J S Bach C P E Bach Harpsichord Concertos Triple Concerto
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Customer Review: The Least is Still Pretty Good
I consider this to be the least of the BIBLE COLLECTION done by Turner some years ago but even the least is pretty good. This tells the story of Jacob, also known as Israel, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham. It tells the story of the patriarch of the Israelite people. Jacob is a twin. His life begins with a contest with his brother Esau when both struggle to get out of the womb first. The first one out claims the lion’s share of the inheritance and power. Esau makes it first. Esau is a hunter and a “man’s man”. Jacob is a thinker. Mom is partial to Jacob while dad prefers the elder. Jacob is adept at tricking his brother and becoming the focus of his anger. When he tricks his brother into selling his birthright for a bowl of beans, Jacob knows he will no longer be safe and leaves to reside among his mother’s people. Jacob is a trickster but he always remembers his God and is faithful. Everything he does is blessed and when others try to curse him, they find themselves cursed as well. Jacob falls in love and agrees to work for 7 years to obtain the object of his desire, only to find that he has been tricked into marrying the older sister. He works another 7 for the younger. Before it is over, he has 2 wives, 2 concubines and a host of children. He realizes that the time is coming when he must return home and confront his brother. The drama in this one is not as high as it could have been but it does a good job of catching the basic biblical story. Jacob is not portrayed here as quite the trickster that the scriptures give but it is a worthy attempt. The others of this series are much better but this one is worth watching too.
Customer Review: Star studded, accurate to Bible, but underwhelming in delivery
The story of Jacob from the Bible is fairly faithfully retold in no-nonsense terms in this movie directed by Sir Peter Hall. Matthew Modine plays Jacob, Sean Bean is his brother Esau whose inheritance and blessing he steals. He leaves to avoid his brother’s wrath and to seek a wife from Laban. He ends up with more than he bargained for - two wifes and 14 years later, he returns home to face his brother. Hall was better known for his theatre work - this makes for strong adherence to the source material, but not the most gripping cinematic experience. Having said that, the acting is fine, especially from the women. Lara Flynn Boyle makes an early appearance here as Rachel, Jacob’s true love. The rest of the cast has some fine character actors such as Irene Papas and Joss Ackland as Rebekah and Isaac, and the prolific Giancarlo Giannini as Laban. The class extends to the music, written by Ennio Morricone. The central role of Jacob is thin however, Modine failing to exhibit the charisma, inner strength and spiritual life it must be assumed Jacob had. Sensibly, periods we know little to nothing about are skipped, and the story focuses on the classic elements we know from the Bible. Moments which could be over the top such as wrestling with the angel and Jacob’s Ladder, are told or shown in a down to earth way which is appropriate. The fine acting, authentic feel and appropriate music all make this the best it could be, but cannot hide the fact that this is not the most cinematic story. If you have an interest in the Bible, you will get something out of this, if you are looking for an exciting or enthralling movie, maybe this is not your best starting place. Would have been 4 stars except for Matthew Modine’s lack of conviction in the role.
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It is not possible to fit 36 Bach masterpieces on two CDs, so what Essential Bach does is present individual movements from across a range of the composer’s work. The anthology is clearly aimed at the newcomer, and the absence of booklet notes to put the music in context is disappointing. We are only given titles, performers, and what films the extracts have been featured in, from Rollerball to The English Patient.
On the plus side, most if not all of the music is instantly recognizable, by melody if not by name. Everything from the Brandenburg Concertos to “Air on a G String” to the B Minor Mass and St. Matthew Passion is represented. Performances range from 1960 to 1993, encompassing both early instrument and modern orchestra interpretations by a wide variety of forces, including Sir Neville Marriner with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and Raymond Leppard leading the English Chamber Orchestra. Given such diversity the result is unavoidably a patchwork, albeit one made from the finest materials, and as such is perhaps best treated as a sampler to aid exploration of the vast legacy of one of the very greatest composers who ever lived. –Gary S. Dalkin, Amazon.co.uk
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Customer Review: Excellent compilation , great quality
This really has the best of Bach on one CD (compared to 150 for his total works).
Customer Review: so amazing
I love this kind of playing. this is my favorite classical cd.
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Alexandria, Virginia, has been witness to events which helped create America. Many of the nation’s founding fathers and well-known historical figures, including George Washington and Robert E. Lee, lived in, worked in, and were a part of the city. Though it started out as a modest tobacco trading town and seaport, Alexandria has truly been at the crossroads of American history. Its citizens are proud of Alexandria’s place in history and its importance as a city steeped in the narrative of the founding of the United States.
Historic Photos of Alexandria depicts this colorful and varied history through still photos selected from the Library of Congress and the Local History Special Collections branch of the Alexandria Library. From the occupation of Alexandria by Union troops during the Civil War to the thriving downtown shopping and dining district of the 1940s and 1950s, Historic Photos of Alexandria follows life and events throughout the city’s history.
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Customer Review: 200 well chosen photos of Alexandria from the Civil War through the 1970s
Alexandria, Virginia has been an important town on the Potomac River for centuries. This book has a bit more than 200 historic photographs taken of the city from the Civil War through the early 1970s. The four sections of the book are from 1860-1899. The second section takes us from the turn of the century through the just after the end of the First World War (1900-1919). The third section shows us the impact of the crash of the Great Depression to the eve of the Second World War (1920-1939). The fourth section takes us through WWII through the 1970s (1940-1970s). I think that the pictures were wonderfully selected that show us how the people lived, their architecture, the technology, their dress, their trades, their pastimes, how the big events shaped the way people coped, and the captions provide just enough to put the pictures in context without getting in their way. Each section gets a page of text to set the tone. Obviously, the book will mean most to the people who live or have lived in Alexandria and whose roots reach down into the history preserved here. However, for anyone interested in US History, these photographs give a good insight into the time periods covered and considering Alexandria’s importance and proximity to Washington D.C., this is a very interesting and helpful book. Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI
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This earnest movie about a door-to-door salesman with cerebral palsy (based on the true story of Bill Porter) could have been cloyingly sweet, but a sense of humor and the clear, unpretentious performance of William H. Macy keep it from drowning in sentiment. Door to Door follows Porter from when he first gets his job (by convincing a skeptical sales manager to give him the worst route the company has) in the mid-’50s, to his brief retirement in the late 1990s, when door-to-door salesmen became outmoded by catalogs and the Internet. The depiction of how Porter became part of the lives of his customers may feel a little pat, but the portrait of Porter himself–particularly how his persistent independent spirit was also a wall between him and others–is honest and affecting. Also featuring Kyra Sedgwick and the great Helen Mirren as Porter’s mother. –Bret Fetzer
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Customer Review: Insperational!
I thought this movie was just going to be another one of those.. boring movies. WRONG! Door to Door is about a salesman(Bill Porter), however, he has cerebral palsy and he walks door to door. Being a salesman is very hard, however, Bill doesn’t give up. He has alot of patience and persistence thanks to his mom. There are alot of ups and downs in this guys life, however, he keeps going. Have a tissue box.
Customer Review: Neighborhood Thread
I rented this first because I enjoy this type of movie, but I wasn’t sure how it would be. My wife made it clear she wasn’t interested when I told her the synopsis. But about a half hour of listening convinced her otherwise and she was soon sitting next to me watching. It will draw people into it. William Macy, Helen Mirrin, Kyra Sedgwick, and the rest the cast are outstanding. This movie is not to sweet nor to depressing. The story based on Bill Porter is well handled. The directing is spot on and the camera work and sets take us to the past about fifty years and works back to the present. I loved how it showed his daily routine and those that helped him overcome the little bumps of not having the use of one hand and arm. If you want to see how a man with cerebal palsy was able to overcome his difficutlies and become a top door to door saleman, be sure to catch this movie. It is a heartwarmer for the whole family. The DVD quality is good.
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J S Bach C P E Bach Harpsichord Concertos Triple Concerto
J S Bach: Concerto in A Minor, BWV. 1044
C P E Bach: Concerto in D Minor. First movement on side 1, second and third movements on side 2.
J S Bach: Concerto inF Major, BWV. 1057








