Bestsellers > Classical Music > Scherzo
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Capriccio Italien; A Night On Bald Mountain; The Sorcerer's Apprentice...(more) »rank: 51486from: RCA
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Horowitz Rediscovered(more) »rank: 171093from: RCA
: :When Vladimir Horowitz was still alive, he insisted that his live performance recordings be corrected with retakes whenever he was dissatisfied with artistic or technical matters. This posthumous release is apparently the first major label publication of an unedited Horowitz recital. Listeners who never heard Horowitz in concert, or who haven't heard any of the bootleg releases of his live performances, may be surprised to hear 'The Pianist of the Century' actually hitting wrong notes and having out of control moments, just like a real live human being. But this complete recital, recorded in Carnegie Hall on November 16, 1975, presents a more ... |
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Stravinsky in America(more) »rank: 169575from: RCA / BMG
: essential recording:A fascinating compilation of works, both major and minor, that illustrate Stravinsky's genius interacting with an America far from his Russian roots and Parisian inclinations. Included are pieces as dizzyingly varied as arrangements of our national anthem and 'Happy Birthday' to the hermetic, atonal Huxley Variations. Michael Tilson Thomas excels in all of them, conveying the immense stature as well as the icy wit of the all-too-rarely heard Agon, the raucous humor of the Circus Polka, and the jewel-like precision of the Variations. Throughout, MTT captures Stravinsky's biting rhythms and imparts an austere beauty to works such as the Variations that ... |
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Dvorak: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9; Smetana: The Moldau(more) »rank: 56295from: Deutsche Grammophon
: essential recording:A fascinating compilation of works, both major and minor, that illustrate Stravinsky's genius interacting with an America far from his Russian roots and Parisian inclinations. Included are pieces as dizzyingly varied as arrangements of our national anthem and 'Happy Birthday' to the hermetic, atonal Huxley Variations. Michael Tilson Thomas excels in all of them, conveying the immense stature as well as the icy wit of the all-too-rarely heard Agon, the raucous humor of the Circus Polka, and the jewel-like precision of the Variations. Throughout, MTT captures Stravinsky's biting rhythms and imparts an austere beauty to works such as the Variations that ... |
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Fête à la française(more) »rank: 50641from: Polygram Records
: essential recording:A fascinating compilation of works, both major and minor, that illustrate Stravinsky's genius interacting with an America far from his Russian roots and Parisian inclinations. Included are pieces as dizzyingly varied as arrangements of our national anthem and 'Happy Birthday' to the hermetic, atonal Huxley Variations. Michael Tilson Thomas excels in all of them, conveying the immense stature as well as the icy wit of the all-too-rarely heard Agon, the raucous humor of the Circus Polka, and the jewel-like precision of the Variations. Throughout, MTT captures Stravinsky's biting rhythms and imparts an austere beauty to works such as the Variations that ... |
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Stravinsky: The Firebird (Complete Ballet); Fireworks [Hybrid SACD](more) »rank: 51760from: Philips
: essential recording:A fascinating compilation of works, both major and minor, that illustrate Stravinsky's genius interacting with an America far from his Russian roots and Parisian inclinations. Included are pieces as dizzyingly varied as arrangements of our national anthem and 'Happy Birthday' to the hermetic, atonal Huxley Variations. Michael Tilson Thomas excels in all of them, conveying the immense stature as well as the icy wit of the all-too-rarely heard Agon, the raucous humor of the Circus Polka, and the jewel-like precision of the Variations. Throughout, MTT captures Stravinsky's biting rhythms and imparts an austere beauty to works such as the Variations that ... |
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The Best Of Chopin(more) »rank: 47576from: Philips
: essential recording:A fascinating compilation of works, both major and minor, that illustrate Stravinsky's genius interacting with an America far from his Russian roots and Parisian inclinations. Included are pieces as dizzyingly varied as arrangements of our national anthem and 'Happy Birthday' to the hermetic, atonal Huxley Variations. Michael Tilson Thomas excels in all of them, conveying the immense stature as well as the icy wit of the all-too-rarely heard Agon, the raucous humor of the Circus Polka, and the jewel-like precision of the Variations. Throughout, MTT captures Stravinsky's biting rhythms and imparts an austere beauty to works such as the Variations that ... |
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Horowitz plays Chopin vol.3(more) »rank: 166681from: RCA
: :Vladimir Horowitz's Chopin mazurkas stand out for their tonal opulence and intriguing neuroticism. His coiled ferocity in the live 1953 First Scherzo contrasts with the ruminative F Major and C Sharp Minor Nocturnes and intense but relaxed Scherzo #2. A live 1951 Polonaise-fantaisie lacks the flexibility and introspection of the 1966 CBS recording, but Horowitz's 1952 Fourth Ballade best exemplifies what Schumann meant when he described Chopin's music as 'cannons buried in flowers.' One caveat: the pitch sags near the end of Ballade, due to a faulty tape splice. --Dan Davis |
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Alkan: Piano Music, Volume 1: 12 Etudes, Op. 35(more) »rank: 39121from: Naxos
: :Bernard Ringeissen has the big technique and stylistic empathy to deliver outstanding performances of Alkan's weird and wonderful piano music. His well-received Alkan series on Marco Polo is now being reissued on Naxos, whose budget price makes it an even more desirable acquisition. Ringeissen plays with the energy necessary to make the music come alive. He's no Marc-André Hamelin, whose Alkan recordings are unchallenged, as we can hear in Le Festin d'Esope, which opens the program. But few pianists are in Hamelin's league, and Ringeissen shines in the hourlong Op. 35 Etudes, a dozen pieces exploring the major keys. Some are short studies; ... |
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Horowitz Plays Chopin, Vol. 2(more) »rank: 107963from: RCA
: :Bernard Ringeissen has the big technique and stylistic empathy to deliver outstanding performances of Alkan's weird and wonderful piano music. His well-received Alkan series on Marco Polo is now being reissued on Naxos, whose budget price makes it an even more desirable acquisition. Ringeissen plays with the energy necessary to make the music come alive. He's no Marc-André Hamelin, whose Alkan recordings are unchallenged, as we can hear in Le Festin d'Esope, which opens the program. But few pianists are in Hamelin's league, and Ringeissen shines in the hourlong Op. 35 Etudes, a dozen pieces exploring the major keys. Some are short studies; ... |

Where the NBA Dynasty series (the other initial entry is the slightly meatier Los Angeles Lakers: The Complete History) outdoes Ultimate Jordan is in the six playoff games--one for each year--as they were originally broadcast, minus halftime and commercials. Having the nearly complete game (usually running 90-100 minutes, from the TV introductions to post-game interviews) means you can skip straight to John Paxson's clutch basket or what was expected to be the final shot of Jordan's career. Or you can savor each game in its entirety, all the better to appreciate the artistry of Jordan in his three-pointer barrage against Portland or his "flu game" against Utah. You can see other great players too, of course, including Jordan's teammates--Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Dennis Rodman--and those opponents unfortunate enough to face the Bulls--Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley, John Stockton, Karl Malone, and others. Because these are all NBA Finals games, you won't see Jordan's shot over Craig Ehlo or his 63-point coming-out party against Boston, but the 1990s Chicago Bulls were a team for the ages, and merely having their games--some of them all-time classics--available for home viewing is a major milestone in archived sports. --David Horiuchi

While last-minute heroics tend to be the standard by which we define excellence, there are many other moments that have left an indelible impression, many of them highlighted here. The video clips fall into 10 categories: Dunks, Alley-oops, Assists, Steals, Blocks, Teamwork, the Clutch Shot, Moves, Hustle, and Buzzer-Beaters. At the beginning of each section is a brief introduction. Before showing the top 10 dunks of all time, for example, we learn about the evolution of the dunk--from the first slam to the man who could fly, Michael Jordan--and we hear background commentary from NBA legends such as Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Dr. J, and Bill Russell. This video recalls familiar moments of NBA lore that you will want to own for countless repeat viewings. --Jeremy Storey