This can only be the most cursory of
round-ups rather than a proper review.
Presentation is simple yet eye-catching.
Naxos use John Minnions caricatures
of the composers. These are full and
eloquent of character, eloquent yet
clean of line.
I have not played every track. In fact
most of these sets are still in their
cellophane wrappers.
I have however sampled two of the ten
sets: Puccini and Rachmaninov.
The price is what you might expect from
sets that comprise favourite movements
from larger works.
I would guess that all these tracks
are sourced from the already humungous
Naxos classical back catalogue. I say
guess because unusually these sets
are pretty poor on listing who sings
and plays which piece.
I have sampled the Puccini and the Rachmaninov.
The Puccini Turandot is not specially
glamorous but it has a better than good
Nessun Dorma and a fine sequence of
Boheme excerpts.
The Rachmaninov has a grippingly explosive
First Symphonic Dance (made me want
to hear the whole thing if only I could
identify the artists) and Glemsers
measured and then volatile Third Piano
Concerto.
You can see the game plan: Lets use
only the Naxos catalogue (no additional
licensing fees). Lets pack each CD
high and tight though I note that there
was still space on the Rachmaninov pair
(only 66:37 + 68:11). Lets include
the famous best alongside the not so
famous best: in the case f Rachmaninov
we get resonant extracts from the Vespers
with two sound-bytes from the operas
- one each from Francesca and
Aleko. Lets make this a uniform
edition: theyll end up buying more
than none if they look good on the shelf.
Lets keep the notes simple but lets
not shy from including some lightly
educational material. Lets include
a juicy and catchy quote by or about
the composer on the back of each set
and add a card-sleeve to give the whole
thing a touch of class - which it does.
Naxos are not afraid of making links
to popular culture so the Rachmaninov
sleeve refers to the use of the Second
Piano Concerto in the 1940s weepy classic
Brief Encounter.
The delights of these discs are not
completely hedonistic. For example the
bold, clean and simple notes include
definitions of symphony and sonata and
recommendation for further listening
- quite naturally from the Naxos catalogue.
If you are in the market for a Christmas
or birthday present for someone who
enjoys the odd piece on Classic FM while
listening in the car or doing the housework
or keying in data then you could far
worse than choosing one or two of these,
some gift wrapping and waiting for the
right moment to hand over the parcel.
Perhaps the set would sit in the car
for a while or on the shelf in the kitchen.
You however would have the pleasure
of knowing that when the set is first
played it is likely to open doors of
discovery.
Rob Barnett
Full Track Listing - sadly artists details
not available.
The Very Best of Vivaldi - Various Artists
Label - Naxos
Cat. No. - 8552101-02
2 CD Set
Including 12 Concerti grossi, Op. 3,
"L'estro armonico": No. 10 in B minor,
RV 580 12 Violin Concertos, Op. 4,
"La stravaganza": No. 5 in A major,
RV 347 12 Violin Sonatas, Op. 2: No.
2 in A major, RV 31 6 Flute Concertos,
Op. 10: No. 1 in F major, RV 433, "La
tempesta di mare" (The Storm at Sea)
6 Flute Concertos, Op. 10: No. 2 in
G minor, RV 439, "La notte" (The Night)
Bassoon Concerto in A minor, RV 498
Chamber (Lute) Concerto in D major,
RV 93: I. Allegro Concerto for 2 Cellos
in G minor, RV 531 (excerpts) Concerto
for 2 Trumpets in C major, RV 537
Concerto for Strings in G major, RV
151, "Alla Rustica" Dixit Dominus
in D major, RV 595: Gloria Patri, Sicut
erat in principio - Et in saecula saeculorum
Gloria in D major, RV 589: I. Gloria
in excelsis Deo Griselda, RV 718:
Aria: Agitata da due venti (Costanza)
Mandolin Concerto in C major, RV 425:
I. Allegro Nulla in mundo pax sincera,
RV 630: I. Aria: Nulla in mundo pax
sincera: Larghetto Oboe Concerto in
A minor, RV 461 Sopranino Recorder
Concerto in C major, RV 443 (excerpts)
Sopranino Recorder Concerto in C major,
RV 444 The 4 Seasons - Violin Concerto
in E major, RV 269, "La primavera" (Spring):
I. Allegro The 4 Seasons - Violin
Concerto in F major, RV 293, "L'autunno"
(Autumn): I. Allegro The 4 Seasons
- Violin Concerto in F minor, RV 297,
"L'inverno" (Winter): II. Largo The
4 Seasons - Violin Concerto in G minor,
RV 315, "L'estate" (Summer): III. Presto
Tito Manlio, RV 778, Act I: Combatta
un gentil cor
J S Bach: The Very Best of Bach - Various
Artists
Label - Naxos
Cat. No. - 8552103-04
2 CD Set
Including Anna Magdalena Notenbuch:
Minuet in G major, BWV Anh 114 Brandenburg
Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048:
III. Allegro Brandenburg Concerto
No. 4 in G major, BWV 1049: I. Allegro
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major,
BWV 1050: III. Allegro Cello Suite
No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007 (excerpts)
Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248: Jauchzet,
frohlocket Concerto for 2 Violins
in D minor, BWV 1043: II. Largo ma non
tanto Concerto for Violin and Oboe
in C minor, BWV 1060: II. Adagio Concerto
in the Italian Style, BWV 971, "Italian
Concerto": I. Allegro Goldberg Variations,
BWV 988: I. Aria Harpsichord Concerto
in D minor, BWV 1052: I. Allegro Herz
und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147:
X. Jesu, joy of man's desiring (arr.
M. Hess) Ich habe genug, BWV 82: III.
Schlummert ein Magnificat in D major,
BWV 243: Magnificat Mass in B minor,
BWV 232: Agnus dei Oboe Concerto in
G minor, BWV 1056: II. Largo Orchestral
Suite No. 2 in B minor, BWV 1067: VII.
Badinerie Orchestral Suite No. 3 in
D major, BWV 1068: II. Air, "Air on
a G String" St. Matthew Passion, BWV
244: Erbarme dich, mein Gott St. Matthew
Passion, BWV 244: O Haupt voll Blut
und Wunden Toccata and Fugue in D
minor, BWV 565: Toccata Violin Concerto
in A minor, BWV 1041: III. Allegro assai
Violin Partita No. 3 in E major, BWV
1006: I. Preludio Wachet auf, ruft
uns die Stimme, BWV 140 Weichet nur,
betubte Schatten, BWV 202, "Wedding
Cantata": I. Adagio Well-Tempered
Clavier, Book I: I. Prelude and Fugue
in C major, BWV 846
L van Beethoven: The Very Best of Beethoven
- Various Artists
Label - Naxos
Cat. No. - 8552105-06
2 CD set
Including Andante in F major, WoO 57,
"Andante favori" Bagatelle in A minor,
WoO 59, "Fur Elise" Cello Sonata No.
3 in A major, Op. 69: III. Adagio cantabile
- Allegro vivace Egmont, Op. 84: Overture
Fidelio, Op. 72, Act I: No. 9 Abscheulicher!
wo eilst du hin? Mass in D major,
Op. 123, "Missa Solemnis": Benedictus
Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op.
58: III. Rondo: Vivace Piano Concerto
No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 73, "Emperor":
Rondo: Allegro Piano Sonata No. 14
in C sharp minor, Op. 27/2, "Moonlight":
I. Adagio sostenuto Piano Sonata No.
8 in C minor, Op. 13, "Pathetique":
II. Adagio cantabile Piano Trio No.
7 in B flat major, Op. 97, "Archduke":
II. Scherzo String Quartet No. 9 in
C major, Op. 59/3, "Razumovsky": IV.
Allegro molto Symphony No. 3 in E
flat major, Op. 55, "Eroica": III. Scherzo:
Allegro vivace Symphony No. 5 in C
minor, Op. 67: I. Allegro con brio
Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, "Pastoral":
I. Allegro ma non troppo Symphony
No. 7 in A major, Op. 92: II. Allegretto
Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125,
"Choral": IV. Finale: Presto (excerpt)
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61:
III. Rondo: Allegro Violin Sonata
No. 5 in F major, Op. 24, "Spring":
II. Adagio molto espressivo Violin
Sonata No. 9 in A major, Op. 47, "Kreutzer":
III. Finale: Presto
F Chopin: The Very Best of Chopin -
Various Artists
Label - Naxos
Cat. No. - 8552107-08
2 CD set
Including 12 Etudes, Op. 10: No. 12
in C minor, "Revolutionary" 12 Etudes,
Op. 10: No. 3 in E major, "Tristesse"
(Sadness) 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No.
15 in D flat major Andante spianato
in G major, Op. 22: II. Grande polonaise
brilliante Ballade No. 3 in A flat
major, Op. 47 Barcarolle in F sharp
major, Op. 60 Berceuse in D flat major,
Op. 57 Cello Sonata in G minor, Op.
65: III. Largo Fantaisie-Impromptu
in C sharp minor, Op. 66 Mazurka No.
13 in A minor, Op. 17/4 Mazurka No.
23 in D major, Op. 33/2 Nocturne No.
19 in E minor, Op. 72/1 Nocturne No.
2 in E flat major, Op. 9/2 Nocturne
No. 20 in C sharp minor, Op. posth.
Nocturne No. 5 in F sharp major, Op.
15/2 Nocturne No. 8 in D flat major,
Op. 27/2 Piano Concerto No. 1 in E
minor, Op. 11: II. Romanza: Larghetto
Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op.
21: II. Larghetto Piano Sonata No.
2 in B flat minor, Op. 35, "Funeral
March": III. Marche funebre Polonaise
No. 6 in A flat major, Op. 53, "Heroic"
Scherzo No. 2 in B flat minor, Op.
31 Waltz No. 1 in E flat major, Op.
18, "Grande valse brillante" Waltz
No. 6 in D flat major, Op. 64/1, "Minute"
Waltz No. 7 in C sharp minor, Op.
64/2
G F Handel: : The Very Best of Handel
- Various Artists
Label - Naxos
Cat. No. - 8552109-10
2 CD set
Including 6 Recorder Sonatas, Op. 1:
No. 4 in A minor, HWV 362: II. Allegro
Concerto a due cori No. 3 in F major,
HWV 334: III. A tempo ordinario Concerto
grosso in C major, HWV 318, "Alexander's
Feast": III. Allegro Concerto grosso
No. 12 in B minor, HWV 330 (Op. 6):
III. Larghetto, e piano - Variatio
Concerto grosso No. 3 in G major, HWV
317 (Op. 3): II. Allegro Concerto
grosso No. 6 in D major, HWV 317 (Op.
3): I. Vivace Concerto grosso No.
6 in G minor, HWV 324 (Op. 6): I. Larghetto
e affettuoso Dixit Dominus, HWV 232:
I. Dixit Dominus Domino meo Judas
Maccabaeus, HWV 63, Part III: See, the
conqu'ring hero comes! Keyboard Suite
No. 5 in E major, HWV 430: IV. Air and
Variations, "The Harmonius Blacksmith"
Messiah, HWV 56, Part I: For unto
us a child is born Messiah, HWV 56,
Part II: Hallelujah Messiah, HWV 56,
Part II: He was despised Messiah,
HWV 56, Part II: How beautiful are the
feet Messiah, HWV 56, Part III: I
know that my redeemer liveth Music
for the Royal Fireworks, HWV 351: III.
La paix Music for the Royal Fireworks,
HWV 351: IV. Le rejouissance Oboe
Concerto No. 3 in G minor, HWV 287:
III. Sarabande: Largo Ode for St Cecilia's
Day, HWV 76: IV. What passion cannot
music raise and quell Ode for the
Birthday of Queen Anne, HWV 74: I. Eternal
source of light divine Organ Concerto
No. 13 in F major, HWV 295, "The Cuckoo
and the Nightingale": II. Allegro
Rinaldo, HWV 7a: Lascia ch'io pianga
(Let me lament) Samson, HWV 57, Act
III: Let the Bright Seraphim Saul,
HWV 53, Act III: Dead March: Grave
Serse (Xerxes), HWV 40, Act I: Ombra
mai fu: Largo (Serse) Solomon, HWV
67: VIII. Sinfonia, "Arrival of the
Queen of Sheba" Te Deum in D major,
HWV 283, "Dettingen": XII. Vouchsafe,
O Lord, to keep us this day Violin
Sonata No. 7 in D major, HWV 371: III.
Larghetto Water Music - Suite in D
major, HWV 349: II. Alla Hornpipe
Water Music - Suite in F major, HWV
348: I. Overture Water Music - Suite
in F major, HWV 348: III. Allegro -
Andante Water Music - Suite in F major,
HWV 348: VI. Air Zadok the Priest,
HWV 258
W A Mozart: The Very Best of Mozart
- Various Artists
Label - Naxos
Cat. No. - 8552111-12
2 CD set
Including 3 German Dances, K. 605: No.
3 in C major, "Die Schlittenfahrt" (Sleigh
Ride) Ave verum corpus in D major,
K. 618 Clarinet Concerto in A major,
K. 622: II. Adagio Clarinet Quintet
in A major, K. 581: II. Larghetto
Concerto for Flute and Harp in C major,
K. 299: II. Andantino Cosi fan tutte,
K. 588, Act I: Soave sia il vento
Die Zauberflote, K. 620, Act II: Der
Holle Rache, "Queen of the Night"
Don Giovanni, K. 527, Act I: La ci darem
la mano Horn Concerto No. 4 in E flat
major, K. 495: III. Rondo: Allegro vivace
Le nozze di Figaro, K. 492, Act I:
Overture Le nozze di Figaro, K. 492,
Act II: Voi, che sapete Mass No. 18
in C minor, K. 427, "Great": Kyrie
Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K.
466: III. Allegro assai Piano Concerto
No. 21 in C major, "Elvira Madigan":
II. Andante Piano Sonata No. 11 in
A major, K. 331: III. Rondo alla turca:
Allegretto Requiem in D minor, K.
626: Confutatis maledictis - Lacrimosa
dies illa Serenade No. 10 in B flat
major, K. 361, "Gran Partita": III.
Menuetto Serenade No. 13 in G major,
K. 525, "Eine kleine Nachtmusik": I.
Allegro String Quartet No. 17 in B
flat major, K. 458, "Hunt": II. Minuetto:
Moderato Symphony No. 25 in G minor,
K. 183: I. Allegro con brio Symphony
No. 40 in G minor, K. 550: I. Molto
allegro Symphony No. 41 in C major,
K. 550, "Jupiter": IV. Molto allegro
Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major,
K. 219, "Turkish": III. Rondo: Tempo
di minuetto Violin Sonata No. 26 in
B flat major, K. 378: II. Andantino
sostenuto e cantabile
S Rachmaninov: The Very Best of Rachmaninov
- Various Artists
Label - Naxos
Cat. No. - 8552113-14
2 CD set
Including 10 Preludes, Op. 23: No. 2
in B flat major 10 Preludes, Op. 23:
No. 5 in G minor: Alla marcia 13 Preludes,
Op. 32: No. 12 in G sharp minor: Allegro
5 Morceaux de fantaisie, Op. 3: No.
1 Elegie in E flat minor 5 Morceaux
de fantaisie, Op. 3: No. 2 Prelude in
C sharp minor 6 Moments musicaux,
Op. 16: No. 3 Andante cantabile 7
Morceaux de salon, Op. 10: No. 5 Humoresque
in G major 9 Etudes-Tableaux, Op.
33: No. 8 in G minor: Moderato 9 Etudes-Tableaux,
Op. 33: No. 9 in D major: Allegro moderato
Aleko: The Young Gypsy's Romance -
See, beneath yon firmament All-Night
Vigil, Op. 37, "Vespers": Bless the
Lord, O my soul All-Night Vigil, Op.
37, "Vespers": Troparion for the Virgin
Mary (Bogoroditse Dyevo) Cello Sonata
in G minor, Op. 19: III. Andante Daisies,
Op. 38, No. 3 (piano version) Francesca
da Rimini, Op. 25: Act I: Francesca's
Aria Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor,
Op. 18: II. Adagio sostenuto Piano
Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30: I.
Allegro ma non tanto Piano Sonata
No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 36 (1931
version) Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,
Op. 43: Variations 18 - 24 Symphonic
Dance, Op. 45, No. 1: Non allegro
Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27: III.
Adagio Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14
J Strauss II: The Very Best of Johann
Strauss II - Various Artists
Label - Naxos
Cat. No. - 8552115-16
2 CD set
Including An der schonen, blauen Donau
(The Beautiful, Blue Danube), waltz,
Op. 314 Annen-Polka, Op. 117 Champagner-Polka
(Champagne Polka), Op. 211 Das Spitzentuch
der Konigin: Rosen aus dem Suden (Roses
from the South), waltz, Op. 388 Der
Zigeunerbaron (The Gipsy Baron), Act
I: Overture Der Zigeunerbaron (The
Gipsy Baron), Act II: Wer uns getraut
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), Act I: Overture
Die Fledermaus (The Bat), Act II:
Ach, meine Herr'n und Damen Die Fledermaus
(The Bat), Act II: Klange der Heimat
[Csardas] Eine Nacht in Venedig (A
Night in Venice): Quadrille, Op. 416,
"Komm in die Gondel" Eljen a Magyar!
(Hail to Hungary!), Schnell-Polka, Op.
332 Fruhlingsstimmen (Voices of Spring),
waltz, Op. 410 Geschichten aus dem
Wienerwald (Tales from the Vienna Woods),
waltz, Op. 325 Kaiser-Walzer (Emperor
Waltz), Op. 437 Kunstlerleben (Artists'
Life), waltz, Op. 316 Leichtes Blut
(Light as a Feather), Polka schnell,
Op. 319 Perpetuum mobile (Perpetual
Motion), Op. 257 Persischer Marsch
(Persian March), Op. 289 Pizzicato
Polka Tik Tak, Polka (schnell), Op.
365 Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka, Op. 214
Unter Donner und Blitz (Thunder and
Lightning), Schnell-Polka, Op. 324
Wein, Weib und Gesang (Wine, Women and
Song), waltz, Op. 333 Wiener Blut
(Vienna Blood), waltz, Op. 354 Wiener
bonbons (Viennese Bonbons), waltz, Op.
307
P I Tchaikovsky: The Very Best of Tchaikovsky
- Various Artists
Label - Naxos
Cat. No. - 8552117-18
2 CD set
Including 12 morceaux, Op. 40: No. 2.
Chanson triste in G minor 1812 Overture,
Op. 49 6 morceaux, Op. 19: No. 4.
Nocturne in C sharp minor (arr. for
cello and orchestra) Eugene Onegin,
Op. 24, Act II Scene 2: Where, o where
have you gone?, "Lensky's Aria" Liturgy
of St John Chrysostom, Op. 41: The Cherubic
Hymn None but the lonely heart, Op.
6, No. 6 Nutcracker, Op. 71a: III.
Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy - VII.
Dance of the Reeds Piano Concerto
No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23: I. Allegro
non troppo e molto maestoso Romeo
and Juliet - Fantasy Overture after
Shakespeare: Love Theme Serenade in
C major, Op. 48: I. Pezzo in forma di
Sonatina Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66,
Act I No. 8: Pas d'action: Adagio
String Quartet No. 1 in D major, Op.
11: II. Andante cantabile Swan Lake,
Op. 20, Act I No. 2: Waltz in A flat
(Corps de Ballet) Swan Lake, Op. 20,
Act II No. 10: Scene, "Swan Theme"
Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36: IV.
Allegro con fuoco Symphony No. 5 in
E minor, Op. 64: Waltz: "Allegro moderato"
Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74
"Pathetique": II. Allegro con grazia
The Nutcracker, Op. 71a: VIII. Waltz
of the Flowers The Seasons, Op. 37b:
VI. June: Barcarolle Violin Concerto
in D major, Op. 35: III. Finale: Allegro
vivacissimo
G Puccini: The Very Best of Puccini
- Various Artists
Label - Naxos
Cat. No. - 8552119-20
2 CD set
Including Crisantemi (version for string
orchestra) Edgar, Act III: Prelude
Gianni Schicchi: Firenze e come un
albero (Rinuccio) Gianni Schicchi:
O mio babbino caro (Lauretta) La Boheme
(excerpts) La Fanciulla del West (The
Girl of the Golden West), Act III: Ch'ella
mi creda (Johnson) La Rondine (The
Swallow), Act I: Chi'il bel sogno di
Doretta (Magda) Le Villi (The Willis),
Act I: Se come voi piccina io fossi
(Anna) Le Villi (The Willis), Act
II: La Tregenda (Witches' Dance) Madama
Butterfly (excerpts) Manon Lescaut,
Act I: Donna non vidi mai (Des Grieux)
Manon Lescaut, Act II: In quelle trine
morbide (Manon Lescaut) Manon Lescaut,
Act III: Intermezzo Manon Lescaut,
Act IV: Sola, perduta, abbandonata (Manon
Lescaut) Messa di Gloria: Credo in
unum Deum Messa di Gloria: Et incarnatus
est Suor Angelica (Sister Angelica):
Senza Mamma (Angelica) Tosca (excerpts)
Tosca, Act III: E lucevan le stelle
(Cavaradossi) Turandot (excerpts)
Turandot, Act III Scene 1: Nessun
dorma (Calaf)
.................................
information received
I just read your review today of Naxos'
"Very Best of..." series and
wanted to let you know that the performers
of Rachmaninov's Symphonic
Dances are conductor Enrique Batiz and
the Royal Philharmonic. Actually,
if you are interested, nearly anything
from Maestro Batiz is superb.
Hope this helps you!
Brian Reinhart
