The Age Of Purcell

1. Suite for harpsichord, No 18 in G minor
Composed by Johann Jacob Froberger
with Arthur Haas

2. Melothesia Suite for harpsichord in C major
Composed by Matthew Locke
with Arthur Haas

3. Melothesia Suite for harpsichord in D major
Composed by Matthew Locke
with Arthur Haas

4. Suites for harpsichord, No. 6 in D major (from "A Choice Collection of Lessons"), Z. 667
Composed by Henry Purcell
with Arthur Haas

5. Work(s) Unidentified Ground in C
Composed by Henry Purcell
with Arthur Haas

6. Suites for harpsichord, No. 2 in G minor (from "A Choice Collection of Lessons"), Z. 661
Composed by Henry Purcell
with Arthur Haas

7. A New Ground (from "Welcome to All the Pleasures"), for harpsichord in E minor, ZT682
Composed by Henry Purcell
with Arthur Haas

8. Suite for harpsichord in B minor
Composed by Giovanni Battista Draghi
with Arthur Haas

9. Suite for harpsichord in D minor
Composed by William Croft
with Arthur Haas

10. Ground for harpsichord in C Minor, D 221
Composed by William Croft
with Arthur Haas

11. Chaconne for harpsichord in A minor
Composed by William Croft
with Arthur Haas

Tracks:

Air on the G Str
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Lasia Ch'Io Pianga
Ave Maria
Water Music: Air
Water Music: Minuet
Water Music: Trio
Water Music: Hornpipe
Water Music: Alla Danza
Water Music: Coro
Aria
The Lord's Prayer
Arioso
Sheep May Safely Graze
Ave Maria
Canon in D
Bridal Chorus
Trumpet Voluntary
Trumpet Tune and Air
Wedding March

Customer Reviews:

Tasteful and elegant........2004-09-27

I am a DJ and ordered this CD when a couple asked me to play music for the wedding ceremony as well. Since it was an intimate setting, I thought a simple piano arrangement of the traditional "Bridal Chorus" and "Wedding March" would work better than full orchestra versions. This CD worked beautifully.

The Most Beautiful Piano CD You Can Buy!.......2004-01-29

After searching all over Palm Beach County for a suitable CD for my daughter's wedding I came upon this one and really did not hold out much hope, but ordered it strictly because of the reviews. It is beautiful for the person who is looking for a more pure piano sound, free of all the other "stuff". Very well done, something for everyone. Worth the price and then some.

The best wedding album!.......2003-11-16

My husband and I used this CD when our church pianist moved a week before our wedding. It was beautiful, and we got many compliments on it. It's much more reliable than live music, and just as nice. I would highly recommend it.

I Have Several Originals of this CD.......2002-11-14

I am a professional dj owner and heard his music. I assist 100+ brides on their music choices and this CD is absolutely the best for a bride that needs piano solo music for the guests entering the ceremony (prelude) through the ceremony ending. It is a must have. Also in combination with this CD, is his piano versions of love songs "HONEYMOON SUITE" (My Heart Will Go On - Is The First Track). It is classic, clean and used over & over.

Beautiful music for a beautiful wedding!.......2002-02-25

When my husband and I were planning our wedding, we wanted beautiful piano music, so we bought "The Ultimate Wedding Collection." It really made the wedding even more romantic, and now I listen to the CD at work and at home. On our anniversary, we often play the CD while we enjoy a quiet candlelight dinner at home. Now my father-in-law is getting remarried, and they are going to use the same CD! It's great for all brides, young and not-so-young.

Average customer rating:

Horrible Techno Muzak with Beautiful Singing
Not for the Opera purest...
Opera meets contemporary music for sophisticated listeners
buy this cd!
Incredible music from opera's master composers

Aria

Manufacturer: Koch Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Aria, Vol. 2: New Horizon
Aria 3: Metamorphosis
State of Grace II: Turning to Peace
State of Grace
Earthbound

ASIN: B0002IQGF8
Release Date: 2004-08-10

Tracks:

Willow
Un Bel Di
Secret Tear
Dido
Pace Pace
Pamina Blue
Habanera
Home

Customer Reviews:

Horrible Techno Muzak with Beautiful Singing.......2007-06-21

This is a Dr. Jeckal and Mr. Hyde CD. The singing is so incredibly beautiful but it's totally ruined with synthetic background "music". The drum machine parts are so bad it's like listening to a joke from Saturday Night Live.

Not for the Opera purest..........2007-05-19

A doctor buddy of mine and I were working the ER one weekend and he put this CD on. Now, I love just about any kind of music EXCEPT Opera and Country music depresses me after a few songs. Now, this CD sure smacked of opera but I was not offended. In fact, the longer I listened, the more I liked it. I didn't much care for the treatment of Bizet's "Carmen" but that was the only song I didn't care for just because I loved the original classical and just didn't like this arrangement. I guess I was primed for this sound through Yanni's "Aria" from his Dare to Dream CD. Thus the blending of contemporary instrumental music with an operatic voice or voices was born.

As for the disappointed opera fan/reviewer, this IS NOT opera and it was never intended to replace or even imitate true opera. Paul Schwartz was exposed to the opera, orchestral symphonies, rock music and dance clubs that were all within walking distance from his home as a young man. He simply took the sounds that appealed to him and put them together. Thus this, his first effort, leans heavily on traditional classical music that is familiar to a great number of people. I personally found his second release, "Aria, Vol. 2: New Horizon", to be much more enjoyable. "Aria 3: Metamorphosis" was released five years after "New Horrizon" and shows a more matured sound and is highly enjoyable. Paul embarked on another venture through the "State of Grace" series during those five years which I haven't heard, yet. I love listening to all three Cd's with #2 and #3 being my favorites of the three. So if you are an opera purest, Paul Schwartz's "Aria" compositions are NOT what you are looking for. But, if you're a New Age enthusiast with even a little appreciation for classical music, then you'll probably enjoy this CD along with his other works.

Opera meets contemporary music for sophisticated listeners.......2006-11-12

I listen to this CD over and over again. Traditional opera voices backed by modern instruments makes for distinct music that appeals to sophisticated adult ears. You don't need to be an opera fan to enjoy this beautiful, unique style of music. A true opera fan below was disappointed, but after buying Aria, I became interested in opera and added a couple of authentic aria CDs to my collection.

buy this cd!.......2006-10-08

When i first heard this CD i hated it. i had heard about it from several people and decided to buy it. i actually bought the box set that has all three Aria cd's. As i checked this cd out, the woman ringing me up said this was the most beautiful thing she'd ever heard and told me i'd love it. i told her i was more of a metal fan. Here i was, a fan of Metallica and Danzig and Tool, buying opera!? i did like the programming on this cd. the drum beats are clean and accompany the music just right; not too loud and not too quiet. the vocals, which at first i didn't like, are really endearing and beautiful. Rebecca Luker sings many of the songs here. i enjoyed this cd more and more with each listen. I like the fact that the lyrics were translated in the booklet so i could understand the words. Bottom line: this is an excellent CD! i would recommend this to anyone. give it a few listens and let it take you. Ignore what you think you know about opera and let his music enter you and enchant you and speak to you. your heart and soul will thank you. let the vocals of Rebecca Luker wash over you and show you the true emotional range of the human voice.

Incredible music from opera's master composers.......2006-03-04

If I could give this CD 10 stars, I would certainly do so. Five stars is not sufficient to describe this wonderful work of art. I am an opera fan but I am certainly not offended by these contemporary arrangements which brings these wonderful works to a modern audience.

The selection "Willow" from Verdi's Otello is haunting and mystical. "Un Bel Di" from Puccini's Madama Butterfly soars. Other works from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas; or Mozart's The Magic Flute; or Bizet's Carmen are arranged to be unique and evoke the context of the original opera.

Rebecca Luker's voice is superb. The electonic approach to these classics updates them, but never replaces the originals. They were not meant to replace only to offer a unique approach to classics.

Average customer rating:

The (second) soundtrack that never was...
Treasure Trove of Cinemagic

Rediscovering Lost Scores, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: East Side Digital
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rediscovering Lost Scores, Vol. 2
By Request
Tales of Heaven & Hell
A Clockwork Orange: Wendy Carlos's Complete Original Score
Sonic Seasonings + [Enhanced CD]

ASIN: B0009G3C1O
Release Date: 2005-05-24

Tracks:

Colorado - 'The Shining'
The Rocky Mountains - 'The Shining'
Chase Music - 'The Shining'
Nocturnal Valse Triste - 'The Shining'
Greetings Ghosties - 'The Shining'
Horror Show - 'The Shining'
A Haunted Waltz - 'The Shining'
Psychic Shout #237 - 'The Shining'
Danny - 'The Shining'
Heartbeats And Worry - 'The Shining'
Subliminal Ballroom - 'The Shining'
Thought Clusters - 'The Shining'
A Ghost Piano - 'The Shining'
Visitors - 'The Shining'
Dark Winds And Rustles - 'The Shining'
Bumps In The Wind - 'The Shining'
Setting With Medea - 'The Shining'
Two Polymoog Improvisations - 'The Shining'
Fanfare And Drunken 'Dies' - 'The Shining'
Clockworks (Bloody Elevators) - 'The Shining'
Danny Bells Ascending - 'The Shining'
Postlude - 'The Shining'
Stately Purcell - 'Clockwork Orange'
Pop Purcell - 'Clockwork Orange'
Trumpet Voluntary - 'The Shining'
The Children Of Peru - 'UNICEF Films'
Shanty Town And Farewell - 'UNICEF Films'
Daycare And The Colonel - 'UNICEF Films'
Two Distant Walks - 'UNICEF Films'
Ethiopian Life - 'UNICEF Films'
Tanzanian Scenes - 'UNICEF Films'
Three Hopeful Places - 'UNICEF Films'

Customer Reviews:

The (second) soundtrack that never was..........2005-08-13

Let me start out by saying that I (and probably most people) bought this for the Shining portion of music, and is what I am discussing here. Wendy's original score to the Shining was mostly left on the cutting room floor and only a few tracks made it into the final film. (The same happened to her Clockwork Orange soundtrack, although more of that was used.)

Once I heard that all of her original score to the Shining was being released I immediately became excited about the prospect of finally hearing the high-pitched music while Halloran "shines" on his bed, the long suite of twisted vocals and heartbeats as Jack yells at Wendy, dismantles the radio, etc. Upon receiving the CD I was a little disappointed, however.

There are basically 3 tracks on the CD that sound even remotely like her music in the movie:

*Track #2 ("Rock Mountains") - This is the music that can be heard while the family drives to the Overlook and continues throughout the Donna Party discussion. This track is a SHORTENED VERSION of the one heard in the film, but covers the main musical points.

*Track #10 ("Heartbeats & Worry") - This is SIMILAR to the music heard at various points throughout the film, (during Jack's "Shoveling out driveways" speech, Wendy trying to wake Danny up, Halloren on the plane, etc) but is much shorter and lacks many of the musical elements heard in the film. This track is the same general idea, and has some extra layers not heard in the film version.

*Track #21 ("Danny Bells Ascending") - This track also has ELEMENTS of the music heard in the scenes above, just without the heartbeats. (It also has some extra layers thrown in.)

That's about it from the movie. I kind of figured I would be disappointed because I usually am with any commercial releases of film scores. I always expect to get ALL the cues exactly as they appear in the movie, but this very rarely happens. Most soundtracks usually have certain cues omitted (usually my favorite ones) and they either join several cues into a suite of music or add extra stuff into the cues. Why they do this I'll never understand. In the case of the Shining, the music editor may have combined several different Carlos cues for the movie, but one thing I am certain - all of Wendy's music from the film is not on this CD. (I'm pretty sure they won't be on the second volume either, based on the samples I've heard.)

Another criticism I have is that I wish they released just the Shining music from both Volumes 1 and 2 as "Wendy Carlos's score to the Shining" (as they did with A Clockwork Orange), and put the UNICEF and Clockwork Orange stuff on a separate release.

Having said all that, the music on this CD is top notch, as is anything Wendy Carlos has done. I'm glad this stuff has finally seen the light of day! But if you're expecting a note-for-note version of the music from your favorite scenes in the film, you may be in for a disappointment...

Treasure Trove of Cinemagic.......2005-06-07

In between her pioneering classical transcriptions and her groundbreaking explorations of new timbres and tunings, Carlos was also called upon to score a few films. Of these only one, "A Clockwork Orange," has been adequately represented by an official soundtrack album and a second album of original music written for the movie. Her score for "Tron" wasn't released on CD by Disney until 2001, NINETEEN YEARS after the film. All of the other scores have been, lamentably, totally missing.

Until now.

Carlos is no stranger to neglect. She has had to single-handedly rescue her classical pieces from the dumpster, and most of the rest of her catalog never saw Original Master re-releases until she herself undertook the project. It seems her New England stubbornness is triggered by disrespect, which in a way is lucky because nobody does Wendy better than Wendy herself.

She's done it once again with these soundtrack albums, volumes 1 and 2. Most of her fans know she wrote a complete score for Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining," although only two short pieces made it to the soundtrack LP (which has never been reissued). Here she FINALLY shares the rest of her score (minus the two tracks in legal limbo), and they are just as wonderful as everyone suspected. Witty and urbane classical reworkings are interposed with original horror music of astonishing power. Of particular note is a track where she overdubs and treats Rachel Elkind's voice until it sounds like a swarm of bumblebees!

She's also discovered three more "Clockwork Orange" cues, which are a delightful addition to the existing canon.

Volume 2 includes additional music from "Tron" and her unreleased score to "Woundings," and both volumes include several shorter pieces for various independent films.

Overall these discs are everything you'd expect and hope for in documenting Carlos's cinematic career.

Average customer rating:

Horrible
Joyful Album!!!!!!
I don't rate this cd because it doesn't deserve a rate
So-o-o-o-o Disappointed
"Otten's vocal style is mesmerizing, overwhelming & amazing"

Portraits
Thomas Otten , Jean-Christophe Lannoy , Bruno Dupont , Fabrice Gratien , Eric Paque , Jacques Schab , Juliette Danel , Nicolas Desmalines , and Yasmine Hammani
Manufacturer: Higher Octave
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Close To Silence
Sacred Space
Missa
The Other Side of Life
Al Green - Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000095J5U
Release Date: 2003-05-20

Tracks:

The Cold Genius
Falling
Sa Alma
Heaven
The Answer
Samsara
The Fifth Season
Adeo
Voices
Feel Low
Stars & Sky

Customer Reviews:

Horrible.......2004-11-06

Do not waste your time and money on this one. Not even worth hanging from your rear-view mirror. The first ablum shook my world, this one shook my faith in Otten

Joyful Album!!!!!!.......2004-01-11

I am so thrilled that Thomas Otten made Portraits as I find his voice mesmerizing. After reading some negative reviews I had my doubts about his new release and was unsure after sampling some of the songs on Amazon. Later I visited Thomas Otten's web site (The English site is still under development but the French site is ready and you don't have to speak French to download.) where I was able to download 80 sec clips of ALL of the songs on his new album. From that point on I was hooked and returned to Amazon to place my order. About "Portraits", no, it doesn't sound like "Close to Silence" and thank goodness. If it did he could have just made the previous album a 2 cd set and been done with it. I love the new feelings that this album evokes in me. I feel transported to some open fields perhaps in Spain on a warm sunny day. There were a couple of songs that did not strike a chord with me right away as they were unexpected styles, but just like new foods one has to sample them 3 times to either develop a taste for it or truly learn that you don't like it. After several plays I was able to appreciate these new forays and applaud Thomas for taking chances. Had I not taken a chance I would never have been able to grow musically. On top of this are some beautiful songs ("Voices", "Feel Low") that just send me straight to Heaven. There are NO guarantees in life, take a chance!!!

I don't rate this cd because it doesn't deserve a rate.......2003-10-01

I awaited a long time for the release of the Thomas Otten second cd. The first cd is a wonderfull cd, it is a work like no one I have ever heard before.
This second work is a totally mess, a waist of time.
I wonder if it was written, composed and sung by the same people of the first one.
Don't buy it if you liked Close To Silence.
Don't buy it at all!

So-o-o-o-o Disappointed.......2003-08-14

After being brought to my knees,(literally) by Thomas Otten's first album, Close to Silence, I could barely wait until his next release. I found Portraits to be extremely disappointing. I felt much of his vocals on this release were forced and I kept getting the feeling throughout the CD that this was rushed to press. I don't feel this CD came from the same place/space as his first. Hopefully his future endeavors will be able to "capture" the message I clearly heard/felt in his first.

"Otten's vocal style is mesmerizing, overwhelming & amazing".......2003-05-27

Higher Octave takes the reins as we journey through the catacombs of Opera, High/Mass Chants and blends of New Age thus we have "Portraits", featuring Thomas Otten who is so overwhelming that the hair on the back of your neck will stand on end. I'm a purist when it comes to some music and this certainly fits the bill ~ his amazing voice takes on another realm of music categories, that even the most educated individual in this field would be stymied.

The entire album is priceless (all eleven tracks), his delivery is impeccable and right on the money. Looking forward to future projects from this one-of-kind artists ~ he hits every note without looking back ~ that is the sign of a well-trained singer/performer. Hats off to Higher Octave for releasing this album and to our favorite vocalist ~ THOMAS OTTEN!

Tracks:

String Quintet In E Major, Op. 13, No. 5: Minuetto
Bagatelle In A Minor, WoO 59: Fur Elise
Xerxes: Largo
Water Music, Hwv 348-350: V Air
Water Music, Hwv 348-350: VII Bourree
Water Music, Hwv 348-350: VIII Hornpipe
Trumpet Tune And Ayre
Minuet In G Major, WoO 10, No. 2
String Quartet In F Major, Op. 3, No. 5: Serenade
Iphegenia In Aulis: Gavotte
Orfeo ed Euridice: Dance Of The Blessed Spirits
12 Contedanses For Orchestra: No.1 In C; No. 2 In A; No. 3 In D; et. al.
Three German Dances, K. 605: No. 1 In A Major (Orig. D Major)
Three German Dances, K. 605: No. 3 In C Major 'Die Schlittenfahrt' (Orig. F Major)
Harp Concerto In B-Flat Major, Op. 4, No. 6: III Allegro moderato
'Musick In King Arthur': I Overture
'Musick In King Arthur': III Aire
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik: II Romance
Symphony No. 82 In C Major, Hob. I: 82 'The Bear': II Menuetto - Trio
Symphony No. 82 In C Major, Hob. I: 82 'The Bear': IV Finale. Vivace assai

Customer Reviews:

Truly elegant.......2000-05-24

I actually had this album years ago and listened to it so much I needed a replacement, but, by then, it was no longer available. Now here it is on CD - the Xerses/Largo is one of the most beautiful classical compositions and, here, it is presented without vocals - the way I like it. If you don't know much about classical music but want to enjoy a good general mix - this is a great CD to have....

Dido & Aeneas / Dawson, Joshua, Finlay, Kiehr, Bickley, Visse, Blaze; Jacobs

Average customer rating:

Potentially, very good. Potentially. However ..........
Not a phenomenom
Impressive but Not Indispensable
Mixed package
A superb rendering of the lovely work - best Dido I've heard

Dido & Aeneas / Dawson, Joshua, Finlay, Kiehr, Bickley, Visse, Blaze; Jacobs
Henry Purcell , Lynne Dawson , Rosemary Joshua , René Jacobs , Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment , Maria Cristina Kiehr , Susan Bickley , Dominique Visse , Robin Blaze , and Gerald Finley
Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000056SSV
Release Date: 2001-02-13

Tracks:

Ov - OAE/Rene Jacobs
Act I: Shake The Cloud - Rosemary Joshua
Act I: Ah! Belinda, I Am Prest - Lynne Dawson
Act I: Grief Increase By Concealing - Rosemary Joshua
Act I: When Monarchs Unite - Clare College Chapel Chor/Timothy Brown
Act I: Whence Could So Much Virtue Spring? - Lynne Dawson
Act I: Fear No Danger To Ensue - Rosemary Joshua/Maria Cristina Kiehr
Act I: See, Your Royal Guest Appears - Rosemary Joshua
Act I: Cupid Only Throws The Dart - Clare College Chapel Chor/Timothy Brown
Act I: If Not For Mine - Gerald Finley
Act I: Pursue Thy Conquest - Rosemary Joshua
Act I: To The Hills And The Vales - Clare College Chapel Chor/Timothy Brown
Act I: The Triumphing Dance - OAE/Rene Jacobs
Act II: Prld For The Witches - OAE/Rene Jacobs
Act II: Harm's Our Delight - Clare College Chapel Chor/Timothy Brown
Act II: The Queen Of Carthage - Susan Bickley
Act II: Ho Ho Ho, Ho Ho Ho! - Clare College Chapel Chor/Timothy Brown
Act II: But Ere We This Perform - Dominque Visse/Stephen Wallace
Act II: In Our Deep Vaulted Cell - Clare College Chapel Chor/Timothy Brown
Act II: Echo Dance Of Furies - OAE/Rene Jacobs
Act II: Ritornelle - OAE/Rene Jacobs
Act II: Thanks To These Lonesome Vales - Rosemary Joshua
Act II: Oft She Visits This Lov'd Mountain - Maria Cristina Kiehr
Act II: Behold, Upon My Bending Spear - Gerald Finley
Act II: Haste, Haste To Town - Rosemary Joshua
Act II: Stay, Prince And Hear Great Jove's Command - Robin Blaze
Act II: Then Since Our Charmes Have Sped - Clare College Chapel Chor/Timothy Brown
Act II: The Grove's Dance - OAE/Rene Jacobs
Act III: Prld - OAE/Rene Jacobs
Act III: Come Away Fellow Sailors - Clare College Chapel Chor/Timothy Brown
Act III: See The Flags And Streamers Curling - Susan Bickley
Act III: Our Next Motion - Susan Bickley
Act III: Destruction's Our Delight - Clare College Chapel Chor/Timothy Brown
Act III: The Witches' Dance - OAE/Rene Jacobs
Act III: Your Counsel All Is Urged In Vain - Lynne Dawson
Act III: Great Minds Against Themselves Conspire - Clare College Chapel Chor/Timothy Brown
Act III: Thy Hand, Belinda - Lynne Dawson
Act III: When I Am Laid In Earth - Lynne Dawson
Act III: With Dropping Wings Ye Cupids Come - Clare College Chapel Chor/Timothy Brown

Amazon.com

Rene Jacobs is one of the best conductors of the historically informed performance school, and he leads a vibrant performance of Purcell's masterpiece, one of the few Baroque operas to enjoy popularity in our time. The opera requires a top-level Dido, and Lynne Dawson is generally satisfying in the role, overcoming a tentative Act I to deliver a moving lament in the last act. Competition is stiff, though, ranging from Janet Baker's classic Dido to more recent superb assumptions of the role by Veronique Gens and Lorraine Hunt. Though Dawson doesn't quite equal them, the performance as a whole is a match for any in the catalogue, avoiding idiosyncrasies and casting deficiencies found elsewhere. For example, Jacobs's Sorceress, Susan Bickley, depicts a chillingly evil creature without excessive campiness. Rosemary Joshua is a dulcet-voiced Belinda and Gerald Finley offers a manly, well-sung Aeneas. All in all, this is a highly recommendable version of an opera that's often hard to get right on recordings. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Potentially, very good. Potentially. However .................2007-03-24

Parts of this recording are very good. I like a lot of things about this recording. The cast includes some fine singers. Rosemary Joshua, Gerald Finlay, Maria Christina Kiehr and Robin Blaze, to name a few. The orchestra performs well and the choir is good.

However, some of the singers let this recording down. I am mainly talking about Dominique Visse, who I normally admire very much. Dominique Visse turns parts of this recording into a freak show. Why this was allowed to happen is a mystery to me. The duets with the other countertenor sound ridiculous, it is as if monsieur Visse was throwing a tantrum.

There are a number of better recordings of the great opera on the market - Christie, Pinnock, Hogwood, Gardiner and Mackerras have all made some very good recordings of this work.

Not a phenomenom.......2005-08-31

This should have been an intense recording, for Dido deserves that. I don`t know Haim recording, I do know Hogwood: very well done, but sometimes a bit "English" for instance in the overture he should have been more passionate and better articulate the fast passages. Not ideal but one of the best. A great production, Hogwood assembles the "who is who" in Early music in Britain, I think. And he got a strong band (very huge, comparing with parrott) with even "period" stage effects. And what a nice booklet !!!
What about Jacobs? Yes, colourfull with the fewer resources he has (half Hogwood's). He likes tempi extremes (not a bad thing). However, I find too strange the deliberate slow tempi of some witch choruses. On the contrary, I like "venom" Sorcerers (the soprano here is good, could have been better), not a match for David Thomas (Hogwood). The witches (2 countertenors) are the best in discography. Visse steals place. And so what? he adds poignancy to his role. I wish to see how the competence pales when listening to his part. Finlay is good, but not so "period". Belinda, as Dido, sounds very "operatic" and looks so similar to Dido ... Hogwood and Harnoncourt show more (necessary) contrast between these women. The rest are very good, in general. Chorus is very proffesional, also very good (but again, Hogwood's is better). Spirit is a match with Chance (Hogwood). And Jacobs: he discovers interesting options like repeating the slow section of the overture. He adds colour (dinamic contrasts) to some passages. But Hogwood, I think, in spite of the famous "phlematic English" mood, paces drama better. To sum up, Jacobs is not the best, he even would have been one of the second choices but he don`t even get that post for 3 reasons: 1- strange tempi in some sections. Add his choices about repeats, irregular. (The second act solution, interpolating some of Fairy queen, is not a problem. This does not make him succeed or fail his performance).
2- Nowadays we listen to guitarr dances (Hogwood, Parrott) because the libretto from 1689 tells that. So Why Jacobs omits them? Nowadays, seems unscholarly
3- most important criticism. Dido (Dawson - sorry, I never liked her) may sound a bit operatic to my taste. Not a problem if you want to give this opera a kind of vocal excitement. Indeed, her lament is very well done. Its tempo is slow, but very well sustained (better than Hogwood I think). A gem. But ... her singing does not differentiate from Belinda's. And her worst mistake ... ornamentation. Nowadays nobody should forget it, at least Jacobs (a front runner of HIP today). Look at Hogwood again and he does not loose any chance to show a great undestanding about ornamentation. Please look at dawson's "Ah Belinda" instead of reading those French magazine's reviews (and I include Gramophone) and try to find a SINGLE NOTE of ornaments: Purcell makes her repeat the first part of the aria, od course, to let the singer make ornaments. Here, absent. Sorry, I don`t forgive Jacobs. Is it clear that it is a "deadly sin" coming from him? A pity. As I said, he should have been better. Please, choose Hogwood.

Impressive but Not Indispensable.......2004-09-01

There is a lot to recommend this performance, and I certainly prefer it to the fascinating but overrated Emmanuelle Haim account on Virgin. In my affections it cedes first prize to Hogwood on L'oiseau lyre with Bott.

Jacobs lies between Hogwood and Haim both in terms of issue date and instrumental approach -- neither as polite as Hogwood nor as aggressive as Haim. What distinguishes him is some dark sounds from the lower strings, right from the beginning and persisting throughout. He does make strong use of winds and strummed instruments, and the organ at a couple of telling intervals (the Spirit's appearance, as usual, but also Dido's lines just before her final recititive, "But Death, alas! I cannot shun"). Jacobs interpolates music adapted from the Fairy Queen for a chorus and dance to round out the incomplete Act II, but it is not entirely convincing. (Haim ends with Aeneas's soliloquy and Hogwood repeats the ritornelli from the beginning of the scene.)

Lynne Dawson sounds a mite long in the tooth for Dido, but her final confrontation and lament are vibrant with anguish. It is a strong characterization and performance.

Gerald Finley is superb as Aeneas. What a relief to hear a baritone -- and a strong, limber one at that -- in this role, which simply lies too low to bring forth interesting sounds from the tenors to whom it is usually entrusted. He isn't brimming with period inflection but is infinitely more involved than Bostridge for Haim, who busies himself with a thousand whistle-stops on individual words without making a coherent emotional impression.

Susan Bickley as the sorceress is even more attractive in tone than Felicity Palmer for Haim -- her voice is well nigh as beautiful as Dawson's in fact, lending the impression that she is more a romantic rival than a bête noire. She does put some bite into her lines but mostly leaves the vocal dirty work to her witches, portrayed by two countertenors, the characterful Dominique Visse and the eery Stephen Wallace, who actually contrast and harmonize beautifully amidst their antics. Also, Jacobs adapts two choruses of the witches to make one anticipate and one echo the famous echo chorus ... an interesting but superfluous conceit. Elsewhere, Jacobs takes other willful innovations in the dances and choruses that are interesting but don't consistently work. (One place where it does is at Belinda's "Thanks to these lonesome vales," which the chorus repeats after each couple rather than at the end.) The chorus is a heartfelt participant in the drama, and its finale, "With drooping wings" -- delicately textured with one, maybe two, voices per part, at least on the entrances -- is heartbreaking. But then Jacobs overdoes it by repeating the chorus rather than ending on the instrumental repeat that sometimes follows.

Mixed package.......2004-04-16

So many Didos...so many excellent roles. It's about finding which one works for you. No doubt each one will have its share of attractions and disappointments, as this one does for me.

Beginning with Dido herself, Dawson is superb. Her singing is invested with feeling. The lament, with its haunting pleas, is particularly well done; the penultimate "remember me" ending with a sigh to match her ebbing life's blood. The beautifully macabre aside, Dido is matched by Joshua's bright and mellifluous Belinda. In fact, the female roles are very well done. Special mention needs to be made of Bickley's biting sorceress. Her vocal talent is used to display the sorceress' venom and spite, rather than the more common hysterics.

Aeneas and the sailor are sound performances from Finley and Brown, respectively. They get high marks without needing any distinction points. Their contributions are, after all, comparatively small. But they are more than adequate. Then, of course, we have a splendid performance from Blaze as the countertenor Spirit...ethereal and mystifying as it should be. Indeed, we would expect most countertenors to have more or less the same impact...then Visse opens his mouth. This is what has scarred the recording in a way that goes beyond the dramatic effect intended by the composer and librettist.

Visse, it seems, has decided to be the Drama-queen of Carthage and outdo the sorceress. The result is nothing of Senessino's legendary upstages, but an overdone, raucous and embarrassingly camp display (borrowing the word from the editorial review). Visse, and Visse ALONE, has removed 2 stars from what should be a 5-star recording. This should not have been: his cohort witch, Wallace, by comparison gave a splendid account of the countertenor voice in this role. In addition, this recording has an unexpected and beautiful 'filler' ("Then since our charmes have sped"). Moreover, the conducting is excellent (Jacobs is here in his element).

Should you manage to overcome Visse's marring of your sport, this recording should be thoroughly enjoyable. Alas the flaw.

A superb rendering of the lovely work - best Dido I've heard.......2001-08-24

You must purchase this disc, even if you already own this opera (and especially if you own the Pinnock version). Lynne Dawson, who has sung Belinda with Pinnock, here takes on the role of Dido - and gives a perfect, larger-than-life performance. There is nothing I can say that will suffice to express the superlatives her singing deserves. Rene Jacobs does a masterful job of pace - my biggest complaint with Pinnock. Dido's Lament is slow and painful - the world stops spinning for 4 minutes every time I listen in! The Sorceress, sung by Susan Bickley, is outstanding, and the 2 other witches, sung by countertenors and performed as ugly as possible, are very well done indeed. The one performance I liked better on Pinnock's disc was the Aeneas of Stephen Varcoe - but Gerald Finley doesn't turn this into less than a stellar disc. The recording quality lives up to the normal Harmonia Mundi standards. You will not regret this purchase.

Classical Ecstasy-Classics for a New Age

Average customer rating:

What a variety!
A favorite...
Classical "New Age" music.

Classical Ecstasy-Classics for a New Age

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Price, Leontyne | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000003ESZ
Release Date: 1996-05-21

Tracks:

Dido & Aeneas: Thy Hand, Belinda; When I Am Laid In Earth (Dido's Lament)
Canon In D
Clarinet Concerto In A, K. 622: Adagio
The Pearl Fishers: Au fond du temple saint
Symphony No. 5 in C Sharp: Adagietto
The Lark Ascending
Variations On An Original Theme, Op. 36 'Enigma': Nimrod
Adagio for Strings
Requiem: Dies irae & Tuba mirum
Tristan und Islode: Liebestod

Customer Reviews:

What a variety!.......2006-12-11

Unlike most Cd's this one focuses on variety and classics rather than one specific composer or emotion. It includes a Requiem Mass, ment for a funeral, and Canon in D, one of the most celebrated joyous pieces in history. 2 opposite worlds, on one great cd!

A favorite..........2004-08-27

I noted there was no review of this CD on your site. Since it is one of those musical collections I find myself listening to regularly and enjoying each and every track...I felt it was only fair to suggest that those who haven't tried it prior to now - do so. I'm not an educated music critic...but find this CD to be beautiful and uplifting.

Classical "New Age" music........2000-05-02

This CD contains some of the greatest music that is both ecstatic (such as Isold's Libiestod), and tranquil, such as Mahler's Symphony #5, and Barber's Adagio. Most of the works are from the truly great performers (such as the Mozart piece.) However, the Libiestod, while good, comes nowhere near the ecstacy other singers have displayed such as Jessye Norman and Brigit Nilsson. Still, for the low price of the CD, this suffices.

Purcell: Ode for St. Cecilia's Day; Te Deum; Raise, Raise the Voice

Average customer rating:

Purcell: Ode for St. Cecilia's Day; Te Deum; Raise, Raise the Voice

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Te Deum | 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
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Complete Organ Concertos

ASIN: B00000148R
Release Date: 1996-04-23

Tracks:

Te Deum
The Noise of Forign Wars (Premiere Recording)
Raise, Raise The Voice
Allegro
Adagio
Allegro
Ode For St. Cecilia's Day
Jubilate Deo In D

Average customer rating:

Discover Your Genius

Manufacturer: Spring Hill
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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Discover Your Genius: How to Think Like History's Ten Most Revolutionary Minds
How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day

ASIN: B000062T9M
Release Date: 2002-03-12

Tracks:

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. in F Major
Pachelbel: Cannon
Debussy: La Mer-Del'aube a midi sur la mer
Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathrusta
Purcell: Sonata in D Major
Sibelius: The Tempest Suite No. 1
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, "Choral"
Stravinsky: Rite Of Spring Part 1
Mozart: Lodron Night Music #1, K 247
Satie: Gymnopedie No. 1

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Andante, Vol. 2: Chamber Classics
Johann Sebastian Bach , John Dowland , Antonio Vivaldi , William Byrd , Ludwig van Beethoven , Henry Purcell , Georg Muffat , Dmitry Shostakovich , Samuel Scheidt , Gabriel Faure , Johannes Brahms , Edvard Grieg , Anton Bruckner , Antonin Dvorak , Vienna Concentus Musicus , Gustav Leonhardt , Anthony Rooley , Nikolaus Harnoncourt , Leonhardt-Consort , The Consort of Musicke , Amsterdam Loeki Stardust Quartet , Leonhardt Consort , Vermeer Quartet , Andras Schiff , Voces Intimae String Quartet , Jorg Baumann , and Pro Arte Piano Quartet
Manufacturer: Celestial Harmonies
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000080E
Release Date: 1991-10-16

Tracks:

Hpd Con in f, BWV1056: Largo - Leonhardt-Consort/Gustav Leonhardt
Con in c, BWV1062: Andante - Leonhardt-Consort/Gustav Leonhardt
Lachrimae: Lachrimae Antiquae - Consort Of Musicke/Anthony Rooley
The Four Seasons: Autumn (Adagio) - Concentus Musicus Wien/Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Con No.2 in B flat, Op.10, 'La Notte', RV.501: Il Sonno (Largo) - Concentus Musicus Wien/Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Sermone Blando - Amsterdam Loeki Stardust Qt
Gottes Zeit Ist Die Allerbeste Zeit, BWV106: Sonatina - Leonhardt-Consort/Gustav Leonhardt
Str Qt No.16 in F, Op.135: Lento Assai, Cantante E Tranqillo - Vermeer Qt
Pavan in B flat - Leonhardt-Consort/Gustav Leonhardt
Son No.2 in g: Aria - Leonhardt-Consort/Gustav Leonhardt
The Well-Tempered Clavier: Prld No.22 in b flat, BWV867 - Andras Schiff
Str Qt No.12 in E flat: Adagio Ma Non Troppo E Molto Cantabile - Vermeer Qt
Str Qt No.8 in c, Op.110: Largo - The Voces Intimae Qt
Pavane in A - Leonhardt-Consort/Gustav Leonhardt
Vc Ste No.5 in c, BWV1011: Sarabande - Jorg Baumann

Tracks:

Con in a, BWV1044: Adagio - Leonhardt-Consort/Gustav Leonhardt
Ich Hatte Viel Bekummernis, BWV21: Sinfonia - Concentus Musicus Wien/Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Lachrimae: Lachrimae Antiquae Novae - Consort Of Musicke/Anthony Rooley
Pno Qt in c, Op.15: Adagio - The Pro Arte Pno Qt
Str Qt No.1 in c, Op.51: Romanze. Poco Adagio - Weller Qt
Str Qt No.13 in B flat, Op.130: Cavatina: Adagio Molto Espressivo - Fitzwilliam Str Qt
From Holberg's Time: Air: Andante Religioso - Cyprien Katsaris
Str Qnt in F: Adagio - Vienna Philharmonia Qnt
Str Qt No.13 in G, Op.106: Adagio - Gabrieli Str Qt
Vc Ste No.1 in G, BWV1007: Sarabande - Jorg Baumann

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Some Reality [Import]

The Acoustic Records (1913-1918)

The Mike Allemana Organ Trio

Piano Portrait

The Art Of Agony [Explicit Lyrics]

They Never Saw Me Coming [Explicit Lyrics]

The Very Best of Peter, Paul & Mary

Strauss: Horn Concertos

Victory

The Dual Role Of Bob Brookmeyer

The Complete BBC Recordings [Live]

Uncut [Live]

The Mousetraps Present Mouse In The House: Dance Remixes [CD-single]

Feels Good To Be Forgiven

There's Only One