Classics

Walt Disney and Waldo de los Rios.

In the world of serious (spelled s-n-o-o-t-y) musical criticism, there are probably 2 people who are not more despised: Walt for the film "Fantasia" and Waldo for the pieces collected on this CD. Not surprisingly, both of their masterpieces became, over time, the guilty pleasures of many of their own detractors.

The selections available on "Classics", an imported CD from Holland, were at one time available in the USA on a United Artists LP called "Sinfonias". ABC used de los Rios's arrangement of the finale from Beethoven's 9th as a capper to their Olympic Games coverage on at least 2 occasions. The Norton Simon Gallery in Pasadena, California featured the Mozart 40th Symphony movement in their TV commercials with Candice Bergen.

As a record label, United Artists had only one real hit, some soundtrack LP from some movie called "A Hard Days' Night" by some guys who called themselves The Beatles. After selling...Read more

The pure genius of Waldo De Los Rios is unleashed in this CD. Many of these selections were on previously recorded records and tapes. Mozartmania, and The Operas, were two albums which much of this music is from. Waldo De Los Rios was a master artist, and this music paints a beautiful picture with his music. You can bet if there are any future releases on CD of this man's genius, I will be first in line to acquire it. I am hopeful that, in the future, the two previously mentioned recordings will be rereleased on CD.

The argentinian born Waldo de los Rios commited suicide in Spain (where he was residing) either at the end of the seventies or the very beginning of the eighties (quite don't remember exactly when) and the world still don't know the many facets of this wonderful Maestro. He was a masterful arranger (the famous song "Cuando la lluvia cae" -"When the rain hits the ground"- and perform by the spaniard singer Mari Trini), is regarded as one of the best arrangement of a romantic ballad of all time in the hispanic world. Not only that, he rescued beautiful Christmas carols from Germany, Spain and other countries, for instance. Also the "conversion" of boring symphonies, to adapt them to the terrible rush of our time and adding electric bass, drums, congas and brazilian percussion instruments (unthinkable to european-like classical listener, but he made it worked out) is just fantastic and a proof of his genius. He also produced a lovely LP (yet to be...Read more