Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier Book I

Editorial Reviews
Fanfare - November/December 1999
"Korevaar plays Bach mellifluously and fluently. There are real charms in [his] graceful approach."

American Record Guide - July/August 2000
"Korevaar's performance is singing and reassuring."

Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier Book I

Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier Book I, Music, Johann Sebastian Bach, David Korevaar, Chamber Music & Recitals, Classical, Classical Composers, Contrapuntal/Improvisatory Keyboard Music, Keyboard, Prelude and Fugue for Keyboard

Encore
Average customer rating:

awsome CD

Versatile Singer

il divo ancora music

Amazing...

His wrost CD

Encore
Russell Watson , and Leonard Bernstein
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Russell Watson · The Voice

Amore Musica

Reprise

The Voice: The Ultimate Collection

Russell Watson Live

ASIN: B00006JI9W
Release Date: 2002-10-01

Tracks:

Va, Pensiero (Verdi)
Volare
The Prayer
'O Sole Mio
Ave Maria
Mattinata (Leoncavallo)
You Are So Beautiful
Somewhere
Che Gelida Manina (Puccini)
E Lucevan Le Stelle (Puccini)
Magic Of Love
Catch The Tears
Is Nothing Sacred?
Bohemian Rhapsody
Celeste Aida (Verdi)
Where My Heart Will Take Me (from "Enterprise")

Amazon.com

Following up on the release of his debut CD, The Voice, Russell Watson is back with Encore, another mix of opera favorites and popular songs. By now Watson has become virtually a household name--he sells out large concert venues and remains on the top-seller charts. On Encore, we find Puccini and Verdi sharing the billing with Lulu and Lionel Ritchie on the CD's 16 tracks, which range from the much-loved Bach-Gounod "Ave Maria" to "Where My Heart Will Take Me," the theme for Enterprise (the latest Star Trek TV series). Indeed, a more fitting title might have been The Voices, since Watson explores opera, sacred works, film, television themes, and pop songs. The orchestral arrangements on tracks such as "Va, Pensiero" may not win him any fans from the opera contingency, but Watson reveals a captivating sound on pop ballads, including "You Are So Beautiful" and "Somewhere." If you enjoyed The Voice, you're certain to want an encore. --Rebecca Agnew

Customer Reviews:

awsome CD.......2007-06-09

This CD is overall a wonderful sellection of music. I bought it for the one song and have enjoyed all of the songs on the CD.

Versatile Singer.......2007-03-30

Russell Watson has an incredible voice range & a very versatile singer. He even made me appreciate opera!

il divo ancora music.......2006-11-10

The book is wonderful. I love playing their music, its so great. Worth the money, no doubt.

Amazing..........2006-05-05

Russell Watson is amazing. It is truly a delight to hear him sing both the pop and the arias, for he performs both equally well. His rendition of Volare is very fun, and when he sings Somewhere, it's simply breathtaking. His duet with Lionel Richie was also splendid. They really did sound fantastic together. The two low points for me were The Prayer, because I couldn't stand Russell's duet partner, Lulu, and Don't Know How I Got By, because the song just didn't seem to suit Russell's voice. However, the other tracks more than make up for those few inferior selections. Russell Watson truly is a talented man, and I highly recommend this album.

His wrost CD.......2005-01-12

I have all 4 of Russell's Cd's and this is by far his wrose.
The Classical stuff is great but The pop stuff is some of the wrose pop stuff he has even done.

The Glenn Gould Edition - Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I

Average customer rating:

Best CD I Own.
Your Inner Voice is Calling
Fascinating
Gould's unique sound
Listen to a more conventional recording first.

The Glenn Gould Edition - Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I
Johann Sebastian Bach , and Glenn Gould
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Glenn Gould Edition - Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II
A State of Wonder: The Complete Goldberg Variations (1955 & 1981)
Art of the Fugue - 70th Anniversary Edition
French Suites - 70th Anniversary Edition
Bach: The Goldberg Variations

ASIN: B0000028NI
Release Date: 1994-01-11

Tracks:

Prelude And Fugue No. 1 In C Major, BWV 846: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 1 In C Major, BWV 846: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No. 2 In C Minor, BWV 847: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 2 In C Minor, BWV 847: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No. 3 In C-Sharp Major, BWV 848: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 3 In C-Sharp Major, BWV 848: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No. 3 In C-Sharp Minor, BWV 849: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 3 In C-Sharp Minor, BWV 849: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No. 5 In D Major, BWV 850: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 5 In D Major, BWV 850: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 851: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 851: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No. 7 In E-Flat Major, BWV 852: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 7 In E-Flat Major, BWV 852: Fuga
Prelude In E-Flat Minor And Fugue In D-Sharp Minor No. 8, BWV 853: Praeludium
Prelude In E-Flat Minor And Fugue In D-Sharp Minor No. 8, BWV 853: Fuga
Prelude Fugue No. 9 In E Major, BWV 854: Praeludium
Prelude Fugue No. 9 In E Major, BWV 854: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No. 10 In E Minor, BWV 855: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 10 In E Minor, BWV 855: Fuga Fugue No. 10 In E Minor, BWV 855
Prelude And Fugue No. 11 In F Major, BWV 856: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 11 In F Major, BWV 856: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No. 12 In F Minor, BWV 857: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No. 12 In F Minor, BWV 857: Fuga

Tracks:

Prelude And Fugue No.13 In F-Sharp Major, BWV 858: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.13 In F-Sharp Major, BWV 858: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.14 In F-Sharp Minor, BWV 859: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.14 In F-Sharp Minor, BWV 859: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.15 In G Major, BWV 860: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.15 In G Major, BWV 860: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.16 In G Minor, BWV 861: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.16 In G Minor, BWV 861: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.17 In A-Flat Major, BWV 862: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.17 In A-Flat Major, BWV 862: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.18 In G-Sharp Minor, BWV 863: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.18 In G-Sharp Minor, BWV 863: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.19 In A Major, BWV 864: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.19 In A Major, BWV 864: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.20 In A Minor, BWV 865: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.20 In A Minor, BWV 865: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.21 In B-Flat Major, BWV 866: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.21 In B-Flat Major, BWV 866: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.22 In B-Flat Minor, BWV 867: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.22 In B-Flat Minor, BWV 867: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.23 In B Major, BWV 868: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.23 In B Major, BWV 868: Fuga
Prelude And Fugue No.24 In B Minor, BWV 869: Praeludium
Prelude And Fugue No.24 In B Minor, BWV 869: Fuga

Amazon.com essential recording

It's rather amazing today, when recordings of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier practically fall of the shelves, to recall just how unusual it was back in the 1960s for a pianist to undertake to record this amazing work. It's probably fair to say that until Glenn Gould got his fingers around it, Bach's music was used for teaching purposes more than anything else. What Gould proves in this essential set is that Bach is decidedly not just a threat to hold over the head of budding pianists but a joy to listen to. One of Gould's very greatest recordings. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Best CD I Own........2007-07-13

If I could give this album 10 stars, I would. To me it is the platonic ideal for music. These 24 pieces from Bach are important fundamental building blocks for all of music, and Gould interprets them in ways that allows their greatness to come through. These performances never get stale. I started my toddler kids off in listening to both WTC Book 1 and 2, and they loved them immediately. Even now, if given a choice of what CD to put on they will usually choose one of the WTC CD's. I tend to be underdramatic, but when I listen to this composer and this performer and see how my kids respond, I feel like its a gift from God.

Your Inner Voice is Calling.......2007-03-01

Let's admit it right off the bat - these are individualistic recordings that do not sound like anything you've ever heard. That's probably why I value them so much, that and their brilliant artistic temperament. Bach can sound boring, particularly by those who insist on a rigid (rather than flowing) tempo and an emotionless rendition that approaches machine-like quality. This is NOT the WTC you are used to but it is a work of art unto itself.

Whether it is a Brahms Intermezzo, a work by Scriabin or these creations, there is no one who can bring out that inner melody with such clarity and perfection. It's almost as if his fingers operated totally independent of each other in a way we have yet to discover. At times, he manages to find inner voices that cannot be seen even when looking at the music. Then there is his technique of focusing a work - from the entire piece to a movement to a section, phrase, chord and finally a single note. You know that every single note sounds as it does for a reason known only to Gould. As usual, I have trouble choosing a "favorite" although I admit that I prefer the minor over major because of their alleged "richness".

Questions of authenticity or "how they were meant to be heard" are irrelevant. Chopin wrote for a small pianoforte, not the Grand we hear today. Who wants a tiny "original" chorus of Handel's Messiah or Julius Reubke's Organ Sonata heard on a pre-French Romantic organ? By all means, this is a recording for the ages - buy and enjoy.

Fascinating.......2007-02-13

I was quite surprised to read other reviewer's comments about Gould not following Bach's 'intentions'. Given that there is one prelude with a tempo mark and almost no dynamic markings in the entire 48, it would be hard to find his intentions except by assuming that the tradition is 100 % accurate. I find this recording interesting, most of all because of the lack these days of originality. Gould was original, but that was not his goal. He had a connection with the music of Bach and felt that he had something to say with it that no one else had. It's refreshing to hear something so sincerely original as these unconventional renditions. The fugues are especially amazing. His control over each voice is nothing short of spectacular. I highly recommend this to anyone who is tired of hearing the Prelude in C major played the same way by everyone else.

Gould's unique sound.......2006-06-02

No pianist has been able to play these pieces as steadily and with as much control as Gould, nor with his reverence and clarity in fugues such as the c# and e-flat minor. In the C# major prelude in Book I Gould plays a wrong note in bar 37--a b natural for b#--but this more minor-sounding wrong line actually sounds interesting and maybe even better, and it contrasts with bar 45. I did not realize this elusive sound was a wrong note until relistening after a break of many years. It had to be either a deliberate change or a finger slip--no edition of the piece contains that note. There is also a finger slip in the C# major fugue on the 'and' of beat one in bar 17 where Gould bumps into an f#--that could not be deliberate. These are the only note errors I have found in Gould's recordings, and I don't know that any outtakes have been released of the WTC.
Carefully listening one can also detect the splice between takes in the a minor fugue in Gould's Book I, and other splices in II. Other controversial things await the listener in this immortal record.

Listen to a more conventional recording first........2006-02-16

I highly recommend Gould's recording of WTC books one and two with the caveat that his performances reach the peak of the unpredictable and can be rather traumatizing to the uninitiated.

Glenn Gould's interpretation of The WTC is a manifesto of his musical opinions, saturated with absolute confidence. Gould sees Bach as a sibling to be rivaled and conveys his ideas, from the sentimental to the vulgar to the insane, with perfect clarity.

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Beautiful
God Bless Daniel Rodriquez
Music From and For the Heart
Daniel Rodriguez
Some definite winners on this album

The Spirit of America
Daniel Rodriguez
Manufacturer: Manhattan Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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In The Presence
From My Heart
God Bless America
The Impossible Dream
Ronan

ASIN: B00005Y1YC
Release Date: 2002-02-12

Tracks:

God Bless America
We Will Go On
Ave Maria
This Is The Moment
Danny Boy
Bring Him Home
Shenandoah
America The Beautiful
The Lord's Prayer
Into The Fire
You'll Never Walk Alone
The House I Live In

Amazon.com

It's said politics makes strange bedfellows. But it's got nothing on the peculiar marriage of art and history inspired by the tragic events of 9/11/01. Before that day, Daniel Rodriguez was a member of New York's finest, working as an NYPD security officer at the Manhattan South precinct. If it seemed an odd calling for a gifted, operatically trained tenor, it was employment many a journeyman artist could relate to: the proverbial "day job." As it turns out, no police academy in the world could have trained Rodriguez for the crucial role his city's darkest hour thrust upon him. While his colleagues mourned their staggering losses and toiled around the clock in rescue efforts, Rodriguez delivered renditions of "God Bless America" that rallied both his city and his country, much as Kate Smith's version of the Irving Berlin patriotic standard had done at the dawn of WWII.

Contemporary jazz great-producer Tom Scott took it from there, showcasing Rodriguez's powerful voice in this deftly arranged album focused sharply on personal and national inspiration. Taking his cue from his own hero, Mario Lanza, Rodriguez instills no small amount of drama in his performances, and it serves him well on tracks like the American folk classic "Shenandoah," a rousing take on Scarlet Pimpernel's "Into the Fire," and the relative Sinatra rarity "The House I Live In." The "God Bless America" here varies from the original single release, with Rodriguez reading the spoken intro once delivered by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. Is Rodriguez the greatest tenor of modern times? No. But it's hard to imagine a talent better suited to the challenge history has thrust upon him; we're lucky--make that blessed--to have him. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful.......2007-07-21

This cd will bring tears to your eyes. His voice is so clear and lovely. I bought this cd for my mother for her birthday in September. It is so sad that the events of September 11 had to occur for this man to be discovered.

God Bless Daniel Rodriquez.......2007-07-16

This alblum is a treasure to own and listen to. He really captures the spirit of patriotism. I have played his songs at a local fireworks show that I DJ at and his songs are up there with the other songs by artists by Mr. Lee "God Bless The U.S.A." Greenwood and other great artists. New York City and the nation needed him at a time when we were trying to recover from the worst tragedy in the history of the U.S.A. and he was there for us.

Music From and For the Heart.......2006-11-25

Daniel's album is music to be shared with family and with friends to help further ensure warmth, strong family ties, and love of our beautiful country. His voice is magical, skilled, rich and so memorable that it can take one on a journey from yesterday to promise for a bright tomorrow. This is a superb rendering of past unforgettable music. His solemn rendition of the peace song "God Bless America" is the album's centerpiece and truly unforgettable....

Daniel Rodriguez.......2006-11-11

I first heard of Daniel Rodriguez a couple of months ago when he sang on Jay Leno's show. He was/is WONDERFUL! His voice is beautiful, but he sings from the heart, and that makes him exceptional.

Some definite winners on this album.......2005-12-14

My favorites are "Ave Maria" and "The Lord's Prayer" where Daniel truly shows off his vocal talents. I could have done without the choir backup on "Ave Maria" but nonetheless a great rendition.

The ending that he has for the "The Lord's Prayer" almost brings a tear to my eye each time I hear it. Well done Daniel.

The Essential Leontyne Price: Spirituals, Hymns & Sacred Songs

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The Price Club
A living legend
not your daddy's old timey spiritual
Immaculate Vocals of Leontyne Price
Great Gospel Stuff

The Essential Leontyne Price: Spirituals, Hymns & Sacred Songs

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Leontyne Price Christmas Songs Chants de Noel.Weihnachtslieden Wiener Philharmoniker Herbert Von Karajan
Amazing Grace: Jessye Norman
Spirituals in Concert
Spirituals

ASIN: B000003FWE
Release Date: 1997-01-14

Tracks:

Ev'ry Time I Feel The Spirit - Various Artists
Let Us Break Bread Together On Our Knees - Various Artists
His Name So Sweet - Various Artists
'Roun' About The Mountain - Various Artists
Swing Low , Sweet Chariot - Various Artists
Sit Down, Servant - Various Artists
Were You There - Various Artists
He's Got The Whole World In His Hands - Various Artists
Deep River - Various Artists
Honor! Honor! - Various Artists
My Soul's Been Anchored In De Lord - Various Artists
On Ma Journey - Various Artists
A City Called Heaven - Various Artists
Ride On, King Jesus - Various Artists
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free - Various Artists
Sinner, Please Don't Let This Harvest Pass - Various Artists
Sweet Little Jesus Boy - Various Artists
There Is A Balm In Gilead - Various Artists
Let Us Cheer The Weary Traveler - Various Artists
Ev'ry Time I Feel The Spirit - Various Artists
My Way Is Cloudy - Various Artists
Nobody Knows The Touble I've Seen - Various Artists
I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray - Various Artists

Tracks:

Holy, Holy, Holy - Leontyne Price
Lead, Kindly Light - Leontyne Price
Blessed Assurance - Leontyne Price
Ave Maria - Leontyne Price
What A Friend We Have In Jesus - Leontyne Price
Amazing Grace - Leontyne Price
The Lord's Prayer - Leontyne Price
Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior - Leontyne Price
The Church's One Foundation - Leontyne Price
Bless This House - Leontyne Price
I Need Thee Every Hour - Leontyne Price
Schlesische Volkslieder: Fairest Lord Jesus - Leontyne Price
I Wonder As I Wander - Leontyne Price
Ave Maria - Leontyne Price
Porgy And Bess: Summertime - Leontyne Price
America The Beautiful - Leontyne Price
Lift Ev'ry Voice And Sing - Leontyne Price
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God - Leontyne Price
Battle Hymn Of The Republic - Leontyne Price

Customer Reviews:

The Price Club.......2005-04-28

"I am here," said Leontyne Price when interviewed as she opened the new Metropolitan Opera with Samuel Barber's underrated ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, "and you will know that I am the best and will hear me. The color of my skin or the kink of my hair or the spread of my mouth has nothing to do with what you are listening to." Back in the 1960s Price was one of the greatest divas in all of opera, and it wasn't just her voice but her magnificent stage presence, combined with her social activism. All of the above come into play in this collection of secular songs and ditties, some of them traditional plantation chanties and others, art songs and a scattering of pop music. And some of them, like Gershwin's "Summertime," cross the ever-permeable boundaries between Broadway and classical. These recordings were made at different times in Price's career, and her voice, while always angelic, has different shadings and reaches a different range of timbre in each separate recording date, but there is no question that, as time goes by, she is able to impart a richness of life experience noticeably absent from some of her earlier work.

"Ave Maria" sounds heavenly no matter which way you slice it, and as for "I Wonder As I Wander," it brings tears to your eyes. If you have a heart that's beating you will be moved by this rendition. "Ein feste Burg" is pretty strong, but Price seems more comfortable with the traditional spirituals, though perhaps it is the slightly off-kilter sounds of the Ambrosian Singers (what a name) who back her up on many of these tracks, that detract slightly from the experience. Compare "Lead Kindly Light" for a clear sense of what constitutes authority vs. what is a wee bit overproduced. If you had this compilation, and perhaps one of Leontyne Price's Christmas albums, you could attain nirvana any time you wanted to, just flip a switch and close your eyes, let her lift you up on wings of song.

A living legend.......2005-03-10

Leontyne Price (still alive) and already passing into immortality amongst vocal artists, both classical and popular. Leontyne Price stands at the pinnacle of her classical art, but those who only know her work in La Forza del destino or the Verdi Requiem are in for a heart rending treat with this album where Leontyne Price goes home to her roots in Mississippi and gives an unabashed account of the classic spirituals she sang as a young woman. Like John Mc Cormacks rendering of Irish songs there is a personal longing and devotion expressed here that reveals a side of the artist not known in the bulk of their "classical" repetoire. A sense of going home like Citizen Kane's rosebud, or as Dorothy Gale observes at the end of the Wizard of Oz "everything I could ever have wanted was right in my own backyard "

not your daddy's old timey spiritual.......2004-06-23

Agreed this is a good cd for a beautiful voice, but this is not, repeat not, for someone who wants to hear that old-timey religious fervor that you think of when you've been to a Black Baptist hand-clapping, standing, swaying, and singing service.

Immaculate Vocals of Leontyne Price.......2003-12-31

IMMACULATE, SUPERB vocal range and style! There's no other words that can complement Miss Leontyne Price's vocal arrangements. Miss Price's voice is strong, and shrills very nicely to the instruments played on many songs listed on this double CD which is a joy to treasure; every song listed are songs I was raised to hearing and singing. Miss Price is the reason why many of these songs remain in popularity and presently used. Miss Leontyne Price has been incredible in many of her past performances. This is my fourth CD of Miss Price and I am glad to own this particular CD forever and ever. Many thanks to the executors who found this remarkable album and upgraded it to a CD format! **Angi**

Great Gospel Stuff.......2001-04-12

This is a great CD. The only problem I have with it is that on some of the selections there is a boy's choir screaming in the background, and this takes away (a bit) from her performance. That said, her best selections are those that are either unaccompanied or those where her voice is not buried. Songs that strike me are - His Name So Sweet, He's Got The Whole World, Were You There, I Wonder as I Wander, Lift Every Voice and Sing, and my all time favourite Summertime. Enough said.

A Christmas Celebration: Kathleen Battle

Average customer rating:

A Christmas Celebration: Kathleen Battle
One of the most beautiful Christmas albums
A Christmas Collection For The Ages
Kathleen Battle, My Madam Christmas
Pure Joy

A Christmas Celebration: Kathleen Battle
Kathleen Battle , traditional/various , Leonard Slatkin , and Orchestra of St. Luke's with New York Choral Artists & Harlem Boys' Choir
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002ROL
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

O Come All Ye Faithful
O Holy Night
Bring A Torch, Jeannette Isabelle
Fum, Fum, Fum!
Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
Ave Maria
Gesu Bambino
Medley: I Saw Three Ships; The First Nowell; The Holly And The Ivy
Away In A Manger
Silent Night
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Mary's Cradle Song
Zither Carol
I Wonder As I Wander
Mary Had A Baby
Rise Up, Shepherd
What Child Is This?
Ave Maria
Finale and Reprise: Veni, Veni, Emmanuel; It Came Upon A Midnight Clear; O Little Town Of Bethlehem; Silent Night; O Come All Ye Faithful

Customer Reviews:

A Christmas Celebration: Kathleen Battle.......2007-01-19

what can i say about the best of the best? As always, Miss Battle makes me wonder how anyone else would dare to sing this music after her rendition. A beautiful CD

One of the most beautiful Christmas albums .......2005-11-22

I love Kathleen Battle's voice, and to get such a great collection of beautiful sacred music, it was like a dream come true. She sings many traditional carols like Holy Night, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Silent Night, which is possibly my favorite here, you may think you have heard this song so many times, but Kathleen's voice really shines in it. Her English diction is so incredible, you can understand every word, which is not something many opera singers can achieve. Her singing is always so natural and lovely. Many other songs are oustanding on this album, I love the two version of Ave Maria and the Italian song Gesu Bambino. If you are looking for a really beautiful collection of Christmas music, this album is a great choice.

A Christmas Collection For The Ages.......2005-11-13

If there is one performer I miss hearing on a regular basis, it is Kathleen Battle. Anytime I knew that she'd be in a Metropolitan Opera radio broadcast, I knew it would be a performance to remember and more often than not, I was correct. She has a light voice that reaches the upper reregisters with ease and has as a gorgeous sound. She not a regular at many opera houses these days, and in likelihood, if she still did perform on the world's opera stages, we'd be hearing critics say her voice was not what it once was, but thanks to her recorded legacy, her voice will, always have that youthful, energetic sound.

Overall I believe that Ms. Battle performs better in complete opera recordings than recital albums, but most of her recital recordings are of at least good quality and this Christmas collection is outstanding. She handles all of the works with apparent similar ease, but since the recording is so varied, this is a compliment to her skill as a performer. She begins and ends with "O Come All Ye Faithful" where she does a few vocal acrobatics but it's never overdone. Each time I think of what the bets part of the collection is, my mind changes. She brings her skills from the operatic stage in her renditions of "O Holy Night," "Gesu Bambino" (only Pavarotti sings this better, but it's a very close second), and "The Zither Carol" which sounds so much like something that could come from the mouths of Oscar from UN BALLO or Zurbinetta from ARIADNE AUF NAXOS, two of her signature roles. The music from the African American Spirituals tradition and American background are well done and the accompaniment of the Harlem Boys Choir, used to great advantage here adds so much.

With so many Christmas collections from the world of opera available, choosing one can be difficult, but this is one collection that has proven to be a joy for almost fifteen years and will continue to give holiday pleasure for years to come.

Kathleen Battle, My Madam Christmas.......2004-12-28

I probably have 50 Christmas albums. I love many of them. This is my favorite. Leaves me astounded and breathless every time I enjoy it.

Pure Joy.......2003-12-07

In a world where disturbing things are all too common, Christian scripture guides us to dwell on that which is lovely. Kathleen Battle's blessed voice is most certainly one of those lovely things.

I bought this CD in the early 1990's, and I am here to buy it again because I have worn out the original with scratches, etc. I only listen to it during the Christmas season, but I enjoy it enough to hear it all year.

The 'Christmas Celebration' CD should be enough to convince you to also purchase Kathleen's 'A Carnegie Hall Christmas Concert'. Ms. Battle's wonderful soprano voice is joined by that of the mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, and the blending is more than memorable. There are a couple of songs which are on both CD's, but you'll want to hear both. In fact, the video of the PBS special is also available, and I recommend buying all three. You won't regret it.

Some of my favorite selections from 'Christmas Celebration' include 'Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabelle' and 'Fum, Fum, Fum', both of which are from a culture different from my own. I found such glimpses into unfamiliar favorites to enhance my own enjoyment of the Christmas season, as long as all of my traditional American favorites were included. They were. "I Wonder As I Wander" and "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful" are there among the other favorites.

Tracks:

No. 1 In C Major, BWV 846: Prelude
No. 1 In C Major, BWV 846: Fugue
No. 2 In C Minor, BWV 847: Prelude
No. 2 In C Minor, BWV 847: Fugue
No. 3 In C-Sharp Major, BWV 848: Prelude
No. 3 In C-Sharp Major, BWV 848: Fugue
No. 4 In C-Sharp Minor, BWV 849: Prelude
No. 4 In C-Sharp Minor, BWV 849: Fugue
No. 5 In D Major, BWV 850: Prelude
No. 5 In D Major, BWV 850: Fugue
No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 851: Prelude
No. 6 In D Minor, BWV 851: Fugue
No. 7 In E Flat Major, BWV 852: Prelude
No. 7 In E Flat Major, BWV 852: Fugue
No. 8 In E Flat Minor, BWV 853: Prelude
No. 8 In E Flat Minor, BWV 853: Fugue
No. 9 In E Major, BWV 854: Prelude
No. 9 In E Major, BWV 854: Fugue
No. 10 In E Minor, BWV 855: Prelude
No. 10 In E Minor, BWV 855: Fugue
No. 11 In F Major, BWV 856: Prelude
No. 11 In F Major, BWV 856: Fugue
No. 12 In F Minor, BWV 857: Prelude
No. 12 In F Minor, BWV 857: Fugue

Tracks:

No. 13 In F Sharp Major, BWV 858: Prelude
No. 13 In F Sharp Major, BWV 858: Fugue
No. 14 In F Sharp Minor, BWV 859: Prelude
No. 14 In F Sharp Minor, BWV 859: Fugue
No. 15 In G Major, BWV 860: Prelude
No. 15 In G Major, BWV 860: Fugue
No. 16 In G Minor, BWV 861: Prelude
No. 16 In G Minor, BWV 861: Fugue
No. 17 In A Flat Major, BWV 862: Prelude 862
No. 17 In A Flat Major, BWV 862: Fugue
No. 18 In G Sharp Minor, BWV 863: Prelude
No. 18 In G Sharp Minor, BWV 863: Fugue
No. 19 In A Major, BWV 864: Prelude
No. 19 In A Major, BWV 864: Fugue
No. 20 In A Minor, BWV 865: Prelude
No. 20 In A Minor, BWV 865: Fugue
No. 21 In B Flat Major, BWV 866: Prelude
No. 21 In B Flat Major, BWV 866: Fugue
No. 22 In B Flat Minor, BWV 867: Prelude
No. 22 In B Flat Minor, BWV 867: Fugue
No. 23 In B Major, BWV 868: Prelude
No. 23 In B Major, BWV 868: Fugue
No. 24 In B Minor, BWV 869: Prelude
No. 24 In B Minor, BWV 869: Fugue

Customer Reviews:

Bach made boring.......2006-08-15

Hewitt is a fine and talented pianist, to be admired also for her careful dedication, refinement, and zeal to record Bach's works on the piano.

There is nothing objectionable about her recordings, and of course the music itself (Bach's) is wonderful. But I find her playing very conservative. Exactly what one's aging piano teacher would tell you about how to play. Nothing excessive. Each note carefully considered. Not too fast. Not too slow. Not too nuanced. Not too eccentric. Totally in keeping with correct Baroque style.

But really I find her playing quite boring, in part because of the above qualities. When I hear so many people gushing about her playing, I find myself wondering how it is that I feel so differently...maybe such devoted Bach players as Hewitt are relatively rare, and maybe the community of music critics for this genre are quite conservative (and, dare I say, boring) themselves, so playing like Hewitt's would be right up their alley.

I recommend instead any recording by Glenn Gould (who can be at times exasperating, eccentric, or even cacophonous, but never boring, and very often sublime). For a less eccentric Bach player, I think Murray Perahia is wonderful, but I don't think he's done the WTC yet.

Penguin Rosette Award Winner.......2005-09-12

Angela Hewitt's WTC Book I and II received the prestigious Penguin Guide "Rosette" award - as well as high marks from the other UK classical music guide, Gramophone (whose readers voted Ms. Hewitt "Artist of the Year" in 2007). This set came early in Hewitt's massive, 11-year traversal of Bach's major keyboard works. As compared to Book II, the preludes in this Book I set tend to be more lyrical and musically charming where those of Book II are longer in length, denser in texture and more complex in scope. Most people find the preludes/fugue of Book I more lyrical and memorable, although the masterful works of Book II are a treasure trove especially for the pianist and connoisseur.

But, if you are not a pianist - or are newer to classical music - some background may help here regarding the phrase, "Well-Tempered Clavier." Translated from the German, it basically means a keyboard (clavier) that is "evenly-tempered" or evenly-divided into twelve equal intervals of an octave scale. Before Bach, there was no agreement as to how to tune the keyboard, and many scientific and religious theories abounded. This compromised (12-semi-tone) approach of Bach had the main advantage of having all 12 major and minor keys in a tuning that is both convenient to the player and overall acceptable to the ear. So, without any tuning changes, the harpsichordist could play in any key at will and it sound good - something critical as the keyboard was gaining prominance. So, historically, these 48 pairs of preludes and fugues became a foundation of the Western tonal music system. They not only showcase this new system of tuning, but they also are a systematic exploration of harmony as well as a highly-structured method of keyboard teaching. This achievement brought Bach recognition as one of the great scientific practitioners of music - and even one compared as "the Issac Newton of Music."

Out of the many fine recordings, the preferred choices must certainly include Angela Hewitt's sets here - which are also some of the most beautiful in tone. To get a feel for Hewitt's sweet, lyrical style, listen to tracks 1, 5, 17 and see how she beautifully shapes the legato lines and uses her trademark light & gingerly touch to create truly lovely colorations and subtle moods. I don't think any other pianist has played such preludes (especially the C# major) with such sheer delicacy and luminescent beauty. But, Hewitt is much more than sweetness as seen in her precise articulations and confident progression through the complex fugues. In these she brings the needed "gravity" and intellectualism to such German-minded polyphonic works that Bach intended (such as the closing fugue).

As far as other recordings, Hungarian pianist, Andras Schiff, also gives a similarly attractive reading of the WTC - but perhaps not quite as elegant and pleasantly straightforward as Hewitt, who usually gives good "reference" readings with minimal interpretative excesses. Other versions of the WTC for the more serious classical collector or pianists would also include Rosalyn Tereck's recordings (a Bach legend), Glenn Gould (highly individual but with superb clarity of parts), Edwin Fischer (classic), Tatiana Nikolayeva (emaculate aria and noble tones) and Russian Sergey Schepkin (dazzling pianism with crisp, "plucky" articulations that remind one of Mikhail Pletnev) - although expect poorer sound quality for the pre-60's recordings. Frederich Gulda's recordings on Philips DUO are not in the top tier mostly due to a rather harsh sound quality (and style at times). Also, Daniel Barenboim just released his recordings of both books the WTC if you are a fan of that great pianist.

Speaking of sound quality, Hewitt's WTC is one of the few in her discography that has a slightly sub-standard sound quality (not as rich and "full bodied" as others)... maybe due to the fact it was one of her first on Hyperion. Other reviewers note this as well, but it should be not a "show stopper." Also, one other good reason to get Angela Hewitt's set (or any CD of hers for that matter) are her superlative liner notes (a small book of 16 full pages in English here). All her notes are the best-in-class and allow a deeper enjoyment and satisfying learning experience. So, overall, Angela Hewitt's WTC Book I is a most superb, educational and delightful set of a landmark work in music history. In 2007, Hewitt will do a world tour of "the 48" - playing them from memory no less. Compositions - 5 stars; Performance - 5 stars; Sound quality -4 stars.

Good piano skills, poor sound quality.......2004-07-08

Although the musicality of Ms. Hewitt and performance is outstanding, I found the sound very muffled, and ended up returning the CD.

Just Great.......2004-07-06

For years I wasted my money on other Well-Tempered Clavier sets by other artists that shall remain nameless. But THIS one is a keeper. Thanks Angela!

CARRYING THE STANDARD.......2004-05-09

My head is ringing with preludes and fugues by Bach at the moment. Just a week ago I attended a festival of keyboard counterpoint at the Royal Northern College of Music, and over the last year or two the BBC has been broadcasting a midnight series of the 48 played by Gavrilov, Demidienko and Joanna McGregor. One thing is very apparent from it all - Bach's preludes and fugues don't get many bad performances, in public at least. Angela Hewitt is in a very distinguished line of north American Bach-players on the piano. During the 50's and 60's Rosalynn Tureck kept the tradition of playing Bach on the piano alive as the purist bandwagon gathered momentum, and slightly later Hewitt's great Canadian compatriot Glenn Gould gave that tradition a spectacular new impetus, and by now matters are where they ought to be, with instruments seen and heard as the servants of music and not the reverse.

It's difficult to give the right impression of a set of performances where there is really nothing to criticise. Hewitt works within strict parameters of moderation and impeccable taste and sense of style. That is not faint praise, but very emphatic praise indeed. There is plenty of variety in her touch, and plenty of light and shade in her dynamics and tempi. What she doesn't go in for is the dramatic contrasts of loud and soft so favoured by Tureck, nor the sometimes spectacular tempi adopted by Gould. Her technique is absolutely perfect, but her touch is not one that you could identify in an instant the way you can often identify Gould's. Now and again she raises her voice to some purpose, as when she adds an extra octave in the bass (very properly) at the end of the D major fugue, and we get an impression of what she could she could do along with the best of them if she saw fit. In general, though, this is the exception. Her way with the first book of the 48 is neither unduly severe nor tending towards the romantic, as one may feel Richter does. This is a musical world of its own. It contains limitless variety in everything except the consistently magnificent standard of the pieces, but it's a world that stays within its own orbit and this player goes on no trips outside that orbit. Whatever the piece seems to ask for, Angela Hewitt seems to have it. She tells us that she detects a danger that the second prelude, in C minor, can be made to sound ugly. Nobody I've listened to lately did that, and I suspect Hewitt wouldn't even know how. She is not without individuality in her own terms either, as you will hear right away in the famous first prelude. I have always been very attracted to Gould's highly individual way of doing this, each arpeggio half-legato and half-staccato. In case it was time for a change, here is a very beautiful alternative, light and ethereal.

She is particularly effective in the C sharp major prelude too, and actually tells us to some extent how she achieves her effect. Her liner-booklet is one of the best I have ever seen. It's informative, thoughtful, unpretentious, practical and down-to-earth, and all the better in that respect for being concerned with music that is anywhere but down to earth. Sometimes she lets us into her thinking as to why she adopts a certain approach - she favours a constant pulse in the big E flat prelude, for instance, and she ends the C sharp minor fugue quietly because (according to Czerny) Beethoven did it that way and it makes the best sense to her done like that in any case.

Tracks:

Ciribiribin
The Firefly: Giannina mia
The Firefly: The Donkey Serenade
Naughty Marietta: Ah! Sweet Mystery Of Life
Naughty Marietta: Italian Street Song
New Moon: Lover Come Back To Me
New Moon: One Kiss
Smilin' Through: Land Of Hope And Glory
Rose Marie: Indian Love Call
San Francisco
The Holy City
Love Parade: March Of The Grenadiers
Monte Carlo: Beyond The Blue Horizon
The Fortune Teller: Romany Life
The Vagabond King: Only A Rose
Les filles de Cadiz
Ave Maria
Songs My Mother Taught Me
Romeo et Juliette: Je veux vivre dans ce reve
Faust: Il etait un roi de Thule
Faust: Air des bijoux
Louise: Depuis le jour

Customer Reviews:

Jeanette MacDonald Favorites.......2007-05-13

This CD is an incredible testimony and celebration of an American Master Singer.
A must have for all. An introduction to quality and good taste for a new generation of music lovers.

A MUST for any Jeanette fan!.......2006-04-25

This CD is a gem! The songs included on it are beautiful and show off MacDonald's incredible voice. The best part of this CD, however, is the sound quality. Unlike many of her other recordings, and those featuring her with frequent costar Nelson Eddy, the sound on this CD is pristine, and you can barely tell the recordings are 50+ years old!

Jeanette MacDonald Was Unique.......2001-03-12

It really doesn't matter whether or not she could sing; Jeanette MacDonald was unique. On these old recordings, her voice sounds thin and watery, and contemporary tastes do not respond so readily to the sentimentality and predictability of her movies. But she was a gracious lady and glittering presence on the silver screen. These film songs do suggest the excitement she generated when her movies first appeared. And how many truly major singers she inspired! Joan Sutherland recalled meeting MacDonald a few years before her death. Said Sutherland: "I still had stars in my eyes."

An excellent demonstration of Jeanette MacDonald's artistry.......1998-12-18

The highlights of this Jeanette MacDonald CD include her excellent singing of Delibes' "Les Filles de Cadiz," the Bach-Gounod "Ave Maria," and the "Jewel Song" from "Faust." A much-underrated artist, MacDonald proves here that she can handle a wide range of music, from concert songs and opera arias to familiar tunes from her operetta films. Particularly fine are her renditions of "Only a Rose," and Herbert's "Romany Life" (in spite of an amateurish male chorus). Highly recommended not only as a tribute to filmdom's first lady of song, but also to listeners who enjoy both opera and musical comedy.

Sacred Arias [Special Edition with Bonus DVD]

Average customer rating:

A spiritual experience

Sacred Arias [Special Edition with Bonus DVD]
Andrea Bocelli , Giulio Caccini , Cesar Franck , Charles Gounod , Franz Xaver Gruber , George Frideric Handel , Jean-Paul Lecot , Eric Levi , Steven Mercurio , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Louis Niedermeyer , Gioachino Rossini , Franz Schubert , Giuseppe Verdi , John Francis Wade , Richard Wagner , Myung-Whun Chung , and Santa Cecilia National Academy Orchestra Rome
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

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

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

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:

Andrea Bocelli - Amore
Romanza
Sentimento: Andrea Bocelli with Lorin Maazel and the London Symphony Orchestra [Limited Edition w/ Bonus Track]
Andrea Bocelli - The Opera Album ~ Aria
Cieli di Toscana

ASIN: B0000CE9VO
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Tracks:

Ave Maria
Sancta Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Panis Angelicus - Norbert Balatsch
Cujus Animam
Ingemisco
Ave Verum Corpus
Der Engel
Frondi Tenere... Ombra Mai Fu
Pieta, Signore - Norbert Balatsch
Domine Deus
Mille Cherubini In Coro - Norbert Balatsch
Silent Night
Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful) - Norbert Balatsch
Gloria A Te, Cristo Gesu (The Hymn Of The Great Jubilee)
Agnus Dei
I Believe

Amazon.com

When he was growing up, Andrea Bocelli recalls finding inspiration in a favorite recording of sacred music performed by tenor legend Franco Corelli. Bocelli--who in the meantime has come to inspire millions of fiercely loyal fans himself--returns to the genre as the guiding theme of Sacred Arias. These performances are filled with the singer's phenomenally well-known vocal signature: his flair for long, sweetly floating high notes and the gentle sense of cadence he brings to a melody. It's a mistake to compartmentalize Bocelli into a singer of "operatic" versus "popular" styles: in truth his approach is at heart the same. Lack of color and control in his phrasing remains a drawback, but the emotional empathy Bocelli evokes is never in doubt. The arias collected here sample some of the most famous devotional pieces: Schubert's "Ave Maria" and Mozart's transporting "Ave Verum," as well as an arrangement of "Silent Night" in which Bocelli tries out his English. There's also a decidedly odd choice of bedfellows for a program of "sacred" music, such as a song from Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder (whose "angel" is the object of an overpoweringly erotic attraction) and Handel's figurative ode to a tree, "Ombra mai fu." Still, Bocelli sings with an unfeigned directness that is sure to expand his already enormous following even further. This new special edition includes two bonus tracks on a CD enhanced with a picture gallery as well as a full-length DVD of Bocelli in concert filmed at the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva in Rome. --Thomas May

Album Description

Special Edition includes enhanced CD with bonus tracks and concert DVD.

Customer Reviews:

A spiritual experience.......2003-11-27

The DVD is the full 77 minute concert with two featurettes previously released alone. The CD is the full 72 minute concert previously released alone, except that two bonus tracks have been added. The audio quality of each one is quite good. (If you have a Dolby Digital stereo, then you must go into the setup menu on the DVD to select Dolby Digital sound. The default music track is the stereo 2.0 sound.) The video quality of the DVD is astonishing.

Tracks:

Praludien Und Fugen I, In C-Dur, BWV 846
Praludien Und Fugen I, In C-Dur, BWV 846
Praludien Und Fugen II, In C-Moll, BWV 847
Praludien Und Fugen II, In C-Moll, BWV 847
Praludien Und Fugen III, In Cis-Dur, BWV 848
Praludien Und Fugen III, In Cis-Dur, BWV 848
Praludien Und Fugen IV, In Cis-Moll, BWV 849
Praludien Und Fugen IV, In Cis-Moll, BWV 849
Praludien Und Fugen V, In D-Dur, BWV 850
Praludien Und Fugen V, In D-Dur, BWV 850
Praludien Und Fugen VI, In D-Moll, BWV 851
Praludien Und Fugen VI, In D-Moll, BWV 851
Praludien Und Fugen VII, In Es-Dur, BWV 852
Praludien Und Fugen VII, In Es-Dur, BWV 852
Praludien Und Fugen VIII, In Es/Dis-Moll, BWV 853
Praludien Und Fugen VIII, In Es/Dis-Moll, BWV 853
Praludien Und Fugen IX, In E-Dur, BWV 854
Praludien Und Fugen IX, In E-Dur, BWV 854
Praludien Und Fugen X, In E-Moll, BWV 855
Praludien Und Fugen X, In E-Moll, BWV 855
Praludien Und Fugen XI, In F-Dur, BWV 856
Praludien Und Fugen XI, In F-Dur, BWV 856
Praludien Und Fugen XII, In F-Moll, BWV 857
Praludien Und Fugen XII, In F-Moll, BWV 857

Tracks:

Praludien Und Fugen XIII, In Fis-Dur, BWV 858
Praludien Und Fugen XIII, In Fis-Dur, BWV 858
Praludien Und Fugen XIV, In Fis-Moll, BWV 859
Praludien Und Fugen XIV, In Fis-Moll, BWV 859
Praludien Und Fugen XV, In G-Dur, BWV 860
Praludien Und Fugen XV, In G-Dur, BWV 860
Praludien Und Fugen XVI, In G-Moll, BWV 861
Praludien Und Fugen XVI, In G-Moll, BWV 861
Praludien Und Fugen XVII, In As-Dur, BWV 862
Praludien Und Fugen XVII, In As-Dur, BWV 862
Praludien Und Fugen XVIII, In Gis-Moll, BWV 863
Praludien Und Fugen XVIII, In Gis-Moll, BWV 863
Praludien Und Fugen XIX, In A-Dur, BWV 864
Praludien Und Fugen XIX, In A-Dur, BWV 864
Praludien Und Fugen XX, In A-Moll, BWV 865
Praludien Und Fugen XX, In A-Moll, BWV 865
Praludien Und Fugen XXI, In B-Dur, BWV 866
Praludien Und Fugen XXI, In B-Dur, BWV 866
Praludien Und Fugen XXII, In B-Moll, BWV 867
Praludien Und Fugen XXII, In B-Moll, BWV 867
Praludien Und Fugen XXIII, In H-Dur, BWV 868
Praludien Und Fugen XXIII, In H-Dur, BWV 868
Praludien Und Fugen XXIV, In H-Moll, BWV 869
Praludien Und Fugen XXIV, In H-Moll, BWV 869

Customer Reviews:

My new favorite.......2007-02-14

This is now my favorite recording of the WTC. Sensitive, intelligent, clear, much nuance, brilliant. Nice use of what my teacher called a Bach pedal. I wish Fellner would record the second book, and everything else.

The one to buy if you dislike Gould's style.......2006-04-02

The visual I get from Gould's playing is that of a man changing into a werewolf while playing a piano that is on fire and plummeting down the side of a mountain. I'm eternally thankful for Gould bringing Bach keyboard pieces into the mainstream repertoire, but I distinctly dislike his style. Fellner's rendition is everything Gould's is not: thoughtful, measured, fluidic. The ECM recordings are well-produced and offer clarity to match the quality of performance. I like Richter's version of WTC, but I think Fellner's lends the gravity due to a Bach piece. I sincerely hope that Fellner will go on to record WTC II, Goldberg Variations, and the English, Italian, and French Suites.

My top WTC ever!!!!.......2005-07-09

This is, in my opinion, the best recording of the Well-Tempered Clavier I have ever heard, beating out such greats as Glenn Gould and Edwin Fischer. The preludes were played with breathtaking finesse, imagination, and an amazing control that, paradoxically, only heightened the excitement of these pieces. One sensed incredible strength and energy held in reserve - but just barely. Anyone who thinks that Bach is "boring" must listen to this performance!
If the preludes were incredible, the fugues were more so. Till Fellner's ability to bring out not just one voice, but two or three *at once*, is not to be believed until you hear it. Even Gould and Fischer, my favorite Bach pianists, did not often demonstrate this extent of multi-layered complexity in their playing of counterpoint. The incredible intellect and imagination that I could sense behind the playing boggled my mind.
In short, this recording passed my litmus test for greatness - it grabbed my attention right from the start and WOULD NOT let it go.
Keep up the great work Till Fellner! I'd give this one six stars if I could.

Bach shines everywhere.......2005-04-15

What is so wonderful about Bach's music is that its harmonic and rhythmic lines shine forth everywhere as long as the performer understands and communicates those lines. This is the case in Fellner's reditions. Gould accomplishes it in one way, many others in their ways, and Fellner in his way. I believe Bach would be well-pleased to hear his intentions shine forth in Fellner's use of nuances only available on the piano, as well as in Gould's use of the instrument. To lock into one interpretation and close ones mind to others is to limit Bach's limitless potential. Thank you Tim Fellner for allowing Bach to shine forth yet once again.

Amazing.......2005-03-17

I sincerely hope we can look forward to more recordings from Till Fellner (especially one of WTC 2!). This recording is most definitely better than Schiff and Gould. As a pianist who has studied and played WTC and worships Bach's genius in counterpoint, I can tell you that I could not dream of better playing of these pieces. The pedaling is hardly noticable and helps a great deal to blend the voices together and create smoother fugues, which is how they are supposed to be. The sound quality is also very good. VERY highly recommended.

Kathleen Battle & Christopher Parkening ~ Pleasures of Their Company

Average customer rating:

Enjoying The Pleasures of K. Battle & C. Parkening
Great blending of the talents of two top-notch artists in their respective fields. Parkening on the guitar and Battle singing.
Superb technique, emotionally flat, but enjoyable even so.
ONE OF MY FAVOURITES
Fans will be delighted!

Kathleen Battle & Christopher Parkening ~ Pleasures of Their Company
John Dowland , Manuel de Falla , Charles Gounod , Heitor Villa-Lobos , Enrique Granados , Fini Henriques , Jaime Ovalle , Joaquim Antonio Barroso Neto , Franz Xaver Richter , Anonymous , William Levi Dawson , Robert MacGimsey , Kathleen Battle , and Christopher Parkening
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Battle, Kathleen | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Angels' Glory
Kathleen Battle · Wynton Marsalis ~ Baroque Duet / Anthony Newman · Orch St. Luke's · Nelson
So Many Stars
The Best of Kathleen Battle
Kathleen Battle Sings Mozart

ASIN: B000002RNM
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Music By John Dowland: Come Again! Sweet Love Doth Now Invite
Music By John Dowland: Allemande (Guitar Solo)
Music By John Dowland: What If I Never Speed?
Music By John Dowland: Galliard (Guitar Solo)
Music By John Dowland: Fine Knacks For Ladies
Ave Maria
Bachianas Brasileiras No.5: Aria
Coleccion De Tonadillas: La Maja De Goya
Three Brazilian Songs: Boi-Bumba
Three Brazilian Songs: Azulao
Three Brazilian Songs: Para Ninar
Three Spanish Folk Songs: Cancion
Three Spanish Folk Songs: Nana
Three Spanish Folk Songs: Seguidillia Murciana
Six Spirituals: Ain't Got No Time To Die
Six Spirituals: I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray
Six Spirituals: Ain't That Good News!
Six Spirituals: Sweet Little Jesus Boy
Six Spirituals: This Little Light Of Mine
Six Spirituals: Ride On King Jesus

Customer Reviews:

Enjoying The Pleasures of K. Battle & C. Parkening.......2007-05-06

Whether you are very familiar with these two artists or have never heard either one, you will delight in this musical collaboration. Only a guitarist of Christopher Parkening's stature could be the ideal accompaniment to the perfection of Kathleen Battle's voice. The music ranges from selections by John Dowland to American spirituals, Bach/Gounod, Villa-Lobos, Granados and some Spanish folk songs. The result is a coherent, soothing and utterly delightful listening experience. You will revisit this album often, and always be glad that you have it. For fans of Kathleen Battle and Christopher Parkening, I think it is a must.

Great blending of the talents of two top-notch artists in their respective fields. Parkening on the guitar and Battle singing........2006-01-31

We always enjoyed seeing and hearing Battle in concerts, usually on the television and Parkening has been a favorite guitarist. To listen to these two fine artists in concert is a real treat.

Superb technique, emotionally flat, but enjoyable even so........2005-05-25

I can't imagine these songs being performed with any greater technical brilliance than they are by Parkening and Battle on this CD. Both are virtuosos, him in the guitar, her the voice. Their skill is particularly apparent in the Dowland songs, the "Ave Maria", and the Bachianas brasileiras no. 5 (for me, the high point of the recording), which are all in a formal style well suited to the talents of the performers.

I compare the Brazilian songs to the version recorded by Salli Terri with Laurindo Almeida in the late '50's on "Duets with Spanish Guitar", which I have listened to repeatedly since I first heard it in 1959. Battle's phrasing, enunciation, and vocal skill are far superior to Terri's, but Terri brought a level of emotion to her singing that Battle seems to lack. Where Battle's perfection enhances her superb performances of the Dowland and Villa-Lobos pieces, it seems to detract from her performance of the Brazilian folk pieces.

I find this to be true again in the spirituals - vocal perfection and control detracting from the "soul" required to bring out the "spiritual" feeling. Imagine these same pieces sung by Mahalia Jackson or Aretha Franklin and you'll understand my point.

Parkening's performance has the same quality - technical virtuosity, especially noticeable in his lute-like technique in the Dowland solo - but lacking in emotional depth.

The classical selections are highly recommended, the folk pieces a bit disappointing, but overall an enjoyable recording.

ONE OF MY FAVOURITES.......2004-03-19

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE BATTLE ALBUMS, HER SWEET VOICE IS ACCOMPAINED BY THE GUITAR VIRTUOSO CHRISTOPHER PARKENING, TOGETHER CREATE A TENDER, DELIGHTFUL & BEAUTIFUL LISTENING EXPERIENCE. BACHIANAS BRASILEIRAS N- 5 HAS IT`S BEST PERFORMANCE IN THIS CD.

Fans will be delighted!.......2003-08-25

Fans, maybe, but I must say I'm not a huge fan of Kathleen Battle or opera or songs in different languages, either. My mom is, though. And through her I have heard Kathleen's best. And her very best (if you ask me) is one of the tracks ON THIS CD titled "Ain't that good news," even though it should be called "Ain'ta dat good news," since that is how its sung. It is a really good song (ask anybody) with a little surprise high-note at the end. If I were you I would (if not buy this CD right here and now) then go to [a book store] and see if their computers will let you hear "Ain't that good news" because that song is great.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Nobody's Watching/Nobody's Listening [Enhanced] [Live]

Summer Melodies - Piano Solos and Duos

Searching for Simplicity

Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, Vol. 17 [Live]

Inner Views

Suddenly

Stories of Love [Import]

Telemann: Fantasia in Dm No26,TWV33:26; Fantasia in Bf No36,TWV33:36

Rosa Do Povo [Import]

A Small Good Thing

Takes Two to Tango