| 1. Forever Today |
| 2. Love Comes Again |
| 3. Traffic |
| 4. Sweet Misery |
| 5. Nyana |
| 6. Ur |
| 7. Walking On Clouds |
| 8. Tears In The Open |
| 9. Just Be |
| 10. Adagio For Strings |
| 11. Traffic |
| 12. Love Comes Again |
| 13. Obsession |
Just Be,DJ Tiësto,Avex Trax Japan,Dance,Dance Music,Electronic,Pop,Progressive Trance,Trance
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The Lion King: Special Edition
Manufacturer: Disney ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0000CABJ2 Release Date: 2003-09-30 |
Tracks:
- Circle Of Life - Carmen Twillie
- I Just Can't Wait To Be King - Rowan Atkinson
- Be Prepared - Cheech Marin
- Hakuna Matata - Ernie Sabella
- Can You Feel The Love Tonight - Ernie Sabella
- The Morning Report - Jef Bennett
- This Land - Hans Zimmer
- To Die For - Hans Zimmer
- Under The Stars (Instrumental) - Hans Zimmer
- King Of Pride Rock - Hans Zimmer
- Circle Of Life - Elton John
- I Just Can't Wait To Be King - Elton John
- Can You Feel The Love Tonight - Elton John
- Can You Feel The Love Tonight (Remix) - Elton John
Amazon.com
Elton John doesn't seem like a natural choice to write for a Disney musical, but he rose to the task on The Lion King, transcending his usual penchant for the softest of soft rock. Sir Elton's collaboration with Tim Rice (former writing partner of Andrew Lloyd Webber) helps connect the soundtrack to the theatrical lineage of all Disney musicals--so much so that, like Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King was eventually adapted for Broadway. Undistinguished songs like "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?" are far outnumbered by stirring, stately tunes that lent the film so much of its sense of pageant and play. --John SanchezCustomer Reviews:
fun but flawed.......2007-05-07
first off there's hans zimmer's score. his score is both powerful and moving. it brilliantly incorperates elements of local african music (provided and arranged by lebo m) these elements give it a great feeling of belonging not only to the film but to it's setting. without these tribal elements the score would have been far less compeling. one small problem is when the score abandons these elementsl; they're not carried through in all of the music. but its not enough to be a real distraction. the power of the score allows the listener to feel the wildabeast charging or smell the rain falling during the monsoon or experience the brilliance of the circle of life.
SCORE 5 out of 5
the songs had music by elton john and lyrics by tim rice. the following is a song-by-song breakdown.
THE CIRCLE OF LIFE - this is a great opening number with powerful vocals provided by carmen twillie and impressive african-inspired vocals in the beggining by lebo m. with the actual film, this is not only a moving but inspiring piece of cinema. even without, this is a great song that still gives me goose-bumps. this definately warranted its oscar nomination
5 out of 5
I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO BE KING - this is a really fun song by simba and nala along with zazu. its infectious beat and lyrics definately leave u humming. this may not be the most memorable song, but it definately captures the youth and innocence of simba at this point
5 out of 5
BE PREPARED - this is scar's big number so to speak. it features the hyenas in a very dark yet memorable song. the rhaspy vocals and wonderful musical arrangements make this a great piece that is both eery and impressive.
5 out of 5
HAKUNA MATATA - this is the second oscar nominated song, and although its fun buddy type number, it does get old and doesnt really age as well as the rest. this is honostly one of the weakest songs, believe it or not, its good but just cant really hold up to the other stronger pieces.
4 out of 5
CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT - here it is, 1994's oscar winner for best original song. honostly i feel that the circle of life deserved that award, but here's the song that got it. the film's version is very romantic, especially for featuring a couple of lions, timon and pumba's parts are funny, but it is simba and nala's portion that takes it home. btw elton john's version at the end is a definate winner.
5 out of 5
SONGS OVERALL - 5 out of 5
so if the score gets 5 and the songs get 5, why does the album only get 4? the answer's pretty simple. for the first time since 1989 with the little mermaid, two composers helped on this film. one provided the film's score and one provided the music for the songs. because two composers worked on this, it feels a little incohesive at times. this isn't really noticible within the film but on the soundtrack it definately stands out. elton john and hans zimmer both did a great job and the only really saving factor are the african rhythms that they both used. although this is a great soundtrack, that lack of unity does bring it down.
despite that minor flaw, this is a must-own for any disney fan or music fan in general. this is a great soundtrack that ranks right up there with beauty and the beast and must never be forgotten.
Simply Perfect.......2007-04-09
Great Album!.......2007-03-31
Wonderful, if only for the instrumentals.......2007-02-14
Wonderful Soundtrack.......2006-11-16
The "extras" for this Special Edition include a mild and unnecessary remix of "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" and "The Morning Report," which is included on the Special Edition DVD release. Neither add to the collection, but it is nice to have "The Morning Report" on the disc.
Overall, this is one of Disney's strongest soundtracks. In my personal list, I rank it in second place behind Phil Collins' wonderfully tribal "Tarzan" soundtrack. If you don't already have the "Lion King" soundtrack, I highly suggest that you purchase this special edition copy if you are a true fan of the film or of Disney soundtracks in general.
Highly recommended.
Average customer rating:
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Let Yourself Go
Kristin Chenoweth , Jule Styne , George Gershwin , Richard Rodgers , Jeanine Tesori , Kurt Weill , Jerome Kern , Vincent Youmans , Ricky Ian Gordon , Richard Dworsky , Lawrence Ellington Duke / Brown , Harry Warren , Bobby Troup , Jason Alexander , Irving Berlin , Rob Fisher , and The Coffee Club Orchestra Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000059T4T Release Date: 2001-05-29 |
Tracks:
- Let Yourself Go
- If
- How Long Has This Been Going On?
- My Funny Valentine
- Hanging Around with You (with Jason Alexander)
- The Girl in 14G
- I'll Tell the Man in the Street
- I'm a Stranger Here Myself
- Nobody Else But Me
- Nobody's Heart Belongs to Me/Why Can't I?
- Should I Be Sweet?
- He's Just an Ordinary Guy
- Going to the Dance with You
- On a Turquoise Cloud
- You'll Never Know
- Daddy
Amazon.com
Kristin Chenoweth won a Tony for the supporting role of Sally Brown in the 1999 revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, made a memorably vampy Lily in the 1999 television film of Annie, and had an NBC sitcom created for her, Kristin! Now she grabs the spotlight in Let Yourself Go, her first solo recording. She mixes torchy standards ("My Funny Valentine," "How Long Has This Been Going On?") with Faith Prince-style sauciness ("If"), gets to show off her operatic and scat chops in the miniplay "The Girl in 14G," and shares a light duet with Jason Alexander (reviving his musical theater career post-Seinfeld). Perhaps her "Stranger Here Myself" isn't the weightiest you've ever heard, but this is an enjoyable album with a good deal of old-fashioned class, expertly accompanied by Rob Fisher and the Coffee Club Orchestra. --David HoriuchiCustomer Reviews:
One of the best ever!.......2007-04-24
Kristen Chenowith.......2007-02-26
Has its moments.......2007-02-19
Great CD!.......2007-01-19
As with any full-length CD, there are a couple of songs I am not as crazy about, but that has to do with the songs themselves, not Ms. Chenoweth's vocal performance. Overall, I love this album and have listened to it several times now, since receiving it as a Christmas gift last month.
This woman has what it takes, and then some..........2007-01-12
Average customer rating:
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Working (Original 1978 Broadway Cast)
Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00005LZSR Release Date: 2001-07-10 |
Tracks:
- All The Livelong Day (Schwartz)
- Lovin' Al (Grant)
- The Mason (Carnelia)
- Neat to Be a Newsboy (Schwarz)
- Nobody Tells Me How (Rodgers-Birkenhead)
- Un mejor Dia Vendra (Taylor-Daniele-Landers)
- Just A Housewife (Carnelia)
- Millwork (Taylor)
- If I Could've Been (Grant)
- Joe (Carnelia)
- It's an Art (Schwartz)
- Brother Trucker (Taylor)
- Fathers & Sons (Schwartz)
- Cleanin' Women (Grant)
- Something to Point To (Carnelia)
- I'm Just Movin' (Schwartz) (from the L.A. Theatre Works complete recording of the 1999 revised version)
- Hots Michael at the Piano (Carnelia) (previously unreleased demo recording performed by the composer)
- The Mason (Carnelia) (previously unreleased demo recording performed by the composer)
- Joe (Carnelia) (previously unreleased demo recording performed by the composer)
- Lovin' Al (Grant) (previously unreleased demo recording performed by the composer)
- Fathers & Sons (Schwartz) (performed by the composer)
Amazon.com
The original 1978 Broadway cast recording of Stephen Schwartz's Working has long been awaited on CD, and this great-sounding 2001 release proves it was worth the wait. Surely one of the more unlikely sources for a musical was Studs Terkel's 1972 book that compiled interviews of American working people discussing their jobs and what they liked and disliked about them. Schwartz transformed these interviews into a series of songs written by himself, Craig Carnelia, Mary Rodgers and Susan Birkenhead, Micki Grant, and pop singer James Taylor, and accordingly the variety of songs is as great as the variety of the workers featured. There's the lyric beauty of "The Mason," the rueful "Just a Housewife," the retiree's wry "Joe," the waitress's lilting "It's an Art," Taylor's pop-country "Brother Trucker," and the powerful emotion of "Fathers and Sons," realized by a compelling cast that features David Patrick Kelly, Joe Mantegna, Bob Gunton, and Lynne Thigpen, among others.Six bonus tracks include a new version of the grocery checker song written for the 1999 L.A. Theatreworks production, Carnelia and Grant performing their own songs (unfortunately, Grant's track comes from a poor-quality audio source), and Schwartz's moving performance of "Fathers and Sons" from 1999's The Stephen Schwartz Album. Also welcome are 2001 notes from Schwartz paired with 1978 notes from Terkel, and a detailed listing of the composers and performers of each song. Working was filmed for American Playhouse in 1982. --David Horiuchi
Customer Reviews:
An underrated musical.......2006-03-16
I saw this show done by my high school years ago, so maybe it holds a bit of nostalgia for me, but it is definitely worth checking out.
Wonderful Lesser Known Gem.......2005-12-26
Keep Working!!!.......2004-06-12
What makes Working so special is that anyone can relate to the lyrics, they are powerful, beautiful, touching, and extremely real. Anyone who has ever worked a day in their life will feel the lyrics hit close to home. Whether you're a housewife, a valet parker, a fireman, a millworker, a teacher, a cleaning woman, or even a hooker, this musical has a place for you, no matter what job you do.The emotion, sincerity, and love expressed in the songs are amazing, and they are all extremely unique and a pure joy to listen to.
All the songs are fantastic but the stand-outs have to be "All the Live Long Day," "Just a Housewife," "If I Could've Been," "It's An Art," "Father's and Sons," "Cleaning Women," and "Something to Point to." I also have a soft spot for "Brother Trucker" and "I'm Just Movin" from the 1999 revival, which I am so grateful is included in this CD. This is a terrific, feel-great album everyone should listen to. Give Working a chance, it's worth it.
a good, if obscure CD.......2003-09-26
off the beaten path.......2003-07-10
Average customer rating:
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Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00006O0NT Release Date: 2002-12-03 |
Tracks:
- Overture To 'Tannhauser'
- Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
- We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
- Hungarian Dance No.7
- The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
- Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
- But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
- The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
- The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
- Csardas Music
- The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
- The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
- Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
- The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
- Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
- Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
- The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
- Tzigane
- Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
- Caprice No.24
- The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
- Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
- Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
- Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
- Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
- The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
- The Violin Muted
- Clair De Lune
- The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
- Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
- The Pizzicato Violin
- Pizzicato Polka
- In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
- Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
- Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
- The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
- The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
- Hungarian Dance No.4
- Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
- The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
- Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
- Bolero
- Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
- Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
- Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
- Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
- Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
- Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
- And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
- Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
- The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
- Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
- The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
- Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
- Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
- The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
- Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
- Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
- Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
- The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
- Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
- Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
- Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
- Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
- Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
- To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
- Elfenreigen
Tracks:
- Introduction To The Viola
- Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
- Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
- Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
- Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
- Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
- The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
- Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
- The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
- Cypresses (No.9)
- The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
- Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
- The 'Period' Viola In Bach
- Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
- The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
- Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
- Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
- Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
- Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
- Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
- In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
- Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
- But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
- Elfentanz, Op.39
- Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
- The Protecting Veil (Opening)
- A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
- Flamenco
- Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
- Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
- It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
- Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
- It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
- Symphony No.9 (Finale)
- Introduction To The Double-Bass
- The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
- But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
- Elegy No.1 In D Major
- The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
- Capriccio Di Bravura
- Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
- The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
- Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds
Tracks:
- The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
- Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
- The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
- Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
- The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
- Sa'Dawi
- Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
- Chamber Music No.II
- The Piccolo - Aptly Named
- La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
- From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
- Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
- A Variety Of Techniques
- Chamber Music No.II
- Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
- The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
- From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
- Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
- An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
- Naelden, Naelden
- The Bachian Oboe
- Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
- Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
- Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
- The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
- The Swan Of Tuonela
- The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
- Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
- Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
- Bolero
- The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
- Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
- As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
- Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
- The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
- The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
- The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
- ...And Quite Low.
- Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
- The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
- Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
- But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
- Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
- Introduction To The Saxophone
- Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
- The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
- L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
- The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
- Bolero
- The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
- Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
- The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
- Sax-O-Phun
- The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
- Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
- The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
- Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
- Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
- And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
- Bolero
- The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
- Symphony No.3 (Opening)
- The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
- The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
- Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
- The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
- The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
- Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
- The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
- Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
- The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
- Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
- Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
- The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
- Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)
Tracks:
- The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
- Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
- The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
- Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
- The Ceremonial Trumpet
- Fanfare For The Common Man
- Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
- Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
- The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
- Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
- The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
- Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
- The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
- Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
- The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
- Billy The Kid
- The Trumpet As Character Actor
- Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
- The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
- Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
- The Birth Of The Trombone
- Aenmerckt Nu Hier
- The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
- Canzon 12 In Double Echo
- The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
- Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
- The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
- Hosannah
- The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
- Symphony No.5 (Finale)
- The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
- The Trombone As Caricaturist
- Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
- The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
- The Horn And The Hunt
- Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
- The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
- Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
- The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
- Walter Music (Minuet 1)
- The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
- Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
- Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
- The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
- Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
- The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
- Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
- The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
- Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
- The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
- Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)
Tracks:
- Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
- Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
- At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
- Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
- Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
- Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
- The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
- The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
- Den Hoboecken Dans
- Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
- Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
- No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
- Gymnopedie No.2
- The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
- Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
- More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
- Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
- Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
- Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
- A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
- Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
- The Birth Of The Bongo
- Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
- From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
- Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
- From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
- Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
- Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
- But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
- Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
- Taking Advantage Of Tunability
- Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
- The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
- Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
- Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
- The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
- Ravel And The Xylophone
- Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
- Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
- Introducing The Vibraphone
- The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
- The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
- Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
- Folk Dances
- The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
- Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
- Introducing The Tubular Bells
- Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
- A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
- Carmen Suite (Introduction)
- But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
- Introducing The Celeste
- The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
- Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
- Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
- Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
- A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
- The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
- Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
- The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
- Petrushka (Russian Dance)
- The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
- Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)
Tracks:
- Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
- Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
- But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
- Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
- The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
- An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
- Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
- Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
- Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
- Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
- Mahler's Sleighbells
- Symphony No.4 (Opening)
- A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
- Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
- Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
- Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
- National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
- And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
- And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
- The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
- The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
- The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
- The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
- The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
- The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
- The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
- The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
- There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
- The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
- Nocturnes
- Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
- The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
- The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
- The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
- The Oboe As Duck
- Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
- The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
- The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
- The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
- Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
- Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
- Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
- Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
- The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
- A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
- Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
- A Thunderstorm In A Million
- Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
- the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
- The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
- Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
- The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)
Tracks:
- The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
- Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
- A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
- Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
- Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
- String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
- The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
- String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
- The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
- String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
- The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
- String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
- The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
- String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
- The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
- Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
- Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
- String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
- The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
- Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
- Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
- In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
- In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
- In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
- Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
- And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
- The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
- Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
- A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
- Octet In F (Mvt 3)
- The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
- Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
- Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
- Canzon 28
- Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
- Symphony No.5 (Finale)
- From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
- Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
- Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
- The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
- Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
- When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
- Images (Gigues)
- A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
- Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
- The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
- Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
- Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
- Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
- A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')
Customer Reviews:
Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04
Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12
Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20
Frank's view.......2006-08-19
Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08
The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!
I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.
The one complaint I have is the last CD. This deals with the orchestra. I wanted more of a tour of how the orchestra has been used through history up to the present. Instead, it was a tour of how different groups of instruments sound. I thought it could have been better. The other 6 CDs are excellent.
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Just Be
DJ Tiësto Manufacturer: Nettwerk Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00022XO9U Release Date: 2004-06-01 |
Tracks:
- Forever Today
- Love Comes Again (featuring BT)
- Traffic
- Sweet Misery
- Nyana
- UR
- Walking on Clouds
- A Tear In The Open
- Just Be
- Adagio For Strings
Amazon.com
Tiesto, one of the world's most popular DJs, tries to broaden the playing field with his second artist record Just Be. Mostly self-written (except for the BT collaboration "Love Comes Again" and a remix of Samuel Barber's "Adagio For Strings"), his disc goes for transcendence right from the start with an earnest, uplifting string arrangement on "Forever Today." He keeps reaching, alternating dense-but-danceable new material with a few recent remixes ("Nyana" and "Traffic"), and vocalist Kirsty Hawkshaw provides a blissful vocal on the soaring "Walking On Clouds." Yet dance floor Nirvana stays well out of range. By focusing so heavily on trying to evolve, Tiesto neglects his bread and butter: the build. Live, crowds froth at the mouth for his next beat to drop, and while that hot energy is not necessarily the goal here (check 2003's mix record Nyana for that), a better flow would help this record considerably. Though offering ready-to-remix parts, the whole of Just Be is too impatient to sound deep and forgets to let the peaks come naturally. --Matthew CookeCustomer Reviews:
IF YOU LIKE TO LANGUISH IN PAIN, BUY THIS!!.......2007-06-14
Just Be by DJ Tiësto.......2007-01-11
"Just Be"? "Just Be Quiet" more like........2006-10-09
What on earth is he going to do when the supply of inane, pastel-coloured eurovomit dance music runs out?
When I think about the number of times I've heard him touted as "World's Number One Best Voted DJ" or "DJ Mag Top 100 Finalist", you'd start to think that the man can actually mix records, when in fact rather than mix them, he tends to grind them together roughly into a nightmarish aural paste then reconfigure them violently in new, unusual and horrendously nauseating forms. I can absolutely confirm this. I have had the startling and displeasing experience of witnessing it live.
The sad truth of the matter is, that there are any number of drug-addicted fluoro-pants-wearing 16 year old ravers out there, and all are quite willing to buy boring rubbish like this. Or at least all are prepared to ask their mum and dad to buy it for them for xmas.
I sign off in disgust.
Just Be from DJ Tiesto.......2006-08-22
BEST OF THE BEST!!!.......2006-07-17
Top 5
Love Comes Again 5/5 (I can hear this over and over again!!!)
Traffic 5/5 (Just Fantastic!!!)
Just Be 5/5 (Awesome lyrics!!!)
Forever Today 5/5 (I illegally used this music for my movie)
UR 5/5 (That Rob Dougan kind of feels to it, Lovely)
Adagio For Strings (heard it many times so... but for those first timers... very good!!!)
I can't wait for his next move... I prefer his composing skills than mixing skills...
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! If you can, try to get the Asian import 2 disc set CD, I got it for $25 and it's darn good!!!!!!
Average customer rating:
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Prelude: The Best of Charlotte Church
Charlotte Church Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00006LFGG Release Date: 2002-11-26 |
Tracks:
- Pie Jesu from Requiem
- My Lagan Love
- In Trutina (from Carmina Burana)
- Panis Angelicus
- Amazing Grace
- Just Wave Hello
- La Pastorella (The Little Shepherdess)
- She Moved Through The Fair
- Ave Maria
- Dream A Dream (w/ Billy Gilman)
- The Flower Duet
- Haba
- The Prayer (w/ Josh Groban)
- All Love Can Be
- It's The Heart That Matters Most
- Tantum Ergo
- Bridge Over Troubled Water
- Sancta Maria
Amazon.com
Need more evidence of the record industry's obsession with youth? Consider that budding Welsh diva Charlotte Church was a ripe, old 16 when this, her first greatest-hits anthology was released. Spanning her first four releases, as well as some outside collaborations and unreleased material, this 18-track collection underscores the soprano's seemingly boundless potential--as well as some potential career obstacles ahead. Her crystalline, still-maturing voice is best showcased on classically oriented works like Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Pie Jesu," Franck's "Panis Angelicus," and her now-ubiquitous rendering of Delibes' "Flower Duet." She also excels on folk traditionals such as "She Moved Through the Fair" and "My Langan Love." But overwrought productions like the already-dated "Dream a Dream" and "Habanera," a faux-flamenco take on Bizet, nearly get the best of her. Still, her promising duet with fellow young phenom Josh Groban on "The Prayer" and her mature, dreamy reading of A Beautiful Mind's "All Love Can Be," as well as strong performances on the previously unreleased "It's the Heart That Matters Most" and "Bridge over Troubled Waters," are ample evidence of her potential for rewarding pop crossover--if she doesn't retire by 21. --Jerry McCulleyCustomer Reviews:
A Beautiful, Relaxing Project.......2007-06-15
I love her rendition of "Amazing Grace". She also did good on covering "Bridge Over Troubled Water", though I was disappointed she didn't try the high note on the verses as Garfunkel did. My favorite on the project was "It's the Heart That Matters Most".
If I want some beautiful sounding music to relax to while I'm working, this would be a very good project for that.
It just cannot be the end for Charlotte's classical career! :(.......2006-08-20
Her beginning pieces (Pie Jesu, My Lagan Love, In Trutina, Panis Angelicus, and Amazing Grace) were sung at the beginning of her classical career, and you can hear her flat vowels and shaky low notes. You can also hear it in "She Moved Thru the Fair". It's really annoying!
La Pastorella is a beautiful song to sing, and Church masters it beautifully! Just Wave Hello - the Ford Anthem, is also a beautiful piece, with amazing work from the orchestra.
Ave Maria is a complete annoyance! Church lays on the high notes too much, putting too much emphasis on them, and it's an annoyance! Her vowels are also flat on the high notes - I just hate it!
Dream a Dream is a very nice piece, leaning more towards the pop scene. Church still seems to make it work, and I would listen to it all day!
The Flower Duet is a beautiful song, but Church's vocals are strained, which makes it hard to listen to with a smile on your face! It's still beautiful!
The Prayer (w/ Josh Groban) is a very nice piece, originally sung by Celine Dion. She's still a little bit flat here!
All That Love can Be is sung beautifully, completely smooth and connected. The vocals are flawless and have a mezmerizing effect.
It's the Heart that Knows is a pop piece that Church sings with strong vocals. It's just showing us that she's ending her career as a classical superstar!
Tantum Ergo, Bridge Over Troubled Water, and Sancta Maria, are all beautiful pieces!
I am a Charlotte Chruch fan, no doubt, but I really didn't like this album! I still wish that she would stay with opera, but I guess dreams don't come true! I wouldn't advise you to buy this CD - but as long as you have Voice of an Angel, Charlotte Church (the Self Titled Album) and Enchantment, there's no need for this CD!
Sorry Charlotte!
Charlotte Church.......2006-07-29
Somewhat decent but still mediocre.......2006-06-07
Charlotte's voice is very well trained - maybe too trained. From a very young age she's been hitting the same notes as Sarah Brightman. But I feel that Charlotte's over-worked and not to mention overdone voice has been declining tremendously.
But I guess none of this really matters now because I haven't heard her do anything classical for a while. If you want to listen to Charlotte now, go find the song 'Crazy Chick.'
If you want to listen to other angel voiced sopranos, I'd go with Sarah Brightman or Renee' Fleming.
R&B For Charlotte .......2006-05-07
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Let There Be Morning
The Perishers Manufacturer: Nettwerk Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0007X9UBK Release Date: 2005-04-12 |
Tracks:
- Weekends
- Sway
- A Reminder
- My Heart
- Nothing Like You and I
- Trouble Sleeping
- Still Here
- Going Out
- Pills
- Let There Be Morning
Amazon.com
What's this? A Swedish band that doesn't sound like it was born in a garage? In 2005, the only thing more rare would be a CD copy of Neil Young's Time Fades Away -- one that would certainly find a place in the hearts of the Perishers, not so much for its volume but its profound sense of darkness. On their debut album, the young Scandinavian band sounds like a cross between Keane and Athlete, offering somber songs punctuated with tumbling pianos, melodramatic lyrics and an unmistakable earnestness that only comes from either being a member of Coldplay or living somewhere that doesn't get enough sunshine. "I've always been dreamer," sings Ola Kluft, "I've had my head among the clouds." --Aidin VaziriAlbum Description
Slow down. And get lost in the world of The Perishers. The Swedish band's American debut, "Let There Be Morning," is a blend of emotional wandering, poetic insight and stark, yet inspirational surroundings. Their new album is due out in April 2005.Customer Reviews:
Hypnotic.......2006-08-21
The best cd I've heard in a long time!!.......2006-04-23
Am I weird?.......2006-04-21
stunner.......2005-10-31
Best new music around.......2005-08-31
Average customer rating:
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Let's Just Be
Joseph Arthur Manufacturer: Lonely Astronaut ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000O590A2 Release Date: 2007-05-15 |
Tracks:
- Diamond Ring
- Good Life
- Precious One
- Spacemen
- Take Me Home
- Chicago
- Cockteeze
- Lonely Astronaut
- Cocaine Feet
- Let's Just Be
- Shake It Off
- Lack A Vision
- Gimme Some Company
- I Will Carry You
- Yer The Reason
- Star Song
Amazon.com
It's hard to resist the urge to rock out once in awhile. Let's Just Be is proof that even the most smooth-voiced and pop-minded singer-songsters must get their ya-yas out now and again. On some songs, Arthur conjures the early '70s spirit of Mick Jagger while on others he seems to be shooting for Marc Bolan. His most ragged-sounding and strictly rock and roll album to date, the record has a very loosely hewn feel which reaches an apex during the 20 minute (plus) "Lonely Astronaut." That song starts out as a pleasant enough country warble then mutates into a sloppy rave-up before dissolving into a bizarre mantra of the word "I" chanted atop an acoustic guitar and what sounds like a cement mixer, before slipping back into the warble bit. This disc is charming in its own way, and clearly was a blast for all involved--but a tad more editing might have been nice. --Mike McGonigalCustomer Reviews:
BEST NEW ARTIST IN AMERICA..........2007-06-09
While "Let's Just Be" is not as painstakingly produced as his other offerings, it is just as musical, moving, and exciting as his other work. This is an artist who excels at writing music that "sounds good." He rarely, if ever, gives himself a break when it comes to practicing his craft. I sense that he searches his talented soul for the "right sound" at every juncture. No cliches here. No music that takes you down a tired, boring road. There is nothing more frustrating for a music lover than listening to formulaic music--the kind so full of overused hooks, for example, that one can anticipate the next few bars and predict their construction on the first listen. Joe excels at creating music that is interesting and exciting, and always new. A pleasant irony given his masterful emulation of great songwriters that have gone before him. He does Neil Young better than Neil Young can, and so on. I get the impression he would not release a "Neil Young-ish" tune if this were not the case.
And so it goes with the creations on this CD--he does Mick Jagger better than Mick Jagger, in my opinion. I think after listening you would agree that he at least takes the material down new and wonderful pathways not considered by the artists that influence him. I think this is because Joe is not really trying to emulate anyone at all. He is most definitely Joseph Arthur, and uniqely so, when it comes to writing and performing his music. What I believe is happening here is something much more profound. This is about a man who is especially gifted in his generation; a man who hears the song first, both lyrics and melody and all else that makes up a song. Then he writes it down. And as any songwriter worth their salt will tell you, skilfully and sensitively hearing the song is the key. Such a songwriter is rare indeed. I believe the music he writes delights and amazes him as well as his fans, in the sense that he might wonder how on earth he was able to give birth to such work.
I am a songwriter myself, and I have been influenced and encouraged in a huge way by this artist. He has motivated me to listen and compose what I hear in the same way. In a frame of total honesty, humility and passion for one's craft. To listen for and create that combination of lyric and melody, over the right rhythm, that is the best possible combination for that particular piece. This is what makes great music.
One last thing. Some argue that Joe's latest rendering here is perhaps too naked, as though it needs to be fully dressed because some of the clothing his music wore on earlier CDs is missing on "Lets Just be." Certainly, the detailed paint strokes we found so beautiful and pleasing before are not present here. But as a well-repected producer wrote in an article I read just yesterday in one of the trade mags, simpler is often better. It is at least just as legitimate if it fits. And when an artist as adept at adding lush details as Joseph Arthur is decides for a certain work to abstain from this, we should assume its because adding more would ruin it. There are few things more difficult than excercising the discipline necessary to say "Enough" when laying down tracks in the studio. Especially these days, when artists, engineers and producers ahve so many tools and fantastic resources at their immediate disposal. I think Joe played it right on "Lets Just Be." Relax and enjoy a true master craftsman's work. Buy the CD before the price goes any higher!
Other reviewers are wrong- sorry! 3.75 Stars.......2007-05-25
absolute rubbish.......2007-05-23
Sloppy seconds.......2007-05-22
Not What We Want.......2007-05-18
Now, on to Let's Just Be.
Let's Just Be is Joseph's follow up to last years lukewarm Nuclear Daydream, and his first release on his Lonely Astronaut label. Similar to John Lennon's / Yoko Ono's Wedding Album, Unfinished Music etc. - Let's Just Be seems like an expression of all the crap that the labels wouldn't release on one of his previous releases. Overall, the album has a very Rock N Roll production. Any fans expecting anything similar to his previous releases might as well give in to disappointment immediately.
The opening track, "Diamond Ring" might as well be a discarded AC/DC track. Overly raucous and messy.
Track two, "Good Life" begins with a 60 sec sound collage intro. This track is a little more bearable, with a decent verse / chorus - but ends awkwardly with Joseph piercingly screaming "Rock N ROLL!" into the microphone. Already, less than five minutes into the album- I could tell this was album was packed with nothing more than dissatisfaction. And it gets worse before getting better.
"Spacemen" begins ok, but the ridiculous chorus "Here Come the Spacemen, Outta the Sky!" ruined the track for me.
"Take Me Home" is definitely a little taste of the Joseph Arthur I know. A stripped down, simple track- it fails to reach the beauty / complexity of his best works, but is still a simple little track with a nice sound.
"Chicago" is an alternative track with lots of overdubbed vocals / echoes. It emotes similarly to his work on Redemption Son.
"Cockteeze" is another Rock N Roll track. It has a charm about it- but it's too silly to take seriously. Joseph's voice cracks through the whole track as he reaches too high out of his range. Again- I hear an AC/DC influence here...
I had high hopes for "Lonely Astronaut". It begins as a slow, acoustic, country flavored tune with more "Take Me Home" style lyrics. At around the 8 minute mark, the beat deconstructs - the music becomes noise- and Joseph repeats the word "I" into the microphone every three seconds for the next SEVEN MINUTES. After about SEVEN minutes, he begins repeating the word "LOVE" into the mic instead. This continues for another few minutes before the acoustic guitars come back in for the reprise, ending the track at just over 20 minutes. I am all for avante garde experimentation, but let's either leave it to the artists, forewarn your audience, or wait until you come down off the cocaine before doing so.
And that brings us to, "Cocaine Feet". Another bluesy Rock track- personally, I don't feel it's Joseph's genre- and I would rather hear it from people who do it well. But all in all, it's a decent track that showcases Jennifer Turner's guitar skills. One of the more solid tracks off the album.
The title track, "Let's Just Be", is a clap-a-long with more shrieking Joseph. Nothing special about this one.
"Shake it Off" is one of the worst tracks I have heard in recent memory. Again, I'm all for experimentation. Substances have helped a lot of musicians, but rarely while they are in the studio. Please stop the recording process until you're sober enough to recognize your inability to perform.
"Lack of Vision", Jennifer Turner's "Gimmie Some Company", and "Yer the Reason" are the standout tracks on the album. They sound as if they were recorded live in the studio- and Joseph is definitely outperformed by his band mates. Turner's "Gimmie Some Company" is one of my favorites of this album.
The album closer "Star Song" begins with the band members imitating cat meows.
It's another slower tune, with a Middle Eastern flair to it. It's one of the few incidences on this album where the Lonely Astronauts experimentation actually sees fruition. Well done guys.
All in all, I feel as though Joseph Arthur has lost all artistic credibility. I wish he would have taken the time to either hone these songs, or forewarn his fans that this album was more experimental (i.e. Unfinished Music).
As I said to my fellow Joseph Arthur fans on the day of release, the only talent Joseph exhibits on Let's Just Be is how he can ruin a song in thirty seconds.
Again, if you are interested in Joseph Arthur's music, which I highly recommend, then buy Come to Where I'm From or Our Shadows Will Remain, you will not be disappointed. His (actual) music is truly underappreciated.
Average customer rating:
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Classic Julie Classic Broadway
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00005KBBR Release Date: 2001-06-19 |
Tracks:
- On A Clear Day
- A Cock-Eyed Optimist
- Hello, Young Lovers
- Here I'll Stay
- My Fair Lady Shuffle: Overture/Wouldn't It Be Loverly/Let A Woman/Just You Wait/Poor Professional...
- Getting To Know You
- Living In The Shadows
- Bewitched
- I Have Dreamed
- My Funny Valentine
- Camelot Suite: Camelot/The Simple Joys Of Maidenhood/How To Handle A Woman/If Ever I Would...
- Crazy World
- If I Loved You
- Edelweiss
- The Sound Of Music
Customer Reviews:
5 STARS AND THEN SOME !!.......2006-02-10
Pretty Sad, .......2005-10-27
I FELL IN LOVE WITH JULIE ALL OVER AGAIN.......2005-06-25
A Great Julie Andrews CD.......2002-01-27
I found the material to be very well put together giving the listener selections from My Fair Lady, Camelot, The Sound of Music, Victor/Victoria and others. What more could you want?
As for Ms. Andrews, she is superb. There is simply no one like her. I have heard comments that prior to the infamous throat surgery she was unable to handle the difficult material and hit those high notes. This is just not true. All you have to do is listen to these songs recorded in the early 90's to know that she still had a marvelous voice. Lets hope that one day she will be able to sing and record again. If not, these may be her last recordings so treasure them.
The My Fair Lady suite is wonderful and Ms. Andrews definitely hit the high note at the end of "I Could Have Danced All Night".
Her version of "Edelweiss" and "The Sound of Music" are lovely.
Also worth listening to is "Living in the Shadows" written for the Broadway production of Victor/Victoria so you won't find it on the movie soundtrack. The lyrics are by Leslie Bricusse who also penned "Crazy World", which is another great selection on this cd.
Overall this is a cd worth having in your collection, so buy it today. Otherwise you are missing out.
Climbing Every Mountain with Mary Poppins.......2002-01-22
every since I stepped into a theater and watched Mary Poppins
(many years ago). I admire her talent and her voice on this CD. I know it is not as clear a voice as she used to have but I still enjoy listening to her. I listen to this CD when I want a "pick me up" and am proud to have it as part of my collection.
Average customer rating:
|
Pavarotti & Friends - For The Children Of Liberia
Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00000DBVG Release Date: 1998-10-20 |
Tracks:
- Let It Rain
- Stop
- How Do I Live Without You
- I Hate You Then I Love You
- Higher Ground
- 'O Surdato 'Nnammurato
- Se Bastasse Una Canzone
- Betcha Never
- Viva Forever
- Va, Pensiero
- Napule e'
- Une Place Pour Moi
- Non Ti Scordar Di Me
- Tonight
- Dreams
- Adeste Fideles
- Peace Wanted Just To Be Free
Amazon.com
Is music for a good cause a good cause for music? Not really, if you expect artistry. But this smorgasbord of popular international musical stars brings together extreme musical genres for an excellent purpose, and is enjoyable enough for almost anyone. Pavarotti's relaxed and buoyant leadership and still gorgeous tenor add beauty to the rock/pop selections. Trisha Yearwood, Celine Dion, and Stevie Wonder impressively hold their own against Opera Spice; but the other artists pale against the master's presence. The Spice Girls will never be confused with Anonymous 4; Zucchero's growling is scary; Florent Pagny exemplifies French rock; and Pino Daniele's breathy tenor is mellow and soothing. Best for those wanting to experience Pavarotti's vocal beauty in a more popular idiom. --Barbara Eisner BayerCustomer Reviews:
A Superb Collection of Music.......2002-11-14
This is a delightful combination of music talents to enjoy!.......1999-04-01
This will tenderize your heart........1999-03-07
Phenomenal !! A must have for any music library........1998-12-29
Outstanding Music, bringing Pavarotti to new heights........1998-12-06
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