Reviews (11)

Nice for Relaxation
This CD provides an air of calm and relaxation for those seeking a break from the rush and calamity of the quotidian. I recommend it highly because of it's cheap price, too!

Blew me away...
I cannot agree more with all the positive reviews of this disc. I am a baroque nut and a huge admirer of classical guitar music, and this disc combines the two in splendid fashion. Julian Bream's playing is astounding, especially on the Sor minuet and also the lesser known pieces (to me) by Weiss. Overall, the selection of music on this compilation is great. Sweet Sensations of Sound
To me the guitar is one of the most beautiful instruments ever created. This CD compliments the guitar by providing the most beautiful baroque guitar music I ever heard. Everytime I listen to this CD it reminds me of The Prado Museum in Spain or an opulent Italian villa. I also love the fact that there are many songs on the CD. There's 22. So sit back realx and enjoy the music. It's money well spent. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Chamber    2. Chamber Music    3. Chamber Music & Recitals    4. Classical    5. Classical Artists    6. Classical Music    7. Guitar Solo    8. Lute Solo    9. Miscellaneous    10. Miscellaneous Music   

Reviews (1)

Trio of great violin sonatas
While Brahms wrote only three sonatas, they are a great trio of works.The first is the most intense, the second the most lyrical and the last one the most inspired with a slow movement that is arguably Brahms most beautiful melody.The two famous musicians here give us radiant performances. At almost 10 bucks less than a full-priced version of this music, this CD represents great value. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Chamber    2. Classical    3. Classical Composers    4. Classical Music    5. Orchestral & Symphonic    6. Violin with Keyboard   

Reviews (5)

the most sensetive musicever
This music take me away from every day troubles and brings my soul to a beutiful world of music.Saint-Saent's vision of music is different, his creations are sensitive and intence. He is agreat talent.

Cool Camille
I think that the sound of Saint Saens Music is very unique.I think that anyone out there wanting to listen to some excellent writing I assure you that Saint Saens has written it.On behalf of Amazon I would definitely rate this music 5 stars.I thank Amazon for a perfect portrayal of his works.You shoppers out there might want to take a look at buying this. Astounding!!!
I have come accross very few CD's that have 74 minutes of music that I enjoy.This CD is one of those.Mason Jones does a great job on Morceau, everyone likes danse bachannalle, the piano concerto is great, it's just a really enjoyable CD to own.I recommend it highly, it's one of my favorites. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Chamber    2. Chamber Music    3. Classical    4. Classical Composers    5. Classical Music    6. Concerto    7. Flute Concerto    8. French Horn Concerto    9. French Romantic Opera    10. Opera    11. Orchestral    12. Orchestral & Symphonic    13. Piano Concerto    14. Romantic Orchestral Music    15. Romantic Symphony    16. Romantic Tone Poem/Symphonic Poem for Orchestra    17. Symphonic    18. Violin Concerto   

Editorial Review

This surprising program is a joy through and through.It begins with a 1985 work by John Corigliano (Fantasia on an Ostinato) that uses the slow-movement theme from Beethoven's Seventh Symphony and then later flies off into wonderfully emotion-filled directions. Next come Beethoven's "Tempest" sonata, played with just the right drama, and his fabulous "Choral Fantasy," op. 80, which is part sonata, part study for the 9th symphony. Pianist Grimaud plays the Fantasy with alternating delicacy and power, and the CD ends with Arvo Pärt's Credo, scored for piano solo, mixed chorus, and orchestra. This last piece is rich and complex, and in some ways encompasses the previous works' emotions and textures; those who think of Pärt as the quiet, holy minimalist, are in for a treat, and perhaps shock. Grimaud is simply magnificent regardless of the century or style; the beauty of her tone is surpassed only by its expressiveness. Esa Pekka Salonen leads the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Choir handsomely. This is a very special disc, a must for your collection. Read more

Reviews (22)

Grimaud is special, and so is this CD
Helene Grimaud is somewhat of an enigma and also a maverick. For one thing she loves wolves and helps sponsor a wolf sanctuary. Also she is exceptionally attractive and has a very strong personality which comes through even in recorded performances. But Helene Grimaud is also a very good pianist for whom artistry is as important as technigue, and she has an abundance of both. Buy any performance by Grimaud and you will probably be very favorably impressed by it even if it differs in subtle ways from performances by other pianists. I purchased this CD primarily to hear Grimaud's performance of Beethoven's Fantasy for Piano, Chorus, and Orchestra (often called simply the Choral Fastasy) -- an unusual, but very impressive, work which I love and which served as a precursor for the finale of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. As I expected Grimaud gives a very satisfactory performance of this work as well as of Beethoven's Tempest Sonata. Since I am not a fan of 20th century music, I can't comment knowledgably on the other two works on this CD. You may find them quite impressive, but even if you don't Grimaud's performances of the two works by Beethoven (especially the Choral Fantasy) are worth the quite reasonable purchase price. Incidentally, Amazon also offers this collection, entitled Credo, in a hybrid CD which will play on regular CD players but give even better sound if you are fortunate enough to have a Super Audio CD player -- the finest sound currently available in my opinion. Highly recommended.

Not your mother's Part
There are a few works by Part where he isn't exactly meditative, but I haven't heard anything like this before. This is one of those recordings that, whether the fault of the engineers or simply electronics weren't built to reproduce things like this, that takes any sound equipment to its limits. Not something you can appreciate on a clock radio for sure. It's a moving work as a whole, but the central chaos is painful. In a good way though.
Incredible Performances
I was introduced to the title track "Credo" (Arvo Part) by something I heard on public radio. After purchasing it, that was the only track I generally listened to. This is a powerful, orchestrated, piece; unlike any other Arvo Part I have heard.
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Subjects:  1. Brass Chamber Music    2. Choral    3. Choral Music    4. Classical    5. Classical Artists    6. Classical Music    7. Credo    8. Keyboard    9. Orchestral    10. Orchestral & Symphonic    11. Romantic Sonata/Sonatina for Keyboard   

Reviews (1)

must have for ADHD
I ordered this cd set for both my son and husband who have ADHD.It absolutely has a calming effect on both.My husband has the cd on his IPOD and sleeps through the night.My son listens to the cds while doing homework and to fall asleep.
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Subjects:  1. Chamber    2. Chamber Music & Recitals    3. Classical    4. Classical Collections-Artist Desc.    5. Classical Music    6. Classical Period Serenade/Cassation/Divertimento    7. Classical Period Symphony    8. Concerto    9. Keyboard    10. Music for Two Keyboards    11. Orchestral    12. Piano Concerto    13. Quartet for Four String Instruments    14. Symphonic    15. Violin Concerto    16. Violin with Keyboard   

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (2)

A definitive performance
Aside from flowery descriptions of music and sunshine, there are a few points that make this recording so important:
incomparable beauty
These recordings are stained with the wonder, tragedy, and loveliness of time.I think, on God's great earth - a world of woe and beauty - there must be nothing finer than to hear a single cello performing from the depths of profound silence music specifically designed to reveal that cello's true nature.There is something complete and whole in this music that reminds me of a shaft of sunlight stabbing through a window on a lonely afternoon when the spirit of contemplation is in the air. (But I am cursed to identify sound with light and classical music always makes me talk this way.) The Italians have a term *delicatezza* which captures apart of this music, but there is also what could be called a Germanic profoundity in it as if Bach was carrying forth some secret conservation with the sunlight while gazing out on a forest in mid-autumn.
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Subjects:  1. Cello Solo    2. Chamber    3. Chamber Music & Recitals    4. Classical    5. Classical Composers    6. Classical Music   

Editorial Review

For those who want the most remembered passages of classical music's best-loved works, here's a package for you. On this bargain priced double-CD, you'll find music from 40 different classical composers; for the most part, the recordings excerpted here are some of the very best. Of course, you only get one Bach sampling (Read more

Reviews (26)

Waste of money
Watch out for the volume leveling mentioned in another review. Surely the compliers could have come up with a better sort order than by composer. The change in tempo/volume between pieces makes it impossible to enjoy. My two CD's ended up in the trash.
Great Music Compilation
This is a great CD full of many songs that you will recognize and enjoy.If you are someone who likes classical music but doesn't necessarily know which songs or which composers you like, then this CD is for you.You will likely recognize many of the songs as the classical songs you would have picked out to be your favorites.

If you like classical music don't buy this CD.
Most of the tracks were chopped down to 3-4 minutes so some of the best parts of the compositions are missing.I don't know what I was thinking trying to buy 40 classical songs on two CD's.If you really want to enjoy the music you would do better to purchase a CD with fewer, but better quality tracks. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th/21st Century Orchestral Music    2. Adagio for Orchestra    3. Cantata    4. Chamber    5. Chamber Music    6. Character/Single-Movement/Miscellaneous Work for Keyboard    7. Choral    8. Classical    9. Classical Composers    10. Classical Music    11. Classical Period Serenade/Cassation/Divertimento    12. Concerto    13. Film    14. Film Music    15. French Operetta    16. French Romantic Opera    17. German/Austrian Romantic Opera    18. Italian Romantic Opera    19. Keyboard    20. Keyboard Work with Descriptive or Unclassified Title   

Editorial Review

The brief opening piece for chorus on this new release, "Da Pacem Domine," is based on a 9th century Gregorian work and has the usual, familiar--and very beautiful--Pärt-ian characteristics: a soft, endless stream of easy tritones and harmonies that make this plea for peace immensely moving. The major work, Read more

Reviews (9)

Austere beauty
I was dubious anyone could forge a respectable career after finishing seventh on American Idol. Whilst I am hopelessly addicted to the show, sometimes I'm not sure the finalists are especially talented.
a somber lament for a world of suffering
"Lamentate" reminds us that Arvo Part, the Estonian composer known as a "holy minimalist," was a modernist before he was a postmodernist.The 37-minute work opens with a bang, a great rumble from percussion and a minor-key fanfare from the horns, before subsiding into more typical Partian meditations.Dissonant menace periodically returns, however, marking this as Part's most Shostakovich-like composition.Alexie Lubimov plays the ethereal, searching piano part in a piano concerto that is not a piano concerto.The SWR Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra is directed by Andrey Boreyko, and sounds superb across the dynamic spectrum.
Arvo Part is a singular force in modern symphonic music
Ever Since the Arvo Part ECM recording Tabula Rasa in 1984, the composer's profound philosophy of composition has been felt throughout the world of symphonic music. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Choral    2. Classical    3. Classical Artists    4. Concerto    5. Orchestral & Symphonic    6. Piano Concerto    7. Sacred Choral Music   

Reviews (6)

Relaxes your mind.
The peer gynt suite is very delicate and it relaxes me.Whenever I hear the first movement of Peer Gynt, I feel as if I am walking along the forest at dawn with sunshine passing through the tall trees.It calms me and I usually close my eyes to imagine Grieg's creative masterpiece.What also interests me the fourth movement.It starts with slow and quiet and then slowly the music accelerates with power.Like the title, "Mountain King," says itself, you can feel the grandness of the music toward the end.
Relaxing music from a great composer
I absolutely loved the string music on Track 3.I remembered it from an old PC RPG called Quest for Glory IV.I was disappointed to find out that Track 4 was only a minute and a half long, because I grew up loving that song from the various places I heard it (Fantasia and a kid Detective PC game from the late 80's).
Better than just an introduction
This CD goes beyond just introducing Grieg.It is a truly beautiful and for me, invaluable collection of this excellent composer.Grieg had an inimitable gift for exploring emotion, often sadness and nostalgia.However, he also had a large touch of the virtuoso, as demonstrated by the famous Piano Concerto. True, the last 2 movements are not included here; however, the first is still stunning.The Peer Gynt Suites are wonderfully played, and Ase's Death and Heartwounds are especially noteworthy - the lush orchestral sounds of these gorgeous pieces unfold exquisitely.Homage March is a nice change of pace, upbeat and with a memorable theme, and Leonard Bernstein moves at a devilish pace in March of the Trolls.This CD will not disappoint you - buy it today! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Chamber Music & Recitals    2. Classical    3. Classical Composers    4. Classical Music    5. Concerto    6. Keyboard    7. Music for Four Hands at One Keyboard    8. Orchestral    9. Piano Concerto    10. Romantic Music for Voice and Keyboard    11. Romantic Orchestral Music    12. Transcription for Orchestra    13. Vocal   

Editorial Review

Fritz Kreisler, incomparable violinist and prolific composer, was the supreme interpreter of his own pieces;his recordings of them have cast a spell on generations of performers. Joshua Bell succumbed to it as a boy, but avoids the pitfall of trying to imitate Kreisler's style, putting his own stamp on both the original pieces and the so-called baroque arrangements, which Kreisler eventually admitted having written himself. The program, shrewdly chosen to display Kreisler's multifaceted versatility, includes stylized, graceful dances, dreamy reveries, outbursts of joy and passion, parodistic syncopation, and, of course, true Viennese character pieces. Bell's love of the music suffuses every note; he captures mood, character, and expression with flair and impeccable style. His playing, technically brilliant and tonally ravishing, has humor, wit, grace, elegance, and irresistible charm. Sentiment never becomes sentimentality; there is not a trace of schmalz or kitsch. The piano parts, with their sophisticated harmonies and skillful counterpoint, prove that Kreisler was a good composer as well as a fine pianist; Paul Coker plays them with just the right combination of rhythmic steadiness and idiomatic freedom. Read more

Reviews (13)

Powerful expression with a great spirit
One of the glories of living in Bloomington, Indiana, is that I am surrounded by world class music performance opportunities, and one of the occasional treats has been Joshua Bell, whose family lived in Bloomington during his youth; Bell frequently returns home to play in concerts.
Briliant!!!
What can I say?Bell is probably the best of the young generation violinists these days.He brings so much charm to anything he does.Lush sound, yet light where need be...Such beautiful phrasing, so well ballanced.This recording can be heard again and again and again, even if the music itself is not terribly deep...I love it.

A connection of passion
After listening to disc after disc after disc of violin works, one finds oneself thinking, "Where has the passion gone for playing violin?" Yes, absolutely astounding recordings abound, but very few offer the true passion of putting the bow to the strings. Technique and "flawless" fingerings have reduced the modern virtuosi to mere composition puppets. They are all "perfect". It is truly a joy to hear a violinist passionate about his playing and that comes across very elatedly with Mr. Bell playing the pieces from Kreisler. Every track is played as though he honestly enjoys it! A superb recording from the student of Gingold. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Chamber    2. Chamber Music    3. Classical    4. Classical Artists    5. Classical Music    6. Keyboard    7. Rigaudon for Keyboard    8. Violin with Keyboard   

Subjects:  1. Chamber Music & Recitals    2. Classical    3. Classical Composers    4. Classical Music    5. Concerto    6. Violin Concerto   

Features

• Extra tracks
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (1)

Simply the Best
I can only say, that as far as I am concerned, this is just some of the best music I have ever heard.... Im guessing this is the way Bach intended his music to sound in the first place, and who better for that than the AMO and Koopman...and of course YO YO... if u love classic music, you are absolutly going to LOVE this cd..I highly recommend it ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Baroque Suite/Partita for Orchestra    2. Baroque Variations for Keyboard    3. Cantata    4. Cello Concerto    5. Chamber Music & Recitals    6. Choral    7. Choral Music    8. Chorale Prelude or Chorale Treatment for Keyboard    9. Classical    10. Classical Artists    11. Classical Music    12. Concerto    13. Keyboard    14. Music for Organ    15. Orchestral    16. Passion   

Editorial Review

Here is one of the greatest violinists of this or any other time playing student pieces ranging from elementary to virtuosic, so that budding violinists can hear what they sound like in a master player's hands. Let it be said at once that Perlman lavishes on them as much loving care and heartfelt expressiveness as on the staples of the literature, playing with his inimitably beautiful, golden tone, easy brilliance, stylistic flair, and captivating charm. He's clearly having a grand time. His fans will not be disappointed. The orchestrations, by unidentified arrangers, greatly enhance the music's effects; the student orchestra sounds thoroughly professional. The disc's educational value, however, is open to question, because the technical resources of students learning these pieces are worlds removed from Perlman's. For example, he uses full vibrato and dazzling speeds; he plays in first position, as written, only in the Rieding concerto; in the Seitz, he succumbs to his flair for virtuoso slides. The Bériot is stunning; the Viotti, the only "real" piece that turns up in concerts, including Perlman's own, sounds beautiful, but strangely uninvolved. Experienced teachers may well fear that listening to this disc could intimidate, frustrate, and discourage students rather than inspire them. So, enjoy it, but keep it away from the kids! Read more

Reviews (17)

Listen! Discuss!
Of course the kids should listed to this CD! Whether they are going to like it or not, whether it will sound imaginative enough, whether the articulation, rubato's, dynamics, vibrato's, slides, tone production etc will be thrilling or not, are all aspects that will be in the ears of the listeners and would form useful topics for discussion. Buy the CD before it is too late.

Remarkable; especially for violinists
My dad bought this cd for me when I was only 8 years old; that time I was barely learning how to play the violin; now that I am learning the Accolay concerto, I was rummaging through my cds and found that this cd contained the Accolay concerto. I listened to it, mesmerized and fascinated on how the interpretation was very different than I thought it would be. Perlman is no Heifetz or Kriesler, but the fact that he played this when he was about my age must have brought back memories for him. He uses an extensive vibrato, and he dosen't fall into habits making it a little jumpy like he does for several other famous violin concertos. These several concertos on the cd may not be as famous as Tchaikovsky's, Mendelssohn's or Beethoven's, but it isn't too complicated, and the tune is very melodious. Highly Recommended

A great CD aimed at young violinists
Perlman plays four concertos and one ballet scene that are usually played by intermediate level violin students. Recordings of these pieces are hard to find, so it is nice that a master of the violin decided to make a recording using a student orchestra at Juilliard.Perlman does a wonderful job of playing simple music.It is nice for children to have a recording showing them how one of the world's best violinists makes their beginner concertos into beautiful music.I highly recommend it for Suzuki students in Vol. 4 who are beginning to play concertos (the first Seitz in Vol. 4 is the 3rd movement of the Seitz Concerto no. 2 on this CD).It is nice to hear the concertos with full orchestra, instead of the usual violin plus piano that is usually found on the Suzuki CDs.
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Subjects:  1. Ballet    2. Chamber Music & Recitals    3. Classical    4. Classical Artists    5. Classical Music    6. Concerto    7. Israel    8. Violin Concerto   

Editorial Review

Mstislav Rostropovich is one of the few musicians who can create alarger-than-life experience through the combined forces of exceptional music, abeautiful instrument, and uncommonly facile communicative skills. In hisperformances of Bach's transcendent masterpieces for solo cello, Rostropovichfinds a perfect balance between a romantic, rhapsodic interpretation and onethat emphasizes the purely formal "aridity" of Bach's structures.Although it's nearly impossible to isolate one or two highlights, the Sarabandeand Prelude from Suite No. 5 are among the most profoundly moving celloperformances you will ever hear--the closest we probably will ever come toexperiencing through music the soul of both Rostropovich and Bach. Noteveryone will immediately appreciate the very resonant sound that emphasizesthe cello's lower register. But after a few minutes your ears adjust, the musictakes over, and nothing else seems important. Read more

Reviews (31)

THIS IS NOT BACH!
Before I critique Rostropovich's performance of these suites, I would like to clear things up about the cellist himself. First of all, Rostropovich is not a technical master. Every time I ask someone to describe the first thing they think of when they think of Rostropovich, they say something about his technical superiority. Yes, he can play the Dvor�k, so can a sixteen year-old I know. If anyone has ever seen him play, he puts his endpin out about two feet, he leans far forward and slouches, so that he is just peeping over his upper bout. When he moves his bow from string to string, he moves it rather like a chicken might flap its wing. Sometimes, one may hear his uncoordinated bow changes.He is out of tune much of the time, and in instances like the last movement of the first Shostakovich Cello Concerto he fakes the hard runs when the orchestra is loud. His sound is ultra bright and has no texture to it. It is metallic, bright but cold, and just bulky. I do not see how Rostropovich can be thought of as better or equal to cellists like Fournier, Casals, and Starker.
Deeply satisfying
When I heard these recordings for the first time, I almost wept.I don't know if this makes any sense, but the only way of saying how I felt was that it was like coming home.Rostropovich plays so simply and directly that one feels all pretense peel away.If art is an imitation of the glory that is nature, and performance an imitation of the art, then this is probably as close as you can come to removing the imitation and having a direct physical, emotional, and spiritual communion.Superlatives fail me and seem trite, so I think I should make this short.Bach's cello music is some of the most beautiful art ever created, and it has such remarkable power to heal the soul.Every human being who appreciates music deserves the priviledge of hearing this music.As I mentioned, the performance is superb, like an improvisation but so carefuly though out and so deeply felt.The recording quality is excellent too, capturing the meltingly beautiful sounds of Rostropovich's cello.Please listen to this; I hope you will be as moved as I was.If I can make a suggestion relevant to the time I'm writing this (Nov. 30th), make a present of this to someone you love for the holidays, the time of peace, as this is one of the great musical expressions of peace and boundless love.

The Best
Many people will argue that classical music is to be heard from a large symphony. I disagree. The ability of a single cello to convey an unlimited range of emotion and to personify the music is astounding. This performance of the Bach Cello suites is no exception, Rostropovich lacks the technical perfection of Yo Yo Ma, a good thing in my opinion, because it gives the music a certain personality and warmth. This is, and has been, my favorite collection of music, and to hear it played by Rostropovich justifys anyones love of it. It is simply the best cello collection on CD. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cello Solo    2. Chamber    3. Classical    4. Classical Composers    5. Classical Music    6. Orchestral & Symphonic   

Editorial Review

This is the sequel to Yo-Yo Ma's wildly successful Read more

Reviews (8)

Concerts in a sailboat's cockpit
I discovered the first CD of these two when sailing in British Columbia this summer and played it over and over again when sipping wine under fine sunsets in the San Juan and Gulf Islands.There can be no better accompainment to the soft rocking of the boat and a fine wine.This second CD is as wonderful as the first.Pure lisening pleasure.

no that hot
I usually love Ma, but I don't know why I am not so hot on both of the new super discks. Perhaps it is the miking. I'm surprised noone mentioned it. My CD player is a Meridian. I would be interested in hearing how this effects the pleasure of listening to CDs.

Yo Yo Ma provides inspirational classical music.
Although I am not a musician or music expert, I can listen to this music many times and not get tired of it. It has the qualities embedded in it which I look for to keep me interested in its passages. Classical music such as this style should be mandatory listening in our school systems which are looking for things worth teaching. The pre-teens minds are being diluted with the current pop music. Our youth have little appreciation for the great things in life. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Baroque Variations for Keyboard    2. Cantata    3. Cello Concerto    4. Chamber Music & Recitals    5. Choral    6. Chorale Prelude or Chorale Treatment for Keyboard    7. Classical    8. Classical Artists    9. Classical Music    10. Concerto    11. Keyboard   

Reviews (2)

Everyday Cello
I bought this CD solely based on the fact that I love the cello. I do not pretend to know classical music - I buy what I like to hear, and this CD exceeded my expectations. It is such a pleasure to listen to this disk; it is soothing and every track is worth it!

75 minutes of meditative music
The cello is almost always the instrument I turn to for relaxation.It meditates upon a deeper, slower spectrum of emotion than say, a harp or violin.Read more

Subjects:  1. Cello Concerto    2. Cello Solo    3. Cello with Keyboard    4. Chamber    5. Chamber Music    6. Chamber Music & Recitals    7. Classical    8. Classical Composers    9. Classical Music    10. Concerto    11. Flute Solo/Sonata    12. Mixed Chamber Ensemble with Keyboard    13. Orchestral    14. Romantic Orchestral Music    15. Single String Instrument with Keyboard/Continuo   

Editorial Review

Byron Janis' celebrated recordings of these two concertos have never sounded better than in this new remastering by Mercury's Wilma Cozart Fine. Talk about recordings usually focuses on the artists and composers, and rightly so, but there are some people in the industry whose names you should know, producers and engineers whose work is as artistically excellent as the performers they record. During the late 50s and early 60s the Fines, husband and wife, created a catalog of recordings, which, when all is said and done, is probably title for title the finest in existence. There isn't a single one that isn't worth hearing, and some, like this one, belong in every collection. Read more

Reviews (18)

my ears don't lie do they?
I have no reference to compare this recording with, I only have Rachmaninov's 2nd piano concerto played by Richter which I like very much, but I cannot describe what's so good about it.
Classic!
Definitely a "must-have" performance in piano concerto category.One of a great recordings sonically.Mostly clean throughout the disc, I heard just a few cracking noises during high energy sections.

A very special gifted pianist!
Byron Janis was one ofthe most prominent Americanpianists of his generation, headed by William Kapell, Rosalyn Tureck, Leon Fleisher, John Browning and Lorin Hollander.He possessed tune, technique and temperament, the famous three T required to shine in this difficult activity.
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Subjects:  1. Classical    2. Classical Composers    3. Classical Music    4. Concerto    5. Keyboard    6. Piano Concerto    7. Prelude for Keyboard   

Editorial Review

Hilary Hahn is a splendid violinist, with an easy, flawless technique and a tone of pristine purity. She has already gained a reputation as a singularly serious performer; even her photographs show her in strikingly thoughtful poses. Indeed, her approach to the four Mozart sonatas on this recording seems to be almost too thoughtful: everything is so carefully planned that there is no room for imagination or spontaneity. Her tone is invariably beautiful but never varies in color or intensity; shifts of mood and character are heralded with tempo changes, ritards, breaks, and long pauses, even when Mozart clearly indicates a connection, as in the Finale of the Sonata K. 526. The ensemble with her long-time friend and partner Natalie Zhu is excellent, but they seem to have agreed to disagree on certain points, such as the execution of trills and ornaments, and the articulation of short notes: Hahn's playing is rounder and more lyrical, Zhu's brisker and more pointed. Both follow the current trend of superimposing dynamics and contrasts on the written score, as if they did not trust the music to speak for itself, but this only results in fussiness and a loss of continuity and simplicity. However, the balance is so good that the interchange between more and less prominent voices comes out perfectly. Read more

Reviews (16)

one of a few violin sonatas that i like
i am a causal violin sonatas listener as i listen to violin concertos more.
Mozart: Violin Sonatas K. 301, 304, 376 & 526
Mozart: Violin Sonatas K. 301, 304, 376 & 526~ Hilary Hahn is a splendid recoding of some of Mozarts Violin Sonatas. Ms Hahn is a very beautifull and accomplished violinist that certainly plays with such skill and prowess that is worthy of Mozart and his stupendous compositions. Ms Zhu is no second fiddle here and her piano playing skill is amazing in its own right. Anyone whom has read my prior reviews knows that I love Mozart and rank him alongst with Bach, Wagner and Beethoven as the best composers ever. Mozarts music speaks directly to ones soul and ones inner senses that few composers are able to do. The book-let is a great piece of work and the beautifull photos of a serene and pensive looking Ms Hahn are so beautifull and the foreword is very well written indeed. I highly recommend this album to lovers of Mozart and to lovers of great music in general. This astounding album will not disapoint in any way, 5 out of 5 stars.

I LOVE this recording.
Just got it today and have only listened to it twice, but I think this one is going to get listened to a lot.
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Subjects:  1. Chamber    2. Chamber Music & Recitals    3. Classical    4. Classical Composers    5. Violin with Keyboard   

Reviews (21)

An easy first choice
If you are looking for a standard stereo recording of the four concertoes, you don't have to look hard to realize that this set would be a nice and easy choice.Ashkenazy's performances of the Rachmaninov concertos are poetic, full of passions and yearnings, and technically excellent.This 2CD set is sold at the price of one full-priced CD, so it should be a good bargain.If you are a newcomer to Rachmaninov, this set is highly recommended.Later on when you have become familiar with these concertos you might also want to check out the renditions by Argerich and Horowitz, both of which contain some of the most spectacular displays of keyboard fireworks.These recordings by Ashkenazy have been reissued many times and the most recent one I believe is the 2 separate disks in the Eloquence series.Sonically the Eloquence reissues were artificially reprocessed in order to create wider dynamics and better sense of immediacy.Get either this one or the other, it doesn't matter which, what matters is that every Rachmaninov lover should have these recordings as basic items in his/her collection.

The champion of Rachmaninov's music.
This is a very good set of Rachmaninov's piano works for a very reasonable price indeed. For those who are unfamiliar with the great russian composer's piano works, from the blazing horns, swelling piano chords and seductive strings opening the first piano concerto you feel right away you're in for a very special musical experience.
Thoughtful but passionate interpretations
After listening to a recording of Rachmaninoff's 2nd concerto and hearing a lot about the 3rd concerto, I jumped at buying this CD because of the low cost for two CDs - I was not disappointed.
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Subjects:  1. Classical    2. Classical Composers    3. Classical Music    4. Concerto    5. Orchestral & Symphonic    6. Piano Concerto