smithsonian's Institute of American Music and can be heard on the soundtrack or the Paramount film with Johnny Depp entitled Sleepy Hollow! Excerpts from liner notes:2.A Set of English Country Dance Tunes: Maiden Lane, Jack O'Lent, Chestnut, Bonny Broom - The visionary London music publisher John Playford first published his English Dancing Master in 1651. It was reprinted 18 times over the next 77 years and is still popular today. 3. Parting Friends/Primrose - These tunes have come down to us in choral arrangements called shape-note hymns .

Customer Reviews:

GREAT!.......2007-05-20

This cd travels everywhere with me and you can easily imagine a ball at Monticello given by Mr. Jefferson when you hear it.
Try not to daydream too much while driving as i had done several times..lol..it's hard not to with this cd..:)
Perfect for a colonial reenactment or party.

A relaxing journey into our Colonial past.......2006-03-16

I bought this CD to provide me with another dimension to my studies of period events. It truly contains a wealth of music, and takes it place as an important addition to my musical library. Living in the Mt Vernon area, I often travel with the CD playing while visiting historical places, and it provides a wonderful companion to "set the mood" for the myriad locations in the area. The quality of the sound is remarkable, the musicians superb, and the breadth of song selection provides a musical landscape for the period. Highly recommended!!

Fantastic!.......2004-03-04

I first heard the "Colonial America" CD by Hesperus when I visited Monticello recently (the home of Thomas Jefferson) where they were playing the songs in the gift shop. Imagine my dismay to find that only one cassette tape was left of the fabulous music of Hesperus; however, that tape held me spell-bound all the way home, from Virginia to North Carolina.

It was an incredible journey from the past that has stayed with me since, and every day I drive that one hour back and forth to work. This music has changed everything about the trips, and I can't wait for more.

Thanks to Amazon.com I was able to buy all three CD's, including "Early American Roots," "Colonial America" and the incredible "Celtic Roots" with the most beautiful violas imaginable.

Thank you Hesperus! Please play more!

Cold Mountain type music that's great.......2003-11-15

Novels and movies like Cold Mountain, Oh Brother Where Art Thou? and Song Catchers are showing the growing interest in traditional music and this recording hits the mark. It is music from the days of early America--the time when the first colonists come to America. You can hear the fiddle playing tunes still popular in the Appalachian mountains today and also hear shape note music arranged by Hesperus as wonderful instrumentals. The music takes you to a time when folks were making music in their homes-before TV, before the internet! This recording is good for teachers or educational purposes too- with informative liner notes. All the music is played on folk and early music instruments and it's lively and an enjoyable listen.

Average customer rating:

Fantastic Horn Album
Farewell to Red Castle
An Awesome Recording

Take 9

Manufacturer: Musicians Showcase
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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American Horn Quartet
4 x 4
London Horn Sound
Brain
Virtuoso Horn

ASIN: B0000AKMW6
Release Date: 2003-06-15

Tracks:

Kerry Turner: Take 9 Antiphonal Fanfare
Turner: Farewell to Red Castle
Turner: Barbara Allen
Turner: Ghosts of Dublin
Eric Ewazen: Grand Canyon Suite
Eric Ewazen: Grand Canyon Suite
Eric Ewazen: Grand Canyon Suite
Bernstein, arr. Deck: Overture to Candide
Brahms, arr. Elkjer: Hungarian Dance No. 5
Desmond, arr. Custer & Myers: Take Five
Gershwin, arr. Yates: I Got Rhythm

Album Description

OK horn fans, here it is…one the world's esteemed chamber groups teams up with one of the world's most storied horn sections for a CD that is-literally and figuratively-a blast! This recording is by any measure a virtuoso performance; these nine guys, all gifted in their own right, combine their talents to create an end result that is nothing short of breathtaking. From commissioned works to clever arrangements, the American Horn Quartet and the Horns of the New York Philharmonic tear through this music with a verve and flair rarely heard these days. In short, if you're a fan of the horn, you must have this recording!

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic Horn Album.......2006-03-27

The hornists are simply fantastic. Many segments of the music thrill me, nearly take my breath away. Although many pieces represent their diverse skills I would love to have a presentation of more of the fanfare type pieces, the type which show the glory and power of the horn. Love the Ewazen piece. Love the Irish pieces. Thought the recording was a little muffled. Had to turn my stereo up too loud to get the full effect. Over all one great horn album.

Steve Ward

Farewell to Red Castle.......2004-01-11

Take 9 is the best CD I own. My favorite song is the second on the track. Farewell to Red Castle. It's the most incredible peice, especially with 9 horns playing it. It is fun and exciting along with slow and beautiful. it's a great representation of the entire collection of Take 9's songs. wOOt!

An Awesome Recording.......2003-09-09

This is an awesome recording combining 9 great players. The music is beautiful, but still showy, an excellent combination for this group of horns. Overture to Candide is incredible, and the Grand Canyon Suites is one of the greatest horn recording I have ever heard. This recording belongs in any horn players library.

Average customer rating:

relaxing music
The Statlers at their best
The Statlers Will Be Eternally Awesome !!
Statler brothers
Unforgettable farewell performance you're sure to enjoy

Farewell Concert
The Statler Brothers
Manufacturer: Yell Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Country | Styles | Music

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Farewell Concert
30th Anniversary Celebration
Today's Gospel Favorites
The Gospel Spirit
The Definitive Collection (Statler Brothers)

ASIN: B00009L1SH
Release Date: 2003-05-20

Tracks:

Welcome [Spoken]
Jimmy Dean Introduces the Statler Brothers [Spoken] - Jimmy Dean
Do You Remember These
Do You Know You Are My Sunshine
Statler Brothers Say Hello and Harold Tells a Story [Spoken] - Harold Reid, The Statler Brothers
Susan When She Tried
Too Much on My Heart
Class of '57
Bed of Roses
Phil Is Even Older [Spoken]
(Oh Baby Mine) I Get So Lonely
Moments to Remember
In the Studio With a Bunch of Girl Backup Singers [Spoken]
Memories Are Made of This
Great Pretender
Stuff for Sale [Spoken]
Whatever Happened to Randolph Scott
More Than a Name on a Wall
Flowers on the Wall
Elizabeth

Tracks:

Rabbi, The Hindu Holy Man and the Lawyer [Spoken]
I'll Go to My Grave Loving You
Bus Fumes [Instrumental] - All-American Band
Retiring [Spoken]
Place on Calvary
How Great Thou Art
This Ole House
Thank You World
Statlers Thank Those Involved With Their Career [Spoken]
Amazing Grace

Customer Reviews:

relaxing music.......2007-05-17

This is definietely a toe tapping DVD. I watch this Statler Brothers concert at least twice a week. Such great music, their harmony can make a bad day into a haven of contentment. I relly enjoy and love this DVD.

The Statlers at their best.......2007-01-09

The Farewell Concert is absolutely awesome. This is a must-have for Statler fans. I purchased one for myself and other family members for Christmas. They loved it too. Great entertainment for the whole family.

The Statlers Will Be Eternally Awesome !!.......2006-07-03

As a child of the 70's, I grew up listening to the Statler Brothers. The catchy songs, the beautiful harmonies, the comedic bits in their shows, these are the ingredients of musical immortality. I talked my wife into seeing them live in 1996, she was leery of going because it was country music, which she is not crazy about, and she was not quite sure that she had ever heard of them. It was mostly an older crowd and the opening act was not good. Another strike was that she was 8 months pregnant and it was June. When they came out on stage, the entire building just absolutely came alive. The look of shock and disbelief that was on her face when she saw how the audience responded to them just walking on stage was priceless. It did not take the Statlers very long to win her over. By the third song, she thought that they were VERY GOOD and VERY FUNNY. Two years later they came back to town and I certainly did not have to convince her to go to their show.
I have several of their albums, including this DVD and CD. Even my 14 year old niece, who listens to what is to me the most terrible "music" ever, thinks that at least they are funny and that they sing well.
I was sad when they retired, but they deserve to after filling the years with great songs and great family entertainment.
We at least have the memories.

Statler brothers.......2005-10-05

CD ,S of the statler brothers were great. Cases were cracked quite badly but had no effect on cd performance.

Unforgettable farewell performance you're sure to enjoy.......2005-02-26

For my money they were one of the most important acts in American popular music in the 20th century. The Statler Brothers would rank right up there with the Mills Brothers, Ol' Blue Eyes, Elvis and Bing. After all, they were a fixture on the country music charts for more than a quarter century. They hosted a highly successful variety show on the Nashville network for seven years. And audiences flocked to see them perform for nearly four decades. And like the Mills Brothers before them the Statlers had their own inimitable sound.
"Farewell Concert" is a celebration of the phenomenal career of the Statler Brothers. The 2 disc set features a dozen of the groups most memorable chart hits including "Elizabeth", "More Than A Name On A Wall", the moving tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the rest of us in Vietnam as well as two of my very favorite Statler hits "The Class of '57" and "Do You Remember These". And as anyone who has ever been to a Statler Brothers concert knows the group always liked to dabble in all kinds of music. And so the group highlights some of their favorite tunes from the 1950's including "Oh Baby Mine" (aka "I Get So Lonely"), "Moments To Remember", "Memories Are Made of This" and one the groups all-time favorites "The Great Pretender." And if you watched the TV show you know that Harold always had a story or two. Such is the case here as well. And in the final segment the group treats us to a few familiar gospel tunes including of course "How Great Thou Art" and the closing number "Amazing Grace" which was the first song the group ever sang together. And so while we will never see Harold, Phil, Don and Jimmy perform again it is a comfort to know that this final concert has been recorded for posterity.
It is an outstanding disc and one that I will cherish for the rest of my days. The Statler Brothers were truly one of my all time favorites! Very highly recommended!

Average customer rating:

Pinnock - pretty good Haydn, but not the best
My favourite set of symphonies
Unpleasant Recording Spoils Set
The absolute best set of the Sturm and Drang symphonies you will ever find
Lively and energetic Haydn - many "surprise" gems here

Haydn: The "Sturm und Drang" Symphonies

Manufacturer: Archiv Produktion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Haydn: Symphonies Nos. 88 - 92

ASIN: B00004SA85
Release Date: 2002-10-08

Tracks:

Allegro Di Molto
Andante
Menuet: Un Poco Allegretto
Finale: Presto
Allegro Di Molto
Andante Molto
Menuet: Allegro
Finale: Allegro Di Molto
Allegro Assai
Andante
Menuet
Finale: Allegro Di Molto
Presto
Andante O Piu Tosto Allegretto
Menuetto
Allegro Assai

Tracks:

Allegro Assai Con Spirito
Adagio
Menuet
Adagio
Allegro Di Molto
Menuet
Finale: Presto
Allegro
Andante
Menuet Alla Zoppa: Un Poco Allegretto
Finale: Presto

Tracks:

Allegro Con Spirito
Un Poco Andante
Menuet
Finale: Presto
Allegro
Adagio
Menuet: Allegretto
Finale: Allegro
Vivace E Con Spirito
Andante
Menuetto
Finale: Presto

Tracks:

Allegro
Adagio
Menuetto
Finale: Allegro
Vivace
Adagio
Menuetto - Trio I & II
Finale: Allegro
Allegro Assai Con Brio
Andante
Menuetto: Allegretto
Finale: Presto

Tracks:

Moderato E Maestoso
Andantino E Cantabile
Menuet: Allegretto
Finale: Scherzando E Presto
Allegro Con Brio
Menuetto: Allegretto (Canone In Diapason)
Adagio
Finale: Presto
Vivace
Poco Adagio
Menuet: Allegretto
Finale: Presto E Scherzando

Tracks:

Allegro Assai
Adagio
Menuet: Allegro
Finale: Presto
Adagio
Allegro
Un Poco Adagio, Cantabile
Menuet AL Roverso
Finale: Presto Assai
Adagio E Maestoso - Allegro Di Molto
Andante Moderato
Menuet
Finale: Presto

Customer Reviews:

Pinnock - pretty good Haydn, but not the best.......2006-12-08

As I type this review, I am listening to the recording of Symphony #52 from this set.

Earlier today, I listened to these recordings of Symphonies 51 and 43 as well. I have owned many of these recordings since they first came out. In fact, this is the first recording of 43 I had ever heard, but the symphony never grabbed me until I heard a different recording (conducted by Aadland on Imp classics, hard to find). Pinnock races through it and misses a lot of the character and the sense of inevitability that this symphony has to offer. The recording of 51 is better with Derek Solomons, more character in the horn solo slow movement (though I have some reservations about that set as well!).

Overall, it seems that Pinnock just doesn't dig deeply enough into these wonderful symphonies. Yes, they are fast and lively. But there's not enough articulation, oomph, depth to make this the set to own.

My favourite set of symphonies.......2006-08-13

This recording is one of my "desert island discs". I have listened to it over and over again over the last four years and I am still finding new and exciting things in this music. Haydn's symphonies are very important to me and I feel very at home in this music. Why? I am not sure. This is musical music - music which celebrates music. I realise that this doesn't make much sense. Mozart's symphonies are always very clever and always full of Mozart's brilliance and superb sense of style and form. Haydn's symphonies aren't "obvious" - they require a little more effort for someone like me to appreciate, and this is their strength - once this music is appreciated, it stays that way!

Mr. Trevor Pinnock, directing The English Concert [on period instruments] from his harpsichord, provides us with a wide window into these works - 19 symphonies, over 6 CDs. The playing is very attractive and colourful. The wind and brass players are in fine form, particularly the horn players. The strings have that transparency and incisiveness which period violins, violas, 'cellos and basses and original styled bows bring to 18th century music.

I can imagine a different approach and interpretation of some of these works, but I cannot imagine anyone doing it better than Pinnock and his ensemble.

If you're a fan of the "Sturm und Drang" style, although much of this music is far from stressful or stormy!, you will probably enjoy comparing these symphonies with those of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach.

Unpleasant Recording Spoils Set.......2005-10-13

Note added later: I now urge potential buyers to consider as an alternative the Nimbus set with Fischer, symphonies 40-54. Wonderful performances with recording that goes much further in capturing some of the beauty of a violin - without the disadvantage of earlier harsh digital sound.
Amazon does us all a huge favor by allowing us to voice our thoughts away from the endless commercial shilling of the music industry. Yes, not everybody agrees all the time, but it is not difficult to determine if reviewers hate an artist and just have it in for her or him, or simply find fault with a performance or its engineering. I happen to admire and respect both the conductor of this CD issue and his band.
Since what I heard put me in a minority of one - to judge by those who took the time to read my review - I replayed several sides of this CD again the other day on a friend's far superior system. I should add that together we have over 100 years of listening to recorded sound, and my collection goes back to the 1890's. So we have some fair grasp of this medium. After less than a minute of the first CD, he turned to me, and winced. Moreover we could not find any improvement in the sound on any of the other sides.
As for the other reviewers glorious reviews - be open-minded; trust yourself to take a few minutes and compare Pinnock's band in the opening to Symphony 48, Maria Theresia, to Janigro's group on Bach Guild, ATM-CD-1495. Afterall, it's your money. One performance sounds imperial, and the music sounds most appropriate for an Empress.
Original instruments do sound very nice - as anyone who has heard live one of the better Cremona masterpieces can attest. And those violins were built long before Haydn was even born! Don't believe all "original violins" must sound like they do in this recording.
Again, for a far better sounding CD issue do yourself a huge favor - try the budget priced Bach Guild CD of the Sturm and Drang symphonies conducted by Janigro. Again. ATM-CD-1495. It has a superior performance of the Maria Theresia, #48 in a robust C Major.
And just to be fair - Janigro's recording of the Boyce symphonies is disappointing, whereas Pinnock's is excellent. Perhaps there is something to leading in music of your own culture.

The absolute best set of the Sturm and Drang symphonies you will ever find.......2005-08-18

I didn't buy this boxed set, but aquired these wonderful discs one by one. I love the whole set, but I bought the one with symphonies 35,38,39,59 first. It is my favorite of the six. That one is really one of those desert island discs. There is such a rhythmic drive and electricity in volume one that I hardly ever hear in classical music. If you're kind of feeling down, these symphonies by the English Concert, will definitely bring you out of the doldrums. Volumes 2-6 are equally as well played, but I personally enjoy Volume one better. Trevor Pinnock is superb as usual. He's definitely one of the greatest conductors of the baroque and classical periods. I would like to see him venture into the romantic period to see how good he would do with that style. The sound quality of this set is just superb. Everything sounds crystal clear in these recordings. If you don't like these performances, check your pulse because I think your dead.

Lively and energetic Haydn - many "surprise" gems here.......2005-03-12

I find myself turning to this modest box of 6 CDs containing 19 mostly little-known Haydn symphonies far more often than to any other Haydn symphony recordings on my shelf.

The complete cycles I own are certainly great achievements that I would never want to be without. Dorati's magnificent complete cycle (see Amazon asin # B0000042DP) is a classic that has stood the test of time. Brilliant classics has ressurected the Adam Fischer cycle from the Nimbus bankruptcy (see Amazon asin # B00006GA50), though the price is now much higher than it was when Brilliant Classics originally released it in 2002. For some of the more famous symphonies, like the London Symphonies, there are many stellar paerformances, such as the Colin Davis/Concertgebouw recordings available on 2 Philips Duo offerings.

But none of the above, or other unspecified recordings, hold a candle to these Pinnock recordings when it comes to an all around enjoyable musical experience. The Minuets have a swaggering quality that is intoxicating. You'd think Haydn invented dance music. Who needs the Strauss family? The Allegros have vitality about them that brings you to the edge of your seat. And the slower movements have phenomenal penetrating depth and wide ranging dynamics one would never expect from Haydn.

And unlike some critics, I don't think there is anything "unfaithful" to the score about these readings. Pinnock doesn't resort to Stokowski-like modifications or liberalities to make the music come alive. What does come across is that all of the musicians appear to be having fun. And when musicians are having fun like this, you do too.

And for the bargain basement price, this a must have.
Not a Haydn fan? Get this set and you will be.

Average customer rating:

Little known but wonderful
Rare Rimsky-Korsakov well done.
A great collection for Rimsky fans. (And if you're not a fan, you will be.)
As complete and good a collection as you're likely to find.
Excellent compilation

Rimsky-Korsakov: Suites

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Rimsky-Korsakov: The Complete Symphonies; Russian Easter Festival Overture; Capriccio Espagnol [Germany]

ASIN: B000000ACB
Release Date: 1992-04-03

Tracks:

May Night - Overture
The Snow Maiden: Beautiful Spring
The Snow Maiden: Dance Of The Birds
The Snow Maiden: The Procession Of Tsar Berendey
The Snow Maiden: Dance Of The Tumblers
Christmas Eve: Christmas Night - Ballet Of The Stars - Witches' Sabbath And Ride On The Devil's Back - Polonaise - Vakula And The Slippers

Tracks:

Mlada: Introduction
Mlada: Redowa: A Bohemian Dance
Mlada: Lithuanian Dance
Mlada: Indian Dance
Mlada: Procession Of The Nobles
The Invisible City of Kitezh: Prelude: A Hymn To Nature
The Invisible City of Kitezh: Wedding Procession
The Invisible City of Kitezh: Tartar Invasion And Battle Of Kerzhenets
The Invisible City of Kitezh: Death Of Fevroniya And Apotheosis Of The Invisible City

Tracks:

The Golden Cockerel: Introduction And Dodon's Sleep
The Golden Cockerel: King Dodon On The Battlefield
The Golden Cockerel: Queen Of Shemakha's Dance; King Dodon's Dance
The Golden Cockerel: Wedding Feast; Death Of King Dodon; Finale
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan: Tsar's Departure And Farewell
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan: Tsarina Adrift At Sea In A Barrel
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan: The Three Wonders
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan: The Flight Of The Bumble Bee

Amazon.com

Rimsky-Korsakov's operatic suites used to be standard repertoire, but like so much attractive and colorful music, it seems that recording has absolved orchestras of the need to play them live! It's a rare day that you will find such lovely works as the Christmas Eve or Snow Maiden suite in the concert hall, so by all means invest in this comprehensive collection and enjoy them at home. This was the first project in Neeme Järvi's epic collaboration with the Scottish National Orchestra, and as is so often the case in such instances, everyone really plays their collective hearts out. Even Chandos outdoes itself in providing sound of speaker-shattering impact. A great set. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Little known but wonderful.......2007-06-03

When was the last time you sat down and listened to Sheherazade? Have you ever heard it at good volume on good equipment? I thought not. So that's one thing to do. And now even better news: Rimsky-Korsakov wrote much great music in operas which have remained unknown to Western audiences. Here is a little of it in orchestral suites - good performances and sound and at a reasonable price. May it be the beginning of a delightful new journey into Russian opera!

Rare Rimsky-Korsakov well done........2006-07-19

Actually I was already familiar with some of the selections--most notably "Procession of the Nobles" from "Mlada" and "Dance of the Tumblers" from "The Snow Maiden". Thus I had a standard of quality from which I could compare the unfamiliar music.

Every piece sparkles. Rimsky-Korsakov's music is, generally, a study in elegance. Every note of these suites proves it. Frequently, when you hear music that is seldom performed, you discover WHY it isn't done. That does not apply here. I think it is a shame that I have not heard most of this music before.

Neeme Jarvi and the Scottish National Orchestra do a wonderful job performing all these suites. I whole-heartedly recommend this recording.

A great collection for Rimsky fans. (And if you're not a fan, you will be.).......2005-08-19

I have fond feelings for this collection. It was my introduction to the Chandos label and to conductor Neemi Jarvi, and I was bowled over. Since that time, recording just about every piece of music written by Western composers has apparently reduced some of Jarvi's enthusiasm, because his later recordings are often not as just-right as his Rimsky performances herein. But these performances are everything they should be. Jarvi and his Scottish orchestra stress the sparkling colors and the near-classical leanness of Rimsky's orchestrations. No Wagnerian bloat, no Brahmsian bottom-heaviness here. Rimsky seems to return to Berlioz as his orchestral paradigm, I always think.

I was immediately attracted to the Christmas Eve Suite, which I hadn't heard before; it builds to a wonderful climax in the tempo of a polonaise. Move over, Piotr I. Tchaikovsky--this music is a great change from chestnuts out of the Nutcracker (a pretty lame pun, but I'll let it stand).

However, Christmas Eve is not the only pleasure these discs provide. Jarvi offers first-rate performances of the lovely May Night, Rimsky's finest overture, as well as suites from the Golden Cockerel, the Snow Maiden, and Mlada, which contain some of Rimsky's most memorable music: the Dance of the Tumblers, the Procession of the Nobles, the Wedding Feast and Death of King Dodon. Great stuff.

And then there's Chandos' recording: incredibly clean and wide-ranging, with just the right sense of hall sound. I'm still impressed every time I listen.

As complete and good a collection as you're likely to find........2003-08-02

Over a 35-year period, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov wrote fifteen operas, all but a handful of them still in the active Russian repertoire. A few of them have even gained something of a foothold recently in the U.S., with Valery Gergiev and his Kirov Opera company performing them on tour. For those seeking orchestral works of Rimsky-Korsakov beyond Sheherazade, the Great Russian Easter Festival Overture, and, perhaps, Capriccio Espagnol and the 2nd ("Antar") Symphony, a logical place to start is with the orchestral suites he fashioned from several of his better-known operas (covering nearly half of his operatic output).

For those so interested, my first - and highest - recommendation goes to this Chandos boxed set, with Neemi Järvi conducting the Scottish National Orchestra (as it was known in 1984, when this recording was made; it is now the Royal Scottish National Orchestra). With the possible exception of some incidental music from Sadko and The Tsar's Bride, this set contains virtually all of the most popular orchestral music from Rimsky-Korsakov's better-known operas.

Over the years, Järvi has developed somewhat of a reputation for "recording everything in sight," not always with the most effective of results. But here, in what the editorial reviewer identifies as his first recording session with the SNO, he has done a splendid job all around, bringing out the often gorgeous coloristic effects of the music, with an orchestra that fully does justice to the performance requirements, and with stunning sound captured by the Chandos engineers.

Particularly noteworthy are the suite from Mlada (with its dramatic "Procession of the Nobles" march), the atmspheric and magical music from The Invisible City of Kitezh, and the better-known suite from The Golden Cockerel. In all of these suites - and in the balance of the boxed set as well - Järvi and the SNO capture the orchestrational genius of Rimsky-Korsakov with perfection: brilliant brass, shimmering strings, nicely-detailed woodwind playing, as is seldom heard from all too many Russian orchestras.

This was clearly an auspicious debut album for Järvi and the SNO, an orchestra that he would direct in many recordings over the following decade or so. And, though not inexpensive, it is the single finest (and most complete) album of Rimsky-Korsakov's orchestral suites from his operas that I have had the pleasure of hearing.

Recommended without reservation.

Bob Zeidler

Excellent compilation.......2000-09-07

I concur that this is an excellent set, performed exquisitely by Jarvi and the Scottish National Orchestra. The comprehensive liner notes refer to the Procession of the Nobles from the Mlada Suite as "splendid." Indeed it is, a tour de force of orchestration that has few peers. The panache with which it is performed here is a touchstone for the quality of the entire set.

Tracks:

Highland Cathedral
Scotland the Brave
Girl I Left Behind Me
Hector the Hero
Far and Away
Green Hills of Tyrol/When the Battle Is Over
Lament for Jef AR Oenven/An Dro
Murray's Fancy
I Love My Love
Cabar Feidh/Farewell to Nigg
Ye Banks and Braes O' Bonnie Doon
Henry the Fifth Overture
Amazing Grace

Customer Reviews:

Virtuoso Players Gild the Lilly.......2007-04-19

Reviewers who write that these are fine musicians playing lousy arrangements are correct. That's it exactly. The slower cuts are better than the up-tempo ones. Apparently this CD is a big hit with bagpipe tooters. So be it. The rest of us should pass it by or purchase it used.

Keep looking - there is much better stuff than this.......2005-10-05

This album is a perfect example of how a bad arrangement can ruin great music despite the best efforts of great musicians. Everything about this recording is right; selection, performers, sound engineering. Except that the tracks are horribly over-arranged with all sorts of distracting, subtracting variations and trite bridging passages.

Diasppointed.......2005-07-12

I am not saying the music is bad or the quality is lacking, because it is not. If you are looking for traditional music played in the traditional way, then this CD is not for you. It is like listening to everyone's interpretation when they sing the "Star Spangled Banner". There is no need to jazz things up that were not written to be. The titles are old but the variations on the score have a lot to be desired if you wanted to hear these songs played the way they were meant to be played.

This album is an absolute disaster.......2005-06-08

It's said that music soothes the savage beast, but bagpipes will do just the opposite. They will make the hair on your neck stand on end, your blood pressure go through the roof and prepare you to go to war. This album does neither.

The one piece which should most strongly produce the desired result is Scotland the Brave. In this album it is three minutes and twenty seven seconds, the first minute an ten of which are dedicated to fanfare. After that an orchestra plays some stylized version and, I think, I can detect a hint of bagpipes in there somewhere. When one has heard it done "correctly", one can recognize this as a total disaster.

Amazing Grace by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards has a version that is just about right. (And that selection gives one the ability to listen to a sample. I can see why this one doesn't!)

Take My Advice, I'm Only Tryin' to School Ya -.......2004-07-07

I bought this album based on the rave reports of the other reviewers, and could NOT be more pleased with the result. Although not Scottish, I am a long-time bagpipe lover, and this album evokes visions of the Black Watch and other highland pipers moving through their intricate paces. The music is an aural feast, and the sound quality is excellent. I keep it in the CD player in the car and find that a quick drive or a long commute both become pleasures when I'm listening to it. Take my advice - if you have even a slight interest in pipes, drums or brass, you're going to love this album. (This is the first time I have ever written a review; it's a very compelling album!)