Melodrama [Import]

1. Prologue

2. Still Alive

3. Best Of The Best

4. Gigolo

5. Flash

6. Its Contagious

7. Oh What A Thing

8. What If I Meet You

9. Trouble

10. Catfight

11. Moonlight For Lovers

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Third album from the popular Finnish indie pop act, features 11 tracks. WEA. 2004.

Tracks:

Overture To 'Tannhauser'
Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
Hungarian Dance No.7
The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
Csardas Music
The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
Tzigane
Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
Caprice No.24
The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
The Violin Muted
Clair De Lune
The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
The Pizzicato Violin
Pizzicato Polka
In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
Hungarian Dance No.4
Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
Bolero
Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
Elfenreigen

Tracks:

Introduction To The Viola
Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
Cypresses (No.9)
The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
The 'Period' Viola In Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
Elfentanz, Op.39
Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
The Protecting Veil (Opening)
A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
Flamenco
Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
Symphony No.9 (Finale)
Introduction To The Double-Bass
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
Elegy No.1 In D Major
The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
Capriccio Di Bravura
Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
Sa'Dawi
Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
Chamber Music No.II
The Piccolo - Aptly Named
La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
A Variety Of Techniques
Chamber Music No.II
Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
Naelden, Naelden
The Bachian Oboe
Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
The Swan Of Tuonela
The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
Bolero
The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
...And Quite Low.
Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
Introduction To The Saxophone
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
Bolero
The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
Sax-O-Phun
The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
Bolero
The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
Symphony No.3 (Opening)
The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
The Ceremonial Trumpet
Fanfare For The Common Man
Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
Billy The Kid
The Trumpet As Character Actor
Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
The Birth Of The Trombone
Aenmerckt Nu Hier
The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
Canzon 12 In Double Echo
The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
Hosannah
The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
The Trombone As Caricaturist
Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
The Horn And The Hunt
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
Walter Music (Minuet 1)
The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
Den Hoboecken Dans
Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
Gymnopedie No.2
The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
The Birth Of The Bongo
Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
Taking Advantage Of Tunability
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
Ravel And The Xylophone
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
Introducing The Vibraphone
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
Folk Dances
The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
Introducing The Tubular Bells
Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
Carmen Suite (Introduction)
But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Introducing The Celeste
The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
Petrushka (Russian Dance)
The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
Mahler's Sleighbells
Symphony No.4 (Opening)
A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Nocturnes
Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
The Oboe As Duck
Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
A Thunderstorm In A Million
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
Octet In F (Mvt 3)
The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
Canzon 28
Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
Images (Gigues)
A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

Tracks:

Symphony No. 8 In B Minor 'Unfinished': Allegro moderato
Marche Militaire, Op. 51, No.1
Ave Maria
Serenade
Erlkonig
Rosamunde Overture
Impromptu In E-Flat Major, Op. 90, No. 2
Death And The Maiden String Quartet In D Minor: IV Presto
Moment Musical In F Minor Op. 94, No3
Trout Quintet For Piano & Strings In A Major: III Scherzo Presto
Symphony No. 9 In C Major 'The Great': I Andante - Allegro ma non troppo

Average customer rating:

I forgot how beautiful teenage angst was!
MARY WEISS: LIVING GODDESS/MYSTIC
Mini soap operas set to music
Exceptional tribute to girl-group greats
Drama Queens

Myrmidons of Melodrama
The Shangri-Las
Manufacturer: Rpm Records UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Myrmidons of Melodrama

ASIN: B0000073R4
Release Date: 1995-04-17

Tracks:

Remember (Walking in the Sand)
It's Easier to Cry
Leader of the Pack
What Is Love? - The Shangri-Las, The Shangri-Las
Give Him a Great Big Kiss
Maybe
Out in the Streets
Boy
Give Us Your Blessings
Heaven Only Knows
Right Now and Not Later
Train from Kansas City
Never Again
I'm Blue
What's a Girl Supposed to Do?
Dum Dum Ditty
You Cheated, You Lied
I Can Never Go Home Anymore
Bull Dog
Long Live Our Love
Sophisticated Boom Boom
He Cried
Dressed in Black
Past, Present, and Future
Paradise
Love You More Than Yesterday
Wishing Well
Hate to Say I Told You So
Give Him a Great Big Kiss [Take]
How Pretty Can You Get?
Revlon Endorsement
Good Taste Tip from Mary Weiss
Dating Courtesy Tip from Mary Weiss

Customer Reviews:

I forgot how beautiful teenage angst was!.......2007-07-16

Transistor radio hot summer nights hanging on car hoods on the streets in the city. The girls sure look good in their shorts and tight blouses! Will you go steady with me? Wanna make out? Oh, the bliss - and the agony! Who wrote these songs? What a great sound! Phil Spector didn't do everything worthwhile in the '60's, nor did the Beatles. Undervalued as kitsch, this is pop music made with great passion. A great rediscovery for this baby boomer!

MARY WEISS: LIVING GODDESS/MYSTIC.......2007-05-23

First off, my musical tastes are typical 60s-70s, Animals, Yarbirds, Them, Stones, Spirit, Zombies, Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, Bonzos, Fugs, Zappa, Moodies, Beefheart, Velvets, Nico, Blondie, Alice Cooper. Pretty typical, but I have little concept that any music was actually made beyond 1980. Finding new music for me is like discovering the Blues Magoos, Electric Prunes, Downliners Sect, Kalidescope, Autosalvage. I am planning on discovering Iggy Pop soon. Yea. Maybe Van Halen, too. Not kidding. Anyway, I never really paid much attention to the 60s girl groups as individual artists. It never really mattered to me who sang Leader of the Pack, My Boy Friend's Back, or Solider Boy. Although the songs themselves are some of my favortite radio plays, just like much of the top 40 of 71-74. Know what I mean? It's the song. These weren't 'artists.' Funny thing happened on the way to discovering Mary Weiss the artist and icon. A few months before I heard Mary Weiss on NPR, I had heard Walkin' in the Sand and was determined to hear more of this group. I'd heard of the Shangri-las but it didn't really mean anything to me. Gratefully that song has not been overplayed, so I was able to set out to discover something new. I bought the 20th Century CD and heard some really great stuff. Then I heard the Mary Weiss interview a couple months later. It all seemed so strange. She said she was inspired by Iggy Pop who said 'life happens in 7 years cycles,' This concept of 7 year cycles is a completely mystical idea. Being drawn to such ideas myself, I had to hear more of the Shangri-las. I had already noticed something quite unusual in this music. They were not ordinary pop songs. There was something higher in them. I could not quite put my finger on it. So I got the outstanding Myrmidons of Melodrama CD. As I listened more and more, I discovered this consistent strain of mystical / Religious / psychological ideas in these songs. Take for example the concept of time in them. The concept of time is approached in a circular or buddist way as opposed to linear time. The boy has gone away, but by Remembering Walking in the Sand, he becomes an eternal present. Linear time is made circular. This concept is again shown in the song What is Love, where the boy will "be there for the rest of time." There are miracles: boys. Lots of praying: Freudian wishful thinking. The song Train From Kanasas is about past time, pressing not so much on present time, but on future time, as the problem of the train coming into town is never resolved but again remains locked in an eternal present. Right Now and Not Later Baby, again an eternal present. The future is always a forever. This would appear more christian than mystial or buddist, but the idea that it's being sung by a girl on the threshold of conscoiusness, she seems limited as yet by her immaturity. It is sung by a girl in liminality - betwixt and between - where forever can exist because she is only now just begining to understand. She doesn't know so much as heaven does. But she naiviely knows more than she does and can only speak in these more christian terms at such a young age. She can Never Go Home, but it's only her way of understanding the theshold of consciousness that she has not fully crossed yet. The song Past Present and Future speaks for itself. The problem is not the future; it's approaching consciousness. Also, she's not so terribly affected by the realities of war yet, except that a few boys have 'gone overseas.' War isn't even mentoined, but we get the hint. They won't be boys for long, but she doesn't know it yet, and neither does America. These boys exist only in imagery now, and will forever. They are something more and other than what they really are. Out in The Streets, Mary is becoming conscious of an over-mothering tendency that won't allow the boy to live by is own nature or maybe even grow up. There is only one evil: interfering with someone else's own nature, individuality and future. He remains an image, something more than the real person. While the songs are catchy and kitchy, they are not overly-melodic as to become bubble gum pop. There is something extraordiary here. This is genuine proto-punk. It's not Lou Reed or Iggy Pop or Elvis or Edgar Allan Poe (Reed's weird idea) or Baudilaire or Jesus. The one thing they all have in common is a mother and that mother is Mary Weiss. Hey Mary, when's a memoir coming?

Mini soap operas set to music.......2005-04-16

That's how co-producer Jeff Barry describes the songs of the Shangri-Las and it's a good description. Certainly, their music was different from anything else around at the time and nobody else has been able to emulate them since.

Only two of their singles made the UK charts although one of them did so on three completely separate occasions. They did better in America, where they had eleven hits, three of which made the top ten. But unlike some of their contemporaries, their B-sides and album tracks are also fascinating with very few covers (although the impressive He cried is a cover of She cried by Jay and the Americans). George Morton, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich between them wrote many of their songs including all the famous hits.

Their most famous song, Leader of the pack, made it to number one in America. It stalled just outside the top ten in Britain, possibly hampered by the success of another motorcycle death song (Terry by Twinkle), which made the UK top five just before Leader of the pack was released in Britain. Re-released in 1972, the song made the UK top three. In 1976, it again made the UK top ten.

The only other Shangri-Las track to make the UK charts is Remember walking in the sand, which was a UK top twenty hit. It made the top five in America but the liner notes give a wonderful description of a seven-minute demo version featuring (maybe) a young Billy Joel on piano. Sadly, that demo version is not included on the compilation.

Of their other American hits, I can never go home anymore made the top ten, Give him a great big kiss made the top twenty, Give us your blessings made the top thirty and Long live our love made the top forty. Four minor hits (Maybe, Right now and not later, He cried, Past present and future) complete their American chart statistics, although they bubbled under with Sweet sounds of summer (not included here) after they switched record labels following the demise of Red Bird, the label on which all their classic recordings were released.

Notable B-sides include Paradise (written by Nilsson for the Ronettes), Train from Kansas City, Heaven only knows, Sophisticated boom boom and Dressed in black. Among their best album tracks are What's a girl supposed to do (also recorded by Lesley Gore), Never again and Sophisticated boom boom.

All those tracks and plenty of others can be found on this magnificent compilation, which even includes some commercials and public notices that you might think would be best avoided. Not so - even these are great performed by the Shangri-Las.

The Shangri-Las were truly unique and this is the best compilation of their music.

Exceptional tribute to girl-group greats.......2002-10-13

The Shangri-Las, together with producer Shadow Morton, carved out a truly unique sound among the girl-groups of the early '60s. Not only were their songs darker than the rest, but Shadow Morton's production, though perhaps not up to the maniacal standards of Phil Spector's, had an unusual sense of invention. Lead vocalist Mary Weiss not only had the bad-girl lyrics and image, but the voice to put across the songs' melodrama. RPM's 33-track 1994 release (and it's re-configured, 2002 reissue, RPM 506) is far-and-away the best collection of the group's material that's ever been made available.

Included among the tracks are the group's best known hits ("(Remember) Walkin' in the Sand" "Leader of the Pack" "Give Him a Great Big Kiss" "I Can Never Go Home Anymore"), lower-charting singles (a cover of the Chantels' "Maybe," "Out in the Streets," "Give Us Your Blessing," "Right Now and Not Later," "Long Live Our Love," "He Cried," "Past, Present and Future") and superbly selected B-sides and album tracks.

Highlights include Barry & Greenwich's love torn "The Train From Kansas City" (featuring one of their best-ever lines, "I'll be back in the time it takes to break a heart," rendered by Weiss with a wrench of the heart that lingers long after the song ends), Morton's truly bizarre spoken-jazz "Sophisticated Boom Boom" (covered by ex-Box Top Alex Chilton in his solo live set), Ike Turner's fabulous "I'm Blue," and Harry Nilsson's "Paradise."

Morton's production often used sound-effects (like the train of "Train From Kansas City" and seagulls of "(Remember) Walkin' in the Sand"), though at times his arrangements sounded more like Phil Spector's work with The Crystals ("The Dum Dum Ditty," complete with castanets), or even Motown ("Right Now and Not Later," with running bassline, organ, horns and vibraphone). The variety among these tracks is all the more impressive for the short period of time in which they were created.

The songs, filled with over-the-top melodrama, could still be quite chilling. From teens driven to a grisly death by their parents disapproval ("Give Us Your Blessings") to the fractured present of an apparent rape victim ("Past, Present and Future"), the Shangri-Las lived up to this disc's title, "Myrmidons of Melodrama." RPM digs deeply into the vault to extend this collection beyond the group's well-known Red Bird releases. Also included are an alternate version of "Give Him a Great Big Kiss," along with a pre-Red Bird single ("Wishing Well"), and a quartet of radio spots featuring Mary Weiss discussing everything from good taste and dating courtesy to Revlon.

What's missing (and only because they physically wouldn't fit on the CD) are the group's other pre-Red Bird single ("Simon Says"/"Simon Speaks") and their two latter-day singles for Mercury ("Sweet Sounds of Summer" and three other sides). Unfortunately, the only way to accumulate everything is to get this disc (RPM 136), the revised version (confusingly issued in 2002 with the same title, but a slightly different track selection (including, apparently, additional true stereo mixes), a different cover, and a new stock number: RPM 506), and Polygram's "The Best of the Shangri-Las."

With its stellar track selection and detailed, well-illustrated, humorous liner notes, this disc (or the revised RPM 506 version) is the first one to buy, whether you're just interested in digging past the well-known hits, or you're starting on the road to fanatical completist. RPM's slogan says it all: "By collectors, for collectors." 'Nuff said.

Drama Queens.......2001-11-05

Probably more so than any other sixties girl group The Shangri-las have suffered at the hand of poor quality CD reissues that usually make their music sound like it was recorded down the end of a very long corridor. RPM promised vastly improved sound quality with this release and they deliver (well they do their best given the quality of the source material).

This CD offers a mega 33 tracks, practically everything the Shangs recorded (except for the live version of `Twist and Shout', but trust me, you'll live) and even includes several absolute obscurities such as `Paradise', `Wishing Well' and `Hate To Say I Told You So', all of which are fab. All the regular Shangri-Las favourites are here including `The Leader Of The Pack', `Give him A Great Big Kiss', `Give Us Your Blessings', `Remember (Walkin' In The Sand)' and the list goes on. I particularly like the numbers where the girls really let loose their primal wailing like on "He Cried", "Dressed In Black" and "Out In The Streets". Their brand of effect laden tragi-pop is without equal, there's so many great songs on here it's pointless trying to list them all and work out what makes them so great.

Tracks:

Con in a, Op.16: 1. Allegro Molto Moderato - Lilya Zilberstein
Con in a, Op.16: 2. Adagio - Attacca - Lilya Zilberstein
Con in a, Op.16: 3. Allegro Moderato E Marcato - Quasi Presto - Andante Maestoso - Lilya Zilberstein
In Autumn, Op.11 - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Symphonic Dances, Op.64: 1. Allegro Moderato E Marcato - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Symphonic Dances, Op.64: 2. Allegretto Grazioso - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Symphonic Dances, Op.64: 3. Allegro Giocoso - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Symphonic Dances, Op.64: 4. Andante - Allegro Molto E Risoluto - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi

Tracks:

From Holberg's Time, Op.40: 1. Prld: Allegro Vivace - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
From Holberg's Time, Op.40: 2. Sarabande: Andante - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
From Holberg's Time, Op.40: 3. Gavotte: Allegretto - Musette: Un Poco Mosso - Gavotte - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
From Holberg's Time, Op.40: 4. Air: Andante Religioso - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
From Holberg's Time, Op.40: 5. Rigaudon: Allegro Con Brio - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Two Elegiac Melodies, Op.34: 1. The Wounded Heart: Allegretto Espressivo - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Two Elegiac Melodies, Op.34: 2. Last Spring: Andante - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Two Melodies, Op.53: 1. Norwegian: Allegro Risoluto - Poco Tranquillo - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Two Melodies, Op.53: 2. The First Meeting: Lento - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Two Nordic Melodies, Op.63: 1. In Folk Style: Andante - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Two Nordic Melodies, Op.63: 2. Cow-Call: Andantino/Peasant Dance: Allegro Molto Vivace - Allegro... - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Two Lyric Pieces, Op.68: 1. Evening In The Mountains: Andantino - Marten Larsson
Two Lyric Pieces, Op.68: 2. At The Cradle: Allegretto Con Moto - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Lyric Ste, Op.54: 1. Shepherd Boy: Andantino Espressivo - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Lyric Ste, Op.54: 2. Bell-Ringing: Andante - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Lyric Ste, Op.54: 3. Norwegian March: Allegretto Marcato - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Lyric Ste, Op.54: 4. Notturno: Andante - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Lyric Ste, Op.54: 5. March Of The Trolls: Allegro Marcato - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi

Tracks:

Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.1. At The Wedding - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.2. Halling - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.3. Springar - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.4. The Abduction Of The Bride: Ingrid's Lament - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.5. Peer Gynt And The Herd-Girls - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.6. Peer Gynt And The Woman In Green - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.7. Peer Gynt: 'Great Folk May Be Known By The Mounts That They Ride' - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.8. In The Hall Of The Mountain King - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.9. Dance Of The Mountain King's Daughter - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.10. Peer Gynt Hunted By The Trolls - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.11. Peer Gynt And The Boyg/No.12. The Death Of Ase - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: Act III: Prld - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: Act III, Scene 4 - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.13. Morning Mood - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.14. The Thief And The Receiver - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.15. Arabian Dance - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.16. Anitra's Dance - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.17. Peer Gynt's Ser - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.18. Peer Gynt And Anitra - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.19. Solveig's Song - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.20. Peer Gynt At The Statue Of Memnon - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.21. Peer Gynt's Homecoming: Stormy Evening On The Sea - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.22. Shipwreck - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.23. Solveig Sings In The Hut - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...

Tracks:

Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.24. Night Scene - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.25. Whitsun Hymn: 'Blessed Morn' - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Peer Gynt, Op.23: No.26. Solveig's Cradle Song - Barbara Bonney/Urban Malmberg/Marianne Eklof/Carl Gustaf Holmgren/Maria Andersson/Monica Einarson...
Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op.22: Hornsignaler (Fanfares) - Kjell Magnus Sandve/Gosta Ohlin's Vox Ens/Gosta Ohlin/Pro Musica Chm Chor
Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op.22: No.1. Act I: Prld - Kjell Magnus Sandve/Gosta Ohlin's Vox Ens/Gosta Ohlin/Pro Musica Chm Chor
Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op.22: No.2. Borghild's Dream - Kjell Magnus Sandve/Gosta Ohlin's Vox Ens/Gosta Ohlin/Pro Musica Chm Chor
Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op.22: No.3. The Matching Game - Kjell Magnus Sandve/Gosta Ohlin's Vox Ens/Gosta Ohlin/Pro Musica Chm Chor
Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op.22: No.4. The Northland Folk - Kjell Magnus Sandve/Gosta Ohlin's Vox Ens/Gosta Ohlin/Pro Musica Chm Chor
Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op.22: No.5. Homage March - Kjell Magnus Sandve/Gosta Ohlin's Vox Ens/Gosta Ohlin/Pro Musica Chm Chor
Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op.22: No.6. Interlude I - Kjell Magnus Sandve/Gosta Ohlin's Vox Ens/Gosta Ohlin/Pro Musica Chm Chor
Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op.22: No.7. Mellomspill II - Kjell Magnus Sandve/Gosta Ohlin's Vox Ens/Gosta Ohlin/Pro Musica Chm Chor
Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op.22: No.8. The King's Song - Kjell Magnus Sandve/Gosta Ohlin's Vox Ens/Gosta Ohlin/Pro Musica Chm Chor
Funeral March In Memory Of Rikard Nordraak: Lento - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Norwegian Dances, Op.35: 1. Allegro Marcato - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Norwegian Dances, Op.35: 2. Allegretto Tranquillo E Grazioso - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Norwegian Dances, Op.35: 3. Allegro Moderato Alla Marcia - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Norwegian Dances, Op.35: 4. Allegro Molto - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi

Tracks:

Sym in c: 1. Allegro Molto - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Sym in c: 2. Adagio Espressivo - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Sym in c: 3. Intermezzo: Allegro Energico - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Sym in c: 4. Finale: Allegro Molto Vivace - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Land-sighting, Op.31 - Hakan Hagegard/Men's Voices Of The Gothenburg Sym Chor
Olav Trygvason, Op.50: Scene I: No.1. Skjult I De Mange Manende Navne/No.2. I, Som Op Af... - Hakan Hagegard/Gothenburg Sym Chor/Mats Nilsson/Randi Stene
Olav Trygvason, Op.50: Scene II: No.3. Ej Er Det Nok/No.4. Tak, At I Talte - Anne Gjevang/Gothenburg Sym Chor/Mats Nilsson/Hakan Hagegard
Olav Trygvason, Op.50: Scene III: No.5. Giv Alle Guder Gammens Og Glaedes-Skal/No.6. Alfer Og... - Gothenburg Sym Chor/Mats Nilsson

Tracks:

Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Poco Tranquillo - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Tema. Andantino Espressivo - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Poco Allegro, Ma Tranquillo - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Energico - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Allegro Leggiero - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Poco Andante - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Maestoso - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Allegro Scherzando E Leggiero - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Andante - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Andante Molto Tranquillo - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Presto - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Tempo Di Menuetto - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Allegro Marcato - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Tempo Di Valse - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Adagio Molto Espressivo - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Finale. Allegro Molto Marcato - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Finale. Pomposo - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Finale. Prestissimo - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
Old Norwegian Melody With Vars, Op.51: Finale. Andante Molto Tranquillo - Gothenburg SO/Neeme Jarvi
The First Meeting - Barbara Bonney
From Monte Pincio - Hakan Hagegard
A Swan - Barbara Bonney
Spring - Barbara Bonney
Henrik Wergeland - Hakan Hagegard
The Mountain Thrall, Op.32 - Hakan Hagegard
Before A Southern Convent, Op.20 - Barbara Bonney/Randi Stene/Women's Voices Of The Gothenburg Sym Chor/Mats Nilsson
Bergliot, Op.42 - Rut Tellefsen

Customer Reviews:

It's all here.......2006-04-14

Norwegian-born Edvard Grieg has created many works for the orchestra, and this 6-CD box set contains almost all of them. Neeme Jarvi handles the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and the choirs very well. The sound is crystal clear and has the perfect digital sound for every CD player/stereo.

For the long works, the Piano Concerto is attention-grabbing and beautiful. The Symphonic Dances and the Norwegian Dances are lively and tremendously extraordinary. The lesser-known Symphony in C Minor should be more recognized, as it is as powerful as other symphonies, like Mahler's first and Beethoven's sixth. For the short works, In Autumn and Landkjenning can be best described as sheer masterpieces.

For Peer Gynt, it is good to hear the first digitally-recorded authentic version. The suite version is just not enough for that full listening experience. NOTE: if you want to buy a Peer Gynt that includes the complete dialogue, I would recommend conductor Ole Kristian Ruud's version with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra; the dialogue lengthens the 90-minute work by two hours.

To know the rest is to listen to them straight through. All the works in this box set (especially the Piano Concerto) should be a possession for all Grieg-lovers.

A+

An excellent box-set.......2003-08-30

This box-set a must have for any Grieg lovers.
Neeme Jarvi is very good.

In first CD, there is a powerful performance of Piano Concerto by Zilberstein.She is also great in F.Liszt recordings (at DG Classics). In second CD, works for string orchestra (including, famous Holberg Suite) to be found. And in 3rd and 4th CDs, marvellous recordins of Peer Gynt and Sigurd Jorsalfar (Sigurd, the Crusader)to be found.This works are the first recordings of complete score. Still, speakers to be present at Peer Gynt.And Funeral March for R. Nordraak is very influence in 4th CD.The wind ensemble of Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra is very good...

In 5th CD, there is an unknown work by Grieg: Symphony in C-minor. This work written in early period, but didn't perfomed often. Still, this work's name is "Forbidden Symphony"...And then, a majestic work "Land-Sighting" to be found. This is very successful choral work of composer and he written in a heavenly tone:E Major...And then, there is an unknown work again, an incomplete opera: "Olav Trygvason"... Grieg written this work on a libretto by his friend, Bjornson (a famous poet of Norway), but he could finish first act...

And in last CD, there are other vocal works, and his beatiful work: "Old Norwegian Melody with Variations". And then, 5 Songs to be found. This songs originally written for voice and piano (like other many songs) but he later orchestrated these works.And the first song "The First Meeting" was discovered in 80's and still, they used a new edition, published from new founded manuscript, so this is the first recording of Grieg's beatiful song.

In other words: this box-set is excellent and Highly recommended.

Wonderful recordings, slightly marred by lack of texts.......2003-04-09

Jarvi has been a fine advocate of Scandinavian music over the last 30 years. Even of those such as Grieg and Sibelius who you would think no longer needed advocacy. Most of these recordings were warmly welcomed on their releases and several won awards. And it's nothing but a pleasure to see them reappear again. The orchestral playing is sumptuous, but the real stand out is the singing of Barbara Bonney on several CDs.

This is now the fourth or fifth release for some of these CDs, first came the individual volumes, then the full price box, then releases on budget DG Classikon, and now a Collector's Edition box at half the price, but sadly minus the texts to CDs 2,3 and 6. This won't matter so much in the orchestral songs, CD6, where the texts to Bergtekne, Bergliot etc. are available in other releases or on the Lieder web page, but CDs 2 and 3 are currently the only complete recording of Peer Gynt and the sung or spoken texts are not available outside sheet music collections. Personally (as someone more interested in the vocal music than the orchestral) I would try and locate the original volumes, but at least DG has given those who don't feel the extra expense is justified a cheaper option.

Tracks:

Three Piano Pieces, Op. 11: Massige
Three Piano Pieces, Op. 11: Massige
Three Piano Pieces, Op. 11: Bewegte
Five Piano Pieces, Op. 23: Sehr langsam
Five Piano Pieces, Op. 23: Sehr rasch
Five Piano Pieces, Op. 23: Langsam
Five Piano Pieces, Op. 23: Schwungvoll. Massige
Five Piano Pieces, Op. 23: Wlazer
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19: Leicht, zart
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19: Langsam
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19: Sehr langsame
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19: Rasch, aber leicht
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19: Etwas rasch
Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19: Sehr langsam
Suite for Piano, Op. 25: Praludium. Rasch
Suite for Piano, Op. 25: Gavotte. Etwas langsam. nicht hastig - Musette. Rascher - Gavotte da capo
Suite for Piano, Op. 25: Intermezzo
Suite for Piano, Op. 25: Menuett. Moderato - Trio - Menuette da capo
Suite for Piano, Op. 25: Gigue. Rasch
Two Piano Pieces, Op. 33- A & B: Massige
Two Piano Pieces, Op. 33- A & B: Massig langsam

Tracks:

Concerto For Piano And Orchestra, Op. 42: Andante -
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra, Op. 42: Molto allegro
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra, Op. 42: Adagio
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra, Op. 42: Giocoso
Phantasy For Violin And Piano Accompaniment, Op. 47: Grave - Piu mosso - Meno mosso - Lento - Grazioso - Tempo I - Piu mosso -
Phantasy For Violin And Piano Accompaniment, Op. 47: Scherzando - Poco tranquillo - Scherzando - Meno mosso - Tempo I
Ode To Napoleon Buonaparte, Op. 41
Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21: Mondestrunken
Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21: Colombine
Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21: Der Dandy
Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21: Eine blasse Wascherin
Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21: Valse de Chopin
Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21: Madonna
Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21: Der kranke Mond

Customer Reviews:

Mr. Gould: the Genius of Recorded Music!.......2005-01-31

Gould was playing Schoenberg in the 1950s--just shortly after the composer's death. He realizes the Op. 11 pieces in a very late-Brahmsian manner, in keeping with his gestalt of turn-of-the-century Modern music, viz., Brahms, Strauss, Scriabin, Schoenberg, Hindemith, et al.

The Op. 25 Suite is an exquisite refraction of a Bach French Suite--but done in Schoenberg's 12-tone form. Here Gould plays Schoenberg as he does Bach!

Gould's realization of Schoenberg's Piano Concerto is very secco (dry), and intentionally miked very closely: i.e., the recording was made with microphones placed close to the performers, rather than way back out in the audience area of a hall. This was Gould's idea, and the results are outstanding: the best Schoenberg Piano Concerto available--pace, Uchida and Brendel, et al.

Gould's Pierrot is his first attempt at conducting, and one wishes he had completed it and done more. In the end, Gould conducted Wagner's Siegfried Idyll with outstanding results.

This is a great set.

The definitive interpretation of Schoenberg piano works.......2003-12-27

While other pianists dabbled at these fine pieces, none other than Glenn Gould provides the definitive interpretation of Schoenberg's piano works. Thoroughly studied, Gould presents the serialism clearly and presents the dimensions of the revolutionary works.

By detaching yourself from the tonality of traditional tonal music, and immersing in the world of Schoenberg, the shape and lines of the music will gradually become clear. Gould is perhaps the greatest advocate and messenger of Schoenberg's distinct language.

Keep listening.......2000-09-13

These are difficult pieces for me. They require concentrated listening, and challenge my understanding of music. Sometimes, I don't like what I hear, and other times, it's just too much work to listen to very much of this. However, when I am able to devote some time to listening with an understanding mind, I am amply rewarded. I have listened to this CD for several years and I will probably never understand this music. I do enjoy listening and learning from it, though. I am thankful that someone as talented as Glenn Gould has interpreted these pieces. If you are interested in one of the most important composers of the twentieth century, or one of the greatest legends of the keyboard, this CD will interest you. To paraphrase what Moby wrote on his CD, Animal Rights, "Please listen to this CD completely at least once."

The "least dry" Schoenberg ever.......1999-11-10

I believe wholeheartedly that, for the uninitiated, this disc is difficult to truly appreciate without having heard other pianists attempt these pieces (e.g., Pollini). To enjoy listening to Schoenberg necessitates a certain familiarity with prolonged "dissonance", just like strong coffee or unfiltered beer--it takes some getting used to. If you're already there, it's not "dissonant", it's "music" (just like other alternate melodic conceptions-raga, gamelan, mbira, partch, etc.), and Gould's passionate readings here display his love for and understanding of the music's heart. Go Glenn.

A Master Pianist Plays His Favorites.......1999-04-08

Schoenberg's rigid mathematics, his triads, his serialism, his tonal abilities, when demonstated through his piano pieces (especially through these piano pieces) allow a pianist with the mechanical ability and inspired play of Glenn Gould the chance to demonstrate how to hear, feel and convey a music that, to many listeners, often reflects, upon fist listen, chaos. But the music on this 2 CD set is not to be listened to merely once. Glenn Gould, master pianist, is playing his favorite works by one of his favorite composers. The Schoenberg basher will hear more chaos than in other recordings of these piano pieces, merely because Gould's sure fingers, his hands, are as revolutionary as the music he is playing.

Schoenberg: Pierrot lunaire, Op 21; The Book of the Hanging Gardens, Op. 15

Average customer rating:

Well you can read
the best
"The most prescient confrontation in my life."
Exemplary Schoenberg
amazing

Schoenberg: Pierrot lunaire, Op 21; The Book of the Hanging Gardens, Op. 15

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Schoenberg: Transfigured Night
Verklarte Nacht and Pierrot Lunaire
Arnold Schoenberg: Piano Music
Schoenberg: The String Quartets
Arnold Schoenberg: Serenade/Five Pieces For Orchestra

ASIN: B000005J07
Release Date: 1992-05-28

Tracks:

Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part I: Mondestrundken
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part I: Columbine
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part I: Der Dandy
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part I: Eine blasse Wherin
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part I: Valse de Chopin
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part I: Madonna
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part I: Der kranke Mond
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part II: Nacht
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part II: Gebet an Pierrot
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part II: Raub
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part II: Rote Messe
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part II: Galgenlied
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part II: Enthauptung
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part II: Die kreuze
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part III: Heimweh
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part III: Gemeinheit!
The Contemporary Chamber Ensemble: Part III: Parodie
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part III: Der Mondfleck
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part III: Serenade
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part III: Heimfahrt
Pierrot lunaire, Op.21: Part III: O alter Duft
The Book Of The Hanging Gardens, Op.15: Unterm schutz von dichten blergr
The Book Of The Hanging Gardens, Op.15: Hain in diesen paradiesen
The Book Of The Hanging Gardens, Op.15: Als neuling trat ich ein in dein gehege
The Book Of The Hanging Gardens, Op.15: Da meine lippen reglos sind und brennen
The Book Of The Hanging Gardens, Op.15: Saget mir auf welchem pfade
The Book Of The Hanging Gardens, Op.15: Jedem werke bin ich ftot
The Book Of The Hanging Gardens, Op.15: Angst und hoffen wechselnd mich beklemmen
The Book Of The Hanging Gardens, Op.15: Wenn ich heut nicht deinen leib ber
The Book Of The Hanging Gardens, Op.15: Streng ist uns das gld spr
The Book Of The Hanging Gardens, Op.15: Das schbeet betracht ich mir im harren
The Book Of The Hanging Gardens, Op.15: Als wir hinter dem bebltore
The Book Of The Hanging Gardens, Op.15: Wenn sich bei heilger ruh in tiefen matten
The Book Of The Hanging Gardens, Op.15: Du lehnest wider eine silberweide
The Book Of The Hanging Gardens, Op.15: Sprich nicht immer
The Book Of The Hanging Gardens, Op.15: Wir bevrten die abend-d

Customer Reviews:

Well you can read.......2006-01-30

all the reviews, there's not much I can add.
Of the 6 Pierrot's I've owned, this DeGaetani is the finest. The orch/conducting as well matches DeGaetani's superb artistry.
Here is the finest Pierrot ever recorded.

the best.......2004-04-08

This is the recording that made me fall in love with 20th century classical music. Hundreds of CD's of modern music later, this one remains very close to my heart. Pierrot is scary, poignant, strident, and sometimes annoying--it's a masterpiece of exaggerated emotion. If God incarnated as a drag queen, this is what He'd sing.

"The most prescient confrontation in my life.".......2004-01-19

The above words come from Igor Stravinsky describing his impressions of an early performance of _Pierrot Lunaire_, and given my own reaction to this masterpiece it is a fitting title. Composed in 1912, _Pierrot Lunaire_ (or, _Thrice-seven Songs from Albert Giraud's Pierrot Lunaire_) is a melodrama for voice and a small chamber group, consisting of piano, flute, piccolo, clarinet, bass clarinet, violin, viola, and cello. Each of the 21 parts uses different combinations of instruments along with the vocalist. The vocalist gives frightening life to the text of Giraud's poetry, using an esoteric technique called "Sprechgesang," something between speech and singing. It is recognized as viciously difficult to perform, requiring unqualified control of tone as the vocalist must momentarily touch upon each note before moving to the next. The vocal performance here stands as one of the best I've heard by anyone anywhere. There are three sections, with seven rondels each, and in each Schoenberg deploys colorful combinations of instruments and tonal color, with music often angular and jagged, to underscore the various states of emotional drama. It's unbelievably intense, wild, outlandish, and haunting, especially once you read the translation of the poetry to understand the meaning of each individual part.

Book of the Hanging Gardens - quite good, bordering on excellent. But this disc is all about this performance of _Pierrot lunaire_. Essential in every way.

Exemplary Schoenberg.......2003-11-24

Jan DeGaetani has legendary technique, which is well suited to the interpretation of twentieth century music. Weisberg elicits top notch performances from the chamber ensemble. Interpretations are first rate. These recordings of Schoenberg are equaled by few and surpassed by none.

amazing.......2000-12-10

I love this recording of Pierrot so much that there was a time when I listened to it pretty much on repeat the way people usually do with rock albums. If you've heard another recording of Pierrot and didn't like it (like that horrible Boulez one), do yourself a favor and buy this, and see what it's really supposed to sound like. I've heard this singing surpassed only by a live performance, and that had flaws in other ways. Get this, now, listen to the whole thing while following in the translation, and then, I dare you, tell me this isn't one of the greatest pieces of music ever written.

Average customer rating:

A Major Document of an Incredible Oeuvre...

Schubert: Lieder

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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Schubert: The Piano Sonatas
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas
The Schubert Song Companion
Schubert: Schwanengesang; 4 Lieder
Schubert: The String Quartets

ASIN: B000AYQCIK
Release Date: 2005-12-13

Customer Reviews:

A Major Document of an Incredible Oeuvre..........2007-03-12

.
Of over 600 songs, Fischer-Dieskau and Gerald Moore realized over three-quarters: these are those. Gerald Moore was of course as important to this project as Fischer-Dieskau.

DGG's sound is excellent.

This set is a remarkable document of art.
.

Average customer rating:

Really the best Shangs comp ever.
It sounds...DIFFERENT.
Mini soap operas set to music
Understand, this is NOT complete!
R&R Heaven!

Myrmidons of Melodrama
The Shangri-Las
Manufacturer: Rpm Records UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Girl Groups | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Oldies & Retro | Rock | Styles | Music

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Dangerous Game
Myrmidons of Melodrama
Girl Groups: The Story of a Sound
Best of the Shangri-Las
The Ronettes: Ultimate Collection; Greatest Hits

ASIN: B0000632M3
Release Date: 2002-03-26

Tracks:

Remember (Walkin' In The Sand) - Stereo
It's Easier To Cry
Leader Of The Pack - Stereo
What Is Love
Give Him A Great Big Kiss - Stereo
Out In The Streets
The Boy
Give Us Your Blessing
Heaven Only Knows - Stereo
Right Now And Not Later
The Train From Kansas City - Stereo
Never Again
I'm Blue
What's A Girl Supposed To Do
The Dum Dum Ditty
You Cheated, You Lied
I Can Never Go Home Anymore - Stereo
Bull Dog
Long Live Our Love
Sophisticated Boom Boom
He Cried
Dressed In Black
Past, Present And Future
Paradise
Love You More Than Yesterday
Simon Says
Simon Speaks
Give Him A Great Big Kiss (Version) - Stereo
Radio Spot #1 Revlon
Radio Spot #2 Revlon
Radio Spot #3 Good Taste Tip
Radio Spot #4 Good Taste Tip

Album Description

Full title, 'Myrmidons Of Melodrama The Definitive Collection'. UK compilation for the best girl group in the world ever. All the hits including, 'Remember (Walking In The Sand)', 'Leader Of The Pack' & 'Give Him A Great Big Kiss'. Additional material includes original mono versions, rarities, adverts & for the first time on CD, both sides of their extremely rare debut single. 32 tracks. Digipak. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

Really the best Shangs comp ever. .......2007-01-16

To put it blunt this is miles ahead of the other cheapo comps. It took 2 years for the compiler to get this together, the alternate takes on it are STEREO TAKES !!! You previously would have paid an arm to get a stereo mix of the girls in action ( they were rare indeed ). Almost every compilation previously used the original MONO mixes, hence the rarity of the stereo mixes. The stereo mixes are also the classic hits, which is a bonus. You can listen to Mary on the right with Margie,Maryann and Betty to the left, incredible. The packaging is nice, and the liner notes fold out to a poster . As for the Revlon ads, theyre cute, and a nice add on touch to the compilation. Again these Ads would have appeared on a collector revelon picture disc ( vinyl), again a highly collectible item.

In regards to the missing tracks, well you cant have everything, Cds can only contain so many tracks. And the track order mis print ... leave that to the librarian, I am only happy I have finally purchased a TOP quality compilation with excellent sound quality.

I give it 10 out of 5 !! In other words, a cd I know I cant live without, should I lose it, Id replace it instantly. Not alot of cds I could say that about.

It sounds...DIFFERENT........2005-06-23

I adore the Shangri-Las, and was anxious to upgrade my budget CD to something more complete. I wanted to get the original version of "Myrmidons of Melodrama," the one with the color cover, which also includes the songs "Maybe," "Wishing Well" and "I Hate to Say I Told You So," not found on this edition. However, when I found the black-and-white cover in a local record store, I decided to spring for it instead. MISTAKE.

I have no idea what these people did to "Remember," "Leader of the Pack" and "Great Big Kiss," but they sound very different from what I've heard in the past. "Leader of the Pack" sounds very hollow and devoid of the sharp rhythm I always heard in the recording. The same can be said of "Remember," which sounds unusually flat besides. As for "Kiss," something about this mix seems rhythmically wonky, as though the tambourine isn't matching up with the drums; there are also parts of the song which are unusually quiet, such as that great "MWAH!" which now virtually disappears. Maybe I'll get used to the differences with time; it's probably just me. I doubt these would bother the casual listener.

The rest of the tracks are all very well-remastered, and sound very clear. I've got some particular gripes about the packaging, however. A paper case, guys? Gimme a break. Before I got the shrink-wrap off, the case was already ripped. And the CD is also mislabeled. It reads:
24. Paradise
25. Love You More Than Yesterday
26. Simon Says
27. Simon Speaks
28. Give Him a Great Big Kiss (alternate version)
In actuality, the tracks go thusly:
24. Love You More Than Yesterday
25. Paradise
26. Give Him a Great Big Kiss (alternate version)
27. Simon Says
28. Simon Speaks
This really threw me, and I wonder what sort of a company puts out a CD without checking the track listing first. One final gripe: couldn't the Revlon commercials have been jettisoned in favor of including "Maybe," "Wishing Well" and/or "I Hate to Say I Told You So"?

Flaws aside, this is still a nice disc, and if it's convenient (say you discover it in your local record store and you've got a few extra bucks burning in your pocket?) you'll want to pick it up just the same.

Mini soap operas set to music.......2005-04-13

Understand, this is NOT complete!.......2004-05-07

Of course, a Shangri-La's compilation like this is going to be excellent, and head and shoulders above the cheapy-cheap best-ofs floating around, but this one is missing both sides of one of their earliest singles: "Wishing Well"/"Hate to Say I Told You So". When I saw this disc, I thought it was a straight reissue of the previous RPM collection (which is the one I have). The first collection doesn't have "Simon Says"/"Simon Speaks", which this does, so all I've got to say is...HUH? Was there not enough room for all four songs(who knows, maybe there wasn't)? Don't think you've got everything with one Shangs' CD, because it's still a bit of a mess. And don't think those songs are inessential, because they are very enjoyable!!

R&R Heaven!.......2002-04-21

The definitive anthology of the queens of teenage melodrama and Shadow Morton, their Phil Spector-wannabe producer, with every hit major and minor, a load of LP cuts, some rarities, a few hard-to-find stereo mixes, and even a handful of radio commercials. Every track is a gem. Obviously a labor of love on the label's part, and five stars all the way!

Average customer rating:

Dame Edna being Barry Humphries
Well Above Everage recording and performances
Wonderfulness!
A pleasant surprise
Jolly Good Fun!

Peter and the Wolf
Dame Edna Everage , Sergey Prokofiev , Francis Poulenc , Benjamin Britten , and John Lanchbery
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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Carnival of The Animals
1001 Nights: Sinbad the Sailor and Other Stories
Peter And The Wolf
Prokofiev: Peter & the Wolf; Saint-Saëns: Carnival of the Animals
Tchaikovsky: 18 Pieces

ASIN: B0000014GY
Release Date: 1998-07-17

Tracks:

Peter And The Wolf - Musical Tale Op. 67: Introduction
Peter And The Wolf - Musical Tale Op. 67: The Story Begins...
Peter And The Wolf - Musical Tale Op. 67: The Cat
Peter And The Wolf - Musical Tale Op. 67: Grandpapa
Peter And The Wolf - Musical Tale Op. 67: The Wolf
Peter And The Wolf - Musical Tale Op. 67: And Now, This Is How Things Stood
Peter And The Wolf - Musical Tale Op. 67: In The Meantime...
Peter And The Wolf - Musical Tale Op. 67: The Hunters
Peter And The Wolf - Musical Tale Op. 67: The Procession
The Story Of Babar, The Little Elephant: The Story Of Babar
The Story Of Babar, The Little Elephant: Ride On Mother's Back
The Story Of Babar, The Little Elephant: Babar Comes To A Town
The Story Of Babar, The Little Elephant: Babar's Car
The Story Of Babar, The Little Elephant: Arthur And Celeste
The Story Of Babar, The Little Elephant: The Search For Arthur And Celeste
The Story Of Babar, The Little Elephant: Babar Returns To The Forest
The Story Of Babar, The Little Elephant: The Bad Mushroom
The Story Of Babar, The Little Elephant: The New King
The Story Of Babar, The Little Elephant: Babar Speaks To Cornelius
The Story Of Babar, The Little Elephant: The Wedding Of Babar
The Story Of Babar, The Little Elephant: After The Wedding
The Story Of Babar, The Little Elephant: Night Fell
Variations And Fugue On A Theme Of Purcell Op. 34: Introduction
Variations And Fugue On A Theme Of Purcell Op. 34: Theme
Variations And Fugue On A Theme Of Purcell Op. 34: Woodwind Variations
Variations And Fugue On A Theme Of Purcell Op. 34: String Variations
Variations And Fugue On A Theme Of Purcell Op. 34: Harp Variations
Variations And Fugue On A Theme Of Purcell Op. 34: Brass Variations
Variations And Fugue On A Theme Of Purcell Op. 34: Percussion Variations
Variations And Fugue On A Theme Of Purcell Op. 34: Fugue

Customer Reviews:

Dame Edna being Barry Humphries.......2007-02-05

This CD has many desirable features. It contains three of the most popular musical works for children, by famous composers, which are accompanied by narration. The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of John Lanchbery, performs admirably. But the really outstanding thing about the disc is the narrations. Barry Humphries performs them all. Or, rather, Barry Humphries being 'Dame Edna Everage' performs two of them and the third one is performed by Barry Humphries being Barry Humphries. For many people, his moving narration of 'The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant' will come as a delightful surprise because they have never heard his 'real' voice before. Is there no end to this man's talents? There are only about half a dozen 'celebrities' I would like to meet in the flesh; he is one of them.

Well Above Everage recording and performances.......2002-06-17

You have to be bold to make yet another recording of Peter and the Wolf, after so many previous successful efforts.

This is one of the very best, I think. I loved the now deleted Paul Hogan version because of his use of Australianisms,but the orchestra was not outstanding. Barry Humphries has been paired with a terrific Australian conductor and orchestra, and has sensibly narrated something other than the usual Carnival of the Animals, though he did observe tradition by narrating the Britten Young Person's Guide. The Dame Edna narration and orchestral playing in Peter and the Wolf are very enjoyable.

Humphries drops his persona for the lovely Poulenc work, and tells the story tenderly.

Highly recommended.

Wonderfulness!.......2002-02-21

Dame Edna has entered the world of classical music. In case you have never heard of her, Dame Edna, an Australian, is the hilarious host of a talk show. (Actually, she is a he--think Mrs. Doubtfire, but with an hideously outrageous sense of style.) What makes her a good choice for narrator? In her own words, "I have always loved music and I'm not ashamed to say that music rather loves me!" She also claims to be the reincarnation of Sergei Prokofiev's mother. (Remember, this is meant to be funny!)
At the end of the day, it is the performances that count, and they are great here. Not for purists, because Dame Edna throws in the occasional extra word (like "This is the story of Peter and the wolf, possums"). But in doing so, she injects the necessary life and humor into her narration. It is meant to be light-hearted, and so it is.
The orchestra also does an admirable job, and the recording is quite good. My only complaint is that there is a bit too much reverb on the voice, which is obvious only when she speaks without the instruments (especially at the very beginning of the CD).
My two-year old son used to listen to this in the car, and he loved it.

A pleasant surprise.......2001-07-07

Many years ago I remember hearing another friend of Barry Humphries', Sir Les Paterson, narrate a piece entitled Peter and the Shark, which climaxed, as I recall, with a platypus receiving a "noah's ark up his blurter". (And if you're not an Australian, or au fait with the Australian vernacular, I suspect that the platypus's plight will remain a mystery to you) So I approached the notion of Dame Edna Everage narrating "Peter and the Wolf" with some trepidation. Some terrible things have been done to the work over the years in the name of "relevance" and I wasn't sure that this wouldn't be yet another jokey updating. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that the great lady plays the whole thing remarkably straight. Apart from a "Hello possums!" at the beginning, Dame Edna narrates the work as if she's your favourite aunt, who probably smelt of lavender and perhaps a little splash of brandy. My two year old and four year old children enjoyed the work very much. I also had the old Cyril Pritchard / Eugene Ormandy version, but they both prefer the Grande Dame. As Dame Edna herself says in the notes, Barry Humphries tries very hard in the Poulenc and he aquits himself with great style and taste. And how good it is to find another work for children. The Blessed Trinity of Saint-Sains / Britten / Prokofiev is getting to be a bit of a cliche. The Melbourne Symphony (and as an Adelaide resident it pains me to say this) plays very well indeed. My son is a big fan of the tympanist in Peter and the wolf. Their performance of the Britten Guide to the Orchestra is particularly fine. Here again, Dame Edna's narration is well judged. A very good performance of three delightful works. A CD full of charm and a great favourite in our household. And could I take this opportunity to point out to the reviewer who felt a need to warn the world that Dame Edna is a "female impersonator": Not so - she is the doyenne of style - the arbitrix of taste here in Australia. Far from being a impersonator of females, she is the woman females impersonate.

Jolly Good Fun!.......2000-12-23

You'll either love or hate this - personally, I think it's the best `Young Person's Guide' and one of the best `Peter and the Wolf' recordings available. The Poulenc I don't know so I can only say I enjoyed it too.

More importantly, the children I have played it to have also enjoyed it - although the `Australianisms' were strange to them (We adults can enjoy them!), the sheer enthusiasm of the `narrators' puts across a love of the underlying music. As to the orchestra - good playing serving the composers' purpose and a good clear recording.

Tracks:

L'Oiseau De Feu (The Firebird): Introduction
L'Oiseau De Feu (The Firebird): The Enchanted Garden Of Kaschei
L'Oiseau De Feu (The Firebird): Apparition Of The Firebird, Followed By Ivan Tsarevitch
L'Oiseau De Feu (The Firebird): Dance Of The Firebird
L'Oiseau De Feu (The Firebird): Capture Of The Firebird By Ivan Tsarevitch
L'Oiseau De Feu (The Firebird): Plea Of The Firebird; Apparition Of The Thirteen Enchanted Princesses
L'Oiseau De Feu (The Firebird): Play Of The Princesses With The Golden Apples (Scherzo)
L'Oiseau De Feu (The Firebird): Sudden Apparition Of Ivan Tsarevitch
L'Oiseau De Feu (The Firebird): Chorovod (Round) Of The Princesses
L'Oiseau De Feu (The Firebird): Sunrise; Ivan Tsarevitch Penetrates The Palace Of Kaschei
L'Oiseau De Feu (The Firebird): Magical Chimes; Apparition Of The Monsters; Guards Of Kashchei And Capture Of Ivan Tsarevitch
L'Oiseau De Feu (The Firebird): Dance Of The Suite Of Kashchei Enchanted By The Firebird
L'Oiseau De Feu (The Firebird): Infernal Dance Of All The Subjects Of Kashchei
L'Oiseau De Feu (The Firebird): Dissappearance Of The Palace And Of The Magic Spells Of Kashchei; Animation Of The Petrified Knights; All Rejoice

Tracks:

Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite Of Spring): Part 1: Adoration Of The Earth - Introduction
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite Of Spring): Part 1: Adoration Of The Earth - The Augurs Of Spring; Dances Of The Young Girls
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite Of Spring): Part 1: Adoration Of The Earth - Ritual Of Abduction
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite Of Spring): Part 1: Adoration Of The Earth - Spring Rounds
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite Of Spring): Part 1: Adoration Of The Earth - Ritual Of The Rival Tribes
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite Of Spring): Part 1: Adoration Of The Earth - Procession Of The Sage
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite Of Spring): Part 1: Adoration Of The Earth - The Sage
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite Of Spring): Part 1: Adoration Of The Earth - Dance Of The Earth
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite Of Spring): Part 2: The Sacrifice - Introduction
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite Of Spring): Part 2: The Sacrifice - Mystic Circles Of The Young Girls
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite Of Spring): Part 2: The Sacrifice - Glorification Of The Chosen One
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite Of Spring): Part 2: The Sacrifice - Evocation Of The Ancestors
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite Of Spring): Part 2: The Sacrifice - Ritual Action Of The Ancestors
Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite Of Spring): Part 2: The Sacrifice - Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen One)

Tracks:

Persephone: The Abduction Of Persephone - I. Stravinsky
Persephone: Persephone In The Underworld - I. Stravinsky
Persephone: Persephone Reborn - I. Stravinsky

Amazon.com essential recording

Here's a Stravinsky set to raise eyebrows. Where is Petrouchka, the standard coupling for Firebird and Rite in collections of the great early Stravinsky ballet scores? Instead, we get the too rarely heard Perséphone, and it's the highlight of the set. Premiered in 1934 to a text by André Gide, Perséphone is a retelling of the Greek fertility myth of the earth's winter death and spring renewal. The tale drew from Stravinsky some of his most delicate and beautiful music in the neoclassical style of the period, a sibling to the ballets Apollo and Orpheus and the cantata Oedipus Rex (it also includes string figures that recall those works).

Stephanie Cosserat, in the title role, is a youthfully persuasive narrator, very different from Vera Zorina's oracular reciter on Stravinsky's own recording. Stuart Neill's tenor is a big plus, and the orchestra and chorus play and sing with involvement. Michael Tilson Thomas brings out the cool tenderness of the score, and the recording, made at a live performance, is truthful. His Firebird is lushly dramatic, and the Rite's barbaric thrust is leavened by some soulful wind playing. Recorded competition in the two ballets is fierce (along with Gergiev's recent Firebird on Philips, there are classic versions by Ansermet, Dorati, Haitink, and others, including the composer) but Perséphone makes this set an attractive proposition. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

A Colorist Take on the Rite at Last.......2007-04-24

Personally, this is my favorite recording of the Rite of Spring and The Firebird. I am not going to say that it's the best because that leads to most of the garbage you see in the other reviews. While I still enjoy the recordings Stravinsky himself lead, Boulez's interpretation, and especially Igor Markevich's interpretation, I find no difficulty recommending this set above them all. To put it simply, Stravinsky's music has never sounded better. This recording is rhythically precise, meticulously colored with beautiful solo and section playing in the winds and brass and yet still maintains the character and barbaric drive we have come to expect from this music. I agree that this recording does not have the sheer brutal intensity of some of the aforementioned recordings and especially that of Gergiev. However, this recording shows the inner workings of the piece and gives the music even more character by highlighting the orchestrational inventiveness of the work. While the recording of Persephone is wonderful and shares the traits already mentioned in the Firebird and Rite of Spring recordings, the work itself, to me, does not meet the same high level as the other two. And while it is good to have a great recording of this seldom heard work, I would have preferred a reading of Petrouchka instead. But Whatever! This recording is still great with fantastic playing and Godly recorded sound. This is one of the better purchases I have made. Enjoy!

One of the greatest recordings of Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps............2006-03-06

This is definitely one of the best Rite of Spring recordings out on the market today. I highly reccommend this recording to anyone who is looking for an electrifying...amazing performance of the Rite. Please see my review under Levi's (Atlanta Symphony Orchestra--Telarc) recording of the Rite of Spring for more information and a list of other recordings I highly reccommend of the Rite of Spring.

Purposely pedantic.......2005-06-02

I have listened to these recordings now perhaps 7 times since I bought them. On the whole they are quite fine. The dynamics are well presented and the flow of the thought and feel of the music seems genuine and faithful to the score.
However, let me suggest that in the case of Persephone, the conductor has no clothes. Oh, the performance is probably the most brilliant I shall ever hear, hopefully the last. The conducting is most likely near to perfection as is the singing. But try as you might, take a mediocre work, and that's what it is... and perform away...it will still be mediocre.
It was an unfortunate collaboration...Igor-Andre. It is far from Gide's best work and as far as I'm concerned not even worth mentioning for Stravinsky's, although I have to admit I've never sung the music myself as some apparently have.
Although I admire MTT greatly and have many of his recordings, it is this need to be pedantic which I find annoying. Bernstein did it with panache in a time when so many knew so little. But MTT is always trying to cram it down my throat, including when we go to performances in Davies.

Breathtaking.......2004-01-24

Probably one of my biggest regrets in my life was to be a few months too young to be on this recording with my boy chorus. Anyways, it is absolutely superb, especially Persephone (but then, I am partial, having sung it a few years later with the same symphony). This entire set is simply gorgeous.

This only concerns The Firebird.......2003-08-02

This very first ballet by Stravinsky, ordered by Diaghilev and the Paris Russian Ballets, is based on a Russian tale about a magic bird that is captured by a hunter Ivan and that pleads for its release. It all starts with a very immense evocation of the empty tundra in which the hunter walks with careful steps and that he scans with his eyes and ears. The bird appears with a Russian dance that is light, energetic, bright and airlike. Ivan accepts to release the bird in exchange of one of its magical feathers. This whole bargain is evoked in variations on the theme of the bird, variations that are charming, captivating, fascinating to the point of mesmerizing Ivan who accepts the deal. Then this Ivan meets a Princess who is under the yoke of a magician, Kastchey. Ivan accepts to remain with the Princess in order to free her and he is imprisoned at once by Kastchey. But the Princess fascinates the magician with her sensual and powerful dancing that is hammering like the pulsating heart of the poor magician who is entranced and hypnotized into joining the dance. The dance then becomes a devilish macabre farandole out of which the magician cannot get any longer. During that time Ivan has found the egg that contains the magician's soul in a very soft and melodious lullaby that both depicts the soul in its tranquil captivity and the peace surrounding the hiding place of the egg. It is like the empty space of the cosmos that is only disrupted by the power of the bird's feather and its magic that breaks the egg. By liberating the soul Ivan liberates the Princess and himself and this cosmic void gets some musical flesh back as if the dance of the bird reappeared in the vast immensity of the plain. It is like a triumphing march of the liberated heroes to reconquer the world, though the very ending sounds somewhat unharmonic and frightening as if the world contained some new unknown danger somewhere.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University of Perpignan

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