Colors of Love

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This compilation of modern-day madrigals, the latest in a fascinating series of discs from the San Francisco-based all-male vocal group Chanticleer, won the Grammy for Best Small Ensemble Performance of 1999. The selections range over a variety of styles and aesthetics, from the haunting, hypnotic sounds of Steven Stucky's Cradle Songs to the archaic, ethereal beauty and Eastern inflections of John Tavener's "Village Wedding." There are the soft (and somewhat affected) asperities of Bernard Rands' Canti d'Amor as well as the gentle, almost English pastoralism of Zhou Long's "Words of the Sun" (beautiful!) and the colorfully exotic Orientalism of Chen Yi's Tang Poems. Other examples of the wide range here are the self-conscious busywork of Augusta Read Thomas's Love Songs to the darkly lush, 12-part weave of Steven Sametz's "In Time Of," with its radiant climax and pulsating chordal sonorites like the tolling of bells. All of this Chanticleer sings with striking freshness and commitment, virtuosic to a fare-thee-well, always sensitive to the emotional cues of the texts. The recording, made at Skywalker Ranch in January of 1999, is vivid and warm, and so is much of the music. Truly a winning disc. --Ted Libbey

Tracks:

Feather Theme From Forest Gump
Main Theme From A River Runs Through It
Robert and Mary From Rob Roy
'We Meet Again' From Jerry McGuire
The Ludlows From Legends Of The Fall - Paul Patterson
'You Must Love Me' From Evita
Love Theme, 'Doe Eyes' From The Bridges Of Madison Couny
Colors Of The Wind From Pocahontas
'On Earth As It Is In Heaven' From The Mission
Suite: I. 'Whale Play'/II. 'Farewell And Freedom' From Free Willy
Love Theme From Forever Young
Love Theme From Cinema Paradiso
Main Theme From Rudy
Main Theme From Chaplin
End Credits From Grumpier Old Men
'Act Of Faith' From Bugsy
Main Theme From Schindler's List - Alexander Kerr
Reunion And Finale From Gettysburg

Customer Reviews:

Hooray for Hollywood.......2007-07-22

I bought this CD to go with an Academy Awards/Hollywood Walk-of-Fame theme party at work. It was the perfect accompaniment and mood setter.

It was February and a group of us decorated the lounge with black, gold, and silver tableclothes and balloon bouquets, and scattered around clap boards and faux film strip on the tables, along with movie trivia cards and black and gold wrapped mints. I made a walk-of-fame star for every employee and taped them on the walls around the room. We also laid down a red carpet from the entrance of the room to about the center with the decorated tables flanking both sides. We sat up the snack table with a sign that said, "Studio Commissary" and went with theme snacks like "James Bonbons with Halle Berry sauce," and "The Queen's scones." Each week we took a quarter of the walk-of-fame starts and posted them on the bulletin board for the staff to write peer compliments under. At the end of the week these stars were taken down and the next set of stars was posted.

This CD really set the mood for employees as they entered the lounge for the first time on that first day after it was decorated, and during the party at the end of the month. The month ended with an Academy Award party with an Oscar going to each employee for outstanding effort in whatever category (best dressed, best supporting staff member, most animated story teller, most pleasant entercom voice, most punctual, best sense of humor, most artistic, etc.), and they were given their stars with the peer compliments attached to the back. Everyone commented on how special they felt and how neat the theme was. Good morale booster.

This CD would also be perfect for the ambiance at your own Academy Awards party at home. Print out those ballots, cast your votes, pop some popcorn and pass around the Juji fruits, and let's watch the Oscars!

Kunzel does it yet again!.......2004-11-23

Kunzel & The Cincinnati Pops do a great job everytime, and this is no exception. I'm telling you, if you ever thought that purely intrumental/orchestral was unattractive, this will change your mind. Never a disappointment!

Movie Music.......2002-12-12

If you love that music from all those movies you've seen, then this is the CD you want! It is fantastic!! I want more!! I hope Erich Kunzel will come out with some music from older movies and maybe some TV programs. Listening to his music is better than watching the movie.

More than Beautiful!!.......2002-12-11

This is the absolute best CD they ever put together! And that is saying a lot as we are very picky about what music we like. This is the kind of music that makes you 'feel' deeply. It encourages you to dream big and love living! Forget the grooves, drums and bangs and listen to something incredibly beatiful! You won't be sorry for the money invested in this one bit of sanity in such a hectic world.

This is the one you should own.......2002-10-27

If you are looking for just one solid collection of memorable movie themes, this is it. Other CDs mix marches and fanfares with quieter tracks, which makes for a jarring listening experience at times. This CD, however, has a consistent feel all the way through. Melodic, calming, and, best of all, interesting. These movie tracks weren't selected simply for their sound, but also because they are GOOD. You get the best of the best: James Horner, Alan Silvestri, Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams, Ennio Morricone, and Randy Edelman.

Average customer rating:

Delightful Disney Music
Uncle Walt would be quite honored!
Fabulous CD
sleeping to Disney
this is a treasure

Heigh-Ho! Mozart

Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Wedding Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000000709
Release Date: 1995-06-16

Tracks:

Colors of the Wind in the Style Of - English Chamber Orchestra
Heigh-Ho! In the Style Of - Shanghai Quartet
Beauty and the Beast in the Style Of - English Chamber Orchestra
Second Star to the Right in the Style Of - Voices of Ascension
Under the Sea in the Style Of - Millar Brass Ensemble
I Wanna Be Like You in the Style Of - Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
Can You Feel the Love Tonight? - English Chamber Orchestra
With a Smile and a Song in the Style Of - Carol Rosenberger
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? [In the Style Of] [In the Style Of... - English Chamber Orchestra
Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes in the Style Of - English Chamber Orchestra
Main Street Electrical Parade [in the Style Of Mozart] [In the Style of - Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
Feed the Birds [In the Style Of...] - Shanghai Quartet
Little April Shower in the Style Of - Anthony Newman
Winnie the Pooh in the Style Of - Shanghai Quartet
Prince Ali in the Style Of - Millar Brass Ensemble
When You Wish upon a Star in the Style Of - English Chamber Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

Delightful Disney Music.......2007-03-28

These Disney tunes done in the style of classic composers are so much fun. Children and adults alike will enjoy these songs over and over.

Uncle Walt would be quite honored!.......2006-12-20

For many a baby boomer, Walt Disney meant animation. But, besides that, music played an important part in the telling of the story. So interested in music was the animator that he fashioned one of his greatest triumphs ("Fantasia") on the works of the great masters.

Well, Donald Frasier and a bevy of musicians have compiled a wonderful collection of interpretations of familiar Disney tunes, many from Walt's time, along with a few latter day compositions.

Every selection is a winner, destined to make the listener reflect and recall the films from which they came. And if one is familiar with composer whose musical style is "copied" here, the album is a treasure.

Fabulous CD.......2006-10-04

Being a classical music connoisseur, I often listen to my local public classical radio station to hear the works of the great composers of old and of today. One day the station played "Colors of the Wind" and announced it was from this CD. I fell in love with it. I am a huge Disney fan who has over 350 Disney songs on my iPod. Pretty much the only music I listen to is either classical or Disney. And having them combined makes this CD euphoria for the ears.

Each song is in the style of a different classical composer, and usually in the style of one of their more specific songs. One with a trained ear will hear chords and melodies in almost perfect similitude of the original.

I can listen to this CD over and over and never get bored. How could you be bored when you're hearing all of your favorite old Disney songs in a new exciting way?

sleeping to Disney.......2006-07-30

I am really pleased that there is a classical music cd that has only Disney classics so that I can play them for my infant daughter while she sleeps. We are big Disney fans and it's fun to play these instead of the regular classical music. They sound just like the original songs. I would have given 5 stars but I wish they would have had all instrumental music, one of the songs has a choir singing, but it still sound good.

this is a treasure.......2003-05-11

Disney music is always uplifting. Classical music is beautiful. Combine the two - and you get THIS! "Colors of the Wind" is glorious, followed by the enchanting title track. "Beauty and the Beast" is true to the romance of the original. "The Second Star to the Right" is magical. Everything is awesome - and flawless. I initially bought this because I love The Main Street Electrical Parade music, and that is definiely a highlight here - but so are ALL the other songs! This is GOOD STUFF! It is so excellent that it can be a very beneficial introduction to classical music - for kids AND adults.

Heigh-Ho! Mozart: Favorite Disney Tunes In The Style Of Great Classical Composers

Average customer rating:

Just amazing
A Disney Classic!

Heigh-Ho! Mozart: Favorite Disney Tunes In The Style Of Great Classical Composers
Eugenia Zukerman , Shanghai Quartet , Los Angeles Guitar Quartet , Anthony Newman , Paul Barritt , and Voices Of Ascension
Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Children's Music | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music
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Disney Spectacular

ASIN: B0000006UX
Release Date: 1995-06-16

Tracks:

Colors Of The Wind, from Pocahontas, in the style of Anton Dvorak
Heigh-Ho! from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, in the style of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Beauty and the Beast, in the style of Sergei Rachmaninoff
The Second Star from the Right, from Peter Pan, in the style of Thomas Tallis
Under the Sea, from The Little Mermaid, in the style of Scott Joplin
I Wanna Be Like You, from Jungle Book, in the style of Heitor Villa-Lobos
Can You Feel The Love Tonight, from The Lion King, in the style of Piotr Ilyitch Tchaikowsky
With a Smile and a Song, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, in the style of Frederic Chopin
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf, from The Three Little Pigs, in the style of Johann Strauss
A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes, from Cinderella, in the style of Edvard Greig
Main Street Electrical Parade, in the style of Antonio Vivaldi
Feed the Birds (Tuppence a Bag), from Mary Poppins, in the style of Johannes Brahms
Little April Shower, from Bambi, in the style of George Frederick Handel
Winnie The Pooh, in the style of Sergei Prokofiev
Prince Ali, from Aladdin, in the style of Bela Bartok
When You Wish Upon a Star, from Pinocchio, in the style of Richard Strauss

Customer Reviews:

Just amazing.......2001-08-08

This album I got at Disneyland Paris. I saw it and just knew that I had to have it. It's classic disney tunes in the style of the great composers. And it really do remind of them. As a lover of classic music and disney music, this couldn't be a better album.

A Disney Classic!.......2000-03-09

This cd is a great introduction for little ones into the world of classical music. My children ages 6 and 4 have "worn out" their first copy of this lively cd. If you enjoy disney music, this is a must for your children's music library.

Average customer rating:

It's lovely - But not newly recorded!
Yet another compilation
how precious!
Disappointing Duplication
If you like this sorta thing

Song of America
Charles Tomlinson Griffes , Erich Wolfgang Korngold , Charles Naginski , Ned Rorem , American Traditional , Elinor Remick Warren , Kurt Weill , Haydn Wood , Michael Parloff , Jay Ungar , Armen Guzelimian , Craig Rutenberg , David Alpher , Evan Stover , Garrison Keillor , and Mark Rust
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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

The Very Best of Thomas Hampson
Christmas with Thomas Hampson
Long Time Ago - Copland / Dawn Upshaw & Thomas Hampson
American Dreamer: Songs of Stephen Foster; Thomas Hampson; Jay Unger; Molly Mason
Leading Man

ASIN: B000BGR0TW
Release Date: 2005-11-08

Tracks:

As Adam Early In The Morning
Ah! May The Red Rose Live Alway (1850)
Shenandoah (Traditional)
Beautiful Dreamer (1864)
Danny Deever
Roses Of Picardy
Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair (1854)
Hard Times Come Again No More (1854)
Molly, Do You Love Me? (1850)
An Old Song Resung
Tomorrow (When You Are Gone)
The Erie Canal (Traditional)
We Two
The Nightingale (Traditional)
Comrades, Fill No Glass For Me (1855)
Luke Havergal
To What You Said
Look Down Fair Moon
Dirge For Two Veterans
Ethiopia Saluting The Colors

Amazon.com

Thomas Hampson is a persuasive advocate for these treasures from the Library of Congress' vast collections, so this CD's generous sampling leaves you wanting more. It covers the American songbook in all its variety, from traditional "folk" items like Shenandoah to Stephen Foster to the immigrants Erich Korngold and Kurt Weill to Leonard Bernstein and contemporary composers. Hampson adjusts his flexible, light baritone to fit each song. The voice is full and resonant on Danny Deever, simple and direct in 19th-century traditional songs and ballads, and nuanced in songs like Ned Rorem's "As Adam Early in the Morning," one of several on the disc with texts by Walt Whitman. A standout is the last song in this recital, one that leaves you with thoughts about music, history, and our nation's continuing issues, "Ethiopia Saluting the Colors," by Henry Burleigh. Most of the selections are performed with piano accompaniment, but several are with a small ensemble of traditional instruments. A word of caution: everything was recorded in the 1990s and presumably was available piecemeal on previous releases, although few are likely to have more than a handful of these 20 gems. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

It's lovely - But not newly recorded!.......2006-10-04

I don't think this recording deserves One Star ratings or that the artist deserves such crude bashing. And re: Hampson's eye-colour.... Uh, these aren't lenses? He has blue eyes. I met him many times and...indeed, they are dark blue.

Anyhow, this is what Hampson is focusing on right now, American song. While those aren't exactly my thing I have to say that he sings them beautifully. I wish he'd stick to that rather than heavy Verdi and Wagner which his voice isn't right for.

Yet another compilation.......2006-06-13

I am a huge Tom fan. I go to his concerts and buy all of his CDs. I must say that I have been disappointed by this CD because it's entirely made of old recordings. There's a new photo on the cover, but that's all that is new here. So if you've bought your share of Tom CDs over the years, you want to check out the track info before you guy this one.

Now, Tom has been on tour and I STRONGLY recommend that you go see him next year when he comes through your city.

The other thing really annoying is that on the CD where you'd expect information about the music or the recording co., you instead get a large warning label from the FBI on pirating.

how precious!.......2006-05-08

Thomas Hampson swoons and croons to monotonous effect throughout this tired collection; again displaying his ego and faux scholarship in ample measure. Oi-vay, what a disaster! And what is with the blue contact lenses in the Jacket phot? Hampson's eyes are brown. What an unbelievably vain Diva!

Disappointing Duplication.......2006-01-17

I have not even heard the album, and I will not. Although I revere Mr. H. in just about everything he does, especially in song and Lieder, I am very disappointed that so many of these songs appear on other cds of which I already have about 19 of him. I think he and the producers should have chosen totally NEW material for this instead of drawing on his past achievements. I have no reservations about his performances, for I have seen him at the Met in opera and at Carnegie Hall in Mahler. I value them and all of his past cd productions.

If you like this sorta thing.......2006-01-17

Here Mr. Hampson is in his element. Unlike his less than viable attempts at Opera, Mr. Hampson is a thorough and intelligent singer of songs. His affectations, so fully inappropriate in bigger operatic literature, work well with the intimate nature of these sweet and personal songs. If you are Hampson fan, this album will thrill you.

Average customer rating:

Awesome
Disney Always Rocks
Awesome collection!
For adult listeners, the Disney songs sung by "real" singers
Good CD

Disney's Superstar Hits
Disney
Manufacturer: Disney
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000060P4B
Release Date: 2002-03-05

Tracks:

Beauty And The Beast - Celine Dion And Peabo Bryson
You'll Be In My Hear - Phil Collins
Circle Of Life - Elton John
Reflection - Christina Aguilera
My Funny Friend & Me - Sting
Colors Of The Wind - Vanessa Williams
True To Your Heart - 98 Degrees And Stevie Wonder
Strangers Like Me - Phil Collins
He Lives In You - Tina Turner
When She Loved Me - Sarah McLachlan
You've Got A Friend In Me - Randy Newman & Lyle Lovett
Once Upon A Time In New York City - Huey Lewis
A Whole New World - Peabo Bryson And Regina Belle
I'm Gonna Love You [Madellaine's Love Song] - Jennifer Love Hewitt
Put It Together[Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo] - Brooke Allison
Hakuna Metata - Jimmy Cliff And Lebo M

Customer Reviews:

Awesome.......2006-04-04

I loved the music on this cd. Thank you so much. My brother and I listen to it all the time.

Disney Always Rocks.......2005-09-29

Yeah looks like it's a great get, if you haven't already got every CD by disney. Didn't know the song You'll be In my Hear was a Tarzan track. Must be a spin off to You'll be in My Heart. Its all good.

Awesome collection!.......2003-10-19

I have to say, that with a 5 year old who is obsessed with the movies that these songs go with, it has made the perfect gift! She spends hours listening to this CD while doing more productive activities than sitting in front of a TV watching the movie. The songs are special to her because of the movies, and she actually does her schoolwork well with these fun songs playing. As a music lover and a Disney lover, we both agree at 5 and 30 that this is a hit.

For adult listeners, the Disney songs sung by "real" singers.......2003-07-22

Trivia Challenge: Included in the 16 tracks on "Disney's Superstar Hits" is the only song from a Disney film to hit #1 on the Billboard Pop Charts. See if you can remember which one it is before I give the answer away at the end. No peaking ahead.

The songs collected on "Disney's Superstar Hits" are mostly from the 1990s; there is "Once Upon a Time in New York City" from way back in 1988 from "Oliver and Company" and a few songs from the 21st century. But the only golden oldie is "Put It Together (Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo)," which comes from "Cinderella II" and not the original. The obvious frame of reference would be to see this collection as representing the Disney Renaissance ushered in by the Alan Menken/Howrad Ashman era, which makes it strange that nothing from "Little Mermaid" is included. But the common denominator to this collection is that the songs are not sung by the characters from these films, or, more properly, the people who did the voices for the characters. So instead of Angela Landsbury doing "Beauty and the Beast" it is Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson.

There are several songs from the less than stellar direct to video Disney sequels, such as "The Hunchback of Notre Dame II," "The Lion King II: Return to Pride Rock," "and "Cinderella II," which would be a minor complaint. But Tina Turner sings one of the songs, so it is hard to complain. In fact, the strength of this collection is indeed the superstar singers. Most of them are blasts from the past such as Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Phil Collins, Sting, Huey Lewis, and Randy Newsman, but there is also new blood such as Christina Aguilera, Sarah McLachlan, Vanessa Williams, and even Jennifer Love Hewitt. Peabo Bryson comes out ahead, with the aforementioned "Beauty and the Beast" and another duet, "A Whole New World" with Regina Belle.

This disc is perfect for grown ups, who like the "real" singers singing the best songs from the Disney movies their kids have been dragging them to for the past decade. Vanessa William's "Colors of the Wind" is my personal favorite, although it is hard not to recall the fantastic opening of "The Lion King" when you hear Elton John do "Circle of Life." On the fun side of the ledger I like Randy Newman and Lyle Lovett working their collective ways through "You've Got a Friend in Me" a bit more than Jimmy Cliff and Lebo M's "Hakuna Matata."

Trivia Answer: "A Whole New World" was #1 on the Billboard Pop Chart for one week starting on March 6, 1993. It is the song that replaced Whitney Houston's cover of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" after 14 weeks on top.

Good CD.......2002-12-29

This is a great CD, but I was kind of disappointed that there weren't more tracks on it. Other than that, you and your kids will be singing along in the car for sure.

Magical Musicals / Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

Average customer rating:

Not impressed
Inexorable wonder!

Magical Musicals / Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Ragtime at the Magical Kingdoms
The Magical Music of Disney

ASIN: B00001QGKF
Release Date: 1999-09-28

Tracks:

Hercules: Introduction
Hercules: The Gospel Truth
Hercules: One Last Hope
Hercules: I Won't Say
Hercules: Zero To Hero
Hercules: A Star Is Born
Hercules: Go The Distance
Aladdin And the King Of Thieves: Party In Agrabah
Pocahontas: Just Around The River Bend
The Return Of Jafar: You're Only Second Rate
The Return Of Jafar: Forget About Love
The Return Of Jafar: I'm Looking Out For Me
The Return Of Jafar: Nothing In The World
Toy Story: You've Got A Friend In Me
101 Dalmations: Cruella De Vil
Pocahontas: Colors Of The Wind
Oliver And Company: Once Upon A Time In New York City
Oliver And Company: Why Should I Worry?
The Nightmare Before Christmas: What's This?
James And The Giant Peach: Good News
Mulan: Orchestral Suite
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame: The Bells Of Notre Dame
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame: Someday
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame: God Help The Outcasts
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame: Topsy Turvy
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame: Court Of Miracles
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame: A Guy Like You
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame: Heaven's Light

Customer Reviews:

Not impressed.......2003-11-25

I was not terribly impressed with this CD. Fortunately, I decided to get it from the library to see if it was good before deciding whether or not to buy it.

Although the orchestration of the songs is well done, most of them simply were not meant to be performed by a chorus; and they sound terrible in that form. If you want some of the songs on this CD, I suggest you look at one of Disney's compilation CDs in the Classic Disney Vol. 1-5 series or the actual soundtracks of the movies.

Inexorable wonder!.......2001-06-23

Where to start?! Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra have had a track record for recording some of the most stupendous movie music ever. Magical Musicals is just another example of how audaciously bold, yet beautiful Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops have taken the original scores, molded them into the same pieces, yet at the same time, creating life of their own in each and every note. If you are looking for ANY soundtrack containing Disney music, this should be the first CD you listen to. There are others out there, and yes, they may sound beautiful and enchanting, but you won't find such a unique and compelling score anywhere else other than this CD. Check it out!!

Average customer rating:

Transcendent Vocalism
Beautifully delivered as always, but not my material.
Lives up to their reputation
One of the best I've picked up in ages
Fantastic recording of contemporary choral works

Colors of Love
Steven Stucky , John Tavener , Bernard Rands , Long Zhou , Chen Yi , Augusta Read Thomas , Steven Sametz , Marianne Kach , and Chanticleer
Manufacturer: Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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Wondrous Love: A World Folk Song Collection

ASIN: B00000IWR3
Release Date: 1999-05-18

Tracks:

Cradle Songs: Rouxinol do pico preto (Brazil)
Cradle Songs: Lilajze, Jezuniu (Poland)
Cradle Songs: Buy Baby Ribbon (Tobago)
Village Wedding
Canti d'Amor: 'Winds of May, that dance on the sea'
Canti d'Amor: 'O cool is the valley'
Canti d'Amor: 'This heart that flutters near my heart'
Canti d'Amor: 'Silently she's combing her long hair'
Canti d'Amor: 'Gentle lady, do not sing sad songs'
Canti d'Amor: 'Sleep now, O you unquiet heart'
Canti d'Amor: 'All day I hear the noise of waters'
Words of the Sun
Tang Poems: Written on a Rainy Night
Tang Poems: Wild Grass
The Rub of Love
in time of
Love Songs: 'Look out upon the stars, my love'
Love Songs: 'Love is a beautiful dream'
Love Songs: 'Alas, the love of women!'
Love Songs: 'For stony limits cannot hold love out'
Love Songs: 'All mankind love a lover'

Amazon.com

This compilation of modern-day madrigals, the latest in a fascinating series of discs from the San Francisco-based all-male vocal group Chanticleer, won the Grammy for Best Small Ensemble Performance of 1999. The selections range over a variety of styles and aesthetics, from the haunting, hypnotic sounds of Steven Stucky's Cradle Songs to the archaic, ethereal beauty and Eastern inflections of John Tavener's "Village Wedding." There are the soft (and somewhat affected) asperities of Bernard Rands' Canti d'Amor as well as the gentle, almost English pastoralism of Zhou Long's "Words of the Sun" (beautiful!) and the colorfully exotic Orientalism of Chen Yi's Tang Poems. Other examples of the wide range here are the self-conscious busywork of Augusta Read Thomas's Love Songs to the darkly lush, 12-part weave of Steven Sametz's "In Time Of," with its radiant climax and pulsating chordal sonorites like the tolling of bells. All of this Chanticleer sings with striking freshness and commitment, virtuosic to a fare-thee-well, always sensitive to the emotional cues of the texts. The recording, made at Skywalker Ranch in January of 1999, is vivid and warm, and so is much of the music. Truly a winning disc. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Transcendent Vocalism.......2005-01-31

This compilation is essential listening, especially (but not exclusively) for those already introduced to the marvels of Chanticleer. It features a wide variety of contemporary madrigals all dedicated to the theme of love. Gorgeous polyphony, entrancing dissonance; the music is very difficult, but Chanticleer's vocalism is exemplary, as always. The whole feel of the album takes some getting used to for the uninitiated. After a few listenings, though, one can fully perceive its unique and sublime beauty.

Highlights abound. The first three tracks, all lullabies by Steven Stucky, are brilliantly executed, but it is track four, Village Wedding by John Taverner, that first knocked my socks off. It seems to represent the absolutely ideal match between composer and performer, between written and sung text. It consists of a wonderful poem by Greek poet Angelos Sikelianos, with a recurring excerpt from the Eastern Orthodox wedding ceremony interspersed throughout. Taverner is himself a member of the Eastern Orthodox church, and the song is as much a spiritual experience as a musical one.

Another fantastic piece is Words of the Sun, by Chinese composer Zhou Long. It is probably the most accessible song on the CD, with numerous lovely subtleties and nuances that can be fully appreciated after multiple exposures.

Lastly, I'd like to express my sincere conviction that In Time Of (by Steven Sametz, set to a poem by E.E. Cummings) is the single most gorgeous piece of music I have ever had the great fortune to hear. The sonority is perfectly balanced, each arching phrase better than the one before. Please, for the sake of pure unadulterated beauty, purchase this CD. You will not regret it.

Beautifully delivered as always, but not my material........2002-07-30

I came to this album as a fan of Chanticleer more than of contemporary art music, though I like to think I do have a certain ear for the stuff. I haven't been educated in it, but I've sung some in my time in choruses, and I learned to appreciate those pieces the way that I learned to appreciate the more classical stuff as a child--by feeling it and hearing it come out of my own body, the ways that it worked, what was exciting, ect. That said, there is a point where I don't get it, and I reached that point all over this album. I thought I'd pass it on because it is hard for most of us to pick this kind of music off the shelf--there will be pieces that skewer us and some that make us fidget. For my part, I am grateful to have the album for the sake of three (long) songs. The Tavner Wedding song itself is probably worth it. But the album will never be put on leisurely.

Lives up to their reputation.......2001-03-07

Just recently had the opportunity to hear Chanticleer in concert...this CD certainly gives a cross section of their range...especially liked the "Tang Poems" and "Words of the Sun", which they performed live...very esoteric mix of musical styles...well worth the purchase for Chanticleer lovers!

One of the best I've picked up in ages.......2000-11-25

First of all let me state that the 4 stars isn't for the performance...which is truly outstanding...it is for a few pieces that are a tad sub-par. I also want to mention that its not that the pieces are modern either, I happen to be extremely sympathetic to modern music.

I usually don't like to do reviews this way, but I'm going to make a few comments piece by piece:

1) CRADLE SONGS - The first two of this trio of lullabies are great...the ones from Brazil & Poland are hauntingly beautiful...I'm not so crazy about the one from Tobago. A fairly strong piece, its certainly interesting.

2) VILLAGE WEDDING - This is one of the best three pieces on the album, and probably the best. Hearing John Tavener's work next to his contemporaries is an easy indicator of why he is considered one of this century's greatest and certainly one of the greatest living composers. Simultaneously it is joyous, austere, reverent & spiritual. Simply beautiful & amazing.

3) CANTI D'AMOUR - This is an up & down work. I'm not sure what the composer had in mind, but I find the first part to be amusing. It reminds me of barbershop quartet. It has more somber moments too that are quite moving. Overall though, its okay.

4) WORDS OF THE SUN - After the Tavener piece, this is my favorite one. I would like to hear some of Zhou Long's other works. It is a very subtle piece. Very Chinese too, yet simultaneously western. This is one of my favorite pieces by eastern composers of western music. Lyrically, it is amazing. Its borrowed from a 20th century Chinese poem that is gorgeous in English, I'm sure its even more so in Chinese. Musically, it is very stirring.

5) TANG POEMS - This piece too is written by a Chinese composer (Chen Yi) and it is distinctly Chinese. I am intrigued at some of the techniques used by the composer. I am really pleased with the piece, although I'm sure some find it a little "too eastern." It is extremely pretty if one is accustomed to eastern melodies. The 2nd part is a bit sharper and probably less accessible than the first part.

6) THE RUB OF LOVE - One of the duller pieces on the album.

7) IN TIME OF - Sublime. The opening few bars are unearthly. Definately one of the three best pieces. They definately need to keep this one in their concert repetoire (along with the Tavener and the two pieces by Chinese composers.) This is one of those works you have to hear to believe.

8) LOVE SONGS - This is a quirky collection of tunes by Augusta Read Thomas. It runs the gamut of serious to extremely silly. There are some strong points here, but some of it is too silly to stand the test of time ("Alas, The Love of Women"). Eventhough it is extremely unconventional, the part entitled "For Stony Limits Cannot Hold Love Out" is powerful. It is piercing & strange, but it really works with the text.

There are times when I love everything on this CD, and times when some of it gets on my nerves. It is, however, never boring and the performances are superb. I highly congratulate Chanticleer for not sitting on their laurels. This is adventursome stuff and it works 90% of the time, which is more than I can say for 99% of the ensembles out there.

I highly recommend this disc for "Village Wedding," "Words of the Sun," "In Time of," and "Tang Poems."

Pick it up, be adventuresome. Enjoy.

Fantastic recording of contemporary choral works.......2000-09-21

Chanticleer is one of the USA's finest choral ensembles, and they have picked a marvelous and diverse program for this recording -- with something that would appeal to absolutely everybody. The inclusion of two "husband-wife" pairs in the choice of music also makes for a special connection to the theme of the disc. Of special note to this reviewer are the "delicious" sonorities of Bernard Rands's "Canti d'Amor" and Augusta Read Thomas's "Love Songs" -- Chanticleer is a group who is able to pull off this difficult music beautifully. This recording was absolutely deserving of the Grammy that is received -- one of the finest discs of modern choral music in the past few years.

To the Soul: Thomas Hampson Sings the Poetry of Walt Whitman

Average customer rating:

A labor of love, but the songs aren't first rate
Couldn't find another place to ask, thus this line.

To the Soul: Thomas Hampson Sings the Poetry of Walt Whitman

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

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Long Time Ago - Copland / Dawn Upshaw & Thomas Hampson
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ASIN: B000002RTY
Release Date: 1997-04-15

Tracks:

One's Self I Sing
As Adam Early In The Morning
The Last Invocation
To The Soul
A Clear Midnight
Joy, Shipmate, Joy!
The Mystic Trumpeter
Prayer Of Columbus
One Thought Ever At The Fore
As I Watch'd The Ploughman Ploughing
Sing On There In The Swamp
Look Down Fair Moon
Memories Of Lincoln
Look Down Fair Moon
Ethiopia Saluting The Colors
Dirge For Two Veterans
I Hear It Was Charged Against Me
Walt Whitman
Behold This Swarthy Face
We Two
Among The Multitude
Sometimes With One I Love
We Two Boys Together Clinging
That Shadow, My Likeness
To What You Said
Song Of Myself

Amazon.com

This dashing and intelligent tribute to Walt Whitman's poetry as art song puts commitment to artistry at center stage. With uncommon sensitivity and magnificent voice, Thomas Hampson lovingly interprets 22 songs by various composers, successfully capturing the emotional range of the American bard's verse by delicately caressing the poetry and, alternately, igniting its every nuance. These song settings enhance the innate music in Whitman's poems, giving them passionate expression in another dimension. Craig Rutenberg's stellar accompaniment is a lesson in effective collaboration. Hampson's interspersing of four poetry readings is below this recording's interpretive caliber, but it's a nice touch. Non-Whitman-heads may find the entire recording a bore, though. - -Barbara Eisner Bayer

Customer Reviews:

A labor of love, but the songs aren't first rate.......2006-12-31

As a concept album, Hampson's 1997 tribute to Walt Whitman earned critical praise for its sensitivity and musicality. There's no doubt that the singer is in rare form here--it would be hard to imagine any of this repertoire better sung. He isn't a good reciter of poetry in the four spoken tracks. The major drawback, however, is that none of these songs are close to being masterpieces, and quite a few are decidedly minor. The avid listener can cncentrate on the poetry instead of the music, I suppose--Hampson's enunciation is crystal clear--but after six or seven items couched in the same rather timid Anglo-American art song form, this lavor of love becomes rather taxing as a listening experience. Taken a few at a time, however, these are intriguing choices that combine into a unqiue recital.

Couldn't find another place to ask, thus this line........1999-02-03

Am looking for the bugle calls commonly used when raising the flag and lowering it. Specifically, I am looking for "To the Colors" and "Retreat" in bugle calls. Do you have it?

Tracks:

Higure (Sunset)
Gaku (Joy) I
Gaku (Joy) II
Gaku (Joy) III
Five Sketches in Autumn Colors~Inidgo Jewel
Five Sketches in Autumn Colors~Pale Green
Five Sketches in Autumn Colors~Crimson Clouds
Fives Sketches in Autumn Colors~Azure
Five Sketches in Autumn Colors~Amber
Little Overture
Lullaby for My Doll
Letter from a Stranger's Childhood
Ai no Uta (Song of Love)
Jipushi no Uta (Song of the Gypsy)
Mizu (Water) - From Chiisana Haru (Touch of Spring)
Yume (Dreams) - From Chiisana Haru (Touch of Spring)
Hana (Flowers) - From Chiisana Haru (Touch of Spring)

Product Description

Lyrical works by for the Japanese harp-like instrument, the koto, performed by an award-winning musician with "a feather-like touch." This CD features works by much-loved contemporary Japanese composers Sawai Tadao, Miki Minoru, Nagasawa Katsutoshi, and Yuize Shin'ichi. It also includes a work written for bass koto by Robin Williamson, and a work by Elizabeth Falconer. "I simply selected my all-time favorite pieces," says Falconer, who began playing koto in 1979 and studied under Sawai during her 12 years in Japan. "These pieces speak to me - they are very melodic and artful, with a sense of tradition about them that reaches out to us through the ages." This is a re-release of the 1997 Music and Arts recording.

Customer Reviews:

Elizabeth Falconer..........2005-12-13

This is my first CD featuring the Koto. Not knowing what to expect, I took a chance, and, I must say, I am quite pleased with the disc. Ms. Falconer possesses a great talent for the instrument. I dare say that she makes it talk and tell stories (very well I might add). She flavors her music with Middle Eastern as well as Asian influences. I play this music at home and at work, it's very relaxing and it blends in with my day without being a distraction! I recommend it - get a copy at a good price and enjoy it!
Four stars!!

Average customer rating:

The Real Thing
Fantastic Collection of Favorites!!!

The Mantovani Orchestra

Manufacturer: St. Clair Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
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The Best Ever Mantovani Collection
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Janine Jansen: Concertos & Romance
Whipped Cream & Other Delights (40th Anniversary Edition)

ASIN: B00005YC5F
Release Date: 2000-04-18

Customer Reviews:

The Real Thing.......2007-01-27

I'm a HUGE Mantovani fan and have had mixed results trying to upgrade my collection to CDs. This collection is the original orchestra arrangements of all the classics. This is the one to buy.

Fantastic Collection of Favorites!!!.......2003-07-02

The Mantovanti Orchestra shows off their "marvelous versatility" in this "wonderful" collection of "8 CDs", with titles that tell you "just what to expect", such as: "The Love Songs", "Memorable Classics", "Itallian Favorites", "On Broadway", etc. You can set the MOOD for practically ANY occassion! There are even some "popular" selections that we all know and treasure like: "Moon River", "Over the Rainbow" and "Autum Leaves"!
You will NOT want to remove these GREAT CDs from your CD Player, once you have listened to them! They make "nice" background music for small get-togethers or "lovely" background music for those "ROMANTIC DINNERS", for you and your "SPECIAL SOMEONE"!!! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS SET!!! It is a GREAT DEAL for the money, even at the full price!!!

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

Music Review

Live in Paris [Live]

actoractressgallery.com Music: Amir Tebenikhin: Piano Recital

I Grandi Concerti

Discozone [Enhanced] [Import]

I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker [CD-single] [Enhanced] [Import]

Late Nite

Live Tour 2000 [Import]

Live at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London [Live] [Import]

June 28, 2002 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: On the Road [Live]

Kancheli: Lament / Kremer

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Entre Loquera

Adolph Busch, Busch Quartet, at the 1949 Strasburg Festival: Brahms & Mendelssohn

State of Grace