Capricorn-The Samuel Barber Collection

Dale Duesing (Performer), Samuel Barber (Composer), Donald Barra (Conductor), Andrew Schenck (Conductor), James Sedares (Conductor), Gilbert Seeley (Conductor), Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (Performer), Malinova Sisters (Performer), Oregon Repertory Singers (Performer), Arioso Wind Quintet (Performer), San Diego Chamber Orchestra (Orchestra), New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus (Orchestra), Susan DeWitt Smith (Performer), Carol Archer (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Dale Duesing, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Malinova Sisters, Oregon Repertory Singers, Arioso Wind Quintet, et al.
• Orchestra: San Diego Chamber Orchestra, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus
• Conductor: Donald Barra, Andrew Schenck, James Sedares, Gilbert Seeley
• Composer: Samuel Barber
• Audio CD (February 20, 1996)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Koch Int'l Classics
• ASIN: B000001SJA
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #313,114 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Capricorn Concerto For Flute, Oboe, Trumpet & Orchestra: Allegro Ma Non Troppo

2. Capricorn Concerto For Flute, Oboe, Trumpet & Orchestra: Allegretto

3. Capricorn Concerto For Flute, Oboe, Trumpet & Orchestra: Allegro Con Brio

4. Canzone

5. Fadograph Of A Yestern Scene

6. Cave Of The Heart: Media's Dance Of Vengeance

7. Adagio For Strings

8. Souvenirs: Hesitation Waltz

9. Hermit Songs: St. Ita's Vision

10. Hermit Songs: The Heavenly Banquet

11. Hermit Songs: The Crucifixion

12. Hermit Songs: Sea-Snatch

13. Hermit Songs: Promiscuity

14. Hermit Songs: The Monk And His Cat

15. Hermit Songs: The Praises Of God

16. Hermit Songs: The Desire For Hermitage

17. To Be Sung On Water

18. The Lovers: Tonight I Can Write

19. Summer Music

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A broad survey of Barber's wonderful music, April 4, 2001

By 

LB RJ "lb_rj" (Long Beach CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Capricorn-The Samuel Barber Collection (Audio CD)

In the history of 20th century classical music, Samuel Barber is a well-loved, if not "revolutionary", figure. His skill with the craft of melody is justly famous, and his work reflects elegance and craft; however, he was also a master of contrapuntal composition ("Adagio for Strings", aka the second movement of his String Quartet, could be used in advanced composition classes as a masterpiece of counterpoint) and a great orchestrator. His Capricorn Concerto is a jewel-like triple concerto (trumpet, flute and oboe with strings), full of rhythm, movement and light-- the second movement is especially brilliant, with delightful interplay among the solo instruments and a lovely slow section (soft strings and an exquisitely melancholy short oboe solo). The rest of the selections are also well-done and welcome (if the "Adagio" is overplayed, the "Hermit Songs" are just not performed enough!). A nice collection of Barber's high-quality oeuvre.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Musical gems that wait to be discovered!, August 14, 2009

By 

Hiram Gomez Pardo (Valencia, Venezuela) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Capricorn-The Samuel Barber Collection (Audio CD)

Samuel Barber is one of my most admired American composers. For many he is the composer of the "Adagio" a thousand times musical curtain (Platoon) and nothing else. But if you scratch beneath the surface, you will find pieces of concise structure and excel originality.

Medea suite explores and describes with peculiar expressiveness, the conceptual density of this Greek tragedy. Passages of febrile intensity and vibrant outburst of primary encountered feelings.

Capricorn's suite is another evidence of the overwhelming creative vein of this first-order composer, whose relevance and importance on international stages have not yet acknowledged. You may feel a visible influence of Copland especially in the last movement of the Suite.

Now it's time to approach to the music of this notable and still overlooked composer.