Uplifting music for troubled times

Advantages: Rousing melodies, interesting percussion and infusion of Celtic instruments
Disadvantages: This version of the film soundtrack is slightly condensed, and there's no vocal tracks

...ago I was only interested in grunge and rock, so when I heard the track, 'A Gift of A Thistle', on Classic FM I immedialtely went and downloaded the complete album it was part of, the Soundtrack to Braveheart by James Horner, and I didnt regret doing so. Listening to the album as a complete work you are really taken into a magical, mystical world. The piece is performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and they are dazzling in their playing, using choral elements, strings, horns, pipes, flutes, and bellowing drums. The album really flows and feels connected and well thought out as a piece of work, it appears to eddy and bubble like a stream in places and rages like a waterfall in others, when the action gets going in the film obviously.The opening track "Main Title" sums up the rest of the work to follow, an atmospheric celtic pipe opening...

Philip_James 18.07.2009 · Read review
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Review of Braveheart - London Symphony Orchestra

The music that can make grown men cry...

Advantages: Beautiful music from award winning movie
Disadvantages: Not something to listen to alot

...**What Is It?** Braveheart the CD is the Soundtrack to accompany the award winning movie. It is by the talented London Syphony Orchestra. It has a total of 18 tracks. **Artists** The London Symphony Orchestra are the stars of this CD. The composer is James Horner who famously conducted Titanic and did a re-recording of the Star Trek Soundtrack. Martin Neary is the co-conductor (so he would have done some of the tracks) and also the very talented Abbey School Choirsters. So you have an excellent amount of talent put towards this soundtrack. **Cover** The cover is of the old DVD cover of the movie. It's of William Wallace (Played By Mel Gibson) and Princess Isabel (Played by Sophie Marceau) They are, as all Braveheart fans will know, the main characters in the story. It has a dark black backround with a font (sorry don't know...

scotlandizdabest 16.09.2007 · Read review
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Review of Braveheart - London Symphony Orchestra

Mozart Symphonies 40+41

Advantages: Beatuful redentions of highly celebrated works
Disadvantages: Would be nicer with a broader selcetion on disc

...Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is a household name, even among non-classical music lovers - he is - for many - the definition of music. This CD houses 2 works by the genius - Symphony No.40 in G minor and Symphony No.41 - Jupiter. Mozart wrote No.40 after the death of his infant daughter - this is potrayed immediatly through the minor key in which the piece begins in. It later modulates to a major key which denotes his hopefulness of moving on and closing the bereavement door. The piece culminates in a repetition and develoment of the 1st section to reiterate his pain and sorrow. Symphony No. 41 was completed just 1month after no.40, in the summer of 1788. It is nicknamed ' The Jupiter Symphony' due to its power and percieved size, particularly in the finale, where a memorable theme is heard alongside with others that have featured...

pdillon91 04.08.2008 · Read review
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Review of Mozart: Symphonies

Birmingham Symphony Hall. We like the arts, we do!

Advantages: It is one of the best concert halls I have seen
Disadvantages: None

...the arts. (Burn-Jones, and all that, you know!) It was decided to create a special appeal to raise a public subscription to fund the construction of the organ. Chiefly this was done buy people "buying" specific organ pipes. (This was built in 2001) Our certificates are safely stored way, and it is very gratifying to know that we helped fund the 6000-pipe Symphony Organ, which is a truly rich sounding organ. Richer because we can hear our pipes? Perhaps! There are a wide range of concerts held at Symphony Hall, ticket prices do vary widely, some rare events (such as the regular Ed Doolan pre-Christmas radio broadcast) are even free of charge. Symphony Hall is, of course, home to the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. To find out about Symphony Hall you can visit www.necgroup.co.uk/visitor/symphonyhall where you can even enjoy...

Martinscholes 27.09.2005 · Read review
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Review of Symphony Hall

Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony: Refined passion

Advantages: Great passion, beautiful melodies, unrestrained romanticism
Disadvantages: The finale doesn't quite convince in it's purpose

..., or at least get the illusion of it. The second subject in this sonata-form finale then is a true march tune, banal as it may be, buoyant and active. The development takes the Fate motto again, transforming it into more of a rhythm than anything else. The recapitulation is not much altered in terms of structure, but is very much different in its orchestrations and color. The coda then emphasizes the major aspects of the Fate motto by marching forward in a headlong Presto, before broadening again for the final pages for a rousing conclusion. RECOMMENDED RECORDINGS Philips. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra / Valery Gergiev - An absolutely fantastic reading and recording, made live in Vienna. Gergiev's pacing is very fast and this works wonders with the symphony, making it extremely involving and exciting without sacrificing the beautiful aspects...

berlioz 26.08.2005 · Read review
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Review of Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5

Rafi in Sonu Nigams voice...

Advantages: You get to hear Rafi's songs with the Birmingham symphony orchestra...
Disadvantages: Afterall Old is gold

...passed away in 1980. Along with the great 75-piece symphony orchestra Sonu Nigam enthused the whole audience. Many of them have never before attended to a symphony concert and came only to listen to the old classical Rafi songs. But even the most sceptical Rafi fans got convinced by the outstanding performance of the singer and the orchestra and showed their enthusiasm by a thunderous applause during and a non-ending standing ovation at the end of the show. Normally adding his own values to the songs, this time Sonu Nigam stuck very closely to the originals, which was highly appreciated by the audience. At the beginning of the concert, the musicians of the orchestra and audience were standing up from their seats and had a minute of silence in remembrance of Mohammad Rafi. Each song was hand picked and constitute some of the most popular...

kiran8 27.07.2008 (05.03.2009) · Read review
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Review of Rafi Resurrected (A Tribute To Mohammed Rafi) - Sonu Niigaam & The City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

A Symphony of Destruction

Advantages: Perhaps there best album - It truly reflects the style, and talent of the band themselves.
Disadvantages: No real disadvantages.

...I had heard a few songs from this band. They are most noteably known for covering perhaps my favourite band - Metallica. This holds some brilliant covers as well. One, Nothing Else Matters and For Whom The Bell Tolls. It's so hard to choose a favourite - as they are all great. But this album also holds covers from other bands. The title track itself - Inquisition Symphony - is a cover of an amazing Sepultura instrumental, executed greatly by the four celloists. Refuse/Resist is another Sepultura cover - and it may well be the best song on the album. Faith No More's "From Out Of Nowhere" and Pantera's "Domination" are also covered on the album - and if you like the originals you will love these (or vice versa in my case!). Either way - if you are a fan of the metal greats and are in the mood for perhaps trying something a bit...

Daneyol 23.08.2006 · Read review
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Review of Inquisition Symphony - Apocalyptica

Heard a sound like a backstreet symphony

Advantages: Awesome vocals
Disadvantages: None

...tone to the album. 'Backstreet Symphony' is definately a great track, really keeps the high standard of work on the album going. The most successful of the album was 'Love Walked In' although not my favourite, I could see its appeal to the public and it is a good song in all fairness. This is a really awesome album, one that I didn't discover until recently. If you're into AC/DC toned down a bit more, you have Thunder. Definately a recommended album....

Lauren007 25.05.2008 · Read review
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Review of Backstreet Symphony - Thunder

Beethoven's symphonies: the rediscovered frontier

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

...it. Roger Norrington was the first to take Beethoven's symphonies under close scrutiny and performed the first period accounts of all the symphonies between 1987 and 1988 for EMI with The London Classical Players. Norrington's approach was to take Beethoven's symphonies in the manner of the 18th Century by way of reinventing their expressive gestures, their tempos, and the use of the orchestra. The final result was something completely different that was embraced with admiration by others and hated by the rest. The soundworld and general performance was so different that people used to the tradition of the past 200 years were unprepared to these innovations and responded rather coldly. But the ice was broken. Soon period performances of Beethoven's works as well as the works of other composers started cropping up all over. Beethoven...

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

*BULLSEYE*-no arrows required

Advantages: Beautifully thought out, Suits the attribute of the modern Robin Hood nicely
Disadvantages: Can repeat motifis too much, Not for those who don't appreciate abit of cheese

..."Robin Hood, Robin Hood, With his band of men, Feared by the bad, loved by the good, Robin Hood! Robin Hood! Robin Hoooooooood!* Until last year had anyone mentioned the words "Robin" and "Hood" you could bet that would be the first thing that sprung to my mind. Sweet sure-but really something a noble, justice-fighting makes-you-proud-to-be-british (if you REALLY want to ham it up) guy should be representated as? Yet alone an outlaw. -BUT- now thanks to Andy Price (composer) and the smooth stylings of the Danubia Symphony Orchestra who performed at the Budapest Opera House, that is no more. Say those words to me now: *bur-de-dar-BUUUUUUUR* trumpets flare, orchestras sing. Now thats more like it There are 34 tracks on this album, wont list them so as to save space. And as my brother so wonderfully pointed out most...

starmisthaze 29.10.2007 · Read review
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Review of Robin Hood - Anthony Price & The Danubia Symphony Orchestra