Williams Vienna

The undeniable merit of this recording is that it preserves what a vividly marvelous piece of musical melodrama this opera is, abounding with lyrical moments and cracklingly powerful scenes, and marked throughout by engaged and engaging acting by the principals. It also allows one to contemplate how rich in influences this opera was upon the young Verdi and Wagner, in equal measure. There are pre-echoes here of the choral writing in Flying Dutchman, Wotan’s Spear, even the “Magic Fire Music,” as well as Verdi’s dispensation of groundswell choral scenes and dramatic use of parlando.
Christopher Williams, FANFARE

The intent of this set is pretty clear from the titles of each of the six discs: Meditations; Orchestral Fireworks; Invitation to the Dance; Nocturne; Pomp & Circumstance; Grand Opera. This is mood or 'theme' music designed to provide either a background or a sequence of 'tasters' initiating the person who comes fresh to classical music with a sampling from the 'great and the good'. True the 'great and the good' are all from the core repertoire; not even a scintilla of Janacek, Nielsen, Adams, Reich which is a shame.

An operatic anthology of beloved opera performances spanning multiple vocal ranges that capture the joyous essence of the Christmas season.

Zubin Mehta's reputation is an (undeservedly) mixed one. Following an excellent term as director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Mehta's career was marked by a rocky period with the New York Philharmonic in which he was caricatured by the NY press as a showman with little substance to his music making. A series of lackluster recordings with that group did not help. This wonderful collection goes a long way to demonstrating how incorrect this assessment is. The six CD set highlights some of Mehta's best music-making in performances captured in wonderful sound by Decca. Appropriately enough, most of the recordings are with Los Angeles, where Mehta made his reputation.

This is a Great Classical piece for the lovers of classical, as well as the ones who may hate it. These Adagios CDs get beter and better each time there is a new release. I must warn you there some good as well as some bad ones. There is a certain Adagio flavor for everyones.

Collection includes 11 albums and DVD Live In Tokyo by Japanese virtuoso jazz pianist Chihiro Yamanaka.

The great Bohemian-born composer Gustav Mahler once said, "A symphony must be like the world. It must embrace everything." Over the course of its nearly 300-year life, the symphony has indeed embraced almost every trend to be found in Western concert music.