Vaughan Williams: Orchestral Works

from: British Composers

September 09, 1991
I JUST WANT TO AGREE WITH EVERY WORD THAT MR JORDAN HAD SAID ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR RECORDING, NOT JUST OF 'THE LARK', BUT OF SERENADE TO MUSIC ALSO. IN FACT I JUST LOVE EVERYTHING ON THIS ALBUM! I BOUGHT MY VINYL COPY IN THE EARLY 70'S AND IT IS NOW SO WORN OUT THAT I DECIDED TO LOOK TO SEE IF A CD WAS AVAILABLE. WHAT JOY! NOT ONLY HAVE I BEEN ABLE TO FIND A CD OF MY TREASURED RECORDING, BUT WITH BONUS TRACKS, AND AT AN INCREDIBLY LOW PRICE. FOR ME THIS IS THE PURCHASE OF THE MONTH.

Used Price: £3.00

Holst: The Planets / Elgar: Enigma Variations

from: EMI Classics

March 11, 2002
This version of The Planets has replaced my recent LSO version.
Why? Well, the balance between the contributing elements is the best i've heard so far: The bass is thunderous analogue and the high woodwind/strings are like crystal in equal measure. This is a superb achievement and exceptionally important for, 'large orchestra' where Dynamics become a recording engineer's delight or problem depending on how good they are. And these people are the best: Abbey road have done a fantastic job on ... Read More:

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Vaughan Williams: Choral Works

from: British Composers

August 23, 1993
Neither work is particularly well known, even among enthusiasts for Vaughan Williams music. Don't let that put you off. Both are original and gripping works and Sancta Civitas is an extraordinary piece unlike any other work I know. It is the work in which the composer found the unique colours and dissonance that would lead to works like Job and the Fourth Symphony and is, perhaps, even finer than those great works. It is certainly original. The only previous recording that came anywhere near to doing the work justice ... Read More:

Used Price: £2.99

The Only Classical Album You'll Ever Need

from: Classics

November 03, 2003

The budget price doesn't reflect the quality of this 2 disc collection of classical music highlights, for the soloists, orchestras, conductors and the recordings themselves ensure it is a good quality selection of mostly familiar music from the classical music repertoire.

The choices lean heavily towards the opera style, so for that reason alone will not be the only album necessary to cover everyone's taste - even the complete classical beginner will find many of their familiar favourites are absent. ... Read More:

Used Price: £2.79

The Only Opera Album You'll Ever Need

from: RCA Victor

March 31, 2001
The tracks on this cd are excellent and well worth the money. I get worried about the packaging of this sort of disc though because it reminds me of Tesco's attempt to sell wine to the masses by renaming a mediocre chablis as 'Good with meat' or whatever. If this was called 'Fine Opera' or 'An Opera Sampler' then I'd be a lot happier but the dumb approach of 'The Only Opera Album You'll Ever Need' makes me cringe. Once again though: the music is very good and the performances are excellent on the whole.

Used Price: £6.60

Classic FM Babies

by: Katherine Jenkins, Elin Manahan Thomas, Julian Lloyd-Webber, Pascal Roge, Herbert Von Karajan, Charles Dutoit, Harry Christophers, London Symphony Orchestra

July 23, 2007

A lovely 2CD Classic FM compilation of relaxing music - for mothers as much as their babies - consisting of an interesting assortment of baroque, classical, romantic and modern music with the underlying theme of aiming to relax the listener.

Some pieces are chosen partly for their title as well as the soothing effect they have, these include the 'Lullaby' by Brahms and 'The Swan' from 'Carnival of the Animals' by Saint-Saens. The more contemporary offerings are by popular composers such as Patrick Hawes. These are ... Read More:

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The Only Choral Album You'll Ever Need

from: Victor

October 06, 2003
I've always enjoyed choral music but never really been sure what it was I was listening to, apart from the really well known tunes, some of which, shamefully, I recognised from adverts or films. Many well known ones are included here of course, such as "O Fortuna" from Carmina Burana, the "Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves", the "March of the Toreadors" from Carmen; "Ode to Joy", "Zadok the Priest" and of course chunks of "The Messiah".

This double CD with well over 2 hours of music and 33 samples is the perfect way to discover ... Read More:

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Abide with Me - 50 Favourite Hymns

from: Double Decca

July 08, 1996
I have often listened to church music thinking to myself is it all manifested in the same place and released under different titles? However this selection 'hits the spot' with some great renditions of worshipful music and if you like to listen to part singing then cd 1 is excellent. There also some lovely descants some of which i had not heard before, an inspiring selection. Excellent.

Used Price: £7.50

Handel: Messiah

from: Duo

May 10, 1993
In the same way that Naxos' New College Oxford recording of "Messiah" is an example of the English Cathedral tradition, this recording is a great sample of the choral society tradition. Although the recording includes some huge names from the world of classical music, I was not over-enthralled by the recording as a whole. The age of the recording (1966) is made obvious in the quality of sound, and the entire ensemble is too big to hear the words properly, and of course this is reflected in the acoustic. The presentation is acceptable, but ... Read More:

Used Price: £6.04

Star Wars Trilogy Box Set [Deluxe Remastered Version]

by: John Williams, London Symphony Orchestra

September 20, 2004
This set is so basic I felt a bit ripped off. Inside the card box are the three DVD cases with bland looking covers, and inside were bare looking discs - it looks and feels like a cheap fake - but its the genuine article. I fell asleep during the "extras" disc.

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