20th Century British Ballets

Advantages: it gives a neat summary of the Kinks colourful and varied career
Disadvantages: Being a 'Best of' you only get to scratch the surface

...One of the gems of British rock music, the Kinks helped define our little island in the 6o's as the epicentre of the most exciting cultural revolution of the the 20th Century. This album charts their progress, starting with the gritty rock n' roll of 'You Really Got Me' to the more quirky and observational pieces such as 'Sunny Afternoon' and 'Apeman' to the more risque and sexually ambiguous 'Lola'. This album by no means gives the full flavour of the Kinks, but it is a very useful starting point for a Kinks beginner. It can be seen as a contents page with each song acting as the title of a chapter, charting their progress and maturation over the years.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Good tuba muisc
Disadvantages: None

...The tuba has generally been ignored as a solo instrument, and although it enjoyed some success in Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique and the operas of Wagner, it didnt really emerge as a solo instrument until the 20th century. However, recently the tuba's potential as a soloist has been realised through the children's tale, Tubby the Tuba, where the whole point of the story is to highlight the fact that most peoploe would not think the tuba of being capable in taking a soloistic role, but the fact that it can take this role, and take it extremely successfully is shown here in this CD with these four Tuba Concerti, that were all written in the years after Tubby the Tuba. The first Tuba Concerto on the CD is Tuba Concerto (1978) by Edward Gregson. 1 - Allegro deciso 2 - Lento e mesto 3 - Allegro giocoso This concerto begins with a fanfare... Read review

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Advantages: beautifully composed, orchestrated and performed
Disadvantages: not for the "sing-a-long" musician

...yes thats right folks! Gerald Finzi's music can be described as many things, but genius must be one of them. Gerald Finzi was a British composer in the early 20th Century. Though mostly known for his choral works and hymns, his orchestral pieces give him standing among the all-time musical greats. With an incredible understanding of counterpoint and harmony all the music is atmospheric and paints scenes of true England: rolling hills and valleys, greenery and wildlife. It is true, that a musician's world can be portrayed through his work. The clarinet works, performed by Robert plane, are masterfully directed and performed, keeping close to the original scores even throughout the cadenzas and most intricate of passages. This is the album I put on for stress-busting, though its not for the sing-along istener (no lyrics!), nor... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful