Daniel Rene

1. No Me Tortures

2. Jamas

3. Deseo de Ti - Jennifer Peña,

4. Cambio de Tu Amor

5. Mentiras

6. Yo Dudo Que Con El

7. Indecible

8. Amor Que No Te Di

9. Por Ti

10. Yo No Quiero Ser el Ultimo

11. No Me Tortures [Cumbia Norteña] [*]

12. No Me Tortures [*]

13. Jamas [Cumbia Norteña] [*]

14. Deseo de Ti [Cumbia Norteña] [*] - Jennifer Peña,

15. Deseo de Ti [*] - Jennifer Peña,

16. Yo Dudo Que Con El [Cumbia Norteña] [*]

Daniel Rene,Daniel Rene,Univision Music Grp,Latin,Latin Music,Latin Pop,Latin Pop/Rock,Pop

Music

jazz

music

Tracks:

Triple Concerto: I. Allegro
Triple Concerto: II. Largo
Triple Concerto: III. Rondo alla polacca
Choral Fantasy: Adagio -
Choral Fantasy: Finale: Allegro - Meno allegro -
Choral Fantasy: Allegro Molto -
Choral Fantasy: Adagio, ma no troppo -
Choral Fantasy: Marcia, assai vivace - Allegro -
Choral Fantasy: Allegretto, ma non troppo (quasi andante con moto) - Presto

Customer Reviews:

A First-Rate Triple Concerto and Choral Fantasy!.......2007-03-28

Though many others have reviewed this CD, I'd like to offer a few remarks from my own perspective. In particular, I want to focus on the Choral Fantasy, because I've recently been comparing my recordings of it to see which, to my ears at least, are the most satisfying.

First, though, a few words about the Triple Concerto. It is easy to see why most reviewers have principally addressed this work. It is a remarkably fine piece of music, impressively and beautifully performed by some of the most talented and celebrated artists of our age. It is hard to speak of Perlman, Ma, or Barenboim in anything but superlatives, and that holds true for the Berlin Philharmonic, as well. The recorded sound is outstanding: vibrant, clear, well-balanced, full-dimensioned, and sensuous. And if the rigorous control of a studio recording is given up in this live concert performance, it seems more than compensated for by the contagious enthusiasm of an admiring audience. The applause at the end is fitting and adds a touch of realism to the recorded experience. (It has to be conceded, though, that no actual seat in the house could offer the closeup detail which the recording engineers, with their skilled use of microphones and mixers, provide us.)

In sum, the Triple Concerto is most handsomely served here. The effect is almost that of a chamber trio with orchestral accompaniment, and like good chamber music players, the three soloists take care not to step on each other's lines, assuming the lead when appropriate and yielding up the spotlight when their turn is over. (Obviously the three, in addition to their solo performances, have had substantial experience playing chamber music.)

As to the Choral Fantasy, in my opinion we have here one of the very best available recordings. In addition to being a top musical artist in general and an extraordinary pianist in particular, Barenboim is also one of the leading Beethoven interpreters of the day. For its part, the venerable Berlin Philharmonic has, from the time of Nikisch, imposed a soloist level of performing artistry upon each of its members, and, since the days of Furtwaengler, developed a special relationship with the music of Beethoven. (The vocal soloists and chorus live up to this standard, as well.) Add to this interpretive authority and performing excellence the high caliber of EMI sound engineering, and you're almost guaranteed a brilliant result.

The composition itself is well thought out and full of excellent writing, the product of mature genius. Though its debut in 1808 was something of a catastrophe, owing to last-minute completion and consequent lack of adequate rehearsal (Beethoven's piano part had not yet even been written out), it was all very carefully re-worked before its publication in 1810. Formally the piece has two movements: Adagio and Finale, but there are altogether seven segments with various tempo and style indications. Lasting about 20 minutes altogether, the piece begins with a 4-minute piano introduction and ends with about 4 minutes of combined chorus, orchestra and piano. The intervening 12 minutes or so constitute a dialogue between solo piano and orchestra.

The Fantasy is perhaps unique among Beethoven's works in its obvious emphasis upon unabashed showmanship. It was, from the beginning, intended as a brilliant finale to a long evening of Beethoven's music--both his compositions and his personal performance at the keyboard (and his conducting, too). And though the work has been criticized for its "oddball" format and its presumed artistic shallowness, the fact is that the music has survived for 199 years and shows no signs of being abandoned any time soon. Indeed, it remains a great source of musical excitement and enjoyment, and a favorite of such musical greats as Rudolf Serkin and Daniel Barenboim, both of whom have recorded it multiple times.

In choosing my favorite recordings I have kept in mind the showpiece character of the music, and its growing excitement and brilliance as it comes to a close. Two features in particular add special drama to the coda: the strategically repeated rising scales of triplet thirds with octaves played by the piano and sounding like fireworks blasting off into the sky; and the sudden powerful interjection of a foreign E-flat major chord as the chorus repeats the word "Kraft" (power) and then triumphantly forces its resolution back to a grand C major. When these features are well executed the piece takes on an excitement which drives almost inexorably toward an exultantly satisfying ending.

In this recording both features come off pretty well, although the rising piano scales could be better spotlighted and could be more crisply articulated. The E-flat chord is properly strong and grows in intensity as it presses forward to its C major resolution. So I'd give this performance about 1.6 out of 2 on this issue.

By way of comparison, the old Walter Klien performance with the St. Louis Symphony conducted by Jerzy Semkow (a Vox disk no longer in print) gets the full two points: Klien plays the scales with an almost trip-hammer articulation which seizes the ear with its dramatic intensity. The E-flat chord and its resolution are likewise given the powerful treatment which adds so much to the brilliance of the ending. (The Klien disk, though recorded in the 1960s, holds up well on all counts and sounds very good indeed!)

A third fine performance is that of Pierre-Laurent Aimard playing with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt on the Warner Classics label. Aimard's playing is big, powerful, and virtuosic, and the orchestra and chorus (Arnold Schoenberg Chor) are equally fine. On the two features cited above, this recording gets about 1.6 points: the piano scales are crisply articulated, nearly as electrifying as Klien's, but a bit less prominently highlighted. The E-flat chord is strong enough, and the following C major chord is, as well, but there is no growth in intensity as the chord is driven toward its resolution. (To be sure, Beethoven does not indicate a crescendo on the E-flat chord, but instinct suggests that it should be there, and most conductors seem to call for it.) With the above proviso, I still find this recording to be very satisfying overall, leaving little to be desired, with very fine sound and excellent playing.

No discussion of the Choral Fantasy could be complete without mentioning Rudolf Serkin, who harbored a special fondness for it and liked to play it as the closing piece on the final concert of each season of the Marlboro Festival, a rousing ending to the summer's musical activities. Of my two Serkin recordings--one at Marlboro on Sony and the other on Telarc--I prefer the latter, which is recorded (not live) with the Boston Symphony under Seiji Ozawa. Although he was 79 at the time of the recording (in 1982) Serkin shows few pianistic deficiencies, and offers up a fully satisfying performance, as do the orchestra and the Tanglewood Festival chorus. On the two showmanship features mentioned above, this recording scores about 1.6, as well. The piano scales are smoothly played and quite well highlighted, but are not so crisply articulated as they might be; the E-flat chord, however, swells very powerfully to its grand resolution. This is thus a very fine recording, with the special quality of the piece's personal relationship to Serkin. The sound is very good, without audience noise, and, in keeping with Telarc's philosophy, the engineers employ only a single stereo pair of microphones and eschew any compression, limiting, or equalization. This results in a quite realistic reconstruction of what one might actually hear in the concert hall, but gives up the ability to focus in on the soloist or a particular section of the orchestra or chorus. (If you can find the out-of-print 1962 recording with the NY Philharmonic under Bernstein, it is worth having: here the 59-year-old Serkin attacks the Fantasy with daredevil elan, playing the opening piano solo in under 3 minutes! Though a finger may occasionally go slightly amiss in all this enthusiasm, the bravura of it all really grabs you. And Bernstein, himself a talented pianist, provides excellent direction.)

Two Choral Fantasy recordings which I don't personally prefer are (1) the 1977 Philips disk of Alfred Brendel with the London Philharmonic Orchestra & Choir under Bernard Haitink and (2) the Newport Classics disk with Anthony Newman and Philomusica Antiqua, London, under Stephen Simon. The first of these seems to me quite lackluster overall, with not particularly inspired performances by soloist, choir, or orchestra and less than brilliant conducting by Mr. Haitink. The second may be great for purists or fans of period re-creations, but I find the old pianoforte's sound too dry and tinkly for ears accustomed to modern Steinways or Boesendorfers. (And I'm convinced that if Beethoven had access to a modern piano, with its superior power, expressiveness, richness of tone, and sustaining ability, he would have abandoned the pianoforte entirely.)

In summary, as to the Choral Fantasy, the Barenboim/Berlin is an excellent recording, with authoritative performances and especially satisfying sound quality. It clearly merits 5 stars. For an older, but very fine and exciting performance, seek out the Klien/St. Louis version (which will likely be a used copy). The Aimard/Chamber Orchestra of Europe recording features both excellent sound and very fine performances, as does the Serkin/Boston version, with a less closely focussed sound perspective.

The Triple Concerto on this Perlman/Ma/Barenboim/Berlin disk is outstanding and merits 5 stars, as well.

It's o.k........2006-12-29

These are all very talented musicians but something here is missing: the ensemble does not play with one voice.

A vigorous Triple Concerto knocking at the door of the greats.......2006-06-16

In 1969, when Richter, Oistrakh, and Rostropovich made their only commercial recording together, it was of Beethoven's Triple Cncerto, and the results became legendary for power, eloquence, and drama. As with Carlos Kleiber's Bethoven Fifth, it became hard to hear new recoridngs without keeping this great one in the back of your mind. Since Barenboim is conducting the same Berlin Phil. on the same EMI label, the comparison is inevitable.

Thirty some years on, the orchestra doesn't have the richness and depth of Karajan's BPO, but it still sounds very good, and Barenboim does a credible job of conducitng from the keyboard. The three soloists are also top-notch in eery movement. Yo-Yo Ma prefers a slender, elegant tone in this work compared to the tremendous Rostropovich, and Perlman doesn't attack with the total authority of Oistrakh. Barneboim, however, has a heroic view of the piano part, as did Richter, and he's the engine that keeps this performance going.

Despite a cool opening, and a disappointing entrance by Ma, who doesn't sail into the main theme with enough passion, the performance builds as it goes along. By the middle of the first movement we get real thrills--ideally, the three soloists should be pushing each other out of the way to get our attention. Here they don't quite, but Barenboim keeps up the intensity nicely.

Some listeners may see the Triple Concerto in unheroic terms, in which case there are readings led by Fricsay on DG and the Argerich-Capucon-Maisky live performance on EMI. Barenboim's(also live) is larger in scale, although I regret that the slow movement isn't quite ardent enough. Because the cello introduces all three movements, Ma's low-key playing sets the tone. He starts the finale off on tip-toe, but once again Barenboim manages to bring us back into Beethoven's world. All in all, this new performance knocks on the door of the great one.

The filler is the Choral Fantasy, which Barenboim recorded as a young man with the aging Otto Klmeperer. His new version is unique, so far as I know, in being conducted from the keyboard. As a pianist, Barenboim had a moe exuberant style in the past, but he's a bit more reserved here. The reading overall doesn't touch the galvanic excitement of Serkin/Bernstein on Sony, but with gorgeous orchestral playing, Barenboim's confidence as pianist, and an excellent chorus for the joyful ending, this Choral Fantasy ranks just a notch below the Triple Concerto.

Great.......2004-03-30

Although the Triple Concerto is not one of Beethoven's most inspired compositions, it is indeed thrilling when played well. Perlman, Ma, and Berenboim certainly give a convincing performance of this work. They collaborate well together, and the energy they create in this piece is electrifying. The Berlin Philharmonic also gives a wonderful accompaniment to the three soloists. This is indeed one of the best Triple Concertos. The companion piece, the all too underappreciated Choral Fantasy, is also wonderfully executed by Barenboim, the philharmonic, and the chorus. I highly recommend this CD.

Exciting Performance.......2003-08-21

Barenboim definitely knows his Beethoven, Ma's performance on this disc puts his Mutter-Ma-Zeltser-Karajan version (DG) in the shade, and who can go wrong with Perlman? The Triple Concerto sounded like a perfect piano trio with superb accompaniment from the Berlin Philharmonic. The concerto's tempos were rather quick for my taste (I tend to like my Beethoven on the slower side) but the performance's cohesiveness won the day in my book.

Barenboim's played, and conducted, the Choral Fantasy with exuberance. However, the quick tempi marred the majestic flavor I usually associate with this work. In fact, the quick tempos caused Barenboim to play unnecessarily sloppy in some sections of the work. Listen to the Barenboim-Klemperer (EMI) performance to hear Barenboim play with a more profound sense of seriousness and gravity. Again, the Berlin Philharmonic is fantastic.

Water & Light
Average customer rating:

Soloists Poor, Vibrato Out Of Control, Spend $ Elsewhere

A fabulous CD!

Decent, but too much vibrato

Not bad...BYU is markedly superior.

Not BYU, but worth adding to your collection

Water & Light
Choral Project , and Daniel Hughes
Manufacturer: Clarion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Eric Whitacre: The Complete A Cappella Works, 1991-2001

Eric Whitacre: Cloudburst and other choral works

Nocturne

Lauridsen: Lux Aeterna, etc. / Salamunovich, Los Angeles Master Chorale

The Music Of Eric Whitacre

ASIN: B0000WTITM
Release Date: 2003-11-15

Tracks:

Five Hebrew Love Songs (with string quartet): Eric Whitacre
Cloudburst (with piano and percussion): Eric Whitacre
i thank You God for most this amazing day: Eric Whitacre
She Weeps Over Rahoon (with piano and English horn):Eric Whitacre
Little Birds (with piano): Eric Whitacre
Water Night: Eric Whitacre
Sleep: Eric Whitacre
Agnus Dei: Edward Elgar/David Giardiniere
Hymn to the Mother of God: John Tavener
There will be rest: Frank Ticheli
Ave Maria: Giancarlo Aquilanti
Tonight eternity alone: Renlausen
O magnum mysterium: Morten Lauridsen

Album Description

Clarion is proud to showcase another great American choir, The Choral Project, in a program featuring the music of Eric Whitacre. Included are the ever-popular "Cloudburst" and the "Five Hebrew Love Songs" performed with String Quartet. Founded in 1996 by Artistic Director Daniel Hughes, The Choral Project has performed throughout Northern California in concert performances, interfaith services, and choral festivals, including a performance at the National Cathedral in Washington DC, as part of the California State Day Celebration Service. In June of 2001, The Choral Project received rave reviews and standing ovations at concert performances during their first international tour to Mexico and Costa Rica, which included highly acclaimed performances on Mexican National Radio, and a joint concert with the Café Chorale in Costa Rica. They have performed world premieres of compositions by numerous composers including Eric Whitacre.

Customer Reviews:

Soloists Poor, Vibrato Out Of Control, Spend $ Elsewhere.......2006-04-25

Truly dissapointed with this one.

Of course, BYU's is better than this; the sopranos sound like they have an average age of 60.

The soprano section lives in some wierd dichotomy. During the "Agnus Dei" you get a particularly bad B-52 like vibrato, then during the 7/8 section of "5 Hebrew Songs" they sound like a mediocre State School College Choir with a breathy unsupported sound. Both instances weren't out of tune. They just lacked a firm foundation.

When the soloists in "Tonight Eternity Alone" come in with shocking vibrato and lack of professional musicality, I actually skipped ahead.

If you are looking for a great cd other than BYU's. Try the CD entitled "Cloudburst", sung by Polyphony, conducted by Stephen Layton on Hyperion Records. It will blow you away. Save your money on this one, unless you would like to use this CD to compare the differences between it and either BYU or Polyphony.

Paying a premium fee for this CD, I expected something a bit better than an average grade semi-professional choir.

Daniel, find some new sopranos if you want to continue to sell CD's for $17 a pop.

A fabulous CD!.......2006-03-24

I don't know what these people are talking about. I've heard the BYU cd and it leaves me cold. The tone is so pure and thin that it has no life to it. The Choral Project breathes life into these pieces by Eric Whitacre. Another winner is Frank Ticheli's "There Will Be Rest". Simply stunning. A fabulous CD!

Decent, but too much vibrato.......2006-02-03

I am a huge Eric Whitacre fan, so I am always excited about his recordings. So far the best recording of his Choral works is the BYU singers, which is far superior to this recording. My biggest complaint is that nearly every piece from Water and Light is filled with vibrato. I have read some internet postings by Mr. Whitacre himself and he has said that his pieces are best sung without vibrato because the harmonies are designed to fit tightly together. All the vibrato makes the pieces not sound completely in tune (I'm am not saying that these performers are not capable of singing in tune, just that the vibrato makes the harmonies not quite as strong)

Not bad...BYU is markedly superior........2006-01-29

As the previous reviewer, I'm a huge Eric Whitacre fan. If you're looking for a recording of his Five Hebrew Love Songs (which are stunningly beautiful), may I recommend "Beautiful River" by BYU Concert Choir (on Tantara Records). In comparing the two side by side...well there is no comparison.

Not BYU, but worth adding to your collection.......2006-01-17

Eric Whitacre has taken the contemporary choral music world by storm. Since the release of his collected a cappella works CD (recorded by BYU Singers/Ron Staheli), choral music fans cannot get enough of his music.

Being such a fan, I bought this CD on a whim. I was excited for the opportunity to hear recordings of several pieces not included on the BYU recording (Little Birds, She Weeps Over Rahoon, Five Hebrew Love Songs).

Whitacre's music is as aurally stunning as it is difficult to sing, and the Choral Project does an adequate job of re-interpreting these pieces. If you've gotten use to the excellent quality of the BYU recording, you may be disappointed by this album--the balance and blend of this choir leaves something to be desired at times (not to mention the overly-offensive vibrato from several of the sopranos).

Perhaps the best track on the album is the Ticheli (mostly known for his band/wind ensemble compositions) "There Will Be Rest". If you aren't familiar with this piece, it's worth buying the album just to hear this one...

All-in-all, it's worth buying this album as long as you don't set your expectations too high.

Average customer rating:

Daniel Rene's music is for everyone
I got kicked out of his message board, but I insist on...
Fabuloso!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great solo album, Daniel!!!!!
Fantabulous!

Daniel René
Daniel René
Manufacturer: Univision Music Grp
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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GRP | Verve Music Group | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B00008DVBR
Release Date: 2003-03-04

Tracks:

No Me Tortures
Jamas
Deseo de Ti - Jennifer PeDaniel Ren
Cambio de Tu Amor
Mentiras
Yo Dudo Que Con El
Indecible
Amor Que No Te Di
Por Ti
Yo No Quiero Ser el Ultimo
No Me Tortures [Cumbia Norte*]
No Me Tortures [*]
Jamas [Cumbia Norte*]
Deseo de Ti [Cumbia Norte*] - Jennifer PeDaniel Ren
Deseo de Ti [*] - Jennifer PeDaniel Ren
Yo Dudo Que Con El [Cumbia Norte*]

Customer Reviews:

Daniel Rene's music is for everyone.......2004-08-27

It's a great album. Daniel Rene's voice is melodically fine! I enjoy this album very much. It's worth it!

I look forward to his second album coming out soon.

I got kicked out of his message board, but I insist on..........2004-05-22

...Trying to be heard out. Due to something that I don't yet know, I got kicked out of this wonderful singer's message board. That's not going to make me hate on such a masterpiece of an album, though. This is a great Album. I listen to it very often, I enjoy every track of the album entirely, the whole thing, everyday, and I'm lovin' it. The second album of this green-eyed hottie super-duper bootylicious hunk is due and out in stores in November 4, 2004, so I advise you Daniel René fans to look out for it because you never know... it could be as good as this one is and maybe even better!

Daniel René, you don't love me, but I do love you!

Magaly.

Fabuloso!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2003-07-28

This CD was impressive...quite impressive. "Jamas" es uno de mis canciones en este CD. "El Deseo de Ti" and "Yo Dudo Que Con El" are others that are excellent, but I LOVE this CD!!!!!!!!!!

Not to mention that he is easy on the eyes (that in no way should be used as a basis to determine an album's merit, but still it is so obvious...LOL!) In other words, there are a lot of artists in music who are pretty packaging, but little substance...Daniel Rene is NOT one of them. He is one of the rare few in my opinion who has the looks AND the enormous talent to back it up.

Anyway, this is one CD that is in heavy rotation in my player...Daniel, I hope your future CD's are as spectacular as this one!!!!!

Great solo album, Daniel!!!!!.......2003-07-26

I must say that I am amazed! To be honest, I bought this CD because of "No Me Tortures", the first single. However, when I listened to the whole album for the first time, I was truly astounded! It's just sooo good! Honestly, when I got this album, for the next three weeks, I couldn't stop listening to it. I burned it out! I would listen to it like five times a day! This is a great solo debut for Daniel René after his days in MDO. I hope that the next album is as awesome as this one is. Keep up the great work, Daniel! I am a fan now! I love the CD so much that I have no favorites. I like ALL of the songs the same and when I listen to the CD, I never skip any of the songs!

Fantabulous!.......2003-06-22

Daniel Rene is unbelievable. I was impressed with his music from the first track to the last. A MUST HAVE!

Beethoven- Fidelio / Domingo, Meier, Struckmann, Pape, Isokoski, Güra, Youn, Staatskapelle Berlin, Barenboim

Average customer rating:

A Wonderful Change !
Is this really Beethoven's "Fidelio"?
One of two new releases

Beethoven- Fidelio / Domingo, Meier, Struckmann, Pape, Isokoski, Güra, Youn, Staatskapelle Berlin, Barenboim
Waltraud Meier , Falk Struckmann , René Pape , Soile Isokoski , Werner Güra , Kwangchul Youn , Staatskapelle Berlin , and Chor der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin
Manufacturer: Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000031X0Z
Release Date: 2000-01-18

Tracks:

Fidelio: Ouverture Leonore 2, op. 72
Fidelio: Nr. 2 Arie - O war' ich schon mit dir vereint
Jetzt, Schatzchen, jetzt sind wir allein: Nr. 1 Duett - Jetzt, Schatzchen, jetzt sind wir allein
Mir ist so wunderbar: Nr. 3 Quartett - Mir ist so wunderbar
Fidelio: Nr. 4 Arie - Hat man nicht auch Gold beineben
Fidelio: Nr. 5 Terzett - Gut, Sohnchen, gut
Fidelio: Nr. 6 Marsch
Fidelio: Nr. 7 Arie mit Chor - Ha, welch ein Augenblick!
Fidelio: Nr. 8 Duett - Jetzt, Alter, hat es Eile!
Fidelio: Nr. 9 Rezitativ und Arie - Abscheulicher, wo eilst du hin
Fidelio: Nr. 9 Rezitativ und Arie - Komm, Hoffnung, lass' den letzten Stern
Fidelio: Nr. 10 Finale - O welche Lust
Fidelio: Nr. 10 Finale - Nun sprecht, wie ging's?
Fidelio: Nr. 10 Finale - Leb wohl, du warmes Sonnenlicht

Tracks:

Fidelio: Nr. 11 Introduktion und Arie - Gott! -- Welch Dunkel hier!
Fidelio: Nr. 11 Introduktion und Arie - In des Lebens Fruhlingstagen
Fidelio: Nr. 12 Melodram und Duett - Wie kalt ist es
Fidelio: Nr. 12 Melodram und Duett - Nur hurtig fort, nur frisch gegraben
Fidelio: Nr. 13 Terzett - Euch werde Lohn
Fidelio: Nr. 14 Quartett - Er sterbe!
Fidelio: Nr. 15 Duett - O namenlose Freude!
Fidelio: Nr. 16 Finale - Heil sei dem Tag
Fidelio: Nr. 16 Finale - Des besten Konigs Wink und Willie
Fidelio: Nr. 16 Finale - Wer ein holdes Weib errungen
Fidelio: Ouverture Leonore 1, op. 138
Fidelio: Ouverture Leonore 3, op. 72
Fidelio: Ouverture Fidelio, op. 72

Amazon.com

This interesting new Fidelio--one of over a dozen available--has a couple of things going very much in its favor, and a couple against it, too. A great pro is the leadership of Daniel Barenboim, who wrings from the orchestra and chorus fabulous playing and singing; just on a symphonic level, this is worth hearing. Barenboim also paces the work sensibly--those who do not like huge, glacial performances of this opera (i.e., fans of the superb Klemperer or various Furtwängler readings) or the "new school" of Beethoven conducting that seems to prefer racing through his music (occasionally in Gardiner or Harnoncourt) will welcome the inner tension Barenboim deeply understands in the music as well as his sympathy for his singers. This set grew out of a live performance in which all dialogue was cut and replaced, at times, with a flashback narration by Leonore. Here we get only the music Beethoven composed with no dialogue at all; the text Leonore spoke is printed in the accompanying booklet. It's not enough--one misses some dialogue, however brief and abbreviated, between numbers. This seems like a set of highlights without any. The quality of the soloists varies: Soile Isokoski and Werner Güra make a nice pair of youngsters; René Pape's Rocco is exactly the right combination of toady and good guy and he sings gloriously, and Falk Struckmann draws Pizarro villainously and manages his way around the difficult music. Domingo's Florestan is handsomely sung--almost too Italianately beautiful at times--but well thought through, and if not quite on the Jon Vickers level, certainly not terribly far away. Waltraud Meier's career continues to astonish. This pushed-up mezzo with an ugly tone has intelligence and passion in her voice, but the sound is curdled. Doesn't anyone notice that she sings off key and harshly half the time? So, a mixed bag: Domingo and Barenboim fans will need this, but it's like getting only a part of Fidelio (Barenboim, by the way, begins the opera with the Leonore Overture No. 2; an appendix includes the other three overtures Beethoven wrote for this work), and Meier is outclassed by every other Leonore on CD. Why not go for the recent Halasz reading on Naxos? It's good, it's cheap, and there's just enough dialogue to keep the plot intelligible. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

A Wonderful Change !.......2000-04-21

I have ignored all the warnings concerning this recording, and decided to buy it, only because i have much appreciation to Daniel Barenboim's musical taste, and to Waltraud Meier's singing. It is true, it isn't an ordinary Fidelio. The dialogues (which are quite boring anyhow) are missing, and the main singer (Leonore- sung here by Waltraud Meier) doesn't seem to fit to the role THEORETICALY. But thought it seems like a failure, the recording is simply outstanding. The singers reach new levels, Falk Struckmann's Pizaro is amazingly strong. Domingo's Florestan is a bit too soft, but that brings more beauty to the role. Waltraud Meier's Leonore, is amazingly inteligenty interpreted. Many reviewers say that Meier doesn't have the vocal capabilites to sing Loenore. Well, it isn't an ordinary leonore, and it certainly isn't very gentle. But it is amazingly strong, full of true emotions, and the singing is beautiful. I reject the reviews saying Meier is singing off key. Don't forget it is a studio recording, if something went wrong, you should rely on Daniel Barenboim as a conducter, and Waltraud Meier as one of today's greatest interpreters to fix it. I give this recording full 5 stars. I find it astonishingly good !

Is this really Beethoven's "Fidelio"?.......2000-04-02

There are regrettably few excellent recordings of Beethoven's only opera--Bernstein's recording is almost comically misguided, Solti's conception was good but neither Behrens nor Hoffmann could live up to the demands he creates, Jessye Norman is a superb, dignified but largely ineffective Leonore thanks to the various failures of the other soloists on Haitink's reading (with the notable exception of Kurt Moll...where would German bass singing be now without Kurt Moll?). On this new set, Barenboim has an acceptable grasp on the score--one can only imagine what a Carlos Kleiber or Valery Gergiev could do with this score in the recording studio. Frankly, Placido Domingo continues to astound me. As Florestan, there are some small signs that the voice is aging, but the tone is still beautiful and in wonderfully pristine technical control. Bravo! Despite her decent contribution to Domingo's earlier "Samson et Dalila," Waltraud Meier here is imprecise and exasperating. It is a pity that a singer with such obviously prodigious dramatic intentions could not have been granted a voice of more appropriate proportions. "Abscheulicher" is a vocal grasp at a straw entirely out of her reach. The voice is coming apart at the seams. Only through Domingo's committment and dedication is the "namenlose Freude" duet saved. All in all, this is a set for every individual who feels that the most important contributions to "Fidelio" are those of Florestan. As Beethoven seemingly did not feel thus, perhaps this is best left to Domingo's already impressive discography of diverse roles.

One of two new releases.......2000-02-23

Beethoven lovers take note: there are two new "Fidelio's" available, neither of which is perfect but both of which are quite good in their own ways.

The from Naxos (8.660070-71) follows the last revision and uses the "Fidelio" Overture, followed by the Gilbert & Sullivan-like duet. It also has just enough dialogue to let you follow the plot, provided you read German, since there is no English translation of the libretto. The offering from Teldec (3984-25249-2) uses the "Leonore No.2," followed by Marzelline's aria and then the duet. It omits the dialogue entirely, based as it is on a Chicago production that had the Leonore narrate the plot between her entrances. The booklet inconveniently supplies these notes in the introduction and not in the libretto, which is tri-lingual in case you need a French as well as an English translation of the German.

Each set has a good Florestan in Gosta Winbergh (Nax.) and Placido Domingo (Tel.). In general, the Naxos cast is lighter voiced with a good Leonore in Inga Nielsen and a more than adequate Pizzaro in Alan Titus. The only sour note is the terribly sounding Fernando (Wolfgang Glashof) who seems to have been given the part because someone owed it to him. And how good it is to hear the deep bass of Kurt Moll as Rocco.

The Telarc set has Domingo, I think, to thank for its existence, and he is splendid. The rest of the cast is fine, except--and this is fatal--for Waltraud Meier, who used to sing mezzo and does not seem up to the demands of the title role.

The Naxos set has the Hungarian Radio Chorus and Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia under Michael Halasz in a nicely paced, (again) somewhat lightweight but very enjoyable rendering. On Telarc, we have the chorus of the Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin and the Staatskapelle Berlin under Daniel Barenboim, who plays as an appendix the other three overtures Beethoven wrote for the different versions of this work.

Tracks:

Las Agachadas
This Little Light Of Mine - Daniel Schonebaum
Shenandoah
Hark, I Hear The Harps Eternal
I Got Shoes
All My Trials - Naomi Fogderud
John Saw Duh Numbah - Robert Claxton
Set Down Servant
Abide With Me
Lamb Of God
Lost In The Night
Wake, Awake, For Night Is Flying
O Day Full Of Grace
Beautiful Savior - Vicki Fingalson

Customer Reviews:

grand choir, velvet voices.......2005-05-30

It is difficult to describe with words for eyes to read what only the ears can experience. I love such choirs as the Cambridge Singers and the St. Olaf Choir, yet none can compare to the Concordia Choir. Their sound attains almost the clarity of a boys' choir, yet with adult voices; the fluidity of a running stream; the smoothness of velvet; the blend of a well-trained symphony, in which no one voice clamors for attention above the others. "Shenandoah" alone would satisfy; "Lost in the Night" is an exquisite gem that marries powerful words with a gorgeous melody. Perfection in performance has been always the aim of this choir, a feat which (I believe) has been accomplished on this disc. Try it - if you love choral music, you can not possibly be disappointed.

Average customer rating:

Enjoyable Contemporary Music

Margaret Brouwer: Crosswinds

Manufacturer: Composers Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000J8RR
Release Date: 1999-06-22

Tracks:

Crosswinds: Blue Ridges, Dappled Sunlight, Mountain Waltz
Crosswinds: Dusk
Crosswinds: Oldtime Fiddles : High, Low, Lower
Prelude And Vivace: Prelude
Prelude And Vivace: Vivace Ritmico
Diary Of An Alien: A Call For Action
Diary Of An Alien: Drifting
Diary Of An Alien: No Rotary Phone
Diary Of An Alien: Somewhere The Bells
Sonata For Horn And Piano: Hymn
Sonata For Horn And Piano: Riding To Higher Clouds

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyable Contemporary Music.......1999-11-09

I really liked the Sonata for Horn and Piano - It was great

Amelita Galli-Curci: The Complete Acoustic Recordings, 1916-20

Average customer rating:

Of all the Galli-Curci CD reissues, I put this one first.

Amelita Galli-Curci: The Complete Acoustic Recordings, 1916-20

Manufacturer: Romophone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000001S36
Release Date: 1995-11-01

Tracks:

La Partida
Rigoletto: Gualtier Malde... Caro Nome
Rigoletto: Bella Figlia Dell'amore
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Chi Mi Frena In Tal Momento
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Chi Mi Frena In Tal Momento
Romeo Et Juliette: Je Veux Vivre Dans Ce Reve
Home, Sweet Home
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Il Dolce Suono
Rigoletto: Caro Nome
Manon Lescaut: C'est L'histoire Amoureuse
Peer Gynt: Solveig's Song
Lakeme: Dov'e L'Indiana Bruna - 'Bell Song'
La Partida
Little Birdies
Caro Mio Ben
Il Barbiere Di Siviglia: Una Voce Poco Fa
Dinorah: Ombra Leggiera - 'Shadow Song'
La Sonnambula: Ah! Non Credea Mirarti
Martha: The Last Rose Of Summer
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Non So Piu
Little Dorry

Tracks:

Air And Vars
La Perle Du Bresil: Charmant Oiseau
I Puritani: Qui La Voce... Vien, Diletto
Crepuscule
La Capinera
Rigoletto: Piangi, Piangi, Fanciulla
Rigoletto: O Mia Gilda... Lassu In Cielo
La Traviata: Dite Alla Giovine
La Traviata: Imponete! Non Amarlo, Ditegli
La Traviata: E Strano... Ah, Fors' E Lui
La Traviata: Follie!... Sempre Liebera
Messaggero Amoroso
When Chloris Sleeps
Lo, Here The Gentle Lark
Lez Filles De Cadiz
Mignon: Io Son Titania
Don Pasquale: Quel Guardo Il Cavaliere
La Sonnambula: Sovra Il Sen La Man Mi Posa
La Sonnambula: Come Per Me Sereno
La Traviata: Addio Del Passato
Villanelle
Clavelitos

Customer Reviews:

Of all the Galli-Curci CD reissues, I put this one first........2001-02-09

Of all the Galli-Curci CD reissues, I put this one first. Romophone seems to have reissued her complete recorded output, in superb Ward Marston productions, but this set, comprising her 1916-1920 recordings, shows her best qualities. Don't be deterred by the early dates. Galli-Curci's voice was recorded by the acoustic process more successfully than almost any other singer of her era. She continued making records until 1930 but by then her glory days had passed.

On one day in 1917 she made three recordings, two of which are her greatest. They are the arias from "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" (Track 16) and "La Sonnambula" (Track 18). Also included in this reissue is her participation in the "Rigoletto" Quartet and the "Lucia di Lammermoor" Sextet (two takes) with an ensemble including Caruso, with whom she sang only two performances in stage, and several duets with the baritone Giuseppe de Luca, a frequent partner at the Met.

Tracks:

Suite From Carmen: Prelude, Act I: Les Toreadors
Suite From Carmen: Prelude Act I, Part 2: Fate Theme
Suite From Carmen: Entr'acte, Act IV: Argonaise
Suite From Carmen: 1st Intermezzo, Entr'Acte, Act II: Les Dragons D'Alcala
Suite From Carmen: Intermezzo, Entr'acte, Act III
Suite From Carmen: Act I: La Garde Montane
Suite From Carmen: Act II: Danse Boheme
Intermezzo from Manon Lescaut
Overture to The Crown Diamonds
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Barcarolle from The Tales of Hoffman
Overture to Prince Igor
Polovtsian Dances
Overture to The Marriage of Figaro

Average customer rating:

Imagenes: Argentina y Uruguay
Astor Piazzolla , Ariel Ramirez , Alberto Ginastera , Luis Clouzeau Mortet , Daniel Binelli , Juan Carlos Cobian , Rene Vargas Vera , Juan Jose Ramos , and Polly Ferman
Manufacturer: Romeo Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music
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