20th Century British Choral Music

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

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 background listening
Disadvantages: Odd mixture of music on the Uplifting disc

..., tranquil piece which makes me think of lazy summer afternoons. 5 Cassidy - 'Vide Cor Meum'. This is from the film Hannibal, the scene where Dr Hannibal Lecter and Inspector Pazzi are watching an opera in Florence. I find this a very haunting piece. 6 Delibes - 'Flower Duet'. This is from the opera Lakme and was also used in a very popular British Airways advert on TV a few years ago. It's one of those pieces that I've now heard so many times that it no longer has much of an effect on me. It's nice enough to hear another time though. 7 Faure - 'Cantique de Jean Racine'. One of Faure's earliest pieces of signifance, written in 1865 while the composer was still a 20 year old music student. Quite a well know piece with a soothing feel about it. 8 Handel 'Eternal Source of Light Divine'. The soloist here is Elin Manahan... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful