Customer Reviews

Beethoven at Bedtime: A Gentle Prelude to Sleep

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It takes you places you've never been, and once you start lisening, every bit of stress just floats away. I've bought it twice, but have given it away to loved ones because it's so beautiful. I'm now about to buy it for the third time. Bravo, Beethoven!

The music on this CD is beautiful, but it is not quite right for bedtime. I had my little girl all snuggled in and just as she would start to get sleepy, the music would get very loud and then go soft again awaking her. We did this about 5 times thinking it would get better, before I finally turned it off. I plan to use it in the car instead.

I think Beethoven was a masterful composer when it came to the adagios and more peaceful movements. He is quite good at creating an atmosphere of tranquility and meditation. This is a bit unusual considering Beethoven had a stormy and distressed life. How can a tempestuous deaf man.. DEAF man, create such beautiful melodies ? He was as gifted in music as the child prodigy Mozart. Beethoven's slow movements from his symphonies, violin music (quartets and concerto) and the lovely Moonlight and Pathetique sonatas, reflect the eye of a storm. They are soft and soothing.. if you're under stress.. this music can help you out. Or if you want to relax, read a book, vegetate or sleep, this music is a brilliant prelude, in the same way that Brahms does with his Lullaby or Mozart with his slow Romanzas, Adagios and Andante or same way Mahler did in the Adagietto of his 5th symphony. I highly recommend this excellent and inexpensive cd. Don't let these series fool you. The colors and the pictures may appear silly and unproffesional but the music is great. Buy others in the series.. the Mozart in the Morning, Brahms for Book Lovers, etc. The orchestras are marvelous. The English Chamber Orchestra are virtuosic in Baroque music and Sir Neville Marriner appears in many of these cd's, conducting the St. Martin'n- the best interpretors of Mozart music as any music lover would agree. Viva Ludwig van Beethoven ! A composer full of passion and soul and let him soothe your soul with his brilliant music.

Despite the title, this cd contains some of the world's most magnificent classical pieces, which can cause listeners to play it twenty four hours a day. The collection of Beethoven's most relaxing, sweet and elaborate music is a true gem, not to mention the great price. Due to the fact that pieces such as the popular Moonlight Sonata and soothing Emperor Sonata are so spectacular, this cd certainly does not cause me to go to sleep because I sincerely enjoy listening to Beethoven's powerful compositions. The haunting Adagio Cantibile is wonderfully played on the piano. Therefore, pieces for the piano and for entire symphony orchestras are included in this cd.

Playing this CD for the first time, my perceptions were quickly changed. I had conceived of this CD as one with lots of standard fare played in an uninspiring way and with tonal quality to lull one to sleep. Was I wrong! I would revised the title and call this CD: "Beethoven at the CPU." I should have rated this CD as 4 1/2**** but went up rather than down because of the pleasant surprises.

For example, Track 8, the Larghetto movement fom the Violin Concerto in D was played superbly by Arthus Grumiaux. Likewise, Claudio Arrau played the Adagion sostenuto movement from the "Moonlight" Sonata with gentle beauty. The CD's first track, the Larghetto movement from Symphony No. 2 in D lets one know that this is a lively CD that is worth listening to. At the same time its beauty and everchanging sweet flow makes the CD fine to play while writing or researching.

There are many CDs that can put one to sleep and some of these create a mindset so a person seeks immediate relief from the sandman. This CD is quite a pleasant surprise. While better stereo sound could have been used, the CD is supposed to lull one to sleep, not keep awake. Turn the volume up a bit. The lovely tones flow but in a quiet, peaceful yet lively manner. This could be good background music for music lovers while dining or even sharing romantic words by candlelight.

I am delightfully surprised and highly recommend this CD. I have many CDs that would gladly be sold, including some other Beethoven versions. This CD is a keeper.

Thank you.

Dr. Alan D. Kardoff, Melbourne, Florida US

PS With nine tracks, the total playing time is 72.36

This CD can help me relax and get in the mood for sleep no matter how hectic my day has been. It also works wonders at getting my infant daughter to sleep! The music is beautiful and some of Beethoven's best work.

So you had a hard day at work.And the drive home was a bumper to bumper headache.And when you finality get home the wife is mad at you because you forgot to stop at the store and buy the milk.Or maybe your husband is upset because dinner will be a little late getting to the table.And what are your kids up to? Besides running around the house.Well let's not go there.We all have days like this sometime.So how do you keep control of the stress full madness of todays life? Wait till the end of the day when things get quiet. Take a long hot bath,pour yourself a cup or a glass of your favorite drink. Go straight to your favorite relaxing place. And instead of counting sheep. Try listening to Beethoven At Bedtime. This cd is inexpensive and can be a great starting point to become acquainted to classical music. The soft,lazy and beautiful arrangements (Although they can be loud at times) will send you off to dreamland. Where you can forget your troubles at least for the time being. This is a great cd to relax to and can be a good starting point for anyone who is interested in Beethoven's music. My favorites on this cd are Romance No.2 in F,"Pastoral"Symphony,Fur Elise and of course the Sonatas- Pathetique and Moonlight. Pleasant and sweet dreams everyone.

this album will definately put you out unless youre manic or all cranked up or something.but why go to sleep? youd miss out on a bunch of beethovens most beautiful music ever written.and being as how hes only the second of 7 musical geniuses ever,no true music lover can be without this many spleandored collection.its got all the great slow songs beethoven did on it like the "moonlight sonata" used on the beatles song "because" and the video game "shadow man".im sure youve heard it somewhere."for elise" is another easily recognizable song.it was on the movie "bill and teds excellent adventure".theres some more musical bliss with his violin piece and even the all important "pathetique sonata".thats the real clencher.if youre not pretty drowsy after that beautiful but utterly sedating ditty perhaps you should seek out a drs prescription before you play it because youre an isomniac.it will put most anybody out though and is plum full of a number of the most beautiful songs ever!

This is a stunningly beautiful compilation of Beethoven's musical genius. It does not however lull one too sleep. It does pull you into his world of both the grand and the sublime. It is much better for those long workdays when music is the only inspiration to remember how beautiful life and the senses can be. The drawback to sleeping is the expansive orchestral beginning to this album. Once I heard it I woke right out of my apathy and began noting how sonorous and lovely and powerful the piece was. Couldn't consider sleeping till I had heard every last note on the CD.

Thanks to the Philips Set Your Life to Music series, we don't have to set aside a concert hour to experience great music. Beethoven at Bedtime gives us the music when we need it to enrich our quiet moments. As with the other titles in this series, the performance is pure and sensitive enough to satisfy the most intellectual listener. One has only to read the list of artists and listen to the clips. What a treasure!