Title : Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits
Author : Albinoni, Tomaso Giovanni
Release Date : 20000208
Binding : Audio CD
Regular Price : $18.98
Amazon.com Price : $13.99
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Editorial Reviews : 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 (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, played by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra) and one Mozart (A Little Night Music conducted by Herbert von Karajan), but this is still a nice collection--perhaps the starting point for a budding collection of classical music. This set's downfall? Unfortunately, though the liner notes discuss the evolution of classical music chronologically, the tracks are programmed in alphabetical order by composer's last name. This makes for some startling transitions! Emil Gilels's reflective performance of the Adagio from Beethoven's 'Moonlight' sonata is followed by the crashing cymbals and bombast of Carmen's 'March of the Toreadors,' a recipe for a heart attack if there ever was one. Still, there's something here for everyone and the liner notes even explain what movies this music can be found in. A nice touch.
Buyer Reviews : There seem to be an increasing number of these classical 'greatest hits' CDs on the market these days, and of course any selection is somewhat arbitrary and subjective, but all that said, this is as good a single collection as I have seen in terms of both the choices and performers (who but Pavarotti, for example, can sing Nessum Dorma?). A perfect gift for someone who isn't yet a classical afficionado, and there are enough great totally familiar melodies that it is a great listening experience for kids too.
