Great performance of great piece!
342085
is wonderful. Have a friend girl who positively melts when she hears it! Here's to melting!
4646927
This CD offers you a brilliant performance of Dvorak's Piano Concerto, which is rarely played and recorded. You will not find here some virtuoso material, and generally the orchestra does not just support the soloist, but plays the equal role with him. The music is great, it's very close to Dvorak's symphonies (e.g. I find a parallel between the opening theme of the 1-st movement and the opening theme of the 7-th symphony), it's easily memorable and touching. Richter and Kleiber give an outstanding interpretation, very deep and reach, full of warmth and emotion.
Concerning "Wanderer" - Who can say he does not love Schubert ? :-) In Richter's interpretation the second movement is the best and it's something magical, all the other parts are a little bit aggressive to my point of view and you hear very well the legs work in the pedalling. Still the performance is excellent and besides that it is flawless.
The sound of the disk could be better, but considering the recording date it's ok.
4217331
All three female principals in this opera are fantastic. Netrebko, Garanca and Kulman own the screen. They deliver a performance that will have you glued to your seat. I agree with some of the reviews I've read on Amazon regarding Ildebrando D'Arcangelo and Francesco Meli not being as strong as the part may demand, and I must say I preferred Ildar Abdrazakov as Henry VIII in the Metropolitan Opera's production this year. Ironically, he sang against Netrebko at the Met and was wonderful. It's really a small quibble. D'Arcangelo and Meli deliver world-class performances and they are wonderful voices against Netrebko and Garanca.

In addition, the Vienna Opera Orchestra will leave you breathless with this performance. The music took on a dimension I haven't heard with other productions of Anna Bolena, so it was like hearing it anew. Evelino Pid conducted this performance, and I was enthralled at his interpretation. Make sure to play it LOUD!

For my money, if you're an opera lover, this is a not-to-be-missed performance. At $29, you're crazy not to buy it!
2379623
Excellent performance of a wonderful masterpiece, I listen to it over and over.  Only disappointment was the English subtitles, which were condensed and oversimplified.  I'd much prefer a more accurate and detailed translation of the text.
4152411
I'm one of the many who appreciate this work; I had the good fortune to see it in person when it was on tour and found that to be a memorable experience. I bought a Laser Disc widescreen version of the 1995 10th Anniversary Performance which I still have and continue to enjoy. I do not have the DVD referenced here so I will confine my comments to the performance with one exception.

Having read some of the other reviews I was interested in the references to omissions and deletions in the DVD; this prompted me to compare run times and I found the DVD had a run time of 148 minutes while the Laser Disc version had a run time of 160 minutes. I have not found any references to the VHS tapes run time.

The performance elevates this review to an entirely different level; this performance is powerful, disturbing, emotional, and at times, even funny. There are many moments of beauty and drama, and then there is the show-stopping scene, "Master of the House" featuring Alun Armstrong and Jenny Galloway that leaves one laughing and applauding.

This performance is anchored by Colm Wilkinson's forceful characterization of Jean Valjean. The other leads are also convincingly performed by Philip Quast as Javert, Ruthie Henshall as Fantine, Judy Kuhn as Cosette, Lea Salonga as Eponine, Michael Ball as Marius, and Michael Maguire as Enjolras. I did not personally observe and real weaknesses that would distract from the overall production.

It was effective the way the performers did not drop out of character during applause; the missing scenery does not really distract from the drama and the strong emotional impact of this production.

After watching this performance my wife and I find ourselves haunted by the beautiful melodies for days afterward; we have to limit our exposure to this work simply because it is so powerful!

I would love to have the complete stage presentation on video but it does not appear that will happen anytime soon. In the meantime this is a choice way to enjoy the music and the excellent performances by all parties to this production.
330566
Back in the mid fifties I borrowed a Bruckner 7th from the Enoch Pratt Library.  It was an old Vox recording and well worn.  I didn't get much out of it, but tried again when the Solti in stereo with the Vienna Philharmonic was offered on London Records.  That was better.  Still I never thought the remaining 3 movements lived up to the promise of the first movement - not through 40 some years of buying each new recording as it became available, Bohm, Karajan, none of them seemed satisfying beyond the first movement.

I almost didn't buy this one, but I am ever glad I did!

Here is the performance and the recording I had wanted to hear all along.  The performance is perfect with lovely strings and well characterized woodwind and brass.  The huge rolling climaxes are effortlessly reproduced without strain and Kreizburg has the feeling for this music that has eluded all others!

The most amazing thing is the "surround sound"!  We are not surrounded by instruments here - that is not what surround sound (as realized by PentaTone at least) means.  We are enveloped in the acoustic of the hall where the music was recorded, and this experience is absolutely phenomenal!  Go get it! If you need to buy some new equipment to augment your stereo so you can do this justice, well its about time you treated yourself to concert hall sound in your living room!
485351
This is a wonderful piece of music.  Very well done.  I was amazed at the creative essense of all the pieces.
4585655
Wonderful Mozart collection.  Even though this album can be streamed free through Amazon Prime I still purchased it to support Bach Guild but also to make sure I have my own copy in case it becomes unavailable some day in the future.  And I would not want to risk losing the ability to listen to it.

I am especially pleased that Piano Concerto 20 is played allegro, which seems to be somewhat rare.  I understand it is insanely difficult to play, but it just sounds so amazing when played quickly.  The performance of it here is great and above average.  I also recommend doing a Youtube search for "Mozart Piano Concerto 20 Schiff".  I believe this is as close to how Mozart would have played and conducted it as you will ever hear.  Played at around 135 bpm, the timpani feels like a good kick in the gut, Schiff never misses a note and even his facial expressions and mannerisms add to the performance.
4815040
I have found that when it comes to finding the right recording of vocal music that it is very difficult to sometimes find the version that is best for you, the listener. We all have different ideas of what makes a recording great. Personally, K. 427 must have the right tempo and good bass sound. The singing must be heartfelt and technically on, but it is not the breaking point for me. K. 626 is a different animal for me- (How many Tuba Mirum's have been butchered!?) On this version of Mozart's Great Mass we get everyting we could hope for, minus a couple quibbles that are not deal breakers for me.

This is the second version of K. 427 that I bought. This one has the Kyrie at just the right tempo. When the cello's, basses, and timpani's come in during the Kyrie they really cut through the voices and get you ready for the ride. It is great that this is recorded clearly for here- it is imperative for me to hear on any version. Why bury this in the mix? Without this it is hard for me to listen, as many other versions do not capture this.

The voices are good for me- the tempos are right throughout,  and the recording is beautiful. When it comes to Mozart I prefer a period approach more often than not. While this recording is not a period performance it is not bloated and stodgy either. It is crisp and clear, and not too slow!!!

Buy this if you are on the fence about which K. 427 to get. If you are looking for a different rendition in the period style I recommend the Hogwood K. 427. That one has the timpani nice and clear on the Credo en unum Deum as well as perfect tempos and sweet bass sound in the Kyrie.

If you are new to Mozart and are looking for music from regions beyond the Requiem and Eine Kleine Nachtmusic, then the Great Mass is a step in the right direction. Indeed K. 427 is a torso of indescribable beauty. As a catholic myself I am enthralled by the way Mozart conveyed this prayer (mass) through music, incomplete as it may be. It outshines the Requiem in many ways. Lose yourself in the Et incarnatus est...find yourself again in the Sanctus. Personally I love how on this version the Sanctus goes right into the Benedictus. It is time to take your Mozart to the next level- it only gets better.
2564404
Absolutely love this CD!  I could listen to it all day.  I should note that I am a huge fan of early music, but I still think this has a great variety of music that anyone would enjoy.  The musicianship and performance is wonderful and the recording itself is high quality.
2666449
One of the best performances of this fantastic opera. The movie like feel to it really adds to the enjoyment. I would have given it 5-Stars had it not been for the low quality of the film and the sound. I bought this disc to replace an old VHS copy that I had. I thought that the digitization and the fact that they put it in 5.0 surround sound would have meant that it would be much improved over my VHS copy, but it is the opposite! Fortunately, the performance of the singers makes it still worth purchasing.
892249
This film is a classical music lovers joy! The performances are wonderful! It's great to see the perfomers from the past 'on stage' again. A real treat indeed!
4967000
A splendid performance of this work by Walton in excellent 24bit resolution recording by Naxos. The orchestra and choruses pour their hearts out. It does not displace my favorite by Abravanel and his Utah forces recorded oh so many years ago in the Mormon Tabernacle by Vox and issued on their upscale Candide label(vinyl). The brass in the Utah version has a little more bite and is available on CD. It has been said that you can hear a pin drop in the Tabernacle and the Vox recording does honor to that assertion. Either way, you cannot go wrong with either of these two versions, both are excellent. Buy either with confidence and enjoy!
4231490
Terrific performance from violinist Sergey Levitin. Where has he been hiding? I have grown to really like the orchestral music of Widor, and although I thought the Violin Concerto was not a really strong piece when I first listened to it, I have really come to appreciate what it was that Widor was doing. It is a fantasy style concerto, if one is able to describe it thus, and although not obviously a flashy show piece, it has moments of true exhilaration in the solo part to the point that it all flows very naturally. From that I mean that the showy moments do not feel put on at all. The first Symohony feels very much in the same mould as the Bizet symphony in C, whilst the Walpurgis Night is a work with more in common with Saint Saens than I would have expected. All in all Stirling and inspired work from Yates and the RSNO and another triumph from the Dutton team.
933532
This disc is now the one recording recommended by the Gramophone for a performance of Bruckner's epic Fifth Symphony. I don't know if it's THAT good, but this is still a very notable, distinctive performance that is worth hearing, especially for the playing of the Staatskapelle Dresden, which may be the last word in orchestral perfection and clarity. (The analytical sound recording offered by Deutsche Grammophon definitely helps here.)

As for Sinopoli's interpretation---well, it is not so much a subjective interpretation of Bruckner's overall vision as it is a meticulous exposition of the text. He pays unflagging attention to the detail of Bruckner's great score, but, for the most part, none of the details ever draw attention to themselves. And despite it being a more "objective" performance than most, it is never a dull or cold one. The second movement is movingly done, and the ending brass peroration in the finale soars gloriously as it should in a good performance. That said, perhaps this performance of the symphony's first movement could have benefited from a little more impetus in the Allegro sections. Karajan's otherwise glorious performance of Bruckner's Fifth suffered from a first movement that was too heavy, too slow, and too monolithic (it was virtually all at one tempo, as it is here). The performance of this movement under Sinopoli doesn't seem quite so heavy-footed, since he keeps the textures relatively light, and he uses slightly quicker tempos. It works fairly well here, but give me Eugen Jochum's flexibility here anyday!

To sum up, this is a Bruckner Fifth that is worth hearing for its stunningly accurate and concentrated orchestral playing and Sinopoli's attention to both detail and the big picture. It's not the greatest performance of the piece I've ever heard, but it is still a distinctive and mostly convincing interpretation of a magnificent symphony, and a worthy memorial for the controversial Italian conductor.
3967644
This is a wonderful rendition of the piece. Easy to play for any level of experience on the piano. I'm personally not a huge fan of opera, but I simply love this piece of music and was extremely happy to have found a simple to understand version without a lot of orchestral notes in the arrangement. Beautifully elegant in its simplicity.
2094326
Wonderful ,beautiful performance and recording. Highly recommend it.