Love MJ renditions in String Quartet
936212
I was looking for something fun and interesting to play for my wedding and stumbled across VSQ. I particularly liked this collection of Michael Jackson songs. They are wonderfully arranged, preserving the fun and funkiness of the originals but at the same time making it playable for a sophisticated wedding setting. The songs are fun to listen to and are really entertaining. I find myself trying to see how quickly I can name the songs! I will be playing it the collection of songs before the wedding ceremony while the guests are arriving and getting seated. I might find more VSQ music to play during the cocktail hour after the ceremony and before the reception while the guests are standing around waiting for dinner. What a great find! I highly recommend this if you're looking to add some contemporary background music to your event but you don't want to use standard elevator music or Kenny G.
50580
It is great for Jewish music to have original songs and people singing them.  The Maccabeats brighten up my Chanukah!!!!!
718482
I really like this outing by JT.  I like his compositions so much though, that this is a 4 because it's all about his voice.
Not as much the guitar and sweet baby james poetry.
1636311
O M G - I LOVE these guys! Glad I came across them somehow, I've been playing this non stop in the car since I got it a couple weeks ago. They voices, harmonies, O M G - they're fantastic!
4461239
I must thank the Rough Guide for recommending the complete string Quartets of Elizabeth Machonchy whose quartet cycles is one of the best of the Twentieth Century along side those of Bartok and Shostakovich.. Machonchy (1907-1994) had a long compositional career beginning at eighteen not concluding to her death. Initially she was more successful abroad than at hoe due to the fact that she was a woman but eventually she earned respect at home and was awarded a Dame of the British Empire by the queen for her musical contributions .Macnchy was a modernist who was influenced by Hindemith and Bartok.
  Maconchy wrote string quartets throughout her life and wrote thirteen in total, perfectly played on these discs by the Hansen, Bingham and Mistry quartets. Most o the liner notes are by the composer who explains why she chose to write string quartets and a description of each one
Quartet no 1written when she was 25 is described as "extrovert, direct and rhythmic in high spirited energy.
No 2 one of my personal favorites begins with a heartbreakingly beautiful molto lento and concludes with pizzicato allegro.
Number 3 is a single movement.
No. 4 written during WWII is a darkly brooding quartet demonstrates her technique of building the material of one cell beginning in the opening cello pizzicato.
Quartet no5 another personal favorite won an award contains an achingly beautiful slow movement that brought tears to my eyes.
No 6 begins with a memorable Passacaglia lasting seven minutes.
Quartet no 7 another favorite contains five independent movements with a good amount of cross-referencing includes two delightful scherzos.
Quartet Number eight
Is Machonchy's most dissonant quartet is quite thrilling using multiple pizzicatos
String quartet number nine is typical of Machonchy's later more condensed style is mournful throughout.
Number ten another personal favorite is in a single movement is dissonant featuring viol solos
Number 11 in a single movement was described by the composer as  "a piece of woven material with contrasting colors and  patterns running through it." Also features viol solos is arresting from start to finish.
Quartet number 12 consists of four independent movements contains a very beautiful lento non troppo..
Quartet 13 another personal favorite is called "Quarttetto Corto" by the composer who says though short in time at eight minutes
 but not in the scope of the musical language.  The quartet has three movements, an opening allegro moderato and a concluding allegro risoluto flanked by the lento which is the heart of the work with solo passages
Pease excuse any typos I have a neurologic disease.
Highly recommended  for anyone interested in classical music.
4202255
My husband and I both love this CD.  I purchased it after hearing them in person at
a local church.  It is just fabulous for a local jazz quartet!
892842
As an artist MJ will always receive 5 stars.
I particularly liked the recording outtakes at the end of the regular tracks. He is missed.....
4934184
This music is a great buy, and wonderful to listen to while doing desk work or reading.

The Angeles String Quartet does an excellent job, and all of the works are so tuneful that I frequently found myself walking around the house humming the tunes after hearing a quartet for the first time.
911065
I already had a copy of Jane Ira Bloom's "The Nearness" which contained  "It's a Corrugated World", a brisk little song in multiple time signatures and tempos. I picked up "The Red Quartets" because it had the same song but with a different band (from sextet to quartet). Both versions are great. Bloom's compositions are the model of elegance and the quartet's performances are dead-on perfect. This is an amazing CD.
4947267
Among recordings of Beethoven's string quartets there is an abundance of choice. Many of finest string quartet groups have recorded the full cycle. Having heard these quartets performed by the Alban Berg Quartet ("ABQ"), the Juilliard Quartet ("JQ"), the Cleveland Quartet ("CQ"), and the Kodaly Quartet ("KQ"), I would say that each of these groups is outstanding in its own way.

In the end, I agree with Alan Lekan, who states in his 01/14/2005 review of the complete Beethoven cycle by the Quartetto Italiano, "competition is fierce and it really comes down to what stylistic nuances most appeal to you." In my own case, while I slightly prefer JQ's recording of Beethoven's String Quartet No. 13, I also greatly enjoy listening to the ABQ.

The ABQ brings depth of feeling, sensitivity, and lyricism to the adagio movements in this string quartet, especially in its performance of the fifth movement (Cavatina. Adagio molto espressivo) evoking a heavenly, trance-like mood.  The ABQ's tone in the adagio movements has a beautiful, melancholic, plaintive quality.

In comparison, The JQ has all of the above qualities, but plays with even more seamless unity than the ABQ and more clear differentiation of the melodic lines of each instrument; also, their sound is somewhat richer than ABQ and has a mellow warmth that evokes the circle of light and the glowing dark brown hue of the photo of the group on the CD insert.

On the ABQ recording, the sound of the violins is most prominent.  On the JQ recording, the sound of the cello and viola, while not detracting from the sound of the violins, is nevertheless more clearly distinguished, giving a more balanced sound and contributing to the impression of warmth, fullness, and richness in their performance.

The JQ CD has Beethoven's final quartet, No. 16, in addition to No. 13.  It also has an excellent, well-written and informative essay on both quartets.  In contrast, this ABQ CD offers only Quartet No. 13 and has a bare-bones insert with no information at all on the composition.  Although I buy CDs for the music, not the inserts, I appreciate a well-written essay about the composer and the work.

Lastly, the ABQ CD was recorded in 1983 on 20-bit digital, whereas the JQ CD was recorded in 1996 on 24-bit digital, which may help to account for the slightly fuller and richer sound.

The ABQ CD has outstanding musicians giving a deeply felt performance.  Nevertheless, I've given it four points (actually, four and a half) instead of five to reflect my preference for the JQ CD.
2231741
i love sail by awolnation anyway, i love everything a string quartet does. contemporary music taken to a different level by an ancient at this point, ensemble, fits my style eclectic.
94193
My women a Cappella group is learning this version so I grabbed a copy to hum to while commuting. I LOVE it- the harmonies are awesome! I've sung the original piece as a classical vocalist but this is going to become another holiday favorite for me. Thanks!
2791180
while the song at best to Me is in the 3&3 Half range MJ truly knocks it out with His Voice.with better overall Instrumentation this Song would have been truly a Knock out Cut.but as it is it's One Good Cut. MJ sounds Good on this Jam.
3127673
This is a wonderfully, beautiful duet!  Has become one of my new favorite love songs.  Actually heard the live version first (thanks to a youtube video) and just had to have a copy.  Unable to find a downloadable version of the live recording, however, I chose this one instead and am equally pleased.  Their voices are so amazing together!  Highly recommend. :)
1187321
James Taylor's range of sweetness and funkiness is in display here. As always his musicians compliment the styles also. Love hearing the collaboration with Joni Mitchell again. Nostalgic CD to love anew or for the first time.
3654202
There isn't much new on this CD so if you own other CD's of MJ's you aren't going to get a bunch of new music.  However, disc 2, including the reading of his poem and the song This is It is worth the purchase price of this CD alone.

In addition, the CD's come in a book like case.  There are great pictures.  My daughter really loves looking at each of the pages.  For myself, I am not all that sold on those pictures--they are a nice touch, however, I wouldn't buy the CD for that alone.

Planet Earth is the poem Michael wrote and recorded and it gives me the chills.  Absolutely worth the purchase just for that.  Although I would have to say that This is It, the song is worth the purchase as well.

RIP MJ
1940779
Not only was the selection of songs great, but the notes about the Four Lads were fun to read.  The Four Lads have to be one of the best male quartet groups of all time.  That sound, wow!