CD-Charts Position 311
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Mario Lanza: The Ultimate Collection

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
from: RCA

Release Date January 22, 1994
A superb collection of some of Mario Lanza's finest recordings. Considering some go back to 1949 - 1958, the recordings to CD are excellent. You'll never walk alone, sung as it was originally intended by the great Mario Lanza. A perfect collection for new comers or fans looking for the best of Mario Lanza. A track for every occassion.

CD-Charts Position 312
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Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake [1996]

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
starring: Adam Cooper, Scott Ambler, Fiona Chadwick, Barry Atkinson, Emily Piercy
directed by: Matthew Bourne, Peter Mumford

Release Date October 05, 1998
A truly wonderful interpretation of the timeless classic. Every bit as stunning as seeing it live. Probably not one for the children, so if you are looking for that seek out a more traditional production.

It is witty, excellently crafted and moving. A world wide phenomenon and and instant classic. It is difficult for a DVD to truly capture the magic of a live performance, but this does an admirable job.

Essential viewing for all of the Billy Elliot's out there!

CD-Charts Position 313
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Verdi: Aida -- Metropolitan Opera (NTSC)

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
starring: Aprile Millo, Plácido Domingo, Dolora Zajick, Sherrill Milnes, Paata Burchuladze
directed by: Brian Large

Release Date November 20, 2000
Verdi's Aida comes thrillingly to life in this splendid production from the Metropolitan Opera. Aprile Millo is in excellent voice in the title role and sings with great musicality throughout. Indeed this sense of musical values being the most important is reflected in the fine performances of the rest of this all star cast most notably Placido Domingo and Dolora Zajick as Radames and Amneris respectively. The production is old fashioned but attractive and the physical acting is rudimentary but the vocal acting gets prizes all round.

This was a favourite performance for me on video and is now excellently transferred onto DVD (sub titles optional). First rate.

CD-Charts Position 314
Average Rating:

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Bach, J.S.: Great Organ Works

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
by: Peter Hurford

Release Date October 12, 1994
Well-judged tempi, good recording, the scholarship you'd expect from Mr Hurford, allied to imaginatively chosen registration. The C Minor Passacaglia & Fugue are particularly good - I've been looking for a sensitive recording of this for ages after dismissing a lot of ponderous versions which start off with the big guns already blazing!

CD-Charts Position 315
Average Rating:

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Sondheim - The Story So Far...

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
from: Masterworks

Release Date November 03, 2008
Well-judged tempi, good recording, the scholarship you'd expect from Mr Hurford, allied to imaginatively chosen registration. The C Minor Passacaglia & Fugue are particularly good - I've been looking for a sensitive recording of this for ages after dismissing a lot of ponderous versions which start off with the big guns already blazing!

CD-Charts Position 316
Average Rating:

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Mozart: Requiem

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
from: Sony Classical

Release Date November 05, 2001
Where to start? It seems sensible to review both the work itself and this performance of it here, although the score I have given it relates only to the performance.

The work itself is a masterpiece. As you probably know, Mozart left this unfinished when he died, and it was completed by Franz Sussmayr, supposedly to Mozart's plan. However, the work certainly flows as a whole, and all of the individual sections work well. The highlights of the piece are, unsurprisingly for Mozart, the cannons and fugal passages, perhaps most notably in the Domine Jesu and Kyrie. Mozart was a master of weaving lines together to create complex polyphony which is simultaneously exciting, melodic and jaw-dropping. His greatest skill was to create melodies which ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 317
Average Rating:

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Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos.1 & 2

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
by: Polish Festival Orchestra Krystian Zimerman

Release Date October 18, 1999
I have gone through all available different interpretations of these wonderful concertos, spending days to find the best. This one is by far the best. Too many other interprets sadly limit themselves to a technical play (the faster, the better) and see this as the ultimate challenge. Not so Krystian Zimerman! Beside technical perfection, he gets so much emotion and fine tension out of the concertos, it gives them another dimension. This is music! It is incredibly beautiful and fascinating to listen to, and you just wish it would never end...

CD-Charts Position 318
Average Rating:

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Pärt - Spiegel im Spiegel

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
by: Berlin Phil Wind Qnt, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Tallinn Qt

Release Date May 23, 2005
I have gone through all available different interpretations of these wonderful concertos, spending days to find the best. This one is by far the best. Too many other interprets sadly limit themselves to a technical play (the faster, the better) and see this as the ultimate challenge. Not so Krystian Zimerman! Beside technical perfection, he gets so much emotion and fine tension out of the concertos, it gives them another dimension. This is music! It is incredibly beautiful and fascinating to listen to, and you just wish it would never end...

CD-Charts Position 319
Average Rating:

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DV8 - Three Ballets By DV8 Physical Theatre

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
directed by: David Hinton, Clara van Gool

Release Date February 05, 2007
I have gone through all available different interpretations of these wonderful concertos, spending days to find the best. This one is by far the best. Too many other interprets sadly limit themselves to a technical play (the faster, the better) and see this as the ultimate challenge. Not so Krystian Zimerman! Beside technical perfection, he gets so much emotion and fine tension out of the concertos, it gives them another dimension. This is music! It is incredibly beautiful and fascinating to listen to, and you just wish it would never end...

CD-Charts Position 320
Average Rating:

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Beethoven - Symphonies 1 - 9

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
from: Classics for Pleasure

Release Date September 16, 2002
I have given some time to this box set and found the orchestral playing to be foursquare and the conducting not particularly inspired. How on earth anyone can pretend to compare these to Rattle's wonderful (more expensive) VPO set is beyond me. The sound is pretty good in Liverpool and Manchester studios/concert halls.

Like Mackerras' Haydn on Telarc, this does nothing to me, despite its popularity. His Mozart symphonies on Telarc, and Handel etc are wonderful, but this Beethoven is dull and obvious, to my ears. Sorry.

Instead I recommend the following for the budget concious:

Hogwood (nice budget slimline reissue set) - sensible affectionate performances, about the best of authentic, esp for the price

Karajan ... Read More: