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Vikram Seth: An Equal Music
from: Decca
: :Vikram Seth's novel An Equal Music is as evocative a portrait of the world of chamber music as you could wish for, but Seth is the first to say that words 'can only attempt to describe what cannot truly be described.' This two-CD set adds the inevitably missing dimension to a great book, with performances of works featured in the story. They include the world-premiere recording of Beethoven's String Quintet in C minor, an obscure work that is central to the plot. This piece, like the other selections, is beautifully played and recorded, ...
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Complete Webern
: :Pierre Boulez's Complete Webern Edition appears just over two decades after his last traversal. Well, it's not literally complete, but does have enough early works to set the mature ones in the right context. These days, Webern is no longer seen so much as a new music guru as he is a major composer, pure and simple--his expression as concise as it is intense. Performancewise, there's a quality of musicianship here that few previous recordings have matched; familiarity with the idiom certainly plays its part, but so does Boulez's belief that what we're ...
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Beethoven: Symphonies; Concertos; Overtures; Creatures of Prometheus; Missa Solemnis
from: Warner Classics
:Album Description:Nikolaus Harnoncourt's acclaimed interpretations of Beethoven including Sumphonies 1-9, Piano Concertos 1-5, Violin Concerto Romances In G & F Major, Overtures: Coriolan - The Ruins of Athens - Fidelio - Leonore I, II & III - Egmont, The Creatures of Prometheus, Missa solemnis.
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Ultimate Classical: Chill Out
from: Decca
:Album Description:The most popular composers of all-time now offered at an incredible price! FIVE CDs for the price of ONE--who could resist! Collections of the essential works of the most popular composers and their greatest hits! Outstanding artists and recordings from the Decca and Philips Classic's catalogues. Each package is a slipcase loaded with FIVE jewel boxes - that's over 5 HOURS of great music in each boxed set. Five discs jam-packed with the greatest classical hits of all time. Includes: Bach: Jesu, joy of man's desiring, Sheep may safely graze, Ave Maria ...
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Complete Beethoven Edition, Vol. 14: Misc. Chamber Works
from: Deutsche Grammophon
:Album Description:The most popular composers of all-time now offered at an incredible price! FIVE CDs for the price of ONE--who could resist! Collections of the essential works of the most popular composers and their greatest hits! Outstanding artists and recordings from the Decca and Philips Classic's catalogues. Each package is a slipcase loaded with FIVE jewel boxes - that's over 5 HOURS of great music in each boxed set. Five discs jam-packed with the greatest classical hits of all time. Includes: Bach: Jesu, joy of man's desiring, Sheep may safely graze, Ave Maria ...
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Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Rondo in B flat; Choral Fantasy
from: Warner Classics
: :Here's an inspired appendage to the Aimard-Harnoncourt set of the Beethoven Piano Concertos. When new, the Triple Concerto, combining three solo instruments with orchestra, was considered a bold new type of concerto. That's how it's played here. The solo trio blends nicely with the orchestra, giving the work a chamber music dimension. Once past the slow introduction, Harnoncourt conducts a vigorous, almost rhapsodic performance, with great forward momentum. But the honors go to the outstanding soloists. Aimard etches the piano line with exceptional clarity, Hagen, the cellist of the Hagen Quartet, plays with ...
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Johannes Brahms: Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77 / Double Concerto in A minor, Op. 102 - Gidon Kremer / Clemens Hagen / Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra / Nikolaus Harnoncourt
: :Here's an inspired appendage to the Aimard-Harnoncourt set of the Beethoven Piano Concertos. When new, the Triple Concerto, combining three solo instruments with orchestra, was considered a bold new type of concerto. That's how it's played here. The solo trio blends nicely with the orchestra, giving the work a chamber music dimension. Once past the slow introduction, Harnoncourt conducts a vigorous, almost rhapsodic performance, with great forward momentum. But the honors go to the outstanding soloists. Aimard etches the piano line with exceptional clarity, Hagen, the cellist of the Hagen Quartet, plays with ...
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Debussy, Ravel, Webern: String Quartets
from: Polygram Int'l
: :Despite a slightly odd coupling, this is a worthwhile disc. Not too many people who want to hear the Debussy and Ravel Quartets will be looking for Webern, even though this early work of his isn't as challenging (or as compelling) as his later music for string quartet. The Hagen Quartet plays all of this music very well. The Debussy and Ravel are both more atmospheric and less driven than the famous Emerson Quartet coupling (for this same label). Those recordings are memorable, but for those who find them too tense the Hagen ...
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Schubert: Trout Quintet
from: Decca
: :1-5. Piano Quintet in A major 'The Trout' op. 114, D 667.
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Brahms: Piano Quintet in Fm, Op34a; Schoenberg: Chamber Symphony No1
from: Polygram Records
: :1-5. Piano Quintet in A major 'The Trout' op. 114, D 667.
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