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Essential Classical MasterpiecesVarious Artists
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Seekers of a decent cost-cutter collection of soothing background music and beginners looking for a reasonably broad introduction to Classical music may find Decca's Ultimate Classical Relaxation: The Essential Masterpieces to be a worthwhile purchase. This five-disc set covers the most famous selections from works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky—three favorites of casual listeners and newcomers alike—and offers two additional CDs of the greatest hits of other masters, including Samuel Barber's Adagio for strings, the Adagietto from Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 5, the slow movement from Joaquín Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto, and numerous other evergreens. Of course, this box set would not be complete without the Albinoni Adagio (really composed by Remo Giazotto), but the surprising omission of Pachelbel's ubiquitous Canon may make some doubt whether this really is the ultimate collection; for that overplayed piece, in any number of arrangements, the listener is obliged to search elsewhere. But the music presented here is certainly pleasant and representative of the most popular pieces in music history. Some may question the caliber of the playing, but Decca has chosen recordings by world-class artists, including conductors Vladimir Ashkenazy, Neville Marriner, Herbert von Karajan, and Zubin Mehta; performers such as pianist Alicia de Larrocha, soprano Kiri Te Kanawa, and violinist Kyung-Wha Chung; and ensembles with the instant name recognition of the London Symphony Orchestra, the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, to name just a few. Bearing in mind that this compilation is excerpt oriented and covers a lot of material, yet leaves much important music out, it is still one of the better budget packages on the market and worth more than its low price might suggest. Even so, the audio levels are quite variable, with some over-boosted tracks, while others are quite soft, so some volume adjustments are necessary. © Blair Sanderson, All Music Guide
Portions of Content Provided by All Music Guide.
© 2008 All Media Guide, LLC. All Music Guide is a registered trademark of All Media Guide, LLC.
© 2008 All Media Guide, LLC. All Music Guide is a registered trademark of All Media Guide, LLC.
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| 1 | 2.Air ('On the G String') | 5:13 |
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Johann Sebastian Bach ComposerLiebster Jesu, wir sind hier, BWV731 Work
Alicia de Larrocha Piano
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| 2 | Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier, BWV731 | 3:35 |
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| 3 | 1.Sinfonia ('Shepherd's Music') | 6:40 |
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| 4 | 2.Siciliano | 5:10 |
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| 5 | 1.Prelude | 5:17 |
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| 6 | 10.Chorale: Jesus bleibt meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring; various arrangements) | 3:42 |
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Johann Sebastian Bach ComposerOrchestral Suite No.2 in B-, BWV1067 Work
5:48
William Bennett Flute,
Sir Neville Marriner Conductor,
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra
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| 7 | 3.Sarabande | 3:05 |
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| 8 | 6.Menuet; 7.Badinerie | 2:43 |
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Johann Sebastian Bach ComposerBrandenburg Concerto No.4 in G, BWV1049 Work
Peter Reidemeister Flute,
Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra Orchestra,
Stoika Milanova Violin,
Karl Munchinger Conductor,
Aurele Nicolet Flute
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| 9 | 1.Allegro | 7:36 |
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| 10 | 4.Chorus: Zion hört die Wächter singen ('Sleepers Awake') | 5:34 |
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| 11 | 5.Chorus: Ertödt' uns durch dein' Güte | 3:17 |
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Johann Sebastian Bach ComposerDouble Concerto in C- for Oboe and Violin, BWV1060R (reconstruction of original source of BWV1060) Work
Tess Miller Oboe,
Sir Neville Marriner Conductor,
Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Orchestra,
Carmel Kaine Violin
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| 12 | 2.Adagio | 5:16 |
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| 13 | 2.Andante | 5:42 |
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| 14 | 2.Largo ma non tanto | 5:29 |
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| 15 | 1.Prelude | 1:54 |
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| 16 | 9.Aria (Soprano): Schafe können sicher weiden (Sheep May Safely Graze; various arrangements) | 4:36 |
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| CD 2 of 5 | ||||||
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| 1 | 2.Andante ('Theme from Elvira Madigan') | 7:59 |
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| 2 | 3.Menuetto 1 | 4:46 |
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ComposerClarinet Concerto in A, K.622 Work |
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| 3 | 2.Adagio | 7:19 |
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Andras Schiff Piano
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| 4 | 2.Andante | 5:24 |
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ComposerViolin Concerto No.3 in G, K.216 Work |
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| 5 | 2.Adagio | 8:12 |
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| 6 | 2.Romance: Andante | 5:48 |
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Karl Munchinger Conductor,
Werner Tripp Flute,
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra,
Hubert Jellinek Harp
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| 7 | 2.Andantino | 8:27 |
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ComposerPiano Sonata No.12 in F, K.332 Work
Andras Schiff Piano
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| 8 | 2.Adagio | 4:50 |
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Alfred Boskovsky Clarinet
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| 9 | 2.Larghetto | 6:28 |
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| 10 | 2.Andante | 11:07 |
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| 11 | 3.Adagio | 4:41 |
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Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky ComposerRomeo and Juliet (fantasy overture) Work |
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| 1 | Romeo and Juliet (fantasy overture; excerpt) | 3:11 |
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| 2 | 2.Valse | 3:37 |
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| 3 | 6.None but the Lonely Heart | 3:29 |
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Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky ComposerPiano Concerto No.1 in Bb-, Op.23 Work |
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| 4 | 2.Andantino semplice | 6:48 |
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| 5 | 2.Adagio cantabile e con moto | 8:04 |
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Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky ComposerNutcracker (ballet), Op.71...Act 2 Work |
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| 6 | 16.Pas de deux, Variation 2: Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy | 1:38 |
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| 7 | 2.Andante cantabile | 8:20 |
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| 8 | 6.Song Without Words | 3:23 |
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Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky ComposerNutcracker (ballet), Op.71...Act 2 Work |
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| 9 | 10.Dance of the Mirlitons ('Reed-flutes') | 2:36 |
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| 10 | Elegy, for string orchestra in G ('In Memory of Ivan Samarin') | 8:04 |
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| 11 | Valse sentimentale, for violin and piano in F-, Op.51, No.6 | 2:31 |
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Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky ComposerSuite No.4, Op.61 ('Mozartiana') Work |
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| 12 | 3.Prayer: Andante non tanto (after 'Ave verum corpus', K.618) | 5:15 |
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Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky ComposerThe Swan Lake (ballet), Op.20...Act 1 Work |
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| 13 | 7.Pas d'action; 8.Sujet (Introduction to the Dance of the Goblets); 11.Dance of the Goblets: Tempo di polacca | 6:34 |
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| 14 | 18.Panorama | 3:35 |
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| 15 | 2.Allegro con grazia | 7:01 |
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| CD 4 of 5 | ||||||
Remo Giazotto ComposerAdagio in G- for Violin, Strings, and Organ (previously attributed to Albinoni) Work
Alastair Ross Organ,
Simon Standage Violin,
Richard Hickox Conductor,
Richard Hickox Orchestra Orchestra
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| 1 | Adagio in G- for Violin, Strings, and Organ (previously attributed to Albinoni) | 8:59 |
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| 2 | Kol Nidrei: Adagio on Hebrew Melodies, for cello and orchestra, Op.47 | 10:12 |
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Gustav Mahler ComposerSymphony No.5 in C#- Work |
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| 3 | 4.Adagietto. Sehr langsam | 9:42 |
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| 4 | 2.Adagio | 10:54 |
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| 5 | Adagio for Strings (arr. of 2nd mvmt. of String Quartet), Op.11 | 8:44 |
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Carl Baermann III ComposerAdagio for clarinet & strings Work
Alfred Boskovsky Clarinet
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| 6 | Adagio for clarinet & strings | 4:43 |
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| 7 | 13.The Swan | 3:19 |
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| 8 | 2.Largo (containing theme 'Going Home') | 12:31 |
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Jules Massenet ComposerThaïs (opera)...Act 2 Work |
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| 9 | 7.Méditation | 5:48 |
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Edvard Grieg ComposerPeer Gynt Suite No.1, Op.46 Work |
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| 1 | 1.Morgenstemning (Morning Mood) | 4:00 |
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| 2 | 4.Chorus: Zion hört die Wächter singen ('Sleepers Awake') | 5:16 |
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Frederick Delius ComposerFlorida Suite, RTvi/1 Work |
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| 3 | 1.Daybreak: Dance | 12:29 |
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Andrés Segovia ComposerEtude for Guitar ('Neblina') Work
Eduardo Fernandez Guitar
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| 4 | Etude for Guitar ('Neblina') | 1:55 |
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Carl Nielsen ComposerAladdin, FS89, Op.34 (incidental music)...Act 4 Work |
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| 5 | 22.Aladdin's dream: Dance of the morning mists | 2:56 |
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Johann Strauss II ComposerMorgenblätter (Morning Papers), Op.279 Work |
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| 6 | Morgenblätter (Morning Papers), Op.279 | 9:26 |
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English Traditional ComposerEarly One Morning, folk song Work |
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| 7 | Early One Morning, folk song | 2:44 |
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Maurice Ravel ComposerDaphnis et Chloé (ballet)...Part 3 Work
Arthur Oldham Chorus/Choir Director,
Leopold Stokowski Conductor,
London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra,
London Symphony Chorus Chorus/Choir
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| 8 | 20.Lever du jour (Dawn) | 4:57 |
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(Franz) Joseph Haydn ComposerSymphony No.6 in D ('Le Matin'), Hob.I:6 Work |
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| 9 | 2.Adagio. Andante. Adagio | 8:04 |
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| 10 | 2.Chanson de matin | 3:21 |
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Max Bruch ComposerScottish Fantasy, for violin and orchestra, Op.46 Work |
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| 11 | 1.Prelude: Grave; 2.Adagio cantabile | 8:12 |
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Joseph Canteloube ComposerChants d'Auvergne, Series 5 Work |
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| 12 | 7.Uno jionto Postouro | 3:11 |
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Amilcare Ponchielli ComposerLa Gioconda, opera in 4 acts...Act 3 Work |
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| 13 | 11.Danza delle ore | 7:45 |
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