Album

Because Naxos' Adagio: The Ultimate Collection, Vol. 1, contained many of the relaxing classical hits that nearly everyone knows, Vol. 2 is a peculiar sequel, for the selections on this double disc are not what casual listeners would readily recognize. In that regard, this is the more interesting of the two albums, since the program doesn't cover any obvious or overly familiar choices, but approaches classical music through less popular but equally deserving works. As before, the tracks are calm and soothing slow movements, taken from concertos and symphonies by such masters as J.S. Bach, Franz Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Luigi Boccherini, Tomaso Albinoni, and eight lesser composers who nonetheless wrote soothing and graceful pieces. The performances by rising artists on Naxos' roster are competent and enjoyable, and the tracks are well-balanced digital recordings that won't require any sudden volume adjustments. One must be wary of any compilation that purports to be the last word on its subject, and there is a limitless supply of slow music available for contemplative listening. But Adagio, Vol. 2, is better than many other collections at introducing the newcomer to untried music and should be given due credit.

© Blair Sanderson, Rovi

CD 1 of 2
Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni Composer Concerto a cinque for 2 Oboes, 2 Violins, Viola, Cello, and Continuo in D, Op.9, No.12 (T.9/12) Work Alison Alty Oboe, Anthony Camden Oboe, London Virtuosi Orchestra, Gohn Georgiadis Conductor
1	2.Adagio	3:15			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Divertimento in Bb for 2 Horns and Strings, K.287 Work Harald Nerat Conductor, Capella Istropolitana Ensemble
2	4.Adagio	8:39			$1.49
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Triple Concerto in A-, for Flute, Violin and Keyboard, BWV1044 Work Cologne Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Helmut Müller-Brühl Conductor
3	2.Adagio, ma non tanto, e dolce	6:08			$0.99
Leopold Hofmann Composer Concerto for oboe, harpsichord & orchestra in F (Badley F1) Work Jenö Jandó Harpsichord, Bela Drahos Conductor, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia Orchestra, Stefan Schilli Oboe
4	2.Adagio cantabile	8:36			$1.49
(Franz) Joseph Haydn Composer Keyboard Concerto in G, Hob.XVIII:9 (possibly spurious) Work Hae-Won Chang Piano, Robert Stankovsky Conductor, Camerata Cassovia Orchestra
5	2.Adagio	8:54			$1.49
Luigi Boccherini Composer Cello Concerto in D, G.479 Work Anthony Halstead Conductor, Tim Hugh Cello, Scottish Chamber Orchestra Orchestra
6	2.Adagio	6:47			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Brandenburg Concerto No.1 in F, BWV1046 Work Bohdan Warchal Conductor, Capella Istropolitana Ensemble
7	2.Adagio	5:14			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Divertimento in D for Winds and Strings, K.131 Work Harald Nerat Conductor, Capella Istropolitana Ensemble
8	2.Adagio	6:15			$0.99
Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni Composer Concerto a cinque for Oboe, 2 Violins, Viola, Cello, and Continuo in C, Op.7, No.12 (T. 7/12) Work John Georgiadis Conductor, Anthony Camden Oboe, London Virtuosi Orchestra
9	2.Adagio	3:06			$0.99
Jacques Pierre Joseph Rode Composer Violin Concerto No.13 in F#- / A major, Op. post. Work Nicolas Pasquet Conductor, South West German Radio Orchestra, Kaiserslautern Orchestra, Friedemann Eichhorn Violin
10	2.Adagio	4:14			$0.99
(Franz) Joseph Haydn Composer Symphony No.26 in D- ('Lamentatione'), Hob.I:26 Work Nicholas Ward Conductor, Northern Chamber Orchestra Orchestra
11	2.Adagio	6:31			$0.99
Joseph Martin Kraus Composer Symphony in E-, Vb. 141 Work Petter Sundkvist Conductor, Swedish Chamber Orchestra Orchestra
12	2.Adagio non tanto ma con espressione	4:49			$0.99
CD 2 of 2
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Easter Oratorio (Kommt, eilet und laufet, ihr flüchtigen Füße), BWV249 Work Budapest Strings Ensemble
1	2.Adagio	5:07			$0.99
Johann Nepomuk Hummel Composer Violin Concerto in G (incomlete, attributed) Work Russian Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Gregory Rose Conductor, Alexander Trostiansky Violin
2	2.Adagio	2:55			$0.99
Leopold Hofmann Composer Oboe Concerto in C (Badley C2) Work Bela Drahos Conductor, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia Orchestra, Stefan Schilli Oboe
3	2.Adagio	5:40			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Piano Concerto No.7 in F, for 3 pianos, K.242 ('Lodron') Work Concentus Hungaricus Orchestra, Jenö Jandó Piano, Matyas Antal Conductor, Denes Varjon Piano
4	2.Adagio	8:30			$1.49
Luigi Boccherini Composer Cello Concerto in G, G.480 Work Anthony Halstead Conductor, Tim Hugh Cello, Scottish Chamber Orchestra Orchestra
5	2.Adagio	6:36			$0.99
Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges Composer Violin Concerto in D, Op.3, No.1 Work Qian Zhou Violin, Toronto Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Kevin Mallon Conductor
6	2.Adagio	4:39			$0.99
Antonio Rosetti Composer Bassoon Concerto in Bb, C73/K 3:61 Work New Brandenburg Philharmonic Orchestra, Nicolas Pasquet Conductor, Albrecht Holder Bassoon
7	2.Adagio	5:52			$0.99
(Franz) Joseph Haydn Composer Keyboard Concerto in G, Hob.XVIII:4 Work Hae-Won Chang Piano, Robert Stankovsky Conductor, Camerata Cassovia Orchestra
8	2.Adagio cantabile	8:03			$1.49
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Symphony No.36 in C, K.425 ('Linz') Work Barry Wordsworth Conductor, Capella Istropolitana Ensemble
9	2.Andante. Poco adagio	6:58			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Brandenburg Concerto No.6 in Bb, BWV1051 Work Bohdan Warchal Conductor, Capella Istropolitana Ensemble
10	2.Adagio ma non tanto	5:25			$0.99
Jacques Pierre Joseph Rode Composer Violin Concerto No.10 in B-, Op.19 Work Nicolas Pasquet Conductor, South West German Radio Orchestra, Kaiserslautern Orchestra, Friedemann Eichhorn Violin
11	2.Adagio	3:37			$0.99
Carl Stamitz Composer Clarinet Concerto No.7 in Eb Work Kalman Berkes Clarinet, Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia Orchestra
12	2.Adagio	5:10			$0.99
Benjamin Godard Composer Violin Concerto No.2 in G-, Op.131 Work Kirk Trevor Conductor, Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra Kosice Orchestra, Chloë Hanslip Violin
13	2.Adagio quasi andante	7:47			$1.49