In the Age of Enlightenment

1. Variations (12) in D minor on "Die Folie d'Espagne, " for keyboard, Wq 118/9, H263
Composed by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
with Jean-Patrice Brosse

2. Sonata for piano in D major, Op.13
Composed by Mateo Albeniz
with Jean-Patrice Brosse

3. Sonata for keyboard, No 117 in D minor
Composed by Antonio Soler
with Jean-Patrice Brosse

4. Sonatas (7) for harpsichord
Composed by Domenico Cimarosa
with Jean-Patrice Brosse

5. Piano Sonata No. 11 in A major ("Alla Turca") K. 331 (K. 300i)
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
with Jean-Patrice Brosse

6. La Pothoüin
Composed by Jacques Duphly
with Jean-Patrice Brosse

7. La D'Héricourt
Composed by Claude-Beninge Balbastre
with Jean-Patrice Brosse

8. La Lugeac
Composed by Claude-Beninge Balbastre
with Jean-Patrice Brosse

Tracks:

Sym No.82 in C 'L'Ours': I. Vivace Assai
Sym No.82 in C 'L'Ours': II. Allegretto
Sym No.82 in C 'L'Ours': III. Menuet - Trio
Sym No.82 in C 'L'Ours': IV. Finale: Vivace
Sym No.83 in g 'La Poule': I. Allegro Spiritoso
Sym No.83 in g 'La Poule': II. Andante
Sym No.83 in g 'La Poule': III. Menuet: Allegretto - Trio
Sym No.83 in g 'La Poule': IV. Finale: Vivace
Sym No.84 in E flat: I. Largo - Allegro
Sym No.84 in E flat: II. Andante
Sym No.84 in E flat: III. Menuet: Allegretto - Trio
Sym No.84 in E flat: IV. Finale: Vivace

Tracks:

Sym No.85 in B flat 'La Reine': I. Adagio - Vivace
Sym No.85 in B flat 'La Reine': II. Romance: Allegretto
Sym No.85 in B flat 'La Reine': III. Menuet: Allegretto - Trio
Sym No.85 in B flat 'La Reine': IV. Finale: Presto
Sym No.86 in D: I. Adagio - Allegro Spiritoso
Sym No.86 in D: II. Capriccio: Largo
Sym No.86 in D: III. Menuet: Allegretto - Trio
Sym No.86 in D: IV. Finale: Allegro Con Spirito
Sym No.87 in A: I. Vivace
Sym No.87 in A: II. Adagio
Sym No.87 in A: III. Menuet - Trio
Sym No.87 in A: IV. Finale: Vivace

Customer Reviews:

Overview of the Paris symphonies.......2007-06-27

Franz Joseph Haydn could be called the father of the symphony. He composed 108 of them in his lifetime. The latter symphonies fall into two groups, the London and Paris symphonies, and refer to where he was residing in when he composed them. This 2-disc set contains all the Paris symphonies, are they are typical of works from this era of classical music; beautifully orchestrated with minimal evocative effects or emotional gusto. The sound quality is great though, along with the recording. For fans of classical music, this is a good buy for under $10.

No Need to Look Further!.......2007-03-17

There are commendable period instrument sets of the 'Paris' symphonies available - Bruggen(Phillips) with the Orchestra of the 18th Century who has the most romantic view of the works, Roy Goodman(individual discs from his complete set on the budget Hyperion Helios)with the Hannover Band and Kurt Weil. Kuijken's, without doubt, is the one to have. Superb sound, plenty of panache and drama. He has spent many years as a Hadyn interpretor and this is in evidence throughout all 6 symphonies. Smart tempos and clean cut phrasing is effectively coupled with poignant delicacy in the slow movements. The hapsicord is never obtrusive and all departments of his fine orchestra excell themselves.
The symphonies, written in 1785-6 for the renowned Concert del la Loge Olympique, are a triumph of the classical symphony. So are these performances!

Thank heaven ..........2007-01-01

My daughter purchased this for my birthday last year. Knowing that I admire Haydn, she searched Amazon and took confidence in the all positive reviews. Well, I thank my daughter and the other reviewers -- this is truly a collection to own.

Cleansing the Palate.......2006-10-16

Haydn's symphonies are refreshingly clean, natural, unpretentious and in general a welcome palate cleanser for the concertgoer despite the preference for the dramatic or the grand or the edgy contemporary fare. Such is certainly the case for the so-called Paris symphonies (Nos. 82 - 87), models of elegance and refinement.

Case in point: at a recent concert with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the opening work was the Haydn Symphony No 82 - at first a seemingly odd choice for a program that was to include the local premiere of a commissioned Viola Concerto by Brett Dean and a celebration of Mussorgsky's 'Pictures at an Exhibition'. But hearing Haydn in this context provided that reminder that Papa Haydn started it all!

This CD with Sigiswald Kuijken conducting the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment traverses all of the Paris symphonies with aplomb. The quality of interpretation is immaculate, the sound of the recording is superb, and in general this is one of the finest 'sets' of these symphonies available today. It is an utter joy to listen to all of the works in one sitting, or to place them as aperitifs through the listening day. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, October 06

A gorgeous new set!!!!.......2005-01-30

A beautiful set at a cheap price of Haydn's Paris Symphonies! Symphonies 84 and 87 particularly sparkle and the comic effects are fully exploited in 82 (The Bear) and 83 (The Hen). I compared this set to the Karajan and legendary Bernstein. This new set is fresh and lively, also because of period instruments. Bravo!!!

Average customer rating:

Every track is beautiful

Telemann: Les Plaisirs

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

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Telemann: The Six Paris Quartets
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Telemann: Darmstadt Overtures (Suites)

ASIN: B0000007J3
Release Date: 1997-12-09

Tracks:

Concerto In A Minor For Recorder, Viola da gamba And Strings: Grave
Concerto In A Minor For Recorder, Viola da gamba And Strings: Allegro
Concerto In A Minor For Recorder, Viola da gamba And Strings: Dolce
Concerto In A Minor For Recorder, Viola da gamba And Strings: Allegro
Suite In D Major (Ouverture) For Viola de gamba And Strings, TWV 55:D 6: Ouverture
Suite In D Major (Ouverture) For Viola de gamba And Strings, TWV 55:D 6: La Trompette
Suite In D Major (Ouverture) For Viola de gamba And Strings, TWV 55:D 6: Sarabande
Suite In D Major (Ouverture) For Viola de gamba And Strings, TWV 55:D 6: Rondeau
Suite In D Major (Ouverture) For Viola de gamba And Strings, TWV 55:D 6: Bourree
Suite In D Major (Ouverture) For Viola de gamba And Strings, TWV 55:D 6: Courante - Double
Suite In D Major (Ouverture) For Viola de gamba And Strings, TWV 55:D 6: Gigue (Presto)
Suite In A Minor (Ouverture) For Recorder And Strings, TWV 55:a 2: Ouverture
(Ouverture) For Recorder And Strings, TWV 55:a 2: Les Plaisirs I - II
(Ouverture) For Recorder And Strings, TWV 55:a 2: Air a l'Italien (Largo)
(Ouverture) For Recorder And Strings, TWV 55:a 2: Menuet I - II
(Ouverture) For Recorder And Strings, TWV 55:a 2: Rejouissance
(Ouverture) For Recorder And Strings, TWV 55:a 2: Passepied I - II
(Ouverture) For Recorder And Strings, TWV 55:a 2: Polonoise - Double
Sinfonia In F Major For Alto Recorder, Viola de gamba And Strings, TWV 50:3: Alla Breve
Sinfonia In F Major For Alto Recorder, Viola de gamba And Strings, TWV 50:3: Andante
Sinfonia In F Major For Alto Recorder, Viola de gamba And Strings, TWV 50:3: Vivace

Customer Reviews:

Every track is beautiful.......2005-11-03

I can't get over how beautiful this CD is, and I'm not using the word "beautiful" loosely. I love every track. My daughter-in-law was at my house recently for a day of bed rest. I left her with a stack of CDs, including this one. When I got home from work she said, without any prompting from me, "This CD is beautiful," and she said "beautiful" with feeling. I bought four more copies for Christmas presents.

It's hard to put in words why I find it so beautiful. The music is fresh, bright, delightful. It's not just beautiful, it's movingly beautiful. I like baroque music, but this sounds somewhat different from most of my baroque CDs, perhaps partly because one of the instruments is a viola da gamba.

This is a review of "Telemann: Les Plaisirs", with Marion Verbruggen, Sara Cunningham, and Monica Hugget. I have several CDs with pieces by Telemann, but this is the first one I've bought that is all Telemann. (I once had a set of phonograph records with only Telemann, but that was long, long ago.) I have several CDs with Marion Verbruggen, whom I have recently discoverd and whom I like very much. I also have several CDs with Hugget and Cunningham, and I like them too. I bought this CD mostly because I read somewhere that Verbruggen plays the recorder beautifully in track 13. I didn't know what to expect of the rest.

Average customer rating:

A truly amazing artist
About time I said how good this recording is!
a voice teacher and early music fan
Stellar Performance and a Sign of the Greatness to Come
David Daniels: La voz del barroco.

Handel: Opera Arias; David Daniels
David Daniels , George Frideric Handel , Roger Norrington , and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sento Amor; David Daniels;
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Stephanie Blythe - Handel & Bach Arias / David Daniels · Ensemble Orchestral de Paris · John Nelson
Rinaldo

ASIN: B00000FDND
Release Date: 1998-12-01

Tracks:

Serse: Recitativo accompagnato Frondi tenere
Serse: Larghetto Ombra mai fu
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Aria Va tacito e nasacosto
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Aria Al lampo dell' armi
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Recitativo accompagnato Dall' ondoso periglio
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Aria Aure, deh, per pieta
Tamerlano: Aria A dispetto
Ariodante: Recitativo E vivo anora
Ariodante: Aria Scherza infida
Giulio Cesare in Egito: Aria Cara speme
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Aria L'angue offeso
Rodelinda: Sinfonia Pompe vane di morte
Rodelinda: Largo Dove sei?
Rodelinda: Aria Vivi, tiranno
Rinaldo: Largo Cara sposa, amante cara
Rinaldo: Aria Venti, turbini

Amazon.com

David Daniels seems to be the current leader of the opera world's March of the Falsettos--and with good reason: he's one of the first countertenors with enough beef in his voice to sound convincing in the heroic castrato roles of Handel's operas. His first solo disc is a collection of arias from just those roles--and an impressive debut it is. Daniels has the solid coloratura technique a Handel singer needs and a quick, narrow vibrato that can blend with Baroque instruments without alienating traditional opera buffs. (In fact, he sometimes sounds surprisingly like Marilyn Horne, one of his coaches.) Best of all, he has a musicality and dramatic sense that save the laments and slow serenades from dullness and the bravura showpieces from empty virtuoso display. The performances aren't flawless: Norrington's tempos are occasionally too quick for comfort (Daniels's and the listener's), and Daniels's vibrato sometimes spreads unattractively at the top of his range. He's at his best in the low alto roles that Handel wrote for the great castrato Il Senesino, such as the title roles in Giulio Cesare and Orlando. Let's hope we get to hear him in complete recordings of these operas soon. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

A truly amazing artist.......2007-06-21

David Daniels is one of the finest singers alive. I heard him recently in the Met's Julius Caesar and was overwhelmed with his performance. He not only has a truly beautiful voice, he is a complete artist, both emotionally and technically. This recording does him justice, and the music is some of Handel's finest. We are very lucky to have Mr. Daniels.

About time I said how good this recording is!.......2006-10-02

I've had this CD for a few years now and it is one that I often play. David Daniels is a great singer and his interpretations of Handel's arias are sublime. He is one of the best countertenors currently working in the world and he has few peers - Andreas Scholl, Bian Asawa, Derek Lee Ragin, Daniel Taylor, Robin Blaze, Lawrence Zazzo, Philippe Jaroussky, Gérard Lesne, Bejun Mehta and, of course, James Bowman are his only serious rivals.

This collection is well selected and it includes popular arias as well as a few less well known ones.

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment is in magnificent form and Sir Roger Norrington gets magic from the various sections of the orchestra - particularly the Baroque bassoons in "Scherza infida".

This album is both a showcase for the singer and the orchestra. It is vastly superior to most Handel opera aria collections.

I unreservedly recommend this superb disc to all music lovers.

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-06-24

David Daniels has devised this program so that it provided a view of Handel at the most significant stages in his London career as an opera composer. With his spectacular debut in England with 'Rinaldo'(1711), he established his ability to compose for the stage, and immediately followed it with 3 masterpieces: 'Tamerlano' and 'Guilio Cesare in Egitto', both from 1724, and 'Rodelinda' the next year. The unique 'Serse' (1738)is from the twilight of his operatic career, while 'Ariodante' shows a time when Handel and his London company was having difficulty competing with the rival Opera of the Nobility sponsored by the Prince of Wales.
Handel's greatest contribution to operatic history is his ability to rise above the sterertypical in his characters, endowing them with a total humanity by allowing them to experience the entire emotional gamut throught a variety of arias and recitatives. Moreover, David Daniels , being one of the finest interpreters of Handel is aware of the need not to be so blinded by the purity of the musical line as to forget what he is singing about. In fact, Handel often shaped the melodic line according to the degree a particular word was to be stressed. Handel was very aware of new devlopments, and styles and attitudes of his time, without ever betraying his own musical personality.
To my mind, Daniels is the consummate Handelian singer, and it is probably this music that he performs best! His delivery is highly dramatic as it should be, his diction absolutely flawless, his tone quality strong and sonorous; in short he is one good singer! It is indeed a very fine disc, not only because of the line-up but also because all arias are sung extremely well by him. I found myself focusing on his selection from "Serse": "Ombra mai fu". He sings this so much more emotionally and endows it with his own unique style. It's so well-done!!! My other favorite is from "Rinaldo": Venti,turbini". This displays his very skillful vocal technique in addition to his excellent diction. I really think he is the leading AMERICAN countertenor.

Stellar Performance and a Sign of the Greatness to Come.......2004-08-10

It is hard to imagine that there could be a finer recital disc of Handel's arias than this one reflecting the exquisite taste and powerful talent of David Daniels...unless of course, you count his splendid follow-up disc of Handel's lesser known oratorio arias released in 2002 (also strongly recommended). But the focus in this 1998 release is the rich music within six of Handel's best-known operas. Now nearly six years after its release, this recording not only holds up beautifully as an introduction to his prodigious talent, but also demonstrates his keen sense of adventure when his voice was at its most pure and unfettered.

Daniels' coloratura technique is amazingly seasoned even at this point of his career, and he approaches each aria in a singular fashion with that incredibly flexible legato that is literally breathtaking. Compare the impressive runs he employs on his rendition of "A dispitto" from "Tamerlano" to his seductive and sonorous tones on "Aure, deh, per pietà" from "Giulio Cesare in Egritto", and you get an idea of the range of emotion and technique of which Daniels is capable. Listening to the two arias from "Rodelinda" will make you recognize how over the course of twelve minutes, he has shown the two distinct sides of Bertarido - the mournful, dejected husband who goes unrecognized in "Pompe van di morte...Dove Sei?" and his enemy's savior at the end with "Vivi, tiranno".

The two arias from "Rinaldo", are also beautifully performed. Six years later, one can appreciate these versions within the context of Daniels' career, as he later recorded the title role in the famous 2000 recital recording of the opera with Cecilia Bartoli and yet again in the 2001 David Alden staging of the opera captured recently on DVD. I recommend getting your hands on all three and comparing the performances, as all are wonderful but quite different. Personally I think his voice ripened to just the right timbre in the Alden-staged version, especially during the opera's centerpiece, "Cara sposa, amante cara". Of all the stellar selections, it is really difficult to pick just one as a favorite, but his version of "E vivo ancora....Scherza infida" from "Ariodante" is especially moving in the way he sings of his plight in being humiliated by an unfaithful woman. Written for a castrato named Carestini in 1735, it is a sublime piece made all the more moving by the warm, round tones Daniels brings to it.

Sir Roger Norrington and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment provide able accompaniment on period instruments, never intrusive or jarring to the ears. It is easy to tell from this recording why Daniels received so much hype for bringing the countertenor voice to the mainstream and why his career has been so meteoric since the release of this disc. Now you can see that it was more than hype...David Daniels is the real thing.

David Daniels: La voz del barroco........2003-10-26

Para los amantes del barroco en su estado puro es esencial tener este cd en el cual el gran contratenor DAVID DANIELS repasa las arias mas celebres de las operas de George Friederich Haendel. Daniels impone una voz bella, muy femenina, homogenea en todo el registro, sin problemas en los agudos, y que enamora nada mas oirla. Ademas canta las arias con un extraordinario sentimiento. ROGER NORRINGHTON dirige a la ORQUESTA DEL SIGLO DE LAS LUCES (que suena magnificamente con sus instrumentos originales) con gran conocimiento del estilo barroco, lo que termina de hacer de este disco una pieza fundamental para los amantes de la opera barroca, que afortunadamente son cada vez mas.

Average customer rating:

clear as a bell
Renee Fleming...somewhat out of her depth
Handel sung with gusto and wit
Very disappointing Handel recital
Brava Renee!!!

Handel
Renee Fleming , Harry Bicket , Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment , and George Friedrich Handel
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Renee Fleming: By Request

ASIN: B0002SZVV8
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Tracks:

Oh Sleep, Why Dost Thou Leave Me?
Endless Pleasure
Scoglio D'Immota Fronte
Quando Spieghi I Tuoi Tormenti
Ombra Mai Fu
To Fleeting Pleasures Make Your Court
Lascia Ch'io Pianga
Dunque, I Lacci D'un Volto...Ah! Crudel
Let The Bright Seraphim
V'adoro, Pupille
Da Tempeste Il Legno Infranto
Ritorna, Oh Caro E Dolce Mio Tesoro
Sommo Rettor Del Cielo...D'una Torbida Sorgente
Pensieri, Voi Mi Tormentate
Bel Piacere E Godera Fido Amor!
Calm Thou Soul...Convey Me To Some Peaceful Shore

Amazon.com

Those who may have feared that Renée Fleming might approach Handel with a too-Romantic vocal attitude need not have; whether it's the leadership of the sympathetic, historically informed Harry Bicket, the sound of the spare but warm Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, plain good sense and musicianship, or any combination of these, here she offers sixteen arias in almost-impeccable Baroque fashion. I doubt whether sopranos of Handel's age had voices as plush as Ms Fleming's but she manages to keep her tone as light and as airy as possible in these selections, never leaning or swooping into an accompanying note in an "un-Baroque" manner, and the result is simply ravishing. The voice, of course, is almost unbelievably beautiful and agile, the technique impeccable, complete with a trill unmatchable in any soprano singing today. From the long-breathed lines of "O sleep why dost thou leave me" from Semele to the fireworks in Cleopatra's "Da tempeste…," with stops along the way at the famous "Ombra mai fu" and a complete rarity from the composer's Lotario, this CD is just breathtaking. Brava Fleming--and bravo Harry Bicket! Oh, yes--bravo Handel! --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

clear as a bell.......2007-02-16

Renee Fleming is one of the most talented female vocalists around. She has such a beautiful, crystal clear voice, and she sings every song on this album well. As a singer myself, I definitely look up to her and very much admire the tone, quality, power, and range of her voice. I would definitely reccommend this album to anyone who enjoys classical music or is looking for someone to aspire to.

Renee Fleming...somewhat out of her depth.......2006-10-20

While it's not the most thrilling Renee Fleming album in the catalogue, her interpretations of Handel pieces is quite an accomplished feat, but when compared to her earlier efforts, rings hollow with it's lack of emotion. As other reviewers have noted, Ms Fleming does not sound like she is in complete grasp of the material, and her performance lacks any real depth or dramatic weight.

Perhaps the pieces of Handel aren't completely flattering to her style, or the mood in the recording studio might not have been exactly right...a million things might have happened to dull this album's power. I have listened to this album a couple of times now, and I'll keep it in my collection, but this one is for the die-hard Renee Fleming fans.

[Decca /Universal 475 547-2]

Handel sung with gusto and wit.......2005-12-07

I am utterly in love with Renee Fleming's voice and I am very glad that she returned to her roots in this luminous Handel Recital. While her fioritura is not as excellent as Sutherland's she surpasses the Australian with her sincerity and sense for drama. Not one word is sung without attention, her silken voice sound absolutely radiant here. I also noticed that she is singing more precisely and elegantly here, giving Handel a dignified elegance, yet passion that it hasn't had since Ferrier (Who was an alto but she still reigns supreme). It is definitely a step in the right direction. Brava Miss Fleming!

Very disappointing Handel recital.......2005-10-30

This recital is mostly very bland and boring, with Fleming's Baroque vocal technique lacking in many ways.
The slow, languid arias like the opening "Oh Sleep" are too drawn out, without any character. The fast acrobatic arias show lack of agility, and poorly executed and overdone ornamentation. Fleming's heavy, laboured coloratura seems ill fitted for these selections. "Scoglio d'immota" in particular is very bad. Her leaps "from stone to stone" in this aria are proceeded by something of a bellow before each note. Fleming's rthythmic waywardness is also very evident in many tracks, and her diction is very indistinct. In English tracks she prounounces vowels in such bizarre ways, her singing of "endless laav" made me laugh and her Italian in "Quando spieghi" is just awful.
Fleming's "Ombra Mai Fu" lacks any character, tenderness, not to mention the missing recitativo. Lorraine Hunt's infinitely superior version should not be even compared to this one. And "Lascia ch'io pianga" is just so over the top, it sounds like a crossover track without the beat. Even Angela Gheorghiu's soppy but honest singing of this piece beats Fleming's interpretation.
"Let the Bright Serephim" has very serious tempo and scooping issues; Kiri Te Kanawa's unremarkable but pleasant enough version is better. "V'adoro pupille" is another drawn out, overtly sentimental aria. And in "Da Tempeste" Fleming sings the runs as it was jazz (?) music, it's strange, and the da capo part is so over the top. This aria is a total mess.
I have to admit I have problems listening to this album as a whole, midway through I just could not tolerate it any more. When I finally listened to the rest of this album, I liked it even less. The last track, Peaceful Shore is again so bland and pointless. I was just glad to be at the end of this recital.
As many people pointed out, even the accoustics of this recording are not good. The Orchestra of Enlightment plays just fine, but it makes little difference. With so many wonderful recent Handel recitals to choose from (Hunt, Bayrakdarian, Conolly, classics like Kirkby, Battle's Baroque Duets...) I think this is the one to skip.

Brava Renee!!!.......2005-09-28

This album is truly amazing. Renee has such a way with music from the Baroque era. She didn't over Romanticize the music. She lightened her voice perfectly for Handel's arias. The Giulio Cesare arias are incredible, and Endless Pleasure from Semele is astounding. Once again Brava!!

Bach: Brandenburg Concertos / Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

Average customer rating:

One of the best recordings of Branderburg concertos
my copy was ok
Could be great.
Production Error
Try before you buy

Bach: Brandenburg Concertos / Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Johann Sebastian Bach , Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment , Paul Goodwin , Catherine Mackintosh , Rachel Beckett , Mark Bennett , Monica Huggett , Alison Bury , Marion Scott , Lisa Beznosiuk , Malcolm Proud , Elizabeth Wallfisch , Pavlo Beznosiuk , Richard Campbell , Sarah Cunningham , William Hunt , John Toll , Richard Tunnicliffe , Timothy Brown , and Susan Dent
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000J2PP
Release Date: 1999-06-08

Tracks:

Concerti No.1 in F Major: I. No Tempo Indication
Concerti No.1 in F Major: II. Adagio
Concerti No.1 in F Major: III. Allegro
Concerti No.1 in F Major: IV. Menueto - Trio I - Polacca - Trio II
Concerto No.2 In F Major: I. No Tempo Indicated
Concerto No.2 In F Major: II. Andante
Concerto No.2 In F Major: III. Allegro assai
Concerto No.3 In G Major: I. No Tempo Indicated
Concerto No.3 In G Major: II. Adagio - Allegro

Tracks:

Concerto No.4 In G Major: I. Allegro
Concerto No.4 In G Major: II. Andante
Concerto No.4 In G Major: III. Presto
Concerto No.5 in D major: I. Allegro
Concerto No.5 in D major: II. Affetuoso
Concerto No.5 In D Major: III. Allegro
Conceto No.6 In B-flat Major: I. No Tempo Indicated
Conceto No.6 In B-flat Major: II. Adagio na non tanto
Concerto No.6 In B-flat Major: III. Allegro

Amazon.com

The Brandenburg Concertos seem to be Bach's most popular works by far, and there are so many recordings of them out there--on period instruments and "modern," and at all price ranges. Of course, it's hard to pick out one or even two to call the "best"--but this reissue of a 1989 recording by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment has a good claim for the title of "Best Buy Brandenburgs." These performances don't have the splashy extroversion of Il Giardino Armonico or the caffeine-pumped, high-velocity thrill of Musica Antiqua Köln, but they're not overly reserved or dull, as some English ensembles are accused of being. The OAE's instrumental playing is very skillful indeed, with particularly nice work from the horns in the third movement of the First Concerto, and from trumpeter Mark Bennett in the Second; and the tempos are moderately quick (which means that they would have been considered rather fast before 1980 or so), but without being breathless. The slow movements sing sweetly--the viola playing of Monica Huggett and Pavlo Besnosiuk in the slow movement of the Sixth Concerto is especially lovely--and the quick outer movements have an infectiously bouncy pulse. If money is no object, you might want to consider Il Giardino Armonico or the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, but these here are surely the best Brandenburgs available at such a low price. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

One of the best recordings of Branderburg concertos.......2006-03-06

I own quite a few recordings of the Branderburg concertos (Suzuki, Saval, Boston Baroque...) this one is one of the best.

There is an evident feel of musical joy coming out of this recording. I can't find other ways to describe it.
The musicians are enthusiastic about the work they are playing, restrained most of the time but when it is called for they give their best.

Highly recommended.

my copy was ok.......2006-02-09

This is an excellent version of the Brandenbergs. The tempos are good and the instruments are all clearly heard. I noticed that some sort of production problem led to some poor reviews with the 2 CDs having the same music for some people. I did NOT have that problem and think this set can be highly recommended.

Could be great........2006-01-02

I got a gift certificate for Borders and I decided to get this as I have been wanting it despite reports of the same music being on both discs. I brought it out to the van and immediately played both CDs and they both were the exact same music. I return the disc at Borders before we left the parking lot. What little we played sounded so right. Brilliant energy and refinement. Excellent sound quality. If I knew I could get one that was manufactured correctly I would purchase it in a heart beat.

Very Dissapointing.

Production Error.......2005-12-08

I would like to confirm the problem reported by Mr. Whittet. I purchased the disks in November 2005 and found the same mistake that he did. Disk 1 has the same music as Disk 2.

In other ways this is a spectacular recording. The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment gives a graceful and articulate reading of the concertos, and the recorded sound is clear, warm, and spacious. But, despite the bargain price, it's not worth it just to get two copies of concertos 4-6.

Try before you buy.......2005-11-23

Watch out for a manufacturing error with this 2CD set. I found that the exact same music (Concertos 4-6) was recorded on each CD in the set (they are labelled CD1 and CD2 but both contain the music for CD2). I returned it, obtained a replacement, and the replacement has the exact same problem, so it is not an isolated event. I believe these performances would be excellent if I could only get to hear them all.

Chopin: Piano Concerto No.2 in Fm/Grand Fantasia

Average customer rating:

Pick a speed and stick to it!
One Of The Great Recordings Of Chopin's 2nd Piano Concerto
??!!But this is a GREAT album!!??
AX & MACKERRAS PERK UP IN CONCERTO NO. 2
Sublime Chopin

Chopin: Piano Concerto No.2 in Fm/Grand Fantasia

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Brahms: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2

ASIN: B000007TJV
Release Date: 1998-06-30

Tracks:

Concerto No. 2 For Piano & Orchestra In F Minor, Op. 21: Maestoso
Concerto No. 2 For Piano & Orchestra In F Minor, Op. 21: Larghetto
Concerto No. 2 For Piano & Orchestra In F Minor, Op. 21: Allegro Vivace
Grand Fantasia On Polish Airs For Piano & Orchestra In F Major, Op. 13: Largo Non Troppo
Grande Polonaise Brillante For Piano & Orchestra, Op. 22: Andante Spianato. Tranquillo
Grande Polonaise Brillante For Piano & Orchestra, Op. 22: Grande Polonaise. Molto Allegro

Amazon.com essential recording

Revisiting the very repertoire featured on his concerto recording debut from the seventies, Emanuel Ax makes his first foray into the world of period instruments, playing a mid-1800s Erard. While its sound is not as big as that of a modern concert grand, the treble and bass registers have greater timbral differentiation. Ax responds to the instrument like a kid with a new toy. The concerto's outer movements are lighter in texture and more urgent in expression than the two shorter concerted works, which sing and dance with just the right blend of pomp and brio. Abetted by his superb, responsive band, Charles Mackerras clarifies instrumental detail in a way that belies Chopin's maligned reputation as an orchestrator. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Pick a speed and stick to it!.......2007-02-11

Ax cannot seem to maintain a tempo for very long before applying rubato with a heavy and unsubtle stick. No competition for Hofmann or Cortot, to name my favourites.

One Of The Great Recordings Of Chopin's 2nd Piano Concerto.......2001-12-20

Emanuel Ax does the impossible, making an excellent transition in his playing from a contemporary piano to this vintage 1851 Erard. Unlike Argerich, Ax's playing is indeed sublime, creating an understated, yet still beautiful, interpretation of Chopin's 2nd Piano Concerto. It's as though he is letting his fingers "sing" across the Erard's keyboard, in lieu of pounding it. There is still much drama he gleams from his playing, even with his deft, subtle touch. Mackerras does such an excellent job illuminating the orchestral textures of Chopin's score that you almost forget that it's being performed by the Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment on period instruments, not an ensemble with modern instruments. Ax, Mackerras and the orchestra yield excellent performances of the other scores, but their finest effort is indeed the concerto. The sound quality is excellent.

??!!But this is a GREAT album!!??.......2001-02-23

I was a little hurt while reading the other reviews of this album - I've become quite attached to this recording ever since I bought it. We've spent a lot of time together, mostly in my car, but also late at night with the headphones on. Emanuel Ax plays brilliantly: his playing is extremely mature, purely musical, with a singing quality that most virtuosi forget (or never learn). He gets a (surprisingly) beautiful tone out of the 1851 Erard and handles the "flowering" of melody so smoothly and rhythmically it's as though he has simply closed his eyes and imagined the notes out of the piano - ie. Ax does more than just play the piano. In fact, you forget that a piano and a piano player are involved - rather, the music is allowed to stream through uninhibited by showy flashes of technical gymnastics. The "Grande Polonaise" is flawless, and the "Fantasia on Polish Airs" is a beautifully performed (by the Orchestra of The Age of Enlightenment) insight into early Chopin orchestral writing.

The audio technical quality is superb - the orchestra is well balanced, as is the piano (in both treble and bass). *It might be helpful to note that I played the album for a friend of mine: he wasn't at all impressed with the concerto but was very impressed with Emanuel Ax. So, if you haven't heard the concerto, but love Chopin: buy this album; But if you have a copy of the concerto that you already love, maybe it'd be better just to stick with that (although, really I think this is the best...at least that I have heard). I also recommend that you listen to audio samples - then you'll know for sure.

AX & MACKERRAS PERK UP IN CONCERTO NO. 2.......2000-10-12

After the stultifying rendition of the E Minor Concerto, I was a bit tremulous about how Ax, et. al., would pursue the F Minor; tremble not, however, it's much, much better.

Fact is: The Op. 21 is played so well here, relative to the Op. 11, that it comes off as being the better of the two. Now that's interesting, since Concerto No. 2 has always been the underdog. What Ax and MacKerras (and the OAE) completely missed interpretively in Concerto No. 1, they seem to hit head on now.

Quite a relief, all things being equal.

The opening Maestoso is immediately gripping, the OAE awakening, apparently, from its slumbering through Concerto No. 1. Pianist Ax, too, seems in full throttle. The Larghetto is beautifully done. There is a warmth and depth here that is quite touching--- and difficult to achieve on the 1851 Erard. The Allegro finale is taken exceptionally well: spritely and joyous.

The inclusion of Chopin's Fantasia, Op. 13 (one of my favorite plums) and the Andante Spianato/Grand Polonaise, Op. 22, both played with spirit and lyricism, adds just the right measure to the CD.

I would hardly suggest this recording as one of choice for the F Minor Concerto, relative to the performance of pianist, conductor or orchestra, or for the quality of sound. However, as a stab at authenticity, it's worth a listen.

[Running time: 59:31]

Sublime Chopin.......2000-08-13

Emanuel Ax and Sir Charles Mackerras team up on an album that is delightful in every way. Using an 1851 Erard which was restored after being, according to the liner notes, "found languishing in a school in London, shoved up against the radiators" (!!), Ax brings out the poetry and feeling of these works so well, and is backed so ably by Mackerras' forces, that you forget it's supposed to be a "period instruments" affair. Some of the music is admittedly fluff (particularly the "Grand Fantasia on Polish Airs"), but what entertaining and splendidly played fluff! This and the other volume by the same forces (containing the Chopin Concerto No. 1) which is sold separately are delightful and worthy of Chopin lovers everywhere.

Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 in Em/ Variations, Op. 2

Average customer rating:

Genuine Magic
Another Great Chopin Recording From Ax, Mackerras Et Al.
Egad! The earlier reviewer is full of garbage!
Chopin: piano concerto no 1
Beware!

Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 in Em/ Variations, Op. 2

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Chopin: Piano Concerto No.2 in Fm/Grand Fantasia
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Brahms: Music for Two Pianos

ASIN: B00000I9G7
Release Date: 1999-03-16

Tracks:

Concerto No. 1 For Piano And Orchstra In E Minor, Op. 11: I. Allegro maestoso
Concerto No. 1 For Piano And Orchstra In E Minor, Op. 11: II. Romanze. Larghetto
Concerto No. 1 For Piano And Orchstra In E Minor, Op. 11: III. Rondo. Vivace
Grande Valse brillante In A Minor (Lento), Op. 34, No. 2
Variations On 'La ci darem la mano,' Op. 2 For Piano And Orchestra: I. Introduction - Largo - Poco piu mosso; II. - VI. Variation I-V

Amazon.com essential recording

In his second volume of Chopin on a mid-19th-century Érard, Ax continues to demonstrate both the qualities of the instrument and his own artistry. The best test of the disc is the second movement of the concerto, in which Ax makes the Érard sing, plays with artistic flexibility and taste, and interacts beautifully and convincingly with the period-instrument orchestra. (Chopin's often-maligned orchestration sounds better than usual with these instruments.) Ax turns the waltz into a miniature tone poem in an exquisite performance. The early variations, which led Schumann to proclaim Chopin a genius, sound like fluff today, but these players make it entertaining. This disc is both an artistic experience and a musical education. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Genuine Magic.......2007-07-10

If you like your Chopin pianism percussive, or even merely aggressive, this CD is not for you. The 1851 instrument has a gentle and rarified sound, and a fortissimo here can't be compared with the results of a rabid assault on a contemporary Steinway or Bosendorfer.

The performance overall is fairly loose-limbed, a surprise from Mackerras who usually errs on the side of trim efficiency. I do not consider the relaxed tempi a result of sleepwalking, but rather a reaction to the bell-like resonance of the keyboard sound. Often musicians will slow down if the beauty of their work surprises them, to prolong and deepen the happiness, and that's my explanation for what happens on this CD.

This is a great second version of the concerto to own. It will force you to reexamine a lot of your assumptions about Chopin, unless of course your temperament does not allow for such things.

Another Great Chopin Recording From Ax, Mackerras Et Al........2001-12-20

Emanuel Ax follows up his excellent performance of Chopin's 2nd Piano Concerto with this splendid version of the first concerto, which again is also performed on a vintage 1851 Erard piano. Just as he did with the first concerto, Ax is content to give an understated performance, that is still replete with drama. It is one which certainly works well on this instrument. Again, he is superbly backed by Mackerras and the period instrument ensemble Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment. Those who prefer Argerich's dramatic interpretations may find this recording a bit of a disappointment. However, I think Ax's interpretation is as valid as hers. Once more, the sound quality is exceptional.

Egad! The earlier reviewer is full of garbage!.......2001-05-21

...

Ax has, in my estimation, a brilliance for being subtle. His playing won't jump out and smack you upside the head (such as Kempff's playing does to me) - you have to be paying attention. His playing will provide the listener with sheer delight to the sense, if the senses are tuned into what he is doing.

This CD is no exception. Although is all-around great, the most shining gem on this CD is the second movement of the Chopin Concerto. Here, Ax does an exceptionally brilliant interpretation - and he is backed by an orchestra wonderfully sympathetic to his style of playing. He doesn't "jump out," and neither do that (they couldn't anyways; they're on period instruments).

But don't just take my word for it - buy it and hear it yourself! ...this CD is a delight. More than that, it's fun!

Chopin: piano concerto no 1.......2000-11-29

I own ths cd and it has the most incredible music on it.

Beware!.......2000-11-17

I heard Emanuel Ax play the Chopin Concerto No. 1 in concert. It was stunning. I immediately bought this CD, hoping it would replicate the experience. I was dismayed that not only did this historic piano sound honky-tonk and tinny, but the high registers were out of tune as well. I didn't make it through an entire listening of the CD - it was simply too painful! I'm scared to give it another chance. I would NOT recommend this recording to anyone who wants to relax and enjoy the beauty of Chopin!!

Susan Graham - Mozart & Gluck Arias ~ Il tenero momento

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Wonderful Voice, Great Selection
Extremely competent but not a permanent addition
An album that is very dear to my heart
Bland & Sleepy
Another American Singer That Shines

Susan Graham - Mozart & Gluck Arias ~ Il tenero momento
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Christoph Willibald Gluck , Susan Graham , Harry Bicket , and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Susan Graham ~ Berlioz - Les nuits d'été
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Artist Portrait: Susan Graham
Poèmes de l'Amour

ASIN: B000056BEZ
Release Date: 2001-02-06

Tracks:

Paride Ed Elena: Oh, Del Mio Dolce Ardor
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Non So Piu Cosa Son, Cosa Faccio
La Clemenza Di Tito: Parto, Ma Tu, Ben Mio
Iphigenie En Tauride: Non, Je N'espere Plus... O Toi Qui Prolongeas Mes Jours
Iphigenie En Tauride: O Malheureuse Iphigenie!
Iphigenie En Tauride: Non, Ect Affreux Devoir... Je T'implore Et Je Tremble
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Voi Che Sapete
La Clemenza Di Tito: Deh, Per Questo Istante Solo
Orphee Et Eurydice: Qu'entends-je? Qu'a-t-il Dit?... Amour, Viens Rendre A Mon Ame
Idomeneo: Non Ho Colpa
Orphee Et Eurydice: J'ai Perdu Mon Eurydice
Lucio Silla: Dunque Sperar Poss'io... Il Tenero Momento

Amazon.com

The "tender moment" of this collection's title comes from a stunning scene in an opera Mozart wrote as a teenager, Lucio Silla. It refers to the heightening of sensitivity and expectation that love, above all else, instills. But the Mozart example (with which the album ends) might also be taken as a metonym for the way in which the most powerful emotions, including love in all its guises, from ardor to lament, can intensify the moment. It's a process that opera itself tries to replicate through the wonderful alchemy of music, text, and character. In her second recording for Erato (following the extraordinary Ned Rorem anthology), American mezzo-soprano Susan Graham focuses on the "tender moment" as depicted by Mozart and Gluck. These two masters of opera aren't often paired, though each in his highly distinct, individual way insisted on elevating the genre beyond the level of frivolous entertainment and display that the century they shared found so tempting. Graham's program of six scenes from each suggests some striking moments of common ground in terms of the larger classical aesthetic, though the success of the whole enterprise is mixed. Certainly, Graham makes a case for the radiant beauty of Mozart's opera seria writing (her own operatic debut was in Lucio Silla), which still tends to be undervalued--as though it were simply a case of the composer being enchained by excessive genre "conventions." There's a magical balance between form and content, substance and decoration in "Parto" from La Clemenza di Tito (notable enough for Antony Pay's melting basset clarinet obbligato), and in the lengthiest selection (the last one, from Lucio Silla), though Graham here exposes the instability of her lowest register.

But to whatever extent Mozart and Gluck might intersect in sensibility, the latter conjures a remarkably different universe when he depicts love's loss and abandon. Somehow the scenes from Iphigénie and, especially, Orphée et Eurydice (in its French version here) don't register as stylistically different enough and they lack that strange, altogether Gluckian combination of objective purity with emotional extremity. And as Mozart's adolescent Cherubino, the kind of intensity that Graham conveys so convincingly on stage comes across a tad too contrived. On disc alone, not all of the selections can capture the spell Graham typically casts in live performance through her combination of singing, "emotional intelligence," and stage presence. Still, it's an intelligent program, and Graham has proved to be a winning exponent of period performance style (as in 2000's superb Alicina). The match here with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment is a happy one. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Voice, Great Selection.......2007-01-10

This is one of the best vocal CDs released in the last several years. If you don't know Susan Graham's gift, this CD is the best introduction. I'd also recommend it if you're not especially an opera fan, but are interested in a very listenable introduction to top-notch singing. I've listened to this over and over, and have not filed the CD away for months.

The balance of material between Gluck and Mozart works surprisingly well. Graham eschews the showy and flashy, yet sings with extraordinary power and passion. The accompaniment is excellent, never getting in the way. The recording is almost perfect.

In short, a pleasurable CD that will improve the quality of your life.

Extremely competent but not a permanent addition.......2004-12-16

Very well-focalized, and an evenly produced sound (granted, there is no special color, nor low register) --- but the problem is the anonymous quality of the interpretations. If you want to truly understand Iphigenie's predicament in her aria 'O malheureuse Iphigenie', seek Janet Baker. Not a generalized torment beautifully sounded -- but a moment of tormented grandeur.

An album that is very dear to my heart.......2002-07-22

First my Dad dies unexpectedly and the September 11th attack happens two weeks later. A very unhappy and distressing time in my life. I spent much of this time alone at my parent's home sitting in their big garden on Sunday afternoons listening to this CD and drinking some wine. It helped me make sense of the world around me and my own world at the time - beauty and truth continue to exist even after the worst happenings. "Ô malheureuse Iphigénie!" perfectly reflected my feelings at the time.

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment is fabulous, expressive and colourful - you'd never want to hear this music on modern instruments again after hearing them! Susan Graham's voice is expressive and has much pathos - without ever becoming melodramatic.
The repertoire is well selected and there is a very tasteful blend of known and less well known arias. I hope that Ms Graham makes another CD with the OAE again soon! I could stand another disc like this one!

This disc is also the perfect disc to buy with the Cecilia Bartoli Gluck disc. Ms Bartoli tackles Gluck's earlier opera seria arias - while Ms Graham mainly delves into the later reform opera arias - as well as some Mozart. I cherish both discs.

Please consider this CD for your collection.

Bland & Sleepy.......2002-01-02

I enjoy Susan Graham in performance and on CD (her Ned Rorem CD is excellent). This time I was disappointed by the bland and nearly featureless impression this left me with. It is pablum start to finish to my ears. And too...her weak lower register is exposed unflatteringly in this repertoire.

For a study in opposites, try Ewa Podles in the same repertoire and buckle yourself in for the ride.

Another American Singer That Shines.......2001-12-23

Susan Graham has wondeful mezzo voice and she has choosen a repertoire that suits it to a tee. Her creamy and pure tone illuminate the Gluck and Mozart arias in a such beautiful way. If you enjoy this you may want to try her recording of the Berlioz les Nuits d'ete, another group of songs that suit her voice so well. Ms. Graham represents along with Renee Fleming and Ruth Ann Swenson the best of the new American opera singers.

Average customer rating:

a voice teacher and early music fan
Daniels Soars to Conquer Mozart, Gluck and Handel
Not as good as his other recordings
Dreary Dowland? Hello?
David Daniels Has Never Recorded Music by Dowland

Sento Amor; David Daniels;
David Daniels , George Frideric Handel , Christoph Willibald Gluck , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Harry Bicket , and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Handel: Opera Arias; David Daniels
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Handel: Oratorio Arias
Berlioz: Les Nuits d'Été
Vivaldi: Stabat Mater, Nisi Dominus, Longe Mala

ASIN: B00002Z792
Release Date: 1999-11-16

Tracks:

Mitridate, Re Di Ponto: Aria: Venga pur, minacci e frema
Mitridate, Re Di Ponto: Recitativo: Vadasi...O ciel
Mitridate, Re Di Ponto: Aria: Giagli occhi
Ombra felice... Io ti lascio, Concert aria K255: Recitativo: Ombra felice!
Ombra felice... Io ti lascio, Concert aria K255: Aria en rondeau: Io ti lascio
Ascanio in Alba: Aria: Ah di si nobil alma
Il Telemaco, o sia l'isola di Circe: Aria: Se per entro alIa nera foresta
Orfeo ed Euridice: Recitativo: Ahime! Dove trascorsi?
Orfeo ed Euridice: Aria: Che faro senza Euridice?
Orfeo ed Euridice: Aria: Che puro ciel
Tolomeo, re d'Egitto: Recitativo: Inumano fratel
Tolomeo, re d'Egitto: Aria: Stille amare
Partenope: Recitativo: Rosmira, oh Dio!
Partenope: Aria: Sento amor
Partenope: Aria: Ch'io parta?
Partenope: Aria: Furibondo spira il vento

Amazon.com

After a fine Handel recital CD, not to mention taking part in a dozen other major recordings, countertenor David Daniels has hit the jackpot. This fascinating, handsomely recorded CD offers us arias from Mitridate and Ascanio in Alba, and a concert aria by Mozart (the only one he composed for male alto), as well as some Handel and Gluck arias. With them, Daniels takes us through every quality a classically trained singer should have and comes through with flying colors. The arias are about vengeance, sorrow, love--the usual--but within baroque strictures that means that some require lush, limpid singing, others ferocious coloratura and exclamatory heft, and some all of these. Daniels is the one countertenor around who doesn't seem to be afraid of leaning on his voice. It's of course not within the ability of a voice produced so high up to "boom," but the gradation of dynamics he has at his command offers us many different colors and moods. It may be true that an entire hour of countertenorizing can tire the ear, but the program has been so well chosen and is so intelligently ordered that this is not an issue here. The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment plays energetically under the direction of Harry Bicket. Recommended for those who might be curious about how good this type of hybrid voice can actually be and certainly for fans of really good singing. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-08-05

David Daniels is recognized as one of the outstanding American countertenors today, possessing a voice of great warmth and beauty along with a magnetic stage presence, which serves him very well, especially when singing operatic arias.This recording demonstrates very well indeed this ability. He has chosen operas from three composers:Mozart from "Mitridate" and "Ascanio in Alba" along with a beautiful Concert aria:"Ombra felice...Io ti Lascio"which I think is the highpoint of this disc.;Gluck:"Telemaco"-"Orfeo ed Euridice"; and of course Handel:"Tolomeo" and"Partenope". All renditons are perfectly performed with the correct emotional intensity, so much so that one wishes to see him doing all of these great arias. One comment about the statement made by Robert Levine implying that it would be somewhat difficult to listen to the countertenor voice for any prolonged length of time. I think that would depend upon the preference of the listener and his overall sensitivity to the music in question. I personally find GOOD countertenor voices to be ethereal, almost "other worldly" extremely pleasureable to hear!!!!

Daniels Soars to Conquer Mozart, Gluck and Handel.......2004-08-14

Countertenor David Daniels is a wonder, especially when you consider the rarity of a fine countertenor recital. On this, his second recital disc for Virgin Classics, Daniels confounds expectations by continuing his amazingly high batting average. By the very nature of the voice type, one would think the repertoire would be rather limited, the fullness of the notes compromised, the warmth sacrificed by the technical demands of maintaining such a high range. But Daniels breaks every rule and makes up a few new ones by tackling the works of Mozart and Gluck, as well as his perennial musical compass, Handel.

Two completely different selections from Mozart's first opera, "Mitridate", are included here - the aggressively rhythmic "Venga pur minacci e frema" with its intensely dramatic strings and the majestic and remorseful concluding aria "Vadasi...O ciel...Già dagli occhi". They illustrate Daniels' versatility in capturing the two sides of the nefarious character of Farnace. He also tackles the only concert aria Mozart ever wrote for a castrati, "Ombra felice...Io ti lascio", in an exquisitely modulated performance. The Gluck selections are highlighted by the touching "Che farò senza Euridice", which achieves an almost dream-like beatitude, and the pastoral "Che puro ciel". Although already breathtaking up to this point, Daniels saves the best for last as he goes back into familiar territory with Handel's two operas, "Tolomeo" and "Partenope", the latter which he has performed onstage on several occasions. From "Partenope" comes the beautiful title track "Sento amor" where his character Arsace experiences devotion and confusion over his still strong feelings for the disguised Rosmira. Daniels' vocal runs are especially amazing on the last aria, "Furibondo spira il Vento", where his conflicting feelings toward Rosmira come to a boil in a turbulent cauldron as she rejects him.

As with Daniels' first recital recording, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment accompanies beautifully but this time under the expert baton of Harry Bicket, who later conducted Daniels in the 2001 Staatsoper München production of Handel's "Rinaldo" (now on DVD and highly recommended). "Sento amor" is a great recording, a must-have addition to any superior Baroque musical collection and further testament to the wondrous talent of David Daniels.

Not as good as his other recordings.......2000-09-21

David Daniels exhibits a beautiful voice and musicality, as usual. However, I found that this repertoire was not necessarily the best match for his voice, with the tessitura generally too low to showcase his abilities, combined with orchestration that was too overbalanced for the voice. Some of the lesser recorded selections were interesting from a historical perspective.

Dreary Dowland? Hello?.......1999-12-06

This newest cd "Sento Amor&quels is not only the greatest countertenor in the world, but certainly one of the greatest singers in the world. Congrats Mr. Daniels on reaching yet another plateau!

David Daniels Has Never Recorded Music by Dowland.......1999-12-02

"Sento amor" David Daniels' second solo recital on CD, raises the bar not just for countertenors but for all singers. To date he has recorded two solo recitals, a disc of Scarlatti cantatas, a live Poppea from Munich, and highlights from Arne's Alfred-- that's five. To me, "Sento amor" captures one of the most distinctively beautiful and dramatic voices that has ever recorded, so it's hard to believe that Daniels' voice could be confused with any other. I anxiously await the next recording-- will we have a Christmas album for next year?

CPE Bach: Symphonies (Wq 182, 183); Cello Concertos (Wq 170-172) /Bylsma * OAE * Leonhardt

Average customer rating:

The other Bach
Excellent Recording of a Talented Composer's Works
Reminiscent of Boccherini's Cello Concertos/Symphonies
Something for everyone, and Leonhardt too

CPE Bach: Symphonies (Wq 182, 183); Cello Concertos (Wq 170-172) /Bylsma * OAE * Leonhardt

Manufacturer: Virgin Veritas
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Vivaldi: Concerti per mandolini
Telemann: The Six Paris Quartets

ASIN: B00004TQQL
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Tracks:

I. Allegro Di Molto
II. Largo
III. Presto
I. Allegro Di Molto
II. Larghetto
III. Presto
I. Allegro Di Molto
II. Larghetto
III. Presto
I. Allegro Assai
II. Poco Andante
III. Presto
I. Allegretto
II. Larghetto
III. Presto

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Largo Con Sordini, Mesto
III. Allegro Assai
I. Allegro Assai
II. Andante
III. Allegro Assai
I. Allegretto
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Assai

Customer Reviews:

The other Bach.......2007-07-06

The musical genius of the Bach family continues to astonish me. While I am already familiar with the patriarch Johann Sebastian and his youngest son Johann Christian (the English Bach), this very affordable two disc set was my first foray into the career of CPE Bach. I initally heard a excerpt of this recording on the radio in Massachusetts, and I am very glad I picked this one up. It features some very thoughtful and inspiring music. This first-rate recording offers a perfect way to introduce yourself to another member of the Bach family who made a brilliant contribution to classical music.

Excellent Recording of a Talented Composer's Works.......2005-12-20

C.P.E. Bach was one of the most famous and talented composers of the 18th century. He tends to be obscured in the shadows of his famous predecessor, J.S. Bach, his father, and of his famous successors, Haydn and Mozart. However, C.P.E. Bach was a composer of significant talent in his own right, influenced by his father, but with his own individual style, and important enough as a composer in his time to influence others, notably Haydn and Mozart, who both admired his music.

This CD is an excellent recording of some of C.P.E. Bach's work. The melodies and harmonies are inventive, the largo and adagio movements are quite beautiful, and the allegro movements are bright, lively, engaging, and often have a strong rhythmic energy that makes them an absolute pleasure to listen to. I particularly enjoyed the Cello Concertos, listening to them several times when I first bought this CD. Anner Bylsma is an outstanding cello soloist.

The orchestra, under Gustav Leonhardt, gives a first-rate performance. The sound quality is crystal clear, with an excellent balance between the cello soloist and the orchestra in the three cello concertos. The CD insert has an interesting and well-written essay about the life of C.P.E. Bach and these works. Also, the price of this excellent 2-CD set is very reasonable. Highly recommended.

Reminiscent of Boccherini's Cello Concertos/Symphonies.......2002-02-12

The Virgin 'Veritas' label has released some excellent recordings (Vivaldi's Opus 3 and 9, for instance), and this double-disc issue of C.P.E's symphonies/cello concertos is no exception. [...] these discs sound absolutely fantastic!

C.P.E. Bach, probably J.S. Bach's best-known son, composed a number of great works, some of which are featured on this release. Born in 1714, C.P.E Bach's compositions served as a musical bridge between the late Baroque and Classical periods (he was a contemporary of Vivaldi, Mozart, and Haydn).

Both of C.P.E.'s cello concertos and symphonies remind me of those composed by Boccherini (another first-rate -- if often neglected -- 18th century composer). Just as Boccherini's works have been overshadowed by Mozart's works and life, C.P.E. Bach's elegant symphonies and beautiful concertos sometimes get lost in his father's prodigious output. Fortunately, labels like Virgin, Hyperion, and Denon have attempted to fill the gap by issuing their works on disc.

[...] this 2-disc set is unbeatable. But I recommend listening to Bach's better-known works first (like the Brandenburg Concertos, Violin concertos, etc.) before tackling his son's compositions (if only to appreciate 1) how C.P.E was influenced by his father, and 2) how his works reflect both late Baroque and Classical influences).

Something for everyone, and Leonhardt too.......2001-06-13

There is enough action in these pieces to appeal to lovers of Romantic music, enough fluid melody and evenness of structure to appeal to lovers of the Baroque, and enough plain musical pleasure to be had for anyone willing to take C.P.E. Bach on his own merits. The symphonies are quirky, dramatic, sometimes even a bit bizarre, and yet balanced; the cello concerti have that quality of galant-mixed-with-disquiet that pops up often in the works of C.P.E. The musicians are as tasteful and in command as Leonhardt is himself when alone at the keyboard. A great value!

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

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