Editorial Reviews

This six-disc collection from the German label Deutsche Grammophon (now part of the Universal conglomerate) is intended for newcomers to classical music. As such, it raises a number of objections. The buyer is given only a narrow slice of the repertory -- for the most part, the program consists of Romantic favorites of the nineeenth century or what might be called honorary Romantic music ("Messiah," "Carmina Burana"). Much of the music is for full symphony orchestra, although there is one disc of piano music ("Nocturne") and one of opera ("Grand Opera"). The buyer who enjoys a particular selection will not find much help in pursuing similar music -- there is no booklet, and the track list identifies performers in only an abbreviated way (conductor Rafael Kubelik, for instance, is listed only as Kubelik). All this said, the conception of the set is original. Most sets of this size divide up the repertory by chronology or medium, but The Premium Collection offers six themes: "Meditation," "Orchestral Fireworks," "Invitation to the Dance," "Nocturne," "Pomp & Circumstance," and "Grand Opera." What's appealing about these is that they are not forced onto the music, as in the various classical lifestyle discs that infest discount-store bins, but are durable concepts within the classical tradition itself; the set offers music to have on hand for a variety of uses without doing violence to the music involved. There are many other ways of approaching the question of how to build a classical collection, but for someone who has attended a big symphonic performance at the local orchestra hall and found it enjoyable, this may be a good place to start. James Manheim, All Music Guide

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