Pavel Kogan - Music Director/Conductor

Pavel Kogan, son of outstanding Soviet artists Leonid Kogan and Elisaveta Ghilels, began his musical studies at the Central Music School and continued at the Moscow Conservatory. His violin studies were under the guidance of the great pedagogue Juri Yankelevic and he studied conducting in the class of Leo Ginzburg and Ilya Musin. In 1970 at the age of eighteen Pavel Kogan won First Prize and the Gold Medal at the Sibelius International Violin Competition in Helsinki, Finland. Tours followed throughout the USSR, Europe, Japan, and the United States in recital and as soloist with leading orchestras.
Pavel Kogan made his conducting debut with the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra. Considered one of the top conductors of the Soviet Union, he conducts regularly the major orchestras in the USSR and appears frequently conducting the leading orchestra of Europe and the United States. A frequent guest of festivals such as Prague Spring, Helsinki, Dubrovnik, Flanders, and Leningrad White Nights, Pavel Kogan was invited by the legendary Evgenii Mravinsky to conduct the Leninguard Philharmonic on a triumphant tour of Spain in 1985.
From 1988 to 1990 Pavel Kogan was Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra. As a permanent conductor of the Bolshoi Opera in Moscow, he opened the 1988/1989 season with a new production of La Traviata.
In May 1989 Pavel Kogan was named Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra. His first concert in Moscow as Chief Conductor with this orchestra was recorded live for RCA/Melodiya. Extensive tours in addition to numerous other recordings are planned for the next seasons.

Moscow State Symphony Orchestra

In a country whose cultural tradition is rich with extraordinary orchestral ensembles, the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra is acclaimed as one of the highest examples of this tradition. Its founder and first Musical Director was Nikolai Anosov, one of the outstanding musicians of his time, whose son Gennadi Rozdestvenski is today one of the best known Soviet conductors.
Under the leadership of Leo Ginzburg, the orchestra cultivated a close relationship with leading Soviet composers including Prokofiev and Shostakovich and made many of the first performances of their works.

With a vast and continually expanding repertoire, the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra performs together with the traditional composers such as Tchaikovsky, Rimsky Korsakoff, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Mussorgsky, Borodin and the great Western Romantic symphonic literature, much new music of the Twentieth century, both Soviet and foreign.

The Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, besides touring extensively within the Soviet Union, has also been enthusiastically received throughout major musical centers of the world. The orchestra has taken part in numerous international festivals and has made over 100 recordings, many of which have been awarded prestigous prizes.

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3

Byron Janis' celebrated recordings of these two concertos have never sounded better than in this new remastering by Mercury's Wilma Cozart Fine. Talk about recordings usually focuses on the artists and composers, and rightly so, but there are some people in the industry whose names you should know, producers and engineers whose work is as artistically excellent as the performers they record. During the late 50s and early 60s the Fines, husband and wife, created a catalog of recordings, which, when all is said and done, is probably title for title the finest in existence. There isn't a single one that isn't worth hearing, and some, like this one, belong in every collection. --David Hurwitz Listen to Samples.

Piano Concerto No.2 In C Minor, Op.18

Serge Rachmaninoff (1873 – 1943)

Moderato
Adagio sostenuto
Allegro scherzando

The year of the Piano Concerto No.2 was 1900, and its first performance took place on October 14, 1901 with the Moscow Philharmonic. The composer played the piano part in this premier performance. Few of Rachmaninoff’s works are so richly filled with intoxicating melodic ideas; few seem to have arisen in such a soaring flight of inspiration. From the majestic opening of the first movement with its succession of chords pronounced by the solo piano in increasing sonority from pianissimo to fortissimo, through the eloquent melody for oboes and violas in the third movement (one of the most stirring lyric pages in modern concerto literature), the concerto teems with exciting, moving, passionate, tender ideas, pouring forth inexhaustibly. The second movement, Adagio sostenuto, is a particularly poetic page, somewhat sentimental, somewhat nostalgic, but always deeply felt and sensitively expressed.

Rachmaninoff dedicated the concerto to Dr.Dahl whose treatment of Rachmaninoff’s state of despair and morbidity following the failure of his First Symphony and First Piano Concerto enable the composer to compose again with new vitality and freshness. The result was his Piano Concerto No.2, in many respects the best loved of all his larger works, and one of the most inspired. When his vein of melody was tapped, it gushed in a warm stream of that Russian lyricism which can turn the stone heart to water. Rachmaninoff never sought to expound doctrines other than the doctrine of beauty, and that is why his music is always “singing”. He was a composer with soul in his music – emotional, hypersensitive, moody, at alternate moments brooding.

Bartok The Miraculous Mandarin

This Bartok album from conductor Ivan Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra is a real treat. It brings wonderful performances of Bartok not often recorded...even Boulez hasn't recorded some of these pieces in his Bartok survery.
In addition to the colorfully, zesty performances of these rare Bartok gems, this dics has (to my mind) the best performance of the Complete Mircaculous Mandarin Ballet out on CD. The orchestra and conduct go for color and refinement rather than sheer power. The opening bristles with excitement, and the chase shows the orchestra in fine form at a tempo that is daringly fast. In this case it works. It is clear that conductor and orchestra are very much home in these works of Bartok. For a complete Mandarin I would say that this is now first choice...even over the excellant Boulez version for DG. The playing in this ballet is some of the best I've heard (only the Berlin Philharmonic in their recording of the suite...not complete ballet...plays better).
Perhaps until the BPO makes a complete recording with Abbado or Rattle...this is the Mandarin to get I would say.
Strong recommendation.--Greg Hales See more.

Rumanian Folk Dances For String Orchestra

Béla Bartók (1881 – 1945)

Béla Bartók’s interest in and preoccupation with Hungarian folk music considerably influenced his own style as a composer. The real Hungarian music, which he discovered, is quite other than the meretricious gypsy music exploited by Brahms and Liszt: its melodies, built on modes, are harsher and severer in line; its spirit is more virile; it’s feeling more barbaric. And Bartók’s model for his own works, up to the time he settled in the United States, was this Hungarian folk music. At first hearing this music is usually not pleasant to listen to, for it is disjointed, discordant, and seemingly amorphous. Bartók was intensely modern in his use (or lack of use) of tonality and in his harmonic vocabulary. His music was the product of a complex intelligence, demanding familiarity before it could be understood and appreciated. However, in his last works written, humanity and emotion are added elements-qualities which explain why these compositions are heard more frequently and appreciated more widely than the earlier works of his early manhood and maturity.

MUSIC OF SAMUEL BARBER

Samuel Barber's most popular orchestral works have seldom been as well-performed as they were by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin. This wonderful EMI recording is a lasting testament to the great things that Slatkin accomplished during his long tenure in St. Louis.

The overture to "The School for Scandal" was an early triumph for Samuel Barber and it was clearly an exciting, dramatic, and sometimes lyrical work. Slatkin is very sensitive and understanding of this music and was able to lead the St. Louis musicians in one of the best performances of this popular work.

Perhaps Barber's best-known work is the "Adagio for Strings," originally part of a string quartet. It bears the distinction of having a world premiere under the legendary Arturo Toscanini. It's interesting to note that Barber had gone to Italy one summer and managed to meet the Maestro, who was on his own summer vacation. Toscanini was impressed with the aspiring, young composer and was soon even more impressed with the "Adagio for Strings." Toscanini chose to premiere the "Adagio" with the NBC Symphony on a broadcast performance. It is one of the most deeply moving compositions by any American composer. I've seldom heard such a powerful performance as this one by Slatkin and the St. Louis orchestra.

Toscanini also premiered the first of Barber's "Essays for Orchestra." Interestingly, however, the first recording of this energetic, colorfully orchestrated work was by Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra in a 12-inch 78-rpm RCA Victor Red Seal recording. Slatkin not only conducted this work but the two essays which followed, the third of which is one of Barber's later works (with rather spectacular, imaginative writing for percussion).

Finally, there is the rather jazzy and compelling "Medea's Dance of Vengeance." One critic referred to this as a boogie woogie for orchestra. It is very syncopated and almost overwhelming in its intensity, particularly in this performance. Anyone familiar with the legend of Medea will recognize that Barber has managed to faithfully depict the horrible events in this memorable work. -- Robert E. Nylund See more.

ADAGIO FOR STRINGS

Samuel Barber (1910 - )




A suave style combined with elegant workmanship has made Barber one of the major voices in American music. For a long time he was regarded as a conservative composer, because he was more concerned with expressing his inmost feelings unashamedly than with embarking on new forms and novel experiments. But later compositions reveal an increasing independence of style and thought, together with the necessity to utilize the fullest resources of modern writing. The outstanding trait of his major works is a capacity to project subtle moods and atmospheres. His is a deeply poetic temperament reflected in everything he has written.

Written in 1937, and introduced at a concert of the NBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Arturo Toscanini, on November 5, 1938, the Adagio for Strings is built out of a single theme (heard at the beginning of the piece in the violins). A poetic mood is sustained throughout the work. Sibelius, who saw the manuscript, remarked: “I am glad to say that I consider this music excellent…(It is)…good art, and especially do I like its simplicity.

SYMPHONY NO.29 IN A MAJOR, K.201

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)



I. Allegro moderato
II. Adante
III. Menuetto
IV. Allegro con spirito

The piece was completed in Salzburg in April of 1774.
The character of this symphony is created by two main factors; the adoption of chamber music style orchestration consisting of two oboes, two horns and a string ensemble, and the use of A major in which Mozart often wrote fluent melodies.

The subtle second movement is the most beautiful and elegant passage, but we also appreciate the noble taste of the minuet in the third movement. The last movement revives the characteristics of the first movement in a more lighthearted and lively way, leading to the dramatic climax. With its excellent overall composition, the piece is one of the best works of Mozart from his early days.

In “Symphony No.29 in A major,” Mozart frequently incorporate bright and happy melodies and harmonies reminiscent of Italian music, which he tactfully mixes with the Austrian style. He also attempts a fusion between symphony and chamber music styles, to open up new possibilities.

UN BEL DI, VEDREMO FROM MADAM BUTTERFLY

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

“Madam Butterfly” is one of Puccini’s best known operas along with “Manon Lescaut,” “La Bohème,” “Tosca” and “Gianni Schicchi.”

“Madam Butterfly” is particularly familiar to Japanese because the story is set in the Japanese city of Nagasaki, and “Un bel di vedremo” is their favorite aria.

Puccini was inspired to write an opera version of “Madam Butterfly” when he saw a theatrical adaptation by David Belasco of John L. Long’s novel of the same title in London at the turn of the century, when London was having a Japanese boom triggered by the International Exposition in Paris. Puccini is said to have been attracted by the dramatic character of the heroine.

“Madam Butterfly” was first performed in public in Milan in 1904.

The story is about a tragic love between an American navy officer, Pinkerton, and a Geisha professional female entertainer Chocho-san. They are united and have a boy baby after a short period of happiness Pinkerton returns home alone. Chocho-san anxiously awaits the day when they can reunite. She sings this aria, “Un bel di vedremo” as she naively tells her nursemaid, Suzuki, how she imagines to herself the joy of reunion with him:

“On a clear day, a streak of smoke will rise beyond the horizon, and a ship will come in sight. That white ship must be a warship with my husband aboard. Soon he comes climbing up the hill and calls out to me. But I won’t come out right away to greet him. I will hide, for otherwise I would die from joy…”

In reality, however, Pinkerton returns three years later with his new wife. Seeing this Chocho-san kills herself out of despair.

Tchaikovsky: Serenade For Strings

Performances of the orchestral arrangement of Souvenir de Florence are rare, as it seems are recordings. The work however is quite lovely and evocative and suits a string orchestra capable of playing as both an entity and a collection of fine soloists. Look no further therefore than this recording for an excellent interpretation.
The more familiar serenade is also a fine example of the work of one of Europe's leading Chamber Orchestras.
I play this disc frequently, most especially the Souvenir and have only a minor quibble and that is with a rather fast take up of the opening of the work. Otherwise this has to be one of the best quality recordings I have heard from Naxos but then they used an interesting recording venue, Casino Baumgartner in Vienna, and presumeably Austrian engineers.
Take it to your desert island! --Mr.David Geer "Korngold Fan" Listen to Samples.

Serenade For Strings In C Major, Op.48

Pyotr Ill'ych Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

I. Pezzo in forma di sonatina

II. Waltz

III. Elegia

IV. Tema Russo

The formal title is "Serenade for String Ensemble."

This type of Music was in fashion during the heyday of the classical music, with Mozart as the typical example. Tchaikovsky wrote this serenade probably out of admiration with the same intention as that with which he wrote "Mozartiano" several years after.

Around 1880 when he wrote this serenade, he made puplic a series of orchestral suites which reflected his form of inclination toward the baroque or classical music. "Serenade for String in C major, Op.48" also shows the influence of this music and the composer himself confessed that he originally intended to call this piece a suite.

In his letter to Mrs Von Meck dated in September, 1880, Tchaikovsky wrote that he had not decided whether to write a symphony or a string quarter and then admitted that he had not yet the ability to write a symphony. So, he chose the middle road and wrote a string ensemble.

In a letter in October, he said that, although the piece was written based on his inner impulse, its artistic value had not been lost. "Serenade for Strings in C major, Op.48" is a crystalization of his pursuit of genuine formal beauty using strings alone, and of the balanced beauty of the classical music. In order words, this piece typically shows the West European taste of Tchaikovsky, who is often said to have belonged to the European school.

Diva!: A Soprano At The Movies

Silva America presents a lady with the gusto in life and music "DIVA: SOPRANO AT THE MOVIES", featuring one of the favorite sopranos in the Classical World today Lesley Garrett...Britain's favorite star comes up with this 1991 reissue, and at a special price will be a sure fire winner. On this album we have twelve outstanding selections with The Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Andrew Greenwood and recorded at The Hit Factory (London), December 1990/January 1991...with the following performances coming your way. LA WALLY (rarely performed complete) LAKME (duet became famous for a British Airways commercial) THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO (full of life, love and games) FAUST (jewels for her left by the Devil) LA BOHEME (performed in the film "Moonstruck", one of my favorite films and favorite Puccini Operas) RUSALKA (featured in the film "Driving Miss Daisy") GIANNI SCHICCHI (featured in the 1986 film "A Room With A View") SONGS OF THE AUVERGNE (melody introduced in Laurence Olivier's "Henry V") THE BARBER OF SEVILLE (award winning Italian/Russian "Dark Eyes" with Marcello Mastroianni) CARMEN (1952 film "Carmen Jones" with Harry Belafonte and Dorothy Dandrige) TALES OF HOFFMAN (featured in 1948 "The Red Shoes") KISMET (1955 film featuring Howard Keel, Dolores Gray and Vic Damone) Take a bow Phillip Thomas (producer), Reynold da Silva and James Fitzpatrick (executive producers), David Stone (album release supervisor) and Silva Screen for this reissue...as Miss Garrett states - making opera accessible and presenting the best music to the widest audience possible is the goal in her musical career...thank you Lesley for sharing your God given talent! --J. Lovins "Mr.Jim" Listen to Samples.

Canteloube Chants d'Auvergne

Joseph Canteloube (1879-1957) first began collecting and harmonizing the folksongs of the Auvergne in 1908, and in 1923 the first of the 'Chants d'Auvergne' was composed. For some years these songs were firmly established as a landmark in the French repertoire of songs for voice and orchestra, skillfully done, and an excellent vehicle for displaying the soprano voice.

Canteloube was educated at the conservatory 'Schola Cantorum', and studied there in 1902 with Vincent d'Indy in Paris. D'Indy's most important contribution to Canteloube's education was the rigorous technical training he provided, particularly emphasizing harmony and form.

D'Indy thus revealed to him "the power and purity of musical and poetic sources that spontaneously emanate from the earth; dances and popular songs, legends and rustic dances". All this can be ascertained in Cantelouble's 'Chants of the Auvergne'.

There are two that I will mention (because they are my favorites) from this group on the disc and are completely different from each other. "Lou Bossu" which is the rather cruel story of a hunchback who is attracted to a lovely young girl and approaches her for some kind of contact; she, in turn, teases him by faining interest until she finally totally rejects his advances. The phrases are in simple metrical style with the singer portraying both characters. Dawn Upshaw does this exceptionally well, and the orchestral accompaniment supports her and the text. Just a really interesting rendition.

The "Brezairola" (Berceuse) begins luxuriantly with its high violin solo duetting with various wind instruments behind, rather than in between, the song. This melody is one of the most beautiful tunes that I personally have ever encountered, and Upshaw does it justice. This is a disc worth hearing if you like the classical folk tune experience, and it's all first-rate. --George Peabody "Ariel" Listen to Samples.

The Very Best Of Victoria de los Angeles

Victoria De Los Angeles died Saturday of heart failure at the age of 83 in Barcelona, Spain. The world of opera mourns her loss. She was a gifted soprano and a wonderful human being. On stage, she was able to directly speak to her audience and communicate with them in a very special and rare way that is not always seen today. She never hid herself behind a facade nor distanced herself from fans and audiences. She was born to sing opera. It was in her blood. This album showcases De Los Angeles in her most memorable and successful roles. Victoria De Los Angeles was one of the first singers from Spain to win worldwide acclaim. Others would follow- Placido Domingo and Montserrat Caballe. De Los Angeles is showcased in this album which may also serve as a tribute to the now late soprano. Her voice was essentially full lyric with some spinto. Hearing her renditions of "O Mio Babbini Caro"- a signature soprano role, as well as "Ebben Ne Andro Lontana" from La Wally and her performances as Mimi, one is clearly treated to the truest form of a pure lyric soprano. Her voice is spunned gold, with sweet, warm, feminine textures. Her reperotire remained in the Italian and French. Of course, being Spanish, she was a leading singer in Spanish Lieder and romantic ballads. Her Art Songs in Spanish are full of elegance and grace. A champion of obscure composers, she sang and recorded recitals that featured the works of lesser known composers, though strictly Lieder and Folk/Art Song. Victoria De Los Angeles is fortunately a well-documented artist. Some film footage exist of her performances. I seem to recall that there exists a taped performance of her Violetta in Verdi's La Traviata. She excelled in the lyric roles of Mimi in Puccini's La Boheme, Marguerite in Gounod's Faust. Her Madame Butterfly is a pure lyric rendition, with less of the dramatic intensity other singers have given the role- i.e. Leontine Price, Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi, etc. But her Butterfly is actually the way the role ought to be sung. It's a voice of grace, naivete and above all romance that must colorize Butterfly. The dramatic intensity only makes her sound older and madly passionate. She is only a fifteen year old girl who has been deceived and betrayed. She must remain youthful sounding. De Los Angeles does justice to the truest form of Butterfly. She was thrilling in French and Italian operas and her Spanish songs were briliant and beautiful. Victoria will always be remembered. She was a unique and talented artist of the lyric repertoire. Her pure, lovely voice was like an angel's. There will never be another Victoria De Los Angeles. With her death, the end of an era also passes. In particular, I will always remember one reported incident. She was about to make her first recital in America but she had no accompanist- pianist/guitarist etc. When asked how she would handle this, she remarked: "Well I brought my guitar with me". And she proceeded to accompany herself with the guitar. --A Kid's Review. Listen to Samples.

Kiri: A Great Tribute To A Great Singer

Kiri Te Kanawa is one of the best lyric sopranos of all time, with luscious sound and a great technique. This album present this beautiful singer in some of her best recordings. The range of her career is presented in full display here, from her brilliant version of Handel's Let the Bright Seraphim through the pop song World in Union. There is a glimpse of her wonderful Mozart in a masterful rendition of Dove Sono from LE NOZZE DI FIGARO and Laudate Dominum from Vesperae solennes de Confessore K339. Other highlights of the recording are the two Puccini arias that she sang as part of the soundtrack of the Merchant Ivory movie A Room with a View. These arias (O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi and Chi bel sogno di Doretta from LA RONDINE) are as beautiful as I remembered from watching the film, the voice is fresh and clear, full of expression. The lighter numbers showcase Dame Kiri's capacity to change musical styles while maintaining an excellent technical skill. All this musical pleasure is enhanced by a booklet with magnificent photographs of the singer, showing how her personal beauty is in perfect harmony with the beauty of her singing voice. The only regret I have is that there is nothing of Richard Strauss here, a composer that has been very important for the soprano's career. Anyway, this CD is a great souvenir of Kiri Te Kanawa's career and a great way to introduce people to an artist who is still today giving much pleasure to people all around the world. --M Ramos. Listen to samples.

Bailero From Chants D'Auvergne

Marie-Joseb Canteloube studied music composition at Schola Cantorum in Paris and wrote symphonic poems, operas, chamber music and even some books before his death in 1957.

Particularly famous among his works are arrangements of traditional French folk songs which he collected by travelling across the country and gave them music scores. Folk songs from his native place, Auvergne, are very popular.

One typical example is "Bailero" which is the second song in the first volume of "Chants d' Auvergne," ("Song of a Shephard.") It is often included in the repertoire of French singers.

The piece in B-flat major and in simple quadruple time, with the designation "idyllic and meditative,"starts with a prelude on the wood winds, followed by a dialogue between a shephard and a maiden.

Maiden : "Mr.Shephard, is there much fun there across the river? Lerolero, bailero lo."
Shephard : "Not much. How about over there? Lero, bailero lo.
Maiden : "Beautiful flowers are in full bloom here. Why not come here, crossing the river?
Lerolero, bailero lo."
Shephard : "Why don't you come over here, with cozy grass in the meadow? Lero, bailero lo."

A Clarinet Takes Us To The Opera

During his musical career, Richard Stoltzman has gained a reputation not only for excellence as a clarinetist but also as a show person. His recordings are varied and demonstrate both his ability to perform difficult music as well as to provide an enjoyable listening experience. Perhaps the best example of his classical talents along with his gift for entertaining would be the collection of music from opera in his recording ARIA.

ARIA is a collection of opera's favorite arias arranged for clarinet. The clarinet is an instrument that is just as at home with high and low registers, so Stoltzman is able to select arias from the soprano, tenor, mezzo, and baritone repertoire. Each of the selections transposes nicely to the clarinet arrangements. The selections range from the Bel Canto sounds of Rossini to the music of Verdi and the verissmo sound of Puccini. The French repertoire of Bizet, Gounod, and Massanet is also represented. Gershwin and Lehar round out the collection. Stoltzman is true to the music but does more than just play. He also adds a feeling that many of the great voices of opera added to these works to give them life.

ARIA is a great collection for background music or for that time that a listener is in the mood for something different. It will be appreciated by anyone who loves good music but will have a special appeal for opera lovers, and of course those of us who played the clarinet as children. We can listen and discover what could have been if we had listened to our parents who told us over and over again to practice. --Timothy Kearney Read more.

Puccini: Arias

Though Puccini is one of the composers most associated with Callas, he was not the one closest to her heart. Even the title role of Tosca that showcased her talents so brilliantly (including during her vocal decline) didn't figure among her favorites. You'd never know, though, from this aria collection recorded in 1954--Callas's vocal prime--that was inexplicably overshadowed by her complete opera recordings. Even among the best of singers, aria collections take on a certain vocal sameness; Callas often has a different voice for every character. Her Mimi in La Boheme is all lightness and ingenuousness; the timbre of her Suor Angelica (which she sang onstage only once) has a similar but distinctly different lightness, also conveying a sheltered life. Once in a while one hears signs of vocal fatique, but generally, the flapping vibrato that afflicted Callas's high notes only a few years later is well under control, as she's guided through these selections by her longtime mentor, Tullio Serafin. --David Patrick Stearns Read more.

Pucci - Gianni Scicchi Scene from Don Carlo & Simon Boccanegra

This early stereo Gianni Schicchi withTito Gobbi has been considered definitive from the day it was issued, but EMI made it frustrating to acquire since one had to buy all three parts of Il Trittico into the bargain. The Suor Angelica features de los Angeles, as does this Schicchi, but that recording sounds like re-processe mono, and Il Tabarro, the inferior entry in the tritych, rarely wins any partisans, even though Gobbi sings the black-hearted lead role.

Now we have Gianni Schicchi alone in best sound (thought not perfect -- there's some microphone shatter in climaxes), and it's a joy. Gobbi is a commanding trickster, more fierce than genial, and all the greedy relatives are played by superb Italian character singers. The young lovers are also winning (if only the tenor didn't try to reach the back row), the highlight being de los Angeles's 'O mio babbino caro.' It helps to have seen the opera's comic potential acted out onstage, but even if you have to hear it only on CD, the satire is totally engaging. --Santa Fe listener Read more.

Puccini - Gianni Scgicchi DVD

Gianni Schicchi is the third and final part of Il trittico, Puccini's trilogy of one-act operas. It is a masterpiece of Italian comedy.

The performance on the new DVD is sheer delight from every point of view. It was filmed live at the Glyndebourne Opera House in 2004. The director Annabel Arden adapted the plot from the Middle Ages to somewhere in the 19th centaury. Sets and costumed are beautiful, and Arden is doing an inspired job, full of surprises.

Vladimir Jurowski conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra with excellent results. Puccini brilliant orchestration is heard with great transparency due to the excellence of the recorded sound (True Surround Sound).

The singers are all excellent. The extremely funny Alessandro Corbelli takes the title role; Massimo Giordano and Sally Matthews are the young lovers with fresh voices. Felicity Palmer, Marie McLaughlin and Luigi Roni are some of the relatives. Opus Arte should get a very high mark for the technical quality and presentation. Picture is crystal clear and the sound is warm and brilliant. Highly recommended!! --T.C. Read more.

Giacomo Puccini: O Mio Babbino Caro From Gianni Schicchi

"Gianni Schicchi" is the sole comic opera of Puccini, who wrote "Madam Buttery," "La Boheme'" "Tosca" and many other world famous tragic operas.

The first public performance of "Gianni Schicchi" was in 1919 at Metropolitan Opera Theater in New York.

The story takes place in Florence, Italy, at the end of the 13th century. With the death of the master of the wealthy Donati family, all his relatives get together and start shameful maneuvering over the inheritance he left behind.

In order to prevent the entire inheritance from being donate to a monastery, they consult Gianni Schicchi, a man of wisdom. Gianni's daughter, Lauretta entreats her father to arrange matters so that Rinuccio her sweethert and the nephew of the dead family head can receive the bequest.

In this scene Lauretta sings the famous aria, "O mio babbino caro," to the effect that "Oh my dear father, I love him so much. Please let me go to the town of Porta Rossa with him to buy our rings."

Dvorak to Duke Ellington

"Peress has in-depth and first-hand knowledge of the subject as he worked with Ellington, edited and'or orchestrated five of Ellington's symphonic works, and has presented a number of critically acclaimed historically accurate concert recreations...With an unparalleled background in music and research, Peress is uniquely suited to delve into the topic at hand, and does so with skillful results, ...there is not a graduate composition or conducting major who would not benefit from reading this highly personal tome." --JCG"For anyone interested in a good look at a poorly understood line of American musical history, or for anyone interested in a simple, fascinating story of music and genius, Peress's Dvorak to Duke Ellington is a captivating read." --International Musician"What makes Dvorak to Duke Ellington so compelling is that it is written by an accomplished conductor who collaborated with Ellington late in his life on the orchestration and/or creation of some of his major compositions, most notably Black, Brown, and Beige and Queenie Pie. Among Peress's most significant achievements is his balancing of an almost irrepressible enthusiasm for the music he champions with a more objective judgement that needs to be brought to bear on what is still a raw topic: namely, how do we come to terms with the complicated miscegenation that is American music?"--Symphony Read more.

Dvorak: Slanovic Dance/Kubelik, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra

Dvorák's music is often a source of sheer warmhearted joy. Even the sadder moments in these gorgeous dances come with a hidden smile and a gracious sense that all is right with the world. The late Rafael Kubelik led his German orchestra in a wonderful recording of these Dances, beautifully played with great affection and idiomatic rhythms (which the conductor must have taught the orchestra). As performances, these are comparable with the legendary 1950 set by Vaclav Talich and the Czech Philharmonic (Supraphon 11 1897-2). Unlike the Supraphon, though, Kubelik's recording is stereo, sounding better than ever in its new remastering and offered at mid-price. --Leslie Gerber Read more.

A Must Dvorak CD For Your Collection

Harnoncourt's excitingly uninhibited new set of the Slavonic Dances, with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, combines great exuberance and virtuosity with vivid colouring. Harnoncourt's direction has tremendous zest and vitality. The Dumka character of Op. 46/2 is spectacularly caught, moving from a relaxed lyrical charm and warmly flexible phrasing to spontaneously hot-blooded bursts of energy, with the trombones electrifying unleased. The delicacy of the string and woodwind playing in No. 6 of the first set is particularly beguiling, as is the seductive rubato at the opening of Op. 72/2. But even here the relaxation of the shapely phrasing is underpinned by an inherent vitality, with the last two chords given a firm finality. Beautiful music. --Tanis Somerville-Christianssen. Read more.

Antonin Dvorak: Slavonic Dance No.15, Op.72 No.7

Dvarak was keenly interested in Slavonic dances and music, collecting a large amount of material on this subject. The widespread popularity of Brahms' collection of Hungarian dances (21 pieces) seemed to encourage Dvorak to write this piano piece in the form of a Hungarian dance, originally for a four-hand performance. A four-hand performance on the piano was a popular form of home music in Eroupe in those days. Therefore, Dvorak did not intend this piece for concerts. But because he emphasized his character ethnic flovor and expressed it in the simplest possible manner using bold modulation, a variety of rhythms and skillful orchestration, "Slavonic Dance No.15, Op.72 No.7" became a full-fledged piece for concerts.

A Night Piece For A Flute And String Orchestra

Arthur Foote, the composer of this piece, was born in Salem near Boston in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. He studied music at the New England Music Academy and later at Harvard University under the instruction of Paine. While serving as a church organist in Boston, he composed music that reflected the influence of Brahms. He contributed to the development of classical music in the United States and is reguarded as a student of the so-called Boston school.

Besides "A Night Piece for a Flute and String Orchestra," he wrote many other pieces of chamber music and vocal music including a string suite for a string quartet: D. op.21 (written in 1886); d. op.36 (1896) op.63 (1910) and two piano trios.

Mozart: Horn Concertos

For this recording, Lowell Greer himself reconstructed a natural horn of the type that was invented during Mozart's later years and was generally played in orchestras at the beginning of the nineteenth century. He is pictured holding the horn in the booklet, and the pride in his eyes is only natural, for this is a wonderful-sounding instrument that seems ideal for playing Mozart's playfully beautiful Horn Concertos. Greer and the Philharmonia Baroque play in a relatively straightforward, perhaps even somewhat naive manner, but this is not necessarily a criticism: At all events, the disc can give enormous listening pleasure (as is presumably evidenced by the fact that I have often heard it being played on German radio stations). The engineering puts the horn on the left of proceedings and in the centre of attention, and it is truly wonderful to listen to this glorious sound. Musicologically, I suspect that the Sony Vivarte recording made by Ab Koster and the Canadian Tafelmusik ensemble is a little more refined (and the music has definitely been reconstructed in a more accurate manner there); but nonetheless, the Harmonia Mundi recording is a true classic and is well worth the listening to. --Leslie Richford Read more.

Mozart: Horn Concerto No.1-4

As a music teacher and hornist who has performed all of the Mozart horn concertos at one time or another, I am probably more picky about recordings of these works than anything else. Everyone always upholds the Dennis Brain recordings as the best, and rightly so. Brain was the all-time master of the horn, period. The problem is that he died young and his Mozart recordings were made in the 1950s. Yes, the CD has been remastered and sounds quite good, but there's only so much a producer can do.

That's why one recording of these masterpieces simply will not do.

This CD by Barry Tuckwell most assuredly needs to be the "other" recording one has in their collection. Tuckwell with his gorgeous tone, fantastic range, and excellent lip trills is easily the best hornist in the past few decades. He plays each concerto with spirit and aggression in contrast to Brain's more controlled and leisurely interpretation. His cadenzas are more modern and showy yet maintain classical style and taste. The ASMF provides perfect, well-balanced accompaniment with, interestingly enough, a harpsicord playing basso continuo underneath the orchestra (a feature that may or may not have been used when Mozart first debuted these concertos).

Finally, the original recordings are modern enough that when digitally remastered, they sound clear as a bell. So yes, buy the Brain recording, he is the best hornist of all time. But this recording by Tuckwell is marvellous and should be immediately added to one's collection. Both recordings are correct, both are beautiful, but both are different. Therefore, both are needed. Buy it now.

Concerto For Horn & Orchestra No.4 In E Flat Major, K.495 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Mozart wrote four concertos for horn and all were dedicates to Leitgeb, who remained a friend of Mozart until his death. Leitgeb's name appears in Mozart's last letter.

As a leading orchestra horn player, Leitgeb asked Mozart to write concertos for him from time to time, and succeeded in persuading him to write four pieces over Mozart's last 10 years.

All these concertos are similar in nature, indicating that Mozart was well versed in Leitgeb's taste.

"Concerto for horn & Orchestra No.4" may be inferior to No.3 in terms of the strong characteristic of the theme and compositional structure which is very appealing in No.3, like the piano concertos, but it is nonetheless an excellent piece, showing the spontaneous skill of Mozart in his mature period. In addition, Concerto No.4 requires a fairly elaborate technique for horn, considering the time in which it was written, by adopting a chromatic playing of rendition.

Bach, Vivaldi, Marcello: Concerti Italiani

"Concept" discs get a bad name, but here's one that works. Alessandrini has come up with the idea of recording the original Venetian concertos that served as the basis for well-known adaptations by Bach. An added twist is his orchestration of Bach's original piece for harpsichord, the Italian Concerto, in the style of the Italian masters whose works served as Bach's models. Alessandrini also supplies the missing violin solo part for Benedetto Marcello's Concerto on this disc. It all comes off so well because the works here are wonderful examples of their genre and because of the marvelous playing of the expert period instrument group, Concerto Italiano, whose playing here is beyond praise. Highlights abound: the surprising staccato movements of the Marcello Violin Concerto, the exquisite playing of oboe soloist Andrea Mion in brother Alessandro Marcello's Oboe Concerto, the zippy Vivaldi Op. 3 No. 11 Concerto for four violins, and the fantasy-filled version of Vivaldi's "La Notte" Flute Concerto among them. A disc full of endless delights. --Dan Davis Buy it now.

Five Italian Oboe Concertos

The concerto for oboe is regaining popularity and use, and this resurrgence is aided by this fine collection by Oboeist/Director Nicholas Daniel and the Peterborough String Orchestra.
All the pieces of this concerto collection are well-done, flowing and lyrical with great balance between the strings the oboe solos.

Especially appealing to my ear is the Siciliana of Cimarosa's concerto as well as Bellini's Concerto.
Crystal clear recording for a great bargain price! Well worth checking out. --rodboomboom Buy it now.

Desire: Music For Romance

This is a fine collection of beautiful, romantic melodies! They have depth and eloquence and are performed in a style that sounds baroque to me. It is not your 'average', straight-forward classical CD set...NO. This set is special, perfect to give as a gift for an anniversary, a birthday, a wedding, or for a dinner date. It is highly-recommended. I'm hooked! It's better than most straight-forward, classical CDs out there. I have purchased a few, but can truly say that I just keep coming back to this set! It draws you in and is perfect while driving, reading, lounging around, on a rainy day, at work, and to get you to sleep! This set just gets harder to find since it is truly THAT good! I think you'll love it for hours of listening enjoyment. I'm surprised no one prior has given a review of this wonderful set. You won't regret it! --R.Uziel Buy it now.

Concerto For Oboe And Strings In C Minor - Alessandro Marcello

Venice, once a leading trade centre of the Mediterranean Sea, was also a musical centre. Operatic activities were particularly advanced there, with the dawning of the Reneissance. In the 18th century, it was in Venice that the baroque ensemble represented by Vivaldi's instrumental pieces reached its zenith. Albinoni and the Marcello brothers were also among the most prominent Venecian musicians in this period. "Concerto for Oboe and strings in C minor" was written by older Marcello, Alessandro.

The piece was used in an Italian film, "Love in Venice," directed by Enrico Maria Salerno in 1970, during the sequence where the protagonist, an oboe player, suffering from an incurable disease, made perhaps his last recording for a radio broadcast. This took place in Venice, a city full of tender memories for him, a man who had to part with his loving wife against his will.

Tis is one of the many classical masterpieces which became popular when used in films.

The Best Swan Lake On CD.

I have owned several CD recordings of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake and this most recent purchase is the best I have heard. I have many recordings of Andre Previn, both as a pianist and a conductor. Andre Previn has never let me down. He has a natural feel for everything I have heard him perform. Previn presents Swan Lake totally complete as Tchaikovsky originally composed it, including the two additional numbers in Act III which were added after the 1st performance. The tempos in each number are ideal and the ADD sound is excellent, considering the recording originates from 1976. I would recommend this version highly over the horribly conducted Bonynge. Better is the Sawallisch but I found the 1994 recording too laid back. Bottom Line: Get this recording for its completeness, conducting, and price! --M Dubin See more

SPECIAL SWAN LAKE

I bought this DVD a few days ago because I had never seen Maya Plisetskaya dance and I'd read so much about her I just had to see what she was all about. I'm glad to say she is fantastic. I have a lot of Swan Lake DVD's and Maya's Odette/Odile is one that stands out. She really creates characters like I've never seen before. Beautiful dancing and drama. On the down side, the lighting of the stage was not very good. Much of the background was in darkness and only the person(s) dancing had light on them. I like to see everything on the stage so I was disappointed with the lighting. I'm still glad I have this recording of Maya Plisetskaya. Now I'll be looking for more of her on DVD. --Titus orange. Buy here.

TCHAIKOVSKY: SWAN LAKE (BLU-RAY)

'Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake' has a richly textured transfer that will please fans. Colors are vivid, black levels are inky, and detail is quite breathtaking. Just look at the costumes and cloaks worn by the various dancers - I could see individual stitching and accents on every inch of the costumes. Hair and sweat were particularly well defined and long shots of grouped dancers were sharp. A top notch audio track keeps Tchaikovsky's compositions vibrant and kinetic. The surround mix, on the other hand, showcases robust dynamics and a stable soundfield that really sells the realism of the musical performance. The clarity of the strings had me initially fooled into assuming this was a lossless track and the bass lines have a strong presence despite the absence of an LFE channel (a low frequency effects channel -- noted by the ".1" designation in a typical "5.1" surround mix). Channel pans are particularly nice as violins and cellos swell across the soundscape. Lighter instruments like clarinets, oboes, and flutes are also well prioritized in the mix and never feel lost in the chaos of the horns. Fans of classical music performances will find a lot to love here. --Paul Dickinson Buy it now.

OUTSTANDING SWAN LAKE! AND A SAD SWAN SONG

This is a wonderful, classical version of Swan Lake. It has all the elements and parts I want to see in this ballet: most of the dance segments and artistic excellence and balance. Right from the beginning we can tell this is going to be a great, energetic ballet as Prince Siegfried comes onto the stage in the very beginning and joins his tutor and jester in a lively pas de trois. it is choreographed by Yuri Grigorovich, Natalia Bessmetnova's husband and the director of the Bolshoi Ballet at that time. He was a great choreographer and was especially gifted at staging the classics so that they fit the standards and requirements of today. The role of Odette and Odile is danced by Natalia Bessmertnova magnificently. She always danced with a combination of technical excellence and dignity. Another remarkable aspect of this performance is the uniform excellence of the dancing. Nowhere is there the slightest imperfection! Additionally, I was very impressed with the combination of youthful vigor and mature stature of all the dancing. All of the ethnic dances are included, and the Black Swan pas de deux follows the Petipa version. Rothbart is also given some great choreography here, something that is often neglected in other stagings. The sets and costumes are also at the highest standard--absolutely gorgeous. The image and sound are very good, as well, but keep in mind that this is a ballet movie on color film, so it has that special quality that film imparts. If you don't mind a Swan Lake on film, this is a fine Swan Lake to have in any collection. Sadly, on February 19, 2008 Natalia Bessmertnova died of a grave, protracted illness, just a few weeks after the release of this DVD. After her retirement from the stage, she had been teaching until her illness.--J.M. Wilinsky Read more.

SWAN LAKE: A REMASTERED BALLET MASTERPIECE

Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake remains a ballet favorite and a powerful star vehicle for the prima ballerina who must dance the roles of two characters- the "white swan" Odette and the black swan Odile, good and evil. Swan Lake has been recorded many times by celebrated conductors and their orchestras - Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra (here it's Wolfgang Sawallisch and the same orchestra from an earlier period) Canadian Charles Dutroit and the Montreal forces, Seiji Ozawa, Andre Previn and the London Symphony Orchestra, Richard Bonynge better known for his operatic vehicles with his wife Joan Sutherland, Antal Dorati and his orchestra, and even Herbert Von Karajan joined the band wagon of conducting great ballets- he conducted the complete Giselle and a concert suite of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and Nutcracker. Wolfgang Sawallisch was a brilliant conductor, and unfortunately like so many conductors in Karajan's time, he was underappreciated. This Swan Lake is beautifully restored and sounds fresh, powerful and lyrical. The music for Swan Lake has symphonic qualities, with a contrast of serene and jovial dances and melancholy and even fatalistic themes. The Dance of the Little Swans is bouncy and cheery, the violin solos for Odette's solo dances are almost mournful (she's mourning her swan condition/curse) and the Swan Theme is powerful and stormy, borrowed from the last notes to a Wagner's Lohengrin prelude. For these reasons critics did not initially warm up to the "heavy" music of Swan Lake. But eventually it became the most beautiful of the "ballet-blancs" ever made. Other "white tutu" ballets include Giselle (Act 2 the Willis) and La Bayadere (Act 2 The Land of Shades). The music is to die for in this recording and I highly recommend it. --Rudy Avila "Saint Seiya" Read more.

RUSSIAN DANCE FROM SWAN LAKE - TCHAIKOVSKY

"Swan Lake" is probably the most popular work by Tchaikovsky, because it contains all the elements that can capture the hearts of the audience; beautiful melodies, melancholy lyricism that tenderly moves the heart, sweet and sentimental feelings, sympathetic character, and a fantasic story presented in a poetic and dramatic manner.

Tchaikovsky had studied many romantic legends and fairy tales before writing this ballet piece, and so laid the foundation of a total art in which ballet and music are integrated to create a fantasic world of dreams.

"Russian Dance" is believed to be originally written as a solo dance for the main character Odile.

THE ADAGIO BOX (BOX SET)

This extraordinary example of performance by Herbert von Karajan and Berlin Philarmonic gives to us the wonder of music from many composers. The harmony of each CD is simply admirable, from joy to romance, from nostalgy to relaxation. Buy here.

SAXSOPHONE VOCALISE

This is a wonderful and eclectic album for any music fan, not just saxophone players. Some of the stand-out tracks on this recording include Rousseau's Porgy and Bess Suite, his version of Bruch's Kol Nidre and his performance of Bernard Heiden' Diversion for Saxophone and Band (one of the few pieces that is in its original form). His playing is always musical and he does wonderful things with all the pieces on the album, especially the ones mentioned above. The Heiden Diversion is a particular favourite of mine, it not only has its virtuosic sections, but has a lovely, haunting middle section where the saxophone just soars above the band's accompaniment. This recording definitely belongs in any serious music lover's collection. Buy here

CLASSIC MEMORIES -STEVE HALL

Steve Hall is a Steinway Artist and a native Californian. While majoring in History and Music as his minor, he received his bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. Steve's professional career has involved playing at weddings and private parties in the Los Angeles area for the last 30 years. During the last 6 years, Steve has recorded 16 albums on his own label. Known for the interesting arrangements of his work, Steve's textural treatments of classic pieces weave a tapestry of atmosphere for the listener. Steve and his wife Robyn are raising three sons and feel blessed and thankful to have the opportunity to share this music with you. Read more.

NIGEL KENNEDY'S GREATEST HITS

Violinist Nigel Kennedy long stopped annoying or surprising concertgoers and disc buyers with his looks and manners--the cover of this CD pictures him with red and blue paint on his face, and he's biting his violin. If that irritates you, his playing certainly will not. Here, two movements from Vivaldi's Four Seasons act as bookends to, among other pieces: a Satie Gymnopédie, exquisitely played, with lovely embellishments near its close; Vaughan Williams's floating Lark Ascending; a stunning, virtuosic Bach solo (never before released); a soft-edged Bach chorale; a soupy, sentimental "Danny Boy"; a slightly overwrought "Scarborough Fair"; a piece by Kennedy himself; and a few other surprises. Kennedy's tone is lush and warm, and his emotionalism almost never overwhelms the music. Greatest hits? More like greatest encores. But definitely a terrific 71 minutes of fiddling. --Robert Levine Read more.

ITZHAK PURLMAN - A LA CARTE/LAWRENCE FOSTER

This collection of rarely performed pieces is a fantastic record. Perlman's playing, as usual, is a feast for the ears. The lush accompaniment is equally beautiful. The pieces are accessible to the classical connoisseur as well as the novice. This is the perfect album for a winter afternoon around the house. Read more.

THAIS MEDITATION - JULES MASSENET

The piece comes from Massenet's masterpiece, the opera "Thais" base on Anatole France's novel of the same title. The opera was first played at the Paris Opera Theater in 1894. The story is set in the in the early first century, on the River Nile. A priest approaches Thais, a dancer of the night world of Alexandria, with the goal of talking her into repentance and leading her to a life of faith. Ironically, however, his own faith is replaced by love for Thais, just as she is becoming inclined to accept religion.

"Meditation" is played by a solo violin with harp accompaniment between the first and second acts. It portrays the change in Thais' heart, from wanting to seduce the priest, at the end of the second scene of the first act, to wanting to begin a religious life. It is effectively played at the opening of the second act when Thais visits the priest to tell him of her decision. The piece is often played independently as a violin solo.

EDITH MATHIS - MOZART: EXSULATE JUBILATE

I'm not sure, if I may review this album as the first reviewer.But I can say for sure that you won't have any regrets about buying this item. I encountered her voice when I heard 'Le nozze di Figaro', Mozart. At that time she sung as Susanna. I was really impressed, because her voice was very mellow but profound, not like any other italien singers. After that I've been concentrating on collecting her records. So far she've not disappointed me. In my opinion, it's very unsatisfactory that there are few recording. About 2 years ago I had a chance to go to her concert. At the time she also sung this Mozart's masterpiece ,Exultate, Jubilate'. I was moved to tears. At the moment when I'm listening her voice on CD, I found myself who is in tears. I guarantee you won't regret. --Park Dong Gyun See more.

EXSULATE JUBILATE BY HANDEL AND MOZART

The sumptious sound of Gardiner's English Baroque Soloists opens this disc with clarion precision. From the very beginning, they are the epitome of perfect baroque playing - never getting a microbeat behind Gardiner's fiendishly speedy baton, and are particularly delightful when tripping through Mozart's Exsultate Jubilate accompanying the sublime Ms McNair. Sylvia McNair, although comparatively rarely recorded, produces a wonderfully enthusiastic performance, using all of the vocal devices in her armoury (listen out for the whispered phrase in Silete Venti, the first cantata on the disc). While the Handel is lovely, however, the Mozart is truly spectacular, showing McNair's talent for semi-quaver articulation, particularly in the famous Alleluia which concludes the disc. Overall, an excellent contribution to the collection of any fan of authentic Mozart. --Ben England. Read more.

THE WORLD GREATEST MOZART ALBUMS

This CD has a great selection of Mozart for fans, or people who have heard the melodies but haven't placed the composer with them. It includes Piano Concerto 21 II andante, Jupiter Symphony Finale, the famous Clarinet Concerto, wich is incredibly brilliant, and Rondo Alla Turca, a very smartly written sonata. It also has probably the most famous classical piece ever, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, The most famous Opera, Le Nozzie Di Figaro, and the very famous Piano Sonata 15 in C Major, "Sonata Facile". Not only does this CD set have a good selection it is all crisp and cleanly played. I particualry enjoy the Jupiter Finale, which is so cleanly played I felt I was watching it live. I suggest buying this wonderful set for your Mozart collection. --Justin Read more.

MOZART CORONATION MASS

Barbara Bonney is the star of this disc. Her "Exsultate Jubilate" is the most beautiful, unprententious version I've heard. What I've always admired about her is her pure tone, and this recording is no exception. Even though she sings gloriously, she doesn't show off at the expense of Mozart's music. The English Concert's playing is intelligent and stylish as we've come to expect from them. Also, if you're unfamiliar with the Solemn Vespers of the Confessor, this piece is a real treat for choral music lovers. It is done very well here too. ~ J. Buxton "cantabile"

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