Michael Nyman came of age as a classical composer in the radical London of the late '60s. His work embraces multiple vernaculars (jazz, avant garde, conceptual art) and helped cement the foundation of what came to be known as minimalism. Decades into his career, Nyman's score to Jane Campion's film The Piano made him a star. The movie's themes of colonialism and silence (its protagonist, portrayed by Holly Hunter, cannot speak) were perfectly aligned with his longtime interests in world and ambient music. Horn players assist members of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra in fleshing out Nyman's stately, hymn-like motifs. On the more heavily orchestrated cues, sentimentality wins out over minimalist restraint; the best tracks feature Nyman on solo piano, playing the rudimentary, faux period repertoire of Hunter's character. --Marc Weidenbaum

Good classical introduction , 22 Oct 2008
I have never been into classical music, however the TV programs Maestro and Last Choir standing (I know trash TV... sorry) made me realise I did like some classical music. So time to test that theory, and of course this CD fitted the bill perfectly, a bit of everything and 99% you will probably know. Good album, maybe I may have discovered culture :-)

Open the wine, wind up the volume, 15 Oct 2005
A fantastic selection of all the tunes you've ever said "Oh.. that's the tune from the ....advert, isn't it? What's it called?" about.

OK that's a very trite comment, but you get my point. Pure enjoyment, without the intervention of the tracks in a single classical album which you have to pretend to appreciate if you're not to look like a Philistine.

An absolute belter..an education, and a gateway to composers you'd never heard of, (neither had I).

Classical for beginers...., 31 Mar 2005
Not a bad way to relax in the bath and listen to some lovely mellow music-But it is not for the advanced classical fan.Everyone else would love it.The film theme tunes are abit cheesy....

Fine selection, but you may get better value elsewhere, 01 Jan 2005
There are many classical music samplers on the market, some better than others. Since Classic FM started running its various charts, the record industry has been able to cherry pick the most popular tunes!

There is a lot on offer on these four CD's, but ask yourself what you hope to get. There are, as I say, a lot of samplers on the market, and this is one of the more expensive box sets. You may feel this package may not offer you the best value for money - (see my review of "The Essential Classics Collection" - ASIN: B000038I67).

Here, well, you do get a broad, eclectic range of the more popular classics. Of course, what you get is a selection of the highlights from classic works - one of Pachabel's best loved melodies, one of Orff's more dramatic moments, and these CD's seem to contain quite a lot of Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart.

This sampler is largely restricted to the more melodic tunes. I do like to have some background music playing when I'm reading or writing, and this collection provides an adequate supply. The four CD's, here, will give you a lot of very enjoyable music which you can have playing while you relax or concentrate on some task.

But if, like me, you're trying to learn a bit more about classical music, if you're prepared to experiment and listen a bit more widely, the real joy of a selection like this is that it should give you the confidence to delve deeper. There is so much pretension in the music world, if you have little musical knowledge to begin with, it can be a bit daunting trying to explore the mysteries of the classics.

My advice is to ignore all the hype and all the flowery language. Allow yourself to sit back and listen to these tracks, then take yourself out and listen to the longer, full versions of your favourites. Let your ear be your guide - maybe have a listen to Radio 3 instead of Classic FM (the BBC plays a much broader range and you're not constantly interrupted by adverts)!

This is an entertaining selection ... but there are better value options on the market (i.e., ones which offer more tracks for less money), and you may feel it is worthwhile looking to see which tracks the respective selections offer.

New to classical? Start here..., 13 Dec 2004
Of course, if you really want to hear the best classical music ever you'd need to get a set lasting a couple of weeks, at least. This is a fair effort mind, with four discs lasting over five hours; and it does a decent job of gathering together most classical pieces that have found a way into mainstream culture over the last twenty years, and splitting the sides into categories is helpful for the casual listener (Relaxing/Uplifting/Cinema/Spectacular). This collection is clearly aimed at anyone who knows 'Air on the G String' as 'the Hamlet Cigars tune' or Handel's 'Hallelujah Chorus' as 'the Messiah Theme', but there's nothing wrong with that. Also, including pieces by modern artists like Michael Nyman, Ennio Morricone and Brian Eno proves that this music has a relevant place outside of the museum.

Out of the dozens of high-profile film composers to have appeared in the 1980s, Michael Nyman has retained his unique voice like no other. This two-disc collection proves that with generous selections from a 20-year period. From the early Peter Greenaway works (The Falls, Drowning by Numbers, Prospero's Books) through to Hollywood dabblings (Gattaca, Ravenous), his application of what he dubbed minimalism is constantly compelling. It was with The Piano that Nyman's name became best known, so this is one of several projects given a short suite of their best cues. The flipside of acknowledging the popular works is the opportunity to present lesser-known material. This includes a track from his replaced score to Practical Magic, the beautiful song "If" from a Japanese animated version of The Diary of Anne Frank, and some powerful brass intonations in his stringless score for The Ogre. More than a dozen other works are featured (you'll be hard-pressed to determine what's what from the confusing packaging), but it ends gloriously on Nyman's homage to Ennio Morricone forThe Claim. --Paul Tonks

Good classical introduction , 22 Oct 2008
I have never been into classical music, however the TV programs Maestro and Last Choir standing (I know trash TV... sorry) made me realise I did like some classical music. So time to test that theory, and of course this CD fitted the bill perfectly, a bit of everything and 99% you will probably know. Good album, maybe I may have discovered culture :-)

Open the wine, wind up the volume, 15 Oct 2005
A fantastic selection of all the tunes you've ever said "Oh.. that's the tune from the ....advert, isn't it? What's it called?" about.

OK that's a very trite comment, but you get my point. Pure enjoyment, without the intervention of the tracks in a single classical album which you have to pretend to appreciate if you're not to look like a Philistine.

An absolute belter..an education, and a gateway to composers you'd never heard of, (neither had I).

Classical for beginers...., 31 Mar 2005
Not a bad way to relax in the bath and listen to some lovely mellow music-But it is not for the advanced classical fan.Everyone else would love it.The film theme tunes are abit cheesy....

Fine selection, but you may get better value elsewhere, 01 Jan 2005
There are many classical music samplers on the market, some better than others. Since Classic FM started running its various charts, the record industry has been able to cherry pick the most popular tunes!

There is a lot on offer on these four CD's, but ask yourself what you hope to get. There are, as I say, a lot of samplers on the market, and this is one of the more expensive box sets. You may feel this package may not offer you the best value for money - (see my review of "The Essential Classics Collection" - ASIN: B000038I67).

Here, well, you do get a broad, eclectic range of the more popular classics. Of course, what you get is a selection of the highlights from classic works - one of Pachabel's best loved melodies, one of Orff's more dramatic moments, and these CD's seem to contain quite a lot of Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart.

This sampler is largely restricted to the more melodic tunes. I do like to have some background music playing when I'm reading or writing, and this collection provides an adequate supply. The four CD's, here, will give you a lot of very enjoyable music which you can have playing while you relax or concentrate on some task.

But if, like me, you're trying to learn a bit more about classical music, if you're prepared to experiment and listen a bit more widely, the real joy of a selection like this is that it should give you the confidence to delve deeper. There is so much pretension in the music world, if you have little musical knowledge to begin with, it can be a bit daunting trying to explore the mysteries of the classics.

My advice is to ignore all the hype and all the flowery language. Allow yourself to sit back and listen to these tracks, then take yourself out and listen to the longer, full versions of your favourites. Let your ear be your guide - maybe have a listen to Radio 3 instead of Classic FM (the BBC plays a much broader range and you're not constantly interrupted by adverts)!

This is an entertaining selection ... but there are better value options on the market (i.e., ones which offer more tracks for less money), and you may feel it is worthwhile looking to see which tracks the respective selections offer.

New to classical? Start here..., 13 Dec 2004
Of course, if you really want to hear the best classical music ever you'd need to get a set lasting a couple of weeks, at least. This is a fair effort mind, with four discs lasting over five hours; and it does a decent job of gathering together most classical pieces that have found a way into mainstream culture over the last twenty years, and splitting the sides into categories is helpful for the casual listener (Relaxing/Uplifting/Cinema/Spectacular). This collection is clearly aimed at anyone who knows 'Air on the G String' as 'the Hamlet Cigars tune' or Handel's 'Hallelujah Chorus' as 'the Messiah Theme', but there's nothing wrong with that. Also, including pieces by modern artists like Michael Nyman, Ennio Morricone and Brian Eno proves that this music has a relevant place outside of the museum.

Great way to discover Michael Nyman, 25 Sep 2008
This isn't the first example of Michael Nyman's cinema work I've bought - I fell in love with the score for The Piano, and I bought the soundtrack for Gattaca without every sitting through the whole film. This double CD is a brilliant opportunity to experience a whole raft of soundtracks he's been involved with over the 20-odd years this covers. Some of the individual film soundtracks sadly do not appear to be available, but even a single track as featured here for some films is better than nothing.

The first CD heavily features work from his many collaborations with Peter Greenaway, whilst the second features tracks accompanying a wider range of directors' work, and it's really fascinating to see the evolution of his style over the years.

The stand-out track for me on here is one of the few original songs Nyman's composed - "If" on CD#2 - a single offering from a Japanese animation of the Anne Frank story.

Nyman's style is not going to appeal to everyone, it's true, but this CD could allow you to discover either a universal appeal, or a preference for the more lyrical and romantic recent soundtracks over the more rhythmic and high-energy earlier work. There is a variety and complexity which will satisfy more than just those who like modern classical music in the minimalist mould.


Excellent two-disk collection featuring some of Nyman's best work, 27 Feb 2008
Michael Nyman is best know for his soundtrack to Jane Campion's film The Piano, and for his unique working relationship with British filmmaker Peter Greenaway, from 1980 up until 1993. His work on The Piano remains his most iconic, still being used to this day in bank commercials and on those "new-classical" compilations; whilst his work with Greenaway stands up as some of the most beautiful and intricate pieces of neo-classical "minimalism" ever composed. His work since his last venture with Greenaway, 1992's Prospero's Books has become slightly more melodic, creating memorable and often quite haunting scores for filmmakers as varied as Michael Haneke, Neil Jordan, Andrew Niccol, Patrice Leconte and Michael Winterbottom, and even working with Britpop's favourite son Damon Albarn for the cult cannibal-themed western Ravenous.

Disk one of this excellent two-disk set collects the most memorable pieces from those early Greenway films, with the compilation opening with a live version of Bird List from Greenaway's great mock-documentary The Falls. From here we progress onto the sublime genius of Chasing Sheep Is Best Left to Shepherds and An Eye for Optical Theory taken from Greenaway's post-modern masterpiece The Draughtsman's Contract, both highly influenced by Purcell's The Fairy Queen. The collection then has pieces from other great Greenaway works A Zed and Two Noughts and Drowning by Numbers, before reaching something of a peak with the epic Memorial from The Cook The Thief His Wife and Her Lover. Memorial is probably the greatest work Nyman ever did for a Greenaway film, with the melodic and continually progressive structure referencing The Frozen Music from Purcell's King Arthur as well as referring back to the wondrous Time-lapse from A Zed and Two Noughts; which again, used elements of Biber's Requiem. In his short sleeve-notes, Nyman talks of how the music was originally composed as a larger piece in 1985 to commemorate the Jueventus fans that died at the Heysel stadium.

Memorial is the last real piece of music we get from a Greenaway film, though there is an early version of Miranda (Miranda Previsitied) from 1989, originally commissioned for La Traversée de Paris, an exhibition commemorating the bicentenary of the French revolution. It's a shame there isn't more music included from Prospero's Books, since it really is one of Nyman's very best scores and is probably the main reason to watch the film for people who can't quite get past Greenaway's grotesque/ostentatious visuals. To over-compensate the lack of Prospero-related material we get some other high-calibre entries in the form of Homage to Maurice - a Bernard Hermann inspired ode to Maurice Hatton - and few pieces from Patrice Leconte's film Monsieur Hire. Disk one comes to a close with four piece of music taken from The Piano, amongst them the rousing Dreams Of A Journey, the lyrical All Imperfect Things and the iconic The Heart Asks Pleasure First/The Promise, which Nyman described as "...a setting of the Scottish traditional song Bonny Winter's noo awa'.

Disk two opens with Escape from the film A la Folie, before moving on to Fly Drive and The Infinite Complexities of Christmas, which Nyman describes as "...English 20's and 30's country style without resorting to pastiche or known musical models". Abel Carries Ephraim from Volker Scholdorff's film The Ogre is the only score not to use strings, instead featuring a bass-heavy sound with a lot of brass, whilst the following four tracks are all taken from the greatly underrated sci-fi parable Gattaca. It is here that Nyman's style begins to become warmer and less minimal, employing sweeping orchestrations and creating an underlining sense of emotion that has often been (purposely) neglected in his work with Greenaway. This will eventually lead us into the beautiful music he created for Michael Winterbottom's best film Wonderland (tracks 13, 14, 15 and 16) and the aching melancholy of his work for Neil Jordan's great adaptation of The End of The Affair (tracks 17 and 18).

Before that however, we have Convening The Coven, a piece from the film Practical Magic, notable since Nyman's original score was rejected in favour of the characterless work of another composer. We also have two of the more Nyman-esque pieces from Ravenous in the form of Stranger At The Window and Cannibal Fantasy (sadly, that hauntingly melodic banjo refrain used throughout is absent... though it might turn up on a "Best of Damon Albarn" one day!!) before we get to those great tracks listed above. Wonderland is one of Nyman's very best collections, easily as great as previous peaks like The Draughtsman's Contract and The Piano, with Nyman finding a sense of pathos and tranquil lyricism to nicely undercut the cynicism and dejection at the heart of Winterbottom's film; whilst the two tracks from The End Of The Affair (Sarah Dies and the title track) show Nyman moving towards a kind of music that is much more emotionally expressive.

Disk two comes to a close with two tracks from Winterbottom's Wonderland follow up, the snowy-western/morality tale The Claim. Here, Nyman is allowed to reference the master of cinematic composition with a few nods to Morricone sneaking into The Shooting, before taking things even further with the operatic closing piece, The Burning. Nyman's music is brilliant, managing to further the story and compliment the visuals of the films it was intended for, but also standing up as a work of music that can be enjoyed without the accompanying film. This collection demonstrates Nyman's ability to create music that somehow transcends the film, marking him out as one of the most important and unique composers currently at work.

Perfect Cimemagic, 17 Jan 2008
I 've been fascinated by Michael Nyman's soundtracks and films especially in the stylish futuristic Gataca, Carrington, and of course The Piano ,which will remain a classic into future centuries. For this collection it's the heartbreaking string symphonies merged with horns and brassy vintage jazz. I love the album especially disc 2 and can't get enough of the bittersweet neo classical themes. For those of you like me who want an insight in to Nyman's music without buying selected soundtrack's .This album, makes an excellent listen for Nyman , who I've heard described as one of Britains greatest composers, a collection like this is proof.

The best classical music I've heard, 28 Sep 2006
I HATE classical music. I've heard very little and it's way more than I ever want to hear. I was recommended a Scottish composer called James MacMillan who supposedly did some heavy dramatic music. I was bored by it in ways I couldn't have imagined.

I knew Nyman's music from the Draughtsman's Contract movie. I liked the upbeat energetic music I heard so I took a chance on this.

Some of this is excellent. Some of it's dull. I've edited it down to about 70 minutes of music on my MP3 player where it juts up against Iron Maiden, Nine Inch Nails, Rolling Stones, Chris Rea etc.

I have no great love for instrumental music as most it is usually self indulgent in its attempt to cover more than the two minutes it should last for. Most of these are short and to the point. The music at the start of disc 1 sounds like a young turk kicking against the pricks. As the discs progress it gets more slow and conventional.

I think the minimalism approach makes some of this more energetic and pacier than most classical music.

I like rock music, and in my uneducated opinion some of this rocks.

Unfortunately the booklet does not tell us what movie each track comes from.


Requires an appreciation of alternative classical, 21 May 2004
It is "exactly what it says on the packaging" - film music. I agree with another reviewer that the second CD is better than the first. However, in my opinion the educated ear needs to be familiar with Michael's Nyman's work to fully appreciate the lesser-known soundtracks without the film.

Moving On, the solo debut from Myleene Klass, finds the former Hearsay vocalist performing piano arrangements of contemporary pop and classical numbers. It includes the themes from Braveheart, Gladiator and The Piano plus her interpretation of the number one single by Daniel Bedingfield, "If You're Not the One".

Good classical introduction , 22 Oct 2008
I have never been into classical music, however the TV programs Maestro and Last Choir standing (I know trash TV... sorry) made me realise I did like some classical music. So time to test that theory, and of course this CD fitted the bill perfectly, a bit of everything and 99% you will probably know. Good album, maybe I may have discovered culture :-)

Open the wine, wind up the volume, 15 Oct 2005
A fantastic selection of all the tunes you've ever said "Oh.. that's the tune from the ....advert, isn't it? What's it called?" about.

OK that's a very trite comment, but you get my point. Pure enjoyment, without the intervention of the tracks in a single classical album which you have to pretend to appreciate if you're not to look like a Philistine.

An absolute belter..an education, and a gateway to composers you'd never heard of, (neither had I).

Classical for beginers...., 31 Mar 2005
Not a bad way to relax in the bath and listen to some lovely mellow music-But it is not for the advanced classical fan.Everyone else would love it.The film theme tunes are abit cheesy....

Fine selection, but you may get better value elsewhere, 01 Jan 2005
There are many classical music samplers on the market, some better than others. Since Classic FM started running its various charts, the record industry has been able to cherry pick the most popular tunes!

There is a lot on offer on these four CD's, but ask yourself what you hope to get. There are, as I say, a lot of samplers on the market, and this is one of the more expensive box sets. You may feel this package may not offer you the best value for money - (see my review of "The Essential Classics Collection" - ASIN: B000038I67).

Here, well, you do get a broad, eclectic range of the more popular classics. Of course, what you get is a selection of the highlights from classic works - one of Pachabel's best loved melodies, one of Orff's more dramatic moments, and these CD's seem to contain quite a lot of Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart.

This sampler is largely restricted to the more melodic tunes. I do like to have some background music playing when I'm reading or writing, and this collection provides an adequate supply. The four CD's, here, will give you a lot of very enjoyable music which you can have playing while you relax or concentrate on some task.

But if, like me, you're trying to learn a bit more about classical music, if you're prepared to experiment and listen a bit more widely, the real joy of a selection like this is that it should give you the confidence to delve deeper. There is so much pretension in the music world, if you have little musical knowledge to begin with, it can be a bit daunting trying to explore the mysteries of the classics.

My advice is to ignore all the hype and all the flowery language. Allow yourself to sit back and listen to these tracks, then take yourself out and listen to the longer, full versions of your favourites. Let your ear be your guide - maybe have a listen to Radio 3 instead of Classic FM (the BBC plays a much broader range and you're not constantly interrupted by adverts)!

This is an entertaining selection ... but there are better value options on the market (i.e., ones which offer more tracks for less money), and you may feel it is worthwhile looking to see which tracks the respective selections offer.

New to classical? Start here..., 13 Dec 2004
Of course, if you really want to hear the best classical music ever you'd need to get a set lasting a couple of weeks, at least. This is a fair effort mind, with four discs lasting over five hours; and it does a decent job of gathering together most classical pieces that have found a way into mainstream culture over the last twenty years, and splitting the sides into categories is helpful for the casual listener (Relaxing/Uplifting/Cinema/Spectacular). This collection is clearly aimed at anyone who knows 'Air on the G String' as 'the Hamlet Cigars tune' or Handel's 'Hallelujah Chorus' as 'the Messiah Theme', but there's nothing wrong with that. Also, including pieces by modern artists like Michael Nyman, Ennio Morricone and Brian Eno proves that this music has a relevant place outside of the museum.

Great way to discover Michael Nyman, 25 Sep 2008
This isn't the first example of Michael Nyman's cinema work I've bought - I fell in love with the score for The Piano, and I bought the soundtrack for Gattaca without every sitting through the whole film. This double CD is a brilliant opportunity to experience a whole raft of soundtracks he's been involved with over the 20-odd years this covers. Some of the individual film soundtracks sadly do not appear to be available, but even a single track as featured here for some films is better than nothing.

The first CD heavily features work from his many collaborations with Peter Greenaway, whilst the second features tracks accompanying a wider range of directors' work, and it's really fascinating to see the evolution of his style over the years.

The stand-out track for me on here is one of the few original songs Nyman's composed - "If" on CD#2 - a single offering from a Japanese animation of the Anne Frank story.

Nyman's style is not going to appeal to everyone, it's true, but this CD could allow you to discover either a universal appeal, or a preference for the more lyrical and romantic recent soundtracks over the more rhythmic and high-energy earlier work. There is a variety and complexity which will satisfy more than just those who like modern classical music in the minimalist mould.


Excellent two-disk collection featuring some of Nyman's best work, 27 Feb 2008
Michael Nyman is best know for his soundtrack to Jane Campion's film The Piano, and for his unique working relationship with British filmmaker Peter Greenaway, from 1980 up until 1993. His work on The Piano remains his most iconic, still being used to this day in bank commercials and on those "new-classical" compilations; whilst his work with Greenaway stands up as some of the most beautiful and intricate pieces of neo-classical "minimalism" ever composed. His work since his last venture with Greenaway, 1992's Prospero's Books has become slightly more melodic, creating memorable and often quite haunting scores for filmmakers as varied as Michael Haneke, Neil Jordan, Andrew Niccol, Patrice Leconte and Michael Winterbottom, and even working with Britpop's favourite son Damon Albarn for the cult cannibal-themed western Ravenous.

Disk one of this excellent two-disk set collects the most memorable pieces from those early Greenway films, with the compilation opening with a live version of Bird List from Greenaway's great mock-documentary The Falls. From here we progress onto the sublime genius of Chasing Sheep Is Best Left to Shepherds and An Eye for Optical Theory taken from Greenaway's post-modern masterpiece The Draughtsman's Contract, both highly influenced by Purcell's The Fairy Queen. The collection then has pieces from other great Greenaway works A Zed and Two Noughts and Drowning by Numbers, before reaching something of a peak with the epic Memorial from The Cook The Thief His Wife and Her Lover. Memorial is probably the greatest work Nyman ever did for a Greenaway film, with the melodic and continually progressive structure referencing The Frozen Music from Purcell's King Arthur as well as referring back to the wondrous Time-lapse from A Zed and Two Noughts; which again, used elements of Biber's Requiem. In his short sleeve-notes, Nyman talks of how the music was originally composed as a larger piece in 1985 to commemorate the Jueventus fans that died at the Heysel stadium.

Memorial is the last real piece of music we get from a Greenaway film, though there is an early version of Miranda (Miranda Previsitied) from 1989, originally commissioned for La Traversée de Paris, an exhibition commemorating the bicentenary of the French revolution. It's a shame there isn't more music included from Prospero's Books, since it really is one of Nyman's very best scores and is probably the main reason to watch the film for people who can't quite get past Greenaway's grotesque/ostentatious visuals. To over-compensate the lack of Prospero-related material we get some other high-calibre entries in the form of Homage to Maurice - a Bernard Hermann inspired ode to Maurice Hatton - and few pieces from Patrice Leconte's film Monsieur Hire. Disk one comes to a close with four piece of music taken from The Piano, amongst them the rousing Dreams Of A Journey, the lyrical All Imperfect Things and the iconic The Heart Asks Pleasure First/The Promise, which Nyman described as "...a setting of the Scottish traditional song Bonny Winter's noo awa'.

Disk two opens with Escape from the film A la Folie, before moving on to Fly Drive and The Infinite Complexities of Christmas, which Nyman describes as "...English 20's and 30's country style without resorting to pastiche or known musical models". Abel Carries Ephraim from Volker Scholdorff's film The Ogre is the only score not to use strings, instead featuring a bass-heavy sound with a lot of brass, whilst the following four tracks are all taken from the greatly underrated sci-fi parable Gattaca. It is here that Nyman's style begins to become warmer and less minimal, employing sweeping orchestrations and creating an underlining sense of emotion that has often been (purposely) neglected in his work with Greenaway. This will eventually lead us into the beautiful music he created for Michael Winterbottom's best film Wonderland (tracks 13, 14, 15 and 16) and the aching melancholy of his work for Neil Jordan's great adaptation of The End of The Affair (tracks 17 and 18).

Before that however, we have Convening The Coven, a piece from the film Practical Magic, notable since Nyman's original score was rejected in favour of the characterless work of another composer. We also have two of the more Nyman-esque pieces from Ravenous in the form of Stranger At The Window and Cannibal Fantasy (sadly, that hauntingly melodic banjo refrain used throughout is absent... though it might turn up on a "Best of Damon Albarn" one day!!) before we get to those great tracks listed above. Wonderland is one of Nyman's very best collections, easily as great as previous peaks like The Draughtsman's Contract and The Piano, with Nyman finding a sense of pathos and tranquil lyricism to nicely undercut the cynicism and dejection at the heart of Winterbottom's film; whilst the two tracks from The End Of The Affair (Sarah Dies and the title track) show Nyman moving towards a kind of music that is much more emotionally expressive.

Disk two comes to a close with two tracks from Winterbottom's Wonderland follow up, the snowy-western/morality tale The Claim. Here, Nyman is allowed to reference the master of cinematic composition with a few nods to Morricone sneaking into The Shooting, before taking things even further with the operatic closing piece, The Burning. Nyman's music is brilliant, managing to further the story and compliment the visuals of the films it was intended for, but also standing up as a work of music that can be enjoyed without the accompanying film. This collection demonstrates Nyman's ability to create music that somehow transcends the film, marking him out as one of the most important and unique composers currently at work.

Perfect Cimemagic, 17 Jan 2008
I 've been fascinated by Michael Nyman's soundtracks and films especially in the stylish futuristic Gataca, Carrington, and of course The Piano ,which will remain a classic into future centuries. For this collection it's the heartbreaking string symphonies merged with horns and brassy vintage jazz. I love the album especially disc 2 and can't get enough of the bittersweet neo classical themes. For those of you like me who want an insight in to Nyman's music without buying selected soundtrack's .This album, makes an excellent listen for Nyman , who I've heard described as one of Britains greatest composers, a collection like this is proof.

The best classical music I've heard, 28 Sep 2006
I HATE classical music. I've heard very little and it's way more than I ever want to hear. I was recommended a Scottish composer called James MacMillan who supposedly did some heavy dramatic music. I was bored by it in ways I couldn't have imagined.

I knew Nyman's music from the Draughtsman's Contract movie. I liked the upbeat energetic music I heard so I took a chance on this.

Some of this is excellent. Some of it's dull. I've edited it down to about 70 minutes of music on my MP3 player where it juts up against Iron Maiden, Nine Inch Nails, Rolling Stones, Chris Rea etc.

I have no great love for instrumental music as most it is usually self indulgent in its attempt to cover more than the two minutes it should last for. Most of these are short and to the point. The music at the start of disc 1 sounds like a young turk kicking against the pricks. As the discs progress it gets more slow and conventional.

I think the minimalism approach makes some of this more energetic and pacier than most classical music.

I like rock music, and in my uneducated opinion some of this rocks.

Unfortunately the booklet does not tell us what movie each track comes from.


Requires an appreciation of alternative classical, 21 May 2004
It is "exactly what it says on the packaging" - film music. I agree with another reviewer that the second CD is better than the first. However, in my opinion the educated ear needs to be familiar with Michael's Nyman's work to fully appreciate the lesser-known soundtracks without the film.

Disappointed, 30 Jun 2008
I wish I had paid more heed to the only 1 star rating by 'a customer'. I too was very disappointed by this CD. I had expected full on concert style piano playing, instead of which I got 'one finger' style playing, very popular with the masses, but not very deep. If you like Clayderman, this may well please you.


great treat!! , 30 Jan 2008
This album is on my itunes every day now at work because it is so relaxing & peaceful, I have many hundreds of choices on my itunes yet every day go back to this one again & again, if you are classically trained & looking to find something wrong then perhaps you would BUT I have found it really enjoyable & its my 1st choice every day & i'm still not fed up of hearing it!! you will love it :)

Excellent way to get hooked on classical music, 08 Apr 2006
For many years, I found it hard to stick to classical music listening. But through this Pop version of classical music, I got hooked. I played it over and over again!

At first play, I was disappointed because it sounds so different from normal versions. Memory of original versions play tricks in the brain. It felt like some of the tunes have been murdered.

But a few plays later, it started to sound right, and it grew and grew on me.

Pop Classical is the future of Classical Music! Classics is fantastic.

A Fantastic CD!!!!, 23 Dec 2005
This is a great CD, with a great blended mix of classical and hip tunes, ideal for any young classical listeners or movie fans, A lovely CD!!! I particularly enjoyed her version of Krwlng, a fantastic piece. This is a very innovative CD, very unlike the kind of work she has previously done, very impressive!!!

Dont be fooled, 08 Nov 2004
I listened to this album not long ago and was thoroughly disappointed with myleene's attempt to play some of the greatest piano pieces of all time. For an untrained ear they might sound impressive but if anyone has heard the originals they will notice instantly that her adaptions aren't half as good. In particular i was horrified at Toccata and Fugue where the same segment of music was played over and over repetitively. One of Bach's greatest works was reduced to a cacophony of noise, not unlike chopsticks. If you wish to listen to the pieces on this album, i suggest you get a cd which shows them in their full glory and as the masterpieces they truly are.

Good classical introduction , 22 Oct 2008
I have never been into classical music, however the TV programs Maestro and Last Choir standing (I know trash TV... sorry) made me realise I did like some classical music. So time to test that theory, and of course this CD fitted the bill perfectly, a bit of everything and 99% you will probably know. Good album, maybe I may have discovered culture :-)

Open the wine, wind up the volume, 15 Oct 2005
A fantastic selection of all the tunes you've ever said "Oh.. that's the tune from the ....advert, isn't it? What's it called?" about.

OK that's a very trite comment, but you get my point. Pure enjoyment, without the intervention of the tracks in a single classical album which you have to pretend to appreciate if you're not to look like a Philistine.

An absolute belter..an education, and a gateway to composers you'd never heard of, (neither had I).

Classical for beginers...., 31 Mar 2005
Not a bad way to relax in the bath and listen to some lovely mellow music-But it is not for the advanced classical fan.Everyone else would love it.The film theme tunes are abit cheesy....

Fine selection, but you may get better value elsewhere, 01 Jan 2005
There are many classical music samplers on the market, some better than others. Since Classic FM started running its various charts, the record industry has been able to cherry pick the most popular tunes!

There is a lot on offer on these four CD's, but ask yourself what you hope to get. There are, as I say, a lot of samplers on the market, and this is one of the more expensive box sets. You may feel this package may not offer you the best value for money - (see my review of "The Essential Classics Collection" - ASIN: B000038I67).

Here, well, you do get a broad, eclectic range of the more popular classics. Of course, what you get is a selection of the highlights from classic works - one of Pachabel's best loved melodies, one of Orff's more dramatic moments, and these CD's seem to contain quite a lot of Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart.

This sampler is largely restricted to the more melodic tunes. I do like to have some background music playing when I'm reading or writing, and this collection provides an adequate supply. The four CD's, here, will give you a lot of very enjoyable music which you can have playing while you relax or concentrate on some task.

But if, like me, you're trying to learn a bit more about classical music, if you're prepared to experiment and listen a bit more widely, the real joy of a selection like this is that it should give you the confidence to delve deeper. There is so much pretension in the music world, if you have little musical knowledge to begin with, it can be a bit daunting trying to explore the mysteries of the classics.

My advice is to ignore all the hype and all the flowery language. Allow yourself to sit back and listen to these tracks, then take yourself out and listen to the longer, full versions of your favourites. Let your ear be your guide - maybe have a listen to Radio 3 instead of Classic FM (the BBC plays a much broader range and you're not constantly interrupted by adverts)!

This is an entertaining selection ... but there are better value options on the market (i.e., ones which offer more tracks for less money), and you may feel it is worthwhile looking to see which tracks the respective selections offer.

New to classical? Start here..., 13 Dec 2004
Of course, if you really want to hear the best classical music ever you'd need to get a set lasting a couple of weeks, at least. This is a fair effort mind, with four discs lasting over five hours; and it does a decent job of gathering together most classical pieces that have found a way into mainstream culture over the last twenty years, and splitting the sides into categories is helpful for the casual listener (Relaxing/Uplifting/Cinema/Spectacular). This collection is clearly aimed at anyone who knows 'Air on the G String' as 'the Hamlet Cigars tune' or Handel's 'Hallelujah Chorus' as 'the Messiah Theme', but there's nothing wrong with that. Also, including pieces by modern artists like Michael Nyman, Ennio Morricone and Brian Eno proves that this music has a relevant place outside of the museum.

Great way to discover Michael Nyman, 25 Sep 2008
This isn't the first example of Michael Nyman's cinema work I've bought - I fell in love with the score for The Piano, and I bought the soundtrack for Gattaca without every sitting through the whole film. This double CD is a brilliant opportunity to experience a whole raft of soundtracks he's been involved with over the 20-odd years this covers. Some of the individual film soundtracks sadly do not appear to be available, but even a single track as featured here for some films is better than nothing.

The first CD heavily features work from his many collaborations with Peter Greenaway, whilst the second features tracks accompanying a wider range of directors' work, and it's really fascinating to see the evolution of his style over the years.

The stand-out track for me on here is one of the few original songs Nyman's composed - "If" on CD#2 - a single offering from a Japanese animation of the Anne Frank story.

Nyman's style is not going to appeal to everyone, it's true, but this CD could allow you to discover either a universal appeal, or a preference for the more lyrical and romantic recent soundtracks over the more rhythmic and high-energy earlier work. There is a variety and complexity which will satisfy more than just those who like modern classical music in the minimalist mould.


Excellent two-disk collection featuring some of Nyman's best work, 27 Feb 2008
Michael Nyman is best know for his soundtrack to Jane Campion's film The Piano, and for his unique working relationship with British filmmaker Peter Greenaway, from 1980 up until 1993. His work on The Piano remains his most iconic, still being used to this day in bank commercials and on those "new-classical" compilations; whilst his work with Greenaway stands up as some of the most beautiful and intricate pieces of neo-classical "minimalism" ever composed. His work since his last venture with Greenaway, 1992's Prospero's Books has become slightly more melodic, creating memorable and often quite haunting scores for filmmakers as varied as Michael Haneke, Neil Jordan, Andrew Niccol, Patrice Leconte and Michael Winterbottom, and even working with Britpop's favourite son Damon Albarn for the cult cannibal-themed western Ravenous.

Disk one of this excellent two-disk set collects the most memorable pieces from those early Greenway films, with the compilation opening with a live version of Bird List from Greenaway's great mock-documentary The Falls. From here we progress onto the sublime genius of Chasing Sheep Is Best Left to Shepherds and An Eye for Optical Theory taken from Greenaway's post-modern masterpiece The Draughtsman's Contract, both highly influenced by Purcell's The Fairy Queen. The collection then has pieces from other great Greenaway works A Zed and Two Noughts and Drowning by Numbers, before reaching something of a peak with the epic Memorial from The Cook The Thief His Wife and Her Lover. Memorial is probably the greatest work Nyman ever did for a Greenaway film, with the melodic and continually progressive structure referencing The Frozen Music from Purcell's King Arthur as well as referring back to the wondrous Time-lapse from A Zed and Two Noughts; which again, used elements of Biber's Requiem. In his short sleeve-notes, Nyman talks of how the music was originally composed as a larger piece in 1985 to commemorate the Jueventus fans that died at the Heysel stadium.

Memorial is the last real piece of music we get from a Greenaway film, though there is an early version of Miranda (Miranda Previsitied) from 1989, originally commissioned for La Traversée de Paris, an exhibition commemorating the bicentenary of the French revolution. It's a shame there isn't more music included from Prospero's Books, since it really is one of Nyman's very best scores and is probably the main reason to watch the film for people who can't quite get past Greenaway's grotesque/ostentatious visuals. To over-compensate the lack of Prospero-related material we get some other high-calibre entries in the form of Homage to Maurice - a Bernard Hermann inspired ode to Maurice Hatton - and few pieces from Patrice Leconte's film Monsieur Hire. Disk one comes to a close with four piece of music taken from The Piano, amongst them the rousing Dreams Of A Journey, the lyrical All Imperfect Things and the iconic The Heart Asks Pleasure First/The Promise, which Nyman described as "...a setting of the Scottish traditional song Bonny Winter's noo awa'.

Disk two opens with Escape from the film A la Folie, before moving on to Fly Drive and The Infinite Complexities of Christmas, which Nyman describes as "...English 20's and 30's country style without resorting to pastiche or known musical models". Abel Carries Ephraim from Volker Scholdorff's film The Ogre is the only score not to use strings, instead featuring a bass-heavy sound with a lot of brass, whilst the following four tracks are all taken from the greatly underrated sci-fi parable Gattaca. It is here that Nyman's style begins to become warmer and less minimal, employing sweeping orchestrations and creating an underlining sense of emotion that has often been (purposely) neglected in his work with Greenaway. This will eventually lead us into the beautiful music he created for Michael Winterbottom's best film Wonderland (tracks 13, 14, 15 and 16) and the aching melancholy of his work for Neil Jordan's great adaptation of The End of The Affair (tracks 17 and 18).

Before that however, we have Convening The Coven, a piece from the film Practical Magic, notable since Nyman's original score was rejected in favour of the characterless work of another composer. We also have two of the more Nyman-esque pieces from Ravenous in the form of Stranger At The Window and Cannibal Fantasy (sadly, that hauntingly melodic banjo refrain used throughout is absent... though it might turn up on a "Best of Damon Albarn" one day!!) before we get to those great tracks listed above. Wonderland is one of Nyman's very best collections, easily as great as previous peaks like The Draughtsman's Contract and The Piano, with Nyman finding a sense of pathos and tranquil lyricism to nicely undercut the cynicism and dejection at the heart of Winterbottom's film; whilst the two tracks from The End Of The Affair (Sarah Dies and the title track) show Nyman moving towards a kind of music that is much more emotionally expressive.

Disk two comes to a close with two tracks from Winterbottom's Wonderland follow up, the snowy-western/morality tale The Claim. Here, Nyman is allowed to reference the master of cinematic composition with a few nods to Morricone sneaking into The Shooting, before taking things even further with the operatic closing piece, The Burning. Nyman's music is brilliant, managing to further the story and compliment the visuals of the films it was intended for, but also standing up as a work of music that can be enjoyed without the accompanying film. This collection demonstrates Nyman's ability to create music that somehow transcends the film, marking him out as one of the most important and unique composers currently at work.

Perfect Cimemagic, 17 Jan 2008
I 've been fascinated by Michael Nyman's soundtracks and films especially in the stylish futuristic Gataca, Carrington, and of course The Piano ,which will remain a classic into future centuries. For this collection it's the heartbreaking string symphonies merged with horns and brassy vintage jazz. I love the album especially disc 2 and can't get enough of the bittersweet neo classical themes. For those of you like me who want an insight in to Nyman's music without buying selected soundtrack's .This album, makes an excellent listen for Nyman , who I've heard described as one of Britains greatest composers, a collection like this is proof.

The best classical music I've heard, 28 Sep 2006
I HATE classical music. I've heard very little and it's way more than I ever want to hear. I was recommended a Scottish composer called James MacMillan who supposedly did some heavy dramatic music. I was bored by it in ways I couldn't have imagined.

I knew Nyman's music from the Draughtsman's Contract movie. I liked the upbeat energetic music I heard so I took a chance on this.

Some of this is excellent. Some of it's dull. I've edited it down to about 70 minutes of music on my MP3 player where it juts up against Iron Maiden, Nine Inch Nails, Rolling Stones, Chris Rea etc.

I have no great love for instrumental music as most it is usually self indulgent in its attempt to cover more than the two minutes it should last for. Most of these are short and to the point. The music at the start of disc 1 sounds like a young turk kicking against the pricks. As the discs progress it gets more slow and conventional.

I think the minimalism approach makes some of this more energetic and pacier than most classical music.

I like rock music, and in my uneducated opinion some of this rocks.

Unfortunately the booklet does not tell us what movie each track comes from.


Requires an appreciation of alternative classical, 21 May 2004
It is "exactly what it says on the packaging" - film music. I agree with another reviewer that the second CD is better than the first. However, in my opinion the educated ear needs to be familiar with Michael's Nyman's work to fully appreciate the lesser-known soundtracks without the film.

Disappointed, 30 Jun 2008
I wish I had paid more heed to the only 1 star rating by 'a customer'. I too was very disappointed by this CD. I had expected full on concert style piano playing, instead of which I got 'one finger' style playing, very popular with the masses, but not very deep. If you like Clayderman, this may well please you.


great treat!! , 30 Jan 2008
This album is on my itunes every day now at work because it is so relaxing & peaceful, I have many hundreds of choices on my itunes yet every day go back to this one again & again, if you are classically trained & looking to find something wrong then perhaps you would BUT I have found it really enjoyable & its my 1st choice every day & i'm still not fed up of hearing it!! you will love it :)

Excellent way to get hooked on classical music, 08 Apr 2006
For many years, I found it hard to stick to classical music listening. But through this Pop version of classical music, I got hooked. I played it over and over again!

At first play, I was disappointed because it sounds so different from normal versions. Memory of original versions play tricks in the brain. It felt like some of the tunes have been murdered.

But a few plays later, it started to sound right, and it grew and grew on me.

Pop Classical is the future of Classical Music! Classics is fantastic.

A Fantastic CD!!!!, 23 Dec 2005
This is a great CD, with a great blended mix of classical and hip tunes, ideal for any young classical listeners or movie fans, A lovely CD!!! I particularly enjoyed her version of Krwlng, a fantastic piece. This is a very innovative CD, very unlike the kind of work she has previously done, very impressive!!!

Dont be fooled, 08 Nov 2004
I listened to this album not long ago and was thoroughly disappointed with myleene's attempt to play some of the greatest piano pieces of all time. For an untrained ear they might sound impressive but if anyone has heard the originals they will notice instantly that her adaptions aren't half as good. In particular i was horrified at Toccata and Fugue where the same segment of music was played over and over repetitively. One of Bach's greatest works was reduced to a cacophony of noise, not unlike chopsticks. If you wish to listen to the pieces on this album, i suggest you get a cd which shows them in their full glory and as the masterpieces they truly are.

a good all round compilation for any listener, 04 Jan 2001
every popular track you remember from the telly and radio, what a wonderful combination. Relaxing, studying or just in need of some real music this is the one for you.

Bryars's The Sinking of the Titanic is one of the oddest and at the same time most mesmerising works to come out of this end of the century. It began in 1972 as an abstract art piece that kept on building and changing in the composer's mind. It's a ghostly tapestry of eerie echoes, distant sounds almost like whale songs, and interjected rifts representing the band that was playing even as the boat sank. This is a masterpiece that rewards repeated listening. --Paul Cook

Good classical introduction , 22 Oct 2008
I have never been into classical music, however the TV programs Maestro and Last Choir standing (I know trash TV... sorry) made me realise I did like some classical music. So time to test that theory, and of course this CD fitted the bill perfectly, a bit of everything and 99% you will probably know. Good album, maybe I may have discovered culture :-)

Open the wine, wind up the volume, 15 Oct 2005
A fantastic selection of all the tunes you've ever said "Oh.. that's the tune from the ....advert, isn't it? What's it called?" about.

OK that's a very trite comment, but you get my point. Pure enjoyment, without the intervention of the tracks in a single classical album which you have to pretend to appreciate if you're not to look like a Philistine.

An absolute belter..an education, and a gateway to composers you'd never heard of, (neither had I).

Classical for beginers...., 31 Mar 2005
Not a bad way to relax in the bath and listen to some lovely mellow music-But it is not for the advanced classical fan.Everyone else would love it.The film theme tunes are abit cheesy....

Fine selection, but you may get better value elsewhere, 01 Jan 2005
There are many classical music samplers on the market, some better than others. Since Classic FM started running its various charts, the record industry has been able to cherry pick the most popular tunes!

There is a lot on offer on these four CD's, but ask yourself what you hope to get. There are, as I say, a lot of samplers on the market, and this is one of the more expensive box sets. You may feel this package may not offer you the best value for money - (see my review of "The Essential Classics Collection" - ASIN: B000038I67).

Here, well, you do get a broad, eclectic range of the more popular classics. Of course, what you get is a selection of the highlights from classic works - one of Pachabel's best loved melodies, one of Orff's more dramatic moments, and these CD's seem to contain quite a lot of Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart.

This sampler is largely restricted to the more melodic tunes. I do like to have some background music playing when I'm reading or writing, and this collection provides an adequate supply. The four CD's, here, will give you a lot of very enjoyable music which you can have playing while you relax or concentrate on some task.

But if, like me, you're trying to learn a bit more about classical music, if you're prepared to experiment and listen a bit more widely, the real joy of a selection like this is that it should give you the confidence to delve deeper. There is so much pretension in the music world, if you have little musical knowledge to begin with, it can be a bit daunting trying to explore the mysteries of the classics.

My advice is to ignore all the hype and all the flowery language. Allow yourself to sit back and listen to these tracks, then take yourself out and listen to the longer, full versions of your favourites. Let your ear be your guide - maybe have a listen to Radio 3 instead of Classic FM (the BBC plays a much broader range and you're not constantly interrupted by adverts)!

This is an entertaining selection ... but there are better value options on the market (i.e., ones which offer more tracks for less money), and you may feel it is worthwhile looking to see which tracks the respective selections offer.

New to classical? Start here..., 13 Dec 2004
Of course, if you really want to hear the best classical music ever you'd need to get a set lasting a couple of weeks, at least. This is a fair effort mind, with four discs lasting over five hours; and it does a decent job of gathering together most classical pieces that have found a way into mainstream culture over the last twenty years, and splitting the sides into categories is helpful for the casual listener (Relaxing/Uplifting/Cinema/Spectacular). This collection is clearly aimed at anyone who knows 'Air on the G String' as 'the Hamlet Cigars tune' or Handel's 'Hallelujah Chorus' as 'the Messiah Theme', but there's nothing wrong with that. Also, including pieces by modern artists like Michael Nyman, Ennio Morricone and Brian Eno proves that this music has a relevant place outside of the museum.

Great way to discover Michael Nyman, 25 Sep 2008
This isn't the first example of Michael Nyman's cinema work I've bought - I fell in love with the score for The Piano, and I bought the soundtrack for Gattaca without every sitting through the whole film. This double CD is a brilliant opportunity to experience a whole raft of soundtracks he's been involved with over the 20-odd years this covers. Some of the individual film soundtracks sadly do not appear to be available, but even a single track as featured here for some films is better than nothing.

The first CD heavily features work from his many collaborations with Peter Greenaway, whilst the second features tracks accompanying a wider range of directors' work, and it's really fascinating to see the evolution of his style over the years.

The stand-out track for me on here is one of the few original songs Nyman's composed - "If" on CD#2 - a single offering from a Japanese animation of the Anne Frank story.

Nyman's style is not going to appeal to everyone, it's true, but this CD could allow you to discover either a universal appeal, or a preference for the more lyrical and romantic recent soundtracks over the more rhythmic and high-energy earlier work. There is a variety and complexity which will satisfy more than just those who like modern classical music in the minimalist mould.


Excellent two-disk collection featuring some of Nyman's best work, 27 Feb 2008
Michael Nyman is best know for his soundtrack to Jane Campion's film The Piano, and for his unique working relationship with British filmmaker Peter Greenaway, from 1980 up until 1993. His work on The Piano remains his most iconic, still being used to this day in bank commercials and on those "new-classical" compilations; whilst his work with Greenaway stands up as some of the most beautiful and intricate pieces of neo-classical "minimalism" ever composed. His work since his last venture with Greenaway, 1992's Prospero's Books has become slightly more melodic, creating memorable and often quite haunting scores for filmmakers as varied as Michael Haneke, Neil Jordan, Andrew Niccol, Patrice Leconte and Michael Winterbottom, and even working with Britpop's favourite son Damon Albarn for the cult cannibal-themed western Ravenous.

Disk one of this excellent two-disk set collects the most memorable pieces from those early Greenway films, with the compilation opening with a live version of Bird List from Greenaway's great mock-documentary The Falls. From here we progress onto the sublime genius of Chasing Sheep Is Best Left to Shepherds and An Eye for Optical Theory taken from Greenaway's post-modern masterpiece The Draughtsman's Contract, both highly influenced by Purcell's The Fairy Queen. The collection then has pieces from other great Greenaway works A Zed and Two Noughts and Drowning by Numbers, before reaching something of a peak with the epic Memorial from The Cook The Thief His Wife and Her Lover. Memorial is probably the greatest work Nyman ever did for a Greenaway film, with the melodic and continually progressive structure referencing The Frozen Music from Purcell's King Arthur as well as referring back to the wondrous Time-lapse from A Zed and Two Noughts; which again, used elements of Biber's Requiem. In his short sleeve-notes, Nyman talks of how the music was originally composed as a larger piece in 1985 to commemorate the Jueventus fans that died at the Heysel stadium.

Memorial is the last real piece of music we get from a Greenaway film, though there is an early version of Miranda (Miranda Previsitied) from 1989, originally commissioned for La Traversée de Paris, an exhibition commemorating the bicentenary of the French revolution. It's a shame there isn't more music included from Prospero's Books, since it really is one of Nyman's very best scores and is probably the main reason to watch the film for people who can't quite get past Greenaway's grotesque/ostentatious visuals. To over-compensate the lack of Prospero-related material we get some other high-calibre entries in the form of Homage to Maurice - a Bernard Hermann inspired ode to Maurice Hatton - and few pieces from Patrice Leconte's film Monsieur Hire. Disk one comes to a close with four piece of music taken from The Piano, amongst them the rousing Dreams Of A Journey, the lyrical All Imperfect Things and the iconic The Heart Asks Pleasure First/The Promise, which Nyman described as "...a setting of the Scottish traditional song Bonny Winter's noo awa'.

Disk two opens with Escape from the film A la Folie, before moving on to Fly Drive and The Infinite Complexities of Christmas, which Nyman describes as "...English 20's and 30's country style without resorting to pastiche or known musical models". Abel Carries Ephraim from Volker Scholdorff's film The Ogre is the only score not to use strings, instead featuring a bass-heavy sound with a lot of brass, whilst the following four tracks are all taken from the greatly underrated sci-fi parable Gattaca. It is here that Nyman's style begins to become warmer and less minimal, employing sweeping orchestrations and creating an underlining sense of emotion that has often been (purposely) neglected in his work with Greenaway. This will eventually lead us into the beautiful music he created for Michael Winterbottom's best film Wonderland (tracks 13, 14, 15 and 16) and the aching melancholy of his work for Neil Jordan's great adaptation of The End of The Affair (tracks 17 and 18).

Before that however, we have Convening The Coven, a piece from the film Practical Magic, notable since Nyman's original score was rejected in favour of the characterless work of another composer. We also have two of the more Nyman-esque pieces from Ravenous in the form of Stranger At The Window and Cannibal Fantasy (sadly, that hauntingly melodic banjo refrain used throughout is absent... though it might turn up on a "Best of Damon Albarn" one day!!) before we get to those great tracks listed above. Wonderland is one of Nyman's very best collections, easily as great as previous peaks like The Draughtsman's Contract and The Piano, with Nyman finding a sense of pathos and tranquil lyricism to nicely undercut the cynicism and dejection at the heart of Winterbottom's film; whilst the two tracks from The End Of The Affair (Sarah Dies and the title track) show Nyman moving towards a kind of music that is much more emotionally expressive.

Disk two comes to a close with two tracks from Winterbottom's Wonderland follow up, the snowy-western/morality tale The Claim. Here, Nyman is allowed to reference the master of cinematic composition with a few nods to Morricone sneaking into The Shooting, before taking things even further with the operatic closing piece, The Burning. Nyman's music is brilliant, managing to further the story and compliment the visuals of the films it was intended for, but also standing up as a work of music that can be enjoyed without the accompanying film. This collection demonstrates Nyman's ability to create music that somehow transcends the film, marking him out as one of the most important and unique composers currently at work.

Perfect Cimemagic, 17 Jan 2008
I 've been fascinated by Michael Nyman's soundtracks and films especially in the stylish futuristic Gataca, Carrington, and of course The Piano ,which will remain a classic into future centuries. For this collection it's the heartbreaking string symphonies merged with horns and brassy vintage jazz. I love the album especially disc 2 and can't get enough of the bittersweet neo classical themes. For those of you like me who want an insight in to Nyman's music without buying selected soundtrack's .This album, makes an excellent listen for Nyman , who I've heard described as one of Britains greatest composers, a collection like this is proof.

The best classical music I've heard, 28 Sep 2006
I HATE classical music. I've heard very little and it's way more than I ever want to hear. I was recommended a Scottish composer called James MacMillan who supposedly did some heavy dramatic music. I was bored by it in ways I couldn't have imagined.

I knew Nyman's music from the Draughtsman's Contract movie. I liked the upbeat energetic music I heard so I took a chance on this.

Some of this is excellent. Some of it's dull. I've edited it down to about 70 minutes of music on my MP3 player where it juts up against Iron Maiden, Nine Inch Nails, Rolling Stones, Chris Rea etc.

I have no great love for instrumental music as most it is usually self indulgent in its attempt to cover more than the two minutes it should last for. Most of these are short and to the point. The music at the start of disc 1 sounds like a young turk kicking against the pricks. As the discs progress it gets more slow and conventional.

I think the minimalism approach makes some of this more energetic and pacier than most classical music.

I like rock music, and in my uneducated opinion some of this rocks.

Unfortunately the booklet does not tell us what movie each track comes from.


Requires an appreciation of alternative classical, 21 May 2004
It is "exactly what it says on the packaging" - film music. I agree with another reviewer that the second CD is better than the first. However, in my opinion the educated ear needs to be familiar with Michael's Nyman's work to fully appreciate the lesser-known soundtracks without the film.

Disappointed, 30 Jun 2008
I wish I had paid more heed to the only 1 star rating by 'a customer'. I too was very disappointed by this CD. I had expected full on concert style piano playing, instead of which I got 'one finger' style playing, very popular with the masses, but not very deep. If you like Clayderman, this may well please you.


great treat!! , 30 Jan 2008
This album is on my itunes every day now at work because it is so relaxing & peaceful, I have many hundreds of choices on my itunes yet every day go back to this one again & again, if you are classically trained & looking to find something wrong then perhaps you would BUT I have found it really enjoyable & its my 1st choice every day & i'm still not fed up of hearing it!! you will love it :)

Excellent way to get hooked on classical music, 08 Apr 2006
For many years, I found it hard to stick to classical music listening. But through this Pop version of classical music, I got hooked. I played it over and over again!

At first play, I was disappointed because it sounds so different from normal versions. Memory of original versions play tricks in the brain. It felt like some of the tunes have been murdered.

But a few plays later, it started to sound right, and it grew and grew on me.

Pop Classical is the future of Classical Music! Classics is fantastic.

A Fantastic CD!!!!, 23 Dec 2005
This is a great CD, with a great blended mix of classical and hip tunes, ideal for any young classical listeners or movie fans, A lovely CD!!! I particularly enjoyed her version of Krwlng, a fantastic piece. This is a very innovative CD, very unlike the kind of work she has previously done, very impressive!!!

Dont be fooled, 08 Nov 2004
I listened to this album not long ago and was thoroughly disappointed with myleene's attempt to play some of the greatest piano pieces of all time. For an untrained ear they might sound impressive but if anyone has heard the originals they will notice instantly that her adaptions aren't half as good. In particular i was horrified at Toccata and Fugue where the same segment of music was played over and over repetitively. One of Bach's greatest works was reduced to a cacophony of noise, not unlike chopsticks. If you wish to listen to the pieces on this album, i suggest you get a cd which shows them in their full glory and as the masterpieces they truly are.

a good all round compilation for any listener, 04 Jan 2001
every popular track you remember from the telly and radio, what a wonderful combination. Relaxing, studying or just in need of some real music this is the one for you.

Human tragedy ....One major and minor on this stunning album., 27 Jul 2008
After Brian Eno had finished recording his third solo album "Another Green World" he approached the then , independent record label "Island " with a view to forming a new record label catering exclusively for the nascent experimental music scene. He wanted to promote music that otherwise ,wouldn't find an audience, but that would appeal to a select band of esoteric connoisseurs. Island , realising that there was a loyal following who would buy anything involving Eno , and trusting to his fecundity of ideas agreed, the low recording costs also appealing to their business senses. Eno named the label "Obscure " , astutely giving the label elite cache, and the first release on "Obscure" was Gavin Bryars double header "The Sinking Of The Titanic"/Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet". Recorded at the low key Basing Street studios , Eno was ensconced as producer though in actuality his role amounted to little more than an advisor.
The Sinking Of The Titanic was a 1969 orchestral piece featuring fragmentary arrangements of the Episcopal hymn "Autumn" , which a survivor of the disaster has heard the string ensemble play as the ship went down. It's a wonderfully evocative noble piece of music that stills retains a churning pathos all too redolent for it's subject matter
Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet is based on a thirteen bar loop of a vagrant ,s impromptu hymn singing recorded by documentary film maker Alan Power in 1971 , and not Gavin Bryars himself as many believe. I find this piece of music phenomenally moving yet can understand those dissenting voices who hear only a tramp warbling over an orchestra tuning up ...actually that's too harsh but you get the point. The way Bryars lets the music ebb and flow yet inexorably build with ever growing verdant layers is mesmerising enough but the true heart of the music lies with the vagrant who despite his circumstances sings with quavering dignity and something approaching true and pure hope or maybe faith ....or maybe he was just seeing life through a glowing alcoholic haze that day......either way it's stunning .
The album was recorded as two sides of twenty five minutes as audiophiles told Eno that was the way to get the best sound quality out of the medium. Bryars has subsequently recorded longer versions of Jesus Blood, one with Tom Waits counterpoising the vocals. It's wonderful stuff but it divides listeners like little else. Some hear a turgid bilious racket but for those of us who do get it- and I am not assuming some moral or intellectual high ground here- this is one of the most poignant remarkable pieces of music ever. A dazzling melding of human tragedy -one major / one minor -and musical bravura .



Irritating to a pedant, 17 Jul 2007
I've always had a soft spot for JBNFMY, as I think it explores emotional territory not often trodden in music; so I agree with the positive reviews here. One thing has always irritated me, though - as a pedant. The tramp clearly sings '"Jesu's blood" - as in "Jesu, joy of man's desiring...", yet Bryars has always spelt (and pronounced!) it "Jesus' blood". Now we have Amazon compounding the felony with "Jesus's Blood"!! Still, who cares these days, eh?

Only if you're in the mood, 14 Jun 2007
I heard 'Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet' played on the radio in another room late one night. Had to stop what I was doing. Ended up staring at the radio like a zombie. The music was captivating, mesmerizing; I didn't want it to stop. Well, I must have been feeling tired and emotional at the time, 'cos when I got my hands on the CD and played it in the bright, brisk morning the effect was gone. I played it to some friends, and they were very curious about it. The question most of them asked was; How long does this %*$!?£% go on for? Shame on them! Well, I've had the CD for a while now, so feel able to give a settled view of it, which is this. You really do have to be in the mood for this type of music, and unless you're a chronic melancholiac these moods won't come round too often. It really would be a waste of time putting this CD in that little black box in the car. But on those few occasions when you really are in such a mood, there can be little to come near it. So an average of three stars - five for when you're in the mood, and one for when you're not.

One thing that strikes me about the other reviews is that they seem to focus almost exclusively on 'Jesus' Blood'. To my mind 'The Sinking of the Titanic' is equally evocative. The repeated dirge-like tune is similar to the device used in 'Jesus' Blood', and the sampled sounds with which it is mingled just pile on the atmosphere. We hear distant indistinct, presumably long-dead voices, and what could be the throbbing of engines and the deep ringing metallic echo of a cavernous hull. Takes you back.

Take the time to treat yourself., 25 Jul 2005
The piece Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet leaves you acutely reflective and deeply touched, not to mention desperate to know what has become of the man. The old man heard on the 25 minute track is apparently not a drunk, though he was homeless when Gavin Bryars recorded him singing. His voice is all at once innocent, sweet, tender, elderly and fragile. But the words he sings are full of optimism and strength. Though I am not in the slightest a religious person, there is something profoundly spiritual in this minimalist composition. The voice, which is looped throughout the whole work, is at first heard alone, determined and insistent. It is so very slowly joined by instruments of the orchestra, as if they are not altogether convinced, but touched by his sentiments. As they continue in the loop and others join they gain strength and their voices become as certain as the old man's.

On many levels you can find something allegorical about this work. In one sense the old man is like a shepherd, the orchestra his flock, being brought to safety by his continuous calling. In another, the orchestra are like his faith, closing round him, like the hand of his god, protecting him, giving him strength. As I have stated, I am not religious, so for me the most profound aspect of the work is the lack of awareness this voice has of the developing accompaniment around him, his ignorance of the beauty enveloping his simple honesty, and the questions the piece evokes about the whole idea of ignorance and faith.

What other composers can't do, 02 Oct 2003
I don't think religiosity can possibly come into this. I can't agree with the one-star review. The piece is neither contrived nor grating and it shouldn't be shot down by people who are trying to find in it something that isn't there. It is what it is: beautifully arranged, conducted, conceived. An understated masterpiece.

Good classical introduction , 22 Oct 2008
I have never been into classical music, however the TV programs Maestro and Last Choir standing (I know trash TV... sorry) made me realise I did like some classical music. So time to test that theory, and of course this CD fitted the bill perfectly, a bit of everything and 99% you will probably know. Good album, maybe I may have discovered culture :-)

Open the wine, wind up the volume, 15 Oct 2005
A fantastic selection of all the tunes you've ever said "Oh.. that's the tune from the ....advert, isn't it? What's it called?" about.

OK that's a very trite comment, but you get my point. Pure enjoyment, without the intervention of the tracks in a single classical album which you have to pretend to appreciate if you're not to look like a Philistine.

An absolute belter..an education, and a gateway to composers you'd never heard of, (neither had I).

Classical for beginers...., 31 Mar 2005
Not a bad way to relax in the bath and listen to some lovely mellow music-But it is not for the advanced classical fan.Everyone else would love it.The film theme tunes are abit cheesy....

Fine selection, but you may get better value elsewhere, 01 Jan 2005
There are many classical music samplers on the market, some better than others. Since Classic FM started running its various charts, the record industry has been able to cherry pick the most popular tunes!

There is a lot on offer on these four CD's, but ask yourself what you hope to get. There are, as I say, a lot of samplers on the market, and this is one of the more expensive box sets. You may feel this package may not offer you the best value for money - (see my review of "The Essential Classics Collection" - ASIN: B000038I67).

Here, well, you do get a broad, eclectic range of the more popular classics. Of course, what you get is a selection of the highlights from classic works - one of Pachabel's best loved melodies, one of Orff's more dramatic moments, and these CD's seem to contain quite a lot of Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart.

This sampler is largely restricted to the more melodic tunes. I do like to have some background music playing when I'm reading or writing, and this collection provides an adequate supply. The four CD's, here, will give you a lot of very enjoyable music which you can have playing while you relax or concentrate on some task.

But if, like me, you're trying to learn a bit more about classical music, if you're prepared to experiment and listen a bit more widely, the real joy of a selection like this is that it should give you the confidence to delve deeper. There is so much pretension in the music world, if you have little musical knowledge to begin with, it can be a bit daunting trying to explore the mysteries of the classics.

My advice is to ignore all the hype and all the flowery language. Allow yourself to sit back and listen to these tracks, then take yourself out and listen to the longer, full versions of your favourites. Let your ear be your guide - maybe have a listen to Radio 3 instead of Classic FM (the BBC plays a much broader range and you're not constantly interrupted by adverts)!

This is an entertaining selection ... but there are better value options on the market (i.e., ones which offer more tracks for less money), and you may feel it is worthwhile looking to see which tracks the respective selections offer.

New to classical? Start here..., 13 Dec 2004
Of course, if you really want to hear the best classical music ever you'd need to get a set lasting a couple of weeks, at least. This is a fair effort mind, with four discs lasting over five hours; and it does a decent job of gathering together most classical pieces that have found a way into mainstream culture over the last twenty years, and splitting the sides into categories is helpful for the casual listener (Relaxing/Uplifting/Cinema/Spectacular). This collection is clearly aimed at anyone who knows 'Air on the G String' as 'the Hamlet Cigars tune' or Handel's 'Hallelujah Chorus' as 'the Messiah Theme', but there's nothing wrong with that. Also, including pieces by modern artists like Michael Nyman, Ennio Morricone and Brian Eno proves that this music has a relevant place outside of the museum.

Great way to discover Michael Nyman, 25 Sep 2008
This isn't the first example of Michael Nyman's cinema work I've bought - I fell in love with the score for The Piano, and I bought the soundtrack for Gattaca without every sitting through the whole film. This double CD is a brilliant opportunity to experience a whole raft of soundtracks he's been involved with over the 20-odd years this covers. Some of the individual film soundtracks sadly do not appear to be available, but even a single track as featured here for some films is better than nothing.

The first CD heavily features work from his many collaborations with Peter Greenaway, whilst the second features tracks accompanying a wider range of directors' work, and it's really fascinating to see the evolution of his style over the years.

The stand-out track for me on here is one of the few original songs Nyman's composed - "If" on CD#2 - a single offering from a Japanese animation of the Anne Frank story.

Nyman's style is not going to appeal to everyone, it's true, but this CD could allow you to discover either a universal appeal, or a preference for the more lyrical and romantic recent soundtracks over the more rhythmic and high-energy earlier work. There is a variety and complexity which will satisfy more than just those who like modern classical music in the minimalist mould.


Excellent two-disk collection featuring some of Nyman's best work, 27 Feb 2008
Michael Nyman is best know for his soundtrack to Jane Campion's film The Piano, and for his unique working relationship with British filmmaker Peter Greenaway, from 1980 up until 1993. His work on The Piano remains his most iconic, still being used to this day in bank commercials and on those "new-classical" compilations; whilst his work with Greenaway stands up as some of the most beautiful and intricate pieces of neo-classical "minimalism" ever composed. His work since his last venture with Greenaway, 1992's Prospero's Books has become slightly more melodic, creating memorable and often quite haunting scores for filmmakers as varied as Michael Haneke, Neil Jordan, Andrew Niccol, Patrice Leconte and Michael Winterbottom, and even working with Britpop's favourite son Damon Albarn for the cult cannibal-themed western Ravenous.

Disk one of this excellent two-disk set collects the most memorable pieces from those early Greenway films, with the compilation opening with a live version of Bird List from Greenaway's great mock-documentary The Falls. From here we progress onto the sublime genius of Chasing Sheep Is Best Left to Shepherds and An Eye for Optical Theory taken from Greenaway's post-modern masterpiece The Draughtsman's Contract, both highly influenced by Purcell's The Fairy Queen. The collection then has pieces from other great Greenaway works A Zed and Two Noughts and Drowning by Numbers, before reaching something of a peak with the epic Memorial from The Cook The Thief His Wife and Her Lover. Memorial is probably the greatest work Nyman ever did for a Greenaway film, with the melodic and continually progressive structure referencing The Frozen Music from Purcell's King Arthur as well as referring back to the wondrous Time-lapse from A Zed and Two Noughts; which again, used elements of Biber's Requiem. In his short sleeve-notes, Nyman talks of how the music was originally composed as a larger piece in 1985 to commemorate the Jueventus fans that died at the Heysel stadium.

Memorial is the last real piece of music we get from a Greenaway film, though there is an early version of Miranda (Miranda Previsitied) from 1989, originally commissioned for La Traversée de Paris, an exhibition commemorating the bicentenary of the French revolution. It's a shame there isn't more music included from Prospero's Books, since it really is one of Nyman's very best scores and is probably the main reason to watch the film for people who can't quite get past Greenaway's grotesque/ostentatious visuals. To over-compensate the lack of Prospero-related material we get some other high-calibre entries in the form of Homage to Maurice - a Bernard Hermann inspired ode to Maurice Hatton - and few pieces from Patrice Leconte's film Monsieur Hire. Disk one comes to a close with four piece of music taken from The Piano, amongst them the rousing Dreams Of A Journey, the lyrical All Imperfect Things and the iconic The Heart Asks Pleasure First/The Promise, which Nyman described as "...a setting of the Scottish traditional song Bonny Winter's noo awa'.

Disk two opens with Escape from the film A la Folie, before moving on to Fly Drive and The Infinite Complexities of Christmas, which Nyman describes as "...English 20's and 30's country style without resorting to pastiche or known musical models". Abel Carries Ephraim from Volker Scholdorff's film The Ogre is the only score not to use strings, instead featuring a bass-heavy sound with a lot of brass, whilst the following four tracks are all taken from the greatly underrated sci-fi parable Gattaca. It is here that Nyman's style begins to become warmer and less minimal, employing sweeping orchestrations and creating an underlining sense of emotion that has often been (purposely) neglected in his work with Greenaway. This will eventually lead us into the beautiful music he created for Michael Winterbottom's best film Wonderland (tracks 13, 14, 15 and 16) and the aching melancholy of his work for Neil Jordan's great adaptation of The End of The Affair (tracks 17 and 18).

Before that however, we have Convening The Coven, a piece from the film Practical Magic, notable since Nyman's original score was rejected in favour of the characterless work of another composer. We also have two of the more Nyman-esque pieces from Ravenous in the form of Stranger At The Window and Cannibal Fantasy (sadly, that hauntingly melodic banjo refrain used throughout is absent... though it might turn up on a "Best of Damon Albarn" one day!!) before we get to those great tracks listed above. Wonderland is one of Nyman's very best collections, easily as great as previous peaks like The Draughtsman's Contract and The Piano, with Nyman finding a sense of pathos and tranquil lyricism to nicely undercut the cynicism and dejection at the heart of Winterbottom's film; whilst the two tracks from The End Of The Affair (Sarah Dies and the title track) show Nyman moving towards a kind of music that is much more emotionally expressive.

Disk two comes to a close with two tracks from Winterbottom's Wonderland follow up, the snowy-western/morality tale The Claim. Here, Nyman is allowed to reference the master of cinematic composition with a few nods to Morricone sneaking into The Shooting, before taking things even further with the operatic closing piece, The Burning. Nyman's music is brilliant, managing to further the story and compliment the visuals of the films it was intended for, but also standing up as a work of music that can be enjoyed without the accompanying film. This collection demonstrates Nyman's ability to create music that somehow transcends the film, marking him out as one of the most important and unique composers currently at work.

Perfect Cimemagic, 17 Jan 2008
I 've been fascinated by Michael Nyman's soundtracks and films especially in the stylish futuristic Gataca, Carrington, and of course The Piano ,which will remain a classic into future centuries. For this collection it's the heartbreaking string symphonies merged with horns and brassy vintage jazz. I love the album especially disc 2 and can't get enough of the bittersweet neo classical themes. For those of you like me who want an insight in to Nyman's music without buying selected soundtrack's .This album, makes an excellent listen for Nyman , who I've heard described as one of Britains greatest composers, a collection like this is proof.

The best classical music I've heard, 28 Sep 2006
I HATE classical music. I've heard very little and it's way more than I ever want to hear. I was recommended a Scottish composer called James MacMillan who supposedly did some heavy dramatic music. I was bored by it in ways I couldn't have imagined.

I knew Nyman's music from the Draughtsman's Contract movie. I liked the upbeat energetic music I heard so I took a chance on this.

Some of this is excellent. Some of it's dull. I've edited it down to about 70 minutes of music on my MP3 player where it juts up against Iron Maiden, Nine Inch Nails, Rolling Stones, Chris Rea etc.

I have no great love for instrumental music as most it is usually self indulgent in its attempt to cover more than the two minutes it should last for. Most of these are short and to the point. The music at the start of disc 1 sounds like a young turk kicking against the pricks. As the discs progress it gets more slow and conventional.

I think the minimalism approach makes some of this more energetic and pacier than most classical music.

I like rock music, and in my uneducated opinion some of this rocks.

Unfortunately the booklet does not tell us what movie each track comes from.


Requires an appreciation of alternative classical, 21 May 2004
It is "exactly what it says on the packaging" - film music. I agree with another reviewer that the second CD is better than the first. However, in my opinion the educated ear needs to be familiar with Michael's Nyman's work to fully appreciate the lesser-known soundtracks without the film.

Disappointed, 30 Jun 2008
I wish I had paid more heed to the only 1 star rating by 'a customer'. I too was very disappointed by this CD. I had expected full on concert style piano playing, instead of which I got 'one finger' style playing, very popular with the masses, but not very deep. If you like Clayderman, this may well please you.


great treat!! , 30 Jan 2008
This album is on my itunes every day now at work because it is so relaxing & peaceful, I have many hundreds of choices on my itunes yet every day go back to this one again & again, if you are classically trained & looking to find something wrong then perhaps you would BUT I have found it really enjoyable & its my 1st choice every day & i'm still not fed up of hearing it!! you will love it :)

Excellent way to get hooked on classical music, 08 Apr 2006
For many years, I found it hard to stick to classical music listening. But through this Pop version of classical music, I got hooked. I played it over and over again!

At first play, I was disappointed because it sounds so different from normal versions. Memory of original versions play tricks in the brain. It felt like some of the tunes have been murdered.

But a few plays later, it started to sound right, and it grew and grew on me.

Pop Classical is the future of Classical Music! Classics is fantastic.

A Fantastic CD!!!!, 23 Dec 2005
This is a great CD, with a great blended mix of classical and hip tunes, ideal for any young classical listeners or movie fans, A lovely CD!!! I particularly enjoyed her version of Krwlng, a fantastic piece. This is a very innovative CD, very unlike the kind of work she has previously done, very impressive!!!

Dont be fooled, 08 Nov 2004
I listened to this album not long ago and was thoroughly disappointed with myleene's attempt to play some of the greatest piano pieces of all time. For an untrained ear they might sound impressive but if anyone has heard the originals they will notice instantly that her adaptions aren't half as good. In particular i was horrified at Toccata and Fugue where the same segment of music was played over and over repetitively. One of Bach's greatest works was reduced to a cacophony of noise, not unlike chopsticks. If you wish to listen to the pieces on this album, i suggest you get a cd which shows them in their full glory and as the masterpieces they truly are.

a good all round compilation for any listener, 04 Jan 2001
every popular track you remember from the telly and radio, what a wonderful combination. Relaxing, studying or just in need of some real music this is the one for you.

Human tragedy ....One major and minor on this stunning album., 27 Jul 2008
After Brian Eno had finished recording his third solo album "Another Green World" he approached the then , independent record label "Island " with a view to forming a new record label catering exclusively for the nascent experimental music scene. He wanted to promote music that otherwise ,wouldn't find an audience, but that would appeal to a select band of esoteric connoisseurs. Island , realising that there was a loyal following who would buy anything involving Eno , and trusting to his fecundity of ideas agreed, the low recording costs also appealing to their business senses. Eno named the label "Obscure " , astutely giving the label elite cache, and the first release on "Obscure" was Gavin Bryars double header "The Sinking Of The Titanic"/Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet". Recorded at the low key Basing Street studios , Eno was ensconced as producer though in actuality his role amounted to little more than an advisor.
The Sinking Of The Titanic was a 1969 orchestral piece featuring fragmentary arrangements of the Episcopal hymn "Autumn" , which a survivor of the disaster has heard the string ensemble play as the ship went down. It's a wonderfully evocative nobl