Classic Battle: A Portrait

Track Listings

1. Puccini: O Mio babbino caro (new recording)

2. Handel: Let the Bright Seraphim

3. Traditional Chilean: Dormi, Jesu

4. Traditional: Cancion de Cuna

5. Vangelis: Mythodea-Movement IX

6. Mozart: Laudate Dominum

7. Handel: Rejoice Greatly

8. Traditional Fix Me Jesus (new recording)

9. Faure: Pie Jesu

10. Traditional Catalan: El Noi de la Mare

11. Traditional Catalan: El Desembre Congelat

12. Ellington:L Prelude to a Kiss (new recording)

13. Handel: Eternal Source of Light Divine

14. Mozart: Alleluja

15. Traditional: Angels Watching Over Me (new recording)

16. Mahler: Sehr Behaglich (from Symphony No. 4

17. J.S. Bach: Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen

18. Dvorak: Going Home ("Largo" from New World Symphony)

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This compilation of previous releases is clearly intended to include something for everybody and to offer an overview of Kathleen Battle's wide, varied repertoire. The result is a motley assortment of music sacred and profane, Baroque, classical and romantic, Spanish and American folksongs, and jazz. It is Battle's radiant, impeccably produced voice, which sheds a glow over every note she sings, and her effortless coloratura and serene expressiveness that provide the unifying, and most rewarding, element.

Four new recordings sound just as glorious as those she made years ago. One is the famous aria from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi performed with piano--a strange misfit among all the arias with orchestra. Wynton Marsalis plays Bach and Handel brilliantly, but sounds too loud and prominent. And despite some baroque ornamentation, he plays in a style so different from hers that the two hardly seem to be performing the same piece. The Orchestra of St. Luke's plays beautifully; an anonymous orchestra under Robert Sadin is competent but too matter-of-fact. A mournful, repetitive duet with Jessye Norman against a background of unearthly noises from Vangelis's Mythodea sounds like an angelic plea for mercy.

In the finale of Mahler's Fourth Symphony with the Vienna Philharmonic under Lorin Maazel, Battle captures just the right blend of childlike wonder and heavenly bliss. Of the jazz numbers, one by Duke Ellington is lovely, but Dvorák would have been quite surprised by the arrangement of the Largo from his "New World" Symphony. However, the tonality is right, and Battle sings the melody so beautifully that she almost redeems it. --Edith Eisler

Tracks:

Puccini: O Mio babbino caro (new recording)
Handel: Let the Bright Seraphim
Traditional Chilean: Dormi, Jesu
Traditional: Cancion de Cuna
Vangelis: Mythodea-Movement IX
Mozart: Laudate Dominum
Handel: Rejoice Greatly
Traditional Fix Me Jesus (new recording)
Faure: Pie Jesu
Traditional Catalan: El Noi de la Mare
Traditional Catalan: El Desembre Congelat
Ellington:L Prelude to a Kiss (new recording)
Handel: Eternal Source of Light Divine
Mozart: Alleluja
Traditional: Angels Watching Over Me (new recording)
Mahler: Sehr Behaglich (from Symphony No. 4
J.S. Bach: Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen
Dvorak: Going Home ("Largo" from New World Symphony)

Amazon.com

This compilation of previous releases is clearly intended to include something for everybody and to offer an overview of Kathleen Battle's wide, varied repertoire. The result is a motley assortment of music sacred and profane, Baroque, classical and romantic, Spanish and American folksongs, and jazz. It is Battle's radiant, impeccably produced voice, which sheds a glow over every note she sings, and her effortless coloratura and serene expressiveness that provide the unifying, and most rewarding, element.

Four new recordings sound just as glorious as those she made years ago. One is the famous aria from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi performed with piano--a strange misfit among all the arias with orchestra. Wynton Marsalis plays Bach and Handel brilliantly, but sounds too loud and prominent. And despite some baroque ornamentation, he plays in a style so different from hers that the two hardly seem to be performing the same piece. The Orchestra of St. Luke's plays beautifully; an anonymous orchestra under Robert Sadin is competent but too matter-of-fact. A mournful, repetitive duet with Jessye Norman against a background of unearthly noises from Vangelis's Mythodea sounds like an angelic plea for mercy.

Customer Reviews:

Eh..........2006-12-10

Kathleen Battle is admirable, with her many recordings and her many performances across the country. But, I cannot say that I adore her voice. Yes, she may be a soprano, but her voice is not top of my list. Her technique is flawed, and her voice lacks any depth or richness. When I listen to her voice, it sounds so empty. Singers like Sumi Jo (my favorite of all) or Renee Fleming are a much better choice when it comes to rich tone and beautiful technique.

The vocal phenomenon that is Kathleen Battle.......2003-11-18

An excellent compilation of some of Miss Battle's greatest work. Of course, it would have been great if more of her operatic literature was included, but to have the opportunity to hear anything from Miss Battle is heaven.

Bravissima Diva!!!!.......2002-07-03

I must comment on the preceeding review which has nothing to do with the calibur of this CD nor of the artist. And just a touch on that whole Brevard "incident", there were two performances one of which came off without a fault...but I too digress. This CD is a plethera of what endures Kathleen Battle to us all...her diversity. It is true that none of her signature operatic roles appear in this mini compilation but what is given more than accomodates. In 18 selections she covers Spirituals, Oratorio, Jazz, Afro-Cuban/Brazilian influenced melodies, cantata's and a symphony all with miraculous ease. It is also true that this is in many ways a best of...and chances are you'll already have most of these pieces, but Classic Kathleen Battle is Worth Buying simply for the four new selections and accompanying art of the set. The pictorial art included in this CD is worthy of gallery display! A standing testament of her vocal beauty and artist superlatives...this is a CD that you don't want to pass up!

Battle shows her true colors yet again.......2002-06-27

I have followed Ms. Battle's career for a number of years and have always loved the clarity and purity of her voice--no doubt she is a tremendous talent. Several years ago I saw her give a stunning concert at UNC-Chapel Hill and was blown away at the thrill of finally experiencing her voice live. I always thought it unfortunate that so many negative stories about her flourished and subsequently found myself coming to her defense in conversation with others. Last summer I had tickets to see her sing at Brevard Music Center in the mountains of North Carolina. Several nights prior to this performance, my 20-year-old nephew was killed in a car accident. I decided to go ahead with my plans and attend the concert, thinking it would be a sort of balm for my soul after living through this terrible experience of losing someone I loved. Immediately after my nephew's funeral I left my family behind and drove the five hours to the concert venue. Needless to say I had incredibly high hopes for this concert and its potential to help heal my wounds. Long story short, Ms. Battle behaved in the most unprofessional manner I have ever witnessed and refused to perform the program as planned. What little she did offer to the audience was mediocre at best. A packed house of patrons was left stunned and dismayed at what they'd just witnessed. So, Ms. Battle, you proved to me in a very personal way that all the stories are true and you have serious issues. I will not be buying your recordings in the future and I currently have about 20 that are now worthless to me.

Praiseworthy, but a limited perspective.......2002-06-04

CLASSIC KATHLEEN BATTLE: A PORTRAIT is limited in its perspective in the sense that this is a compilation of only SONY Classical recordings from their catalog. There are no Deutsche Grammophon or Angel/EMI performances represented here. A "portrait" of Miss Battle would have rightly included some of these wonderful and musical interpretations of Mozart, Schubert, Villa-Lobos, Gounod, and Bach among others. Of course paying the license fees from the other 2 labels wouldn't be cost-efficient from a record company's standpoint. How wonderful this would've been if they'd all cooperated on a box set of her recordings, which would show Miss Battle's superlative musicality in not only Italian and French, but also her great wit and charm in the English language (her Purcell and Dowland are not to be missed!)

In any case there are several magical performances to be found here:

Puccini's "O Mio Babbino Caro" w/piano; Dormi, Jesu; Cancion de Cuna, Fix Me Jesus, Ellington's "Prelude to a Kiss"; Angels Watching Over Me; and the enchanting song (the German title is too long for me to remember--it's from the Das Knaben Wunderhorn cycle) from Mahler's 4th Symphony.

For any Kathleen Battle fan, this is a nice selection of her works, but only a 2-dimensional portrait at best. Certainly not Miss Battle's fault, as she graces the listener with no less than FOUR new recordings on this album.

Once again her silvery tones and superb musicality are a wonderful gift to us!

Thank you, and Bravo many times over....

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

Music Review

Rock Music rock-music-38

Concerti â Clarino solo: Trumpet Concertos by Johann Balthasar Zahn / Joseph Arnold Gross / Johann Stamitz / Joseph Riepel / Franz Xaver Richter - Wolfgang Bauer / Camerata Fulda

Blues for Sabine

Tomorrow Morning [CD-single] [Import]

Die Datenschleuder

Fortress of Solitude

Chansons D'amour

Crazy World of Arthur Brown [Import]

Das Kapital [Import]

Elder

Complete Metronome & Vogue Master Takes [Import]

Canciones Rancheras Karaoke [Karaoke]

Aguante [Import]

Fete du Ballet: A Compendium of Ballet Rarities

Zoot Sims & Henri Renaud

1. Puccini: O Mio babbino caro (new recording)
2. Handel: Let the Bright Seraphim
3. Traditional Chilean: Dormi, Jesu
4. Traditional: Cancion de Cuna
5. Vangelis: Mythodea-Movement IX
6. Mozart: Laudate Dominum
7. Handel: Rejoice Greatly
8. Traditional Fix Me Jesus (new recording)
9. Faure: Pie Jesu
10. Traditional Catalan: El Noi de la Mare
11. Traditional Catalan: El Desembre Congelat
12. Ellington:L Prelude to a Kiss (new recording)
13. Handel: Eternal Source of Light Divine
14. Mozart: Alleluja
15. Traditional: Angels Watching Over Me (new recording)
16. Mahler: Sehr Behaglich (from Symphony No. 4
17. J.S. Bach: Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen
18. Dvorak: Going Home ("Largo" from New World Symphony)