Haydn: Complete Piano Trios

Advantages: Two outstanding peices of chamber music for an unusual combination of instruments
Disadvantages: On the surface quite contrasting works, listener must be openminded

...The work of Ligeti has been at the forefront of Western avant-garde since his escape from the oppressive communist regime of Hungary in 1956, and he is widely appreciated as one of the most outstanding contemporary composers. The Trio for Violin, Horn and Piano because it was born out of a three-year period of illness and writer's block after the completion of Le Grand Macabre in which time he laboured over a piano concerto but completed only two short harpsichord pieces (Continuum and Hungarian Rock), yet the result in 1982 was the Trio, one of the finest and most complex pieces written so far. His career up to this point had included such sucesses as his Requiem, Atmosphères and the soundtrack for Stanley Kubrick's film 2001. Tiring of his own cluster-textural techniques and the avant-garde, Ligeti refreshed his compositional... Read review

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Advantages: Some Really Catchy Tracks
Disadvantages: Can Be Saming Wont Appeal To A Large Audience

...cheaper. Track 1 - Time to Waste This song is one of a couple you might recognise Alkaline Trio for played very frequently on mainstream radio after its release. I personally love the instrumental beginning, this consists of a piano and gradually adds drums , after this you hear the guitars and this is when the song really starts. Its a very catchy song and will have you humming the chorus all afternoon Track 2 - The Poison This song is slightly different, however it has similarities to other punky songs with its lyrics and rhythm. I dont enjoy this song anywhere near as many others on the album. It is what i normally call a filler song. One that would never make a decent single but is included on the album just to bump it up. There is some good guitar chords hidden deep within there though. Track 3 - Burn Back on form this becomes... Read review

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Advantages: Exciting and moving performance, fine singers, orchestra and conductor
Disadvantages: None really

...-excited exuberance of a puppy that has treed its first cat! Background: Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) enjoyed a prolific and highly successful career composing in a wide variety of genres from opera to piano sonatas and is widely regarded to have fine-tuned the Classical Style in his string quartets and symphonies. When Haydn started composing "Die Schoepfung" (The Creation in English) in 1786 he had returned to Vienna after a highly successful time in England where his music was feted by everyone from the King downwards. He was now at the height of his powers, with a doctorate from Oxford University in his pocket and was certainly very aware of the commercial value of his music having made a substantial amount of money in England. From the copious archived documentation, we can read that Haydn felt there was nothing more he could say... Read review

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