Adagios

Adagios
Composer Various Composers
Artist Various Artists
Format 2 CD
Cat. number 94994
EAN code 5028421949949
Release December 2014

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About this release

In today’s hectic world, it is increasingly important to relax and take time out for yourself. This special collection of beautiful and serene adagios will help you do just that. The set features over two hours of soothing music, including many slow movements that are at the emotional core of timeless and best‐loved masterpieces. You’ll be captivated by the variety of wonderful and instantly recognizable melodies heard here: the wistful spiritual from Dvořák’s ‘New World’ Symphony, the exquisite interweaving lines of Bach’s ‘Air on a G String’, and some of Mozart’s most impressive showcases for how to really make an instrument sing in the Clarinet Concerto and ‘Elvira Madigan’ Piano Concerto. And evocative and atmospheric adagios – such as Grieg’s ‘Morning’ and the slow movement from Beethoven’s ‘Pastoral’ Symphony with its distinctive birdsong calls in the flute, oboe and clarinet – will transport you to another world, far away from the stresses and strains of everyday life. Other highlights include some of the most enchanting slow movements in the piano repertoire – such as the poignant Adagio cantabile from Beethoven’s ‘Pathétique’ Sonata and stunning concerto movements by Chopin, Ravel and Rachmaninoff – Fauré’s intense Élégie for cello, and Mahler’s tender and heartbreakingly romantic Adagietto. The emotional power of these adagios is brought to the fore by first‐rate orchestras such as the Staatskapelle Dresden, Philharmonia and Royal Philharmonic, under the baton of eminent conductors such as Theodore Kuchar, Herbert Blomstedt and Rudolf Barshai.  

A moment to relax, to withdraw from an increasingly hectic life, overfed with stimuli from work, society obligations and social networks: this music will calm down your jittery nerves, and will take you on slow waves of soothing melodies to a world of pure sound and tranquillity.  A generous selection of the most famous slow movements: Air (Bach), Adagio (Marcello), Adagio (Rachmaninoff 2nd piano concerto), Scene at the Brook (Beethoven’s Pastorale), The Adagietto from the movie ‘Death in Venice’ (Mahler) and many more.

Excellent performances by Staatskapelle Dresden, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra and soloists Klára Würtz and Misha Goldstein.  

Other information:

Over two hours of music at a bargain price.

Track list

Disk 1

  1. Antonín Dvorák: Symphony No. 9 in E minor Op. 95 “From the New World”: I. Adagio – Allegro molto
  2. Johann Sebastian Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068: II. Air
  3. Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 3 in F Major, Op. 90: III. Poco allegretto
  4. Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor “Pathétique”: II Agagio cantabile
  5. Alessandro Marcello: Oboe Concerto in D Minor: II. Adagio
  6. Maurice Ravel: Piano Concerto in G Major: II. Adagio Assai
  7. Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 “Pastoral”: II Andante molto mosso (Szene am Bach)
  8. Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37: II. Largo
  9. Johannes Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77: II. Adagio
  10. Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 12 in C-Sharp Minor “Moonlight”: I. Adagio sostenuto

Disk 2

  1. Edvard Hagerup Grieg: Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46: I. Morning Mood
  2. Frédéric Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor Op.11: II. Romance. Larghetto
  3. Gabriel Fauré: Élégie, Op. 24
  4. Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 5: IV. Adagietto. sehr langsam
  5. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K. 467: II. Andante "Elvira Madigan"
  6. Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18: II. Adagio sostenuto
  7. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra in A Major, K. 622: II. Adagio
  8. Franz Schubert: Symphony No. 5 in B-Flat Major, D. 485: II. Andante con moto
  9. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major K. 488: II. Andante
  10. Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Serenade for Strings, Op. 48: III. Élégie. Larghetto elegiac