| Classical Music age well as a fine bottle of wine. Some are bitter; Some are smoothe like silk. Fancy yourself with a set of good classical music. It's good for you. It's good for your guest. In those late nights after some serious number of wine glasses, you may impress yourself, as well as your guests, when you put on a classical note. Treat yourself. Get a couple of classic music. 
The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever! - Okay, I just read trough almost all the 30 reviews for this CD, and I dont ever write a review but I feel that I should for this one.
First of all, I am a piano player of over 14 years, I understand where many of the negative reviews are coming from. The point that is being missed though is that this CD is a collection of BEAUTIFUL music, whether or not you want to critic it to the bone. Very few people are professional "classical" musicians and very few people would really know that is CD has only bits of entire pieces of work on it. I think this CD did what it said, its relaxing. A lot of "classical" music can make you feel like your in a race or in a argument between lovers, and thats all fine and dandy if thats the mood you want, If you turn on your classical music station on your radio most likely you will hear what I am talking about. But for those of us out there that want to hear the "classic" Classical music thats soothing and mellow ( compared to a lot if it) this is a great CD. Now if you want to skin it dry and make it rigid and "100% untampered with" It wont be "relaxing" and thats the whole point of the CD (thus the title). If you are wanting to use this for your labor, i would suggest not using "classical" music to do so, there is too much emotion in even the very most mellow classical music, but thats me, ??
Bottom line- This CD is good and worth the 14$. Happy Hunting 
Classics - There is no doubt (at least in my mind!) that Sarah Brightman has an exquisite voice, but just as important, she has incredible control over her voice which allows her to perform to perfection everything she sings whether it be opera arias, popular tunes, or jazz -- and let us not forget that she does all of this in five different languages! As many know, Miss Brightman likes to 'theme' her albums and "CLASSICS", I believe, is no exception. Each song flows beautifully into the next, creating a feeling of harmony and tranquility. While I have heard some complain that only four new songs are offered on this CD, it's important to note that many of the songs found on previous albums are presented here with new arrangements. I realize this is only a matter of opinion, but I rather enjoy hearing different arrangements, and in fact, find it refreshing. Additionally, since the previous recordings she has selected for this CD are among my favorites, I cannot complain on that note! The new selections she has given us are "Ave Maria", "Alhambra", "Winter Light", and "Dans La Nuit" which are all very nice. If I were to rate these four from highest to lowest, I would do so in the order that I have listed them -- but I truly enjoy all of them. While she has taken three selections from her "TIME TO SAY GOODBYE" CD, two of the three are new arrangments. There are four selections from "EDEN" and of these, "Nessun Dorma" is a new arrangement and is absolutely wonderful! Finally, there are three selections from her "LA LUNA" CD. In all honesty, I was not sure what to expect with this CD until I received it and listened to it in its entirety. In doing so, it became evident to me that Miss Brightman took great care in choosing songs that would keep with the theme she had in mind. The only recording that didn't take my breath away was the new recording of "Pie Jesu". For some reason, her voice appeared to be somewhat in the distance and didn't seem as clear to me as in previous recordings; but others have said they enjoy this new arrangement. If you are a fan of Sarah Brightman's, I truly feel you will love this CD! If you are new to the world of Sarah Brightman, I think this CD would be a wonderful introduction into her world! 
300 Years of Guitar Masterpieces I listened so often to Barrueco's version of "Granada" in my early days, that I discovered this charming fact: if you crank the volume way up at the end of the piece, you can actually hear a car horn honk in the background! At least that was true in the LP version, and frankly I'd be a little disappointed if it was cut out in the CD version. This is a lovely set of recordings. The Bach suites are elegant; 20 years ago it was a surprise to hear the lute suites ornamented so thoughtfully. As other commentators have already mentioned, the Albeniz and Granados music really stands out here. Barrueco actually observes the volume markings on such pieces as "Sevilla," playing the opening bars "piano" as marked in the score...a rare thing indeed. This recording was the first to make "Cataluna' a popular guitar piece (Barrueco sounds like Franz Liszt as he thunders through that composition), and the first to play "Cadiz" in the more comfortable key of A. Not surprisingly, his version of Albeniz's "Cuba" is genius. The "Spanish Dances" of Granados are equally a revelation. It was this recording that made Dance #4 a standard performance piece, a lovely folk-song melody. Anyway, this recording is a great bargain, and a good chance to hear a fine artist in his earlier years. Buy it, and see if that distant horn honk is still there during the final seconds of "Granada." I love it when life seeps in through the cracks of our beloved classical world. -Mike Shanahan | Popular Classical Search Baroque - Guitar - Romance - Christmas Browse |
