Classic FM Music for Driving

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Not applicable
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Great songs  -  wonderful, popular tunes
Disadvantages:	A few songs aren't as good as the others

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I recently bought this CD from amazon, costing £4.97 (which I thought wasn't too bad a price for a CD of anout 75 minutes of good, popular classical music), because I thought it would be nice to have to listen to when I'm learning to drive in a few months time. When the CD arrived I put it on the shelf, intending to keep it until I'm learning to drive but the attractive cover was too attractive and so I just had to listen to it - and I'm glad I did. The CD is really good, with some absolutely wonderful songs like Gabriel's Oboe and Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini (18th movement), played by famous orchestras like the London Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra etc.

Tracks include:
1. Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 - first movement (07:12)
This famous piece of music is played by the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra. Not much can be said about it except that it's an excellent recording of this famous classical piece of music.

2. Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker - Waltz of the Flowers (06:45)
This piece that is featured in the film Fantasia is played by the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. It is a waltz that in my opinion is all right - it's not one of the best tracks on the CD but it is still quite nice and of as high a quality as all the other tracks.

3. Vivaldi: Four Seasons - Spring - first movement (03:08)
This is played by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra with the solo violin part played by Anthony Marwood. This piece is amazing, it is probably the most famous of the four seasons by Vivaldi as the main theme from it is commonly found as mobile phone ring tones but this recording is an awful lot better than found in any ring tone and all of it is found. It is supposed to be depicting spring; with a generally happy main theme with other sections depicting birds singing, light breezes and a storm (I can't remember what it is they are supposed to be depicting but the scenes I mentioned sound quite right). This is a great uplifting piece and played in its glory and is one of the best tracks on the CD.

4. Handel: Water Music Suite No.1 - third movement (02:17)
This is also played by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. This enchanting music by Handel was written to accompany a journey that King George I took up and down the river Thames. King George liked it so much that he had it played three times during the outward and return trips, though I don't think I would have done that as in my opinion it is nice enough but the two or so minutes of it is more than enough of it, without need of playing it again.

5. Morricone: The Mission - Gabriel's Oboe (02:21)
This song, from the film The Mission, is played by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and in my opinion is the best track on the CD. It has a lovely tune played with a great accompaniment. It's hard to describe how nice this piece of music is but it is really, really good.

6. Verdi: La Traviata - Brindisi (02:52)
This is played by the BBC Concert Orchestra, with the London Voices singing and solos from soprano, Lesley Garrett, and tenor, John Hudson. It has a nice introduction and the parts when all voices are singing are also very good but the solos in it sort of let the piece down. They are very good solos, sung very well, but in my opinion they just ruin the whole song a little.

7. Mozart: Symphony No. 40 - first movement (05:44)
This is played by the English Chamber Orchestra. This famous piece has one of the most lyrical beginnings of any symphony. Schubert said "You can hear the angels singing in it." It is a nice, calming/soothing track that is another of the best tracks on the CD.

8. Bach: Double Violin Concerto BWV1043 - first movement (03:38)
This piece, played by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra with solos by Joji Hattori and James Clark, is joyful and lively is good for calming you and lifting your spirit. It also is quite famous, I recognised it when I heard it, though I don't know where I heard it - possibly in a music class in school but I'm not sure. It's a good piece but not wonderful.

9. Delibes: Lakmé - Flower Duet (04:58)
This piece, featured in the British Airways TV advert, is played by Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and sung by soprano, Janice Watson and by mezzo-soprano, Ruby Philogene. It's nice enough but definitely not one of the best tracks on the CD. The part in the British Airways TV advert is nice and is probably the nicest part of the piece but the rest of it isn't as good.

10. Handel: Sarabande (04:04)
This piece, featured in the Levi's TV advert, is played by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. This stately, majestic piece is made up of different variations of the main theme which are played marvellously. This track is very good and is also one of the best on the CD.

11. Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet - Montagues and Capulets (04:07)
This is played by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. This powerful march depicting the feuding families from Shakespeare's tragedy definitely is one of the best tracks on the CD and has a loud, strong start, perfect for when you need to let of some steam, and then has a more peaceful and calm middle section with the opening section played again at the end, but with less of the forcefulness it had at the start.

12. Holst: The Planets - Jupiter, the bringer of Jollity (07:59)
This is played by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. It has a light, lively, fast opening which after two or three minutes slows down, and changes into the noble and majestic sounding 'I vow to thee, my country' theme, which really is truly an amazing theme. After a few minutes of that theme it changes back into the opening theme, which is full of joie de vivre. Finally, in the last minute of the piece the noble 'I vow to thee, my country theme" is briefly restated in lower instruments with the higher instruments playing the fast, light hearted material above it which brings it to an ending. This piece is fantastic.

13. Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor - third movement (05:43)
This is played by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra with Maria Bachmann playing the main violin part. It starts with a link section joining the second movement to the third, during this section it speeds up and modulates, in preparation for the main part of the third movement. Then, after that, comes the main theme that is present most of the way through the piece, but with varying instrumentation and in different keys. This piece is a light hearted, fast piece that is truly amazing. This is also one of the best on the CD.

14. Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini - 18th variation (03:10)
This is played by the Philharmonia Orchestra with Evelyn Chen playing the piano. This is one of the most beautiful of Rachmaninov's love themes which is derived from one of Paganini's violin pieces, the one that found fame as the theme to LWT's 'The South Band Show'. This is really lovely; it has a great tune and great orchestra accompaniment to the main tune on piano. It is so calming and soothing - great for relaxing - absolutely wonderful.

15. Schubert: Piano Quintet "Trout" - fourth movement (06:58)
This piece, played by Boris Berezovsky on piano as well as soloists of the Royal Opera house, Covent Gardens, is taken from the song written by Schubert in 1817 which tells the story of a trout's losing battle against a man. It is in the structure of theme and variations. Each variation has different instrumentation, with each instrument playing the main tune in at least one of the variations. The variations also change keys and have changing tempo. In the fourth variation the tune is lost, and this is the most intense part of the fight, then after that comes a slow variation in with the cello playing the tune and then there is a fast final section, with the tune played by violin and cello (they take it in turns to play the tune), to finish it all off. This is another very good piece.

16. Verdi: Rigoletto - La Donna è Mobile (02:16)
This piece is played by the London Symphony Orchestra with the solo being sung by tenor, Placido Domingo. This is one of Verdi's most upbeat and popular tunes in which the rascally Duke sings 'Woman is fickle as a feather in the wind'. It's quite fast and busy sounding, and although it isn't maybe the best song, it is quite short and so its easier to cope with it over the shortish period of time.

The cover of the CD is very attractive; it is bright and colourful with a nice wee picture (cartoon type image) of two people driving in a car. Inside the cover it gives all the usual information that is found inside the cover of a CD and it also gives a little information about each song and sometimes tells you what you should do when driving and listening - it's a bit silly but its there. The CD is really good and is really good value as well - it only cost me £4.97 and in my opinion it was well worth it. This is my first experience with a Classic FM CD and as a result of listening to this one I can't wait to listen to another.