| 1. Miles Ahead |
| 2. Joshua |
| 3. Pfrancing (No Blues) |
| 4. Flamenco Sketches |
| 5. Milestones |
| 6. Teo |
| 7. Swing Spring |
| 8. Circle |
| 9. Side Car |
| 10. So Near, So Far |
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
One of the most effective tributes ever recorded, this session matches Joe Henderson's tenor with three brilliant former Miles Davis sidemen--guitarist John Scofield, bassist Dave Holland, and drummer Al Foster. While these musicians were associated with Davis during his later electronic years, the session's inspiration is clearly from the trumpeter's great acoustic career. It includes little-heard pieces like "Swing Spring," from 1954, and "Circle," from 1966, as well as masterworks such as "Miles Ahead", "Milestones," and "Flamenco Sketches" from the intervening classic period. Heard at his best here, Henderson is a stunning improviser, combining a relaxed, almost offhand flow with frequently surprising melodic and rhythmic turns, developing an intriguing multidirectionality in his solos. While Davis has been one of the most imitated of musicians, there's nothing derivative about this tribute, which garnered 1993 Grammy Awards as both Best Jazz Instrumental (individual or group) and Best Jazz Solo (instrumental) for Henderson's serene work on "Miles Ahead." The CD is unquestionably a group accomplishment, though, with intense yet restrained work from Scofield (his comping here sometimes suggests the master, Jim Hall) and bristling interplay in the rhythm section. --Stuart Broomer
But most of the credit has to go to the music, the singers, and the recording as such. I believe that this (originally analogue) remastered recording has one of the best recorded sounds and acoustics of any Ring, studio or 'live'. It is wonderfully clear but warm, kind of velvety (very unlike Solti), with beautifully natural balaces between voices and orchestra. Audience noises can be heard (including a delightful little ripple of laughter) but never really obtrusively so, thankfully. And I love the thunderclap-sound effect when Donner strikes his hammer against the rocks - very tastefully done, and lending extra power to the scene.
All the time one reads in reviews everywhere of the very slow speads at which the music is conducted by Sir Reginald Goodall. Well, that may be so, but I, for one, am certainly endeared to Sir Reginald Goodalls 'caressing' of the music, as a result of which wich the Leitmotifs come out more clearly than ever. The slow - but nonetheless very concentrated, and always involved - playing has, to me, an almost mesmerizing effect. Certainly, compared to many other recordings, the music may sound stretched almost beyond breaking point. But in the end, I think it is really just that: a matter of speed, no more. The concentration never falters and the dramatic arc never saggs. There is live 'music magic' going on here, I feel, even if the English National Opera Orchestra may not be (as precise or as diciplined as) a Wiener Philharmoniker or a Bayreuther Festspielorchester. Certainly, Sir Reginald Goodall must have loved this music and these opera's: one feels a slowly beating but constant loving pulse that energizes the drama and the music.
But we also have the singers. And what a great singers! While the best may be yet to come (with Alberto Remedios as Siegmund and Siegfried, and Rita Hunter as Brunnhilde), we here, in The Rhinegold, already have one of the most commanding of Wotans (Norman Bailey, with wonderful burnished timbre). Also, Emile Belcourt stands out as a wonderfully sleek but full-voiced Loge. Derek Hammond-Stroud's Alberich may not be as black as Gunther von Kannen's (for Barenboim), for example, but there is enough anguish, frustration and anger to lend his character a convincing reality and depth. And the giants too, are a winning pair. Especially Fafner (Clifford Grant) is as imposing and powerful as one may ever wish.
With all the rave reviews, here and elsewhere I can't wait to hear The Valkyrie, (especially) Siegfried and Twilight of the Gods. This certainly is a winning 'Ring', to be kept alongside any other 'great' recorded 'Ring' out there, IMHO. To me, it can hold its own alongside any other favorite recordings.
Please, sample this Ring (try for example the Chandos website for fragments of all of the music) and decide for yourself. Highly recommended.
TIMING (Estimate):
Solti's Ring: 14 hours, 30 minutes
Bohm's Ring: 13 hours, 30 minutes
Karajan's Ring: 14 hours, 50 minutes
Goodall's Ring: 16 hours, 50 minutes
Janowski's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes
Levine's Ring: 15 hours, 20 minutes
Sawallisch's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes
CONDUCTING:
Solti: Solti's conducting is driven with sheer muscle, but sometimes he makes the Ring overemotional. His Walkure & Gotterdammerung Preludes are clear examples: they're annoyingly bombastic. Nonetheless he almost seldom loses control with anything. His clear focus on the drama is astonishing.
Bohm: I must say his live Bayreuth recording brings out some of the best. He puts more faith in the orchestral score, but he also gives it more intensity. His tempi are some of the quickest, but they still don't seem rushed at all (except maybe "Wohin schleich'st du eilig und schlau"). I especially like his "Forging Scene" & "Hagen Summons the Vassals"; both are the most energetic on disc.
Karajan: Karajan's chamber approach is very interesting. Instead of going for the drama or the energy, the conductor goes for the beauty. Almost everything in his Ring sounds very ethereal because of his excessive use of lyricism. His orchestral preludes (except Walkure Act 1) sound more beautiful than others, and much of the soft parts (such as Siegfried Act Three Scene Three) are controlled nicely. His "Funeral March" and "Immolation" are recommendable. Siegfried Act Three Scene Two could have improved with more tension.
Goodall: Oh, boy. While I do praise Goodall with his amazing attention to detail, his ridiculously sluggish tempi will tick some Wagnerites off: everything is slower than adagio moderato. But I did enjoy listening to the slow beauty of his "Wotan's Farewell/Magic Fire Music". This was recorded live and sung in English.
Janowski: This is a very classical Ring. Instead of bombast, spacious, or lyrical passion, maestro Janowski gives us the straightforward approach. He goes straight for Wagner's original intentions (precise tempi, dynamics, flow of leitmotivs, etc.), which makes this another exquisite Ring. "Hagen Summons the Vassals" is probably the fastest I've ever heard (along with Sawallisch's). Rheingold Scene Four can be best described as "sensational".
Levine: While he does stay true to the score like Bohm, this conductor makes for a somewhat dull Ring. His handling of the orchestra is nice, but the moderately slow tempi he chooses is flawed. It should be more animated. His beautiful "Funeral March" and "Erda's Warning" are two of the few flawless features.
Sawallisch: I guess you can say that Sawallisch is half-Karajan, half-Janowski. While he does stay true to the orchestral score like Janowski, he also puts in a little Karajan-like lyricism. At some points he loses track with orchestra and singers (as does every live recording) but Bohm has more control. This was also recorded live.
ORCHESTRA:
Solti's Vienna Philharmonic: The woodwinds are the most beautiful in Solti's Ring (the "Forest Murmurs" is clear evidence of that). French horns and Wagner tubas make this a recommended listening. The strings in "Heda Heda Hedo" could've added a bit more work, but they are strikingly spectacular everywhere else. The orchestra gives it their all in Siegfried Act Two & Three, but they are at their weakest in Walkure Act One & Three (Bohm's Bayreuth does it better). Overall, it's the loudest and certainly most bombastic out of all the Ring orchestras combined.
Bohm's Bayreuth Festival: The ultimate Wagnerian orchestra gives it their all. The brass both high and low are the most powerful, while the woodwinds are the most delicate. The strings are muffled only a few times, otherwise the eighteen anvils are perfectly loud and clear. Erda's scenes aren't as effective as Janowski's, but the entire Walkure is more successful than Janowski's when it comes to tone & technique. Overall, this orchestra is the most dramatic.
Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic: The entire orchestra sounds polished, not to say that it is bad. Indeed the drama is still there, but much of the suspense is lacking (the scenes with Fasolt and Fafner come to mind). The brass sometimes overpowers the strings, which can be a serious problem. Gotterdammerung "Three Norns" Scene sounds very mysterious, very eerie.
Goodall's English National Opera: This orchestra sounds nice, even if the sluggishness can bring them down at times. The Flight of the Valkyries doesn't sound too good in a slow tempo, but the entire orchestra does sound lucid here. Siegfried Act One Prelude is the creepiest. All of the leitmotivs are heard loud and clear, just like in Janowski's version.
Janowski's Staatskapelle Dresden: This orchestra has the same force & flair as does Bohm's Bayreuth Festival, only Dresden sounds much clearer due to the fantastic digital sound. Even minor details are found in this Ring. I can hear harps in Flight of the Valkyries! The strings imitate the Siegfried forest very well, while the woodwinds representing the songbird are wonderful (but not as wonderful as Solti's songbird). Dresden's "Magic Fire Music" (along with Berlin's) is the most extravagant.
Levine's Metropolitan Opera: The brass and woodwinds are the true stars. The strings sound too tired to continue on in Siegfried & Gotterdammerung. The Finale to Rheingold is absolutely stunning (the trumpets and trombones will not disappoint), and the Second Act of Walkure is the most impressive, the most refined.
Sawallisch's Bavarian State: Wrong notes in this live recording won't matter, as the entire orchestra gets everything going in all four nights at the opera. The strings never surrender to imperfection, and the winds are marvelously aligned. I just wish that some of the singers would keep up with the orchestra.
SINGERS:
-Wotan
Solti: Hans Hotter is the superior Wotan. He sounds powerful throughout the Ring (except Rheingold, in which a less stellar George London performs).
Bohm and Janowski: Theo Adam in Bohm's live recording is another treat. While he is not as equally impressive as Hotter, he can certainly conjure up everlasting emotions. Adam sounds weaker in Janowski's studio recording, but he still doesn't disappoint.
Karajan: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau plays Wotan in "Rheingold," while Thomas Stewart replaces Fischer-Dieskau in "Walkure" and "Siegfried". I don't think Fischer-Dieskau was a good choice; he sounds too humane and too light. Stewart makes an astounding improvement in both "Walkure" and "Siegfried".
Goodall: Norman Bailey has that divine spark that Hotter used to cherish. He's heavy and unblemished, and he handles the English text with flair and sheen.
Levine: James Morris is a notch below Hotter, Adam, and Bailey, but he overpowers Fischer-Dieskau pretty much throughout the Levine's Ring.
Sawallisch: I may be biased, but Robert Hale just didn't do it for me. He sounded dull and tedious, and his Wotan's Farewell wasn't enough to sadden me.
-Brunnhilde
Solti and Bohm: Birgit Nilsson is the best Brunnhilde on the market. Her Valkyrie cry is delightful, and her final scene in Gotterdammerung is brilliant beyond belief.
Karajan: Regine Crespin is without a doubt one of the finest Brunnhildes after Nilsson. She's fantastic in Walkure Act Three. I just wish she stayed on as the Valkyrie later on in the Ring (Helga Dernesch is no good in Gotterdammerung, sorry to say).
Goodall: Rita Hunter is at her strongest in Walkure and Siegfried. She is at her weakest in Gotterdammerung. What may have caused her downfall in the fourth installment? "The world may never know."
Janowski: Jeannine Altmeyer is basically the most controversial Brunnhilde on CD. Some people say that she's too light and weak, while others say she sounds young and very enchanting. I'm with those who think Altmeyer was a good choice, but you yourself (the shopper) are going to have to decide whether she's good or not.
Levine and Sawallisch: Hildegard Behrens is just like Nilsson and Crespin: while she's not the best, she is definitely another perfect Brunnhilde of choice. She's at her most dazzling when she performs Walkure (Levine) and Siegfried (Sawallisch).
-Siegmund & Sieglinde
Let's see. For the Siegmunds, we have James King for Solti and Bohm. Jon Vickers for Karajan, Alberto Remedios for Goodall, Siegfried Jerusalem for Janowski, Gary Lakes for Levine, and Robert Schunk for Sawallisch. For the Sieglindes, we have Regine Crespin for Solti, Leonie Rysanek for Bohm, Gundula Janowitz for Karajan, Margaret Curphy for Goodall, Jessye Norman for both Janowski and Levine, and Julia Varady for Sawallisch. Hmm . . . Jerusalem is good . . . and so is Vickers . . . Janowitz is charming, and so is . . . Oh, what the heck? All the singers for Siegmund and Sieglinde are fantastic. Two exceptions, though: Robert Schunk doesn't sound heroic enough, and Jessye Norman for Levine's Ring doesn't sound young and innocent enough.
-Siegfried
Solti and Bohm: Wolfgang Windgassen may very well be the best Siegfried for the ages. His `Forging Scene" in both renditions are defiantly inspiring. His last scene in Gotterdammerung is celestial and overwhelming.
Karajan: Jess Thomas (Siegfried) and Helge Brilioth (Gotterdammerung) may not be as ideal as Windgassen, but they do know how to be a magnificent heldentenor. Thomas pulls it off with Act One and Three.
Goodall: Wow! What a singer that Alberto Remedios! He never drags in either of the last two installments, and he uses the correct emotions in every scene that he is in.
Janowski and Sawallisch: Rene Kollo's Siegfried is a poetically expressive one. In Janowski's version he sounds playful when he's in Mime's home, and he sounds willed when he's in the Gibich Hall. He is not good enough in Sawallisch's version, however. His tiresome "Forging Scene" is obvious evidence of that.
Levine: Oh, Reiner Goldberg. At least you tried. Seriously, he sounds too tedious (especially in Gotterdammerung Act Three Scene Two) and too old. I don't know Levine should've chose Kollo when he recorded his Ring.
-Alberich
Solti and Bohm: Gustav Niedlinger has a heaviness that overwhelms a few other baritones. When he sings his only sequence in Gotterdammerung Act Two Scene One, his emotion is so pure that his son Hagen would've drowned himself in tears (Too melodramatic? Sorry about that.). The only problem is that his character sounds too one-dimensional. Alberich isn't just some cardboard-cutout bad guy. He has a very good reason why he wants to take revenge on the world. Overall, Niedlinger is amazing throughout Wagner's Ring (He deserves many awards for "Bin ich nun frei?").
Karajan: I guess you can say that Zoltan Kelemen tries his best throughout. He is not good in Rheingold, but he gets better in Siegfried and Gotterdammerung.
Goodall: Derek Hammond-Stroud is three-dimensional, but not that much. Still, he can sound very demanding in Rheingold Scene One and Siegfried Act Two Scene One.
Janowski: Siegmund Nimsgern may be the most humane Alberich yet, but it's all good. He sings with more passion than Kelemen and more robustness than Hammond-Stroud. Niedlinger's ferociousness puts him below, however. "Schaf'st du, Hagen, mein sohn?" is noteworthy.
Levine and Sawallisch: Ekkehard Wlaschiha is one hell of a vigorous Alberich. I praise him in Rheingold Scene One and Three. His performance in Siegfried (both versions) could've improved with more distrustfulness towards Mime and the Wanderer.
-Mime
Solti and Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is the creepiest Mime ever known to humankind. This dwarf outsings other Mimes on the market. When he sings "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" his anger and fear is the most effective to almost all Ring listeners.
Bohm: Erwin Wohlfahrt wins second place. He gives a first-rate performance in Siegfried Act One, but loses some of his edge in Act Two. He is an exceptional Mime nonetheless. Look for him in Karajan's Rheingold, also.
Goodall: Gregory Dempsey isn't emotional enough. He doesn't sound fearful or depressed at all, which makes him the dullest Mime for the Ring.
Janowski: Peter Schreier is for Siegfried, while Christian Vogel is for Rheingold. Vogel is less than perfect, while Schreier is way beyond outstanding. Schreier is less ghoulish and more benevolent, more three-dimensional than Stolze and Wohlfahrt. The only flaw I can find is his handling of "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" He could've added a bit more fear in that sequence.
Levine: Heinz Zednik is yet another excellent mime. He is equal to Schreier when it comes to humaneness and lyricism. His performance in Rheingold Scene Three is pure gold, while his performance in Siegfried (particularly "Willkommen, Siegfried!") is a stunning achievement.
Sawallisch: Helmut Pampuch is just like Schreier and Zednik: he's very VERY good. Nuff said.
-Loge
Solti: Set Svanholm may be the weakest Loge. He is not very ominous throughout all of his scenes, and his lack of a sinister atmosphere is greatly affects the entire Rheingold. But he'll soon be forgotten later on in the Ring.
Bohm: Why the heck would the conductor have Wolfgang Windgassen play both Siegfried AND Loge? The demi-god needs to sound different from a son of a Walsung. Still, it's satisfactory, and his "Ihrem ende eilen sie zu" gives great foreshadowing.
Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is easily the most entertaining Loge to listen to. His scenes in Scene Three are delightful.
Goodall: Emile Belcourt isn't as good as Stolze, but he certainly can make some of the best of an English-speaking Loge.
Janowski: Peter Schreier is the most eccentric out of all of them, and that's a fact. Much of his singing involves imagination, peril, vengeance, and deviousness. Belcourt depends only on imagination and deviousness, Stolze only vengeance and deviousness, and Windgassen only peril. His odd conversations with Alberich and the gods/goddesses are classic.
Levine: Siegfried Jerusalem doesn't seem like a good choice for Loge. He's better off playing Siegmund or Siegfried, but not a demi-god.
Sawallisch: Robert Tear is on par with Stolze and Schreier. Sometimes he takes things too low, but all is forgiven with his management of character development.
-Everyone Else
Uh-huh, what can I say? Everyone else does a good job in all Ring recordings (maybe not in Swarowsky's version). Matti Salminen is the perfect Hagen (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch), while Kirsten Flagstad is the most brilliant Fricka (Solti). The Norns and Rheinmaidens do a splendid job in Solti, Janowski, and Levine. The Vassals (male choir) are at their unsurpassed in Bohm and Goodall. The only flawed Erda is Anne Collins (Goodall), maybe too light and too heavy at times. All in all, no one here is graded C or lower.
CONCLUSION: I have yet to listen to Barenboim's Bayreuth presentation and the essential mono recordings (Furtwangler, Krauss), but I'm pretty sure that have their advantages and disadvantages. So there you have it. We have the histrionic Solti, the energetic Bohm, the otherworldly Karajan, the spacious Goodall, the calculated Janowski, the relaxed Levine, and the serious Sawallisch Rings. They have their own authenticities and setbacks, and they certainly have their own significances for Ring listeners everywhere.
Sir Georg Solti: Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sir Georg Solti
Karl Bohm: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen
Herbert von Karajan: Der Ring des Nibelungen / Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic
Goodall: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)
-The Valkyrie (Part 2): Wagner: The Valkyrie
-Siegfried (Part 3): Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
-Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
Marek Janowski: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen
James Levine: Der Ring Des Nibelungen
-Wolfgang Sawllisch: Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sawallisch, Bayerischer Staatsoper
One of the most effective tributes ever recorded, this session matches Joe Henderson's tenor with three brilliant former Miles Davis sidemen--guitarist John Scofield, bassist Dave Holland, and drummer Al Foster. While these musicians were associated with Davis during his later electronic years, the session's inspiration is clearly from the trumpeter's great acoustic career. It includes little-heard pieces like "Swing Spring," from 1954, and "Circle," from 1966, as well as masterworks such as "Miles Ahead", "Milestones," and "Flamenco Sketches" from the intervening classic period. Heard at his best here, Henderson is a stunning improviser, combining a relaxed, almost offhand flow with frequently surprising melodic and rhythmic turns, developing an intriguing multidirectionality in his solos. While Davis has been one of the most imitated of musicians, there's nothing derivative about this tribute, which garnered 1993 Grammy Awards as both Best Jazz Instrumental (individual or group) and Best Jazz Solo (instrumental) for Henderson's serene work on "Miles Ahead." The CD is unquestionably a group accomplishment, though, with intense yet restrained work from Scofield (his comping here sometimes suggests the master, Jim Hall) and bristling interplay in the rhythm section. --Stuart Broomer
So Near, So Far (Musings for Miles),Joe Henderson,Polygram Records,Jazz,Jazz Music,Pop,Post-Bop
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So Near, So Far (Musings for Miles)
Joe Henderson Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD  Bebop General
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ASIN: B0000046P4 Release Date: 1993-02-23 |
Tracks:
- Miles Ahead
- Joshua
- Pfrancing (No Blues)
- Flamenco Sketches
- Milestones
- Teo
- Swing Spring
- Circle
- Side Car
- So Near, So Far
Amazon.com
One of the most effective tributes ever recorded, this session matches Joe Henderson's tenor with three brilliant former Miles Davis sidemen--guitarist John Scofield, bassist Dave Holland, and drummer Al Foster. While these musicians were associated with Davis during his later electronic years, the session's inspiration is clearly from the trumpeter's great acoustic career. It includes little-heard pieces like "Swing Spring," from 1954, and "Circle," from 1966, as well as masterworks such as "Miles Ahead", "Milestones," and "Flamenco Sketches" from the intervening classic period. Heard at his best here, Henderson is a stunning improviser, combining a relaxed, almost offhand flow with frequently surprising melodic and rhythmic turns, developing an intriguing multidirectionality in his solos. While Davis has been one of the most imitated of musicians, there's nothing derivative about this tribute, which garnered 1993 Grammy Awards as both Best Jazz Instrumental (individual or group) and Best Jazz Solo (instrumental) for Henderson's serene work on "Miles Ahead." The CD is unquestionably a group accomplishment, though, with intense yet restrained work from Scofield (his comping here sometimes suggests the master, Jim Hall) and bristling interplay in the rhythm section. --Stuart BroomerCustomer Reviews:
Good but uninspiring tribute album.......2006-01-17
Totally pleasant reworking of stuff Miles made his own..........2003-04-20
Not just another tribute album.......2002-10-04
Turns out, it's the former: this is the best CD I've purchased all year.
The selection of songs, which come from Miles' acoustic period, are a good mix of his well known masterworks (Flamenco Sketches) and lesser known ones (Circle). Sure, it may have been nice to hear some of his later, electric stuff reworked, but I really can't complain there.
The playing is nothing short of phenominal. Henderson is playing at his best, with an incredibly laid back, melodic sound most of the time, while also building up to intense, energetic climaxes in his solos. Scofield's playing is as brilliant as we'd expect - a restrained, disciplined sound, brilliant comping, and fantastic solos (as he would do again w/ Joe Henderson on the "Porgy and Bess" album). Dave Holland and Al Foster had, as the liner notes said, played together not long prior to recording this album, and it shows. The two lock together and interact as though they were attached at the hip.
I can't say enough good things about this album. It's just incredible.
One of the great tribute albums.......2001-11-16
Yet all of these misgivings fade away placed next to this album, which is one of the best of Henderson's career. In part that's because of its careful avoidance of the obvious. If one were to assemble a tribute to the pre-electric Miles (none of these compositions dates from later than 1968), it would hardly be obvious to pair Henderson (who was very briefly with Miles' band during 1967--in his liner notes Henderson says he played alongside Shorter for "four weekends") with three stalwarts of Miles's electric period--Dave Holland, John Scofield & Al Foster. The choice of compositions is also refreshingly unobvious; Miles is usually most closely identified with his interpretations of other composers' work ("My Funny Valentine", "Footprints", "Round Midnight", &c), & in any case the most popular Miles compositions are avoided here (only "Flamenco Sketches" from _Kind of Blue_; no "Tune Up", "Solar", "Four", "Nardis", "Milestones", &c.). (Henderson gently & ambivalently touches in the liner notes on the many accusations that have been levelled over the years at Miles concerning stealing the credits for some songs--"Four" for instance is apparently the work of Eddie Cleanhead Vinson, & Bill Evans should have received co-credits for _Kind of Blue_'s compositions.)
All the foregoing is by way of saying that tribute albums inevitably carry a lot of historical & cultural baggage with them, & often this can weigh heavily on the music. The delight here is that the album entirely succeeds in both paying homage & yet sounding very much of its moment--1992. Holland & Foster are an astonishingly fleet rhythm section, & with Scofield playing with an unexpectedly lucid, open tone, this album is at once transparent in texture & warm in feeling. The use of guitar instead of piano is a brilliant stroke, as it immediately removes any resemblance between these versions & the original Miles versions, & yet Scofield's fragile chording on "Flamenco Sketches" is straight out of Bill Evans. (It's worth comparing his work here with another tribute album from about the same time, Paul Motian's _Bill Evans_, with Bill Frisell a strikingly effective replacement for the original piano.)
Henderson's playing here is impeccable, but this is not a soloist-plus-rhythm-section date: it is four men collectively reconsidering Miles Davis's legacy, working in the closest mutual understanding. One of the essential albums of the 1990s.
A fitting tribute.......2000-03-02
Henderson has been one of my favorite musicians for a long, long time, but he still managed to surprise me with this album. Discarding the aggressive attack he displayed in the Blue Note years, he plays a lot here in the middle to upper register, and his tone in the upper regions is bell-like, his control flawless.
As the best example, check out his work on "Flamenco Sketches," a key tune from Miles' "Kind of Blue" release. After John Scofield introduces the haunting melody on guitar, Henderson enters quietly, sketching the theme so delicately on his tenor that it sounds for a moment like a flute.
Another highlight is "Pfrancing (No Blues)," Miles' tribute to a dancer. Henderson's tenor dances on this one, as he builds a perfectly arced solo, pushed along by Scofield.
Al Foster on drums and Dave Holland on bass, both frequent collaborators with Miles, also make strong contributions throughout. This is a well-fused quartet, and all the members exhibit a genuine respect for the music without lapsing into a recycling of the tunes.
Scofield remarked in the liner notes that he thinks about Miles every time he plays jazz. The beauty of this album is that it captures the spirit that Miles imparted, and a good part of that spirit is the admonition that every jazz musician must take what he learns to find his own voice.
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Dittersdorf: Arcifanfano, King of Fools
Manufacturer: Video Artists Int'l ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Dittersdorf
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ASIN: B000003LIK Release Date: 1994-12-12 |
Tracks:
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Overture
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Chorus - We've Traveled Far (Semplicina, Gloriosa, Garbata, Sordidone, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Approach! What Is Your Name, Sir? (Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - With A Sword That Is Sterner Than Moses (Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Unhappy Oddling (Gloriosa)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - My Fair Skin, My Bare Chin (Gloriosa)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Was Ever There Insanity (Sordidone)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - Snugly Hidden Safe From Prying (Sordidone)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Madness Beyond All Measure (Malgoverno)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - When The Purse Is Clinking (Malgoverno)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - There, Like A Vapor (Semplicina)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - O Look So Woeful (Semplicina)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Such As She Seems To Be Frigid (Garbata)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - Let's Sing, Let's All Be Jolly (Garbata)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - For All Types Of Confusion
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - The Fierce One Lives Only For The Slaughter
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - I Beg You To Stop (Malgoverna, Gloriosa, Garbata)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - We Praise The Sun For Beauty (Malgoverna)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Bumpkin, Coarse-grained (Gloriosa, Garbata)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - If You Will Love Me, I Will Love You (Garbata)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - No, They Cannot Persuade Me! (Gloriosa)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - Lovely Ladies, You Enjoying (Gloriosa)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Where's My Lover, Sweetheart (Sordidone)
Tracks:
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - Sordidone, Be A Bunny
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Are You Hiding? (Sordidone, Garbata)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Duet - See Comely Phyllis Wander (Garbata, Sordidone)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Don't Come Near Me (Semplicina, Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - The High And Mighty Lion (Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Quiet At Last (Semplicina)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Duet - Semplicina, Do You Hear Me? (Semplicina)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Quartet - Ever More Bitter Shall Be My Raging (Gloriosa, Garbata, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - What Now? What New Forms Of Madness? (Gloriosa, Sordidone, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Chorus - Long Live King Arcifanfano (Semplicina, Gloriosa, Garbata, Sordidone, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - Earth, Our Dearest, Good And Nearest (Sordidone)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - That His Sowing Yield A Growing (Malgoverno)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - What Has The Fool Committed (Malgoverna, Gloriosa)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - Ask Of Beauty, She Will Answer (Gloriosa)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - Hop And Stop It! (Furibondo, Gloriosa)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - All Of This Planet, I Cry To Each Man (Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - What's Unleashed These Dreadful Roars? (Garbata, Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - I'm Simple And I'm Candid (Garbata)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - What Mischief And Load This Purse Is!
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - Goddess Bright As Morning
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - Mother Always Used To Tell Me (Sordidone, Semplicina)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - What A Lot I Need What I Need Lot's Of! (Sordidone)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - May He Not Come To Harm (Semplicina)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - There's A Devil In A Ducat (Semplicina)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - Gather, O Subjects, About Us (Gloriosa, Garbata, Semplicina)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Duet - If You Marry Me (Semplicina)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Chorus - With Curiosity All Aflame (Semplicina, Gloriosa, Garbata, Sordidone, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - Quiet, Please, We Implore You!
- Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Chorus - The Wise And The Mad Have Got One Word For Their Dwelling
Customer Reviews:
A Comic-Opera Treasure!.......2007-01-28
an obscure delight!.......2002-07-31
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Ultimate Cole Porter, Vol. 4
Manufacturer: Pearl ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Porter
| Porter, Cole
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ASIN: B00009EFV8 Release Date: 2003-06-24 |
Tracks:
- Dream Dancing [From You'll Never Get Rich] - Fred Astaire, Harry Sosnik
- Since I Kissed My Baby Goodbye [From You'll Never Get Rich] - Fred Astaire, The Delta Rhythm Boys, Harry Sosnik
- Wedding Cake Walk [From You'll Never Get Rich] - Gordon Jenkins, Martha Tilton
- So Near and Yet So Far [From You'll Never Get Rich] - Fred Astaire, Harry Sosnik
- Wedding Cake Walk [From You'll Never Get Rich] - Fred Astaire, The Delta Rhythm Boys, Harry Sosnik
- Something for the Boys [From Something for the Boys] - Ethel Merman
- Could It Be You? [From Something for the Boys] - Bill Johnson
- Hey! Good Lookin' [From Something for the Boys] - Bill Johnson, Ethel Merman
- He's a Right Guy [From Something for the Boys] - Ethel Merman
- I'm in Love With a Soldier Boy [From Something for the Boys] - Ethel Merman
- My the Mississinewah [From Something for the Boys] - Betty Bruce, Ethel Merman
- There's a Happy Land in the Sky [From Something for the Boys] - Betty Bruce, Allen Jenkins, Bill Johnson, Ethel Merman
- When My Baby Goes to Town [From Something for the Boys] - Bill Johnson
- Something for the Boys [From Something for the Boys] - Leonard Joy, Paula Laurence
- By the Mississinewah [From Something for the Boys] - Betty Garrett, Leonard Joy, Paula Laurence
- Hey! Good Lookin' [From Something for the Boys] - Evelyn Dall,
- Something for the Boys [From Something for the Boys] - Evelyn Dall,
- Only Another Boy and Girl [From Seven Lively Arts] - Jane Harvey
- Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye [From Seven Lively Arts] - Maxine Sullivan, Teddy Wilson
- Don't Fence Me In [From Hollywood Canteen] - Roy Rogers
- Just One of Those Things [From Night and Day] - Ginny Simms
- Begin the Beguine [From Night and Day] - Roberto Valdes Arnau, Carlos Ramirez
- Should I Tell You I Love You? [From Around the World in Eighty Days] - Ray Carter,
- Look What I Found [From Around the World in Eighty Days] - Ray Carter,
- If You Smile at Me [From Around the World in Eighty Days] - Ray Carter,
- Pipe Dreaming - Ray Carter,
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Wagner: The Rhinegold
English National Opera Manufacturer: Chandos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Wagner
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ASIN: B00005B550 Release Date: 2001-05-22 |
Customer Reviews:
A Rose By Any Other Name..........2007-07-02
But most of the credit has to go to the music, the singers, and the recording as such. I believe that this (originally analogue) remastered recording has one of the best recorded sounds and acoustics of any Ring, studio or 'live'. It is wonderfully clear but warm, kind of velvety (very unlike Solti), with beautifully natural balaces between voices and orchestra. Audience noises can be heard (including a delightful little ripple of laughter) but never really obtrusively so, thankfully. And I love the thunderclap-sound effect when Donner strikes his hammer against the rocks - very tastefully done, and lending extra power to the scene.
All the time one reads in reviews everywhere of the very slow speads at which the music is conducted by Sir Reginald Goodall. Well, that may be so, but I, for one, am certainly endeared to Sir Reginald Goodalls 'caressing' of the music, as a result of which wich the Leitmotifs come out more clearly than ever. The slow - but nonetheless very concentrated, and always involved - playing has, to me, an almost mesmerizing effect. Certainly, compared to many other recordings, the music may sound stretched almost beyond breaking point. But in the end, I think it is really just that: a matter of speed, no more. The concentration never falters and the dramatic arc never saggs. There is live 'music magic' going on here, I feel, even if the English National Opera Orchestra may not be (as precise or as diciplined as) a Wiener Philharmoniker or a Bayreuther Festspielorchester. Certainly, Sir Reginald Goodall must have loved this music and these opera's: one feels a slowly beating but constant loving pulse that energizes the drama and the music.
But we also have the singers. And what a great singers! While the best may be yet to come (with Alberto Remedios as Siegmund and Siegfried, and Rita Hunter as Brunnhilde), we here, in The Rhinegold, already have one of the most commanding of Wotans (Norman Bailey, with wonderful burnished timbre). Also, Emile Belcourt stands out as a wonderfully sleek but full-voiced Loge. Derek Hammond-Stroud's Alberich may not be as black as Gunther von Kannen's (for Barenboim), for example, but there is enough anguish, frustration and anger to lend his character a convincing reality and depth. And the giants too, are a winning pair. Especially Fafner (Clifford Grant) is as imposing and powerful as one may ever wish.
With all the rave reviews, here and elsewhere I can't wait to hear The Valkyrie, (especially) Siegfried and Twilight of the Gods. This certainly is a winning 'Ring', to be kept alongside any other 'great' recorded 'Ring' out there, IMHO. To me, it can hold its own alongside any other favorite recordings.
Please, sample this Ring (try for example the Chandos website for fragments of all of the music) and decide for yourself. Highly recommended.
"Thus I salute the stronghold, safe from dread and dismay!.......2007-06-12
TIMING (Estimate):
Solti's Ring: 14 hours, 30 minutes
Bohm's Ring: 13 hours, 30 minutes
Karajan's Ring: 14 hours, 50 minutes
Goodall's Ring: 16 hours, 50 minutes
Janowski's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes
Levine's Ring: 15 hours, 20 minutes
Sawallisch's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes
CONDUCTING:
Solti: Solti's conducting is driven with sheer muscle, but sometimes he makes the Ring overemotional. His Walkure & Gotterdammerung Preludes are clear examples: they're annoyingly bombastic. Nonetheless he almost seldom loses control with anything. His clear focus on the drama is astonishing.
Bohm: I must say his live Bayreuth recording brings out some of the best. He puts more faith in the orchestral score, but he also gives it more intensity. His tempi are some of the quickest, but they still don't seem rushed at all (except maybe "Wohin schleich'st du eilig und schlau"). I especially like his "Forging Scene" & "Hagen Summons the Vassals"; both are the most energetic on disc.
Karajan: Karajan's chamber approach is very interesting. Instead of going for the drama or the energy, the conductor goes for the beauty. Almost everything in his Ring sounds very ethereal because of his excessive use of lyricism. His orchestral preludes (except Walkure Act 1) sound more beautiful than others, and much of the soft parts (such as Siegfried Act Three Scene Three) are controlled nicely. His "Funeral March" and "Immolation" are recommendable. Siegfried Act Three Scene Two could have improved with more tension.
Goodall: Oh, boy. While I do praise Goodall with his amazing attention to detail, his ridiculously sluggish tempi will tick some Wagnerites off: everything is slower than adagio moderato. But I did enjoy listening to the slow beauty of his "Wotan's Farewell/Magic Fire Music". This was recorded live and sung in English.
Janowski: This is a very classical Ring. Instead of bombast, spacious, or lyrical passion, maestro Janowski gives us the straightforward approach. He goes straight for Wagner's original intentions (precise tempi, dynamics, flow of leitmotivs, etc.), which makes this another exquisite Ring. "Hagen Summons the Vassals" is probably the fastest I've ever heard (along with Sawallisch's). Rheingold Scene Four can be best described as "sensational".
Levine: While he does stay true to the score like Bohm, this conductor makes for a somewhat dull Ring. His handling of the orchestra is nice, but the moderately slow tempi he chooses is flawed. It should be more animated. His beautiful "Funeral March" and "Erda's Warning" are two of the few flawless features.
Sawallisch: I guess you can say that Sawallisch is half-Karajan, half-Janowski. While he does stay true to the orchestral score like Janowski, he also puts in a little Karajan-like lyricism. At some points he loses track with orchestra and singers (as does every live recording) but Bohm has more control. This was also recorded live.
ORCHESTRA:
Solti's Vienna Philharmonic: The woodwinds are the most beautiful in Solti's Ring (the "Forest Murmurs" is clear evidence of that). French horns and Wagner tubas make this a recommended listening. The strings in "Heda Heda Hedo" could've added a bit more work, but they are strikingly spectacular everywhere else. The orchestra gives it their all in Siegfried Act Two & Three, but they are at their weakest in Walkure Act One & Three (Bohm's Bayreuth does it better). Overall, it's the loudest and certainly most bombastic out of all the Ring orchestras combined.
Bohm's Bayreuth Festival: The ultimate Wagnerian orchestra gives it their all. The brass both high and low are the most powerful, while the woodwinds are the most delicate. The strings are muffled only a few times, otherwise the eighteen anvils are perfectly loud and clear. Erda's scenes aren't as effective as Janowski's, but the entire Walkure is more successful than Janowski's when it comes to tone & technique. Overall, this orchestra is the most dramatic.
Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic: The entire orchestra sounds polished, not to say that it is bad. Indeed the drama is still there, but much of the suspense is lacking (the scenes with Fasolt and Fafner come to mind). The brass sometimes overpowers the strings, which can be a serious problem. Gotterdammerung "Three Norns" Scene sounds very mysterious, very eerie.
Goodall's English National Opera: This orchestra sounds nice, even if the sluggishness can bring them down at times. The Flight of the Valkyries doesn't sound too good in a slow tempo, but the entire orchestra does sound lucid here. Siegfried Act One Prelude is the creepiest. All of the leitmotivs are heard loud and clear, just like in Janowski's version.
Janowski's Staatskapelle Dresden: This orchestra has the same force & flair as does Bohm's Bayreuth Festival, only Dresden sounds much clearer due to the fantastic digital sound. Even minor details are found in this Ring. I can hear harps in Flight of the Valkyries! The strings imitate the Siegfried forest very well, while the woodwinds representing the songbird are wonderful (but not as wonderful as Solti's songbird). Dresden's "Magic Fire Music" (along with Berlin's) is the most extravagant.
Levine's Metropolitan Opera: The brass and woodwinds are the true stars. The strings sound too tired to continue on in Siegfried & Gotterdammerung. The Finale to Rheingold is absolutely stunning (the trumpets and trombones will not disappoint), and the Second Act of Walkure is the most impressive, the most refined.
Sawallisch's Bavarian State: Wrong notes in this live recording won't matter, as the entire orchestra gets everything going in all four nights at the opera. The strings never surrender to imperfection, and the winds are marvelously aligned. I just wish that some of the singers would keep up with the orchestra.
SINGERS:
-Wotan
Solti: Hans Hotter is the superior Wotan. He sounds powerful throughout the Ring (except Rheingold, in which a less stellar George London performs).
Bohm and Janowski: Theo Adam in Bohm's live recording is another treat. While he is not as equally impressive as Hotter, he can certainly conjure up everlasting emotions. Adam sounds weaker in Janowski's studio recording, but he still doesn't disappoint.
Karajan: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau plays Wotan in "Rheingold," while Thomas Stewart replaces Fischer-Dieskau in "Walkure" and "Siegfried". I don't think Fischer-Dieskau was a good choice; he sounds too humane and too light. Stewart makes an astounding improvement in both "Walkure" and "Siegfried".
Goodall: Norman Bailey has that divine spark that Hotter used to cherish. He's heavy and unblemished, and he handles the English text with flair and sheen.
Levine: James Morris is a notch below Hotter, Adam, and Bailey, but he overpowers Fischer-Dieskau pretty much throughout the Levine's Ring.
Sawallisch: I may be biased, but Robert Hale just didn't do it for me. He sounded dull and tedious, and his Wotan's Farewell wasn't enough to sadden me.
-Brunnhilde
Solti and Bohm: Birgit Nilsson is the best Brunnhilde on the market. Her Valkyrie cry is delightful, and her final scene in Gotterdammerung is brilliant beyond belief.
Karajan: Regine Crespin is without a doubt one of the finest Brunnhildes after Nilsson. She's fantastic in Walkure Act Three. I just wish she stayed on as the Valkyrie later on in the Ring (Helga Dernesch is no good in Gotterdammerung, sorry to say).
Goodall: Rita Hunter is at her strongest in Walkure and Siegfried. She is at her weakest in Gotterdammerung. What may have caused her downfall in the fourth installment? "The world may never know."
Janowski: Jeannine Altmeyer is basically the most controversial Brunnhilde on CD. Some people say that she's too light and weak, while others say she sounds young and very enchanting. I'm with those who think Altmeyer was a good choice, but you yourself (the shopper) are going to have to decide whether she's good or not.
Levine and Sawallisch: Hildegard Behrens is just like Nilsson and Crespin: while she's not the best, she is definitely another perfect Brunnhilde of choice. She's at her most dazzling when she performs Walkure (Levine) and Siegfried (Sawallisch).
-Siegmund & Sieglinde
Let's see. For the Siegmunds, we have James King for Solti and Bohm. Jon Vickers for Karajan, Alberto Remedios for Goodall, Siegfried Jerusalem for Janowski, Gary Lakes for Levine, and Robert Schunk for Sawallisch. For the Sieglindes, we have Regine Crespin for Solti, Leonie Rysanek for Bohm, Gundula Janowitz for Karajan, Margaret Curphy for Goodall, Jessye Norman for both Janowski and Levine, and Julia Varady for Sawallisch. Hmm . . . Jerusalem is good . . . and so is Vickers . . . Janowitz is charming, and so is . . . Oh, what the heck? All the singers for Siegmund and Sieglinde are fantastic. Two exceptions, though: Robert Schunk doesn't sound heroic enough, and Jessye Norman for Levine's Ring doesn't sound young and innocent enough.
-Siegfried
Solti and Bohm: Wolfgang Windgassen may very well be the best Siegfried for the ages. His `Forging Scene" in both renditions are defiantly inspiring. His last scene in Gotterdammerung is celestial and overwhelming.
Karajan: Jess Thomas (Siegfried) and Helge Brilioth (Gotterdammerung) may not be as ideal as Windgassen, but they do know how to be a magnificent heldentenor. Thomas pulls it off with Act One and Three.
Goodall: Wow! What a singer that Alberto Remedios! He never drags in either of the last two installments, and he uses the correct emotions in every scene that he is in.
Janowski and Sawallisch: Rene Kollo's Siegfried is a poetically expressive one. In Janowski's version he sounds playful when he's in Mime's home, and he sounds willed when he's in the Gibich Hall. He is not good enough in Sawallisch's version, however. His tiresome "Forging Scene" is obvious evidence of that.
Levine: Oh, Reiner Goldberg. At least you tried. Seriously, he sounds too tedious (especially in Gotterdammerung Act Three Scene Two) and too old. I don't know Levine should've chose Kollo when he recorded his Ring.
-Alberich
Solti and Bohm: Gustav Niedlinger has a heaviness that overwhelms a few other baritones. When he sings his only sequence in Gotterdammerung Act Two Scene One, his emotion is so pure that his son Hagen would've drowned himself in tears (Too melodramatic? Sorry about that.). The only problem is that his character sounds too one-dimensional. Alberich isn't just some cardboard-cutout bad guy. He has a very good reason why he wants to take revenge on the world. Overall, Niedlinger is amazing throughout Wagner's Ring (He deserves many awards for "Bin ich nun frei?").
Karajan: I guess you can say that Zoltan Kelemen tries his best throughout. He is not good in Rheingold, but he gets better in Siegfried and Gotterdammerung.
Goodall: Derek Hammond-Stroud is three-dimensional, but not that much. Still, he can sound very demanding in Rheingold Scene One and Siegfried Act Two Scene One.
Janowski: Siegmund Nimsgern may be the most humane Alberich yet, but it's all good. He sings with more passion than Kelemen and more robustness than Hammond-Stroud. Niedlinger's ferociousness puts him below, however. "Schaf'st du, Hagen, mein sohn?" is noteworthy.
Levine and Sawallisch: Ekkehard Wlaschiha is one hell of a vigorous Alberich. I praise him in Rheingold Scene One and Three. His performance in Siegfried (both versions) could've improved with more distrustfulness towards Mime and the Wanderer.
-Mime
Solti and Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is the creepiest Mime ever known to humankind. This dwarf outsings other Mimes on the market. When he sings "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" his anger and fear is the most effective to almost all Ring listeners.
Bohm: Erwin Wohlfahrt wins second place. He gives a first-rate performance in Siegfried Act One, but loses some of his edge in Act Two. He is an exceptional Mime nonetheless. Look for him in Karajan's Rheingold, also.
Goodall: Gregory Dempsey isn't emotional enough. He doesn't sound fearful or depressed at all, which makes him the dullest Mime for the Ring.
Janowski: Peter Schreier is for Siegfried, while Christian Vogel is for Rheingold. Vogel is less than perfect, while Schreier is way beyond outstanding. Schreier is less ghoulish and more benevolent, more three-dimensional than Stolze and Wohlfahrt. The only flaw I can find is his handling of "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" He could've added a bit more fear in that sequence.
Levine: Heinz Zednik is yet another excellent mime. He is equal to Schreier when it comes to humaneness and lyricism. His performance in Rheingold Scene Three is pure gold, while his performance in Siegfried (particularly "Willkommen, Siegfried!") is a stunning achievement.
Sawallisch: Helmut Pampuch is just like Schreier and Zednik: he's very VERY good. Nuff said.
-Loge
Solti: Set Svanholm may be the weakest Loge. He is not very ominous throughout all of his scenes, and his lack of a sinister atmosphere is greatly affects the entire Rheingold. But he'll soon be forgotten later on in the Ring.
Bohm: Why the heck would the conductor have Wolfgang Windgassen play both Siegfried AND Loge? The demi-god needs to sound different from a son of a Walsung. Still, it's satisfactory, and his "Ihrem ende eilen sie zu" gives great foreshadowing.
Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is easily the most entertaining Loge to listen to. His scenes in Scene Three are delightful.
Goodall: Emile Belcourt isn't as good as Stolze, but he certainly can make some of the best of an English-speaking Loge.
Janowski: Peter Schreier is the most eccentric out of all of them, and that's a fact. Much of his singing involves imagination, peril, vengeance, and deviousness. Belcourt depends only on imagination and deviousness, Stolze only vengeance and deviousness, and Windgassen only peril. His odd conversations with Alberich and the gods/goddesses are classic.
Levine: Siegfried Jerusalem doesn't seem like a good choice for Loge. He's better off playing Siegmund or Siegfried, but not a demi-god.
Sawallisch: Robert Tear is on par with Stolze and Schreier. Sometimes he takes things too low, but all is forgiven with his management of character development.
-Everyone Else
Uh-huh, what can I say? Everyone else does a good job in all Ring recordings (maybe not in Swarowsky's version). Matti Salminen is the perfect Hagen (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch), while Kirsten Flagstad is the most brilliant Fricka (Solti). The Norns and Rheinmaidens do a splendid job in Solti, Janowski, and Levine. The Vassals (male choir) are at their unsurpassed in Bohm and Goodall. The only flawed Erda is Anne Collins (Goodall), maybe too light and too heavy at times. All in all, no one here is graded C or lower.
CONCLUSION: I have yet to listen to Barenboim's Bayreuth presentation and the essential mono recordings (Furtwangler, Krauss), but I'm pretty sure that have their advantages and disadvantages. So there you have it. We have the histrionic Solti, the energetic Bohm, the otherworldly Karajan, the spacious Goodall, the calculated Janowski, the relaxed Levine, and the serious Sawallisch Rings. They have their own authenticities and setbacks, and they certainly have their own significances for Ring listeners everywhere.
Sir Georg Solti: Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sir Georg Solti
Karl Bohm: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen
Herbert von Karajan: Der Ring des Nibelungen / Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic
Goodall: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)
-The Valkyrie (Part 2): Wagner: The Valkyrie
-Siegfried (Part 3): Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
-Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
Marek Janowski: Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen
James Levine: Der Ring Des Nibelungen
-Wolfgang Sawllisch: Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sawallisch, Bayerischer Staatsoper
Free at last!.......2004-09-18
I Love This Recording.......2002-04-05
What's so good about it? Three things stand out for me: First, the slow tempi that were a litle rough at first actually allow, upon repeated listenings, a new discovery and understanding of Wagner's unfathomable genius. Every nuance is slowed down just enough to be fully accessible. Second, the modern English translation really does make this a different experience...my initial mistake was thinking that English lyrics could allow me to listen to this as background music, and that's not the case. However, if one devotes the same attention to this as a German recording, the time wil be richly rewarded. Finally, the smaller orchestra creates an almost chamber music-esque setting, which compliments the music in an undefinable way. Despite being in English, this is almost more Germanic than original-language recordings.
I still probably wouldn't get this as the first foray into Wagner's RING (I still think Solti or Levine are the choices for that). But for someone who already has some familiarity with the work, this will provide a lifetime's enjoyment. Cudos to Chandos for resurrecting these recordings!
The Goodall Ring - 1975 - Restored and Remastered.......2001-06-08
As to the experience of the drama in English, that too is remarkable, at least for someone like me whose home-tongue is English. The drama takes on an immediacy that I have never experienced before. This factor alone is why you should explore this Ring. I can't overemphasize the impact on me that this recording had on me because it was in English and because it was well-acted. Surely this is what Wagner meant, at least dramaturgically (obviously allowing that you can't actually see the action).
Overall, the singing is competent, and in some places, it's excellent. None of the cast really stands out musically. Norman Bailey's wobbly Wotan could have certainly benefitted from a deeper, richer tone. Still, and perhaps more importantly, he creates a god who is clearly unsure of where the moral highground is, even when he's standing on "an open space on a mountain summit." Everyone, for that matter, is dramatically convincing, especially Emile Belcourt (Loge) and Derek Hammond-Stroud (Alberich) and Robert Lloyd (Fasolt), all of whom, by the way, have excellent diction. And speaking of diction, I almost could have done without the libretto when the men were singing. Not so with the women, whose diction was uniformly wanting.
Goodall's pace is notoriously glacial. Still, it's interesting to hear it parsed in this way, and I never had the feeling that I was going to fall off the world. Which is to say that the tempos were deliberate, not affected. This was definitely a labor of love for RG and the English National Opera. The orchestra is a little thin sounding, and perhaps, not entirely up to the score. Occasionally a horn mis-blew and a cello creaked. This is unavoidable in live performances, I suppose. Still, there is a surprising sense of smallness to the ensemble, even though there's never a moment when the balance between singers and players is lost. As a result, the overall effect is a balance of clarity and urgency that is clearly the upside of Goodall's idiosyncratic "vision" of the score. Not a huge or "erotic" sound, but always committed, intelligent, and sometimes impassioned.
For all of its flaws, this is an astonishing and, for me, an indispensible recording because it made me listen to this opera with new ears. While it's not the most lyrically pleasing recording (Karajan) or musically authoritative (that would be Solti, IMHO), dramatically, this Rhinegold excells any recording I know of. I will definitely buy the rest of the set.
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Haydn: The Seasons
Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Franz Joseph Haydn
| Haydn, Franz Joseph
| ( H )
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ASIN: B0002XV2ZW Release Date: 2005-02-15 |
Tracks:
- Overture
- Recitative: Oh See Where Cruel Winter Flies
- Chorus: Come, Gentle Spring!
- Recitative: From Aries Rolls At Last The Bounteous Sun
- Air: Now Fairly Runs The Farmer's Boy
- Recitative: The Countryman Has His Work Achieved
- Trio And Chorus: Be Now GRacious, Smiling Heaven!
- Recitative: Now Heard Are All Our Prayers
- Trio And Chorus: Oh HOw Lovely Gleams The Outlook
- Chorus And Trio: Ageless! Powerful! Bounteous God!
- Recitative: IN Dove-Grey Mantle Drawing Near
- Air: The LIvely Swain Is Gath'ring Now His Happy Flocks
- Recitative: The Rosy Morn Breaks Forth
- Trio And Chorus: He's Mounting Up, The Sun
- Recitative: Now All Are Astir
- Recitative: The Midday Sun Is Burning Now
- Cavatina: Opress'd Succumbs All Nature Now
- Recitative: Oh Welcome Now, You Shadier Grove
- Air: So Reviving To The Senses
- Recitative: Oh See! Now Rising In The Sultry Air
- Chorus: Hark! The Tempest Drawing Night!
- Trio And Chorus: The Gloomy Clouds Now Part Aside
Tracks:
- Overture
- Recitative: All That Through Her Blossom Fair Spring
- Trio And Chorus: So Nature Gives Reward To Zeal
- Recitative: Now See! To Hazel Bushes There The Youngsters
- Duet: You Beauties Of The Town
- Recitative: Now See, On New-Stripp'd Harvest Field
- Air: There Look Across The Open Fields
- Recitative: Here Beaters, Closing In , Put Up The Hares
- Chorus: Hark! The Clamorous Noise That Through The Wood
- Recitative: On All The Vines Are Glist'ning
- Chorus: Cheer Now! The Wine Is Here
- Introduction
- Recitative: Now Sinks The Pale Declining Year
- Cavatina: Light And Life Are Both Enfeebled
- Recitative: Allfetter'd Lies The Open Lake
- Air: Here Stands The Wand'rer Now
- Recitative: At His Approach Rings In His Ear
- Song And Chorus: Purring, Whirring, Purring
- Recitative: The Flax Has Now Been Spun
- Song And Chorus: A Maid Who Kept Her Honour Fair
- Recitative: From Barren East Now Thrust Far Keener Icy Blasts
- Air: Before Thee Here, Deluded Man
- Recitative: Remains, Alone, And is Our Guide
- Trio And Double Chorus: Then Breaks The Glorious Day At Last
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So Near, So Far
Stephen Pollock with Branfor Marsalis & John Patitucci Manufacturer: Alanna Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B000BMSULS Release Date: 2005-11-08 |
Tracks:
- Oblivion
- Danny Boy
- Three American Songs Of Love/A Time For Love/When I Fall In Love/My One And Only Love
- So Near, So Far
- O Garish World, Long Since Thou Hast Lost Me
- Barbara Allen
- O Northern Star
- Past Singing Springs
- The Water Is Wide
- Aria
- My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose
- Milonga Del Angel
- Over The Rainbow
Album Description
"Breathtaking love songs...impeccably performed." - DAVID LEVENSONStephen Pollock is one of the world's finest tenor saxophonists and a founding member of the internationally renown New Century Saxophone Quartet. So Near, So Far, his debut solo album, is a breathtaking performance of romantic love songs, seductive tangos and original works accompanied by strings and piano. Extensive liner notes give behind-the-scenes insight to this collaboration with Branford Marsalis, John Patitucci and the Alexander String Quartet.
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You're Sensational - Cole Porter in the '20s, '40s, and '50s, Vol. 2 - Kiss Me Kate (1940-1948)
Cole Porter , Ethel Merman , and Fred Astaire Manufacturer: Koch Int'l Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Nostalgia
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ASIN: B00006JTGP Release Date: 2002-10-22 |
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So Near So Far
Manufacturer: D'Normand ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Blues
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ASIN: B000CA7AIS Release Date: 2005-03-01 |
![Wagner: Lohengrin [Highlights]](http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/219N7RGV0SL.jpg)
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Wagner: Lohengrin [Highlights]
Manufacturer: Gala ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Wagner
| Wagner, Richard
| ( W )
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ASIN: B000006O24 Release Date: 2000-06-06 |
Tracks:
- Act One Scene I: Lonely, In Troubled Days - Trude Eipperle/Male Chor/King/Carl Kronenberg
- Act One Scene I: I Will Wait For The Knight - Trude Eipperle/Male Chor/King/Carl Kronenberg
- Act Two Scene II: I Thank You, My Dear Swan! - Peter Anders/Chor/King/Trude Eipperle
- Act Two Scene II: When I Win This Fight For You - Peter Anders/Trude Eipperle
- Act Two Scene III: Ye Heavens, So Oft Filled - Trude Eipperle/Helena Braun/Carl Kronenberg
- Act Two Scene III: Elsa!...Who Calls? - Helena Braun/Trude Eipperle
- Act Two Scene III: Ortrud, Where Are You? - Trude Eipperle/Helena Brauan/Carl Kronenberg
- Act Three Scene I: Prld - Chor Und Orch Des Kolner Rundfunks/Richard Krauss
- Act Three Scene I: Faithfully Guided, Draw Near - Bridal Chor
- Act Three Scene II: The Sweet Song Fades, We Are Alone - Peter Anders/Trude Eipperle
- Act Three Scene II: How Noble Is The Nature Of Our Love! - Peter Anders/Trude Eipperle
- Act Three Scene II: You Have Already To Thank Me For The Highest Confidece - Peter Anders/Trude Eipperle
- Act Three Scene II: Ah No! Yes, Ther-The Swan! - Peter Anders/Trude Eipperle
- Act Three Scene II: In A Far-Off Land, Inaccessible To Your Steps - Peter Anders/King/Chor
Customer Reviews:
the sound quality is strange .......2006-01-31
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So Near Yet So Far
Craig Dawson and Simone Olding ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
| Folk
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ASIN: B000FTKO48 Release Date: 2006-01-31 |
Tracks:
- House on the Hill
- Boat on a River
- Its Gonna Rain
- Nobody Sees a Fish Cry
- Jenny's Flowers
- There May Be Times
- Jenna Lee Is Sleeping
- Apricot Stones
- Ballad of Frank and Vince`
- Dust Bunny
Jazz Music:
- Solid State
- Standard Time, Vol. 2: Intimacy Calling
- Story of Jazz
- The 20th Concord Festival All Stars [Live]
- The Calculus of Pleasure
- The Complete Concert: 1964 (My Funny Valentine & "Four More" [Live]
- The Half-Life of Desire
- The Johnny Summers Quartet Volume 1
- The Last Elephant
- The Many Moods of Bill Doggett