J. Strauss II: Polkas & Waltzes

Advantages: Witty lyrics, sparkling music
Disadvantages: None

...Die Fledermaus: The Bat Composer: Johann Strauss ll Lyrics: Carl Haffner and Richard Genee Conductor: John Owen Edwards Orchestra: D'Oyly Carte Opera Orchestra Performer: D'Oyly Carte Opera Chorus Label: Sony Classics Released: October 1, 1995 Number of Discs: 2 Cost: £27.99 The Composer Johann Strauss ll was born in Vienna on 25th October 1825 the eldest son of Johann Strauss a renowned violinist and composer. Johann Strauss junior was also a violinist. In 1844, he gathered together his own orchestra with himself as conductor and composer. Working in opposition to his father who disapproved. In 1849 on the death of his father, the two Strauss orchestras were combined. Strauss is best known for his Waltzes including The Beautiful Blue Danube. He also composed 17 operettas including Die Fledermaus in 1874. The Opera... Read review

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Advantages: Some less often heard pieces by Robert Stolz
Disadvantages: Insensitive conducting which swamps singers

...developed by the Strauss family, Kalman, Lehar and others. He composed many operettas, songs, film music - having first made his career as quite a successful conductor in central Europe. With the start of World War 2, he had to leave Europe, ended up in America and achieved considerable fame both by conducting concerts of Viennese music and composing for films. He even got two Academy Award nominations - one for Waltzing in the Clouds (from which the title of this CD comes), nominated for Best Original Song in 1941, and his music for \"It Happened Tomorrow\" was nominated for Best Dramatic or Comedy Picture Score in 1945. After the war he returned to continue his career in Vienna and on his death was awarded the huge honour of being buried near such famous Austrian composers as Brahms and Johann Strauss II in Vienna\'s renowned... Read review

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Advantages: Great Party Fun Album
Disadvantages: Is it Folk or is it Reggae?

...The title is actually Two Step To Heaven and is available for about £6 from Cooking Vinyl records. I first heard this band many years ago on a Cooking Vinyl sampler album. They are a mixture of accordian led folk music and dub reggae. Not your everyday top twenty material. They make excellent party music and their is lots of dancey material on theis album. My faourit track is Bjorn Again Polka..so as you can see they have some snappy titles. I saw them live and North Shields Fish Quay festival two years and they were the best of an excellent lot of World Music. They've now dropped the Red Hot Polkas from the name and are now just plain Edward II. That years album was This Way Up which is also recommended. So if you were looking for some accordion led dub regae folk albums look no further. This is the definite article.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful