Christine

This is one of the greatest examples of Musical Theater. The songs in this Film couldn't haven't been done any better than besides the greats; Fred Ebb and John Kander. Its sad that it took about thirty years after the Broadway Production for it to be made into a movie. But I guess it was worth it to get such great stars as Catherine Zeta-Jones, and newly introduced to Musical Theater, Queen Latifah.

I sadly would have to say that from what I have heard of Liza Minnelli's performances of songs in Chicago, are not as great as Zellweger's were in this film. Although Liza does a great "All That Jazz", Renee shows Liza how to get the number "Roxie" done.

One thing I really like about this soundtrack is that is olden type of music, and its not remastered old songs, but it old songs performed by Modern artists, and presented in Modern, "High Definition" audio quality. Its like Michael Buble, he does the old standards, but manages to share them with the old standards to us with great, new, modern, quality. And thats exactly what this film does, It still presents the great old classics; But does it in a great modern, and perfect audio quality way.

One part I think that could have been done better by someone else is the part John C. Reiley. From what I Heard he is a singer, but from what I have seen in this movie, he isn't the greatest one. "Mr. Cellophane" is one of my favorite songs from this film, and I think John C. Reilly makes the song look like a joke. It's supposed to be a very touching song, and I don't think his vocals met those requirements. And also, I think the whole vagabond outfit for his character was completely dumb. I think the whole lonely stage setup was great, but the whole, homeless, vagabond thing, just made the song look like a joke. When it really is a very touching song.

Besides that, the film and soundtrack where great. And I loved the two extra tracks on the soundtrack by Queen Latifah, and Anastasia are great.This album completely deserved the Grammy Nomination it got, and I would recommend this album to any Musical Theater fan.

The soundtrack arrived within about a week. (I never opt for faster delivery.) It was exactly what I wanted and, as far as I can tell, plays flawlessly.

This music is so faithfully performed by the very talented ensemble that it brings back the 1920's vividly. Each song reflects a specific style of the music popular at the time. After listening to this CD I had to see the movie (which was also terrific) and then I had to buy the sheet music. Usually I simply enjoy a CD and move on. This one reached me.

The cd is very good. There are only songs, no speaking parts really, even ones that precede certain songs. There are a couple of songs that are not in the movie or that were inspired by the movie. The first time you listen to it if you haven't read the fine print it kind of throws you for a loop. I highly recommend it for all who love the movie!

I truly loved the music with the movie is excellent. I was very impressed of the singing of the movie stars.

And the company still sent me the wrong cd.The cd i received was 25 most classical favorites,so instead of returning the wrong item,i just took the lost.

I was looking for a CD of exclusively Bach music, not necessarily played by a famous artist or orchestra. This had a lot of his well-known pieces and was exactly what I was looking for.

I found this to be a nice collection of favorites, especially to keep in the car and listen to. It is a variety of well known compilations. Although not encompassing, it is perfect as a review for driving, relaxing, and enjoyment. Plus, the price is right!

My first real appreciation of this sound was from watching the film "Slaughterhouse Five" in the theater, back in the '70s. That soundtrack was just a taste of what you get with this recording. My family pops this CD in the car stereo on long trips, and glide down the highway to some original smooth grooves. Helps the miles pass swiftly. Music for the soul.

Surely you don't need me to review the guy. You know who he is, you've heard his music, and I hope you own some. So let me turn the podium over to a cat named Picasso, and you can read into that whatever you wish. She's in a chair, near the CD player. She has entered the room specifically for the music. Her eyes are squinted, almost but not quite shut, little face concentrating on just how contented those sounds make her feel. Nobody can say why they move her so, any more than we can say why they move us so. If we knew the answer to that one, we'd copy the guy. But anyway, she loves the music, and don't you dare make a sound such as squeaking your computer chair. If you do, her golden orbs will open, fix upon your face, and shame you. Yes they will. But if you are quiet long enough, you can watch a little calico sleep, with the very same sweet kitten face that drew you to her five years ago. Bach is gooooood.

Never have I cherished an original cast recording of a musical like I do this one. Grey Gardens - The Musical caused my to take action in my life and travel to New York to see Christine Ebersole and company live on Broadway. That performance was a matinee near the closing date and after they won the Tony so most of the wind had been taken from their sails but still I had nothing but admiration for them anyway. This show has one of the most beautiful and inventive musical scores ever written for the stage.Ms. Ebersole and co. are beyond brilliant. You all must have it!

I am sorry to fans of the aforementioned show, but I thoroughly fail to see why the American Theatre Wing chose Spring Awakening as Best Musical and thought it deserved the Tony for Best Score. Spring Awakening isn't a Broadway score - its '90s pop/punk with profanity-laced lyrics. Grey Gardens, with its hummable melodies, quirky lyrics, and history-making performances by Christine Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson is an infinitely better show - I challenge any listener to successfully get "The Five-Fifteen" or "The Revolutionary Costume For Today" out of their heads. Like many good shows, however, it was above many NYC tourists' and young theatre-goers heads, but happily, the critics "got" it. It reminds me of Sunday in the Park With George in that way: both lost the Tony to musicals that were popular, yes, good even, but not better. Both shows also have two chronologically different acts and both originated off-Broadway at Playwright's Horizons. Anyway, this show is suberb, with a thought-provoking and somewhat tragic story about a mother and daughter's relationship and why we make the decisions that we do. Listen and be taken in by Grey Gardens!

After seeing the DVD (documentary) of Grey Gardens the musical more than met my expectations. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

This is a real original treat. It's incredible that they've come out with a musical based in such a (real) story. And it certainly works wonderfully! Beautiful - and sometimes very funny - songs, fascinating story and originality at its very best. "The Revolutionary Custome for Today" is hilarious. Donçt miss it.

The score is nigh perfect in evolving from a Cole Porter, Irving Berlin pastiche in Act One to a Stephen Sondheim, neo Phillip Glass tone in Act Two. The song, "Will You," so brilliantly acted by Christine Ebersoll, never fails to bring me to tears. I was thrilled to see Grey Gardens on Broadway and shocked to learn it closed in late July 2007. In a half-century of theatre going around the globe, this show remains an all-time highlight for me...up there with Gypsy, West Side Story, Follies, Candide, Cabaret, Sweeney Todd and Billy Eliot. Thank God for this wonderful CD.

Easy to listen to. The ULTIMATE trip. Awesome use of space.

I've listened to thousands of recordings over the past 30 years, but this is still in my top 3....the other 2 are "Northern Song" by Steve Tibbetts and "Strata" by Robert Rich/Steve Roach.

5,000 stars. Not for dancing!

This is one of the best records in music history. Brian Eno develope a simple piano idea by Robert Wyatt, just few notes of pure beauty. Ambient music starts here.

Luis Mejia - Ambient 1, as it's title carries, was the first concrete ambient work by Brian Eno, the later all time genious of the genre and maybe the only one to figure this out in popular mainstream. His experimental rock pieces used to be graceful and witty, but jet you couldn't stop noticing how those flamboyant experimental sounds could get you in such a profound aura. Music For Airports is an excellent and digestible piece; it's simple, quiet ambient, tape-loop serenity and fragmented changes and slight divisions. With maybe 3 or more pieces of sound, Eno makes the atmosphere not only valuable but enjoyable, and the album passes quickly through your senses. Although, for the airport theme, 1-1 is the master of a hughe number of atmospheric pieces, it settles you down onto the airport carries you through a very non-publicitary attraction, and drops you off to your visit fresh and new. Instead, my disgust with the other pieces is that they sort of "break off" the airport tie; with 2-1 being a repeating chorus-like sequence (not bad at all) it sounds as true ambient ground foundation, and just the later 1-2 has a more subjective, even catchy beat; 2-2 is the palpable combination and resume of the whole work, each subtle and nice, but again, it doesn't sound so much "airport-like". We all may have experienced the later much more workful pieces, true modernist works of art, but still Ambient 1 will get you there; make you understand some things about the music, and leave you under the pressure of taking a nap or remain in silence for a while. Considered masterpiece.

Brian Eno was not necessarily the founder of ambient music. I am not an expert on early ambient music so I cannot cite any earlier artists except perhaps Tangerine Dream and Cluster, but by the time Brian Eno created his first ambient album, Discreet Music, music as atmosphere was an idea that had already been toyed around with in modern music. In fact, even Brian Eno had experimented with ambiance before Discreet Music, in particular with his atmospheric instrumentals on his other 1975 album released two months earlier, Another Green World, and on his 1973 joint effort with Robert Fripp entitled No Pussyfooting.

However, it was not until 1978's Music For Airports that people started taking notice of Brian Eno's ambient music. I would even go so far as to say that Music For Airports was the breakthrough ambient album that skyrocketed the genre into the public conscience. Why, then, did Another Green World, No Pussyfooting, Discreet Music, or any of the other ambient works created before 1978 such as Evening Star and Music For Films do the same job? In fact, Another Green World might have. It reigns as Eno's masterpiece, but it was not focused in one direction, and while it did experiment with ambiance, it was also a vocal pop/rock album. No Pussyfooting was a bit of a departure. It is the first known piece of "system based music" coming from Eno, as he and Robert Fripp pioneered the "Frippertonics" technique that involved bouncing recordings off of one another. Discreet Music was also created in a similar generative technique with minimal intervention from the musician.

All of the aforementioned albums are important, or at least quality recordings. It is hard to overshoot Brian Eno's importance in most any of his early work, in either his solo releases or collaborative releases. But Music For Airports is often considered his definitive ambient statement because it was the first to ever be created for a practical purpose. It is in some ways generative, but unlike Discreet Music it is less of an experiment and has a stated goal that it pursues and fulfills (and unfortunately Discreet Music is occasionally impossible to be discreet). Yes, for many previous ambient pieces the practical purpose was to relax, but "relax" is a fairly general, subjective term. Music for Films may have been made for cinema, but this is also a pretty broad purpose. As he states in an old interview, Eno started to consider what it meant to make ambient music for a specific environment.

"So I thought it would be interesting to actually start writing music for public spaces...And I started to think; so what kind of music would that have to be? Obviously it must not interfere with human communications, so it has to be either higher or lower than voice sounds are. It should last a very long time, because you don't want changes all the time. It should be possible to be interrupted by announcements and so on without suffering. So I started to imagine a kind of music that would work in public spaces."

O'Hare International Airport in Chicago is hands down one of the most stressful places on the planet. The place is huge, and might be the busiest airport in the nation. If it isn't, it's a close second to Los Angeles. It is also extremely loud. If you are like me and only take flights once or twice a year, you enter off of the busy street not knowing where the hell you are. You most likely end up standing in line for an hour to get your bags checked and tickets cleared. Then, you go through security for what feels like another hour, being whisked in and out of lines. You take your shoes and belt off too, that's always fun. If you are lucky, ethnic, disabled or otherwise funny looking, you get screened individually. Then you walk a lot to get to your terminal. It's possible that you might start your flight anxieties by then. By the time I get on a plane in O'Hare, I'm drained and kind of angry at everything.

However, O'Hare Airport is one of my favorite buildings. I love going there. I love sitting in my terminal and watching people. It is also a gorgeous building. Most airports are gorgeous. High ceilings, walls and ceilings of glass, marble floors. Inside, we have a representation of our busy, fast moving, diverse world, and outside we have wide open spaces that are filled with some of our finest technology that will bring us essentially where ever we want to go. O'Hare International Airport is the kind of building that we will look back on one thousand years from now and learn a startling amount about people today.

O'Hare International Airport is missing two things.

1. Rows of public rocking chairs in front of big glass windows.

2. Music For Airports.

If the airport had these two things, the stress of flying would virtually disappear. Rocking chairs really are that comfortable, and Music For Airports really is that good.

Is it his best ambient work? Hell no. Ambient 4 kills it. Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks is also considerably more enjoyable. However, the album fulfills everything it works towards, while Ambient 4 and Apollo sometimes falter. Music For Airports is a work of art as well as a perfectly formed tool.

The album is divided into four parts. These parts are long, and only 2/1 dips under the ten minute mark. Each song consists of mostly repeating loops of something or other. Pianos, vocals, and synthesizers make up the entirety of the album. However, the songs are played slowly enough that the repeating does not show. This is also because different parts, such as the piano parts on 1/1, are looped at different speeds so that the parts intertwine at different intervals. Eno created each track according to the aforementioned rules, and thus we have a musical album of non music.

1/1 is played with both piano and electric piano, and is probably the most optimistic and well known piece on the album. It's effect is the most readily felt. Even at loud volumes, the lead piano part somehow avoids being annoying. 1/2 and 2/1 are vocal tracks, the former comprising of only vocal drones and the latter vocal drones and piano. These pieces are somewhat more melancholy than the other two. The last piece, 2/2, consists solely of synthesizers.

Yeah, the pieces are excellent if you like ambient music. I am listening to the album very loudly right now, because it is just my kind of sound. But if you gave the album to a random person in an airport, they would most likely play it, be bored with it, and throw it out upon dismissing it as muzak or the kind of music that people played in documentaries in the 80s (1/1 was in fact used in the 1985 PBS Special "The Creation of the Universe"). Music For Airports was never intended to be an album for close listening. It was meant for Airports. It was meant to play softly in the back of your mind, for the listener to not notice it, and to act as a sort of relaxant for the stress that an airport can cause. The happier pieces, 1/1 and 2/2, are not so happy that they are unrealistic, which Eno claims that most airports end up being. The more melancholy pieces, 1/2 and 2/1, are less sad than they are tranquil.

It's one thing to consider that these pieces actually work on their intended purpose with wonderful success. What really matters is that this is music for airports, and that is somewhat of a statement, or maybe a question, about what music does and is intended to do. This is the start of a beautiful series of albums and an ambient masterpiece.

My favourite music for relaxation and/or meditative states of mind. Music for Airports is never intruding and uses soothing sounds rather than melodies. More minimalistic than most new age music of today.

I went to the show recently. I really liked it. So I searched its soundtrack. This was very good buy, and I really enjoy listening in the car.

I have always loved the show "Cats" even though I never saw it on the live stage. This CD is high quality with the original Broadway cast. It's the next best thing to being there.

This soundtrack reminds me of the time I saw "CATS" on Broadway. The show was super! The music was fabulous! I got the soundtrack as a reminder of that special day.

In many ways Cats was a turning point for Andrew Lloyd Webber. At the beginning of the 80-is he was already a hugely successful musical theatre composer, thanks to his work with the lyricist Tim Rice on "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Evita". In the early 1980-is he decided to part ways with Rice and many people predicted him a quick downfall, even more so when he decided to use T. S. Eliot's book of children's poetry called "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" as a basis for his next musical. He used then a relatively unknown musical director Trevor Nunn and Gillian Lynne as a choreographer. Cats was imagined as a mixture of pop songs and ballet; by that time an unseen combination for a musical, so it is no wonder that Webber and his producer Cameron Mackintosh had trouble finding financial backup. The show opened in London and became a phenomenon in its own right. It closed in London after exactly 21 years of running in May 2001. The same thing happened when the show came to Broadway in 1982; it closed after 18 years of running, in 2000.

So you may wonder what it's all about. It's quite simple really. Many people say that Cats hasn't got a story. It's certainly true that the plot is very simple and that's part of the appeal for the audiences. We are presented with a group of special cats, known as Jellicle cats. They meet once a year to decide who among them is worthy to get a chance to be reborn and start a new life. Since we meet them at that precise night, each of them tells us about their lives and habits through the musical numbers. There is one character among them, Grizabella the Glamour Cat, once of great beauty, but now an ugly and dilapidated thing, because at some point in her life, she decided to leave the others in her tribe and get to know the outside world; a move which eventually led her to prostitution. Because of that she is repeatedly rejected by other cats when she tries to make an entrance and compete as a candidate for a new life, determined to change her life style and pursue a happy life style she once knew. So besides the fact that we meet all kinds of different characters that often have characteristics very similar to human ones, Cats at the same time is a wonderful story of redemption and forgiveness. Besides the story the audiences loved the excellent choreography and dancing together with beautiful and distinctive feline makeup each character of Cats had. It is a show that is suited for the young and the old.

This cast recording captures the somewhat changed show that transferred from London to Broadway. Some lyrics have been cut in the process and overall the score has more of a pop touch rather than the classical one on the London recording. Some numbers have been re-orchestrated completely, like `Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer'. Despite the fact the new orchestration suits the song better, the whole number works better when sung by its two protagonists and not Mr. Mistoffelees. Some other changes worth noting is the fact that `Growtiger's Last Stand' has much slower tempo and the wonderful `Ballad of Billy McCaw' has been omitted completely (an utter shame) and replaced with an opera pastiche.

There are many great songs a listener will enjoy. Some of them are: "Old Gumbie Cat", about a nice and warm house cat; "Rum Tum Tugger", a naughty and never satisfied cat, "Bustopher Jones", an aristocrat among cats, "Skimbleshanks: The railway cat" and many more. Of course, by far the best known of all the songs and melodies from Cats is "Memory", which, I dare to say, is among the top five songs Andrew Lloyd Webber has ever written and one of the best known and most beautiful songs ever to be found in musical theatre. It is preformed by Grizabella character here played by Betty Buckley who won a Tony Award for this performance. Buckley plays the character tough and strong and so is her rendition of this song. It makes a nice contrast to Elaine Paige on the London recording, though Paige's take on the song remains my personal favourite, due to dreamy and almost desperate sound of her wonderful vocals. One of the drawbacks a careful listener will notice on this recording is a rather unnecessary trumpet addition during `Memory' solo melody in the song.

The cast performance here is mixed. There are some really good improvements over the London recording. Ken Page's warm voice shines like sunshine as he plays his benevolent Old Duetoronomy. Harry Groener as Munkustrap and Terrence Mann as Rum Tum Tugger are also much better than their London counterparts. On the other hand, there are some disappointments. In particular, Donna King as Bombalurina and Wendy Edmead as Demeter fail to deliver the charming `MaCavity: The Mystery Cat'.

This recording here is almost complete, with only a short narrative song missing. It is remastered, so the sound quality is excellent. It comes with a libretto, a booklet with the basic info and few pictures, plus it is neatly packed in a slip case.

Overall, I would still recommend the London recording over this one, due to the extra lyrics, overall better orchestrations, `The Ballad of Billy McCaw' and Elaine Paige's Grizabella. This Broadway recording makes a nice addition to see how the show evolved during the transfer.

It should also be mentioned that in 1997 `Cats' has been filmed for a DVD in London's Adelphi Theatre. This unique edition features the score played by the 80-piece orchestra and has Elaine Paige and Ken Page reprising their original roles. With time, Ms. Paige's vocal abilities have matured and her best rendition of "Memory" can be heard in that DVD. So to enjoy CATS in all its glory, that DVD, also available here at Amazon, is a must-have.

I'm not terribly excited about CATS, but I do enjoy it. I think I would rather watch the DVD or the show than listen to the soundtrack. The opening song is a favorite of mine. This soundtrack is mostly only good if you've seen the show and want to relive the memories.

Dear friends and lovers of Spanish guitar music. I just cannot comprehend how Maestro Pepe had the nerve to record another version of the "Concierto" after Paco's performance (Paco de Lucia, naturalmente), with Maestro Rodrigo still alive, present, whatching and listening.
How ungrateful, knowing the closeness between Rodrigo and Pepe!
Rodrigo has said it all: Paco's is the best interpretation of my concierto. Who needs anything more to say?
Sorin

On the advice of an email pen pal in Spain I purchased this CD. He has just recently moved to Aranjuez from Sitges and knew my taste in music and in this case he hit it right on. The Academy of St. Martin in the Fileds led by Sir Neveille Marriner playing the music of Rodrigo is a winning combination.

This is an old favorite I am delighted to have refound. The music is uplifting and Rodrigo does a wonderful job as usual. Very exciting music.

Horrible composition, make-no-sense musical arrangement, lack of harmony, sectional, not "together". Buy another Concierto de Aranjuez, not this one.

Try this for a break from bland music. Play in your car while driving to work. The last few minutes of track 2 while bring joy to your heart and tears to your eyes!

Having listened to this CD I though it was outstanding. As a John William fan myself, I always find his technique absulutely brilliant and some of the tracks on there I haven't heard before, which is a bonus. I have quite a few CD's of him playing solo and together with Julian Bream. Also the group Sky he was with back in the early 1980's. This CD I have to say has got to be the best one yet in my collection of John Williams CD's.

I would recommend this CD to all John Williams fans. All so, this CD is genuine and is not a copy from the real thing, which is nice to know. So at least you know what you are buying is worth it's value for money.

It's a good CD for background soft music to enhance the atmosphere of the evening of romance.

For any beginners who are learning to play the classical guitar, I would recommend that you purchase a copy of this and listen to world's greatest classical guitar player at work. That is my opinion anyway.

Andrew Shipp

Nice collection of classics for the guitar that was easy to listen to. No surprises and no disappointments.

The second movement adagio of the Aranjuez concert is one of my favourite pieces, a very difficult one to get right. I've listened to well over a dozen variations, the one on this CD, track 19, is an absolute gem. Just by itself is reason enough to own this CD. The only other Aranjuez performance that's even worth mentioning in the same breath is Julian Bream's, track 2 of the CD titled just "Julian Bream", with the Monteverdi orchestra. Both are just stunning performances, as close to perfection as it gets. Julian's is a bit stronger on the guitar than the one here.

Excellent CD for those interested in classical music. All the tracks are great in sound quality!

Loved the songs....loved the guitar renditions. Would highly recommend!

I saw this movie for the first time at sixteen and was immediately captured by the music. Sure, I'd heard Mozart in the past...but never quite so well done! Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields brought the music to life on a level I've yet to hear matched.

The choice of compositions was perfect not only for those appreciating the movie, but also anyone interested in a "Greatest Hits" album. Obviously, this is a subjective assessment. But I do believe that the Amadeus soundtrack provides an excellent starting point for someone who might be new to Mozart and interested in some highlights from his amazing career. Here we have selections ranging from chamber music up to the best symphony orchestra and imperial opera.

In September of last year, I had an opportunity to hear the full Requiem performed in Amsterdam's Westerkerk and I was carried back to the first time I heard the composition in the late 1980s. The version of Requiem on this album is abbreviated, but it does represent the high points of Introitus, Dies Irae, Rex Tremendae Majestatis, Confutatis, and Lacrimosa.

This is an exceptional production all around - from the instruments, to the voices, all the way to the recording itself. Every element contributes to a finished work of sophistication and grace. Highly recommended!

How could anything by Mozart that is recorded by such professionals be anything but beautiful? The selection of music is superb, magnificently performed and recorded.

I was disappointed though, that some of the music is not that used in the film. For example, the "Queen of the Night" Aria was sung by June Anderson according to the film credits, but is not on the CD. The soprano on the CD is lovely but June really was special in the film. Also many of the recording in the film were in English were as they are not on the recording. Good English recordings are difficult to find.

Overall, 5 stars for quality, but loses one star for the lack of "trueness" to the film.

A physicist tried to explain to his class the most complex theory in physics, something called the Unified Field Theory that Einstein passed away before solving, and no one has solved to this date. Wait, said the teacher, I have it! The instructor whipped out a CD of Mozart's Marriage of Figaro and played the K 492 - Act 4: Ah Tutti Contenti. In the film Amadeus, this is the piece that F. Murray Abraham, in the character of Salieri, praises as the first kind statement of a husband to a wife in years, which explodes into a musical dialog of reconciliation.

I was thinking about this and Russian dolls when I opened a large box that arrived last week. I was expecting a CD, I thought, so what's inside this huge box? Well, 7/8 of the box was air, literally inside bubble wrap. And then the packaging of the box set itself, and then, cut into a small hole in the box set itself, was a standard size CD jewel case. Granted, the reason for the large packaging was the inclusion of a beautiful vinyl album sized collection of pictures and information from the film and track listing.

But, back to the metaphor on physics, after playing the 3 CDs in the case, I felt that no box on the planet, indeed in the whole universe, would have been big enough to contain this music.

No one can say enough about the performances of St. Martin of the Fields. I was also greatly impressed by the piano performances by all the performers, especially Imogen Cooper's playing of Mozart: Piano Concerto In D Minor, K 466 - 2. Romanza.

Also granted, as others have noted here, some of the Opera performances could have been more fully represented, and there are other renowned recordings, especially of the Operas, that are undeniably better.

But as an almost complete collection, any Mozart lover, indeed any music lover, should not be without this box set, the accompaniment to my favorite film of all time.

In the 1830 Russian poet Alexander Pushkin wrote his "Mozart and Salieri". It followed one of the (many) rumors around Mozart's early death current in Europe of then. According to it Salieri had poisoned Mozart. It is actually from that moment on that this version became a dominant one for a long lasting period. And this is the only vice of Pushkin's "Mozart and Salieri".
Salieri was mostly rehabilitated when Peter Shaffer's play was written, than arrived Forman's movie. Both works by themselves are highly talented and exciting, but just as Pushkin's poem they make a great and unworthy injustice with Salieri, who definitely was not a mediocrity, to put it mildly. The Soundtrack just follows the same path. True, there was not much of Salieri music in "Amadeus", but there surely were more of it than just Axur's finale. As one reviewer has noted here, even this 3 CD's compilation is incomplete, and for me this incompleteness shows itself most boldly because of the aforementioned lack of Salieri's pieces.
So it is Mozart's part of Amadeus rater than the complete movie soundtrack. Regarded as such it is undoubtedly great and awesome. One may suppose when it comes to Mozart, no interpretation can injure the music of this genius. It is unfortunately not the case, and actually there exist some performances that completely robes Mozart' music. Happily this is not applied to Neville Marriner and Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields approach. I can only point to somehow disappointing Eine kleine Nachtmusik interpretation, as also was pointed by another reviewer previously. It makes an impression of superficiality and over-lightness. Amongst many other much more impressing performances, I Musici's one from their Philips's compilation may be noted.
But the rest of the Mozart's trucks are excellent indeed.
Highly recommended.

Unlike an in depth study of his genius, this is a very well put together sampler of Mozart. Performance and sound quality are both excellent. The non Mozart selections included in the set are also very enjoyable. My only wish is that the 3 disc set were a 10 disc set. Enjoy

Sunday In New York showcases the superlative talents of Christine Ebersole and Billy Stritch. Christine sings better than most modern day female vocalist; and Billy accompanies her to make these numbers very memorable. The quality of the sound is nothing short of excellent and the artwork is quite good. Amazon refers to this CD as "a minor triumph;" but I prefer to think of this album as a great triumph--it has that 1950s lounge style music that I always loved; it's so elegant and timeless.

The album starts with Christine and Billy performing "Haven't Got A Worry." Billy sings and plays the piano flawlessly; and together Christine and Billy harmonize to perfection! Christine's voice is especially strong and she sings as clear as a bell--marvelous! "Haven't Got A Worry" is worth the price of admission alone. Then comes "Sunday In New York;" this title track tune shines well and the percussion enhances the natural beauty of this number. Billy and Christine give blood to make "Sunday In New York" a very special number; and I predict that if you like this type of music you will be charmed by this number.

"My Favorite Things" from The Sound Of Music isn't the strongest ballad on this album; but it works well. As opposed to "My Favorite Things," I much prefer "Surrey With The Fringe On The Top;" this classic pop number shines bright when Christine Ebersole and Billy Stritch perform it. The music complements their vocals very well; and of course Billy plays piano without a superfluous note. Great!

"Give Me The Simple Life" was always one of my favorite classic tunes; and the jazzy arrangement enhances the natural beauty of this tune. Listen also for "Hit That Jive Jack;" Billy and Christine handle the tempo changes very well; they make it look easy but it is their sublime talents that carry them through. "Walking My Baby" is yet another classic love song; and "Walking My Baby" is easily a highlight of this album.

"I Only Have Eyes For You" gets a very pretty, sweet arrangement that highlights Billy's expertise on the piano; and I really like the timeless love song "Not While I'm Around." "Not While I'm Around" gets a fantastic interpretation from Christine and Billy; and that's grand. The CD ends with Christine and Billy performing "Will You;" "Will You" is actually a tune that is new to me but I like it very much.

Overall, Sunday In New York is a great album put out by two remarkable artists who deserve more recognition that they get, Christine Ebersole and Billy Stritch. I highly recommend this CD for their fans and for people who like classic pop vocals. This album is also a fine starter CD for people just discovering Christine Ebersole and Billy Stritch.

Excellent CD. I actually saw them perform numbers from the CD at Barnes & Noble in NYC in June when on vacation. True New York feeling!

Although I have always been a fan of Christine Ebersole's work, I had never owned a CD of hers before. What a great introduction to the lady and her craft! This is by far one of the best CD's I've purchased in a long time. Her incredible range - from comic alto to lyric soprano is simply flawless, and the arrangements a clever wink to sassy nightclub acts circa 1962. Run, do not walk, to this jewel of a recording.

..."BRAVA & BRAVO"--WHAT A TEAM THEY MAKE....THIS CD HAS GREAT RANGE, VERSATILITY, FINE-TUNED VOCAL NUANCES THAT BOTH MOVE YOU AND DELIGHT
YOU----MS. EBERSOLES' VOICE HAS A CLARITY AND PRECISION THAT IS RARE
AND EXCITING. THERE ISN'T ONE TRACK THAT MISSES A BEAT............

WHAT A JOY!

Ms. Ebersole recent Tony winner for Grey Gardens joins forces with Billy Stritch for a great CD- when you have a really great voice you don't need an orchestra, as Ms. Ebersole demonstrates. Mr. Stritch is her right hand on the piano and her duet partner on a number of songs the first part of the CD is fun and lively. The second portion of the CD has exquisite piano work by Mr. Stritch and Ms. Ebersole's voice filled with emotion as she sings 'What'll I do" ,"Not while I'm around" and as a special treat a new take on "Will You" from Grey Gardens. Thank God Ms. Ebersole is getting the accolades and attention she truly deserves! Brava!!!!

Always the possessor of a rich, deep singing voice no matter what she's singing, this solo work from Christine McVie pretty much goes to show why she was always considered the most important member of Fleetwood Mac. She had a huge pop hit here with the indelible "Got A Hold On Me" and a somewhat less sizable hit with "Love Will Show Us How." Also great are the Got A Hold On Me-ish "The Challenge" and the dark, haunting "Ask Anybody."

I'll always remember "Christine McVie" as the only album I ever bought without having the slightest clue what it was going to cost me. I spotted it at a music shop in a mall...it was so new, the store hadn't gotten around to putting a price sticker on it yet. Tells you what I thought of Christine McVie, and how long I'd waited for her to put out a solo record like her bandmates.

While I prefer her "In the Meantime" CD, this one has a lot of great tracks. Favorites, in addition to the two singles, include "The Challenge" and "I'm the One" -- the latter of which SHOULD have been a single. Given the emphasis on Stevie Nicks in the Fleetwood Mac history, one tends to forget how great a singer McVie is, with or without Lindsey Buckingham's production. Well, "I'm the One" erases any doubts. She's got a strong set of pipes. So sue her for often letting them grace gentler fare like the classic "Songbird".

Unfortunately, I never saw the video of "Love Will Show Us How," which I understand had McVie playing a Lucille Ball type character. Too bad. It would fit how I view this recording...a bit more playful and upbeat than Chris ever was with the Mac, and worth giving a look.

I had this album as black vinyl in the 80's. I enjoyed it then and enjoy it now. The sounds are outstanding even though it was recorded some 25 years ago. Christine Mc Vie is an excellent song writer and musician and her new album In the Meantime is just as good.

Christine McVie has many songs in this album that makes me love her voice and music and Fleetwood Mac also. I remember that the first song i hear of them - Got a hold on me- i begun to taste and like their work. This was many but many years ago, and till today produce something that makes me run .

This Christine McVie solo album is one of my all time favorite albums ever recorded by anybody.

It has that marvelous "woody clarinet" voice of Christine at its absolute best and some of the most driving and melodic songs ever penned.

From the very fist note of the very first track: "Love Will Show Us How" you just know that you've made the best musical selection ever when you purchased this album.
Every track is a "keeper" . . . "Ask Anybody" . . . and then my own best of the best choice, "Got A Hold On Me" -- "I got a love . . this love . . got a hold one me . . . " the syncopated rhythmic beat is like a clock ticking away heart-beat after heartbeat of "this love" . . and it does have a hold on me!

And the beautiful poetic question in song, "Who's Dreaming This Dream" -- (who's dreaming this dream with me?) . . . this track alon all by itself will make you glad that you own this particular cd by Christine McVie!

If you were or are a fan of Fleetwood Mac . . or if you never even heard Fleetwood Mac . . or even if you didn't particularly like Fleetwood Mac, get THIS Christine McVie cd . . . you will never take it out of your cd changer . . it will find a permanent home there . . and in your musical heart and memory!

Thank You Ms Christine McVie for all of your musical gifts to us over the years . . and special thanks for THIS one . . it will always be remembered as your greatest and your best work! :)