Masters of the Baroque

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This is a wonderfully unhackneyed collection from the Baroque era, mostly instrumental but with some vocal music tossed in for good measure, which contains many rarities you won't find anywhere else. The seven, well-packed CDs offer four Bach violin concerti; trumpet and orchestra works by Fantini, Alberti, Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Caldara and Torelli, Albinoni, Stradella, Corelli, Francheschini, Purcell, Monteverdi, Bononcini, Telemann, and Bendinelli; two settings of the Gloria by Vivaldi; some Handel arias; Bach's high-flying Cantata No. 51; odd, fascinating works by Predieri and von Reutter excitingly sung by soprano Helen Field; and various other concerti by Vivaldi, Marcello, and others. The richness of the Baroque era is here in all its glory. --Robert Levine

Tracks:

Eine kleine Nachtmusik: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Piano Concerto In A Major, K 488: Adagio - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Flute Concerto In D Major, K 314: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Symphony No. 40 in G minor: Molto allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Clarinet Concerto KV 622: Adagio - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Serenade, K 375: Menuetto - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Turkish March - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Violin Concerto, K 216: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Divertimento, K 334: Menuetto - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Horn Concerto, K 447: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Cassation, K 99: Allegro - Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus

Tracks:

Overture No. 4 In Major: Rejouissance - J.S.Bach
Overture No. 3 In D Major: Air - J.S.Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 In F Major: I. Allegro - J.S.Bach
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - J.S.Bach
Overture No. 2 In B Minor: Menuet & Badinerie - J.S.Bach
Prelude In C Major - J.S.Bach
Toccata And Fugue In D Minor - J.S.Bach
Prelude In C Minor - J.S.Bach
Overture No. 1 In C Major: Passepied - J.S.Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 In F Major: II. Adagio - J.S.Bach
Kommst du nun, Jesu vom Himmel herunter, Chorale - J.S.Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 In G Major: II. Allegro - J.S.Bach
Violin Concerto In E Major: I. Adagio - J.S.Bach
St. Matthew Passion: Finale Chorus: 'Wir setzen uns mit Tranen nieder' - J.S.Bach

Tracks:

Symphony No. 5: Allegro con brio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Fur Elise - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Violin Romance No. 2 - Ludwig Van Beethoven
'Moonlight' Sonata: Adagio sostenuto - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Minuet - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 8 In F Major: Allegretto scherzando - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Coriolan: Overture - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Piano Concerto No. 2: Adagio - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor: Allegro - Ludwig Van Beethoven
Egmont: Overture - Ludwig Van Beethoven

Tracks:

Die Fledermaus: Die Fledermaus (Excerpts) - Johann Strauss
Wine, Woman And Song - Johann Strauss
Tritsch Tratsch Polka - Johann Strauss
The Blue Danube - Johann Strauss
The Gypsy Baron: Introduction - Johann Strauss
Annen Polka - Johann Strauss
Vienna Blood - Johann Strauss
The Gypsy Baron: Einzugsmarsch - Johann Strauss

Tracks:

Tannhauser: Overture - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Dance Of The Prentices - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Prelude Act 3 - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Aufzug der Meistersinger - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Der fliegende Hollander: Overture - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Lohengrin: Prelude - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Tristan und Isolde: Prelude And Liebestod - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC
Tannhauser: Arrival Of The Guests At Wartburg - MASTERS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 1: Allegro non troppo - Peter Tchaikovsky
String Serenade: Waltz - Peter Tchaikovsky
Violin Concerto: Andante - Peter Tchaikovsky
The Sleeping Beauty: Introduction - Peter Tchaikovsky
The Sleeping Beauty: Pas d'action - Adagio - Peter Tchaikovsky
The Sleeping Beauty: Waltz - Peter Tchaikovsky
Capriccio italien Op. 45 - Peter Tchaikovsky
Swan Lake: Ballet Suite: Scene No. 10 - Peter Tchaikovsky
Swan Lake: Ballet Suite: Waltz - Peter Tchaikovsky
Eugene Onegin: Polonaise - Peter Tchaikovsky

Tracks:

The 4 Seasons: Concerto No. 1 In E Major: Spring - VIVALDI, Antonio
Siciliano - VIVALDI, Antonio
Concerto In D Minor:: (Allegro Assai) Cologne Concerto - VIVALDI, Antonio
The 4 Seasons: Concerto No. 2 In G Minor: Summer - VIVALDI, Antonio
Oboe Sonata In B Flat Major, RV 34: Adagio - Allegro - Largo - Allegro - VIVALDI, Antonio
The 4 Seasons: Concerto No. 3 In F Major: Autumn - VIVALDI, Antonio
Oboe Concerto: Allegro non tasto - Largo - Allegro non molto - VIVALDI, Antonio
Concerto In D Minor: (Largo e spiccato) Cologne Concerto - VIVALDI, Antonio
The 4 Seasons: Concerto No. 4 In F Minor: Winter - VIVALDI, Antonio

Tracks:

Scherzo No 1 In B Minor, Op. 20 - Frederic Chopin_
Three Nocturnes, Op. 9: No 3 In B Major - Frederic Chopin_
Twelve Etudes, Op. 10: No 5 In G Flat Major - Frederic Chopin_
Twelve Etudes, Op. 25: No 10 In B Minor - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 13 In F Sharp Major - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 14 In E Flat Minor - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 15 In D Flat Major 'Raindrops' - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 16 In B Flat Minor - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 17 In A Flat Major - Frederic Chopin_
24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 18 In F Minor - Frederic Chopin_
Scherzo No. 2 In B Flat Minor, Op. 31 - Frederic Chopin_
Waltz In E Flat Major, Op. 18 - Frederic Chopin_
Nocturne In C Sharp Minor, Op. Posth. - Frederic Chopin_
Four Mazurkas, Op. 24: No. 3 In A Flat Major - Frederic Chopin_
Four Mazurkas, Op. 24: No. 4 In B Flat Minor - Frederic Chopin_

Tracks:

Ave Maria - Franz Schubert
Impromptu In E Flat Major - Franz Schubert
Standchen - Franz Schubert
Trout Quintet: Tema con variazioni - Franz Schubert
'Rosamunde': Entr'acte No. 1 - Franz Schubert
Moment Musical In A Flat Major - Franz Schubert
'Rosamunde': Entr'acte No. 2 - Franz Schubert
Moment Musical No. 3 In F Minor - Franz Schubert
'Rosamunde': Ballet Music No.2 - Franz Schubert
Symphony No. 8 In B Minor 'Unfinished': Allegro moderato - Franz Schubert

Tracks:

Nabucco: Overture - Verdi, Giuseppe
Nabucco: Va pensiero, sull'ali dorate - Verdi, Giuseppe
Aida: Prelude - Verdi, Giuseppe
II Trovatore: Verdi! le fosche notturne (Gypsies' Chorus) - Verdi, Giuseppe
II Trovatore: Or co' daddi, ma fra poco (Soldiers' Chorus) - Verdi, Giuseppe
Aroldo: Overture - Verdi, Giuseppe
La Traviata: Prelude - Verdi, Giuseppe
La Traviata: Noi siamo zingarelle - Verdi, Giuseppe
La Traviata:: Libiamo ne' lieti calici - Verdi, Giuseppe
La Traviata: Di Madride noi siam mattadori - Verdi, Giuseppe
La forza del destino: Overture - Verdi, Giuseppe

Customer Reviews:

masters of classical music.......2007-03-26

A nice collection for the classical listener. Great variety of composers and the music quality of the cds are very good.

A good basic collection.......2006-11-10

With selections from numerous composers, it is an easy way to familiarize oneself with some of the most popular classical works and excerpts. A pleasant listen for the initiated too.

An excellent introduction to classical music.......2006-10-18

This is an excellent introduction to classical music. Well performed and presented.

Very Beautiful!!!!!1.......2006-10-05

If you are a fan of classical music then you better get this set. Not only is it very cheap, 10 Discs for about 2$ per disk. Now where are you gonna find a deal like this. I actually found mine chaper, $20.00 even and the music is outstanding. If you had a very bad day and very stressed out, just put in one of these cds, lay down, dim down the lights and just relax. It really helped me out.

Still Stuck on Beethoven.......2006-08-22

I just recently started listening to classical music so I'm certainly not one to compare or critique the quality of this set. However, I do have a few comments...

My interest started in this genre of music because I'm researching my ancestry in Prussia and this is the music of those times. Never mind my ancestors were poor peasants who probably never got the chance to hear such wonderful music... when listening to these CDs, I'm taken back in time... to a royal court in Europe... to another place in time. The music is inspiring, relaxing, invigorating.

I have yet to listen to all the CD's in the set. I'm stuck on Beethoven! Wasn't he AWESOME!?!

I think this set is a wonderful introduction to classical music!!!!!

Average customer rating:

Wild Variations of Quality
Wonderful
A real winner with plenty of talent.

Masters of the Voice: Soprano

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Czech | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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Masters of the Voice: Tenor
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ASIN: B0002IQAR2
Release Date: 2004-07-13

Customer Reviews:

Wild Variations of Quality.......2006-12-15

While many selections on this disc are enjoyable, some are absolutely execrable. Leontyne Price's performance of "He shall feed his flock/Come unto him" from "Messiah" is almost unbearably embarrassing to listen to, as is Mirella Freni's horrible "O Mio Babbino Caro." Equally baffling is the choice of Renata Tebaldi's "Un bel di", when there are far better performances of it available. A late recording of Birgit Nilsson's "Komm, o Hoffnung" does not do justice either to her or to Beethoven. One wonders why there are multiple tracks of Joan Sutherland, Cheryl Studer, and Montserrat Caballe, yet equally fine singers such as Margaret Price, Luciana Serra, and Hildegard Behrens are unrepresented. Get a pair of earplugs before listening to June Anderson's off-pitch, shrill quacking, hooting, and shrieking rendition of "Glitter and Be Gay," surely a lowlight of the album.

Wonderful.......2006-07-31

I picked up this cd at the library and it just blew me away! What a great collection! I highly recommend it.

A real winner with plenty of talent........2004-10-06

This 2-CD selection from Deutsche Grammophon, "Masters of the Voce, Soprano" follows a review we did earlier on the "Masters" series for tenors in which we rated the tenor package a success. This offering succeeds on multiple levels as well and proves to be an equally enjoyable listen. DG has put together 30 popular and diverse arias that not only give us a good sampling of some of the finest opera music being performed, but provides a sampling of some of the greatest operatic talent to sing those arias. We state at the outset that when reviewing a CD selection such as this, we don't set out to review the talent; the performers are first in their class and need only be acknowledged. Their work is neither new nor novel here. Rather, it is in the way the package is put together that earns either praise or criticisms - and no other. And that's what we offer here. First, with regard to the technical aspects of the recording: it is as you would expect from a digital transfer - smooth, clear and even throughout. This is a major plus when you consider that the performances were all recorded under differing circumstances, with different orchestras and choruses. Next, there is the selection of music. This can be tricky if not done well, but it was done well here and as a result gives us a pleasurable listening experience that offers continuity - meaning you don't have to sit with a clicker in hand waiting for that one cut that just seems out of place. There's none of that here; it's an enjoyable listen throughout. Lastly, but certainly not least, and what elevates this selection is the diversity of truly superstar singers. Joan Sutherland's lyric beauty truly shines when singing Rossini's "Bel raggio lusinghier" from "Semiramide" and "Ah, je veux vivre" from Gounod's "Romeo & Juliet", and the "Bell Song" from Delibes "Lakme". And it isn't just Sutherland's delivery that gets our attention. Brigit Nilsson's dramatic power in "Battle Cry" from Wagner's "Die Walkure" raises the hair on the back of ones neck. They're all here: Cheryl Studer, Kathleen Battle, Leontyne Price, Renee Fleming, Mirella Freni, Renata Tabaldi, Angela Gheorghu and more. Throughout, "Masters of the Voice: Soprano" offers a nice cross section from the lyric coloratura to the dramatic soprano, and a solid display of technical expertise in the way that the music is blended such that this 2 CD set can be added to anyone's collection with assurance that it will be enjoyed and listed to for years to come - and why not, it's some of the best.

Average customer rating:

Masters of the Guitar

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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Masters of the Keyboard
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Masters of the Voice: Tenor
Masters of the Trumpet

ASIN: B0007CEXO0
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Tracks:

Allemande - Andreas Segovia
Bouree - Andres Segovia
Canarios - Alexandre Lagoya
Sonata In E Major - Alexandre Lagoya & Ida Presti
Variations On A Theme By Mozart - John Williams
Romanza: Piu Tosto Largo. - Edardo Fernandeaz
Sevilla - Angel Romero
Asturias (Leyenda) - Narciso Yepes
Spanish Dance No. 5, Op. 37 'Andaluza' - Pepe Romero
Recuerdos De La Alhambra - Narciso Yepes
Garrotin - Julian Bream
Soleares - Julian Bream
Preludio. Lento - Goran Sollscher
Andante Solemne - Goran Sollscher
Allegretto - Goran Sollscher
Una Limosna Por El Amor De Dios - Alexander-Sergei Ramierez
Valse Criollo - John Williams
Homenaje 'Le Tombeau De Debussy' - Julian Bream
Cacion De Cuna (Berceuse) - Goran Sollscher
Etude No. 1 For Guitar In E Minor - John Williams
Choro No. 1 - Eduardo Fernandez
Ayer Y Hoy (Guajiras) - Paco Pena

Tracks:

(Allegro Giusto) - Goran Sollscher
Largo - Goran Sollscher
Allegro - Goran Sollscher
Allegro Maestoso - Eduardo Fernandez
Andante Siciliano - Eduardo Fernandez
Alla Polacca - Eduardo Fernandez
Villano Y Ricercare (Adagietto/Andante Moderato) - Andres Seovia
Espanoleta Toques De La Caballeria De Napoles - Andres Seovia
Danza De Las Hachas (Allegro Con Brio) - Andres Seovia
Canario (Allegro Ma Non Troppo) - Andres Seovia
Allegro Con Spirito - Pepe Romero Christine Pendrill
Adagio - Pepe Romero Christine Pendrill
Allegro Gentile - Pepe Romero Christine Pendrill

20th Century Masters: The Best Of Burt Bacharach (Millennium Collection)

Average customer rating:

Surprising chord changes, timing and rhythms...but this particular CD is just average
A Millennium Collection of Burt Bacharach's Best
You will be disappointed
A Bit Surprising
Everything is better than the orignal

20th Century Masters: The Best Of Burt Bacharach (Millennium Collection)
Burt Bacharach
Manufacturer: Interscope Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Contemporary | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Baroque Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

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General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
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The Very Best of Burt Bacharach
Best of Artist of the Century
Reach Out
Burt Bacharach's Greatest Hits
60 Greatest Hit Songs

ASIN: B00000JMKC
Release Date: 1999-07-20

Tracks:

The Look Of Love
Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
This Guy's In Love
I'll Never Fall In Love Again
Do You Know The Way To San Jose?
What The World Needs Now Is Love
Alfie
(They Long To Be) Close To You
I Say A Little Prayer
One Less Bell To Answer
Reach Out For Me
Don't Make Me Over

Amazon.com

It took the martini-fueled lounge music scene of the '90s and some campy placements in a couple of hit movies--Austin Powers and My Best Friend's Wedding--to re-establish Burt Bacharach's genius in the public's mind. Once that was done, his work could be heard with new ears: It was no longer merely elevator music, but rather pop composition at its finest, marked by peerless melodies and arrangements that were complex in subtle ways. To get the full effect of the hits he wrote for artists such as Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield, B.J. Thomas, the Fifth Dimension, and many, many others, you should hear them in versions that also feature Hal David's brilliant lyrics (the multidisc set The Look of Love: The Burt Bacharach Collection is worth every penny). But this brief overview containing instrumental takes (augmented occasionally by a female chorus and, once, Burt's own warbling vocals) of songs such as "The Look of Love," "Alfie," and "What the World Needs Now Is Love" offers some intrigue, too. If you still feel like having a martini, here's the appropriate soundtrack. --Daniel Durchholz

Customer Reviews:

Surprising chord changes, timing and rhythms...but this particular CD is just average.......2006-12-21

Burt Bacharach remains a titan of musical genius from the 20th century; and this CD features twelve of his works mostly from the 1960s that he composed with Hal David. The sound quality is very good; and the song selections are great. However, these aren't the versions of the songs that we have come to know and love; and that is a big disappointment. Moreover, the selection of songs represents only the work Bacharach produced with Hal David; there is no work here by Bacharach alone or by Bacharach with another composer or lyricist.

The CD boasts twelve songs written by Bacharach with the help of Hal David; and there are many fine choices for easy listening on this CD. My favorites are the classic ballads "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head;" "I'll Never Fall In Love Again;" "Do You Know The Way To San Jose?;" "What The World Needs Now Is Love;" and "(They Long To Be) Close To You."

The aggravating down side to all this great work is that these tracks are instrumentals with a sporadic women's choir helping out minimally on vocals. I would much prefer to hear the songs as we know and love them. For example, in 1963 Dionne Warwick did a flawless interpretation of "Don't Make Me Over." That version of the song is simply not here. Arrgh!

Moreover, the twelve songs on this CD clock in at 37 minutes; there was time for more music on this disc. Another disappointment; but if the producers of this album want to give us this strictly average level of quality then perhaps it's just as well if they do end at 37 minutes.

The line notes contain an excellent essay about Burt Bacharach's career by Joseph F. Laredo; and the photos of Burt in his younger days are terrific.

I give this CD three stars for the quality of the sound, the unfamiliar yet somewhat relaxing versions of each song and the great liner notes. The women's choir also helps somewhat but it cannot fill the shoes of great vocalists like Dionne Warwick. This CD is for the casual fan who just wants a very basic and cursory introduction to the work of Burt Bacharach. If you want to have a much better understanding of Burt's great work as an artist, I recommend what another reviewer recommends: the three CD box set entitled The Look Of Love: The Burt Bacharach Collection.

A Millennium Collection of Burt Bacharach's Best.......2006-01-16

"In the 1960s, Burt Bacharach catapulted to the forefront of popular music as the most celebrated contemporary composer on the planet. He is a living legend of popular music. This collection is a welcome opportunity to enjoy a master at work."
~ Joseph F. Laredo, Liner Notes ~

Burt Bacharach is truly a living legend of popular music. His name is synonymous with some of the grooviest hits of the sixties and the seventies such as "This Guy's In Love With You," "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" and "The Look of Love."

This CD is a looking-glass of twelve of the best works he collaborated with a fine lyricist, Hal David, starting off with "The Look of Love" and wraps up with "Don't Make Me Over." This collection is a combination of purely instrumentals and a few tracks with vocals. It's so hard to pinpoint any favorite tracks since they all are my absolute favorites. But the most noteworthy tracks are "This Guy's In Love With You," "What The World Needs Now Is Love," "They Long To Be Close To You," "I Say A Little Prayer" and "One Less Bell To Answer."

Burt Bacharach is one of the respected names in composing, conducting and arranging. He's also a recording artist in his own right and has recorded vocal versions of "A House Is Not A Home," "Close To You" and "This Guy's In Love With You" on separate covers.

This is one of the best Burt Bacharach collections. Give it a listen and enjoy!

Very highly recommended.

You will be disappointed.......2004-12-30

I purchased this CD with high hopes, because all of the songs on this CD are good songs. However, the arrangements presented here will leave you cold.

The first two songs on the album ("The Look of Love" and "Raindrops Keep Falling...") are the instrumental versions of the song and not the versions that you might expect. As you get deeper into the album you realize none of the songs are the hit versions that you remembered and enjoyed.

This is essentially the greatest hits of Bacharach the way you won't remember them. I listened for 1/2 an hour trying to find something that would make the purchase worthwhile. I found none.

If you like Burt Bacharach and want to listen to the songs as you remember the, it looks like you'll have to try "The Look Of Love: The Burt Bacharach Collection ", which unfortunately is 4 times the price.

A Bit Surprising.......2003-03-14

I am a Burt Bacharach fan and I love "lounge" music and the easy-listening music of the '50s and '60s... so I was a bit surprised that this CD was just so-so in my book. Mr. Bacharach takes a great deal of artistic license with his tunes here (since he wrote them I suppose he's entitled) but not once are they played "straight" or in the familiar fashion we've all come to know. Rather, he presents them using strange arrangements and instruments to give the songs a different sound. A couple of times I even wondered whether the tracks were mixed properly. To me they are classics and don't need any jazzing-up. Sidenote: I could also have done without the "Burt Bacharach Girl Singers"; if he needed vocals he should have tried to get the women from Sergio Mendez to sit in on the recording session; it would have improved things a great deal.

Everything is better than the orignal.......2002-08-16

As a Bacharach fan, I was dissapointed in this largely instrumental album -- would have preferred covers instead. The CD just takes up space on my rack.

Average customer rating:

Some truly outstanding performances
Do-Re-Me-WOW!

Masters of the Voice: Tenor

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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ASIN: B0001XANOO
Release Date: 2004-04-13

Tracks:

La Donna E Mobile - Luciano Pavarotti
Una Furtiva Lagrima - Placido Domingo
Nein, Langer Trag' Ich Nicht Die Qualen...Durch Die Walder - Peter Schreier
Non Mi Lasciar...Corriam! Voliam!...O Muto Asil - Luciano Pavarotti
Ach, So Fromm - Placido Domingo
Ah! Mes Amis, QUel Jour De Fete! - Luciano Pavarotti
Le Camarade Est Amoureux! - Luciano Pavarotti
Gott! Welch! Dunkel Hier! - James McCracken
In Des Lebens Fruhlingstagen - James McCracken
Il Mio Tesoro - Gosta Winbergh
Dies Bildnis Ist Bezaubernd Schon - Fritz Wunderlich
Ombra Mai Fu - Jose Carreras
Che Faro Senza Euridice? - Andreas Scholl
Vi Ricorda, O Boschi Ombrosi - Anthony Rolfe-Johnson
Comfort Ye, My People - Stuart Burrows
Ev'ry Valley Shall Be Exalted - Stuart Burrows
Puisqu'on Ne Peut Flechir Ces Jalouses Gardiennes - Vainement Ma Bien Aimee - Alfredo Kraus
Nessun Dorma - Luciano Pavarotti

Tracks:

Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi!...Celeste Aida - Placido Domingo
Che Gelida Manina - Jerry Hadley
Vois Ma Misere, Helas! - Placido Domingo
Rachel, Quand Du Seigneur - Leopold Simoneau
Vesti La Giubba - Mario Del Monaco
Ingemisco - Jussi Bjorling
Come Un Bel Di Di Maggio - Carlo Bergonzi
Ye People, Rend Your Hearts...If With All Your Hearts - Anthony Rolfe-Johnson
Wintersturme Wichen Dem Wonnemond - Jon Vickers
Morgenlich Leuchtend In Rosigem Schein (Prize Song)
Pourquoi Me Reveiller? - Jose Carreras
E Lucevan Le Stelle - Placido Domingo
Viva Il Vino Spumeggiante (Brindisi) - Carlo Bergonzi
E La Solita Storia Del Pastore (Lamento Di Federico) - Jose Carreras
O Vaterland...Da Geh' Ich Zu Maxim - Rene Kollo
Di Rigori Armato Il Seno - Luciano Pavarotti
Now The Great Bear And Pleiades - Peter Pears
Here I Stand - Ian Bostridge
Maria - Jose Carreras

Customer Reviews:

Some truly outstanding performances.......2004-07-11

This two CD set from Deutsche Grammophon does as it states: it offers some of the greatest tenors of our time in some truly outstanding performances. Thirty-seven arias all told, take a little getting used to as most "all tenor" recordings do. But overall it's a worthy and worthwhile effort. As those who read these reviews know I have a clear preference for CDs that have and maintain a theme throughout, so when I sit down to listen I don't have to keep the clicker nearby. Here, because the CD's represent a collection of favorites, the emphasis also has to be on consistency of musical reproduction, and with the exception of one or two songs, the consistency in the latter regard is good throughout. So, on these two criteria: theme and sound quality, "Masters" gets high grades. As far as selection goes, I might have suggested a change or two, but only one or two. The tenor voice can grate and on occasion it does just that. Still, there are more standouts than drawbacks: Pavarotti's "Le camarade est amoureux" from Donizetti's "La fille du regiment", for its rich, rousing chorus and full orchestration; Jose Carreras "Ombra mai fu" from Handel's "Serse" for its soulful melody - and there are many more. I had to listen to this CD three or four times before writing this review because I didn't want to miss what was occurring here, and I'm glad I did. It grows on you and stands as a truly remarkable assemblage of some powerful, moving music. These are the strengths of this set and why I would recommend it. There are some curiously abrupt endings (4 fade-outs) on side two - maybe the producers were counting minutes and realized that some songs just had to be cut - bad idea. These are noticeable and annoying, as in Juse Bjorling's "Ingemisco" in Verdi's "Requiem" and Carlo Bergonzi's "Come un bel di di maggio" from Giordano's "Andrea Chenier" and at least two more. Where did the endings go? Lastly, a personal recommendation on when best to listen to this set: no kids, no phone calls, no group discussions. I took it in the car for a few rides and then after I got used to it moved indoors -- and now listen to it when I am sitting and relaxing. I recommend it. (PJW)

Do-Re-Me-WOW!.......2004-05-15

This is a fantastic new collection of different classical music styles, languages, and singers. The production quality is excellent. If you are interested in singing or love opera then you would probably enjoy this CD. You may find some excellent singers you haven't been exposed to. I can't wait until they release Bass, Alto & Soprano.

Average customer rating:

The Handel Collection

Manufacturer: American Gramaphone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Johann Sebastian Bach Collection
The Mozart Collection

ASIN: B0000005MH
Release Date: 1990-04-30

Tracks:

Solomon: Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Harpsicord Suite in E: Air and Variations. The Harmonious Blacksmith
Semele: Where'er You Walk
Concerto a due cori no. 1 in B Flat
Organ concerto in F op 4 no 5
Water Music: Minuet in G
Water Music: Country Dance
Water Music: Air
Harpsichord Suite in C: Sarabande
Harp Concerto in B Flat, Op. 4 No. 6
Saul: Bell Sinfonia
Concerto grosso, Op. 6 No. 12: Aria
Harpsichord Suite in A: Gigue
Obo Concerto in B Flat. Op.4 No.6
Water Music: Hornpipe

Average customer rating:

Almost angelic
Great choir, but mostly recycled material
Glittering Chrismas Music
The Spirit of Christmas On CD
Superb voices!

Cambridge Singers Christmas Album

Manufacturer: Collegium
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music

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

The John Rutter Christmas Album
Christmas Star
Christmas Night: Carols of the Nativity
The Holly and the Ivy: Carols from Clare College
John Rutter Collection

ASIN: B0000DJEOL
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Tracks:

The holly and the ivy (arr. H. Walford Davies)*
Blessed be that maid Mary (arr. David Willcocks)
Somerset Wassail (arr. John Rutter)
Shepherds, in the fields abiding (French, arr. Willcocks)*
The Infant King (Basque, arr. Willcocks)
What is this lovely fragrance? (French, arr. Healey Willan)
Gabriel's message (Basque, arr. Willcocks)*
Still, still, still (German, arr. Rutter)
Quittez, pasteurs (French, arr. Rutter)
Un flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle (French, arr. Rutter)
Personent hodie (German, arr. Rutter)
The shepherds' farewell (Hector Berlioz)
O holy night (Adolphe Adam)
O magnum mysterium (T. L. de Victoria)
Hodie Christus natus est (J. P. Sweelinck)
For unto us a child is born (G. F. Handel)
In dulci jubilo (Samuel Scheidt)
Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child (Kenneth Leighton)*
A New Year Carol (Benjamin Britten)
Balulalow (Peter Warlock)
I saw a fair maiden (Peter Warlock)
The Lamb (John Tavener)
Fantasia on Christmas Carols (Ralph Vaughan Williams)

Album Description

Christmas Never Sounded So Good!

For more than a decade, John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers have shared the Joy of Christmas with the world. The ethereal sound of perfectly blended voices, singing the most beautiful seasonal music ever composed never fails to touch the heart or lift the spirit. This year, John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers have assembled a NEW collection - compiled from the archives, including FOUR NEVER BEFORE RELEASED TRACKS! This is a holiday feast you will NOT want to miss!

Customer Reviews:

Almost angelic.......2007-01-18

Choral music by the Cambridge Singers is always top-notch. An older album that might have sounded better with newer technology but no complaints. Has great vocals and orchestral support.

Great choir, but mostly recycled material.......2005-12-16

I have the utmost respect for John Rutter and his Cambridge Singers, probably the best choir in the world (at least, the English-speaking world). I have almost all their CDs. Two of their Christmas CDs are "desert-island" class for this listener.

Unfortunately, I cannot give this otherwise excellent CD the same high marks. If they wanted to release a "best of Cambridge Christmas" CD, this would not be it. It does a few of the absolute best Christmas selections, including Sweelinck's "Hodie", Willcocks's breathtaking arrangement of "The Infant King", and Rutter's own quirky reading of "Personent Hodie". And it does contain a few tracks not previously released.

However, if you want the best of Cambridge and Christmas, start with "Christmas Night", which is always the first CD I pull out the day after Thanksgiving. The sound of the famliar Persall setting of "In Dulci Jubilo" sets my holiday in motion. And that CD also has Rutter's own magical "There is a flower". After that CD, get "Christmas with the Cambridge Singers", which has "The Infant King" and some other treasures.

So, you can't really go wrong with this CD, especially if you just want an introduction to how this fine ensemble addresses the most choir-friendly holiday of all. But if you're serious about getting all the good stuff, start with the other two mentioned above, then add "Christmas Day in the Morning" and the early "Christmas Star".

Glittering Chrismas Music.......2005-11-15

I own virtually all of the CD's of John Rutter (whom I greatly admire) and the Cambridge Singers, and I am a fan of English Choral music in general. If I were asked to recommend only one of the many Cambridge Singers Christmas albums, or indeed one of any English Christmas album, a hard choice, this would be it. As others have noted, this CD is a compilation of songs from previous cds with four new releases. It is, I believe, longer playing than the other Cambridge albums. In style, it is a mostly quiet sounding collection--in fact several carols are sung a cappella-- with pieces ranging from carols such as "The Holly and the Ivy" to the more robust "Fantasia on Christmas Carols". In sum, this is a sensitively arranged and performed collection of beautiful Christmas music.

The Spirit of Christmas On CD.......2005-06-02

I have never been disappointed by any Cambridge Singers release, so it isnt surprising that I thoroughly enjoyed this offering as well. This CD is a compilation of songs from previous cds with one or two new tracks, so check your library to make sure you arent duplicating your collection in the order to complete your collection. I purchased this disk to obtain a copy of the Fantasia On Christmas Carols by Ralph Vaughn Williams which was originally released on Christmas Day In The Morning. As usual, every song is performed in a precise yet heartfelt manner. If you dont own any cds by the Cambridge singers I would personally recommend Christmas Night as the first disk to own, but if you know and love the Cambridge Singers as I do, then you will enjoy having this wonderful addition to your library.

Superb voices!.......2003-12-22

This CD was beautifully sung by the Cambridge Singers, a boys/mens choir, mostly a' capela. It's the first Christmas CD I've bought that really tempts me to crank up the volume so I can revel in every note.

Average customer rating:

Typical of Cambridge Singers--A good thing
Beautifully Lyrical Folk Melodies a la Rutter
The Lark touches my own heart!
Rolicking English folk music

The Lark in the Clear Air

Manufacturer: Collegium
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000031HX
Release Date: 1993-09-13

Tracks:

I know where I'm going
She moved through the fair
The lark in the clear air
Down by the sally gardens
Dashing away with the smoothing iron
The spring time of the year
The sprig of thyme
The bold grenadier
The British Grenadiers
The dark eyed sailor
The keel row
The girl I left behind me
Just as the tide was flowing
The cuckoo
O waly, waly
She's like the swallow
The lover's ghost
Willow song
The willow tree
Wassail song
The miller of Dee
O can ye sew cushions
Afton water
Golden slumbers

Amazon.com

A whole disc of choral arrangements of folk tunes could be too much--except in this case, the choir is the excellent Cambridge Singers, and the well-chosen arrangements cover a variety of composers and styles. Among the arrangers are Rutter, Vaughan Williams, and Daryl Runswick; the repertoire includes a hauntingly gorgeous "She moved through the fair" and 23 other selections. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Typical of Cambridge Singers--A good thing.......2005-06-14

This is very typical of John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers. Superbly performed, meaning not too forceful or too delicate. Diction and tone excellent. The folk song is not necessairly as entertaining or enjoyable as some of their other repertoire, nor is it as meaningful, but it still a powerful listening experience. The money for this recording will be well spent. The arrangements, well chosen, showcase beautiful, evocative choral singing. Vaughan Williams' arrangements are best, and he is well known for his arrangements of folk songs. Rutter's are good, but his harmonies are too often predictable or saccharine.

Best are: Dashing away with the smoothing iron (5), The Dark Eyed Sailor (10), The Girl I Left Behind Me (12), Just as the tide was flowing (13), O waly, waly (15)

Beautifully Lyrical Folk Melodies a la Rutter.......2000-09-28

This is a collection of Irish, Scottish, and English folk songs beautifully caressed by The Cambridge Singers under the masterful direction of John Rutter. He seems to possess an uncanny ability to create a uniquely lush and lyrical sound with a choir.

In listening to these songs, I find that they have the capacity to simultaneously evoke feelings of melancholy and joy, and, ultimately leave me to conclude that I have been visited by sheer beauty.

The Lark touches my own heart!.......2000-04-27

In this review I am going to be exceptionally candid! This CD is a wonderfully arranged and performed set of traditional songs that will be treasured by any lover of this delicate yet vigorous music. I was a child of post war England in a poor suburb of South East England and our music teacher used to make us sing these songs which came from The National Song Book and from the folk song collectors, notably Vaughan Williams who put so much of this national flavor into his two collections, 'The English Hymnal' and 'Songs of Praise'. Before our generation the BBC had set up a radio programme called 'Listen with Mother' which we followed the established tradition of listening to them in those years of austerity (its funny you know, but we did not seem to get bored like they do today) on November evenings when the pea souper fogs swirled around the blue mercury lamps as the coal glowed orange in the grate. This music transported us to May mornings, harvesting, landscapes peopled with grenadiers, young love sick swains tip toeing in forbidden rooms at night etc. from these bleak afternoons and gave us the promise of the return of the season when we will be able to walk the Downs under blue skies once more. They also made us think that we were part of a continuum of being young, loving, having children and growing old and dying on this misty offshore island as hundred of generations had done before us. This self-consciousness of these characteristics that made us English and in their understated passion they revealed to us the promises of adulthood together with its victories, disillusionments and inevitable tragedies. Alas, the powers that dictate the conventional wisdom today have consigned these songs to the trash basket of history in the name of multiculturalism and globalism. The songs are not sung today as they appear too ethnocentric in a pluralistic society for our contemporary captains of society. This is a shame for those of us with no real English blood could still participate and enjoy these lovely songs that summon up the freshness of a spring morning or the pangs of a spurned lover in a few lines of beautifully stated verse. These are universal feelings that just happened to be in an English setting, which was where we were! The arrangements here are sublime, particularly 'She moved through the Fair' which always moves me to tears. The subject 'What are the English?' is a current topic for the UK is still settling down after Devolution and finding its own identity. They could do worse than playing 'The Lark in the Clear Air' to answer this question tout court. Please buy, but be warned: this stuff can be dangerously upsetting in its waves of nostalgia. It is like meeting a long lost (and forgotten) friend. That is an (almost lost) part of yourself.

Rolicking English folk music.......1999-06-13

Beautifully sung under Rutter's usual masterful directions. Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron and the Dark Eyed Sailor were my favorites.

Average customer rating:

Guitar Virtuoso: Baroque Guitar

Manufacturer: Music Masters Jazz
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Scarlatti - 18 Sonatas
Bell' Italia
Vivaldi: Concerti and Other Works
Guitar Virtuoso: Latin American Guitar
Baroque Guitar

ASIN: B000000FS0
Release Date: 1993-09-14

Tracks:

Balletto
Ciaccona
Sonata in E, K. 380
Sonata in E , K. 531
Sonata in A , K. 322
Sonata in E , K. 323
Sonata in d, K. 213
Sonata in C, K. 159

Chorégraphie: Music for Louis XIV's dancing masters

Average customer rating:

tempest on tempo

Chorégraphie: Music for Louis XIV's dancing masters

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Vivaldi: Mottetti
Christophorus Columbus: Paraísos Perdidos [Hybrid SACD]
Vivaldi Heroes
Letters from Iwo Jima (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Pan's Labyrinth (New Line Two-Disc Platinum Series)

ASIN: B000N6U1AU
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Tracks:

Prelude In C
Entree Espagnole
Entree: Air Pour Les Paysans Et Paysanes
Le Louvre
La Mariee De Rollant
Sarabande Pour Une Femme
Bouree Pour Les Basques
Chaconne Du Vieux Gautier
La Contredance
Entree D'Apollon
Suite La Bourgogne: Courante-Bouree-Sarabande-Passepied
Gigues: Gigues A Deux-Gigue Pour Homme
Overture: Le Retour Des Plaisirs
Courante: La Bocanesc
Sarabande
La Vignonne
Pavane Des Saisons
Giallarde
Passacaille D'Armide
Prelude IN D Minor
Entree Espagnole
Les Folies D'Espagne
Chaconne D'Amadis

Amazon.com

Chorégrapie was a book by Raoul-Auger Feuillet published in 1700 that depicted dance movements using symbols rather than mere words, and it changed the way choreographers approached their art. Motions could be recorded for all time showing the movement of feet within bar-lines indicating tempos, and symbols stood for leaping, turning, pointing the toe, arm positions, etc. More than 300 dances were notated, and this allowed courts all over Europe to emulate what was going on in the Royal Court of France, the dance center of the world. This information is fascinating but unnecessary for enjoying the music played here. Mostly by Lully and Campra, the music was chosen by Feuillet to show off the various styles in use at Court, and Andrew Lawrence-King on the Baroque triple harp plays it all with such skill and love that the mind reels. Graceful and dynamic by turns, virtuoso Lawrence-King gets the most astonishing collection of sounds out of one instrument: the CD is never boring or repetitive. There are knock-down percussive moments, graceful arpeggios, and everything in between. The dynamics can sound rich and dark or ethereal. A piece by Marin Marais will be familiar to fans of that composer even in this arrangement, and a Passacaille from Lully's Armide sounds, oddly, like a Boccherini fandango. This is a wonderful surprise. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

tempest on tempo.......2007-05-14

This recording is very valuable to anyone working with the notations in Choregraphie, regardless of opinions on tempi. However, I am surprised with many of the tempi for the dances and I ask myself, " How can such basic questions still be in the air after all the research and all the practice of current scholarship and performance?" Such an important recording as this illuminates the lack of communication among dance practioners in the early dance field.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Before All of This [Import]

Discover The Classics-The Opera

Hard Times Come Again No More, Vol. 2

Gounod: Romeo and Juliette

Full House [Extra tracks] [Import]

Eric Dolphy in Europe, Vol. 3 [Live]

Grown Backwards

El Concierto del Amor: En Vivo [Live]

En Aquel Rodeo

Classic Blues, Vol. 1

Victor