Classical > Orchestral Classical > Byrd, William

Advantages: An excellent introduction to Classical Music
Disadvantages: None

This is a companion set to Naxos' "The A~Z of Opera" (previously reviewed.. It follows the same format and is an ideal compilation for people who are new to classical music as well as classical music buffs. It contains a double CD with two and a half hours of classical music (as you would expect) and a 562 page book (not quite as thick as the Opera one) compiled and written again by Keith Anderson. So what's in the pack? ~~ The Book This contains ...
...same size as a CD and fairly thick. The text is concise and clear and informative, with portraits of composers throughout. After the index you get 450 pages of concise histories of composers, with recommendations of recordings from the Naxos catalogue. It is arranged in alphabetical order, and starts with Adolphe Adam and is completed by Bernd Alois Zimmerman. As well as details about the composer there are sections on the different types of music ... Read review

Advantages: amazing artists, amazing tracks
Disadvantages: Some really weird other tracks

Imagine bringing all the true classic greats onto one album; Vanessa Mae, Nigel Kennedy, Pavarotti, Leslie Garrett, Paul McCartney (no you didn't misread that last one) It should be the most phenominal album of all time, all these great names on 2 CDs, and in places it is, but there are some really odd, weird choices on this album that completely spoil it for me and in my opinion create an opportunity missed. The album opens with the amazing Ave ...
...truly great tracks here and the highlight for me is Vanessa Mae performing Bachs Toccata and Fugue in D minor (The piece associated with Dracula movies) This piece is usually played accompanied by a full traditional orchestra or there is a great arrangement for the organ. (I played the organ version at my daughters christening - couldn't resist, much to the disgust of the regular congregation) Vanessa is undoubtable incredibly talented and beautiful ... Read review

Advantages: Domingo and Bruson are excellent
Disadvantages: Scotto is sometimes very bad indeed

***Please note there are different versions of this performance available one through Classics for Pleasure at Emi and Emi classics with this one not having a libretto and perhaps (not sure on this one) even different remastering dates - might be worth checking the website of Emi just to be sure - i always go with the one with the libretto but if it is down to the price, the Classics for pleasure is nearly always cheaper *** I am going to compare ...
...and probably appeal to the same market. This recording with Renata Scotto, Placido Domingo and Renato Bruson and another Tosca recording with [what looks like on paper] a stellar cast - the remarkable Davis set with Carreras and Caballe. Scotto proves to be a more dramatic Tosca than Caballe, but Caballe sounds somewhat fresher. Scotto would have been terrific about three or four years earlier - she started singing Bellini's opera Norma as well as ... Read review