Customer Reviews:
 This half-full glass is easily worth $1.99 July 10, 2010
Michael Kilgore (Denver, CO USA)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
In another review, Ekkehard Rohwedder makes an excellent point: This collection includes 47 tracks that were in another Amazon offering. The review does a great job of listing exactly what's a duplicate and what isn't.
But looking at it the other way, 99 Most Essential Summer Classics includes 52 tracks that weren't offered before. Are 52 tracks worth $1.99 to you? Heck, I might have paid $2 just for the full version of Beethoven's Pastoral, but with this, I also get pieces of Carmen, a couple more of Holst's Planets, more Tchaikovsky, more Vivaldi, and so forth. And if I hadn't already bought the original 99 Essential Relaxing package, this would be an ever better deal.
Look through the track listings and see if this is worth it to you. Even with the unwelcome potentially overlapping parts, I think it's a bargain.
At $1.99, how could I afford not to buy it? July 13, 2010
PT Cruiser (CA USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I've only purchased one other of the "99 Most..." series from Amazon, but regardless of what might be duplicated from other collections, for $1.99 how can I go wrong? The music is beautiful, some of my favorite composers and orchestras. The sound quality is excellent. I plan to listen to it as background music during the day while I'm working and perhaps while I'm sitting back reading a book. It would also be nice in the background during dinner.
Some of my favorites from the collection are: Dvorák, Antonín: Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95, "From the New World" Largo, Carnival Of The Animals: The Swan (Le Cygne), Where The Lemons Blossom, Op. 364: Waltz, and Five Preludes for Solo Guitar. Actually there is so much good music here that it's hard to choose which I like best.
If you like classical music and love to listen to a lot of different things rather than one whole symphony, how can you afford not to buy this at this price? Even as a sampler to see if you want to buy the whole of some of these works, it's a good deal.
 99 Summer Classics . . August 11, 2010
K. Course (Michigan)
The level of performance is high on these 99 tracks, but some 5 or 10 tracks very poorly recorded. Most are wonderful additions to my library! The level of sound varies radically track to track. The price (1.99) was right!! I will just delete a few tracks! (Faure, Gounod, Satie, and some piano tracks) Thanks for this offering - I thought I got it for free, I just checked and it actually was $1.99 - ALMOST free!
 Too much "Essential Relaxing" this Summer July 6, 2010
Ekkehard Rohwedder
69 out of 69 found this review helpful
The topical "99 Most Essential ..." releases are huge, mood-setting playlists, and -at their initial sale prices- super bargains to boot.
So what do you get?
If you also happen to have the "99 Most Essential Relaxing Classics", it turns out you do get a huge chunk of overlap. From that set you will already have the following 47 tracks:
1,2,3,4,5,9,10,12,19,26,27,32,33,34,37,41,42,48,49,50,51,56,57,59,64,65,66,67,68,71,73,74,76,77,79,80,81,82,83,86,87,88,90,92,96,97,98 (in fairness, tracks 1, 5, and 57 are performed by different artists). It must have been a _very_ relaxing summer indeed, including for folks that put together the tracks on this collection.
To Amazon's credit, you still get a wonderful truckload of new music, there is a focus on classical guitar, and you actually do find some complete works. This is still a very worth-while collection! (Do not be dissuaded from this set, just know what you are in for.)
Nonetheless, I am left with somewhat of a bad taste from the vehement recycling effort on these two collections released within less than a week. Thus I am knocking off two rating stars for this one.
Amazon / X5 Music Group - please do not clog our players with the same music over again, but instead mine new riches in classical music, which we know are there and abundantly!
Below is the track list with composers. * marks duplicates from "99 Most Essential Relaxing Classics" and ** are duplicates listing a different artist in this collection.
Albinoni, Tomaso: Concerto a cinque No. 2 in D Minor for Oboe and Strings, Op. 9: II. Adagio [Emanuel Abbühl, Strings of Zürich and Howard Griffiths]
Albéniz, Isaac: Chants d'Espagne, Op. 232: III. Sous le Palmier [Duo Llobet]
Albéniz, Isaac: Chants d'Espagne, Op. 232: IV. Córdoba [Duo Llobet]
Albéniz, Isaac: Chants d'Espagne, Op. 232: V. Seguidillas [Duo Llobet]
Almeida, Laurindo: Choro e Batuque [Dagmar Zsapka and Jozef Zsapka]
Bach, Johann Sebastian: Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009: V. Bourée I - Bourée II - Bourée I da capo [Torleif Thedéen]
*Bach, Johann Sebastian: Concerto No. 1 in C Minor for Two Keyboards and Orchestra, BWV 1060: II. Adagio [Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra]
*Bach, Johann Sebastian: Concerto No. 5 in F Minor for Keyboard and Orchestra, BWV 1056: II. Largo: Arioso [Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra]
*Bach, Johann Sebastian: Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068: Air [London Philharmonic Orchestra & David Parry]
*Bach, Johann Sebastian: Suite No. 1 in G Major for Solo Cello, BWV 1007: I. Prelude [Torleif Thedéen]
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68, "Pastoral": I. Awakening of Happy Feelings upon Arrival in the Country: Allegro ma non troppo [Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra]
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68, "Pastoral": II. Scene by the Brook: Andante molto mosso [Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra]
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68, "Pastoral": III. Joyous Gathering of Country Folk: Allegro (attacca) [Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra]
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68, "Pastoral": IV. The Thunderstorm: Allegro [Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra]
Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68, "Pastoral": V. Shepherd's song - Happy and Thankful Feelings after the Storm: Allegretto [Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra]
*Beethoven, Ludwig van: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125 (Choral Symphony): III. Adagio molto e cantabile [Tbilisi Symphony Orchestra]
Bizet, Georges: Carmen Suite No. 1: Intermezzo [Hungarian State Orchestra]
Bizet, Georges: Carmen Suite No. 1: Les Toréadors [Hungarian State Orchestra]
Bizet, Georges: Carmen Suite No. 2: Habanera [Hungarian State Orchestra]
Bizet, Georges: Carmen Suite No. 2: Nocturne [Hungarian State Orchestra]
*Boccherini, Luigi: String Quintet in E Major, Op. 13: Minuet [London Philharmonic Orchestra & David Parry]
*Borodin, Alexander: String Quartet No. 2 in D Major: III. Notturno [Lucerne String Quartet]
*Chopin, Fryderyk: 12 Études, Op. 10: No. 3 in E Major, "Tristesse": Lento ma non troppo [Peter Schmalfuss]
*Chopin, Fryderyk: Nocturne No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op. 9 [Finghin Collins]
*Chopin, Fryderyk: Préludes, Op. 28: No. 15 in D-Flat Major, "Raindrops" [Peter Schmalfuss]
*Debussy, Claude: Deux Arabesques (Two Arabesques), L 66: No. 1 [Peter Schmalfuss]
*Debussy, Claude: Préludes, Book I, L 117: VIII. La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin (The Girl With The Flaxen Hair): Très Calme Et Doucement Expressif [Peter Schmalfuss]
*Debussy, Claude: Rêverie (Daydream), L. 68 [Christian Lindberg and Per Lundberg]
Debussy, Claude: Suite Bergamasque, L 75: I. Prélude [Peter Schmalfuss]
Debussy, Claude: Suite Bergamasque, L 75: II. Menuet [Peter Schmalfuss]
*Debussy, Claude: Suite Bergamasque, L 75: III. Clair de lune [Peter Schmalfuss]
Debussy, Claude: Suite Bergamasque, L 75: IV. Passepied [Peter Schmalfuss]
*Dvorák, Antonín: Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95, "From the New World": Largo [London Philharmonic Orchestra & David Parry]
*Dvorák, Antonín: Waldesruhe (Silent Woods) for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 68, B. 182: Lento e molto cantabile [Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra]
Falla, Manuel De: La vida breve: Danza Español [Duo Llobet]
*Fauré, Gabriel: Pavane [London Philharmonic Orchestra & David Parry]
*Fauré, Gabriel: Requiem, Op. 48: VII. In Paradisum [Mattias Wager]
Fauré, Gabriel: Sicilienne in G Minor for Flute and Piano, Op. 78 [Roland Pöntinen and Sharon Bezaly]
Gershwin, George: 12 Songs for Guitar: Summertime [Franz Halász]
*Gluck, Christoph Willibald: Orpheus and Eurydice: Dance of the Blessed Spirits [Gunilla von Bahr, Stockholm Chamber Orchestra and Jan-Olov Wedin]
*Gounod, Charles: Ave Maria (after J.S. Bach) [London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir and David Parry]
Granados, Enrique: Goyescas: Intermezzo [Duo Llobet]
*Grieg, Edvard: Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46: Morning Mood [London Philharmonic Orchestra & David Parry]
*Grieg, Edvard: Two Elegiac Melodies, Op. 34: II. Last Spring [Bonn Classical Philharmonic]
*Handel, George Frideric: Xerxes, HWV 40: "Ombra mai fu": Largo [Yoshikazu Mera, Japan Philharmonic Orchestra and Shigeo Genda]
*Holst, Gustav: The Planets, Op. 32: II. Venus, the Bringer of Peace [Melbourne Symphony Orchestra]
Holst, Gustav: The Planets, Op. 32: III. Mercury, the Winged Messenger [Melbourne Symphony Orchestra]
Holst, Gustav: The Planets, Op. 32: IV. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity [Melbourne Symphony Orchestra]
*Mascagni, Pietro: Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo sinfonico [Bonn Classical Philharmonic]
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Concerto in C Major for Flute, Harp and Orchestra, K. 299: II. Andantino [Mozart Festival Orchestra]
*Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Motet in D Major for Choir and Orchestra, K. 618: Ave Verum Corpus [Ilmar Lapinsch, Latvian Philharmonic Orchestra and Riga Radio Choir]
*Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K. 467: Andante [Finghin Collins, London Philharmonic Orchestra and David Parry]
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major K. 331 "Turkish March": I. Andante grazioso [Carmen Piazzini]
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major, K. 331: Rondo: Alla turca [Finghin Collins]
*Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Serenade No. 13 in G Major, K. 525, "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik": II. Romance: Andante [Camerata Salzburg]
*Myers, Stanley: Cavatina [Craig Ogden]
**Pachelbel, Johann: Canon in D Major [London Philharmonic Orchestra & David Parry]
Piazzola, Astor: Histoire du Tango: I. Bordel 1900 [Dagmar Zsapka and Jozef Zsapka]
Piazzola, Astor: Histoire du Tango: II. Café 1930 [Dagmar Zsapka and Jozef Zsapka]
Piazzola, Astor: Histoire du Tango: III. Nightclub 1960 [Dagmar Zsapka and Jozef Zsapka]
Piazzola, Astor: Histoire du Tango: IV. Concerto d'Aujourd'hui [Dagmar Zsapka and Jozef Zsapka]
*Ravel, Maurice: Pavane pour une infante défunte (Pavane for a Dead Princess), M. 19 [London Symphony Orchestra]
*Respighi, Ottorino: Ancient Airs and Dances, Suite No. 3 (1932): III. Siziliana [Russian State Chamber Orchestra]
Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai: The Tale of Tsar Saltan, Op. 57: Flight of the Bumblebee [Stockholm Chamber Duo]
Rodrigo, Joaquin: Concierto de Aranjuez for Guitar and Orchestra: I. Allegro con spirito [Orchestra Of St. John's, Smith Square, & John Lubbock]
Rodrigo, Joaquin: Concierto de Aranjuez for Guitar and Orchestra: II. Adagio [Orchestra Of St. John's, Smith Square, & John Lubbock]
Rodrigo, Joaquin: Concierto de Aranjuez for Guitar and Orchestra: III. Allegro gentile [Orchestra Of St. John's, Smith Square, & John Lubbock]
*Saint-Saëns, Camille: Carnival of the Animals: The Swan (Le Cygne) [Stockholm Chamber Duo]
*Satie, Erik: Gnossienne No. 3 (1890) [Roland Pöntinen]
*Satie, Erik: Gymnopédie No. 1 [Finghin Collins]
*Satie, Erik: Trois Gymnopédies (1888): No. 3 [Anders Miolin]
*Smetana, Bedrich: Má Vlast (My Fatherland): Vltava (The Moldau River) [London Philharmonic Orchestra & David Parry]
Strauss, Johann: On the Beautiful Blue Danube, Op. 314 [London Philharmonic Orchestra & David Parry]
*Strauss, Johann: Where the Lemons Blossom, Op. 364: Waltz [Ilmar Lapinsch and Mostar Symphony Orchestra]
*Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich: String Quartet No. 1 in D Major, Op. 11: II. Andante cantabile [New Philharmonic Quartet]
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich: The Nutcracker, Op. 71a: XIV. Waltz of the Flowers: Tempo di valse [Bonn Classical Philharmonic]
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich: The Nutcracker, Op. 71a: Xiiib. Character Dances - Coffee (Arabic Dance): Commodo [Bonn Classical Philharmonic]
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich: The Seasons, Op. 37: June: Barcarolle [Niek van Oosterum]
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich: The Seasons, Op. 37: May: White Nights [Niek van Oosterum]
**Villa-Lobos, Heitor: Chôro no. 1, "Chôro típico" [Dakko Petrinjak]
Villa-Lobos, Heitor: Five Preludes for Solo Guitar, W 419: Prelude No. 1 in E Minor: Andantino espressivo [Sonja Prunnbauer]
Villa-Lobos, Heitor: Five Preludes for Solo Guitar, W 419: Prelude No. 2 in E Major: Andantino espressivo [Sonja Prunnbauer]
Villa-Lobos, Heitor: Five Preludes for Solo Guitar, W 419: Prelude No. 3 in A Minor: Andante [Sonja Prunnbauer]
Villa-Lobos, Heitor: Five Preludes for Solo Guitar, W 419: Prelude No. 4 in E Minor: Lento [Sonja Prunnbauer]
Villa-Lobos, Heitor: Five Preludes for Solo Guitar, W 419: Prelude No. 5 in D Major: Poco animato [Sonja Prunnbauer]
*Vivaldi, Antonio: Concerto No. 14 in D Major for Flute and Strings, RV 428, "Il gardellino": II. Cantabile [Camerata Rhenania and Eugen Duvier]
*Vivaldi, Antonio: Concerto in C Major for Two Flutes and Strings, RV 533: II. Largo [Camerata Rhenania and Eugen Duvier]
Vivaldi, Antonio: Concerto in D Major for Guitar and Strings, RV 93: I. Allegro giusto [Boris Björn Bagger, Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra and Klaus Arp]
*Vivaldi, Antonio: Concerto in D Major for Guitar and Strings, RV 93: II. Largo [Boris Björn Bagger, Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra and Klaus Arp]
Vivaldi, Antonio: Concerto in D Major for Guitar and Strings, RV 93: III. Allegro [Boris Björn Bagger, Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra and Klaus Arp]
Vivaldi, Antonio: Concerto in G Major for Flute, Guitar and Strings, RV 532: I. Allegro [Dagmar Zsapka, Jozef Zsapka, Slovak Chamber Orchestra and Bohdan Warchal]
Vivaldi, Antonio: Concerto in G Major for Flute, Guitar and Strings, RV 532: II. Andante [Dagmar Zsapka, Jozef Zsapka, Slovak Chamber Orchestra and Bohdan Warchal]
Vivaldi, Antonio: Concerto in G Major for Flute, Guitar and Strings, RV 532: III. Allegro [Dagmar Zsapka, Jozef Zsapka, Slovak Chamber Orchestra and Bohdan Warchal]
*Vivaldi, Antonio: L'Estro Armonico, Op. 3 - Concerto No. 12 in E Major for Violin and Strings, RV 265: II. Largo [Camerata Rhenania and Eugen Duvier]
*Vivaldi, Antonio: L'Estro Armonico, Op. 3 - Concerto No. 9 in D Major for Violin and Strings, RV 230: II. Larghetto [Bohuslav Matousek, Janacek Chamber Orchestra and Zdenek Dejmek]
**Vivaldi, Antonio: The Four Seasons (Le quattro stagioni), Op. 8 - Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, RV 315, "Summer" (L'estate): I. Allegro non molto - Allegro [Emmy Verhey, Camerata Antonio Lucio and Alun Francis]
Vivaldi, Antonio: The Four Seasons (Le quattro stagioni), Op. 8 - Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, RV 315, "Summer" (L'estate): II. Adagio - Presto - Adagio [Emmy Verhey, Camerata Antonio Lucio and Alun Francis]
Vivaldi, Antonio: The Four Seasons (Le quattro stagioni), Op. 8 - Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, RV 315, "Summer" (L'estate): III. Presto [Emmy Verhey, Camerata Antonio Lucio and Alun Francis]
*Williams, Ralph Vaughan: Fantasia on Greensleeves [London Symphony Orchestra]
Shameful repackaging of old material July 7, 2010
T. Fisher
17 out of 18 found this review helpful
I wrote an earlier 5-star review of this collection, which I have withdrawn after reading the review by Ekkehard Rohwedder and doing my own checking. He is right that this set is mainly a collection of warmed-over tracks from other albums by the X5 Group and Amazon bearing the "99 Most Essential" brand. This includes the recent "99 Most Essential Relaxing" set, as Mr Rohwedder mentions, but also earlier collections in the series.
Of the 99 tracks here, I believe only 26 are works that have not appeared before in other collections. A further 15 are tracks for which the works have appeared in other collections, but the versions included here are different recordings by different artists.
That means that at least 58 tracks of the 99 are outright copied and repackaged for sale in this "new" set. And I don't have all the previous "99 Most Essential" sets by any means -- the full number of repackaged tracks could be higher.
I was aware that a number of the pieces had appeared before, but after a cursory look I believed they were mainly recordings by different artists. I can accept this completely, as everyone who collects classical music ends up with umpteen versions of the same works in different recordings. Comparative listening to different artistic interpretations of the same work is one of the joys of classical music. However, I was mistaken -- the tracks mostly are outright repeats.
I do still feel I got my two dollars' worth just from the Piazzola "History of the Tango" and the complete set of Villa-Lobos Guitar Preludes (although it turns out two of those recordings had appeared in earlier sets). Other new recordings here include the complete "Chants d'Espagne" by Isaac Albéniz and the Rodrigo Guitar Concerto -- of which only one movement has appeared in earlier sets. The Beethoven Pastoral Symphony is also a new recording (i.e. by a different artist) not included in earlier sets.
Small comfort, however. While these sets do offer high-quality recordings at a terrific price, X5 and Amazon should be ashamed of themselves for pawning off such a vast quantity of reused music as new.
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