Ossia

1. Ossia

2. Silhouette

3. T.V. Is in My Eye

4. Aida

5. Where Is Huggy Bear?

6. Source Cue 3

7. Grey World Under Electric Light

8. 1920

9. Ballet and Surgery

10. Noh Dancers

11. Horses

12. Minor Key Interjection

13. Source Cue 2

14. Drowning Room

Ossia,George Sarah,Transistor Recording,Dance Music,Electronic,Pop

Average customer rating: Highly disciplined minimalism Nothing short of amazing very good music Wow! The cleanest recording of Tehillim

Reich: Tehillim / The Desert Music Steve Reich , Alarm Will Sound , and Alan Pierson Manufacturer: Cantaloupe ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Reich: Different Trains, Electric Counterpoint / Kronos Quartet, Pat Metheny Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians Drumming Sextet/Six Marimbas Acoustica: Alarm Will Sound Performs Aphex Twin ASIN: B00006H6B5 Release Date: 2002-09-10

Amazon.com

Reich's music moves along in a stately, orderly, almost mathematical way, so one wouldn't expect a wide variety of interpretive styles in different performances. Still, this recording of Tehillim, at least the third issued so far, seems sharper in focus and rhythm than the premiere ECM recording, the only one to include the composer's participation. The Desert Music sounds somewhat different here than in the premiere Nonesuch recording by Michael Tilson Thomas with the Brooklyn Philharmonic and Chorus, the ensembles it was written for. This "revised chamber version" by the composer from 2001 uses smaller forces, losing something in grandeur while gaining rhythmic clarity. It's becoming obvious that Reich's music will survive his own performing career and lifetime, and here is an example of a disc with no performing ties to the composer which is still extremely satisfying. It is also very well-recorded and generously programmed, since the premiere recordings of the two works took up a disc each. Cantaloupe Music provides sung texts and lists of the performers but not a word of program notes, a liability to this otherwise admirable release. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Highly disciplined minimalism.......2006-09-30

This album brings together two works written by American minimalist composer Steve Reich in the early 1980's including Tehillim (1981) and The Desert Music (1984). As they appear on this album, Tehillim was performed by the ensemble Ossia, while The Desert Music was performed by Alarm will Sound and Ossia. Both pieces were recorded sometime in 2001 and were directed by Alan Pierson. In general, this is fantastic minimalism and I especially appreciate its austere, acoustic qualities.

The musicians on this album are far too numerous to mention individually, but the dominant instruments include the human voice, mallet instruments, and string bass (mostly bowed parts), in addition to a host of woodwinds, strings, brass, and keyboards (even though a prog rock fan, I have to admit that the absence of electric instruments is a refreshing change of pace). Steve's pieces require a great deal of technical ability, and there are some dazzlingly intricate group vocal parts on Telhillim, although the performances throughout are top shelf.

Tehillim itself is written in four movements principally for voice (high soprano, lyric sopranos, and an alto) although other instruments such as the string bass and various percussion instruments are featured. The piece consists largely of ostinato networks performed by the singers; is extremely long (30'51"); and possesses a subtle rhythmic element. The Desert Music (43'47") is somewhat different and is presented in (at least I think so) an arch form (A-B-C-B-A). The seven movements are pretty much differentiated by tempo. Although male and female voices are featured on this piece, the other instruments are given equal weight (not to mention that there are more instrumental passages), giving this piece a fuller sound than the comparatively stripped down Tehillim. The rhythmic element is also more robust.

This music gets quite brooding and contemplative at times. There is also a meditative quality to the music, which is strengthened by the repeated melodies and the sheer length of each piece. The sound quality of this recording is also fairly impressive.

All in all this is an incredible work of minimalism and has to be one of the more rewarding genres that I have discovered as of late. In that this is my first exposure to the works of Steve Reich, I can not say anything about how these new performances compare to the originals, although I have to say that I was very impressed by the playing. Another recording by Steve Reich that I found to be enjoyable is City Life (1996).

Nothing short of amazing.......2003-11-11

It seems superfluous to pile-on to all this praise, but in this case it's well deserved. I too was lucky enough to be in the audience at Miller Theatre the night these bold interpretations were "released" from their birthing place at Eastman into NYC and the rest of the world. It was an electrifying moment, which makes sense considering the high energy at this live event which immediately followed the recording sessions. And that same joyful energy is present on the disc for everyone who didn't witness the exuberance (and colorful appearance) of the performers that night.

In fact, Alan's interpretations weren't just birthed at Eastman -- they began years before in other places, and here is the shining result. Rhythm that bounces out of the box from the first note, voices and instruments perfectly in tune with incredible inflection (non vibrato and tinged with both classical and jazz sensibility), unprecedented brisk tempi (putting into new contrast Reich's exquisitely frozen slow movements), and a jaw-dropping sense of dance energy throughout. The level of swing going on here is contagious but clear and unforced, so that when that extra drive over the top is needed for climactic moments, it's there in shocking proportion yet still in control. Just phenomenal. They almost sound like new pieces now, or a new way of hearing Reich that perhaps was only possible a few generations later.

Reich's revisions are wonderful. I never once missed the extra brass and strings from the old Desert Music -- all the same gestures are there but are allowed to move and breathe like never before. I agree there's something very special about that old Tehillim on ECM, but this new one is so different in character and so winsome, you can't help but be glad it's here. The composer himself happily stated that night, "these guys blow my group out of the water," which if you're familiar with his ensemble is saying *a hell of a lot*. My only complaint is the inexplicable absence of Alan's excellent and thorough program notes, which are available only on the Cantaloupe site. But don't let that stop you -- print out the notes, snarf up this disc, and be amazed.

very good music.......2003-04-22

Steve Reich is the greatest mainstream minimalist composer of our time.

This recording of Tehillim I think is the best one yet, & I suppose since this is the most recently revised (early 2003 BCE)version of The Desert Music, it is the most basic important one to have in your cd collection. If you have an earlier rec ording of The Desert Music, this one is different, & by now, so long after the first recorded version, this is the masterful composer's favorite himself. You should become familiar with this. Or be decades behind. Decades. Behind. As in out of touch.

Wow!.......2003-02-13

I've loved this music since it first appeared, back in the early '80s, and I second the praise that others have delivered about this recording. It has a clarity and immediacy missing from previous outings (the musicians were probably recorded in the multi-miked "pop" style rather than the style usually adopted for "classical" musicians). The percussion in Tehillim is snap-crackle-pop sharp, allowing the ear to carefully distinguish the sounds of the various percussion instruments, in comparison to the muddled sound of the Schoenberg Ensemble version. These percussionists have this music in their blood. They are tremendously well-rehearsed, and their youthful stamina pays off in the momentum they maintain throughout the performances. An extra string quartet in Tehillim allows melodies and sustained chords to assume more prominence.

Meanwhile, the singers' voices in The Desert Music are more individually characterized than before, allowing you to hear the text more clearly in voices that are dramatically free of any vibrato whatsoever, giving the singing a pure but momentous sound. I agree that the larger body of strings used in MTT's version is missed in the opening of the last movement, but otherwise I prefer the fiddlers in this version for their cracker jack playing. Quicker tempos accentuate the exuberance of Reich's syncopations. (This performance shaves 5 minutes off MTT's version.)

If I could only have one version of these pieces this would be the one I would buy. Actually, this recording is a better deal than what is currently available: The Desert Music on Nonesuch is unaccompanied by a second work, a situation which is also true of Tehillim on ECM. The Tehillim on Nonesuch is coupled with Three Movements for Orchestra, an uninteresting work whose last movement is a poor re-hash of the last movement of Sextet (a far superior work to the Three Movements).

If more youthful, classically-trained ensembles played like this, there would be few handwringing discussions about "the future of classical music." Buy this disc.

The cleanest recording of Tehillim.......2002-12-31

The recording of Tehillim on this CD is the best I've heard, an absolute tour de force for the instrumentalists and especially the singers. The tempi are manipulated to increase the dramatic effect, and the balance is immaculate. The recording quality of this performance is far better than the original ECM recording, any splice-points having been eliminated. This is the best recording out there!

Average customer rating: Beautiful electronica ambience Ossia is Awesome

Ossia George Sarah Manufacturer: Transistor Recording ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Similar Items: Opus Eleven Music for Elevators ASIN: B00008QSBQ Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

1. Ossia
2. Silhouette
3. T.V. Is in My Eye
4. Aida
5. Where Is Huggy Bear?
6. Source Cue 3
7. Grey World Under Electric Light
8. 1920
9. Ballet and Surgery
10. Noh Dancers
11. Horses
12. Minor Key Interjection
13. Source Cue 2
14. Drowning Room

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful electronica ambience.......2006-02-10

Very pretty diverse soundtrack filled with low key electronica tracks.Great as background music for reading and writing but unlike most ambient music it won't put you to sleep.I'm a huge fan of Moby but this cd is actually better than his Hotel ambient disc.If you're a fan of Brian Eno or Harold Budd's ambient work you'll love this disc.Avoiding bland electronica once again George Sarah is a talent that deserves to be discovered.

Ossia is Awesome.......2003-05-28

I heard a DJ play one of the cuts a couple weeks ago and was quite impressed. I bought the CD yesterday. The whole album is great. George Sarah is quite the musical genius as he mixes electronic synth with classical string instruments.

Average customer rating: wow Haydn's "Orfeo ed Euridice" worth discovering

Haydn - L'anima del filosofo ossia Orfeo ed Euridice / Bartoli · Heilmann · D'Arcangelo · AAM · Hogwood Joseph Haydn , Christopher Hogwood , Cecilia Bartoli , Uwe Heilmann , The Academy of Ancient Music , Ildebrando D'Arcangelo , Andrea Silvestrelli , Roberto Scaltriti , Jose Fardilha , Colin Campbell , James Oxley , and Angela Kazimierczuk Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Franz Joseph Haydn | Haydn, Franz Joseph | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Academy of Ancient Music | ( A ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works Featuring Bartoli | Bartoli, Cecilia | A to B | Featured Performers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Bartoli, Cecilia | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Joseph Haydn: The Esterháza Operas - Volume 2 Joseph Haydn Operas 1 Haydn - Armida / Bartoli · Petibon · Prégardien · M. Schäfer · Wier · Harnoncourt Monteverdi: L'Orfeo Gluck - Orphée & Eurydice (Berlioz version) / von Otter, Barbara Hendricks, Fournier, Gardiner ASIN: B000004CYW Release Date: 1997-02-11

Tracks:

1. Orfeo ed Euridice: Ouverture
2. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Primo : Sventurata, che fo? (Euridice)
3. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Primo : Ferma, ferma il piede, o principessa!
4. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Primo : Che chiedete da me? (Euridice)
5. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Primo : Filomena abbandonata (Euridice)
6. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Primo : Cieli! Soccorso! Aita!
7. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Primo : Rendete a questo seno (Orfeo)
8. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Primo : Cara speme! Alme di scoglio! (Orfeo)
9. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Primo : Oh prodigio, oh stupor
10. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Primo : O poter dell'armonia!
11. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Primo : Ah, chi sa dirmi (Creonte)
12. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Primo : Il pensier sta negli oggetti (Creonte)
13. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Primo : Grazie agli dei (Orfeo
14. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Primo : Come il foco allo splendore (Orfeo)
15. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Secondo : Finchircola il vigore
16. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Secondo : Adorata consorte (Orfeo, Euridice)
17. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Secondo : Finchircola il vigore
18. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Secondo : Numi, che ascolto! (Euridice)
19. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Secondo : Ecco, signor, la principessa ola
20. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Secondo : Dov'dov'amato bene? (Euridice)
21. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Secondo : Del mio core il voto estremo (Euridice)
22. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Secondo : Con Euridice estinte son le gelose cure
23. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Secondo : Dov'uell'alma audace (Orfeo)
24. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Secondo : In un mar d'acerbe pene (Orfeo)
25. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Secondo : Euridice, signor
26. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Secondo : Mai non sia inulto (Creonte)

Tracks:

1. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Terzo : Ah, sposo infelice!
2. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Terzo : Al cielo te ne voli (Orfeo)
3. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Terzo : Ah, sposo infelice!
4. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Terzo : Che sarai d'Orfeo? (Creonte)
5. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Terzo : Chi spira e non spera (Creonte)
6. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Terzo : Venerata Sibilla (Orfeo)
7. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Terzo : Al tuo seno fortunato
8. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Terzo : Costanza a me si chiede? (Orfeo)
9. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Terzo : La giustizia in cor regina
10. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Quarto : Infelici ombre dolenti
11. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Quarto : Che ascolto, oh numi! (Orfeo)
12. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Quarto : Urli orrendi, disperati
13. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Quarto : O signor, che all'ombre imperi (Orfeo)
14. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Quarto : Trionfi oggi piet
15. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Quarto : O della reggia mia
16. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Quarto : Intermezzo
17. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Quarto : Quai dolci e care note ascolto! (Orfeo)
18. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Quarto : Son finite le tue pene
19. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Quarto : Sovvengati la legge
20. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Quarto : Perduto un'altra volta (Orfeo)
21. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Quarto : Mi sento languire (Orfeo)
22. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Quarto : Barbaro, infido amore (Orfeo)
23. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Quarto : Vieni, vieni, amato Orfeo
24. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Quarto : Perfide, non turbate di pifeo)
25. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Quarto : Bevi, bevi in questa tazza
26. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Quarto : Andiamo, amiche, andiamo
27. Orfeo ed Euridice: Atto Quarto : Oh, che orrore!

Amazon.com essential recording

A surprising fact from the musicological realm is that Haydn wrote about the same number of operas as Mozart--though it's true that some of them were written for the marionette theater at Esterhaza, rather than the opera house. In other words, old "Gius[eppe] Haydn"--as the title page of this opera refers to him--was a master. Better known to some by its alternate title, L'anima del filosofo, Haydn's Orfeo ed Euridice was written in 1791 for the King's Theater, Haymarket, during the composer's first English sojourn, but went unperformed there or anywhere else until 1950. The libretto, by Carlo Francesco Badini, is based on Ovid's Metamorphoses, with its decidedly unhappy ending to the story (Euridice dies a second time, Orpheus is poisoned, and the Bacchantes perish in a storm). While the score as a whole does not possess the kind of momentum or dramatic sweep one finds in Mozart, it nonetheless is vintage Haydn: highly imaginative in its use of a large orchestra, with numerous fine choruses and beautiful arias. A strong cast has been assembled for this recording, with Cecilia Bartoli a special delight in two roles--Euridice, a lyric role requiring remarkable agility, and the Genio (or Sybill), originally written for a castrato, whose one aria ("Al tuo seno fortunato") is a coloratura tour de force. The score is played with marvelous fluency by the Academy of Ancient Music under the direction of Christopher Hogwood, contributing to a realization that is, in every respect, elegantly informed. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

wow.......2004-12-22

i think hogwood and haydn. these two words are enough.
but i love Dorati`s more than this recording.

Haydn's "Orfeo ed Euridice" worth discovering.......2001-01-19

Although Haydn's "Orfeo ed Euridice" has been recorded a few times before, it is still a relatively obscure opera. It is easy to hear the music's roots in Gluck (and the possible influences of contemporaries such as Mozart and Cimarosa) but Haydn's music has a distinct voice, and is quite lovely - at times delightful, and at times tragic. This is an opera well worth discovering by anyone interested in music from the baroque and classical periods.

Both Cecilia Bartoli and Uwe Heilmann are fantastic. Bartoli's versatility as an artist is well displayed in this recording; she sings both treble lead roles. Euridice was writen for a lyric soprano, and the role of the Genio, with its showstopper coloratura aria, was written for a male castrato. Bartoli skillfully uses two different vocal colors - warm and rich for Euridice, bright and shimmery for the Genio - and she gives much pleasure in her performance of both roles, and utilizes a remarkable range. Heilmann's reedy voice is perfectly suited to the music, and he captures the idealism, pathos, and tragedy of the character. He sings with lovely tone, and tasteful and intelligent musicianship, and is often genuinely touching. The young bass Ildebrando d'Arcangelo sings beautifully as well, skillfully using his warm and rich yet flexible voice in his two scenes.

Christopher Hogwood is at home in this music and leads The Academy of Ancient Music in a sparkling playing of the score. This recording outclasses the previous recordings despite their strengths. An excellent addition to any library, this recording is essential for fans of Haydn, Bartoli, or Heilmann,

Average customer rating: Worthy music My God... You moviegoers ruin everything... NOT A MURDERER!!!! One of the most underrated composers in History! Murderer

Salieri: Symphonies, Overtures Manufacturer: Chandos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Salieri | Salieri, Antonio | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Salieri: The 2 Piano Concertos Hoffmeister: Symphonies Paul Wranitzky: Symphonies Rosetti: Symphonies Salieri: Overtures ASIN: B000056KNF Release Date: 2001-02-27

Tracks:

1. Cublai, Gran Kan De' Tartari: Ov in D
2. Twenty-Six Vars On 'La Folia Di Spagna'
3. Angiolina, Ossia Il Matrimonio Per Sussuro: Ov in D
4. Sinf Veneziana in D: I. Allegro Assai
5. Sinf Veneziana in D: II. Andantino Grazioso -
6. Sinf Veneziana in D: III. Presto
7. La Locandiera: Ov in D: I. Allegro Assai -
8. La Locandiera: Ov in D: II. Andantino -
9. La Locandiera: Ov in D: III. Presto
10. Sinf 'Il Giorno Onomastico' in D: I. Allegro, Quasi Presto
11. Sinf 'Il Giorno Onomastico' in D: II. Larghetto
12. Sinf 'Il Giorno Onomastico' in D: III. Minuetto: Non Tanto Allegro - Trio
13. Sinf 'Il Giorno Onomastico' in D: IV. Allegretto E Sempre L'istesso Tempo
14. Falstaff, Ossia Le Tre Burle: Ov in D

Customer Reviews:

Worthy music.......2005-10-20

It is unfortunate that Antonio Salieri (1750 - 1825) is known now almost exclusively for being the nemesis of Mozart in the Peter Schaffer play and subsequent film 'Amadeus'. Salieri was certainly much more than the thwarted, second-rate composer. Perhaps he was not in Mozart's league so far as composition power goes (although the best of Salieri certainly stands up as worthy in comparison with many of the major composers of his time), but he was a respected composer in his own time, and perhaps more than for his composition, he was respected as a teacher and court musician. Salieri counts among his pupils Beethoven, Schubert, Liszt and even Mozart's second son.

His operas tended to follow a particularly popular formula, with dramatic flairs and stories easily accessible to the people. He drew inspiration from historical works, from mythological and fictional works, as well as works of popular circulation. Salieri even used some libretti from Lorenzo de Ponte, perhaps better known now as a librettist for Mozart.

This disc includes overtures of twelve operas (Salieri wrote nearly 50 operas, several of which were not premiered until the 1990s). They include pieces from his dramatic operas as well as his comic operas. The power in these is certainly evident. Perhaps the best of the lot is 'Cesare in Farmacusa (Tempesta di Mare)' and 'Axur, Re d'Ormus', an opera also involving de Ponte, and reworked from an earlier attempt to do a French opera into an Italian one.

It is a mistake (reinforced by 'Amadeus') to classify Salieri as an Italian composer - he lived most of his life in Vienna, and was criticised by the Empress at one point for being too much of a German composer. Salieri's works such as 'Don Chisciotte alle nozze di Gamace', the overture of which is included here, certainly shows his strength in writing toward the German.

This disc is a fun disc to listen to. There is nothing earth-shattering or new here, but these pieces are good compositions, and the performances by the Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava), under the direction of Michael Dittrich, is exemplary. This is one of those often-overlooked Eastern European orchestras that has incredible performance ability; they have had international touring experience as well as a number of recordings for Naxos, who is to be praised for bringing less popular music to the general public in an affordable way.

My God... You moviegoers ruin everything..........2005-01-13

It's nice to know that you need a movie to awaken you to classical music. If you had been introduced to Salieri in any way other than the Milos Forman film, you would realize the truth. Amadeus is a MOVIE... just like TITANIC is a movie. FICTIONALIZED ACCOUNT OF HISTORICAL FACTS...While adding in elements of fiction to enhance the DRAMA.. Salieri is a good composer. I suggest that you do your research, pal. Do you know that he and Mozart once shared a bill? Now, ANYONE can safely say that had they been enemies, they would not have dreamed of having their operas performed together.. Music is a personal thing for those who create it. But anyway, Salieri deserves to be noticed.

NOT A MURDERER!!!!.......2004-12-07

Salieri was in fact a pioneer of music. It was never proven that he murdered Mozart. Salieri's pupils included Beethoven, Schubert and Liszt. He helped found the Academy of Music in Vienna. The movie Amadeus is probably loosely based on an opera called Mozart i Salieri which dramatized their competition and jealousy. Salieri does not get the credit he deserves for his contribution to classical music as a composer. Salieri is a wonderful addition to anyone's classical music collection.

One of the most underrated composers in History!.......2004-11-17

This CD digs into the ignored music of Antonio Salieri. I am fed up of reviews comparing this composer to Mozart. Calling Salieri a murderer of Mozart is utterly incorrect. Probably, the reviewer who made this statement does not know that 'Amadeus' is a movie based on a myth.

Murderer.......2004-01-11

I don't see how anyone can try to immortalize his works after seeing the movie Amadeus. He was a conniving, evil, egotistal man. I will never buy anything with his name on it. He is the murderer of a musical genius. I love Mozart and any of his true fans will never purchase anything with the salieri stamp on it.

Average customer rating: Rare selections brilliantly performed Vivaldi: Opera Arias & Sinfonias / Roy Goodman, Emma Kirkby

Emma Kirkby - Vivaldi Opera Arias and Sinfonias Antonio Vivaldi , Roy Goodman , Emma Kirkby , Liliana Mazzarri , and The Brandenburg Consort Manufacturer: Hyperion ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Vivaldi | Vivaldi, Antonio | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Kirkby, Emma | ( K ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Kirkby, Emma | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Emma Kirkby - Handel Opera Arias / Goodman, Brandenburg Consort Emma Kirkby sings Handel, Arne, Haydn & Mozart ASIN: B000002ZUX Release Date: 1994-12-15

Tracks:

1. Griselda: Sinfonia
2. Griselda: Sinfonia
3. Griselda: Sinfonia
4. Griselda, Act III: Ombre vane, ingiusti orrori
5. Griselda, Act II: Agitata da due venti
6. Tito Manlio, Act II: Non ti lusinghi la cudeltate
7. Ottone In Villa: Sinfonia
8. Ottone In Villa: Sinfonia
9. Ottone In Villa: Sinfonia
10. Ottone in villa, Act I: Gelosia, tu gia rendi l'alma mia
11. Ottone in villa, Act II: L'ombre, l'aure, e ancora il rio
12. L'Atenaide, Act III: Ferma, teodosio
13. Tamerlano: Sinfonia
14. Tamerlano: Sinfonia
15. Tamerlano: Sinfonia
16. L'incornazione di dario, Act II: Non mi lusinga vana speranza
17. Catone In utica, Act II: Se mai senti spirati sul volto
18. Catone In utica, Act II: Se in campo armato

Customer Reviews:

Rare selections brilliantly performed.......2001-11-01

With the resurgence in popularity of early music, especially Handel and Bach, I find it odd that the vocal music of Antonio Vivaldi isn't experiencing something similar. With a couple of exceptions, for example this disc or Cecilia Bartoli's wonderful Vivaldi Album (not quite as wonderful as Ms. Kirkby's, however), Vivaldi's operas are still virtually unknown. This is a shame--Vivaldi's vocal music is both beautiful and virtuosic, and the perfect vehicle for a soprano (or any other voice part) to give us a recital which shows off their technical abilities while not boring the listener with pieces they have heard thousands of times before.

Emma Kirkby does just that--the faster songs and the ornaments are tossed off with such ease that one forgets how difficult the music is that she is singing; if any other singer were attempting these pieces, they would sound as if they were about to collapse from exhaustion. But not Kirkby, who has never sounded more at ease or beautiful. Goodman conducts sensitively and intelligently, and the orchestra performs well, important since much of the disc is composed of Sinfonias from Vivaldi's operas.

Vivaldi: Opera Arias & Sinfonias / Roy Goodman, Emma Kirkby.......2000-04-06

What an exciting CD! Emma Kirkby's voice is very clear and magical. The ornamentation is clean and well executed. The Bradenburg Consort is as usual immaculate in their execution of these pieces. Vivaldi fans out there should be impressed with this CD.

Average customer rating: Hesperion XX and others This is the best classical music Great collection

España: Anthology of Spanish Music Manufacturer: Astree ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Falla | Falla, Manuel de | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Franz Joseph Haydn | Haydn, Franz Joseph | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Monteverdi | Monteverdi, Claudio | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Morales, Cristóbal de | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Toccatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances General | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Sacred & Religious | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems Vocal & Song | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems Ballets & Dances | Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Organ | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Clarinet | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Viola | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Chants | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B000026DG2 Release Date: 1993-09-01

Tracks:

1. Cant De La Sibil.La: Sybil.La Latine (Excs) - Montserrat Figueras
2. Villancicos & Ensaladas: Mundus Et Musica Et Totus Concentus (Canon Perpetum) - La Capella Reial De Catalunya/Jordi Savall
3. Cantigas De Santa Maria: Cantiga 384: A Que Por Muy Gran Fremosura - Esther Lamandier
4. El Cancionero De La Colombina: Propinan De Melyor - Hesperion XX/Jordi Savall
5. El Cancionero De Palacio: Tres Morillas - Hesperion XX/Jordi Savall
6. I Musica De Vihuela: Pavane IV - Hopkinson Smith
7. Romances & Villancicos: Si Habra En Este Baldres? - Hesperion XX/Jordi Savall
8. Recercadas Del Trattado De Glosas: Recercada Segunda Sobre El Passamezzo Moderno - Jordi Savall/Tom Koopman/Rolf Lislevand
9. Il Sonetos, Villancicos Y Romances: Quien Amores Ten (Villancicos En Portugues) - Montserrat Figueras/Hopkinson Smith
10. El Organo Historico Espanol I: Fabordon Y Glosas Del Sexto Tono - Kimberly Marshall
11. Missa Pro Defunctis, A 5: Pie Jesu Domine - Hesperion XX/Jordi Savall
12. Tres Libros De Musica En Cifras Para Vihuela: Fant Que Contrahaze La Harpa - Hopkinson Smith
13. Ensaladas: Mateu Fleccha L'Ancien La Bomba, Ensalada Studium Musicae Valencia - Hesperion XX/Jordi Savall
14. El Cancionero De Medinaceli: La Perra Mora - Hesperion XX/Jordi Savall
15. Poema Harmonico: Canario, Treze Diferencias De Canario - Hopkinson Smith
16. Missa De Batalla: Gloria - La Capella Reial De Catalunya/Jordi Savall
17. L'Oeuvre Pour Clavecin 1: Son in a No.118-Allegro - Bob Van Asperen
18. Lope De Vega: Intermedios Del Barroco Hispanico: No Hay Que Decirle El Primor - Montserrat Figueras
19. El Organo Historico Espanol 9: Toccata Del Sexto Tono - Francis Chapelet
20. Cancons De La Catalunya Mil.Lenaria: Els Segadors (Excs) - Montserrat Figueras
21. Ariette Italiane, Seguidillas & Vars: Las Mujeres Y Cuerdas - Monterrat Figueras/Jose Miguel Moreno
22. Les Sept Dernieries Paroles, Cadix: Il Terremoto. Presto Con Tutta La Forza - Le Conc Des Nations/Jordi Savall
23. Una Cosa Rara: Allegretto 'Viva Viva La Regina' - La Capella Reial De Catalunya/Le Conc Des Nations/Jordi Savall
24. Iberia (Version Orch): El Puerto - Orquesta De Valencia/Manuel Galduf
25. El Sombrero De Tres Picos: Danse Finale (Jota) - Joven Orquesta Nacional De Espana/Edmon Colomer
26. Don Quijote, Albada,...: Danza - Orquesta Sinfonica De Tenerife/Victor Pablo Perez

Customer Reviews:

Hesperion XX and others.......2007-03-28

This is a truly inspirational disc that features several different artists. I came across this disc years ago because of my interest in time period music performed by Jordi Savall and the lovely voice of Monteserrat Figueras in the group Hesperion XX. Both are featured on this disc extensively. Listening to this music is almost like a religious experience, it elevates your senses beyond the mundane for a richly rewarding experience; it is an auditory time warp. Essentially this is a compilation of time period music with compositions mostly from the 1500's. Besides the fabulous work by Hesperion XX the disc also includes some interesting work by Hopkinson Smith on Vihuela while Figueras sings in her lovely soprano voice. There are also some nice orchestra pieces most notably by Issac Ibeniz on "Iberia, El Puerto" which is a lush theme that would sit well in a movie about Spain's Golden Age, Manuel de Falla's beautiful compostion of "El Sombrero De Tres Picos" as performed by Joven Orchestra Nacional de Espana and Roberto Gerhard's "Don Quijote Albada Danza" as performed by the Orchestra Sinfonica de Tenerife. Also of note is the work of Francisco Guerau and the magical baroque guitar of Hopkinson Smith as performed on "Treze diferencias de Canario." Listening to this music reminds one of the grandeur of Spains's past in the Age of Discovery. This is classical album for people like me, who really don't know that much about classical music but realizes good music when he hears it. Recommended for people who like to listen to time period music and the interpretations of Hesperion XX.

This is the best classical music.......2001-02-05

I did'nt really like classical music till i bought España - Anthology of Spanish Music CD. I really, really love this CD. If your an artist and sometimes lack inspiration, I recommend this CD! It will get you in the mood to paint!

Great collection.......2000-11-04

Two complaints: no liner notes so any potential educational value is lost (I have a number of reference books around the house and some of these composers don't show up anywhere in them) and there is at least one extremely jarring organ work that blasts out of nowhere. A more listener friendly compilation would've sequenced the disc differently or left it out alltogether. That said, this is a wonderful collection of music that I have (mostly) never heard before. I'm glad Naive Astree saw fit to put a lot of obscure and out-of-print recordings together to form this audio introduction to an underappreciated canon.

Highlights include:

Track 8 - Jordi Savall (gamba), Ton Koopman (harpsichord), and Rolf Lislevand (lute) turn in a brief but jaunty chamber performance of Ortiz. Left me wanting more.

Track 11 - Hesperion XX give a haunting vocal performance of Morales' Pie Jesu Domine. I'm not one to ususally appreciate this sort of music (so consider me uninformed) but I found this truly beautiful.

Track 15 - features Hopkinson Smith on the baroque guitar performing a fascinating Guerau work. Descending arpeggios like gentle, trickling waterfalls. Smith is a stunning performer. I wish he was better known in the U.S.

Track 22 - from Haydn's original orchestral version of "The Seven Last Words Of Christ On The Cross," this is the one tempestuous movement from a work of mostly subdued music. Deep, powerful string sound from Savall's Le Concert Des Nations. Very well recorded.

While I'd like to know more about the works and the composers behind them there is so much here to be enjoyed on a purely aesthetic level that I can't whine too much. If you have any interest, by all means pick up this bargain. You will be introduced to a number of great performers and works.

Average customer rating: What a steal! Good Early Sutherland Concert Fare sensational! Bravissima!

Joan Sutherland: BBC-Recitals 1958, 1960, 1961 Manufacturer: Bella Voce Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Arne | Arne, Thomas Augustin | ( A ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Delibes, Léo | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Franz Joseph Haydn | Haydn, Franz Joseph | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Liszt | Liszt, Franz | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Pergolesi | Pergolesi, Gio Battista | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Spohr | Spohr, Ludwig | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Sutherland, Dame Joan | ( S ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Cantatas | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Art of Joan Sutherland Joan Sutherland: Her Spectacular Pasadena Concert La Stupenda ~ The Supreme Voice of Joan Sutherland Joan Sutherland: Songs from Mozart, Bellini, Haydn, Handel, Donizetti Joan Sutherland: Greatest Hits ASIN: B00000DFGW Release Date: 1998-11-01

Tracks:

1. Also Hatt Gott Die Welt Geliebt BWV 68: My Faithful Heart - Joan Sutherland/Andre Navarra
2. Soirees Musicales No.IV: The Orgy - Joan Sutherland/Ernest Lush
3. The Loreley
4. Soirees Musicales No.I: The Promise
5. Soirees Musicales No.VII: The Gondola Ride
6. Soirees Musicales No.VI: The Alpine Shepherdess
7. Regret
8. Le Rossignol
9. Les Filles De Cadix
10. Speak
11. Tre Giorni Son Che Nina
12. Una Cosa Rara: Dolce Mi Parve Un Di
13. Il Fantastico Per La Musica: Che Dici
14. Samson: With Plaintive Note
15. When Daisies Died
16. My Mother Bids Me Bind My Hair
17. She Never Told Her Love
18. Zemira And Azor: Rose Softly Blooming
19. Cherry Ripe
20. Bergerette

Customer Reviews:

What a steal!.......2004-06-23

This recording of Sutherland's earliest records is absolutely brilliant!!! She soars through Arne and Handel as if it were the easiest music ever written. Whether you love Joan Sutherland, great singing or both: BUY THIS!

Good Early Sutherland Concert Fare.......2004-03-27

This CD is 67:52 in length and provides 20 songs and arias from three live BBC radio broadcasts, as follows: 2 from the Dec. 1958 broadcast, 8 from the Dec. 1960 broadcast, and 10 from the Dec. 1961 broadcast. None are well-known operatic arias; none have orchestral accompaniment; all but the first two are accompanied by her husband (and teacher/coach/conductor) Richard Bonynge at the keyboard. (The 1961 broadcast is devoted to eighteenth century music and is accompanied by Bonynge on harpsichord.)

The selections are relatively unconventional and unfamiliar--evidently a point with the concert choices made by Sutherland and Bonynge--which will be welcome and refreshing to many. As the notes point out, "This group is typical of the creative programs Sutherland and Bonynge would present for next 30 years. They created 15 different programs and appeared together 129 times in recital. . . . [They] loved to rediscover music and made a specialty of reintroducing the world to many forgotten bonbons, such as these." Dame Joan is in fresh, youthful voice (her international career began with her Covent Garden Lucia in 1959, and she was 32 to 35 when these recitals were broadcast) and sings handsomely throughout, often displaying an attractive mezzo-like fullness and warmth of tone. But Sutherland opera fans may be somewhat disappointed, not in the singing, but in the material here, which calls for little of the full-throated excitement, dazzling pyrotechnics, and brilliant high notes of her best opera recordings; this is more modest fare, and it is, appropriately, more modestly sung. The sound is decent, clean, eminently listenable monaural, no doubt from airchecks, but has this small annoyance: it is afflicted throughout with a residual level of pre-echo and post-echo that is clearly audible on a high-resolution playback system.

The indispensable Sutherland collections (apart from her complete opera recordings) are The Art of the Prima Donna (2 CDs, all 1960 recordings) and La Stupenda (2 CDs, recordings from 1959 to 1988); these should be owned by anyone interested in Sutherland, coloratura soprano singing, or simply great singing. This recital, while enjoyable, is certainly not of comparable importance. But if you are a Sutherland fan and would like to supplement her meatier operatic endeavors with engagingly sung concert fare from the early years of her international career, this is a good choice.

sensational!.......2000-08-10

this are sensational. what singing, what a voice. A MUST HAVE!

Bravissima!.......1998-11-30

Anyone who question Sutherland as the greatest coloratura soprano of all time should listen to this CD. She sings with complete control in all the arias. I think that Mozart had her in mind for the Constanza aria. Sutherland before 1975 as a dramatic coloratura soprano is simply without peer in this and any other century. A must have!

Average customer rating: If you like Mozart you should have this too.

Haydn - Arias & Cantatas / Auger · H&H · Hogwood Arleen Auger , Christopher Hogwood , Joseph Haydn , and Handel and Haydn Society Manufacturer: Avie ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Franz Joseph Haydn | Haydn, Franz Joseph | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music | Baroque | Classical | General | Modern & 20th Century | Romantic | Sinfonia | Sinfonia Concertante Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Cantatas | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Arleen Auger - Handel · Bach Arias / The Mostly Mozart Orchestra · Gerard Schwarz Arleen Augér Sings Bach Arleen Auger - Love Songs / Dalton Baldwin American Soprano Handel: Alcina - Arleen Auger, Delia Jones, John Tomlinson, Richard Hickox, City of London Baroque Sinfonia ASIN: B0007G8M70 Release Date: 2005-05-24

Product Description

''Although pure lyricism is obviously Miss Auger's strong point, there is more to her than that; she is a singing actress of some depth.'' -- The New York Times Avie proudly returns a classic recording to international availability: the late, legendary soprano Arleen Auger singing cantatas and arias by Haydn. Joining her are renowned conductor Christopher Hogwood and the orchestra of Boston's Handel and Haydn Society, the organisation that produced one of Avie's best-selling classical CDs last year, the a capella choral album Peace (AVI-39). This re-issue marks the first in a series that mines the best of the Handel and Haydn Society's back catalogue, making them available again to a public where there is clearly still considerable demand.

Customer Reviews:

If you like Mozart you should have this too........2007-01-21

Haydn had composed a few operas and oratorios. Many of them are seldom performed, or recorded, except The Creation. Though, I think people would agree with me that Haydn's vocal music did not have all the elements that were possessed in Mozart's opera arias and concert arias. However, the five selections in this CD, in my opinion, are pretty much up to the par. Just only one (the cantata in the third track) of which I felt it was too slow (to my taste). I am a fan of Arleen Auger; this disc is certainly a delightful addition to my collections of her discography. In case you don't know who was Arleen Auger (deceased, unfortunately), there was a full article about her in the OPERA NEWS (July 2006 issue). Better yet, get hold a CD called "Love Songs" and listen to it, you know what I meant.

Average customer rating: well-crafted music, but not a disc you'll return to Worthy music Helping to bring Salieri out of the shade Surprisingly delightful

Salieri: Overtures Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Salieri | Salieri, Antonio | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Salieri: The 2 Piano Concertos Salieri: Symphonies, Overtures Cecilia Bartoli - The Salieri Album Cannabich: Symphonies Nos. 59, 63, 64, 67, 68 Stamitz:Clarinet Concertos Vol. 2 ASIN: B00004SSJE Release Date: 2000-05-16

Tracks:

1. Il Talismano
2. Eraclito E Democrito
3. Cesare In Farmacusa
4. Il Ricco D'un Giorno
5. La Secchia Rapita
6. Axur, Re D'Ormus
7. Les Danaides
8. Don Chisciotte Alle Nozze Di Gamace
9. La Grotta Di Trofonio
10. Il Moro
11. Armida
12. L'Angiolina

Customer Reviews:

well-crafted music, but not a disc you'll return to.......2006-10-09

Milos Forman's film Amadeus has consigned Antonio Salieri forever to be thought of in direct comparison to Mozart, so let's get that out of the way first. I think it's fair to say that next to Mozart's opera overtures, these seem a bit one-dimensional; but only because they are Italianate, not because Salieri was the barely competent pretender that Amadeus portrays him to be. Salieri was a good composer, and his overtures are constructed very much like Verdi's overtures would be in the next century: the presentation of melodies is emphasized, and the more Germanic preoccupation with counterpoint and formal complexity is deemphasized. So again, if Salieri's music is simpler than Mozart's in this genre, that is mostly a matter of the Italianate style vis-a-vis the Germanic, and not of the inept craftsmanship with which the film so unfairly charges him.

Having granted Salieri credit where credit is due, however, it must also be recognized that these overtures are not the timeless masterpieces that Mozart's mature opera overtures so unfailingly are. After all, composers of the Classical era generally did not aspire to the production of timeless masterpieces: they thought of themselves not as Heroic Arists (a notion that didn't develop until well into the 19th century, with Beethoven as an early exception), but as craftsmen, much the way a chef or a carpenter thinks of himself today. Mozart in his day was very much the odd man out in making his own aesthetic ideals a higher priority than accessibility and immediate audience comprehension, and indeed his stubborness in this regard ultimately cost him permanent employment and a steady income, forcing him to get what work he could as a freelancer.

The first half of the album is hit-or-miss, some of the overtures actually being a bit weak. But there are a couple strong ones as well, and as the album progresses we hear consistently effective, dramatic music. There is a good deal of Sturm und Drang, minor-key pathos to much of it (Salieri was Beethoven's teacher, after all), and the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra plays the pieces ably.

In short, this disc is worth hearing for enthusiasts of Classicism, and for those interested in acquainting themselves with the actual, historical Salieri; but in the end these are only minor works from the period.

Worthy music.......2005-10-20

It is unfortunate that Antonio Salieri (1750 - 1825) is known now almost exclusively for being the nemesis of Mozart in the Peter Schaffer play and subsequent film 'Amadeus'. Salieri was certainly much more than the thwarted, second-rate composer. Perhaps he was not in Mozart's league so far as composition power goes (although the best of Salieri certainly stands up as worthy in comparison with many of the major composers of his time), but he was a respected composer in his own time, and perhaps more than for his composition, he was respected as a teacher and court musician. Salieri counts among his pupils Beethoven, Schubert, Liszt and even Mozart's second son.

His operas tended to follow a particularly popular formula, with dramatic flairs and stories easily accessible to the people. He drew inspiration from historical works, from mythological and fictional works, as well as works of popular circulation. Salieri even used some libretti from Lorenzo de Ponte, perhaps better known now as a librettist for Mozart.

This disc includes overtures of twelve operas (Salieri wrote nearly 50 operas, several of which were not premiered until the 1990s). They include pieces from his dramatic operas as well as his comic operas. The power in these is certainly evident. Perhaps the best of the lot is 'Cesare in Farmacusa (Tempesta di Mare)' and 'Axur, Re d'Ormus', an opera also involving de Ponte, and reworked from an earlier attempt to do a French opera into an Italian one.

It is a mistake (reinforced by 'Amadeus') to classify Salieri as an Italian composer - he lived most of his life in Vienna, and was criticised by the Empress at one point for being too much of a German composer. Salieri's works such as 'Don Chisciotte alle nozze di Gamace', the overture of which is included here, certainly shows his strength in writing toward the German.

This disc is a fun disc to listen to. There is nothing earth-shattering or new here, but these pieces are good compositions, and the performances by the Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava), under the direction of Michael Dittrich, is exemplary. This is one of those often-overlooked Eastern European orchestras that has incredible performance ability; they have had international touring experience as well as a number of recordings for Naxos, who is to be praised for bringing less popular music to the general public in an affordable way.

Helping to bring Salieri out of the shade.......2002-04-30

I have read with interest the preceding reviews of this CD, and they seem to alternate between declaring Salieri an unacknowledged genius and totally worthless! (The Gramophone review, by the way, fell more into the latter category.) The truth lies somewhere in between. He is certainly no Mozart, but nonetheless he did write some very beautiful music which is surely worth hearing.

Like a previous reviwer, I was particularly impressed by "Cesare in Farmacusa" (1800), an overture in the "tempesta di mare" ("storm at sea") style, which has an incision and power that look ahead to Beethoven's thunderstorm music from the "Pastoral", and by "Ricco d'un giorno" (1784), a spirited and lively piece which is probably the most "Mozartian" item on the disc. There are some interesting moments in the other pieces, including "Les Danaides" (1784), which resonates with Gluck and even seems to look ahead to the Commendatore music in Mozart's "Don Giovanni". Worthy of note as well is the festive overture to "L'Angiolina" (1800), which is a setting of Ben Jonson's "The Silent Woman", which incidentally also inspired Donizetti's "Don Pasquale" and Strauss' "Die Schweigsame Frau".

All in all, a very nice disc which helps to bring Salieri out of the shade and is certainly worth exploring for anyone interested in the music of the late Classical and early Romantic periods.

...

Surprisingly delightful.......2000-05-17

Poor Salieri! After the job done on him in "Amadeus," one expects from his music nothing more than well-wrought pieces with no touches of genius whatsoever. Well, balderdash to that prejudice, as is demonstrated by the Naxos release of a dozen of his (8.554838). Here, try this at a party. Without identifying composer or piece, play a few minutes of each cut and see if your audience can identify the former. I think I personally would have guessed at Haydn or Telemann on several of them. After all, this was the man who gave instruction to Schubert and Beethoven at one time or another and was certainly praised in his time by those who did know better.

But all this background aside, you will certainly enjoy these classical and sometimes early Romantic overtures to operas that no one will ever again perform for several reasons. The Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava) under Michael Dittrich makes a good case for the composer, and the lighter and more serious of the overtures are nicely arranged to avoid repetition. Very nicely done in all respects.

Average customer rating:

Nicolò Paganini: Guitar Works - Frédéric Zigante Nicolò Paganini , and Frederic Zigante Manufacturer: Arts Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Paganini, Niccolò | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Guitar | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Paganini: Guitar Music, Vol. 2 Paganini: Guitar Music, Vol. 3 Paganini: Guitar Music, Vol. 4 Paganini: Centone de Sonate Vol. 1 Paganini: Centone di Sonate, Vol. 2 ASIN: B000005AOM Release Date: 1997-01-14

Tracks:

1. Sonata No. 1 in A: Minuetto, Andandinto
2. Sonata No. 1 in A: Minuetto, Andandinto
3. Sonata No. 2 in A: Minuetto, Allegretto ossia Rondoncino
4. Sonata No. 2 in A: Minuetto, Allegretto ossia Rondoncino
5. Sonata No. 3 in C: Minuetto, Valtz
6. Sonata No. 3 in C: Minuetto, Valtz
7. Sonata No. 4 in D: Minuetto, Rondoncino
8. Sonata No. 4 in D: Minuetto, Rondoncino
9. Sonata No. 5 in G: Minuetto, Andatino
10. Sonata No. 5 in G: Minuetto, Andatino
11. Sonata No. 6 in F: Minuetto, Andatino
12. Sonata No. 6 in F: Minuetto, Andatino
13. Sonata No. 7 in F: Minuetto, Andatino
14. Sonata No. 7 in F: Minuetto, Andatino
15. Sonata No. 8 in G: Minuetto, Allegretto scherzando
16. Sonata No. 8 in G: Minuetto, Allegretto scherzando
17. Sonata No. 9 in C: Minuetto, Valtz
18. Sonata No. 9 in C: Minuetto, Valtz
19. Sonata No. 10 in D: Minuetto
20. Sonata No. 10 in D: Minuetto
21. Sonata No. 11 in A: Minuetto
22. Sonata No. 12 in A: Minuetto, Allegretto
23. Sonata No. 12 in A: Minuetto, Allegretto
24. Sonata No. 13 in C: Minuetto, Andantino
25. Sonata No. 13 in C: Minuetto, Andantino
26. Sonata No. 14 in F: Minuetto, Valtz (Allegretto)
27. Sonata No. 14 in F: Minuetto, Valtz (Allegretto)
28. Sonata No. 15 in C: Minuetto, Perligordino (Alllegretto)
29. Sonata No. 15 in C: Minuetto, Perligordino (Alllegretto)
30. Sonata No. 16 in E: Minuetto, Allegretto
31. Sonata No. 16 in E: Minuetto, Allegretto

Album Review:

1. Pathaan's Universal Sunset [Import]
2. People Hold On: The Best of Coldcut [Import]
3. Pop Muzik [CD-single] [Import]
4. Popkiller [Limited Edition]
5. Positive Ways 4 [Import]
6. Psyche Out [Import]
7. Push the Limits [CD-single] [Import]
8. R & B Dance Mix [Import]
9. Ready for the Victory [CD-single] [Enhanced] [Import]
10. Reconstructed Artifacts

Album Review

album review

Album Review

Gotta Let You Go [CD-single] [Import]

Medieval English Music

Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition and Rachmaninoff Piano Works

Music: Collection d'Or

Puzzle

Oceans of Time

Over Yonder: Recorded Live in Atlanta, GA [Live]

Sing Pt. 2

Medicine Show

Marca Mi Numero

Makes Me Wanna Die Pt.2 [CD-single]

Peu Importe [Import]

Multila

Last Sessions

Siesta (1987 Film)