CD-Charts Position 1
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The Only Opera Album You'll Ever Need

by: Covent Garden Royal Opera House Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra

Release Date March 31, 2001
The tracks on this cd are excellent and well worth the money. I get worried about the packaging of this sort of disc though because it reminds me of Tesco's attempt to sell wine to the masses by renaming a mediocre chablis as 'Good with meat' or whatever. If this was called 'Fine Opera' or 'An Opera Sampler' then I'd be a lot happier but the dumb approach of 'The Only Opera Album You'll Ever Need' makes me cringe. Once again though: the music is very good and the performances are excellent on the whole.

CD-Charts Position 2
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The Only Classical Album You'll Ever Need

from: Classics

Release Date November 03, 2003

The budget price doesn't reflect the quality of this 2 disc collection of classical music highlights, for the soloists, orchestras, conductors and the recordings themselves ensure it is a good quality selection of mostly familiar music from the classical music repertoire.

The choices lean heavily towards the opera style, so for that reason alone will not be the only album necessary to cover everyone's taste - even the complete classical beginner will find many of their familiar favourites are absent.

The tracks are mostly single movements from the whole score, which may not please the more enthusiastic classical fan, but it's unavoidable given the short time permitted by only 2 CDs. In any case, this album really ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
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Vaughan Williams: Orchestral Works

from: British Composers

Release Date September 09, 1991
Not many conductors match Adrian Boult's masterly performances of V-Williams music, for its rich tonal colours, noble poise and eloquence. Definitely a must-buy CD for anyone who loves VW's music!

CD-Charts Position 4
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Stravinsky - Rite of Spring; Firebird - Suite

by: London Symphony Orchestra

Release Date September 13, 1999
This is one piece of music is revolutionary. Instead of harmony or "tune" as it's content it uses rhythm. Primeval and dark it shows the picture of the tradition rite of spring Stravinsky was trying to show. This is ballet at it's best and at it's most raw. I cannot recommend this music enough. This forms a sort of bridge between the romantic era and the modern movement. Mix this music with works such as Picasso or even impressionists as Renoir washed down with buckets of absinthe and you will see what a revolution in sound and vision (plus resolve!) was going on. What are you doing you are reading on you should be buying this stop reading the review goes pretty boring from now on trust me! And for those not familiar with the ballet this was the music from the ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
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The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!

from: Classics

Release Date October 27, 1997
While there are some lovely pieces of music on these CDs they don't match the titles. When I bought this 2-set CD I thought that maybe I had received Vol2. or something by mistake as none of the tracks match the information on the CD insert. I decided to check by listening to the samples here on Amazon & discovered that they too are incorrect. Just to ensure I wasn't going mad I found the CD set on a US website and listened to their samples & they were correct!!! I wish someone could explain.

CD-Charts Position 6
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Elgar: Dream of Gerontius/Music Makers

from: British Composers

Release Date October 05, 1998
While there are some lovely pieces of music on these CDs they don't match the titles. When I bought this 2-set CD I thought that maybe I had received Vol2. or something by mistake as none of the tracks match the information on the CD insert. I decided to check by listening to the samples here on Amazon & discovered that they too are incorrect. Just to ensure I wasn't going mad I found the CD set on a US website and listened to their samples & they were correct!!! I wish someone could explain.

CD-Charts Position 7
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The Voice - Encore

by: Russell Watson

Release Date October 29, 2001

Encore, released in 2002, is Russell Watson's follow up album to his hugely successful debut `The Voice' from the previous year. Encore repeated the success of that album by again winning both `Album of the Year' and `Best Selling Classical Album' at the Classical BRIT Awards 2002. Reaching the No.1 spot in both the UK and US Classical Charts, and a top 10 place in the UK Album Chart confirmed Watson's studio success could match that of his stage performances at that time.

As its title suggests, Encore is more of the same from Watson's broad repertoire of classical and popular music and should have equal appeal to fans of his previous album. The classics are all familiar favourites (and who can blame him?, for that's what people are paying money ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

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The Essential Yo-Yo Ma

directed by: Ton Koopman, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra

Release Date August 09, 2004

Encore, released in 2002, is Russell Watson's follow up album to his hugely successful debut `The Voice' from the previous year. Encore repeated the success of that album by again winning both `Album of the Year' and `Best Selling Classical Album' at the Classical BRIT Awards 2002. Reaching the No.1 spot in both the UK and US Classical Charts, and a top 10 place in the UK Album Chart confirmed Watson's studio success could match that of his stage performances at that time.

As its title suggests, Encore is more of the same from Watson's broad repertoire of classical and popular music and should have equal appeal to fans of his previous album. The classics are all familiar favourites (and who can blame him?, for that's what people are paying money ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

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Pavarotti - The Ultimate Collection

from: Decca

Release Date October 13, 1997
What a let down! I bought this for Nessum Dorma and found that the cupboard of his repertoire is actually pretty bare. Other than "Just one Cornetto" there aren't any big hits on this album. Surely they could have included the 1975 classic "everyone's a fruit and nut case"? More importantly, none of it is in english so i've no idea what he's on about.

That said, this guy can sing, proving, like Michelle McManus before him that being obese is no barrier if you have a decent voice. With the right material this guy could have a big career ahead of him. Maybe he should enter X-Factor, Simon Cowell could make him a big star.

CD-Charts Position 10
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Britten - St Nicolas; Christ Nativity; Psalm 150

from: Naxos

Release Date November 03, 2003
I have particular interest in the main piece on this CD, Britten's 'St. Nicolas' cantata, because a choir I sing in will be doing it later this year with our local professional chamber orchestra; interestingly, a previous performance of it by this group was so successful that a repeat has been requested. Britten, of course, wrote the work for amateur chorus and a professional tenor soloist, in this case his long-time lover, Peter Pears. Enough time has now passed that, although Pears/Britten recorded the work, it is appropriate and welcome that new forces give it a go. Philip Langridge, the tenor here, is actually a better-sounding singer than Pears, although no one would ever question Pears's musicianship. And I say that even as I am one of those who long since have found ... Read More: