Purcell: Dido and Aeneas

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This new, period instrument version of Purcell's wonderful, brief Dido and Aeneas shows up in a very crowded field. There are close to two dozen other versions available, many of them also historically informed. Here we have a dignified, beautifully sung reading, with instrumentalists performing with a similar sense of loveliness and reserve; indeed, the only time true overt emotionalism shows up is when the witches appear: Felicity Palmer is a nasty handful as the Sorceress. Susan Graham's Dido is elegant and, note-for-note, probably gives us among the best Didos on disc. Ian Bostridge's Aeneas is good without being outstanding; David Daniels and Paul Agnew make remarkable cameos. I prefer the performance led by René Jacobs or starring Janet Baker to this one for sheer drama, but you can't go wrong with Graham, et al, under Emmanuelle Haim's intensely musical leadership either. --Robert Levine

Tracks:

Overture (Redux)
Nessun Dorma (Redux)
Flower Duet (Redux)
La Donna E Mobile (Redux)
Un Bel Di (Redux)
Au Fond Du Temple Saint (Redux)
O Mio Babbino Caro (Redux)
Ebben? Ne Andro Lontana (Redux)
Che Gelida Manina (Redux)
Habanera (Redux)
When I Am Laid Earth (Redux)
E Lucevan Le Stelle (Redux)

Customer Reviews:

This is a great album.......2007-04-26

I never liked opera before. I guess it's all about how the music is presented. The performances are top-notch, and taken from real operatic classics, but the way it is done makes it very nice to listen too. If you can only get one album of this genre, this is the one to get!!!!

Great CD.......2007-03-16

I enjoy this different kind of opera music. Very nice and still giving you the feeling of the opera it self but in more modern way.

Hooked.......2007-03-15

I love this CD. I have it in my car, and now know practically all of the Italian words by heart. Infectious and uplifting. Good tears and fun listening.

Not bad, vocals are severely lacking however.......2007-02-28

I love music. I especially love classical music. When I find musicians who have taken classical music and presented it in a new way, I'm always excited. EVOC has done exactly that with these tried-and-true opera classics. The orchestrations are wonderful and the musicians obviously very talented. The vocalists, however, sometimes really don't deliver. All in all, it's a fun CD and I will certainly enjoy listening to it again and again.

EAST VILLAGE OPERA CO........2007-02-13

I SAW THEM ON T.V. AND HAD TO HAVE IT - JUST A REFRESHING TREATMENT POF OPERA

Average customer rating:

Mad about Baroque
The beauty of the songs brings tears to my eyes
Brilliant
Be Welcome then, great Sirs (and Mesdames).
Brilliant Purcell Disc

Essential Purcell
Henry Purcell , New College Choir Oxford , King's Consort , Robert King , Roy Goodman , Charles Daniels , John Mark Ainsley , James Bowman , Peter Buckoke , Jane Coe , Rogers Covey-Crump , Gillian Fisher , Michael George , Miles Golding , Jane Norman , Barbara Bonney , Mark Caudle , William Carter , King's Consort Choir , Helen Gough , Paul Nicholson , Angela East , Barry Guy , Tessa Bonner , Jerome Finnis , Rupert Bawden , Lucy Howard , Richard Campbell , Susan Addison , James O'Donnell , and Stephen Saunders
Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Purcell: Odes for St. Cecilia's Day - Music for Queen Mary / Taverner Consort
Purcell: The Fairy Queen
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Purcell: Dido and Aeneas / James, Lewis, Baker, Herincx
Purcell: Full Anthems & Organ Music

ASIN: B000002ZDU
Release Date: 1995-04-10

Tracks:

Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol. 5: Welcome, Welcome Glorious Morn. Symphony And Opening Chorus
Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol. 3: Be Welcome Then, Great Sir
Complete Secular Solo Songs Vol.1: Oh, Fair Cedaria
The Choir Of The King's Consort: Hear My Prayer, O Lord
Great Baroque Arias: When I Am Laid In Earth ('Dido's Lament')
Complete Anthems And Services Vol.1: Let Mine Eyes Run Down With Tears (Part 1)
Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.4: The Sparrow And The Gentle Dove
Complete Secular Solo Songs Vol.1: If Music Be The Food Of Love (First Setting)
Complete Anthems And Services Vol.5: Rejoice In The Lord Always ('The Bell Anthem')
Complete Anthems And Services Vol.3: Hosanna To The Highest
Complete Anthems And Services Vol.7: Thou Knowest, Lord, The Secrets Of Our Hearts
Mr. Henry Purcell's Most Admirable Composures: Fairest Isle, All Isles Excelling
Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.6: Mark, How Readily Each Pliant String
Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.8: Sound The Trumpet
Complete Secular Solo Songs Vol.3: She Loves And She Confesses Too
Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.8: O How Blest Is The Isle
Complete Anthems And Services Vol.3: Remember Not, Lord, Our Offences
Complete Anthems And Services Vol. 11: An Evening Hymn
Complete Church Music Vol.2: Vouchsafe, O Lord, To Keep Us This Day
Complete Odes And Welcome Songs Vol.2: With Rapture Of Delight... Hail Bright Cecilia

Amazon.com essential recording

The "Essential" Purcell? Well, you could get a bunch of critics to argue about that for a few days, but in the meantime, here is a sampler of highlights from the King's Consort's three admirable Purcell series: the Complete Odes and Welcome Songs, Complete Anthems and Services, and Complete Secular Solo Songs. There are, of course, some of Purcell's most-performed pieces (which probably are "essential"): Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas, "Sound the trumpet" from Come, ye sons of Art, Rejoice in the Lord alway (the "Bell Anthem," named for the string figure at the opening that sounds like pealing bells), the gently patriotic "Fairest isle, all isles excelling" (sung by a miscast James Bowman), and a selection from the funeral music for Queen Mary. There are also some delightful surprises--particularly among the little-known secular songs and church music. The plaintive "O fair Cedaria" gets a lovely performance by Barbara Bonney (a singer not usually associated with Purcell); tenor Rogers Covey-Crump (possibly the ideal high tenor for Purcell) sings the enchanting "If music be the food of love"; the church anthems "Let mine eyes run down with tears" and "Remember not, O Lord, our offences" have some startling harmonies as daring as any Monteverdi ever wrote. If you're unfamiliar with Purcell, this reasonably priced disc is a good place to start exploring without a big initial investment. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Mad about Baroque.......2007-02-12

This is a terrific CD. The music is breathtaking. Just buy IT !!!!!

The beauty of the songs brings tears to my eyes.......2002-08-21

Absolutely beautiful baroque music! The arrangament, singing and instrumentation is superb. It is too bad that Henry Purcell is not as widely known as Bach, because he should be recognized equally well."The Sparrow and the Gentle dove" is alone worth the price of the album! I can not stop playing it!

Brilliant.......2001-10-31

Like in his renditions of Handel's oratorios, Robert King manages to bring a freshness and strenght to Purcell's music that I had seldom heard before. This CD also features some of the best performers of early music in the world. My favourite tracks are Oh, Fair Cedaria, sung by the multi-talented Barbara Bonney; Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas, sung by Gillian Fisher; She Loves and she Confesses too, sung by the wonderful Susan Gritton; and Welcome, Welcome Glorious Morn, sung by Rogers Covey-Crump. The only track I didn't find absolutely wonderful is Fairest Isle, sung here by James Bowman. Don't get me wrong, I generally love Mr Bowman, I think that his performance in Mr Purcell's Most Admirable Composures (also conducted by Robert King) makes it another essential Purcell recording; but I find that Fairest Isle was much better done elsewhere, particularly by Christopher Hogwood and Barbara Bonney.

These songs aren't only beautiful, they're also poignant, sweet and unpretentious. I think that it will be very clear to anyone who listens to this recording that Mr Purcell was one of the finest composers that ever lived.

Be Welcome then, great Sirs (and Mesdames)........2001-10-20

If anyone has benefitted from the reversion in the last three or so decades to period instruments and historical reconstruction, it is Henry Purcell. Before, he was merely great, the peerless word-setter in the English language, a virtuoso of boundless range, a professional composer whose offical commissions were always imbued with personality and invention. But period instrumentation has added to this a greater depth, an other-worldly texture of sound. With his intricate, multi-part vocal writing, his preference for low, rumbling instruments such as the bass viol and the strange and remarkable theorbo, as well as his often sombre and low-key subject matter and treatment, Purcell creates a round, glowing, humming sound as pregnantly full as dub reggae.

This has an extraordinary effect on the listener. Whereas Bach, with his mathematical abstractions, sounds universal and timeless, Purcell's music takes the listener back 300 years, back to different ways of thinking about, feeling about and addressing things we still think etc. about today - death, love, friendship. The emotion is timeless, but the music's beauty is alien, THEIRS, hence its preciousness.

A lot of intelligence has gone into the unity of this compilation, beginning with two Welcomes (to the dawn and to the listener, in this case a King), and ending with thoughts of evening, death and a Baroque 'Thank you for the music'. These are bright, fanfare-like works, but the predominant mood is slow, ruminative, quiet. The selection covers the wide range of Purcell's oeuvre, from opera and funeral marches to secular songs and odes, and includes his most famous vocal works - Dido's Lament from Dido and Aeneas, sung by Gillian Fisher, and never more evocative of pagan loss and death; the massive 'Bell Anthem', with its ingenious opening symphony and joyful antiphon; and a miraculously serene 'Evening Hymn', Dido's opposite, death indicating hope, the treble voice swirling over the heavy ground bass like the soul released from the inert body.

it might seem quixotic to choose highlights from an exemplary collection of highlights, but the entry of the strings washing over the serene repetition of 'Be Welcome then, great Sir' always makes my heart stop still, while the musical picture of 'Bold Honour', the 'noisy Nothing, stalking shade', blocking the poet's amorous intentions in 'She loves and confesses too', adds a chilling hint of life's transience to a bouyantly bawdy song.

Brilliant Purcell Disc .......2000-11-30

With this album director and Purcell expert Robert King provides the listener with an excellent introduction to the composer's vocal works. The pieces presented here were taken from Mr. King's recordings of 'The Complete Odes and Welcome Songs', 'The Complete Anthems and Services', 'The Complete Secular Solo Songs' and diverse anthology discs. King, his wonderful soloists and musicians do the brilliance of Purcell's music fully justice. Whether he was commissioned by royalty, the church or theatre, Purcell shone in all areas. This disc certainly demonstrates the variety and originality of his craft, not to speak of his uncanny ability of setting words to music.

An outstanding Purcell offering. With a beautiful perfomance by Barbara Bonney of 'Oh, fair Cedaria'. Susan Gritton is equally captivating in 'She loves and she confesses too'. Gillian Fisher's rendition of the famous 'Dido's Lament' is haunting and poignant. Further an intelligent and brilliant 'Hosanna to the highest' by Michael George. James Bowman and Michael Chance sparkle in the countertenor duet 'Sound the trumpet' (from 'Come Ye sons of Art away'). And I should not forget to mention the joyous, luminous performance of the beautiful 'Bell Anthem'. To name but a few favourites, only James Bowman's 'Fairest Isle' was a disappointment.

Those who are familiar with Purcell's music will get an excellent disc with some of his most beloved works. If you are new to Purcell, this is, as already said a great introduction. Which might be the incentive to further explorations of Purcell.

by stardustraven

Purcell: Dido and Aeneas / James, Lewis, Baker, Herincx

Average customer rating:

Gorgeous performance, richly reproduced
After the Puritans England rediscovers music, singing and drama
What the hell
A Performance Resonating With Emotional Intensity
INFANDUM, REGINA, IUBES RENOVARE DOLOREM (Aeneid 2/3)

Purcell: Dido and Aeneas / James, Lewis, Baker, Herincx

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Essential Purcell
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Purcell: Songs & Airs / Argenta, North, Boothby, Nicholson, Toll

ASIN: B00004C8TE
Release Date: 2000-04-11

Tracks:

Dido and Aeneas: Overture
Dido and Aeneas: Act One: Shake The Cloud From Off Your Brow
Dido and Aeneas: Act One: Ah! Belinda, I Am Prest With Torment
Dido and Aeneas: Act One: Whence Could So Much Virtue Spring?
Dido and Aeneas: Act One: Fear No Danger To Ensue
Dido and Aeneas: Act One: See, Your Royal Guest Appears
Dido and Aeneas: Act Two: Prelude For The Witches - Wayward Sisters
Dido and Aeneas: Act Two: Ruin'd Ere The Set Of Sun?
Dido and Aeneas: Act Two: Ritornelle - thanks To these Lonesome Vales
Dido and Aeneas: Act Two: Oft She Visits This Lone Mountain
Dido and Aeneas: Act Two: Behold, Upon My Bending Spear
Dido and Aeneas: Act Two: Stay, Prince, And Hear Great Jove's Command
Dido and Aeneas: Act Three: Prelude - Come Away, Fellow Sailors
Dido and Aeneas: Act Three: See The Flags And Streamers Curling
Dido and Aeneas: Act Three: Your Counsel All Is Urg'd In Vain
Dido and Aeneas: Act Three: But Death, Alas! ... When I Am Laid In Earth
Dido and Aeneas: Act Three: With Drooping Wings Ye Cupids Come

Customer Reviews:

Gorgeous performance, richly reproduced.......2007-05-13

The piece is a treasure; the singers, legends; and the recording is exquisite in recreating this hallmark performance. Alive with a depth of feelings...love's vulnerability and worries, evil's powerful delusions, the pain of parting and death..,

Simple and profound, this remarkable recording plucks the strings of our sweetest humaness.

After the Puritans England rediscovers music, singing and drama.......2006-12-20

England is finally getting out of her puritan revolution, her puritan sixty or eighty years and the Stuarts are back for a short while and finally the Glorious Revolution brings freedom in 1688, a freedom the English haven't had for a long time, especially after the plague had desertified London in 1665 and then the Great Fire had cleaned up the dirty plate that looked more like a trashcan or a giant hearse in 1666. Life can finally come back and be enjoyed. So they reopen the theatres and they start looking for new shows. They sure are pushed towards the French style of the Great Century of the Sun King by the Stuarts coming back from their golden exile in Paris. But that is not enough to give these new generations of artists an inspiration, or even a style. They go back to Marlowe and Shakespeare and they rediscover Dido and Aeneas, Venus and Adonis, and so many other Midsummer Night Dream that they may call the Fairy Queen. They also need a new form, a new genre to celebrate this newly reacquired liberty and they invent the semi-opera. Dido and Aeneas is one of the best in this line. The story comes from Ancient times and Vergil. Dido was also a heroin in Ovid's poetry and in a tragedy by Marlowe. Perfect indeed, and Purcell reinvents the Queen of Carthage. We can only have the music on this CD and these songs, arias and choruses are nothing but intermezzos in a big play intersperced with ballet pieces, operatic songs and other interludes. That is a semi-opera. Today we have more or less forgotten that there was a tragedy behind and that this genre was the invention of the opera in England, since England had never had operas. Purcell was the pioneer and Handel will be the great master after him who will finally reach the full form of the opera and give it a completely new dimension. Purcell is of course at his best in this music. Very clear voices constrasting and complementing one another marvellously though he has not yet understood what he could do with contraltos and countertenors. The female contralto is the sorceress and the male countertenor is some spirit and false messenger, in other words both are secondary characters. We will have to wait for Handel who will make the countertenor, or male alto the main hero in some of his operas like Saul for instance. Moreover the instruments are light, very light and splendidly full of genius and great art, the best mention having to be addressed to the archlute that is fingerpicked as if it were prefiguring the yet to come guitars, thus contrasting with the traditional use of the other strings with a bow. Purcell is a great composer that can bring together many instruments who remain, each one of them, perfectly free and particular, never getting merged into some kind of mash. This art is supposed to serve the drama, the tragedy. The escaping Aeneas arrives shipwrecked in Carthage. He accepts and uses Dido's love for him to reconstruct his fleet and try to fly away. Dido is naive and does not count on the sorceress's hatred for her and these infamous witches are going to plan Aeneas departure. And yet Dido will grant Aeneas his leave just before flinging herself into a pyre and dying in the flames. We can imagine the feelings at the time. The Puritans were finally forgotten and rejected and we could celebrate love affairs, ancient pagan fables, suicides, witches and sorceresses, spirits and other supernatural beings. And what's more we could enjoy it, dance and get thrilled with this story. Dances are even punctuating the tragedy, furies, sailors and witches don't hesitate to spin a couple of measures for our pleasure. And Dido as a mezzosoprano reminds us of the dramatic and tragic plot that lurks behind the beautiful front with a deep and grave lamenting coloration of her words and her voice contrasts so well with the egoistic and vain tenor that Aeneas is. Purcell managed to stage the revival of English music and drama with the saddest of all love drama. Irony of the artist in times of woe and joy at the same time. We must not forget how Queen Mary only reigned six years, ravaged and killed by some disease, uncurable in those days. Dido first produced at the very time of the Glorious Revolution will be reproduced some six years or so after Queen Mary's death, conveying thus some mourning, some dirge in remembrance of this deeply loved Queen.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University of Paris Dauphine & University of Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne

What the hell.......2006-05-25

Look at the prices on the Used section. It is ridiculous. This is a great recording. Get it quick.

A Performance Resonating With Emotional Intensity.......2005-11-26

Janet Baker's performance of Dido's Lament is absolutely stunning in its emotional intensity and would be enough to make this performance unforgettable. But there is more to commend this recording. Baker's vocal clarity, and of all of the other characters, is another outstanding feature of this CD. The chorus is first-rate throughout this recording, especially at the end, as they sing, "With drooping wings ye Cupids come, and scatter roses on her tomb . . . " Although another reviewer has commented that he finds Raimund Herincx's voice as Aeneas too gruff, I find powerful, moving, and thoroughly convincing, as when he lowers his voice and sings in a voice that is anything but gruff, "but with more ease could die."

It's true, as one of the other reviewers comments, that there is something about Monica Sinclair's voice and enunciation as the Sorceress that reminds one a bit of the Wicked Witch of the West and gives her performance an air of contrived theatricality, making her supposed malevolence less than convincing. But the other aspects of this performance are so outstanding that this one reservation is not enough to lower my rating below a 5.

The performance of the English Chamber Orchestra and of Thurston Dart on harpsichord are also of the highest quality.

The quality of the sound from this analog recording made in 1961 is outstanding; the sound engineers who have made this 24-bit digital remastering are truly to be commended.

The CD booklet contains photos of Janet Baker and Raimund Herincx, the entire libretto, and two well-written and informative essays, the first by Alan Blyth on Janet Baker, with an analysis of her singing, and the second by one of the original performers on this recording, Thurston Dart (harpsichord), on the story and music of this beautiful opera.
Very highly recommended.

INFANDUM, REGINA, IUBES RENOVARE DOLOREM (Aeneid 2/3).......2001-10-03

I can't recommend this strongly enough to music-lovers who, like me, are not very well up in 17th century composers.

First, this opera has a good strong, clear libretto. The story moves fast, the characters and situations are strongly delineated and contrasted, the sense of developing tragedy is powerful and moving. Purcell's Dido has has the stature of Virgil's
--- regina graui iamdudum saucia cura ---
--- the queen long since wounded with a heavy care
a queen and a strong woman driven to suicide by a betrayed love, the part grandly realised by Baker. Herincx has the right idea of Aeneas too, big and 'heroic' despite needing only token prompting from the powers above to abandon Dido and anything she might have meant to him. Virgil's malevolent Juno is replaced by a stagy cast of witches and whatnot, and rightly so for greater theatricality. (I'm OK by staginess and exaggeration here.)

Tracks:

Willow
Un Bel Di
Secret Tear
Dido
Pace Pace
Pamina Blue
Habanera
Home

Customer Reviews:

Horrible Techno Muzak with Beautiful Singing.......2007-06-21

This is a Dr. Jeckal and Mr. Hyde CD. The singing is so incredibly beautiful but it's totally ruined with synthetic background "music". The drum machine parts are so bad it's like listening to a joke from Saturday Night Live.

Not for the Opera purest..........2007-05-19

A doctor buddy of mine and I were working the ER one weekend and he put this CD on. Now, I love just about any kind of music EXCEPT Opera and Country music depresses me after a few songs. Now, this CD sure smacked of opera but I was not offended. In fact, the longer I listened, the more I liked it. I didn't much care for the treatment of Bizet's "Carmen" but that was the only song I didn't care for just because I loved the original classical and just didn't like this arrangement. I guess I was primed for this sound through Yanni's "Aria" from his Dare to Dream CD. Thus the blending of contemporary instrumental music with an operatic voice or voices was born.

As for the disappointed opera fan/reviewer, this IS NOT opera and it was never intended to replace or even imitate true opera. Paul Schwartz was exposed to the opera, orchestral symphonies, rock music and dance clubs that were all within walking distance from his home as a young man. He simply took the sounds that appealed to him and put them together. Thus this, his first effort, leans heavily on traditional classical music that is familiar to a great number of people. I personally found his second release, "Aria, Vol. 2: New Horizon", to be much more enjoyable. "Aria 3: Metamorphosis" was released five years after "New Horrizon" and shows a more matured sound and is highly enjoyable. Paul embarked on another venture through the "State of Grace" series during those five years which I haven't heard, yet. I love listening to all three Cd's with #2 and #3 being my favorites of the three. So if you are an opera purest, Paul Schwartz's "Aria" compositions are NOT what you are looking for. But, if you're a New Age enthusiast with even a little appreciation for classical music, then you'll probably enjoy this CD along with his other works.

Opera meets contemporary music for sophisticated listeners.......2006-11-12

I listen to this CD over and over again. Traditional opera voices backed by modern instruments makes for distinct music that appeals to sophisticated adult ears. You don't need to be an opera fan to enjoy this beautiful, unique style of music. A true opera fan below was disappointed, but after buying Aria, I became interested in opera and added a couple of authentic aria CDs to my collection.

buy this cd!.......2006-10-08

When i first heard this CD i hated it. i had heard about it from several people and decided to buy it. i actually bought the box set that has all three Aria cd's. As i checked this cd out, the woman ringing me up said this was the most beautiful thing she'd ever heard and told me i'd love it. i told her i was more of a metal fan. Here i was, a fan of Metallica and Danzig and Tool, buying opera!? i did like the programming on this cd. the drum beats are clean and accompany the music just right; not too loud and not too quiet. the vocals, which at first i didn't like, are really endearing and beautiful. Rebecca Luker sings many of the songs here. i enjoyed this cd more and more with each listen. I like the fact that the lyrics were translated in the booklet so i could understand the words. Bottom line: this is an excellent CD! i would recommend this to anyone. give it a few listens and let it take you. Ignore what you think you know about opera and let his music enter you and enchant you and speak to you. your heart and soul will thank you. let the vocals of Rebecca Luker wash over you and show you the true emotional range of the human voice.

Incredible music from opera's master composers.......2006-03-04

If I could give this CD 10 stars, I would certainly do so. Five stars is not sufficient to describe this wonderful work of art. I am an opera fan but I am certainly not offended by these contemporary arrangements which brings these wonderful works to a modern audience.

The selection "Willow" from Verdi's Otello is haunting and mystical. "Un Bel Di" from Puccini's Madama Butterfly soars. Other works from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas; or Mozart's The Magic Flute; or Bizet's Carmen are arranged to be unique and evoke the context of the original opera.

Rebecca Luker's voice is superb. The electonic approach to these classics updates them, but never replaces the originals. They were not meant to replace only to offer a unique approach to classics.

Average customer rating:

Perfect
a voice teacher and early music fan
DIDO AND AENEAS
Rushed rendition, strange guitar dance
DIDO AND AENEAS IS BROUGHT TO LIFE IN THIS GREAT RECORDING!

Purcell: Dido and Aeneas
Ian Bostridge , David Daniels , Camilla Tilling , Paul Agnew , Emmanuelle Haïm , Henry Purcell , and 32
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Monteverdi: L'Orfeo
Dido and Aeneas in Full Score
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Purcell: Dido and Aeneas / James, Lewis, Baker, Herincx
Dido and Aeneas: An Opera (Norton Critical Score)

ASIN: B0000E6POJ
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Tracks:

Overture
Shake The Cloud From Off Your Brow
Banish Sorrow, Banish Care
Ah! Belinda, I Am Pressed With Torment
Grief Increases By Concealing
When Monarchs Unite, How Happy Their State
Whence Could So Much Virtue Spring?
Fear No Danger To Ensue
See, Your Royal Guest Appears
Cupid Only Throws The Dart
If Not For Mine, For Empire's Sake
To The Hills And The Vales
The Triumphing Dance
Wayward Sisters, You That Fright
The Queen Of Carthage, Whom We Hate
Ruined Ere The Set Of Sun? Ho Ho Ho!
But Ere We This Perform
In Our Deep Vaulted Cell
Echo Dance Of Furies
Ritornelle
Thanks To These Lonesome Vales
Oft She Visits This Lone Mountain
Behold, Upon My Bending Spear
Haste, Haste To Town
Stay, Prince, And Hear Great Jove's Command
Come Away, Fellow Sailors
The Sailors' Dance
See The Flags And Streamers Curling
Our Next Motion
Destruction's Our Delight
The Witches' Dance
Your Counsel All Is Urged In Vain
Great Minds Against Themselves Conspire
Thy Hand, Belinda; Darkness Shades Me
When I Am Laid In Earth
With Drooping Wings

Amazon.com

This new, period instrument version of Purcell's wonderful, brief Dido and Aeneas shows up in a very crowded field. There are close to two dozen other versions available, many of them also historically informed. Here we have a dignified, beautifully sung reading, with instrumentalists performing with a similar sense of loveliness and reserve; indeed, the only time true overt emotionalism shows up is when the witches appear: Felicity Palmer is a nasty handful as the Sorceress. Susan Graham's Dido is elegant and, note-for-note, probably gives us among the best Didos on disc. Ian Bostridge's Aeneas is good without being outstanding; David Daniels and Paul Agnew make remarkable cameos. I prefer the performance led by René Jacobs or starring Janet Baker to this one for sheer drama, but you can't go wrong with Graham, et al, under Emmanuelle Haim's intensely musical leadership either. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Perfect.......2007-03-09

This CD is part of a Journey to the roots of beautiful music. The polyphony of the voices is almost hurting. When I Am Laid In Earth is so compelling. This is a must in the CD collection of Bach , Palestrina and Pärt lovers.

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2007-02-21

Henry Purcell's 'Dido and Aeneas' was first performed at a girl's school in 1689. The librettist, Nahum Tate, was a playwright and poet with connections at the universities and with writers of educational books and works of moral instruction. From the moment the overture begins, the opera tells of tragedy and violence. The desertion of Dido by Aeneas and her subsequent death is related in Book IV of Virgil's 'Aenid'. Aeneas's dalliance with Dido distracts him from what ought to be his purpose: the foundation of Rome. He finally sails from Carthage to fulfill his destiny, and by her own hand, Dido dies. Tate represents Aeneas' Roman objective as an illusion, his instructions to embark for Italy as a device by the Sorceress to achieve her malign objective: the destruction of Queen Dido and her Kingdom. Therefore, this is the tragedy of Dido; her feelings, not Aeneas' mechanical obedience to orders (which are false; he is as much mislead as Othello), are what signify.

As to the performance on this disc, I must say that it's got some merit, that being the renditions of Ian Bostridge as Aeneas (actually a very brief part vocally speaking) and David Daniels as the Spirit (an even more brief part). They are both perfect in their performance and I would certainly have wished that they could have had more to sing!!!!I am not endeared by the female voices in their respective roles. To say that they were poor is not true, for they are all skilled singers, but just did not convey to me ,personally, what each was all about. Dido (Susan Graham) was not tragic, and Belinda (Camille Tilling) was not empathic. The minor roles were well-done; especially that of the Sorceress (Felicity Palmer) and I've already menioned Bostridge and Daniels (the real stars on this disc).

My Favorite Rendition: The 1992 recording with Bott-Kirkby-Ainsley under the direction of Christopher Hogwood. Just a great listen!!!!!!!

DIDO AND AENEAS.......2006-10-30

"Dido and Aeneas" is one of my favorite operas. I only wish that I could see it in, preferably, a venue intimate enough to capture its beauty and passion. I own 5 different cd versions and only the one with Von Otter and the one with Hunt Lieberson come close to this one. This is a truly magnificent accomplishment: Every singer is perfect for his or her role, the chorus is wonderful and the orchestra under Haim cannot be topped. Some, I've read here, find the tempos too fast or even rushed. I find them brisk and exciting. Graham and Bostridge cannot be beaten.

Rushed rendition, strange guitar dance.......2005-03-01

This is my third Dido and Aeneas recording, and I was struck by how rushed some of the parts are, in particular Belinda's parts. It turns out that this recording is 52:54 long, against EMI's 58:33, for instance. Another disturbing element of this recording is the guitar dance at the end of the first act, which threatens to turn into a Paco de Lucia flamenco.

I do find the chorus in this recording stronger and more nuanced than any other I have heard. I also think the Sorceress is just fine without the usual distortion prescribed for the part.

DIDO AND AENEAS IS BROUGHT TO LIFE IN THIS GREAT RECORDING!.......2005-01-26

Dido and Aeneas is really a rare gem among the Baroque operas. Even if it doesn't offer a great chance to the singers to show off their virtuoso singing in the same way Alcina, Giulio Cesare and many other operas do, it has been sung by many great artists and is still one of the most successful operas from the Baroque era. So, why would so many great singers be interested in singing this brief masterpiece? The answer for that lays in the pure and sincere drama of his music and in the deep and meaningful way Purcell used the English text to its most dramatic effect.

With an amazing cast headed by Susan Graham and Ian Bostridge and the fantastic Baroque expert conductor, Emanuelle Haïm, this recording has really surprised me. With such recordings sung by legends like Flagstad, Baker and Norman, I thought there were just good versions enough. I was wrong! This one impressed me mostly, particularly because of the lively and intelligent conducting and the inspiring atmosphere.

The role of Dido has been a challenge for some of the most legendary voices of the 20th century: Kirsten Flagstad, Janet Baker, Victoria de los Angeles, Jessye Norman and many others. Here Susan Graham joins the intensity of Flagstad, the feminineness of De los Angeles and the technical aplomb of Baker in one of the best interpretations of Dido ever. Her ''Ah! Belinda, I am prest" is an example of velvety singing and perfect breath control. Her final monologue ''When I am laid'' is sung with a tearful and lush tone. I thought her Dido was perfectly accurate, both in her singing and in her dramaticism. Her creamy voice evokes feminineness, sadness and tragedy very properly. This is certainly one of the most amazing Dido you'll ever hear!
Camilla Tilling, unlike many of her predecessors in the role of Belinda, is not a thin-voiced or unexpressive Belinda, but a vivid interpreter with a beautiful and steady tone. The great tenor Ian Bostridge may be an unusual Aeneas. However, his is a flesh-and-blood but nevertheless heroic characterization, and it's sung with a beautiful and darker tone. There's also the luxurious casting of David Daniels as the spirit, and it's no surprise his brief appearence is sung with aplomb and his usual rounded voice. In overall, it seemed everybody in the cast knew this opera isn't about a majestic Queen and an unsensitive Hero. In fact, the extremely human, sentimental melodies of Purcell must be sung with intimacy and feeling.
However, the achievement of this recording wouldn't be complete without the outstanding conducting of Emmanuelle Haïm. Its faster tempo helps us to listen the rich and exotic sounds that Purcell could create with a simple orchestra. Listen to the aria ''Oft she visits'' and compare it with the other versions: here it's lively, dramatic and rich, while in other recordings it may sound too placid. The same happens in all the opera, and you'll be amazed by so many lively rhythms that simply disappear in other recordings

Well, as a great fan of Dido and Aeneas, I wouldn't tell you to own just one version of it, since each recording has its own amazing qualities. However, if you want to know this opera, I'd recommend it as the most enchanting recording ever made! And if you just want to listen to some great singing, then you really need to buy it!

Average customer rating:

Outstanding Collection With Exquisite Vocals
Why is this beautiful set so low in Amazon sales?

Baroque Adagios
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Guitar Adagios
Cello Adagios
Evening Adagios
Vivaldi Adagios
Violin Adagios

ASIN: B00005UWKY
Release Date: 2002-02-12

Tracks:

Pachelbel: Canon
Vivaldi: Winter: Largo
Albinoni: Adagio
Gluck: Dance of the blessed spirits (Orfeo)
Vivaldi: Guitar Concerto in D: Largo
Bach: Concerto for 2 violins in D minor
Marcello: Oboe Concerto in D minor
Vivaldi: Nisi Dominus: Cum dederit delectis
Handel: Concerto grosso in A minor: Larghetto affteuoso
Handel: Organ Concerto "The cuckoo and the nightingale": Larghetto
Bach: Sleepers awake (excerpt)
Tartini: "The Devil's Trill" Sonata: Larghetto affetuoso
Bach: Obo Concerto in F: Siciliano
vivaldi: Concerto for 2 oboesin D minor: Largo
Corelli: Concerto grosso in D: Largo
Bach: Keyboard Concerto in A: Larghetto
Bach: Goldberg Variations: Aria
Handel: Ombra mai fu (Largo) (Xerxes)
Vivaldi: Nulli in mundo pax sincera (excerpt)

Tracks:

Bach: Air on a G string: Orchestral Suite No. 3
Handel: Lascia ch'io pianga
Vivaldi: Spring: Largo
Bach: Keyboard Concerto in D: Adagio
Albinoni: Oboe Concerto in D minor: Adagio
Bach: Cello Sonata in G minor: Adagio
Handel: Concerto in B flat for Harp & 2 flutes: Larghetto
Bach: Violin Concerto in A minor: Andante
Bach: Brandenburh Concerto No. 5: Affetuoso
Pergolesi: Stabat Mater: Stabat Mater
Bach: Arioso: Cantata, BWV 156
Vivaldi: Concerto in G for 2 Mandolins: Andante
Bach: Concerto for Oboe & Violin: Adagio
Vivaldi: Autumn: Adagio molto
Telemann: Oboe Concerto in D minor: Adagio
Scarlatti/Avison: Concerto grosso in D: Largo
Vivaldi: Violin Concerto in A minor: Largo
Croft: Ground
Purcell: Dido's Lament (Dido and Aeneas)

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding Collection With Exquisite Vocals.......2005-09-18

I could not agree more with the review written by Frank T. Manheim. All I would add to his comments are that the recording quality is excellent, and that there are, amongst all of the wonderful selections on this CD, two vocal selections that I found deeply moving. On the first CD, there is a powerful, yet at the same time delicate performance of Vivaldi's In Nisi Dominus, by Andreas Scholl. I had never heard this selection of Vivaldi before buying this CD and don't have other performances to compare it to, but Scholl's performance was so moving, as was the accompaniment of the musical instruments on this track, that I listened to it several times in a row. I did the same with Janet Baker's performance of Dido's Lament, by Henry Purcell, on the second CD of this 2 CD set, listening to her haunting passionate voice over and over again. As with Vivaldi's In Nisi Dominus, I had never heard this composition, nor in fact any composition by Henry Purcell before buying this CD. The emotional depth and intensity that Janet Baker brings to her performance is very deeply moving. This is, fittingly, the last track on CD 2, ending this collection on a musical and emotional level, or rather, summit, that will leave you with eyes closed, thinking of the stars. As a result of having heard Janet Baker's performance on this compilation, I bought the full recording of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. In fact, I bought several CDs of music by Henry Purcell after hearing Dido's Lament.

As Frank Manheim writes in his review, this CD can either be put on as background music, or it can be listened to intently, savoring every note. Although the title of this CD set has the work "Adagios" in it, this is no mere easy listening experience. There is plenty of musical passion on both CDs. This is a wonderful 2 CD set. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in classical, and especially, Baroque music.

Why is this beautiful set so low in Amazon sales? .......2005-09-15

While classical music is achieving a resurgence in the UK and Finland, in the U.S. the meager proportion of classical music among record store and department offerings still reflects classical's waning status. What we do find even in drugstores and supermarkets is inexpensive "mood" collections like "Romance", "Spring", "Melancholy", etc. I have no problem with this - some of the unnamed orchestras or soloists aren't bad although recording quality may disappoint.

"Baroque Adagios" is a big cut higher for both enjoyable listening, as well as background music for social occasions. The Baroque period simply overflows with memorable slow movement gems - both well-known, and rarely heard. The famous Italian tenor, Beniamino Gigli, confessed that many of his most favorite pieces came from the Italian baroque and earlier. Music of the earlier times combines emotional and melodic appeal with a restraint and depth that makes it wear well on many hearings. The only risk for background music is that the gorgeous melodies and resonant sonorities will draw people away from what they might otherwise do.

The choice of repertory is rich and varied, but this collection is particularly noteworthy for its long list of famous soloists and conductors. Besides Janos Starker, these include Heinz Holliger, Andras Schiff, Henryk Szeryng (in the Bach Double Concerto in D minor), Thurston Dart, Enrique Fernandez, Christopher Hogwood, Karl Munchinger, Neville Marriner, and many others.

I can think of few ways to better dissolve stress than to put this recording on a player and relax into a comfortable easy chair - or or put it into a car CD player on a longer trip. It makes a thoughtful present for both knowledgeable classic buffs and newcomers to classical music.

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Beautiful Singing
Perfect
I'm a listener, not a critic or singer
Nice Timbre, Well Balanced voice, Dramatic, but.....
The Denyce Graves CD I was waiting for

Denyce Graves - Voce di Donna
Christoph Willibald Gluck , Georges Bizet , George Frideric Handel , Francesco Cilea , Henry Purcell , Amilcare Ponchielli , Gaetano Donizetti , Samuel Barber , Pietro Mascagni , Camille Saint-Saëns , Jules Massenet , Maurizio Barbacini , and Denyce Graves
Manufacturer: RCA
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Binding: Audio CD

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French Opera Arias - Denyce Graves
American Anthem
Angels Watching over Me
The Lost Days: Music in the Latin Style
Kaleidoscope

ASIN: B00000JMH2
Release Date: 1999-08-24

Tracks:

Carmen: Quand je vous aimerai?... L'amour est un oiseau rebelle - (Habanera)
Carmen: Pres des remparts de Seville - (Seguidilla)
Orfeo ed Euridice: Ahime!...Che faro senza Euridice?
La Gioconda: Voce di donna
Adriana Lecouvreur: Acerba volutta
Dido and Aeneas: Thy hand, Belinda... When I Am Laid In Earth
Amadigi di Gaula: D' un sventurato amante...Pena tiranna
La Favorite: Fia dunque vero...O mio Fernando!
VANESSA: Must The Winter Come So Soon
Vavalleria rusticana: Voi lo sapete
Werther: Werther, Werther! - (Air des lettres)
Werther: Va! Laisse couler mes larmes
Samson et Dalila: Printemps qui commence
Samson et Dalila: Samson...Amour! Viensaider ma faiblesse!

Amazon.com

This isn't mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves's first solo disc (she has previously released a compilation of romantic opera heroines), but it's definitely her most impressive. Like many beginning recording artists, she hasn't always been able to project her stage electricity into the microphone, but with such a sumptuous voice, one doesn't always mind. Here, though, there's not a dull moment in two choice arias each from roles Graves has sung often onstage: her signature role of Carmen and her almost-as-famous Dalila. There's also a fairly promising preview of the Charlotte from Werther, which she'll sing with Andrea Bocelli in October 1999 in Detroit, though one senses she still has work to do in learning to act with her voice. Two baroque-period selections, an aria from Handel's Amadigi and Purcell's famous "When I Am Laid in Earth" from Dido and Aeneas, suffer from imprecise diction and messy ornaments. But the aria in which Graves sounds most emotionally present is, oddly enough, "Must the Winter Come So Soon" from Barber's Vanessa. Her vivid reading reminds you of what happens onstage with her and hopefully what's to come on recordings. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Singing.......2005-10-01

Ms. Graves' voice is so warm. The sound is so impressive!!! There has been debate on whether or not she is truly a mezzo-soprano. Some critics feel that she is a true contralto with an extended upper range. The role of Dalila, is also considered borderline mezzo-soprano and contralto. Anyway, her voice has total ring in every tone. The rich sound that she produces is totally even from her bottom register to her top. The baroque selections need to be maybe a little lighter and more pure, but I am not that petty. I just believe that she is absolutely wonderful!!! Brava Ms. Graves!!!

Perfect.......2005-09-27

There is nothing I can say other than this is the perfect recording. Denyce Graves has chosen arias that we don't always get to hear and I thank her for doing so, she breathes live into the old standards from "Carmen" and introduces us to arias that will undoubtably become new favorites. Denyce's voice is absolutely fabulous, it's powerful yet calm and perfectly refined, I can say nothing bad about her voice or this recording.

I'm a listener, not a critic or singer.......2005-03-23

Unlike the other reviewers here, I'm an amateur piano player, and ocassionally listen to classical music. Several years ago while flipping, I came across Ms. Graves. I was totally blown away. I introduced her to my father who is an avid fan of the opera before he passed on.
While vocal crisis is a terrible thing for any singer to suffer (and I do worry about Ms Graves too), just step aside and listen to her render these time tested works for just a moment. Perhaps like me, you'll end up continually repeating this album on your iPod for hours on end. The final two tracks from Samson and Delilah makes your hair stand on end and your knees weak.

Nice Timbre, Well Balanced voice, Dramatic, but............2004-01-10

Denyce Graves has a lot of potential in this Album "Voce Di Donna". These are some of the most interesting Operas of it's time. They have stood the test of time. And such emotional airas as from Vanessa's Opera, when she sings the role of Erika in "Must the winter come so soon" is something. But other songs as I noticed in "Acerba Volutta" When she comes to substaining the high A6 note, she sounds as though she had to push her voice a little. And the same in "O mio Fernando" The A6 sounds more pushed at the end. In "Pres des remparts de Seville", the B6 sounds somewhat thin, but otherwise, she performs it very well. Denyce Graves has a lot of potential, but she should perform airas and in Operas as to her vocal comfort. Pushing the voice often isn't a good thing, as can lead to vocal Crisis. But nontheless, this is a good Opera Album. I can't wait till she puts out another CD.

The Denyce Graves CD I was waiting for.......2001-07-24

A much superior offering to her Heroines of French Romantic Opera offering, I feel. Her voice rings beautifully. You won't find yourself listening only to her as Carmen. She'll pull you in with the rest of the arias also.

Average customer rating:

The Incomparable LEONTYNE PRICE: "The Stradivarius of Singers"!!
Leontyne Price: The Ultimate Collection
The true prima donna asoluta
Fabulous singing, Overblown orchestras
Fabulous!

Leontyne Price: The Ultimate Collection

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Essential Leontyne Price: Spirituals, Hymns & Sacred Songs
Rediscovered (Dig)
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Verdi: Aida/Il trovatore/Puccini: Madama Butterfly/La Rondine/Tosca/Turandot
In Concert

ASIN: B00000J912
Release Date: 1999-05-25

Tracks:

Aida: Ritorna vincitor
Turandot: Signore, ascolta
Le nozze di Figaro: Porgi amor
Madama Butterfly: Un Bel Di
Manon: Adieu, notre petite table
Manon Lescaut: In quelle trine morbide
Dido & Aeneas: Thy hand...when I am laid
Il Trovatore: Che piu... Tacea la notte ...Di tale amor
Les Nuits D'ete: Sur les lagunes
Porgy & Bess: Summertime
La rondine: Chi il bel sogno
Carmen: Habanera
La forza del destino: Son giunta...Madre.
Vier letzte Lieder: Im Abendrot
Ariadne auf Naxos: Es gibt ein Reich

Tracks:

Aida: O Patria Mia
TOSCA: Vissi d'arte
Turandot: Tu che di gel cinta
Le nozze di Figaro: Susanna
Il Trovatore: Siam giunti
Un Ballo in Maschera: Morro ma prima in grazia
Carmen: Sequidille
Il re pastore: L'amero
Don Carlo: Tu che la vanita
Suor Angelica: Senza Mama
Anthony and Cleopatra: Give me my robe
Madame Butterfly: Tu? tu?
La forza del destino: Pace, pace mio Dio

Customer Reviews:

The Incomparable LEONTYNE PRICE: "The Stradivarius of Singers"!!.......2006-08-14

This collection is a wonderful, affordable, and welcome overview of one of Opera's greatest and beloved aritsts:the phenomenal American Superstar soprano LEONTYNE PRICE.

For those Opera-lovers who first encountered Ms. Price's magical vocalism from the recording studio, this collection includes the the entire legendary "Blue Album" which many operaphile consider to be one of the finest recordings ever. The selections gathered here vividly demonstrate the reason why Leontyne Price is regarded as the supreme VERDI soprano of her generation (30 years to date) a renowned PUCCINI specialist, and one of the greatest artists of all time. Recorded in the early 60's, Ms. Price's instrument was, in her own words "a juicy lyric". The intrinsic lyricism of her voice was aligned to warm, lustrous tone that pulsated in the middle voice, yielded a dark, uniquely sensuous sound in the lower regions, and gleamed with a distinctive, fast, liquid vibrato in the upper voice. That unique vibrato was elemental to this diva's ability to infuse Verdi and Puccini's most dramatic phrases with surging power (without pushing), and still produce lovely pianos in alt - soaring there with an ease that was singular to her, and that continued to her retirement in the 2002. Elsewhere the listener is treated to the rewards of Ms. Price's natural vocal evolution, wherein her voice developed into a full spinto with the middle throbbing, creamy, and lush, the low voice alternately chesty or breathy, slightly weaker -but retaining its smoky quality. It is in her upper voice, already superb, however, that Ms. Price revealed the rewards of maturation. The upper voice became rounder, less vibrant perhaps but refulgent with greater strength at the top, meeting the out-sized demands of STRAUSS and WAGNER (missing in this compilation) amongst others, while spinning out soft, exquisite pianos, and luxuriating in the long phrases of any number of composers, not the least of which were MOZART, VERDI and PUCCINI.

Leontyne Price recorded arias and scenas from every standard repertory VERDI opera with few exceptions (Nabucco/Luisa Miller/Vespri/Falstaff) in superlative fashion. Her onstage roles included the "Il Trovatore" Leonora, the role of her sensational MET debut (that resulted in a record 42 minute ovation), thrice recorded by her, and a signature role throughout her career. The selections on this recording were culled from her first complete recording of the opera. Here Ms. Price soars effortlessly to the heights repeatedly in "Tacea la notte", and sings the cabaletta fluently. "D'amor sull ali rosee" (once the sole property of Ms. Price's Verdian predecessor Zinka Milanov) is enhanced by the soprano's expert trills, musical nuances, and the glorious vibrato that carries her gossamer tones to the floated high C in alt. She was also the leading interpreter of Verdi's other Leonora -di Vargas- in "La Forza del Destino" which the diva recorded twice. There is also a Live MET performance available on DVD, recorded when the diva was nearing her retirement from Opera. (The two selections here also hail from her first complete recording of this work) "Son giunta!...Madre pietosa Vergine" is one of Verdi's most demanding scenas for soprano, but THIS soprano was a mistress of Verdian sweep, and supplies a wealth of dynamic shadings that illustrate the desperation of the hapless Leonora. Ms. Price produces silvery, vibrant, pulsing tone with amplitude that rises to the forte climaxes, riding them without overpowering the orchestra. This role was one of her most riveting potrayals from a dramatic viewpoint. The second "Forza" aria is the great lament "Pace, pace mio Dio" and is synonymous with Leontyne Price to this day. The diva sang this aria onstage more often than any other Verdi aria throughout her long career. Here she infuses the music with sorrow and despair, her voice in service to the text, and caps the aria with her stirring cries of "Maledizione!!" on a sustained forte high Bflat. Ms. Price's successful outings as Amelia are represented by the Act II aria "Morro, ma prima in grazia" from her stellar complete recording of "Un Ballo in Maschera". She sings the aria in a hushed, somber manner, climaxing on a brilliant high C, and with a lovely diminuendo at its end. One of the several operatic roles Ms. Price sadly did not assume onstage was Queen Elisabetta from "Don Carlo". We must be grateful for her warm, glowing, majesterial account of "Tu che le vanita", replete with burnished, opulent tone throughout. The leading newspaper of Italy said of Ms. Price that "..our great Verdi would have her the ideal Aida" and that sentiment has been adopted the world over. The "Aida" selections here are the first ones recorded by the American diva, and remains a revelation. In "Ritorna vincitor" the soprano's lyric instrument is indeed "juicy", declaiming her fierce opposition to the Egyptian invaders of her Ethiopian homeland with energetic and powerful vocalism. She then masterfully delineates the young princess' dilemma with fervent and youthful passion, ending with a prayerful "Numi pieta" suffused by warm, sable-colored tone. "O Patria mia" is another of Ms. Price's most revered performances, indeed the aria that garnered her a (5) five minute ovation on live television at her "farewell to Opera" performance in the same opera. The soprano injects Aida's farewell to her homeland with rich, smoky, plangent tones that rise effortlessly to a shining high C that bedeviled some of her most illustrous rivals, and would be bettered in the future only by the wonderful Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballe - and Ms. Price herself!!

Leontyne Price performed the veristic music of PUCCINI onstage in a number of his operas that included "Manon Lescaut"/"Tosca"/Madama Butterfly"/"La Faniculla del West"/"Il Tabarro"/ and "Turandot", albeit with less frequency than with Verdi. She brought a luminous, womanly quality to all of the composer's music. Here, she sings with particular intensity and emotion as the geisha girl Cio-Cio San (her favorite Puccini role)and offers limpid, melting tone as the fiery Roman prima donna Floria Tosca -the complete opera twice-recorded and highly-acclaimed. Puccini's music for the doomed Chinese slave-girl Liu are exquisitely sung, while "In quelle trine morbide" and "Senza mamma" benefit from the voluptuous, sensuous vocalism of the more mature Price. The most outstanding qualities of this diva in Puccini's music was a femininity and humanity, inherent in all of her singing, but most pronounced with this composer. She also fearlessly sang his highest phrases with a vocal splendor and freedom unrivalled by anyone, nowhere more than as the tragic Butterfly. However, until she retired from public singing, one aria remained a trademark for this diva: Chi bel sogno di Doretta" from Puccini's rarely performed operetta "La Rondine". The performance here was her first recording of it, and is a classic in its own right. Ms. Price's voice shimmers throughout, singing the high C with astonishing purity, and caressing, velvety tone elsewhere.

MOZART's operas also brought deserved glory to Ms. Price. Her plush-toned voice was considered to be almost too rich for some early in her career. This was amply belied by the rapturous reception her onstage performances brought her, most notably as Donna Anna, the leading lady of "Don Giovanni", ironically not included in this collection. Another aria Ms. Price enjoyed singing in concert, "Come scoglio" ("Cosi Fan Tutte") is missing here as well, though she performed the role of Fiordiligi at the MET. The soprano never performed in "Le Nozze di Figaro", but sang the scena "Dove sono" often in her live concerts, understandably, because of the smooth, elegant vocalism she lavished on this music. It is truly a pity that she didn't either record or perform the entire role. "Porgi amor" (also from Le Nozze) and "L'amero" (Il Re Pastore) were extracted from a Mozart aria recording, and are well-sung, if not as memorably as other Mozarteans.

It is good that RCA included several French selections, for Ms. Price's talents were marvellously well-suited to the Gallic idiom. Leontyne Price sang the leading role of Madame Lidoine in the American premiere of POULENC's "Dialogues des Carmelites", a few performances of MASSENET's "Thais" onstage (both sadly missing from this compilation) in addition to her celebrated recordings of BIZET's "Carmen" and BERLIOZ's song cycle "Nuits D'ete". She lent a deliciously silken tone to the more nuanced passions of the French repertoire. The "Carmen" excerpts are exceptionally vivid in Price's hands, successfully capturing the earthy, sultry qualities of one of Opera's more mercurial creatures. Ms. Price's lower register is richly displayed in the Berlioz song, while Manon's wistful, poignant "farewell" is sung with delicacy and shimmery tone.

The German wing is represented by music that Ms. Price sang onstage, and recorded as well. While the diva recorded Richard STRAUSS' entire "Four Last Songs" song cycle as well as the title heroine in a complete opera recording of "Ariadne auf Naxos" , the listener gets a good sampling of the potency, range, and the "dunkel" qualities she brought to this music. Fortunately, there is a CD of Richard Strauss arias sung by Ms. Price mid-career that is impressive in its breadth, and vocally sumptuous.

Versatility was a Price by-word. In the recording studio she stylishly performed the music of composers that ranged from the early music of PURCELL's "Dido & Aneas" to the 20th Century musings of Samuel BARBER, who wrote the opera "ANTONY & CLEOPATRA" for Ms. Price to open the New MET in 1966 - another historic milestone. Both selections included here are superbly rendered by the artist. The "Dido" aria is sung with a fuller, richer tone than is usually associated with this period (though it should be noted that two great Wagnerian sopranos Kirsten Flagstad and more recently Jessye Norman have been much admired in this music), but with no loss of style, her vibrato evoking pathos and beauty in this plaintive music. The "Antony" scena is sung with all of the majesty, seductive guile, and courage of Cleopatra, one of history's most storied women - and Ms. Price shines in this music written expressly for her voice. RCA also includes the diva's inimitable performance of "Summertime" the opening aria of GERSHWIN's American opera "Porgy and Bess".

This compilation is a superb introduction to the glories of this magnificent artist for a neophyte...and a treasure trove of musical excellence for the connoisseur of great voices, and they come no greater than America's diva assoluta soprano LEONTYNE PRICE.

Leontyne Price: The Ultimate Collection.......2005-07-20

This was the first time I ordered anything from you. I was very happy with my selection. Delivery was fast and accurate, I immediately played my CD and have enjoyed it since.

Rolande M. Collins

The true prima donna asoluta.......2002-05-23

Ms. Leontyne Price is the quentisential diva. I fell in love with her when I started studying music at the conservatory level. Her phrasing, tone, quality, and endless range are breathtaking. This CD features selections from when she was vocaly at her best. Even though I could go without the Ariadne and Cleopatra, the rest of the CD is simply marvelous. I cannot stop listening to D'amor sull'ali rosee, which I think is the best interpretation and performance of the piece that I have ever heard!!! I prefer Price over Sutherland, Caballe, Freni, and Fleming any day. Her high tones give you the feeling of floating on clouds. This is one of the best CD's in my entire classical/Opera collection. Whoever purchases this CD, it will be worth your while.

Fabulous singing, Overblown orchestras.......2002-04-10

When I was first getting interested in opera, during the late 1960s - early 1970s, Leontyne Price was still singing at the Met, but I could never get a ticket because she only sang five performances a year (later, three). She said this was to "preserve" the voice but, as I learned from those who actually did hear her in person, her mid-range was deteriorating at that time until it was practically inaudible (though her high notes and lower range still sounded great). Also, to be honest, as a youngster I was put off by the promotion of her albums...all those fancy pictures of her in diamonds and furs just seemed so ostentatious to me, and listening to her on records was not always a pleasurable experience. Her voice so often sounded swamped by those loud, blaring, overblown orchestras.

But then I heard a remastering of the famous 1961 "Aida" with Vickers, Gorr and Merrill, and I realized how great a singer she was. That's when I started listening more seriously, and discovered a soprano who had a thorough command of her voice from the late '50s to the late '60s, not only in terms of vocal color but also in terms of phrasing. Listening to Price in her prime is incredible...she almost sounds as if she never breathed, her phrasing is so beautifully bound and poised. At the same time, however, I was disappointed by RCA's choice of partners for her on recordings. ...

This set goes a long way towards restoring the legend. Stripped of her sub-par partners (with the exception of Corelli's belting in the "Seguidilla" from "Carmen"), one can listen to Price's voice uncompromised, and it is a thrill. Even when the orchestra sounds detached and uninteresting, as it often does, Price seems to be on an entirely different wavelength, giving out with passion and great musicality. As for the selections chosen, they represent an excellent cross-section of Price's best work, even though the Purcell and Berlioz sound awfully heavy by today's standards and I can live without the "Anthony and Cleopatra" selection or the Strauss song.

One caveat I have is the lack of discographical information. No dates, orchestras or conductors are given. This is a grave injustice, even though the backup does not always meet expectations. On the plus side, all of the legendary "blue album" (her first recital discs for RCA in 1961) is presented complete, including the two selections from the July 1959 "Il Trovatore" that were on that LP...and in MUCH better, more focused sound. For this, and the heavy orchestral sound, I give the set only 4 stars...but for the singing alone I would give it eight!!

Fabulous!.......2002-01-19

The only alternative to Joan Sutherland. An equally gorgeous and fabulous voice. A true diva that puts me to tears. Sensational recital of so many gems.

Purcell: Songs & Airs / Argenta, North, Boothby, Nicholson, Toll

Average customer rating:

Nice Collection
PERFECT!
Great singing and excellent value for money
More than two hours of beautiful 17th century 'ayres'

Purcell: Songs & Airs / Argenta, North, Boothby, Nicholson, Toll
Henry Purcell , Nancy Argenta , and Nigel North
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Odes | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Essential Purcell
Purcell: The Fairy Queen
Purcell: Odes for St. Cecilia's Day - Music for Queen Mary / Taverner Consort
Gabrieli · Monteverdi · Vivaldi - Venetian Church Music / Taverner Consort, Choir & Players · Andrew Parrott
Bach: Cantatas

ASIN: B000059LOH
Release Date: 2001-06-05

Tracks:

O Solitude - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North
Ah! How Sweet It Is To Love - Nancy Argenta/Richard Boothby/Paul Nicholson
Not All My Torments - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Paul Nicholson
Stripp'd Of Their Green - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby/Paul Nicholson
Tell Me, Some Pitying Angel - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby/Paul Nicholson
If Music Be The Food Of Love - Nancy Argenta/Richard Boothby/Paul Nicholson
Hark! Hark! The Echoing Air - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby/Paul Nicholson
The Fatal Hour Comes On Apace - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North
Incassum, Lesbia - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Paul Nicholson
Sweeter Than Roses - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby
Cupid, The Slyest Rogue Alive - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby/Paul Nicholson
From Silent Shades - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby/Paul Nicholson
Dear Pretty Youth - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby
From Rosy Bow'rs - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby/Paul Nicholson
Now That The Sun Hath Veil'd His Light - Nancy Argenta/Paul Nicholson
Beneath A Poplar's Shadow - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby
I Attempt From Love's Sickness To Fly - Nancy Argenta/Paul Nicholson
Let Us Dance - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/Richard Boothby/Paul Nicholson
Fairest Isle - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North
O Solitude - Nancy Argenta/Richard Boothby

Tracks:

Nymphs And Shepherds - Nancy Argenta/Nicholas Robinson/Fiona Huggett/Trevor Jones/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
Amidst The Shades And Cool Refreshing Streams - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North
Love In Their Little Veins Inspires - Nancy Argenta/Rachel Becket/Marion Scott/Richard Boothby/Nigel North
Fly Swift, Ye Hours - Nancy Argenta/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
They Tell Us That Your Mighty Powers - Nancy Argenta/Nicholas Robinson/Fiona Huggett/Trevor Jones/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
The Plaint: O Let Me Weep - Nancy Argenta/Pauline Nobes/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
In The Black, Dismal Dungeon Of Despair - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/John Toll
See, Even Night Herself Is Here - Nancy Argenta/Nicholas Robinson/Fiona Huggett/Trevor Jones
Why Should Men Quarrel? - Nancy Argenta/Rachel Becket/Marion Scott/Richard Boothby/John Toll
Seek Not To Know - Nancy Argenta/Paul Goodwin/Sophia McKenna/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
Retir'd From Mortals' Sight - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North
To Arms, Heoric Prince - Nancy Argenta/Mark Bennett/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
O Lead Me To Some Peaceful Gloom - Nancy Argenta/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
Halcyon Days - Nancy Argenta/Paul Goodwin/Pauline Nobes/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
Bid The Virtues - Nancy Argenta/Paul Goodwin/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
Lord, What Is Man? (A Divine Hymn) - Nancy Argenta/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
Music For A While - Nancy Argenta/John Toll
If Music Be The Food Of Love (1st Setting) - Nancy Argenta/Richard Boothby/John Toll
Sawney Is A Bonny Lad (A Scotch Song) - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North
When I Have Often Heard Young Maids Complaining - Nancy Argenta/Nicholas Robinson/Fiona Huggett/Richard Boothby/Nigel North/John Toll
Ah! Cruel, Bloody Fate - Nancy Argenta/Nigel North/John Toll
Thy Hand, Belinda... When I Am Laid In Earth - Nancy Argenta/Nicholas Robinson/Fiona Huggett/Trevor Jones/Richard Boothby/Nigel North

Customer Reviews:

Nice Collection.......2007-03-05

I have many collections of Purcell's Music. This collection stands up to them at half the price. Solid buy.

PERFECT!.......2006-10-26

There is only a word with which I can describe this set of discs: perfect!
The only flaw there is, is not related to the singing or playing: no text enclosed.

Great singing and excellent value for money.......2004-09-19

This is probably one of the best anthologies of Purcell songs around, and not just because it's two-for-one pricing means it contains twice as much music (CD1:74'24" & CD2: 77'41")! Nancy Argenta has an irrepressible sense of style and crystal clear diction. But unlike Emma Kirby, whose vocal purity can become tiresome, these renditions radiate warmth. She is also, I have found, more consistently involving than any one of the singers in Hyperion's three disc survey of Complete Secular Songs (recently reissued as a single set). One marvels at how she judiciously balances restraint and emotional forthrightness. The accompaniments (archlute, viola da gamba, harpsichord, and organ) are well judged and blend with the voice, all helped by an excellently defined recording acoustic. This is an absolute winner at any price!

More than two hours of beautiful 17th century 'ayres'.......2001-08-02

Two CDs, totaling more than 150 minutes of sparsely-arranged (never more than 3-5 instruments at a time), sweetly-sung, 350 year old 'ayres' (a typically English form of secular music). Nancy Argenta's soprano voice is lovely, silvery indeed as her name implies. The instruments are a discreet but friendly accompaniment to her solo voice. Perhaps the instruments are a little too discreet -- there are times when I wish they were a touch more prominent. But that is a very, very minor complaint. A beautiful collection, and quite well worth the money.

Average customer rating:

"Simply a Stunner"
Good choice for opera lovers.

Simply the Best Night at the Opera
Giacomo Puccini , Jacques Offenbach , Gaetano Donizetti , Georges Bizet , Gioachino Rossini , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , George Frideric Handel , Igor Stravinsky , Jules Massenet , Antonin Dvorak , Camille Saint-Saëns , Benjamin Britten , Claudio Monteverdi , Giuseppe Verdi , Hector Berlioz , Charles Gounod , Henry Purcell , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Richard Wagner , English Chamber Orchestra , Munich Bavarian State Orchestra , Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra , Lyon National Opera Orchestra & Chorus , Prague Symphony Orchestra , Orchestre National de France , Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra , and Halle Orchestra
Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Czech | Languages | 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

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Customer Reviews:

"Simply a Stunner".......2006-07-21

Ideal for an opera lover, or for anyone who loves gorgeous singing. I am an opera nut and was introduced to this one by accident; "Au gond du temple saint" from Pearl Fishers (selection #6, disc one) was playing on the stereo in the Metropolitan Opera giftshop when I walked in at intermission one night. I thought it was so stunning I bought my first copy of the CD then and there; and have bought 2 other "back-up copies" since then, as well as having it on my iPod.

Good choice for opera lovers........2001-08-16

If you are in search of a cd containing various popular pieces from the greatest operas in the world, then search no more. This cd contains classic operatic pieces, sung by some of the most talented tenors and sopranos out there, including Placido Domingo. Madame Butterfly's Un Bel Di and Turandot's Nessun Dorma are, without a doubt, two of the most emotional and dramatic songs ever composed. Fortunately, this inexpensive two cd set includes those songs and many more. This cd is a delight to own, whether or not you've ever attended an opera.

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