Classics [Import]

Waldo De Los Rios

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 5, 1997)
• Original Release Date: December 28, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Br Music Holland
• ASIN: B000006ZRS
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,529 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Track Listings

1. Sinfonia #40 en Sol Menor

2. Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

3. Novena Sinfonia en Re Menor

4. Octava Sinfonia en Si Menor

5. Tercera Sinfonia en Fa Mayor

6. Sinfonia #9 Opus 95 "Muevo Mundo"/4th Movimiento

7. Sinfonia de los Juguettes, Do Mayor/2nd Movimiento

8. Cuarta Sinfonia en la Mayor "Italiana"

9. Sinfonia #1 in C, Opus 21

10. Sinfonia #5 in D, Opus 107 "Reformation", Pt. 3

11. Sinfonia #101 in D, "The Clock", Pt. 3 "Rondo"

12. Sinfonia #6 in F, Opus 68, "Pastorale", Pt. 5

13. Aida-Marcha Triumphal

14. Nabucco-Va... Pensiero (Coro de Esclavos)

15. Elixir de Amor

16. El Barbero de Sevilla - Cavatina "Largo Al Factotum"

17. Rigoletto - Caro Nome

18. Traviata, Preludio del Acto #1

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

De Los Rios Takes These Classical Pieces and Sets them to a Modern Beat, Similarly in Basic Style to the Old 'hooked on Classics' Series. Purists May Not Care for It, but Many More Find that Adding Modern Rhythms to These Monumental Compositions Only Enhances their Worth and Beauty, So You Can Listen to them in Any Style.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Somehow, magically, it all comes together, October 11, 2000

By	Joseph Ekaitis "author of Collinsfort Village" (Southern California) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

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.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXQUISITE, August 21, 1999

By A Customer

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.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Waldo de los Rios: ¡INCOMPRENDIDO! (MISUNDERSTOOD!), April 13, 1999

By	Manuel D. Camacho (Bronx, New York, USA) - See all my reviews

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!.