Customer Reviews

Chopin and Champagne: Set Your Mood for Romance

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Phillips label "Set Your Mood" contains classical music for any frame of mind, life event, setting or mood. Others in the series include "Mozart For Your Morning Commute" "Bach For Barbecue" "Baroque For Bathtime" "Beethoven For Book Lovers" "Tchaikovksy For Teatime" "Liszt For Lovers" "Puccini And Pasta" and countless of other delightful albums, each with
its own theme and each containing beautifully performed classical music. On this album, the music of Chopin is meant to accompany your romantic evening or your drinking champagne after dinner. The music of Chopin does effectively describe nocturnal scenes and has a very melancholy romanticism which is very internal and reflective. It's perfect ambiance music. If I owned an office I would pipe in Chopin for the Musak.

The selected pieces here are exquisite and some of Chopin's most beautiful works for piano, the instrument that he made entirely his own in the 19th century. Frederic Chopin, a shy, sickly Polish man, composed countless of nocturnes and preludes, all which bear a sad, introspective, wistful and evening feel. The famous Nocturne No. 2 in E Flat is on here, the so called "Murmurs Of the Seine" a romantic description of the moonlit Seine river. In other preludes, such as the "Raindrop" Chopin captured the sound of water and rain perfectly, as he does with some of his other works. There is fluidity, finesse and elegance in everything he wrote. The opening excerpt is the Larghetto from his Piano Concerto No. 2, a slow movement whose dreamy mood is absolutely breathtaking. It was for this movement and the following Berceuse In D Flat Major Opus 57 that I even bought this album. The Berceuse is a sublime piece, full of intricate trills, falls, runs and an unforgettable melody. It really is rather difficult to play as well. Chopin made the piano a singing voice, with leaps, octaves and floritura. It's really on the same level as Franz Liszt, though Liszt preferred more dynamic, dramatic even shocking sounds while Chopin's music remained ever gentle and romantic. This is a great album for fans of Chopin. The piano artists here, especially Claudio Arrau are doing a remarkable job with the music.

Chopin has always been a favorite of mine, and Claudio Arrau is a superlatively genius pianist when it comes to playing Chopin. The Piano Concerto No. 2 in Fm is absolutely the most romantic, breathtaking piece I've ever heard. Without a doubt, this is one of my favorte CDs. Recently, I played the Nocturne in E-flat, and listening to Mr. Arrau's version really helped me to have a better sense of my rubato.

This CD is perfect if you want a sampling of Chopin's beautiful piano works. It really sets the right mood if you are planning a romantic evening, or just trying to relax after a long day. I was very pleasantly surprised by this whole series, and find both the selection of pieces and the performers who play them to be excellent. For anyone who hasn't heard Clauddio Arrau play before, or his interpetation of Chopin, you have got to hear this. I have been a fan ever since.

I found this CD on line after hearing a recording of a Chopin prelude on WCRB 102.5, the Boston classical station. I didn't know the pianist but when I found it to be Claudio Arrau, I had to hear more of him. I have kept Vladimir Ashkenazy in such high esteem in his piano interpretation of Chopin and Rachmaninov that I was floored to find in Arrau an even higher level of sensitivity to the emotion of the pieces, in this case, those of Chopin. It is true that the somewhat tacky cover and concept of saving Chopin for champagne and romance may be off-putting, but if this is the way to bring such wonderful recordings to more listeners, then I am all for it.
I can't begin to express the delight and even rapture I experience when I listen to this CD. I need to save it for special times, so it won't become too familiar to me.

Despite the somewhat shmaltzy title and cover, this CD is one to treasure. Arrau's interpretation of Chopin rivals in grace and tenderness the CDs of Ashkenazy. Try relaxing with this music after a stressful day...you'll be transported to a place of beauty and tranquility. Arrau perfectly understands the delicacy of a Chopin nocturne. Bravo!

I got this CD as a gift, and wasn't so sure how I'd like it. After listening to this music through both tumultuous and peaceful times in my life during the past year, I have to say I am a big fan.

Wonderfully and sensitively played, there is enough to the recordings to keep me coming back, yet the now familiar pieces are so calming. I would recommend this to anyone. It is like an Enya CD in that you can't listen to it ALL the time, but it's nice to have the option there when you want it.

The most sensitive piano playing I've ever heard. My wife likes it too.

Along with Antonio Vivaldi, Frederic Chopin is one of my favorite composers.I have 8 Vivaldi cd's and only two of Chopin and thought that it was time to pick up another one and decided on this one which i have been meaning to get for awhile..There are 13 songs on this cd and all are great however there was one that really stood out to me and that one is Track no 3 Berceuse in D Flat Op 57 absolutely beautiful.I mention this because just this one track in my opinion is worth the price of admission..I highly recommend this cd to anyone who likes Chopin or Classical music in general,it is damn good.

This is a most wonderful collection of some of the most beautiful pieces of music to listen to when you want to hear something soothing and relaxing. The piano is much in evidence as you might expect from anything by Chopin and it is played flawlessly and flowingly here. Quite simply, music to calm your mind. If you like peaceful and beautiful poetic sounding music, you can't go wrong with this one. It is marketed as a CD to play when you are involved in some romantic interlude, but it by no means needs to be reserved for only that kind of scenario. This is to be enjoyed anytime you want to wind down and relax, maybe even to meditate to as there are no jarring elements that could come in and interfere with your reverie. The music just flows effortlessly along. Truly, a treasure!

I started collecting the Set Your Life to Music series of CDs when stores such as Tower Records still existed to purchase music in person and I haven't regretted it since. I'm now on a mission to collect each of these CDs as they really do fit well for any season and any time of your day. My favorites are 'Chopin and Champagne' and 'Tschaikovsky at Teatime' and the prices are a steal for quality, timeless music.