Rhapsody in Blue - Ultimate Piano Collection Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I ordered this after hearing Passion - Most Famous Orchestral Spectaculars by the same company. Once again, I was not let down.
This provides 20 full length CDs with a large assortment of composers and compositions; famous pieces as well as not so well known works.
I am new to piano music, only slightly newer to piano than I am to classical, but this set is a fantastic find for anyone that wants to get to know the composers that are best known for piano compositions.
Every song, every CD is excellently recorded and mixed. The sound is perfect and the music is great.
For the low price of $13.97 (and if the price goes up to it's norm of about $50, it's still worth it, but if you can be patient, hold out and the price should drop again). I almost feel guilty for getting so much music; almost. I can't believe the quality or the quantity of this or the Passion set mentioned above and I highly recommend each.
If you are new to classical music. This should most definitely be step 1 on your journey because it is a good way to get a broad overview of classical. From there you can hone in on composers that you enjoy and buy more from them. I won't lie, this doesn't have everything that one might expect on a "Ultimate Piano Collection", but to be truthful, that is really quite subjective; I would have liked to have seen some Debussy on one of the discs, but I won't complain because every CD is at least good and the majority are great.
Buy this set with confidence.
I would also recommend that Rendezvous of Angels - Concert Collection be looked at as well. Another great compilation at a fantastic price.
ENJOY!!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Rhapsody in Blue - Ultimate Piano Collection

Product Description:
This amazing 20-CD set truly is the ultimate pianocollection! With over 20 hours of the greatest piano classics, from Mozart's priceless Piano Concertos and Sonatas to Gershwin's legendary Rhapsody in Blue, this set is a must have for everyone's collection. So sit back, relax and drift away on the beautiful melodic waves of classical piano at its very best.

Want to read more honest consumer review about Rhapsody in Blue - Ultimate Piano Collection now ?

Brahms: The Masterworks (Box Set) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Having collected the entire "The Masterworks" series (including the Bach and Mozart Complete Works) this set is the 'clinker' of the bunch. First off... 6 CD's of Lieder 'historic' (pre-historic) recordings. No Overtures, No Orchestral Seranades, No Haydn Variations?? The performances of the Symphonies and the Concertos are shakey and not very well recorded. Brilliant Classics, who has done such a wonderful job with the Hadyn Complete Symphonies (licensed from Nimbus), the Mozart and Bach Complete sets, has stumbled a bit with this release.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Brahms: The Masterworks (Box Set)

Product Description:
Pillow - Roll (Scribbles)

Want to read more honest consumer review about Brahms: The Masterworks (Box Set) now ?

Chopin: Mazurkas Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)William Kappell was, in a way, the Dennis Brain of the piano.Brain had a meteoric career playing the French horn, which was cut short by his early death -- and cognoscenti have been seeking out his old monaural records and CD's for decades.Kappell also had a tragically short career which accounts for the only deficiency of this CD.It was recorded with old monaural equipment.I predict that you won't notice that at all, because the genius of William Kappell shines through in these pieces.I think I would describe his Mazurkas as both very 'clean' and also 'lush.' He is playing carefully and bringing out the subtle beauty of these odd little dances.Chopin's Mazurkas always seem to have a "sweet and sour" character, often with a lyrical major theme at the start and finish, and a discordant minor gypsy-style theme in the middle.In Kappell's hands you hear other layers, and some of the pieces even have a sort of tango-like feel.Anyway, it's hard to describe what is so good about this CD, but buy it.You will listen to it again and again.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Chopin: Mazurkas

Product Description:
Pillow - Roll (Scribbles)

Want to read more honest consumer review about Chopin: Mazurkas now ?

William Kapell Edition Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Leon Fleisher:Willy was beyond a doubt the greatest pianistic talent this country [United States] has ever produced.

No small compliment coming from another great pianist.It is a tribute to William Kapell that,although he died at the age of 31, he was already a mature artist.Onedoes not have a sense of unfulfilled potential, ala James Dean, for thereis fulfillment in plenty on each of the nine discs in this boxed set.Iknow of no other pianist who gave so many definitive performances in such ashort time.

The Chopin Sonata in B Minor, Op. 58 is easily the best thislistener has ever heard, either on record or in concert--Kapell outclasseseven Rubinstein.The same can be said for the Mazurkas, which carefullybalance the dance elements of these small jewels with their tone poemqualities.

Both the Rachmaninoff Second Concerto and the PaganiniRhapsody eclipse all other recordings, even those of the composer--whocertainly knew how to play the piano.

Two other Russian concertos, byAram Khachaturian and Sergei Prokofiev, were early staples of Kapell'srepertoire--and the performances are again a perfect balance of poetry andfury, which is exactly what this music requires.

A recording of Kapellin recital from March of 1953 (including another definitive performance:the Copland Sonata) reveals that Kapell's extraordinary technique andmusicianship are not the result of recording engineers and tape splicing--this is the real thing.

Perhaps most welcome of all is a twenty minute interview with Kapell, which reveals a profundity and maturity, bothas man and musician, far beyond his years.

The sound has been superbly restored and the documentation is excellent.This boxed set is a template for how all classical music reissues should be handled.This set isindispensable for all lovers of piano music.

Click Here to see more reviews about: William Kapell Edition

Product Description:
Pillow - Roll (Scribbles)

Get 11% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about William Kapell Edition now ?

Jehan Alain: The Complete Works for Organ Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Jehan Alain was a French organist and composer who was tragically killed while fighting the Germans near Saumur in 1940.At the time of his death, he was only 29 years old.Despite his youth, he left behind a significant body of organ music that could be mistaken for no other composer.This two CD set, running almost two and a half hours, includes all his published works, including some that have only recently come to light.Unlike many French composers who wrote for the organ on the vastest of canvases, many of Alain's works run five minutes or less.
One thing is for certain: Kevin Bowyer has technique to burn.He also gets wonderful sounds from the Marcussen organ at Tonbridge School.In fact, the recorded sound is excellent and atmospheric throughout.With one caveat, this is a wonderful introduction to the music of Alain.There is much here that is readily accessible to lovers of organ music including, but certainly not limited to, the two Chorals, Dorien and Phrygien; the two sets of variations, on Lucis Creator and on a theme by Clement Jannequin (although that attribution is in doubt); and the mystical pieces, Le Jardin Suspendu and the Postlude pour l'Office de Complies.There are also works that do not make their wonders readily apparent, but are well worth coming to know.Then, of course, there is Alain's most famous work, Litanies.
And it is Bowyer's performance of that piece about which I have reservations.He plays it breathtakingly fast--again, no question about technique--but the tempo is so rapid in places that, to me at least, the music sounds hectic.Repeated notes at the beginnings of phrases blur together, so that unless you knew that the notes were repeated, you'd hardly be able to tell.When he gives the music room to breathe, the performance is fine; if only he had done so throughout the piece!This performance, although perfectly acceptable, does not rise to the same level as the rest of this recording.And if you like your toccatas astonishingly fast, this performance will not disappoint.
So, if you only want Litanies and have no interest in Alain's other organ works, you'd be better off to purchase one of the many collections that include that piece.However, if you want a survey of the organ works of this original master, there is no need to hesitate.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Jehan Alain: The Complete Works for Organ

Product Description:
Pillow - Roll (Scribbles)

Want to read more honest consumer review about Jehan Alain: The Complete Works for Organ now ?

Gottschalk: A Night in the Tropics Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm not sure how other reviewers could have found this music weak and naive--too much Schönberg, maybe?Or maybe they were trying to delve its musical profundity, when in fact this music isn't profound and doesn't claim to be.It's just energetic, fun music from a composer who wasn't content to color within the Classical-era lines.If you can imagine "Creole Classical," in fact, that's a good description of this CD.Although the bulk of the album consists of rollicking showtunes (most of which feature the piano as the dominant instrument, since most of the songs are orchestral arrangements of piano pieces), there are some surprisingly tender, lyrical moments as well.The whole album is imbued with an intriguingly pre-Jazz flavor that combines with the classical structure to create some of the best moments in American music:catchy, energetic and always entertaining.For those moments when Beethoven (or Schönberg) is too much depth for one day, this CD is the perfect alternative... particularly at this price.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Gottschalk: A Night in the Tropics

Product Description:
Pillow - Roll (Scribbles)

Want to read more honest consumer review about Gottschalk: A Night in the Tropics now ?

Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 50 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)While his recordings of other composers is somewhat uneven, Rubinstein is the absolute master of Chopin.Noone else captures the beauty, nuance, depth, poetry, and feel of his music in quite the same way, and the Mazurkas (which by the way sound wonderful in their new remastering) are no exception.Even the very familiar ones sound fresh in Rubinstein's hands, and whether you listen to these a few at a time (as I usually do) or straight through, I highly recommend this recording as well as the other reissues in this series.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 50

Product Description:
Pillow - Roll (Scribbles)

Get 4% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 50 now ?

Chopin: Mazurkas Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)A fully satisfying rendition of Chopin's mazurkas.Ashkenazy, a Russian, reminds us that these are first and foremost Polish folk dances, and are only secondarily French salon pieces (hence, he avoids the temptation to play these like dreamy, oozing, cloudy, nebulous bits of musical cotton candy, a treatment to which so many artists joy in subjecting poor Frederic's music.)Also, don't miss Ashkenazy's wonderfully introspective recordings of Shostakovich's supremely introspective preludes and fugues. A revelation.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Chopin: Mazurkas

Product Description:
Pillow - Roll (Scribbles)

Get 8% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about Chopin: Mazurkas now ?

Griffes: Complete Piano Works, Vol. 1 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Charles Tomlinson Griffes (1884-1920) was, like Schubert, taken from this world way to early.His impressionist style compositions are a match for, while not necessarily mimicking, Debussy, and his Sonata is an extraordinary piece of unique, forward-looking music. He was also something of a rarity in his time - an American composer of highlyoriginal talent.Michael Lewin performs Griffes' music with sensitivityand energy.Naxos produces, when one considers the price,some of the highest quality cds money can buy.I highly recommend this selection to all interested in 20th century piano music.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Griffes: Complete Piano Works, Vol. 1

Product Description:
Pillow - Roll (Scribbles)

Want to read more honest consumer review about Griffes: Complete Piano Works, Vol. 1 now ?

Haydn: The Masterworks (40 CD Box Set) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)As always with these huge cubes of music it is not all good. But you get 52 symphonies in the excellent set from Nimbus, the complete piano sonatas on a period instrument, which are quite decent. The Creation is good. The trios are pretty good too, and the rest is mediocre. So, if you want a boatload of symphonies and the piano sonatas this is a good choice.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Haydn: The Masterworks (40 CD Box Set)

Product Description:
Pillow - Roll (Scribbles)

Want to read more honest consumer review about Haydn: The Masterworks (40 CD Box Set) now ?

Orchestral Excerpts for Flute Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I own the book of the same title of excerpts, though expensive it was worth it. I was considering not buying this CD since I have recording of the pieces anyway but I am glad I did. Not only is it convienient to have all the excerpts on once CD but Jeanne has a wonderful clear sound makes this a joy to listen to. Having it isolated to better hear what she is talking about is immensely helpful. It's not a fun to listen to recording, it is meant for study, butif you are a flutist learning your major orchestral solos it is just as good as having your teacher walk you through the piece. Perhaps more helpful as a second view is always good to know.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Orchestral Excerpts for Flute

Product Description:
Pillow - Roll (Scribbles)

Want to read more honest consumer review about Orchestral Excerpts for Flute now ?