Notes and Editorial Reviews
Are you tired of your classically minded friends laughing at you when you mispronounce the names of renowned, long-expired European composers? Do you think the Three Tenors are the latest teenage boy band? Well, those well-educated friends of yours still won't cut you much slack for purchasing CLASSICAL HITS, but at least you'll feel like you've dipped your toe into the deep waters of classical music. CLASSICAL HITS is very clearly a compilation designed for the newcomer, as it's made up almost exclusively of compositions that have somehow managed to sneak into the popular consciousness over the years through a variety of means, such as "Pie Jesu," "O Solo Mio," and "Nessun Dorma." There are a bunch of ringers here as well, mostly
Read more
ersatz-classical soundtrack themes in an orchestral mode, such as John Williams's theme from STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE. For the uninitiated, it's a start. Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Requiem: Pie Jesu by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Performer:
Charlotte Church (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sian Edwards
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Welsh National Opera Orchestra
Date of Recording: 1998
Length: 3 Minutes 26 Secs.
Language: Latin
2.
Victory by Tonci Huljic
Performer:
Gay-Yee Westerhoff (Cello),
Haylie Ecker (Violin),
Tania Davis (Viola),
Eos (Violin)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bond
Period: 20th Century
Date of Recording: 5/2000
Length: 2 Minutes 30 Secs.
3.
Phantom of the Opera: Wishing You Were Somehow Here by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Performer:
Sarah Brightman (Soprano)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1986; England
Length: 3 Minutes 29 Secs.
Language: English
4.
Star Wars, Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace: Duel of the Fates by John T. Williams
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra,
London Voices
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1999; USA
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studios, London, England
Length: 4 Minutes 14 Secs.
5.
Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro by Giacomo Puccini
Performer:
Renée Fleming (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Charles Mackerras
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1918; Italy
Date of Recording: 7/1999
Venue: Colosseum, Watford, England
Length: 2 Minutes 49 Secs.
Language: Italian
6.
Pavane, Op. 50 by Gabriel Fauré
Performer:
John Williams (Guitar)
Conductor:
William Goodchild
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1887; France
Length: 5 Minutes 6 Secs.
Notes: Arranged: John Williams
7.
Suite for Jazz Orchestra no 2, Op. 50b: no 6, Waltz II by Dmitri Shostakovich
Performer:
André Rieu (Violin)
Conductor:
Jurre Haanstra
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Johann Strauss Orchestra Netherlands
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1938; USSR
Venue: Wijngrachttheater, Kerkrade, Netherlands
Length: 3 Minutes 43 Secs.
Notes: Arranged: André Rieu
8.
Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147: Jesu bleibet meine Freude "Jesu, joy of man's desiring" by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performer:
Yo-Yo Ma (Cello)
Conductor:
Ton Koopman
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra
Period: Baroque
Written: 1723; Leipzig, Germany
Date of Recording: 8/1998
Venue: Stadsgehoorzaal, Leiden, Netherlands
Length: 2 Minutes 41 Secs.
Notes: Arranged: Ton Koopman
9.
'O sole mio by Eduardo Di Capua
Performer:
Luciano Pavarotti (Tenor),
José Carreras (Tenor),
Placido Domingo (Tenor)
Conductor:
Zubin Mehta
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Florence Maggio Musicale Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1898; Italy
Date of Recording: 7/7/1990
Venue: Baths of Caracalla, Rome, Italy
Length: 2 Minutes 54 Secs.
Language: Italian
10.
Titanic: Rose by James Horner
Conductor:
James Horner
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1998; USA
Venue: Todd-AO Stufio, Studio City, Los Angeles
Length: 2 Minutes 52 Secs.
11.
The Mission: Nella fantasia (In my dreams) by Ennio Morricone
Performer:
John Themis (Guitar),
Russell Watson (Tenor)
Conductor:
Nick Ingman
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,
Metro Voices
Period: Modern
Written: 1986
Date of Recording: 2000-01
Length: 4 Minutes 30 Secs.
Language: Italian
12.
Gladiator: Now We Are Free by Hans Zimmer
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Length: 4 Minutes 14 Secs.
Notes: This work was written in collaboration with Lisa Gerrard.
13.
Braveheart: Main Title by James Horner
Performer:
James Horner (Keyboards),
Ian Underwood (Electronics),
Mike Taylor (Percussion),
Eric Rigler (Bagpipe),
Anthony Hinnigan (Whistle)
Conductor:
James Horner
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra,
Westminster Abbey Choristers
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1995; USA
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studios, London, England
Length: 2 Minutes 51 Secs.
14.
Suite in D major: Prince of Denmark's March "Trumpet Voluntary" by Jeremiah Clarke
Performer:
Wynton Marsalis (Trumpet)
Conductor:
Anthony Newman
Orchestra/Ensemble:
English Chamber Orchestra
Period: Baroque
Written: England
Length: 2 Minutes 50 Secs.
15.
Concerto for Violin in E major, Op. 8 no 1/RV 269 "Primavera": 1st movement, Allegro by Antonio Vivaldi
Performer:
Gil Shaham (Violin)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Period: Baroque
Written: circa 1725; Venice, Italy
Date of Recording: 12/1993
Venue: Academy of Arts & Letters, New York City
Length: 3 Minutes 14 Secs.
16.
Turandot: Nessun dorma! by Giacomo Puccini
Performer:
Michel Sénéchal (Tenor),
Rolando Panerai (Baritone),
Elizabeth Harwood (Soprano),
Mirella Freni (Soprano),
Luciano Pavarotti (Tenor)
Conductor:
Herbert von Karajan
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1926; Italy
Length: 2 Minutes 57 Secs.
17.
West Side Story: Maria by Leonard Bernstein
Performer:
Joshua Bell (Violin)
Conductor:
David Zinman
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1957; USA
Date of Recording: 12/2000
Venue: Air Studios, London, England
Length: 3 Minutes 46 Secs.
Notes: Arranged: William David Brohn
18.
Carmina burana: no 1, O fortuna by Carl Orff
Conductor:
John T. Williams
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Tanglewood Festival Chorus,
Boston Pops
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1936; Germany
Date of Recording: 1/1996
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts
Length: 2 Minutes 39 Secs.
19.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Eternal Vow by Tan Dun
Performer:
Yo-Yo Ma (Cello)
Conductor:
Tan Dun
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Shanghai Symphony Orchestra,
Shanghai Percussion Ensemble
Period: 20th Century
Written: 2000
Length: 2 Minutes 58 Secs.
20.
Appalachia Waltz by Mark O'Connor
Performer:
Mark O'Connor (Violin),
Edgar Meyer (Double Bass),
Yo-Yo Ma (Cello)
Period: 20th Century
Written: USA
Date of Recording: 3/1995
Venue: Sound Emporium, Nashville, Tennessee
Length: 5 Minutes 47 Secs.
Customer Reviews
Be the first to review this title
Review This Title
