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Romantic Adagios
     

Romantic Adagios

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A double meaning is at play in the title of Romantic Adagios, a collection of pieces from the Romantic era that are long on candlelight-dinner sentiment as well. The languid, dreamy slow movement became most ardently romantic during the 19th century, as this two-CD compilation proves. Favorite adagios by composers from Beethoven and Mozart to Rachmaninoff,
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Overview

A double meaning is at play in the title of Romantic Adagios, a collection of pieces from the Romantic era that are long on candlelight-dinner sentiment as well. The languid, dreamy slow movement became most ardently romantic during the 19th century, as this two-CD compilation proves. Favorite adagios by composers from Beethoven and Mozart to Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, and Dvorák will quench any listener's thirst for yearning melodies, expressive harmonies, and relaxing tempos. There won't be any complaints about the performances either: The 21 selections drawn from the Decca archives feature soloists such as Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Nigel Kennedy, Vladimir Ashkenazy, and Kyung-Wha Chung, all of whom are at their best in this sentimental repertoire. A compilation like this wouldn't be complete without Barber's "Adagio for Strings" or the "Concierto de Aranjuez" of Rodrigo, but you'll also discover Shostakovich, Mahler, and Khachaturian in their most tenderly lyrical moments. By the time Fauré's gentle "Pavane" concludes the second disc, even the most hardened cynic will have succumbed to the blissful mood of serenity that only a romantic adagio can provide.

Product Details

Release Date:
06/13/2000
Label:
Decca
UPC:
0028946671023
catalogNumber:
466710
Rank:
11801

Tracks

  1. Adagio for strings (arr. from 2nd mvt. of String Quartet), for string quartet/string orchestra), Op. 11
  2. Méditation (from opera "Thäis"), violin & orchestra version and various arrangements
  3. Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18: Adagio Sostenuto
  4. Gymnopédies (3), for piano, complete (also orchestrated by Debussy): 1 & 3
  5. Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622: Adagio
  6. Spartacus, ballet in 4 acts: Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia
  7. Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor ("Moonlight"), Op. 27/2: Adagio sostenuto
  8. Kol Nidrei, for cello & orchestra, Op. 47
  9. Enigma Variations, for orchestra, Op. 36: Nimrod
  10. Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor: Adagietto
  11. Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major ("Elvira Madigan") K. 467: Andante
  12. String Quartet No. 1 in D major, Op. 11: Andante Cantabile
  13. Violin Concerto No.1, in G minor, Op. 26: Adagio
  14. Symphony No. 9 in E minor ("From the New World," first published as No. 5), B. 178 (Op. 95): Largo
  15. Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Introduction and 24 Variations), in A minor for piano & orchestra, Op. 43: Variation 18
  16. Cavalleria rusticana, opera (melodramma) in 1 act: Intermezzo
  17. Clair de lune, for piano, L. 75/3
  18. Concierto de Aranjuez for guitar & orchestra: Adagio
  19. The Swan (from "Carnival of the Animals"), original (for 2 pianos & ensemble) and arrangements
  20. Piano Concerto No. 2, in F major, Op. 102: Andante
  21. Pavane, for orchestra & chorus ad lib in F sharp minor, Op. 50

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Romantic Adagios 5 out of 5 based on 0 ratings. 4 reviews.
claraone More than 1 year ago
It is the perfect cd for the end of your day, curl in your bed with a nice book and this cd and you'll have a perfect all night sleep every night.
Piscataquog-Yankee More than 1 year ago
There's no accounting for taste, and it's hard sometimes to reconcile all of the reviews with one's own perception of the music. That said, I bought several of the adagios and "relaxing" cds and found this one to be the most representative of what I think a really good adagios cd should be. For example, in Massenet's Meditation, the clear, crisp audio allows the superb violin solo to be appreciated both individually and as an ensemble instrument, blended so well that brass, strings, woodwinds, and even harp strings are well defined. The cello in my favorite, The Swan, brings to mind the expectation of a brief, lyrical swan-song of an animal that only sings once. And the haunting orchestra of Barber's Adagio and plaintive piano keys of Debussy's Clair de Lune are stand-outs as well. I would say that this is a keeper.
Anonymous More than 1 year ago
Anonymous More than 1 year ago