IDA

About the Artist
Ida is a Junior at Challis High School, Challis Idaho. She is a member of adv. Biology Club, National Honor Society, Drill Team, Year Book Club, and Pep Club. She had a dream of one day recording her own CD. Working weekends to pay for singing lessons, Ida wrote songs that are meaningful to her. After working hard and saving her money she paid for the recording sessions and has now completed her dream. These songs are wonderful and one in particular, HIGHWAY 75, is reminiscent of Mustang Sally(ask your parents!) INTOXICATION is offering support to young people, telling them to get high on LIFE, take charge of their life. Ida is going to use the money she makes to help pay for college. She has many interests. She may go to college for the arts, depending how well her CD does, or she also is very interested in sports medicine. Ida knows now, she can always write and record songs, she has a very positive attitude, she is taking charge!

IDA,Ida Guffy

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Average customer rating: Coffee ? Eggs ? Bacon ? Bach ? Gentle background music with lots of harp Excellent Compilation of Brilliant Music for Home Listening Bach for any meal! Lovely!!!

Bach for Breakfast Manufacturer: Philips ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Concerto Grossi | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Flute | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Oboe | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Cantatas | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | 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 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 Similar Items: Mozart for Morning Coffee: Freshly Brewed to Perk Up Your Day Baroque at Bathtime: A Relaxing Serenade to Wash Your Cares Away Tchaikovsky At Tea Time: A Refreshing Blend For Body And Spirit Beethoven for Book Lovers: An Intimate Companion for Reading Mozart for Meditation ASIN: B0000041D9 Release Date: 1995-06-13

Tracks:

1. Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
2. Orchestral Suite No. 3 In D
3. Concerto In D Minor For Oboe, Strings & Continuo: Siciliano
4. Suite in D: Bourree I - II
5. Sonata In E-Flat For Flute & Harp: Sicilliano
6. Sonata In E-Flat For Flute & Harp: Allegro Moderato
7. Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 In B-Flat: Adagio ma non tanto
8. Sonata In G minor For Flute, Harp & Cello: Allegro
9. Sonata In G minor For Flute, Harp & Cello: Adagio
10. Sinfonia: Christmas Oratorio
11. Orchestral Suite No. 1 In C: Forlane
12. Sonata In C For Flute & Harp: Andante-Presto
13. Sonata In C For Flute & Harp: Menuetto I - II
14. English Suite No. 3 In G Minor: Allemande
15. Brandenberg Concerto No. 2 In F: Andante
16. Suite In E-Flat For Harp: Gavotte en rondeau
17. Concerto In D Minor For Violin & Panpipes: Adagio
18. Concerto In A For Oboe d'amore, Strings & Continuo: Allegro moderato

Customer Reviews:

Coffee ? Eggs ? Bacon ? Bach ?.......2005-10-04

This recording is a delightful morning brew of Bach's most beautiful and atmospheric instrumental music, even making use of an instrument that most music scholars forget he even wrote music for - the harp, as in the SLonatas for Flute, Harp and Cello, which on this recording, sound positively radiant coming from the likes of Sir Neville Marriner's Academy of St Martin In The Fields or the English Chamber Orchestra. The opening track is the ever popular Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, mostly a featured piece in Wedding Ceremonies. The Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D, which I believe is marked "Overture" is regal and elegant. The English Suite No. 3 in G Minor is a lovely piece, as is the intimately slow andane of the Brandenbur Concerto No. 2. The Concerto for Violin and Panpies in D is a fresh new rendition. All in all, this is a very intimate CD, full of Baroque charm and romance. It is a fine way to start your day.

Gentle background music with lots of harp.......2005-06-26

In general, the Philips series "Set Your Life to Music" is one of the better, high-quality compilation series of classical music. This CD is a collection of Bach's Baroque-era music that is ideal for those unfamiliar to the often-intimidating world of classical music who mainly are looking for some pleasant and inspiring background music while learning a little about classical music. This Bach collection contains music that is rich in the soothing sounds of flute, harp, guitar and oboe along with a sampling of Bach's mild-mannered, songful orchestral music. Overall, the selections are all gentle and lyrical with a good sound quality. The concerto, oboe and orchestral works are some of Bach's finest compositions of sheer beauty and elegance and are performed by some of classical music's finest musicians. Some selections most everyone who has been ever been to a few weddings will recognize (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desire). And no piece is as haughtingly lovely as the flute sonata slow movement (Siciliano) on track 5 - a highlight of the disc.

While 'classical purists' may raise their brow because of the many flute/harp selections (citing that Bach never composed any music for the harp), the person buying this CD for inspiring and relaxing mood music should be be delighted just fine with these "transcriptions" from piano to harp. The harp has a special niche for creating the most serene of atmospheres which it does not fail to do here. The solo Suite in E-flat was originally composed for solo violin but sounds much more smooth and dreamy on the harp - a piece very well done. However, some pieces are so serene that you might fall asleep at the breakfast table - hence, the sub-title "A leisurely way to start your day." Actually, it could easily be titled, "Bach for Bedtime" as the selections are all pretty relaxed and on the quiet side. So, if the hyper-energy of Mozart symphonies is too much for your mornings or if the sharp surges of Beethoven's music unsettle you, then these calmer Bach selections should be a better way to ease into the day.

If you like the flavor of Baroque music, "Bach for Book Lovers" in the same series is a good choice and has more solo piano selections for the piano lover. "Bach for Bedtime" is also a wonderful (non-duplicating) collection of some of Bach's most serene music and is also recommended. Perhaps the most calming and sedating music in this Philip's series is "Baroque for Bathtime" which can easily put you to sleep - in a good way - with or without the bath. All are high quality with well-selected pieces from the treasures of classical music's most influential composer of the Baroque era - Johann Sebastian Bach.

Excellent Compilation of Brilliant Music for Home Listening.......2004-01-26

You will love this CD! Like many of the CD's from this series, the music was carefully chosen for home listening. I just love playing this CD at home.

The "songs" on this CD and from the series were chosen from the vast and excellent Phillips classical music catalog. The sound, performances, and song selections are world-class.

A lot of great classical music is great for an evening at the concert hall but not very good for listening at home. The crescendos can be loud and the themes too intense. I would rather listen to a breathtaking Mozart piano sonata (solo piano) at home than a grand Mozart symphony (large orchestra) at home. The music on this CD was chosen for home listening, such as when reading a book.

This music appeals to everyone. Classic musicians may snub this music because it's not grand like a full-blown opera. They ignore the fact that the great composers, like Bach recognized different musical genres such as chamber music for at home or the kings court, and grand symphonies for an evening at the concert hall.

The music on this CD is EXCELLENT for listening at home. It's both brilliant and mellow. When I listen to this music I marvel at the brilliance of Bach. I am very grateful for this music and other CD's in this series.

A fantastic CD!

Bach for any meal!.......2004-01-22

By far, one of the best "collection" CDs of Bach's music. On a couple of tracks, some liberties are taken, but overall, this is a must-have. It includes 6 tracks from the Flute Sonatas, and features a soloist with whom I was not familiar - Irena Grafenauer gives THE MOST EXQUISITE performances I have ever heard - Galway and Rampal, step aside!

Lovely!!!.......2002-04-06

Worth every penny! A must have in the car if you commute on busy highway daily to and from work -- help to ease road rage! It's great for relaxing after a long day of programming too!

Average customer rating: Fin A great work, a Catholic work Imagining the end... Unique Spiritual Expression Unique and Interesting

Olivier Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Messiaen | Messiaen, Olivier | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music $7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Messiaen, Olivier | ( M ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Olivier Messiaen: Turangalîla Symphony; L'ascension György Ligeti Edition 3: Works for Piano (Etudes, Musica Ricercata) - Pierre-Laurent Aimard For the End of Time: The Story of the Messiaen Quartet Olivier Messiaen: Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jésus György Ligeti Edition 1: String Quartets and Duets - Arditti String Quartet ASIN: B000003ERU Release Date: 1989-08-11

Tracks:

1. Quartet For The End Of Time: Liturgy of Crystal
2. Quartet For The End Of Time: Vocalise, for the Angel who announces the end of Time
3. Quartet For The End Of Time: Abyss of the birds
4. Quartet For The End Of Time: Interlude
5. Quartet For The End Of Time: Praise to the Eternity of Jesus
6. Quartet For The End Of Time: Danse of Fury, for the seven trumpets
7. Quartet For The End Of Time: Cluster of rainbows, for the Angel who announces the end of Time
8. Quartet For The End Of Time: Praise to the Immortality of Jesus

Amazon.com

This all-star chamber ensemble was specifically formed to play Messiaen's masterpiece. Two decades after this recording was made, it still shows the effects of their intense identification with the music. Some listeners find Messiaen's music longwinded and difficult, and my own opinion varies depending on the work and my mood. But this piece, written in a German concentration camp during the early years of World War II, is truly one of the greatest works of music of the 20th century. Although it lasts nearly an hour, its variety of color and its powerful expressiveness will engross any responsive listener, especially in this performance. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Fin.......2007-07-18

I gave my copy of this (favorite) album to my favorite music professor -- now I have to replace it! Other reviewers have stressed the history behind the composition and its premiere in a Nazi POW camp, so I won't go into that, interesting and pertinent as it may be. Other reviewers have focussed on the fact that Messiaen was a devout Catholic mystic, implying that the listener must share the composer's religious convictions in order to fully appreciate his artistic expression. However, because this is a work of art, listeners will hear in it beauties unique to their own sensibilities. The listener can be a complete atheist and respond emotionally to Messiaen's passionate, idiosyncratic, and heart-wrenching composition. This is a piece that brings tears to my eyes and makes me intellectually curious too; I want to get the score so I can see how Messiaen works his magic. It's emotional, odd, intense, riveting, and harmonically sophisticated, right up there with the best of the 20th Century composers' works.

A great work, a Catholic work.......2007-02-17

This recording of the "Quartet for the End of Time," one of the greatest musical works of the 20th century, is precious to me. Performers Peter Serkin (piano), Ida Kavafian (violin), Fred Sherry (cello), and Richard Stoltzman (clarinet) offer a stunning, heartfelt performance. Olivier Messiaen, a Frenchman born in 1908 who demonstrated an early gift for music as a pianist, composed the piece in a Nazi prison camp for the few instruments he had available, including an out-of-tune piano on which he performed, a violin, a cello, and a clarinet. Imagine. World War II was obviously a dark time, and Messiaen went into the army with some rations and a few musical scores that he kept in his backpack. Not to diminish his suffering, but he was not treated as poorly as Jewish prisoners were in the death camps. He was not made to work in total starvation, nor was he deprived of all contact with the outside world (he was able to write home and have supplies sent to him). However, being a Catholic mystic, Messiaen sensed that the rise of the Third Reich signified the Apocalypse as prophesied in Revelations. Germans being Germans (they do love their music, after all), the camp guards allowed him to perform this piece in the camp with the group of musicians he assembled. His astonishing music captures not only that desperation and discord of the earth's final days, but also the redemption that can only be found through Our Lord Jesus Christ. However, you do not have to be a Christian to feel or understand the power in this music. Christianity has inspired the best music in Western culture (those "scientists" and "mathematicians" and "philosophers" who misguidely try to secularize J.S. Bach are wrong), and while Messiaen's music speaks for itself, his explanation for the final passage of this quartet is eternal: "Why this second glorification? It addresses itself more specifically to the second aspect of Jesus -- to Jesus the man, to the Word made flesh, raised up immortal from the dead so as to communicate His life to us. It is total love. Its slow rising to a supreme point is the ascension of man toward his God, of the son of God toward his Father, of the mortal newly made divine toward paradise." Amen to that, son, which is an important message for today's youth.

Imagining the end..........2007-02-07

I wonder how many other masterpieces were in fact lost in prisoner or war camps. We shouldn't be listening to this work today. It should not have survived. Perhaps Messiaen should not have either. But he did, and it did, and we are lucky because of it.

The quartet, composed for violin, clarinet, cello and piano because those were the instruments Messiaen's fellow inmates played, is in, oddly, eight movements instead of the Biblical seven. It is prefaced by a quotation from the Apocalypse of St. John Chapter 10: "I saw a mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud; and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire." That moment is depicted on the cover of this CD. The eight movements describe the harmonious "silence" of the heavens (including the awakening of birds--birds fascinated Messiaen all his life), Vocalise for the angel who announces the end of Time,* the Abyss of the birds, with a very technically-demanding clarinet solo (as an amateur clarinetist myself I find it hard to just play it all in tune, never mind the extreme dynamics), a bouncy scherzo interlude, which is the brightest part of the work, Praise to the Eternity of Jesus, which is deeply moving and spiritual if pulled off right, Dance of Fury for the Seven Trumpets, which is a real rhythmic tour-de-force (try to figure out the time signatures), Cluster of Rainbows, for the angel who announces the end of time (supremely haunting) and finally Praise to the Immortality of Jesus, which is supposed to represent the man Jesus more than the divine Son of God.

In terms of time, the work is extraordinarily complex, even in this post-Stravinsky universe. In fact, I couldn't begin to tell you I understand all that's going on, and would love to get my hands on a score. But the sonorities of this unusual combination of instruments makes you really pay closer attention--the unusual message is heard in an unusual voice. Use of dissonance is extremely intelligent--compared to so many "modern" compositions I hear today that claim to be profound (the Fourth Concerto for Orchestra by Robert Holloway, which I just heard premiered the other night in San Francisco, comes to mind), this score uses dissonance and consonance for a very high purpose, very judiciously, and not just because it can. Oh, and the ending pages of this work are a stunner, one of the most chilling finishes I've ever heard in a work. It's like the end of Mahler's 9th without the sentimental comfort--and yes, next to this, Mahler's 9th sounds sentimental and comforting.

This is all-around the best performance I've ever heard of the Quartet, though a Philips recording with Vera Beths, George Pieterson, Anner Bijlsma and Reinbert de Leeuw is better-recorded. They don't quite reach the heights and depths that these four musicians do, however, particularly in the Abyss of the Birds and the Praise to the Immortality. Despite some intonation issues by Stoltzman, he's more soulful in his lengthy solo than the more-in-control Pieterson.

The rest of the forces here are magnificent too. Ida Kavafian has always struck me as an underrated violinist. For a while she played with the Beaux Arts Quartet, but recently I have not seen her with them--what happened?

The Quartet was premiered to an audience of fellow prisoners and prison guards in Stalag VIII-A in Görlitz, Germany on January 15, 1941. "Never have I been heard with as much attention and understanding," Messiaen later said. Considering the effect this music has on us, as we arrive warm and fed at the concert hall after the attendant parks our Mercedes or Lexus, how this work must have felt to the starving cold war prisoners of 1941 surely cannot be imagined.


*The "end of time" is not purely an allusion to the Apocalypse, the work's ostensible subject, but also refers to the way in which, through rhythm and harmony, Messiaen used time in a way that was completely different from the music of his predecessors or contemporaries.

Unique Spiritual Expression.......2006-12-22

The Quartet for the End of Time and The Turangalila Symphony are great pieces by Messaien. If you're looking at this version by Tashi, you are looking at a legendary performance. Similarly, Antoni Wit on the Naxos label does wonders in the Turangalila Symphony, a very lively work. Let's not skirt the issue: both are strange pieces, lovable for their insanity. Here, however, you have a piece with an amazing history and an intimate depth of soul.

I think the titles of some of the movements say a lot about the work, like "Cluster of Rainbows, for the Angel Who Announces the End of Time." As a person who is awe-inspired by symbols, alchemical art work, and out of the ordinary things, titles like these bring tears to my eyes. The cover art for this album is a striking representation of this rare kind of beauty.

The music expresses itself on its own terms. You are receiving the language of another dimension. It is that bizarre, and you must be prepared. Put down all conceptions of what Western music is. Do not compare this to any other work. Extraterrestrial visitors will guide you to the mothership. Take the ride. And remember that for Messaien God is at the center of all things. You will feel this presence as the music wends its way through the final moments.

Unique and Interesting.......2006-07-19

Oliver Messiaen's music takes some getting used to. It's not unlike some of Stravinsky's works, but doesn't quite fit into any particular category. This particular work was written in a German prison camp and first performed there in 1941. Some people might want to buy it just for the historical significance, but I encourage you to buy it because it is downright interesting and enjoyable music. This might not be the best first album to buy as an introduction to Messiaen, as it's not his best work. It is somewhat subdued music; not particularly upbeat or awesome. It's not meant to be. Still well worthy of 5-stars.

Average customer rating: Highly regarded recording of both the concerto and quintet Richness, intensified Feedback of Mozart's CD Mozart: Clarinet Concerto; Clarinet Quintet ~ Fred Sherry Shifrin's a superb rendition of Mozart's perfect composition

Mozart: Clarinet Concerto; Clarinet Quintet Manufacturer: Delos Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Clarinet | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Brahms: Clarinet Sonata In E Flat/Clarinet Sonata In F/Schumann: Fantasiestücke,Op.73 Weber: Clarinet Concertos Nos. 1 & 2; Grand Duo Concertante; Concertino The Essential Clarinet Mozart - Clarinet Concerto & Oboe Concerto / Pay, Piguet, AAM, Hogwood Mozart: Horn Concertos Nos. 1-4 ASIN: B0000006VG Release Date: 1992-12-11

Tracks:

1. Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K.622: Allegro
2. Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K.622: Adagio
3. Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K.622: Rondo-Allegro
4. Clarinet Quintet In A Major, K.581: Allegro
5. Clarinet Quintet In A Major, K.581: Larghetto
6. Clarinet Quintet In A Major, K.581: Menuetto
7. Clarinet Quintet In A Major, K.581: Allegretto con Variazioni

Customer Reviews:

Highly regarded recording of both the concerto and quintet.......2007-02-05

Record of the Year, Stereo Review:

"How musicologists have arrived at these reconstructions of the original versions of Mozart's Clarinet Quintet and Clarinet Concerto makes for fascinating reading in the notes to this CD, but what truly distinguishes the disc is the glowing performances it contains. Clarinetist David Shifrin approaches both works in the highest bel canto style, with a seamless, long-line legato enhanced by a velvety tone. Both the Chamber Music Northwest (in the quintet) and the Mostly Mozart Orchestra (in the concerto) follow his lead and imbue the performances with a mellowness that does not obscure the melancholy lying below the surface of these late mature works."

Richness, intensified.......2006-05-01

One need not be a musical lyricist to appreciate listening to Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Clarinet Quintet. I must agree with a previous reviewer that, the compositions are indeed perfect. Remarkably enough, in this year of Mozart's 250th birthday, I have yet to hear these pieces once on any of the radio celebrations into which I have tuned.

Fortunately, however, I have a copy of the CD stowed in my car. And as my schedule requires long drives very often of late, I have listened to these masterpieces dozens of times within recent months. Each time I hear them, it's like meeting old friends. I discover new joys, find new meanings, and never grow tired of them.

As this is the only version of these works that I own, I can't compare the recording to any other rendition. But I have always loved the clarinet's richness and tone, and this music played on the extended range clarinet only adds to the instrument's magical quality. How could it not, therefore, add to the depth of the music, as well?

--Alyssa A. Lappen

Feedback of Mozart's CD.......2006-03-13

I received the article in good conditions in the beginning of last week.I've already listened to it several times and I'm pleased wirh its quality, both with the interpreters and the recording itself.
Teresa Bettencourt

Mozart: Clarinet Concerto; Clarinet Quintet ~ Fred Sherry.......2005-10-08

Mozart: Clarinet Concerto; Clarinet Quintet~ Fred Sherry is a wonderfull recording of Mozarts clarinet music and when I listen to it I regret that I did not stick with one instrument during my youth since now it is just to late. But one can unfortunately not go back in the past and remedy old mistakes. Mozart was truly a genius that could write music for all kinds of instruments like the clarinet, violin, trumpet and many others. Mozart was able to create music that is easy on the ear and sounds easy to play. However he is truly a master of composition and well in league with greats such as Beethoven, Bach and Wagner. When you examine a sheet of music done by Mozart you truly realize the genius that was and is Mozart and this becomes quite clear whilst listening to his wonderfull compositions for the clarinet.

Shifrin's a superb rendition of Mozart's perfect composition.......2005-01-28

Notice that in any review of a recording of Mozart's clarinet works, the musicians are always criticized and critiqued, but there is no critic that even attempts to lay a finger on the compositions themselves, except when praising them. That is because, simply put, Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Quintet are perfect. The Concerto, Mozart's most mature finished work (it was the last major composition that he completed before his death; the Requiem Mass was, of course, never finished), is absolutely sublime in its beautiful, lyrical phrasing and its use of the clarinet's full range. Every theme is fleshed out and expanded upon to its fullest, with a gorgeous, transcendent effect. The Quintet, composed several years earlier, sounds very similar to the concerto in many respects. The great Mozart scholar Alfred Einstein writes, "one almost has the impression that Mozart felt impelled to express again [in the concerto], in greater and dramatically animated form, what he had already expressed in more lyric form... in the Quintet." And lyric the quintet is; the strings and the clarinet play off of each other perfectly throughout, creating a harmonious blend of beautiful sound. Unlike other later clarinet works, such as those by C.M. Weber (I also highly recommend Shifrin's rendition of these), which dazzle with their huge dramatic sound and prolonged technical passages, these Mozart pieces are beautiful because of their simple and heartwarming nature.

Both the Concerto and the Quintet were composed by Mozart for his clarinetist friend Anton Stadler. Johann Friedrich Schink, a writer who attended one of Stadler's performances, wrote, "My thanks to you, brave Virtuoso! I have never heard the like of what you contrived with your instrument. Never should I have thought that a clarinet would be capable of imitating a human voice so deceptively as it was imitated by you. Verily, your instrument has so soft and lovely a tone that nobody can resist it who has a heart..." These words could just as easily be used to describe David Shifrin's performance on this recording. Playing with a smooth, beautiful tone and with a technique that makes everything sound so fluid and natural, he is certainly the star of this recording. Chamber Music Northwest (of which Shifrin is also the music director) is so wonderfully expressive and crisp in the Quintet. The Mostly Mozart Orchestra is also very fine, but perhaps not quite so good as the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. In all, however, I have not heard a better rendition of Mozart's perfect compositions. (Quotes taken from the liner notes of this CD)

Average customer rating: Outstanding I'm lucky to own this!

Mascagni - Cavalleria Rusticana & Leoncavallo - Pagliacci / Pavarotti, Freni, Varady, Cappuccilli, Gavazzeni, Patanè Pietro Mascagni , Ruggero Leoncavallo , National Philharmonic Orchestra , Gianandrea Gavazzeni , Giuseppe Patanè , Luciano Pavarotti , Julia Varady , Mirella Freni , London Opera Chorus , Piero Cappuccilli , Carmen Gonzales , Vincenzo Bello , Finchley Children's Music Group , Ingvar Wixell , Lorenzo Saccomani , and Ida Bormida Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Leoncavallo | Leoncavallo, Ruggiero | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mascagni | Mascagni, Pietro | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works Featuring Luciano Pavarotti | Pavarotti, Luciano | ( P ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Freni, Mirella | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Puccini - Madama Butterfly / Freni, Pavarotti, Ludwig, Wiener Phil., Karajan Verdi - Rigoletto / Sutherland, Pavarotti, Milnes, LSO, Bonynge Puccini - Turandot / Sutherland · Pavarotti · Caballé · Ghiaurov · Krause · Pears · LPO · Mehta Puccini - La Bohème / Freni, Pavarotti, Harwood, Ghiaurov, Karajan Verdi - Aida / Caballé · Domingo · Cossotto · Ghiaurov · Cappuccilli · Roni · NPO · Muti ASIN: B0000041QR Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Cavalleria Rusticana: Preludio
2. Cavalleria Rusticana: O Lola ch'hai di latti la cammisa
3. Cavalleria Rusticana: Ah!... Gli aranci olezzano
4. Cavalleria Rusticana: Dite, mamma Lucia
5. Cavalleria Rusticana: Il cavallo scalpita
6. Cavalleria Rusticana: Beato voi, compar Alfio
7. Cavalleria Rusticana: Voi lo sapete, o mamma
8. Cavalleria Rusticana: Tu qui, Santuzza?
9. Cavalleria Rusticana: Fior di giaggiola
10. Cavalleria Rusticana: Ah! lo vedi
11. Cavalleria Rusticana: Oh! il Signore vi manda
12. Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo
13. Cavalleria Rusticana: A casa, a casa
14. Cavalleria Rusticana: Viva il vino spumeggiante
15. Cavalleria Rusticana: A voi tutti salute!
16. Cavalleria Rusticana: Mamma, quel vino e generoso
17. Cavalleria Rusticana: Prologo: Si puo? Si puo?

Tracks:

1. Cavalleria Rusticana: Act I: Son qua!
2. Cavalleria Rusticana: Act I: Un grande spettacolo
3. Cavalleria Rusticana: Act I: Un tal gioco, credetemi
4. Cavalleria Rusticana: Act I: I zampognari!
5. Cavalleria Rusticana: Act I: Qual fiamma avea nel guardo!... Stridono lassu
6. Cavalleria Rusticana: Act I: Sei la!
7. Cavalleria Rusticana: Act I: Nedda! Silvio, a quest'ora
8. Cavalleria Rusticana: Act I: Cammina adagio
9. Cavalleria Rusticana: Act I: Recitar!... Vesti la giubba
10. Cavalleria Rusticana: Act I: Intermezzo
11. Cavalleria Rusticana: Act II: Ohe!... Ohe!
12. Cavalleria Rusticana: Act II: Pagliaccio, mio marito
13. Cavalleria Rusticana: Act II: E dessa!
14. Cavalleria Rusticana: Act II: Arlecchin! Colombina!
15. Cavalleria Rusticana: Act II: Versa il filtro ne la tazza sua
16. Cavalleria Rusticana: Act II: No, Pagliaccio non son

Amazon.com essential recording

This may not be the most dramatically charged of all Cav/Pag combos, but it does star the golden-voiced, sincere, in-his- prime Luciano Pavarotti in both operas, and that's enough for some people. Add to this the lovely Mirella Freni as Nedda in I Pagliacci, and the exciting, underrecorded Julia Var´dy in Cavalleria Rusticana, and quite the dramatic evening unfolds. Giuseppe Patané leads I Pagliacci with vigor and sensitivity to the tenor, who turns in a stunning "Vesti la giubba," and Gianandrea Gavazzeni takes a big approach to the earlier scenes in Cavalleria Rusticana, while keeping the one-on-ones intimately intense. Ingvar Wixell is overparted as Tonio, but Piero Cappuccilli's Alfio is a fine, snarling portrait. A first choice for Cavalleria Rusticana alone might be the recording with Domingo and Baltsa or that with Bjorling and Milanov; for I Pagliacci alone, try Björling and de los Angeles. But if it's The Large One you want, here's the right place. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding.......2004-06-20

This CD-Box is outstanding. Here you will find Pavarotti at his best, surrounded by other great artists. The few minutes of "Ridi pagliaccio", by itself, is worth more than the full price. When I listen to this CD, or to "La Boheme", or "Turandot", by the same label (Decca), all sung by Pavarotti during his peak years, I cannot avoid finding myself, at some point, with tears in my eyes. If you love opera, you should own all Puccini sung by Pavarotti in his best years. I think that whatever Pavarotti did or sung in his latest years cannot stain a life of wonderful achievements. And it's beautiful that his achievements will be available for everybody to listen for ages to come.
But beware... After listening to these wonderful Decca-Pavarotti recordings, most live performances of Puccini operas will end up being very disappointing...

I'm lucky to own this!.......2002-08-19

I bought this CD because I was in the choir of a production of "I Pagliacci" in the city Stjørdal, Norway in 2002. (The opera is called "Bajazzo" in Germany and Scandinavia)
I had not heard very much of the music before I got the recording, but I have listened to it several times now!
The music by leoncavallo is beautiful - it thrills with the light, soft songs but it also amazes with the powerful and dramatical songs!
My favorite songs are the choir of the bells, Silvio and Nedda's love duet, Vesti la giubba (as you might have heard) and the whole second act.

I have started to listen to "Cavalleria Rusticana" too, though I haven't heard all of it. But it seems like a great opera too - the music touches me. Actually, I'm working on a translation of Cavalleria Rusticana. I don't think it has been translated to Norwegian before, and it's a hard job!

The singers are masters! Pavarotti is well-known, and he is BIG!! But I think he maybe is emphasized too much, but he is the star...
Alas you can nearly hear the choir! Especially the male voices. That is a pity!! (only on Pagliacci)

Average customer rating: 5 stars for the syms Beautiful and comprehensive compilation of Sibelius works excellent collection A must for Sibelius lovers A terrific and near-perfect set

Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies & Tone Poems Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Sibelius | Sibelius, Jean | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Incidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Tone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music Similar Items: Bruckner: The Complete Symphonies Strauss: Orchestral Works Debussy, Ravel: Orchestral Works Liszt: Works for Piano and Orchestra Symphonies 1-3 / Piano Concerto 1-4 / Isle of Dead ASIN: B00005MIZT Release Date: 2001-11-20

Tracks:

1. I: Andante, Ma Non Troppo - Allegro Energico
2. II: Andante (Ma Non Troppo Lento)
3. III: Scherzo: Allegro
4. IV: Finale (Quasi Una Fantasia): Andante - Allegro Molto
5. I: Allegretto
6. II: Tempo Andante, Ma Rubato
7. III: Vivacissimo - Lento E Suave - Tempo Primo - Largamente -
8. IV: Finale: Allegro Moderato

Tracks:

1. I: Allegro Moderato
2. II: Andantino Con Moto, Quasi Allegretto
3. III: Moderato - Allegro (Ma Non Tanto)
4. I: Tempo Molto Moderato, Quasi Adagio
5. II: Allegro Molto Vivace - Doppio Piu Lento
6. III: Il Tempo Largo
7. IV: Allegro

Tracks:

1. I: Tempo Molto Moderato - Largamente - Allegro Moderato
2. II: Andante Mosso, Quasi Allegretto
3. III: Allegretto Molto - Un Pochettino Largamente
4. I: Allegro Molto Moderato
5. II: Allegretto Moderato - Poco Con Moto
6. III: Poco Vivace
7. IV: Allegro Molto - Allegro Assai - Doppio Piu Lento

Tracks:

1. Adagio -
2. Un Pochettino Meno Adagio - Vivacissimo -
3. Poco Rallentando Al Adagio - Allegro Molto Moderato - Allegro Moderato - Vivace -
4. Presto - Adagio - Largamente Molto - Affettuoso
5. Cantata: Oma Maa, Op.92: 'Our Own Land'
6. Tulen Synty, Op.32: The Origin Of Fire

Tracks:

1. I: Introductione: Allegro Moderato
2. II: Kullervo's Youth: Grave
3. III: Kullervo And His Sister: Allegro Vivace
4. IV: Kullervo Goes To Battle: Alla Marcia
5. V: Kullervo's Death: Andante

Tracks:

1. The Oceanides, Op.73
2. I: Intermezzo
3. III: Alla Marcia
4. I: All'overtura: Grave - Allegro/II: Scena: Tempo Di Menuetto - Allegro Moderato/III: Festivo: Tempo Di Bolero
5. Tapiola, Op.112
6. Finlandia, Op.26
7. Serenade No.1 in D, Op.69a
8. Serenade No.2 in g, Op.69b (Lento Assai)

Tracks:

1. Luonnotar, Op.70
2. Pohjola's Daughter, Op.49
3. En Saga, Op.9
4. I. Nocturne
5. II. Elegie
6. III. Musette
7. IV. Serenade
8. V. Ballade
9. The Bard, Op.64

Tracks:

1. Spring Song, Op.16
2. III. The Swan Of Tuonela
3. IV. Lemminkainen's Return
4. I. At The Castle Gate
5. II. Melisande
6. IIa. By The Seashore
7. III. A Spring In The Park
8. IV. The Three Blind Sisters
9. V. Pastorale
10. VI. Melisande At The Spinning-wheel
11. VII. Entr'acte
12. VIII. The Death Of Of Melisande
13. Valse Triste
14. Scene With Cranes
15. II. The Harp
16. III. The Maidens With Roses
17. IV. Listen, The Robin Sings
18. VI. Swanwhite And The Prince

Customer Reviews:

5 stars for the syms.......2006-03-18

with the Helsinki
3 Stars for the Bourgemouth on the poems.
But truth be told, no matter how EMPHATIC statements that his syms are not programmatic, that is fall into a logical step by step order, they are just that, very predictible.
I've given these syms 30 yrs, and lately I've lost interest.
While Schonberg, Berg, Webern, Varese were scoring creative new atonal/poloytonal works of new genius, here was Sibelius struggling with old forms, that fail to deliver anything really new. And he knew it, and bothered him to no end.
I feel there is way too much Beethoven/Bruckner(I like neither) influence in the syms for me to become a fan of the syms. I like the 1st sym "somewhat" that is I never listen to it, and small parts of the 4-7 syms. But I'm afraid I only like Sibelius pre 1905, the Kullervo, VC, tone poems. Here is where the genius of Sibelius truly lies.
The syms long ago held some interest, but lately i've moved on to Schnittke and Pettersson.
I also much prefer Vaughan Wialliams syms to all of Sibelius.
Sibelius was a genius in his element, that of representing the folk ideas of his land. His syms are like a string of ideas that lack the connective passages. IOW the whole is less than the few interesting parts.

Beautiful and comprehensive compilation of Sibelius works.......2005-09-29

For me, this has been the year of Sibelius. Previously, I had listened to (and enjoyed) Finlandia. I also had a couple of the symphonies but hadn't listened too them but once or twice. After listening to Finlandia again, I decided to seek out more SIbelius to sample. After some searching through reviews, I settled upon this compilation of works because it offered a large variety of Sibelius and seemed to be well-received. I have been very happy with this purchase! Not only have I spent countless hours listening to each of the 8 disks in this set, the enjoyment of the music has led me to many other wonderful performances of Sibelius by other worthy conductors such as Ashkenazy and Vanska. Still, this boxed set will always be fondly remembered as the one that introduced me to the wonders of so many of these pieces.

I was immediately captured by the haunting clarinet solo that begins the first symphony. All of the symphonies, performed by the Helsinki Orchestra, are recorded in very clear digital sound -- so the solo and the pecussion accompanyment were perfectly captured. I was hooked by the first symphony, but all of the symphonies are presented clearly and with outstanding interpretations. The Helsinki Philharmonic has always had a strong affiliation with Sibelius's music, and Paavo Berglund is a renowned Sibelius conductor who has recorded three separate symphony cycles (once with the Bournemouth Symphony orchestra, the 2nd time with these recordings, and a third time with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe). The commitment felt by the conductor and orchestra comes through in these performances.

In addition to the complete symphony cycle, there are a number of other treasures. A fine version of Finlandia is accompanied by a number of truly delightful tone poems such as Tapiola, the haunting Swan of Tuonela and Lemminkainen's Return (from the Lemminkainen Suite). These tone poems were inspired by the Finnish Kalevala. Other tone poems such as the Oceanides and Spring Song were inspired by Sibelius's love of nature. All receive strong performances by Berglund conducting the Bournemouth Symphony (in analog sound that is still quite good). The violin serenades (especially no. 2) were unexpected delights. The version of Kullervo is magnificent, as is the singing in Luonnotar and Oma maa. This set is a treasure trove of Sibelius treats!

excellent collection.......2004-06-28

This box set includes Sibelius' all symphonies, with Kullervo and his almost complete tone poems. The Symphonies are performed by Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Kullervo and tone poems with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. All of them conducted by Paavo Berglund, who always a champion on performer of Sibelius.

Even so there are his incidental musics: Pelleas et Melisande, Swanwhite, Kuolema and King Christian II.
Especially Pelleas and Kuolema (which includes ever famous Valse triste) are the most beautifuls. Pelleas et Melisande is a very impressive music, and the best "Pelleas" music with Debussy's Pelleas (opera).

Kullervo is symphony-cantata for two soloists, men-chorus and orchestra, which be constitued in 5 movements, comparable in artistically with Mahler's 2nd Symphony "Resurrection". Especially the last movement "Kullervo's Death" is very effective, pathetique.

And one more a vocal work, a tone poem for soprano and orchestra: Lounnutar. This is based on Kalevala again, and Luonnotar is creator of nature in this poem. It is a very radical work, like his darkful 4th Symphony and The Bard. I think, The Bard is one of the best works of the composer, with it's harmonis, dark colours, contemplative mood. Still, this was written in tragic E-flat minor. It is based on a mythologic creature which plays an harp, like lyre in Greek mythology. And in the last minutes there is a dramatic climax and then music slowly fades out.

And there is the best Tapiola recording, I've ever heard (with Petri Sakari's version at Naxos). This is based on Kalevala, again. Tapio is the name of the forest god, according story. There are very impressive contrasts between hypnotic, a little hesitated, light colours and dramatic darkful colours. The orchestration is marvellous again. Especially, in last minutes there is a terrific storm scene and it's very spine chilling. Climaxes (which played by brass) are very powerful...

This is a very good addition to collectors of Sibelius fans and any classical music lovers. Highly recommended.

A must for Sibelius lovers.......2003-01-07

Jean Sibelius is one of those composers who I feel that even on his off days he did well. While I certainly can't say I enjoy all of his music enough to buy (Sacaramouche for instance), most of his music is highly pleasureful. All of the pieces on this set, conducted by Paavo Berglund, save maybe one or two, are part of the later catagory.


This set consists of most of Sibelius's major orchestral music, with the notible exceptions of Night Ride and Subrise, the first two sections of the Lemmenkainen Suite, and the Violin Concerto. It also contains such rarities as Origin of Fire, Our Own Land, and excepts from Swan White.

Berglund, I believe, was the first to fully record a complete cycle of Sibelius symphonies. The recordings here are not from his first set (which I have not heard), but the second cycle recorded in the mid-80s. The symphonies and two canatas mentioned above are recorded in digital, while the rest is analog. It's all in very good sound, though not perfect. That they wanted to keep the D and A recodings on seperate discs is the only possible reason I can see for why they left out the Violin Concerto (there's plenty of room on disc 4).

Now of course, contents are one thing, but what really matters is performance. And suffice it to say, they for the most part shine. This has easily the finest Symphony 1 I've heard, and the finale of Symphony 5 (truly one of the greatest works of the 20th century) shines with brillance. Symphony 3 makes its mark nicely, and Symphony 2, while perhaps a bit on the fast side, is certainly up to par. The only disappointment is Symphony 7, which falls totally flat compared to Davis/BSO.

The two cantatas are wonderful rarities, but its disc 5 where the choral aspect is full played out -- Kullervo. If you've never heard this piece, it's a 75 minute long programatic symphony (to use to term losely) with many ups and downs. This was the first ever recording, and most say it hasn't been topped.

The final three discs contain shorter works. Especially noteable are the absolutely beautiful Serenade #2 for Violin and Orchestra, the hauntingly lovely Luonnotar, a very rousing version of Lemminkainen's Return, and a passionate Pelleas and Mellsande.

Of course, it's almost impossible to have this big a set without some disapointments. Beyond the aformentioned Symphony 7, there's also not overly convincing Finlandia, and a WAY too slow Karelia Intermezzo. Thankfully, the rest of the set makes up for it. It's a great deal at only about $7 a disc retail, and if you're like me, on you'll keep coming back to.

A terrific and near-perfect set.......2002-04-05

This release couples Berglund's classic Bournemouth recordings of the Kullervo Symphony and a host of tone poems with his most recent cycle of the Symphonies.

The Bournemouth recordings are legendary, especially the Kullervo, which belongs in every classical music library. There is a real warmth to these readings, which charms me into letting the minor flaws in playing pass. The sound is pretty good, though slightly muddy at times (particularly in Tapiola), and the selections have been excellently remastered.

The Symphonies, recorded with the Helsinki Philharmonic in superb digital sound, are a real peak in the discography. Berglund doesn't play his Sibelius lukewarm; his readings are sharp, neo-classical and very powerful. You won't confuse these recordings with those of Colin Davis to be sure. Very comparable to Maazel's earlier readings with the Vienna Philharmonic, but with less over-dramatization. His First, Second, Third, Sixth and Seventh are as good as any, and his reading of the Fourth, while rather bleak for my taste (I like the idea of some kind of softening at the end) is a coherent vision, almost harsh in it's execution.

I really like Maazel's Pittsburgh Fifth, and Berglund's recording in no way comes close to Maazel's splendor or power as a total conception. But, Berglund's middle movement is the best I've heard by far; the obsessively repeated melody seems to weave in and out of the orchestral fabric very seductively. Berglund's knack for architecture is spot on here.

All in all a wonderful set. An easy first choice for newcomers to Sibelius and a necessary addition for confirmed fans.

Average customer rating: Poor mix a fine example of two shining opera stars...... A musical marriage made in heaven! A Nice Collection, But Something's Missing Perfection

Roberto Alagna & Angela Gheorghiu - Duets & Arias Pietro Mascagni , Jules Massenet , Gaetano Donizetti , Jacques Offenbach , Leonard Bernstein , Charles Gounod , Gustave Charpentier , Hector Berlioz , Giacomo Puccini , Richard Armstrong , Roberto Alagna , Angela Gheorghiu , and Covent Garden Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Berlioz | Berlioz, Hector | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Bernstein | Bernstein, Leonard | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gounod | Gounod, Charles | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mascagni | Mascagni, Pietro | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Massenet | Massenet, Jules | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Offenbach | Offenbach, Jacques | ( O ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Puccini | Puccini, Giacomo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Gheorghiu, Angela | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Essential Angela Gheorghiu Puccini Angela Gheorghiu - Arias Diva Roberto Alagna - Opera Arias ASIN: B000002RWA Release Date: 1996-04-23

Tracks:

1. Suzel, boun di...
2. L'amico Fritz, Atto 2: Tutto tace
3. Manon, Acte 3: Je suis seul! . . . Ah, fuyez
4. Toi! Vous! . . . Oui, c'est moi! . . .
5. Manon, Acte 3: N'est-ce plus ma main
6. Anna Bolena, Atto 2: Al dolce guidami castel natio
7. Don Pasquale, Atto 2: Tornami a dir
8. La Belle Helene, Acte 1: Au Mont Ida, trois deesses
9. West Side Story, Act 1: Only you . . .Tonight
10. Il se fait tard . . .
11. Faust, Acte 3: O nuit d'amour
12. Louise, Acte 3: Depuis le jour
13. Les Troyens, Acte 4: Nuit d'ivresse
14. La Boheme, Atto 1: O soave fanciulla

Customer Reviews:

Poor mix .......2006-02-20

There is no climatic piece in the whole album. It appears it was gathered selections...by that I mean, somebody said "oh let's use this one and this one..." The selections just drift from one to the next and carry little emotional impact on this listener. Yet I love Angela, but Roberto is second rate. Overall, not much on here to remember.

a fine example of two shining opera stars.............2005-10-28

How perfect is it that tenor Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu are a madly in love, married opera couple with voices like angels? I remember when this album first came out in the mid-1990s. At the time, I didn't have a CD player, and their album was a motivation for me to get one, if that says anything about how much I LOVE both of them, as well as the music samples I first heard on NPR.

Alagna's resonance is clear, but, never piercing. Gheorghiu's clean-sounding soprano is expressive, but never shrill, and exhudes a warmth, as well as a softness, when she attacks the really high notes. What sets Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu apart from the pack of young opera stars is their own original, highly energetic and sincere interpretations of popular opera duets, featured here. They include "Tonight" from West Side Story (which I really wouldn't consider opera, but, more an example of musical theatre), and "O soave fanciulla" from La Boheme. I guarantee that listening to this album will make you fall in love with these two wonderful singers.

A musical marriage made in heaven!.......2003-12-01

In the early 1990s I began following the careers of two immensely talented young singers then on the verge of international stardom. The French tenor Roberto Alagna wowed Covent Garden audiences as Romeo and Rodolfo, and had received rave reviews throughout Europe. The splendid Mimi of Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu enlivened an otherwise lackluster 1994 Metropolitan Opera broadcast, and an astounding triumph at Covent Garden as Violetta followed. I had often longed for these two splendid young artists to sing together, and I got my wish in spades when it was publicly announced that they were madly in love - this disc was recorded 6 months before and released in the U.S. 4 days before their real-life marriage. While I and many opera fans are hopeless romantics who are delighted by such things, what really matters is that their VOICES are married. Let's just say that I have heard other singers who are either married or otherwise romantically involved who do not have nearly the rapport that these two people do. They are supremely sensitive to and supportive of each other's artistry and even more importantly, are ultimately the servants of the composer.

Alagna's sweet, warm, earthy tenor and Gheorghiu's velvety, starlit soprano blend so perfectly that it often seems one voice is coming out of two mouths. Nowhere is this more true than on the triumph of the disc, 'Nuit d'ivresse' from Hector Berlioz's 'Les Troyens'. This is a good candidate for the best joint recording they have ever made and is certainly their best individual duet recording. While it is usually sung by a tenor with a heavier voice and a mezzo-soprano, the sheer lyricism of their voices renders this music utterly ravishing - I have never heard this piece sung more beautifully. And how many typical operatic 'love duet' albums would include something this rare? Their 'one voice' quality is also evident in 'Tornami a dir' from 'Don Pasquale', a triumph of heady sweetness, and again, not exactly standard fare. Throughout these selections, and indeed the entire album, we hear superb dynamic sensitivity and gorgeous pianissimo singing, and everything is sung with such dramatic intensity and immersion in character that you think you're hearing a live performance and not a recording. About the only quibble I have is that Alagna's diction in both French and Italian is so perfect that Gheorghiu's comes up a bit short by comparison.

The Cherry Duet from 'L'Amico Fritz' which begins the album is full of sweet affection and wistfulness. In the Saint Sulpice scene from 'Manon', Gheorghiu is irresistibly seductive and tender and Alagna believably torn between Des Grieux's pain at Manon's betrayal and his love for her. Some may actually prefer this version of the duet to the slightly more 'verismo' and less subtle rendition of their complete recording under Antonio Pappano. The Garden Scene from 'Faust', albeit not quite as intense as in their recent Metropolitan Opera performances, is still a triumph of French style, sensitivity, and drama, again with absolutely gorgeous pianissimo singing, this time at 'Eternelle!'. This should be no surprise to anyone who has heard them sing 'Romeo et Juliette'. And, of course, these masters of Gounod's version of 'Romeo and Juliet' also make something special of Bernstein's. I don't believe I've ever heard 'Tonight' more beautifully and musically sung - and as Gheorghiu pointed out in an interview, this is not 'easy' music to sing. The only problem here is that 'West Side Story' is more about Anglo/Puerto Rican culture clash than about family feuds, and so it hurts somewhat that the singers have the wrong (and more importantly, too similar) accents. Nevertheless, their English is clear and understandable, and as usual they mean every word they sing. The disc concludes with a radiant 'O soave fanciulla', where Rodolfo's and Mimi's romance is off to a tender and teasing start.

In addition to the six duets, each singer has two solo arias. Alagna's first is a splendid 'Ah, fuyez douce image', where he not only begins the aria pianissimo, but he makes more of the words than just about any tenor since Georges Thill. He follows this with a rollicking version of Paris' Entrance from 'La Belle Helene'. While not even Alagna can negotiate the B flat octave leaps with the ease of Jussi Bjorling (in his unsurpassable 1938 Swedish-language recording), he has the considerable advantage of native French speech, and a far better appreciation of the piece's humor. Gheorghiu has surpassed her two solo selections since making this recording - the 'Al dolce guidami' on her 'Casta Diva' bel canto disc and the 'Depuis le jour' on her live Covent Garden recital - but these versions demonstrate her ravishing top, command of legato, and extraordinary emotional expressivity.

Richard Armstrong (the music director of the Scottish Opera, who also conducted Alagna's solo debut album) is with his singers all the way and he has the Covent Garden Orchestra play gorgeously . In particular, his molding of the orchestral line and color in the Berlioz is very impressive. Excellent documentation, with full texts and translations, by British vocal collector John Steane. Although this is focused (as it should be) on the music rather than the singers, there is also brief biographical information on both Alagna and Gheorghiu, which none of their subsequent EMI CDs have had.

In short this album is a triumph from beginning to end and an absolute must for any lover of the human voice, absolutely giving lie to the common whine of 'all the great singers are gone forever'. Of course, you'll also have to buy Alagna's and Gheorghiu's complete opera recordings, their equally stunning Verdi duets CD, and too many individual solo albums to count. Almost anything either of these splendid artists do, separately or together, is worth buying and devouring. They're a Golden Age all by themselves!

A Nice Collection, But Something's Missing.......2003-11-09

Since Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu are opera's favorite lovebirds, and real life husband and wife, it is not inconceivable that EMI would release a disk of arias and duets featuring the couple. The disk is reasonably good. It has the standard duets such as "O Soave Fanciulla" from LA BOHEME and "The Cherry Duet" from L'AMICO FRITZ as well as a few lesser known pieces that make the disk interesting. The Broadway stage is also included in a duet from Leonard Bernstein's WEST SIDE STORY. As beautiful as Bernstein's music is, it somehow does not fit in this recording. The two do a reasonably good job, both as soloists and together, but the disk lacks power. The two fail to generate the energy on this disk that the two seem to have on television and in video performances. Their acting abilities surpass many "Golden Age" stars, but their music, while technically good, fails to generate the same excitement as a Corelli--Price, Pavarotti--Freni, or a Callas--Di Stefano pairing would generate. None-the-less, the recording is not bad, and it will certainly be pleasing to fans of the two.

Perfection.......2001-12-06

This is lovely from beginning to end. These two singers really know how to put together a recital CD. It's always satisfying no matter how often I listen to it. The selections they sing are well suited to their voices. It's a pleasure. I can't recommend this CD enough. It's truly a shared program with neither one overwhelming the other. They each get their solo turns and the duets are wonderful.

Average customer rating: Here's a How-De-Do! Topsy-Turvy is TOPS!!! Superb Better than many a G&S non-sountrack Put on the CD, close your eyes and...

Topsy-Turvy - The Music of Gilbert & Sullivan: From the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Sullivan | Sullivan, Arthur | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music 1990s | By Decade | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Soundtracks | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Topsy-Turvy Gilbert & Sullivan - Highlights from The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Yeomen of the Guard, Trial of Jury The Ultimate Gilbert & Sullivan Collection Gilbert & Sullivan - H.M.S. Pinafore / Trial By Jury - David Hobson, Anthony Warlow, Colette Mann, Tiffany Speight, John Bolton Wood, Richard Alexander, Opera Australia, State Theatre, The Arts Centre Melbourne Gilbert & Sullivan Favourites ASIN: B000034CYZ Release Date: 1999-12-07

Tracks:

1. 'The Mikado': Behold! The Lord High Executioner - Carl Davis
2. 'The Mikado': Overture - Carl Davis
3. 'The Mikado': Three Little Maids From School Are We - Dorothy Atkinson/Shirley Henderson/Cathy Sara
4. 'Princess Ida': Overture - Carl Davis
5. 'Princess Ida': If You Give Me Your Attention - Martin Savage
6. 'The Grand Duke': Paris Galop - Carl Davis
7. 'The Mikado': Mi-Ya Sa-Ma/A More Humane Mikado - Louise Gold/Timothy Spall
8. 'The Sorcerer': But Soft.../Why, Where Be Oi? - Shirley Henderson/Kevin McKidd/Martin Savage
9. 'The Yeomen Of The Guard': Alone - Carl Davis
10. 'The Mikado': The Criminal Cried As He Dropped Him Down - Dorothy Atkinson/Vincent Franklin/Martin Savage
11. 'The Yeomen Of The Guard': Overture - Carl Davis
12. 'The Mikado': A Wand'ring Minstrel I - Kevin McKidd/Michael Simkins
13. 'The Mikado': The Sun Whose Rays Are All Ablaze - Shirley Henderson
14. End Titles ('The Pirates Of Penzance'/'The Grand Duke') - Carl Davis
15. 'The Sorcerer': Incantation - Shirley Henderson/Kevin McKidd/Martin Savage
16. 'The Gondoliers': The Fitting - Ian Balmain
17. The Lost Chord - Eleanor David/John Constable/Shelagh Sutherland
18. 'The Mikado': The Mikado: Finale, Act Two - Dorothy Atkinson/Vincent Franklin/Louise Gold/Shirley Henderson/Kevin McKidd/Cathy Sara...
19. 'The Long Day Closes': Resolutions - Carl Davis

Amazon.com

The producers of Mike Leigh's vibrant Topsy-Turvy took many big studio meetings seeking financing for their film. Word has it all went swimmingly until time for the pitch came--there are apparently no two words as unsettling to Hollywood film execs as "Gilbert & Sullivan." But the studio system's loss turned out to be the indie film's--and our--gain. Leigh's film brought the composers' late-19th-century mounting of their breakthrough The Mikado to an all-too-familiar life, filled with as many neuroses, foibles, and fragile egos as any modern Broadway musical. The film's score, an inviting pastiche adapted from Mikado (and other G&S staples) by veteran Carl Davis, may upset purists with its time-conscious liberties. But then, it might just win over a receptive yet unexposed new audience for whom this music may seem strangely familiar, as well it should: this is where modern musical theater began. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Here's a How-De-Do!.......2007-02-22

It's brilliant, really! I am a self-confessed Gilbert and Sullivan fanatic, and so the release of this soundtrack to accompany a truly delightful movie provided me with an "Oh, joy! Oh, rapture!" moment ... many of them, actually! To hear some of my favorite tunes from some of my favorite G & S operetti performed so well makes my heart "sing-o" - and me, too!

Topsy-Turvy is TOPS!!!.......2007-02-21

This is Gilbert and Sullivan like you will never hear again! These performances are so fresh and alive with comedy flourish that my formerly "purist" ears reveled in delight at this magnificeant rendition of these great operettas.It is wonderful to hear excerpts from PRINCESS IDA,IOLANTHE and SORCERER (as well as THE MIKADO) when so many recordings already exist of the other G&S chestnuts,PINAFORE and PIRATES OF PENZANCE.
The actual cd itself fills the speakers and is a true listener's dream.A great soundtrack of a great film.Wonderfully recorded by SONY.

Superb.......2005-02-25

This is a fantastic cd, one that I have listened to many many times without growing tired of it. The particularly nice thing about this cd for lovers of the movie is that you get to hear the entire performance for many songs which are necessarily cut short in the film, most enjoyably "A Wandring Minstrel I". As has been noted in other reviews, the vocal performances are not what you will typically find in other G & S recordings: they are far less burdened with mannered belle canto nonsense, to their immense benefit. And I must disagree with one reviewer who disparaged the staging as portrayed in the film. My wife and I saw a touring production of the Mikado which used the costumes and set from the movie, and it was fantastic. Even better, the performers seemed to take some cues from the film actors too, singing and performing in a way that was much more accessible and not a bit less pleasing.

Better than many a G&S non-sountrack.......2003-09-16

I was compelled to get this after seeing the overlong, flawed, but nonetheless all-around amazing 'Topsy Turvy'. (Seriously - almost every supporting actor in the film deserved an Oscar, and Jim Broadbent was robbed; his Gilbert is magnificent and real.)
Inspired then to hear a true G&S performance, I bought several Carte recordings. What broke my heart is that the genuine Savoy performances are not as good as those of the 'Topsy' actors! Contrary to a review here, the articulation is just dandy. And the tenor in 'Wand'ring Minstrel' alone is far, far superior to the thin, reedy, annoying versions on the several concert cds I've heard. As is the riveting soprano on the beautiful 'The Sun Whose Rays...' of 'Topsy'; again, the actual Savoy recordings are merely shrill in comparison.
I remove one star only because of the necessarily abbreviated performances here.

Put on the CD, close your eyes and..........2003-03-02

You are back in the Savoy Theater in Victorian England, watching a Gilbert and Sullivan production of the Mikado, or Yeoman of the Guard, or the Sorcerer, or Princess Ida. The qualiity of the music is superb, the voices are wonderful and I only wish I could have videos of all the G&S productions to watch along with the music.

Buy the DVD of Topsy-Turvy if you don't already own it. It's magnificent. See my other review.

Average customer rating: too little of Nelson!

Gilbert & Sullivan: Princess Ida; Patter Songs Manufacturer: Avid Records UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Sullivan | Sullivan, Arthur | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Duets Nelson Eddy: The Opera Years ASIN: B000NTPDXW Release Date: 2007-05-22

Tracks:

1. Overture
2. Act One: Search Throughout The Panorama
3. Act One: Now Hearken To My Strict Command
4. Act One: Today We Meet, My Baby Bride And I
5. Act One: From The Distant Panorama/We Are Warriors Three
6. Act One: If You Give Me Your Attention
7. Act One: P'raps If You Address The Lady
8. Act One: Come Cyril, Florian/Expressive Glances
9. Act One: Must We, Till Then, In Prison Cell Be Thrust?/For A Month To Dwell In A Dungeon Cell
10. Act Two: Towards The Empyrean Heights
11. Act Two: Mighty Maiden With A Mission
12. Act Two: Minerva, Oh Hear Me
13. Act Two: Gently, Gently, Evidently
14. Act Two: They Intend To Send A Wire To The Moon
15. Act Two: I Am A Maiden, Cold And Stately
16. Act Two: The World Is But A Broken Toy
17. Act Two: A Lady Fair Of Lineage High (The Ape And The Lady)
18. Act Two: The Woman Of The Wisest Wit
19. Act Two: Now Wouldn't You Like To Rule The Roast?
20. Act Two: Merrily Ring The Luncheon Bell
21. Act Two: Would You Know The Kind Of Maid?
22. Act Two: Finale

Tracks:

1. Act Three: Death To The Invader!
2. Act Three: I Built Upon A Rock
3. Act Three: Whene'er I Spoke
4. Act Three: When Anger Spreads His Wing
5. Act Three: This Helmet, I Suppose
6. Act Three: This Is Our Duty Plain
7. Act Three: Finale: With Joy Abiding
8. My Object All Sublime
9. Oh! A Private Buffoon
10. Lord Chancellor's Song
11. My Name Is John Wellington Wells
12. I Am The Monarch Of The Sea
13. When I Was A Lad
14. Major General's Song
15. When A Felon's Not Engaged In His Employment
16. When The Foeman Bares His Steel
17. If You're Anxious For To Shine
18. When I Good Friends
19. My Boy You May Take It From Me
20. Rising Early In The Morning
21. If You Give Me Your Attention
22. When E'er I Spoke

Customer Reviews:

too little of Nelson!.......2007-07-06

The patter songs of Nelson Eddy are performed flawlessly; however, it is misleading in the title. ONe thinks that ALL of the music on this cd is by Nelson Eddy and it's not. Too bad as his interpretations are by far the finest recordings of G & S which are available. Amazon should tell the readers that.

Average customer rating: Good-time music guaranteed to lift your spirits! The Queen's Best Terrific Zydeco

The Queen Ida and the Bon Temps Zydeco Band on Tour Queen Ida & The Bon Temps Zydeco Manufacturer: Gnp Crescendo ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Zydeco | Cajun & Zydeco | Regional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Cajun & Creole | Cajun & Zydeco | Regional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Cajun & Zydeco | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music North America | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Zydeco's Greatest Hits Across the Parish Line Fats Domino Jukebox: 20 Greatest Hits the Way You Originally Heard Them ASIN: B000001OW4 Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Capitaine Gumbo
2. Grand Basile
3. Mazuka
4. La Louisiane
5. P'tit Fille O'Paradis
6. Madame Ben
7. Bayou Polka
8. Corps Solide (Bonnie's Song)
9. Frisco Zydeco
10. La Vierge
11. La Femme DuDoight
12. Vieus Paris
13. Cest La Vie

Customer Reviews:

Good-time music guaranteed to lift your spirits!.......2006-09-29

A fun live recording, complete with intros and comments to the audience by Queen Ida and her brother, "Al Rapone" Lewis (also of the group Zydeco Express). Zydeco--uptempo, crowd-pleasing and dance-oriented--is the black relative of Cajun music, driven by sound of jaunty accordion improvs and the frisky metal rub-boards known as "frottoire" (very fun to play if you ever get a chance!). Blending Cajun, Creole, R&B and other influences, Ida and Al stamp this music with their own throaty vocals and larger-than-life personalities, touring the country to introduce Zydeco to new audiences and share their enthusiasm for this slice of Louisiana culture. Check out the other releases of Queen Ida and her Bon Temps Zydeco Band, as well as the highly upbeat music of Buckwheat Zydeco, and the album "Chez les Cajuns" by the Cajun All Stars, featuring Michael Doucet and others. And for more good-time, down-home music, try also "Smoky Mountain Pickin': 24 Great Bluegrass Instrumentals" and "Rural Rhythm Banjo Collection: 25 Bluegrass Banjo Favorites."

The Queen's Best.......2000-01-24

On Tour is Queen Ida's best work, primarily because this album contains "Frisco Zyedco" and "Grand Basile" on the same album. I don't regularly listen to Zydeco music, but I've never gotten tired of these two songs, and I can stand to listen to the rest of the album too.

Terrific Zydeco.......1999-06-07

Simply Awesome... from the first spine chilling notes to the last foot tapping accordian riff, I have enjoyed this CD immesnsly, definately one of my top 5 favorite CD's! Worth the money!!!

Average customer rating: Great This is great for baby...and good for mom and dad, too!

Baby Needs Mozart Manufacturer: Delos Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Divertimentos | Serenades & Divertimentos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | 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 Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Compilations | Classical | 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 General | Children's Music | Styles | Music Similar Items: Baby Needs Beethoven Baby Needs Bach Baby Needs Brahms Baby Needs Guitar Baby Needs More Mozart ASIN: B000005Z2M Release Date: 1998-04-21

Tracks:

1. Eine Kleine Nachtmusick, K. 525: Andante
2. Symphony No. 29 In A, K. 201: Andante
3. Le Nozze de Figaro: How Delightful To Wander, Fanned by The Breath Of The Evening
4. String Quartet No. 22 in B-Flat, K. 589: Larghetto
5. Die Zauberflote: A Young Lady Or A Wife
6. Quintet for Piano and Winds in E-flat, K.452: Larghetto
7. Symphony No. 4 in D, K. 19: Andante
8. Clarinet Quintet In A, K. 581: Menuetto
9. Sonata in A, K. 331: Theme, Variations 4 And 5
10. Sonata in D, K. 448: Andante
11. Clarinet Quintet In A, K. 581: Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Great.......2006-02-15

This music is great for both kids and adults. It is much nicer then the baby Einstein version. It is great to listen to and I often play it during my son's nap time.

This is great for baby...and good for mom and dad, too!.......1998-12-10

This selection of Mozart's music is sure to be pleasing to baby whether in or out of the womb. This CD delivers some beautiful peices that are performed at a level that can be appreciated by parents as well as little ones. Do not, however, limit your personal collection of Mozart to this CD. There are many other works and performances to be explored!

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3. J.Lo [Import]
4. J.Lo [Import]
5. Leap Of Faith
6. Let's Roll
7. Let's Twist Again
8. LFO
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10. Live [Live]

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