Bitter Love [Cast Recording]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
When he was a youth in his native China, Tan Dun spent a period as a fiddle player for a Beijing opera troupe. His intimate familiarity with the great Chinese epic opera The Peony Pavilion from the 16th century (produced during the 1999 Lincoln Center Festival) is evident in his own work of the same name, for which Peter Sellars collaborated as stage director. Bitter Love is a self-contained fusion of music and poetry that draws from Tan's larger opera score. The traditional love story of The Peony Pavilion--which bears some striking similarities to the Orpheus myth--comes through in floating, dreamlike fragments that reflect Chinese poet Tang Xianzu's lucid imagery like a smoky moon against water. As in his earlier and fascinatingly experimental opera Marco Polo, the New York-based Tan creates an eclectic collage of styles that mix East and West, old and new, as well as classical purity and pop energy, all with audacious imagination. This is, after all, a composer who has written music for water and stones, and he exhibits an almost childlike delight in the sensuous appeal of sounds here, in the overlay of traditional Chinese instruments such as pipa with synth beats, cross rhythms, and a panoply of percussion. Soprano Ying Huang gives Tan's fluttering threads of melody a silver sheen. However tempting it might be to label Tan's project as "crossover," it displays a depth and artistic integrity not usually associated with the term. --Thomas May

Tracks:

Meadowlark
I Am Going To Like It Here
I Remember
Mr. Monotony
Dreamers
Silent Heart
Lud's Wedding
Three-Cornered Tune
If I Ever Fall In Love Again - Sarah Brightman Sarah Brightman
What Makes Me Love Him?
Chi Il Bel Sogno Di Doretta
Away From You
If Love Were All
Half A Moment - Sarah Brightman Sarah Brightman

Amazon.com

For those Sarah Brightman fans who didn't spring for The Songs That Got Away when it was a pricey import, this domestic release will be a must-buy. Originally recorded in 1989 shortly after she achieved international fame in The Phantom of the Opera, the album spotlights obscure American and British musical theater songs that either were removed from shows or were "lost" when the shows themselves slipped out of the repertoire. (Of course, some of the songs aren't nearly as obscure as they were in 1989--the opening track, Stephen Schwartz's soaring "Meadowlark," has since been claimed by Liz Callaway, Patti LuPone, and Betty Buckley, while Stephen Sondheim's "I Remember"--well suited to Brightman's glasslike tones--is now recognized as one of his most gorgeous and haunting compositions.) Brightman performs well on this diverse collection of entertaining and often lovely songs, including an early draft of Frank Loesser's "Fugue for Tinhorns," here sung as a triple-tracked, lilting waltz, and the Puccini aria "Chi il bel sogno di doretta," which foreshadows her later, more ambitious crossover projects. There's also a tune from Jeeves by then-husband Andrew Lloyd Webber, who produced this album not long before he and Brightman divorced in 1990. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

For Fans of Broadway (Sondheim, Hamlisch & Bernstein e.g.):.......2007-02-24

This is an interesting and surprising production that showcases the vocal prowess of Sara Brightman. It is not however, representative of the new and highly overproduced vocal productions that constitute her newer recordings. Although this production really allows the listener to hear a very melodic and unencumbered vocal performance, as it is pleasing in it's simplicity, yet meant for the more discriminating listener. Fans of Irving Berlin, Andrew Lloyd Weber, and Richard Rodgers will feel right at home here. For those seeking another major sonic production as in Eden, La Luna, Dive, or The Harem Tour this is not it! My criticism is not of her vocal prowess or production values but the apparently endless array of previously released material offered as a new and different recording. But I suppose that this is rather due to the greedy objectives of of A&M Records just trying to go to the bank, often and laden heavy with dollars. Nothing that any label wouldn't try to do. My advice with Sara Brightman is "caveat emptor" (buyer beware) check the disc carefully for redundancy of tracks within her discography. If you're a fan of this genre of music, you will probably respond quite well to this recording.

The songs that didn't get away.......2004-02-12

This is one of my favorite albums by Sarah. She surprised me with her ability to go from light opera to jazz. Here we don't find the over-produced albums such as Harem, just a superbly trained voice. No little girl breathy tunes here, just solid performances. This is the Sarah Brightman that I like to remember and enjoy. If you see this album and you're a Sarah Brightman fan, pick it up and treasure it. I'd like to see her do more of thisgenre, where she showcases her voice. Who ever thinks that Sarah has a small voice will be convinced otherwise by this album.

Songs that showcase Sarah's theatrical gifts.......2003-12-11

Before experimental albums like Dive and Fly, as well as the ones where her classically-trained voice enchanted millions, Sarah Brightman did a collection of musical and theatrical songs originally released in 1989, but reissued when she made it big with Time To Say Goodbye. Her vocal style leans towards the theatrical Broadway side, but more mellowed. But on songs like the strings-laden mid-tempo "Meadowlark" from Stephen Schwartz's The Baker's Wife, the way she would later do splendidly interpret Lloyd Webber's songs is in the making. Here are other highlights, including those that were reissued on Sarah's Encore album (2002).

Stephen Sondheim's "I Remember" is a sad ballad told from the POV of a window mannequin remembering the sights it has experienced throughout the seasons, but the memories are now hazy and at the end, it sings, "At times I think/I would gladly die/for a day of sky."

Some songs like "Lud's Wedding" from Bernstein's failed bicentennial musical, only seem to work due to Sarah's voice. Ditto for the simple "Three-Cornered Tune." Consisting of three verses, each repeated twice. However, Irving Berlin's "Mr. Monotony", a tune understandably cut from Easter Parade, is not a particularly inspiring song.

Marvin Hamlisch's "Dreamers" is one of my favourites here, as I have affinity to it, and I'm sure Sarah is one at heart as well. "Only dreamers have wings with which to fly far away", as in their own fantasies, but unfortunately, "sometimes dreamers are forced to leave their dreams far away", i.e. the harshness of reality. However, it paints them in a positive light and states that everyone needs to have some sort of dream "to take time to find treasures and mountains we can climb."

"Silent Heart" really showcases Sarah's voices, on how some things the heart is best left silent, as in things that really thrill it. "If I Ever Fall In Love Again" is taken from The Crooked Mile and is a nice love song Sarah really wraps herself in.

"Chi Il Bel Sogno Di Doretta" from Puccini's La Rondine is a great showcase of the operatic voice that would come into full bloom on Time To Say Goodbye. This song would be reissued on Encore.

"Away From You" by Richard Rodgers, and taken from a musical biog of Henry VIII (!!!). "The clocks are frozen and time's a traveler who's lost his way" is one of the sentiments Sarah conveys effectively. Also reissued on Encore.

"If love were all, I should be lonely" sings Sarah from Noel Coward's Bittersweet, "If Love Were All" was the one song that stood out for me when I first heard this CD. The ability of a talent to amuse is seen as a solid standing for mental security. A definite standout here.

From Lloyd Webber's Jeeves, the lush strings of "Half A Moment" features the vocal stylings familiar enough to those who have Sarah's Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection. It focuses on how important the capture of a moment to bright up a future rainy day is. Also reissued on Encore.

Initially, I dismissed this as the songs that should've stayed away. Although they lack the magical punch of Time To Say Goodbye or La Luna, it's still a worthwhile collection, because Sarah's clear birdlike theatrical/musicals voice makes it all worthwhile.

Good, for Sarah Brightman.......2003-08-25

Some people just love Sarah's voice, but I don't see what's so special about it. She sings in two sorts of ways, the first one is lovely, simple, forgetable, and the other sounds like Stitch with a high voice. This CD does her justice, though. A lot of the tunes are catchy and nice (how she sings them could be better) but the one I really like is "Three cornered tune." Now that's a good song! She does not have a particularly bad voice, but nothing interesting - that's for sure. And when she tries to act in her music she sounds even worse! But that's alright. After all, everyone has a different style. A highlight of this CD includes "Mr. Monotony," which, unfortunatly, did not come with lyrics in the CD case. Too bad, because its a great song. At the end of this record, though, she writes about these songs and - wow! It is amazing how many shows that song was taken out of! At one point it said it had Judy Garland singing it, and when I try to imagine her doing it I know that must have been awesome. I really want to hear Judy Garland singing this song sometime. Maybe I'll find it here on Amazon... But anyway, back to Sarah Brightman. The only other thing I can think of to say at the moment is that from what I've heard of her records, this is as good as it gets. And also, the track titled "Dreamers" is nice. I like the tune and she doesn't sing it too bad, either. It would be a good song to be played at a graduation. Only after a while the sound of it gets a little creepy and annoying. And its sticky, too. "Silent heart" is a classic, though she shouldn't sing it twice. For you see, she sings it, and then you think, "Ah, that's a sweet song. Wonderful words, soft tune," and the music gets at a great stoping point and then comes back for an encore (as one of Sarah's other records is titled). And then we have to listen to it all over again - and its not as good the second time. So overall is it good? Yes, it is. Though perhaps not good enough.

Pleasant, but not up to standard.......2003-06-22

I love Sarah Brightman's singing and her musical style as presented on Eden and La Luna. This CD is completely different in style from those two. I find it enjoyable, but it is not my favorite. Her singing is nothing special on this CD, it doesn't display her vocal range or talent in the way that her other CDs do, especially her CD "Surrender", her vocals are absolutely stunning on that CD.

Average customer rating:

A Composition that Missed the Mark
I generally admire Tan Dun, but this project was a misstep
Dark depths and bright voices, a shock, a whimsy
A Music Collage
Mind Opening

Bitter Love

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Water Passion After St Matthew

ASIN: B00000JWBU
Release Date: 1999-08-17

Tracks:

Against Time Of Desire
I Once Dreamed
Moist With Sweat
NChiCa
Gentle Showers
How Sweet This Incense!
It Is A Ghost!
Your Solemn Vow
Can It Be True
This Is My Fear
To Come
At Peony Pavilion
Stir My Belt Ornaments
Secrecy Departing

Amazon.com

When he was a youth in his native China, Tan Dun spent a period as a fiddle player for a Beijing opera troupe. His intimate familiarity with the great Chinese epic opera The Peony Pavilion from the 16th century (produced during the 1999 Lincoln Center Festival) is evident in his own work of the same name, for which Peter Sellars collaborated as stage director. Bitter Love is a self-contained fusion of music and poetry that draws from Tan's larger opera score. The traditional love story of The Peony Pavilion--which bears some striking similarities to the Orpheus myth--comes through in floating, dreamlike fragments that reflect Chinese poet Tang Xianzu's lucid imagery like a smoky moon against water. As in his earlier and fascinatingly experimental opera Marco Polo, the New York-based Tan creates an eclectic collage of styles that mix East and West, old and new, as well as classical purity and pop energy, all with audacious imagination. This is, after all, a composer who has written music for water and stones, and he exhibits an almost childlike delight in the sensuous appeal of sounds here, in the overlay of traditional Chinese instruments such as pipa with synth beats, cross rhythms, and a panoply of percussion. Soprano Ying Huang gives Tan's fluttering threads of melody a silver sheen. However tempting it might be to label Tan's project as "crossover," it displays a depth and artistic integrity not usually associated with the term. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

A Composition that Missed the Mark.......2007-06-15

'East meets West' appears to be the hallmark for this work of avante garde Chinese composer Tan Dun.
Well, I love Chinese music, been listening to large volumes of Chinese operatic recordings and performances for more than 40 years - from the southern Cantonese to the north-western Qin and Yu operas, and even more the Eastern Kun operas and Huang Mei lyrics.
What is being achieved in this album? I would hesitate to call it East meeting West.
Fine, it is original. Fine again, that Miss Huang Ying is a lyrical soprano with a good voice and sound technique.
But please do not mistook the work as having any lineage with the Chinese operatic tradition: it has virtually none of such.
The choice of singer alone reveals that there is no regard to the authentic Chinese operatic tradition: a Western lyrical soprano is UNABLE to bring out the style and sonics in Chinese traditional-styled melodies. For such performer, go for the celebrated Chinese soprano Miss Wu Bixia instead, the pioneer of fusion of Chinese and Western vocal styles.
Very much unlike the more recent work of Tan "The First Emperor", this album endeavours to present music that is off the beaten track. However, the result is that it is off track. The stuff here, I dare say, accounts for more than half of the adverse criticism of that opera, a much more valid work in all respects but for these 'grey area' elements.
Chinese operatic arias are much more than wailing and whining. Musical lines are more melodious, harmonics much clearer.
The blurred effects here are not authentic Chinese style.
I envy those who are able to enjoy this album.

I generally admire Tan Dun, but this project was a misstep.......2006-03-28

BITTER LOVE is a selection of songs from Chinese contemporary composer Tan Dun's 1998 version of the classic Chinese opera "Peony Pavilion". Soprano Ying Huang has the spotlight, with the New York Virtuoso Singers and the NChiCa-Orchestra performing and the composer himself conducting. The staging of the opera, produced by Peter Sellars, was toured around the world, but no video recording was made. These fourteen songs are all we have, but make a conveniently concise single-disc presentation.

Tan Dun's updating is drastic, maintaining the text (in English translation by Cyril Birch) but with totally new music. The traditional music of "Peony Pavilion", of which "Hang the Curtain Down" might be the most well-known, is nowhere to be heard here even in brief quotation. Instrumentation consists of pipa (a Chinese flute), percussion, several midi instruments, electronic sampler, and water gong. The rhythms, the scat singing, and the electronics make this work quite outside both the Western and Chinse traditions, and lovers of chillout projects such as Thievery Corporation may find this CD to their liking. Ying Huang's singing, however, displays the mannerisms of Beijing opera, so the work is a real fusion of styles.

Were this the only work by Dun, it might seem fresh and admirable, but it compares poorly to some of his recent works like THE MAP and the WATER PASSION. Some novel ideas, such as the mix of Chinese and Western instrumentation and the use of water for sound are present, but all in all the musical material here is very limited and repetitive. Perhaps it would be another matter entirely if I were watching a live performance where the orchestra is meant to accompany action onstage, but on its own the music isn't rich enough. Furthermore, Sony's packing of the material, with very unhelpful liner notes, makes it look as if Tan Dun's talent is being used to advance some mission of world music crossover gimmickry. I regrettably cannot recommend this like I can other works by Tan Dun, who is generally one of the most interesting living composers.

Dark depths and bright voices, a shock, a whimsy.......2004-05-24

This piece of music either creeps up on you out of nowhere - like a tarantula imitating a meteor streaking out of outerspace - or it "conveys" itself to you like a waiter extending to you a glass of dark wine - or a film that seeks to shock you with an unexpected silence and a pagan cry. You must be the judge. But if you are faint hearted - quick to flee sexuality in all of its forms - you should go nowhere near this piece. And and if you are bold and brazen and hot for simplistic outrages you should probably bury your head in the sand. This work is for mature listeners only. By "mature" I mean a listener who is willing to cast to the side - as if she or he is flinging to the wind cherry blossoms in autumn - all grotesque fundamentalisms of ANY KIND. The music begins with a luminous voice slowly moving out of darkness. The voice wanders around in the dark over a deep abyss but I do not sense that the abyss is strong enough to terrify that wondrous voice. And the full piece, as it develops, may be best called "The Complicated Tales Of Incandescent Bliss". This piece of music is hideously subversive. I say that with a tongue in my cheek and a fart in my belly. The mere "subversive" is hideously dull. For a century now we have lived with a million, billion artists who wished - desperately wishing to canonize their egos - to "subvert" things. "Bitter Love" is horribly subversive. It is horribly subversive because it does not aim to be "subversive". Its power comes from a source that is not easily described. I am not a witch, but I would like to pretend that I am a witch gazing with my dark-gold eyes into a blasphemously kitsch crystal ball. I would say, gazing into profound fires, that I see a century of struggling, sick, twisted artists striving to catch up to "Bitter Love". It is dark without that pretentious quality that defines the run-of-the-mill Goth. It is bright without protestatiing itself before the blasphemously sentimetality of movies like "The Sound of Music". It plays havoc with our senses without toadying up to the most stupid features of the avant-guard. "Bitter Love" will shock you even while it consoles you.

A Music Collage.......2003-12-01

A soprano; a tenor; a monk; a baritone chorus; an infant; unconventional Chinese orchestration mixed with bits and pieces of Peking Opera; folk tunes; lots of percussions, these are the sounds with which the story of Peony Pavilion is musically revealed. Rather than an opera, it is a musical dream or a conception. Chinese traditional culture is always a rich resource for musicians (especially Chinese musicians) to tap into, and Tan Dun is one of those who know exactly where to get his inspirations. The work is a collage of various individual and seemingly disparate elements of West and East, ritual and sensual, ancient and modern, only that Tan displays them with a sense of assimilation at times, and antithesis at others. As always, Tan's unique music perspectives, distinctively modern though they are, are fulfilled by returning to the original purity and simplicity of the basics and down-to-earth folk music elements.

Ying Huang's pure soprano displays the poetry of the music beautifully. With sensuous approach, her singing is well attuned to the music's aura of longing and exotic beauty. The fabulous baritone chorus from The New York Virtuoso Singers gives a touch of the western opera and provides an indispensable layer to the otherwise rather thin orchestration.

But the music is not for everyone, nor for everyday. Despite its depth and range, it could be a strange land for the ears not tuned to its novelties and diversities, and as for that matter, one may wonder how much of the profound emotions Tan meant to deliver has actually reached the audience at general level.

Mind Opening.......2002-04-24

If you're unfamiliar with Chinese Opera this album may be shocking. But, once you take the time to listen this is a beautiful experience. Tan Dun's blend of eastern and western musical traditions is brilliant. Ying Haung's voice is clear with tones "razor sharp."

Tracks:

All Night Long
Ac-cent-tchu-ate The Positive
Nobody Likes You
Today I Sing The Blues
Sweet Bitter Love
Try A Little Tenderness
Skylark
Johnny
God Bless The Child
If Ever I Would Leave You

Customer Reviews:

INCREDIBLE Lady Soul.......2001-04-21

I started out an Aretha fan by listening to almost her entire catalog of Atlantic recordings. Yet since discovering her pre-Atlantic output on Columbia (1960-66), I've grown increasingly fond of these spectacularly recorded and performed songs, and I do NOT exaggerate when I say the word "SPECTACULAR".

A different Aretha emerges in this recording and many others made on Columbia. She is more jazzy and in a "torch chanteuse" mode. Her singing is restrained compared to her Atlantic stuff, but that soul and passion comes thru in all the right places here. I feel her body of work on the Columbia label deserves more attention and recognition, and it's good to see her fans (old and new) taking notice of hidden gems such as this recording.

Standouts and MUST HEAR's on this CD include "If Ever I Would Leave You" and the classic "Try A Little Tenderness" leave you breathless, especially the latter song which has been covered by just about every R&B recording artist, but I guarantee you Aretha's cover here will leave the rest in the dust. Other gems are the title song "Sweet Bitter Love", which captures that R&B "soul sound" of Atlantic, and her incredible cover of Lady Day's (Billie Holiday) immortal tune "God Bless the Child". This is the one CD of Aretha's I go back to time and again. It is magnificent piece of work that stands the test of time.

The Girl Has Skills!.......1999-12-20

This is a nice throw back cd of yesterday. It's Aretha at her earliest. It has five great songs, that are tailored to the supper crowd, which was the thing to do back then when this record was recorded.

It was trying to reach an adult audience and is loaded with standards to boot.

This is Aretha in her between stage, where she was holding back the hot buttered soul. Yet, her passion does break out on this album, IF EVER I SHOULD LOSE YOU, is one track that you will notice her signature.

Overall, this recording is a great departure from what we now know of as Aretha Franklin. It is good on its own merits for showing the versatility of an artist. If you are a big fan of Franklin's you would want this cd. If you are a romantic, you would want this cd. Simply put, it is just another style that Aretha's covering, and she does it quite well.

Tracks:

This Year Of Grace: Dance, Little Lady
This Year Of Grace: A Room With A View
This Year Of Grace: Mary Make-Believe
This Year Of Grace: Try To Learn To Love
This Year Of Grace: Lorelei
A Dream Of Youth (The Dream Is Over)
Bitter Sweet: Zigeuner
This Year Of Grace: World Weary
Private Lives, Act 1, Love Scene: Someday I'll Find You
Private Lives, Act 2, Scene: I Never Realised/If You Were The Only Girl In The World
Half-Caste Woman
Any Little Fish
Cavalcade: Lover Of My Dreams (Mirabelle Valse)
Cavalcade Vocal Medley: Soldiers Of The Queen/Goodbye Dolly Gray/Lover Of My Dreams/I Do Like To...
Cavalcade, Epilogue: Toast To England
Noel Coward Medley: Parisian Pierrot/Poor Little Rich Girl/A Room With A View/Dance Little Lady...

Customer Reviews:

The style is the man--and the song.......2001-05-02

Many composers have chosen to perform their own material and commit it to discs, with mixed results. Only with Noel Coward do we feel that a good deal of the charm of his numbers lies in the very way he performs them. For proof, we now have the Naxos Nostalgia (8.120529), which dishes up 16 tracks of the ultra-refined son of W. S.Gilbert, giving us six selections from "This Year of Grace," one from "Bittersweet," a medley of treasures from his "Cavalcade," another from his other works, and a few other trifles that are better than most of what is written today.

Add to all this two classical scenes with Coward and co-star Gertrude Lawrence from his "Private Lives," incredibly valuable for those local drama groups who butcher this work in that this CD can teach them the tone and rhythms that are essential in making this classic succeed.

Tracks:

Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Overture
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Chorus - We've Traveled Far (Semplicina, Gloriosa, Garbata, Sordidone, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Approach! What Is Your Name, Sir? (Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - With A Sword That Is Sterner Than Moses (Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Unhappy Oddling (Gloriosa)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - My Fair Skin, My Bare Chin (Gloriosa)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Was Ever There Insanity (Sordidone)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - Snugly Hidden Safe From Prying (Sordidone)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Madness Beyond All Measure (Malgoverno)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - When The Purse Is Clinking (Malgoverno)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - There, Like A Vapor (Semplicina)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - O Look So Woeful (Semplicina)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - Such As She Seems To Be Frigid (Garbata)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - Let's Sing, Let's All Be Jolly (Garbata)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Recitative - For All Types Of Confusion
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act I: Aria - The Fierce One Lives Only For The Slaughter
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - I Beg You To Stop (Malgoverna, Gloriosa, Garbata)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - We Praise The Sun For Beauty (Malgoverna)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Bumpkin, Coarse-grained (Gloriosa, Garbata)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - If You Will Love Me, I Will Love You (Garbata)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - No, They Cannot Persuade Me! (Gloriosa)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - Lovely Ladies, You Enjoying (Gloriosa)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Where's My Lover, Sweetheart (Sordidone)

Tracks:

Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - Sordidone, Be A Bunny
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Are You Hiding? (Sordidone, Garbata)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Duet - See Comely Phyllis Wander (Garbata, Sordidone)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Don't Come Near Me (Semplicina, Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Aria - The High And Mighty Lion (Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - Quiet At Last (Semplicina)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Duet - Semplicina, Do You Hear Me? (Semplicina)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Quartet - Ever More Bitter Shall Be My Raging (Gloriosa, Garbata, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Recitative - What Now? What New Forms Of Madness? (Gloriosa, Sordidone, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act II: Chorus - Long Live King Arcifanfano (Semplicina, Gloriosa, Garbata, Sordidone, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - Earth, Our Dearest, Good And Nearest (Sordidone)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - That His Sowing Yield A Growing (Malgoverno)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - What Has The Fool Committed (Malgoverna, Gloriosa)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - Ask Of Beauty, She Will Answer (Gloriosa)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - Hop And Stop It! (Furibondo, Gloriosa)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - All Of This Planet, I Cry To Each Man (Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - What's Unleashed These Dreadful Roars? (Garbata, Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - I'm Simple And I'm Candid (Garbata)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - What Mischief And Load This Purse Is!
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - Goddess Bright As Morning
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - Mother Always Used To Tell Me (Sordidone, Semplicina)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - What A Lot I Need What I Need Lot's Of! (Sordidone)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - May He Not Come To Harm (Semplicina)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Aria - There's A Devil In A Ducat (Semplicina)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - Gather, O Subjects, About Us (Gloriosa, Garbata, Semplicina)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Duet - If You Marry Me (Semplicina)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Chorus - With Curiosity All Aflame (Semplicina, Gloriosa, Garbata, Sordidone, Malgoverno, Furibondo)
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Recitative - Quiet, Please, We Implore You!
Arcifanfano, King Of Fools: Act III: Chorus - The Wise And The Mad Have Got One Word For Their Dwelling

Customer Reviews:

A Comic-Opera Treasure!.......2007-01-28

Dittersdorf is a sort of working-man's Mozart; in fact, this opera sounds similar to some of Mozart's early operas. But Mozart sought to break the rules and to explore new musical ideas; Dittersdorf is not an innovator...yet he is no less a master! This performance, too, is a materpiece of refined (not always!) comedy; the arias include some extremely difficult vocal leaps and trills, yet the primary joy is the witty verse. W.H. Auden (no less!) ramrodded this translation to English. And Anna Russell, famed for her "Analysis of Wagner's Ring Cycle" steals every scene she's in! Ad-libbing shamelessly, her introductory aria, all by itself, is worth more than the purchase price!

an obscure delight!.......2002-07-31

Eleanor Steber's image on the cover of this set caught my eye while rummaging through the cut-out bins of San Francisco on a recent opera whirlwind. What a lost treasure this performance is - recorded "LIVE" in NYC 1965! All the principles shine, their energy ebullient. Don't hesitate, buy it and smile before it disappears.

Average customer rating:

The Mastersinger

Fischer-Dieskau Edition (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

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

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

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B00004SC5S
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Tracks:

Winterreise: Gute Nacht - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Die Wetterfahne - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Gefrorene Trn - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Erstarrung - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Der Lindenbaum - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Wasserflut - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Auf dem Flusse - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Rck - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Irrlicht - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Rast - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Frstraum - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Einsamkeit - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Die Post - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Der greise Kopf - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Die Kr - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Letzte Hoffnung - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Im Dorfe - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Der sthe Morgen - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Tchung - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Der Wegweiser - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Das Wirtshaus - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Mut! - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Die Nebensonnen - Franz Schubert
Winterreise: Der Leiermann - Franz Schubert

Tracks:

Die schone Mullerin: Das Wandern
Die schone Mullerin: Wohin?
Die schone Mullerin: Halt!
Die schone Mullerin: Danksagung an den Bach
Die schone Mullerin: Am Feierabend
Die schone Mullerin: Der Neugierige
Die schone Mullerin: Ungeduld
Die schone Mullerin: Morgengruss
Die schone Mullerin: Des Mullers Blumen
Die schone Mullerin: Tranenregen
Die schone Mullerin: Mein!
Die schone Mullerin: Pause
Die schone Mullerin: Mit dem grunen Lautebande
Die schone Mullerin: Der Jager
Die schone Mullerin: Eifersucht und Stolz
Die schone Mullerin: Die liebe Farbe
Die schone Mullerin: Die bose Farbe
Die schone Mullerin: Trockne Blumen
Die schone Mullerin: Der Muller und der Bach
Die schone Mullerin: Des Baches Wiegenlied
4 Lieder: Nacht und Traume D 827
4 Lieder: Standchen
4 Lieder: Du bist die Ruh
4 Lieder: Erlkonig

Tracks:

Schwanengesang: Liebesbotschaft
Schwanengesang: Kriegers Ahnung
Schwanengesang: Fruhlingssehnsucht
Schwanengesang: Standchen
Schwanengesang: Aufenthalt
Schwanengesang: In der Ferne
Schwanengesang: Abschied
Schwanengesang: Der Atlas
Schwanengesang: Ihr Bild
Schwanengesang: Das Fischermadchen
Schwanengesang: Die Stadt
Schwanengesang: Am Meer
Schwanengesang: Der Doppelganger
Schwanengesang: Die Taubenpost
9 Lieder: Vollendung
9 Lieder: Die Erde
9 Lieder: An die Musik
9 Lieder: An Silvia
9 Lieder: Heideroslein
9 Lieder: Im Abendrot
9 Lieder: Der Musensohn
9 Lieder: Die Forelle
9 Lieder: Der Tod und das Madchen

Tracks:

An die Leier
Philoktet
Memnon
Fahrt zum Hades
Lied des Orpheus, als er in die Holle ging
Orest auf Tauris
Der entsuhnte Orest
Fragment aus dem Aeschylus
Der zurnenden Diana
Lied eines Schiffers an die Dioskuren
Heliopolis I
Freiwilliges Versinken
Das Weinen
Schiffers Scheidelied
Der Kreuzzug
Vor meiner Wiege
Fruhlingslied
Jagers Liebeslied

Tracks:

Dichterliebe Op. 48 Les Amours du poete Heinrich Heine: Im wunderschonen Monat Mai
Dichterliebe Op. 48 Les Amours du poete Heinrich Heine: Aus meinen Tranen spriessen
Dichterliebe Op. 48 Les Amours du poete Heinrich Heine: Die Rose, die Lilie, die Taube, die Sonne
Dichterliebe Op. 48 Les Amours du poete Heinrich Heine: Wenn ich in deine
Dichterliebe Op. 48 Les Amours du poete Heinrich Heine: Ich will meine Seele tauchen
Dichterliebe Op. 48 Les Amours du poete Heinrich Heine: Im Rhein, im schonen Strome
Dichterliebe Op. 48 Les Amours du poete Heinrich Heine: Ich grolle nicht
Dichterliebe Op. 48 Les Amours du poete Heinrich Heine: Und wussten's die blumen die kleinen
Dichterliebe Op. 48 Les Amours du poete Heinrich Heine: Das ist ein Floten und Geigen
Dichterliebe Op. 48 Les Amours du poete Heinrich Heine: Hor ich das Liedchen kiligen
Dichterliebe Op. 48 Les Amours du poete Heinrich Heine: Ein Jungling liebt ein Madchen
Dichterliebe Op. 48 Les Amours du poete Heinrich Heine: Am leuchteden Sommermorgen
Dichterliebe Op. 48 Les Amours du poete Heinrich Heine: Ich hab im Traum geweinet
Dichterliebe Op. 48 Les Amours du poete Heinrich Heine: Allnachtilch im Traume
Dichterliebe Op. 48 Les Amours du poete Heinrich Heine: Aus alten Marchen winkt es
Dichterliebe Op. 48 Les Amours du poete Heinrich Heine: Die alten bosen Lieder
12 Gedichte Op. 35 Justinus Kerner: Lust der Sturmnacht
12 Gedichte Op. 35 Justinus Kerner: Stirb, Lieb und Freud
12 Gedichte Op. 35 Justinus Kerner: Wanderlied
12 Gedichte Op. 35 Justinus Kerner: Erstes Grun
12 Gedichte Op. 35 Justinus Kerner: Sehsucht nach der Waldgagend
12 Gedichte Op. 35 Justinus Kerner: Auf das Trinkglas einet verstorbenen Fredes
12 Gedichte Op. 35 Justinus Kerner: Wandrung
12 Gedichte Op. 35 Justinus Kerner: Stille Liebe
12 Gedichte Op. 35 Justinus Kerner: Frage
12 Gedichte Op. 35 Justinus Kerner: Stille Tranen
12 Gedichte Op. 35 Justinus Kerner: Wer machete dich so krank?
12 Gedichte Op. 35 Justinus Kerner: Alte Laute
7 Lieder: Freisinn
7 Lieder: Schneeglockchen
7 Lieder: Standchen
7 Lieder: Laute di menien
7 Lieder: Des sennen Abschied
7 Lieder: Des sennen Abschied
7 Lieder: Talismane

Tracks:

Liederkreis Op 24: Morgens steh ich auf und frage
Liederkreis Op 24: Es treibt mich hin
Liederkreis Op 24: Ich wandelte unter den baumen
Liederkreis Op 24: Lieb liebchen
Liederkreis Op 24: Schone Wiege meiner leiden
Liederkreis Op 24: Warte, warte, wilder Schiffmann
Liederkreis Op 24: Berg' undBurgen schaun herunter
Liederkreis Op 24: Anfangs wolt ich fast verzagen
Liederkreis Op 24: Mit Myrten und rosen
11 Lieder: Der Kontrabandiste
11 Lieder: Zigeunerliedchen I
11 Lieder: Zigeunerliedchen II
11 Lieder: Tief im Herzen
11 Lieder: Melancholie
11 Lieder: Sehnsucht
11 Lieder: Gestandnis
11 Lieder: O wie lieblich
11 Lieder: Weh, wie zornig
11 Lieder: Der Hidalgo
11 Lieder: Romanze
Myrten op. 25: Widmung
Myrten op. 25: Der Nussbaum
Myrten op. 25: Lied aus dem Schenkenbuch I
Myrten op. 25: Lied aus dem Schenkenbuch II
Myrten op. 25: Die Lotosblume
Myrten op. 25: Du bist wie eine Blume
Myrten op. 25: Auden hebraischen Geangen
Myrten op. 25: Du bist wie eine Blume
Myrten op. 25: Zum Schluss
5 Lieder: Die feindlichen Bruder
5 Lieder: Abends am Strand
5 Lieder: Die beiden Grenadiere
5 Lieder: Mein schoner Stern
5 Lieder: Wein Wagen

Tracks:

An die ferne Geliebte, op.98: Auf dem Huegel sitz ich, spaehend - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Wo die Berge so blau - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Beethoven: Leichte Segler in den Hoehen - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Diese Wolken in den Hoehen - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Es kehret der Maien, es bluehet die Au - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Nimm sie hin denn, diese Lieder - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Lieder: Adelaide, op.46 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Ich liebe dich, so wie du mich, WoO 123 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
L'amante impaziente, op.82-3 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
L'amante impaziente, op.82-4 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Ariette (Der Kuss), op.128 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
In questa tomba oscura, WoO 133 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Die Ehre Gottes aus der Natur, op.48-4 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Maigesang, op.52-4 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Marmotte, op.52-7 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Seufzer eines Ungeliebten-Gegeliebe, WoO 118 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Andenken, WoO 136 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Der Wachtelschlag, WoO 129 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Aus Goethes Faust (Mephistos Flohlied), op.75-3 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
3 Gesaenge, op.83: I. Wonne der Wehmut - Ludwig Van Beethoven
II. Sehnsucht - Ludwig Van Beethoven
III. Mit einem gemalten Band - Ludwig Van Beethoven
An die Hoffnung, op.94 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Lied aus der Ferne, WoO 137 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Der Juengling in der Fremde, WoO 138 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Der Liebende, WoO 139 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Abendlied unterm gestirnten Himmel, WoO 150 - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Tracks:

Es muss ein Wunderbares sein
Benedetto sia 'l giorno
Pace non trovo
I' vidi in terra angelici costumi
Oh, quad je dors S282
die drei zigeuner
Die vatergruft
Der alpen jager
Blume und Duft
Vergiftet sind meine Lieder
Tristesse
Ihr Glocken von Marling
Hohe Liebe
O lieb, so lang du lieben kannst
Im Rhein, im schonen Strome
Ein Fichtenbaum steht einsam
Morgens steh ich auf und frage
der traurige Monch

Tracks:

Denn es gehet dem Menschen wie dem Vieh
Ich wandte mich und sahe an alle
O Tod, wie bitter bist du
Wenn ich mit Menschen - und mit Engelszungen redete
Sommerabend
Mondenschein
Es liebt sich so lieblich im Lenze
Meerfahrt
Es schauen die blumen
Der Tod, das ist die kuhle Nacht
Mit vierzig Jahren
Steig auf , geliebter Schatten
Mein Herz ist schwer
Kein Haus, keine Heimat
Herbstgefuhl
Alte Liebe
Abenddammerung
Heimweh II
Auf dem Kirchhofe
Verzagen
Regenlied
Nachklang
Fruhlingslied
Auf dem See
Feldeinsamkeit

Tracks:

Hugo Wolf: In der FrHugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf: Fussreise - Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf: Neue Liebe - Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf: Der Feuerreiter - Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf: Jrlied - Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf: Storchenbotschaft - Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf: Verborgenheit - Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf: Verborgenheit - Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf: Im Fr - Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf: Auf einer Wanderung - Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf: An die Geliebte - Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf: Peregrina I - Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf: Peregrina II - Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf: Lebewohl - Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf: Begegnung - Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf: Der Jr - Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf: Bei einer Trauung - Hugo Wolf
Hugo Wolf: Abschied - Hugo Wolf

Tracks:

Es war einmal ein Bock
Einst kam der Bock als Bote
Es liebte einst ein Has
Drei Masken sah ich am Himmel stehn
Hast du ein Tongedicht vollbracht
O lieber Kunstler, sei ermanhnt
Unser Feind ist, gober Gott
Von Handlern wird die Kunst bedroht
Es war mal eine Wanze
Die Kunstler sind die Schopfer
Die Handler und die Marcher
O Schropferschwarm, o Handlerkreis
Gefunden
Das Roseband
Einerlei
Winterweihe
Stiller Gang
Der Arbeitsmann
Blindenklage
Heimkehr
Wer wird von der Welt Verlangen
Hab ich euch denn je geraten
Wanderers Gemutsruhe

Tracks:

Aeolsharfe
Winterahnung
Traum durch die Dammerung
Nelken
Flieder
Minnelied
Der Himmel Hat eine Trane Geweint
Waldeinsamkeit
Schlecht Wetter
Gluckes genug
Einsamkeit
Gottes Segen
Das sterbende Kind
Ein Drangen
Trost
Heimat
Ihr, ihr Herrlichen!
Der zerrissne Grabkranz
Das Blatt im Buche
Im April
Brablied
Sie haben heut Abend Gesellschaft
In Danzig
Eingelegte Ruder
Saerspruch
Hussens Kerker
Zorn
An die Mark
Zum Abschied meiner Tochter
Tragische Geschichte
Sonett Nach Petrarca

Tracks:

Ein Tagewerk I
Ein Tagewerk II
Fruhgesicht
Reisefantasie
Das Ende des Festes
Nachruf
Jugendgedenken
Peregrina II
Auf ein Kind
Dammrung senkte sich
Ach, wie schon
Nachklang
Hore den Rat
Venezianisches Epigramm
Jetzt rede du
Auskunft
Aus zwei Talern
Kennst du das auch?
Ravenna I
Das Ziel
Keine Rast
Kindheit
Im Kreuzgang von Santo Stefano
Nachtgefuhl
Magie der Farben
Verwelkende Rosen
Abends
Mittag im September
Blauer Schmetterling
Pfeifen
Sommernacht
Fur Ninon
Verganglichkeit

Tracks:

Ballade de Villon a s'amye
Ballade que Villon feit a la requeste de sa mere pour prier nostre Dame
Ballade des femmes de Paris
Nahandove
Aoua!
II est doux
Chanson de la mariee
La-bas, vers l'eglise
Quel galant m'est comparable
Chanson des cueilleuses de lentisques
Tout gai!
Chanson romanesque
Chanson epique
Chanson a borie
At The River
Elegie
Anne Street
A Chirstmas Caro
From 'The Swimmers'
West London (A Sonnet)
A Farewell To Land
Abide With Me
Where the eagle
Disclosure
The White Gulls
The Children's Hour
Two Little Flowers (And Dedicated To Them)
Autumn
Tom Sails Away
Ich Grolle nicht
Feldeinsamkeit
Weil' auf mir
In Flanders Fields

Tracks:

Phantasie aus Don Juan
Ablosung im Sommer
Selbstgefuhl
Des Antonius von Padua Fischpredigt
Zu Strabburg auf der Schanz
Booh, Wie Ist Die Barmhezigkeit des herrn
Willst du Gottes Diener sein
Alles, was aus der Erde kommt
Tod, wie bitter bist du
Lied des Mephistopheles
Zigeunerlied
Schlechter Trost
Lied des Mephistopheles
Liederseelen
Alle
Der Gesang des Meeres
In einer Sturmanacht (Nikodemus)
Nun die Schatten dunkeln
Wonne der Wehmut
Aus den Himmelsaugen
Musikantegrub
Der juge Ehemann
Der Soldat
Uomo del mio tempo
Con una fronda di mirto

Tracks:

1. Wenn mein Schatz Hochzeit macht
2. Ging heut morgen uebers Feld
3. Ich hab ein gluehend Messer
4. Die zwei blauen Augen
1. Um Mitternacht
2. Ich atmet' einen Linden Duft
3. Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder
4. Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
1. Nun will die Sonn' so hell aufgehn
2. Nun seh ich wohl, warum so dunkle Flammen
3. Wenn dein Mutterlein
4. Oft denk ich, sie sind nur ausgegangen
5. In diesem Wetter, in diesem Braus

Tracks:

Ich will den kreuzstab gerne tragen: Arie
Ich will den kreuzstab gerne tragen: Rezitativ
Ich will den kreuzstab gerne tragen: Choral
Ich will den kreuzstab gerne tragen: Arie
Ich will den kreuzstab gerne tragen: Rezitativ
Ich habe Genug: Arie
Ich habe Genug: Rezitativ
Ich habe Genug: Arie
Ich habe Genug: Rezitativ
Ich habe Genug: Arie
Ich bin eine blum zu saron: Arie
Ich bin eine blum zu saron: Arie
Ich bin eine blum zu saron: Arie
Ich suchte des nachts: Duett
Ich suchte des nachts: Duett
Ich suchte des nachts: Duett
Ich suchte des nachts: Arie
Ich suchte des nachts: Arie
Ich suchte des nachts: Duett
Ich suchte des nachts: Arie
Ich suchte des nachts: Duett

Tracks:

Hir ist sas rechte Osterlamm
Gerne will ich mich bequemen
gebt mir meine jesum wiender
Mache dich, mein herz, rein
Et in Spiritum Sanctum
Achzen und erbarmlich weinen
Duett - Wann kommst du, mein heil
O Memory! Still Bitter To My Soul-Opprest WIth Never - Casting Greif
Aus der Tiefe rufe ich
Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir
Meine Hande ringen sich
Jedennoch bleib ich stets an dir
Aus der Tiefe rufe ich
Duett - Holde Gattin, dir zur Seite
Solo & Chor - Herr, lehre doch mich

Tracks:

Frondi tenere e belle - Ombra mai fu
Cara pianta
Presti omai l'Egizia terra
Non e si vago e bello
Che faro senza Euridice
Udite, tutti udite
Io deggio ad ogni patto
Finch'han dal vino
Deh, vieni alla finestra
Hai gia vinta la causa
Vedro, mentr'io sospiro
Der Vogelfanger bin ich ja
Ein Madchen oder Weibchen
Ha! Welch ein Augenblick!
Wie Todesahnung Damm'rung - O du, mein holder Abenstern
Was duftet doch der Flieder
Wahn! Wahn!
Zur Burg fuhrt die Brucke - Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge

Tracks:

Botre toast... je peux vous le renre
avant de quitter ces lieux
L'orage s'est calme
Resta immobile
Morir! ... Tremenda cosa!
Di Provenz il mar
Nemico della patria?!
Si puo? Signore!
Povero Rigoletto!
Cortigiani, vil razza dannata
Brav, alter Hans
Lebt wohl ihr suben studen

Tracks:

Schlafst oder wachst du?
Heimkehr
Maggy Lauder
Dort, wo durchs ried
Fileb leise, mein bachlein
Horch auf, mein liebchen
Da brava, Cantina
O kostliche Zeit
Trinklied
Der treue Johnie
Kommt, schliebt mir einen forhen Kreis
Once more I Hail Thee
Sunset
Put Round The Bright Wine
Could Ill World
Could Ill Be fate
Oh, Had My Fate
The Return Of Ulster
Ein entmutigter liebender
Ein begluckter Liebender
Bewuderug
Gluhende Liebe
Trinklied
Weine, weine, weine nur nicht

Customer Reviews:

The Mastersinger.......2000-06-24

If the second half of the 20th Century has musical signs, they must include that phenomenal German singer Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau who dominated the recital and concert halls, the opera stages and the recording studios in a way no other artist has done it, except maybe Leonard Bernstein. In celebration of this great artist's 75th birthday we have here a set which includes the gems of his lieder repertoire, starting with those great Schubert cycles in their most vivid performances. Just listen to those early renditions of the Schone Mullerin or with Jorg Demus, or to Schuman's Dichterliebe cycle (with the same pianist). And you shall not miss the artistry of this most sensitive voice in full volume of Mahler lieder with piano and orchestral songs. And what about the Morike lieder by Hugo Wolf? Well, you shall probably wonder at that special cooperation between the singer and the Russian pianist Svitoslav Richter. It is a performance of lifetime, and so it is with the Wintereise of Schubert with Barnboim at the piano. Those who know the artistry of Fischer-Dieskau and even those who have already other recordings of those great works will not regret having this special set. For the newcomers to this great artist there will be a lot to discover, The music itself, sure, but mainly the art of interpratation. In this alone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau shine high and above all other singers.

Average customer rating:

English is an asset and a drawback
You Will Love Opera After Hearing Carmen In English
A wholly credible "Carmen" -- finally!
I love Carmen!

Carmen (Sung in English)
Bizet , Bardon , Gavin , Plazas , Magee , and Parry
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Mozart: The Magic Flute
The Barber of Seville / B. Ford, D. Jones, A. Opie; G. Bellini [in English]
Verdi: La Traviata
Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro
Mozart - Don Giovanni / Garry Magee · Cullagh · Banks · Plazas · Shore · Tierny · PO · David Parry

ASIN: B00007JGRN
Release Date: 2003-03-11

Tracks:

Prelude
In The Plaza
Just Look At That Delicious Morsel
Here Come Our New Soldier Boys
Jose! There Was A Girl Here Looking For You Just Now
Off With You Old Soldier Boys
Corporal! Sir!
We Have Heard The Bell Summon Us To Meet Here
Ah, Just Look!
But Why Hasn't She Come, Our Carmencita?
Love's A Bird Wild As Any Rebel
Carmen! We Will Follow You High And Low!
The Cheek Of It!
Give Me News Of My Mother!
Your Dear Mother And I Were Leaving Church This Morning
I See My Mother's Face!
Wait A Moment - I'm Going To Read The Letter
Come And Help
So, Corporal: Tell Me What Happened
Well, Carmencita: What Do You Have To Say For Yourself?
Where Are You Taking Me?
There's An Old Bar In The City
Careful - It's Lieutenant!
Entr'acte
From Far Away Mysterious Sounds
Bravo, Bravo! More! Keep Dancing!
Hurrah! Hurrah! The Torero!
Who's That? It's Escamillo, The Bullfighter From Granada
Hurrah! Hurrah! The Torero!
You're Most Kind
We'll Come With You, Senor Torero
Toreador, Be Ready!
At Last! We Got Rid Of Them As Quickly As We Could
There's A Little Job That We're Starting!
Being In Love Is Not A Reason

Tracks:

To Bid You Welcome To Our Bar
La La La La La La La La...
Back To Camp!... Go At Once!
That Flow'r You Threw To Me I Treasured
No, It's Not Love At All!
Hello! Carmen!
Lieutenant Fair, It's True
The Sky Above The Open Road
Entr'acte
Keep Going, Dear Old Friend, Kep Going!
Right! Let's Stop For A While
Shuffle! Cut Them!
In Vain You Would Avoid The Bitter Things They're Saying
You're Back!
As For That Man, It Should Be Easy!
Is This The Place?
I Say That There's Nothing To Fear
It's Him! I'm Sure It's Him Over There!
Escamillo Is My Name, And I Come From Granada
She Had A Lover Here
Hola! Hola! Jose!
You Should Take Care, Carmen
Alas! Jose, Your Mother Is Ill
Entr'acte
A Few Cuartos! A Few Cuartos!
Here They Come! Here They Come!
If You Love Me, Carmen
It's You! It's Me!
Viva! Viva! What A Corrida!

Customer Reviews:

English is an asset and a drawback.......2004-07-20

The best thing about this recording of Carmen is the libretto. Conductor David Parry penned this facile and dramatic English translation. He avoids the pitfalls of literal translation to achieve an idiomatic flow that matches the rhythm of the original lyrics. I use this as a reference libretto for any of the French Carmens.

Unfortunately, the performance suffers from being sung in English. The singers declaim their parts with such proper British diction that Carmen comes across as a school marm. The spoken dialog is delivered beat for deliberate beat and is dripping with reverb. It makes the plaza, tavern and mountain pass all sound like a sewer pipe.

This is a good first Carmen for someone trying to understand the work. The libretto itself is a good investment for further listening. For an enjoyable performance with an emphasis on character and action, I recommend Regina Resnik on the London Double Decker set.

You Will Love Opera After Hearing Carmen In English.......2004-02-09

What a perfect introduction to opera. This newly released recording will surely get you hooked into opera. Carmen, a French opera by Georges Bizet, is the most recognizable and most popular in the opera world. It's famous melodies- the overture, the Habanera, The Toreador Song have all been featured in everything from cellular phone ring tones to Superbowl Commercial (last year's Superbowl with The "Opera In English" label has been making Italian operas into English for a number of years now. Also on the market are Verdi's La Traviata in English (with soprano Valerie Masterson as Violetta) Handel's Julius Caesar with Janet Baker and even Wagner's epic Ring Of The Nibeling sung in English. This is a terrific recording and I highly recommend it if you want to get into opera. Listen to this version first and then try the real, original French version Bizet had written. Patricia Bardon is sensational, sexy and dramatic as Carmen.

The real strength of this version is the dynamic drama. With the advantage of being sung in English, we get better insight on characters' emotions and motives, and we understand the drama a lot better. Carmen is all about great drama. Bizet drew the plot from the French writer Prosper Merimee's dark short story. Carmen is the ultimate femme fatale- a devil-may-care, sexy Gypsy living in Spain, seduces the conservatively raised soldier Don Jose, stealing him away from his fiancee, the passive Micaela, living a life of underground smuggling and rowdy taverns. "Habanera" and "The Gypsy Song and Dance" are very expressive of Carmen's extraordinarily liberal lifestyle. Don Jose, however, has fallen deeply in love- as he shows us in his song/aria "The Flower Song". But Carmen soon becomes tired of his constancy. Don Jose wants a committed, monogamous relationship with Carmen. But Carmen will not submit to love, since she is first and foremost a carnal creature. Eventually, she falls for the handsome Toreador Escamillo. Don Jose, consumed by jealousy, stabs Carmen at a bullfight after Carmen declares her love for Escamillo and rejects Don Jose's love. Don Jose's crazed, obscessive personality shines through in the English version as well. This tragedy has been done in English before so don't think this is the first time. Back in the 50's, there was a film, starring black actors "Carmen Jones" which was treated the same way as this opera- more like an English Broadway musical and with the dubbed singing voice of Marilyn Horne as Carmen. All in all, this recording is excellent.

A wholly credible "Carmen" -- finally!.......2003-09-17

This recording really sells "Carmen" as a drama. Although I have two other recordings of this opera and have seen it performed several times, it never quite worked for me dramatically. But thanks to the fine performances, conducting, and translation here, I've become a "Carmen" convert. Producing a good English-language performance of a foreign opera, especially a warhorse like "Carmen," is much more difficult than it might appear. You need performers who not only can sing the parts (of course) but also can sing *English* and make it halfway intelligible and make it sound like English and make it dramatically convincing to English-speakers. The singers on this recording do an excellent job all around. Don't be put off if you don't recognize their names -- they are up to the task musically and (especially) in their acting. Admittedly, as with *all* English-language recordings, some passages are very hard to understand without reading along, but most of the time the words are clear and effective. I would recommend this recording to any opera beginner or opera lover, even those who normally turn up their noses at performances in translation.

I love Carmen!.......2003-08-15

I do. I can think of no other opera with more melodic inventiveness, and few others with so sure a dramatic pulse. Carmen is popular and it thrills me to say that it is also a very good opera - not always true of popular things.

And what of this recording? Carmen sits well in English, so it is good to hear in translation, although some of the detais in the text jar. Escamillo refers to Jose as "my dear", which sounds rather peculiar, and the guide's line to Micaela: "it's not exactly inviting, is it?" sounds distinctly Middle England rather than Rural Spain. Some of the performers, not least Carmen herself, make the words work, although there are long tracts, especially with the chorus, where the language is distinctly indistinct.

The soloists are, by and large, strong. Patricia Bardon's deep, Handel-friendly voice adapts well to Carmen and she colours the music with phenomenal detail, sounding sexy and provocative from the start with an edge of pride and anger that emerges as the show goes on. She is out of her depth above the stave, though, and some extra top notes in the second act don't show her off to her best advantage. I have previously said that Julian Gavin is poorly served by recordings, though here he sounds much more even and gives a thrilling and musical performance (but his wooden spoken lines let him down). Mary Plazas is a lovely Micaela, rich-voiced and sincere (and word-perfect), but Garry Magee sounds miscast as Escamillo, lacking the ballast at the bottom of the voice to do justice to this tricky role.

The supporting cast is good (Mary Hegarty seems to do nothing but Frasquita these days!) but the really treasurable thing is the conducting. Stepping out of Italian Ottocento, David Parry turns his hand to this French Comedie with an appropriate lightness of touch. His pacing and handling of the set pieces is exemplary and the enrtractes go with a real swing.

Tracks:

New Moon: Lover Come Back To Me
Casanova: Nun's Chorus & Laura's Song
La Belle Vivette (La Belle Helene): My Traitor Heart?
Perchance To Dream: We'll Gather Lilacs
Gipsy Love: Gypsy Fiddles Playing
Bittersweet: If Love Were All
L'etoile: 'I'm Called Lazuli' The Pedlar's Rondo
L'etoile: Pretty Little Star
The Dancing Years: Waltz Of My Heart
Frederica: Why Did You Kiss My Heart Awake
New Moon: Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
The Opera Ball: A Chambre Separee
The Contrabandista: Only The Night Wind Sighs Alone
The Merry Widow: Vilja
Orpheus In The Underworld: Hymn To The Bacchus - Infernal Gallop (Can - Can)

Customer Reviews:

Underated Treasure.......2003-08-30

This Cd is delightful. I love Leslet Garrett's voice but most of all, I love the selection. This cd is great for introducing any true lover of opperetta to some truly great operas and composers. I originally bought this cd for a musical glimpse at Sullivans 'The Contrabandista' and discovered the beautiful worlds of Offenbach and Lehar and so many more that can not be heard except in pieces (many of which only exist on this cd such as 'The Contrabandista' and 'The Opera Ball' and 'The Dancing Years'). I recommend that anyone who loves opera buy this album. But on a final note, all of the songs are sung in english, even those not originally done so.

What a remarkable voice, it's deserves your attention.......2000-11-05

If you adore great singing by a super star this cd is for you. What a voice! Everytime I hear it, I loose my breath i'm so excited. I tell you, there are not many voices like this around. When you find one you have better latch on to it for there may not be another.

The main concern I had for this cd was the repertoire. It had too many songs that I didn't particulary like. If the repertoire had of been better this cd would definately have been a 5. I will say this, Lesley's voice was super even on the songs that I didn't like.

I know a lot of people are unfamiliar with Lesley, since she lives in the U.K., but she deserves you attention. She is a great talent.

Tracks:

Let All My Life Be Music
Sing To My Heart A Song
Let My Song Fill Your Heart
Love Is My Reason For Living
Someday My Heart Will Awake
I'll See You Again
We'll Gather Lilacs
Bird Songs At Eventide
Homing
I Love Life
The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise
Roses Of Picardy
I'll Be Seeing You
Serenade
Love Me Tonight
Be My Love
The Desert Song
I'll Follow My Secret Heart

Amazon.com

With his 1999 Met triumph as Tristan--the most taxing of all Wagner's tenor roles--Canadian singer Ben Heppner has fully earned his heralded position as the great new Heldentenor of our time. His Lohengrin is a signature role, while his album German Romantic Opera has been nominated for a Grammy. Yet Heppner also commands tremendous versatility--and of a much more engaging character than that of the typical crossover effort--using his powerful, bronze-tinged tenor to tender and charming effect in My Secret Heart. This is a collection of songs roughly from the period between the two world wars, when music began to reach mass audiences via radio and screen. Many of these are almost forgotten gems--emblems of a vanished era--but once had wide cultural currency: the World War II hit "We'll Gather Lilacs," the radio show Family Hour's theme tune "Let My Song Fill Your Heart," and the oft-recorded 1919 ballad "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise." Heppner, with his sturdy beauty of tone and sweet, natural-sounding vibrato, breathes new life into this genre. He handles the idiom's unabashed schmaltz with charm and brings a lilting urbanity to two Noël Coward tunes, with especially bittersweet refinement in "I'll Follow My Secret Heart." --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Almost too much lavender and roses, but a delight anyway.......2006-08-29

These are beloved popular songs from our grandparents' generation that are redolent of lavender an tears. Their sentimentality couldn't be more out of fashion, but Ben Heppner steps forward, like Mario Lanza before him, to offer thrills amidst the honeyed scents. He's totally sincere, and you'd have to be Alberich or Don Pizarro to react with anything but a melting heart. God, I'm falling into the same vocabulary as these songs. No need to blush, though, with such a great singer at hand.

Mr. Heppner Must Have A Large Parlour!.......2005-02-22

I purchased this CD after hearing Mr. Heppner in recital singing "Homing" for an encore. This small gem written by Teresa Del Riego is a haunting song about loneliness. We learn from the notes-- they are very informative with bios on the composers included here as well as the words to the lyrics-- that she composed this ballad in 1917, the year her husband was killed in France just before the ending of World War I. There are other lovelies here as well: "I Love Life", "We'll Gather Lilacs", "The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise" as well as music by Noel Coward, Sigmund Romberg and Rudolf Friml. Heppner also sings "I'll Be Seeing You." It's such a relief to hear someone other than Liberace do that number since it was the song that he always used to close his television show in the 50's and unfortunately made into a syrupy cliche.

Mr. Heppner says these are songs of the parlour, stage and silver screen. His glorious voice which appears to be a combination of steel and gold fills a recital hall easily. He would need a huge parlour to sing in as well.

This CD is quite wonderful. There are no dull cuts. Since the songs are all about love, this would make a great February 14 gift.

He can keep his secret to himslef.......2003-12-13

This is OBNOXIOUS, this dude should be in operas. i am speechless, he is one loud mouthed dude!

What a 'crossover' album should be!.......2001-09-01

In general, I hate it when classical singers make 'crossover' recordings. Usually the singer has no idea how to sing 'pop' material in anything like the proper style - even someone who is singing it because he or she genuinely likes the music and not just to milk cash from the unsuspecting masses. But there are always exceptions to a rule, and this CD is one of them. Ben Heppner here scales down his huge operatic voice and shows his 'secret heart', a more intimate side of his musical personality.

There is no question that Heppner is one of the greatest tenors of our age. He is often compared with his fellow Canadian Jon Vickers (with whom he shares much of his repertory) but especially here, he is beginning to remind me more and more of Jussi Bjorling, and I can think of no higher compliment. Part of this is because Bjorling actually sang quite a bit of repertory similar to what Heppner sings here, but more importantly, both voices have an ideal combination of power and sweetness. Heppner's is essentially a very lyric voice despite its large size, and he is capable of great tonal beauty and sensitivity. This not only makes his Wagner, Giordano, and Berlioz very special, but makes him equally adept with the gentle little gems he sings on this disc. He is helped somewhat by the fact that these songs, most of which were written in the very early part of the 20th century, are a lot closer to the 'classical' style than more modern pop. But what really makes Heppner perfect for this material is his total identification with the texts, his tenderness, and his utter sincerity. Also, his diction is superb - you won't need the printed texts to understand what he is singing. In the hands of a lesser singer, some of these old fashioned songs would be absolute treacle. But an artist like Heppner can raise up even 'substandard' compositions and give them the aura of greatness.

In the more upbeat songs, Heppner sings with the thrilling, heroic tone that has made him in demand in every opera house in the world. He makes 'Let All My Life Be Music' into his personal mission statement. 'Homing' was also a favorite of another great Wagnerian tenor, namely Lauritz Melchior. 'I Love Life!', complete with splendid high C, is sung with enough cheer and vigor to bring anybody out of a depression. But this repertory is often gentle and introspective, and Heppner can also easily fine down his voice to a splendid pianissimo, drawing you in and enticing you to pay attention as opposed to banging you over your head like many other tenors do. Ivor Novello's 'Love is My Reason For Living' and Ernest Charles' 'Let My Song Fill Your Heart' are light, gracious Viennese waltzes. The familiar 'Roses of Picardy', 'Bird Songs at Eventide' and 'I'll Be Seeing You' are also sung sweetly and caressingly. Two more Novello songs are among the best tracks on the album. 'Someday My Heart Will Awake', is soft, gentle, and nostalgic, rising to a passionate conclusion. 'We'll Gather Lilacs' is obviously a love song from Heppner to his wife Karen (to whom the entire album is dedicated), full of yearning and deeply moving.

The operetta selections are even more special. In the Serenade from 'The Student Prince', which is alone worth the price of the CD, Heppner makes something truly thrilling of the declaration 'Oh, hear my longing cry!/Oh, love me or I die!', and ends with not one but two spectacular high Cs. What a pity that the chances of him ever recording the entire operetta are so slim! The cajolingly sung title song from 'The Desert Song' is almost as fine, as is 'Love Me Tonight' from 'The Vagabond King'. Finally, the title song 'I'll Follow My Secret Heart', with yet another brilliant high C, makes a splendid finish to this very enjoyable album.

I should also give credit to noted composer and orchestrator Jonathan Tunick for his warm, rich, and perfectly scaled arrangements of these songs. Like Heppner, he finds the perfect mood for each piece and never engages in schmaltz that one might expect from some of this material. The only complaint I have about this disc is the one I have about many contemporary CDs - why is there only 54 minutes of music on a medium that can hold almost 80 minutes? There are assuredly more than 18 songs Heppner could have recorded in this vein. I would have liked to have seen more operetta items in particular. Although I suppose they couldn't have recorded the Drinking Song from 'The Student Prince' as well as the Serenade without a chorus, it would have been nice if 'Deep In My Heart, Dear' had been included. Still, the quality of what is there far outweighs the quantity. The excellent documentation, in German and French as well as English, includes a personal note from Heppner, biographies of all the composers as well as Heppner and Tunick, and complete song texts. The cover shows Heppner surrounded by red velvet, designed, amusingly enough, by Red Herring Productions!

Whether you're an opera lover who wants to hear a great tenor in a lighter mood, or a fan of early 20th century popular music who is curious to see what it sounds like sung by a genuinely great voice, this disc is essential. It is an excellent introduction to Heppner's artistry if you haven't experienced it before, and after listening to it you might want to try some of his opera CDs, both solo recitals and complete recordings. There are few voices that could serve as a better introduction for a neophyte to the wonderful world of opera. If only more 'crossover' singers (both classical and pop) had Heppner's musical integrity...

This cd has left me speechless, wow!.......2001-02-18

Air give me air, I need lots of air, air, air.......This cd has caused me a lot of adverse breathing.

The things that I have read about Ben have been very true. He really is a lot more than I ever bargained for. He is THAT GOOD.

I need to go out on a limb and say that he is the best tenor I have ever heard. In my wildest dreams I never thought anyone could be that good.

For this cd Ben choose to sing a lot of standards. Bravo! This is my kind of music. Ben did an excellent job crooning us with his golden voice. He knew when to hold back and when to sing at full strength. This is marvelous how he worked each song to get the full meaning out of it.

The only complaint I have is there was not enough of the good olde songs that I wanted to hear Ben sing. I know it's hard to please all the people all the time and I understand where Ben was coming from.

Tracks:

Osud (Fate): Act I: Orchestra
Osud (Fate): Act I: 'Free As A Bird I Bask In The Sunshine'
Osud (Fate): Act I: 'Heavens, It's Him!' (Mila)
Osud (Fate): Act I: 'Is It Your Child You've Come For?' (Mila)
Osud (Fate): Act I: 'Sun In The Heavens Up On High'
Osud (Fate): Act I: 'We're Back Too Late' (Zivny)
Osud (Fate): Act I: 'The Sun's Vanished' (Mila)
Osud (Fate): Act I: 'Never Will I Forget This Fleeting Moment!'
Osud (Fate): Act II: 'Slumber On Undisturbed In The Shadow' (Zivny)
Osud (Fate): Act II: 'I Do, I Do!' (Mila)
Osud (Fate): Act II: 'We're Married Now' (Zivny)
Osud (Fate): Act II: 'Mummy, Mummy!'
Osud (Fate): Act II: 'Unspoken Thoughts Go Far Beyond Words' (Mila's Mother)
Osud (Fate): Act III: 'Listen To The Thunder Over The Horizon'
Osud (Fate): Act III: 'Endless The Pain I Must Suffer'