Arrau - Final Sessions, Vol.1: Schubert

Advantages: A good mixture of covers
Disadvantages: Not enough songs!

...Madness in the their latter years somewhat lost touch, and lost their connection with their roots. Everything that made them who they were in the late part of the 70's had all but gone by as early as 1981. But 2005 saw Madness take a welcomed return to those roots we all missed. However it wasn't with new writings or recordings. It was covers of those bands that helped create them. The Dangermen Sessions - Volume 1. From the soulfulness of The Supremes - You Keep Me Hanging On to the roots reggae of Bob Marleys' - So Much Trouble In The World. Not to mention covers of The Kinks, Desmond Dekker and of course, probably the man who played the biggest influence on Madness. . . . Prince Buster. This CD is a must have for any Madness fan.... Read review

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Advantages: Sublime, soulful songs by Schubert
Disadvantages: Sung in German

...The Music This is the first of two albums of Schubert’s Lieder composed for piano and voice. Schubert composed the music to the work of such classical poets including, Goethe, Collins and Shakespeare. Each Lied tells a story of its own. The lyrics are sung in German but a translation is included in the cover. I won't give a track by track listing of the CD as this is easily available but will mention some of my personal favourites. 1. Lieder: Die Forelle: The Trout (Schubert) A playful a cheerful tale of a trout's journey through a stream. Most people will know and love Schubert's piano quintet also entitled The Trout. 5. Lieder: Heidenröslein: Wild Rose (Goethe) A serious ode to the beauty of the wild rose. 6. Lieder: Wandrers Nachtlied II: Wanderers Night song (Goethe) A tranquil tale of a man wandering through the deserted and quiet... Read review

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Advantages: Music to take you beyond this world
Disadvantages: Needs a bit of patience

...will probably be the next one to listen to, then the third and finally the first. I know that seems odd and I’m not trying to make the first movement sound forbidding – it isn’t – but the other three are probably absorbed more easily. ******Movement by Movement Guide…****** 1 The first movement enters almost timidly, unsure of where it’s heading, before suddenly erupting in a spiky passage that feels quite turbulent – waves breaking over a rock, perhaps. Then suddenly, two loud chords and the cellos play one of Schubert’s serene, heart-easing melodies, which is mused upon for some time by all the instruments who seem reluctant to let it go. It was the custom of the time to play the opening part of a work twice, perhaps to make sure everyone got the point. Nowadays we can repeat anything ad nauseam on our electronic equipment and this may seem... Read review

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