Customer Reviews

Classics

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Walt Disney and Waldo de los Rios.

In the world of serious (spelled s-n-o-o-t-y) musical criticism, there are probably 2 people who are not more despised: Walt for the film "Fantasia" and Waldo for the pieces collected on this CD. Not surprisingly, both of their masterpieces became, over time, the guilty pleasures of many of their own detractors.

The selections available on "Classics", an imported CD from Holland, were at one time available in the USA on a United Artists LP called "Sinfonias". ABC used de los Rios's arrangement of the finale from Beethoven's 9th as a capper to their Olympic Games coverage on at least 2 occasions. The Norton Simon Gallery in Pasadena, California featured the Mozart 40th Symphony movement in their TV commercials with Candice Bergen.

As a record label, United Artists had only one real hit, some soundtrack LP from some movie called "A Hard Days' Night" by some guys who called themselves The Beatles. After selling the rights to the soundtrack LP to Apple, United Artists gladly got out of the record business and the rest of their library vanished from the bins at Tower Records and Musicland. When your humble critic attempted to buy a recording of the Beethoven's 9th cut, the only format available was a cassette tape of an LP, scratches and all, from a dealer in out-of-print records. Now, 30 years after their initial release, these little gems can be heard in digital clarity.

The marvelous guitar melody and lively rhythm section added to the Allegro from Mozart's 40th Symphony serve to enhance the syncopation and turn it into a real toe-tapper. One Mozart piece that most will say already rocks is the opening Allegro to "Eine Kleine Nachtmusick". Did it really need percussion and a piano line that wanders into rock 'n ' roll and boogie-woogie? Of course not, but it's fun, nonetheless.

In addition to being heard on ABC, the Beethoven 9th finale was also the background to the Miguel Rios single "Song of Joy". Here, it's heard with only the chorus and no soloist. An oboe takes the place of the vocal solo. De los Rios takes a few liberties here and in other pieces, borrowing phrases and lines from more than one movement. The sudden break from the final chorus to the piece's finale rarely fails to elicit a "Wow!" or "Gawd!" or even "Man, what a rush!" from someone hearing it for the first time.

A montage of 2 movements from Dvorák's "Symphony from the New World" conjures up images of anything BUT the USA. To this listener, it brings back memories of swaying in a hammock at Club Med in Cancun.

The "Shepherd's Song" from Beethoven's 6th Symphony is infused with some electronic instrument, possibly a Moog Synthesizer. The effect is wonderfully ethereal. The Adagio/Allegro molto e Vivace from the 1st Symphony sounds almost as if it might have been recorded in The Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland, with a bouncy rhythm line perfectly synchronized to a straight performance of the melody.

And therein lies the magic of de los Rios's arrangements. If anything, the added rhythms and instruments only bring out the swing and verve that was always there. Thanks to this CD, it will ALWAYS be there.

The pure genius of Waldo De Los Rios is unleashed in this CD. Many of these selections were on previously recorded records and tapes. Mozartmania, and The Operas, were two albums which much of this music is from. Waldo De Los Rios was a master artist, and this music paints a beautiful picture with his music. You can bet if there are any future releases on CD of this man's genius, I will be first in line to acquire it. I am hopeful that, in the future, the two previously mentioned recordings will be rereleased on CD.

The argentinian born Waldo de los Rios commited suicide in Spain (where he was residing) either at the end of the seventies or the very beginning of the eighties (quite don't remember exactly when) and the world still don't know the many facets of this wonderful Maestro. He was a masterful arranger (the famous song "Cuando la lluvia cae" -"When the rain hits the ground"- and perform by the spaniard singer Mari Trini), is regarded as one of the best arrangement of a romantic ballad of all time in the hispanic world. Not only that, he rescued beautiful Christmas carols from Germany, Spain and other countries, for instance. Also the "conversion" of boring symphonies, to adapt them to the terrible rush of our time and adding electric bass, drums, congas and brazilian percussion instruments (unthinkable to european-like classical listener, but he made it worked out) is just fantastic and a proof of his genius. He also produced a lovely LP (yet to be a CD) called "El mundo mágico de Waldo de los Rios" (The magic world of Waldo de los Rios") with emotional cuts as: Jean, Jimena (homage to The Cid's wife), The windmills of your mind, Venus, La nave del olvido and Je t'aime moi non plus, among others. It is a damn shame that this latter is out of print and not known by a broader audience...Alas, Waldo, it's Madonna and Spice girls World. What a pity!.

Mix classical music with a rock beat and you get a gem called CLASSICS by Waldo De Los Rios! My favorite track from this album was Mozart Symphony No. 40 in G minor, which was featured in the Norton Simon Museum commercial in the late 70s with Candice Bergen aka Murphy Brown! If you love groovy sounds, I strongly recommend this gem!

The 1st cut, Mozart's Sym #40, 1st movement, is so incredible--full orchestra with rhythm guitar, bass guitar and drums giving it a contemporary feel...Dvorak 9th symphony (combo of 4th and 2nd mvmnts)loses it normal darkness and comes across as an incredibly beautiful piece; the works of Beethoven and Mendelssohn come alive like never before. These arrangements are hard to get out of your head, not that you'd want to. Even the opera pieces are enjoyable for those who normally don't appreciate opera (Especially the Donizetti piece.) A few of the tracks have over-done or silly percussion/rhythm pieces, but overall, a fantastic listening experience!

there was Waldo De Los Rios. I owned a couple of the original early 70s LPs that this generous disc is comprised of.(over 77 min.) As a young man these classical/pop arrangements turned me on to a life long appreciation of music. Waldo made people listen! I wore the original LP "Sinfonia" out, playing it and lending it to others. Just think of all the people who were influenced by him to buy the original composer's masterpieces.
With the exception of some corny special sound effects (which the kids will love) on a couple of the tracks; Waldo really had an original handle on the classics. This is far more ambitious than anything offered by the 80's "Hooked On Classics" series.
The average selection lasts about 4 minutes and some inventive rhythm and instrumentals are employed. Now that I have this CD
all these great melodies are popping up in my head again! Please get this for yourself and you will be sure to touch others.

I have been searching high and low for a CD of this renewed "album" (Sinfonias) by Waldo De Los Rios - and now I have found it - thanks to the reviews on Amazon! I would never have related it back to the old LP I wore out in the 1970s without the help of the other review-writers for this CD. One of my very fondest and happiest memories is lying on my bed as a teenager, on a summer afternoon, by an open window with the breeze blowing the curtains, listening to the Dvorak movements over and over and over again - actually weeping at times. These pieces (as Waldo does them) are definitely not for purists - I found that out when I lent my album to a friend, who completely snubbed it! But for me, they represent a time in my life when I was figuring out who I was, and how music played a part in that. Now I love all kinds of music, and I owe that in part to Waldo De Los Rios and this CD.

I used to listen to Waldo del los Rios many years ago in South Africa and just loved it. I had it on 8 track tape which disappeared as technology improved. I have been looking in record stores in New Zealand for 13 years now and had the hope of finding it on CD one day. Finally, I found it on Amazon. I enjoy the two new tracks and the CD has brightened up my life again.

The compositions of this album, along with Waldo de los Rios' other beautifully created pieces, is like a vortex drawing sound, emotions, and intellect into an unforgettable journey for your auditory senses.

Listening to the music of Waldo de los Rios brings back so many childhood memories I almost want to cry. I remember listening to Waldo's masterpieces everyday with my Argentine parents and forcing them to endure Sinfonia de los Juguettes over and over again. For me anyway, his music sings to my soul and evokes a gamut of sensations that no other artist has been able to replicate.

This is one of two Waldo CDs i bought. My father and I listened to it whan i was very young, and Waldos music brought my into the world of classical music.
I didnt think I would find Waldos music on CD, and was very pleased when I found it. And yes, when I turned on the stereo and started to listen...well....it was fantastic. Both a voyage into childhood remembrance :) as well as into Waldos special combination of classical and, for that time, modern music.
And now....I listen to it with my daughter.