Dialogues

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Average customer rating: Shattering One of the Mid-Twentieth Century's Greatest Operatic Works

Poulenc: Dialogues des Carmélites Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Poulenc | Poulenc, Francis | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Poulenc, Francis | ( P ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: J. Strauss: Die Fledermaus / Schwarzkopf, Gedda, Streich, Krebs, Kunz, Christ; Karajan To Quell the Terror: The Mystery of the Vocation of the Sixteen Carmelites of Compiegne Guillotined July 17, 1794 Poulenc - Dialogues of the Carmelites / Bonynge, Sutherland, Buchanan, Begg, Opera Australia Mozart: Così fan tutte Gounod: Romeo Et Juliette ASIN: B0001O3YBW Release Date: 2004-04-06

Tracks:

1. Ou Est Blanche?
2. Les Soldats Surviennent A Temps
3. Blanche, Votre Frere Avait Grand'hate De Vous Revoir
4. Son Imagination Va Toujours D'un Extreme A L'autre
5. Je Vois Qu'il N'y A Heureusement Rien De Grave
6. Mon Enfant Cherie
7. Prelude
8. N'allez Pas Croire Que Ce Fauteuil
9. Je Vois Que Les Severites De Notre Regle
10. Ma Fille, Les Bonnes Gens Se Demandent
11. Vous Pleurez?
12. Prelude
13. Encore Ces Maudites Feves!
14. Vous N'avez Pas Honte De Parler Ainsi
15. OH! Soeur Blanche
16. Prelude
17. Ayez La Bonte De Relever Ce Coussin
18. Je Trouve Que Blanche De La Force Tarde Beaucoup!
19. Relevez-vous, Ma Fille
20. Dieu Se Glorifie Dans Ses Saints
21. Monsieur Javelinot, Je Vous Prie De Me Donner
22. Mere Marie De L'Incarnation!
23. La Reverende Mere Veut Que Vous Approchiez
24. Qui Lazarum Resuscitasti A Monumento Foetidum
25. Que Faites-vous?
26. Soeur Blanche, Je Trouve Notre Croix
27. Pensez A La Mort De Notre Chere Mere
28. Mes Cheres Filles
29. Mes Soeurs, Sa Reverence Vient De Nous Dire

Tracks:

1. Que Se Passe-t-il?
2. Prelude
3. Pourquoi Vous Tenez-vous Ainsi
4. Dans Des Temps Comme Ceux-ci
5. Oh! Ne Me Quittez Pas Sur Un Adieu De Facherie!
6. Remettez-vous, Soeur Blanche
7. Mes Cheres Filles
8. Qu'Allez-vous Devenir?
9. On A Tire La Clochette!
10. Ou Sont Les Religieuses?
11. Mes soeurs, Notre Reverende Mere Viendra Bientot
12. Prelude... Parlez-leur, Mon Pere
13. Il Ya A Une Seule Opposition
14. Citoyennes, Nous Vous Felicitons
15. Soeur Gerald, Il Faut Absolument Prevenir Le Pretre
16. Prelude
17. C'est Vous!
18. Soeur Blanche De L'Agonie Du Christ!
19. Deuxieme Interlude
20. Mes Filles, Voila Que S'acheve
21. Le Tribunal Revolutionnaire
22. Mes Filles, J'ai Desire De Tout Mon Coeur
23. Elles Sont Condamnees A Mort
24. Prelude
25. Salve Regina

Customer Reviews:

Shattering.......2006-05-26

Poulenc's Dialogues of Carmelites is nowhere near the tuneful, melodically-rich operas you've ever come across. It is largely set in recitative, and the orchestra sets the grim atmosphere of the whole work. As a whole, Dialogues is a really outstanding opera, full of atmosphere and grabs you with its mysterious charm. This recording, largely supervised by Poulenc himself during the recording sessions, definitely offers the perfect idiom of the work. Most of the voices cast in this recording are also the creators of their respective roles: Duval as Blanche, Gorr as Mere Marie, Crespin as Madame Lidoine...What you have here is not only an outstanding musical recording, but also a rare historical footage of immense power. All the voices on the recording are perfectly cast. The little known Duval gives here a wonderful portrayal of a fearful yet sensitive Blanche. Rita Gorr and Regine Crespin, caught here at an early stage of their careers, are in their usual prime, bringing not only their wonderful tones but also great insight into the characters. Dervaux's conducting is inspired and solid throughout. The supporting cast, all French and all good voices, all give memorable moments.
Dialogues des Carmelites has perhaps the most shattering final scene in operatic history: A chorus of nuns that gets diminished one by one at the sound of a guillotine. It literally numbs you and leaves you emotionally drained by the final pianissimo chord. Duval said that the challenge of singing Blanche in this Salva Regina scene is overwhelmingly difficult, since the singer has to overcome the emotions and sing a totally pure line over the grim atmosphere of the scene. It is perhaps also overwhelming for the listener. It is so real, so powerful that admittedly I don't dare to listen to it until I'm totally ready.
Dialogues des Carmelites, other than the wonderful music, also deals with social and psychological problems, among which are faith, life and death, community life and evolution. This recording has it all. A great recording of the century.

One of the Mid-Twentieth Century's Greatest Operatic Works.......2006-05-07

I became interested in Poulenc's DIALOGUES des CARMELITES long before I heard a note of the opera. I was twelve or thirteen at the time and was looking something up in an encyclopedia and I came across the entry for opera. Glossy photographs accompanied the entry and a stark black and white photograph of singers dressed as nuns lying prostrate on the floor piqued my curiosity. I'm sure it was a number of years later before I ever heard a note of the opera itself, but that image has remained with me for many years and it may be a reason why the opera has fascinated me over the years.

The story of the opera is about a Carmelite convent that was suppressed during the French Revolution and its nuns, who resisted the order of suppression were martyred. The story has become part of French culture and it caught the attention of Francois Poulenc, a composer who had moderate success during his lifetime but up to that time had not composed anything that would outlive him. DIALOGUES turned out to be his masterpiece. The powerful music, with a lush and fluid sound, a far cry form much of what was written for the operatic stage in the 1950's, is aided by a powerful libretto written by none other than Georges Bernanos, the great French writer who had the literary talent to write a wonderful story and the an understanding of Catholicism and a spirituality that can only come from a person of authentic faith.

This recording was the first studio recording of the work and the cast includes some of the singers who performed in the work's premiere. Poulenc himself was also an advisor when the work was recorded, so perhaps this may be one of the few operatic recordings that we have that is true to the composer's intentions since the composer was involved in the recording. The cast includes one of opera's greatest voices, Regine Crespin as well as one of the best known mezzos of the French repertoire Rita Gorr. While the recording has been remastered, listeners will immediately notice it was first recorded in mono so it has an aged sound to it. Yet this should not be a deterrant because it has dramatic intensity. Very often I listen to opera while doing something else, and I will have to admit I can be working away as some of opera's most gory death scenes occur and barely notice. Yet whenever I listen DIALOGUES and hear the nuns sing "Salve Regina" and hear the chorus diminished one by one as the nuns are executed, and hear the guillotine (a percussion representation of the guillotine, of course) I always stop and pause. Even the total destruction of DIE GOTTERDAMMERUNG doesn't cause me to pause the way DIALOGUES can.

If your purchasing this recording, you may also want to consider reading M. Owen Lee's commentary on this work in his volume A SEASON OF OPERA FROM ORPHEUS TO ARIADNE. In this entry Fr. Lee combines all that makes this a wonderful opera.

Average customer rating: Mompou: Piano Music, Vol. 1 thru 4 w/Jordi Maso en toute nostalgie... A great recording of a Catalan master Don't miss it Foreground "Background Music" of Sublime Beauty & Mystery

Frederic Mompou: Piano Music, Vol. 2 Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Frederic Mompou: Piano Music, Vol. 3 Mompou: Piano Music, Vol. 1 Mompou: Musica Callada Turina: Danza fantásticas ASIN: B00003Q40G Release Date: 2000-01-25

Tracks:

1. 12 Prlds: No.I
2. 12 Prlds: No.II
3. 12 Prlds: No.III
4. 12 Prlds: No.IV
5. 12 Prlds: No.V
6. 12 Prlds: No.VI. 'Pour La Main Gauche'
7. 12 Prlds: No.VII. 'Palmier D'etoiles'
8. 12 Prlds: No.VIII
9. 12 Prlds: No.IX
10. 12 Prlds: No.X
11. 12 Prlds: No.XI
12. 12 Prlds: No.XII
13. Suburbis: El Carrer, El Guitarrista I El Vell Cavall
14. Suburbis: Gitanes I
15. Suburbis: Gitanes II
16. Suburbis: La Cegueta
17. Suburbis: L'home De L'aristo
18. Dialogues: Dialogue I
19. Dialogues: Dialogue II
20. Cants Magics: Energic
21. Cants Magics: Obscur
22. Cants Magics: Profond - Lent
23. Cants Magics: Misterios
24. Cants Magics: Calma
25. Chanson De Berceau
26. Fetes Lointaines: I. Calme
27. Fetes Lointaines: II. Vif
28. Fetes Lointaines: III. Rythme
29. Fetes Lointaines: IV. Vif
30. Fetes Lointaines: V. Lentement
31. Fetes Lointaines: VI. Vif

Customer Reviews:

Mompou: Piano Music, Vol. 1 thru 4 w/Jordi Maso.......2007-05-30

This review is for Vols. 1 thru 4. The Naxos series is the best bargain you will ever find for the 4 (separate) discs. Sr. Maso (a Spainard) is definitely "on target" with his technique and delivery. The recordings are very good. I believe that the reclusive Catalan Mompou would be pleased that a musician has captured his melancholic spirit so well...

Five stars for Mssrs. Mompou and Maso!
P.S., Get all four discs like I did - you won't be sorry - seriously! With Naxos - the price is always right - music for the masses at a good price!!

en toute nostalgie..........2006-03-30

Une belle découverte musicale, un peu à la manière de Satie.
Belle prise de son, bon interprète, disque abordable.

A great recording of a Catalan master.......2001-03-20

In a century that has seen a lot of neglected composers, Barcelona's Frédéric Mompou is one of the saddest cases, since his work is so remarkably good. The long period spanned by Mompou's career (he flourished between 1915 and 1960) saw the production of a lot of bizarre stuff by other composers and has often been dismissed as a musical wasteland. It's sad to see Mompou swallowed up in this clamorous void. As a previous reviewer noted, his work is not a bunch of "New Age noodlings" and deserves to be appreciated by today's listeners.

Mompou was a profoundly introverted composer. He hated performing before an audience (one reason why his music isn't better known). His piano works are full of variety -- soothing, meditative pieces punctuated with doses of mid-century angst, and invariably fascinating. The harmonic richness of Mompou's music is unsurpassed. An additional plus of this CD is the wide chronological range of his works we get -- the earliest pieces date from the 1910s, the last from the 1960s.

Finally, Jordi Masó gives an impeccable performance of these difficult pieces. His skill is as intriguing as the music of Barcelona's forgotten master. This listener, for one, is eagerly awaiting future releases.

Don't miss it.......2000-06-02

This performance is absolutely fantastic.

The pieces are short, but full of content and maybe Mompou is the more underated composer of the last century

The playing of Jordi Masó is excellent.

A must have.

Foreground "Background Music" of Sublime Beauty & Mystery.......2000-03-20

Mompou (1893-1987!) wrote almost exclusively for the piano, but his honest, original style is largely outside the major 20th century movements -- Debussyian expressionism, Schoenberg serialism, Rachmaninov romantic virtuosity, Ivesian eccentricity, Glassian minimialism, etc.

Mompou's pieces are very short, 2 or 3 minutes, and sound light years ahead of their time in their meditative simplicity awash in harmonic ambiguity and melodic tentativeness. Yet, these are not New Age noodlings, but true compositional statements.

Mompou makes for meaningful foreground or background music that instills a contemplative, spiritual calm I think many will find refreshing. (Both volumes of this Naxos on-going series are excellent.)

Average customer rating: Some of the Carter's best works flow from his pen at ninety-plus The masterpieces just keep coming! spectacular works from Elliott Carter! Dialogues repeats the success of the much ealier Piano Conce Late Carter at its best

The Music of Elliott Carter Vol. 7; Boston Concerto, Cello Concerto, ASKO Concerto, Dialogues Manufacturer: Bridge Records; Inc. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Carter | Carter, Elliott | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Concertinos | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Music of Elliott Carter, Vol. 6 Elliott Carter: The Complete music for Piano The Music of Elliott Carter, Volume Five - Nine Compositions (1994-2002) Elliot Carter: String Quartets 1-4; Elegy Elliott Carter: Piano Concerto; Concerto for Orchestra; Concerto for Orchestra; Three Occasions ASIN: B000C6NO6E Release Date: 2005-11-15

Tracks:

1. Dialogues
2. Boston Concerto
3. Boston Concerto
4. Boston Concerto
5. Boston Concerto
6. Boston Concerto
7. Boston Concerto
8. Boston Concerto
9. Boston Concerto
10. Boston Concerto
11. Boston Concerto
12. Boston Concerto
13. Boston Concerto
14. Boston Concerto
15. Cello Concerto
16. Cello Concerto
17. Cello Concerto
18. Cello Concerto
19. Cello Concerto
20. Cello Concerto
21. Cello Concerto
22. ASKO Concerto

Product Description

This highly anticipated recording, a Bridge co-production with the BBC, presents first recordings of four major Elliott Carter compositions, all composed within the past six years. Conducted by the distinguished British conductor, Oliver Knussen, these recordings tell the amazing tale of an American composer, well into his nineties, composing at the peak of his powers. Malcolm McDonald writes that “Carter is not far short of his own centenary, and continuing to produce highly complex, sophisticated scores with an energy that would hardly be conceivable even in a much younger man.” The composer traveled to London and Amsterdam to oversee the performance and recording of these four works. Dialogues for piano and chamber orchestra was a BBC Radio 3 commission for the brilliant young British pianist Nicolas Hodges and is scored for piano solo and a chamber orchestra comprising 18 instruments. Carter writes that “Dialogues is a conversation between the soloist and the orchestra: responding to each other, sometimes interrupting one another or arguing.” Hodges, Knussen and the London Sinfonietta give a reading of electrifying intensity. Boston Concerto was commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and is based on a William Carlos Williams poem, “Rain”, a verse chosen to convey the composer’s enduring love for his wife Helen, the dedicatee of Boston Concerto. Describing the diaphanous textures of this work, Bayan Northcott writes of Boston Concerto that “despite occasional deep sonorities, the whole work has a kind of distanced lightness, seeming to hover in mid air.” Carter’s Cello Concerto is a twenty minute span introduced by the soloist alone, playing a cantilena that presents ideas later to be expanded into a series of linked movements. The concerto is played by long-time colleague and valued Carter interpreter Fred Sherry who, during the composition of the work, consulted with Carter about the finer details of the cello writing. Scored for a large orchestra that frequently plays with intimately drawn orchestral textures, the Cello Concerto was commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and was first performed by the CSO with Yo Yo Ma, cello soloist and Daniel Barenboim, conductor. Carter completed the concise 12 minute Asko Concerto in January 2000 to a commission from the Asko Ensemble of Amsterdam and the recording on this disc is of its first performance in the Concertgebouw on April 26 of that year. The composer writes: “Although the music is in light-hearted mood, each soloistic section approaches ensemble playing in a different spirit.” Bridge has also just issued Volume Six of this series which features Rolf Schulte’s performance of Carter’s Violin Concerto (BRIDGE 9177).

Customer Reviews:

Some of the Carter's best works flow from his pen at ninety-plus.......2007-07-05

It's amazing enough that Elliott Carter is still composing at nearly a hundred--the works here were all written after his ninetieth birthday--and to his usual standards to boot, but what is even more remarkable is that these recent works a great deal of artistic evolution. Carter has been consistently "mellowing" since his brash music of the 1960s, but these four pieces show a new interest in smaller proportions, where the instrumentalists generally chat instead of shout, though Carter's language with its sharp atonalities and interest in polymetric slitherings remains the same. Oliver Knussen leads various ensembles, and the soloists are the composer's choice musicians.

The first piece on this disc, "Dialogues" for piano and chamber orchestra (2003) is a good example of this new style. Carter's Piano Concerto of 1965 was a monster of a piece where, in a nod to the dire situation in East Germany the composer heard about while writing the concerto in Berlin, the piano (the individual) is beaten down by the orchestra (the mob, or the state). In "Dialogues", on the other hand, the mood is conversational instead of confrontational. The piano part here is just as virtuosic as in the old concerto, and the dedicatee Nicholas Hodges gives a fine performance.

Two works here are for ensemble without soloists. In the "Boston Concerto" for full orchestra (2002), each portion of the orchestra performs in turn, rarely talking over each other. I find Carter's Concerto for Orchestra from the 1960s to be something of a failure, since it doesn't truly show off the sonorities of the ensemble in a virtuosic fashion, but the composer more than makes up for it here. A lush passage of woodwinds and pitched percussion is especially memorable, one of the most simply beautiful things he's ever written, but in no way compromising on his traditional line of writing.

The "ASKO Concerto" (2000), written for the small ensemble of that name, is also something of a concerto for orchestra, It's got a light and airy feel too, with downright humourous moments, but for most of its length a strong dramatic feel prevails. Portions of the orchestra clash, and it gets pretty close to the old aggressive Carter. This is the second recording, but the first where the ASKO Ensemble actually performs, as the world premiere recording on ECM has different players led by Peter Eotvos. I find both performances satisfactory, but as the ECM disc couples this concerto with Carter's controversial opera "What's Next?", this disc might be a more satisfactory purchase.

The Cello Concerto is also reminiscent of the Carter of yore, as the orchestra rains blows upon the solo line at times. However, for much of the piece the cello sounds alone, and it turns out to be some of the most straightforward music Carter has ever written, certainly the answer to critics who claim he's all about noise and brouhaha. The concerto was written for Yo-Yo Ma, but Fred Sherry performs here. Sherry played the drafts for Carter while the composer was writing the piece (see them at work on the Labyrinth of Time documentary DVD), and I find him an all-around more interesting performer of contemporary music than Yo-Yo Ma, so I welcome his presence here.

This disc would make a fine introduction to Carter's music, though those looking for a budget presentation could instead choose the Ars Nova disc with the Piano Concerto and Concerto for Orchestra (bad-boy 1960s Carter) or the Warner Apex disc with works starting from the late 1970s (the first mellower period). Still, fans of the composer should certainly pick this disc up sooner or later, along with the other discs in Bridge's Carter series. Bridge is doing fans a great series with this edition, and it's a pity that it doesn't get as much attention as the complete Ligeti edition or DG's Boulez discs.

The masterpieces just keep coming!.......2006-02-24

All of these works, written between 2000 and 2003, are superb additions to Carter's flawless string of masterpieces. In fact Carter's "late period" may be his most fertile and beautiful of all. Of course, as we know, Carter was something of a "late bloomer", as he did not begin to produce works in his "mature style" (beginning with his String Quartet No. 1) until he was in his mid-40's. From that point he produced his complex music slowly (by neccessity) but as he has aged he has produced more and more great music, including short incidental chamber and solo works. The works on this superb CD are among his best ever. It is great to see an icon of 20th-century modernism bring his distinctive style intact into the 21st century. Don't wait for Yo Yo Ma to record the Cello Concerto...Fred Sherry's reading is matchless, understandable considering his long-standing association with Carter. Knussen brings all his intellectual rigor and warmth of soul to these works, imbueing them with color and vigor. The recording by Bridge is perfectly crystal clear and perfectly balanced.

spectacular works from Elliott Carter!.......2006-02-13

Easily the record of the year 2005 in contemporary classical, this latest Bridge release presents four of Elliott Carter's latest compositions in superb performances and recordings. Another recording of the "ASKO Concerto" (2000 -- 10'38") was previously released on ECM along with the opera "What Next?" (see my review), but this is actually the first recording, a recording of the live premiere by the ASKO Ensemble on 4/26/00 at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. The other three works are also premiere recordings, but never before heard -- the piano concerto "Dialogues" (2003 -- 13'28"), the "Cello Concerto" (2001 -- 20'06"), and the "Boston Concerto" (2002 -- 16'54"). Nicolas Hodges plays piano, Fred Sherry plays cello, and Oliver Knussen conducts the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the London Sinfonietta and the ASKO Ensemble.

Excellent liner notes by Bayan Northcott provide insight into the works' contents. The booklet includes a great painting for the cover by Pavel Tchelitchew, apparently from Elliott Carter's collection, and several photos, including two of the composer and his late wife Helen to whom the "Boston Concerto" is dedicated. These are magnificent pieces at the highest level of sustained imagination, wit, and craft. This music of Elliott Carter makes no concessions to popular sensibilities, but it has the elegance, balance, drive and sparkle of Mozart.

Viva la Carter! Happy 97th!

Dialogues repeats the success of the much ealier Piano Conce.......2006-01-16

Among the Carter blockbusters the Piano Concerto (1967)is one of the undoubted triumphs as was clearly evident in the recent retrospective held in London.Many decades on and it's once again the same form which shows Carter to best advantage.The compact 'Dialogues' (a mini piano concerto)is composed in the familiar rebarbative musical language but there's an urgency to the invention and even an joyfulness which immediately excites the senses. Nicholas Hodges is on brilliant form and Knussen exudes a tremendous sense of authority in Carter's music.

Late Carter at its best.......2006-01-01

Elliott Carter's compositional career has already lasted far beyond what anyone could have expected, with works still flowing from his pen at the age of 97. This disc confirms the composer's continued late success; all four works on it date from the composer's nineties and three of them are previously unrecorded.

Dialogues, for piano and small chamber orchestra, is one of those works whose titles does describe the musical content very effectively. Starting (and ending) with the soloist playing unaccompanied, the music moves through a series of contrasting moods and colors, sometimes piano alone, sometimes orchestra alone, sometimes both playing together (or against each other). What stays with this listener, though, is not the structure of the work, but its rhythmic and harmonic vibrancy and its range of color.

Both the Boston Concerto (for full orchestra) and the ASKO Concerto (for fifteen instruments) share an overall design which has become common in Carter's recent work--a kind of concerto grosso where ever-shortening tuttis alternate with contrasting passages for subsections of the ensemble. The ASKO Concerto is a playful piece indeed--particularly in the bassoon solo that precedes the final, brief tutti--but it is the Boston Concerto that is the major work of these two. Here, pitter-pattering tuttis that evoke the sounds of rain alternate with lyrical and dramatic episodes--and in the slower episodes some of Carter's most emotive and lyrical writing (in passages such as the Boston Concerto's string cantilenas I see a clear parallel between late Carter and the lyrical side of late Lutoslawski). Certainly, I'd have no hesitation in regarding the Boston Concerto as one of the two finest Carter works since Symphonia (and it shares a sense of weightlessness with the latter work's finale).

The other work I'd rank up with the Boston Concerto is the Cello Concerto, even if it is by some way the hardest piece to get into here. It shares some of the abrasive nature of the concertos of the 1960s, even if the scoring is much lighter and, as in most of Carter's recent concertos, the soloist plays almost continuously. Here, in complete contrast to Carter's 1960s concertos, the orchestral parts are often extremely simple (though sometimes explosive in nature), while the soloist winds its way through an impassioned monologue ranging from lyricism to ferocity through icy cold sonorities and almost jazzy rhythms, eventually reaching a ferocious climax before sputtering out in a whimsical passage for the soloist alone.

The performances here are excellent--Oliver Knussen has known Carter's music for decades and it shows, while the BBC Symphony, London Sinfonietta and ASKO Ensemble are all effortlessly adept in this repertoire. Nicolas Hodges and Fred Sherry are excellent soloists and where there is competition (in the ASKO Concerto) I would say Knussen's performance trumps the earlier reading.

This is a disc every Carter fan probably already owns, but those who don't will need no encouragement to snap it up. Meanwhile, those wondering what the fuss is about could do a lot worse than start here.

Average customer rating: Fun music Still Crazy After All These Years

By Request Manufacturer: East Side Digital ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wagner | Wagner, Richard | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Concerto Grossi | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Computer | Electronic | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Organ | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Similar Items: Secrets of Synthesis Switched-On Boxed Set A Clockwork Orange: Wendy Carlos's Complete Original Score Beauty in the Beast The Well-Tempered Synthesizer ASIN: B0000E32XC Release Date: 2003-11-11

Tracks:

1. Russian Dance
2. Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy
3. Dance Of The Reed-Pipes
4. Dialogues For Piano And Two Loudspeakers
5. Episodes For Piano And Electronic Sound
6. Geodesic Dance (Electornic Etude)
7. Brandenburg Concerto No.2 In F Major (1st Movement)
8. 'Little' Fugue In G Minor
9. What's New, Pussycat?
10. Eleanor Rigby
11. Wedding March
12. Pompous Circumstances

Customer Reviews:

Fun music.......2006-06-28

Now, with so many electronic musical instruments, it is fun to listen to one of the origanals.

Still Crazy After All These Years.......2004-01-21

As the Ultimate Carlos Fan and an analog synthesist, I was elated to discover that By Request, which I've had since it appeared on vinyl, was at last available on CD. I'm happy to report that it is just as good now as it was almost three decades ago. That's right--three decades!

The music on this well-remastered CD still shines even though songs like "What's New Pussycat?" are no longer in vogue. The CD is a hodgepodge of various tunes from Bach to Beatles supposedly requested by listeners after The Well Tempered Synthesizer was released. The result may only only be mildly interesting to the occasional listener, but to followers of electronic music, it's like rediscovering a lost gem.

The three dances from The Nutcracker aren't particular standouts by Carlosian standards, nor are some of the other selections. Suffice it to say of the album that when it is good, it is very very good, and when it is bad it is merely good. Here are random notes on some of the more interesting pieces:

"Dialogues" and "Episodes" are early piano/synth pieces in the academic style. They will NOT appeal to some listeners, but they are well composed and extremely well performed, given the difficulty of creating electronic music back then.

"What's New Pussycat?" of Bacharach fame is another early Moog piece that is about as "Moogy" as Carlos has ever gotten. The Moog waa-waa filter cliche normally shunned by Carlos is here put to playful use in a chorus of drunken cats. I can't listen to this piece without smiling at the obvious good humor and sense of fun behind it.

"Geodesic Dance" remains one of my all-time favorites and appears here in all its modernistic glory. The piece is beautifully composed and full of the spatial and dynamic subtleties that set Carlos' analog work leagues above the rest. It ranks with "Timesteps" and "Country Lane" from the later Clockwork Orange album as thoroughly competent and quintessentially Carlos.

The CD's Big Finale, of course, is "Pompous Circumstances," a playful send-up of the Elgar classic performed in a wide variety of styles. Once again, Carlos' talent as a composer and consummate synthesist shine through, along with a dose of good humor. It's a pastiche, but not without it's serious moments, which might be why it's such a satisfying work.

Given the extreme difficulty and tedium of recording on a monophonic analog synthesizer--where changing a sound means striking a patch that may have taken hours to create and starting all over again--it's a wonder that the outcome could sound so good. But Carlos is a perfectionist and it shows on this album as it does on all of the Moog works. I confess that Carlos' digital music sounds flat and mundane to me and doesn't stand up to repeated listening. The analog works, for all their difficulty, continue to sound fresh and spirited. My request for Wendy's next "By Request" album would be to do another one like this--all analog.

Average customer rating: Kenny and Ken saved the best for last

Dialogues Kenny Davern , and Ken Peplowski Manufacturer: Arbors Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: Kids: Duets Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola With Benny in Mind Once More with Feeling 5 for Freddie: Bucky's Tribute to Freddie Green The Jazz KENnection ASIN: B000OZ2B1C Release Date: 2007-05-08

Tracks:

1. If Dreams Come True
2. The Diner
3. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
4. Comes Love
5. Should I?
6. Sometimes I'm Happy
7. High Society
8. Crazy Rhythm
9. Nobody Else But Me
10. Muskrat Samba

Album Description

Kenny Davern's last Arbors studio recording includes a series of musical dialogues with Ken Peplowski and features guitarists Howard Alden and James Chirillo. Nicki Parrott and Tony DeNicola round out this sextet, which excels at the art of making old songs sound fresh and exciting. Kenny Davern was one of the premier clarinetists of our time, and Ken Peplowski is one of the finest mainstream reed players.

Customer Reviews:

Kenny and Ken saved the best for last.......2007-06-13

Clarinetists Kenny Davern and Ken Peplowski collaborated earlier on an Arbors album called "KENnections," but this, their second effort for the label, is even better. Davern did some of his best clarinet work on the 10 tunes, which provide more than an hour of music. Peplowski departed from the clarinet on several songs to play some equally good tenor sax. Howard Alden and James Chirillo contribute some fine musical ideas on guitar and banjo, Nicki Parrott is outstanding on bass, and Tony DeNicola keeps great time on the drums. The atmosphere is happy. These artists not only enjoy the music but obviously relish playing together. On the down side, this was the final recording for both Davern and DeNicola, who passed away within four months of each other in late 2006. Thanks to Mat Domber and Arbors for getting them together one more time before they left us. This is an enjoyable CD of fine selections, including "The Diner," which Davern and Peplowski wrote.

Average customer rating: Great Perspective and Insight!

Bernstein Century: Bernstein on Jazz - What is Jazz? Leonard Bernstein , and Louis Armstrong Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music New York Philharmonic Orchestra | ( N ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Bernstein: Prelude, Fugue and Riffs Bernstein: Candide; West Side Story; On the Waterfront; Fancy Free Bernstein Century - Symphony No. 1 "Jeremiah" & Symphony No. 2 "The Age of Anxiety" Bernstein Century - Grieg: Peer Gynt Suites, Norwegian Dance, March of Dwarfs/ Sibelius: Valse Triste, Swan of Tuonela, Finlandia Latin American Fiesta ASIN: B000009CYG Release Date: 1998-07-14

Tracks:

1. Mr. Bernstein looks at Jazz; Part One: Types of Jazz - Jazz Elements
2. Mr. Bernstein looks at Jazz; Part Two: Popular Song - Improvisation
3. St. Louis Blues (Concerto Grosso)
4. Dialogues for Jazz Combo and Orchestra, I. Allegro
5. Dialogues for Jazz Combo and Orchestra, II. Andante - Ballad
6. Dialogues for Jazz Combo and Orchestra, III. Adagio - Ballad
7. Dialogues for Jazz Combo and Orchestra, IV. Allegro - Blues

Customer Reviews:

Great Perspective and Insight!.......2000-11-07

Bernstein provides a unique and wonderful look at America's original artform, jazz. In contrast to traditional, chronological approaches, Bernstein breaks down the musical components of jazz such as rhythm, melody, and harmony, and discusses the way they are used differently in comparison with Western European musics. Bernstein has a knack for discussing complex material and stating it in a way that all can understand, which is very evident here. Armstrong and Brubeck work wonderfully with the New York Phil. This is a must have for those just getting into jazz, jazz enthusiasts, and music educators.

Average customer rating: Entertaining Dialogues Dialogues With Double Bass Jeremy McCoy: Dialogues With Double Bass

Dialogues With Double Bass Manufacturer: Bridge ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Elgar | Elgar, Sir Edward | ( E ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Gliere, Reinhold | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Telemann, Georg Philipp | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Telemann, Georg Philipp | Composers | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Electronic | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music | Computer Recorder | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music General | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Bach Unaccompanied Cello Suites: Performed on Double Bass Tarantella London Double Bass Sound Giovanni Bottesini: Double Bass Concerto Bottesini;Music for Double Bass & Piano Vol.1 ASIN: B0007MSUMQ Release Date: 2005-02-22

Tracks:

1. Gioacchino Rossini: Duetto
2. Gioacchino Rossini: Duetto
3. Gioacchino Rossini: Duetto
4. John Patitucci: The Root
5. Georg Philipp Telemann: Sonata No. 2
6. Georg Philipp Telemann: Sonata No. 2
7. Georg Philipp Telemann: Sonata No. 2
8. Giovanni Bottesini: Gran Duetto No. 3
9. Giovanni Bottesini: Gran Duetto No. 3
10. Martin Dalby: MacPherson's Rant
11. Reinhold Gliere: Cradle Song
12. Edward Elgar: Duetto
13. John Patitucci: Grateful
14. Jean Francaix: Duo Baroque
15. Jean Francaix: Duo Baroque
16. Jean Francaix: Duo Baroque
17. Jean Francaix: Duo Baroque

Amazon.com

Destined by sheer size to hold up a whole orchestra, the double bass is rarely encountered in solo or chamber music. But on this record, Jeremy McCoy, Assistant Principal bassist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, proves that this mighty monster will let a great player perform fascinating technical feats and elicit sounds of astonishing beauty and variety. Collaborating with equally brilliant partners, he displays his instrument's infinite resources, as well as his own stunning virtuosity and stylistic versatility; the program--partly original, partly transcribed--ranges from Baroque, real and faux, to the present. Two charming Italian "Duettos" sound like parodies of grand opera: Bottesini's, himself a great bassist, for two basses, and Rossini's, for cello and, incredibly, a three-stringed bass. Both include singing slow movements, bouncy finales and dazzling pyrotechnics. Jazz bassist and composer John Patitucci contributes two pieces: one rhythmically spicy, one lyrical. A Telemann Canonic Sonata, familiar on flutes or violins, growls on bassoon and bass; Martin Dalby's Scottish-influenced "Rant" features sound effects for flute and bass. Duets by Gliére and Elgar, with viola and trombone respectively, are lovely. In Jean Francaix's brilliant "Duo Baroque," the bass and harp make fun of themselves and each other, but the joke goes on too long. This record will leave you smiling with admiration and delight. --Edith Eisler

Album Description

Jeremy McCoy's new album, "Dialogues with Double Bass" presents a wide-ranging look at the double bass repertoire. The album highlights two particular themes. The primary notion is highlighting the bass as an equal voice in instrumental duos that are diverse and interesting conversations. A second theme is found in the vocal quality of much of the music. Like Bottesini, one of history's most famous bass players, who earned his living playing in an opera orchestra, Jeremy McCoy is a seasoned member of New York City's Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (the orchestra's assistant principal bassist). The influence of great singing can be heard in McCoy's playing, in the way he shapes a phrase and in the varied tonal colors of his sound. McCoy's wide experience as a soloist, chamber player and orchestral musician, and the expressive range of his instrument, finds him right at home in this engaging collection of eloquent dialogues with the double bass.

Customer Reviews:

Entertaining Dialogues.......2007-01-08

I enjoyed listening to "Dialogues with Double Bass" from beginning to end. I would recommend this excellent disk without any reservations!

The range of instrumental colors makes this a varied and interesting listening experience. This recording captures the fine details of the instruments without losing any warmth.

Communication between the players is excellent. McCoy's bass playing is superb, with great feel and great timing.

I have heard other fine recordings of the Rossini, but this one is my favorite. Kudos to Jeremy McCoy for showing the potential of the double bass in duet settings!

Dialogues With Double Bass.......2007-01-03

I bought this CD primarily for the recording of Elgar's Duet for Double bass and trombone. It contains a very wide variety of music, all of it good: however, because of the variety it is not often I feel like sitting down and listening to it in one sitting. It is more of a "dip into" CD.

Overall, tho, a very fine CD which shows off some of the textures available to the double bass.

Jeremy McCoy: Dialogues With Double Bass .......2006-10-25

This is a CD of duets with double bass in a classical music format. It is so refreshing that it does not sound confining like classical music can at times. I put it right up there with Yo-Yo Ma's Bach: The Cello Suites Inspired by Bach! Recording of instruments is clean, dynamic, yet highs and low in volumes are not so great that you are turning the volume up and down all the time. Five star on mi iPod!

Average customer rating: Stevens shows his music WOW!!

Thomas Stevens Trumpet Sonatas Manufacturer: Crystal Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Hindemith | Hindemith, Paul | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Poulenc | Poulenc, Francis | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Trumpet | Brass | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Brass | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: David Hickman, Trumpet Trumpet in our Time Thomas Stevens, Trumpet From Moscow With Love Famous Classical Trumpet Concertos ASIN: B000003J6Y Release Date: 1996-12-01

Tracks:

1. Son (1939): Mit Kraft
2. Son (1939): Massig Bewegt
3. Son (1939): Trauermusik And Chorale
4. Caprice (1943)
5. Andante And Allegro (1906): Andante
6. Andante And Allegro (1906): Allegro
7. Andante And Scherzo (1934): Andante
8. Andante And Scherzo (1934): Scherzo
9. Lied (1976)
10. Badinage (1953)
11. Son (1924): Allegro Moderato
12. Son (1924): Andante
13. Son (1924): Rondeau
14. Six Dialogues (Ca 1958): Allegro
15. Six Dialogues (Ca 1958): Allegro
16. Six Dialogues (Ca 1958): Andante Un Poco Allegretto
17. Six Dialogues (Ca 1958): Con Giorralita
18. Six Dialogues (Ca 1958): Majestic
19. Six Dialogues (Ca 1958): Allegretto
20. Monophony VII (1972): Unaccompanied Tpt

Customer Reviews:

Stevens shows his music.......2007-07-04

Thomas Stevens, now former principal trumpet of the LA Philharmonic, shows what it means to be a musician on this record. His playing shows the many sides of the 20th century trumpet and the skills that made him one of the nation's best trumpet players.

The CD opens with the Sonata for trumpet and piano by Paul Hindemith. I have many recordings of this piece (I think 5 last I checked) and this is the one I keep coming back to. The musicality, and more importantly here, the emotion is far more in command than anything else. Written after his escape to America at the beginning of WWII this piece is nothing if not an emotional bomb explosion against the Nazis. Stevens opens up with fire from the first note and never lets up. The second movement pokes fun, and finally in the third movement the soulful sorrow of tragedy comes through his gorgeous playing and leaves you crying at the end where "All little men must die." (written in the sheet music by Hindemith at that part)

Then are a number of other well known pieces such as the Bozza Caprice, Barat's Andante and Scherzo, and Ropartz's Andante and Allegro. For younger trumpet players, this is the CD for you. Steven's performance of the Andante and Allegro is masterful and musicality shines through every note. This is a great learning tool for any young trumpet player as just about every high school trumpet player has played this piece, but rarely does one ever hear a performer of the caliber of Thomas Stevens playing this literature. Then there is his technically amazing performances of both the Caprice and the Andante and Scherzo which, in spite of their technique never lose the musicality that he was famous for as an orchestral trumpet player.

One last highlight for me is the Poulenc sonata for Trombone, Trumpet, and Horn. These three musicians unite in a gorgeous sound and interpretation that shows the beauty of Poulenc's writing particularly his expertise in the flowing melody shown in his many operas and art songs for which he is most famous.

Succinctly this CD is a gem for any trumpet player or enthusiast's collection. For those even just interested in the chamber sound of a trumpet, this album is a wonderful addition, however, if one is new to the 20th century trumpet chamber sound, I would recommend this as a great second or third album to pick up; but a mere literature selection advice on my part. One might consider Philip Smith's CD on the Cala label, part of the New York Legends series as a first installment for a better introduction to this class of sound (see my other reviews for more information).

WOW!!.......1999-07-16

Thomas Stevens is the man! In case you don't Stevens is principal of the LA Philharmonic. He has a great sound and excellent interpretations. If you haven't heard the LA Philharmonic than you should, Thomas Stevens really plays!

Average customer rating:

Dialogues Houston Person , and Ron Carter Manufacturer: Highnote ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: All Soul To Etta With Love You Taught My Heart to Sing Person-ified Blue Velvet ASIN: B000067FVF Release Date: 2002-06-18

Tracks:

1. My Favorite Things
2. My Love
3. My Blues Is Funky
4. Keep The Faith
5. If Only For One Night
6. Smoke
7. All My Tomorrows
8. Just For You
9. Summertime

Average customer rating:

Robert Ward: Symphony No. 3; Dialogues; Symphony No. 6; A Western Set Manufacturer: Albany Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music ASIN: B000R349VQ Release Date: 2007-06-05

Jazz Music:

1. Encore at the Blue Note [Live]
2. Evidence
3. Facets
4. Frank Morgan
5. Gettin Around [Import] [Limited Edition] [Original recording remastered]
6. Groovin' High
7. Heroes
8. Horn Culture
9. Hub-Tones
10. I Hear Music

Jazz Music

jazz music