Lobo

I just love him... I love his music..
Just a fact that CD case was all broken, it's all good as long as I can hear his music.

My nephew mentioned his desire to hear some classical music (Yo-Yo Ma, especially) on the boring trips back & forth from college. He really seemed to enjoy receiving the CD for Christmas!

The ratings on this 2 CD set are inflated. The first CD is enjoyable, but no more than an assembly of tracks from other Yo-Yo Ma albums. The second disc is uninteresting. I think there are much more enjoyable Yo-Yo Ma albums to invest in than this one.

This is one of the best CD's for Cello that I have heard.
Yo-Yo Ma is such an artist.

Love It!

Great for studying, however if listening in your car the sound can be a bit repetitive.

Bought this CD set for my 11-year-old son who's been taking classical guitar lessons for 3 years, just for some broader exposure. He likes it, I like it. It's got quite a few pieces that sound challenging to him and that he'd like to try, so it's doing its intended job.

Although entitled "Guitar Masterpieces" the music is MOSTLY big band with some guitar lead. This CD does not feature the guitar. Very disappointing.....

This has been one of my favorite CD's for a long time. So much so, I bought a copy for my new boyfriend [I was afraid he might want to borrow my copy and not give it back ;-) ]

And the most special little nugget on this CD is the Theme from the Deer Hunter. This nearly brings me to tears every time I hear it. So moving and powerful.

If you enjoy classical guitar, You will love this collection.

While I always prefer CDs featuring a few composers, having a focus, this CD does a great job at going from all the medley of essential guitar pieces. It's got all the ones I'd like to have, in that sense "Essential" is correct. The recordings are good, I knew about half/two thirds of the pieces, and I'm not always wowed but never disappointed by the performances, in some cases very pleasantly surprised, esp. those by Eduardo Fernandez, Nicola Hall, and Pepe Romero. A discovery: the Estudio Brilliante, by Allard (end of CD2). I really like to put this CD in the background at work (on iPod), at home. My wife is a professional musician (violin) and cringes at bad performances and isn't interested in average usually, so it's telling that she also likes this CD. In fact, it's soothing and relaxing enough that it's actually put her to sleep once! Overall, I really like two thirds of the pieces on this CD, the other ones are nice enough (I'll play through, but won't select them expressly), and there are a few great ones. And the price is great. What's not to like?

This may be the best money I've ever spent. I got 2-1/2 hours of bliss for less than what I'd usually pay for one CD -- and you know how it is with music. You buy an album because of a song or two that you love, and you find that you like maybe half the songs on it. There's not a single selection in this one that I would've left out. It includes Joaquin Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez, performed by Pepe Romero on the guitar with the Acadamy of St. Martin in the Fields. I needed to replace my old LP recording of that. But I also get 30 other classical compositions and traditional Spanish pieces, each special in its own way.

Have you ever heard music that you wanted to last forever, maybe even to dive inside and live there for a while, immersing yourself in sound? That's how I feel about this collection. The only problem I have with it is that I bought it thinking it might be nice to listen to while I write. Not so. It's terrible for that. I'll sit with my hands poised above the laptop keyboard, assuring myself I'll get some work done while I listen. The music takes hold and carries me away.

I'm not expert at describing this or any type of music. I just know what I love. You might too, if you enjoy classical or Spanish guitar -- unless you have absurd expectations about combining listening with work.

I would rate the actual music as five stars and the recording quality as only one star. There is so much hiss and buzzing, that some of the quieter parts of the songs are actually drowned out by the loud hiss and buzzing. It is so distracting for me. I love the music, but I wish that I had not bought this CD. I know that the technology when it was recorded was not the same as today's standards, but I cant believe that the recording is so bad... and its on every song, although some are worse than others. I even put in another CD to make sure that it was not something wrong with my audio system. Its too bad because the guitar playing is beautiful.

This is an excellent CD to introduce yourself to Segovia or to have a nice collection of many of his better works. The Guitar is well recorded given the era in which it was recorded.

Highly recommended!

The rare moments of solace I find these days are usually in the company of Segovia, but considering that so much has been said about this guy in the last sixty years, it's hard to add anything else without sounding superfluous.

Segovia is for purists. He's not a showman, but rather he's the most authentic performer of classical Spanish guitar that you will find. This CD contains a generous number of selections that provide a tour of styles and time periods. The artist's competence is apparent as he makes the difficult sound relatively simple. He never seems overwhelmed by the challenges of the music, but instead it the master. Whether you are looking for sophisticated background music (some would consider this use a sacrilege) or for a front row seat at a home concert, this CD would be a great addition to your collection. Perhaps he will inspire you to bring forth greater sounds from your old wide-necked guitar!

The 24-bit remastering of these analog recordings from the 1950s and 60s is outstanding. Both disks are chock-full at almost 80 minutes each, and there are a good many songs you don't hear every day. Forty of the 41 tracks are solos, while a short Rodrigo orchestral movement concludes the set. Good liner notes are included. There is only a slight overlap between this 2-CD set and Deutsche Grammophon's 4-CD box set, "The Segovia Collection." I own over 40 classical guitar CDs, and this is easily among my favorites.

The music is melodic and beautiful. I listen to this while i cook or relax. it is amazing.

Gorgeous playing, excellent song selection... I listen to this while reading, or painting - it's great music for shutting down a "noisy" brain - very relaxing. Good quality sound, too. Lovely on rainy days, in winter with candles burning ... really adds to a contemplative (but not somber) ambience.

I l-o-v-e Spanish guitar music especially with music composed by, Isaac Albeniz. This cd by John Williams, is b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l-l-y put together! It is so full of flavor, everything from the Classical down to Flamenco is on this cd. It is very relaxing as well as lively. I would & already have recommend this to people who are in love with the Spanish guitar. It's a perfect mood enhancer as well as a wonderful ambience to any backyard gathering with family & friends.

For those of you who have been to Disneyland & dined at "Rancho del Zocalo" (in Frontierland) ... this cd is similar to the music you would enjoy while eating.

Hopefully this will help you decide if this is something that you might enjoy for yourself.

All of the music on this disc was recorded for Columbia Records between 1964 and 1970 for release on four different LP albums. These are those albums (and I've had them all for 35 years):

COLUMBIA RECORDS PRESENTS JOHN WILLIAMS (1964)
VIRTUOSO MUSIC FOR GUITAR (1965)
MORE VIRTUOSO MUSIC FOR GUITAR (1967)
JOHN WILLIAMS PLAYS SPANISH MUSIC (1970)

Fourteen of the first fifteen tracks here are from the 1970 LP and are presented in their original sequence. Track 6, "El Colibri" by Segreras, is not from that LP. It here replaces the proper sixth LP track, "Valses Poeticos" by Granados, which strangely has been omitted from this collection entirely. Otherwise, the album, certainly one of Williams's greatest, would have been complete on this disc.

What follows is a complete list of the Spanish and Latin American pieces included on the three earlier LPs and in the original sequences (* signifies omission from this collection):

COLUMBIA RECORDS PRESENTS JOHN WILLIAMS
"Sevilla"
"Recuerdos de la Alhambra"
"Fandanguillo"
"Soleares" (Turina) *
"Rafaga" (Turina) *
"El Testemen de Amelia"
"Scherzino Mexicano" (Ponce) *
"El Colibri"

VIRTUOSO MUSIC FOR GUITAR
"Spanish Dance No. 5"
Etude No. 8 (Villa-Lobos) *
"Homenaje a Debussy"

MORE VIRTUOSO MUSIC FOR GUITAR
"Fantasia..." (Mudarra)
"Diferencias Sobre el Conde Claros" (Mudarra) *
Prelude No. 4 (V-L)
Prelude No. 2 (V-L) *
"Aires de la Mancha" (Moreno-Torroba) *

Better choices could have been made from this pool. I myself would have included the "Valses Poeticos" and left out the Villa-Lobos. I've always been bowled over by JW's approach to Spanish repertoire, but don't find him completely convincing with Villa-Lobos' music which in my opinion benefits greatly from a "warmer" touch (like Bream's). Most certainly, the inclusion of these Segreras and Villa-Lobos pieces in a "Spanish" recital is a bit strange, although they're both showy and can be loosely associated with Spanish guitar. Turina's "Rafaga" is one of JW's most fiery performances and could have made the cut. One could in fact make a compelling case for all three Turina pieces from the first LP. Happily, another JW disc which draws from the same recordings, SPANISH GUITAR FAVORITES, does have both the "Valses Poeticos" and all the Turina, and is also available on Amazon.

Quibbling aside, these performances were at the time (and still are) STARTLINGLY good. It's difficult to convey nowadays just how impossible it seemed in 1970 that a human being could play like this. This music is difficult to play and nobody had ever done it with such confidence and ease. I'll never forget seeing JW in 1971 and looking around the hall to see faces uniformly agog.

There are three different packagings for this same disc. I have not heard them all and am in no position to comment as to their relative value. Thank you for reading.

As a sampler, this CD is an excellent introduction both to Spanish classical guitar music and to guitarist John Williams.
The music ranges from Renaissance composers (Sanz, Mudarra) and harmonized folk melodies to standard 20th Century works (Rodrigo, Torroba etc).

John Williams is excellent throughout. The CD is also cheap, and can be used either just for enjoyment, or further to explore other recordings by Williams, the classical guitar repertoire, or other classical guitarists.

As a marketing ploy, it is very effective.

For the collector or classical guitar enthusiast, the chief disadvantages of the CD are duplication of other recordings, and that the way at least some of the works on this CD are listed isn't helpful in telling the listener the set(s) to which these pieces belong and how to find them (e.g. "from ______, Op # "). The font listing the titles and track numbers is small and somewhat hard to read.

However, this CD should attract many listeners and enthusiasts both to the classical guitar, the repertoire, and guitarist John Williams - and I'm all for that.

Over 70 minutes playing time.

Recommended.

I was excited to get this as a gift. Then I played it. I expected some fun and Sambas. Pretty dull, very little cello, not even pleasant as background music. I put my copy in the pile for Good Will.

Frankly, I was a bit disappointed with this cd. I probably should stay with "just cello". This cd seemed to contain very little YoYoMa in the foreground, which is what I love. Also, it irritates me when a song is repeated on several different cd's. I want all new!

Brazilian music at it's best, with a great artist's interpretation!
I am giving it for Christmas to my Brazilian friends.

it's arrived. international shipping it's very slow, but, it's arrived, very well. I'd like very much. TANKS

The tempos and sensuality of Brazilian music meshed with the artistry and joyous soul of Yo Yo Ma: a recipe for pleasure. I first listened to this on my car CD player and found myself wanting to pull over and get out and dance. The depth of Ma's cello adds just the right counterpoint to the rhythms and buoyancy of the samba and bossa nova. Enjoy!

Sometimes, music is too loud and sometimes, music is too low. Is it nice when you often have to adjust volume?

This collection from the early years of Manuel Barrueco is one of the best values you'll find. It's 3 discs long and contains some of the best guitar playing I've ever heard. I've owned this set once before and had to buy it again because my original CDs were worn out from ware and tear. Highly recommended for anyone starting a serious classical guitar collection.

I'm a thoughtful and introspective person with a diverse background. Of all the old countries, Spain's diverse background appealed to me. This music reflects that appeal.

Not much else really to say about this. It is a collection of brilliant interpretations and the guitar has the most amazing sound I've ever heard on a recording. You will find yourself almost spiritually bound to share this recording with any classical guitar playing friends and aficionados.

I was browsing Amazon, shopping for gifts, and when I listened to the snippets of this, I couldn't resist ordering it for myself. It's a 3CD set of beautiful, varied music played by a brilliantly skilled and sensitive master. Barrueco has an extraordinary touch that seems perfect for each piece, from Bach to Paganini to Villa-Lobos. Anyone who likes classical guitar would treasure this set.

Los Lobos are a national treasure. No one has ever combined so many strains of American music so successfully. "Kiko" expanded the band's reach into new areas, as they tried out sampled percussion and vintage wind sounds. Producer Mitchell Froom pointed the way for them, but no matter how far they got from their classic guitar-based style, upon listening, the imprint of Los Lobos is still unmistakable -- the voices and guitars, and the lyrics that describe or allude to the Chicano experience in the U.S.

This album may be something of an excursion from Los Lobos' expected sound, but those who know the band's music also know that almost any sound they decide to try will be melded into what they already posess. Los Lobos stand as giants above the others, mostly midgets, of American popular music.

This is such a great album. Great rhythms, message and production. Buy it, you'll like it.

Here is the perfume and visuals of the South-west.'Kiko' is to Los Lobos what the Brown album was for The Band. And it has a generosity, a scale, a warmth of compable magnitude, doing for their region what the aforementioned Band disc did for the East coast. The music is at once old and progressive. It's the perfect soundtrack to Sayles,'Lone Star' film,'Three Burials'(though Doug Sham's there and no argument with that), or even,'Big Lebowski'. The side project, Latin Playboys, is for me their only other set of similar impact. But, to continue the Band affinities, it's like 'Stagefright' after those 60s works of genius.

Its hard to say that any album could be the quintessential Los Lobos Album. They have so many different aspects and nuances, it would be impossible to capture them in one album. Kiko comes pretty close to capturing the Lobos' essence though. Songs like Dream In Blue, Angels With Dirty Faces, & Peace showcase the basic Los Lobos "East LA Roots Rock" sound. One of my favorites, Saint Behind The Glass, is a nod to traditional Mexican Music while still maintaining approachability to the non-Latino listener. Rio de Tenampa showcases the band's ability to seamlessly meld Mexican and Country sounds together in one unique package. Every song on here is written and played with great depth and feeling, but none more than the melancholy When The Circus Comes, which I find so emotionally stirring. While this CD has a certain Hispanic flavor, it is a great introductory album to a band that appeals to lovers of all different genres of music including, Latin, Country, Blues, Rock and more!

I've got a half dozen of these guys' albums, most of which are great in their own right, but this is hands down, their absolute best. It got all kinds of accolades when it came out back in 1992. Sometimes, critics go goo-goo-ga-ga over some record, and later you wonder why. That's not the case here. This album has stood the test of time.

They're doing this album live in its entirety in a few cities right now, but there's a chance they'll expand the tour. Not to be missed.

"Always pleasant, never a false cord." That's what I think each time I listen to this collection. I guess I should be listening more closely, but I find the music and the virtuosity with which it is played to be a springboard to other thoughts and activities. I can read with it in the background, write with it or simply drift into thought. And that is really quite enough for me.

As good a guitarist as Julian Bream is, one must begin by acknowledging that the title of this 2-CD set containing 32 admittedly seminal pieces written for hand-played strings ( primarily, the lute) is a tad hyperbolistic. An "Ultimate" collection of anything would have to be more complete, by definition, than any two CDs can be and, again, it almost goes without saying that no two people are apt to be in total agreement about what should or should not have been included in any such collection. All caveats considered and aside, this is, indeed, a thoughtfully selected and masterfully performed collection of what is, unarguably, some of the very best classical pieces ever written for the lute. Bream plays some of them on the guitar and others on a renaissance lute - the latter giving a somewhat truer indication of the stylings and musical nuances intended by the various composers. But, even the pieces he plays on the guitar - an instrument that, in it's current form, did not exist when many of the pieces were originally composed - are sensitive and lyrical interpretations that sound as if they MIGHT have been composed for the guitar.

Without spending space here reiterating the specific pieces, their titles and lengths, I will simply list the composers whose works Bream presents so nicely in this collection. They span a range of about five centuries beginning in the time of England's Elizabeth I and spanning the years through to the 20th Century's premier Spanish and Brazilian classical guitar composers. The list reads like a `Whose Who" of classical plucked-string instrument music and of composers whose keyboard compositions work particularly well on the strings of a lute or guitar, and includes;
- John Dowland
- Francis Cutting
- Antonio Vivaldi
- Gaspar Sanz (*)
- Mateo Albeniz (*)
- Manuel de Falla
- Enrique Granados (*)
- Hector Villa-Lobos, and
- Joaquin Rodrigo
(*) = Pieces originally written for keyboard play.

Every classical guitarist has his own recognizable style and approach to the instrument and the material. An experience listener would not confuse Bream's work with that of Andres Segovia, for example: but it is not that one is better than the other. Each, in his own distinctive way, is simply superb. Though the Spanish influence is clearly audible with both musicians, Bream's stylings have a more contemporary lilt and inflection than do those of Segovia; he makes each piece his own. One suspects that each time he plays a piece it comes out differently according to the moment, his mood, the instrument and God knows what else. Segovia, on the other hand, was well known for his constancy once he had found a version of each piece that fully suited his own ear and temperament.
While I am admittedly a Segovia fan, I find Bream's renditions to be noticeably fresher and each infused with an aura of presence in the here-and-now which I find especially enjoyable.

The collection is neither complete not `ultimate', but it is VERY good and well worth having in any collection of classical guitar music. In fact, for audiophiles not familiar with this genre, it is a fair place to begin to develop an ear for and a listener's knowledge of and experience with the classical guitar.

I recommend it highly.

This album is fantastic. Easy to listen to and wonderful background music for working or dinner parties

This is the leading guitar player of his generation at his best.

He is especially amazing in the second CD, with some of the solo guitar transcriptions of Albeniz. His rendition of Rodrigo's three pieces is also sublime.

I can't imagine anybody buying this cd then regretting it.

This two cd set is an odd juxtaposition. The first cd consists of a sampler of Bream's career output - but without (and I believe the omission is disgraceful) any acknowledgement of Bream's significant contribution toward the creation of a truly 20th century concert repertoire for guitar. The second cd is a re-release of his superb early 1980's recording of Albeniz and Granados transcriptions with the added bonus of a sublime interpretation of the "Three Spanish Pieces" by J Rodrigo.

Speaking as a musician I find the selections and the production of the first cd problematic. We get a few of the more lightweight examples of renaissance lute and baroque guitar (but no JS Bach and no (solo) baroque lute work); we get no vihuela repertoire and nothing truly representative of classical period composition. We do have all six movements from two contrasting concertos but the remainder of the cd consists mostly of neo-romantic repertoire from the twentieth century. In addition the recording quality is highly variable; for example one of the Villa Lobos pieces sounds as though it was recorded in an indoor swimming complex. Given the cd's title more care should have been taken to better represent Bream's career and musical diversity. In the opinion of one familiar with Bream's output this is a disappointing selection. Well played but not representative of the artist nor the art form.

However the opposite is the case with the second cd. These recordings were made at a time when Bream set out to commit to (then) vinyl, via the guitar, the musical heritage of Spain. Bream here was at the height of his interpretive power - and a fine film documentary also resulted from this endeavour.

The inclusion of the Rodrigo set makes this cd a better buy than the original Albeniz and Granados recording, although those who find this compilation rewarding might perhaps profit from researching Bream's catalogue, and adding the complete recording from which the Rodrigo is sourced (circa 1980-90) to their collection.

As for the Albeniz and Granados Bream offers his own transcriptions. These tread a fine line between fidelity to the piano scores and Bream's concept of what works on the guitar. As a general observation Bream seeks to include significantly more of the original score's textures than do many of his peers (e.g. J Williams, P Romero). At the same time he is not averse to significantly modifying the original (e.g. amongst others 'Granada' and 'Cordoba'). Such a process is part of any transcription but here the results are not only excellent but also personal to Bream, as a result we have further confirmation of the craft of a great performing artist.

Every listener will discover their own favourites and I have more than space allows me to relate. I believe that Bream brings more expression to his performances of the Valses Poeticos by Granados than any other guitarist I have heard, and the Passacaglia by Rodrigo is played with such a sense of a brooding menace that my spine tingles every time I listen to it.

The second cd alone is worth twice the compilation's asking price.

This is wonderful classical music. If the kids like it, great! But, make no mistake about it, this is good for anyone. This is wonderful study music, reading music, or just plain relaxing music. Highlights include "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers"; "March of the Toys" (from BABES IN TOYLAND -- the reason I bought this CD); "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"; "The Little Train of Caipira" (no longer little when the music is over); and the audience favorite "Hoedown" (i.e. "Beef, it's what's for dinner!").

If you're into that whole thing of classical music sharpening a youngster's intellect, then this won't disappoint. If you're just into good old fashioned classical music in general, it won't disappoint you either. Also, I highly recommend to both groups the classical CD BUILD YOUR BABY'S BRAIN.

This is a wonderful album. Very high quality, and every selection is beautiful. My daughter (who usually asks me to turn my classical music off) loves to pretend to gallop like a horse during "Rodeo" and march like a soldier during "Parade of the wooden soldiers". This is a pleasure for the whole family!

I use this CD with my preschool music group. The kids love it! This CD enables children learn about classical music without over extending their attention spans.

Item was received in the condition promised; condition was excellent and was received in the time promised

A great artist with a very unique style. The only problem is the omission of the No.1 Hit "Where Were You When I Was Falling In Love" and the No.13 Hit "Holdin' On For Dear Love".

I have been wanting this cd for awhile now, so I brought it as a Christmas gift for myself. I love it. If you are a 70's music fan, this is a must have.

The previous reviewer is incorrect, these are the original recordings. Rhino does an excellent job documenting all of the pertinent information in the booklet. It documents the recording data, including which albums the songs came from, the chart positions for each song (and album) and the remastering information. The only 're-recording' (if you want to call it that) is his solo version of 'Rings', originally recorded by Cymarron in 1971. His solo version was released on his 1974 album 'Just A Singer'.

ONLY "WHERE WERE YOU..." IS THE ORIGINAL RECORDING, THE OTHER HITS ARE NEW RECORDINGS, GO FOR "GREATEST HITS" FROM CURB RECORDS, THAT`S THE BEST CHOICE.