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1.Saint-Saëns: The Complete Works for Piano and Orchestra from: Hyperion
September 03, 2001
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Music : Saint-Saëns: The Complete Works for Piano and Orchestra
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It is hard to imagine a more sympathetic, nor indeed high spirited, homage to Saint-Saens than this marvellous recording. All five of the piano concertos have something to recommend them and I am glad that they are finally being appreciated on their own grounds. Long neglected, Concertos 1, 3, 4 and 5 are marvellous pieces, full of fun, elegance and poise. The recording itself is in a real class of its own, and this is a very worthy 'sister' of Hough's recent recording of Rachmaninoff's concertos.

Also present here are some smaller pieces, a little like Mozart's one movement rondos. Here, as in the Concertos, Mozart's presence can be felt. However it is the synthesis of Mozart's light orchestration and masterful musical development ... Read More:

2.Elgar - Cello Concerto; Cockaigne; Sea Pictures from: EMI Classics
August 02, 2004
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Music : Elgar - Cello Concerto; Cockaigne; Sea Pictures
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There are now many releases in the EMI 'Great Recordings of the Century' series, and this has to be one of the best I've heard.

The three pieces on this CD date from the 1960's and all have benefited from recent remastering.

The 'Cello Concerto' is a 1965 recording performed by Jacqueline du Pre (who else would you expect?) and remains today, more than 40 years on, the standard to which all other performances of this work are measured. I'm sure I am amongst many others who regret not having seen such a gifted musician play live. I've seen several performances of Elgar's cello concerto, and always find that the best are when the soloist totally immerses him/herself into the music and brings out the emotions from somewhere deep ... Read More:

3.Bach - Brandenburg Concertos from: Universal Classics
March 03, 1995
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Music : Bach - Brandenburg Concertos
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I don't know much about classical music unlike the other reviewers for this CD. However, I was fortunate in that my mother bought me a record (remember them?) of Concertos no 1,3 and 5. You get

1. all 6 Brandenburg concertos beautifully played by English Chamber Orchestra. Normally albums of Bach's Brandenburg concertos only have three of the concertos. Having listened to a few of these, the quality of this CD is at least equal to those recordings in my opinion.

2. two additional concertos: the Concerto for Oboe, Violin and Strings and the Concerto for Flute and Strings. The first of these, as observed in the other reviews, is stunning.

I think this CD is fabulous to listen to and is a complete steal for the price.

4.Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 1-4 by: Vladimir Ashkenazy London Symphony Orchestra André Previn
September 18, 1995
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Music : Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 1-4
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No question that Ashkenazy, Argerich, & Michelangeli are geat pianists and that their Rach recordings are among the best. But two interpreters are so outstanding that their recordings are...what can one say...transcendent ?

The recordings by Rachmaninov himself are benchmarks and beyond reproach. Unfortunately he lived at a time when recording technology was primitive, although modern restoration specialists have made a wonderful job of bringing his recordings to life on the Naxos Historical label. If one cannot put up with the shortcomings of restored mechanical/electric recording technology, then the next best option is Horowitz, on whom Rachmaninov himself had conferred his blessing. But the technical quality of the Horowitz recordings falls short of what we expect ... Read More:

5.Beethoven: The Piano Concertos by: Vladimir Ashkenazy Chicago Symphony Orchestra Georg Solti
November 20, 1995
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Music : Beethoven: The Piano Concertos
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Vladimir Ashkenazy must rank as one of the greatest pianists of the modern era. His blend of flawless technique and sensitive interpretation marks him out as being uniquely placed to deliver as near to definitive performances as it is possible to get. This set of piano concerti was my introduction to his work, and I remain as impressed now as I was when I first heard them. He is ably supported by a rich and warm sound from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by the incomparable Sir Georg Solti. Ashkenazy was apparently apprehensive about approaching Beethoven and attempting to play him in the West when he emerged from the Soviet Union as a young man in the sixties; he need not have been. His command of the tonal energy and colours of the piano works is unrivalled. I like all these concerti, ... Read More:

6.Mozart: Great Piano Concertos by: Vladimir Ashkenazy Philharmonia Orchestra
July 07, 1997
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Music : Mozart: Great Piano Concertos
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Mozart is deceptively hard to play - everything is so exposed and must sound clean and polished. I have a lot of respect for Ashkenazy as a pianist, because in these Mozart concertos he has achieved just that. Perfect legato, even playing. I find these recordings so satisfying to listen to, as he is in utter control of everything.

The D minor concerto has to be one my favourites of Mozart's 27, and it is given an amazing performance here (as are the rest). The work is so good, Beethoven wrote a magnificent set of cadenzas for it! I particularly enjoy listening to how Ashkenazy executes these cadenzas with so much expression and real virtuosity.

Ashkenazy's performance of these works sound perfect to my ears. Go on treat yourself! Once I heard this selection of concertos, ... Read More:

7.Mozart: Complete Violin Concertos from: Philips
May 10, 1993
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Music : Mozart: Complete Violin Concertos
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I agree with the other reviewers here: this is a marvellous set, and a real bargain, too. Not only do you get all five of the Violin Concertos, but the sublime Sinfonia Concertante too, and all in impeccable performances.

Grumiaux was universally hailed as a truly great violinist and a wonderful interpreter of Mozart, and he shows why in this set. His technique is superb, he uses his virtuosity to show the music to its best advantage rather than to draw attention to the virtuosity itself and he has real feeling without ever slipping into schmaltz. For example, the well-known (perhaps over-exposed) Adagio of K216 is sublime, uplifting and heart-string tugging stuff without a hint of sentimentality; just sheer beauty, beautifully expressed. I have never come across recordings I prefer to these, ... Read More:

8.Garth - Cello Concertos Nos 1 - 6 from: Divine Art
October 08, 2007
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Music : Garth - Cello Concertos Nos 1 - 6
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Do you like Correlli, Bach, and cello? Do you enjoy period instruments when they produce a warm, earthy timbre? Do you appreciate musicianship of quality and sensitivity? This is a lovely double cd, with a warm human vision at its centre. Richard Tunnicliffe's cello playing is a mellow, earthy delight, equally matched by the playing of the Avison Ensemble, who generate a rich, bouyant 'sprung rhythmn', which lifts the music effortlessly to another level. This is very well recorded, having an immediacy which would have you believe the musicians are in the room with you. Ideal music for relaxation, for mood enhancement, and with sufficient richness and complexity to reward repeat listening. This is a rich little treasure indeed.

9.Lang Lang: Nigel Hess Piano Concerto by: Lang Lang
August 04, 2008
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Music : Lang Lang: Nigel Hess Piano Concerto
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Nigel Hess's piano concerto was commissioned in memory of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: hence the somewhat portentous titles for each of the movements. It is a shame that it occupies a CD all on its own (at under 23 minutes) and it would make an excellent coupling with Howard Blake's, the latter piece having been dedicated to Princess Diana.

Hess is primarily a film music composer, and clearly needed the `hook' of a extra-musical concept in order to get his creative juices flowing, however he wouldn't be alone amongst composers in this. Certainly the concerto itself shows no signs of being any kind of detailed narrative.

If you're expecting a deep and intellectual work, then this isn't for you, but if you value melodic interest and an effective ear for orchestration (i.e. good tunes ... Read More:

10.Shostakovich: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 / Cello Concerto No. 1 by: Leonard Bernstein, Yo-Yo Ma
September 17, 2001
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Music : Shostakovich: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 / Cello Concerto No. 1
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I've never written a review before, but my listening to this CD after I bought it earlier has compelled me to do so!

This recording of three truly great solists, Yo Yo Ma, André Previn and Leonard Bernstein, is simply fantastic. The amazing work of Shostakovich is given a new lease of life by these contemporary performers, who definitely breathe into it new life.

Typically, Shostakovich's cello music is attributed to Rostropovich, but I think Yo Yo Ma's interpretation of this - his edgy sound - is something to rival even him.

This is definitely a CD you'll want to play on loud - the orchestral clarity and recording quality is simply divine.

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