Chopin: 4 Ballades / Perahia
Chopin's Ballades are imaginary short stories that leave the plot to the listener's imagination. The trick to a successful performance of such freeform compositions depends on the pianist's ability to realize all the color and variety of the various episodes while at the same time retaining control over the narrative structure of each piece. In short, it requires a classical poise and balance in projecting the relationship between form and content. This is just the sort of thing that ... Regular Price : $11.98
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Beethoven:The Five Piano Concertos/Triple Concerto
I owned the recording of Piano Concert No. 5 (Emperor) on CBS tape, way back when in the 70's, and bought it again on cassette tape when the first one wore out. Then the 2nd tape wore out, and I could not find it anywhere. I had to do without for like 15 years until not too long ago, doing a search on the web, discovered that it had been reproduced on CD and owned now by Sony. I was ... Regular Price : $23.98
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From the Jungles of Paraguay
I have nothing to add to the superlatives in the existing reviews about Williams' performance. It is really something.
For me the music of Barrios was a revelation. I'm very fond of traditional Paraguayan music, but the country lacks the great cosmopolitan traditions of neighbors like Argentina or Brazil. Barrios seems to have leapt out of this musical backwater and absorbed all kinds of international influences: tango, samba, classical Spanish, and synthesized a musical ... Regular Price : $11.98
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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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Swan Lake-Complete
I did not have the opportunity to see Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake in either London or New York, but I did purchase the DVD of the Tony Award winning production. The staging and choreography is very haunting. The orchestral quality of the New London Orchestra under the direction of David Lloyd-Jones enables the listener to relive the beauty of the music while visions of the DVD haunt the corners of the mind. This creates a very sensual listening experience.
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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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 : $18.98
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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 : $
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In My Heart (Nel Mio Cuore): 17th and 18th Century Italian Songs
Those who prefer 17th- and 18th-century music performed in a 'historically correct' manner may balk, but these 'old songs and arias' ('arie antiche') are beautifully presented and sung. It's not that Ramón Vargas approaches them in a verismo style or that he overexclaims them. Rather, he sings with ardor, generous portamento, and a Romantic, cushioned voice filled with vibrato and expression. At the same time, Vargas embellishes the vocal line in very much the style popular and proper ... Regular Price : $17.98
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