Search - Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart :: Classical Music For People Who Hate Classical Music

Good for beginners.

01/15/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For those of us who think we would like classical music but have no idea where to start or what to buy, this is a good CD. I now have a small classical music library which gives me a great deal of pleasure, but this was one of my first selections. I still enjoy it. I recommend it to friends who are beginning to enjoy classical music and need a place to start."

The classical world's 'Greatest Hits'

David W. Groat | Detroit, MI, USA | 08/11/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first bought this album 20 years ago on cassette tape, and it was my first introduction to Pachelbel's Kanon. It remains the best version of this piece I've yet heard. All the other pieces constitute the 'greatest hits' of the classical world, and the versions they've chosen are again some of the best I've heard. Some of the longer pieces (i.e. Tchaikovsky's 1812 and Rossini's William Tell) are cut down to include only the most famous parts. In essence, it's a well rounded mixture of some of the most famous classical pieces ever written. I'm sure anyone familiar with classical music could come up with a dozen or more pieces to include, but this is a very well done mix for someone with little or no appreciation of the genere.



Just about every large orchestra in the world has had every one of these pieces in their lineup at one time, and if you listen to classical enough you will notice that some orchestras just do a better job with some pieces than others. Who ever assembled this album has obviously listened to a lot of it, because again, these versions are some of the best I've heard."

A Very Pleasurable Mix

On the Run | Waterloo, WI USA | 10/28/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I still consider myself a rock music fan, but received this CD/album as a Christmas gift in 1995, and have listened to it in my car countless times. It contains a very nice assortment of familiar arrangements performed brillantly by various orchestras. Even if the title doesn't ring a bell, chances are you've heard these songs before and can connect with them. My wife's favorite is "Canon" (she's a diehard romantic) and I'm partial to "Fanfare" (Masterpiece Theater's old theme). Guaranteed to mellow you out while stuck in rush-hour traffic."