JR Lake

Royal & SunAlliance 12/18/01
John, i purchased your cd entitled "JR Lake" and it was really enjoyable, a good variety of instruments.

Product Description
"JR Lake is a project in which I write and record my music with a little help from my friends. JR Lake is a dream of bringing my songs to life."

-John Russo

JR Lake

JR Lake,JR Lake

Average customer rating: Magnificent panorama of transcriptions Outstanding Grammy winning CD

Earl Wild: Virtuoso Piano Transcriptions Manufacturer: Ivory Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Saint-Saëns, Camille | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rachmaninov | Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Improvisation | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Tone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Wild, Earl | ( W ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Virtuosity of Earl Wild Earl Wild at 88 Earl Wild - Living History 'At 90' Earl Wild Plays Johannes Brahms Earl Wild's Legendary Rachmaninoff Song Transcriptions ASIN: B00001XDQM Release Date: 2000-07-18

Tracks:

1. Saint-Sa/Earl Wild: Le Rouet d'Omphale, Op.31
2. Handel/Earl Wild: Air and Variations - The Harmonious Blacksmith
3. Chopin/Earl Wild: Larghetto, from Piano Concerto No.2 in F minor, Op.21
4. Rachmaninov/Earl Wild: Midsummer Nights Op.14, No.5
5. Tchaikovsky/Pabst: Paraphrase on 'Sleeping Beauty'
6. Faurarl Wild: Improvisation on 'Aprun r'
7. Bach/Earl Wild: Hommage oulenc
8. Mozart/Backhaus: Serenade from 'Don Giovanni'
9. Churchill/Earl Wild: Reminiscences of 'Snow White' Whistle While You Work - I'm Wishing - One Song - Heigh Ho - Someday My Prince Will Come
10. Tchaikovsky/Earl Wild: At the Ball
11. Tchaikovsky/Earl Wild: Dance of the Four Swans from 'Swan Lake'
12. Johann Strauss, Jr./Tausig: One Lives but Once
13. Kreisler/Rachmaninov: Liebesleid

Album Description

This exceptional recording is largely devoted to Earl Wild's own dazzling piano transcriptions. Mr. Wild received a Grammy® Award in 1997 for this disc of Thirteen Virtuoso Piano Transcriptions. It is being re-released on Ivory Classics® in honor of Earl Wild's 84th birthday! Praised by critics and music lovers around the world as a "stunning document of musical sensitivity and virtuosity" and "a tribute to America's greatest pianistic treasure" - this CD is now available in its original 24-bit HDCD state-of-the-art audiophile sound.

Customer Reviews:

Magnificent panorama of transcriptions.......2007-03-08

Is there any other pianist like Earl Wild? For over 60 years he has proven to be a performing giant, making critics swoon and audiences enthralled. His recording output is even more epoch-making; his preference for peppering some odd obscurities into such recordings is a blessing. But his discography is not as significant as his phenomenal interpretations of what he plays. His ability to render Thalberg, Godowsky, Beethoven, Chopin and Rachmaninov with absolute poise, ravishing passion or thrilling bravura is what makes his recordings such a treasure. So I was enthusiastic when I first saw this particular recording, piano transcriptions that I knew would be given the best artistic treatment.

While there are a few common pieces here (Kreisler-Rach's Liebesleid and Strauss-Tausig's Valse Caprice No. 2), most of these are Wild's own piano transcriptions. His selection of pieces to transcribe is both perplexing and exciting at once: Saint-Saens, Handel, Tchaikovsky, Faure, Rachmaninov, Bach and Chopin. Throughout the entire disc, Wild is spiritually absorbed and technically brilliant. There isn't a single piece here that seems lackluster after Wild's poetic phrasing and refined virtuosity operate together.

I think the most notable works here are the Saint-Saens, Handel, Chopin, Pabst and Rachmaninov. Although I've never heard Saint-Saens's Le Rouet d'Omphale symphonic poem, Wild's engrossing and virtuosic transcription conjures exorbitant drama and lyricism. The central section is rather simplistic for its repetitive theme taken through different keys, but it is still gorgeous and powerful. I found a comment in the liner-notes most interesting regarding this transcription: "As a model Earl Wild does not use Saint-Saens' own rather spare piano version, but returns to the original orchestral score, incorporating many orchestral effects into his 1995 transcription."

Wild's transcription of the Larghetto from Chopin's PC No. 2 enables the piano to exhibit all of the nuances of the orchestral version. But upon hearing it, one forgets that an orchestra was even involved in the first place. It sounds like an original Chopin work, even with the noticeable difference in the agitated central section which once relied on orchestral tremolos. It would be an understatement to say Wild translates the music marvelously to solo piano. In Handel's Harmonious Blacksmith variations, Wild showcases a meticulous pianistic reproduction and doubly impresses with his exuberant performance. The Rachmaninov song "Midsummer Nights" is a rousing and passionate piece that sounds like an original piano work from the Russian master. But Pabst's Tchaikovsky paraphrase is the main blockbuster, full of beautiful intensity and exquisite reinventions of Tchaikovsky's grand themes from Sleeping Beauty. The last piece I'll remark on is Wild's own Reminiscences of Snow White, a peculiar endeavor that leaves me with mixed feelings. It wasn't my favorite piece because it sounded rather banal at times; one might even use the stereotype "elevator music." But relistening to it many times at least reveals to me that Wild superbly unifies Churchill's Disney themes. And he is in his prime when he embellishes the themes with dazzling flights in the style of a 19th century virtuoso. While the rest of these pieces deserve commentary, I think they pretty much speak for themselves.

Bottom line: This repertoire may not look interesting at a first glance, but I implore the reader to sample this. You'll not only find hidden gems (Mozart-Backhaus, Strauss-Tausig and Pabst) but also some glorious transcriptions from Wild's pen (Saint-Saens, Handel and Chopin).

Outstanding Grammy winning CD.......1999-12-03

This CD is a reissue of the 1996 SONY disc which won a Grammy (Wild's 80th birthday album). The Grammy awards do not always select the best CDs, but in this case, they really picked a winner. These is one of the finest piano discs in years, and will likely become a classic. Wild's own transcriptions dominate the disc, and they show true originality and charm. I hope Wild records a follow-up to this album with Ivory Records, which has produced a large number of classic piano discs recently. A must have for anyone who enjoys the piano, or the lost art of transcription.

Average customer rating: Giovanni Marradi is the Best

Giovanni: Tenderly Manufacturer: New Castle Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items: Latin Volume One ASIN: B00069V5I6

Product Description

All songs on CD produced, arranged, conducted, and performed by Giovanni Marradi.

Customer Reviews:

Giovanni Marradi is the Best.......2005-04-03

Every CD Giovanni has put out is AWESOME. This CD has 12 Tracks:
I Started a Joke, Swan Lake, Besame Mucho, Symphony No. 3 in F. Op. 90, When You Wish Upon a Star, Angel of the Morning, Nabucco, Sheherazade, What Kind of Fool Am I?, You Only Live Twice, Bless the Beasts & the Children, Hopelessly Devoted to You. I absolutely love his piano playing.

Average customer rating:

With Glowing Hearts: Music from the Ballroom, the Salon, and the Theatre Manufacturer: Cbc ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Godard, Benjamin | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Herbert | Herbert, Victor | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Strauss Jr., Johann | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B000003WS9 Release Date: 1993-10-20

Average customer rating: Michael Crissan

JR Lake ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music ASIN: B00005V554 Release Date: 2001-12-08

Tracks:

1. November
2. Lost My Way
3. Another Year
4. Julies Walk
5. Love Show the Way
6. If I Could
7. Real Truth
8. My Guitar
9. Morning Dove
10. Is It Over

Album Description

"JR Lake is a project in which I write and record my music with a little help from my friends. JR Lake is a dream of bringing my songs to life."

-John Russo

Customer Reviews:

Michael Crissan.......2002-03-23

I bought this CD soley to hear Michael Crissan sing November.
He is incredible.... Michael should release his own album and recordings. He definitely has what it takes to make it big.

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