Classical > by Composer

Advantages: Has music for just about everybody
Disadvantages: Barely none

...Christopher Columbus: The Discovery and 1492: Conquest of Paradise. Both were epic in nature, ambitious in execution and both were miserable failures. The latter in particular sticks out because it was directed by Ridley Scott, the director of Alien, Blade Runner and Thelma & Louise. Despite a strong cast that included Gérard Depardieu, Sigourney Weaver, Frank Langella and Alfred Molina and beautiful cinematography, the movie was a long and boring ...
...a film Scott would rather forget. However, despite the poor performance of the film there was one aspect that has kept the film's memory alive: the music of Vangelis. Vangelis' previous collaboration with Scott had been the futuristic Blade Runner of 1982. Ten years later we can hear distinct improvement and sophistication in the style of Vangelis. Whereas Blade Runner was a mismash of different cues made specifically to fit a certain scene in the ... Read review

Advantages: The most beautiful performance of a superb collection
Disadvantages: The CD has an end!

From the second that the left hand begins the oscillating theme in the first track of Fantaisie Impromptu it is clear that Naxos have made a fantastic decision in the use of Idil Biret as the pianist for this collection. The pianist plays with more human regard for the pieces than I have ever heard from another- she is never rushed, even through the mad vivace tempo marking the Minute Waltz- even in that she plays with a beauty and subtle tone that ...
...The collection is superbly recorded and sourced- there is a wide variation of the Chopin favourites here, and they can all be excused their vast notereity solely as Biret's interpretations are so secure and novel. For any Chopin fan this CD takes you through all forms of his works- from the surprising anger of the Revolutionary Etude to the perfectly executed militarism of the Polonaise Militaire, and breathing new life even to the most over-played ... Read review

Advantages: Glorious recorded sound, a fine group of soloists
Disadvantages: Some fans may not like Sutherland in this music

This version of Verdi's Requiem sounds absolutely terrific. The chorus has lots of presence -so important in the famous Dies Irae and the soloists are miked beautifully. The 'Hostias' and 'Ingemisco' are some of the finest recordings of Luciano Pavarotti available. Arguably he had more character by the time of his later recording from the late 80s with Riccardo Muti but he is caught here at his finest vocally with the hushed ingemisco amongst the ...
...been criticised quite a lot by critics that think she should not have recorded Verdi roles (similar complaints surround her Traviatas, her Leonora in Il Trovatore and her Elvira in Ernani). I really like her in this music. She is certainly preferable in my opiion to Schwarzkopf (Giulini/EMI and De Sabata (Naxos)) or Nelli (singing for Toscanini). Her voice is very different from Angela Gheorghiu so if that is the sort of voice you like in this music ... Read review

Advantages: Virtuosic operatic vocalism, unusual repertoire, mad scenes...
Disadvantages: Fleming's voice is maybe not best suited for this...

...CD featuring renowned American soprano Renée Fleming? Simply put: Bel canto is the Italian term for "beautiful singing", but it is specifically applied towards a vocal technique which first developed in the 17th century in Italy and continued to develop towards a peak in the 19th century with many bel canto operas by composers such as Bellini, Rossini and Donizetti - all of whom feature on this CD. It is a very technically based way of singing, where ...
...de force. Performers: Renée Fleming is the soprano soloist on this disc. She was born in 1959 in America and has developed a world class career singing at the major world opera houses, enjoying a particularly close relationship with the Metropolitan Opera in New York. Her voice is regarded as mainly lyrical, and her biggest successes have been in works from that part of the operatic repertoire, such as "Der Rosenkavalier" by Richard Strauss and ... Read review

Advantages: Impressive performance of interesting opera at an unbeatable price
Disadvantages: You will be left wanting more

Introduction: There simply isn't anything to beat the adrenalin shot of being one of maybe 120 people on stage performing some major musical masterpiece in front of a hopefully packed house. Orchestral playing is totally addictive! So when I was recently asked to play in the 2nd violin section of the orchestra for a weekend opera workshop, I didn't have to hesitate before saying yes. I was told it would involve around 15 hours of rehearsal from ...
...performance of the entire opera. Loads of playing = lots of fun! The opera in question was Alexander Porfir'yevich Borodin's "Prince Igor". Since I didn't know the opera apart from the famous Polovtsian Dances, I thought it might be good to get a CD of it before going to the weekend. Whilst my sight-reading is pretty good, there is nothing more embarrassing as an orchestral player to turn the page, be confronted by an unexpected sight of lots of ... Read review