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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.

The tracks are mostly single movements from the whole score, which may not please the more enthusiastic classical fan, but it's unavoidable given the short time permitted by only 2 CDs. In any case, this album really ... Read More:

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Bassoon Concertos

by: Orchestra Of Opera North

June 02, 2008
Karen Geoghegan has well and truly brought the bassoon out of the shadows of the orchestral ranks to record a fantastic debut album. It has it all - fireworks, beautiful singing tone, fabulous control with great attention to detail.

Karen has been able to give her bassoon-playing a quality that at times sounds with the richness of a trombone, at other times with a tone like a saxaphone or clarinet. With such versatility it is wonder we are not all more familiar with the instrument and its repertoire.

The Opera North Orchestra and Benjamin Wallfisch have worked together to provide a sensitive backdrop to this outstanding performer.

I very much hope Chandos will be encouraged to ask this star performer to share ... Read More:

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The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!

from: Classics

October 27, 1997
While there are some lovely pieces of music on these CDs they don't match the titles. When I bought this 2-set CD I thought that maybe I had received Vol2. or something by mistake as none of the tracks match the information on the CD insert. I decided to check by listening to the samples here on Amazon & discovered that they too are incorrect. Just to ensure I wasn't going mad I found the CD set on a US website and listened to their samples & they were correct!!! I wish someone could explain.

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The Art of Anne Sofie Von Otter

from: Universal Classics

July 22, 2002
This is a wonderful collection of songs/arias that Anne Sofie Von Otter is well know for. Her singing is faultless her voice is pure and she is an excellent mezzo. Sweden have the fab Anne sofie whilst we have the likes of Katherine Jenkins trying to represent our opera scene.....
I promise once you have heard this CD you will hunt down all of her other recital CD's

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Bartók - Bluebeard\'s Castle

by: Richard Farnes

May 01, 2006
A beautifully shaded performance by Tomlinson and Burgess, extracting the utmost from the text. Throughout, Tomlinson plays Bluebeard with subtlety: the menace in the query 'Frightened?' when the first doors are opened is conveyed in tones of sorrow and reluctance. Burgess tackles her difficult role brilliantly, catching both the petulance when Bluebeard refuses to give her the keys, and her love for Bluebeard, this man she is attempting to understand. The highest praise also for Farnes, who brings out the bittersweet and very Hungarian qualities of Bartok's score.

As for the choice of English: there are admitted problems in translating a text that has to be expressed in Hungarian speech rhythms to fit the music. There are occasionally ... Read More:

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Verdi - Nabucco

by: Jane Irwin, Camilla Roberts, Leonardo Capalbo

October 30, 2006
A beautifully shaded performance by Tomlinson and Burgess, extracting the utmost from the text. Throughout, Tomlinson plays Bluebeard with subtlety: the menace in the query 'Frightened?' when the first doors are opened is conveyed in tones of sorrow and reluctance. Burgess tackles her difficult role brilliantly, catching both the petulance when Bluebeard refuses to give her the keys, and her love for Bluebeard, this man she is attempting to understand. The highest praise also for Farnes, who brings out the bittersweet and very Hungarian qualities of Bartok's score.

As for the choice of English: there are admitted problems in translating a text that has to be expressed in Hungarian speech rhythms to fit the music. There are occasionally ... Read More:

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Ave Maria

from: Unknown Label

April 01, 1993
A beautifully shaded performance by Tomlinson and Burgess, extracting the utmost from the text. Throughout, Tomlinson plays Bluebeard with subtlety: the menace in the query 'Frightened?' when the first doors are opened is conveyed in tones of sorrow and reluctance. Burgess tackles her difficult role brilliantly, catching both the petulance when Bluebeard refuses to give her the keys, and her love for Bluebeard, this man she is attempting to understand. The highest praise also for Farnes, who brings out the bittersweet and very Hungarian qualities of Bartok's score.

As for the choice of English: there are admitted problems in translating a text that has to be expressed in Hungarian speech rhythms to fit the music. There are occasionally ... Read More:

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Musiques Nuptiales: Wedding Music

from: Teldec

August 03, 1993
A beautifully shaded performance by Tomlinson and Burgess, extracting the utmost from the text. Throughout, Tomlinson plays Bluebeard with subtlety: the menace in the query 'Frightened?' when the first doors are opened is conveyed in tones of sorrow and reluctance. Burgess tackles her difficult role brilliantly, catching both the petulance when Bluebeard refuses to give her the keys, and her love for Bluebeard, this man she is attempting to understand. The highest praise also for Farnes, who brings out the bittersweet and very Hungarian qualities of Bartok's score.

As for the choice of English: there are admitted problems in translating a text that has to be expressed in Hungarian speech rhythms to fit the music. There are occasionally ... Read More:

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Beethoven: Complete Symphonies

from: Symphony Edition

February 04, 1995
Wand's set of Beethoven symphonies seems almost as much a tour de force as the symphonies themselves. The consistency and power of the performances are remarkable, as is the recording quality, which leaves little to be desired.
Highly recommended.

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Beethoven - Complete Symphonies

from: Red Seal

February 24, 2002
On first listening this Beethoven symphonies cycle is one of the best. The NDR orchestra could fool you into thinking they are the Berlin Phil, and Wand's conducting is like a slightly more humane Karajan. Though the 3rd symphony is not as good as Karajan's electric 1963 cycle (which remains a better overall recommendation than this set) the superb accounts of the other symphonies rival any other set. And the sound is absolutely top-notch, the best sound quality I have heard on any Beethoven symphony cycle, demo-class and then some - clear involving and warm.

The only set I could recommend above this one is Karajan's 1963 cycle, gloriously remastered on DG collectors edition boxset. The Wand is likewise a brilliantly played traditional German approach ... Read More: