| 1. Are You Lonely For Me Baby |
| 2. Cry To Me |
| 3. Open The Door |
| 4. Where Were You |
| 5. Am I Grooving You |
| 6. Never You Mind |
| 7. He Will Break Your Heart |
| 8. Shake A Hand |
| 9. No One Could Ever Love You |
| 10. Love Of My Woman |
| 11. I'll Be Gone |
| 12. He Ain't Give You None |
| 13. Run Joe |
| 14. Just Like A Flower |
| 15. Got What I Need |
| 16. Powerful Love |
| 17. Loving You Is Killing Me |
| 18. You'll Never Leave Him |
| 19. Our Love Grows |
| 20. Forever My Darling |
Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Digitally remastered reissue of 1998 compilation with original artwork packaged in a tri-fold digipak. CBS. 2004.
Fischer-Dieskau roughens up his voice for the role, and therein lies a problem. The voice spreads and his diction suffers because of it; that and his unidiomatic pronounciation, with far too many rolled "r"s. He does the drama well, but what works well in lieder works here less well on the large scale. Odd, given his success as on opera singer (check out his Iago), that here he frequently comes off blustery.
Dame Gwyneth Jones belies her reputation and gives a contolled, dramatic performance, using her "edge" to advantage in "Hear Ye, Israel". Gedda's diction is amazing, with exactly the right color for this literature, and projecting a little more blood than an English tenor.
Dame Janet Baker is my star in this performance. Dramatic, heart-rending when need be, and in wonderful voice. She'll chill your blood when she tells the people of Baal to "slaughter him, do what he hath done!".
And as for the people of Baal, the Philharmonia Chorus is wonderful. Incisive and dramatic, with beautiful tone. I could do without the trick of the boy choir for "Lift Thine Eyes", and I miss the small ensembles, but all in all a fine performance, and good recording, circa 1968.
First choice in English, Daniels/Terfel: better Elijah in Terfel, better recording, more authentic orchestra, small vocal ensembles (as per the score) but inferior women (including Fleming: beautiful tone, but where's her head?). In German, it's Sawallisch/Adam all the way.
But if you're singing Elijah, and have a score, this is a good choice.
This recording is in every way wonderful. Starting with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. He IS Elijah to me. His singing is perfection. He has amazing phrasing and his diction makes it possible to understand the lovely, inspired libretto to this heavenly music. There are so many pieces that are ephemeral, but a couple of my favorites are: #14, Lord God of Abraham and #37, For the Mountains shall Depart. Dieskau does a great job of what I think of as compassionate, heartfelt singing. His interpretation sounds like the voice of God himself. It has a quality of kindness and yet he sounds just as convincing reprimanding the people of Baal. He is the true highlight of this recording.
That said, the rest of the cast is wonderful as well. Gwyneth Jones has a lovely, silvery voice that has a clarion bell-like tone that rings over the large orchestra with ease. She has occasional "misfire" but is a consistent performer. Dame Janet Baker and Nicolai Gedda both perform at a consistently lovely level. The orchestra and chorus are both wonderful. #15, Cast thy Burden upon the Lord, #32 He that Shall Endure to the End, and #38 Then Did Elijah are all highlights.
All said, for me the main reason to get this recording is Dieskau's Elijah- after all, he's the main character. But don't forget the lovely music. This story is exciting and passionate and sacred all at the same time. For me, it's the best oratorio that has a moving story and great music too.
But besides that this cd is very good. With manye nice and difficult songs (I've sung some of the myself in siningclass).
So if you like Andrew's music this most sertanly is a most have.
Some examples: this version contains Memory sung by Betty Buckley while the Elaine Page version is light years better. Then it contains Patti Lupone's version of Don't Cry For Me Argentina. Even though Madonna wasn't the best Evita, she definitely sung Argentina in a way no-one could before or will ever. Whistle Down The Wind is represented with 3 songs - the place of the Tom Jones song is not here (the same could be said of Tina Arena's song o the European edition). Instead of the TJ song they could have included Take That Look Off Your Face by Marti Webb - one of the best songs by Webber. Pie Jesu from the Requiem is much better sung by Sarah Brightman. These are the faults.
What about the rest? Pure joy and material worth of 6 stars. Superstar, Phantom Of The Opera, Music Of The Night, I Don't Know How To Love Him, All I Ask Of You, No Matter What, Oh What A Circus - wonderful songs and wonderful performers. My all-time favorite from Webber will always be Music Of The Night and the version included here is the mesmerizing adaptation of Michael Crawford.
I don't advise anyone not to buy this album - it's good material, however it's far from being perfect.
So here are my thoughts about the tracks in this one:
1. "Superstar" and "I don't know how to love him" are both from the concept album of "Jesus Christ Superstar". They sound wonderful as ever, although the orchestrations may seem a bit dated by now.
2. "Sunset Boulevard" is marked here with two songs. Barbra Streisand's powerful voice shines all the way through in "As if we never said goodbye"; it's a shame she never played Norma Desmond on Broadway, since Patti LuPone wasn't allowed to take her Norma to New York, and Glenn Close butchered the role. Her limited vocal abilities were hardly suited for the material, as it is shown by the second Sunset song, "The perfect year", performed by Close and Alan Campbell. They both lack a decent singing voice, so this is the one song I skip regularly. The song itself sounds much better in its single version with pops orchestration, as can be heard on the European version of this compilation, where it is performed by Dina Carroll. This version here can hardly be considered a gold one.
3. "The Phantom of the Opera" is represented by three songs. Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman performance in the song of the same title is amazing. They were both born to play their roles in this show and their voices fit together perfectly. Sarah can hit the high notes in the end like no other Christine. Cliff Richard and Sarah sing the lovely ballad "All I ask of you" with passion, and Cliff has a wonderful warmth in his voice. Finally, Michael Crawford gives his unique and mesmerising interpretation in "The music of the night".
4. The 1996 movie version of "Evita" is Madonna's best role to date and it brought an Academy Award for Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, who wrote "You must love me" especially for the big screen. This is another wonderful ballad with the haunting cello and piano solo. It just proves that Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice were the best collaborators. They really should do another musical together.
5. "The Joseph and his amazing Technicolor dreamcoat" was Webber's first musical and the signature song "Any dream will do" is performed here by Donny Osmond, who also appeared in the video version. I find his rendition even better than London's Jason Donovan, since Donny isn't strictly bound by the notes and so sings it more casually. A wonderful pop piece.
6."Memory" from "Cats" is probably the most famous of all Webber's songs, recorded by numerous artists. This version is sung by Betty Buckley, who was Broadway's Grizabella. Although Betty's performance can't be considered bad, I prefer Elaine Paige, who sung the song first, in the London production. Elaine has a note of sorrow in her at times husky voice, which I found very intriguing. Her performance can be considered definite, as heard on "Cats" DVD or in her latest two-disc compilation, "Centre stage: The very best of Elaine Paige", issued in May 2004. Still, those who prefer Ms. Buckley or who saw her on stage in this role won't be disappointed.
7. "Pie Jesu" is the best known song from Webber's "Requiem", written in 1985 to commemorate the death of his father. I'm not too keen on the version included here, performed by Charlotte Church, because her voice isn't as pretty as Sarah Brightman's on the original recording and the tempo is somewhat faster here.
8. "Don't cry for me Argentina" is among my all-time Lloyd Webber's favourites. I like all the ladies who performed "Evita" on the stage and on the screen (Julie Covington, Elaine Paige, Patti LuPone and Madonna), but on this disc is the version I am most satisfied with, since it is sung by Patti LuPone. Ms. LuPone has a very powerful voice with an amazing range and she deserved her Tony Award for this role. She was able to sound both vulnerable and decisive while singing this, whereas the other leading ladies emphasized one or the other in their interpretation. Mandy Patinkin's "Oh what a circus" is not the best, the orchestration is a little bit weak and his voice sounds thin to me. David Essex on the London cast recording is more suitable.
9. "Aspects of love" boast here with its top song, "Love changes everything", performed wonderfully by Michael Ball. It was his #1 hit and is probably one of the most beautiful love anthems ever written.
10. Three songs come from "Whistle down the wind". The studio release of the same title is one of the reasons I bought this compilation, although I already have the European one. It is performed by Sarah Brightman with Lloyd Webber playing the piano and a symphonic orchestra who nicely takes the lead of the main melody. Sarah voice is angelic; she sings it like a little bird. Very charming. Boyzone's "No matter what" was a huge pop hit in the charts. Again, we have a song with the suitable orchestrations and vocals. And lastly, Tom Jones' deep voice in combination with the back vocals of "The Sounds of Blackness" gives a rocking rendition of the church hymn "The vaults of heaven". It can't be found on the European version and Tom's voice shows it hasn't aged. Way to go.
11. For the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Webber wrote, together with his long-time lyricist Don Black, this last song, "Amigos para siempre or Friends for life". It's a nice duet between Sarah Brightman and Jose Carreras, their voices sore when bound together. The melody itself is neat, especially when the orchestra takes the lead.
Besides the fact that some of the performers here were not the best for my taste, there is also the fact that some of Lloyd Webber's shows are omitted in this version, most notably, "Tell me on a Sunday". Also, unlike its European counterpart, this compilation isn't aligned chronologically, so we have 1970 Superstar being the first song, 1993 Sunset Blvd comes the second, followed by The Phantom from 1986 and so on. None the less, this CD is excellent as an introduction to Lloyd Webber's music and one can continue with his cast recordings from there. It's also very handy as a single disc compilation for the American fans.
Alone in my apartment I played this CD while cleaning a puke staine off my carpet. I don't know whose it was, but I'd like to thank him because it led me to my new life. I have since thrown away my guitars, amps, and entire music collection. It is all garbage by comparison to this and in the trash is where it all belongs.
How can anyone listen to 'Summer of 42' and not fall to their knees by the sheer beauty of it? The Lonely Shepard title track brings tears to my eyes everytime I listen to it. It brings me to a magical place where no one gets arrested for shoplifting and everyone has peace in their hearts.
I cannot find a panflute at the music store, so I'm trying to make one out of PVC pipe and old bongs. I think I found the G, A, and D major chords, but can't quite find F. A silly straw with a slit in it can make a pretty decent B minor, but it stretches out after a couple of days.
All my friends have abandoned me and I haven't been with a woman in three months, but it is all worth it. I now happily skip through life with merriment in my heart. No more drugs for me, Zamfir is my natural high.
These recordings were made 1985-1998, and they all sound great. Included in this collection are most of Tallis best and best-known works: the two Lamentations of Jeremiah, O Sacrum Convivium, Gaude Gloriosa, Tunes for Archbishop Parker's Psalter (which contains the theme that inspired Ralph Vaughan Williams' famous Fantasia), and the incredible 40-part motet Spem In Alium (which is one of the supreme masterpieces of the 16th century). Unfortunately, there are some notable absences, such as the Tallis Scholars' own recording of O Nata Lux. The Mass for 4 Voices, certainly one of Tallis' major works, is also nowhere to be found. Of course, there's only so much music that will fit onto two CDs, but it's still a shame that they couldn't fit at least one of Tallis' masses. Nevertheless, the music that's here is beautiful and powerful.
The Tallis Scholars themselves need no introduction. They're one of the most famous groups specializing in Renaissance music. It needs to be said, however, that if you're looking for "authentic" recordings (that is, recordings that approximate what the music originally sounded like in the 16th century), you might want to look elsewhere. The Tallis Scholars use female singers instead of boys or (ahem!) castrati (though it's doubtful that Tallis would have used or written for castrati himself). And one could complain that these recordings use too many singers for some of the smaller pieces or that the sopranos overpower some of the larger ones (like Spem In Alium). I'm neither an enthusiast nor an opponent of the authentic-performance movement; since we're listening to recorded music anyway, these issues strike me as moot. The Tallis Scholars are experienced and accomplished singers, and they achieve their primary goal: to provide superlative-sounding recordings of important early choral compositions. If you're looking for a fine compilation of Tallis' music or an excellent introduction to Renaissance music, this is it.
Kunzel contrasts the dramatic and lyrical sides of the PHANTOM and SUNSET BOULEVARD suites as if they were written for the Pops. The Phantom suite gains from a breathtaking organ introduction of the Phantom's theme, and from the contrasts in Music of the Night that match the lyrics perfectly, even without the cast album. The tender arrangement of Think of Me cleverly weaves the Angel of Music melody as a counterpoint, while All I Ask of You, complete with some of the details of the original orchestrations, makes a calming answer to Christine's Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again. The JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR suite depicts the contrasting and conflicting moods of this groundbreaking rock opera, from the contrasts in I Don't Know How to Love Him to the sheer anguish in Gethsemene (I Only Want to Say).
There are some interesting arrangements on this ALW offering, especially the arrangement of Don't Cry for Me Argentina from EVITA. Although some listeners might be offended when it transmorphs itself into the Ravel Bolero after doing an about-turn from its lush, Spanish feel, it still depicts Evita's rise to power and her manipulative trait in her character, well-suiting an orchestral concert arrangement of the tune and fitting in with the spirit of the musical. Another interesting arrangement is the rousing theme-and-variation finale of Any Dream Will Do from JOSEPH, which incorporates many different musical styles throughout the variations, from ballroom waltzing to jazz, movie music (Magnificent Seven) and circus-style music. I know some listeners might be offended, but in their own inimitable and creative way, Kunzel and the Pops still pay tribute to this early ALW musical by evoking the myriad of colours on the coat and the diversity of musical styles in the original JOSEPH musical. This arrangement certainly fits the trademark style of the Pops perfectly.
The only fault with this collection is in the arrangement of Memory from CATS. Here, this song is treated as a flat-out romantic ballad, rather than as the haunting anthem for respect that Grizabella sings. Nevertheless, the arrangement by Tommy Newsom (who wrote this arrangement for a Doc Severinson album) is innofensive to this well-loved ALW melody (this is the only arrangement that Crafton Beck or Steven Reineke didn't write for this album). Also, I wish that Kunzel had included Love Changes Everything and Whistle Down the Wind, but given the fact that this was a 1996 recording, ALW hadn't written Whistle down the Wind as yet. But these are minor caveats, since Kunzel offers much to savour in these infectuous and spirited performances.
Yet I still feel that Kunzel's ALW offering is a winner in its lush orchestral suite arrangements of his well-loved and great musicals, far superior to any shopping-mall synthesised arrangement. This would surely count towards another feather in Kunzel's cap and stand pride of place with his rousing offering of Rodgers & Hammerstein. I'm sure Lord Lloyd Webber would have been proud.
Keene uses a variety of different voicings and numbers of singers according to the needs of each particular piece, sometimes with only 2 on a part. The ensemble heard on this recording is a select professional core of The Voices Of Ascension, one of the best choral groups in the country. The voices are all very rich and resonant, and the intonation through the entire CD is unquestionably on par with the best in the world. The singing is, for the most part, completelly vibratoless and extremely smooth, which creates a gorgeous purity that allows this music to shine. However, it does become strident at times, which may put off some choral conductors who are strongly against straight-tone singing.
Of particularly high quality and beauty are the Viadana "Exultate Justi", Byrd's "Ave Verum Corpus", Tallis' "O Sacrum Convivium", and the Victoria and Sweelinck pieces. Another extraordinary track is Leonardo Leo's "Heu Nos Miseros", a late Baroque piece included because of its influence from earlier styles. It is a 9 part double choir piece full of extravigant dissonances and emotion, performed breathtakingly.
One of the interesting features of this disc is that it includes three pieces by Sweelinck, two psalm settings and 'Hodie Christus Natus Est'. (Sweelinck is very under-represented in recording and performance today). Some pieces are very well known - Byrd's 'Ave Verum Corpus' is perhaps one of the most familiar pieces from this period, as is Palestrina's 'Exultate Deo'. This is a collection that draws from the breadth of the Western Christian tradition of music from this time, with composers from Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Spain.
The composers here wrote liturgical music for Masses and other worship services, as well as other pieces - motets and other kinds of new music. This disc represents music that is two or three steps removed from plainsong and basic forms of chant - some are quite a bit distant. Viadana's composition for 'Exultate Justi', for example, was actually composed later, and despite being done in a more Renaissance style, shows decided influences of the Baroque (this might also be part of the performance of the Voices of the Ascension that gives this impression).
The Voices of Ascension, under the direction of Dennis Keene, grew out of the choir of the Church of the Ascension in New York City. Many of the singers are active soloists in addition to being part of this group (whose numbers vary, but often around 40). Keene is a conductor, organist and teacher (not an uncommon combination). Trained at Juilliard, he has led the Voices of Ascension through many outstanding recordings and performances.
This is a performance that is definitely uplifting, and a good collection of music in its breadth to introduce the glories of Renaissance polyphony to those who with little exposure to it. The recording quality is very good, and the choir is quite full and well suited for the music. Some have commented upon the tempo, but this was not a concern for me, and did not stand out as unusual or a problem upon listening (indeed, there were a few points at which I might wish for it to be a bit faster, rather than slower).
A collection that soars!
This cast recording makes me wish I was old enough to have seen them during the original Broadway run.
Consider buying the DVD to the movie to accompany this DVD. That way, you'll also get to see Ben Vereen at his best. I will warn you that the movie was a bit indulgent with extended scenes whose length is not justified by their contribution to the overall film. It's about 20-30 minutes too long. But the musical and dance numbers are really great. Who doesn't love Fosse?
My biggest complaint about this CD release is that it is not complete. You think that Decca Records would do a complete Cd release as previous musical soundtracks have done. This is a direct copy of the Lp released so many years ago. There is so much more music in this film that I was disapointed when I found it it was only a Cd of the original album. With Cd's fitting up the 80 minutes of music it is very surprising that this truncated version was released. Maybe because it's not considered a classic. This is am underrated film as far as I am concerned and in my opinion a far better score than Chicago (with all due respect to Bob Fosse who directed this film) This would be a great CD if only it wasn't abbreviated.
`Johnny Johnson' is a mildly anti-war play dealing with America's entering the First World War, written in the mid 1930s, when Germany was already uncomfortable for Jews, but not yet on the brink of precipitating World War II. What is most interesting to me about the libretto is the reluctance of the principle character, Johnny, to enlist in the army, while his fiancée (contrary to many famous antiwar works of the past), is all in favor of his enlisting and threatens to break their engagement if he does not enlist. As a work of art, I believe the work is more interesting as a milepost in American antiwar sentiments than as an important artistic work for either the composer or the lyricist. To my ear, there is not a single song from this work that finds its way into the repertoire of balladeers. This is from a composer who has given us `September Song', `Speak Low', `Lost in the Stars', `Saga of Jenny', and `Lonely House', not to mention all the great songs from his German works such as `Mack the Knife' and `Pirate Jenny'. On top of this, there is my feeling that much of the instrumental music sounds very similar to earlier German works, especially `Mahagonny'.
`Lost in the Stars' is based on Alan Paton's novel, `Cry, the Beloved Country' and was written after World War II, in 1948-1949, and has much of the musical interest of what is missing from `Johnny Johnson'. Throughout the play, the instrumental music is much less similar to earlier Weill works and all songs seem stronger. At least two of these songs, `Lost in the Stars', `Trouble Man' and `Stay Well' are often performed by Lotte Lenya and other vocalists. While it may be pushing it a bit, this work seems almost as strong as Gershwin's `Porgy and Bess'.
I bought both because I am a big fan of Kurt Weill's music, and I would recommend both recordings to any and all Weill enthusiasts, especially as both have extensive notes and complete librettos. But, to the person mostly interested in Broadway in general, I would recommend only `Lost in the Stars'.
I will say that the performances of both vocalists and orchestra are excellent on both; however the vocalists on `Lost in the Stars' seem to give just a little extra, possibly because their material is just a bit more substantial.
Digitally remastered reissue of 1998 compilation with original artwork packaged in a tri-fold digipak. CBS. 2004.
Cry to Me,Freddie Scott,Sony Music Media,Pop,Soul/R & B
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Mendelssohn: Elijah
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ASIN: B0002XV31A Release Date: 2005-02-15 |
Tracks:
- Introduction: As God The Lord Of Israel Liveth
- Overture
- No.1 Help, Lord! Wilt Thou Quite Destroy Us?
- No.2: Lord! Bow Thine Ear To Our Prayer!
- No.3: Ye People, Rend Your Hearts
- No.4: If With All Your Hearts
- No.5: Yet Doth The Lord See It Not
- No.6: Elijah! Get Thee Hence
- No.7: For He Shall Give His Angels Charge Over Thee
- Recitative: Now Cherith's Brook Is Dried Up
- No.8: What Have I Do To Do With Thee?
- No.9: Blessed Are The Men Who Fear Him
- No.10: As God The Lord Of Sabaoth Liveth
- No.11: Baal, We Cry To Thee: Hear And Answer Us!
- No.12: Call Him Louder, For He Is A God!
- No.13: Call Him Louder! He Heareth Not!
- No.14: Lord God Of Abraham, Isaac And Israel!
- No.15: Cast Thy Burden Upon The Lord
- No.16: O Thou, Who Makest Thine Angels Spirits
- No.17: Is Not His Word Like A Fire?
- No.18: Woe Unto Them Who Forsake Him!
- No.19: O Man Of God, Help Thy People!
- No.20: Thanks Be To God!
Tracks:
- No.21: Hear Ye, Israel; Hear What The Lord Speaketh
- No.22: Be Not Afraid, Saith God The Lord
- No.23: The Lord Hath Exalted Thee
- No.24: Woe To Him, He Shall Perish
- No.25: Man Of God, Now Let My Words Be Precious
- No.26: It Is Enough; O Lord Now Take My Life
- No.27: See, Now He Sleepeth
- No.28: Lift Thine Eyes To The Mountains
- No.29: He, Watching Over Israel, Slumbers Not
- No.30: Arise, Elijah, For Thou Hast A Long Journey
- No.31: O Rest In The Lord
- No.32: He That Shall Endure To The End, Shall Be Saved
- No.33: Night Falleth Round Me, O Lord!
- No.34: Behold! God The Lord Passed By!
- No.35: Above Him Stood The Seraphim
- No.36: Go, Return Upon Thy Way
- No.37: For The Mountains Shall Depart
- No.38: Then Did Elijah The Prophet Break Forth
- No.39: Then Shall The Righteous Shine Forth
- No.40: Behold, God Hath Sent Elijah
- No.41: But The Lord, From The North Hath Raised One
- No.41a: O Come Everyone That Thirsteth
- No.42: And Then Shall Your Light Break Forth
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful, but not my first choice.......2007-04-07
Fischer-Dieskau roughens up his voice for the role, and therein lies a problem. The voice spreads and his diction suffers because of it; that and his unidiomatic pronounciation, with far too many rolled "r"s. He does the drama well, but what works well in lieder works here less well on the large scale. Odd, given his success as on opera singer (check out his Iago), that here he frequently comes off blustery.
Dame Gwyneth Jones belies her reputation and gives a contolled, dramatic performance, using her "edge" to advantage in "Hear Ye, Israel". Gedda's diction is amazing, with exactly the right color for this literature, and projecting a little more blood than an English tenor.
Dame Janet Baker is my star in this performance. Dramatic, heart-rending when need be, and in wonderful voice. She'll chill your blood when she tells the people of Baal to "slaughter him, do what he hath done!".
And as for the people of Baal, the Philharmonia Chorus is wonderful. Incisive and dramatic, with beautiful tone. I could do without the trick of the boy choir for "Lift Thine Eyes", and I miss the small ensembles, but all in all a fine performance, and good recording, circa 1968.
First choice in English, Daniels/Terfel: better Elijah in Terfel, better recording, more authentic orchestra, small vocal ensembles (as per the score) but inferior women (including Fleming: beautiful tone, but where's her head?). In German, it's Sawallisch/Adam all the way.
But if you're singing Elijah, and have a score, this is a good choice.
THE BEST recording of the BEST oratorio ever..........2006-08-15
This recording is in every way wonderful. Starting with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. He IS Elijah to me. His singing is perfection. He has amazing phrasing and his diction makes it possible to understand the lovely, inspired libretto to this heavenly music. There are so many pieces that are ephemeral, but a couple of my favorites are: #14, Lord God of Abraham and #37, For the Mountains shall Depart. Dieskau does a great job of what I think of as compassionate, heartfelt singing. His interpretation sounds like the voice of God himself. It has a quality of kindness and yet he sounds just as convincing reprimanding the people of Baal. He is the true highlight of this recording.
That said, the rest of the cast is wonderful as well. Gwyneth Jones has a lovely, silvery voice that has a clarion bell-like tone that rings over the large orchestra with ease. She has occasional "misfire" but is a consistent performer. Dame Janet Baker and Nicolai Gedda both perform at a consistently lovely level. The orchestra and chorus are both wonderful. #15, Cast thy Burden upon the Lord, #32 He that Shall Endure to the End, and #38 Then Did Elijah are all highlights.
All said, for me the main reason to get this recording is Dieskau's Elijah- after all, he's the main character. But don't forget the lovely music. This story is exciting and passionate and sacred all at the same time. For me, it's the best oratorio that has a moving story and great music too.
Too bad there are so few recordings of Elijah.......2006-07-03
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Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)
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ASIN: B00064ADMK Release Date: 2004-10-19 |
Tracks:
- Give My Regards To Broadway- Joel Grey
- Swanee- Al Jolson
- When The Moon Shines On The Moonshine- Bert Williams
- A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody- John Steel
- My Man- Fanny Brice
- Fascinating Rhythm- Fred Astaire, Adele Astaire
- If You Knew Susie (Like I Know Susie)- 78rpm Version Eddie Cantor
- Someone To Watch Over Me- Gertrude Lawrence
- Bill- 78 rpm Version Helen Morgan
- Ol' Man River- Paul Robeson
- Ain't Misbehavin'- Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra
- Ten Cents A Dance- Ruth Etting
- Body And Soul- Libby Holman
- Brother, Can You Spare A Dime- Bing Crosby
- Night And Day- Fred Astaire
- Heat Wave- Ethel Waters
- Smoke Gets in Your Eyes- Tamara
- You're The Top- Ethel Merman
- Summertime- Anne Brown
- September Song- Walter Huston
- My Heart Belongs To Daddy- Mary Martin
- It Never Entered My Mind- Shirley Ross
- Bewitched, Bothered, Bewildered- Vivienne Segal
- Oh, How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning- Irving Berlin
- Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'- Alfred Drake
Tracks:
- New York, New York- Cris Alexander,Adolph Green,John Reardon
- If I Loved You- John Raitt,Jan Clayton
- Come Rain Or Come Shine- Ruby Hill,Harold Nicholas
- There's No Business Like Show Business- Ensemble
- How Are Things In Glocca Morra? From "Finian's Rainbow"- Ella Logan
- Once In Love With Amy- Ray Bolger
- Wunderbar- Alfred Drake,Patricia Morison
- Some Enchanted Evening- Ezio Pinza
- Lost In The Stars- Todd Duncan
- Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend- Carol Channing
- Luck Be A Lady- Robert Alda,Guys
- Getting To Know You- Gertrude Lawrence
- Who Cares?- Jack Carson,Betty Oakes
- Stranger In Paradise- from " Kismet" Doretta Morrow,Richard Kiley
- Ballad Of Mack The Knife- Gerald Price
- Hey There- from "The Pajama Game" John Raitt
- Whatever Lola Wants- Gwen Verdon
- I Could Have Danced All Night- Julie Andrews
- Standing On The Corner- from "The Most Happy Fella, 1956" Shorty Long,John Henson,Alan Gilbert
- The Party's Over- Judy Holliday
- Glitter And Be Gay- Barbara Cook
- Tonight- Larry Kert, Carol Lawrence
Tracks:
- Seventy-Six Trombones- Robert Preston
- I Enjoy Being A Girl- from "Flower Drum Song, 1958" Pat Suzuki
- Everything's Coming Up Roses- Ethel Merman
- My Favorite Things- from "The Sound Of Music" Mary Martin
- Put On A Happy Face- from "Bye Bye Birdie" Dick Van Dyke
- Try To Remember- Jerry Orbach
- Camelot- from "Camelot" Richard Burton
- Love Makes The World Go 'Round- Anna Maria Alberghetti
- I Believe In You- Robert Morse And Co.
- The Sweetest Sounds- Diahann Carroll,Richard Kiley
- Comedy Tonight- Zero Mostel
- What Kind Of Fool Am I?- Anthony Newley
- As Long As He Needs Me- Georgia Brown
- Hello, Dolly!- Carol Channing,Cast
- People- Barbra Streisand
- Anyone Can Whistle- from "Anyone Can Whistle" Lee Remick
- If I Were A Rich Man- Zero Mostel
- Night Song- Sammy Davis, Jr.
- The Impossible Dream- Richard Kiley
- If My Friends Could See Me Now- Gwen Verdon
- Open a New Window- from Mame Voice
Tracks:
- Willkommen- from "Cabaret" Joel Grey
- Let The Sunshine In- James Rado,Lynn Kellogg,Melba Moore,Cast
- I'll Never Fall In Love Again- Jill O'Hara,Jerry Orbach
- The Ladies Who Lunch- from "Company" Elaine Stritch
- Tea For Two- Roger Rathburn,Susan Watson
- I'm Still Here- Yvonne De Carlo
- I Don't Know How To Love Him- Yvonne Elliman
- We Go Together- Adrienne Barbeau,Barry Bostwick,Walter Bobbie,Cast
- Corner Of The Sky- John Rubinstein
- Send In The Clowns- Glynis Johns
- Ease On Down The Road- Stephanie Mills,Tiger Haynes,Ted Ross,Hinton
- One- from "A Chorus Line" Cast
- All That Jazz- Chita Rivera,Ensemble
- Tomorrow- Andrea Mcardle
- Don't Cry For Me Argentina- Patti Lupone
- Come Follow The Band
- Lullaby Of Broadway- Jerry Orbach
- And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going- Jennifer Holliday
- The Bells Of St. Sebastian- Raul Julia
Tracks:
- Memory- Betty Buckley
- I Am What I Am- George Hearn
- Move On- Bernadette Peters,Mandy Patinkin
- Do You Hear The People Sing?- Michael Maguire,Cast
- The Music Of The Night- Michael Crawford
- You're Nothing Without Me- James Naughton,Gregg Edelman
- The American Dream- Jonathan Pryce,Cast
- Doctor Jazz- Gregory Hines,Company
- With One Look- Glenn Close
- On Broadway- Adrian Bailey,Frederick B. Owens,Ken Ard,Victor Trent Cook
- Le Jazz Hot- Julie Andrews,Ensemble
- Seasons Of Love-
- Hakuna Matata- Max Casella,Tom Alan Robbins,Scott Irby-Ranniar,Jason Raize
- I Wanna Be A Producer- Matthew Broderick,Ensemble
- Dancing Queen- Louise Plowright,Jenny Galloway
- Good Morning Baltimore- Marissa Jaret Winokur
- Movin' Out- Michael Cavanaugh,Band
- I Go To Rio- Hugh Jackman,Company
- Defying Gravity- Kristin Chenoweth,Idina Menzel
Customer Reviews:
Fabulous for any Broadway-lover.......2007-01-30
Top Shelf.......2007-01-04
TERRIFIC CD'S.......2006-03-23
Great Collection of Broadways greatest Songs .......2005-06-14
Great Compilation!.......2005-01-17
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Gold: The Definitive Hits Collection
Andrew Lloyd Webber Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Soundtracks
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ASIN: B0000657XY Release Date: 2002-05-07 |
Tracks:
- Superstar - Murray Head w/ the Trinidad Singers (Jesus Christ Superstar)
- As If We Never Said Goodbye - Barbra Streisand (Sunset Boulevard)
- The Phantom Of The Opera - Sarah Brightman & Michael Crawford (The Phantom Of The Opera)
- You Must Love Me - Madonna (Evita)
- Any Dream Will Do-Donny Osmond (Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat)
- Memory - Betty Buckley (Cats)
- Pie Jesus - Charlotte Church (Requiem)
- The Music Of The Night - Michael Crawford (The Phantom Of The Opera)
- I Don't Know How To Love Him - Yvonne Elliman (Jesus Christ Superstar)
- Don't Cry For Me Argentina -Patti Lupone (Evita)
- Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball (Aspects Of Love)
- All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman (The Phantom Of The Opera)
- The Perfect Year - Glenn Close & Alan Campbell (Sunset Boulevard)
- The Vaults Of Heaven - Tom Jones & Sounds Of Blackness (Whistle Down The Wind)
- No Matter What - Boyzone (Whistle Down The Wind)
- Oh What A Circus - Mandy Patinkin (Evita)
- Whistle Down The Wind - Sarah Brightman (Whistle Down The Wind)
- Amigos Para Siempre (Friends For Life) - Sarah Brightman & Jose Carrerras (1992 Olympics Theme)
Amazon.com
The critical debate over Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical legacy will no doubt rage for decades. Is he the shrewd populist composer who almost single-handedly revived the moribund stage musical--or a crass, Barnum-esque showman (who almost single-handedly revived the moribund stage musical)? This 18-track anthology chronicles the high points of Sir Andrew's enduring songcraft and the irrefutable impact it's made across a remarkably disparate swath of tastes and genres, from Broadway to Top 40 radio and even the classical repertoire.If some have accused Lloyd Webber's songs--like "The Music of the Night" (from Phantom of the Opera) and the title tune from Whistle Down the Wind, included here--of having all the melodic and lyrical sophistication of a children's lullaby, that's likely the very element that's made them so appealing to a mass audience. If nothing else, it's a compelling argument for that old notion about it being "the singer, not the song." Indeed, there are few contemporary composers whose music could entice divas from Streisand ("As If We'd Never Said Goodbye" from Sunset Blvd.) to Madonna (Evita's "You Must Love Me") and Charlotte Church ("Pie Jesu" from Requiem) to cover it, let alone forge the very careers of artists like Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford. And if there's any substance to that other criticism of Lloyd Webber lifting the melodic ideas of composers from Verdi to John Williams (we swear that's the theme to Jurassic Park bubbling up in Tom Jones's camped-up take on Whistle's "The Vaults of Heaven"), at least, like virtually every major composer, he's stolen--er, borrowed--from the best. --Jerry McCulley
Customer Reviews:
Andrew LLoyd Webber - Gold Hits.......2007-07-13
The Gold By Andrew.......2007-04-23
But besides that this cd is very good. With manye nice and difficult songs (I've sung some of the myself in siningclass).
So if you like Andrew's music this most sertanly is a most have.
The best of Webber.......2005-09-12
Some examples: this version contains Memory sung by Betty Buckley while the Elaine Page version is light years better. Then it contains Patti Lupone's version of Don't Cry For Me Argentina. Even though Madonna wasn't the best Evita, she definitely sung Argentina in a way no-one could before or will ever. Whistle Down The Wind is represented with 3 songs - the place of the Tom Jones song is not here (the same could be said of Tina Arena's song o the European edition). Instead of the TJ song they could have included Take That Look Off Your Face by Marti Webb - one of the best songs by Webber. Pie Jesu from the Requiem is much better sung by Sarah Brightman. These are the faults.
What about the rest? Pure joy and material worth of 6 stars. Superstar, Phantom Of The Opera, Music Of The Night, I Don't Know How To Love Him, All I Ask Of You, No Matter What, Oh What A Circus - wonderful songs and wonderful performers. My all-time favorite from Webber will always be Music Of The Night and the version included here is the mesmerizing adaptation of Michael Crawford.
I don't advise anyone not to buy this album - it's good material, however it's far from being perfect.
THE BEST OF LLOYD WEBBER MADE FOR THE AMERICAN AUDIENCES.......2005-01-31
So here are my thoughts about the tracks in this one:
1. "Superstar" and "I don't know how to love him" are both from the concept album of "Jesus Christ Superstar". They sound wonderful as ever, although the orchestrations may seem a bit dated by now.
2. "Sunset Boulevard" is marked here with two songs. Barbra Streisand's powerful voice shines all the way through in "As if we never said goodbye"; it's a shame she never played Norma Desmond on Broadway, since Patti LuPone wasn't allowed to take her Norma to New York, and Glenn Close butchered the role. Her limited vocal abilities were hardly suited for the material, as it is shown by the second Sunset song, "The perfect year", performed by Close and Alan Campbell. They both lack a decent singing voice, so this is the one song I skip regularly. The song itself sounds much better in its single version with pops orchestration, as can be heard on the European version of this compilation, where it is performed by Dina Carroll. This version here can hardly be considered a gold one.
3. "The Phantom of the Opera" is represented by three songs. Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman performance in the song of the same title is amazing. They were both born to play their roles in this show and their voices fit together perfectly. Sarah can hit the high notes in the end like no other Christine. Cliff Richard and Sarah sing the lovely ballad "All I ask of you" with passion, and Cliff has a wonderful warmth in his voice. Finally, Michael Crawford gives his unique and mesmerising interpretation in "The music of the night".
4. The 1996 movie version of "Evita" is Madonna's best role to date and it brought an Academy Award for Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, who wrote "You must love me" especially for the big screen. This is another wonderful ballad with the haunting cello and piano solo. It just proves that Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice were the best collaborators. They really should do another musical together.
5. "The Joseph and his amazing Technicolor dreamcoat" was Webber's first musical and the signature song "Any dream will do" is performed here by Donny Osmond, who also appeared in the video version. I find his rendition even better than London's Jason Donovan, since Donny isn't strictly bound by the notes and so sings it more casually. A wonderful pop piece.
6."Memory" from "Cats" is probably the most famous of all Webber's songs, recorded by numerous artists. This version is sung by Betty Buckley, who was Broadway's Grizabella. Although Betty's performance can't be considered bad, I prefer Elaine Paige, who sung the song first, in the London production. Elaine has a note of sorrow in her at times husky voice, which I found very intriguing. Her performance can be considered definite, as heard on "Cats" DVD or in her latest two-disc compilation, "Centre stage: The very best of Elaine Paige", issued in May 2004. Still, those who prefer Ms. Buckley or who saw her on stage in this role won't be disappointed.
7. "Pie Jesu" is the best known song from Webber's "Requiem", written in 1985 to commemorate the death of his father. I'm not too keen on the version included here, performed by Charlotte Church, because her voice isn't as pretty as Sarah Brightman's on the original recording and the tempo is somewhat faster here.
8. "Don't cry for me Argentina" is among my all-time Lloyd Webber's favourites. I like all the ladies who performed "Evita" on the stage and on the screen (Julie Covington, Elaine Paige, Patti LuPone and Madonna), but on this disc is the version I am most satisfied with, since it is sung by Patti LuPone. Ms. LuPone has a very powerful voice with an amazing range and she deserved her Tony Award for this role. She was able to sound both vulnerable and decisive while singing this, whereas the other leading ladies emphasized one or the other in their interpretation. Mandy Patinkin's "Oh what a circus" is not the best, the orchestration is a little bit weak and his voice sounds thin to me. David Essex on the London cast recording is more suitable.
9. "Aspects of love" boast here with its top song, "Love changes everything", performed wonderfully by Michael Ball. It was his #1 hit and is probably one of the most beautiful love anthems ever written.
10. Three songs come from "Whistle down the wind". The studio release of the same title is one of the reasons I bought this compilation, although I already have the European one. It is performed by Sarah Brightman with Lloyd Webber playing the piano and a symphonic orchestra who nicely takes the lead of the main melody. Sarah voice is angelic; she sings it like a little bird. Very charming. Boyzone's "No matter what" was a huge pop hit in the charts. Again, we have a song with the suitable orchestrations and vocals. And lastly, Tom Jones' deep voice in combination with the back vocals of "The Sounds of Blackness" gives a rocking rendition of the church hymn "The vaults of heaven". It can't be found on the European version and Tom's voice shows it hasn't aged. Way to go.
11. For the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Webber wrote, together with his long-time lyricist Don Black, this last song, "Amigos para siempre or Friends for life". It's a nice duet between Sarah Brightman and Jose Carreras, their voices sore when bound together. The melody itself is neat, especially when the orchestra takes the lead.
Besides the fact that some of the performers here were not the best for my taste, there is also the fact that some of Lloyd Webber's shows are omitted in this version, most notably, "Tell me on a Sunday". Also, unlike its European counterpart, this compilation isn't aligned chronologically, so we have 1970 Superstar being the first song, 1993 Sunset Blvd comes the second, followed by The Phantom from 1986 and so on. None the less, this CD is excellent as an introduction to Lloyd Webber's music and one can continue with his cast recordings from there. It's also very handy as a single disc compilation for the American fans.
Super good CD.......2004-12-31
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The Premiere Collection: The Best Of Andrew Lloyd Webber (Original Cast Compilation)
Manufacturer: Mca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B000002O5W Release Date: 1990-10-25 |
Tracks:
- Phantom Of The Opera
- Take That Look Off Your Face
- All I Ask Of You
- Don't Cry For Me Argentina
- Magical Mr. Mistoffeles
- Variations 1-4
- Superstar
- Memory
- Starlight Express
- Tell Me On A Sunday
- The Music Of The Night
- Another Suitcase In Another Hall
- I Don't Know How To Love Him
- Pie Jesu
Amazon.com essential recording
There are many, many Andrew Lloyd Webber albums out there, including cut-and-paste compilations and songbooks from individual artists, most notably Sarah Brightman, Michael Crawford, and even Jose Carreras. The Premiere Collection is probably as authentic as you can get in a hits album, however. In addition to the most popular selections from the original casts of Evita, Cats, and Jesus Christ Superstar, the 57-minute album includes two selections from Tell Me on a Sunday (also recorded by Bernadette Peters as Song and Dance), the title tune from Starlight Express, the "Pie Jesu" from the Requiem, and a snippet from the Paganini Variations, thereby allowing you to hear the good stuff without having to spring for the complete albums. Note that the three selections from Phantom of the Opera are the 1986 pop singles instead of the cast recordings, meaning Steve Harley rather than Crawford sings with Brightman on the title tune and Cliff Richard subs for Steve Barton on "All I Ask of You." (Crawford does sing "The Music of the Night," of course.) This 1989 compilation was too early for Aspects of Love or Sunset Boulevard, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is ignored, but these omissions are rectified in the follow-up album The Premiere Collection Encore, and the American-slanted version, The Very Best of Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Broadway Collection. --David HoriuchiCustomer Reviews:
Musical Pleasure.......2007-07-03
The Premiere Collection.......2007-01-17
beautiful.......2006-12-21
Fair Album with 1 starlight and 0 aspects.......2004-07-09
Superb collection.......2003-08-11
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Zamfir: The Lonely Shepherd
Manufacturer: Philips ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Romantic
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ASIN: B000001F9H Release Date: 1990-10-25 |
Tracks:
- The Lonely Shepherd
- The Rose
- Floral Dance
- Theme From Summer Of '42
- Bilitis
- Adagio 8
- Black Rose
- Ete D'Amour
- She
- Laryssa
- Theme From Limelight
- Run To Me
- Elsha
- Don't Cry For Me Argentina
Customer Reviews:
Happy Trails.......2007-01-11
The most soothing sounds.......2006-02-20
moving and lyrical.......2005-10-08
Wonderful Music !!.......2005-09-26
Just one listen changed my life.......2005-01-19
Alone in my apartment I played this CD while cleaning a puke staine off my carpet. I don't know whose it was, but I'd like to thank him because it led me to my new life. I have since thrown away my guitars, amps, and entire music collection. It is all garbage by comparison to this and in the trash is where it all belongs.
How can anyone listen to 'Summer of 42' and not fall to their knees by the sheer beauty of it? The Lonely Shepard title track brings tears to my eyes everytime I listen to it. It brings me to a magical place where no one gets arrested for shoplifting and everyone has peace in their hearts.
I cannot find a panflute at the music store, so I'm trying to make one out of PVC pipe and old bongs. I think I found the G, A, and D major chords, but can't quite find F. A silly straw with a slit in it can make a pretty decent B minor, but it stretches out after a couple of days.
All my friends have abandoned me and I haven't been with a woman in three months, but it is all worth it. I now happily skip through life with merriment in my heart. No more drugs for me, Zamfir is my natural high.
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The Tallis Scholars Sing Thomas Tallis
Manufacturer: Gimell UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Tallis
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ASIN: B00026W65E Release Date: 2004-09-14 |
Tracks:
- Spem In Alium
- Sancte Deus
- Salvator Mundi, Salva Nos I
- Salvator Mundi, Salva Nos II
- Gaude Gloriosa
- Miserere Nostri
- Loquebantur Variis Linguis
- If Ye Love Me
- Hear The Voice And Prayer
- A New Commandment
- O Lord, Give Thy Holy Spirit
- Purge Me, O Lord
- Verily, Verily I Say Unto You
- Remember Not, O Lord God
- Tunes For Archbishop Parker's Psalter
- O Lord, In Thee Is All My Trust
- Christ Rising Again
- Blessed Are Those That Be Undefiled
Tracks:
- Lamentations Of Jeremiah I
- Lamentations Of Jeremiah II
- Absterge Domine
- O Sacrum Convivium
- In Manus Tuas
- Salve Intemerata
- Magnificat For 4 Voices
- Ave, Dei Patris Filia
Customer Reviews:
Impeccable English Style.......2007-07-13
The Tallis Scholars do their namesake proud.......2006-07-27
These recordings were made 1985-1998, and they all sound great. Included in this collection are most of Tallis best and best-known works: the two Lamentations of Jeremiah, O Sacrum Convivium, Gaude Gloriosa, Tunes for Archbishop Parker's Psalter (which contains the theme that inspired Ralph Vaughan Williams' famous Fantasia), and the incredible 40-part motet Spem In Alium (which is one of the supreme masterpieces of the 16th century). Unfortunately, there are some notable absences, such as the Tallis Scholars' own recording of O Nata Lux. The Mass for 4 Voices, certainly one of Tallis' major works, is also nowhere to be found. Of course, there's only so much music that will fit onto two CDs, but it's still a shame that they couldn't fit at least one of Tallis' masses. Nevertheless, the music that's here is beautiful and powerful.
The Tallis Scholars themselves need no introduction. They're one of the most famous groups specializing in Renaissance music. It needs to be said, however, that if you're looking for "authentic" recordings (that is, recordings that approximate what the music originally sounded like in the 16th century), you might want to look elsewhere. The Tallis Scholars use female singers instead of boys or (ahem!) castrati (though it's doubtful that Tallis would have used or written for castrati himself). And one could complain that these recordings use too many singers for some of the smaller pieces or that the sopranos overpower some of the larger ones (like Spem In Alium). I'm neither an enthusiast nor an opponent of the authentic-performance movement; since we're listening to recorded music anyway, these issues strike me as moot. The Tallis Scholars are experienced and accomplished singers, and they achieve their primary goal: to provide superlative-sounding recordings of important early choral compositions. If you're looking for a fine compilation of Tallis' music or an excellent introduction to Renaissance music, this is it.
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Erich Kunzel - Andrew Lloyd Webber (Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Evita, Sunset Boulevard, Jesus Christ Superstar, Starlight Express, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) / Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
Andrew Lloyd Webber , Erich Kunzel , Ernest [organ] Hoffman , Randolph Bowman , Timothy Berens , and Cincinnati Pops Orchestra Manufacturer: Telarc ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B000003D18 Release Date: 1996-01-23 |
Tracks:
- The Phantom Of The Opera
- The Music Of The Night
- Think Of Me
- Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
- All I Ask Of You
- Angel Of Music
- As If We Never Said Goodbye
- The Greatest Star of All
- With One Look
- Memory
- I Don't Know How To Love Him
- Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say)
- King Herod's Song
- Don't Cry For Me, Argentina
- Starlight Express
- Any Dream Will Do
Customer Reviews:
Kunzel's different perspective on ALW's musicals.......2005-11-06
Kunzel contrasts the dramatic and lyrical sides of the PHANTOM and SUNSET BOULEVARD suites as if they were written for the Pops. The Phantom suite gains from a breathtaking organ introduction of the Phantom's theme, and from the contrasts in Music of the Night that match the lyrics perfectly, even without the cast album. The tender arrangement of Think of Me cleverly weaves the Angel of Music melody as a counterpoint, while All I Ask of You, complete with some of the details of the original orchestrations, makes a calming answer to Christine's Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again. The JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR suite depicts the contrasting and conflicting moods of this groundbreaking rock opera, from the contrasts in I Don't Know How to Love Him to the sheer anguish in Gethsemene (I Only Want to Say).
There are some interesting arrangements on this ALW offering, especially the arrangement of Don't Cry for Me Argentina from EVITA. Although some listeners might be offended when it transmorphs itself into the Ravel Bolero after doing an about-turn from its lush, Spanish feel, it still depicts Evita's rise to power and her manipulative trait in her character, well-suiting an orchestral concert arrangement of the tune and fitting in with the spirit of the musical. Another interesting arrangement is the rousing theme-and-variation finale of Any Dream Will Do from JOSEPH, which incorporates many different musical styles throughout the variations, from ballroom waltzing to jazz, movie music (Magnificent Seven) and circus-style music. I know some listeners might be offended, but in their own inimitable and creative way, Kunzel and the Pops still pay tribute to this early ALW musical by evoking the myriad of colours on the coat and the diversity of musical styles in the original JOSEPH musical. This arrangement certainly fits the trademark style of the Pops perfectly.
The only fault with this collection is in the arrangement of Memory from CATS. Here, this song is treated as a flat-out romantic ballad, rather than as the haunting anthem for respect that Grizabella sings. Nevertheless, the arrangement by Tommy Newsom (who wrote this arrangement for a Doc Severinson album) is innofensive to this well-loved ALW melody (this is the only arrangement that Crafton Beck or Steven Reineke didn't write for this album). Also, I wish that Kunzel had included Love Changes Everything and Whistle Down the Wind, but given the fact that this was a 1996 recording, ALW hadn't written Whistle down the Wind as yet. But these are minor caveats, since Kunzel offers much to savour in these infectuous and spirited performances.
Yet I still feel that Kunzel's ALW offering is a winner in its lush orchestral suite arrangements of his well-loved and great musicals, far superior to any shopping-mall synthesised arrangement. This would surely count towards another feather in Kunzel's cap and stand pride of place with his rousing offering of Rodgers & Hammerstein. I'm sure Lord Lloyd Webber would have been proud.
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Beyond Chant: Mysteries Of The Renaissance
Manufacturer: Delos Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Byrd, William
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| Sweelinck, JanPieterszoon
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ASIN: B0000006ZN Release Date: 1994-05-23 |
Tracks:
- Sicut Cervus
- Ave Maria
- Justorum Animae
- Jesu Rex admirabilis
- Exultate Deo
- Exultate Justi
- Jesu,Dulcis Memoria
- Ave Verum Corpus
- Psalm 90
- Psalm 96
- Hodie Christus Natus Est
- O Maria Virgo Pia
- Tu Pauperum Refugium
- O Sacrum Convivium
- If Ye Love Me,Keep My Commandments
- Hosanna To The Son Of David
- O Quam Gloriosum
- Selig sind die Toten
- Heu Nos Miseros
- Exaltabo Te
- O Sing Joyfully
- O Magnum Mysterium
- Laudate Nomen
- Cantate Domino
Amazon.com
Go right to the first track and prepare for one of the most masterful and stylish performances of Palestrina that you'll ever hear. It's not flashy music nor is the singing especially virtuosic, but the unified phrasing, ideal balance among sections, and overall ensemble technique is impressive, and Palestrina's little motet simply opens and displays itself like a beautiful flower. The rest of the program, which includes a variety of beautiful flowers from composers such as Josquin, Sweelinck, and Tallis, maintains the same standard. Anyone looking for an introduction to Renaissance sacred choral music will find much here to encourage further exploration--standards like Byrd's "Ave verum corpus" and Victoria's "O magnum mysterium"-- and lesser known tiny masterpieces such as Victoria's "Jesu, dulcis memoria." The Voices of Ascension ranks with the world's finest choirs, and this recording reflects both the highest standard of choral singing and the highest standard of choral composition during the Renaissance. --David VernierCustomer Reviews:
Great literature... but thats about it.......2007-06-17
Essential listening........2007-03-05
Keene uses a variety of different voicings and numbers of singers according to the needs of each particular piece, sometimes with only 2 on a part. The ensemble heard on this recording is a select professional core of The Voices Of Ascension, one of the best choral groups in the country. The voices are all very rich and resonant, and the intonation through the entire CD is unquestionably on par with the best in the world. The singing is, for the most part, completelly vibratoless and extremely smooth, which creates a gorgeous purity that allows this music to shine. However, it does become strident at times, which may put off some choral conductors who are strongly against straight-tone singing.
Of particularly high quality and beauty are the Viadana "Exultate Justi", Byrd's "Ave Verum Corpus", Tallis' "O Sacrum Convivium", and the Victoria and Sweelinck pieces. Another extraordinary track is Leonardo Leo's "Heu Nos Miseros", a late Baroque piece included because of its influence from earlier styles. It is a 9 part double choir piece full of extravigant dissonances and emotion, performed breathtakingly.
Captivating!.......2006-04-12
Lofty music.......2005-10-14
One of the interesting features of this disc is that it includes three pieces by Sweelinck, two psalm settings and 'Hodie Christus Natus Est'. (Sweelinck is very under-represented in recording and performance today). Some pieces are very well known - Byrd's 'Ave Verum Corpus' is perhaps one of the most familiar pieces from this period, as is Palestrina's 'Exultate Deo'. This is a collection that draws from the breadth of the Western Christian tradition of music from this time, with composers from Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Spain.
The composers here wrote liturgical music for Masses and other worship services, as well as other pieces - motets and other kinds of new music. This disc represents music that is two or three steps removed from plainsong and basic forms of chant - some are quite a bit distant. Viadana's composition for 'Exultate Justi', for example, was actually composed later, and despite being done in a more Renaissance style, shows decided influences of the Baroque (this might also be part of the performance of the Voices of the Ascension that gives this impression).
The Voices of Ascension, under the direction of Dennis Keene, grew out of the choir of the Church of the Ascension in New York City. Many of the singers are active soloists in addition to being part of this group (whose numbers vary, but often around 40). Keene is a conductor, organist and teacher (not an uncommon combination). Trained at Juilliard, he has led the Voices of Ascension through many outstanding recordings and performances.
This is a performance that is definitely uplifting, and a good collection of music in its breadth to introduce the glories of Renaissance polyphony to those who with little exposure to it. The recording quality is very good, and the choir is quite full and well suited for the music. Some have commented upon the tempo, but this was not a concern for me, and did not stand out as unusual or a problem upon listening (indeed, there were a few points at which I might wish for it to be a bit faster, rather than slower).
A collection that soars!
Slow down Maestro !.......2004-01-04
"Yet the performance is not the slowly flowing honey usually served up by, say, the Tallis Scholars (as good as that is). Particularly in the Gloria and Credo of the Mass, Dennis Keene deliberately de-emphasizes the rise and fall of the different voices' lines in favor of a more naturally speech-like declamation of the long Latin texts. This means a surprisingly fast tempo--and some rhythmic spring and syncopation one might not expect in Palestrina. Some (not all) of the motets get a similar treatment: it works well in joyous pieces like the Pentecost motet Dum complerentur, but listeners might miss that melodic rise and fall in some of the slower works. The singers of Voices of Ascension are quite skillful, and the slight edge in their tone helps make the different melodies unusually audible. Very worthwhile, but not your father's Palestrina."
As a matter of fact, I used to like this album quite much although it was certainly not my favorite. That was until I listened to Robert shaw's "O Magnum Mysterium", which is amedley of Renaissance, negro spiritual, Russian and Western contemporary religious music. I was struck by Shaw's profoundly spiritual interpretation of the pieces by Victoria and Tallis that are also recorded on "Beyond Chant".
From then on I could no longer listen to this cd without feeling feeling increasingly dissatisfied. I tried to find a precise reason and not being a music specialist I was quite at a loss until I found the review above. Maybe the quick tempo is the key to my dislike.
I definitely feel that Dennis Keene and his singers do not have the depth of the Robert Shaw Festival Singers although the booklet accompanying the cd claims that the audience was spellbound by their performance, which took place in a cathedral in New York.
You may have a more gratifying experience if you buy a cd by the Tallis Scholars, Robert Shaw ("O Magnum Mysterium"), Pomerium(see their wonderful "Book of Hours") or even by the French countertenors and baritones of the Organum Ensemble ("Missa Pange Lingua").
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Sweet Charity (1969 Film Soundtrack)
Cy Coleman , Shirley MacLaine , and Sammy Davis Jr. Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Classic Vocalists
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ASIN: B0000AYL1W Release Date: 2003-08-26 |
Tracks:
- Overture
- My Personal Property
- Big Spender
- The Pompeii Club
- If My Friends Could See Me Now
- There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This
- It's A Nice Face
- Rhythm Of Life
- Sweet Charity
- I'm A Brass Band
- I Love To Cry At Weddings
- Where Am I Going?
- Finale
Customer Reviews:
Sweet Charity: Sweet Memories.......2007-07-13
Sammy Davis Jr. is awesome.......2007-01-10
Great Memories (better than current 2005 Broadway Revival).......2005-08-06
This cast recording makes me wish I was old enough to have seen them during the original Broadway run.
Consider buying the DVD to the movie to accompany this DVD. That way, you'll also get to see Ben Vereen at his best. I will warn you that the movie was a bit indulgent with extended scenes whose length is not justified by their contribution to the overall film. It's about 20-30 minutes too long. But the musical and dance numbers are really great. Who doesn't love Fosse?
long-overdue reissue of the classic soundtrack.......2003-10-09
The score was heavily revised for the move to celluloid. "You Should See Yourself" was replaced by "My Personal Property", "I'm the Bravest Individual" was replaced by "It's a Nice Face". The melody for "Sweet Charity" was re-jigged for a more uptempo feel. Songs cut from the score altogether included "Baby Dream Your Dream", "Too Many Tomorrows" and "Charity's Soliloquy".
Shirley MacLaine was joined by a cast including veteran Broadway talents Paula Kelly and Chita Rivera, John McMartin (recreating the role he originated on Broadway opposite Gwen Verdon) as Oscar Linquist, Sammy Davis Jr. as Daddy Brubeck, Stubby Kaye as Herman and Ricardo Montalban.
Shirley MacLaine sings her numbers with her sweet pixie-esque voice, gliding through showstoppers like "I'm a Brass Band" and "If My Friends Could See Me Now" with great ease.
Another fantastic package from Decca Broadway. Peter Filichia, as always, offers comprehensive liner notes, and sound quality is quite good. In addition to this CD I also recommend the still-superb 1966 original Broadway cast album with Gwen Verdon.
Sweet Charity.......2003-09-14
My biggest complaint about this CD release is that it is not complete. You think that Decca Records would do a complete Cd release as previous musical soundtracks have done. This is a direct copy of the Lp released so many years ago. There is so much more music in this film that I was disapointed when I found it it was only a Cd of the original album. With Cd's fitting up the 80 minutes of music it is very surprising that this truncated version was released. Maybe because it's not considered a classic. This is am underrated film as far as I am concerned and in my opinion a far better score than Chicago (with all due respect to Bob Fosse who directed this film) This would be a great CD if only it wasn't abbreviated.
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Lost In The Stars (1949 Original Broadway Cast)
Maxwell Anderson , and Alan Paton Manufacturer: Decca U.S. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Weill
| Weill, Kurt
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ASIN: B000002OGX Release Date: 2001-05-15 |
Tracks:
- Hills Of Ixopo
- Thousands Of Miles
- The Train To Johannesburg/Reprise: Thousands Of Miles/The Search
- The Little Gray House
- Who'll Buy/Trouble Man
- Murder In Parkwold/Fear
- Lost In The Stars
- O Tixo, Tixo, Help Me
- Stay Well
- Cry, The Beloved Country
- Big Mole/Chapel Scene
- A Bird Of Passage/Reprise: Thousands Of Miles
Customer Reviews:
One of Weill's best American scores!.......2005-10-16
`Johnny Johnson' is a mildly anti-war play dealing with America's entering the First World War, written in the mid 1930s, when Germany was already uncomfortable for Jews, but not yet on the brink of precipitating World War II. What is most interesting to me about the libretto is the reluctance of the principle character, Johnny, to enlist in the army, while his fiancée (contrary to many famous antiwar works of the past), is all in favor of his enlisting and threatens to break their engagement if he does not enlist. As a work of art, I believe the work is more interesting as a milepost in American antiwar sentiments than as an important artistic work for either the composer or the lyricist. To my ear, there is not a single song from this work that finds its way into the repertoire of balladeers. This is from a composer who has given us `September Song', `Speak Low', `Lost in the Stars', `Saga of Jenny', and `Lonely House', not to mention all the great songs from his German works such as `Mack the Knife' and `Pirate Jenny'. On top of this, there is my feeling that much of the instrumental music sounds very similar to earlier German works, especially `Mahagonny'.
`Lost in the Stars' is based on Alan Paton's novel, `Cry, the Beloved Country' and was written after World War II, in 1948-1949, and has much of the musical interest of what is missing from `Johnny Johnson'. Throughout the play, the instrumental music is much less similar to earlier Weill works and all songs seem stronger. At least two of these songs, `Lost in the Stars', `Trouble Man' and `Stay Well' are often performed by Lotte Lenya and other vocalists. While it may be pushing it a bit, this work seems almost as strong as Gershwin's `Porgy and Bess'.
I bought both because I am a big fan of Kurt Weill's music, and I would recommend both recordings to any and all Weill enthusiasts, especially as both have extensive notes and complete librettos. But, to the person mostly interested in Broadway in general, I would recommend only `Lost in the Stars'.
I will say that the performances of both vocalists and orchestra are excellent on both; however the vocalists on `Lost in the Stars' seem to give just a little extra, possibly because their material is just a bit more substantial.
I love it!!.......2002-07-12
Can we get someone to put this label back in stock?.......1999-12-28
Powerful performance,historically significant.......1999-06-04
"THE MOST MOVING MUSIC AND SACRIFICE OF A NATION.......1999-06-01
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