Album

Naïve's compilation album Classique & Zen offers no explanation of the relationship between the two concepts other than the simple direction, "You are free to be Zen." The lack of specificity in no way detracts from the effectiveness of the CD and its artful presentation. It stands out from many of the other collections with the goal of inducing a state of serenity on several fronts. First, the quality of the performances, taken from Naïve's catalog, is uniformly first-rate, and often stunningly fine. For two disparate examples, male soprano Philippe Jaroussky's aria from Vivaldi's Orlando Furioso is breathtakingly expressive and refined, and Ensemble Kapsberger's playing of Santiago de Murcia's Canarios has a melting charm. Second, the selections are labeled with careful attention to accuracy, a real rarity in most compilations like this, with information on the CD from which each piece is taken, should the listener be interested in finding more performances by the artists. Most importantly, the CD consistently succeeds in its selection of pieces that can actually produce the meditative calm that the title purports to induce, unlike the many albums with similar titles that follow a Gymnopédie and a Mozart Adagio with something like The Ride of the Valkyries. The listener seeking a "relaxation" album need look no further than Naïve's fine collection, which should serve as a model of excellence for the genre.

© Stephen Eddins, Rovi

CD 1
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Clarinet Quintet in A ('Stadler'), K.581 Work Quatuor Mosaïques Ensemble, Wolfgang Meyer Clarinet
1	2.Larghetto	6:05			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer Orlando (Orlando furioso II), RV728 (opera in 3 acts) Work Matheus Ensemble Ensemble, Philippe Jaroussky Countertenor, Jean-Christophe Spinosi Conductor
2	Aria. Sol da te, mio dolce amore	7:49			$1.49
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Auf dem Wasser zu singen, D.774, Op.72 Work Claire Désert Piano, Anne Gastinel Cello
3	Auf dem Wasser zu singen, D.774, Op.72	3:25			$0.99
Achille-Claude Debussy Composer Préludes, Book 1, L.117 Work Noël Lee Piano
4	6.Des pas sur la neige	3:53			$0.99
Reynaldo Hahn Composer Chansons grises, song cycle Work Marie-Nicole Lemieux Contralto, Daniel Blumenthal Piano
5	5.L'Heure Exquise	1:58			$0.99
Santiago de Murcia Composer Canarios Work Ensemble Kapsberger Ensemble, Rolf Lislevand Conductor
6	Canarios	2:04			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Sonata No.1 for Solo Violin in G-, BWV1001 Work Hopkinson Smith Lute
7	1.Adagio	3:42			$0.99
Antonio Vivaldi Composer L'Olimpiade, RV725 (opera) Work Sara Mingardo Contralto, Concerto Italiano Orchestra, Rinaldo Alessandrini Conductor
8	Aria. Mentre dormi, Amor fomenti	3:20			$0.99
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer Piano Concerto No.23 in A, K.488 Work Fazil Say Piano, Zürcher Kammerorchester Orchestra, Howard Griffiths Conductor
9	2.Adagio	6:10			$0.99
Claudio Monteverdi Composer Lamento della Ninfa, SV163 Work Concerto Italiano Orchestra, Rinaldo Alessandrini Conductor
10	2.Amor, dicea, il ciel	7:01			$1.49
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Piano Sonata No.8 in C-, Op.13 ('Pathétique') Work François-Frederic Guy Piano
11	2.Adagio cantabile	5:43			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer 24 Preludes, Op.28 Work Grigory Sokolov Piano
12	4.Largo in E-	2:24			$0.99
Gustav Mahler Composer Symphony No.5 in C#- Work Accentus Chorus/Choir, Laurence Equilbey Choir Conductor
13	4.Adagietto. Sehr langsam	9:09			$1.49
Maurice Ravel Composer Miroirs Work Lise de la Salle Piano
14	5.La vallée des cloches	6:00			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Die Forelle (The Trout), D.550, Op.32 Work Claire Désert Piano, Anne Gastinel Cello
15	Die Forelle (The Trout), D.550, Op.32	2:14			$0.99