Dickinson: Piano Concerto; Outcry; Organ

Advantages: One of the most Romantic concertos around, full of beautiful melodies and passion
Disadvantages: over-recorded

...INTRODUCTION Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninov was one of the most promising composers emerging from Russia after Tchaikovsky. His early works included the youthfully energetic Piano Concerto in F sharp minor, Op.1, an orchestral fantasia The Rock, the opera Aleko, several songs, piano pieces (including the famous Prelude in C sharp minor, a work that would plague Rachmaninov with its popularity throughout his life) and the First Symphony in D minor, Op.13. Rachmaninov had high hopes for the latter; it was his magnum opus up until that time. However the symphony proved to be the biggest disappointment of his career, causing a tremendous crisis in his creative life. All the critics jumped on the work, most notably César Cui who compared it with the Seven Plagues of Egypt and condemned the work as modernist trash. The effect... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Really nice music
Disadvantages: A few tracks arent as good as the others

...tracks like Nocturne in E flat, Op. 9, No. 2, Andante from Piano Concerto No. 2, Op 101 and A Leopard's Lullaby, the rest of the tracks are amazing, expecially Band of Brothers, Tears in Heaven and Live to Tell and these really good ones cancel out the effect of the bad ones. It's a good CD to have playing as background music and is really calming - I like to have it playing while reading or doing homeworks as it is nive calming music that doesnt really divert your attention from the work that you are doing. It was well worth the money I spent on it. Tracks include: 1. Band of Brothers 2. Adagio Cantabile from Sonate 'Pathétique' 3 Tears in Heaven 4. Clair de Lune 5. Live to Tell 6. Touch her soft lips and part 7. Fragile 8. Aria from the Goldberg Variations 9. Gnossienne No.1 in F Minor 10. I Still Haven... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Classic Concertos for Everybody
Disadvantages: Strings only!!!no woodwind...boo!

...prominent. Thus Vivaldi wrotes sonnets to accompany his music and to establish each thought in his mind. It is obvious to say then that Concerto is labelled Spring through to Winter, with three movements within each season. Most form again adopts the ABA construction, a favorite of Vivaldi. These are as follows: 1: Spring: Concerto No.1 in E Major Allegro / Largo / Allegro This I think, is the most well known of the Concertos, and has been used on numerous car adverts and airline adverts. This is what most people remember Nigel Kennedy playing at the very beginning of Nigel Mania!!!! The string compostion reflects the freshness of spring and depending on what recording you buy (trust me there is loads of choice!) this normally sells the album, this movement is the most played also by a leading Classical Radio. 2: Summer: Concerto... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful