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9 of 9 persons found the following review helpful.
Large collection for the price, but not perfect
By monoblocks
As with these sorts of all-inclusive collections, there are issues to be had with 'National Anthems of the World' as performed by the Swarovski Orchestra. Primary--to me--is that these performances and arrangements come off as being rather sterile and bland, altho it's perchance not surprising since I doubt very much that most of the nationalities of the nations represented here have citizens actually in the Swarovski Orchestra. There's little of the passion that a national band or orchestra would have in playing their own nation's anthem, much like listening to a generic studio band play play a collection of college fight songs (and there ARE CDs of those out for sale as well).
That said, this 2-disc CD set does offer a wide spectrum of national anthems, altho it does a far better occupation of covering European nations more so than any other region. For instance, Central America is poorly represented in this collection as is Africa which, apart from Cameroon, the heart of that continent is conspicuously ill-depicted. But the greatest omission is China; neither the mainland or Taiwanese anthems are included in this set. Considering that The People's Republic of China is the most populous nation on earth, as well as a international political and economic strength to be reckoned with, even in 1996 (this CD set dates from 2004, but at least one online database list the contents from the mid-1990s), this is a glaring oversight in my opinion.
The final gripe deals with the included documentation. Each of these anthems DO have titles to them, none of which the makers of this collection ever bother to mention and provide. One has to go to Wikipedia or numerous other resource to look up the actual name of the anthems included here. This is info that is comparatively cheap to exploration and out of courtesy to the buyer should've been provided for this set, specially since this collection has been around in some form for over a decade already.
For the money, it's a somewhat good buy for those who want a collection of national anthems. But the manufacturers could've done a better occupation of compiling the contents of this collection, and what music there is would've surely benefitted from a bit more ardent play.
5 of 5 persons found the following review helpful.
excellent selection & quality sound
By Objective View
Swarovski Orchestra did an splendid occupation in this compilation. I work in Foreign Service & I use this CD to play US anthem & the host country anthem for the duration of events. Unlike other compilations which shorten the pieces, this offers full-length pieces saving me from embarrassment.
3 of 3 humans found the following review helpful.
Once Again - with Gusto (please?)
By Steven C. Myers
Underwhelming. I came away thinking the musicians all were someways stateless persons. They read their constituents for certain, but without much 'spirit.' Uniformly missing out - auspiciously so.
If not one thing else, a National anthem ought to raise goosebumps, for it is the music of the land, itself. Some (e.g.: the EU anthem by Beethoven and the anthem of Hungary or Japan's song) seem to be composed in such a way as to enable thought; others seem to engender contest and manliness - Brazil's anthem - or Ireland's or the anthem of Italy; still others sound almost mystical and transcendant; as does (to me, at least) the beguiling, finelooking anthem of the Marshall Islands. My nation's National Hymn, using old English tune which, I am told, was a drinking song in the Sceptered Isles, is difficult to sing, much less play in multiple constituents - derives it is beauty not from the music but from a poet's eternal words in time of war that each school US child learns early on in life.
And so forth. I wish the Swarovski CD showed these musical virtues. Now, don't get me wrong: what I have tried to describe here is how to touch a spirit or to kiss the wind in answer to it is kiss. These CDs did not achieve it, IMO. A CD, same subject, that DID is a recording by the New Japan Phiharmonia (Title, issue date not known). If Amazon offered it, I would hit the One Button instantly. The Swarovski CD, however.... well, I don't think so....
Steve in PA
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