The Classic Connection

5CD Set
Released March 1996
Cat No.: RDCD1161-5  (RDC92831-5)
RD Code: CLAC 344
Compilation by J K Hall - Booklet Text by S Barnard & J K Hall

I had been employed by the RD music department for three whole years before I saw my second compilation released, and this was it! I had to prove that I wasn't just there for the 'youth' market, but could cut it with the 'traditional' Digest collections too. My concept was a classical collection based on music used in TV and Film. The main problem I encountered was finding performances similar to those actually used on screen. Most pieces owned by RD were very 'soft' versions which meant that I ended up licensing many of the tracks from other record companies. The expense proved worthwhile as this became the biggest seller they had had for many years, selling over 120.000 copies.

CD1      The Romantic Collection

1 - Moonlight Sonata – 1st Movement - Beethoven - Earl Wild

2 - The Blue Danube - J. Strauss II - Vienna Symphony Orchestra conducted by Anton Paulik

3 - Sleepers, Awake! (Wachet Auf!) from Cantata No. 140 - Bach - Consortium Musicum with the South German Madrigal Choir conducted by Wolfgang Gönnenwein

4 - Adagio For Strings - Barber - Morton Gould and his Orchestra

5 - Für Elise - Beethoven - Staffan Scheja

6 - Clair De Lune - Debussy - Earl Wild

7 - Romantic Symphony – 2nd Movement - Hanson - RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Gerhardt

8 - 11 - Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - Mozart - Vienna State Opera Orchestra conducted by Victor Desarzens

CD2      Joyous Moments

'The Nutcracker' Suite - Tchaikovsky - New Symphony Orchestra of London conducted by Sir Adrian Boult

1 - Miniature Overture

2 - March

3 - Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy

4 - Russian Dance

5 - Arabian Dance

6 - Chinese Dance

7 - Dance Of The Flutes

8 - Waltz Of The Flowers

9 - A Musical Joke – 4th Movement - Mozart - Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Guido Cantelli

10 - Grasshopper's Dance - Bucalossi - Palm Court Theatre Orchestra

11 - Fossils from 'The Carnival of the Animals' - Saint - Saëns - Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra conducted by James Walker

12 - Sorcerer's Apprentice - Dukas - Orchestre de la Société des Concerts Symphoniques de Paris conducted by René Leibowitz

13 - Overture To 'The Thieving Magpie' - Rossini - Beecham Promenade Orchestra conducted by Gilbert Vinter

14 - English Dance No. 1 (from the second set) - Arnold - Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Bryden Thomson

15 - 'The Trout' Quintet – Finale - Schubert - Amadeus String Quartet with Hephzibah Menuhin, Piano

CD3      Spectacular Sounds

1 - Boléro - Ravel - National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Charles Gerhardt

2 - Ride Of The Valkyries from 'Die Walküre' - Wagner - New Symphony Orchestra of London conducted by Alexander Gibson

3 - Night On The Bare Mountain - Mussorgsky, arr. Rimsky - Korsakov - Dallas Symphony Orchestra conducted by Eduardo Mata

4 - O Fortuna from 'Carmina Burana' - Orff - Hallé Orchestra and Choir conducted by Maurice Handford

Excerpts From 'The Planets' Suite - Holst - Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by William Boughton

5 - Mars

6 - Mercury

7 - Jupiter

8 - Toccata And Fugue In D Minor - Bach - Virgil Fox at the Royal Albert Hall Organ

CD4      Moods And Memories

1 - Morning from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 - Grieg - London Festival Orchestra conducted by Alexander Gibson

2 - Symphony No. 9 In E Minor – 2nd Movement from 'The New World' - Dvorák - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Rudolf Kempe

3 - Air On The G String - Bach - Bath Festival Chamber Orchestra conducted by Yehudi Menuhin

Excerpts From Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 - Grieg - London Promenade Orchestra conducted by Eric Hammerstein

4 - Death Of Åse

5 - Anitra's Dance

6 - In The Hall Of The Mountain King

7 - Adagio From 'Spartacus' - Khachaturian - London Promenade Orchestra conducted by Eric Hammerstein

8 - Canon In D - Pachelbel - Academy of St Martin in the Fields conducted by Sir Neville Marriner

9 – 11 Excerpts From The 'Pastoral' Symphony - Beethoven - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by René Leibowitz

CD5      Beautiful Moments

1 - Nessun Dorma (None Shall Sleep) - Puccini - Charles Craig, Tenor, with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Edward Downes

2 - Flower Duet from 'Lakmé' - Delibes - Mady Mesplé, Soprano, and Danielle Millet, Mezzo - soprano, with the National Opera Orchestra conducted by Alain Lombard

3 - Ebben? Ne Andrò Lontana from 'La Wally' - Catalani - Miriam Gauci, Soprano, with the BRT Philharmonic Orchestra of Brussels conducted by Alexander Rahbari

4 - One Fine Day - Puccini - Patricia Clark, Soprano, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Robert Mandell

5 - Bell Song from 'Lakmé' - Delibes, Gondinet, Gille - Anna Moffo, Soprano, with the Rome Opera House Orchestra conducted by Tullio Serafin

6 - Barcarolle From 'The Tales Of Hoffmann' - Offenbach - Montserrat Caballé, Soprano, Shirley Verrett, Mezzo - soprano, with the New Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Anton Guadagno

7 - Largo Al Factotum from 'The Barber of Seville' - Rossini - Robert Merrill, Baritone, with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra conducted by Erich Leinsdorf

8 - 14 Excerpts From 'The Four Seasons' - Vivaldi - José - Luis Garcia, Violin, with The English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin

15 - Caprice No. 24 - Paganini, arr. Gerhardt - National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Charles Gerhardt