The title, the blurb "Over 2 1/2 hours of the world's most passionate music", and the cover photo of a deserted beach at sunset create the impression that this CD is make-out music for snobs. In fact, purists are likely to scorn it--the music is not solely from the Romantic era, and neither are all the pieces slow. But they probably have most of these well-known works in complete versions, anyway. Admittedly, if the CD had been marketed as a sampler of slower instrumental music few would have given it a second glance. Romantic Adagios II is an interesting introduction to instrumental art music, though. Decca's stable of truly great performing artists are well represented. Among them are the Academy of Ancient Music, the London Symphony, the Concertgebouw Orchesta; performers Vladimir Ashkenazy, Lynn Harrell, and Joshua Bell; and conductors Georg Solti, Bernard Haitink, and Herbert von Karajan. Compositions range widely through music history, including works by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, and Debussy. Especially lovely are the adagios from Rachmaninov's Second Symphony and Grieg's Piano Concerto.
Not everything about this compilation is an aesthetic delight. Tchaikovsky suffers the indignity of having a theme from his Romeo and Juliet Fantasy-Overture plucked from its context in the heart of a single-movement work and supplied with an ineffectual fade-out ending. That the performance is an old one with poor recording quality and a noticeable intonation problem makes one wonder why it was even included. And why Neville Mariner and the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, normally a superb combination, perform Bach's Air on a G String like it was a violin concerto, with the melodic line so forward that the counterpoint is mostly lost, I can't explain. Those who don't know the piece will still find it lovely, but it is certainly not the best performance available.
Regardless, Romantic Adagios II is a pleasant initiation to the splendours of Classical Music. If you are hungry for something other than rock and pop, give it a try. At the price, it's a bargain.
It's better than three stars
Decca Sampler--mostly a winner