Spiros... A Stunning Little Greek In Naxos

Advantages: Close to The Beach
Disadvantages: The Rooms in the Original Building are Quite Dated

...The Choice... My passion for browsing holiday brochures on cold dismal nights continued, the hubby fancied the Cyclades- a group of Greek Islands scattered across the Aegean sea of Greece - for a change from our usual choices of Crete, and Kos etc.- and as ever it was left to me to choose the appropriate dwelling for our two weeks.away. I decided on Naxos, only accessible by ferry via a chartered flight to Mykonos (if partaking in a package), the largest Island in the Cyclades.. The week before Christmas of 2004 I booked and paid a small deposit of £90 to Kosmar - a Greek holiday specialist in the UK - the balance of £600 was due the following June - plenty of time to save. The hubby wanted to book flights and accommodation separately but I like the security of a package holiday! The Outbound Journey We leave Brum...

gizmogizmo 31.10.2006 (03.03.2007) · Read review
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Review of Hotel Spiros, Naxos

Beethoven's symphonies: the rediscovered frontier

Advantages: A new way to hear Beethoven
Disadvantages: Surpassed by some later period cycles

...unemotional; the Fourth is a little ordinary but still fine; the Fifth is exceedingly frenetic and exciting; the Sixth is flowing and glowing; the Seventh is a bit of a disappointment; the Eighth is a true gem; and the Ninth is decent, but obsolete in the face of many other period performances, including Norrington's revised account. This is not a bad set, and it has certain historical value, but it is not as good as with Gardiner or Mackerras. Personally I still think the Naxos cycle with the Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia under Béla Drahos is the best of all with the performances keeping pretty close to Beethoven's specified speeds, while utilizing modern instruments in a chamber-sized orchestra. The Norrington set is not the best in the market, but it was a forerunner in a time when Beethoven was still being played in a more romantic light almost...

berlioz 16.04.2005 · Read review
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Review of Beethoven Symphonies 1-9 (London Classical Players) - Sir Roger Norrington

Beethoven's music as he should have heard it.

Advantages: Outstanding music on period instruments
Disadvantages: Swaping C.D'S in music player.

...The 9 symphonies by Ludwig Van Beethoven. (1770 - 1827) Performed by The London Classical Players. Conducted by Sir Roger Norrington. With the Schutz choir of London. Not everybody likes classical music. Even those who do, do not all like the same things. This boxed set of CD's if different from previous recordings. Firstly, it is played on period instruments. This is not to everybody?s taste. These instruments are not like today?s instruments. For instance, the violin has a cleaner but more plaintive tone. The woodwinds each has a colour and clarity of tone that blends to a harmonious whole. The timpani, those smaller drums, are hit with hard sticks more reminiscent of military drum sounds. The horn section has a different feel to it. Considering the lapse of some 184 years, it would be strange if the sounds...

Coloneljohn 04.12.2004 · Read review
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Review of Beethoven Symphonies 1-9 (London Classical Players) - Sir Roger Norrington

May I have this dance?

Advantages: One of Beethoven's finest symphonies.
Disadvantages: None from me, but some will say "classical music is boring".

...THE END OF AN ERA 1812 can be seen as the markerpoint where Beethoven's middle-period came to an end and his late-period was ushered in. Beethoven's middle-period saw the composer at his most creative high with one masterpiece following the other in rapid succession. The beginning of this period can roughly be timed as starting in 1803 with the appearance of the Third Symphony "Eroica" and the "Kreutzer" sonata. These two works signalled Beethoven distinctly leaving the 18th century Classicism of Haydn and Mozart behind him and taking on a completely new and individual voice. This individuality became more and more apparent in the works that followed: the "Waldstein" and "Appassionata" piano sonatas, the "Razumovski" quartets, the Violin Concerto, the three last cello sonatas, the "Archduke" piano trio, Fidelio, the Fifth and Sixth...

berlioz 13.08.2005 · Read review
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Review of Beethoven: Symphony No 7

BIG AND DROOLING BUT CUTE

Advantages: Very entertaining,plenty of laughs throughout film,kids will love it.
Disadvantages: none

...This is the first of three films about the loveable dog (Beethoven) which was first released in 1992. This is one to watch for any dog lovers, it is very amusing, and classed as a family film. It is about a family, called the (Newtons) who take in this adorable, fluffy puppy. The father George is played by( Charles Grodin), he has his own successful air freshener’s business, he is bit neurotic and sometimes naïve. The mother is called Alice played by (Bonnie Hunt) she is a devoted mother and helps her husband with the business. They have three children, Ryce the eldest daughter, Ted is their son and Emily the youngest daughter. The film starts in a pet shop, where there are loads of adorable little puppies for sale and a biker girl comes in looking for a big mean dog. She asked the assistant to show her the St Bernard puppy...

Deni 25.09.2001 (27.09.2001) · Read review
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Review of Beethoven 1

Classical Music on a Budget with the NAXOS label

Advantages: Classical music collecting on a budget using NAXOS
Disadvantages: no other record label reviewed

...Classical music – how to buy on a budget? This genre is a huge universe of material dating back at least 500 years. It is intimidating to contemplate starting a collection, even for some classical music lovers, due to the sheer size of the repertory, or repertoire, if you prefer. Moreover, the classical repertory is subdivided by composer, era, style of music (mediaeval, romantic, baroque, etc), region, types of instruments (and voice), size of ensemble (from solo to symphony), etc. In this op I will try to lower the intimidation factor to build a collection; part of which includes the fine NAXOS record label. Recommended reading: Jaxle’s op on “Classical Music and Young People” (30.01.2003) which makes a very good case for exploring the classical genre. How to get started in classical music? Start...

rowlandw 06.02.2003 · Read review
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Review of Everything that starts with C ...

Beethoven Goes Beserk

Advantages: see review
Disadvantages: see review

...Cujo is a movie which never should have worked. A movie about a killer dog might certainly be a great idea - but a killer Saint Bernard? It hardly seems like the idea choice of murderous beastie, especially for thsoe of us who have sat through the Beethoven movies and that loveable Saint Bernard there. However, thanks to some wonderful directing etc. Cujo does work, and its pretty tense stuff. Cujo is the name of the dog in question. He is a loving family pet until one day whilst running in the woods he is bitten by a bat. This bat was rabid and the disease begins to take hold of Cujo...Meanwhile a mother and her young son are heading over to the farm where Cujo lives to have her car repaired by the owner. The farm is isolated, away from anywhere and they have no idea that Cujo is rabid and out for blood. But they soon find out...

wampyrii 05.10.2001 · Read review
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Review of Stephen King's Cujo (DVD)

A complete musical universe of their own

Advantages: The best and most famous symphonies ever
Disadvantages: None

...Beethoven's nine symphonies are a complete musical universe of their own. Some of them have naturally impinged on public consciousness more than others. The opening bars of the 5th vied for years with the finale to Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" as probably the most famous classical piece ever until the recent vogue for Vivaldi's "Four Seasons", while the 6th ("Pastoral") is so full of light and shade, so many little twists of unforgettable melody, that it has rightly never gone out of fashion; and part of the 9th ("Choral") has lived on in various reincarnations. Just listen to the Seekers' "Emerald City" (1967) and Rainbow's "Difficult To Cure" (1981), to take but two examples. As a personal opinion, I find the 6th the most enjoyable to listen to right through; I was partly brought up on it as a child, and for me it has never lost...

JOHNV 30.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of Beethoven: Symphonies

PUPPY LOVE

Advantages: Good family film,very funny,worth watching.
Disadvantages: none

...This is the second film that was made in 1993 all about that lovable dog Beethoven. The cast members are the same as the original ones. This story is all about Beethoven falling in love with a female dog called (Missy). The film is just as funny as the 1st,with many great scenes.The kids will love this one too, especially as there are lots of adorable puppies.If you happened to miss my opinion on the 1st film, then please have a read. Beethoven still lives with the Newton family, George, Alice and their children Ryce,Tim and Emily. He is now fully grown, and still up to his tricks. One day he goes for a walk on his own to the park, while the family are all out. Here he meets Missy, who has a lovely pink bow around her neck, he goes over to her to make friends. Her owner, seems a very nice guy and he buys both dogs an ice cream. There...

Deni 27.09.2001 (28.09.2001) · Read review
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Review of Beethoven's 2nd (DVD)

Opening More Than Her Mind

Advantages: A bizarre pornographic movie with a genuine story
Disadvantages: Tedious mechanical sex

...Ever read any of my reviews? Well if you have it might seem like I'm sliding down a very murky path. This review is going to convince you further, The Opening Of Misty Beethoven is as dirty as it possibly sounds. Misty Beethoven is for the most part hard core pornography, but what's different about this movie is that it has a proper storyline, proper actors, a director that flips from blockbuster movies to hardcore porn at the drop of a hat; and the biggest surprise is that it's acclaimed by movie enthusiasts, critics and alike; even top movie resource the Internet Movie Database has it listed as the highest rated porn movie of all time. Misty Beethoven is living in France and works as a prostitute; the trouble with Misty is that her menu is incredibly limited: Handjobs and straight sex only, no oral, no anal Misty is battling...

sghawken 20.09.2007 · Read review
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Review of The Opening of Misty Beethoven (DVD)