
This six-disc collection from the German label Deutsche Grammophon (now part of the Universal conglomerate) is intended for newcomers to classical music. As such, it raises a number of objections. The buyer is given only a narrow slice of the repertory -- for the most part, the program consists of Romantic favorites of the nineeenth century or what might be called honorary Romantic music ("Messiah," "Carmina Burana"). Much of the music is for full symphony orchestra, although there is one disc of piano music ("Nocturne") and one of opera ("Grand Opera"). The buyer who enjoys a particular selection will not find much help in pursuing similar music -- there is no booklet, and the track list identifies performers in only an abbreviated way (conductor Rafael Kubelik, for instance, is listed only as Kubelik). All this said, the conception of the set is original. Most sets of this size divide up the repertory by chronology or medium, but The Premium Collection offers six themes: "Meditation," "Orchestral Fireworks," "Invitation to the Dance," "Nocturne," "Pomp & Circumstance," and "Grand Opera." What's appealing about these is that they are not forced onto the music, as in the various classical lifestyle discs that infest discount-store bins, but are durable concepts within the classical tradition itself; the set offers music to have on hand for a variety of uses without doing violence to the music involved. There are many other ways of approaching the question of how to build a classical collection, but for someone who has attended a big symphonic performance at the local orchestra hall and found it enjoyable, this may be a good place to start.
(James Manheim, Rovi)
CD 1:Edvard Grieg (1843 - 1907)
Peer Gynt, Op.23
Incidental Music
1. No.13. Morning mood [4:17]
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Neeme Järvi
Johann Pachelbel (1653 - 1706)
Canon and Gigue in D major
2. 1. Canon [6:24]
Festival Strings LucerneRudolf BaumgartnerCamille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921)
Le Carnaval des Animaux
3. Le Cygne [2:52]
Wolfgang HerzerAlfons KontarskyAloys KontarskyWiener PhilharmonikerKarl Böhm
Gabriel Fauré (1845 - 1924)
4. Pavane, Op.50 [6:49]
Boston Symphony OrchestraSeiji OzawaTanglewood Festival ChorusJohn OliverJoaquin Rodrigo (1901 - 1999)
Concierto de Aranjuez for Guitar and Orchestra
5. 2. Adagio [10:54]
Göran SöllscherOrpheus Chamber Orchestra
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750)
Suite No.3 in D, BWV 1068
6. 2. Air [4:41]
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Gustav Mahler (1860 - 1911)
Symphony No.5 in C sharp minor
7. 4. Adagietto (Sehr langsam) [9:48]
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen RundfunksRafael Kubelik
Edward Elgar (1857 - 1934)
Cello Concerto in E minor, Op.85
8. 1. Adagio - Moderato [7:06]
Pierre FournierBerliner PhilharmonikerAlfred Wallenstein
Tomaso Albinoni (1671 - 1750)
9. Adagio for Strings and Organ in G minor (Arr. Remo Giazotto/ Transcr. A. Lagoya) [6:54]
Eduard KaufmannWalter PrystawskiFestival Strings LucerneRudolf Baumgartner
Antonín Dvorák (1841 - 1904)
Symphony No.9 in E minor, Op.95 "From the New World"
10. 2. Largo [5:12]
Berliner PhilharmonikerRafael KubelikJacques Offenbach (1819 - 1880)
Les Contes d'Hoffmann
Act 4
11. Entr'acte (Barcarolle) [4:42]
Gothenburg Symphony OrchestraNeeme JärviCD 2:Georges Bizet (1838 - 1875)
Carmen Suite (excerpts from suites nos. 1 & 2)
1. Les toréadors [2:05]
Orchestre de l'Opéra BastilleMyung-Whun ChungCarl Orff (1895 - 1982)
Carmina Burana
Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi
2. "O Fortuna" [2:36]
Orchester der Deutschen Oper BerlinEugen JochumChor der Deutschen Oper BerlinWalter Hagen-GrollEdvard Grieg (1843 - 1907)
Peer Gynt Suite No.1, Op.46
3. 4. In the Hall of the Mountain King [2:59]
Gothenburg Symphony OrchestraNeeme JärviAntonio Vivaldi (1678 - 1741)
Concerto for Violin and Strings in F minor, Op.8, No.4, R.297 "L'inverno"
4. 1. Allegro non molto - 2. Largo - 3. Allegro [7:53]
Simon StandageThe English ConcertTrevor PinnockModest Petrovich Mussorgsky (1839 - 1881)
Pictures at an Exhibition
Orchestrated by Maurice Ravel
5. Promenade [1:51]
Chicago Symphony OrchestraCarlo Maria GiuliniPeter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893)
Ouverture solennelle "1812, " Op.49
6. Overture 1812 - Beginning [4:12]
Churchbells of GothenburgGothenburg Artillery DivisionGothenburg Symphony Brass BandGothenburg Symphony OrchestraNeeme JärviGothenburg Symphony ChorusOve GottingSergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953)
Romeo and Juliet, Op.64
Act 1
7. 13. Dance of the knights [5:24]
Boston Symphony OrchestraSeiji OzawaGiuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901)
Messa da Requiem
8. 2. Dies irae [2:46]
Berliner PhilharmonikerCarlo Maria GiuliniErnst Senff ChorErnst SenffRichard Wagner (1813 - 1883)
Die Walküre
Concert version
Dritter Aufzug
9. The Ride of the Walkyres [4:55]
Orchestre de ParisDaniel Barenboim
Richard Strauss (1864 - 1949)
Also sprach Zarathustra, Op.30
10. Einleitung [1:59]
Boston Symphony OrchestraWilliam SteinbergGeorge Gershwin (1898 - 1937)
11. Rhapsody in Blue [15:55]
Siegfried StockigtKurt HiltawskyGewandhausorchester LeipzigKurt MasurMaurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
12. Boléro [15:02]
Boston Symphony OrchestraSeiji Ozawa
CD 3:Carl Maria von Weber (1786 - 1826)
Invitation to the Dance, Op.65 (Aufforderung zum Tanze)
1. Orchestrated by H. Berlioz (1803-1869) [10:25]
Radio-Symphonie-Orchester BerlinFerenc FricsayJohannes Brahms (1833 - 1897)
Hungarian Dances Nos. 1 - 21
2. No. 1 in G minor, No. 3 in F and No. 6 in D flat [8:23]
Wiener PhilharmonikerClaudio AbbadoPeter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893)
Nutcracker Suite, Op.71a
3. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy...Waltz of the Flowers [8:51]
Berliner PhilharmonikerFerdinand Leitner
Jacques Offenbach (1819 - 1880)
Gaîté parisienne
Arranged by M. Rosenthal
4. Vivo [0:57]
Boston Symphony OrchestraSeiji OzawaEdvard Grieg (1843 - 1907)
Peer Gynt, Op.23
Incidental Music
5. No.16. Anitra's dance [3:41]
Gothenburg Symphony OrchestraNeeme Järvi
George Frideric Handel (1685 - 1759)
Water Music, Suites II & III in D/G (HWV 349/350)
6. 2. Alla Hornpipe [4:16]
The English ConcertTrevor PinnockWolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)
Horn Concerto No.4 in E flat, K.495
7. 3. Rondo (Allegro vivace) [3:39]
David JolleyOrpheus Chamber OrchestraJohann Strauss (1825 - 1899)
8. An der schönen blauen Donau, Op.314 [9:43]
Radio-Symphonie-Orchester BerlinFerenc FricsayBedrich Smetana (1824 - 1884)
The Bartered Bride
9. Polka, Furiant and Dance of the Comedians [13:12]
Wiener PhilharmonikerJames LevineAlexander Borodin (1833 - 1887)
10. Polovtsian Dances, from: Prince Igor [11:26]
Torgny SporsenGothenburg Symphony OrchestraNeeme JärviGothenburg Symphony ChorusOve GottingJohann Strauss (1804 - 1849)
11. Radetzky-Marsch, Op.228 (Arr. Ertl) [2:20]
Radio-Symphonie-Orchester BerlinFerenc Fricsay
CD 4:Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)
Piano Concerto No.21 in C, K.467
1. 2. Andante [7:16]
Camerata Academica des Mozarteums SalzburgGéza AndaFrédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849)
2. Nocturne No.5 in F sharp, Op.15 No.2 [3:58]
Daniel BarenboimRobert Schumann (1810 - 1856)
Kinderszenen, Op.15
3. 7. Träumerei [2:59]
Martha ArgerichLudwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827)
Bagatelle in A minor, WoO 59 -"Für Elise"
4. Poco moto [4:03]
Anatol UgorskiClaude Debussy (1862 - 1918)
Suite bergamasque
5. 3. Clair de lune [5:08]
Alexis WeissenbergLudwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827)
Piano Sonata No.14 in C sharp minor, Op.27 No.2 -"Moonlight"
6. 1. Adagio sostenuto [6:07]
Emil GilelsSergey Vasil'yevich Rachmaninov (1873 - 1943)
13 Préludes op.32
7. No.10 in B minor: Lento [5:04]
Lilya ZilbersteinFranz Liszt (1811 - 1886)
8. The Flying Dutchman/Wagner: Ballade, Transcription S. 441 [5:50]
Daniel BarenboimFrédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849)
24 Préludes, Op.28
9. 15. in D flat major ("Raindrop") [5:33]
Christoph Eschenbach
Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918)
Préludes - Book 1
10. 8. La fille aux cheveux de lin [2:39]
Alexis WeissenbergSergey Vasil'yevich Rachmaninov (1873 - 1943)
13 Préludes op.32
11. No.12 in g sharp minor: Allegro [2:26]
Lilya ZilbersteinFranz Schubert (1797 - 1828)
6 Moments musicaux, Op.94 D.780
12. No.2 in A flat (Andantino) [5:44]
Wilhelm KempffWolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)
Piano Concerto No.23 in A, K.488
Cadenza: W.A.Mozart
13. 2. Adagio [6:58]
Camerata Academica des Mozarteums SalzburgGéza Anda
CD 5: George Frideric Handel (1685 - 1759)
Messiah
Part 2
1. "Hallelujah" [4:01]
The English Concert
Trevor PinnockThe English Concert ChoirRalph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958)
2. Fantasia on Greensleeves [4:29]
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Bedrich Smetana (1824 - 1884)
Má Vlast (My Country)
3. 2. Vltava (The Moldau) [11:59]
Boston Symphony OrchestraRafael KubelikJohann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750)
4. Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 [8:26]
Simon Preston
Jean Sibelius (1865 - 1957)
Finlandia, Op.26, No.7
5. Andante sostenuto - Allegro moderato - Allegro [9:03]
Gothenburg Symphony OrchestraNeeme JärviGustav Holst (1874 - 1934)
The Planets, op.32
6. 4. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity [8:00]
Boston Symphony OrchestraWilliam SteinbergLeonard Bernstein (1918 - 1990)
"West Side Story" - Symphonic Dances
7. 1. Prologue - 4. Mambo - 9. Finale [9:38]
San Francisco Symphony OrchestraSeiji OzawaFelix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847)
The Hebrides, Op.26 (Fingal's Cave)
8. Allegro moderato [10:24]
London Symphony OrchestraClaudio AbbadoEdward Elgar (1857 - 1934)
9. Pomp and Circumstance March No.1 in D, Op.39, No.1 [5:54]
Royal Philharmonic OrchestraNorman Del Mar
CD 6: Giacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924)
Turandot
Act 3
1. "Nessun dorma" [3:27]
Plácido DomingoWiener PhilharmonikerHerbert von KarajanWiener StaatsopernchorRoberto BenaglioGaetano Donizetti (1797 - 1848)
L'elisir d'amore
Act 2
2. "Una furtiva lagrima" [4:39]
Plácido DomingoLos Angeles PhilharmonicCarlo Maria GiuliniGiuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901)
Il Trovatore
Libretto: Salvatore Cammarano/Leonore Emanuele Bardare
Act 3
3. "Di quella pira" [2:01]
Carlo BergonziAntonietta StellaFranco RicciardiOrchestra del Teatro alla Scala di MilanoTullio Serafin, Coro del Teatro alla Scala di MilanoNorberto MolaNabucco
Act 3
4. Coro: Introduzione - "Va pensiero, sull'ali dorate" [4:56]
Orchester der Deutschen Oper BerlinGiuseppe SinopoliChor der Deutschen Oper BerlinWalter Hagen-Groll
Georges Bizet (1838 - 1875)
Carmen
Act 2
5. "La fleur que tu m'avais jetée" [3:58]
Plácido DomingoLos Angeles PhilharmonicCarlo Maria GiuliniAct 1
6. "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle" (Havanaise) [3:59]
Grace BumbryRadio-Symphonie-Orchester BerlinJanos KulkaGiacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924)
La Bohème
Act 1
7. "Che gelida manina" [4:57]
Sándor Kónya
Orchestra del Maggio Musicale FiorentinoAntonino Votto
Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901)
Il Trovatore
Libretto: Salvatore Cammarano/Leonore Emanuele Bardare
Act 2
8. "Vedi! le fosche notturne spoglie" (Anvil Chorus) [2:59]
Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di MilanoTullio SerafinCoro del Teatro alla Scala di MilanoNorberto Mola
Richard Wagner (1813 - 1883)
Tristan und Isolde
Act 3
9. "Mild und leise wie er lächelt" (Isoldes Liebestod) [7:25]
Margaret Price, Staatskapelle DresdenCarlos KleiberGiacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924)
Madama Butterfly
Act 2
10. Un bel dì vedremo [5:01]
Mirella Freni, Philharmonia OrchestraGiuseppe SinopoliGiuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901)
Aida
Act 2
11. Grand March [1:40]
Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di MilanoClaudio Abbado12. Vieni, o guerriero vindice [2:28]
Nicolai Ghiaurov
Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di MilanoClaudio Abbado, Coro del Teatro alla Scala di MilanoRomano GandolfiGioacchino Rossini (1792 - 1868)
Il barbiere di Siviglia
Ed. Alberto Zedda (1928-)
Act 1
13. No.2 Cavatina: "Largo al factotum" [4:36]
Hermann PreyLondon Symphony OrchestraClaudio AbbadoWolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)
Die Zauberflöte, K.620
Act 1
14. Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja (Papageno) [2:37]
Dietrich Fischer-DieskauBerliner PhilharmonikerKarl BöhmAct 2
15. O Isis und Osiris (Sarastro, Chor) [2:56]
Franz CrassBerliner PhilharmonikerKarl BöhmRIAS KammerchorGünther Arndt16. Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen (Königin der Nacht) [2:58]
Roberta PetersBerliner PhilharmonikerKarl Böhm
Pietro Mascagni (1863 - 1945)
Cavalleria rusticana
17. Intermezzo sinfonico
Philharmonia OrchestraGiuseppe SinopoliGioacchino Rossini (1792 - 1868)
William Tell
18. Overture [3:25]
Rome Opera House OrchestraTullio SerafinRichard Wagner (1813 - 1883)
Lohengrin
Act 3
19. "Treulich geführt ziehet dahin" [4:41]
Orchester der Bayreuther FestspieleWilhelm PitzChor der Bayreuther Festspiele2007 Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Hamburg
6 Compact discs ADD / DDD
477 7018 3 GB 6
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