Best Classics 100 CD

Best Classics 100 Recorded between 1974 & 1997. Includes liner notes by Jim Jenkins, Jacky Smith, Andy Davis, Phil Symes. With Queen officially enshrined in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Hollywood Records reintroduces the band yet again with the release of Platinum Collection, Vols. 1-3. While Vols. I & II are full of Queen classics you already know by heart, the third cobbles together odds and sods from the far corners of Queen's canon along with solo cuts from Freddie Mercury and Brian May. Opening with the operatic rock classic "Bohemian Rhapsody," it's easy to hear not only how this British quartet achieved the kind of global acclaim that ensured they'd be enshrined alongside the likes of the Beatles and Led Zeppelin. When they weren't dabbling in playful, '50s-flavored rock & roll ("Crazy Little Thing Called Love"), catchy glam ("Killer Queen"), or hard-edged funk ("Another One Bites the Dust"), Queen was capable of delivering heartfelt love letters ("You're My Best Friend"). The band's '80s output is equally intriguing, ranging from the hard-hitting "Headlong" to duets with David Bowie ("Under Pressure") and soaring movie anthems ("One Vision"). The third volume features more movie themes ("Princes of the Universe"), Freddie Mercury covering the Platters ("The Great Pretender"), and cameos by contemporary artists like Wyclef Jean, George Michael, and Elton John. All tracks have been digitally remastered. Producers include: Queen, David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, David Richards, Mike Moran. Queen: Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon. Additional personnel: Elton John, George Michael, David Bowie, Montserrat Caballe (vocals); Wyclef Jean, Pras (rap vocals). 3 CDs

Best Classics 100 This double CD lives up to its title. Although the span of Western classical music encompasses a wide variety of techniques and compositional styles, there is nothing more glorious than the slow and ruminative movements from these works by the greatest composers from Bach to Gorecki. Serenity is the key word to describe both Bach's Air from the Orchestral Suite No. 3 and Grieg's gorgeous paean to dawn, "Morning," which comes from his most famous work, 'Peer Gynt.' Satie's Gymnopédie No 1. is originally for piano solo, but receives a tender performance by the City of Birmingham Orchestra in Debussy's equally famous arrangement for strings. The second CD includes some unusual but equally appropriate selections: Boccherini's Minuet from the String Quintet in E major receives a resplendent orchestral treatment by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. The Andante from Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Mandolins proves to be a delightful inclusion. The Moderato from Dvorak's String Serenade is given a lush rendition by the London Chamber Orchestra. Perhaps the most gorgeous slow piece of music of all is Barber's Adagio for Strings, which is represented by Eugene Ormandy's classic rendition from 1985. 2 Cds-Bach,Edward Krieg,Mozart Mendelssohn,Vivaldi,Beethoven Personnel: Jocelyn Pook (vocals, violin, viola, keyboards); Kathleen Ferrier, Melanie Pappenheim (vocals); Montserrat Caballé, Zofia Kilanowicz, Mady Mesplé (soprano); Jeannine Collard, Danielle Millet (mezzo soprano); Julian Bream (guitar); Osian Ellis, Fritz Helmis (harp); Barrington Pheloung, Nigel North (mandolin); Hans Kalafusz, Yehudi Menuhin (violin); James Galway (flute); Jack Brymer (clarinet); Andrei Gavrilov, Stephen Hough, Moura Lympany, Cécile Ousset (piano). Recording information: 28th International Oratorio-Cantata Festival, Wratislav.

Best Classics 100 Track Listing of songs: DISC 1: Goldberg Variations, for keyboard; Cantata No. 147, "Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben," BWV 147; Prelude and Fugue, for keyboard No. 1 in C major; Minuet for keyboard No. 1 in G major; Prelude and Fugue, for keyboard No. 22 in B flat minor; Work; Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major; Piano Sonata No. 15 in C major; Fantasia for piano in D minor; Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor; Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor; Bagatelle for piano in A minor; Piano Sonata No. 20 in G major, Op. 49/2: II. Minuet; Impromptus; Moment musical for piano in F minor; Altdeutsches Fruhlingslied; Songs without Words; DISC 2: Waltz for piano No. 6 in D flat major; Prelude for piano No. 15 in D flat major, Op. 28/15, CT. 180; Nocturne for piano No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 9/1, CT. 108; Etude for piano No. 12 in C minor; Nocturne for piano No. 8 in D flat major, Op. 27/2, CT. 115; Waltz for piano No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 18, CT. 207; Nocturne for piano No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 9/2, CT. 109; Etude for piano No. 3 in E major, Op. 10/3, CT. 16; Prelude for piano No. 20 in C minor, Op. 28/20, CT. 185; Prelude for piano No. 4 in E minor, Op. 28/4, CT. 169; Waltz for piano No. 9 in A flat major; Kinderszenen No. 7; Fantasiestuck; Widmung; Consolation, for piano No. 3 in D flat major "Lento placido", S. 172/3; Melody in F, instrumental arrangement, Op. 3/1; DISC 3: Hungarian Dance for piano, 4 hands, in G minor, WoO 1/5; Intermezzo for piano in A major, Op. 118/2; Waltz for piano in A flat major, Op. 39/15; Seasons, for piano, Op. 37: 6. June, The; Dolly, suite for piano, 4 hands or orchestra, Op. 56: Berceuse; Espana, album leaves; Suite espanola No. 1, for piano, Op. 47, B. 7: Granada; To a Wild Rose, for piano, Op. 51/1; Clair de lune, for piano; fille aux cheveux de lin, prelude for piano, L. 117/8, La; Golliwogg's Cakewalk, for piano; Arabesque, for piano No. 1 in E major, L. 66/1; Gymnopedie for piano No. 1; Goyescas; Prelude for piano No.1 in C sharp minor; Prelude for piano No.6 in G minor, Op. 23/5; Ma mere l'oye, for piano, 4 hands;

Best Classics 100 Each singer brought a powerfully distinctive personal and musical style to the proceedings, yet they complemented each other in a way that proved irresistible to audiences. This best-of collection features a broad variety of examples of their winning formula. All the selections are collective efforts, yet the unique personality of each singer shines through: the smooth romanticism of Carreras, Domingo's dark elegance, and the old-school vocal fireworks of the larger-than-life Pavarotti. It's a thrilling demonstration of tenor artistry delivered jointly by three of the all-time greats. If further validation is required of the phenomenon that is the Three Tenors, it's provided here with an emphatic exclamation point. What began as the simple idea of bringing together the three leading male voices of the operatic world to commemorate the 1990 World Cup evolved into an enormously successful franchise that produced album sales and arena-style tours of the type normally associated with superstar pop acts. Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo, and José Carreras achieved this extraordinary level of success not by merely showing up on the same stage at the same time, but by combining their considerable vocal abilities with canny musical instincts to produce a monumentally crowd-pleasing collaboration. Recording information: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, Champ De Mars, Paris, Fran (07/07/1990-07/10/1998); Terme Di Caracalla (07/07/1990-07/10/1998).

Best Classics 100 There's no way to put all the great music that has appeared in over a century of films into one set, but this collection from EMI Classics collects enough famous pieces to make most cinephiles smile. A mix of classical works used in films (like Also Sprach Zarathustra Op. 30 [Opening], now indelibly linked with 2001: A Space Odyssey) and score excerpts (like John Williams' "Star Wars [Main Theme]"), the set flows seamlessly from piece to piece. As the title suggests, 100 Best Film Classics leans more toward the classical side than the score side, which means it would also work well as an introduction to classical music for the film score fan looking to broaden his or her horizons. ~ Heather Phares

Best Classics 100