Album

There must be a great number of people in the world who need relaxation and can't get it, judging from the frequency of times titles like The Ultimate Relaxation Album IV turn up on classical new release listings. Indeed, at this point there almost seems to be one compilation available per person in need of relaxation. Musically, this one is not significantly different from what is expected. The musical selections are all at a moderate tempo, or yet slower, and the program consists of the "usual suspect" type of classical music excerpts that are taken out of their given context and put into this one. However, the performances—drawn from across the various labels in the Universal vault—are all splendid. As a compilation, The Ultimate Relaxation Album IV is sequenced well, although the mood is generally subdued. The package has an attractive fall theme on the front cover and it fairly well fits the content, which ranges from reflective to somber.

© Uncle Dave Lewis, All Music Guide

CD 1
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Serenade in G, K.525 ('Eine Kleine Nachtmusik'; 'A Little Night Music') Work Sir Neville Marriner Conductor, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra
1	2.Romance: Andante	6:07			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Cello Suite No.1 in G, BWV1007 Work Mischa Maisky Cello
2	1.Prelude	2:41			$0.99
(Franz) Joseph Haydn Composer String Quartet in F, Hob.III:17, Op.3, No.5 (spurious, possibly by Hoffstetter) Work I Musici String Ensemble
3	2.Andante cantabile ('Serenade')	4:47			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Cantata No.147: Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (Visitation), BWV147 (includes 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring')...10.Chorale: Jesus bleibt meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring) Work Nicholas Cleobury Conductor, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Julian Lloyd Webber Cello
4	10.Chorale: Jesus bleibt meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring; various arrangements)	3:06			$0.99
Johann Pachelbel Composer Canon and Gigue in D, for 3 violins and continuo ('Pachelbel's Canon'), T.337 Work I Musici String Ensemble
5	1.Canon	4:42			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Double Concerto in D- for 2 Violins, BWV1043 Work Festival Strings Lucerne String Ensemble, Regis Pasquier Violin, Zino Francescatti Violin, Rudolf Baumgartner Conductor
6	2.Largo ma non tanto	7:13			$1.49
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Idomeneo, rè di Creta, K.366 (opera seria)...Act 3 Work Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Sir John Pritchard Conductor
7	25.March	2:22			$0.99
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Petite suite, for piano 4-hands, L.65...Petite suite, for piano 4-hands, L.65 (arr. orchestra) Work L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande Orchestra, Ernest Ansermet Conductor
8	1.En bâteau	3:44			$0.99
Ottorino Respighi Composer Ancient Airs and Dances, Suite No.3, P.172 Work Sir Neville Marriner Conductor, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra
9	1.Italiana	3:18			$0.99
Pietro Mascagni Composer Cavalleria rusticana (opera) Work Gianandrea Gavazzeni Conductor, National Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra
10	12.Intermezzo Sinfonico	3:13			$0.99
Giacomo Puccini Composer Madama Butterfly (opera)...Act 2 Work Barry Wordsworth Conductor, BBC Concert Orchestra Orchestra
11	11.Coro a bocca chiusa (Humming Chorus)	3:19			$0.99
Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky Composer String Quartet No.1 in D, Op.11...String Quartet No.1 in D, Op.11 (arr. orchestra) Work Raymond Agoult Conductor, New Symphony Orchestra of London Orchestra
12	2.Andante cantabile	8:14			$1.49
Gabriel Fauré Composer Pelléas et Mélisande, Op.80 (suite) Work L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande Orchestra, Ernest Ansermet Conductor
13	2.Entr'acte: La Fileuse	3:07			$0.99
Sir Edward Elgar Composer 2 Pieces, Op.15...2 Pieces, Op.15 (arr. orchestra) Work Barry Wordsworth Conductor, BBC Concert Orchestra Orchestra
14	2.Chanson de matin	3:03			$0.99
Christoph Willibald von Gluck Composer Orfeo ed Euridice, Wq.30 (opera in 3 acts, Italian version)...Orfeo ed Euridice, Wq.30 (opera in 3 acts, various arrangments) Work Academy of Ancient Music Orchestra, Christopher Hogwood Conductor
15	Dance of the Blessed Spirits (arr.orch.)	7:37			$1.49
Antonín (Leopold) Dvořák Composer Serenade for Strings in E, Op.22 Work Sir Neville Marriner Conductor, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra
16	2.Tempo di valse	6:17			$0.99
Sir Edward Elgar Composer Enigma Variations, Op.36 Work Chicago Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Georg Solti Conductor
17	9.Nimrod (A.J. Jaeger)	3:13			$0.99