Track Listing

1. Méditation, for violin & orchestra (or other arrangement) (from opera 'Thaïs')
2. Vocalise, instrumental arrangement, Op. 34/14
3. Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major ('Turkish') K. 219: II. Adagio
4. Suite Populaire Espagnole, for violin & piano (arr. from 'Popular Spanish Songs' by Kochanski): Nana
5. The Lark Ascending, romance for violin & orchestra
6. Petite suite (4), for piano, 4 hands (or orchestra), L. 65: En Bateau
7. Aka Tonbo (Red Dragonfly), folk song, for voice & piano
8. Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64: II. Andante
9. Concerto for 2 violins, strings & continuo in D minor ('Double'), BWV 1043: II. Largo ma non tanto
10. Sicilienne for keyboard in E flat
11. Salut d'amour, for violin & piano, Op. 12
12. Quatuor pour la fin du temps, for violin, cello, clarinet & piano, I/22: Praise to the Immortality of Jesus

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #63913 in Music
• Brand: RCA
• Released on: 2000-05-16
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Customer Reviews

VIOLIN
The selection of music was a good mix and pleasant in listening to them.

The choice of orchestras and conductors are also very well selected offering very good variety in the similar music mood.

My two long time favourites "Meditation" and "Salut d'amour" were very well played in the right tempo and instrumental arrangement.

The recording quality is good offering both clarity and defination in the recording.

A regular listener's impression
I am not an expert in classical music, but have always loved the string instruments. I bought this CD for relaxation (as the title implies) and to help me focus on writing a thesis. I was torn between this CD and the Cello for Relaxation. I am pleased with my choice. My favorites are track #2 and #10 (listen to the samples through Amazon) - I usually play these two on repeat. My least favorite is track #7 because it sounds like a piano dominated movie soundtrack.
Although I wish I could have exchanged some of the tracks for others, I think this CD was worth the money and is a nice mix for those of us who don't know specific composers by name or who want a good sampling.

Perfect Music For Chilling Out and Winding Down
It is ever so good to settle in a comfy chair and listen to the sounds of violin when you just want to chill out and wind down. "Violin For Relaxation" is simply the perfect CD that I wholeheartedly recommend if you want to slow everything down and reduce the speed of time. It is also an ideal music for doing Pilates workout. In addition to having excellent sound quality mastered by the high-tech engineers from BMG Classics and RCA Victor, the disc boasts an impressive repertoire of classical favorites that will grab the listener's undivided attention.

The presentation starts off with my all-time favorite classical piece, "Meditation" from the opera "Thais" by French composer Jules Massenet. It features Philharmonia Orchestra with conductor Andrew Litton and Anne Akiko Meyers on violin. This piece has a powerful effect on my musical sensibilities that every time I listen to it, I am deeply moved by its sheer beauty. To my ears, it is absolutely one of the most stunningly beautiful and profoundly moving compositions ever written.

Sergei Rachmaninoff's "Vocalise" is also a highlight. This composition was not written for violin transcription, but it is often played with a combination of violin and piano. The result is astoundingly moving. It captivates your ears and long after you've listened to the disc in its entirety, you'll find yourself humming this particular tune. Two of the finest classical musicians, violinist Vladimir Spivakov and pianist Sergei Bezrodny, played it to perfection. The pair also performed Claude Debussy's "En Bateau," which was originally written for solo piano, but again, their performance exceeded my expectation. It is as beautiful as "Vocalise." One of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's most brilliant concerti, "Violin Concerto No. 5 in A, K. 219" was also eloquently rendered by Vladimir Spivakov with the Moscow Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra.

From the high drama of Massenet's "Meditation" to the eternal charms of Rachmaninoff's "Vocalise," you'll find this violin music very pleasing to the ears...and yes, very soul satisfying.

"Do you know that our soul is composed of harmony?" ~ Leonardo da Vinci ~