Grieg: Peer Gynt Suites Nos. 1 & 2
Edvard Grieg, recognized for his luscious Nordic musical soundscapes and devotion to Scandinavian folk-myth, rarely seems to receive much recognition anymore. Grieg’s music, which last saw real popularity during the earlier part of this last century, is now often heard as a backdrop for television commercials or tacky ice skating competitions. Is it the relaxing, playful nature of Grieg’s melodies, or the lilting, mischievous rhythm of his Suites that lend themselves to consumerism? ... Regular Price : $7.98
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Debussy: Piano Works
Philippe Entremont was really taken for granted as a pianist, both in the U.S. and in his native France. A favorite with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra, and a staple pianist of the 1960s Columbia catalogue, Entremont displayed many of the finer points of the French school: precision, proportion, tight rhythm, and a colorful touch. This Debussy collection, a real bargain at budget price, features all of his strengths, in music which belongs in every piano-music ... Regular Price : $7.98
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300 Years of Guitar Masterpieces
Manuel Barrueco is one of the best guitarists I've ever heard. Listen to his own arrangement of Albeniz's Suite Española and you'll have trouble believing it's only two hands on one guitar. But Barrueco doesn't use his technique to show off. He's a solid musician, as expressive in Bach as in Villa- Lobos. He also makes transcriptions that respect the origins of the music. This is a wide-ranging guitar collection, but all the music is ... Regular Price : $15.98
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Yo-Yo Ma & Bobby McFerrin: Hush
The idea here was to put two masters together--one classical cellist, one improvisational singer/sound-effects performer--and voilà! instant amazing, unique, hip--and, hopefully, hit--record. The intriguing setup was to see what would happen when each led the other through the unfamiliar territory of his own specialty. The success of this recording lies not so much in the music or even in the overall performances, but in the fascinating and fun opportunity to sit in on the musicians' good-natured, respectful give-and-take, to ... Regular Price : $17.98
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Schubert: String Quintet in C, D. 956
When not composing songs, Franz Schubert was most at home with chamber music, not because he was a miniaturist, but because his most profound thoughts were most readily contained by smaller, more concentrated ensembles. His Quintet in C--by far the great work ever written for a string quartet with an extra cello--shows him at his summit with an ethereal second movement that often communicates the sense of spiritual suspended animation that the minimalists strive for but don't often ... Regular Price : $16.98
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Verdi - La Traviata / Cotrubas · Domingo · Milnes · Bayerisches Staatsorchester · Carlos Kleiber
The best Traviata on disc? If not, it's within hailing distance. No true Verdian would want to be without Callas's 1955 live recording, and it's hard not to love those starring Moffo, Caballe, Scotto, Sutherland, and de los Angeles among others. But this set offers the best all-round combination of excellent sound, fine singing, and dynamic conducting. Ileana Cotrubas is a wonderfully spontaneous Violetta, conveying the passion and vulnerability of the character. Only Callas among her ... Regular Price : $33.98
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Philip Glass: Glassworks
Glassworks remains Philip Glass's bestseller from the middle period of his career, the recording by means of which many listeners familiarized themselves with his music. Conceived as a thematically whole instrumental studio album taking advantage of the promotional and marketing capabilities of what was then Glass's new major label (CBS, now Sony Classical) and targeted at consumers intrigued with his newfound notoriety, Glassworks features six parts (three per side on the original LP and cassette), alternately meditative and ... Regular Price : $9.98
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Schubert: Symphonies No.8 "Unfinished" & No.9 "The Great"
Schubert's two greatest orchestral works on one CD at budget price--if the performances were indifferent this would be no bargain at all, but they are superb. In fact, these versions may have been equaled, but they have never been surpassed. George Szell understood intuitively how to balance Romantic passion with intellectual discipline. In difficult pieces like the Schubert Ninth, he rose to the challenge like an Olympic athlete after a new world record. The recordings he made in his ... Regular Price : $7.98
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Michael Amante
Alongside the three tenor posses, the dashing Michael Amante is poised to make opera palatable to the mainstream. Amante is bold enough to take on scores from Tosca, La Bohème, Turandot, and Aida, and he postures himself a swell prince on his self-titled debut. Possessed of a powerfully buoyant voice that is tenderly youthful yet richly resonant, Amante charms with the playful 'La Donna e Mobile' from Verdi's Rigoletto and gives a cinematic and masculine cowboy-booted rendering of ... Regular Price : $17.98
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The Most Famous Opera Arias
For the money, this is surely of the greatest bargains you'll ever see. Of course, some performers are featured 3-4 times, mezzos in particular, and there are NO baritones or bassos represented here (not even Toreador's song, which has got to be one of the 'most famous'). Dimitrova really stands out as a larger-than-life dramatic soprano, but casting her as Butterfly was a glaring mistake. Her Tosca is magnificent, however. Overall the ... Regular Price : $3.98
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