Hearts Music

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Oustanding 20th century literature from Diamond, Hartley, Murray, Colgrass, and Nelson.

Tracks:

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
With A Little Help From My Friends
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
Getting Better
Fixing A Hole
She's Leaving Home
Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!
Within You Without You
When I'm Sixty-Four
Lovely Rita
Good Morning Good Morning
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
A Day In The Life

Amazon.com essential recording

Before Sgt. Pepper, no one seriously thought of rock music as actual art. That all changed in 1967, though, when John, Paul, George and Ringo (with "A Little Help" from their friend, producer George Martin) created an undeniable work of art which remains, after 30-plus years, one of the most influential albums of all time. From Lennon's evocative word/sound pictures (the trippy "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds," the carnival-like "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite") and McCartney's music hall-styled "When I'm 64," to Harrison's Eastern-leaning "Within You Without You," and the avant-garde mini-suite, "A Day in the Life," Sgt. Pepper was a milestone for both '60s music and popular culture. --Billy Altman

Customer Reviews:

Sgt. Pepper Turns Forty.......2007-07-23

It is impossible to adequately explain to someone not around forty years ago when this album was released its importance and what it meant to so many of us. The Beatles were at their height. In the U. S., it was before the assassinations of Malcolm X, Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King when all the world seemed young and everything was possible. It was more than just world class music, it was a social and cultural phenomenon. There had never been anything just quite like it before. It helped define the 1960's.

The music of course is of one cloth as each song seques into the next one. No song stands out above another although my favorite has always been "When I'm Sixy-four." It now has a poignancy that we never dreamed of in those our salad days since neither George Harrison or John Lennon lived to see sixty-four. Then there was a whole generation of men, many who grew up with the Beatles, who perished in the first wave of AIDS.

Besides the marvelous music, there is of course the artwork for the album/CD. According to the liner notes by Peter Blake, he asked the Beatles for a list of people they would want at an imaginary concert. John initially wanted to include Jesus, Ghandi and Hitler but eventually left all three off the list because of the controversy in the U. S. over his recent comment about Jesus. Some of the people who made the list were Marlene Dietrich, Shirley Temple, Marlon Brando, Bob Dylan, Dylan Thomas, Edgar Allen Poe, Tony Curtis, William Burroughs, Karl Marx, Oscar Wilde, Johnny Weismuller, Stephen Crane, Albert Einstein, and Mae West (who refused at first but eventually agreed to be included in the life-size collage.)

It is impossible to write about either popular music or the popular culture of the last half of the twentieth century without a discussion of this CD. It should be placed in a time capsule.

what can I say?.......2007-07-16

There's not much to say really, except: this is music history and anyone who claims to know anything about popular music needs to own this album.

Ridiculously overrated.......2007-07-16

Sgt. Pepper is a good, border-line great album, but it is NOWHERE NEAR Revolver (the greatest album of all time IMO), Rubber Soul, or The White Album, let alone even close to it's billing as the greatest album of all time. While Sgt. Pepper is an enjoyable album, with many good tunes, it only has one great song ("A day in The Life"), along with two average songs by The Beatles' standards ("When I'm 64" and "Within You Without You") and IMO, the two worst Beatles songs ("Good Morning Good Morning" and "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!"), which The Beatles definatley should of not included. They should have put "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" in their place. That would of made this a great album.

Don't get me wrong, each and every one of the songs I haven't already talked about on Sgt. Pepper are very good, but none of them are good enough to help "A Day in the Life" make this album live up to the hype.

Oh, and for the record, I'm not excpecting very many people to say I have a helpful review, I'm just saying what I believe.

Yuck.......2007-07-11

Sounds worn and dated. Sounded good maybe when you were on drugs in the sixties but now, it's drek.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.......2007-07-03

Good to hear this again after so many years. So many familiar songs on one album.

Average customer rating:

Almost 5 Stars
THE BEST COMPILATION SET TO DATE FROM THE STEVE MILLER BAND!
great music.
Some great songs.
Shubada Du Ma Ma

Young Hearts: Complete Greatest Hits
Steve Miller Band
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000C0FEQ
Release Date: 2003-09-16

Tracks:

Take the Money and Run
Abracadabra
Rockin' Me
Swingtown
The Joker
Living in the USA
Space Intro
Fly Like an Eagle
Threshold
Jet Airliner
Space Cowboy
Jungle Love
Serenade
Cry Cry Cry
Shubada Du Ma Ma
Wide River
Wild Mountain Honey
The Stake
My Dark Hour
Who Do You Love
I Wanna Make the World Turn Around
Dance Dance Dance

Album Description

Subtitled - Complete Greatest Hits. Finally, a Steve Miller best-of with 'Livin' in the USA', 'Abracadabra!', 'The Joker', 'Jungle Love' & much more. 22 remastered cuts covering his 35 years with Capitol all on one CD! 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Almost 5 Stars.......2007-04-25

This is quite a good Steve Miller compilation and there are certainly more good points to it, than bad. The good points are: it has great sound, all of the song selections are pretty well chosen, over all it is a good representation of Steve Miller. The one thing that I consider to be a bad point, is that there was a song not included, that I think should have been, as you can't find it on many SM compilations, in fact, at this time, the only compilation that you can find it on is out of print. It is also on the original album. The song is "Keeps Me Wondering Why" and I find it very frustrating that they have omitted that song more times than not, like I say, it's on an out of print compilation, although you can buy it's original album, "Abracadabra", which I think is a little superfluous, considering that it needs to be on all SM compilations, this one, especially. I loved that song, I would certainly consider it a hit. Other than that, though this is a pretty well-done compilation that most SM fans should enjoy, especially the casual fan.

THE BEST COMPILATION SET TO DATE FROM THE STEVE MILLER BAND! .......2006-12-26

I will be writing a review on the legendary masterpiece compilation album entitled "YOUNG HEARTS, COMPLETE GREATEST HITS" by one of rocks greatest legends, I'm talking about The Steve Miller Band. This album was originally released on CD in 2003 on the infamous Capitol Records label. The matrix or ID number is CDP 7243 5 90509 2 8. As always, if I hear any new additional information concerning this legendary album, I will edit this review immediately so that you the consumer will get the best informative and most accurate review possible.

In my opinion, "YOUNG HEARTS, COMPLETE GREATEST HITS" is a great album! This whole album truly ROCKS! This greatest hits compilation is by far, Miller's best yet and is a true testament to Miller's genius.

I will list and briefly review all the song tracks in the original exact running order as follows: (1.) "Take The Money And Run," (A great Rocker! I love this song!) (2.) "Abracadabra," (This is another great song from Miller! This song was unavailable for many years until now! I love this song as well!) (3.) "Rockin' Me," (Another great Miller Rocker! I love this song dearly!) (4.) "Swingtown," (This is an outstanding Miller ROCKER! This song kicks a*s! I love it!) (5.) "The Joker," (A great slow Miller ROCKER! Another song I love!) (6.) "Livin' In The U.S.A.," (Outstanding! This is another great early Miller Rocker! This song kicks a*s! I love it dearly!) (7.) "Space Intro," (One of the greatest intro's or beginnings in Rock n' Roll history! This song then tears into ...) (8.) "Fly Like An Eagle," (Outstanding! A great miller Rocker! One of my most favorite Miller songs! I love this one dearly!) (9.) "Threshold," (Outstanding! Another great Miller intro! All I can say about this intro is that it kicks a*s! I love it dearly as well! This intro will then tear into ...) (10.) "Jet Airliner," (Outstanding! Another great Miller Rocker! This song kicks a*s! I love this song!) (11.) "Space Cowboy," (Outstanding! Another great Miller Rocker! This song truly kicks a*s! I love this Rocker!) (12.) "Jungle Love," (Outstanding! This is a great Miller Rocker! This song kicks a*s as well! I love this song!) (13.) "Serenade," (Another great Miller Rocker! I love the electric acoustic arrangements in this song! This song Rocks! I love it!) (14.) "Cry Cry Cry," Another great slow Miller Rocker! This song kicks a*s! Miller can make a slow song Rock! I love this song!) (15.) "Shubada Du Ma Ma," (Outstanding! Another great early Miller Rocker! This Rocker kicks a*s! I love it!) (16.) "Wide River," (Outstanding! Another great Miller Rocker! This song kicks a*s! I love this Miller Rocker!) (17.) "Wild Mountain Honey," (Outstanding! Another great slow Miller number! I love the musical arrangements in this song! This song sounds so beautiful! I love it!) (18.) "The Stake," (Outstanding! I love this slow Miller Rocker! This is another Miller song that kicks a*s! I love it dearly! (19.) "My Dark Hour," (Outstanding! I love this Rocker! I love Miller's blistering guitar riffs and arrangements in this Rocker! This song kicks a*s! I love it dearly!) (20.) "Who Do You love," (Another great slow Miller number! I love this song dearly!) (21.) "I Want To Make The World Turn Around" (Outstanding! Another great slow Miller number! I love the musical arrangements in this song especially Miller's guitar solo! I also love the lyrics to this song! The lyrics pretty much says it all! I love this song dearly!) and (22.) "Dance Dance Dance." (Another great Miller acoustic number! This is a great Country Rock song! I love Millers acoustic arrangements as well as his solo in this song! I love it!) Overall, this is a great album! Every single song track in this album is outstanding!

As you can see, this is definitely a album worth purchasing that he or she should definitely own as a valuable part of his or her personal music collection. This album will definitely be enjoyed and cherished for many more years to come, NOW AND FOREVER!

In closing, Steve Miller is truly a legend! I feel confident that we have not seen or heard the last of Miller yet! I am looking forward to him popping up with a few more great surprises in the near future. I hope to hear from you soon Steve! Thanks for reading my review and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it for your reading pleasure. I also hope that you will read all of my other reviews in the near future when time permits. Miller Rules! Long Live Rock n' Roll! Rock out always and take care. Forever in Rock, J.L.

great music........2006-12-26

i like this compilation very good. i really like the intros to the songs fly like an eagle and jet airliner i think they start out with cool effects. jet airliner is one of the few songs i cant get enough of because that intro rocks!!! take the money and run and rocking me are great songs which those 2 ive been listening to for several years. however the joker is an really awful song,ooh man i hate that song it makes me cry. but i like this compilation and i will recommend this to any rock fan. recommended.

Some great songs........2006-12-20

I really liked this. I couldnt get enough of the intros to Fly Like An Eagle, and Jet Airliner. Steve Miller was a great guitar player and he can equally sing. Take The Money And Run was one of my very first songs and I've listened to that for over 5 years as well as Rockin Me. The Joker in my opinion is a terrible song and sux. This is really good and I highly recommend it.

Shubada Du Ma Ma .......2006-10-25

This classic album covers 35 years of music from one of the best musicians out there. Stever Miller made some of the best music over the years and this has pretty much everything you could want. This is the best Steve Miller collection out there. I saw Steve Miller at Moondance Jam and it is 2006 and he still puts on an outstanding show. Steve Miller is the man. 5 stars.

Average customer rating:

See Other Andrea Bocelli Review
Emotional therapy!
Great music!
Cieli di Toscana
LOVE IT!!!!

Cieli di Toscana
Paolo Gianolio , Margherita Graczyk , Gary Miller , John Reid , Luis Jardim , Francesco Sartori , Mauro Malavasi , and Massimo Guantini
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sogno
Andrea Bocelli - Sacred Arias / Myung-Whun Chung

ASIN: B00005OWJV
Release Date: 2001-10-16

Tracks:

Melodramma
Mille Lune Mille Onde
E Ara 'A Settembre (Someone Like You)
Chiara
Mascagni
Resta Qui
Il Mistero Dell 'Amore
Se La Gente Usasse Il Cuore
Si Volto'
L 'Abitudine
L 'Incontro
E Mi Manchi Tu
Il Diavolo E L 'Angelo
L 'Ultimo Re

Amazon.com

Not content with the simplistic "crossover" formula, superstar tenor Andrea Bocelli has been pursuing alternative paths since he emerged as a vocal phenomenon in the mid-1990s: operatic classics and contemporary popular song. The singer's last few albums have showcased his love for the former (including homages to his beloved Verdi: the Requiem and Verdi aria collection). But Cieli di Toscana ("Tuscan Skies") marks a triumphant return to the pop idiom last explored on Sogno, offering a highly varied series of the kind of beautifully crafted contemporary melodies that initially won Bocelli acclaim.

The familiar cast of songwriter-collaborators (including Francesco Sartori, responsible for the smash success "Time to Say Goodbye") mixes with new blood; Bocelli himself unveils his songwriting talents on "Il Diavolo e l'Angelo." It's a highly produced affair, but behind all the gloss, Bocelli sings with a newfound, relaxed, even mellow quality. There are intimately touching moments--"L'Incontro," a tribute to his first son featuring Bocelli's own poetry as read by U2's Bono--as well as soaring flights of lyricism (the duet "L'Abitudine" with Italian singer Helena). And on "Mascagni," with its quotes from that composer's operas, Bocelli makes another nod to his classical affinities. But whatever the style, Bocelli is a singer who knows how to go straight to his listeners' hearts. --Sarah Chin

Album Description

Exclusive UK version of Bocelli's third pop release includes the exclusive bonus track 'Tornera La Neve' and CD-ROM. The album also features 'L'Incontro' a duet with Gerard Depardieu. David Foster co-composes some of the tracks on this album as well. 2001.

Customer Reviews:

See Other Andrea Bocelli Review.......2007-07-06

Just what it says. See my other Andrea Bocelli reviews to get the idea I really like this guy.

Emotional therapy!.......2007-05-14

"He is all heart; there's no pretense. You can feel it." No kidding. These were my mom's last comments about Bocelli two months before she left earthly existence.

This album helped me process a lot of emotional residue affiliated with the strain of difficult dynamics between my mom and myself.

Don't get me wrong. The music isn't sad; it's pure heart and emotion, so it may evoke emotions. The last cut, "L'Ultimo Re" is gorgeous with the way his voice soars!

E.A. Davis, author: Waiting for Wings: Accompanying a Parent to the Edge of Life

Great music!.......2006-12-18

I bought the album before listening to any of the songs, because i'm a Bocelli fan. I was not disappointed. Wonderful melodies, beautiful voice.My personal favourites are Melodramma, Chiara and Resta Qui, but this is a great cd overall.

Cieli di Toscana.......2006-08-25

There is no other voice quite like Andrea's voice. I keep listening to this CD over and over as some of the songs just touch my heart, both with his voice and the written arrangements. One of my very favorites from Andrea. He has the same qualities to his voice with popular songs as he does with opera. When following the English translations in the CD case, the message of each song becomes very clear through the inflections and tonal quality of his voice.

LOVE IT!!!!.......2006-08-25

What more can I say once agian a total great cd, that will sure to become my favorite and my kids love it too!!! Ages 5, 8, and 15. WOW>>>>> Pleases all ages,LOVE IT LOVE LOVE IT

Average customer rating:

Wish I could give it 10 stars!!!!
Better Than The First CD
GREAT!
A great combination
This band delivers!!!

Hearts of the Innocent
Kutless
Manufacturer: Bec Recordings / Emd
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Kutless

ASIN: B000EGDAG6
Release Date: 2006-03-21

Tracks:

Hearts Of The Innocent
Shut Me Out
Beyond The Surface
Smile
Promise Of A Lifetime
Winds Of Change
Somewhere In The Sky
Mistakes
Push Me Away
Changing World
Million Dollar Man
Legacy

Customer Reviews:

Wish I could give it 10 stars!!!!.......2007-05-01

This cd is amazing it is by far the best kutless album yet. Its alot harder (not heavier theres a big difference) and it also has 5 slow but still awesome songs. Here is a runthrough of all 12 songs

1.Hearts of the innocent-title track,pretty hard,talks abouit how adults are hurting there children by there actions,not one of my favorites but really good nonetheless. 8/10

2.Shut me out-One of the harder songs on the album. Talks about sharing your faith with others even though they may "shut you out" One of my faves. 10/10

3.Beyond the surface-More heavy,really good,talks about finding an alternate solution to suicide. 10/10

4.Smile-slow song,but in my opinion kutlesses best song since sea of faces. my favorite song on the album. talks about showing hope to others. 20/10

5.Promise of a lifetime-another slow one , really good, talks about how eternal life is the promise of a lifetime. 9/10

6.Winds of change-pretty hard,awesome song,talks about how faith in god brings about "winds of change" in us. 10/10

7.Somewhere in the sky. hard song that talks about freedom in christ. my second favorite on the cd. 15/10

8.mistakes- This song is another slow one. its ok,my least favorite. 7/10

9.Push me away-good beat,talks about not bieng ashamed to need a friend 9/10

10.Changing world-awesome slow song about how God changes your world. 10/10

11.Million Dollar man-heaviest song on the album, really good, makes you think alot,talks about a man who threw away God for money and riches, but now he wants what he had because"the grass isnt greener on this lonely side" 12/10

12.Legacy-Talks about changing you your legacy in Christ. pretty hard song. 9/10

All I can say is that if you like christain rock and kutless then get this now dont wait another minute!!!

Better Than The First CD.......2007-03-25

I Like These Songs the First song i like that is fast beat for the first time is Somewhere in the Sky is only 3 seconds of Shouting in the Live From Portland is about 7 seconds . I like the album better. Second song Beyond The Survice . My Final Third Song Hearts of the INNOCENT. This is better than Hawk Nelson,K-j57 and Building 429. I like KUTLESS,NEWSBOYS,DAVID CROWDER BAND,TREE63,CHRIS TOMLIN,THIRD DAY and MICHEAL W.SMITH. Do Choose these artists what I like Buy this album and Strong Tower and Sea of Faces and Kutless and Live From Portland.

GREAT!.......2007-03-09

I love Kutless! They are my favorite band ever! I've been to two of their concerts, and they're great guys. Both as musicians and people. I think this is my favorite of their CDs. Kutless is one of those bands that young teenagers and people in their 30s can listen to and enjoy together.

I've always felt strongly about what Hearts of the Innocent stands for. And a lot of their music, in all of their CDs are about stuff that I've thought about or I've experienced. I love that they care, and I love their music. I wear my Kutless T-shirt proudly and suggest them to anyone who's looking for great rock music.

A great combination.......2007-02-27

Kutless has done a great job of giving something for everybody. If you like the first CD there are several songs that you will like. If you like the softer feel of Sea of Faces there are a good group for you to fall in love with. Most of all though this is a great compromise. Those who don't like this CD just don't have an appreciation for music. If your tastes are confined to a certain genre you would only enjoy about 1/3 of the CD. I don't know why people complain about their lyrics, especially that the lyrics are too ambiguous. All good lyricists write songs that allow individuals to interpret and apply them to their own lives. all in all, If you like any of Kutless' stuff go buy it.

This band delivers!!!.......2007-01-25

Well, I read the other reviews, I've listened to the album, and I've seen them live. I give Kutless high marks for the quality of their sound, the diversity of their music, and a dynamic stage presence.

The Hearts of the Innocent album is one of those few albums where 100% of the songs are good and at least half the songs are great. The title track pretty much sets the tone. After that there's a nice mix of hard hitting songs mixed with somewhat of a softer side before things really take off with Million Dollar Man.

If you get a chance, see these guys in concert. You'll come away with an appreciation for the talent that Kutless possesses at every instrument. Front man Jon Micah Sumrall's vocal range and energy makes a live show a powerful experience. He sounds the same in person as he does on the CD. No fancy studio enhancement tricks here. He's the real deal. It's also a blast to watch drummer Jeffrey Gilbert shred drumsticks.

Everyone has different tastes in music. That I understand. I'm 46 and like the sound as much as the teens in our Youth Group. I'd compare them to Skillet and I'm pretty sure the upcoming Brian Neal album will have a similar, hard hitting sound. If you like a hard, edgy sound I'd suggest you give Kutless a try.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful, but not my first choice
THE BEST recording of the BEST oratorio ever...
Too bad there are so few recordings of Elijah

Mendelssohn: Elijah

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem [A German Requiem]

ASIN: B0002XV31A
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Tracks:

Introduction: As God The Lord Of Israel Liveth
Overture
No.1 Help, Lord! Wilt Thou Quite Destroy Us?
No.2: Lord! Bow Thine Ear To Our Prayer!
No.3: Ye People, Rend Your Hearts
No.4: If With All Your Hearts
No.5: Yet Doth The Lord See It Not
No.6: Elijah! Get Thee Hence
No.7: For He Shall Give His Angels Charge Over Thee
Recitative: Now Cherith's Brook Is Dried Up
No.8: What Have I Do To Do With Thee?
No.9: Blessed Are The Men Who Fear Him
No.10: As God The Lord Of Sabaoth Liveth
No.11: Baal, We Cry To Thee: Hear And Answer Us!
No.12: Call Him Louder, For He Is A God!
No.13: Call Him Louder! He Heareth Not!
No.14: Lord God Of Abraham, Isaac And Israel!
No.15: Cast Thy Burden Upon The Lord
No.16: O Thou, Who Makest Thine Angels Spirits
No.17: Is Not His Word Like A Fire?
No.18: Woe Unto Them Who Forsake Him!
No.19: O Man Of God, Help Thy People!
No.20: Thanks Be To God!

Tracks:

No.21: Hear Ye, Israel; Hear What The Lord Speaketh
No.22: Be Not Afraid, Saith God The Lord
No.23: The Lord Hath Exalted Thee
No.24: Woe To Him, He Shall Perish
No.25: Man Of God, Now Let My Words Be Precious
No.26: It Is Enough; O Lord Now Take My Life
No.27: See, Now He Sleepeth
No.28: Lift Thine Eyes To The Mountains
No.29: He, Watching Over Israel, Slumbers Not
No.30: Arise, Elijah, For Thou Hast A Long Journey
No.31: O Rest In The Lord
No.32: He That Shall Endure To The End, Shall Be Saved
No.33: Night Falleth Round Me, O Lord!
No.34: Behold! God The Lord Passed By!
No.35: Above Him Stood The Seraphim
No.36: Go, Return Upon Thy Way
No.37: For The Mountains Shall Depart
No.38: Then Did Elijah The Prophet Break Forth
No.39: Then Shall The Righteous Shine Forth
No.40: Behold, God Hath Sent Elijah
No.41: But The Lord, From The North Hath Raised One
No.41a: O Come Everyone That Thirsteth
No.42: And Then Shall Your Light Break Forth

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful, but not my first choice.......2007-04-07

I believe this was the first recording of Elijah in English that used an "international" conductor and some international singers. Fruhbeck gives a good, dramatic sweep to the piece, with some wonderful dramatic moments. This is an old fashioned performance, with only a solo quartet, and if there is a semi-chorus, I can't tell the difference. This means that the soprano is the Widow, and an Angel, the mezzo the Angel and Queen Jezabel, etc. You really should have a libretto, but you don't get one at this price.
Fischer-Dieskau roughens up his voice for the role, and therein lies a problem. The voice spreads and his diction suffers because of it; that and his unidiomatic pronounciation, with far too many rolled "r"s. He does the drama well, but what works well in lieder works here less well on the large scale. Odd, given his success as on opera singer (check out his Iago), that here he frequently comes off blustery.
Dame Gwyneth Jones belies her reputation and gives a contolled, dramatic performance, using her "edge" to advantage in "Hear Ye, Israel". Gedda's diction is amazing, with exactly the right color for this literature, and projecting a little more blood than an English tenor.
Dame Janet Baker is my star in this performance. Dramatic, heart-rending when need be, and in wonderful voice. She'll chill your blood when she tells the people of Baal to "slaughter him, do what he hath done!".
And as for the people of Baal, the Philharmonia Chorus is wonderful. Incisive and dramatic, with beautiful tone. I could do without the trick of the boy choir for "Lift Thine Eyes", and I miss the small ensembles, but all in all a fine performance, and good recording, circa 1968.
First choice in English, Daniels/Terfel: better Elijah in Terfel, better recording, more authentic orchestra, small vocal ensembles (as per the score) but inferior women (including Fleming: beautiful tone, but where's her head?). In German, it's Sawallisch/Adam all the way.
But if you're singing Elijah, and have a score, this is a good choice.

THE BEST recording of the BEST oratorio ever..........2006-08-15

Okay, I'm gonna admit I'm biased- I first sung in the chorus of Elijah when I was 14 and it made a BIG impression on me!
This recording is in every way wonderful. Starting with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. He IS Elijah to me. His singing is perfection. He has amazing phrasing and his diction makes it possible to understand the lovely, inspired libretto to this heavenly music. There are so many pieces that are ephemeral, but a couple of my favorites are: #14, Lord God of Abraham and #37, For the Mountains shall Depart. Dieskau does a great job of what I think of as compassionate, heartfelt singing. His interpretation sounds like the voice of God himself. It has a quality of kindness and yet he sounds just as convincing reprimanding the people of Baal. He is the true highlight of this recording.

That said, the rest of the cast is wonderful as well. Gwyneth Jones has a lovely, silvery voice that has a clarion bell-like tone that rings over the large orchestra with ease. She has occasional "misfire" but is a consistent performer. Dame Janet Baker and Nicolai Gedda both perform at a consistently lovely level. The orchestra and chorus are both wonderful. #15, Cast thy Burden upon the Lord, #32 He that Shall Endure to the End, and #38 Then Did Elijah are all highlights.

All said, for me the main reason to get this recording is Dieskau's Elijah- after all, he's the main character. But don't forget the lovely music. This story is exciting and passionate and sacred all at the same time. For me, it's the best oratorio that has a moving story and great music too.

Too bad there are so few recordings of Elijah.......2006-07-03

This is a good recording of an oratorio that deserves more attention. The chorus and soloists are very good--I just wish Fischer-Diskau wouldn't slide around so much in singing the title part!

Average customer rating:

Christmas cd that needs to be in your collection!
great music to keep growing with
excellent Christmas album
Accoustic Hearts is excellent
Acoustic Hearts of Winter review

Acoustic Hearts of Winter
Aly & AJ
Manufacturer: Hollywood Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Into The Rush [CD/DVD]
V
Hannah Montana Soundtrack
Hannah Montana
Right Where You Want Me

ASIN: B000HDZKEG
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Tracks:

Greatest Time of Year
Joy to the World
We Three Kings
First Noel
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Silent Night
I'll Be Home for Christmas
Let It Snow
Deck the Halls
Little Drummer Boy
Not This Year

Amazon.com

By teen-pop standards, Aly & AJ make a bold move on on their first holiday album and second disc. Instead of fizzing up the figgy pudding or decking the hall with a bunch of flashy hip-hop beats, they play it straight--"Silent Night" is justly peaceful (heavenly, even), "Let It Snow" lands as softly as a blanket of the newly fallen white stuff, and "Joy to the World" holds up its heartfelt peace sign by way of classic old-fashioned carol-crooning. Clearly the girls got a little giddy going through their parents' holiday music collection while conceiving this disc, and clearly they were thinking beyond its commercial prospects (how many underage starlets would challenge their cash-strapped core demographic with "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"?). Yet Acoustic Hearts, apparently, do not beat by yuletide sincerity and good-girl harmonizing alone--in an overt but not unlikable nod to the teen need to kick out the holiday jams, Aly & AJ let loose on three tracks: "Deck the Halls" gets into a George Michael-inspired groove, and two originals--one happy ("The Greatest Time of Year") and one sad ("Not This Year")--plumb the meaning of the annual sugarplum dance to semi-rockin' beats. -Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

Christmas cd that needs to be in your collection!.......2007-03-02

I got this cd on Christmas day,so I enjoyed it all day! I kept listening to it well into January. Although, I wish the cd had more up-beat songs. I thought their re-makes would be edger, but it help capture the true meaning of Christmas. They even wrote two of the songs on this album, " Greatest Time of Year" and " Not This Year" this song is about how it's okay not to be in the Christmas spirit when something really awful happens to you, you can cry. You should get this cd!

great music to keep growing with.......2007-02-04

this cd is awesome i liked it so much i started listening to it 3 months before christmas! u can listen to it every christmas it will never get old. aly and aj have such beautiful voices and combining classics tunes along with some new ones was a great idea. i cant wait till their next album hits stores!

excellent Christmas album.......2007-01-27

If you like Aly and AJ, you'll love this album. I bought it for my daughter, and she is still listening to it. These sisters both have really beautiful voices. We actually saw them in concert last summer, and they sound even better live. This is a great album to add to your Aly and AJ collection!

Accoustic Hearts is excellent.......2007-01-19

Great CD. Even my husband who doesn't like Christmas music much, really enjoyed this cd.

Acoustic Hearts of Winter review.......2007-01-19

I bought this C/D for my oldest daughter for Christmas. It had been on her wish list, and she has really enjoyed Aly & AJ's music. The tract has a fresh sound - with familiar Christmas songs and some new ones as well.

Average customer rating:

Impeccable English Style
The Tallis Scholars do their namesake proud

The Tallis Scholars Sing Thomas Tallis

Manufacturer: Gimell UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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

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

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Tallis Scholars sing Palestrina
The Essential Tallis Scholars
Christmas With the Tallis Scholars
The Tallis Scholars Sing Josquin
Tallis: Spem in Alium

ASIN: B00026W65E
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Tracks:

Spem In Alium
Sancte Deus
Salvator Mundi, Salva Nos I
Salvator Mundi, Salva Nos II
Gaude Gloriosa
Miserere Nostri
Loquebantur Variis Linguis
If Ye Love Me
Hear The Voice And Prayer
A New Commandment
O Lord, Give Thy Holy Spirit
Purge Me, O Lord
Verily, Verily I Say Unto You
Remember Not, O Lord God
Tunes For Archbishop Parker's Psalter
O Lord, In Thee Is All My Trust
Christ Rising Again
Blessed Are Those That Be Undefiled

Tracks:

Lamentations Of Jeremiah I
Lamentations Of Jeremiah II
Absterge Domine
O Sacrum Convivium
In Manus Tuas
Salve Intemerata
Magnificat For 4 Voices
Ave, Dei Patris Filia

Customer Reviews:

Impeccable English Style.......2007-07-13

If you favor blend, balance, pitch, and all the other parameters of the English traditional choral style, you'll be very impressed with the Tallis Scholars' refined presentation. the music speaks for itself.

The Tallis Scholars do their namesake proud.......2006-07-27

In the last couple of years, the Tallis Scholars have been compiling their sizeable recording output into attractive two-disc editions. Here, they've collected a large number of their interpretations of their namesake, Thomas Tallis. Tallis (c. 1505-1585) is, of course, one of the giants of Renaissance music, and he was certainly the greatest English composer of liturgical music between John Dunstable and William Byrd. I personally consider him the second-greatest Renaissance composer after Palestrina, but I'm not dogmatic about it. I love the music of Josquin, Victoria, and Byrd almost as much. Let's just say that, if you're interested in immersing yourself in the work of a single Renaissance composer, you can't do much better than Tallis.

These recordings were made 1985-1998, and they all sound great. Included in this collection are most of Tallis best and best-known works: the two Lamentations of Jeremiah, O Sacrum Convivium, Gaude Gloriosa, Tunes for Archbishop Parker's Psalter (which contains the theme that inspired Ralph Vaughan Williams' famous Fantasia), and the incredible 40-part motet Spem In Alium (which is one of the supreme masterpieces of the 16th century). Unfortunately, there are some notable absences, such as the Tallis Scholars' own recording of O Nata Lux. The Mass for 4 Voices, certainly one of Tallis' major works, is also nowhere to be found. Of course, there's only so much music that will fit onto two CDs, but it's still a shame that they couldn't fit at least one of Tallis' masses. Nevertheless, the music that's here is beautiful and powerful.

The Tallis Scholars themselves need no introduction. They're one of the most famous groups specializing in Renaissance music. It needs to be said, however, that if you're looking for "authentic" recordings (that is, recordings that approximate what the music originally sounded like in the 16th century), you might want to look elsewhere. The Tallis Scholars use female singers instead of boys or (ahem!) castrati (though it's doubtful that Tallis would have used or written for castrati himself). And one could complain that these recordings use too many singers for some of the smaller pieces or that the sopranos overpower some of the larger ones (like Spem In Alium). I'm neither an enthusiast nor an opponent of the authentic-performance movement; since we're listening to recorded music anyway, these issues strike me as moot. The Tallis Scholars are experienced and accomplished singers, and they achieve their primary goal: to provide superlative-sounding recordings of important early choral compositions. If you're looking for a fine compilation of Tallis' music or an excellent introduction to Renaissance music, this is it.

Average customer rating:

Cornucopia of Pavarotti's works
Don't...!!!
Great Tenor - Poor CD Quality
Great Music......Horrible Mastering
Surely I am proud to be an Italian-American!!

Pavarotti: Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Romantica: The Very Best Of Luciano Pavarotti
The Best of the Three Tenors
Luciano Pavrotti: The Best (Farewell Tour)
Amore: Romantic Italian Love Songs
Carreras · Domingo · Pavarotti ~ the three tenors in concert / Mehta

ASIN: B0000042HZ
Release Date: 1997-09-30

Tracks:

Turandot: Nessun dorma
La Boheme: Che gelida manina
La Traviata: Brindisi
Aida: Se quel guerrier io foss ... Celeste Aida
L'Elisir d'Amore: Una furtiva lagrima
Rigoletto: Questa o quella
Martha: M'appari
TOSCA: E lucevan le stelle
Fedora: Amor ti vieta
Pagliaccci: Recitar!... Vesti la guibba
Manon Lescaut: Donna non vidi mai
Rigoletto: La donna e mobile
L'africana: Mi batte il cuor ... O paradiso
Werther: Pourquoi me reveiller
Carmen: La fleur que tu m'avais jetee
Manon Lescaut: Ma se vi talenta ... Tra voi, belle
La Gioconda: Cielo e mar!
TOSCA: Recondita armonia
La Favorita: Spirito gentil
II torvatore: Di quella pira
L'amico Fritz: Suzel, buon di

Tracks:

O sole mio
Torna a Surriento
Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna: Core 'ngrato
Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna: Funiculi Funicul
Notte 'e piscatore
O Holy Night (Cantique de Noel)
Panis angelicus
Ave Marie: Ave Maria
Mattinata
La danza
Caro mio ben
Caruso
My Way
Santa Lucia
Tu che m'hai preso il cuor
Mamma
La mai canzone al vento: La mia canzone al vento
Volare
Passione
Granda: Granada

Customer Reviews:

Cornucopia of Pavarotti's works.......2007-03-01

This is a "Super hits" CD, with over forty different cuts (quite a few of which have appeared elsewhere, of course). For those who are aficionados of Pavarotti, this is what might be called "hog heaven."

Disc 1 features estimable works such as "Nessun dorma" (well done, with his voice showing to good effect), "Che gelida manina" (excellently done, with good characterization), ""Celeste Aida" (elegantly sung), "Di quella pira" (a much better than average version), "E lucevan le stelle" (Pavarotti does a nice job in the Puccini-Verdi repertoire), "La donna e mobile" (sung with aplomb), "Recondita armonia" (the other aria from Tosca, which also shows Pavarotti's voice off to good effect), and so on.

Disc 2 is especially interesting, because it features a more popular set of works, from the redoubtable "O sole mio" (richly orchestrated and nicely sung, not overpowered by Pavarotti's operatic voice), "Core n'grato" (compare with Caruso's version), "Oh, holy night," "La danza" (spritely sung with excellent breath control in a treacherous song), "Santa Lucia" (again, smoothly sung), "Ave Maria" (seemingly sung with respect and affection).

A cornucopia of Pavarottiana. For those fans of Pavarotti, this "greatest hits" collection will be welcome. For those who may not be aware of this tenor when his voice was still fresh, this is a fine entrée to his work.

Don't...!!!.......2005-01-24

To combine a voice as beautiful as Pavarotti's with some of the world's greatest music and outstanding orchestras, and end up with this...`thing'...is unforgivable. After buying and listening to it, it brought to mind those painful words "A fool, a fool. I saw a fool today. I saw him in the mirror."

R. J. Rogers

Great Tenor - Poor CD Quality.......2004-10-11

I have never been a huge fan of Maestro Pavarotti but I must admit that this compilation is a masterful collection of his operatic highlights.

I particularily enjoy the first disc which contains just about all the major tenor arias. The singing is superb and listening to this CD it becomes obvious what the fuss over the pre-3 Tenors Pavarotti was all about - the man really did have one of the greatest tenor voices of all time.
His diction was flawless, his line perfect and his interpretation in keeping with the greatest of the Italian tenors of days gone by.

The second disc is interesting in that it is a bit uneven. It contains a few neapolitan standards, a x-mas song, a duet with Frank Sinatra and some other random selections.

Overall this is a 5 star CD but due to the extremely low volume, particularily on the first and most important disc I can only give it a 4 star rating.

On a final note, anyone puzzeled by the current hype over the now againg and commercially over-blown Pavarotti should purchase this CD. This is the great tenor in his prime and as such a CD well worth having...even if you're not a Pavarotti fan.
I'm still not, but I recognize greatness when I hear it.

Great Music......Horrible Mastering.......2004-07-24

Pavarotti has a voice that can take hold of you and change your entire mood...even if you don't know Italian. The problem with this set is the mastering (mastering evens out the volumes and signal to noise ratio on an album). The first CD in this collection is so quiet that you literally have to crank your player to get any kind of volume. For a professional CD this is absolutely unacceptable.
The song choices are good with the exception of "My Way" with Frank Sinatra. Both singers sound ....ummm...let's just say less than their best on the recording. It sits out like a boil on a pretty girl's face.

Surely I am proud to be an Italian-American!!.......2004-06-26

With his wondrous soaring vocals and the humble demeanor within his strong body, Pavarotti is an inspiration to Italian- Americans everywhere - Italian-Americans like me. My family plays his beautiful operas on vinyl nearly every day in me Papa's little wine and cheese shop on 18th and Broadway. The customers compliment the music with glee, pinching my plump cheeks with merriment and wishing me well on their way out the door. Ah, how I love this land of America!!

Oops, I am sorry, Nana.

My Nana has shushed me to "pipe down, little bambino."

Tracks:

Russian Cathedral Bells
Rachmaninov / Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op. 31: Great Ektenia
Rachmaninov / Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op. 31: Hymn of Praise
Rachmaninov / Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op. 31: Hymn of the Cherubim
Bortniansky / Hymn of the Cherubim (excerpt)
Kedrov / Our Father
Rachmaninov / Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op. 31: Fervent Supplication
Rospev / The Noble Joseph
Tchaikovsky / Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op. 41: Amen. And with Thy Spirit
Russian Monastic Vespers (excerpt)
Rachmaninov / Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op. 31: Bless the Lord, O my Soul
Tchaikovsky / Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op. 41: Hymn of the Cherubim (excerpt)
Christov / Hymn of the Cherubim (excerpts/edited)
Tchaikovsky / Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op. 41: Our Father
Gretchaninov / I have Chosen the Blissful
Lvovski / Hymn of the Cherubim
Final Bells

Product Description

1. Russian Cathedral Bells
2. Great Ektenia
3. Hymn of Praise
4. Hymn of the Cherubim
5. Hymn of the Cherubim
6. Our Father
7. Fervent Supplication
8. The Noble Joseph
9. Amen. And with Thy Spirit
10. Russian Monastic Vespers
11. Bless the Lord, O My Soul
12. Hymn of the Cherubim
13. Hymn of the Cherubim
14. Our Father
15. I Have Chosen The Blissful
16. Hymn of the Cherubim
17. Final Bells

Format: CD

Amazon.com's Best of 1998

Although this collection intends to transport the soul, it has a tremendously potent low-end depth to it that earns high marks indeed in the worlds of vocal and liturgical music. Dmitri Bortniansky's "Hymn of the Cherubim" is performed with a gracefulness that gets a warming fatness from the production, as does Alexander Gretchaninov's "I Have Chosen the Blissful," which travels with a ringing resonance. In a year of fine choral works--check out Sequentia's Hildegard cycle box, 900 Years or Arvo Pärt's Kanon Pokajanen for a "something old, something new" mix--this collection is highly valued for its sonic integrity and its excellent anthological mix. --Andrew Bartlett

Amazon.com

Words cannot describe poignantly enough the exquisite, angelic voices that permeate the heart and exalt the soul on Sacred Treasures. The most highly regarded Russian and Bulgarian choirs sing the hymns of Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, Lvovski, and other composers in the Russian Orthodox Church's tradition of "Divine Worship" (worship through chant). From the first tolling bells that open the CD with a willowy, floating piece from Rachmaninov's Liturgy of St. John, to the final bells closing the door on "Hymn of the Cherubim" (Grigory Lvovski), this CD creates a gentle, distinctly Byzantine glory. The rhythms slowly wisp along while the choirs' baritones, tenors, and sopranos mesh into one expansive blessing. Meant to comprehensively gather not all Russian liturgical pieces but rather hymns that emote an inner tranquility and celestial grace, Sacred Treasures plays like a piece of heaven on Earth. --Karen Karleski

Customer Reviews:

Inner beauty.......2007-02-07

The sense of beauty emerge within us as these chorals fill the space of our head and heart. A music written by real masters and interpreted by voices rarely heard. Beautiful.

Music for the soul.......2007-01-10

One of the best renditions of the Orthodox Liturgy most famous hymns.

Hauntingly beautiful.......2006-12-28

A terrific production...a wonderful selection; great phrasing. See also "Holy Love" by 'Rossica Choir'

Divine Beauty and Peace! .......2006-12-03

I am the producer of this CD and also of "SACRED TREASURES III: Choral Masterworks From Russia and Beyond" as well as "SACRED TREASURES IV: Quiet Prayers" and "CELTIC TWILIGHT 7: Sacred Spirit". In each case, my intention was to bring together the very best performances of exceptionally beautiful, slow and peaceful sacred music. Most of the pieces on this compilation (as on the other compilations mentioned above) are filled with lush harmonies sung by large mixed choirs. All the selections are deeply nourishing to the soul.

In many cases, I chose to use excerpts from longer pieces, omitting the exultant huge crescendos and very fast sections that are typical of Russian sacred music, presenting only the slow and quiet verses. One reviewer complained about the omission of the final (loud and fast) part of the Cherubic hymns, saying this is the best part, but I completely disagree! I feel that the slow "adagio" sections are by far the most beautiful parts, and that is what you will hear on these CDs.

Different types of music serve different needs, and in today's stressful and fast-paced world, one of the most important and often neglected needs is for time out from that world--to "lay aside all earthly cares" (as the "Cherubic Hymns" on this CD prescribe) and to rest in a magical, quiet space of slow, peaceful, beauty. That peaceful beauty is available to you on all of these albums, including this one, "SACRED TREASURES: Choral Masterworks from Russia"!

A Soviet version of Russian music.......2006-05-29

I admit to some strong bias here, having sung on the recording of Tchaikovsky's Liturgy available here from the Russian Chamber Chorus of New York. I was in that choir for five years, and our conductor's view of how to properly interpret Russian music became my own.

Because of Stalin's efforts to cleanse the country of the influence of religion, many musicians and composers were sent to Siberia. They were replaced with those from peasant backgrounds. The result was a huge change in how classical Russian music was performed, becoming less subtle, more interested in brute power and flash.

This recording features a massive and powerful choir. But the listener mostly hears a series of vowel sounds, with the consonants lost in the shuffle. Dynamic range is not as large as it could be. Phrasing is largely absent and we hear a steady wall of sound instead. Precision of rhythm is spotty, what consonants we do hear are frequently smeared. Pitch and richness of tone are good, but on high notes, inevitably given the size of the choir, some members strain.

Having performed and recorded Tchaikovsky's Liturgy I am very familiar with the piece. But listening to this recording of excerpts from it I sometimes barely recognized it as the same work. Tchaikovsky gives us great artistry, frequently crecendos and decrecendos on a single phrase. Each choral voice comes and goes like a wave, not all together like a tsunami in all but a few places. The balance of voices is constantly moving.

I encourage you to listen to the samples available here of the Russian Chamber Chorus's recording of Tchaikovsky's Liturgy, compare the same pieces. This recording is more a Vegas neon version of this great artwork than the fine art it deserves to be shown as. James Oestreich, the New York Times critic, put the Russian Chamber Chorus recording at #4 on his top ten list of classical releases for 2001, and said that if you had not heard it "You only think you know Tchaikovsky."

I hope you give the real Russian classical tradition a listen. It deserves your time, and it will pay you back with a huge amount of pleasure.

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

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