The Unknown Recordings (1957-1969)

1. Tristan und Isolde, opera, WWV 90 Act 3: Dolce E Calmo (Liebestod)
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Athens Festival Orchestra Conducted by Antonino Votto

2. Don Carlo, opera Act 5: Tu Che Le Vanità
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam Conducted by Nicola Rescigno

3. Il Pirata, opera Oh, S'io Potessi...
Composed by Vincenzo Bellini
Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam Conducted by Nicola Rescigno

4. Il Pirata, opera Act 2: Col Sorriso d'Innocenza
Composed by Vincenzo Bellini
Performed by Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam Conducted by Nicola Rescigno

5. La cenerentola (Cinderella), opera Nacqui All' Affanno...
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra Conducted by Antonio Tonini

6. La cenerentola (Cinderella), opera Act 2: Non Più Mesta
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra Conducted by Antonio Tonini

7. Guillaume Tell (William Tell), opera S'Allontanano Alfine
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra Conducted by Antonio Tonini

8. Guillaume Tell (William Tell), opera Act 2: Selva Opaca
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra Conducted by Antonio Tonini

9. Semiramide, opera Act 1: Bel Raggio Lusinghier
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra Conducted by Antonio Tonini

10. I Lombardi alla prima Crociata, opera Act 1: Te, Vergin Santa
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Paris National Opera Theater Orchestra Conducted by Nicola Rescigno

11. I Vespri siciliani, opera (Les vêpres siciliennes) Act 4: Arrigo! Ah, Parli A Un Core
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Paris National Opera Theater Orchestra Conducted by Nicola Rescigno

12. Attila, opera Act 1: Liberamente or Piangi
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Paris National Opera Theater Orchestra Conducted by Nicola Rescigno

Tracks:

Planned Obsolescence
My Mother the War
Tension
Scorpio Rising
Like the Weather
Don't Talk
What's the Matter Here?
Hey Jack Kerouac
Verdi Cries
Trouble Me
Poison in the Well
You Happy Puppet
Eat for Two
Stockton Gala Days
Candy Everybody Wants
These Are Days
Because the Night

Tracks:

Poppy Selling Man
Can't Ignore the Train (Demo Version)
Peace Train
Wildwood Flower
Hello in There
To Sir With Love
Everyday Is Like Sunday
These Days
I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love With You
Starman
Let the Mystery Be
Noah's Dove (Demo Version)
Circle Dream (Alternate Lyrics Demo)
Eden (Alternate Lyrics Demo)

Customer Reviews:

Great 2CD set.......2007-04-13

A very worthwhile set featuring one disc of greatest hits and one of rarities. The greatest hits disc includes material from all their discs and is mostly slanted towards studio material. The rarities disc is excellent with some great covers, B sides,etc. One small complaint- With a 50 minute time for the rarities disc, there's room for more and there are more rarities not included here. Maybe they're saving them for a future box set? Even with the omissions, a very strong set here.

Not sure what to say.......2005-12-17

Great band but this is not much more than a greatest hits album. It's great that the second disc collects the band's non-album tracks, but I'm not sure if it's worth buying the whole album for that.

Also, it's somewhat ironic that the release is called Campfire Songs, yet the song "A Campfire Song" is nowhere to be found.

Cover Of The Patti Smith Group's "Because The Night".......2005-04-27

Nothing but that song "Because The Night" covered the original version by The Patti Smith Group. Great Live Performance.

Great end to a wonderful band's career.......2005-04-05

Even though 10,000 Maniacs are no longer a household name, their music from 1981-1993 has stood the test of time since Natalie Merchant's departure in 1993. After Merchant left the band, Mary Ramsey took over singing duties and the Merchant-less band released two albums without much fanfare. This collection of hits and b-sides appropriately only features songs from the Merchant-era, so if you're a Mary Ramsey fan look elsewhere. The first disc features many of their signature songs like These Are Days, Like the Weather and their live cover of Because the Night. I was quite surprised at the number of songs from their pre-The Wishing Chair days, but they included too many from their In My Tribe breakthrough album. The second disc features b-sides, demos and a few live selections. I suppose the only true rarities are the demo versions of Can't Ignore the Train, Noah's Dove, Circle Dream and Eden, plus the previously unreleased Poppy Selling Man from the early 80's, so if you own a lot of their singles this collection might not be worth it. For those of us who weren't around to witness the impact this underrated band made, Campfire Songs is well worth the investment.

Nice reminder.......2005-01-07

I did enjoy hearing this band on cd as I had some of their albums on cassette some years ago. Not having heard the really early stuff, I very much enjoyed being taken back to that lost period of exciting and fresh young indie bands, by the opening song, Planned Obsolescence. Some good things did come out of the 80's! There is much great material on this release and Natalie Merchant's writing has always been literate, thought provoking and insightful. I can't say I liked the covers though, the Patti Smith and Bowie numbers didn't appeal to me at all - although fine songs originally, but so what, they were a great band. I was pleased to see Verdi Cries made the final selection, but I would love to have seen some of my other favourites too, such as; Dustbowl Days, Hateful Hate and Slowest Parade from Blindman's Zoo, along with Sister Rose, Gun Shy and the excellent Campfire Song from In my Tribe. Fortunately, Like the Weather was an inclusion. All in all, it's a good solid compilation giving a nice overview of the band's work and their journey. The liner notes from each band member are enjoyable as well and if you are into the packaging, this one's very nicely done.

On the Banks of Helicon: Early Music of Scotland

Average customer rating:

My heart is in the Highlands...
Awww, wow (^_^) I love this thing!
The BEST
This CD stays in rotation all the time
Like the Music of Scotland? You'll LOVE This!

On the Banks of Helicon: Early Music of Scotland

Manufacturer: Â© 1990 Dorian Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

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

The Mad Buckgoat - Ancient Music of Ireland
La Rocque 'n' Roll - Popular Music of Renaissance France / The Baltimore Consort
Watkins Ale: Music of the English Renaissance
The Ladyes Delight
The Art of the Bawdy Song

ASIN: B000001Q8M
Release Date: 1992-12-01

Tracks:

Over The Hills
Kathren Oggie
In A Garden So Green
My Heartly Service
Scotch Cap
The Flowers Of The Forest
Kilt Thy Coat, Magge
Canareis
I Will Not Go To Bed Till I Suld Die
Jockey Loves His Moggy Dearly
Our Father God Celestial
Come My Children Dere
On The Banks Of Helicon
Prince Edward's Paven
Lyk As The Dum Solsequim
The Scots Marche
Support Your Servand
My Lord Of March Paven
O Lustie May
Doun In Yon Bank
Branles d'Ecosse
Joy To The Person Of My Love

Amazon.com

There are no more proficient or imaginative practitioners of early music than the members of the Baltimore Consort. Their programs are invariably intelligent and involving, and the performances--well, you just have to hear them. Faultless musicianship and a real sense of style characterize every interpretation and arrangement. This disc features music of Renaissance Scotland--songs, dances, airs--both lively and lyrical, serious and humorous, performed by a colorful variety of period instruments and, often, the beautiful soprano of Custer LaRue. The nice thing is, you don't have to know anything about this music to thoroughly enjoy it. And considering its origins as folk music, that's just as it should be. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

My heart is in the Highlands..........2005-09-27

The Baltimore Consort, an ensemble of six players, was founded in 1980 with the purpose of performing 'broken consort' pieces of Elizabethan origin. 'Broken' here refers to the instrumentation - treble viol/violin, flue/recorder, lute, cittern, bandore and bass viol. Their repertoire expanded beyond these beginnings to include broader British fare, as well as French and Italian music of the time. This is a happy expansion, as it made this disc of Scottish music possible.

The Baltimore Consort play with life and vigour, with a good deal of improvisational flair, not being bound to texts and going through the production of notes as if mechanically. This is true to the spirit and nature of the early music, in which performers often had to 'play by ear', neither being able to read music nor having printed music even if they could.

The music here has a definite Celtic flavour to it. This disc represents 'music fyne', traditional native songs, and English imitations. Scottish courtly music was influenced both by England and France, but put its own unique accent to it. Indeed, most of the words to the songs performed here are in Scots, a dialect of English that had a strong literary flowering in the sixteenth century.

The names of many of the composers of these pieces have been lost to history, particularly the more folk-song oriented ones. Music represented here is as early as 1538 and as late as 1719, nearly 200 years of Scottish musical history.

Added to the regular consort players are Edwin George (playing bagpipe and recorder), and Alice Kosloski as a vocalist (alto). The regular players include Mary Anne Ballard (viols), Howard Bass (bandora), Mark Cudek (cittern and bass viol), Custer LaRue (vocalist/soprano), Larry Lipkis (viols), Ronn McFarlane (lute) and Chris Norman (flutes). Some artists are known from other Dorian productions, such as Ronn McFarlane on the lute in the collection 'Greensleeves'.

This is music that is interesting, flawlessly performed, entertaining and has a quality about it that makes it both ancient and current at the same time. A wonderful recording, this is a real treat to the listener interested in Celtic music, Renaissance music, and folk music.

Awww, wow (^_^) I love this thing!.......2003-01-22

This cd is so pretty! I love scottish music, and there isn't a single song on this alphum i don't like. And that's coming from a 14 year old girl who dresses in black and listens to Marilyn Manson...@_@....eh, I always had weird tastes. I think i'm the only one my age who listens to Malice Mizer, Dir en Grey, Gackt,Morning Musume, Enya, and Bach....AHHH! what have my parents spawned!?!? . .oh, well...
I think that only a closed minded person wouldn't like this alphum (you know, people who only like modern music and only ever wear the -latest fashions' . . .[cough] . . ) But then again, every one's entitled to their own opinion....

The BEST.......2001-11-27

The Baltimore Consort knows that Renaissance music is not only for the people interested in scholarly music that are studying for their finals. Of course, they are using period instruments and techniques in a very informed manner. However,they realized that the most important thing about music is find.

This CD stays in rotation all the time.......2001-08-08

I'm a Baltimore Consort junkie, and this album is entirely at fault. It's the first one I ever bought, and I got hooked. The first track starts off with pipes breaking into a lively song. Who needs to understand the words? The period instruments on this album give it a different sound; it's not classical music in the way you grow up thinking (Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, etc.). It's popular music-- of a different time. Really, really oldies. It's very hard to explain, but if you're thinking about getting a Baltimore Consort album, I'd say to start with this one. It's a great example of their style, and lots of fun to listen to.

Like the Music of Scotland? You'll LOVE This!.......2000-12-21

If you enjoy the musical sounds of Scotland, this album is a must-have. Custer LaRue's vocals, Chris Norman's flutes, Ronn McFarlane's lutes and Edwin George's bagpipes will transport you to Renaissance Scotland. And if you've heard these tunes before by other performers, give the Baltimore Consort a chance to show you what quality Renaissance music is all about! While this album is more vocally driven than some of the Baltimore Consort's other albums, it is an enjoyable offering that will only add spice to your music shelf. The songs here are grand examples of the fine Scottish music of the 16th-18th centuries, and will be enjoyed with perhaps as much zeal as the instrumentals. There is a fine musical rendering of the Lord's Prayer in "Our Father God Celestial" on this album, a favorite of mine. There are two bagpipe tunes, which no Scottish album could be without. Lovers of Celtic music (like me) will no doubt enjoy this album, as it is yet another by the Consort that has been played and replayed in my household.

Average customer rating:

One of the best CD's out there!
a voice teacher and early music fan
Prelewd to Postlewd
Sounds like they're singing Christmas carols
A sly and rollicksome good time!

The Art of the Bawdy Song

Manufacturer: Dorian Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Mad Buckgoat - Ancient Music of Ireland
Watkins Ale: Music of the English Renaissance
La Rocque 'n' Roll - Popular Music of Renaissance France / The Baltimore Consort
Penny Merriments: Street Songs of 17th Century England
The Ladyes Delight

ASIN: B000001Q93
Release Date: 1993-02-11

Tracks:

Aniseed Robin
Cuckolds All A-Row
I Gave Her Cakes And I Gave Her Ale
Taking His Beer With Old Anacharsis
Fye, Nay, Prithee John
Cold And Raw
The Miller's Daughter
Will Said To His Mammy
The Old Fumbler
Walking In a Meadowe Greene
Celia Learning On The Spinnet
Tom the Taylor
My Lady's Coachman John
The Irish Jig Or The Night Ramble
Come Sirrah Jacke Hoe
Dainty Fine Aniseed Water
Most Men Do Love the Spanish Wine
Argreers
Gathering Peascods
My Lady And Her Maid
As Roger Last Night To Jenny Lay Close
Pox On You
Ladie Lie Near Me
'Tis Women Makes Us Love
Sir Walter Enjoying His Damsel
My Thing Is My Own
Here Dwells a Pretty Maid
My Man John Had a Thing That Was Long
When First Amyntas Sued For a Kiss
More Palatino
Poor Owen
Where They Drank Their Wine
Come, Come, Let Us Drink

Customer Reviews:

One of the best CD's out there!.......2007-05-10

All ages and musical backgrounds love this CD. The Baltimore Consort are amazing. One really feels one is in a smoky pub in the 14oo's getting plastered with England's best musicians! Don't miss "Pox on You;" my kids absolutely howl with glee at the "bass fartophone." I haven't heard laughter like that come out of my little boy since he was a toddler. "Sweet Sir Walter" features one of the guys singing in a falsetto that sweeps lustily down into a Tim Curry-esque (think Dr. Frank-n-furter)gutteral guffaw of delight. So outrageously fun one forgets one is listening to Renaissance madrigals.

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2007-03-25

These bawdy catches and ballads take us on a journey to the taverns and other social gathering places of the the real 'Merry Old England'. Some of us may be mildly shocked by the directness and earthiness of the text, but everyday life in the 17th century was much more 'down-to'earth- and forward. These texts-some blatant and other euphemistic-fully explore the spectrum of humor from the sly smirk to the back-slapping guffaw.
The singing of both ballads and catches belongs to a long and venerable tradition in England. The natural habitat of the of the catch was the tavern, while the ballad was known in a wider variety of social settings as well as the stage. By the end of the 17th century, ballads were collected by connoisseurs of popular culture and published in anthologies. The main source for this recording, 'The Catch Club, or 'Merry Companions', was printed in 1762.
A quote from the catch-philosopher (of 'Come, come let us drink') is offered by the Baltimore Consort: "...wine and good cheer will in spite of our fear inspire our hearts with mirth..the time we live, to wine let us give, since we all must turn to earth...."
This is an excellent collection of songs; quite interesting and varied. The instruments are played skillfully, and the voices, for the most part, are good quality. However, as with all 'folk-like' songs, the diction is not always clear, and that is very true of several of these on this disc. The female voices were more difficult to comprehend much of the time. The text is printed out, so ultimately familiararity will make them easier to understand. I do like the disc, and think that it needed to be done.As to a previous criticism concerning the fact that it wasn't 'true' barroom singing. Of course, it's not!!!If it were, you would not understand any of it!!!!!Enough said.

Prelewd to Postlewd.......2005-09-28

The Baltimore Consort, an ensemble of six players, was founded in 1980 with the purpose of performing 'broken consort' pieces of Elizabethan origin. 'Broken' here refers to the instrumentation - treble viol/violin, flue/recorder, lute, cittern, bandore and bass viol. Their repertoire expanded beyond these beginnings to include broader British fare, as well as French and Italian music of the time. This is a happy expansion, as it made this disc of older, bawdy (for its time) music possible.

The Baltimore Consort play with life and vigour, with a good deal of improvisational flair, not being bound to texts and going through the production of notes as if mechanically. This is true to the spirit and nature of the early music, in which performers often had to 'play by ear', neither being able to read music nor having printed music even if they could. This is particularly true of the songs on this disc, where many are derivative of anonymous jokes and stories, and much of the music is likewise folk-tune and anonymously composed.

Some of the songs can be rather shocking. As Mary Anne Ballard writes in the accompanying notes, 'We must remember that in the days before indoor plumbing and pooper-scooper laws, everyday life was of an earthier flavour than it is today.... The men of the singing clubs and the ladies of stage poked fun at themselves and their companions with wit, pleasantry and contrivance.'

The names of many of the composers of these pieces have been lost to history, particularly the more folk-song oriented ones. However, some well-known composers are represented among the pieces here - Purcell, D'Urfey, Aldridge, and others.

The regular players include Mary Anne Ballard (viols), Mark Cudek (cittern, guitar, recorder and bass viol), Custer LaRue (vocalist/soprano), Larry Lipkis (recorder, viols), Ronn McFarlane (lute), Chris Norman (flutes), Webb Wiggins (tambourine and 'virginals'). Some artists are known from other Dorian productions, such as Ronn McFarlane on the lute in the collection 'Greensleeves'.

Added to the regular consort players are the Merry Companions, including Peter Becker (baritone), Alexander Blachly (baritone), Paul Shipper (bass, belch-canto), and James Weaver (baritone).

One more addition includes a guest artist, Lorenzo Labbrobacio, playing of all things, the 'fartophone', a rather mysterious instrument indeed. Labbrobacio defies identification on the internet other than references to this disc, and so the mystery deepens.

This is music that is interesting, truly fun to listen to, entertaining and has a quality about it that makes it a joy both in musical and humourous tones.

Sounds like they're singing Christmas carols.......2004-11-09

This recording is professionally produced - perhaps too much so. I've been in a few taverns and heard my share of bawdy songs. I am used to hearing them sung with gusto, with a wink and a naughty smile, to the raucous and enthusiastic appreciation of the audience. The songs on this CD are performed entirely straight. The results are technically competent but fail utterly in conveying the spirit and fun that make this genre worth listening to.

A sly and rollicksome good time!.......2002-11-29

On this recording, the Baltimore Consort and the Merry Companions are full of fun, both blatant and tongue-in-cheek. Soprano Custer La Rue and the instrumentalists of the Consort are joined by a quartet of classical male singers (Peter Becker, Alexander Blachly, Paul Shipper and James Weaver) with quite a theatrical sense of humor. The two groups take turns presenting ribald tavern songs of merry old England, interspersed by light, catchy instrumentals listed in the credits as the "Prelewd", the "Interlewd" and a "Fresh Ayre". Drinking, sex and other bodily functions are both celebrated and ridiculed in songs that are cleverly worded and enthusiastically sung, and in at least one case, accompanied by a mysterious instrument (reminiscent of P.D.Q. Bach) called a "fartophone". Especially amusing are the "catches" or rounds, and the new meanings that result from the staggering of words when several different verses are all sung together. It sounds silly, and is silly, but that's the point of it all--celebrating the "earthier flavor" of life 17th and 18th century England. My copy came with a parental advisory sticker stuck fast to the case, but my mother didn't seem overly concerned, and in fact enjoyed it too when I played it for her! For more fun Renaissance vocals, both salacious and serious, try "All At Once Well Met: English Madrigals" by the King's Singers, and "The King's Singers' Madrigal History Tour: Italy, England, France, Spain, Germany" by the King's Singers and the Consort of Musicke.

La Rocque 'n' Roll - Popular Music of Renaissance France / The Baltimore Consort

Average customer rating:

My favorite + audiophile recording
absolute favorite
Fun stuff!
A perfect album
If Led Zeppelin had been born 400 years earlier...

La Rocque 'n' Roll - Popular Music of Renaissance France / The Baltimore Consort
Ronn McFarlane , and Chris Norman
Manufacturer: Dorian Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Watkins Ale: Music of the English Renaissance
The Mad Buckgoat - Ancient Music of Ireland
The Ladyes Delight
On the Banks of Helicon: Early Music of Scotland
The Art of the Bawdy Song

ASIN: B000001Q9P
Release Date: 1993-09-28

Tracks:

J'ai vu le loup
Has tu point veu
Branle double
Branle double: Branle de Montirande
Branle double: Branle de la torche
Mignonne, allons voir si la rose
Frais et gaillard
Un m'avoit promis
Volte
Mes pas semez
Gaillarde d'escosse
Gaillarde d'escosse: Laroque Gaillarde
Gaillarde d'escosse: Alemand de Liege
Ma bergere, ma lumiere
Estans assis aux rives aquatiques (Ps. 137) - Estans assis - Estans assis - Estans assis
Prelude
Prelude: Tant qe vivray
Un gay bergere
O Madame, pers-je mon tems
J'ay le rebours
Branles de village
Un jeune fillette
Un jeune fillette
Un jeune fillette
Un jeune fillette
Jean de Nivelle

Amazon.com

This title isn't just a joke. It makes the valid point that these Renaissance pieces occupied the same place in their culture as our pop music does in ours. People whistled these tunes in the street and danced to them at night, and you can easily accept the disc's title when hearing the Baltimore Consort's extremely lively performances, which have all the rhythmic drive and gusto of a good rock band. The ensemble's arrangements and the variety of its programming also contribute to the success of this disc, which would make an excellent introduction to music of the period. The booklet contains translations of all the vocal texts, and Dorian's sound leaps out of the loudspeakers with great clarity and presence. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

My favorite + audiophile recording.......2005-05-26

I've attended Baltimore Consort performances a number of times, and they are just about my favorite early music group. They do an outstanding job of making "old" music come alive. Sometimes early music recordings are dry and academic, and the Baltimore Consort is as far from that as you can get. Finally, they have a great since of humor, which often peaks through in their music.

They specialize in popular secular tunes of the age. Their playing is impeccable, and most of the group are accomplished soloists. La Rocque 'n' Roll is probably my favorite recording of theirs, the songs are fun, interesting, and involving. The best of the best...

The fact that the recording is technically very good is a nice bonus. As a matter of fact, "Jean de Nivelle" (track 26) is the first thing I play when evaluating speakers. It helps that I've heard the performance live (and unamplified), so I have a real life comparison. The recoding clearly captures the nuances of the individual instruments. Although obviously not as loud as modern rock, the recording still gives challenges speaker dynamics. Unlike some gee whiz audiophile recordings, I can listen to these songs again and again.

absolute favorite .......2004-10-16

I've been collecting renaissance/medieval music for several years and have finally found something that sounds as though the musicians are actually having FUN with the repertoire. This is a blast, I recommend it to all.

Fun stuff!.......2002-11-29

The jaunty, whimsical tone of this CD is set by the opening bars of the first piece, "J'ai vu le loup," which starts out with one of the musicians shouting "Un! Dieux!" Many parallels are subtly drawn between the secular music of Renaissance France and popular music of today. "The appeal of performing 'popular' repertory lies in the opportunity it provides for creative expression," explains the insert booklet. "All of the song and dance arrangements on this CD are the creation of the members of the Baltimore Consort, who sometimes only have an unharmonized melody to start with..." What they may lack in specific direction from the long-dead song writers, they more than make up for with catchy arrangements and spirited improvisations. Soprano Custer LaRue sings her sultry French lyrics with relish and gusto, and the addition of reedy crumhorns and bagpipes played by Chris Norman and Mark Cudek adds to the provincial French flavor. The fun of the music is echoed in the CD's amusing packaging: The album cover, somewhat reminiscent of the Beatles' "Abbey Road", features the ensemble members walking along in single file, with their viol and lute cases in hand. Other interior pictures of the group poke fun at other folk and rock imagery, including one shot of a gentleman in shades licking the neck of his bass viol. Not exactly the norm for early music releases, but refreshing for just that reason. Rocque on!

A perfect album.......2000-02-22

This is my favorite CD of all time. I've had it now for five years, I listen to it all the time, and I never get tired of it. Every track is enormously beautiful, from the bright and sunny tunes through the quieter and more melancholy ones.

This is a CD that sounds perfect in the early morning, late at night, or any other time of day.

I've become a huge fan of the Baltimore Consort (one of the highlights of my life was seeing the group perform the songs on this album live at Synod Hall in Pittsburgh, PA) and "La Rocque 'n' Roll" is their "Sgt. Pepper."

If Led Zeppelin had been born 400 years earlier..........1999-10-02

...and played the lute, they would've played like Ron McFarlane, and sang like Custer LaRue. Wonderful performances of 16th C popular music on historical instruments, with lovely twists of rock'n'roll performance techniques. Check out the jazzy krummhorn glissandos, the sexy lute strumming, the straight-ahead power vocal, and the hip plucked bass viol -- especially on the last track. This is my #1 "Desert Island Disk."

Average customer rating:

You don't need a Wayback machine
A Very Good Compilation of Elizabethan Music
Light classics with historical charm

Elizabeth's Music

Manufacturer: Dorian Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Mad Buckgoat - Ancient Music of Ireland
The Ladyes Delight
Tunes From the Attic
La Rocque 'n' Roll - Popular Music of Renaissance France / The Baltimore Consort
Panorama: Dances of the Renaissance

ASIN: B00000IGPC
Release Date: 1999-03-23

Tracks:

Jane Pickering Lute Book: The Queen's Treble
Consort Lessons: O Mistris Mine (Twelfth Night)
Consort Lessons: My Lord Oxenfords Maske
Robin Is To The Greenwood Gone
Why Ask You
Paduana - Lachrymae
The Fifth Galliard (My Lady Nevell's Book)
Shall I Come Sweet Love To Thee?
In Darkness Let Me Dwell
Packington's Pound
Never Weather-Beaten Sail
It Was A Lover And His Lass
Howells Delight
Green Garters
There Were Three Ravens
(Ballet Lute Book c.1590): Greensleeves
(Thysius Lute Book c.1600): Greensleeves
Greensleeves
See, See The Shepherd's Queen
Willy Prithee Go To Bed
Now Is The Month Of Maying
Weep You No More, Sad Fountains
Beauty, Since You So Much Desire
Fine Knacks For Ladies
Captain Digorie Piper's Galliard
My Lord Willoughby's Welcome Home
Melancholy Galliard
My Lady Hunsdon's Puffe
Fortune My Foe
Queen Elizabeth's Galliard
Mrs. Winter's Jump

Customer Reviews:

You don't need a Wayback machine.......2001-12-05

Just get a CD like this one to get a broad brush review of the popular hits of the late 1500s. While I would have liked a few more recorder pieces, almost every cut was interesting in its own way. If you want just one early music CD with English songs, this is probably the one to get.

A Very Good Compilation of Elizabethan Music.......2001-09-27

"Elizabeth's Music" is a great cd to listen to if you are an enthusiast of ballads, the lute or old fashioned jigs. This cd really puts you in the alehouses, courts and courtyards of the Elizebethan age. The music is preformed well and the voices are very authentic and beautiful. The CD loses one star because most of the songs are on other Dorian-released CDs! I got the cd and found out most of the songs were the exact same ones on my "Shakespeare's Music" CD and other Dorian CDs. Ah well. All Elizabethan enthusiasts will enjoy this eclectic collection.

Light classics with historical charm.......2000-01-07

Really enjoyed this CD. Light and pleasant, without being too pretentious. Great background music for home or office.

Herbert L. Clarke: Original Recordings 1907-21

Average customer rating:

Brilliant playing transcending primitive recording technique
The Master of the Cornet
Clarke is the cornet master!
heartbreaking music from a bygone era
Be careful

Herbert L. Clarke: Original Recordings 1907-21

Manufacturer: Crystal Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Cornet Favorites
Carnaval
Turn-of-the-Century Cornet Favorites
The Legendary Trumpet Virtuosity of Rafael Mendez
The American Brass Band Journal

ASIN: B000003J4O
Release Date: 1996-10-01

Tracks:

Bride Of The Waves
The Holy City
Sounds From The Hudson (Valse Brilliante)
Killarney
Caprice Brilliante (The Debutante)
Perhaps Love's Dream Will Last Forever
Carnival Of Venice
Ah Cupid
Bride Of The Waves
Once Upon A Time
Rondo Caprice (From The Shores Of The Mighty Pacific)
Aloha Oe (Farewell) (Hawaiian Love Song)
Russian Fantasie
The Palms
La Veta Caprice (Lillian)
Berceuse From Jocelyn
Sounds From The Hudson (Valse Brilliante)
Twilight Dreams Waltz-Intermezzo
Southern Cross
Love's Old Sweet Song
Showers Of Gold Scherzo
Macushla
Caprice Brilliante (The Debutante)
Killarney
Carnival Of Venice
Stars In A Velvety Sky

Amazon.com

These 26 selections, recorded from 1904 to 1922, document the work of an important American player and band composer. Despite the trivial nature of most of the music, one can't help listening to Herbert Clarke's playing with respect and growing affection. He was a most elegant player, with a beautiful tone that comes across even in the earliest of these recordings. The showiest pieces, which can be quite dazzling, are still performed with taste and musicianship. This disc is an important sound document, and the transfers from even the earliest of the recordings are surprisingly listenable. Highly recommended to all brass and nostalgia lovers. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant playing transcending primitive recording technique.......2001-01-11

Hearing this CD -- despite the distracting surface noise from the primative acoustic recordings from which this CD was remastered -- I appreciate for the first time the greatness of Clarke as a cornet soloist. If he is not the greatest to date, he is surely one of the giants upon whose shoulders modern virtuosi of the trumpet (which has pretty much replaced the cornet) stand.

Clarke's sheer artistry in both composition and performance still dazzle and his interpretive ability brings to life some of the 'tear jerkers' of the golden age of popular brass music in a way no modern performance comes close to.

Although on first hearing one could be very much distracted by the primitive recordings, the brass player soon focuses on Clarke's playing so completely that the the surface noise disappears.

Every trumpet player and cornetist, more, every brass player and lover of band music, should own a copy.

The Master of the Cornet.......2001-01-04

God bless Crystal Records for taking the time to re-issue these extremely rare and valuable recordings from an unfortunately neglected giant in American musical history. Most people today don't realise how famous and influential Mr. Clarke and his peers (Sousa, Pryor et. al.)were on the American musical scene at the beginning of the Twentieth century. It is very important that these recordings (and others from this period, the birth of sound recording) be preserved for future generations.

As for those who could not stand the "hiss" on these recordings, how spoiled can you be? You simply miss the point of all this. We all know that these records were made during the infancy of the recording industry, and that they didn't have the technology we now have. I find it thrilling to listen to them just as they are. Recorded sound is the closest we have to time travel, and I find it fascinating to listen to these recordings as though I was there when they were first made. And most of all, through the marvel of recorded sound (Mr. Sousa notwithstanding) I can listen today to the greatest cornetist who ever lived, even though he passed away over 50 years ago.

Hopefully Crystal Records will someday put out an anthology of original Sousa and Pryor Band recordings.

Clarke is the cornet master!.......2000-08-03

Herbert Clarke is the finest cornetist the planet has ever seen. The technical brilliance on Carnival is just breathtaking. The sound quality of the recording is little hinderance on the true genius behind this man's playing. Don't let the hiss bother you!!!

heartbreaking music from a bygone era.......2000-03-22

These vintage recordings would have been otherwise lost to us--and a great loss at that. Clarke plays so beautifully, esp. those pieces that he wrote. It's notall oom-paa-paa, but music that is deeply affecting and stirring.This is the effect that Wynton Marsalis was going for in his "Carneval." While Marsalis's album is a wonderful tribute, this is the original. A must-have for any serious trumpet player.

Be careful.......1999-09-14

Watch out if you want to buy this cd! It's a good cd with Herbert Clarke playing some of his own pieces the way they should be played...but the recording is TERRIBLE! Naturally, it's a 1904 recording! But the hiss for the first half of the cd is almost painful. It's NOT something you can just ignore, so don't be caught unawares.

Average customer rating:

Excellent
At long last...to hear THAT voice again!!

Franco Corelli: The Unknown Recordings

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Very Best of Franco Corelli
Franco Corelli: His Early Cetra Electric Records
Tebaldi and Corelli: Great Opera Duets
Franco Corelli: Voices of the Opera Series
Franco Corelli: Corelli in Concert

ASIN: B0000CG8EY
Release Date: 2003-10-21

Tracks:

Oh! Fede Negar Potessi...Quando Le Sere Al Placido
La Vita E Inferno... O Tu Che In Seno Agli Angeli
O Figli, O Figli Miei!... Ah, La Paterna Mano
La Donna E Mobile
Merce, Diletti Amici... Come Rugiada Al Cespite... Oh, Tu Che L'alma Adora
L'amour, L'amour... Ah! Leve-Toi, Soleil
Ah! Tout Est Bien Fini... O Souverain, O Juge, O Pere
Che Gelida Manina
Nel Verde Maggio
Forse La Soglia Attinse... Ma Se M'e Forza Perderti
Di Quella Pira

Amazon.com

Franco Corelli was in a class by himself from the mid 1950s until the early '70s, when he was a leading tenor in most of the world's great opera houses. And to this day, no tenor voice has surfaced with such a huge, steely, brilliant top, dark, handsome middle and bottom--and sheer animal magnetism. His bad habits--scooping up to notes, aspirating vowels, holding on to high notes too long--would be a joy to hear again if the voice attached to them were as glorious as Corelli's. This short (45 minutes) CD contains arias never before released for one reason or another. They were recorded in '65 and '67, when the tenor was at his peak and if you've forgotten--or never experienced--his sound, the visceral excitement will knock you out. The Boheme and Trovatore selections each contain high Cs which just don't exist in any current tenor's throat, and elsewhere, his beautiful sound is always a joy--bad habits and all. The Le Cid and Forza arias are particularly thrilling. And the price is absolutely right. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2003-12-28

Franco Corelli has some lovely moments in this CD. It is amazing that it was not released long time ago for the minor musical mistakes that rarely occur.

There are two arias which were sung to pre-recorded orchestra (recorded for another tenor of the time). This restraint lends a whole new and wonderfully musical quality to Corelli's work.

He has a roaring quality to his voice that I enjoy and this CD captures it fully. A rare and appropriate buy for Corelli fans.

At long last...to hear THAT voice again!!.......2003-10-22

These recordings, recorded in London in 1967 (with the exception of two pieces, recorded there in 1965), bring THAT voice to us again...in all its virile glory! These extraordinary selections, delayed in their release to the public in that Maestro Corelli wanted to do additional work on them (but never did), demonstrate why fans consider Corelli the premier tenor of the twentieth century! While Maestro Corelli recently passed away, leaving his loyal fans bereft,...these recordings trumpet his musical genius and our gratitude and astonished response to him are, once again, beyond expression! Bravissimo!!!

Average customer rating:

An envious organ student below I'd say......
Not for everyone

Organ Encores

Manufacturer: Dorian Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Canons | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000001Q7V
Release Date: 1993-08-02

Tracks:

Sinf To Cant, BWV 29 'Wir Danken Dir Gott, Wir Danken Dir'
Choral: 'Wachet Auf, Ruft Uns Die Stimme', BWV 645
Badinerie-Ste For Orch No.2 in b, BWV 1067
Voluntary in a
Trumpet Tune in D
Toccata in d
Toccata in f
Toccata in g
Allegro From Organ Con No. 10 in d, Op.7
Sarabande, BWV 977
Basse Et Dessus De Trompette
Fugue in G, BWV 577 ('Gigue')
Hornpipe From The Water Music
Flotenuhrstucke (Pieces for Musical Clock) in C
Flotenuhrstucke in D
Flotenuhrstucke in G
Canon in A-Flat
Canon in b
Valse Oubliee No.1
March From 'The Love Of the Three Oranges'
Hautbois D'Armour From 'Jeux D'Orgue'
Tutti Ostinati From 'Jeux D'Orgue'
Improvisation On The Theme, 'Greensleeves'

Customer Reviews:

An envious organ student below I'd say.............2005-05-04

How can one compliment Jean Guillou with one comment, and then tell buyers that these performances are "not authentic"?
Tell that dribble to Horowitz, Lizst, or Toscanini, because those are the kind of artists Jean Guillou ranks with.

Listeners, please explore the audio samples and discover one of our great living artists - Jean Guillou.

Not for everyone.......2003-04-24

Thsi is a really remarkable recording, however a newcomer to organ music may wish to hear more 'typical' recordings of these works. There is alot of artistry but Guillou's personality is very bold here and the works sound nothing like "authentic" performances.

Beniamino Gigli: The Complete Victor Recordings, Vol. 2: 1926-28

Average customer rating:

A must have!!
MAGNIFICENT COLLECTION!!!
MAGNIFICENT COLLECTION!!!
MAGNIFICENT COLLECTION!!!

Beniamino Gigli: The Complete Victor Recordings, Vol. 2: 1926-28

Manufacturer: Romophone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Beniamino Gigli: The Complete Victor Recordings, Vol. 3: 1929-32
Beniamino Gigli: The Complete Victor Recordings, Vol. 1: 1921-25

ASIN: B000001S3Z
Release Date: 1996-01-01

Tracks:

Tosca: Recondita Armonia
Manon Lescaut: Donna Non Vidi Mai
I Millioni D'Arlecchino: Notturno D'amore
Serenata
Serenata
Torna, Amore
Stornelli Marini
Santa Lucia Luntana
Rondine Al Nido
La Forza Del Destino: Solemne In Quest'ora
La Boheme: O Mimi, Tu Piu Non Torni - Beniamino Gigli/Titta Ruffo
La Gioconda: Enzo Grimaldo, Principe Di Santafior! - Beniamino Gigli/Titta Ruffo
Mefistofele: Dai Campi, Dai Prati
Addio A Napoli
Mefistofele: Giunto Sul Passo Estremo
La Boheme: O Mimi, tu Piu Non Torni
La Forza Del Destino: Solemne In Quest'ora
O Bei Nidi D'amore
I Pescatoridi Perle [Les Pecheurs De Perles]: Del Tempio Al Limitar [Au Fond Du Temple Saint] - Beniamino Gigli/Giuseppe De Luca

Tracks:

La Gioconda: Enzo Grimaldo, Principe Di Santafior! - Beniamino Gigli/Giuseppe De Luca
La Giocondo: Enzo Grimaldo, Principe Di Santafior! - Beniamino Gigli/Giuseppe De Luca
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Tombe Degl'avi Miei
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Giusto Cielo, Rispondete - Beniamino Gigli/Ezio Pinza/Metropolitan Opr Chor
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Tu Che A Dio Spiegasti L'ali
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Tombe Degl'avi Miei
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Giusto Cielo, Rispondete - Beniamino Gigli/Ezio Pinza/Metropolitan Opr Chor
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Tu Che A Dio Spiegasti L'ali
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Chi Mi Frena In Tal Momento? - Beniamino Gigli/Amelita Galli-Curci/Louise Homer/Angelo Bada/Giuseppe De Luca, Ezio Pinza
Rigoletto: Bella Figlia Dell'amore - Beniamino Gigli/Amelita Galli-Curci/Louise Homer/Giuseppe De Luca
Rigoletto: Bella Figlia Dell'amore - Beniamino Gigli/Amelita Galli-Curci/Louise Homer/Giuseppe De Luca
Cavalleria Rusticana: Viva Il Vino Spumeggiante 'Brindisi' - Beniamino Gigli/Metropolitan Opr Chor
La Traviata: De' Miei Bollenti Spiriti
Mignon: Ah, Non Credevi Tu [Elle Ne Croyait Pas]
Mignon: Addio, Mignon, Fa Core [Adieu, Mignon, Courage]
L'Africana [L'Africaine]: O Paradiso [O Paradis]
Voce'e Notte
Canta Pe' Me

Customer Reviews:

A must have!!.......2001-06-01

Beniamino Gigli was one of the finest Tenors of all time. That being said, this set offers some of the best work the great Tenor ever recorded. Real standout renditions here are all of the duets recorded with Baritone and friend Giuseppe De Luca, the two lovely arias from Mignon, O Paradiso (rivaled only by Bjoerling and Lanza), Lucia selections (pretty much the entire final scene of the last act), and the Neapolitan selections (such as Toselli's hauntingly beautiful "Rimpianto"). The duets with Ruffo are interesting, but without the subtlety and finesse the same selections with De Luca possess. All three of the Romophon sets of Gigli's Victor recordings are prizes indeed (the third volume being only 1 CD), but this is, in this reviewer's humble opinion, the best of the three. Treat yourself to some truly fine singing and purchase this set now, before it goes out of print.

MAGNIFICENT COLLECTION!!!.......1998-09-22

A WONDERFUL COLLECTION BY WHOM I CONSIDER, THE GREATEST TENOR OF ALL TIME (EXCLUDING CARUSO). HEARING BOTH THE PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED TAKES OF THE DE LUCA/GIGLI DUETS IS SIMPLY A PRIZE, AS WELL AS, THE PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED TAKES OF TOSSELLI'S SERENADE (RIMPIANTO). A MUST HAVE FOR ANYONE WHO APPRECIATES GREAT SINGING. GIGLI'S VOICE IS SIMPLY BREATHTAKING HERE. THIS IS GIGLI IN HIS GLORIOUS PRIME.

MAGNIFICENT COLLECTION!!!.......1998-09-22