20th Century Baroque

Advantages: Relaxing, serene, dreamy
Disadvantages: The first track is not actual Albinoni

.... Albinoni was to die in 1751, in his beloved Venice. The Music The CD contains 23 of Albinoni’s slower movements taken from his concertos and sonatas. Many are adagios, others are andante (walking pace), Larghetto (quite slowly). All though are slow in tempo. The overall effect is that of a slow serenity. The first track on the CD is the popular Adagio for Organ and Strings in G minor. This piece, however, had little to do with the compositions of Albinoni. It was constructed from a fragment by the 20th century musicologist Remo Giazotto who holds the copyright. Here, it is played a little faster than a lot of the other versions available. Each individual instruments is heard clearly and brightly. It is an absolutely delightful rendition of a favourite piece of music albeit not Albinoni’s own and provides an appropriate introduction... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: One to tick off on your list
Disadvantages: Not got much of a tune to it! (but that's the point)

...Whoever suggested this was 'easy listening' was taking the mickey, or deaf! Billed 'A colossus of 20th century music' he rightly claims to be the father of avant-garde electronic music, before Stockhausen, people used electrical and electronic musical instruments as new forms of expression, but largely used them in a conventional fashion, replicating the techniques and structures of 'conventional' equipment. Stockhausen saw things from a different perspective. He was an accomplished musician and composer in his own right, he realised that technology had developed in a sufficiently complex and sophisticated way that one could 'break free' from the rigours of conventionality. In a way, this was very similar to what happened to painting in the late 19th and early 20th century with the advent of photography - at that point, art could... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: The finest recording on two CDs
Disadvantages: You can only listen to one CD at a time!

...... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful