classical music: martha

classical music: martha

classical music:

Martha

Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen / Levine, Metropolitan Opera (Complete Ring Cycle)

Siegfried Jerusalem, Hildegard Behrens

Deutsche Grammophon, 2002

Overall, the best "Ring" out there
As a veteran of 25+ live "Ring" cycles, this Met production remains my favorite. Reviewers giving this production 3 stars have evidently not suffered through such "Ring" abominations as those recently done in Vienna and Stuttgart, or the godawful Kirov "Ring" at the ...

Romantica: The Very Best of Luciano Pavarotti

Cesare Andrea Bixio, Eduardo di Capua, ...

Decca, 2002

Okay so track #1 aside...
I got this as a gift last Christmas and just got around to writing a review. To start off with, let me say that I think Pavarotti is the greatest tenor ever. Period. His command of his voice (breath control, relaxation, etc.) were absolutely flawless, and no he ...

Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30 / Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23

Sergei Rachmaninov

Philips, 1995

Great music - but it's a *Copy-protected disc*
I don't have anything to add to the other (positive) reviews of the music contained on this disc. Even if it is not the best recording of the Rach 3 (I suspect it is) it is still an absolutely must-hear performance. The only problem is that this disc uses copy ...

Mahler: The Complete Symphonies

Anna Reynolds, Gwenyth Annear, ...

Sony, 2001

Comparing the two Bernstein Mahler cycles
Most buyers aren't in the market for a complete Mahler cycle by a single conductor, but if they were, the two from Bernstein contain many great performances. I've reviewed the contents of this Sixties cycle on Sony and the later one from the Eighties (contianing many ...

Nessun Dorma ~ 20 Great Tenor Arias / Pavarotti, Carreras, Domingo, Bergonzi, Aragall, Björling, Di Stefano, ...

Georges Bizet, Gaetano Donizetti, ...

Decca, 1998

Driving and Singing
This is a wonderful CD to sing along with in "rotten" traffic. All of a sudden, it just dosen't matter that much. If it can do this for me, it will help even the most "miserable" (in thought, word and deed), driver. Worth having in the car.

Martha Argerich Plays Chopin: The Legendary 1965 Recording

Frederic Chopin

EMI Classics, 1999

Staggering virtuosity
These Chopin recordings of Martha Argerich from 1965 are an example of staggering virtuosity of the highest order. She is one of the few pianists I've heard that could rival Michelangeli for technical ability(though both could be erractic at times, with the Italian ...

Brahms, Prokofiev, Rachmaninov: Music for Two Pianos
Johannes Brahms, Witold Lutoslawski, ...

EMI Classics, 2008

Brahms: Sonata for 2 pianos in F minor, Op. 34b Martha Argerich (piano) & Lilya Zilbertstein (piano) Variations on a theme by Haydn, Op. 56b for 2 Pianos Martha Argerich (piano) & Polina Leschenko (piano) Lutoslawski: Variations on a Theme of Paganini for 2 Pianos Martha Argerich (piano) & Giorgia Tomassi (piano) Prokofiev: Symphony ...

Martha Argerich, Evening Talks

Martha Argerich, Riccardo Rossi

Ideale Audience Intl, 2008

Superlative
Guchot's documentary is about Martha Argerich's oneness with the music she plays. We knew it existed already from hearing her performances. Here she articulates it in ways that are candid, joyful, earthy, and most eloquent in her charming manner. She is never ...

Luciano Pavarotti: The Best (Farewell Tour)

Eric Garrett, Rolando Panerai, ...

Decca, 2005

Wonderful, of course!
I don't know of too many that would give fewer than five stars to Luciano Pavarotti. What an amazing voice...we are fortunate to have been part of one man's unbelievable talent!

Amore: Romantic Italian Love Songs

Eduardo di Capua, Salvatore Cardillo, ...

Decca, 1992

Great Pavarotti sampler collection
I got this CD for my teenaged son, who asked for a Pavarotti CD for Christmas. I chose this one among the plethora of recordings because it is a good sampler of the great man's best pieces. My son isn't much into operatic singing, but he loves Pavarotti. I wanted a ...

The Best Opera Album in the World...Ever!

Ernest Blanc, Robert Massard, ...

Angel Records, 1999

Great for the amateur Opera listener
As a long time armchair Opera listener I'm shocked that I hadn't come across this album until recently. I'm not really an Opera connoisseur so my review is based on just the fact that I love Opera, but mostly by listening to arias or occasionally going to the Opera. ...

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons/Fritz Kreisler: Concerto for Violin

Gil Shaham, Antonio Vivaldi, ...

Deutsche Grammophon, 1995

Must-Have Four Seasons
In a sea of Four Seasons recordings, Gil Shahmam's version is perhaps the one that stands out in my mind the most. His playing is flawless and tasteful: the vurtoso passages are never over-the top but they aren't blase either and he is very lyrical in the slow ...

Collection 1: The Solo Piano Recordings (Box)
Martha Argerich

MINISTRY OF SOUND US, 2008

For over 40 years Martha Argerich's recordings on Deutsche Grammophon have remained in the catalog and many are still best sellers. This 8-CD collection presents re-issues of eight solo LP recitals made between 1960 and 1983. The recordings have been remastered and are presented in chronological order, as originally programmed, with the original ...

Prayer: A Windham Hill Collection

Michael Manring, Philip Baker, ...

RCA, 2003

Music for Meditation
This is a delightful collection of music appropriate to meditative prayer. It is often my prayer companion, and I like the style and performance found on this CD. I highly recommend it to people who enjoy deeper reflection with a wordless musical background.

Prokofiev: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 3 / Bartok: Piano Concerto No. 3

Sergey Prokofiev, Bela Bartok, ...

EMI Classics, 1998

A Marriage of Wizardry and Mysticism
Martha Argerich has sustained a brilliant career and just seems to become more eloquent with the passing years, adding a rich mysticism to her volcanic energy. And what better concerti to demonstrate these approaches than those on this stunning CD: Prokofiev #1,3 and ...