Love Myself

1. Represent - Jon Aymos

2. Money Money - Jon Aymos,

3. Bounce Wit' It - Jon Aymos, Pastor Troy

4. Hater (Interlude) - Jon Aymos

5. I Love Myself - Jon Aymos,

6. Get off Me - Jon Aymos

7. I Thought It Was a Party - Jon Aymos

8. What Tha.... - Jon Aymos,

9. Mary Jane 2000 - Jon Aymos,

10. Too Many - Jon Aymos

11. Holla Holla - Jon Aymos,

12. Get It Get It - Jon Aymos

13. Them Ho's Them Niggas - Jon Aymos,

14. Shot Out - Jon Aymos, Sonny Spoon

15. March - Jon Aymos,

16. Die Slow - Jon Aymos

I Love Myself,Jon Aymos,Loyalty / Deepstep,Pop,Rap,Rap & Hip-Hop,Soul/Reggae/Rhythm & Blues

Average customer rating: Perfect Release of a two-fer Finally "Alone" on CD! Terrible sound and terrible packaging JUDY AT HER BEST with SPECTACULAR SOUND! Garland the Great

Judy in Love & Alone Judy Garland Manufacturer: S&P Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Miss Show Business/Judy That's Entertainment!/I Could Go on Singing The Best of the Capitol Masters: The London Sessions The Letter Live in Paris ASIN: B0000641C8 Release Date: 2002-04-23

Tracks:

1. Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart
2. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
3. This Is It
4. More Than You Know
5. I Am Loved
6. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
7. I Concentrate On You
8. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)
9. Do I Love You?
10. Do It Again
11. Day In-Day Out
12. By Myself
13. Little Girl Blue
14. Me And My Shadow
15. Among My Souvenirs
16. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
17. I Get The Blues When It Rains
18. Mean To Me
19. How About Me
20. Just A Memory
21. Blue Prelude
22. Happy New Year
23. Then You've Never Been Blue (bonus track)

Customer Reviews:

Perfect Release of a two-fer.......2004-11-20

The person who wrote the review below is wrong : the "Alone" album was recorded and released in mono sound, in 1957. "Judy in Love" was Garland's first album recorded and released in stereo, in 1958.

The sound on this disc is spectacular. The original session tapes were used, for the best sound possible. It is glorious sound here, folks.

Pehaps the person that wrote the review below is thinking of the previous two-fer of "Judy in Love" from England, a few years back, paired with the "Judy" album. That CD sounded very flat and dry.

Get this new and improved disc, and you'll love it.

Finally "Alone" on CD!.......2003-10-01

I just received this Judy "double bill" and I can only say it's GREAT!! "Alone" was always one of my favorite Judy albums, and I am more than pleased to have it on CD now. The sound is not stereo, as another reviewer point out, but it never was recorded in stereo. I have the old vinyl, and that's mono too, but also pretty worn, after all these years. The liner notes actually are pretty good too. The original covers are reproduced, with the original liner notes reprinted, AND some fresh liner notes about this re-issue. There, you can read that the "alone" recordings are from 1957, and that "Judy in Love" is from 1958, and was her first stereo album for Capitol.

So why is "alone" my favorite Judy album? Maybe simply because it was one of my first encounters with Judy, when I was 17 years old. I didn't realize at the time that the selection of songs is pretty unusual. It's not the repertoire she sang a lot in her live and TV shows. I love the mostly subdued pathos on this album, although she does belt it out occasionally, in her own inimitable way. The songs are about 'surviving on your own', and some times about finding your inner strength, in a bittersweet way. The album is not very cheerful, but it does make me feel good, in a sentimental way. The arrangements are very good, just right, in the 'proper' fifties style. The strings have a very warm quality, which wasn't always the case in those days. There is also a beautiful large choir singing in the background on some tracks.
Some of the songs are very unknown, which makes this album special too. Happy New Year, for instance, is a beautiful torch song, written over a very slow version of Old Lang Syne in minor key; a real gem of a song! Blue Prelude is also a great song, so don't be discouraged by the titles you may not know.
All in all, a 'must have' for any Judy fan, but also a wonderful introduction if you want to get acquainted with Judy's singing. "Judy in Love" is an excellent example of her warm joyful singing, while "Alone" gives you all those wonderful torch songs. A balanced package, with a passionate Judy in great voice!!

Terrible sound and terrible packaging.......2003-06-27

Let me rant. This CD has 2 albums on it. 1 is mono and the other stereo!? I have these albums on records and they are both stereo. I feel ripped off. Also, these albums do not sound anywhere like the records in quality. In fact, they sound very boring and lacking of any sort of life. Judy did very big, exciting production numbers and the sound on this CD makes them sound stale and dead. I returned this CD and demanded my money back. The store clerk said I wasn't the only one. Thumbs way down.

JUDY AT HER BEST with SPECTACULAR SOUND!.......2002-05-11

JUDY IN LOVE is perhaps Garland's greatest studio album. A superb collaboration with Judy in wonderful voice, and arranger Nelson Riddle at the top of his form. Inexplicably, this album is only now making its CD debut in the U.S. Capitol Records seemingly had no interest in releasing it themselves, so they've sublicensed it to S&P Records, who have done a terrific mixing and remastering job. Comparing the sound to a recent UK import is overwhelmingly impressive. The UK release sounds mediocre, and this new issue belies its having been recorded 44 years ago.
JUDY IN LOVE is paired with her monaural ballad album ALONE, which was arranged and conducted by Gordon Jenkins. The two albums together are a distinct contrast and yet only show the versatility and mastery of Garland. The highlight of the ALONE tracks is Jenkins' schmaltzy, yet irresistable I'VE GOT A RIGHT TO SING THE BLUES. ALONE was previously issued on CD by Capitol years ago, but has been long out of print, so this collection is a dream come true for Garland fans.

The 5 Star rating is for the recordings and the way they've been beautifully produced. It does not, however, represent a true rating for the package itself, which has been saddled with awful,
amateurish liner notes which are so poorly written that it's a blatant insult to Garland. What a shame the producers who took such care in creating such a great sounding album, didn't bring the same kind of excellence to the accompanying package. This should not detract anyone from buying this CD, but buyers looking for an interesting commentary on the legendary lady and these specific tracks will have to go elsewhere.

Garland the Great.......2002-05-02

A beautiful compilation of two classic, original "Judy" albums. These are two of the six studio albums she recorded for Capitol in the fifties, and these are probably the best. While Judy's vocal tone is not at its best on "Judy in Love", the song selections and her interprative genius make up for the slight vocal imperfections. "More Than You Know", "I Am Loved" and "By Myself" are absolute delights, and are clearly definitive versions of these songs. In addition, the ballads shine with passion and tenderness. "Alone" is mostly filled with similarly tender songs, and on this one Garland is in fine, full voice throughout. "Little Girl Blue" is a particular standout, and the addition of the never before released "Then You've Never Been Blue" is a special treat for fans and newcomers. Popular singing doesn't come any better than this.

Average customer rating: Wow! Everyone Should Whistle An amazing intro to the body of work of a true master Beautiful, moving concert ... and I love Barbara Cook

Barbara Cook Sings Mostly Sondheim (Live at Carnegie Hall 2001) Manufacturer: Drg ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Bernstein | Bernstein, Leonard | ( B ) | 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 General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Nostalgia | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Barbara Cook's Broadway! Barbara Cook at the Met with Special Guests Tribute It's Better with a Band The Champion Season: Live at the Cafe Carlyle ASIN: B000059LFF Release Date: 2001-05-08

Tracks:

1. Everybody Says Don't
2. I Wonder What Became of Me?
3. The Eagle and Me
4. I Had Myself a True Love
5. Into the Woods / Giants in the Sky (Malcolm Gets)
6. Another Hundred People / So Many People (Malcolm Gets)
7. Let's Face the Music and Dance / The Song Is You (duet with Malcolm Gets)
8. Happiness
9. Loving You
10. You Could Drive a Person Crazy
11. Not A Day Goes By / Losing My Mind

Tracks:

1. Buds Won't Bud
2. I Got Lost in His Arms
3. West Side Story Segment: Something's Coming / Tonight (Malcolm Gets)
4. Move On (duet with Malcolm Gets)
5. Medley: Hard Hearted Hannah / Waiting for the Robert E. Lee / San Francisco
6. Ice Cream
7. Send in the Clowns
8. The Trolley Song
9. Not While I'm Around (duet with Malcolm Gets)
10. Anyone Can Whistle

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Barbara Cook is one of today's most accomplished song stylists, and if you don't believe us, just listen to this live album. It's a master class in the art of singing. It documents an evening at Carnegie Hall during which Cook proved that she can dissect and extract the substance out of the simplest of lyrics. One of the best surprises is "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" (from Company), which is taken at an amiable trot and allows the singer to display its humor. Cook is not a swinging singer and uptempo is not her pace; give her a ballad, though, and she'll wring the last drop of emotion out of it. Her version of "Losing My Mind" (here paired with "Not a Day Goes By") is simply astonishing. The singer also performs songs that Sondheim has said he wished he had written, an awful lot of them by Harold Arlen. No complaints here. Guest Malcolm Gets solos on a few songs and duets with Cook on others, including "Let's Face the Music and Dance." This is classic material done masterfully by a classic singer. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Wow!.......2004-02-20

Having read the other reviews there is little more for me to add. I have been a Barbara Cook fan for a longtime and for me, this is one of her best concerts ever. I do, however, prefer the DVD. As with some other reviewers, I do not want to hear Malcolm Gets (as much as I like him) when I want to listen to Barbara. Her flawless interpretation of music is a hard act to follow for any singer! I managed to see this concert 4 times over a year and a half. Each time I saw her the voice was stronger and more assured (I would not have thought that possible). I can't help but think we will have the pleasure of hearing Ms Cook for many years to come. For those people who enjoyed his CD I strongly recommend purchasing the DVD. Barabara's rendition of So Many People is breathtaking (literally, I don't think I breathed once during the entire song). If you ever have opportunity to see her live - go! She has an ability to make you feel as if every song she sings and every word she speaks is directed to you alone. She can take a large venue and make it feel as intimate as your own living room. Having had the pleasure of meeting her I can say she is as youthful and pleasurable in person as she is in her performance.

Everyone Should Whistle.......2003-10-11

After being privileged to attend this concert, I had to own the CD. Once a lyric coloratura and the original Cunegonde in Bernstein's Candide, Ms. Cook has become (in her 70s) a true diva, blessed with a velvety, warm sound. Every note has meaning. Her high B-flat on "Ice Cream" is still the envy of any soprano today. Everyone should whistle after hearing the superb performances on this CD. Even better, though, is the experience of having been in the concert hall for the live performance. Brava, Ms. Cook!

An amazing intro to the body of work of a true master.......2003-06-16

When I first bought tickets for the 'Mostly Sondheim' show on tour (in San Francisco) I figured it couldn't be too bad. Besides, I had only been exposed to a few of his songs (Anyone Can Whistle, Losing My Mind...) and had only seen "A Little Night Music". On the way out of the theater I immediately picked up this recording of the program. It is truly amazing. I immediately began listening to it and have barely put it down in the last few months. Furthermore, my Sondheim CD collection increased in size from an unflattering zero to five (and it's still growing)! This is an amazing introduction to the works of Stephen Sondheim, who is now my favorite modern musical composer). Buy this now if you don't already have it!

Beautiful, moving concert.......2003-04-13

This is a wonderful CD set with a great selection of songs. I do want to express a slight reservation, however. Barbara Cook has been one of my favorite singers for a number of years and the way her voice defies time is extraordinary -- for her to be singing with such bright, beautiful tone in her mid-70s with no wobble or beat in the voice is an amazing achievment.

I do have to say that by 2001, when this concert was recorded, Cook seemed to have a lost a little bit of power and intensity in her singing. This is only natural for someone of her age. Her voice is still lovely, but you can sense her keeping it in reserve a bit. She's as expressive as ever, but compare the rendition of "I got lost in his arms" on this album to the one on her previous album recorded in 1999, "The Champion Season", and there's less urgency and vocal depth in her singing here. That said, the high B at the end of "Ice Cream" is sensational.

So, despite that caveat, this is, again, a wonderful album, a must for Cook fans, especially for the gorgeous renditions of songs I'd never thought I'd get to hear her perform: "Not a Day Goes By", "Happiness/Loving You", "San Francisco", etc. Buy it!

... and I love Barbara Cook.......2003-02-11

This recording is a disappointment for me. It is not her best work, and Malcolm Gets is uninspired. My biggest complaint however is the engineering of the recording. Throughout the speaking was to soft, the singing volumes uneven, and the applause deafening. I will be passing this CD on to friends, and will later donate it to my local library.

Average customer rating: One of my favorite recordings Beautiful voice, beautiful music Anne Sofie von Otter- The Artist's Album A fantastic CD collection of arias!! Amazing versatility and unparalleled emotion

Anne Sofie von Otter - The Artist's Album Gustav Mahler , Johannes Brahms , Edvard Grieg , Richard Strauss , Erich Wolfgang Korngold , Robert Schumann , Kurt Weill , Ture Rangstrom , Hugo Alfven , Maurice Delage , Gabriel Fauré , Franz Schubert , George Frideric Handel , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Claudio Monteverdi , Christoph Willibald Gluck , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Gioachino Rossini , Hannover North German Radio Orchestra , Dresden Staatskapelle , Frankfurt Opera House and Museum Orchestra , John Eliot Gardiner , Reinhard Goebel , Trevor Pinnock , Marc Minkowski , James Levine , Cord Garben , and Ralf Gothoni Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Fauré, Gabriel | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gluck | Gluck, Christoph W. | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Grieg, Edvard | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Korngold, Erich Wolfgang | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mahler | Mahler, Gustav | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Monteverdi | Monteverdi, Claudio | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Robert Schumann | Schumann, Robert | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Strauss | Strauss, Richard | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Weill | Weill, Kurt | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Korngold, Erich Wolfgang | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | 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 | Classical | Styles | Music Cantatas | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Freni, Mirella | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Otter, Anne Sophie von | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Anne Sofie von Otter - Love's Twilight (Late Romantic Songs by Berg, Korngold, Strauss) Anne Sofie von Otter - Schumann: Frauenliebe und -leben / Forsberg Anne Sofie von Otter - Johannes Brahms Lieder Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs Lorraine Hunt Lieberson: Handel Arias ASIN: B00000613V Release Date: 1998-04-14

Tracks:

1. Serenade
2. Sonntag, Op. 47 No.3
3. Elsk, Op. 67 No. 5
4. Meinem Kinde, Op. 37 No. 3
5. Gefasster Abschied, Op. 14 no. 4
6. Lust der Sturmnacht, Op. 35 No. 1
7. Dein Angesicht, Op. 127 No. 2
8. One Touch of Venus: I'm A Stranger Here Myself
9. Berlin im Licht
10. Vingar i natten
11. Skogen sover, Op. 28 No. 6
12. Lahore: Lahore: 'Un sapin isole se dresse'
13. La Bonne Chanson, Op. 61: 'La lune blanche luit dans les bois'
14. Der Wanderer an den Mond, D 870
15. An Silvia, D891
16. Il pianot di Maria: 'Giunta l'ora fatal' HWV 234: 'Se d'un Dio fui fatta Madre'
17. 'Komm, liebe Zither' K. 351, 367
18. Don Giovanni: 'In quali eccessi' - 'Mi tradi', No. 21B: Accompanied Recitative And Aria
19. La Clemenza di Tito: 'Quello di Tito e il volto!', No. 18 Trio
20. L'Incoronazione di Poppea: 'A Dio Roma!, a Dio, patria! amici, a Dio!'
21. Ariodante: 'Tu, preparati a morire', Aria
22. Paride ed Elena: 'Oh, del mio dolce ardor': Aria
23. 5 Lieder: Liebst du um Schonheit
24. Eugene Onegin: 'Kak ya lublyu pod zvuki pesen etikh' - 'Uzh kak po mostu, mostochku': Scene And Aria
25. La Cenerentolla: 'Nacqui all'affanno

Customer Reviews:

One of my favorite recordings.......2005-10-01

This recording is sublime!!! This is a compilation of Anne Sofie von Otter's favorite pieces. She chose such diverse and lovely music. Her diction is incredible. Her expressive voice moved me to tears in "A dio Roma," by Monteverdi. Her Handelian arias were also wonderful. My favorites from this CD are: all of the German lieder pieces, "A dio Roma" (Monteverdi), "Un sapin isole' se dresse" (Lahore), "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" (Weill), "In quali eccessi...Mi tradi" (Mozart), and "Non piu mesta" (Rossini). She is such an amazing Lyric Mezzo soprano. I love her so much. I also reccomend the Mass in C minor with Anne Sofie von Otter and Kiri te Kanawa, Cosi fan tutte with Renee Fleming (Mozart), and Ariodante (Handel). I strongly advise anyone to purchase this recording!!!

Beautiful voice, beautiful music.......2005-09-10

Superior quality recording! Gorgeous vocal production and sound. Terrific choice of material. Top of the line recording.

Anne Sofie von Otter- The Artist's Album.......2005-08-06

Some of the songs are a little too obscure for me, but I like her singing. However, I like Renee Fleming's singing better.

A fantastic CD collection of arias!!.......2005-01-06

Anne Sofie Von Otter's mezzo voice is amazing!! Her selections of Handel's Ariodante and Rossini's La Cenerentola were amazing!! This CD is amazing and if you're a huge fan of Von Otter, you should get this CD!!

Amazing versatility and unparalleled emotion.......2004-02-09

OK, so I own almost everything she's done. I am particularly fond of songs/lieder and, having listened to a great number of both male and female song singers, I can find no singer in the same universe. The intelligence of her approach, the control of her vocal color and vibrato to match the notes and lyrics, the playfulness with which she approaches the music are without equal.
This is an interesting disc and I didn't buy it until recently since I already had a lot of it and prefer songs to arias. But it was quite a revelation. The Handel and Weill are wonderful. For something completely different, try the Delage "Lahore" Track 12. Eerie and beautiful.
If Track #11, Skogen Sover, doesn't make you cry you have no heart. It may be the most beautiful use of the human voice I've ever heard. Listen carefully to the way she changes vowel sounds in the word 'juninatt' throwing in the 'n' both times so you barely hear it and it doesn't disrupt the vowel color change. At the end, turn up the volume and listen to her fade out with no vibrato until she's barely audible, then add just a touch of vibrato as she finishes with the final 't' of 'juninatt'.
There may be better aria singers, with some voices better for some types of opera. But this woman's incredible versatility is well-reflected here and a delight to listen to. Even a Rossini at the end, gynmastics and all. Has there ever been a singer with a wider repertoire matched with such gorgeous emotion? Now, if we could only get the UK version of this disc, with more and different offerings, here on Amazon USA...
A great intro to this powerful, emotional singer. Take it as a starter and buy the full discs that have the tracks you like best. You'll be captivated and not disappointed.

Average customer rating: Musical Wit in an Orchestral Setting A Cabaret Singer Grows Up This cd is about average, it could have been better Fabulously Fantastic! Michael has done it again

Michael Feinstein with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Michael Feinstein , and Israel Philharmonic Orchestra Manufacturer: Concord Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Bernstein | Bernstein, Leonard | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gershwin | Gershwin, George | ( G ) | 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 General | International | Styles | Music Israel | Middle East | International | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Nostalgia | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Romance on Film/Romance on Broadway Isn't It Romantic Michael & George (Feinstein Sings Gershwin) Hopeless Romantics Pure Gershwin ASIN: B00005Q6LL Release Date: 2002-05-07

Tracks:

1. The Folks Who Live On The Hill
2. The Best Is Yet To Come
3. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry
4. By Myself
5. Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year
6. Stormy Weather
7. Laura
8. On A Clear Day (You Can See Forever)
9. Love Is Here To Stay
10. How Deep is The Ocean?
11. Somewhere
12. I Won't Send Roses

Amazon.com

If there's a precious tone to Michael Feinstein's interpretations of the American songbook, it probably stems from a fervent dedication to preserving the original context of his material. This is, after all, a musician who spent many of his formative years in personal service to the late Ira Gershwin. This collection further underscores that commitment, with the lush sound of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (augmented by the piano trio of Alan Broadbent, who also provides all but one of the arrangements here) adding considerable dramatic resonance to Feinstein's performances.

While singers from Sinatra and Streisand to Fitzgerald and Bennett have imbued many of these songs with considerable dollops of jazz, blues, and their own strong personas, Feinstein mines melancholy jewels like "Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year," "How Deep Is the Ocean," and "By Myself" for all their introspective emotion. "Somewhere" pays tribute to Bernstein with glorious, unabashed melodrama, while "Laura" (one of the most recorded songs of all time) gets recast in something approaching its original intent via an arrangement written for this recording by composer David Raksin. Feinstein himself penned the album's notes, paying careful tribute to each composer represented and noting that all were Jews, yet their music came to represent a richly American spectrum that included black and white and encompassed jazz, the theater, and even classics in its scope. There's a lesson herein, and one that spans more than mere history and musical archaeology. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Musical Wit in an Orchestral Setting.......2004-01-04

The one problem a record collector encounters when he has an album too many of one artist, is the tendency of the artist to sing the same songs in succeeding albums/settings. Feinstein, who I consider as the leading proponent in reviving the American Popular Song standards to its unfettered glory is backed by a philharmonic orchestra in this album with the musical direction of conductor Alan Broadbent. And yes, he sang some songs that were sung in sparse and acoustic settings in his previous albums. As usual, just like any cabaret singer who never really sings the same song twice (listen to the grand old dames of cabaret like Julie Wilson and Mabel Mercer), Feinstein delights in the varied ways he can see a song in different contexts. Having said that, I thought he was a bit overly cautious in exploring his rich bari-tenor (sorry for this oxymoron but that is the word to apply to his voice) in soaring the vocal lines of Kern's The Folks Who Live on the Hill. Other than that, he was at his wittiest and conversational (not to mention just plain beautiful) voice when singing I Won't Send Roses and he can revisit the Bernstein/Sondheim Somewhere without evoking the famous version of uber diva Barbra Streisand. If you like good crooning vocals in a grand and orchestral setting, this is the album to listen or give as a gift -- you/they won't regret it.

A Cabaret Singer Grows Up.......2003-03-14

"Extraordinary how potent cheap music is." -Noel Coward

Like Coward, Mr. Feinstein seems to understand the power of popular, romantic song when flung into the void of an apparently cold universe by an all too human, understated voice...I first heard Michael Feinstein sing and play the piano umpteen years ago in the mad, bad '80s. At that time, I found his choice of material from the great 20th Century American composers refreshing & interesting, his skills as a pianist were good, and his diction to be above average. Yet his voice at that time was a bit weak--there was too much bravura nonsense, too much vibrato and he may have been too young for some of the songs that he sang at the time.

Well, we've both matured, (I hope), and Mr. Feinstein has delivered a remarkably smooth, yet heartfelt performance on this album. I'm particularly impressed by his vocal smoothness and emotional restraint, especially on "Love is Here to Stay", "How Deep Is the Ocean", "Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year" & "I Won't Send Roses". Mr. Feinstein appears to really understand the depth of feeling that these words and music evoke in him and us. The vibrato is there when needed, but the ripeness of a mature singer is beginning to be heard on his recordings and the Israeli Philharmonic simply gives his singing wings. The only song that doesn't seem to fit is "Stormy Weather"--I kept hearing Lena Horne in my mind's ear, rather than a polished cabaret singer. I hope that Feinstein continues to grow in vocal power and subtlety as he does here. A lovely album for sophisticated romantics.

This cd is about average, it could have been better.......2002-08-18

First I would like to say i'm a Michael fan. I own all his catalog. Even though i'm a fan there are some things about this cd that I find in bad taste. Please let me explain!

I know it is hard to always be creative. There are just so many ideas to go around and then you have to start duplicating others. This is known as copying what others have done.

For this cd I felt like some of the arrangements were too long. For example, Laura as it was performed hear is a six minute song. It really should have been done in two minutes. I'm an engineer and I edited this version of Laura to run two minutes and it is just perfect. Sometimes less is really more. Also, I felt that some of the other songs didn't really have top notch arrangements attached to them. If the arrangements would have been better I whould have had no choice but to bring out the 5 star rating for this project.

To talk a little bit about the voice of Michael is my pleasure. His voice seems to be getting better with age. I have always liked Michael's voice and will continue to do so.

I will give this cd a favorable recommendation!

Fabulously Fantastic!.......2002-07-21

Feinstein has outdone himself with this collection!! He is in fine fettle with songs that only He can do justice! His interpretations and stylings are beyond compare and trust you will not be disappointed with this recording!! Feinstein is simply fabulously fantastic!

Michael has done it again.......2002-07-12

S'Wonderful, S'Marvelous.

If there is one thing you can say about Michael Feinstein it's that he knows how to put over a song. His new cd is absolutely magnificent, these are the only words to describe it.

Somewhere, By Myself, Stormy Weather and the rest of the songs are beyond compare. Do yourself a big, big favour and don't miss out on this cd; you'll love it.

Average customer rating: A Calm Way to Enjoy Celin's Hits

Piano Strings Tribute to the Music of Celine Dion Manufacturer: Tribute Sounds ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Piano Strings Tribute to the Phantom of the Opera Piano Strings Tribute to Barbra Streisand Piano Strings Tribute to John Denver All The Way...A Decade of Song ASIN: B0002DB5CW Release Date: 2004-07-13

Tracks:

1. A New Day Has Come
2. That's The Way It Is
3. My Heart Will Go On
4. To Love You More
5. It's All Coming Back To Me Now
6. Because You Loved Me
7. The Power Of Love
8. Beauty And The Beast
9. All By Myself
10. The Prayer

Product Description

1. A New Day Has Come
2. That's The Way It Is
3. My Heart Will Go On
4. To Love You More
5. It's All Coming Back To Me Now
6. Because You Loved Me
7. The Power Of Love
8. Beauty And The Beast
9. Nothing Broken But My Heart
10. All By Myself

Format: CD

Customer Reviews:

A Calm Way to Enjoy Celin's Hits.......2005-07-08

This album has collected most of Celin's greatest hits and played them to the piano with a pleasant suggestion of the stringed instruments in the background. It would be more complete if Where Does My Heart Beat Now and I Drove All Night were also included. Nevertheless, the orchestration is awesome, and the music overall is very soothing. The tempo is slow and benefitial for studying or just relaxing. The tracks just melt into each other, and you find yourself filling the lyrics to the various songs as they play. This Cd is especially good if you are an enthusiastic fan of Celin Dion and classical music because the two concepts are blended in this album. And even if you are neither, the music is quite calming anyways.

Average customer rating: Lost B'way Wonder A Nostalgic Favorite--a delightful, almost flawless score. For Robert Prestons Voice, get this Robert Preston was always worth the price of admission Robert Preston and Ulla Sallert in a lush prequel to 1776

Ben Franklin in Paris Manufacturer: Drg ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Indie Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Broadway & Vocalists | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Soundtracks | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Bravo Giovanni (1962 Original Broadway Cast) The Happiest Girl in the World (1961 Original Broadway Cast) I Can Get It For You Wholesale (1962 Original Broadway Cast) Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast) Tovarich ASIN: B000060PC7 Release Date: 2002-04-09

Tracks:

1. Overture
2. We Sail The Seas
3. I Invented Myself
4. Too Charming
5. Whatever Became Of Old Temple?
6. Half The Battle
7. A Balloon Is Ascending
8. To Be Alone With You
9. You're In Paris
10. How Laughable It Is
11. Hic Haec Hoc
12. God Bless The Human Elbow
13. When I Dance With The Person I Love
14. Diane Is
15. Look For Small Pleasures
16. I Love The Ladies
17. Finale

Amazon.com

It's tempting to compare Ben Franklin in Paris with another musical from the late 1960s featuring the titular character, 1776. Hard to say why, exactly: they have little in common musically, and while 1776 won a Tony Award and remains popular despite--or perhaps because of--its quirks, Ben Franklin in Paris is remembered chiefly for being a flop. Not that it's unassailably bad. Robert Preston, as Franklin, does a capable job, though he does most of the show in Music Man mode. There are some good songs, particularly Jerry Herman's two contributions, "Too Charming" and "To Be Alone with You." It's arguable that this musical's failure was due not to its own weaknesses, but to the competition. Still, despite this reissue of the 1964 Broadway cast recording, it seems unlikely to experience a rebirth. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

Lost B'way Wonder.......2006-12-16

Robert Preston and Ulla Sallert's charm make this a fabulous example of magic musical theatre.
The energy and fun is a pleasure to hear. Jerry Herman's songs, "Too Charming" and "To Be Alone With You" should become classics. Where else can you hear tipsy monks sing so cheerfully? Do take a listen and enjoy the true Golden Age of Broadway with Phil Lang's brilliant orchestrations.

A Nostalgic Favorite--a delightful, almost flawless score........2006-08-27

Ben Franklin in Paris is a nostalgic favorite of mine, because my brother and I happened to be in Philadelphia on a family trip when it was previewing there, and I was excited to see a Broadway show before it made its way to Manhattan. I was thrilled by the show--including the score, Robert Preston's performance, and the stage effects involving a hot air balloon ride. Back home in New York, I eagerly awaited its opening--surprised to discover there had been a cast change (Susan Watson, who I had seen and loved in Carnival, replacing Jacqueline Mayo) and some number changes (including the elimination of a pretty ballad, "Tis Incredible As Love"). I was disappointed to see that it didn't open to rave reviews, but pleased that there were at least enough good quotes to fill a full-page ad in the New York Times (which I still have somewhere). I bought the LP the moment it came out, delighted to find that they had included a copy of the official souvenir program in the jacket--though worried that this might indicate they didn't expect the show to last long enough to need all the programs. I also got the sheet music as soon as it came out--it includes several songs which, to this day, are among the ones I most enjoy playing and singing, including "I Invented Myself," "To Be Alone With You," "You're in Paris," "When You Dance With the Person You Love," "How Laughable It Is," and "Look For Small Pleasures." (At the time, I thought the last song was the most beautiful song I had ever heard. I guess I hadn't yet heard a lot of Jerome Kern.") I was sure that "Half the Battle" was going to become a huge popular favorite. Someone even played it at a talent show at my Junior High. But, alas, it didn't. The show also has that rarity, a show tune in Latin--"Hic Haec Hoc." I tried to convince a teacher that the song's inclusion justified a school trip, but no dice. Listening to the score now on CD brings it all back--a delightful, almost flawless score; charming performances; an interesting book. And I love being able to tell people I saw Ulla Sallert live on stage. (Who? They know in Sweden.) And I love the fact that the non-English-speaking actress supposedly learned the entire role phonetically.(It certainly sounds as if she did.) I forgot to mention the opening, a sort of Prologue as I remember it, with sailors hanging from the ropes on a Tall Ship singing a song that included references to all 13 colonies. Quite stirring. Why doesn't Encores revive this show?

For Robert Prestons Voice, get this.......2006-08-01

The show is alright, the lyrics are fine, The music ia surprisingly good, but the best part of this CD is Robert Preston. He has a beautiful voice. I was never expecting such a great Ben Franklin. If you like musical theater, this is a good soundtrack. If you like clean male voices, this is a good soundtrack. Other than that, its not one that you should pick up to learn songs from, although it has some ballads. At any rate, it is at a great price, so its worth the listen. Favorite Song: "I Love The Ladies"

Robert Preston was always worth the price of admission.......2006-07-02

One of the many musicals of the 1964-5 Broadway year to run almost an entire season and yet not make back its profit (BAJOUR and WHAT MAKES SAMMY RUN come to mind, among others), BEN FRANKLIN IN PARIS was actually literate, reasonably melodic and boasted one of Robert Preston's latter-day dazzling performances (yes, you could call it Harold Hill mode, but nobody did what he did and nobody did it better; for someone who had been around for nearly 20 years, in nondescript film roles, to burst forth on the scene in THE MUSIC MAN was no small feat, and for theatregoers it was heaven; if you never had the pleasure of seeing him do his thing live, just watch the film of THE MUSIC MAN, and I promise that you'll get it). Yes, it's true that Jerry Herman contributed two of the better songs (just as some others had done for him earlier that year in HELLO DOLLY!), but the score offered some other true gems; LOOK FOR SMALL PLEASURES is surely one of the loveliest ballads of its time, and the comic production numbers are equally delighful (I INVENTED MYSELF and GOD BLESS THE HUMAN ELBOW), and his eleven o'clock speech about the fly in the wine cask is quite wonderful (okay, it was a speech and not a song, but so what?) Regardless of who wrote what (the typical melange of many hands working on a Broadway musical), it was a delight to watch and a pleasure to listen to over again on the recording. The one problem: Ulla Sallert, the Swedish leading lady imported to sing the pivotal role of the courtesan; her voice is pretty enough, and I'm sure her Swedish Eliza Doolittle was charming (but only in Swedish), but her English is muddled to say the least. And there is the wonderful asset of Susan Watson, the best ingenue of the 1960s and arguably one of the best ever, as the coquettish maid. All told, Mr. Preston and company make this well worth a visit.

Robert Preston and Ulla Sallert in a lush prequel to 1776.......2004-06-09

BEN FRANKLIN IN PARIS can almost be seen as a prequel to 1776, with a fanciful score by Mark Sandrich Jr. and Sidney Michaels. With the reliable Robert Preston at the helm and featuring the renowned Swedish musical theatre diva Ulla Sallert in her only Broadway role, BEN FRANKLIN IN PARIS lasted for 215 performances, largely thanks to its strong cast.

Robert Preston (THE MUSIC MAN, MACK AND MABEL, I DO! I DO!) is perfect for the role of Ben Franklin, who journeys to Paris in order to attend to political matters and along the way rekindles his love affair with the beautiful Countess Diana (Ulla Sallert). Lovely ingenue Susan Watson (BYE BYE BIRDIE, NO NO NANETTE) impresses with 2 great numbers "You're in Paris" and "When I Dance with the Person I Love".

Jerry Herman penned 2 of the score's better numbers ("Too Charming" and "To Be Alone with You"), and Ulla Sallert has a full strong voice. One of the better cast albums of the early 60's.

Average customer rating: Kurt Weill: Re-discovery... Incredible Live Album

Kurt Weill: The Centennial Kurt Weill , Brock Peters , Carole Cook , Charlotte Rae , Nancy Dussault , Norm Lewis , Peter Becker , Rod McKuen , Shirley Jones , Tim Curry , and Steve Orich Manufacturer: Lml Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Weill | Weill, Kurt | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Cabaret | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Broadway & Vocalists | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Soundtracks | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Life Upon the Wicked Stage Tap Your Troubles Away - The Words and Music of Jerry Herman (Historic All-Star Tribute) ABC (Adler, Bock, Coleman) Over The Rainbow: The Music Of Harold Arlen (1995 Benefit Concert Cast) Dream: The Lyrics and Music of Johnny Mercer ASIN: B00005U8HM Release Date: 2002-01-08

Tracks:

1. Act 1: Pirate Jenny - Charlotte Rae
2. Act 1: I'm A Stranger Here Myself - Jodi Stevens
3. Act 1: Economics - Jane A. Johnston
4. Act 1: Is It Him Or Is It Me? - Pam Dawber
5. Act 1: Barbara Song - Linda Purl
6. Act 1: Lullaby - Kathryn Skatula
7. Act 1: That's Him - Nancy Dussault
8. Act 1: Don't Look Now - Sharon Lawrence
9. Act 1: Apple Jack - Norm Lewis
10. Act 1: Speak Low - Sally Kellerman
11. Act 1: September Song - Rod McKuen
12. Act 1: Ice Cream Sextet - David Holladay

Tracks:

1. Act 2: Wouldn't You Like To Be On Broadway? - David Holladay
2. Act 2: What Good Would The Moon Be - Melissa Dye
3. Act 2: It Never Was You - Hugh Panaro
4. Act 2: We'll Go Away Together - Hugh Panaro
5. Act 2: Tschaikowsky - Jack Noseworthy
6. Act 2: The Saga Of Jenny - Carole Cook
7. Act 2: Surabaya Johnny - Tim Curry
8. Act 2: My Ship - Shirley Jones
9. Act 2: Mack The Knife - Loretta Devine
10. Act 2: Lost In The Stars - Brock Peters

Customer Reviews:

Kurt Weill: Re-discovery..........2006-11-10

I am so impressed and pleased to have found this recording on Amazon.com. I am always amazed when I find these seemingly obscure recordings, and thrilled to know they exist. What a wonderful history of our musical world---and what a chance to hear interesting, challenging, and unusual performances from so many well-known people. The songs live on--the composer is 'new' again, and this recording becomes part of history re-discovered. Thank you Amazon.com for your continued professionalism and for having these recordings available.

Incredible Live Album.......2002-02-10

This incredible concert (which i attended) benefitting The Actors' Fund of America, contains some absolute MUST performances for any Broadway collector.

For me, the highlights are HUGH PANARO ("It Never Was You"), NANCY DUSSAULT ("It's Him") and TIM CURRY singing "Surabaya Johnny" in German!

Loretta Divine, Brock Peters, they're all great!

Average customer rating:

The String Quartet Tribute to Beyonce Various Artists Manufacturer: Vitamin Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music Soul | Compilations | R&B | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Tributes | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B0000JKLTG Release Date: 2003-11-25

Tracks:

1. Crazy in Love
2. Work It Out
3. Closer I Get to You
4. Naughty Girl
5. Speechless
6. That's How You Like It
7. Me, Myself & I
8. Baby Boy
9. Be With You
10. Rainy Day

Product Description

1. Work It Out
2. Crazy In Love
3. The Closer I Get To You
4. Naughty Girl
5. Speechless
6. That's How You Like It
7. Me, Myself & I
8. Baby Boy
9. Be With You
10. Rainy Day (Original composition by Todd Mark Rubenstein)

Format: CD

Average customer rating: Champagne Music!

Offenbach: La Belle Helene; Orpheus in the Underworld; La Vie Parisienne (Highlights) Manufacturer: Class. for Pleas. Us ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Offenbach | Offenbach, Jacques | ( O ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Johann Strauss II: Die Fledermaus; The Gypsy Baron (Highlights) Léhar: The Land of Smiles; The Merry Widow; The Count of Luxembourg (Highlights) Offenbach: Orpheus in the Underworld / Burgess, Watson, etc (Highlights) ASIN: B00009KHY3 Release Date: 2003-09-02

Tracks:

1. Overture
2. The Happy Bride Never Stumbles
3. You've Gone Too Far!
4. May I Make Myself Known?
5. My Death Appears Divinely Smiling
6. When Diana Leaves The Mountains
7. To Arms!
8. When Jupy Feels The Inclination
9. Here Comes Orpheus
10. When I Was King Of The Boeotians
11. I Thought That I Felt On My Shoulder
12. What Heavenly Joy Is Mine
13. Minuet And Galop
14. Overture
15. How Sad We've Made The Marchioness
16. Well Isn't That Just Life All Over?
17. I'm The Guide For Every Tourist
18. I Am A Native Of Brazil
19. In This Enchanting Queen Of Cities
20. I Am A Dab At Carving Pork
21. We Have Seen Sights Since Eleven... I'm A Colonel's Widow
22. Dinner Is Served

Tracks:

1. Oh, Little Cloud
2. When She Goes Out... Her Petticoats Go Frou, Frou, Frou
3. Does He Know He's Splitting Down The Back
4. Nobody Would Call Me A Rover
5. I'll Have So Much To Say
6. It's Most Important You Should Show
7. Here You See The Place
8. My Friends, I'm Most Delighted To See You
9. In Songs And Shouts... Paris Blooms Like A Flower
10. Introduction
11. To Bow To Jupiter We Gather At The Shrine
12. We've Had A Night Out
13. On Mount Ida Three Great Ladies (The Judgement Of Paris)
14. March And Entry Of The Kings
15. Entr'acte
16. We All Begin By Truly Trying
17. It Is Her That Has Sent This Sweet Love Dream
18. Come Here, You Kings Of Greece
19. When All Of Greece Has Been Ravaged
20. Do You See?

Customer Reviews:

Champagne Music!.......2006-07-09

Thank goodness that these well filled CDs of selections from three of Offenbach's most entertaining and tuneful operettas are available. Exactly the thing to provide some hearty nourishment for Winter nights. Ideal also for a Summer barbecue. In both cases, a glass of champagne, or at least some other bubbly beverage, would be good to have at hand - everything here no doubt will call for a toast or several.

It is so nice to be able to hear in these translations the witty words, sung with welcome clarity and meaning by these admirable artists. As I recall, there were no microphones in sight, and perhaps not even used, when this production of Orpheus In The Underworld was brought to Australia, with a few cast changes but the same sparkle as shown here. Crisp diction and lively, often lovely, singing - a great recipe for enjoyable listening indeed.

The recording sounds a bit shrill here and there, but what a churlish quibble; to Hades with such curmudgeonly qualifications! This is music to raise the spirits, and not just those from Hades.

Average customer rating: Enchanté, Mlle Graham! excellent singing, not so great programming A CD full of scrumptious French chocolates! REYNALDO AND SOME LIGHT STUFF C'est magnifique!!

"C'est ca la vie, c'est ca l'amour": French Operetta Arias Reynaldo Hahn , Andre Messager , Susan Graham , Yves Abel , and City of Birmingham Symphony Manufacturer: Erato ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Honegger | Honegger, Arthur | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Susan Graham - La Belle Époque (The Songs of Reynaldo Hahn) Susan Graham ~ Berlioz - Les nuits d'été Poèmes de l'Amour Susan Graham - Mozart & Gluck Arias ~ Il tenero momento Artist Portrait: Susan Graham ASIN: B00005UW0Z Release Date: 2002-04-02

Tracks:

1. "C'est ca la vie, c'est ca l'amour" (Moises Simons, from Toi c'est moi, 1934)
2. "J'ai deux amants" (Andre Messager, from L'Amour masque, 1923)
3. "Yes" (Maurice Yvain, from Yes, 1928)
4. "Si vous saviez" (Arthur Honegger, from Les Aventures du roi Pausole, 1930)
5. "O mon bel inconnu" (Reynaldo Hahn, from O mon bel inconnu, 1933)
6. "Je ne vois rien..Lorsque je n'etais qu'une enfant" (Andre Messager, from Fortunio, 1907)
7. "Les hommes sont biens tous les memes" (Andre Messager, from Coups de roulis, 1928)
8. "Air de la Lettre" (Reynaldo Hahn, from Brummell, 1931)
9. "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle" (Andre Messager, from Passionnement, 1926)
10. "Vois-tu, je m'en veux" (Andre Messager, from Les P'tites Michu, 1897)
11. "Etre adore" (Reynaldo Hahn, from Mozart, 1925)
12. "Je regrette mon Pressigny" (Andre Messager, from la Petite Fonctionnaire, 1921)
13. "Amour, amour, quel est donc ton pouvoir" (Andre Messager, from Les Dragons de l"Imperatrice, 1905)
14. "Mon reve" (Andre Messager, from L'Amour masque, 1923)
15. "C'est tres vilain d'etre infidele" (Reynaldo Hahn, from O mon bel inconnu, 1933)
16. "C'est pas Paris, c'est sa banlieue" (Reynaldo Hahn, from Ciboulette, 1923)
17. "Vagabonde" (Moises Simons, from Toi c'est moi, 1934)

Amazon.com

This record presents the esteemed opera singer and French music specialist Susan Graham in a new light. French operetta began with Jacques Offenbach (creator of The Tales of Hoffmann) in the 1850s; his ability to blend sweet lovely melodies with bitter political satire made him and the form famous, and composers all over the world have emulated him ever since, including those represented on this disc. Most of them, though popular during their lifetime, are hardly known today. The most familiar are Arthur Honegger and Reynaldo Hahn, though not primarily as operetta composers; the latter contributes some of the loveliest music.

The arias on this program are thoroughly appealing and very different, ranging from frothy creampuffs to almost operatic dramas, from ingenuous simplicity to ironic sophistication. As one might expect, the texts, all written from a woman's point of view, focus on the relationships between men and women in all their infinite, subtle variety. Susan Graham uses her very beautiful voice and captivating charm to bring out the teasing humor, the intimacy, passion, joy, and regret in words and music. One song is a trio, but since no other singers are mentioned, one assumes that she covers all three parts! The first song is the only one in which the singing is artificial and exaggerated, as if Graham were feeling her way into the style. The orchestra is very good, but some of the arrangements are overloaded. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Enchanté, Mlle Graham!.......2004-11-13

Though it's fair to say that the stunning title track reaches a creative standard unmatched by any of the later items (no wonder it comes first), this is still refreshing stuff, which will bring out the slumbering Maurice Chevalier in us all. Anyone who can hear it without wanting to grab the nearest straw hat and proclaim "Zank 'eaven for leedle girrrrrlz" is a tougher man than I am, Gunga Din.

Refreshing stuff, but seldom flippant. Other than the X-rated Honegger song (who'd have thought sober-sided Artur H had a bawdy streak in him?) and the subtler but still eyebrow-raising Maurice Yvain number "Yes", the prevailing atmosphere is often surprisingly operatic. Surprising at any rate to me, since I can't recall hearing most of this material before. Reynaldo Hahn sometimes does a rather good Richard Strauss impersonation, as in "O mon bel inconnu", which suggests a Gallic version of ROSENKAVALIER's final trio.

Presumably Miss Graham sings all the vocal parts of this piece in a multi-tracking arrangement, but it would be nice to have been told in the booklet note whether this was the case. The short playing time deplored by Joy Fleisig is also a nuisance, since one wants even more of the same. Miss Fleisig rightly censured, in addition, the white-print-on-purple-background design which some graphic-design-school genius decided to employ for the lyrics' translations. So no fifth star for this review. The release remains a pretty enchanting (not to say enchanté) production, even if a native French singer would have cultivated - as native French singers will - an edgier, more acidic timbre than Miss Graham's warm, sonorous, very slightly cloudy tone. Altogether a splendid supplement to heftier and more austere listening.

excellent singing, not so great programming.......2002-10-02

A delightful album by Graham, who has apparently been cast as a French expert...but I wish there had been a few more uptempo numbers on here, so many of them are slow that it almost detracts from the sparkle of her singing. Great performances and sound, though.

A CD full of scrumptious French chocolates!.......2002-09-03

When one thinks of 'French operetta', the composer that most often springs to mind is Jacques Offenbach. However, the generations of operetta composers that came after him also produced some wonderful music. Unfortunately, although these works were very popular in their time, they are virtually forgotten today. Apart from Andre Messager, the best known names on this anthology, Reynaldo Hahn and Arthur Honneger, are better known for other types of work, and most of the other composers are unknowns. Susan Graham, perhaps the finest American mezzo-soprano of our time, is to be commended for bringing these sweets out into the open once again.

Graham is a singer very much in the mold of Frederica von Stade - like von Stade, she is best known for trouser roles such as Octavian and Cherubino, but she has done some wonderful work in French music, especially as a recitalist. Her voice is firm and lustrous with an easy, sopranoish top, her phrasing is exquisite, and her French is excellent. By turns Graham is funny, ironic, sensual, wistful, charming, and heroic.

Most of the music on this CD was written between 1920 and 1935, although one selection here is from as early as 1897. The music actually has greater similarity to 'modern' musical comedy than to traditional operetta. Of course, the primary theme of these works is the travails of women in love - either they struggle with their (often illicit) passions - in one case attempting to invoke Joan of Arc! - or muse on the perfidy of men. My favorite song on the disc is the title track, a delightful samba take on 'Carmen' (from Cuban-born Moises Simons' 'Toi c'est moi') with a verse that sounds quite a bit like the 'Habanera' - only in this version, Carmen murders Escamillo! It actually occurred to me while listening to this disc that Graham might make an excellent Bizet Carmen on records or in a small theater. By the way, the 'Carmen' connection shows up again in a song entitled - you guessed it - 'L'amour est un oiseau rebelle'!

Other tracks which I love are `Yes', wherein a French woman goes to England knowing only that word and gets her self married - and more, and `O mon bel inconnu', where three women get letters from the same man (their husband, father, and employer respectively) through the lonelyhearts column. Thanks to the miracle (?) of multi-tracking, Graham gets to sing all three roles, and her `voices' blend together gorgeously. And in the final track, 'Vagabonde' (also from 'Toi c'est moi') is a delightfully whirling 'impatient, quivering, impulsive' plea from a woman who wants to find a man willing to marry before her 'orange-flower' wilts (wink, wink).

Despite the light tone of most of this music, there are several moments of high drama. `Lorsque je n'etais que enfant' is an aria from Messager's `Fortunio' where the heroine, berating herself for toying with her boyfriend, reminisces of her purer and more innocent childhood. Graham is back in her usual trouser-role territory for the heroic `Etre adore' from Hahn's `Mozart', where the composer effuses over Paris and willingly sacrifices his soul to be adored by its people. There is also sweet nostalgia and regret, such as in 'Je regrette mon Pressigny', 'Vois-tu, je m'en veux' and 'C'est pas Paris, c'est sa banlieu'.

Actually, the only track that I don't like is 'Si vous saviez' from Honneger's 'Les Aventures du Roi Pausole', which ironically enough is Graham's favorite. The aria, where the wife of a polygamous potentate begs her husband to sleep with her more than once a year, is meant to be sensuous but just drags. I suspect this his Honneger's fault, not Graham's.

The French-Canadian Yves Abel is an ideal conductor for this repertory. He has a strong affinity not only for French opera but also for comedy and light music in general; the latter two qualities were very evident at a Metropolitan Opera `Il Barbiere de Siviglia' this year. I also remember a fine performance of `La Grande-Duchesse de Gerolstein' he conducted with his company L'Opera Francais de New York and Stephanie Blythe. Under his baton the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra plays just like a French ensemble.

The documentation has full texts and translation of all the material and a fine essay on the works and the composers by Patrick O'Connor. Unfortunately, there is no biographical information for either Graham or Abel. Also, some people might have problems reading the white type on purple background for the translations (the type for the essay is the normal white-on-black), although I did not. As usual, my complaint about many modern CDs, especially those produced by Erato, applies here - there is less than an hour of music on a medium that can hold almost 80 minutes. I think it is unlikely that Graham and Abel couldn't find more good music in this vein, or even that they ran out of recording time. And speaking of Erato, I think it is a crime that that parent company Warner Classics dismissed not only Graham but many other fine operatic artists like Jose Cura, Daniel Barenboim, and Barbara Frittoli. At least the man now in charge of Warner regrets Graham's dismissal and is negotiating a new contract with her.

I am glad that so many star singers today are championing French rarities - not only Graham but also Roberto Alagna and Vesselina Kasarova, among others. I would recommend this not only to lovers of opera and operetta but also to fans of more 'popular' French music like Edith Piaf's and Jacques Brel's, or even to admirers of the American musical. It doesn't matter by which road you come to it - this material is delightful and the presentation is flawless. Most importantly, it is clear that everybody involved with the making of this disc had a great time, and anyone who listens to it will as well.

REYNALDO AND SOME LIGHT STUFF.......2002-08-02

SUSAN GRAHAM had me an addict of her voice with her marvelous songs of REYNALDO HAHN,a treasure that i cherish.This FRENCH OPERETTA ARIAS is still a good cd,but lighter and fluffier.Not surprizingly, i consider the HAHN arias the highlight of this record.It seems to me that SUSAN has real affinities with the composer of CIBOULETTE and O MON BEL INCONNU.O MON BEL INCONNU and ETRE ADORÉ are wonderfully sung and are worth the price of the cd.I did not completely enjoy the first 4 numbers,although i should say that they are correctly done.Maybe i simply can't accept the fact that SUSAN can sing humourous stuff.Well that's my problem isn't it?I have the original version of J'AI DEUX AMANTS sung by YVONNE PRINTEMPS and the comparaison gives advantage to SUSAN.

C'est magnifique!!.......2002-06-29

Graham has never been better in this disc of delightful French operetta arias. A must for fans of the artist. And I dare you to get that opening track out of your head!!

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