Relax: The World's Most Beautiful Music

Music For The Soul - 36 Tracks

The modern world seems to constantly be getting more and more hectic, with more and more things going on around us all at once. This 2-CD set from EMI Classics is meant to remind people that there is more to life than the daily hustle and bustle, that sometimes it's good to just sit back and just not do anything for a little while--to relax a little.

These 36 tracks represent the most soothing, meditative, transcendently beautiful music ever produced, encouraging listeners to pause from the distractions of the world and turn inward, shutting off the computer, TV, cell phone, and so on. Timeless treasures such as Pachelbel's Canon in D, Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21, Dvorˇák's New World Symphony Largo, and more uplift and restore, leaving the listener refreshed and ready to face the world with renewed energy! 

Recuerdos

 

In recuerdos (Memories) we celebrate the 80th anniversary of the birth of the great Spanish guitarist Narciso Yepes (1927-1997), the "master of the 10-string guitar", with acclaimed recordings of three popular concertos and wide range of solo repertoire. Included are two extended works by Telemann and Fernando Sor that are appearing on CD for the first time.

En Recuerdos celebramos el 80º aniversario del nacimiento del gran guitarrita español Narciso Yepes (1927-1997), el "maestro de la guitarra de 10 cuerdas", con aclamadas grabaciones de tres famosos conciertos y una gran variedad de repertorio a solo. Se incluyen dos extensas obras de Telemann y Fernando Sor que aparecen por primera vez en CD.

Latin American Orchestral Works

“All the pieces are performed with great conviction and receive vibrant recordings full of vim and vigour as befits their lively character. Chandos's sound is typically rich and clear.” --Gramophone, November 2011

“...Castagna’s excellence in this repertoire is not surprising. What might surprise some, though, is how idiomatic the German orchestra is. ...At no point sis I feel that the music’s full potential was not being realised.  Fine ... engineering lets the music’s colours some forward. As the days get shorter in the northern hemisphere, ‘Fiesta Criolla’ will keep the spirits  up!” --International Record Review, November 2011

“... the Württemberg musicians play as though they had never experienced a day under 85°F in their lives. Typically full  Chandos sound  helps to make this enjoyable, good hearted disc a winner.! --Fanafare, November/December 2011

"This is a rather good collection, varied and stimulating, with conductor and orchestra doing the music proud ... with maestro Castagna clearly having a bent for the music of South America (he himself is Argentinean) and this is his fifth Chandos release of this type of thing. He is clearly in his element and takes his Baden-Württemberg musicians flying along, too. The recording is vivid ... Musically, there is a great deal of pleasure to be found here fun, sentiment, siestas and fiestas." --classicalsource.com 

Souvenirs

This is an engaging collection of small popular oboe pieces, with a couple of surprises, very ably performed by Diana with Sinfonia Australis. Pleasantly dreamy music for a rainy Sunday afternoon.

A ravishing collection of oboe adagios performed by the divine Diana Doherty.