VA - Ultimate Classical Relaxation: The Essential Masterpieces (5CDs

Seekers
of a decent cost-cutter collection of soothing background music and
beginners looking for a reasonably broad introduction to Classical music
may find Decca's Ultimate Classical Relaxation: The Essential
Masterpieces to be a worthwhile purchase. This five-disc set covers the
most famous selections from works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang
Amadeus Mozart, and Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky -- three favorites of
casual listeners and newcomers alike -- and offers two additional CDs of
the greatest hits of other masters, including Samuel Barber's Adagio
for strings, the Adagietto from Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 5, the slow
movement from Joaquin Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto, and numerous other
evergreens. Of course, this box set would not be complete without the
Albinoni Adagio (really composed by Remo Giazotto), but the surprising
omission of Pachelbel's ubiquitous Canon may make some doubt whether
this really is the ultimate collection; for that overplayed piece, in
any number of arrangements, the listener is obliged to search elsewhere.
But the music presented here is certainly pleasant and representative
of the most popular pieces in music history. Some may question the
caliber of the playing, but Decca has chosen recordings by world-class
artists, including conductors Vladimir Ashkenazy, Neville Marriner,
Herbert von Karajan, and Zubin Mehta; performers such as pianist Alicia
de Larrocha, soprano Kiri Te Kanawa, and violinist Kyung-Wha Chung; and
ensembles with the instant name recognition of the London Symphony
Orchestra, the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, and the Vienna
Philharmonic Orchestra, to name just a few. Bearing in mind that this
compilation is excerpt oriented and covers a lot of material, yet leaves
much important music out, it is still one of the better budget packages
on the market and worth more than its low price might suggest. Even so,
the audio levels are quite variable, with some over-boosted tracks,
while others are quite soft, so some volume adjustments are necessary.

-Allmusic-

Tracklist:

2008 - Ultimate Classical Relaxation CD1

01. Academy of St Martin in Fields - Air on the G string (Orchestral Suite No. 3)
02. Alicia de Larrocha - Beloved Jesus, we are here (arr. Cohen)
03. Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra - Sinfonia (Christmas Oratorio)
04. Academy of St Martin in Fields - Siciliano (Oboe Concerto, ed. Hogwood)
05. Czech Phiharmonic Orchestra - Prelude in E flat minor (arr. Stokowski)
06. Julius Katchen - Jesu, joy of man's desiring (arr. Hess)
07. Academy of St Martin in Fields - Sarabande (Orchestral Suite No. 2)
08. Academy of St Martin in Fields - Menuet and Badinerie (Orchestral Suite No. 2)
09. Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra - Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 (First movement: Allegro)
10. New Symphny Orchestra of London - Sleepers awake (arr. Bantock)
11. Alicia de Larrocha - Sanctify us by thy goodness (arr. Cohen)
12. Academy of St Martin in Fields - Concerto for oboe and violin (Second movement: Adagio)
13. Chamber Orchestra of Europe - Keyboard Concerto in G minor (Second movement: Andante)
14. Philomusica of London - Concerto for 2 violins (Second movement: Largo ma non tanto)
15. Andras Schiff - Prelude in C major
16. Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra - Sheep may safely graze (arr. Munchinger)

2008 - Ultimate Classical Relaxation CD2

01. Philharmonia Orchestra - Piano Concerto No. 21 (2nd movement: Andante)
02. Vienna Mozart Ensemble - Divertimento in D major (K334/320b, 3rd movement: Minuet & Trio)
03. Alfred Prinz - Clarinet Concerto (2nd movement: Adagio)
04. Andras Schiff - Piano Sonata No. 16 (2nd movement: Andante)
05. Academy of St Martin in the Fields - Violin Concerto No. 3 (2nd movement: Adagio)
06. Vienna Mozart Ensemble - Eine kleine Nachtmusik (2nd movement: Romance)
07. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - Concerto for flute and harp (2nd movement: Andantino)
08. Andras Schiff - Piano Sonata No. 12 (2nd movement: Adagio)
09. Members of the Vienna Octet - Clarinet Quintet (2nd movement: Larghetto)
10. Academy of St Martin in the Fields - Sinfonia concertante (2nd movement: Andante)
11. Vienna Mozart Ensemble - Divertimento in D major (K205/167A, 3rd movement: Adagio)

2008 - Ultimate Classical Relaxation CD3

01. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - Romeo and Juliet (Love Theme)
02. Academy of St Martin in the Fields - Serenade for Strings (Waltz)
03. London Festival Orchestra - None but the Lonely Heart (arr. Sax)
04. London Symphony Orchestra - Piano Concerto No. 1 (2nd movement: Andantino semplice)
05. Academy of St Martin in the Fields - Souvenir de Florence (2nd movement: Adagio cantabile e con moto)
06. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy (The Nutcracker)
07. New Symphony Orchestra of London - String Quartet No. 1 (2nd movement: Andante cantabile)
08. London Symphony Orchestra - Song without Words (Op. 40 No. 6)
09. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - Dance of the Mirlitons (The Nutcracker)
10. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Elegie for Strings
11. Kyung Wha Chung - Valse sentimentale (arr. Press)
12. Suisse Romande Orchestra - Suite No. 4 'Mozartiana' (3rd movement: Preghiera)
13. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - Swan Lake (Scene and 2nd Dance fo the Queen of the Swans)
14. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - Sleeping Beauty (Panorama)
15. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - 'Pathetique' Symphony No. 6 (2nd movement: Allegro con grazia)

2008 - Ultimate Classical Relaxation CD4

1. Richard Hickox Orchestra - Albinoni, arr. Giazotto- Adagio
2. Philharmonia Orchestra - Bruch- Kol Nidrei
3. Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra - Mahler- Symphony No. 5 Adagietto
4. Montreal Symphony Orchestra - Rodrigo- Concierto de Aranjuez Adagio
5. Academy of St Martin in the Fields - Barber- Adagio for Strings
6. Members of the Vienna Octet - Baermann, attrib. Wagner- Adagio for clarinet and strings
7. Jascha Silberstein - Saint-Saens- The Swan Carnival Of The Animals
8. London Symphony Orchestra - Dvorak- New World Symphony (No. 9 in E minor)
9. Londoon Symphony Orchestra - Massenet- Meditation Thais

2008 - Ultimate Classical Relaxation CD5

01. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - Greg- Morning Mood (Peer Gynt)
02. Peter Hurford - J.S. Bach- Sleepers Awake
03. Orchestra of Welsh National Opera - Delius- Daybreak (Florida Suite)
04. Eduardo Fernandez - Segovia- Neblina (Fog)
05. San Francisco Symphony - Nielson- Aladdin's Dream and Dance of the Morning Mist (Aladdin Suite)
06. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - Johann Strauss II- Morning Papers
07. Academy of St Martin in the Fields - Trad., arr. Leslie Pearson- Early One Morning
08. London Symphony Orchestra - Ravel- Daybreak (Daphnis and Chloe)
09. Philharmonia Hungarica - Haydn- Symphony No.6 in D major 'Morning' (Adagio - Andante)
10. London Philharmonic Orchestra - Elgar- Chanson de matin
11. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Bruch- Scottish Fantasy (Intro and 1st movement: Grave Adagio Cantabile)
12. English Chamber Orchestra - Canteloube- Uno jionto postouro (Chant d'Auvergne)
13. National Philharmonic Orchestra - Ponchielli- Dance of the Hours (La Gioconda)