John Wetton had one of the most varied careers in progressive rock. He played in the majority of the big names in prog, in many cases in their classic lineups. His first major band experience came when he joined Family in 1971. He was featured on two of their albums: 1971's Fearless and Bandstand (released the following year). He performed various functions in the group, but his primary role was as bassist. Previous to this group he had recorded with Edwards Hand and Mogul Thrash. He left Family to join Robert Fripp and company in King Crimson, taking a place that had been previously filled by Greg Lake. This would not be the last time the two of them would replace one another. His tenure with that group was not exceptionally long, however, as Fripp disbanded Crimson in 1975.

After Carnivàle, Jeff Beal has given HBO another Emmy-nominated score, this time for the tale of sex, politics, and togas known as Rome. There's a long history of fabulously grand scores in the sword-and-sandals genre (Miklós Rózsa's Ben-Hur, Alex North's Cleopatra) but according to Beal HBO wasn't interested in classic big orchestral compositions, so he worked on a smaller–yet still lush–scale that emphasizes the ethnic instruments that could be found in the farther reaches of the Roman Empire. A Middle Eastern influence, for instance, can clearly be heard on "Rome Main Title Theme," "The Forum" and "Janus Breaks," among many others. If there's one signature sound on the CD, it's the recurring use of the flute, which can suggest emotions ranging from romantic ("Octavian & Octavia's Themes") to melancholy (paired with strings on "Farewells, the Storm") to dread (combined with percussion on "Caesar's Seizure"). The album starts running out of steam about two thirds of the way through, however, making one pine for a bit of orchestral bang for one's buck. –Elisabeth Vincentelli

Noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, and visual presentation, Madonna has pushed the boundaries of artistic expression in mainstream music for nigh on forty years, while maintaining control over every aspect of her career.

Unlike almost any of their peers, Pink Floyd played to both sides of the aisle: they were rooted in the blues but their heart belonged to the future, a dichotomy that made them a quintessentially modern 20th century band. That blues influence, quickly sublimated and only surfacing on the occasional Gilmour guitar solo, was the foundation for the band's very name, as the group decided to splice the names of two old bluesmen – Pink Anderson and Floyd Council – as a tribute to the American music they loved so. These members of the early Floyd – guitarist/singer Syd Barrett, bassist Roger Waters, keyboardist Rick Wright, and drummer Nick Mason – were all architecture students at London Polytechnic, with the exception of Barrett, who was an art student and a friend of Waters since childhood. This version of the band started gigging regularly in 1965, with Barrett becoming the group's lead singer quite quickly. During this time, the group relied on blues and R&B covers, not unlike many of their British peers, but they wound up extending the time of their sets through extended instrumental jams, planting the seeds of space rock that would come to fruition not much later. During 1966, the group's increasingly adventurous sets became something of a sensation in the London underground, leading to a contract with EMI early in 1967.

This Greatest Hits collection is a compilation of the most iconic and beloved songs by legendary French chanson singer Charles Aznavour. The album covers key moments in his extensive career, showcasing his unique talent as a songwriter and performer. Each song is a separate story about love, nostalgia, joy, and melancholy, told with the unique passion and sincerity that made Aznavour one of the greatest artists of the 20th century.

London Symphony Orchestra Leader Roman Simovic steps back into the solo spotlight with a new recording of one of the cornerstones of the violin repertoire: Ysaÿe's Six Sonatas for Solo Violin.Written in 1923, Eugène Ysaÿe’s set of sonatas represent a musical snapshot of that moment in the evolution of violin playing. An acclaimed violinist himself, each of the sonatas was written for one of Ysaÿe's contemporaries: Joseph Szigeti, Jacques Thibaud, George Enescu, Fritz Kreisler, Mathieu Crickboom and Manuel Quiroga. What results is a creative love letter to the violin, challenging and embracing the technical and lyrical possibilities of the instrument throughout the six stylistically unique sonatas.

Antal Doráti Most of us only think of the great Antal Dorati as a conductor, but this prominent Hungarian came from a family of musicians and started the study of music at the age of five, learning the cello a couple of years later and composition lessons beginning at 12; this in spite of the fact that he had already written several works, including three operas with original libretti, all of which he considered to be immature effords.His first composition teacher was Leo Weiner (1885-1960) who had a profound effect on Dorati's musical taste and performing background. After a year with Weiner he became the pupil of Zoltan Kodaly (1882-1967) with whom he studied for the remainder of his school life.At the age of 18, Dorati began work at the Budapest Opera House, first as a rehearser, then as a conductor for opera and ballet productions and finally to his preeminent career on the symphonic concert stage.

A renewed OST 'Expanded Edition' of the 1985 crime drama Movie, 'Il serpente - The Repenter - Night Flight to Moscow'. Composed by Maestro Ennio Morricone. A judge (based on real life judge Giovanni Falcone) on crusade to take down the Italian Mafia uses a gangster turned state's witness (a so-called "repenter") and a New York banker to do it. But things aren't quite what they seem.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart could already lay claim to a long list of compositions when he wrote his earliest string quartet. At 14 years old, he conceived his G major quartet one evening in Lodi, near Milan. Similarly, other quartets on this recording appear to have been written on the spur of the moment, which does not mean they were written in a hurry, however. Joseph Haydn's achievements in this genre do not appear to have weighed heavily on his shoulders at that stage. K. 155-160 were also written in Italy, mostly in Milan, then the capital of the Habsburg duchy of Lombardy, and Italian influences are more easily discernible. The early K. 80 is a precursor to the later cycle of six quartets composed in late 1772 and early 1773 while on leave from the princely archbishop's court in Salzburg. Whereas K. 80 is in four movements, all the others are in three.

John Wetton had one of the most varied careers in progressive rock. He played in the majority of the big names in prog, in many cases in their classic lineups. His first major band experience came when he joined Family in 1971. He was featured on two of their albums: 1971's Fearless and Bandstand (released the following year). He performed various functions in the group, but his primary role was as bassist. Previous to this group he had recorded with Edwards Hand and Mogul Thrash. He left Family to join Robert Fripp and company in King Crimson, taking a place that had been previously filled by Greg Lake. This would not be the last time the two of them would replace one another. His tenure with that group was not exceptionally long, however, as Fripp disbanded Crimson in 1975.

John Wetton had one of the most varied careers in progressive rock. He played in the majority of the big names in prog, in many cases in their classic lineups. His first major band experience came when he joined Family in 1971. He was featured on two of their albums: 1971's Fearless and Bandstand (released the following year). He performed various functions in the group, but his primary role was as bassist. Previous to this group he had recorded with Edwards Hand and Mogul Thrash. He left Family to join Robert Fripp and company in King Crimson, taking a place that had been previously filled by Greg Lake. This would not be the last time the two of them would replace one another. His tenure with that group was not exceptionally long, however, as Fripp disbanded Crimson in 1975.

John Wetton had one of the most varied careers in progressive rock. He played in the majority of the big names in prog, in many cases in their classic lineups. His first major band experience came when he joined Family in 1971. He was featured on two of their albums: 1971's Fearless and Bandstand (released the following year). He performed various functions in the group, but his primary role was as bassist. Previous to this group he had recorded with Edwards Hand and Mogul Thrash. He left Family to join Robert Fripp and company in King Crimson, taking a place that had been previously filled by Greg Lake. This would not be the last time the two of them would replace one another. His tenure with that group was not exceptionally long, however, as Fripp disbanded Crimson in 1975.

Unique among the 1960s pop landscape, and facilitated by his own home studio set-up, Joe Meek pursued and expressed a passion for his countless hobbies through his hit records and studio productions. From the legendary ‘I Hear A New World’ sonic landscapes and the Tornados’ global hit ‘Telstar!’ to several successful horror-themed records with Screaming Lord Sutch and his smash hit laments to both Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran, Meek’s fascinations were never far from his thoughts, often resulting in wildly imaginative and way ahead of their time recordings.

Live at City Hall, Sheffield, UK 22nd December 1970

From a live broadcast recorded at the Warfield, San Francisco, CA, 2nd February 1991.Also released as a part of the box set Jerry Garcia - The Broadcast Archives.