Toshima-EMI has released a new addition to its best-selling series of CD collections, "Best Classic 100 (2)," consisting of one hundred very well known classical music pieces on a set of six CDs. Sets in the series sell for around 3,000 yen, or about what a single CD normally costs. Since April, 2005, fourteen collections in this hit series, featuring similar selections in jazz and other genres as well as classic pieces, have exceeded sales of over 1.5 million sets.

(The following article is a translation of an article that appeared on the Japanese-language “Classic News” website on April 5, 2006. It appears here with permission from Classic News.)

♦Toshiba EMI "Best Classic 100 (2)"
Released in April of last year, "Best Classic 100" was a major sales hit. The follow-up releases,"Best Piano 100," "Best Mozart 100," "Best Opera 100" and "Best Cinema 100" have triggered a surge of interest in classical music.

The long-expected "Best Classic 100 (2)" was released on April 5. Like its predecessors in the series, it consists of six CDs containing a total of one hundred pieces. Once again, it is a delightful treasure trove of famous works, including Ravel's "Bolero," Bizet's "Carmen," Mussorgsky's "Pictures At An Exhibition," Rossini's "William Tell," Smetana's "Moldau," Beethoven's "For Elise," Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" and Chopin's "Nocturne."

The set also includes biographies and a choice selection of photographs of one hundred renowned classical composers and performers that can be viewed on a computer.

Even "Best classic 100" concerts are being held.

Classic News: April 5, 2006
http://www.music.co.jp/classicnews/ (Japanese only)