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| The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever! | 
 enlarge | Artists: Johann Sebastian Bach, Leo Delibes, Gabriel Faure, Erik Satie, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Edvard Grieg, Johann Pachelbel, Claude Debussy, Felix Mendelssohn, Camille Saint-saens, Henryk Gorecki, Antonio Vivaldi, Edward Elgar, Jocelyn Pook, Sergey Rachmaninov, Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni, Luigi Boccherini, Jules Massenet, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Jacques Offenbach, Pietro Mascagni, Antonin Dvorak, Giacomo Puccini, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Alexander Borodin, Joaquin Rodrigo, Samuel Barber
Label: Angel Records
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $3.70
You Save: $15.28 (81%)
Buy New/Used/Collectible from $3.70
Avg. Customer Rating:  (83 reviews)
Sales Rank: 2742
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 2
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.5 x 4.9 x 0.4
MPN: 44890
UPC: 724384489021
EAN: 0724384489021
ASIN: B00000I93Z
Release Date: March 30, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
Disc 1
| • | Air 'On the G String' - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields | | • | Morning - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields | | • | Canon In D - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields | | • | Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields | | • | Gymnopedie No.1 - City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra | | • | II. Andante - Stephen Hough | | • | Viens, Mallika - Mady Mesple | | • | In Paradisum - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge | | • | Clair De Lune - Dame Moura Lympany | | • | II. Andate - Yehudi Menuhin | | • | The Swan - Osian Ellis | | • | II. Lento E Largo - Tranquillissimo - Zofia Kilanowicz | | • | II. Andantino - James Galway | | • | II. Largo - Yehudi Menuhin | | • | Nimrod - London Symphony Orchestra | | • | Blow the Wind - Pie Jesu - Jocelyn Pook | | • | Variation 18 - Cecile Ousset | | • | Pavane Op.50 - Gareth Morris |
Disc 2
| • | Zion Hort Die Wachter Singen - South German Madrigal Choir | | • | Adagio In G Minor - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields | | • | Minuet - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields | | • | II. Largo - Andrei Gavrilov | | • | Meditation - Hans Kalafusz | | • | I. Adagio Sostenuto - Dame Moura Lympany | | • | Belle Nuit, O Nuit D'amour (Barcarolle) - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf | | • | II. Andante - Nigel North | | • | II. Adagio - Jack Brymer | | • | Intermezzo - Philharmonia Orchestra | | • | I. Moderato - London Chamber Orchestra | | • | O Mio Babbino Caro - Montserrat Caballe | | • | Fantasia On 'Greensleeves' - Sinfonia Of London | | • | II. Adagio Sostenuto (Opening) - Cecile Ousset | | • | Nocturne - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields | | • | II. Adagio (Opening) - Julian Bream | | • | Adagio For Strings Op.11a - The Philadelphia Orchestra | | • | Entr'acte To Act III - Orchestre National De France |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
You want relaxing classical music that'll soothe your soul but won't lull you into sleep? Here's a double CD for you. The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World ... Ever! does its best to cover both well-worn classical favorites (Bach's "Air on the G String," Pachelbel's "Cannon," Debussy's "Clair de Lune") and some eclectic left-field choices (an excerpt from Gorecki's Symphony No. 3, Jocelyn Pook's "Blow the Wind," and Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. The performances of most of these excerpts are top-notch--artists include Sir Neville Marriner, James Galway, Jacqueline du Pre and the Philadelphia Orchestra--and there's enough variety here for everyone. --Edward Garabedian
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| Customer Reviews: Read 78 more reviews...
 The Heaven is here February 11, 2008
The musics are wonderful. I love it at all. Everybody can appreciate this excellent product.
Lives Up To The Title, Fine Variety Of Genre's. February 4, 2007
52 out of 54 found this review helpful
This CD is a great way to enjoy a large variety of Classical Composers & many of their best known pieces. Vivaldi's "Four Seasons," is an all time favorite. There are vocals, Piano pieces, & some fine Violins. I found the latter the most enjoyable. Here you can find Rodrigo & Pachelbell. Samuel Barber's haunting Adagio will make your skin tingle. This may not be to everyones taste, but if you wish to relax? Give this a couple of listens.
Good for relaxing pregnant women January 17, 2007
3 out of 6 found this review helpful
I stumbled onto this album whilst searching bit torrent websites for classical music. I don't normally listen to classical music but thought it might be relaxing for my pregnant wife. After hearing the quality of the performances, the arrangement, and the recording I decided to buy the album from amazon. All the songs you would expect from a "best album in the world" are there and they are not boring to listen to like a lot of other classical albums. I now play this album in the car constantly and the wife requested it be played at the hospital during the birth.
 Too much opera January 9, 2007
4 out of 10 found this review helpful
If it wasn't for the opera this would be a great CD.
Does what it set out to do, very well November 15, 2006
22 out of 22 found this review helpful
So i'm a classical music veteran, someone who prefers to collect a complete work, rather than classical compilations. I probably would not have listened to this album at all if my dad didnt buy it for me as a gift. By now, i own the complete works that over half of the excepts on this disc come from. I am a purist if ever there was one.
That said, i totally adore this set because i have learned to take it on its own terms. These discs weren't meant for expert classical listeners, so a review from that sort of mindset is useless. This set was meant for pure, easy listening, and for a basic starters kit for classical newbies. Most of all, it was just meant to do what the title says, to relax the average human being. classical expert or not.
Yes, some of these pieces have been altered or shortened, like Mozart's Flute and Harp Concerto Andantino, but they have been edited for a good enough reason: the full versions would have been too long to flow with the rest of the album. And also, the full versions contain so much development that they don't become easy listening anymore. The shortened versions work in the context of the album. Most essentially, the shortened versions on the discs still convey the main flavor the composers were going for. The melodies and themes remain unchanged.
To sum up, it is true that when i want to actually listen deeply to classical music, this album would never be a choice. I would want to hear the complete works like the composers intended. But at certain times when i simply don't mind about that stuff, when i just need to loosen up and free my mind of stress with some nice melodies, this set does the job well enough.
Last but not least: being a purist and a classical buff, i am very particular about performance quality. I was very glad to find that EMI did not get lazy about this. All the artists are world-class, and all the performances are at least exceptional. Some performances are even quite excellent, like the Clair De Lune, which is one of the best i've heard. (Credit to Dame Lympany, the pianist.)
So once again, recommended for its stated purpose, to relax. I am a purist, a classical buff, and i still enjoy this disc. That says something.
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