VA - 100 Most Relaxing Classical Music In The Universe (2009)

Listeners might quibble over whether the 100 pieces collected here constitute precisely THE most relaxing classical music in the whole universe, but it can't be denied that this music is in fact mellow and relaxing, except for perhaps the Prelude to Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, which might get the blood pumping at its climax. The pieces are all instrumental and the tracks are weighted toward orchestral music of the Baroque, Romantic, and post-Romantic periods, although the Classical and Modern periods aren't entirely neglected, and there is some chamber music and keyboard music. The performers tend not to be the most renowned, but the performances are entirely respectable and the sound quality is good. The album should appeal to listeners looking for a broad assortment of quietly lyrical pieces.

Track List:

CD 1:
1. Canon in D
by Jean-Francois Paillard and Orchestre de Chambre
2. Suite No. 3 in D Major BWV 1068: Air
by Hanspeter Gmur & Camerata Rhenania
3. Serenade No. 13 in G, 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' K. 525: II. Romanze (Andante
by Bohdan Warchal and Slowakisches Kammerorchester
4. Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor Op 27, No. 2 "Moonlight": I. Adagio Sostenuto
by Dubravka Tomsic
5. Dance of the Blessed Spirits
by Hanspeter Gmur and Munic Chamber Orchestra
6. Water Music Suite No. 1 in F Major, HV 348: V. Air
by Bohdan Warchal and Slovac Chamber Orchestra
7. Concierto de Aranjuez: II. Adagio
by Bohdan Warchal and Slovac Chamber Orchestra
8. Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23
by Makiko Takeda
9. Cantata No. 147: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
by Ferdinand Klinda
10. Liebestraum No. 3 in A-Flat Major, Op. 62
by Dubravka Tomsic
11. Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 23: II. Andantino semplice - Prestissimo - Tempo I
by Eduardo Marturet & Berlin Symphony Orchestra
12. Pavane for a Dead Princess
by Alexander Kopylov and Moscow RTV Symphony Orchestra

CD 2:
1. Rhapsody On a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43
by Sergeji Dorensky & Yevgeni Svetlanov & USSR Ministry of Culture Symphony Orchestra
2. The Four Seasons, Concerto No. 4 in F Minor (L'inverno / Winter) RV. 297 (Op. 8, No. 4): II. Largo
by Zdenek Dejmek & Janacek Chamber Orchestra
3. Tales of Hoffmann: Barcarolle
by Frank Shipway & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra London
4. Songs Without Words, Op. 62: No. 6 in A Major: Molto allegro vivace "Fruhlinglied" (Spring Melody)
by Ilmar Lapinsch & Latvian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra
5. Minuet in G, WoO 10 No. 2
by Dieter Goldmann
6. Menuetto
by Vlastimil Horak & Bratislava Chamber Orchestra
7. Dolly, Op. 56: I. Berceuse
by Klaus Jackle & Elisabeth Riessbeck
8. Peer Gynt: Prelude (Morning)
by Vlastimil Horak & Bamberger Philharmonie
9. Adagio in G Minor (arr. Giazotto)
by Ilmar Lapinsch & Latvian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra
10. Flute and Harp Concerto in C K. 299 / 297c: II. Andantino
by Albert Lizzio and Mozart Festival Orchestra
11. Goldberg Variations BWV 988: Aria
by Christiane Jaccottet
12. Bagatelle in A Minor WoO 59 "Fur Elise"
by Dieter Goldmann
13. Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor Op 21: II. Larghetto
by Oliver von Dohnanyi and Slovak Philharmonic
14. Suite Bergamasque: Clair de Lune
by Peter Schmalfuss
15. Serenade for Strings in E Major, Op. 22: I. Moderato
by Milan Horvat & ORF Symphony Orchestra
16. Clarinet Concerto in a K. 622: II. Adagio
by Pietro Cavaliere and RSO Ljubljana
17. Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35: II. Canzonetta, andante
by Emmy Verhey

CD 3:
1. Masquerade Suite: II. Nocturne
by Karen Khatchaturian and Moscow RTV Large Symphony Orchestra
2. Xerxes: Largo
by Ilmar Lapinsch & Latvian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra
3. Thais: Meditation
by Frank Shipway & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Londo
4. Preludes, Op. 28 No. 15 in D-flat Major "Raindrop" - Sostenuto
by Peter Schmalfuss
5. Piano Concerto No. 21 in C K. 467: II. Andante
by Albert Lizzio and Mozart Festival Orchestra
6. Well Tempered Klavier, Book I, No. 22 BWV 867
by Christiane Jaccottet
7. The Four Seasons: Concerto No. 1 in E Major, Op. 8, RV 269, "Spring": I. Allegro (Danza pastorale)
by Musici di San Marco & Alberto Lizzio
8. Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 "Fate": II. Andante con moto
by Vladimir Fedoseyev & Moscow RTV Symphony Orchestra
9. Carnival of the Animals: The Swan
by Caffee Concerto

CD 4:
1. Vocalise, Op. 34
by Viktor Yampolsky & Markus Stockler
2. Violin Concerto in D, Op.77 - II. Adagio
by Kyril Kondrashin and Moscow RTV Symphony Orchestra
3. Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune)
by Alfred Scholz and Suddeutsche Philharmonie
4. Variations On An Original Theme, 'Enigma', Op. 36: VIII. W.N. (Allegretto) - IX. Nimrod (Adagio)
by Koninklijk Filharmonisch Orkest van Vlaanderen
5. Sleepers, Wake! (Wachet Auf, Ruft Uns Die Stimme )
by Klemens Schnorr
6. Ave Maria
by Caffee Concerto
7. Kinderszenen, Op. 15: No. 7. Traumerei
by Ernst Groschel
8. Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor K. 466: II. Romanze (Excerpt)
by Albert Lizzio and Mozart Festival Orchestra
9. Valse Triste, Op 44
by Marko Munih and RSO Ljubljana
10. Treasure Waltz op. 418
by Carl Michalski & Orchestra Of The Vienna Volksoper

CD 5:
1. The Merry Widow: "Lippen schweigen" (Orchestral)
by Caffee Concerto
2. Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16: II. Adagio
by Anton Nanut & RSO Ljubljana
3. Etude in E Major, Op. 10 No. 3 "Tristesse"
by Peter Schmalfuss
4. Waltz in A-Flat Major, Op. 39: No. 15
by Dieter Goldmann
5. Carmen Suite No. 1: Intermezzo
by Ungarisches Staatsorchester
6. Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major., Op. 73 ''The Emperor'': II. Adagio un poco mosso
by Zsolt Deaky & Nurnberg Symphony Orchestra
7. Keyboard Concerto in F Minor BWV 1056: II. Largo
by Camerata Antonio Lucio
8. Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 11: II. Romance: Larghetto
by Guennadi Rozhdestvenski and USSR State Symphony Orchestra
9. Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 95 'From the New World': Second Movement: Largo (Opening)
by Libor Pesek and Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
10. Messiah, HV 56: Part I: No. 13: Pastoral Symphony
by Alexander Dmitriev and Lettisches Sinfonieorchester
11. Concerto for Oboe, Strings & Continuo in D Minor, SF. 935: II. Adagio
by Hanspeter Gmur & Camerata Rhenania
12. Adagio in E Major for Violin and Orchestra, KV 261
by Tovijs Lifsics & Latvian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra

CD 6:
1. Concerto Grosso, Op. 6, No. 12 in B Minor: III. Larghetto e Piano
by Oliver von Dohnanyi and Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
2. Symphony No. 5 in C-Sharp Minor: IV. Adagietto
by Kyril Kondrashin and Moscow RTV Large Symphony Orchestra
3. Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture
by Yevgeni Svetlanov & USSR State Symphony Orchestra
4. The Gadfly: Romance
by Staatliches Sinfonie Orchester Istanbul
5. Four Impromptus, Op. 90, D899: No. 3 in G-Flat Major
by Sylvia Capova
6. Trois Gymnopedies: I. Lent Et Douloureux
by Wolfgang Sieber
7. Carnival of the Animals: The Aquarium
by Southgerman Philharmonic Orchestra & Hanspeter Gmur
8. Carmina Burana: In Trutina
by Jan Wolanski & Blazej Grek & Anne Margrethe
9. Ave Verum Corpus K. 618
by Ilmar Lapinsch & Latvian Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra
10. Songs Without Words, Op. 19: No. 6 in G Minor - Andante Sostenuto "Venetian Gondola Song"
by Bohdan Warchal and Slowakisches Kammerorchester
11. Berceuse in D-Flat, Op. 57
by Peter Schmalfuss
12. Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K. 581: II. Larghetto
by Gabrieli String Quartet
13. Holberg Suite for String Orchestra, Op. 40: II. Sarabande
by Libor Pesek and Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
14. Double Violin Concerto in D Minor BWV 1043: II. Largo Ma non Tanto
by Camerata Antonio Lucio

CD 7:
1. Quartet for Strings No. 1 in D Major, Op. 11: II. Andante cantabile
by Shostakovich Quartet
2. Bonbons from Vienna (Wiener Bonbons)
by Cesare Cantieri and Orchester der Wiener Volksoper
3. Sylvia: Pizzicato and Waltz
by Josef Leo Gruber and Orchestra of the Viennese Volksoper
4. Tristan und Isolde: Prelude to Act I
by Yevgeni Mravinsky & Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra
5. Midsummer Night's Dream, Op. 61: Nocturne
by Alexander Von Pitamic & South German Philharmonic Orchestra
6. Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18: II. Adagio Sostenuto
by Vladimir Fedoseyev & Moscow RTV Symphony Orchestra
7. Ballade No. 2 in F Major, Op. 38
by Makiko Takeda
8. Symphony No. 6 in F 'Pastoral', Op. 68: V. Allegretto
by Libor Pesek and Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra

CD 8:
1. Quartet for Strings No. 2 in D Major: III. Andante "Nocturne"
by Howard Griffiths & Curdin Coray & Gunars Larsen & Roger Pyne
2. Serenade No. 10 in B-Flat 'Gran Partita' K. 361 / 370a: III. Adagio
by Lev Markiz and Moscow Chamber Orchestra
3. Concerto for Guitar and String Orchestra in D Major: II. Largo
by Annette Struck-Vrangos and Boris Bjorn Bagger
4. The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66: 8a. Pas d'action: Introduction (Andante) - Adagio ("Rose Adagio")
by Victor Fedotov & Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra
5. The Girl with the Flaxen Hair (La fille aux cheveux de lin)
by Peter Schmalfuss
6. Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26: II. Adagio
by Ilya Grubert
7. Pictures At An Exhibition: The Old Castle
by Zdenek Kosler & Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra

CD 9:
1. Sadko: Song of India
by Aladar Mozi
2. Preludes, Op. 28 No. 13 in F-Sharp Major - Lento
by Joanna Brzezinska
3. Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13 "Pathetique": II. Adagio Cantabile
by Daniela Ruso
4. L'Arlesienne suite No. 1: Adagietto
by Ungarisches Staatsorchester
5. Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004: Chaconne
by Conrad von der Goltz
6. Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64: II. Andante
by Jaime Laredo and Scottish Chamber Orchestra
7. Piano Trios B-Flat Major, Op. 97 "Archduke": III. Andante cantabile
by Bamberg Trio
8. Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo
by Klassische Philharmonie Bonn
9. Piano Concerto no. 2 in F Major, Op. 102: II. Andante
by Staatliches Sinfonie Orchester Istanbul
10. Nocturne No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2
by Vitalij Margulis
11. Arabesque I: Andantino con Moto
by Peter Schmalfuss