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.Vaughan Williams: Orchestral Works
City Travel Guides > Classical Music > General
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.
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.Holst: The Planets / Elgar: Enigma Variations
City Travel Guides > Classical Music > General
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 the remastering of a late 70's classic, although there is one thing they could never tackle: Is this as Holst intended?

Bolt was a friend of Holst and was given the opportunity to first conduct the piece; Bolt read and heard the original ... Read More:
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Used Price: £5.57

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.Vaughan Williams: Choral Works
City Travel Guides > Classical Music > General
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 was that conducted by Sir David Willcocks. This new account is in the same class and has the benefit of a superb modern recording that the earlier record cannot match. I genuinely believe that Sancta Civitas is one of Vaughan Williams' most ... Read More:
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.Baby Einstein: Lullaby Classics
City Travel Guides > Classical Music > General
by: The Baby Einstein Music Box Orchestra

February 06, 2006
sorry to see that this CD has got a bad review as I think it is wonderful. My son can't go to sleep without it, it really helps him to relax and unwind. I think the fact that it isn't the original version is good, as the tracks are shorter and don't get too loud which is often the case with classical music. I really like listening to it too, I think it is well made!
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Used Price: £3.54

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.Spanish Guitar Music
City Travel Guides > Classical Music > General
from: Essential Classics

November 19, 2001
This is a clasical guitar album recorded by John Williams in his style of ultimate perfection. Don't confuse this with Flamenco Spanish guitar.
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Used Price: £2.70

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.Works of Igor Stravinsky [22cd]
City Travel Guides > Classical Music > General
by: Igor Stravinsky

July 02, 2007

It's common to find good value box sets from labels such as EMI Classics, Brilliant Classics and Warner Classics, but not so often on the Sony label.

In general, the bigger the set the better the value, with collections of more than ten discs often falling into the bargain category of under £1 a disc.

This collection though represents not only value for money but also provides pretty much all of Stravinsky's lifetime works (he composed around 127 pieces) in a compact box of just 5cm width thanks to the CDs being supplied in card sleeves.

The enclosed 24 booklet provides a biography of the composer, and more importantly full recording dates, venues, orchestras, soloists and conductors, and if this doesn't sound reason ... Read More:
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Used Price: £16.11

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.Saint-Saëns: The Complete Works for Piano and Orchestra
City Travel Guides > Classical Music > General
from: Hyperion

September 03, 2001
There is no doubt that these are brilliant performances. But the question in my mind is how much do you want three discs of this music? The works are well crafted, certainly, and I suppose they do sparkle. There is often invention that is both surprising and delightful. But after a while one wishes for a bit more of the "red meat" of truly great romantic repertoire. I have something of a soft spot for Saint Saens but discovering his works can be a bit of a mixed experience - sometimes joyful and sometimes almost cringing (at a particularly banal tune, for example). In the end I am not sorry I bought these records and will return to them with pleasure in some moods. But there are byroads of the repertoire that I have mined with more consistently satisfying results than ... Read More:
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Used Price: £17.98

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.Elgar - Cello Concerto; Cockaigne; Sea Pictures
City Travel Guides > Classical Music > General
from: EMI Classics

August 02, 2004

There are now many releases in the EMI 'Great Recordings of the Century' series, and this has to be one of the best I've heard.

The three pieces on this CD date from the 1960's and all have benefited from recent remastering.

The 'Cello Concerto' is a 1965 recording performed by Jacqueline du Pre (who else would you expect?) and remains today, more than 40 years on, the standard to which all other performances of this work are measured. I'm sure I am amongst many others who regret not having seen such a gifted musician play live. I've seen several performances of Elgar's cello concerto, and always find that the best are when the soloist totally immerses him/herself into the music and brings out the emotions from somewhere deep within themselves. ... Read More:
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.The Best of Arvo Pärt
City Travel Guides > Classical Music > General
from: EMI Classics

May 03, 2004
This is a music from the another dimension. Absolute clearity of the mind. A fragile balance you are looking... A touch of something beautiful that's uncomparable bigger than you.

Simple, but in very different way.

Must have!
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.Bach: The Art of the Fugue
City Travel Guides > Classical Music > General
by: Glenn Gould

September 09, 2002
I cannot understand how this wonderful recording is available at this low price. I also cannot compete with the musical erudition of the two previous reviewers, but I thank them for their reviews and can only say, if you love J.S.Bach, buy this.
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Used Price: £8.13