Musicians & Bands > Classical & Opera

Advantages: Slow laments, sensuous dances
Disadvantages: None are possible

Composed by Edvard Grieg Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted by Herbert von Karajan Label Deutsche Grammophon Price £6.99 Released: April 1, 1989 Available in most good music stores Edvard Grieg was born in Bergen, Norway in 1843. He is the greatest composer Norway has ever produced. At the age of only 15 years, Grieg went to the Leipzig Conservatory to study music. Four years later he left the Conservatory as a full-fledged ...
...incidental music to "Peer Gynt." Grieg responded to the moods and scenes of the drama with a string of characterful and memorable tone-pictures. The incidental music to Peer Gynt was written in 1875, and first performed, with the play, in February 1876. It comprised some 23 movements, written for a small theatre orchestra and chorus. Grieg extracted 8 of these in 1888 and 1891 after it had become evident that the play in its original form would not ... Read review

Advantages: Surreal, peaceful, hypnotic, magic
Disadvantages: Nono other than shedding the odd tear

...of opera. Born in 1958, Andrea Bocelli invaded the European music charts with his hit song “Con te partiro” – a mix of opera, classic and pop music. This was the first song I heard by this truly unique artist. I doubt any other singer (Enya can actually) can emanate so much peace and sentiment when they sing. Like many great artists Bocelli’s rare musical talent manifested itself from a very young age and he started having piano lessons from the ...
...poor eyesight, Andrea Bocelli became totally blind following a soccer accident. Being strong willed and determined, this would constitute an obstacle for this gifted man. Opera and singing were also one of his early interests. Nevertheless after school, he opted to read Law at the University of Pisa, where he graduated as a Doctor of Law. This career would be short lived as the call of music imposed itself upon him. Andrea made a few contacts and ... Read review

Advantages: If you like waltzes and pretty music, Rieu is your man.
Disadvantages: If you're too young to appreciate fine music, pass this by.

Andre Rieu is a great showman and a fine musician. When you listen to his CD's, you are transported to a ballroom in Vienna where everyone is dressed in evening gowns and tuxedos and dancing the waltz. Even if you don't get up and dance with your partner, I can guarantee that your foot will be tapping in time to the music. My favourite is The Emperor Waltz, and when Queen Victoria heard it played, it became her favourite, too. She requested that ...
...his orchestra happily complied by making every other song The Emperor Waltz. Strauss said that he had never had such an enthusiastic reception to a piece of his music. Waltzes and polkas are Rieu's specialty. So, if you like them, no one does them better than Rieu. ... Read review

Advantages: A true great amongst men
Disadvantages: none

...devoted my life to.' Luciano Pavarotti 1935 - 2007 I am not a particularly sentimental person and I certainly have no respect for the cult of celebrity, but I will not deny that I shed a small tear of sadness this morning when I heard the news that Pavarotti had lost his battle against cancer. I am sure that over the course of the next few days we will be overdosed with phrases like 'larger than life', 'enormous talent' and any others that our overpaid ...
...Today is a sad day for music, and for any of you who voted for Paul Potts in the Britains got talent contest, I seriously suggest you download the version from the master, as there is no contest. Good-bye Luciano Pavarotti, may you rest in peace. ... Read review

Advantages: Music of astonishing perfection; performances that are breathtaking and up to the task.
Disadvantages: Cheesy cover art.

...the stakes are higher. The Quartetto Italiano, who have recorded the complete Beethoven quartets (all available from Philips), are eminently up to the task. They bring ferocious technical polish combined with restrained but impassioned playing to bear on these quartets, and the results are entirely felicitous. Not given to the palsied bowing of the Juilliard String Quartet, they modulate their vibrato to suit their phrasing, keeping things tight ...
...and a remarkably balanced space, these remastered recordings of the late 1960s and early 70s deserve a place on everyone’s shelf. We have in one product Beethoven outdoing himself performed by players who are outdoing themselves, everyone striving for, and miraculously achieving, the very best. ‘Empyreal’ is no exaggeration. * * * This volume is the second of two that Philips has issued for the late quartets. The other volume is the next (or simultaneous) ... Read review