.co.uk Just when you thought you owned every possible calming/relaxing/smooth/chillout classical track, up pops Smooth Classics for Rough Days, a three-CD set from Classic FM. The format is familiar: slow movements (such as the gripping Adagietto from Mahler's Symphony No. 5) mixed with slushy pieces from the 19th century (such as Bruch's Romance for viola and orchestra), peppered with a few contemporary treats (witness one of Ludovico Einaudi's piano pieces). The collection is, however, far from predictable. Music by Pachelbel, Albinoni, Handel, Mozart and Rachmaninov, typically the staples of this sort of collection, are interspersed with pieces from John Tavener (a slightly stodgy performance of "The Lamb"), Vitezslav Novak (a pupil of Dvorák) and Peter Maxwell Davies (the nostalgic Farewell to Stromness). Considering that Smooth Classics for Rough Days is for "when the rain just won't stop falling when the phone hasn't stopped ringing bad hair days and bad mood days", it does seem ironic that so many of the pieces chosen have rather depressing themes, notably suicide (Delius' "The Walk to the Paradise Garden"), a dance of death (Sibelius' Valse Triste) and war (John Williams' "Hymn to the Fallen"). As always, this is a smartly presented box set from Classic FM which includes introductory notes to each of the 33 pieces. --Rebecca Agnew
L**N
Good background music
Bought this particular CD as I thought it might help my grieving. It's restful but I haven't listened to it all
S**R
Smooth Classics..........
Good selection of the favourites-well worth the money
S**Y
Very relaxing.
Very happy all round 10/10
S**R
A delight
I put this on in the car, at home, before going to sleep, and when relaxing on holiday. You can't go wrong really. Lovely selection of music - even when you're not having a rough day! Very pleasant, enjoyable CD. Very glad I purchased it.
D**O
Only a couple of tracks that I enjoyed, the rest would put you to sleep
Not what I really expected. Only a couple of tracks that I enjoyed, the rest would put you to sleep.
P**T
Great value.
Great value. As it says on the label : smooth classics for rough days.
C**E
Great
Came on time and was very good
A**R
Top of the class for musicMagpie
Although it was not new it was in really good condition. All 3 Cds played fine with no damage or skipping tracks. The case was also in very good condition and it arrived before the anticipated date. Very pleased with the product and service from musicMagpie and would definitely use them again.
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