+ Bien [Import]

+ Bien [Import]

Track Listings

 
1. Costura de Dios
2. Kuro
3. Es Solo Una Ilusión
4. Paracaidas
5. Regando
6. Costura de Dios
7. Símil Paraiso
8. Todos Duermen
9. Ilegaste
10. Paisaje Pocelana
11. + Bien [Peli Mix]

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Gustavo Cerati was the Frontman of the Popular Grammy Nominated Argentinean Rock Band Soda Stereo. This Disc is the Soundtrack to the Film '+ Bien'(Mas Bien).cerati Not Only Stars in the Film, but Composed all the Music as Well.

+ Bien,Gustavo Cerati,Bmg Int'l,Latin,Latin Pop,Latin Pop/Rock,Rock

Jazz

Music

jazz

music
Debussy's Greatest Hits
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Probably the best compilation of a single composer's works. Ever!
  • This is a brilliant assembly of Debussy.
  • THIS IS THE STUFF RIGHT HERE!
  • Debussy is the best. Ever.
  • i am dumb
Debussy's Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: Sony
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ASIN: B000002A23
Release Date: 1994-08-09

Tracks:

  1. Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun
  2. Preludes, Book One: The Girl with the Flaxen Hair
  3. Two Nocturnes: Fetes
  4. Preludes, Book One: The Sunken Cathedral
  5. Suite Bergamasque: Claire de lune
  6. Children's Corner Suite: Golliwogg's Cake-Walk
  7. Reverie
  8. Iberia: Le Matin D'un Jour De Fete
  9. Deux Arabesques: Arabesque No. 1: Andante Con Motto
  10. Martyrdom Of Saint Sebastian: Prelude To The Council Of The False gods
  11. String Quartet In G Minor, Op. 10: Scherzo. Assex Vif Et Bien Rythme
  12. La Mer: I. De L'aube A Midi Sur La Mer
  13. La Mer: II. Jeux De Vagues
  14. La Mer: III. Dialogue Du Vent Et De La Mer

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Probably the best compilation of a single composer's works. Ever!.......2007-05-06

Claude Debussy is perhaps the most understated composer in the history of man. His ability to compose both on the piano and for orchestra is unmatched, in my humble opinion. The fact that Debussy was able to also arrange many contemporary and previous composers' works just adds to his resume. He had a gift, pure and simple.

Although this album doesn't (well, honestly it couldn't) contain all of Debussy's catalog, it does certainly contain some of his best work. There is actually only one track on this CD that I don't care for; that would be Golligwogg's Cake-Walk; it is just a bit annoying to me.

Beyond my dislike for that one track, the entire CD is a beautifully aranged, beautifully played, well recorded compilation with good sound mixing and it is a respectful tribute to a truly great composer.

"Claire de Lune" (Moonlighting) is perhaps one of the most gorgeous pieces of music ever composed; this is the orchestrated version, which I prefer, but the piano version is nice. "Arabesque No. 1" is superb. "Fetes" is both haunting and airy. "Reverie" is the best piano piece I have ever heard. "The Girl with the Flaxen Hair" is also a wonderful piano piece. "The Sunken Cathedral" is dark and mysterious, a true wonder.

The rest of the album is fantastic. Listed above are just my personal favorites from the disc. I listen to this CD at least once a week, but often more. It is perfect for relaxation, for listening while reading, or for my personal favorite use, to block out noise while I am writing.

I would recommend this to any classical lover.

If you have not heard Debussy's music, you must get this CD; it will have you ordering more of his compositions almost immediately.

The man was a genius.

I would also add that if you enjoy this, I recommend that you continue your Debussy experience with the following: Debussy: Orchestral Works I and Debussy: Orchestral Works II

5 out of 5 stars This is a brilliant assembly of Debussy. .......2006-07-08

After listening to his "Greatest Hits," I know why he is considered one of the best.

5 out of 5 stars THIS IS THE STUFF RIGHT HERE!.......2005-09-12

I BOUGHT THIS BECAUSE I WAS TRYING EXPAND MY HORIZONS, YOU KNOW? CULTURALLY AND MENTALLY, YOU KNOW? SERIOUSLY THOUGH I WAS IN THE SHOP AND I WAS HAVING A GAZE AROUND THE PLACE AND THEN THIS PICTURE JUST JUMPS OUT AT ME, AND I PICKED IT UP AND IT WAS THIS DEBUSSY CHAP AND ID HEARD ABOUT HIM ON THE BBC LEARNING ZONE SO I THOUGHT ;why not?; SERIOUSLY THOUGH I DRAGGED IT HOME AND I POPPED IT IN THE OLD CD PLAYER AND IT FLOORED ME.......I MEAN SERIOUSLY THIS THING...AMAAZING STUFF..I MEAN TODAYS MUSIC HAS NOTHING, NOTHING NOTHING ON THIS STUFF RIGHT HERE.

SOME GOOD TRACKS ARE:
TRACK 1 IS THE BEST. THE OPENING FLUTE ON THE TRACK IS TOTALLY CHILLED AND COOL, REMINDS ME A BIT OF TRACK 13 ON ILL COMMUNICATION BY THE BEASTIE BOYS...A COINCIDENCE???

THE ONLY WEAK TRACK ON THE ALBUM IS TRACK 6, THE UNFORTUNATELY TITLED "CHILDRENS CORNER SUITE: GOLLIWOGGS CAKE WALK" THE MUSIC IS JUST DATED MAN, JUST AS DATED AS THE TITLE.

OVERALL THOUGH THIS IS A QUALITY ALBUM, WITH CHILLS, SPILLS AND THRILLS. SERIOUSLY THOUGH A FINE EFFORT.

5 out of 5 stars Debussy is the best. Ever........2004-07-23

I love Debussy and all of his brilliant work. I barely listen to any other classical music, so I am not an authority, just an honest lover of music. I play piano and love piano music, so I was not disappointed at a piano Flaxen-Haired Girl. I've never heard an orchestrated version and don't need to. This is a good introductory CD to Debussy's work, I love it! The only thing I don't care for is the Arabesque #1 (Track 9). The horn is kind of grating and clunky to hear in such an otherwise beautiful piece. Still, its interesting and different. Everything Debussy made is purest gold.

5 out of 5 stars i am dumb.......2004-07-01

And I'm a doomass because I didn't proof-read my other review and I wrote that Clair de Lune was performed by piano on this disc, which it isn't. Anyway, the piano version is better.
Renee Fleming - The Beautiful Voice ~ Gounod, Lehaair, Orff, Puccini, Rachmaninov, Strauss
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • The best of the best.
  • Beautiful and creamy voice
  • Renee Fleming;THE BEAUTIFUL VOICE
  • The most gorgeous soprano voice I've ever heard
  • Wow!!!
Renee Fleming - The Beautiful Voice ~ Gounod, Lehaair, Orff, Puccini, Rachmaninov, Strauss
Gustave Charpentier , Charles Gounod , Jules Massenet , Antonin Dvorak , Friedrich von Flotow , Giacomo Puccini , Erich Wolfgang Korngold , Carl Orff , Richard Strauss , Sergey Rachmaninov , Johann II Strauss , Franz Lehar , Jose Maria Cano , Marie-Joseph Canteloube , Jeffrey Tate , Sir Charles Mackerras , Renée Fleming , English Chamber Orchestra , Osian Ellis , London Voices , and Clive Greensmith
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000042I6
Release Date: 1998-02-10

Tracks:

  1. Louise (Acte 3): Depuis le jour ou je me suis donnee
  2. Faust (Acte 3 - Air des bijoux): O Dieu! que de bijous!... Ah! Je ris de me voir si belle (Air des bijoux - Jewel Song)
  3. Manon (Acte 3): Je marche sur tous les chemins... Obeissons... Profitons bien de la jeunesse (Gavotte)
  4. Gypsy Melodies, Op. 55 B104 No. 4: Songs My Mother Taught Me
  5. Martha (Act 2 - No. 8 The Last Rose): 'Tis The Last Rose Of Summer
  6. La rondine (Act 1): Chi il bel sogno di Doretta
  7. Die tote Stadt (Act 1 - Mariettas Lied): Gluck, das mir verblieb
  8. Carmina Burana (No. 21): In trutina
  9. Vier Lieder, Op. 27 No. 4: Morgen!
  10. Vocalise, Op. 34 No. 14: Vocalise
  11. Die Fiedermaus (Act 2 - Csardas): Klange der Heimat (Csardas)
  12. Die lustige Witwe (Act 2 - Vilja-Lied): Es lebt' eine Vilja (Vilja-Lied)
  13. LUNA: Epilogo
  14. Chants d'Auvergne, Series 1: Bailero

Amazon.com essential recording

This vocal recital certainly lives up to its title, perhaps too well. It's a collection of arias and songs Fleming has sung for years that for some may be too much frosting and not enough cake. Surely, her performances are rich with interpretive nuances, wonder-filled portamentos and word colorings that reflect a long history with this repertoire, which ranges from Charpentier's "Depuis le jour" to Rachmaninoff's "Vocalise." Some may find Fleming a bit much, but agree with her or not, she's far more interesting than singers who keep a safe, discreet distance from the music. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The best of the best........2007-04-11

I've given away at least a dozen copies of this CD. I'm running low, so I just refilled the stash. For people who haven't discovered Renee Fleming or who think they don't care for opera, this CD is the best possible way to blow down the walls. If you think there's nothing new to be heard in these old arias, you owe it to yourself to find out how wrong you can be.

4 out of 5 stars Beautiful and creamy voice.......2006-02-28

I like so much Ren?e Fleming and this is special cd !

5 out of 5 stars Renee Fleming;THE BEAUTIFUL VOICE.......2006-01-30

IT'S A FINE RECORDING THAT OFFERS A VARIETY OF SELECTIONS FROM OPERA, OPERETTAS AND FOLK SONGS, ALL WITH FLEMING AT HER BEST.















5 out of 5 stars The most gorgeous soprano voice I've ever heard.......2006-01-02

I am a 19-year-old voice student at the University of Central Arkansas and I came across Renee by way of a soprano in my voice studio. She said it was her favorite soprano and that I should give her a listen. I was a little hesistant because I'm a baritone and my voice teacher told me that I should listen to men, but I just want to hear it all. So this past summer I first bought Renee's self-titled album with all of the lolipop arias on it and I was just amazed, not just because of how good she is but how easy she is to listen to. I loved her voice immediately. From the the moment the first tone passed through her throat on Puccini's "O Mio Babbino Caro." So I had to hear more. The Beautiful Voice is even better. It wasn't as easy to listen to at first because some of the songs on this album are not as famous as those on the other one, but these songs are all gems. The Korngold with the pianissimi B flats is my personal favorite. Even my mother who screams at me to turn down that "noise" when I listen to opera cds has grown to be quite fond of Renee Fleming. Sometimes her interpretations can be over the top, but the voice is beyond spectacular. It pours out like melted butter. It's vibrant, rich, expressive, free and always perfectly in tune. There is no hint of strain from any sound emitted from her body. She will undoubtedly be remembered like Callas & Sutherland and all the other great soprano voices before her. Not for the dramatic intensity of Callas or the coloratura & technical ease of Sutherland, but for the sheer unspeakable beauty of her voice. This is a must have for any vocalist seriously dedicated to classical training.

5 out of 5 stars Wow!!!.......2005-09-28

This album is the album that introduced me to Renee Fleming. Every selection on this recording is a gem. Her voice is so gorgeous and her technique is so solid. I love her voice so much, her interpretations of J. Strauss, Jr.'s Csardas is incredible and Puccini's Chi il bel sogno di Doretta makes me cry everytime I listen to it. She is a true American treasure. Brava Renee!!!
The Very Best of Beniamino Gigli
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The Art of Gigli
  • Gigli Is A Wonderful Singer!
The Very Best of Beniamino Gigli

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000A5BXR
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Tracks:

  1. Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi...Celeste Aida
  2. La Donna E Mobile
  3. Una Furtiva Lagrima
  4. Qual Turbamento...Salve Dimora
  5. O Dolce Incanto...Chiuder Gli Occhi
  6. Che Gelida Manina
  7. Recondita Armonia
  8. E Lucevan Le Stelle
  9. Dovunque Al Mondo
  10. Recitar!...Vesti La Giubba
  11. Intanto Amici, Qua...Viva Il Vino Spumeggiante
  12. Mamma, Quel Vino E Generoso
  13. Non Colombelle!...Ah! Tu Ch'Odi Lo Mio Grido
  14. Che Avvien?...Ah! Non V'Avvicinate...No! Pazzo Son!
  15. Cujus Animam
  16. Panis Angelicus
  17. Ingemisco
  18. Ave Maria
  19. Core 'Ngrato
  20. Funiculi, Funicula - Chorus

Tracks:

  1. 'O Sole Mio
  2. La Serenata
  3. La Danza
  4. Aprile
  5. Mattinata
  6. Torna A Surriento
  7. L'Ultima Canzone
  8. La Vita E Inferno...O Tu Che In Seno
  9. E La Solita Storia Del Pastor
  10. Un Di All'Azzurro Spazio
  11. Andrea Chenier...Corragio!...Si, Fui Soldato
  12. Come Un Bel Di Di Maggio
  13. Di' Tu Se Fedele
  14. Forse La Soglia Attinse...Ma Se M' E Forza Perderti
  15. Rachel, Quand Du Seigneur
  16. Puisqu'on Ne Peut Flechir...Vainement, Ma Bien-Aimee
  17. Io Son Sol...Ah! Dispar, Vision
  18. Ah! Non Mi Ridestar
  19. Quanto E Bella - Chorus
  20. Nessun Dorma - Chorus

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The Art of Gigli.......2007-03-09

After Caruso's death, Beniamino Gigli became one of the most renowned tenors in the world. His rich voice well justified his reputation. While some of his mannerisms (the little "cries" and "catches" in his voice) can be a bit overdone, they were not atypical of the time. A few reactions to specific cuts.

"Celeste Aida" from Verdi's opera is smoothly sung; his rich voice serves to good effect. As already noted, the little "cries" are unfortunate, but hardly an issue. His higher notes flow smoothly from lower ones, in a seamless fashion. It would have been nice to hear him try for the piano at the end, but he did not choose to do so. Any way you slice it, a nice version of a glorious aria.

"La donna e mobile" is taken at a rather slow pace. It is smoothly sung but does not really catch the spirit of the wretched Duke. He shows wonderful breath control. This is more a workmanlike than scintillating version. On the other hand, "Che gelida manina" is wonderful. Smooth, elegant singing. A very well done high note. An iconic version.

The twin arias from "Tosca," "Recondita armonia" and "E lucevan le stelle" are very well executed. His rendering of the final "la vita" in the latter aria is, again, noteworthy.

And now for something completely different. . . . "Funiculi funicula" is spritely sung, in good spirits, and it is a lot of fun! Most enjoyable. "O Sole mio," likewise, is well rendered. As previously noted, some "off putting" cries, but the warm, full voice more than makes up for such mannerisms. He does not overpower this song with operatic technique. The end result is most satisfying.

"La danza" befuddled the great Caruso (in his version, his breathing fell apart at one point). But not Gigli. Well sung, good breath control. Bravo Gigli!

Back to opera. . . . "Nessun dorma" is well sung. The vocalization is smooth. Gigli's voice soars over orchestra and other voices. The final "Vincero" rings out.

While this CD is not without some questions, as noted above, it is worth 5 stars for its full portrayal of the work of Gigli. As such, it can be recommended for anyone who wants a comprehensive introduction to this singer.

5 out of 5 stars Gigli Is A Wonderful Singer!.......2006-07-31

It's an honor for me to be "the first" to review this recording for Amazon. As "opera lovers" know, Gigli was "the greatest tenor in the world" for many years after the death of Caruso. If you haven't heard Gigli, a great treat is in store for you! He had "penache" and drama in the way he sang. Plus he had a beautiful tonal quality! I could go on and on but if you "pass this guy up" you'll be missing some beautiful and dramatic singing from a "world class" singing actor.

Besides listening to Gigli on Cd, you'd be doing yourself a favor to buy a movie in which Gigli appears and sings. The movie is called "Non Ti Scordar di Me". I'll try to find it on amazon or from "The Bel Canto Society" and give it a "review" also. It's an "old movie" but it has a VERY touching story, is well acted, and you get to see and hear Gigli which is a great treat since he has been gone for at least 50 years. He "comes alive" in this CD and in the movie. You will "thrill" to the sound of his voice. Enjoy! Email:boland7214@aol.
Very Best of
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A great introduction to the art of Placido Domingo
  • This is really the best.
  • If you like Placido at all, you must have this CD.
  • Rare And Great Domingo Classics
  • A real Bobby Dazzler
Very Best of
Placido Domingo
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Placido Domingo: A Love Until The End Of Time
  2. Bravo Domingo
  3. Perhaps Love
  4. The Domingo Songbook
  5. The Best of the Three Tenors

ASIN: B000083GOJ
Release Date: 2003-04-22

Tracks:

  1. Ill Mio Tesoro
  2. Un'aura Amorosa
  3. Dies Bildnis Ist Bezaubernd Schon
  4. La Ci Darem La Mano
  5. Vani Sono I Lamenti...Svegliatevi Nel Core
  6. Pays Merveilleux...O Paradis
  7. Quel Trouble Inconnu Me Penetre...Salut ! Demeure Chaste Et Pure (Faust, Act III)
  8. Ah! Tout Est Bien Fini... O Souverain, O Juge, O Pere (Le Cid, Act III)
  9. None But The Lonley Heart
  10. Lensky's Aria
  11. Donna, Non Vidi Mai (Manon Lescauy Act, II)
  12. Ah, Manon, Mi Tradisce
  13. Dammi I Colori...Recondita Armonia
  14. E Lucevan Le Stelle (Tosca, Act III)
  15. Ch'ella Mi Creda (La Fanciulla Del West, Act III)
  16. Dai Campi, Dai Prati (Mefistofele, Act I)
  17. Virgini Muse...Quando Al Soave Anelito
  18. O Sink Hernieder, Nacht Der Liebe
  19. Was Am Besten Er Kann...Hoho! Hohei!

Tracks:

  1. Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi!...Celeste Aida
  2. Su, Profetessa...Di Tu Se Fedele
  3. Forse La Soglia Attinse...Ma Se M'e Forza Perderti
  4. O Tu Che In Seno Agli Angeli
  5. Su, Cacciator...Fontainebleau!...
  6. Niun Mi Tema
  7. Ach, Wie So Herrlich Zu Schau'n
  8. Sckenkt Man Sich Rosen In Tirol
  9. Gern Hab'ich Die Frau'n Gekusst
  10. O Vaterland...Da Geh'ich Zu Maxim
  11. Dein Ist Mein Ganzes Herz
  12. Mi Aldea
  13. Cancion Del Sembrador
  14. No Puede Ser
  15. Serenata
  16. Copillas De Belen
  17. Coplas Del Pastor Enamorado
  18. En Aranjues Con Tu Amor
  19. Jealousy Tango
  20. La Golondina

Amazon.com

Placido Domingo is a phenomenon, and every aspect of his artistry is on display in this 2-CD compilation, which includes arias from his signature roles in Italian, French, German, and Russian operas, and songs from Viennese and Spanish operettas. The original recordings range from the early 1970s to the present and show that though over the years his bright golden voice has taken on a darker, more burnished glow, it has retained the melting lyricism, the heroic ring, the thrilling top notes, and the focused intensity that make it instantly recognizable. (Comparing the Verdi arias included here with their counterparts of later vintage in the all-Verdi set The Tenor Arias bears this out.) The program demonstrates his stylistic and expressive versatility and his ability to instantly establish character and mood, from Lenski's sorrow (in Eugene Onegin), Cavaradossi's heart-rending despair (in Tosca), Otello's shattering agony, to Tristan's passion, Siegfried's exuberance, Faust's ardor (first in French by Gounod, then in Italian by Boito). In three Mozart arias, Domingo spins endless, perfectly shaped phrases with incredible breath control, then adds an oddity: the famous duet between Zerlina and Don Giovanni, a role he has not performed. Five Viennese operetta songs, one of which he also conducts, are delightful; there is a smile of pleasure in his voice, but not a hint of kitsch. By contrast, Tchaikovsky's "None but the Lonely Heart" is spoiled by an orchestration that is pure Hollywood. In the final Spanish group, he is on home ground and incomparable. This is a glorious record, a must for all lovers of great singing. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A great introduction to the art of Placido Domingo.......2007-07-04

Placido Domingo, of course, is one of the finest tenors of the latter part of the 20th century. This 2 CD set well captures his talent, showing the range of his singing. We hear cuts from Puccini and Verdi to Tchaikovsky and Wagner to Strauss and Handel. And even a traditional Spanish sung and some operetta thrown in for good measure!

This is a wonderful introduction to his artistry, and shows that he can sing well across a variety of styles and eras. Let's sample some cuts:

"Il mio Tesoro" (from Mozart's Don Giovanni) is a difficult aria to sing well. And Domingo is up to the challenge. He displays a smooth and rich voice. His is one of those distinctive tenor voices, like Tucker's or Pavarotti's, that is quickly recognizable. This is, as noted, a challenging piece and Domingo handles it well, showing off considerable vocal agility in the process.

From the same opera, "La ci darem la mano," a sweet duet with, in this instance, soprano Susan Graham. This seductive work is sung well by both parties and is a ravishing version.

From Puccini's "Tosca," "Recondita armonia." At the close, his voice rises above orchestra and chorus. Overall, well and richly sung.

And now for something very different. . . The "Forging Scene" from Siegfried. One may not think of Domingo as a heldentenor, but he does a serviceable job here. His voice sometimes appears a bit light, but, overall, he does estimable work. He catches Siegfried's spirit as he forges the shattered remains of his father's sword, "Nothung." When he sings the name of his sword at the close, with the leitmotif ringing out from the orchestra, it is an affecting moment.

Then, "Celeste Aida" (from Verdi's opera). A stentorian voice well deployed to meet the challenges of this wonderful aria. Some tenors scoop as they move from those lower to the higher notes; Domingo's voice is well controlled here. The final high note is well hit.

Strauss (Junior's) "Ach, wie so herrlich zu schau'n" is a romp! A fun piece and well sung by Domingo. He demonstrates, as before, excellent vocal agility.

Lehar's "O Vaterland" is also fun. It is a sprightly tune sprightly sung.

Finally, he ends the second CD with a traditional Spanish tune--"La Golondrina." He does not overpower this work with operatic technique. He sings it well and affectingly.

So, all in all, if one wants a good introduction to Placido Domingo's vocal oeuvre, this is a very strong starting point.

5 out of 5 stars This is really the best........2007-05-16

I have many of Mr. Domingo's recordings but I really love this one. He seems to get better with age. Some of the songs are on some of my other recordings but they seem new and fresh on this CD. I really think this is the best of Placido Domingo.

5 out of 5 stars If you like Placido at all, you must have this CD........2005-04-06

Placido Domingo has been around for so long, it is easy to take this great artist for granted. I totally agree with the previous reviews of this album; I can also say that I had the opportunity to hear him live in concert on April 2, 2005 in Biloxi, Mississippi, and his voice is still stunning. His opening aria that night was the prayer from El Cid, "O Souverain," which he dedicated to the memory of Pope John Paul II. This piece is the 8th selection on CD 1, and is from a 1997 live recording. His thrilling finish blew me away when I listened to it the first time, and and the crowd on the recording reacts the same way the Mississippi audience did when we heard him. That aria alone is worth the price of this CD set.

5 out of 5 stars Rare And Great Domingo Classics.......2005-03-08

EMI's "The Very Best Of" series is a wonderful way for the opera lover/novice or even connoisseur in training to get acquainted with the great singers of opera in the 20th century. It is possible that in a few years, the great singers of today (from the 90's up to now and further into the future) will grace the album covers of The Very Best Of...The Very Best Of Renee Fleming, The Very Best Of Salvatore Licitra, etc. This is not exactly the best of Domingo. It is more of a collection of rare and wonderfully expressive arias from operas that range all over the map- Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, Wagner, Meyerbeer, Gounod, Massenet. Now, here's the reason why so many people adore Domingo, myself included - Domingo is a Renaissance Opera Tenor. He has sung almost every tenor role in the opera universe. Even if he is, to some, the "tenor who sang with Pavoratti in the three tenors" he proves he's the strongest of the bunch, the most dedicated, the most prolific and most artistic. Domingo has a beautiful voice, with secure high register and dark, masculine middle chest voice and exciting dramatic electricity! He's sung more than 50 operas, in addition operetta and Spanish Zarzuela (the Spanish equivalent to musicals or operetta which is where he got started and his parents sung in Zarzuela) and he has also recorded Spanish mainstream love songs for Latin audiences. A winner of Grammies, an actor in movies about operas that he starred in (Tosca, La Traviata, Otello) and the most active tenor on tv broadcasts, he is just incredible and powerful.
He is a great force in opera.

Even in his old age, he does'nt seem to be slowing down or call it quits. Recent performances (2000-2005) include Eugene Onegin, the lead in Queen of Spades, Rasputin in Debra Dratell's Nicolas and Alexandra, Idomeneo and his next role Parsifal. He is the singular tenor who mastered every repertoire- Mozart (Don Ottavio, Tamino...unfortunately Domingo as Don Giovanni is a miscast because he is too noble and romantic and GOOD to be a bad guy)..to Puccini heros (Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca, Dick Johnson in Fanciualla Del West, Rodolfo in Boheme, Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly, Calaf in Turandot) Verdi heroes (Radames in Aida, Don Carlos, Stiffelio, etc) to the French repertoire...Gounod (Faust, Romeo) Meyerbeer heroes, Massenet hero (Des Grieux, Le Cid) and Saint Saens (Samson) the list goes on and on. When this man dies, an era will die with him. His legend will live on because he will leave behind dozens of albums, movies and memories......

5 out of 5 stars A real Bobby Dazzler.......2004-02-19

Fans of Mr. Domingo would be lucky to find a selection of music that more profoundly explores and exhibits the diversity of his vocal ability and interpretation than is offered on these two discs. Delicious displays of Mozart, ringing renditions of the most challenging high Italian roles, powerfully rounded accounts of some of the heavy German/Russian repetoir, and some noticably nostalgic songs from the light Spannish tradition provide an impressive catalogue of the great man's rich, focussed, technically impecable and singularly beguiling vocal talent. Those who are yet to form an opinion on any particular genre of the operatic spectrum would do well to start here, so eclectic is this album. Also, you might be reassured to know that, should you become an admirer of P.D.'s talent as a result of listening to this compilation, (it is difficult to resist), you will have no trouble finding other recordings by him. A record-breaker with more than 110 roles to his repetoir (40 is a respected total for an opera singer), he is the most recorded tenor in history, leaving more than 80 complete accounts to date of operas in the Italian, French, German and Russian traditions.
Kiri Te Kanawa - Canteloube: Chants d'Auvergne, Villa-Lobos: Bachianas brasileiras
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Simply beautiful
  • Simply Sublime
  • LUSH AND PASSIONATE!
  • Beautiful!
  • Only Kiri
Kiri Te Kanawa - Canteloube: Chants d'Auvergne, Villa-Lobos: Bachianas brasileiras
Marie-Joseph Canteloube , Heitor Villa-Lobos , Jeffrey Tate , Kiri Te Kanawa , English Chamber Orchestra , and Instrumental Ensemble
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Canteloube - Chants d'Auvergne / Victoria de los Angeles
  2. Joseph Canteloube: Songs Of the Auvergne
  3. Joseph Canteloube: Chants d'Auvergne
  4. Canteloube: Chants d'Auvergne
  5. Kiri

ASIN: B00000427R
Release Date: 1995-11-14

Tracks:

  1. La Pastoura als Camps
  2. Bail ro
  3. Trois Bourr es
  4. Pastourelle
  5. L'Antou no
  6. La Pastrouletta lou Chibali
  7. La Dela ssado
  8. Bour es
  9. Lo Fiolair
  10. Passo pel Prat
  11. Lou Boussu
  12. Brezairola
  13. Malurous qu'o uno Fenno

Tracks:

  1. Chants d'Auvergne: Jou l'pount d'o Mirabel
  2. Chants d'Auvergne: Oi ayai
  3. Chants d'Auvergne: Per l'efon
  4. Chants d'Auvergne: Tchut, tchut
  5. Chants d'Auvergne: Pastorale
  6. Chants d'Auvergne: Lou Coucut
  7. Chants d'Auvergne: Obal, din lo coumb
  8. Chants d'Auvergne: Quand z'eyro petitoune
  9. Chants d'Auvergne: Laut, sur le rocher
  10. Chants d'Auvergne: HBeyla-z-y dau f
  11. Chants d'Auvergne: Postouro, su m'aymo
  12. Chants d'Auvergne: Uno jionto postouro
  13. Chants d'Auvergne: Lou diziou b
  14. Bachianas brasileiras: Aria (Cantilena)
  15. Bachianas brasileiras: Dansa (Martelo)

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Simply beautiful.......2005-08-07

Kiri Te Kanawa has one of the most beautiful operatic voices and no cd displays this better than Canteloube: Chants d'Auvergne. These folk songs, sung in a french dialect, are sung perfectly by Kiri Te Kanawa. You do not need to understand the language to feel the emotions the songs evoke. This is a simply beautiful cd and Kiri is flawless.

5 out of 5 stars Simply Sublime.......2004-02-27

What is it about these wonderful songs that tend to bring out the best in some of the world's finest sopranos?

There are so many fine recordings of these songs.

The great Frederica Von Stade recorded a quite mesmerizing selection of the Auvergne songs at about the same time as Dame Kiri. There is the lovely recording by the legendary Victoria De Los Angeles, a selection of the songs many of us grew up on.
There is the seminal first complete recording (and then some, as I recall) by the late Natania Davrath, a much under-appreciated artist who, in many ways, is responsible for the popularity these songs enjoy today. Even Anna Moffo recorded a lovely handful of the songs in the 60s conducted by no less than Leopold Stokowski!

And then there is Dame Kiri. We know her. We love her. We have come to expect the best from her. We have come to always expect more from her, in fact, than from just about anyone else.

So unfair. We expect her to jump the musical hurdles of our emotional connections to music and art in a way we expect from few others.

And yet she so seldom disappoints. Is this the absolute best recording of the Chants d'Auvergne ever? Such a personal choice. Who is to say?

I can tell you this, once I heard this truly remarkable set, which has literally sent chills up my back since the the first time I heard it all those years ago, I knew my search for the recording of these songs I would keep near me forever was over.

Here is an interpretation combining, in equal measure, patrician elegance with almost peasant-like eloquence. She renders song after song, some deceptively complicated, with a divine simplicity that simply defies the imagination.

I don't know how Dame Kiri achieved this miraculous feat. It must have come from the heart, because it certainly goes to mine.

And finally, it would be unthinkable not to give credit to the exquisite playing of the English Chamber Orchestra and the always sensitive collaboration of conductor Jeffrey Tate.

5 out of 5 stars LUSH AND PASSIONATE!.......2003-03-09

These traditional songs from the Auvergne region of France, arranged and orchestrated by Joseph Canteloube, are so intensely beautiful that when I requested a classical radio station to play some of them, motorists stopped on the highway to phone in their thanks.

I first heard a selection of these songs 30 years ago, performed by Anna Moffo, and fell in love with them. It's wonderful to find a complete recording of all 5 series on this 2 CD set, sung by Kiri te Kanawa with enormous talent and verve. Whether the mood is passionate, playful, mocking, tender, mournful or-an emotion few composers have ever captured-helpless with pleasure, these pieces have one thing in common: they are the work of a master orchestrator at the height of his powers, using the fullest resources of the modern orchestra. You will not find more beautiful music than this!

5 out of 5 stars Beautiful!.......2001-08-28

In my opinion, this is one of Kiri's better recordings. Her voice, while always gorgeous, is fresh and light here, and her interpretation, while not riveting, is certainly not boring. Musically, this is a wonderful collection, very romantic and lush in sound. A very worth-while recording.

5 out of 5 stars Only Kiri.......2001-07-13

Dame Kiri te Kanawa has just the voice and character to make this music live. Her voice has a spiritual quality (as opposed to a human quality) that suits the fantasy and seductive qualities of the music. However, her characterization is not void of human qualities, a reminder that these are human feelings. The orchestra under Jeffrey Tate copes very well with the virtuosic writing for woodwinds and stratospheric strings. I heard Renee Fleming's recent interpretation of Bailero and the characterization was more human. Their voices are quite similar, but if you want angelic qualities, Kiri is the angel.
Artists Of The Century - Caruso, The Greatest Tenor In The World
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A nice overview of Caruso's legacy
  • Unearthly
  • If You Only Buy One Caruso . . .
Artists Of The Century - Caruso, The Greatest Tenor In The World

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  3. Italian Songs: The Digital Recordings
  4. Match Point
  5. Beniamino Gigli: Historical Recordings 1927 - 1951

ASIN: B00000J913
Release Date: 1999-05-25

Tracks:

  1. Act II: Amor Ti Vieta
  2. Act II: Che Gelinda Manina
  3. Act III: Salut Demeure Chaste Et Pure
  4. Act III: Di Quella Pira
  5. Act IV: Spirto Gentil, Ne' Sogni Miei (Romanza)
  6. Act III: Solenne In Quest'Ora
  7. Act IV: Mi Batte Il Cor...O Paradiso!
  8. Act I: Un Di All'Azzurro Spazio (Improvviso)
  9. Recitar!... Vesti La Giubba
  10. Act I: Questa O Quella
  11. Act IV: La Donna E Mobile
  12. Act III: Ah Si, Ben Mio
  13. Act I: Celeste Aida
  14. Act I: Recondita Armonia
  15. Act III: E Lucevan Le Stelle
  16. Act III: Della Natal Sua Terra Il Padre... O Tu Che In Seno Agl' Angeli
  17. Act II: Magiche Note
  18. Act II: La Fleur Que Tu M'Avais Jetee
  19. Act I: Ah, Qual Soave Vision...Bianca Al Par Di Neve
  20. Act II: Cielo E Mar
  21. Act II: Nell'Ore Arcane Della Sua Lussuria... Ora E Per Sempre Addio
  22. Un Ballo In Maschera: Act I: Di' Tu Se Fedele
  23. Act II: Una Furtiva Lagrima

Tracks:

  1. Act III: Je Suis Seul... Ah, Uyez, Douce Image
  2. Act II: Chi Mi Frena In Tal Momento? (Sextett)
  3. Act I: O Soave Fanciulla
  4. Act III: Ella Mi Fu Rapita!...Parmi Veder Le Lagrime
  5. Act I: Donna Non Vidi Mai
  6. Cujus Animam
  7. Act II: Oh! Mostruosa Colpa!... Si, Pel Ciel
  8. Act I: Libiamo, Libiamo (Brindisi)
  9. Ingemisco
  10. Act II: Faiblesse De La Race Humaine!... Inspirez-Moi, Race Divine
  11. Act III: Ah! Tout Est Bien Fini!... O Souverain, O Juge, O Pere!
  12. Act IV: O Figli, O Figli Miei... Ah, La Paterna Mano
  13. Act II: Pour Moi Ce Jour Est Tout Mystere
  14. Act I: A Cette Voix Quel Trouble...Je Crois Entendre Encore
  15. Act IV: Bella Figlia Dell'Amore (Quartett) - Giuseppe De Luca
  16. Act II: Chi Mi Frena In Tal Momento? (Sextett) - Amelita Galli-Curci
  17. Act I: Frondi Tenere E Belle...Ombra Mai Fu (Largo)
  18. Act I: Studenti! Udite!
  19. Crucifixus

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A nice overview of Caruso's legacy.......2007-01-04

Enrico Caruso was one of the first "media stars," with his recordings selling widely in the early twentieth century; he helped popularize the recording industry. He was one of the leading tenors of his day, and is regarded as one of the tops of the twentieth century (although he began serious singing in the late 19th century).

This CD features some of his "greatest hits," among which are his well reputed version of "Vesti la giubba" (from I Pagliacci, one of his signature operas); arias from Verdi's Rigoletto, including the bold "Questa o quella" and "La donna e mobile"; some of his most popular recordings from Puccini, including "E lucevan le stelle," "Recondita armonia," and "Che gelida manina." Nice additions to the CD are wonderful ensemble pieces, such as the sextet from Lucia di Lammermoor (including the voice of Luisa Tetrazzini) and the quartet from Rigoletto (with Amelita Galli-Curci).

Interesting tidbits include his first recording, from 1902, and his last, from 1920.

All in all, this is a very nice representation of his work. I'm not sure that it compares with the old LP (with him in clown outfit) that includes Rossini's nearly unsingable "La danza," among other items. But it is a terrific introduction to the art of Caruso. Anyone who has not listened to this tenor's works before would be well advised to use this as their entree to his oeuvre.

5 out of 5 stars Unearthly.......2002-12-23

Forget toiling for a BMW, enjoy finer things in life.One of my personal favorites is ''Le pecheurs de perles'', but the offer is overwhelming.

4 out of 5 stars If You Only Buy One Caruso . . ........2001-01-03

let this be it! Wonderful, generous selection of his singles for Victor, most of them solos, but a few duets, quartets, quintets, and a sextet. The accompanying booklet makes a great deal of including his first and last recordings, but by far the most important here is Caruso's 1907 recording of Vesti la giubba, the first classical recording to sell over a million copies in the United States. If you listen to it, you'll know why--it's every bit as melodramatic as the minstrel show singles with which it shared the top of the early twentieth-century charts.
Music of the Gothic Era
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Unique
  • A classic performance
Music of the Gothic Era
Geoffrey Shaw , David James , David Munrow , and Early Music Consort of London
Manufacturer: Archiv Produktion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006L3IE
Release Date: 2002-10-08

Tracks:

  1. Viderunt Omnes - David Munrow
  2. Alleluya Pascha Nostrum - Martyn Hill
  3. Gaude Maria Virgo - David Munrow
  4. Locus Iste - Charles Brett
  5. viderunt Omnes - Martyn Hill
  6. Sederunt Principes - David Munrow
  7. Alle, Psallite Cum Luya, 3 Voc. - Martyn Hill
  8. Amor Potest, 3 Voc. - Martyn Hill
  9. S'on Me Regarde, 3 Voc. - Martyn Hill
  10. In Mari Miserie, 3 Voc. - Martyn Hill
  11. On Parole De Batre, 3 Voc. - James Bowman
  12. En Mai Quant Rosier Sont Flouri, 3. Voc. - Martyn Hill
  13. Dominator Domine, 3 Voc. - Martyn Hill
  14. El Mois De Mai, 3 Voc. - Martyn Hill
  15. O Mitissima, 3 Voc. - James Bowman

Tracks:

  1. Hoquetus I-VII, 3 Voc. Neuma-Virgo-In Seculum Longum-In Seculum Viellatoris In Seculum Breve-Seculum D'Amiens Longum-In Seculum - David Munrow
  2. Aucun Ont Trouve, 3 Voc. - David Munrow
  3. De Ma Dame Vient, 3 Voc. - Martyn Hill
  4. J'os Bien A M'amie Parler, 3 Voc. - James Bowman
  5. La Mesnie Fauveline, 3 Voc. - David Munrow
  6. Quant Je Le Voi, 3 Voc. - Martyn Hill
  7. Zelus Familie, 3 Voc. - Martyn Hill
  8. Quasi Non Ministerium, 4 Voc. - David Munrow
  9. Impudenter Circumivi, 4 Voc. - David Munrow
  10. Cum Statua, 3 Voc. - James Bowman
  11. Pantheon Abluitur, 5 Voc. - James Bowman
  12. Clap, Clap, Par Un Matin, 3 Voc. - Martyn Hill
  13. Ida capillorum, 4 Voc. - James Bowman
  14. Rachel Plorat Filios, 3 Voc. - Martyn Hill
  15. Les I'ormel A La Turelle, 3 Voc. - Martyn Hill
  16. O Philippe, Franci Qui Generis, 3 Voc. - James Bowman
  17. Febus Mundo Oriens, 3 Voc. - Martyn Hill
  18. Lasse! Comment Oublieray, 3 Voc. - Martyn Hill
  19. Qui Es Promesses, 3 Voc. - James Bowman
  20. Hoquetus David, 3 Voc. - David Munrow
  21. Christe, Qui Lux Es, 4 Voc. - James Bowman
  22. Degentis Vita, 4 Voc. - Martyn Hill
  23. Inter Densas Deserti Meditans, 3 Voc. - Martyn Hill
  24. Rex Karole, Johannis Genite, 5 Voc. - James Bowman

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Unique.......2006-02-07

This is early vocal music very much in the style currently heard in groups like the Hilliard Ensemble and Tallis Scholars. It is very spacious-sounding and solemn, which makes sense- most of the music that we have preserved from hundreds of years ago was written for use in the church. Fortunately, the gravity of the works never stops this set from being thoroughly enjoyable, too. Archiv's sound is, as always, very good.

5 out of 5 stars A classic performance.......2003-02-28

This recording remains a classic, even if (as Daniel Leech-Wilkinson points out in his accompanying notes) some of Munrow's performance practices may be disputed today. This is, quite simply, a wonderful performance and a terrific sounding recording (even after nearly 30 years)--and a wonderful way to develop an ear for the music of the 13th and 14th centuries.
Very Best of
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A Superstar To Remember
  • I'm am so glad I found this CD!
  • My growing affection
  • A great voice and a great lady!
  • A Bible of Soprano Singing
Very Best of
Mirella Freni
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  3. A Celebration
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ASIN: B000083GOK
Release Date: 2003-04-22

Tracks:

  1. Quel Guardo Il Cavalier...So Ancho'io
  2. Si. Mi Chiamano Mimi - Nicolai Gedda
  3. Addio...D' Onde Lieta Usci - Nicolai Gedda
  4. Vissi D'arte
  5. Un Bel Di Vedremo
  6. Son Pochi Fiori
  7. Ecco! Respiro Appena...Lo Son L'umile Ancella
  8. Poveri Fiori
  9. C'est Des Contrebandiers...Je Dis Que Rien Ne M'epouvent
  10. Me Voila Seul...Comme Autrefois
  11. Allons!...Adieu, Notre Petite Table
  12. Je Voudrais Bien Savoir...Il Etait Un Roi De Thule...Ah ! Je Ris (Jewel Song)
  13. Voyons, Nourrice...Je Veux Vivre
  14. O Nuit Divine ! - Franco Corelli

Tracks:

  1. Vedrai, Carino
  2. O Rendetemi La Speme...Qui La Voce Sua Soave...Vien Diletto
  3. E' Stano...Ah! Fors' E Lui...Sempre Libera
  4. Chi Il Bel Sogno Di Doretta
  5. O Mio Babbino Caro
  6. Senza Mamma
  7. Signore, Ascolta
  8. Tu, Che Di Gel Sei Cinta
  9. Son Giunta!...Madre, Pietosa Vergine
  10. Pace, Pace Mio Dio!
  11. Ritorna Vincitor!
  12. Qui Radames Verra...O Patria Mia
  13. Mia Madre Avea Una Povera Ancella...Piangea Cantando... - Stefania Malagu
  14. Ave Maria

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A Superstar To Remember.......2007-01-10

I fell in love with opera because of Mirella Freni. I heard her sing Mimi to Pavarotti's Rodolfo in La Boheme about 30 years ago. Hearing this CD was like seeing a long-lost love, and appreciating them even more this time around.

Freni was a Puccini specialist, and you get an embarrasment of Puccini riches on this CD. Of course, you get the arias "Si, mi chiamano Mimi" and "Addio...D'Onde lieta usci" from La Boheme. Those also feature the incredible Niccolai Gedda. I sure would have liked it if they threw in "O soave fanciulla" as well. You also get arias from Tosca, Madama Butterfly, La Rondine, Gianni Schicci, Suor Angelica, and Turandot.

But wait, there's more! I had not heard Freni sing Micaela until this CD. Wait until you hear the "Je dis que rien ne m'epouvant". It will set you free. Then she throws in "Comme autrefois" from Pearl Fishers. Donizetti, Cilea, Mascagni, Massenet, Bellini, Gounod, Mozart, even Verdi(!)...all here.

There was one thing I found unusual about this compilation, and that was the noticeable absence of "Dove sono" and/or "Porgi amor". I mean, those roles are clearly in the reach of any lyric soprano. I did a little research, and found that she really didn't sing the Countess role in Figaro, she sang Susanna! OK, so let's just say her voice was on the light end of the lyric fach. If that's the case, it makes selections from Tosca, Butterfly, Traviata, Turandot, and Forza kind of curious, doesn't it?

In the end, it doesn't matter. This is an awesome compilation from one of the greatest sopranos of all time. No one is like Freni, and no opera lover should be without this performance record.

Highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars I'm am so glad I found this CD!.......2004-07-17

I'm a casual opera fan and I admit that until a few days ago I didn't even know who Mirella Freni was. Then a friend, whose taste I respect mentioned that an Italian lady named Freni was the second greatest Violetta he'd ever heard. He went into raptures and I decided that I had to hear this woman. This morning I bought the CD, put it in my player and was astounded and delighted to hear one of the sweetest voices I have ever heard in my life. Mirella Freni's singing is simply beautiful.

5 out of 5 stars My growing affection.......2004-05-25

Freni is a soprano I didn't much care for in the past. For some reason I took her for granted and didn't listen to her records a lot. However, in search for an lyric soprano with ample coloratura to tackle bel canto roles as well, Freni was one of the few I could think of who had the qualities I was looking for; unmistakeable Italian phrasing and musicality, a firm middle register with an easy top and a sweet timbre.

This new release is a great introduction to her big recording legacy. She didn't possess the largest instrument but her technique and wise choices allowed her to expand her repertoire in many areas. The lyrical roles such as Zerlina, Mimi, Liu suit her the best but notice how a more florid part like Norina in Don Pasquale or even the more demanding Puritani Elvira benefits from her firm lyric sound. She avoids the highest notes and if needed sings them carefully but everything is so charmingly sung that a single note cannot ruin the whole. Sincere classical singing does not lie in a single note. Even without the large voice these roles need, she handles the heavy Verdi parts impressively. "O patria mia" and especially Desdemona's scene are magnificient.

This collection has increased my admiration for this wonderful artist. If all the sopranos were flowers in a garden, Freni would be a lovely daisy.

5 out of 5 stars A great voice and a great lady!.......2004-02-07

Mirella Freni's singing even today when she's over sixty still teaches all the young sopranos a lesson how a voice can be preserved. Her singing is lovely, creamy and colourful. She's by far my favourite Liu and part of the Mimi-Triumvirate: Victoria de los Angeles, Maria Callas and Mirella Freni. Her first Mimi with Nicolai Gedda was a revelation, the complete set is a must for ever Puccini-Lover. And despite its not being idiomatic and her poor French her Juliette is riveting and lovely. But my favourite Freni-role will always be Elisabetta in Verdi's "Don Carlo" which she sang to perfection on a live-recording from La Scala (Abbado) featuring Carreras, Ghiaurov, Obraszowa etc. etc. An amazing set for those who want to know why Mirella is still adored today!

5 out of 5 stars A Bible of Soprano Singing.......2003-04-30

Many of these items were available on different cd, now out of print. That disc introduced me to the art of Mirella Freni, and one listening had me hooked. Mirella Freni is my favorite artist in any genre. She has taken such good care of her voice that she is still singing and getting fantastic reviews at the age of 68. She started off by singing lyric/coloratura roles such as Adina, Susanna, Zerlina, Micaela, the Puritani Elvira, then came Mimi, Juliette, Violetta, Marguerite, Manon, which which had heavier orchestrations. The seventies saw Freni's voice expanding and growing naturally very unlike Renata Scotto, who pushed her voice to sing roles too heavily orchestrated. Scotto is a great artist, but nobody can deny the fact that her voice turned terribly shrill. New roles for Freni were Desdemona, Elisabetta, Aida, Tosca and Butterfly (on record) and Boito's Marguerita. Never forcing or pushing, she sang these roles with great success and beautiful tone. She also was expanding emotionally and her characterizations grew deeper and more intense. In the 80's, she continued to expand her repertoire, though not giving up old roles, to include Manon Lescaut, Adriana Lecouvreur, Tschaikovsky's Tatyana and Liza with incredible results. She still added new roles in the 90's and into the 21st century, Fedora, Madame Sans Genes and Tschaikovsky's Maid of Orleans (a mezzo role). Unlike Tebaldi and other Italian sopranos, Freni often sang roles in their original language, French, Russain and songs in German. We only get to hear French and Italian here, and I strongly urge any opera lover to seek out her recordings on other labels than EMI. DG, for her wonderful Manon Lescaut, 2nd Butterfly, 2nd Tosca, Tatyana, Boccanegra's Amelia. On London/Decca, her Mimi (legendary), Butterfly, Nedda, Nannetta, Margharita, Mathilde, Tosca, the Trittico heroines (a Suor Angelica that is supreme).
Now, about the singing on this disc:
The Pasquale aria is nicely done (though I prefer Sill's rendition). The Boheme numbers are legendary, enough said. The Tosca aria is my favorite of all soprano's and ever Freni's (she recorded it at least twice more), beautiful and slow. Her Butterfly is regarded as "model" and her singing of both arias are intense and heart wrenching. Her Amico Fritz arias are perfectly judged and performed. The Adriana arias are fine, though they would grow in character when she took on the full role in the 80's and I prefer her later recording of them for Decca on her Verismo Arias disc. Her Micaela is also regarded as legendary and this recording shows why. The Pearl Fishers, Faust and Manon arias are gorgeously sung with golden tone and the Romeo arias show her technical skills in coloratura, well done. Her Mozart, too, is wonderful, receiving praise from, of all people, Renata Scotto in her autobiography. Her Violetta is secure and rich with brilliant coloratura in the Sempre Libera section. Her Doretta is ok, with some odd breath points that should have been eliminated. The other Puccini sections are very special, showing what a superb Puccinian she is. She is a commanding Verdian in the Forza arias, but the acoustic is horrible. Her singing is worth it, though. The Aida items are intense and with long breaths. I just love her as Aida but the engineers did not capture her voice as richly as it was at that time. Still this is masterful singing of difficult music. Willow Song and Ave Maria are, in my mind, the best ever committed to disc. If you are not under her spell in these tracks, then you must be stone-hearted. My only regret is that her gorgeous Tu che le vanita from Don Carlos is not included here......a serious omission!!!!!
This is a great showcase for a supreme artist. Buy it.....you won't regret it!
Love's Illusion-Music From The Montpellier Codex 13th Century
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Excellent Rendition of Early Music. Buy It.
  • Fun and full of love
  • from a newcomer viewpoint
  • Love's Illusion
  • OUTSTANDING
Love's Illusion-Music From The Montpellier Codex 13th Century
Anonymous 4 , and Marsha Genensky
Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Vocal & SongVocal & Song | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems
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ASIN: B0000007E5
Release Date: 1994-08-23

Tracks:

  1. Montpellier Codex: Plus Bele Que Flor - Quant Revient - L'autrier Joer - Flos Filius (Mo 21)
  2. Montpellier Codex: Puisque Bele Dame M'eime - Flos Filius (Mo 231)
  3. Montpellier Codex: Amours Mi Font Souffrir - En Mai - Flos Filius (Mo 111)
  4. Montpellier Codex: Ne Sai, Que Je Die - Iohanne (Mo 185)
  5. Montpellier Codex: Si Je Chante - Bien Doi Amer - Et Sperabit (Mo 311)
  6. Montpellier Codex: Or Ne Sai Je Que Devenir - Puisque D'amer - Kyrieleyson (Mo 267)
  7. Montpellier Codex: H? Dieus, De Si Haut Si Bas - Maubatus - Cumque (Mo 92)
  8. Montpellier Codex: Celui En Qui - La Bele Estoile - La Bele, En Qui - Iohanne (Mo 20)
  9. Montpellier Codex: Qui D'amours Se Plaint - Lux Magna (Mo 215)
  10. Montpellier Codex: Amours, Dont Je Sui - L'autrier, Au Douz Mois - Chose Tassin (Mo 270)
  11. Montpellier Codex: Au Cuer Ai Un Mal - Ja Ne M'en Repentirai - Jolietement (Mo 260)
  12. Montpellier Codex: Quant Voi La Fleur - Et Tenuerunt (Mo 241)
  13. Montpellier Codex: Quant Se Depart - Onques Ne Sai Amer - Docebit Omnem (Mo 131)
  14. Montpellier Codex: Joliement - Quant Voi La Florete - Je Sui Joliete - Aptatur (Mo 34)
  15. Montpellier Codex: Amor Potest Conqueri - Ad Amorem Sequitur (Mo 238)
  16. Montpellier Codex: Ce Que Je Tieng - Certes Mout - Bone Compaignie - Manere (Mo 33)
  17. Montpellier Codex: J'ai Si Bien Mon Cuer Assiz - Aucun M'ont - Angelus (Mo 128)
  18. Montpellier Codex: Ne M'oubliez Mie - Domino (Mo 236)
  19. Montpellier Codex: J'ai Mis Toute Ma Pensee - Je N'en Puis - Puerorum (Mo 255)
  20. Montpellier Codex: Blanchete - Quant Je Pens - Valare (Mo 168)
  21. Montpellier Codex: Dame, Qeu Je N'os Noumer - Amis Donc Est - Lonc Tans A (Mo 337)
  22. Montpellier Codex: Li Savours De Mon Desir - Li Grant Desir - Non Veul Mari (Mo 323)
  23. Montpellier Codex: Entre Copin - Je Me Cuidoie - Bele Ysabelos (Mo 256)
  24. Montpellier Codex: S'on Me Regarde - Prenn?s I Garde - H?, Mi Enfant (Mo 223)
  25. Montpellier Codex: Quant Yver La Bise Ameine - In Seculum (Mo 223)
  26. Montpellier Codex: Ne M'a Pas Oubli? - In Seculum (Mo 207)
  27. Montpellier Codex: On Doit Fin[e] Amor - La Biaut? - In Seculum (Mo 134)
  28. Montpellier Codex: Ja N'amerai Autre Que Cele - In Seculum (Mo 3)
  29. Montpellier Codex: Quant Je Parti De M'amie - Tuo (Mo 200)

Amazon.com essential recording

How's this for a concept: "True love may exist only outside of marriage, and a man must subject himself totally to the will of his beloved, whether or not her requests seem rational." If you think these ideas strange, be glad you weren't looking for love in France in the Middle Ages. These precepts course through thousands of song lyrics and love poetry during the 12th and 13th centuries and some of them appear on this exceptional recording by Anonymous 4. Specifically, these four women perform 13th century French motets found in an important manuscript known as the Montpellier Codex. These polyphonic works span the entire century and thus express a variety of styles. Sometimes the use of texts is striking, as when a love song, a diatribe against hypocrisy, and a rousing drinking song are sung simultaneously. Not bad, if you can get away with it. Anonymous 4 can-and does. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Excellent Rendition of Early Music. Buy It........2005-10-29

`Love's Illusion' is the third album done by the medieval vocal quartet, `Anonymous 4' and the first recording for them of secular motets, although it is important to note that to my relatively uneducated ear, I find it hard to discern the difference between these French love songs and their renditions of medieval church music.

This is not to say I have a totally tin ear but rather to indicate that there is as strong or stronger connection between these secular songs and the liturgical music of the day as there is between Aretha Franklin's soul singing and Southern Baptist church songs. One would be foolish to think that church music influenced secular music for the first time in 1956.

The text for these songs is based on the Montpellier Codex from the 13th century and, as I said, are all in what I believe is an early version of French. The accompanying booklet gives all the French lyrics, plus translations of these lyrics into English and German (since the record company, harmonia mundi, is, I believe, headquartered in Germany and the recording is manufactured in Germany.

While this is the first album I have reviewed by this group (named after an anonymous 13th century English writer on music who lived and worked in Paris and wrote about the music done) I have been listening to their recordings for several years now and I decided to start with this one and leave some of the liturgical works for later, closer to the Christmas season.

On a purely visceral level, I like this recording very much. On an intellectual level, I believe this is as good or better than any other medieval pieces, and most other Renaissance vocal pieces I have heard, except for some works with larger choruses such as Guillaume Du Fay's Mass for St. Anthony of Padua and Ensemble Gilles Binchois recording of eleventh century French Polyphony.

For those who are new to Anonymous 4 recordings, they are generally done not in a studio but in the nave of a large church, so there is a distinct sense of their singing in a great open space, with little or no sense of electronic enhancement. I really like this effect for this music and find it just one more reason to recommend this and other Anonymous 4 recordings. I think my highest recommendation comes from the fact that I can listen to this recording many times over and not become tired of it. There are other unusual types of music such as Russian chants, tangos, and even jazz which I can take for an hour or so and then must change. This material I can listen to for hours on end.

Highly recommended for fans of early music or for people who want something different.

5 out of 5 stars Fun and full of love.......2005-10-13

This is a wonderful collection of chansons, or songs, from medieval France. It is different from many Anonymous 4 collections in that this is a piece of secular songs, primarily dealing with courtly love; the songs are particularly influenced by the Arthurian romances, very much in vogue at that time. This is a collection of motets - a musical style that came out of polyphony and is an important bridge between chant and modern song styling.

The Montpellier Codex has over 300 different motets (not including duplications), including many double motets, where the tenor piece is based on a plainchant, and different voices have their own texts. These 'fin amours' songs were most likely performed mostly in private entertainment settings, and song have argued that certain parts should be done by instruments rather than voices. Of course, the Anonymous 4 is an a capella group, so that idea does not come into practice here.

This is a playful and fun recording, full of lovely songs that reach the heart in strong ways.

-- Liner Notes --
This text accompaniment to this disc is very full, so much so that the booklet is not contained within the jewel case, but rather within a slipcover in which both the CD/jewel case and the booklet reside. The liner notes include a description of the work, a brief piece about the quartet, and the lyrics of the songs both in original language and in translation - all repeated in English, German, and French sections (however, the French lyrics are in the older French language; a modern translation would be helpful). The cover art is a section of the lovely Tapestry, Lady and the Unicorn, Atelier of the Loire Valley, 'mille fleurs', fifteen century in the Museum of Cluny, France.

-- Anonymous 4 --
Contrary to the implication of their name, the Anonymous 4 are not anonymous. This is a vocal quartet made up of Ruth Cunningham, Marsha Genensky, Susan Hellauer, and Johanna Rose at the time of this recording (Ruth Cunningham will later go on to a solo career early, and another member will join - Jacqueline Horner). They came together as a formal group in 1986, and have been ensemble-in-residence at St. Michael's Church in New York City, giving concert series in New York as well as throughout North America. They have been featured a number of times on national media in North America as well as Germany. They then went on to yet more success, eventually performing more that 1000 concerts worldwide.

Their specialty is working with chant, monophonic and polyphonic music, and working with medieval texts. According to one source, 'The group takes its name from an anonymous music theorist of the late 13th century, Anonymous IV, who is the principal source on the two famous composers of the Notre Dame school, Léonin and Pérotin.'

The group ended a touring career of nearly two decades in 2004.

5 out of 5 stars from a newcomer viewpoint.......2003-02-23

LOVE'S ILLUSION is one of those uncanny instances that make tradition more unusual than avant-garde. Having two to four texts in an archaic language sung on top of each other makes the album at once chaotic and highly ordered. Some texts were clearly written after one another (cf. track 24), whereas others have but a random connection. Harmonically, however, everything falls into place.
I'm still fairly new to classical music, so I can only speak of my attempts at overcoming my difficulties in listening to mediaeval polyphony. When one knows any piece of music has a text, one wants to be able to hear the words - even if one doesn't know the language -, and this is main reason why a first listening of LOVE'S ILLUSION may be disturbing, if not annoying. One initial solution is to think of it as instrumental, and take the words for granted; I suggest also repeated listening of your favorite tracks, while trying to follow one singer's voice, with booklet in hand. I have paid some attention to this record and I believe it has helped me.
The major flaw of this record is not presenting a translation of the 13th century French songs into contemporary French. The difference is indeed quite astounding.

1 out of 5 stars Love's Illusion.......2002-12-11

Overall: Monotonous, irritating. I had a headache after only three cuts, and the cut I really wanted is barely recognizable as the melody of interest. Let's just say that this is a sound (i.e., all female vocals, no instrumental variety), regardless of performers, that I do not go looking for.

5 out of 5 stars OUTSTANDING.......2001-01-11

This is an excellent recording of some of the most beautiful music from the 13th Century. The vocal quartet "Anonymous 4" does a superb job, especially considering the entire CD is sung in Old French. This may well be the most peaceful and reaxing CD you will ever own.
Fijate Bien
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Love Juanes
  • awesome introduction to Juanes!
  • Juanes is the bomb
  • Great CD
  • I can't decide which is my favorite
Fijate Bien
Juanes
Manufacturer: Universal Latino
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004ZDW6
Release Date: 2000-10-17

Tracks:

  1. Ahi Le Va
  2. Para Ser Eterno
  3. Volcan
  4. Podemos Hacernos Dano
  5. Destino
  6. Nada
  7. Fijate Bien
  8. Vulnerable
  9. Sonador
  10. Ficcion
  11. Para Que
  12. Me Da Igual

Amazon.com

Just try and classify the eclectic, often-electric sound of Fijate Bien, the debut solo album from Colombian singer-songwriter Juanes (formerly of the rock group Ekhymosis). Every track mixes and matches genres, careening between--among other things--rock, salsa, and vallenato (traditional Colombian folk music). It's not surprising, given that Latin Grammy nominee Juanes lists Metallica, Jimi Hendrix, Eminem, Vicente Fernández, and Soda Stereo as musical influences. Songs such as "Ahi le Va" and "Nada" ride straightforward rhythms, while "Podemos Hacernos Dano" and "Ficcion" frolic amid the sounds of past and present. There's a lot going on here, both musically and lyrically. Producer Gustavo Santaolalla, who helmed the even more diverse Amores Perros soundtrack, keeps Juanes's exceptional work tight and focused, resulting in one of the year's most refreshing examples of a real Latin explosion. --Joey Guerra

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Love Juanes.......2006-07-08

This album is a bit more serious than his other two, but I still love it.

5 out of 5 stars awesome introduction to Juanes!.......2004-11-13

This was the album that preceded Juanes' "Un Dia Normal," a CD that truly reached audiences from all backgrounds through the Latin Grammy show and into other venues, as well. "Fijate Bien" (Watch Carefully) is a cautionary, sensitively written and well-performed album that really gives us a sense of Juanes' profound ability to write songs that really speak to the heart--not just about love, either. I get a sense that he was leaning more toward a rock sound than the latin fusion that we have heard in his last two albums ("Un Dia Normal" and "Mi Sangre"). There are still generous doses of cumbia-inspired elements ("Fijate Bien" in the bridge part, toward the end of the song), as well as the very latin, syncopated hooks ("Para Ser Eterno").

What I enjoy most about the album is the fact that Juanes isn't afraid to take himself seriously an artist and performer. Many of his songs address social injustice, sensitivity and consciousness in a world that can be cold, violent and narcissistic. I am glad that we have one artist to inspire us and also lead us with strength and grace, like we do in Juanes. He is definitely one great example of much of the beauty, versatility and innovation that exists in the contemporary music of Colombia. Muchas gracias, Juanes.

4 out of 5 stars Juanes is the bomb.......2004-01-31

Juanes sings bea-u-ti-ful!!!!!!! This cd and his other cd "Un Dia Normal" are both very good! He is very talented!

5 out of 5 stars Great CD.......2003-06-03

Here is what I have to say about "Fijate Bien", I love it to death. Seriously, it is one of best CD's I own, without the exception of Shakira, and Mana CDs. I don't know about you, but my fave song is "Fijate Bien". I went through a lot of mess-ups to get this CD and now I know it was completely worth it.
Viva Juanes!

5 out of 5 stars I can't decide which is my favorite.......2003-01-10

Let me start by saying that I have both albums and I have a hard time deciding which is my favorite. I love them both I love the folklore of the music and the truth but sad reality of which some songs speak of. I am amazed by the honesty and spirituality and maturity about life that Juanes transmits in his songs. Some speak of love others of the crude reality of the world that we live in but it offers hope as well. It does not matter if you are Colombian or not anybody can indentify whith what the songs are relating to the listener. I hope that God blesses Juanes with more songs so we can enjoy them.

Jazz Music:

  1. Bohemio Enamorado
  2. Boleros
  3. Boleros, Vol. 2: Cha Cha Chas
  4. Borinquena [Enhanced]
  5. Bushido [Import]
  6. Código Personal: A Media Vida
  7. Camino Al Cielo
  8. Carramix [Import]
  9. Celia Cruz and Friends: A Night of Salsa [Live]
  10. Clase 406: El Siguiente Paso [Soundtrack]

Jazz Music

jazz music