Binding: Audio CD EAN: 0756055603221 Format: Box set Label: Classic FM Manufacturer: Classic FM Number Of Discs: 3 Publisher: Classic FM Release Date: March 08, 2003 Studio: Classic FM
Amazon.co.uk Review: This attractive three-CD compilation does exactly what it claims to do--that is, contain more than three hours of relaxing music. Surprisingly, it also includes a few left-field gems in with the usual suspects, thus in addition to Grieg's "Morning" from the Peer Gynt Suite No.1 (smoothly played by the Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra) and "Vocalise" by Rachmaninov (USSR Symphony Orchestra) there are also performances of the much less well-known "La Calinda" from Delius' opera Koanga (Northern Symphonia of England) and Five Variants of "Dives and Lazarus" by Vaughan Williams (Philharmonia Orchestra under Leonard Slatkin). Apart from a few questionable choices (the New Company's wobbly version of Tallis' 40-part motet "Spem in alium") the performances are all fine, and some excellent. The historical range stretches from the renaissance to the present day, and the juxtapositions are generally handled with imagination and sensitivity. Well worth anyone's money. --Warwick Thompson
