The Ash Grove

Track Listings

1. Track 1 "There's None to Soothe" - Benjamin Britten

2. Track 2 "Sweet Polly Oliver" - Bejamin Britten

3. Track 3 "O Waly, Waly" -Benjamin Britten

4. Track 4 "Come You Not from Newcastle?" - Benjamin Britten

5. Track 5 "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair" - Clifford Shaw

6. Track 6 "He's Gone Away" - Clifford Shaw

7. Track 7 "The Nightingale" - Clifford Shaw

8. Track 8 "Simple Gifts" - Aaron Copland

9. Track 9 "At The River" - Aaron Copland

10. Track 10 "Zion's Walls" - Aaron Copland

11. Track 11 "The Lass from the Low Countree" -John Jacob Niles

12. Track 12 "The Black Dress" - John Jacob Niles

13. Track 13 "Ribbon Bow" - John Jacob Niles

14. Track 14 "The Trees They Grow So High" Benjamin Britten

15. Track 15 "O Can Ye Sew Cushions?" - Bejamin Britten

16. Track 16 "The Ash Grove" - Benjamin Britten

17. Track 17 "Oliver Cromwell" - Benjamin Britten

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
A collection of folk songs, hymns, and original compositions arranged for soprano and piano. The composers featured are: Benjamin Britten, Clifford Shaw, Aaron Copland, and John Jacob Niles.

The Ash Grove, Music, Various, Julie M. Poole (soprano); Stephen Scarlato (piano), A collection of folk songs, hymns, and original compositions arranged for soprano and piano featuring works by: Benjamin Britten, Clifford Shaw, Aaron Copland, and John Jacob Niles.

Annie Laurie ~ Folksongs of the British Isles / Barrueco · The King's Singers
Average customer rating:

Top of the line

The King's Singers in their element

Pure Artistry

Absolutely beautiful!

Wonderful

Annie Laurie ~ Folksongs of the British Isles / Barrueco · The King's Singers
English Traditional , Scottish Traditional , Irish Traditional , Welsh Traditional , Sir Henry Rowley Bishop , Hugh Robertson , Manuel Barrueco , The King's Singers , and Nancy Hadden
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Folk | Styles | Music
A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music
General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Folk Songs | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Watching the White Wheat: Folk Songs of the British Isles; King's Singers

The King's Singers Original Debut Recording

The Kings Singers - New Day

All At Once Well Met: English Madrigals; The King's Singers

The King"s Singers: English Renaissance

ASIN: B000002RTQ
Release Date: 1993-11-16

Tracks:

Scarborough Fair
Skye Boat Song
What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor?
Annie Laurie
Greensleeves
Danny Boy
The Lincolnshire Poacher
Loch Lomond
The Lass Of Richmond Hill
Sally Gardens
The Ash Grove
Aiken Drum
Golden Slumbers
Ar Hyd Y Nos (All Through The Night)
Going To Towyn
Home Sweet Home
Eriskay Love Lilt
Mairi's Wedding

Customer Reviews:

Top of the line.......2003-06-17

This CD, along with Watching the White Wheat, is consistently a top seller on the group's US tours. Solid musicianship, great passion and emotion brought into the singing. There is some instrumental work done on this disc, but it doesn't overpower the singers.

To correct Mr. Beamer's statement in his review, the KS have indeed been doing pop and all genres of music since their founding in 1968. In fact, it was the inappropriateness of singing pop and light music with the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, that led a small group to branch off and sing all genres of music, including pop, on their own time ... this leading to the founding of the King's Singers.

The King's Singers in their element.......2001-09-28

The King's Singers got started a few decades ago doing exclusively classical material, and most of that was pre-1700. Now, many years on, (and after several changes in the group's membership) they have long since branched out into pop and other genres.

This CD (along with another similar one, "Watching the White Wheat") really show off their UK roots, with English, Scottish, and Irish folksongs. The arrangements are mostly quite good, and all the performances are excellent. Deserving of special mention are: (on the slow, poignant side) "Annie Laurie", and "The Ash Grove". [Note: the arrangement of "Annie Laurie" heard here is different from, and I think inferior to, the arrangement they did on an old out-of-print LP called "Atlantic Bridge", where they did both Britsh and American folksongs -- that LP is Highly Recommended (if you can find it -- good luck!)]

Anyway, back to the review: on the up-tempo side, two very fun tunes are "Going to Towyn" and "Mairi's Wedding". For you singers out there, the score for the latter is available in a 3-part arrangement, and is rather easy to learn.

Pure Artistry.......2000-12-09

I bought this CD after seeing the King's Singers in concert. Everytime I listen to it, it takes me back to a magical evening, and a magical place- the British Isles. These songs are beautifully arranged and sung. I never get tired of listening to these timeless folk songs that have been weaved into the cultural fabric of America and others around the world.

Absolutely beautiful!.......2000-08-25

The cracked, maimed, and scuffed CD case that I am looking at right now is in itself testement to the addictive qualities of this recording. I have had this CD for almost a year and it has wandered the country with me (we just got back from No. Cal. ;) I listen to it almost every night before I go to sleep. The beautifully blended harmonies on this CD are gorgeous and I have fallen completly in love with the countertenor voices. All of the tacks are wonderful but my favorites are (#2)The Skye Boat Song (listen to this while reading Diana Gabaldon!) (#4) Annie Laurie (#6) Danny Boy and (#17) Eriskay Love Lilt. *Whew* that was hard, I can't pick my favorites easily. Buy this CD for it's gorgeous cover and fall in love with the music!

Wonderful.......2000-05-18

I love this CD, the arrangements for these folk songs are superb. The songs picked are fun and beatiful representatives of English Folk songs. One of my favorite CD's.

Average customer rating:

True Blue LaRue
Soulful and Bittersweet Ballads
Pure beauty
Pure magic
excellent -- traditional folk ballads

Custer LaRue Sing The Daemon Lover

Manufacturer: Dorian Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The True Lover's Farewell - Appalachian Folk Ballads
Ballads
Amazing Grace
The Mad Buckgoat - Ancient Music of Ireland
Ballads from Her Appalachian Family Tradition

ASIN: B000001Q9M
Release Date: 1993-08-02

Tracks:

The House Carpenter (The Daemon Lover)
Binnorie (The Twa Sisters)
Farewell To Tarwathie
Fare Ye Well, Lovely Nancy
Lord Ronald
The Cuckoo
Geordie
The Fox Went Out On A Chilly Night
Queen Jane
The Sprig Of Thyme
Edward
The Ash Grove
Early One Morning
Jesus Born In Beth'ny
The Carnal And The Crane
Lulle, Lullay

Customer Reviews:

True Blue LaRue.......2005-11-14

Hearing Custer LaRue's chiming voice for the first time recently was a truly startling moment in my quest for finding perfect, ethereal, moody melodies. As a matter of fact, her voice is actually astonishing. It evokes continuous waves of emotion. "Custer LaRue sings The Daemon Lover" is masterful and filled with emotional strife. You can almost feel the temperature change when you hear LaRue's lament. Listening to the lonesome and almost wailing cry of "Lord Ronald" washes shivers over me every single time. This collection as a whole is both a mysterious and emotional journey that wraps itself completely around you. Could she be the best kept secret in the world of classic voices? Methinks the answer is a definitive yes.

Soulful and Bittersweet Ballads.......2003-08-19

Several of the ballads on this wonderful CD will have the toughest misty-eyed by the end. Among my favorites "Binnorie", "Queen Jane" and "Lord Randal", the latter two sung with such heavy pathos that you can nearly hear your heart beating. Wonderful, powerful stuff.

Pure beauty.......2002-06-10

What? Feeble?? Maybe compared to a foghorn, but if that's what you want, you can sit in a harbor. But listen for yourself. I believe you will agree that Custer LaRue's voice is enthralling.

Her voice is a mountain stream: pure, clear, endlessly enticing, infintitely intriguing.

For this very reason, she is not cut out to sing rough sailors' songs. A L Lloyd sings "Fare you Well, Lovely Nancy" with rude tenderness that is quite moving. Custer LaRue's version is a scold, imposing current values on hapless sailing men. A pity, because she is a wonderful singer, America's best. But she really blows this song.

One song only though. Everything else is pure gold. I have enjoyed this CD for a couple years now, and it gets better with every listening. Treat yourself.

Pure magic.......2002-02-27

I have had and loved this album for years, but it took on a whole other dimension for me when I realized how much our infant daughter loves it. When she wakes up screaming from nightmares, I put the Daemon Lover in the CD player, turn up the volume, and within seconds she is calm and relaxed. At night she goes to sleep by traditional, soothing balads like The Ash Grove, which is a beautiful song. This album has an effect on her like no other!

Not just for babies, though, The Daemon lover is magic for adults as well. Ms. LaRue's voice is pure sunlight, and I strongly disagree with the reviewer who said the recording is feeble. As a matter of fact, I used it as a reference recording when purchasing a new amplifier several years ago. The soundstage is broad and the vocals are clear as glass. Highly recommended for audiophiles.

excellent -- traditional folk ballads.......2000-05-27

Traditional folk ballads from America, Scotland, and England. The well-known and talented early music ensemble, Baltimore Consort, does the instrumentals. LaRue does a good job with the vocals and her voice is well suited to the music.

Tracks:

The Blaydon Races
Drink To Me Only
The British Grenadiers
Jerusalem
Greensleeves
Fantasy On British Sea Songs
Charlie Is My Darlin'
My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose
Loch Lomond/Comin' Thro' The Rye
The Girl I Left Behind Me
The Minstrel Boy
The Gentle Maiden
The Ash Grove
All Through The Night
Men Of Harlech

Customer Reviews:

Gilding the Lilly.......2007-02-05

The selection of songs for this cd is excellent, however unable to leave well enough along they include overblown intros, restarts, embellishments etc making the original tune almost unrecognizable. The arranger should be shot.

Excellent!.......2006-03-23

Beautifully patriotic. Even if your not British.
This is music that makes your upper lip stiff.

Average customer rating:

Over the Hills and Far Away
Lush and lovely music from the past
Superlative

The Enchanted Isles
Anonymous , Turlough O'Carolan , Irish Traditional , Welsh Traditional , and Carol Thompson
Manufacturer: Dorian Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Celtic | International | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Faerie Isles
Carolan's Welcome
The Peacock's Feather
The Mystic Harp

ASIN: B000001Q83
Release Date: 1993-08-31

Tracks:

Women Of Ireland
Brian Boru's March
Father Brian Mac Dermot Roe
Lord Inchiquin
Miss Hamilton
Lord Mayo
Planxty Murphy
Irish Lullaby
Hugh O'Donnell
Pills To Purge Melancholy: Jenny
Joy To The Person Of My Love
Pills To Purge Melancholy: Over The Hills And Far Away
The English Dancing Master: The Irish Lady, Or Anniseed-Water Robin: Parsons Farewell: Nonesuch
The Royal Dream
Winter Has Come
Maid From The Parish Of Penderyn
All Through The Night
The Ash Grove
David Of The White Rock

Customer Reviews:

Over the Hills and Far Away.......2002-04-03

The beauty of Carol Thompson's music is dizzying. There is nothing I can think of that fills up a candlelit room more nobly than the sound of her harp. Where does Dorian find these consistently great musicians? They must be growing them on some hidden magic tree somewhere. Either way, I am glad for the music they put out. This disc by Carol Thompson is among the best Dorian has to offer.

Lush and lovely music from the past.......2000-01-20

Perhaps some day Dorian Recordings will turn out a poor CD, but among their more recent releases are four sets that feature harpist Carol Thompson. The artist was born in this country of Anglo-Welsh-Irish background (as the copywriter tells us). Part of her technique is to let her ornamentation come out of the melody rather than merely appending it, and to execute her chords with a "downward roll" rather than an upward as in classical harp playing.

So with Amazon.com's permission, I will submit this same write up to each of the four webpages that deal with these albums.

(DOR-90013) has Ms. Thompson accompanied by another harpist and a wooden flute; and the extra coloration is welcome. Here we have 18 cuts (64 minutes) of Celtic harp music, the more familiar of which are "Brian Boru's March" and "Gentle Annie." The notes are of a general nature.

The subtitle of (DOR-90120) shows the program (53 minutes) to be much like the other sets, including the familiar "All Through the Night" and "The Ash Grove." I spot even one or two selections among the 19 here that appeared on earlier recordings. But it is all so winningly played that one must not carp. The notes are in several languages and a bit shorter than usual to keep the booklet from being too thick.

(DOR-90176) has 71 minutes consisting of 21 cuts such as "She Moves Through the Fair" and "Snow on the Hills." This set tends to be more satisfactory than the last one because of the presence of accordion, concertina, wooden flute and second harp; although by now one tune is starting to blur into the other.

The fourth Dorian set in order of recording is (DOR-90240) in which our harpist goes it alone with a short program (51 minutes) of 12 cuts, half of which are medleys. Included are "Twisting of the Rope," "Blind Mary" and the title song. This time the notes give information about each song.

Again I must emphasize the excellence of the playing and how beautiful each CD is by itself. But as with so many artists that concentrate on a small part of the music spectrum, each new offering tends to be predictable and one gets a strong feeling of déjà vu. But to be fair, these sets were released with considerable time between them and only people like reviewers now and then get to hear them all at once.

So which to choose? I would go for the two where you get more than the sound of a single harp first. But I really think that enthusiasts of British music will want to have all of these sets sooner or later.

And keep an eye open for the fifth entry in this series: (DOR-90273) that is not yet available at the time of this writing.

Superlative.......1998-09-25

This is truly beautiful music on harps having more character than the modern concert harp. The melodies are attractive, with good counterpoint figures. Recorded sound is first-rate, without mush or harshness, although low-frequency noises from the recording venue may intrude during quiet passages if your equipment goes low with authority. I have bought several of these CD's - when I play them for friends and family, they ask me for the CD as a gift!

Average customer rating:

Inspiring--totally!!!!

The Voice of Wales

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Welsh Choirs: Wonderful Welsh Choirs
Favourite Welsh Choirs
Land of Song Welsh Choral Classics
Land of My Fathers: 100 Great Welsh Choir Favourites
Traditional Songs of Wales

ASIN: B000000A8V
Release Date: 1992-10-28

Tracks:

God Bless The Prince Of Wales
David Of The White Rock
The Rising Of The Lark
All Through The Night
Hunting The Hare
Fantasia On Famous Welsh Airs
The Lost Chord
See The Conquering Hero Comes
The Ash Grove
Swing Low Sweet Chariot
Guide Me O Thou Great Jehova
Crimond
Praise Ye The Lord
Nobody Knows The Trouble I See Lord
The Messiah: And The Glory Of The Lord Shall Be Revealed

Customer Reviews:

Inspiring--totally!!!!.......2007-01-28

A friend recommended this CD after hearing a track played on classical radio. What a find! The choirs may not be quite as "polished" as some, but the raw edge adds a very refreshing element of heart and passion to the music. You get the impression they really believe what they are singing about. I especially appreciate "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah" and "Crimond." These will lift you so high you will have to look down to see heaven!

Average customer rating:

NOT for Brightman fanboys :)
A great showcase for Sarah's exceptional tone
Sarah in Recital
Folk songs are not suited to The Divine Sarah's voice
Unique and Distinct Voice Quality

The Trees They Grow So High

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

As I Came of Age
Fly
The Songs That Got Away
Surrender
Love Changes Everything: The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection, Vol. 2

ASIN: B000007PJB
Release Date: 1998-09-01

Tracks:

Early One Morning
Come You Not From Newcastle?
Sweet Polly Oliver
The Trees They Grow So High
The Ash Grove
O Waly Waly
How Sweet The Answer
The Plough Boy
Voici Le Printemps
The Last Rose Of Summer
La Belle Est Au Jardin D'amour
Fileuse
Dear Harp Of My Country!
Little Sir William
O Can Ue Sew Cushions?
Oft In The Stilly Night
Quand J'etais Chez Mon Pere
There's None To Soothe
Oliver Cromwell

Album Description

52 minute long collection featuring 19 folk songs arranged by the late Benjamin Britten, including 'Early One Morning','Come You Not From Newcastle?' and 'Sweet Polly Oliver'. Full digital recording with Brightman accompanied only by pianist Geoffrey Parsons. 1998 EMI release.

Album Details

Originally Released in 1988 as "The Trees …", this Recording Was Reissued with an Alternate Title in 1995: "Early in the Morning". Re-released in 1998 under Current Title; Features the Handy Piano Work of Geoffrey Parsons and Arrangements by Benjamin Britten. Includes the Original Track ("Early in the Morning"), "The Last Rose of Summer" and Many More.

Customer Reviews:

NOT for Brightman fanboys :) .......2007-05-14

Guys, if you don't know, what it is - besides the obvious - don't buy it. I almost regretted the purchase and started to enjoy it only after I overcame the shock. On this LP Sarah Brightman sings English songs that were popular in the XIX century and the musical tastes changed since then rather dramatically. So check out the samples first!

A great showcase for Sarah's exceptional tone .......2007-01-29

While other people may think this collection of songs does not do Sarah's voice justice, I strongly disagree. Indeed, if anything her New Age-sounding albums (such as Luna or something or other) I find horrendous and I think they completely scatter the good qualities of her voice. Not so in this album. True, the songs here are not well-known nor are they decorated with operatic frills which Sarah has the well-known ability to perform, but there is a different beauty here, my friends. The legato, angelic quality of Sarah Brightman's voice can truly be heard in these simple melodies, light and free from the heavy chains of pulsed pop and mediocre attempts at an Enya-like portrayal. THESE songs she sings well, THIS is one of her better albums, and HERE is her beautiful sound which I missed in some of her other albums.

Sarah in Recital.......2006-06-08

I believe I own all of the CDs Sarah Brightman has put out and yes, this one is quite different from all the others she's done.

In this CD she sings (in a strictly classical style) some of the many British folksongs collected and arranged by Benjamin Britten; she is accompanied here by only a piano. Thus if you like classical singing and traditional Brit folksongs, then this is the CD for you. If you're wanting something more pop, hip, musical-theatrical, or celtic--look elsewhere.

Sarah has developed her voice over time and this CD is a good example of how all those singing lessons have paid off as she has a beautiful classical voice (amply evident on this CD) as well as the big, full belt style she delivers in musical theatre production numbers (on other CDs).

This is a great CD for these reasons, but not one for the masses.

Folk songs are not suited to The Divine Sarah's voice.......2005-08-24

When Sarah sings in her soprano voice, I describe her voice as "liquid silver notes of perfection." However, even though her voice sounded lovely, it isn't suited to folk songs and folk singing.

I am definetely a fan of English/Irish/Scottish folk songs and have a fairly large collection of them, but this album will be one of those albums I rarely play.

Because she does have such a gorgous voice, it has the effect of making these songs sound, for lack of a better phrase, artificial and somewhat forced. I think her voice might be a little too trained and operatic, even though she is not an opera singer, for these kinds of songs.

In other words, I think her voice might be too good to sing such simple songs, which is not meant to cast aspersions on people who have lovely voices and sing folk songs. Examples of these would be the Angel of Riverdance, Katie McMahon and Connie Dover! Both of these womyn have high, lovely, voices but they don't sound as trained as Sarah does.

So I can't really reccomend this album.

Unique and Distinct Voice Quality.......2005-02-25

There's a gallery of professional singing Sopranos today, and each has her own specific strengths, history of accomplishments, recognition and influence. The uniqueness that Sarah Brightman presents the listener and viewer is that of a totally dedicated artist who has expanded and refined her voice in an area that other Sopranos haven't - youthfulness, diction, control and width. Starting at an early age she succeeded and excelled in a variety of styles and genres. On this CD, with the simple piano accompaniment that enhances her distinctiveness, she's able to maintain the most melodious range, diction and duration. She enhances the meaning of the folklore (whether English or French) and the classics, as it has not been done before. The selection of music pieces offers and tests her voice skills exceptionally well. Any voice student and expert must not miss the opportunity to identify the voice features that Sarah Brightman's talent offers. Her voice uncovers Soprano skills that usually remain hidden.

Britten: The Canticles; Ian Bostridge, David Daniels

Average customer rating:

Benjamin Britten and English as a Musical Language
Excellent
Three Amazing Voices at Their Peak
Literate, Schmiterate
Exquisite Singing in Lesser Known Britten

Britten: The Canticles; Ian Bostridge, David Daniels
Ian Bostridge , David Daniels , Christopher Maltman , Julius Drake , Aline Brewer , Timothy Brown , and Benjamin Britten
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Britten: Holy Sonnets Op35 / Bostridge, Johnson
Britten: Serenade for Tenor, Horn & Strings; Les Illuminations; Nocturne
Britten: Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo; The Holy Sonnets of John Donne; Winter Words
Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs
Ian Bostridge - Songs of Faure, Debussy & Poulenc

ASIN: B00005UV9G
Release Date: 2002-11-05

Tracks:

Canticle I: My Beloved is Mine
Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac
Canticle III: Still Falls the Rain
Canticle IV: Journey of the Magi
Canticle V: The Death of Saint Narcissus
The Plough Boy
The Salley Gardens
The foggy, foggy dew
There's none to soothe
O Waly, Waly
The Ash Grove
Greensleeves

Amazon.com

If you were assembling a latter-day dream team for a package program of all five Britten Canticles, this would probably be it. With one or two exceptions, it delivers everything you'd want. Ian Bostridge--the most literate tenor on God's earth--was born to sing this repertory, observing subtleties of text and niceties of diction without compromise to the beauty of fine-spun legato lines. David Daniels, an accomplished actor, sings the boy in Abraham and Isaac with exactly the right mix of pathos and restraint. Christopher Maltman provides the vocal equivalent of lithe, young, gym-toned muscularity in "Journey of the Magi" and the group of folk-song settings that pad out the disc. And Julius Drake homes in as if by instinct on what really tells in the accompaniments: a figure here that signals something to the voice, a chord there that transforms the color of a phrase. The two supporting instrumentalists (Timothy Brown, horn, and Aline Brewer, harp) add to the pleasure of it all. Just one reservation: Bostridge doesn't quite have the climactic roar of joy required for "My Beloved Is Mine" or the authoritative weight for Abraham, and Daniels can sound womanly, as well as overartful in the folk songs (although not everyone feels comfortable with countertenors singing folksongs). And in any case, it's not enough to counter the outstanding virtues of the disc. --Michael White

Customer Reviews:

Benjamin Britten and English as a Musical Language.......2007-01-22

Benjamin Britten was a prolific composer who managed to conquer every range of musical writing - chamber works, symphonies, operas, big choral works, song cycles for both soloist and orchestra and soloist and piano, children's works, ballets, works for amateur performers (such as the Church Parables), concerti, and works for solo instruments. There are few composers even today who understood the complexities of the English language as a source of lyrics as did Britten and though all of his works are penultimate examples of this talent, surely the Five Canticles are the zenith of this gift.

The Canticles were composed over a thirty-year period (1947 - 1974) and are a microcosm of Britten's development as a composer and philosopher. The five works are all inspired by religious themes and yet they also can be seen as occult references to Britten's own homage to his sexual proclivity. Here the canticles are sung impeccably by Ian Bostridge, tenor, David Daniels, countertenor, and Christopher Maltman, baritone and the series is beautifully united by the pianism of Julius Drake (with collaboration of harpist Aline Brewer and horn player Timothy Brown). To review each canticle would take far too much space, but at least some mention must be paid to the opening of the second canticle (Abraham and Isaac) in which the voice of God telling Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son is intoned by close harmony duet by Bostridge and Daniels: the effect is ethereal and wholly spiritual. Each of the five canticles is successful on every level.

Accompanying the Canticles are seven of Britten's Folksong arrangements and each of the three singers is given time and interpretive flair for each one. It would be difficult to imagine three better matched singers than Bostridge, Daniels, and Maltman - three artists who continue to grow in stature (these recordings were made in 2001). This CD contains some of Britten's more difficult works - but also some of his most sublime. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, January 07

Excellent.......2006-09-03

This is a really nice recording of the Britten Canticles with some of the folk song arrangements added to fill out the CD. The quality of singing is excellent though some aspects of interpretation could be argued. Excellent accompaniment as well.

Three Amazing Voices at Their Peak .......2004-08-17

With tones alternately dream-like and discordant, Benjamin Britten could certainly write music that can challenge as well as soothe, and his five canticles are no exception. Amazingly, he wrote these canticles over a 26-year period, the first in 1947 and the last in 1973 near his death, yet in spite of each canticle's individuality, they feel very much like parts of a whole. The two longest canticles, "Abraham and Isaac" (Canticle 2) and "Journey of the Magi" (Canticle 4, based on the poem by T.S. Eliot), are the most dramatically effective. Canticle 2 is especially moving because of the touching story it tells of the sacrifice of the child Isaac for his father Abraham only to be spared at the last minute. Canticle 4 provides an emotional retelling of the Three Kings' journey to the Christ child heightened by the immaculate blending of the three distinct voice types. It is no coincidence that countertenor David Daniels plays a prominent role in both as he is a highly skilled and versatile actor when it comes to playing a king or evoking the pleas of an innocent child. The voice, of course, is unparalleled. Tenor Ian Bostridge sings prominently on all five canticles and does quite well throughout, in particular, with his diction and tone. He is called on to exhibit a wide variety of emotions, and he rises to the challenge despite the towering shadow of Peter Pears.

The last twenty minutes of the disc are devoted to a wide array of English folk songs, and this is where each singer gets an opportunity to shine in solo turns. In particular, baritone Christopher Maltman does a fine job on "The Plough Boy" and "The Salley Gardens". Although Britten is not for everyone's taste, this is a beautifully realized recording with three great singers at their peak, and special mention needs to go to pianist Julius Drake who accompanies with great skill.

Literate, Schmiterate.......2003-12-10

What you need is a tenor with gonads. These canticles rank among my favorite works by any composer, and I do like Bostridge sometimes, but I can't stand the hooting around I hear on this disc. I mostly agree with the editorial review in the details, but not at all with its recommendation. I think the negatives far outweight the positives. Try the Hyperion release with Anthony Rolfe Johnson. It's also flawed, but far more satisfactory.

Exquisite Singing in Lesser Known Britten.......2002-12-27

This may be the vocal CD of the year. Bostridge, Daniels and Maltman sing this repertoire with all of the conviction of the original London recordings. And the Canticles themselves are pinnacles of Britten's vocal art.

Neither art songs nor operatic scena, in the Canticles Britten fashions his own vocal form, based in part on the extended Baroque solo cantata as realized by Purcell. Each Canticle is based on a poem with religious overtones, and set with sensitivity to the prosody and shades of meaning conveyed by the poet. The first Canticle, set to a parody of the Song of Songs by Anglican poet Frances Quarles, is fashioned in the most Purcellian manner of the Canticles, complete with Baroque devices like the canon and the ground bass. Each stanza is given a different form, almost like a suite, though unified by melodic material. The second stanza is a setting of the story of Abraham and Isaac from the Chester Miracle plays for tenor and countertenor (originally for alto, the tendency now is to use countertenor.) The work is dramatic, a mini-scena with many sections forcasting a very different setting of this story in the War Requiem. Canticle III is composed for tenor and horn and uses the very beautiful Sitwell poem, Still Falls the Rain. Britten's music matches the deep pathos of the poem. The final two Canticles use poetry by T.S. Eliot. They are in Britten's late style, tonal and yet austere and richly dissonant. Canticle V in particular has overtones of the music Britten would use for his final operatic masterpiece, Death in Venice.

The performances on this CD are stupendous. Ian Bostridge is probably the finest interpreter of English art song alive today. His attention to diction, nuance of text, beauty of tone and intelligence make these for me even better than the marvelous Peter Pears performances of these works. David Daniels is the finest countertenor working today. His tone is honey-sweet but never weird or cloying as Alfred Deller could be. And he strikes the perfect tone as Isaac, both childlike and saintly. Maltman too is in fine form in Canticle IV. The instrumentalists are also superb. Special mention goes to Julius Drake, who is a technically brilliant and sensitive accompanist in music that sounds simple but is deceptively tricky.

Tracks:

Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo: I. Sonnet XVI
Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo: II. Sonnet XXXI
Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo: III. Sonnet XXX
Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo: IV. Sonnet LV
Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo: V. Sonnet XXXVIII
Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo: VI. Sonnet XXXII
Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo: VII. Sonnet XXIV
Pemungkah (Overture To Shadow-Play)
Rebong (Love Music From Shadow-Play)
Gambangan (Intermezzo)
Lagu Delem (Music From Shadow-Play)
Tabu Telu (Ceremonial Music)
The Ash Grove
The Sally Gardens (Yeats)
Little Sir William
Oliver Cromwell
Introduction And Rondo Alla Burlesca 17. Op. 23 No.1
Mazurka Elegiaca 18, Op. 23 No 2
Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: I. Prologue
Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: II. Pastoral
Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: III. Nocturne
Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: IV. Elegy
Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: V. Dirge
Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: VI. Hymn
Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: VII. Sonnet
Serenade For Tenor, Horn And Strings, Op. 31: VII. Epilogue

Customer Reviews:

An Incredibly Important and Rewarding Recording.......2006-03-09

The re-mastering of the works on this historically significant recording is so fine that they sound as clear and responsive as the best of today's engineering on recordings. And that is a feat! These recordings by Benjamin Britten were made form 1942 to 1944 when Britten was just coming into recognition as a major force in composing, conducting and performing as a pianist. And in some cases here are first recordings of come of his works as well as sole recordings of others. This CD is a collector's treat.

The CD opens with 'Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo' with Britten at the piano accompanying the very young and stunningly perfect tenor Peter Pears, this work bring the first of many Britten wrote specifically for Pears. Pears voice is so fresh and musical that he is able to give these sonnets their full beauty. Following this is a work by Colin McFee and Britten, 'Music of Bali', in which they transcribe Balinese ceremonial music to a work for duopianists. It is atmospheric and stunning.

Britten and Pears then collaborate on British Folk Songs 'The Ash Grove', 'The Sally Gardens', 'Little Sir William', and 'Oliver Cromwell' with Pears enunciating the words so clearly that surely this was one of the reasons Britten's superior reputation for writing for the English language was born.

Britten then joins with fellow pianist Clifford Curzon in the piano duet Opus 23, 'Introduction and Rondo Alla Burlesca and Mazurka Elegiaca', a brilliant tour de force for the keyboard that is at once accessible and yet offers hints at some of the sonorities Britten would incorporate in later works.

The CD is rounded out with the very first recording of Britten's 'Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings' with Britten conducting the Boyd Neel String Orchestra, Pears of course singing, and the famous Dennis Brain as the horn soloist. Not only is it important historically, it remains one of the most successful performances of this now extremely popular work. Both Pears (sounding more fresh and yet profound than ever) and Brain are sensitive to the music and the poetry and the results are a luminous experience for any listener.

This is a true Collectors Recording and is Highly Recommended on every level. Grady Harp, March 06

Average customer rating:

wonderful
A National Treasure
The best live album ever?
In a world of aluminum and plastic, this is polished wood.

Moonlighting: Live at the Ash Grove
Van Dyke Parks
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Baroque Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music

Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Tokyo Rose
Orange Crate Art
The Clang of the Yankee Reaper
Pandemonium Shadow Show/Aerial Ballet/Aerial Pandemonium Ballet
SMiLE

ASIN: B000002NE9
Release Date: 1998-02-10

Tracks:

Jump!
Orange Crate Art
Wings Of A Dove
Sail Away
Night In The Tropics
FDR In Trinidad
Danza
Cowboy
Delta Queen Waltz
C-H-I-C-K-E-N
The All Golden
Hominy Grove
Sailin' Shoes

Amazon.com

Parks has always been a moonlighter, producing albums by Little Feat and Randy Newman, writing arrangements for U2 and Victoria Williams, and composing film scores. He's also recorded half a dozen albums on his own, but he's spent most of his career in the shadow of an early failed collaboration: his work as lyricist for Brian Wilson's epic '60s disaster, Smile. Moonlighting, a live recording taken from a 1996 performance, places him in the spotlight's full glare. There may be a 17-piece band behind him, but Parks sings (by his own admission badly) and plays piano throughout, displaying the personality a bitter environmentalist one moment, and then self-assured professor the next-that drives the album. Though he's lived in California since the '60s, Parks was born in Mississippi and even without the drawl he remains a Southerner. That he's a sentimentalist is evident in the Br'er Rabbit-inspired "Jump!" and "Hominy Grove," but he also has an intellectual's appreciation for the past. Occasionally, this leads him astray; listen to his stilted version of Uncle Dave Macon's old folk tune, "C-H-I-C-K-E-N." More often it feels right, especially on a lovely orchestral remake of John Hartford's "Delta Queen Waltz" and a pair of instrumentals inspired by the 19th-century New Orleans composer, Louis Moreau Gottschalk. Moonlighting is a welcome anachronism, with its star reading a Robert Frost poem, singing a song about FDR's trip to the Caribbean before cruiseships, and reinventing Little Feat's "Sailin' Shoes" as a slide-guitar-and-strings art song. Between songs, Parks admits, "This isn't a franchise operation, folks." Thank God for that, not to mention Parks's thin voice and slightly misshapen heart. --Keith Moerer

Customer Reviews:

wonderful.......2002-11-08

fantastic orchestration, shimmering sound quality, and songs that have peculiar but most graceful melodies. Van Dyke Parks has been a behind the scenes guy adding so much to bands as varied as The Beach Boys to U2; but his gift of translating others' songs as well as writing gorgous melodies is distinctly original.
Moonlighting, works as a sort of best-of, covering most of his solo career. Along with great performances, he also spins some history of each song telling a bit of where the inspiration came from, all adding to his unique southern charm. If you enjoy tin pan alley music this is a great album to add to your collection.

A National Treasure.......2002-05-26

With five albums that have very little in common, it would have been almost impossible to find a proper introduction to the music of Van Dyke Parks - until now. More than any of his previous releases, this disc explains why Parks's fans are so loyal. Almost tearfully melodic, these compositions --- both his and the obscure ones settled in the public domain --- bring you back, dreamike, to another era. The rearranged Orange Crate Art and Sailin' Shoes are highlights. If you care at all, you'll never be able to remove this from the CD player.

The best live album ever?.......2000-05-10

I'm not a fan of live albums but there's a few live albums I really love, such as Live Killers by Queen and this one. Often the problem in live albums is that there music sounds the same as in studio albums, only worse. On this album the music doesn't sound the same as on the studio albums because Van Dyke Parks has rearranged the songs. Most of them sound even better than on the studio albums. This music has nothing to do with rock. The songs are very old-fashioned, ragtimes, waltzes... Three of the songs are from the album Orange Crate Art which Parks recorded with Brian Wilson (of the Beach Boys) as the singer. On this album he sings them himself. His voice isn't as strong as Wilson's but his versions of the songs don't sound worse, just different.

In a world of aluminum and plastic, this is polished wood........1999-10-18

This is one beautiful album. Ain't nothing synthetic here... just brilliantly crafted and executed music, played by real people on real instruments. Van Dyke is an American Treasure, and should be celebrated as such. Buying and reveling in this album is a good way to start.

Britten: Winter Words; On This Island; Folk Song Arrangements; Canticles 1-3; Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo - Robert Tear, tenor

Average customer rating:

Britten: Winter Words; On This Island; Folk Song Arrangements; Canticles 1-3; Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo - Robert Tear, tenor

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00004YU8I
Release Date: 2001-06-05

Tracks:

On This Island, Op.11: 1. Let The Florid Music Praise!
On This Island, Op.11: 2. Now The Leaves Are Falling Fast
On This Island, Op.11: 3. Seascape
On This Island, Op.11: 4. Nocturne
On This Island, Op.11: 5. As It Is, Plenty
Folk Song Arrangements: The Foggy, Foggy Dew
Folk Song Arrangements: The Plough Boy
Folk Song Arrangements: Sweet Polly Oliver
Folk Song Arrangements: O Waly, Waly
Folk Song Arrangements: Come You Not From Newcastle?
Folk Song Arrangements: The Minstrel Boy
Folk Song Arrangements: The Brisk Young Widow
Folk Song Arrangements: Ca' The Yowes
Folk Song Arrangements: The Licolnshire Poacher
Folk Song Arrangements: Le Roi S'en Va-t'en Chasse
Folk Song Arrangements: La Belle Est Au Jardin D'amour
Folk Song Arrangements: Quand J'etais Chez Mon Pere
Folk Song Arrangements: The Salley Gardens
Folk Song Arrangements: Little Sir William
Folk Song Arrangements: The Bonny Earl O' Moray
Folk Song Arrangements: O Can Ye Sew Cushions?
Folk Song Arrangements: The Trees They Grow So High
Folk Song Arrangements: The Ash Grove
Folk Song Arrangements: Oliver Cromwell

Tracks:

Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo, Op.22: 1. Si Come Nella Penna E Nell'inchiostro (XVI)
Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo, Op.22: 2. A Che Piu Debb' io Mai L'intensa Voglia (XXXI)
Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo, Op.22: 3. Veggio Co' Bei Vostri Occhi Un Dolce Lume (XXX)
Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo, Op.22: 4. Tu Sa' Ch'io So, Signior Mie, Che Tu Sai (LV)
Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo, Op.22: 5. Rendete A Gli Occhi Miei, O Fonte O Fiume (XXXVIII)
Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo, Op.22: 6. S'un Casto Amor, S'una Pieta Superna (XXXII)
Seven Sonnets Of Michelangelo, Op.22: 7. Spirto Ben Nato, In Cui Si Specchia E Vede (XXIV)
Canticle I: My Beloved Is Mine, Op.40
Canticle II: Abraham And Isaac, Op.51 - Robert Tear/Sir Philip Ledger/James Bowman
Canticle III: Still Falls The Rain, Op.55 - Robert Tear/Sir Philip Ledger/Alan Civil
Winter Words, Op.52: 1. At Day-close In November
Winter Words, Op.52: 2. Midnight On The Great Western (Or The Journeying Boy)
Winter Words, Op.52: 3. Wagtail And Baby (A Satire)
Winter Words, Op.52: 4. The Little Old Table
Winter Words, Op.52: 5. The Choirmaster's Burial (Or The Tenor Man's Story)
Winter Words, Op.52: 6. Proud Songsters (Thrushes, Finches And Nightingales)
Winter Words, Op.52: 7. At The Railway Station, Upway (Or The Convict And Boy With The Violin)
Winter Words, Op.52: Before Life And After

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Osyrus

Serra: Orchestral Works

Salute to Sunnyland Slim

Lou's Blues

Travellin Man [Original recording remastered] [Import]

Stop Her on Sight

South Pacific

Rameau: Pieces de Clavecin en Concerts

Soma Compilation 2003

We Called Him Mr. Gospel Music: The James Blackwood Tribute Album

Nice Day with Buddy Collette

1. Track 1 "There's None to Soothe" - Benjamin Britten
2. Track 2 "Sweet Polly Oliver" - Bejamin Britten
3. Track 3 "O Waly, Waly" -Benjamin Britten
4. Track 4 "Come You Not from Newcastle?" - Benjamin Britten
5. Track 5 "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair" - Clifford Shaw
6. Track 6 "He's Gone Away" - Clifford Shaw
7. Track 7 "The Nightingale" - Clifford Shaw
8. Track 8 "Simple Gifts" - Aaron Copland
9. Track 9 "At The River" - Aaron Copland
10. Track 10 "Zion's Walls" - Aaron Copland
11. Track 11 "The Lass from the Low Countree" -John Jacob Niles
12. Track 12 "The Black Dress" - John Jacob Niles
13. Track 13 "Ribbon Bow" - John Jacob Niles
14. Track 14 "The Trees They Grow So High" Benjamin Britten
15. Track 15 "O Can Ye Sew Cushions?" - Bejamin Britten
16. Track 16 "The Ash Grove" - Benjamin Britten
17. Track 17 "Oliver Cromwell" - Benjamin Britten