Benediction

Track Listings

1. Benediction

2. Silence In The Day

3. O Father, Loyal & True

4. In God Alone

5. The Summer He Brings

6. If Stones Spoke

7. Bless The Lord

8. Convergence

9. Trees Walking

10. Jesus Remember Me

11. Sacrament

12. Jesus Keep My Heart

13. Benediction (Reprise)

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
Benediction continues the rich collaboration between Jeff Johnson and Brian Dunning which includes Byzantium - The Book Of Kells & St.Both Dunning and Fitzpatrick are also members of the Celtic group, Nightnoise. Adding to the "west meets east" flavor of this unique project is Slovakian cellist extrodinaire, Jozef Lupták, who has recently released his country’s first recording of the Bach Suites (Porta libri) for solo cello.

Album Description
An ancient-future journey of sacred music, Benediction is an inspiring collaboration between American keyboardist and vocalist, Jeff Johnson, with Irish musicians, Brian Dunning (flute, whistles) and John Fitzpatrick (violin), and Slovakian cellist, Jozef Lupták takes the listener along a path of prayer and worship via an eclectic blend of original compositions, Taizé choruses and instrumental arrangements based on ancient Celtic melodies.

Tracks:

Benediction and Dream
The Floating Bed
El Conejo
Paloma Negra
Self-Portrait with Hair Down
Alcoba Azul
Carabina 30/30
Solo Tu
El Gusto
The Journey
El Antifaz
The Suicide of Dorothy Hale
La Cavalera
La Bruja
Portrait of Lude
La Llorona
Estrella Oscura
Still Life
Viva La Vida
The Departure
Coyoacan and Variations
La Llorona
Burning Bed
Burn It Blue

Amazon.com

She was famous as both artist and model, infamous as political revolutionary and social libertine, and Frida Kahlo's controversial life couldn't help but seem the stuff of great musical theater. Her story is brought to the screen by director Julie Taymor, whose musical compatriot here is also her husband; Elliot Goldenthal, student of both Copland and Corigliani, shrewdly sublimates his modernism in service of the rich, evocative music and songs of Mexico and Central America. Utilizing performers that range from the contemporary (Lila Downs) to the folk-classic (Costa Rican legend Chavela Vargas; Brazilian star Caetano Veloso) and traditional (Los Cojolites, El Poder Del Norte, Trio Huasteca, Caimanes de Tanquin, and others), Goldenthal generously displays the true breadth of Mexican folk music, while seamlessly infusing it with the minimalist corners of his own underscore and some winning songwriting of his own. The result is one of 2002's most compelling soundtracks. The enhanced CD features include musical film excerpts, as well as a video conversation between Goldenthal and star Salma Hayek and text interviews with the composer and director Taymor. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

It's good.......2007-07-22

But I don't think it's all it's hyped up to be on the other reviews, but, I do like it to the point of keeping it. It's the perfect 4star rating.

Revolutionary times.......2007-05-14

I absolutely love this soundtrack! Everytime I listen to it, I feel as though I am in Mexico during the revolution and Frida's life. Everyone should choose their own life soundtrack and this one allows us to see into Frida's life more clearly.

Black Dove.......2007-05-13

Fell into the movie trying to avoid study and hang out with a jilted housemate. If I'm honest, Salma Hayek was the main draw. Wafer thin.
However, I was enraptured by the story of Frida and the amazing performance (no wonder she was oscar nominated).
I bought the soundtrack the next morning. It really got to me.This is a great soundtrack and, yes, it does help if you have seen the movie but not necessary. I loved the latin passion (highs and lows). Chervala Vargas as Elliot Goldenthal describes in the slieve was once Frida's lover. I loved her Paloma Negra. So powerful.
There is something for everyone in this long soundtrack.
Do as i have: watch the movie and buy the soundtrack. Worth the time and money.

makes me want to dance .......2007-05-07

I really enjoyed the CD, the musical selection is great and it seems very authentic.

Enjoy!.......2006-12-30

I purchased this CD after seeing the movie. The music is enjoyable to listen to and passionate as I would think Frida was. I purchased this CD a second time to give to a female Hispanic artist who identifies with the trials and tribulations of Frida. This artist now paints while listening to this CD. Her artwork not only has improved but has become popular. I defiantly recommend its purchase.

Average customer rating:

A Listening Treat
Be Thoy My Vision CD
Really good, but don't listen to it all at once.
A must for choral music fans
An outstanding collection of Rutter's hymns

Be Thou My Vision

Manufacturer: Collegium
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The John Rutter Christmas Album
John Rutter Collection
Requiem & Magnificat/Rutter, Cambridge Singers
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Gloria: The Sacred Music of John Rutter

ASIN: B00030ES2S
Release Date: 2004-10-01

Tracks:

Be Thous My Vision
Open thou mine eyes
I will sing with the spirit
A gaelic Blessing
Wings of the morning
O be Joyful in the Lord
All things bright and beautiful
I will lift up mine eyes
As the bride groom to his chosen
A prayer of Saint Patrick
Loving Shepherd of thy sheep
Look at the world
O clap your hands
The Lord is my light and my salvation
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace
I believe in springtime
God be in my head
A Clare Benediction
For thy beauty of the earth
Thy perfect love
The Lord bless you and keep you

Customer Reviews:

A Listening Treat .......2007-03-08

What a delight to listen to this collection of pure Rutter ! The melodic sounds of the Cambridge Singers bring me such pleasure The sheer joyfulness of this music is to me a religious experience of such depth It is superb and will lift ones spirits instantly. highly recommended to all lovers of the English contemporary choral sound and scene,____ not to be missed

Be Thoy My Vision CD.......2007-02-19

My husband sang many of these John Rutter compositions with his church choir, and this CD is perfect since the choir is directed by Rutter, singing his own music. If you love religious music, this will bring tears to your eyes, the choir is "that" perfect.

Really good, but don't listen to it all at once........2007-01-07

I really liked this CD. It really showcases Rutter's knack for religious choral music. Perhaps it helps that I have sung some of his stuff with various groups. However, as with any similar compiliation, the composer's sameness of style and motif becomes apparent. This repetition can become boring on the third or fourth listening. On the other hand, this makes a great reference tool for any choral director or performer. Buy it, however, it's worth it, but don't listen to it all at once.

A must for choral music fans.......2006-09-19

Simply fabulous, 10/10. These are all Rutter-composed pieces, directed by Rutter himself. If you have any interest in religious choral music at all, you must get this album! One of the highlights of my musical life was attending a concert of a University of Maryland choir in which my mom sang, that featured Rutter as a guest conductor. Listening to this album is almost as good! ;-) There are too many good pieces to start naming all of my favorites, but these are some of the best known ones: "Open Thou Mine Eyes", "A Gaelic Blessing", "All Things Bright and Beautiful", "As the Bridegroom to His Chosen", "For the Beauty of the Earth", and "The Lord Bless You and Keep You".

An outstanding collection of Rutter's hymns.......2005-11-22

I sought a recording of Rutter's beautiful hymn, "Wings of the Morning", after we sang this lovely tune in church and this was the only CD I could find that contained it.

This collection includes many of Rutter's church hymns recorded over a period of 20 years performed by The Cambridge Singers, a group of Brits, that are conducted by the composer. Ergo, these performances must be considered definitive.

Many of Rutter's popular hymns are included here. "O be joyful to the Lord" and "All things bright and beautiful", a popular children's hymn done here by adults, follow "Wings of the morning" on tracks 5-7. Others you may have performed in church represented here are "O clap your hands", "Lord make me an instrument of your peace", "For the beauty of the earth", "Look at the world" and "The Lord bless you and keep you" among the 21 assembled hymns.

While The Cambridge Singers, on their Web site, identify themselves principally as an a capella group, I was pleased when I received this CD to find all the hymns supported by a full orchestra, the esteemed City of London Sinfonia. The renditions are uniformly lovely although some listeners may find the singing a bit on the white side lacking brilliance and individuality. Everything is done in keeping with Rutter's score markings and style.

The recording tends to be a little variable given the 20-plus year difference in performances. The most recent copyright listing is 2003, the same year "Wings of the morning" was published. I don't hear an appreciable difference in that recording than the others but still hear some age in older works.

If you seek a Rutter hymn collection you can't go wrong here. You have wonderful English performers mated to the composer in his more popular works. I'd recommend this without reservation to anyone seeking this collection.

Average customer rating:

Ethereal LIszt in Superb Sound
A great collection of Liszt treasures
An excellent collection of Liszt interpretations.
Liszt for the ages.

Liszt: Piano Works

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Chopin: The Piano Works
Brahms: Works for Solo Piano
Works for Solo Piano
Schubert: The Piano Sonatas
Rachmaninov: The Piano Concertos

ASIN: B00005ND3L
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Tracks:

Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 In C-Sharp Minor
Liebestraum No.3
Mephisto Waltz No.1
Funerailles (No.7 Of Harmonies Poetiques Et Religieuses)
Rigoletto: Conc Paraphrase
La Campanella

Tracks:

Die Forelle
Der Muller Und Der Bach
Wohin?
Lebe Wohl!
Das Wandern
Der Lindenbaum
Horch, Horch, Die Lerch
Auf Dem Wasser Zu Singen
Die Post
Aufenthalt
Lob Der Tranen
Erlkonig
I. Allegro Con Fuoco
II. Adagio
III. Presto
IV. Allegro

Tracks:

Lento Assai - Allegro Energico -
Andante Sostenuto
Allegro Energico - Andante Sostenuto - Lento Assai
Valse Impromptu
I. 'Hohe Liebe' In A flat
II. 'Selinger Tod' In E Flat
III. 'O Lieb' In A Flat
Grand Galop Chromatique

Tracks:

I. Sposalizio
II Penseroso
III. Canzonetta Del Salvator Rosa
IV. Sonetto 47 Del Petrarca
V. Sonetto 104 Del Patrarca
VI. Sonetto 123: Del Petrarca
VII. Apres Une Lecture De Dance (Fant Quasi Son)

Tracks:

I. La Chapelle De Guillaume Tell
II. Au Lac De Wallenstadt
III. Pastorale
IV. Au Bord D'une Source
V. Orage
VI. Vallee D'Obermann
VII. Eglogue (Hirtengesang)
VIII. Le Mal Du Pays
IX. Les Cloches De Geneve

Tracks:

I Gondoliera
II. Canzone
III. Tarantella
Les Jeux D'eau A La Villa D'Este (No.4 Of Annees De Pelerinage, Troisieme Annee)
Benediction De Dieu Dans La Solitude: (No.3 Of Harmonies Poetiques Et Religieuses)
Ballade No.2 In B

Tracks:

I. Preludio: Presto
II. Molto Vivace
III. Paysage: Poco Adagio
IV. Mazeppa: Allegro
V. Feux Follets: Allegretto
VI. Vision: Lento
VII. Eroica: Allegro
VIII. Wilde Jagd: Presto Furioso
IX. Ricordanza: Andantino
X. Allegro Agitato Molto
XI. Harmonies Du Soir: Andantino
XII. Chasse-Neige: Andante Con Moto

Tracks:

Zwei Konzertetuden: I. Waldesrauschen
Zwei Konzertetuden: II. Gnomenreigen
I. Il Lamento
II. La Leggierezza
III. Un Sospiro
I. Andante Con Moto
II. Un Poco Piu Mosso
III. Lento Placido
IV. Quasi Adagio
V. Andantino
VI. Allegretto Sempre Cantabile
Reminiscences De Don Juan

Tracks:

Reminiscences De Norma
Totentanz (Danse Macabre)
Malediction
Fant On Hungarian Folk Themes

Customer Reviews:

Ethereal LIszt in Superb Sound.......2006-09-29

Piano playing of extraordinary romantic depth and breadth. Bolet is inside Liszt's mind, as Liszt's romantic self unfolds on the keyboard. It is as if Bolet is the master himself. Superlative recordings to boot!

A great collection of Liszt treasures.......2004-01-12

The booklet of this set has an interesting explanation of why Jorge Bolet stayed out of the spotlights for so long before taking up his -glorious- career. It was his devotion to Liszt. By then, in the 1950s, Liszt was still regarded as a B-composer (There are still people who tend to think so: I read someone who called Liszt `the father of all bar pianists'. Now, if you know a worse offence...). Only after Liszt's reputation had increased, Bolet could enter his `Indian summer', which lasted from about 1975 until his passing away in 1990. During this period, he was finally able to perform his favourite music as much as possible. This fine 9-disc set may indeed be Bolet's most important testament. Additionally, it's one of the most important Liszt collections on the market. But beware: there's much more than just Bolet, considering Liszt's piano works. I can't say this is the perfect set or near it. Still five stars, for some astonishing piano playing that we don't come across very often nowadays.

Bolet won a Gramophone Award for his 1st book of Années de Pelerinage, which is not strange when listening to the recordings. This is a portrait of a man who's entirely on his own, looking for his soul while wandering trough the beautiful Switzerland - I can't say it better than B. Johnson already did. It's Romantic nonsense, of course, but in Liszt's days it was a common idea, and it can still sweep me away. Bolet's superior tonal colouring - beautiful, but not too far-driven, for the risk it would almost be too intimidating - and his peaceful nature lift this music to the greatest heights. My only complaint would be the `Orage' piece: Bolet's technique can't quite handle it, and its aggressive nature is much less overwhelming as a result. Nevertheless, the rest of the pieces show him at his very best. So does the second year of the Années (that is oddly placed in the set before the first year by Decca). The Dante Sonata, one of Liszt's greatest pieces, fares very well under Bolet's hands.

Equally excellent were the Schubert Song Transcriptions. The transcriptions aren't very different from the original songs, but they are definitely interesting. Especially when someone like Bolet takes them under his hands! All songs are terrifically played, with real standouts like `Auf dem Wasser zu singen', `Der Mueller und der Bach' and `Erlkoenig'. Bolet's romantic touch (he may have been the last of his kind) lets the music unendingly flow. Brilliant!

These comments also apply to Liszt's Consolations, which are placed on another disc. Liszt shows here how much he's in debt to Schubert, and wrote music of a disarmingly lyrical nature. Bolet gives almost naively innocent readings of these pieces. Talking about singing music, why not include the Liebesträume, `Venezia e Napoli' and many, many other pieces as well. Although some people still regard Liszt as a bombastic composer, he was in fact much more active on the spiritual and lyrical area. It is largely this nature of Liszt that is put into the spotlights by Bolet. He is really terrific whenever music ought to sound peaceful and meditative.

But Liszt was also a stunning virtuoso. People may eschew him for that, but that's often without any good ground. The B minor Sonata and the Transcendental Etudes, to give some names, are not only pianistically but also musically amazing works. It takes to be both a good technician and a musician to play them well, and this is where Bolet occasionally fails. He was over 65 when he made these recordings, and I can't help but say that his technique was not anymore what it used to be. In many pieces you can hear him struggle.

In what may be the most difficult music Liszt wrote, the Transcendental Etudes, Bolet takes tempi that are almost too easy (e.g. no.10 should be `Allegro molto agitato' but Bolet plays it very moderately), perhaps because his technique was by then too limited to give the pieces a really impressive treatment. Even then, I do feel a ertain nobility in Bolet's slow approach that gives every study a dignified stature (and that's something you won't find with Kissin or Cziffra!). The sonata is similarly noble and yet tremendously powerful in its scope, even though Bolet may lack some technial control at isolated spots.

Anoter treacherous piece is the `Reminiscences de Don Juan', which is a transcription of no less an opera than -of course- Don Giovanni! Bolet plays this 20-minute piece with a lot of humour and swing: it's a great way to clean up your mind! Also recommendable are the Etudes de Concert (e.g. Waldesrauschen), whose light spirit is very well captured.

A treasure trove set overall, I can recommend it without any limitations. There's no other composer that suited Bolet as well as Liszt, and the vice versa may be true as well. But the pianist also has his weaker points, particularly regarding his technique, that wasn't what it used to be. Oh, and the piano sound is not always equally convincing: the instrument sounds a little shrill at times. But there's an amazing amount of colour in the instrument, and it allows Bolet to reachfor the deepest, darkest sonorities you've heard. This collection is therefore not just THE best Liszt: there are many more pianists who made supreme recordings of him (e.g. Arrau, Brendel, Richter) and I definitely recommend searching them out as well. After you've heard this!

An excellent collection of Liszt interpretations........2003-12-03

I was very impressed with Bolet's playing. His rendition of La Campanella is the best I've ever heard.

Liszt for the ages........2001-12-05

Both for those that would like to find out for the first time what Liszt is all about, and for those few that are very familiar with the Paganini of the 88: LOOK NO FURTHER!

It doesn't get any better than this.

After I heard throughout the seventies about this "unknown" great of the romantic repertoire, I was fortunate enough to see him for the first time about a month after he recorded the first issue of this now legendary Liszt series. While his technique may not have exactly been what it used to be before (e.g. Orage in Suisse of Les Annees), all the performances benefit from the wisdom of many, many years. While all the performances are of a uniform Olympic level, two issue stand out in my mind.

First, there is the cd of Schubert Liszt transcriptions. Bolet really sets the standards for "singing" on the piano. His version of "Der Muller und der Bach" has to be believed to be heard.

Most importantly though, there is "Suisse" the first year of Liszt's years of pilgrimage. I own this disc from the day it appeared on the shelves and still listen to it every month. Surely, there are more technically brilliant versions. For the true "Liszt Nuts", I would certainly advise Leslie Howard's version of "L'Album d'un voyageur", that contains the first version of many of the "Suisse" pieces, and some additional pieces that Frenz (for reasons that escape me completely) excluded from the later Suisse. Yet, nobody, not even Brendel or Berman, have come close to Bolet on delivering on the central theme of Suisse, man finding himself back in an exploration of nature.

While they stem from the earlier days of digital recording the recordings are still more than respectable and benefit greatly from Bolet's attention for color, aided by his favorite Bechstein.

Tracks:

Mass of the Children
Look at the world (1996)
To every thing there is a season (1997)
Wings of the morning(2002)
A Clare Benediction (1998)
I will sing with the spirit (1994)
Musica Dei donum (1998)
I my Best-Beloveds am (2000)
Come down, O Love divine (1998)

Album Description

This is the FIRST ALL NEW RECORDING OF JOHN RUTTER'S MUSIC IN TEN YEARS! "Mass of the Children was written in late 2002 and early 2003. The occasion of its first performance in February 2003 was a concert in New York's Carnegie Hall involving children's choir, adult choir, soprano and baritone soloists, and orchestra. I had always wanted to write a work combining children's choir with adult performers, not only because I find the sound of children's voices irresistible but also because I wanted to repay a debt. As a boy soprano in my school choir I had been thrilled whenever our choir took part in adult works with children's choir parts, such as the Mahler Third Symphony and the Britten War Requiem, and years later I remembered this experience and wanted to write something that would give children a similar opportunity to perform alongside adult professionals". From the notes - John Rutter

Customer Reviews:

Mass of the Children.......2006-03-24

My daughter is performing this work with her high school chorale. She is the main listener, and is totally enamored with this particular recording.

A Brilliant Masterpiece.......2005-12-24

After being able to perform this piece myself, I know that is is just amazing! I reccomend it to anyobdy who likes spiritual, uplifting music.
Nice work, Mr. Rutter!

Britten-lite :(.......2005-03-30

I contemplated on this 3-star rating for a bit, especially after reading all the 4- to 5-star ratings preceding this. John Rutter is a terrific and charismatic choral conductor and writer. His editing on Fauré's Requiem really galvanized the popularity of that work, not to mention his own very heart-felt Requiem setting as well. Speaking of Requiem settings, my bone to pick about the "Mass of the Children" work is such that it emulates (albeit in a heart-felt and sincere fashion) other large-scale works that involve orchestral, treble and mixed choruses, very specifically Benjamin Britten's unforgettable War Requiem. I couldn't help but feel a bit slighted by the last few pages of "Mass of the Children" and its much diluted rendition of the War Requiem's counterpart conclusion. I think those famliar w/ the Britten will know what I mean. It's hard not to draw a comparison because the similarities are striking yet determinedly contrived.

In any case, I do understand that the participants and "target audience" are perhaps less lofty than that of the Britten. According to the score inscription, this was "written at the inviation of Peter Tiboris and MidAmerica Productions."

There are other anthems on this CD that offer a nice addition. I think the Clare Benediction is a stand-out as a great latter-Rutter anthem, with a characteristically satisfying, fluent and "inevitable" cadences towards the end.

Outstanding!.......2004-12-27

As an avid choral enthusiast, and having performed The Mass of the Children, I can say that this is one of Rutter's finest works. Without a doubt, Rutter truly allows his soul to shine through in this masterpiece. The children's choir is fabulous, and the music gives me chill bumps whenever I hear it. I highly recommend this album!

Beautiful!.......2004-09-11

I sing with my school choir, and was blessed to be able to perform the Mass of the Children with the school. It is a beautiful mass-- the lightness of the childrens voices with the power of the adult choirs make a moving and powerful mass. The orchestra is stunning, just enough to add beauty to the piece. Rutter's Mass of the Children is a must-have for any person who enjoys this type of music.

Average customer rating:

Simply the best copy of Rutter's Requiem!
Requiem
Absolutely Beautiful
A glorious piece
Rutter brought me into the 20th century with this recording.

Rutter: Requiem

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Fauré: Requiem; Messe basse; Cantique de Jean Racine
Be Thou My Vision
John Rutter: Requiem
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Requiem & Magnificat/Rutter, Cambridge Singers

ASIN: B00008OP1S
Release Date: 2003-04-29

Tracks:

Requiem Aeternam
Out Of The Deep
Pie Jesu - Elin Manahan Thomas
Sanctus
Agnus Dei
The Lord Is My Shephard
Lux Aeterna - Elin Manahan Thomas
Arise, Shine
Come Down, O Love Divine
Musica Dei Donum - Karen Jones
A Clare Benediction
Go Forth Into The World In Peace
Toccata In Seven
Variations On An Easter Theme For Organ

Album Description

Produced by the composer himself, this is the first recording of the original ensemble version of John Rutter's radiant Requiem. Written in 1985, the work is not a conventional setting of the Requiem Mass but comprises a personal selection of texts from the Catholic liturgy and the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. John Rutter maintains intimate ties with Clare College and many of his anthems are left as a musical legacy to the college. Among these are two simple, tender Blessings: Go forth into the world in peace, dedicated to the choir on the eve of its first tour to America; and A Clare Benediction, written as a gift to Rutter's alma mater. This recording is dedicated to the memory of Christopher Rutter.

Customer Reviews:

Simply the best copy of Rutter's Requiem!.......2007-06-27

In my opinion, this copy of Rutter's Requiem is the best one available. The orchestra does not overpower the chorus. The soprano soloist, Elin Manahan Thomas, is sublime.

Requiem.......2006-07-07

This CD has some of the most beautiful sacred music I have ever heard. Though a requiem is focused on a person's death, Rutter's Requiem leads you to consider the living Christ. "Requiem aeternam" and "Sanctus" are both uplifting and worshipful, and "Toccata in seven" is pure fun.

Absolutely Beautiful.......2006-06-09

Beautiful is one of those words that I don't use often and I don't use lightly, but this recording of John Rutter's Requiem and other choral works is worthy of description with the full weight of the word. All seven movements of his magnificent requiem are flowing with rich, delicate beauty. Rutter uses the full palate that the orchestra and the chorus has to offer such as the light sustained oboe throughout "The Lord is My Shepherd" and the bellowing low cello in "Out of the Deep." It's cool to hear a mix of Latin and English texts throughout the work. The soprano solo on "Pie Jesu" is breathtaking and the work closes with the sonorous, harmonicaly rich "Lux aeterna." The "Sanctus" is triumphant and the incredibly haunting "Agnus Dei" sends chills up the spine. The main theme introduced in the first movement is just beautiful. I am sure that if I heard Rutter's Requiem performed live and well, it would certainly bring tears to my eyes. It is a simply beautiful piece of music and is very well interpreted on this album. There is an excellent attention to the text and the shape of the phrases. A truly wonderful recording.

As for the other works on this album, they are just as impressive. The bombastic, sonorous "Arise, Shine" has enough G-force to plaster you to the back of your seat. It is wonderful to listen to the dialog between the chorus and the flute in "Musica Dei donum." "A Clare Benediction" is absolutely beautiful, as is "Go Forth into the World With Peace." The chords in "Come Down O Lord Divine" are incredible.

As for the organ pieces, the "Toccata in Seven" is bright and exciting, though a little heavy in some sections. The epic "Variations on an Easter Theme" is just astounding. Rutter takes us through a labyrinth of harmonic and rhythmic variation on a simple theme with wild obligados, fierce runs, dynamic shifts, tense harmonies, argumentative counterpoint and lyrical melodies. This is an amazingly exciting piece with two organists using all eight of the appendages between the two of them to make some amazing music.

This is quite a great collection of great sacred music from one of the best composers around today. Not to mention, you cannot beat Naxos' value. For under 10 bucks, this CD is a must.

A glorious piece.......2005-12-16

--Music--
Rutter's Requiem was written in 1985. In Catholic liturgy, a requiem is a Mass for the Dead, and as such involves strong tones both of mourning and loss as well as elements of hope and eternal life as reflected in Christian belief. Rutter states that, like Brahms and Faure, there are elements that depart from the traditional lines of a Catholic requiem. Rutter takes some of the texts from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. Both the first and second movements, Requiem aeternam and 'Out of the Deep', set very dark, low, sombre tones. The use of strings at the beginning of 'Out of the Deep' is very effective, together with funeral-dirge like vocals. This contrasts greatly with the Pie Jesu, light and spiritual. The Sanctus is almost playful in aspect, and the Agnus Dei and Lux aeterna draw the listener higher and higher into the fullness of expectation of God's presence.

--John Rutter--
Rutter was born in London and educated at Clare College, Cambridge. This was where his career as a composer, arranger and conductor began. His early work was with groups at King's College Chapel at Cambridge as well as the Bath Choir and Philharmonic Orchestra. He has worked for the BBC providing music for educational series such as 'The Archaeology of the Bible Lands', until in 1979 he began forming the Cambridge Singers, and has continued a remarkable career of performance and recording as their director ever since.

This recording is produced by Rutter, but is performed by the London Sinfonia, a group that he has worked with but is not the usual Cambridge Singers. This performance compares favourably with Rutter's own group, with areas in which there is greater subtlety and depth.

Rutter brought me into the 20th century with this recording........2005-10-01

Prefering Classical, Baroque, & Romantic Music and particulary Requiems, I only gave this recording a chance because I could not find another requiem at the time, shortly after my parents had died. Having sung a few of Rutter's compositions in university I knew of his quality and flavor. To my surprise and complete amazement this piece and this particular recording was an incredible salve on the deepedst of open wounds. To this day, 10 years later, this is one of my top ten favorite albums. I have heard other renditions of Rutter's Requiem, however, none have had the intensity that this one has had, conducted by John Rutter, himself.

I feel this is the greatest of Rutters compositions and as of now , this is the best production of his Requiem I have heard yet. IMHO

Average customer rating:

***** - 8, 9, 10. There we go: 10 stars.
Brilliant, transcendent...
Stunning, incredible, beautiful, glorious, etc.
Thrilling Disc
Holy Grail of Lutheran Christmas Eve services

Mass for Christmas Morning
Paul McCreesh , and Gabrieli Players
Manufacturer: Archiv Produktion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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Opera & Vocal | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
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Luther: German Hymn Mass / Chorales
A Venetian Coronation 1595
Martin Luther & The Music
Psalms of the French Reformation
Venetian Christmas

ASIN: B0000057EH
Release Date: 1994-10-11

Tracks:

Christmas Mass: Processional: 'Christum wir sollen loben schon'
Christmas Mass: Introit: ' Puer natus In Bethlehem'
Christmas Mass: Kyrie (Missa: gantz Teudsch)
Christmas Mass: Gloria (Missa: gantz Teudsch)
Christmas Mass: Collect: 'Der Herr sei mit euch'
Christmas Mass: Epistle: 'So schreibt der heilig Propheten Jesajas'
Christmas Mass: Organ prelude: Praeambulum
Christmas Mass: Gradual hymn: ' Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her'
Christmas Mass: Gospel: ' So schreibt der heilige Lukas'
Christmas Mass: Credo: 'Wir glauben all an einin Gott'
Christmas Mass: Organ prelude: 'Resonet in laudibus'
Christmas Mass: Pulpit hymn: ' Quem pastores laudavere'
Christmas Mass: Sonata: Padouana a 5
Christmas Mass: The Lord's Prager: 'Vater unser, der du bist im Himmel' - Words of Institution: 'Unser Herr Jesus Christus'
Christmas Mass: Sanctus motet: 'Jesaja dem Propheten das geschah'
Christmas Mass: Organ prelude: ' Wie schom leuchtet der Morgenstern'
Christmas Mass: Communion motet: Wie schom leuchtet der Morgenstern'
Christmas Mass: Comminion motet: 'Uns ist ein Kindlein heut geborn'
Christmas Mass: Post-Communion: 'Derr Herr sie mit euch'
Christmas Mass: Benediction: 'Der Herr segne dich und behute dich'
Christmas Mass: Final hymn: 'Puer nobix nascitur'
Christmas Mass: Organ voluntary: 'Nun lob mein Seel'
Christmas Mass: Recessional: 'In dulci jubilo'

Amazon.com essential recording

This exhilarating disc is arguably the most important record Paul McCreesh has made. Praetorius, the first great composer of Lutheran church music, wrote countless pieces based on popular Lutheran chorale tunes, ranging from simple harmonizations to flamboyant fantasias for multiple choirs with instruments. He also provided detailed instructions regarding various performance options--including ways to involve the congregation. Here, for the first time, McCreesh puts these instructions into practice, reconstructing an extravagant Christmas service. We hear elaborately scored Mass movements, simple harmonizations, the Creed (with Luther's own music), lusty congregational singing, and spirited organ improvisations. Many of the Christmas chorales Praetorius used are still well-known today, including Wachet auf (Sleepers wake) and In dulci jubilo, which gets a magnificent setting with trumpet-and-drum fanfares. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

***** - 8, 9, 10. There we go: 10 stars........2006-11-19

i have had this recording for several years now. its the first one of mccreesh's i bought. and i bought it based solely on the exceptional reviews given here on amazon (4 or 5 at the time). it is unarguably pointless to write a review now, but i am going to anyway ;o).

As if you needed any further encouragement to buy this record...i will agree with all the preceding raves. i dont even mind the rackets and crumhorns and shawms, etc. - adds character. i would like to highlight one track here against the others: Puer Natus in Bethlehem. This one never gets old. such tremendous energy and powerful joy. i honestly have to wonder about the structural integrity of Roskilde Cathedral after the performance of this one piece. Nowhere else in all of his recordings is McCreesh's unparalleled talent illustrated. His scholarship, arrangement, and interpretation of this piece is a rare treasure of this genre. Considering another comparison with the Roland Wilson on Sony Vivarte release, yes, McCreesh's effort clearly has first place. Back to the entire recording, other standouts include the opening chorale - one of the most exotic and grabbing harmonies you will ever hear, the Quempas (although the cathedral acoustics do rob some of the subtle harmonies that really make this piece), and the final hymn Puer Nobis Nascitur: simple, but, again, infectious and addictive expression of the highest joy. I would also echo a previous reviewer's comment about the Roskilde organ. The tone and sonic capabilities of this instrument are simply astonishing.

Again, this review is unnecessary so far as selling is concerned, but the work represented here deserves many more. Go ahead and pick this one up, and give it the place of honor in your entire collection.

Brilliant, transcendent..........2006-11-05

I can only pile on to the other glowing reviews: this is a tour de force of choral and solo singing as well as instrumental color. With deference to Steven Guy (who's done yeoman's service in producing public-domain versions of some of this music!), I'd have to say I can gladly overlook the historical inaccuracy of using crumhorns, racketts etc. in exchange for the sheer sense of scale and awe that McCreesh provides. I own the Musica Fiata recording he mentions, and it's excellent--but it probably won't send 10,000 volts through your skull the way the massed choirs, ensembles and organ on this disc will.

Stunning, incredible, beautiful, glorious, etc........2006-02-07

After about the 3rd or 4th time I listened to this, I was absolutely enchanted. Now, having heard it 30+ times, I still hear new beauty each time. Really magnificent. Jesus Christ is glorified in this masterpiece. I get the sense of deep joy of the Reformation, being transported to Germany circa 1620. The singers sing with all their might about the glory of God, the grace of Christ, and the beauty of holiness - as if Christ has come into plain view after centuries of distortion. Buy it, listen, and enjoy a taste of heaven.

Thrilling Disc.......2005-06-17

This CD absolutely blew me away the first time I listened to it. I play it often and each time feel as though I have been transported to heaven. McCreesh really outdid himself on this recording. Right from the very beginning the listener is taken out of the 21st century and thrown back to a 17th century cathedral. Just close your eyes, forget where you are, and join the lovely processional that begins the Mass with Christus wir sollen Loben. Other great moments include: Quem Pastoris Laudevere, and Wie schoen leuchtet der Morgenstern. The crowning glory of this recording is the recessional: In dulci Jubilo. Complete with tympani, brass, choirs and congregation, this work does not exhibit "peaceful joy" rather exhilaration! I would highly recommend this CD to anyone interested in church and choral music!

Holy Grail of Lutheran Christmas Eve services.......2005-01-17

This recording of a 17th Century Lutheran Christmas service in all of its grandeur is simply a must-have for any Lutheran. The authenticity of the instrumentation, the language of the liturgy (Middle-High German and Latin), and the awesome power and emotion generated by combining these elements is almost overwhelmingly beautiful. Due to the nature of recording in a 13th Century cathedral (Roskilde Cathedral in Denmark), the single voice heard chanting Bible verses such as that of Christ's birth will require you to turn up the volume. However, when the choirs and the organ come to life, you will find out what your stereo system can really do. This is especially true on the last track, "In Dulce Jubilo."

Easily a five-star rating. If I could, I would give it ten stars. Musicians, religious scholars, and clergy alike will make this a cherished addition to their collections. This is what Christmas should be about. All those dainty "holiday" songs you hear every year are simply put to shame by this single CD.

Liszt at the Opera: Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases, and Transcriptions, Vol. I (Complete Music for Solo Piano, Vol. 6)

Average customer rating:

One of the best Liszt CD's you can own
Where Are The Rave Reviews ? This is Incredible
Wonderful operatic transcriptions

Liszt at the Opera: Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases, and Transcriptions, Vol. I (Complete Music for Solo Piano, Vol. 6)

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Liszt at the Opera: Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases, and Transcriptions, Vol. VI (Complete Music for Solo Piano, Vol. 54)
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Liszt Transcriptions of Berlioz, Chopin, Saint-Saëns
Liszt at the Opera, Vol 4
Liszt at the Opera III

ASIN: B000002ZMJ
Release Date: 1993-11-16

Tracks:

Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Ouverture aus der oper der Freischutz
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Reminiscences de Don Juan
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Aida di Verdi - Danza Sacra e Duetto Finale
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Polonaise aus Tschaikowskys oper Jewgeny Onegin
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Tscherkessenmarsch aus Russlan und Ludmilla
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Sarabande und Chaconne aus dem Singspiel Almira
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Benediction et Sermont- Deux motifs de Benvenuto Cellini
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Valse de L'Opera Faust

Tracks:

Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Isoldens Liebestod - Schluss-szenn aus Tristan und Isolde
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Remeniscences de Lucia di Lamermoor
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Marche Funebre et Cavatine de Lucia de Lamermoor
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Halloh! - Jagdchor und Steyrer aus der oper Tony
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Illustrations de L'Opera L'Africaine
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: part 2
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Three Pieces on Themes by Auber (1)
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: 2
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: 3
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: 4
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Reminiscences de Norma

Customer Reviews:

One of the best Liszt CD's you can own.......2006-08-19

I echo what the reviewer below me says and repeat, "Where ARE the rave reviews" for this? This is probably one of the greatest Liszt CD's you can have. The virtuosic performance and wonderful interpretations from Leslie Howard are worth the price alone, but the music... god this music is incredible. Liszt's genius and proficiency in composition must be admired when you hear what he does with simple melodies or themes from operas. The originality and beautifully crafted paraphrases, not to mention the meticulous transcriptions, are simply breathtaking.

Liszt takes us through dramatic storms, rousing waltzes, terrifying marches, lamenting hymns, romantic songs, and brooding worlds of music. The unique melodies that Liszt augments with the piano has to be heard. These pieces just as great and musically complex as his other piano works. Why aren't more pianists reviving these fantasies on the concert stage?

Where to start here... I have to comment on each work because there is not one piece here that should be overlooked! Each work here is exceptionally amazing and masterful. The transcription of the "Der Freischutz" overture is dramatic, powerful and memorable. "Reminiscences of Don Juan" speaks for itself, but as for the interpretation by Howard, I'm afraid it's not the best. I much prefer Bolet's. Verdi's "Aida" paraphrase is remarkably beautiful and potent in its melodies. The transcription of Tchaikovsky's "Polonaise from Eugene Onegin," is cheerful and brilliant. The march from Glinka's "Russlan and Ludmilla" is a perfect menacing concoction on the piano through Liszt's fingers with a devilishly awesome theme.

Most of all, the paraphrase of Handel's "Sarabande and Chaconne" is the most beautiful original piano work I've heard in years. That sad and mournful theme that Liszt plays with endless variations can move you to tears. Liszt picked one theme from a Handel opera and turned it into something as profound and moving as a Beethoven adagio and even more heart-felt than a Chopin nocturne. The transcription of Berlioz' "Benvenuto Cellini" is glorious and enticing; a testament to Liszt's transcribing abilities. And then Howard encores the listener on this first CD one last time with that catchy melody from the waltz in "Gounod's Faust." It's like any Mephisto Waltz Liszt ever composed and thrills the ear with its impish tempo and embellished Romantic sound.

On the second CD, the music only gets better! Howard gives one of the best executions of the Love-Death scene of "Tristan and Isolde." Those tender Wagner melodies on the piano which rise into a crescendo sound otherwordly on the piano and through Liszt's transcription. The wall of sound that builds, followed by the climax of crashes and wails on the piano sends chills up the spine. Howard plays it with such passion and touch. This is probably the only evidence one needs to realize Liszt was a genius with the piano.

The "Reminiscences of Lucia de Lammermoor" is another example of Liszt's prolific ability to make the piano speak and sing. More significantly, Liszt summons such darkness and tension in the marche funebre part; you're hearing a phenomenal piano composition here. Ernst's "Tony" is another stunning transcription by Liszt; the dynamics and craft of this transcription makes for an excellent piano piece. One of the greatest pieces on here though must go to the Paraphrases on Meyerbeer's "L'Africaine." The first one, especially, is beyond anything I've heard on the piano. Those first tragic chords from hell make way for a gentle melody of heaven. The entire piece rises and falls into a sea of heroic and virtuosic music; it simply speaks for itself of how good it is. The second paraphrase is original and uplifting, and of a whole different emotion than the previous one. By now, after you hear all of these fantasies and transcriptions you begin to realize how much the piano was like a bodily organ to Liszt; just as we can speak with our tongue in many gradations and accents, so can Liszt demonstrate any emotion, any subtle feeling or idea onto the piano.

Lastly, the Three pieces on Themes by Auber are not that noteworthy, but have their elegant and beautiful moments. The last piece on the second CD, the Reminiscences of Norma is another masterpiece beside the Reminiscences of Don Juan. However, I again prefer Bolet's more impassioned and thoughtful performance; Howard is ok, but not the best at exposing the magnificence and spirituality of this piece.

Bottom line: Any Liszt lover who has not heard these or does not own this must get it now! This is some of the best music of Liszt and it astounds me that this music has almost been dormant until Howard's discovery. It is superior music that proves Liszt was the most musical and original composer of his time. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Where Are The Rave Reviews ? This is Incredible.......2005-04-28

This is a treat for opera fans and fans of classical piano. Franz Liszt loved the opera- a medium which is at heart musical and he felt inspired to transcribe operatic music for piano, probably out of his personal passion for opera and as a way for the middle-class folk of Europe who could play piano (and men and women did those days) to entertain in their homes. This is a vast collection of his best opera-to-piano transcriptions. The pianist last name Howard is a virtuoso, too bad he is'nt that well-known. He is playing piano music which is really quite difficult to execute. Liszt made the piano into an orchestra in itself and composed symphonic transcriptions of Beethoven and Berlioz. This is a rare and miraculous recording album and I feel that every fan of classical music and opera ought to own it.

The excerpts here, with some variations by Liszt's part, include Mozart's Don Giovanni, Verdi's Aida (the Finale) Webber's Die Freeschutz, Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin- the Polonaise, Wagner's Tristan and Isolde, Isolde's Liebestod, Berlioz' Benvenuto Cellini, music of Auber, Gounod's Faust (the Waltz) and Bellini's Norma among others. This is worth the price. The music is clear, crisp, beautiful and transcendent. Do not miss your chance of owning this glorious music, which if you are musically inclined, you can play on your own home. Opera on piano is great recital music.

Wonderful operatic transcriptions.......1999-09-17

Liszt at the opera--would he never left. Don Juan is a stand-out, as is the Weber, and the Tchaikovsky, and the...

Average customer rating:

wedding songs

Wedding Collection

Manufacturer: Madacy Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Wedding Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000000KGE
Release Date: 1997-06-03

Tracks:

Wedding Chor From 'Lohengrin' - Choir Of Belgrad Nat Opr
Matrimonial Benediction in F, Op.9 - Joseph Berger
'A Midsummer Night's Dream': Wedding March - LPO/Alfred Scholz
The Beautiful Blue Danube: Waltz Op.314 - Vienna Opr Orch/Carl Michalski
Wedding March: Mazurka Op.20a - London Festival Orch/Alberto Lizzio
Champagne Polka From 'The Bat' Op.211 - RPO London/Frank Shipway
Flower Waltz Op.71a/8 - London Festival Orch/Alberto Lizzio
Str Qt Op.13: Menuett in A - Stuttgart CO/Bernhard Guller
Radetzky March Op.228 - Vienna Opr Orch/Carl Michalski
Menuett in D - Stuttgart CO/Bernhard Guller
Emperor Waltz Op.437 - Vienna Opr Orch/Peter Falk
Ave Maria - Ernst Riedlinger

Tracks:

I Finally Found Someone
Power Of Love
Tonight I Celebrate My Love For You
Unchained Melody
Just The Way You Are
You Are So Beautiful
My Love
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You
You're In My Heart
Always
Love Is All Around
Enless Love

Customer Reviews:

wedding songs.......2005-10-12

I don't think this CD is for weddings....I personaly didn't care for it. It's to circus like music...

Liszt: Complete Piano Music, Vol. 17, Schubert Song Transcriptions 2

Average customer rating:

Best Piano Music on the Planet

Liszt: Complete Piano Music, Vol. 17, Schubert Song Transcriptions 2

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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Franz Liszt: Schubert Song Transcriptions
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Liszt: Sacred Music Transcriptions

ASIN: B00004VM1O
Release Date: 2001-05-15

Tracks:

Muller-Lieder: Das Wandern
Muller-Lieder (2nd version): Der Muller und der Bach
Muller-Lieder (2nd version): Der Jager
Muller-Lieder (2nd version): Die bose Farbe
Muller-Lieder (2nd version): Wohn?
Muller-Lieder (2nd version): Ungeduld
Die Forelle (2nd version)
Die Rose
Meeresstille from 12 Lieder
Der Gondelfahrer
Liebesbotschaft from Scwanengesgang
Ave Maria from 12 Lieder
Ungeduld (1st version) from 6 Melodien
Giestliche Lieder: Litaney
Giestliche Lieder: Himmelsfunken
Giestliche Lieder: Die Gestirne
Giestliche Lieder: Hymne
Lob der Thranen
Erlkonig from 12 Lieder

Customer Reviews:

Best Piano Music on the Planet.......2007-03-16

If you like solo classical piano music, you must have this CD. The "marriage" of Scubert and Liszt is nothing less than transcendental. A well-engineered recording of great performances.

Liszt: Sonata in B Minor; Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude

Average customer rating:

One of the best versions of this legendary Sonata!
The Grand Lisztian Pianist Claudio Arrau's Best Work
A Great CD
Stunning
Exceptional Liszt Recordings from Arrau

Liszt: Sonata in B Minor; Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude
Claudio Arrau , and Franz Liszt
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00005IB5B
Release Date: 2002-01-15

Tracks:

Sonata In B Minor: I. Lento Assai - Allegro Energico -
Sonata In B Minor: II. Grandioso - Recitativo -
Sonata In B Minor: III. Andante Sostenuto -
Sonata In B Minor: IV. Allegro Energico
Harmonies Poetiques Et Religieuses: No.3 Benediction De Dieu Dans La Solitude: I. Moderato -
Harmonies Poetiques Et Religieuses: No.3 Benediction De Dieu Dans La Solitude: II. Andante -
Harmonies Poetiques Et Religieuses: No.3 Benediction De Dieu Dans La Solitude: III. Piu Sostenuto Quasi Preludio - Tempo I - Andante Semplice
Zwei Konzertetuden: Waldesrauschen
Zwei Konzertetuden: Gnomenreigen
Annees De Pelerinage: Premier Annee. Suisse: Vallee D'Obermann

Amazon.com

This reissue of classic 1969-1970 recordings offers indisputable proof that Arrau is one of the greatest Lisztians of them all. The centerpiece is his grandly rhetorical view of the B Minor Sonata, where his huge, bronze-tinged tone, echt-Romantic phrasing, and searching philosophizing take us where few pianists can, or dare, go. Arrau's spiritual quest matches Liszt's in a work that's often played as a series of virtuoso effects. Virtuosity is here in spades, but it's in the service of the music's meaning. The same applies to the rest of the program. Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude often comes off as dull and overlong, but Arrau has you hanging on every phrase, so full of meaning does he make it. Vallée d'Obermann becomes a fascinating exploration of keyboard color and narrative tension, and the two etudes are invested with an unsurpassed abundance of tonal color and meaningful phrasing. Liszt recitals don't come any better than this. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

One of the best versions of this legendary Sonata!.......2006-11-12

I' d like to state I am not exactly a hard fan of Claudio Arrau, but that does not mean I am aware he always was a real champion in what concerns to this Hungarian composer.

He always was possessed by that visible rapport with that thundering and well articulated tune and powerful Romantic temperament; his octaves and arpeggios were carefully expressive always searching the accuracy and perfect balance between emotion and expression. Thanks to his febrile imagination, Arrau could depict and express the bitter confrontation between Faust and Mephistopheles with such brilliant tension, sinister perspective and sumptuous elegance. As a matter of fact, his legendary version of the Sonata in B minor, still stands out as one of the most prominent ever recorded.

The Grand Lisztian Pianist Claudio Arrau's Best Work.......2005-09-26

Where Liszt is concerned, Cladiu Arrau often got it right, as well as Chopin, who was influenced by Liszt. This music is brilliant technically and musically, while also being emotional and profound. The Sonata in B Minor is a transcendent piece of work for piano, and only the most virtuosic of pianists can pull it off. Liszt was a devil pianist, who wrote music that would seem to require more than ten fingers to play it. The more gentle, and spiritually-influenced Benediction De Deiu Dans La Solitude (God's Benediction In Loneliness) is even a reflection of the Liszt that would become a religious figure when he took the order of Abbe. This is one of the more superior recordings of this particular piece and Cladiu Arrau earned my respect and admiration upon hearing it.

A Great CD.......2005-03-18

This is what I compare all other Liszt Sonata recordings to. Arrau should hold a spot in every classical collector's library. The other tracks are well selected and well played. Sound quality is decent. Very enjoyable.

Stunning.......2004-02-26

Simply put, this is the finest recording of the b-minor sonata available, period. While I also have the recordings by Horowitz, Argerich, Richter, Pletnev, Yundi Li, Fleisher, Brendel, and others, none provide the synthesis of demonic technique and poetry achieved by Arrau. To cite but one example, the octave finale in the final movement is taken at a brisk tempo, but is almost as spiritual an experience as the Arietta from Beethoven's final piano sonata. This album is among the best Liszt recordings ever made and should be a part of any piano enthusiast's collection.

Exceptional Liszt Recordings from Arrau.......2003-04-26

For a long time Claudio Arrau has been among my favorite pianists; I've been impressed by his excellent blend of technical precision at the keyboard coupled with ample lyricism, and a keen willingness to play old, familiar works such as Beethoven's piano sonatas or Chopin's etudes and waltzes in startling, often breathtaking, unique interpretations. This splendidly remixed CD contains several of his finest recordings of Liszt's music, affirming his well-deserved recognition as among the finest interpreters of Liszt's music in the 20th Century. Here is Arrau at the height of his artistic powers, willing to transform a technically demanding work such as Liszt's Sonata in B minor into a thoughtful, elegant meditation on melody as well as keyboard pyrotechnics. The Benediction comes across as yet another elegant meditation, replete with subtle changes in phrasing and tempi. The others are elegantly played by Arrau too, showing a thoughtful, introspective side of his playing. Once more Philips has released one of its finest recording triumphs; I hope Arrau's other great recordings, such as his final Beethoven piano concerto cycle with Sir Colin Davis conducting the Dresden Staatskapelle (Only the 4th and 5th piano concerti have been released so far.), will be reissued as part of this series.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

Music Review

Sumo

Krommer: 3 Partitas / 6 Marches

Hindemith: Kleine Kammermusik Op24/2; Schoenberg: Quintet Op26

Dick Hyman Plays Duke Ellington

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Lord of the Rings [Soundtrack] [Import]

Interiors

Instant Live: The Odeon - Cleveland, OH, 3/09/04 [Box set] [Live]

Fur [Import]

I Believe My Heart [Import]

Let It Go [Import] [Original recording remastered]

Hermanos Carrion, Vol. 2

Hot Latin Hits 2001, Vol. 3

Lock Down

Dead Letters

1. Benediction
2. Silence In The Day
3. O Father, Loyal & True
4. In God Alone
5. The Summer He Brings
6. If Stones Spoke
7. Bless The Lord
8. Convergence
9. Trees Walking
10. Jesus Remember Me
11. Sacrament
12. Jesus Keep My Heart
13. Benediction (Reprise)