One Hit Wonders

Number of Discs: 2
Total time: 152:10
Label: DG Deutsche Grammopho
SPAR: AAD
Availability: In stock
Item #: 5281038

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Review

For those into one-stop shopping and who want a disc of all the most-often-used classical works in movies and TV commercials, then this double-disc package is a decent choice. It falls short of being a good choice for a number of reasons. The performances are good, although the sound quality varies from track to track since they are culled from the vaults of Deutsche Grammophon. There are some lively and sharp performances, such as the Comedians Galop by the Royal Philharmonic and Stanley Black, but there's a brightness missing from the Eastman-Rochester Pops Orchestra's Russian Sailors' Dance. The first disc has a good balance of soloist, vocal, non-orchestral, and orchestral works, but on the second, all but the last two tracks are orchestral. Also on the first disc are transcriptions; in other words, these are not necessarily the versions on which the works' success was based. Two glaring examples of this are Canteloube's {Baïlèro}, which is famous for its sweeping orchestral accompaniment, here reduced to a piano; and Villa-Lobos' Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5, which is presented here with a string orchestra accompanying both soloists, cellist Lynn Harrell and soprano Kiri Te Kanawa, rather than the original soprano and cello ensemble version. Listeners won't really learn anything about these composers from this disc or its notes. Pachelbel certainly wasn't know for his Canon before the 1970s, but for his fugues, and Albinoni didn't write that famous Adagio. And listeners will have to read all the notes to learn that Mouret did not originally entitle his piece "Masterpiece Theater Theme." This album is more for the movie and TV fan than it is for even a casual classical music listener. ~ Patsy Morita, All Music Guide

Read About This Recording

There is no doubt that mixed in with all of the great music that we enjoy there are individual pieces that stand out and become super-popular. Sometimes it's because the music was used in a movie, television program or commercial, and sometimes it's just because the music has some kind of infectious quality that makes it hard to resist. What amazes me is how many of those works have become the only well-known work by a composer. Well, someone's finally gotten smart and has collected many of those pieces you just can't get out of your head on this marvelous 2-CD collection titled One Hit Wonders.

The set is a veritable treasure-trove of all of the music you know and love but sometimes just can't remember where it came from! Beginning with a beautiful performance of Pachelbel's Canon, the set takes us on a journey through pieces we know and love: the Theme to Masterpiece Theater, Barber's Adagio for Strings, the Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana which was used in the movie Raging Bull, Dukas' Sorcerer's Apprentice (Fantasia) and even the opening section of Orff's explosive Carmina Burana. It's a fun-filled, interesting set with performances by some of the greatest artists of our time: Bernstein, Levine, te Kanawa, Sutherland, the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and the Berlin Philharmonic to name just a few.

Here, in one place, lies the answers to the question music lovers ask most frequently: what is that piece? It's a delightful set that you will return to time and time again.

-Jacob Anthony

Extended Article

Music of those composers who made history with just one immortal work. In current times we refer to these musical marvels as one hit wonders. These are the once-in-a-lifetime melodies that are still with us today.

Pachelbel: Canon in D; Mouret: Masterpiece Theatre Theme (Rondeau from Symphonies de Fanfares); Boccherini: Minuet in A from String Quintet in E, Op. 13 No. 5; Clarke: Trumpet Voluntary; Charpentier: Prelude (Rondeau) from Te Deum, H.146; Albinoni: Adagio in G Minor for Strings & Organ (arr. Remo Giazotto); Massenet: Meditation from Thais; Delibes: Dome epais le jasmin (Flower Duet) from Lakme; Canteloube: Bailero from Chants d'Auvergne; Villa-Lobos: Aria from Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5; Mascagni: Intermezzo from Cavalleria rusticana; Peter Warlock: Capriol Suite; MacDowell: To A Wild Rose from Woodland Sketches, Op. 51; Barber: Adagio for Strings; Richard Addinsell: Warsaw Concerto; Waldteufel: Skaters' Waltz; Ippolitov-Ivanov: Procession of the Sardar from Caucasian Sketches Suite No. 1, Op. 10; Ponchielli: Dance of the Hours from La Gioconda; Alfven: Swedish Rhapsody No. 1, Op. 19 (Midsummer Vigil); Dukas: The Socerer's Apprentice; Grofe: On the Trail from Grand Canyon Suite; Dimitri Kabalevsky: Galop from The Comedians, Op. 26; Gliere: Russian Sailors' Dance from The Red Poppy, Op. 70; Khachaturian: Sabre Dance from Gayaneh; Widor: Toccata: Allegro from Organ Symphony No. 5; Orff: O Fortuna from Carmina Burana.

Frank Maus, Nicholas Kraemer, Harpsichords; Simon Preston, Organ; Hannes Laubin, Bernhard Laubin, Wolfgang Laubin, John Wilbraham, Trumpets; Norbert Schmitt, Timpani; Christer Thorvaldsson, Violin; Joan Sutherland, Elly Ameling, Kiri Te Kanawa, Sopranos; Jane Berbie, Mezzo-Soprano; Rudolf Jansen, Joseph Cooper, Misha Dichter, Pianos; Lynn Harrell, Cello; Academy of St. Martin in the Fields; Orpheus Chamber Orchestra; The Michael Laird Brass Ensemble; Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra; Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra; Philharmonia Orchestra; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Detroit Symphony Philharmonic; Eastman Rochester Pops Orchestra; Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra; Berlin Philharmonic; Monte Carlo National Opera Orchestra; Chicago Symphony Chorus; Herbert von Karajan, Sir Neville Marriner, Neeme Jarvi, Richard Bonynge, Leonard Bernstein, Artur Rodzinski, James Levine, Antal Dorati, Stanley Black, Frederick Fennell, Gennadi Roshdestvensky, Conductors.

Tracks + Soundclips

One Hit Wonders
	1.	Canon and gigue, for 3 violins & continuo in D major, T. 337 by Pachelbel, Johann Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Herbert von Karajan Harpsichord: Frank Maus Length: 5:08
	2.	Rondeau, for brass, strings & timpani (from Suite of Symphonies No. 1; "Masterpiece Theater" Theme) by Mouret, Jean-Joseph Trumpet: Bernhard Läubin Trumpet: Hannes Läubin Trumpet: Wolfgang Läubin Organ: Simon Preston Tympani [Timpani]: Norbert Schmitt Length: 1:58
	3.	Minuet in A major, arrangement (after String Quintet in E major, Op.11/5 [aka Op. 13/5], G. 275) by Boccherini, Luigi Orchestra: Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Length: 3:25
	4.	The Prince of Denmark's March (Trumpet Voluntary) for brass, winds & percussion (or keyboard or trumpet & organ) in D major by Clarke, Jeremiah Orchestra: Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Conductor: Neville Marriner Trumpet: John Wilbraham Length: 2:20
	5.	Prélude pour le Te Deum à 8, for strings, H. 145a by Charpentier, Marc-Antoine Ensemble: Michael Laird Brass Ensemble Length: 2:13
	6.	Adagio, for violin, strings & organ in G minor, T. Mi 26 (composed by Remo Giazotto; not by Albinoni) by Albinoni, Tomaso Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Herbert von Karajan Length: 10:08
	7.	Méditation, for violin & orchestra (or other arrangement) (from opera "Thaïs") by Massenet, Jules Orchestra: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Neeme Järvi Violin: Christer Thorvaldsson Length: 4:54
	8.	Lakmé, opera by Delibes, Leo Orchestra: Monte Carlo National Opera Orchestra Vocals: Joan Sutherland Vocals: Jane Berbié Conductor: Richard Bonynge Length: 5:05
	9.	Baïlèro, folksong for voice & orchestra (Chants d'Auvergne, Series 1, No. 2) by Canteloube, Joseph Vocals: Elly Ameling Piano: Rudolf Jansen Length: 5:06
	10.	Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5, for voice & 8 cellos, A. 389 by Villa-Lobos, Heitor Cello: Lynn Harrell Vocals: Kiri Te Kanawa Length: 6:45
	11.	Cavalleria rusticana, opera (melodramma) in 1 act by Mascagni, Pietro Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Herbert von Karajan Length: 3:32
	12.	Capriol Suite for piano, 4 hands or string orchestra by Warlock, Peter Orchestra: Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Conductor: Neville Marriner Harpsichord: Nicholas Kraemer Length: 1:36
	13.	Capriol Suite for piano, 4 hands or string orchestra by Warlock, Peter Orchestra: Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Conductor: Neville Marriner Harpsichord: Nicholas Kraemer Length: 2:10
	14.	Capriol Suite for piano, 4 hands or string orchestra by Warlock, Peter Orchestra: Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Conductor: Neville Marriner Harpsichord: Nicholas Kraemer Length: 1:06
	15.	Capriol Suite for piano, 4 hands or string orchestra by Warlock, Peter Orchestra: Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Conductor: Neville Marriner Harpsichord: Nicholas Kraemer Length: 1:59
	16.	Capriol Suite for piano, 4 hands or string orchestra by Warlock, Peter Orchestra: Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Conductor: Neville Marriner Harpsichord: Nicholas Kraemer Length: 2:24
	17.	Capriol Suite for piano, 4 hands or string orchestra by Warlock, Peter Orchestra: Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Conductor: Neville Marriner Harpsichord: Nicholas Kraemer Length: 1:06
	18.	To a Wild Rose, for piano, Op. 51/1 (Woodland Sketches) by MacDowell, Edward Piano: Joseph Cooper Length: 2:11
	19.	Adagio for strings (or string quartet; arr. from 2nd mvt. of String Quartet), Op. 11 by Barber, Samuel Orchestra: Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Leonard Bernstein Length: 10:07
Disc #2
	20.	Warsaw Concerto for piano & orchestra (for the film "Dangerous Moonlight"/"Suicide Squadron") by Addinsell, Richard Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra of London Conductor: Neville Marriner Piano: Misha Dichter Length: 8:14
	21.	Les Patineurs Valse ("Skater's Waltz"), Op. 183 by Waldteufel, Emile Orchestra: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Neeme Järvi Length: 8:47
	22.	Caucasian Sketches, suite for orchestra, Op. 10 by Ippolitov-Ivanov, Mikhail Mikhaylovich Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Artur Rodzinski Length: 3:44
	23.	La Gioconda, opera in 4 acts by Ponchielli, Amilcare Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Herbert von Karajan Length: 10:34
	24.	Swedish Rhapsody No. 1, for orchestra ("Midsommarvaka"), Op. 19 by Alfven, Hugo Orchestra: Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Neeme Järvi Length: 12:47
	25.	The Sorcerer's Apprentice (L'apprenti sorcier), symphonic scherzo for orchestra by Dukas, Paul [Composer] Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Herbert von Karajan Length: 10:47
	26.	Grand Canyon Suite, for orchestra by Grofe, Ferde Orchestra: Detroit Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Antal Dorati Length: 8:07
	27.	The Comedians, suite for small orchestra, Op. 26 by Kabalevsky, Dmitry Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Stanley Black Length: 1:41
	28.	The Red Poppy, ballet, Op. 70 by Gliere, Reinhold Orchestra: Eastman Rochester "Pops" Orchestra Conductor: Frederick Fennell Length: 3:37
	29.	Gayane, ballet in 4 acts by Khachaturian, Aram Orchestra: Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Gennady Rozhdestvensky Length: 2:22
	30.	Symphony No. 5 in F minor for organ, Op. 42/1 by Widor, Charles-Marie Organ: Simon Preston Length: 5:32
	31.	Carmina Burana, scenic cantata for soloists, choruses & orchestra by Orff, Carl Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra Choir, Chorus: Chicago Symphony Chorus Conductor: James Levine Length: 2:45