Puro Amor

1. Dire Al Corazon

2. Puro Amor

3. Te Conozco

4. Medicina de Amor

5. Nadie Se Parece a Ti

6. Que Me Lleve el Tren

7. Reconquistarte

8. Mentirosa

9. Como Amigos Ya No

10. Regresa Amor

Puro Amor,Zarko,EMI International,Latin,Latin Music,Latin Pop,Mexican

Average customer rating:

a voice teacher and early music fan
Daniels Soars to Conquer Mozart, Gluck and Handel
Not as good as his other recordings
Dreary Dowland? Hello?
David Daniels Has Never Recorded Music by Dowland

Sento Amor; David Daniels;
David Daniels , George Frideric Handel , Christoph Willibald Gluck , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Harry Bicket , and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Handel: Opera Arias; David Daniels
David Daniels - Serenade
Handel: Oratorio Arias
Berlioz: Les Nuits d'Été
Vivaldi: Stabat Mater, Nisi Dominus, Longe Mala

ASIN: B00002Z792
Release Date: 1999-11-16

Tracks:

Mitridate, Re Di Ponto: Aria: Venga pur, minacci e frema
Mitridate, Re Di Ponto: Recitativo: Vadasi...O ciel
Mitridate, Re Di Ponto: Aria: Giagli occhi
Ombra felice... Io ti lascio, Concert aria K255: Recitativo: Ombra felice!
Ombra felice... Io ti lascio, Concert aria K255: Aria en rondeau: Io ti lascio
Ascanio in Alba: Aria: Ah di si nobil alma
Il Telemaco, o sia l'isola di Circe: Aria: Se per entro alIa nera foresta
Orfeo ed Euridice: Recitativo: Ahime! Dove trascorsi?
Orfeo ed Euridice: Aria: Che faro senza Euridice?
Orfeo ed Euridice: Aria: Che puro ciel
Tolomeo, re d'Egitto: Recitativo: Inumano fratel
Tolomeo, re d'Egitto: Aria: Stille amare
Partenope: Recitativo: Rosmira, oh Dio!
Partenope: Aria: Sento amor
Partenope: Aria: Ch'io parta?
Partenope: Aria: Furibondo spira il vento

Amazon.com

After a fine Handel recital CD, not to mention taking part in a dozen other major recordings, countertenor David Daniels has hit the jackpot. This fascinating, handsomely recorded CD offers us arias from Mitridate and Ascanio in Alba, and a concert aria by Mozart (the only one he composed for male alto), as well as some Handel and Gluck arias. With them, Daniels takes us through every quality a classically trained singer should have and comes through with flying colors. The arias are about vengeance, sorrow, love--the usual--but within baroque strictures that means that some require lush, limpid singing, others ferocious coloratura and exclamatory heft, and some all of these. Daniels is the one countertenor around who doesn't seem to be afraid of leaning on his voice. It's of course not within the ability of a voice produced so high up to "boom," but the gradation of dynamics he has at his command offers us many different colors and moods. It may be true that an entire hour of countertenorizing can tire the ear, but the program has been so well chosen and is so intelligently ordered that this is not an issue here. The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment plays energetically under the direction of Harry Bicket. Recommended for those who might be curious about how good this type of hybrid voice can actually be and certainly for fans of really good singing. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-08-05

David Daniels is recognized as one of the outstanding American countertenors today, possessing a voice of great warmth and beauty along with a magnetic stage presence, which serves him very well, especially when singing operatic arias.This recording demonstrates very well indeed this ability. He has chosen operas from three composers:Mozart from "Mitridate" and "Ascanio in Alba" along with a beautiful Concert aria:"Ombra felice...Io ti Lascio"which I think is the highpoint of this disc.;Gluck:"Telemaco"-"Orfeo ed Euridice"; and of course Handel:"Tolomeo" and"Partenope". All renditons are perfectly performed with the correct emotional intensity, so much so that one wishes to see him doing all of these great arias. One comment about the statement made by Robert Levine implying that it would be somewhat difficult to listen to the countertenor voice for any prolonged length of time. I think that would depend upon the preference of the listener and his overall sensitivity to the music in question. I personally find GOOD countertenor voices to be ethereal, almost "other worldly" extremely pleasureable to hear!!!!

Daniels Soars to Conquer Mozart, Gluck and Handel.......2004-08-14

Countertenor David Daniels is a wonder, especially when you consider the rarity of a fine countertenor recital. On this, his second recital disc for Virgin Classics, Daniels confounds expectations by continuing his amazingly high batting average. By the very nature of the voice type, one would think the repertoire would be rather limited, the fullness of the notes compromised, the warmth sacrificed by the technical demands of maintaining such a high range. But Daniels breaks every rule and makes up a few new ones by tackling the works of Mozart and Gluck, as well as his perennial musical compass, Handel.

Two completely different selections from Mozart's first opera, "Mitridate", are included here - the aggressively rhythmic "Venga pur minacci e frema" with its intensely dramatic strings and the majestic and remorseful concluding aria "Vadasi...O ciel...Già dagli occhi". They illustrate Daniels' versatility in capturing the two sides of the nefarious character of Farnace. He also tackles the only concert aria Mozart ever wrote for a castrati, "Ombra felice...Io ti lascio", in an exquisitely modulated performance. The Gluck selections are highlighted by the touching "Che farò senza Euridice", which achieves an almost dream-like beatitude, and the pastoral "Che puro ciel". Although already breathtaking up to this point, Daniels saves the best for last as he goes back into familiar territory with Handel's two operas, "Tolomeo" and "Partenope", the latter which he has performed onstage on several occasions. From "Partenope" comes the beautiful title track "Sento amor" where his character Arsace experiences devotion and confusion over his still strong feelings for the disguised Rosmira. Daniels' vocal runs are especially amazing on the last aria, "Furibondo spira il Vento", where his conflicting feelings toward Rosmira come to a boil in a turbulent cauldron as she rejects him.

As with Daniels' first recital recording, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment accompanies beautifully but this time under the expert baton of Harry Bicket, who later conducted Daniels in the 2001 Staatsoper München production of Handel's "Rinaldo" (now on DVD and highly recommended). "Sento amor" is a great recording, a must-have addition to any superior Baroque musical collection and further testament to the wondrous talent of David Daniels.

Not as good as his other recordings.......2000-09-21

David Daniels exhibits a beautiful voice and musicality, as usual. However, I found that this repertoire was not necessarily the best match for his voice, with the tessitura generally too low to showcase his abilities, combined with orchestration that was too overbalanced for the voice. Some of the lesser recorded selections were interesting from a historical perspective.

Dreary Dowland? Hello?.......1999-12-06

This newest cd "Sento Amor&quels is not only the greatest countertenor in the world, but certainly one of the greatest singers in the world. Congrats Mr. Daniels on reaching yet another plateau!

David Daniels Has Never Recorded Music by Dowland.......1999-12-02

"Sento amor" David Daniels' second solo recital on CD, raises the bar not just for countertenors but for all singers. To date he has recorded two solo recitals, a disc of Scarlatti cantatas, a live Poppea from Munich, and highlights from Arne's Alfred-- that's five. To me, "Sento amor" captures one of the most distinctively beautiful and dramatic voices that has ever recorded, so it's hard to believe that Daniels' voice could be confused with any other. I anxiously await the next recording-- will we have a Christmas album for next year?

Anne Sofie von Otter - Opera Arias (Mozart, Haydn, Gluck) / Pinnock

Average customer rating:

A real gem on a great recording.
FANTASTIC!!! AN 18th CENTURY VOYAGE
A Charming Disc

Anne Sofie von Otter - Opera Arias (Mozart, Haydn, Gluck) / Pinnock
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Christoph Willibald Gluck , Franz Joseph Haydn , Anne-Sofie von Otter , The English Concert , Paul Goodwin , Jane Coe , Anthony Robson , Anthony Halstead , and Colin Lawson
Manufacturer: Archiv Produktion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Otter, Anne Sophie von | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Lorraine Hunt Lieberson: Handel Arias
For the Stars
The Inner Voice : The Making of a Singer

ASIN: B000001GWW
Release Date: 1997-06-10

Tracks:

Opera Arias: 'Voi che sapete' Le nozze de Figaro
Opera Arias: 'Oh, del mio dolce ardor' Paride ed Elena
Opera Arias: 'In quali eccessi ... Mi tradi' Don Giovanni
Opera Arias: 'Non vi turbate' Alceste
Opera Arias: 'Dunque sperar poss'io - Il tenero momento' Lucio Silla
Opera Arias: 'Dolce d'amor compagna' La finta giardiniera
Opera Arias: 'Una donna como me' Il mondo della luna
Opera Arias: 'Ad un sguardo' Orlando paladino
Opera Arias: 'Batti, batti, o bel Masetto' Don Giovanni
Opera Arias: 'Vedrai carino' Don Giovanni
Opera Arias: 'Che puro ciel' Orfeo ed Eurideice
Opera Arias: 'Che farnza Euridice?' Orfeo ed Eurideice
Opera Arias: 'Deh socorri un'infelice' La fedeltremiata
Opera Arias: 'Ecco il punto - Non pifiori' La clemenza di Tito

Customer Reviews:

A real gem on a great recording........2007-02-27

I have to tell you how horribly upset I was to have this CD stolen from me by my friends (who dared not admit it!)
I bought this together with Ms. Bartoli's "Arie Antique". I love both discs to death.
Ms. von Otter has a very different timbre from Ms. Bartoli. However, in terms of singing, both artists were at their absolute peak in those two discs.
My favorite song on this disc, Gluck's 'Oh, del mio dolce ardor bramato oggetto', though also an Italian 'antique' composition, was NOT on Ms. Bartoli's disc. Ms. von Otter sung it with such soul and voice that I really wonder (increasing more so these days) if Ms. Bartoli could be as good!
I heard both their 'Voi che sapete', and must say that I preferred von Otter's, though Bartoli gave an almost equally good interpretation in her own Mozart album.
Having reacquired this lost album recently, I would add that Ms. von Otter's interpretations in the rarer Mozart operatic works are a real wonder. Compared with Ms. Fleming's Mozart album wherein contained a number of Mozart's rare works, the singing of Anne Sofie von Otter clearly is of a much more convincing standard. As the singer herself puts it: 'On passionate women and moustaches', undoubtedly this disc demonstrates the full musical capability of hers in both genres to a fascinatingly high standard.

FANTASTIC!!! AN 18th CENTURY VOYAGE.......2001-04-23

AN EXCELLENT VOICE! AND A VERY WELL THINK REPERTORY. I REALLY HIGHLY RECOMEND THIS BEAUTIFUL CD EITHER IF YOU LIKE THE GREAT VOICE OF VON OTTER OR THE CHARMING ARIAS OF MOZART, HAYDN AND GLUCK.

A Charming Disc.......1999-03-05

This collection finds Von Otter at top form and paired with a very sympathetic accompanist. (Would that Pinnock did more vocal pieces, his Haydn Mass is also lovely.) While I am not usually a fan of the scattershot recital approach, this one works. If you like either Von Otter (and how could you not?) or Pinnock, this disc is self-recommending.

Una voce poco fa: A Portrait of Teresa Berganza

Average customer rating:

A FORTY YEAR LOVE AFFAIR

Una voce poco fa: A Portrait of Teresa Berganza

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | 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

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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ASIN: B0001M09OO
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Tracks:

Una Voce Poco Fa
Non So Piu
Voi Che Sapete
Temerari!...Some Scoglio
Ch'io Mi Scordi Di Te?...Non Temer, Amato Bene
Che Faro Senza Euridice?
Che Puro Ciel!
Divinites Du Styx
Medea! O Medea!...Solo Un Pianto
Mi Lusinga Il Dolce Affetto
Verdi Prati, Selve Amene
Quand Je Vous Aimerai?...L'amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle - The Ambrosian Singers
Pres Des Remparts De Seville - Placido Domingo
Cruda Sorte! Amor Tiranno!
Nacqui All'affanno...Non Piu Mesta

Tracks:

Ahi! Che Forse Ai Miei Di
Intorno All'idol Mio
Confusa, Smarrita
Qual Mia Colpa, O Sventura...Se Delitto E Adoravi
Chi Vuol Innamorarsi
La Rosaura (Un Cor Da Voi Ferito)
Elitropio D'amor
Como Quieres Que Adivine
Mananita De San Juan
Cuatro Canciones Vascas
Saeta En Forma De Salve A La Virgen De La Esperanza
El Tra-La-La Y El Punteado
El Majo Timido
La Maja Dolorosa
Farruca
El Pano Moruno
Seguidilla Murciana
Asturiana
Jota
Nana
Cancion
Polo
Sagrario's Romanza
Margarita's Romanza
Txalopin Txalo
Nere Maitea
Atea Tan Tan
Tun, Kurrun, Kuntun
Arranoak Bartuetan
Ainoarra Nimino
Anderegeya
Amak Ezkondu

Customer Reviews:

A FORTY YEAR LOVE AFFAIR.......2004-09-02

The lack of a fifth star reflects the shortcomings of Decca, not of the artist.

DISCLAIMER: What you are about to read are the judgments of a man not completely rational about the subject at hand.

Teresa Berganza has the most gorgeous female voice I've ever laid ears on. There, I've said it! Biased? Proudly. Smitten? To my core. From the moment I heard her in recital forty years ago, until this very day, I have been completely enamored of this gracious and sensitive artist. I own, I think, every note she has ever recorded. I have seen her in recital or on the opera stage several times, and I have never heard a vulgar sound emerge from her throat. The sheer depth and harmonic richness of her mezzo simply shower warmth and luxury on the listener.

She is also arguably the most versatile singer of the last generation. Most people think of her as just a Mozart and Rossini specialist, and indeed she is. But her repertoire ranges from Cesti to Stravinsky, from Fernando Sor to Mussorgsky to Villa Lobos. She has also been a devoted advocate for the music of her native Spain, along with Latin and South American music. At a Carnegie Hall recital the program included Faure, Schubert, Mozart, Wolf, de Falla, Rodrigo, Garcia Lorca, and Toldra, with encores of Gimenez, Rossini, and Schumann. Phew! One might think it impossible to hold together such a varied program, but Berganza did it seamlessly.

Now to the appointed task. This Decca compilation is a mostly fair cross section of her core work. I could gripe about the inclusion of material that is available on multiple other CDs, or prattle on about this omission or that, but considering how generously this package is filled out, I'd be arguing for an extra disc or two.

The Rossini on the disc doesn't require much comment. A true mezzo with voluptuous tone, a completely secure and supple fioratura, and the temperament to make the character come alive... what else could one possibly want? It's hard to imagine a Naqui all'affanno... Non piu mesta sung with more bravura brilliance. Much the same thing could be said of the Mozart. Finding something to criticize would require a truly picayune personality. The 1963 Mozart LP on London put Berganza firmly on the international map. The reviews were extravagant with praise, and the selections here are some of the finest, although the inclusion of Come scoglio shows the least flattering side of her vocal talents - the tessitura lies just a bit too high for her compass. The nearly complete CD version of the LP is available on Decca's "The Singers" series, where you can sample her Dorabella and Sextus.

Disc 1 is rounded out with selections from Handel, Gluck, Bizet, and Neris's second act recitative and aria from Medea. To enter a note of criticism, I find the Gluck rather straight-jacketed; she certainly doesn't have the cutting edge or the horsepower to make Divinites du Styx very convincing. The Orfeo tracks suffer some of the same deficits, although, because the voice is not overtaxed, she is able to maintain equilibrium of tone, but in the end they come up flat sounding. These problems are more than made up for by her Ruggiero from Handel's Alcina and Neris's heart-rending aria, where her strengths are fully evident. The chestnuts from Carmen give a taste of what is certainly one of the most unusually conceived assumptions of this often hackneyed role. This is no tramp cigarette girl, but a fully realized independent woman, whose goals will not be thwarted by mere convention - and Berganza has the vocal and dramatic resources to back it all up. The recording is still in the DGG catalog - snap it up.

If the contents of disc 2 seem a bit scattered, that would be because they are a bit scattered. This is where Decca should have made more coherent choices. The most grievous example: Arambarri's Ochos canciones vascas comes form a 1967 Zacosa LP. The fact that the flip side of that record, Gombau's Siete claves de Aragon, is omitted borders on the incomprehensible. Both of these song cycles are piquant, wonderfully conducted by Gombau himself, and show Berganza's interpretative range in singing Spanish music, plus they are perfect companion pieces. As fine as they are, we did not need the umpteenth incarnation of her collaborations with her then husband, pianist and composer Felix Lavilla.

These discs are billed as having four "First international releases" on CD (whatever that means). But de Falla's Siete canciones populares espanolas has appeared on at least two discs that I know of. Possibly it was never released in the Philippines. The Arambarri and the two zarzuela songs are the other "firsts." Speaking of zarzuela... for anyone unfamiliar with this delightful and important genre, you are in for a treat. It is often referred to as Spanish operetta, but that fails to hit the mark. These are musical slices of working class Madrid streetlife, with a unique combination of the rough and the refined, all shot through with a verve that is utterly Spanish. Once bitten by this bug, you will find it difficult to not learn more. The excerpts presented here give only a tiny peek into the enormous amount of this music Berganza sang. From the mid 50's through the early 70's she committed thirty-some (!) of these roles to tape. Many of them are available on CD in Spain (the transfers, however, are among the worst I've ever heard). For present purposes, I would have included one of the rhythmically passionate or playful songs, instead of picking two rather melancholic romanzas. If one wants a better survey of her contribution to zarzuela, they can seek out the two still available discs on Ensayo, with Asensio and the English Chamber Orchestra. With such rivals as Caballe, de los Angeles, and Bayo, it is a tribute to Berganza's commitment to the form that these recordings are the best ever.

The remainder of the recording presents some truly wonderful songs. Among my favorites are all of the Scarlatti. Because she is so acutely aware of the value of rhythmic flexibility and pacing, she is able to reveal all the subtlety in the work of this baroque genius. The Guridi tracks show her skill in mating the music with the words, with perfect dynamics and some tricky intervals that are flawlessly negotiated. It's a shame there wasn't room for the whole song cycle of this unfairly neglected composer. Manual de Falla's Siete canciones don't reach the same rare heights of, say, Granados' La maja dolorosa, but Berganza makes it seem so. The Seguidilla and Jota are particularly sprightly and fetching. Finally, the Farruca of Turina combines her ability to effortlessly spin out a high lying line, then switch into the song's rapid passage work without any trace of the shifting of the gears..

As for the recording quality, the various tracks pretty much reflect the recording technology of their time. The only exception to a range of pretty good to excellent is the Arambarri. The recording is shrill and thin, with some badly clipped peaks. What a pity; the LP is well recorded, and I know a good transfer is possible, because I've done my own with an outdated computer and $69 worth of software. Sometimes I wonder whether anyone actually listens to what the final product sounds like. As with most every twofer, no texts and translations are included.

The subtitle of this release is A portrait of Teresa Berganza, and it does a decent job of living up to its billing, but it's only one portrait of an incredibly versatile artist, whose spell I've been under for my entire adult life. If this has all ended up sounding more like a paean to Berganza than a record review, I plead guilty.

Average customer rating:

The Sopranos

Manufacturer: Opera D'oro
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Czech | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000A1HNV
Release Date: 2003-07-01

Tracks:

'Dove L'Indiana Bruna (Bell Song) - Amelita Galli-Curci
'Attendo, Attendo...Addio Del Passato' - Claudia Muzio
'Presso Il Bastion Di Siviglia' (Seguidille) - Conchita Supervia
'Vissi D'Arte' - Magda Olivero
'La Vergine Degli Angeli' - Rosa Ponselle
'Ave Maria' - Elisabeth Rethberg
'Che Puro Ciel' - Kathleen Ferrier
'Deh! Vieni, Non tanlar' - Toti Dal Monte
'Depuis Le Jour' - Nellie Melba
'Ah! Je Ris' - Landon Ronald
'Si Mes Vers Avaient Des Ailes' - Frank La Forge
'Gretchen Am Spinnrade' - Emma Eames
'O My Ratmit!' - Marianne Cherkasskaya
'Morro, Ma Prima In Grazia' - Ettore Panizza
'Ah, Vous Dirai-Je Maman' - Ada Sari
'Aufenthal' From Schwanengesang. D. 957, No. 5 - Maria Olczewska
'Dich Teure Halle' - Emmy Destinn
'Du Lieber Mond' - Ljuba Welitsch
'E Strano!... Ah, Fors'e Lui - Beniamino Gigli

Tracks:

'Ritourna Vincitor!' - Dusolina Giannini
'Mi Chaimano Mimi' - Licia Albanese
'Quel Guardo Il Cavaliere...So Anch'io La Virtu Magica' - Adelaide Saraceni
'Suicidio' - Celestina Boninsegna
'Spargi D'amato Pianto' (Mad Scene) - Lilly Pons
'Divinites Du Styx' - Helen Traubel
'Bolero' - Rosa Raisa
Op.48 'Ich Grolle Nicht' - Arthur Nikisch
'Belle Lune D'argent' - Gerald Moore
Chanson Provencale - Mado Robin
Ach, Ich Fuhl's - Serge Koussevitzky
Les Rossignols Des Lilas - Geori Boue
(15th Cent.) Amor Amaro - Suzanne Danco
Im Heimlichen Dammer - Maria Reining
Ist Der Himmel Darum Im Lenz So Blau? - Bruno Seidler-Winkler
Bel Raggio Lusinghier - Luisa Tetrazzini
Nebbie - Alba Anzellotti
Mild Und Leise (Liebstod) - Kirsten Flagstad

Average customer rating:

awesome

Por Puro Amor
Grupo Límite
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Tejano | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Mariachi | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Mexico | International | Styles | Music
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Partiéndome el Alma
Sentimientos
De Corazon Al Corazon
Por Encima de Todo
Gracias 1995-2003 (Bonus DVD)

ASIN: B0000015V1
Release Date: 1995-06-06

Tracks:

Esta Vez
No Es Tan Facil
Con La Misma Piedra
Yo Sin Tu Amor - Grupo LimiteGrupo Limite
Prestame Esta Noche
Si Quieres Saber
Vete
Quiero
Contigo Soy Feliz
Te Aprovechas
Dame Valor
Solo Tu

Amazon.com

Released in June 1995, just months after Selena's tragic death, Por Puro Amor rose quickly to the top of the charts on the potent mix of a cool pop-norteño sound and lead singer Alicia Villarreal's smooth, little-girl vocals. The Tex-Mex world readily welcomed the new young princess. The songwriting was above average; bouncy, melodic songs like "Esta Vez," "No Estan Facil," and "Yo sin Tu Amor" connected with familiar love stances made fresh by Villarreal's sexy, sweet vocals. And despite Villarreal's country & western outfits, braided hair, and seemingly innocent charm, her sense of maturity and sophistication came through in the more elaborate love songs like "Te Aprovechas," a fiery spin on dependence where she conveys her anger in sexy growls. --Ramiro Burr

Customer Reviews:

awesome.......2003-07-28

all the songs are amazing and touching she sings from the heart i believe this is the first cd the group had mi favorite song is con la misma piedra i bought that cd for only that song as a gift to someone but all the song are as good!

Average customer rating:

100 Classical Masterpieces

Manufacturer: Transworld
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polonaises | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | 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

Czech | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000787NNM
Release Date: 1998-01-01

Tracks:

Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 "Pastoral" Allegro
Scheherazade, The Young Prince and the Young Princess
Piano Concerto No 21 in C Major, K. 467, Elvira Madigan, Allegro ...
Symphony No. 3 in D Major, Presto Vivace
Rapsodie Espagnole, Feria
Symphony No. 8 in B Minor, D.759 "Unfinished" Allegro Moderato
Royal Fireworks, The Rejoicing
Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Un Poco Allegretto E Grazioso
Polonaise in a Major, Op. 40, No. 1
Violin Concerto in E Minor Op. 64, Allegretto Non Troppo
Symphonie Fantastique, March to the Scaffold
Samson & Dalila, Mon Coeur S'Ouvre a Ta Voix

Tracks:

Claire de Lune
Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67, Allegro Con Brio
Four Seasons, Summer, Presto
Malaguena
Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565
Waltz No. 1, Op. 18
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46, In the Hall of the Mountain King
Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, Op. 96, Largo
Eine Kleine Natchtmusik, Allegro
Prelude in C Sharp Minor, Op. 3, No. 2
Rustle of Spring, Op. 32, No. 3
Pictures at an Exhibition the Great Gate at Kiev

Tracks:

Fidelio Overture, Op. 72
Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971, Moderato
Nutcracker, Ballet Suite, Waltz of the Flowers
Symphony No. 5, Finale
Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21, Andante Cantabile
Waltz No. 10, Op. 69/2
Valse Triste
In the Steppes of Central Asia
Symphony No. 49 in F Minor, "La Passione, " Menuet-Trio
Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, K. 550, Molto Allegro
Liebestraum
Bartered Bride, Chorus from Act 1
Trovatore, d'Amor Sull'ali Rosee

Tracks:

Light Cavalry Overture
Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Finale, Allegro Con Fucco
Symphony No. 29 in a Major, K. 201, Allegro Con Spirito
Symphony No. 4 in a Major, Italian, Presto (Saltarello)
Water Music, Presto
Fantasy Pieces, Op. 12, No. 1 in the Evening
Symphony 94 in G Major, "Surprise, " Menuetto-Trio: Allegro Molto
Waltz No. 6, Op. 64
Symphony No. 1 in B Flat, Op. 38, Scherzo, Molto Vivace
Horn Concerto No. 2 in E Flat Major, K. 417, Rondo Allegro
Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, "The Tempest, " Allegretto
Gianni Schicchi, O Mimo Babbino Caro
Blue Danube Waltz

Tracks:

Egmont Overture
Swan Lake, Ballet Suite, Swan Dance
Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, "Elvira Madigan, " Andante
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43
Overture to Russlan and Ludmilla
Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage Overture, Op. 27
Nocturne in a Flat Major, Op. 62, No. 3
Violin Concerto, Larghetto
Symphony No. 45 in F Sharp Minor, Farewell, Adagio
Partita No. 1 in B Flat Major, Praeludium
Symphony No. 8 in G Major, Op. 88, Allegretto Grazioso
Reverie
Madame Butterfly, Un Bel Di

Tracks:

Carmen Suite No. 2, Habanara
William Tell Overture
Orchestral Suite No. 3, Air
Rondo in C for Violin and Orchestra, KV 373
Symphony No. 1, Allegro Vivace
Concerto in F for Organ, Op. 4, No. 4, Allegro
Waltz No. 1
My Fatherland, The Moldau
Nocturne No. 1 in B Flat Minor, Op. 9
Carnival Overture, Op. 92
Scenes from Childhood, Op. 15, No. 7, Traumerei
Waltz in a Flat Major, Op. 39, No. 15
Wine, Women and Song, Waltz

Tracks:

Symphony No. 41 in C Major, K.551, Jupiter, Molto Allegro
Etude, Op. 25, No. 1
Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74, Allegro Con Grazia
Romeo and Juliet, Fantasy Overture
Carmen Suite No. 1, Aragonaise
Voices of Spring
Piano Concerto No. 5 in E Flat Major, "Emperor" Adagio, Un Poco Mosso
Consolation in D Major, No. 3
Piano Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op. 57, "Appassionata" Andante Con ...
Der Freischutz Overture, K. 620
Sleeping Beauty, Ballet Suite, Finale
Orpheus, Che Puro Ciel

Tracks:

Moonlight Sonata
"Lohengrin" Prelude to Act 1
Nocturne, Op. 9, No. 2
Prelude in G Sharp Minor, Op. 32, No. 12
Pavane Pour une Enfante Defunte
Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra in a Major, K. 622, Adagio
1812 Overture
Arlesienne Suite No. 1, Adagietto, Adagio
Waltz No. 12, Op. 70/2
Violin Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Op. 6, Adagio
Tosca, Vissi d'Arte
Requiem, Confutatis Maledictis

Early Recordings: Oratorio, Opera, Lieder

Average customer rating:

La Venere Nera di Bayreuth
Gorgeous And Passionate: The Art of Grace
Bumbry At Her Best: An Amazing Collection

Early Recordings: Oratorio, Opera, Lieder

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00067GKFQ
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Customer Reviews:

La Venere Nera di Bayreuth.......2005-08-19

Before I begin my review, I wish to express my DEEP hope that, one day soon, we will be able to enjoy on DVD the famous Bumbry/Verrett concert from Covent Garden, from 1982. I watched a VHS-to-DVD transfer that a friend made, who taped it, and it is stunning, to say the least.

There were many great mezzos from the same era as Grace Bumbry, but for me, she always stands out, due to the unique quality of her voice. I compare the timbre of her voice to a ripple of caramel- sweet, satisfying, and substantial. Hands down, she is my favorite Amneris and Eboli, on disc. Her voice is an arresting combination of vocal beauty and dramatic flair.

Unfortunately, Bumbry was, and is, one of those artists that the critics love to pick apart. Just read the online review of this three-disc collection on Opera News online. The reviewer picks out even the most minute faults in her voice.

No, her musicianship was not spotless, but this does not matter. As the other reviewers stated, her Handel is a wonder to hear. My heart skipped a beat the first time I heard these tracks. As for the rest of disc one, it is a sampling of Italian and French arias. I have to say that I find her Carmen and Delilah a bit too forceful. She all but shouts, "You're gonna love me, dammit!" Still, she is a force that cannot be denied.

The second disc features Grace at her very best, in Verdi. This was the first occasion in which I heard her sing Ulrica's aria, Tu Che Le Vanita, Azucena's arias, and La Luce Langue. Every aria is a highlight and testament to Bumbry, but the two Trovatore arias in particular are spellbinding. To give you an idea, she outclasses several times over Fiorenza Cossotto, who gave a lazy interpretation on the classic Price/Domingo recording.

Brava, Grace.

Gorgeous And Passionate: The Art of Grace.......2005-07-23

This pink box set issued by Deutsche Grammophone recently showcases fantastic arias from diverse repertoire sung by Grace Bumbry in three cd's. It's a must have for fans of Grace Bumbry and perhaps even mezzo-soprano students who wish to emulate her technique and transition to soprano. The sketch of her on the cover is lovely. The booklet inside features liner notes on Grace Bumbry's career, pictures of her great roles and track listings. Deutsche Grammophone has outdone themselves yet again and I'm very appreciative of their magnificent work as classical music and opera recording manufacturers. I hope they re-issue and digitally remaster some great old LP recordings that many of the older opera lovers fondly remember - the Norma sung by Beverly Sills and Shirley Verrett as conducted by James Levine for instance. Grace Bumbry rose to fame around the time of Leontyne Price's debut at the Met as Leonora in Trovatore. But Bumbry, a mezzo-soprano, did something that made history- she sang Venus in Wagner's Tannhauser in Bayreuth, breaking the age-old color line in that very theater where Wagner conducted. She would go on to enjoy success as the grand ladies of the mezzo-soprano field - Carmen, Amneris in Aida, Eboli in Don Carlo, Azucena in Trovatore, and would eventually take on the soprano roles of Elisabeth Valois in Don Carlo, Elisabeth in Tannhauser,Lady Macbeth, Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana, Salome, Aida, Tosca and Norma. Too bad we don't get all the greater stuff from later in her career on this recording. It would make for a fine tribute album. Instead we are treated to her younger days and earliest recordings. And what a beautiful and powerful sound she has in these recordings!

The earliest documented recording of Grace Bumbry's voice was in 1958 in Salt Lake City, which was originally released as LP's in the Westminster label. Grace Bumbry sings the contralto parts of such Handel oratorios as Judas Maccabeus, Irael in Egypt and the more famous Messiah - absolutely majestic, noble interpretations. Following this are two arias from Gluck's Orfeo, in which she sings a moving Orfeo with pure lyric splendor and warmth. Santuzza in Cavelleria Rusticana is normally assigned to sopranos but La Bumbry shows what mezzos are made of is just as impressive in her rendition of "Voi Lo Sapete, Mama." In the role of Carmen, Grace Bumbry is perfect, perfect. I have her full-length recording of Carmen opposite Jon Vickers' Don Jose. As Carmen, she is into the character's liberal nature, flirty and wickedly playful side. Here we here the Habanera, Segudilla and the more grave-sounding Death Card Aria. As Delilah from Samson et Delilah, she is sensuous and glorious to hear. Gounod's Sappho's final scene in which she leaps from a cliff is dramatic and melancholically interpreted. As Joan of Arc from the Tchaikovsky opera she is beautifully moving and even saintly. CD 1 ends with fiery Spanish songs from Falla's El Amor Brujo which are an incredible and not to mention rare treat.

Grace Bumbry sings Ulrica's aria "Re Del Abbiso" from Un Ballo In Maschera with aplomb, with such passion and bravura that even her predecessor Marian Anderson- who opened the doors for all black sopranos that came later- applaud. As Eboli, she is highly dramatic and complex. The signature aria "O Don Fatale" was one she always sang in audition and was her "good luck" aria because she always got the part after singing it. Upon hearing it one knows exactly why. As Princess Elisabeth Valois in Don Carlo, she is regal and melancholy and the challenging aria "Tu che la vanita" proves easy for her to handle. "Stride La Vampa" is here, Azucena's famous aria and Bumbry does justice to it. She does justice to Aida as well, though Leontyne Price is forever embedded in opera lover's memory as the ultimate Aida, but Bumbry is beautiful and dramatic to hear, and especially noteworthy because she sang both Amneris and Aida so knew both parts very well. Lady Macbeth's arias "Vieni T'affreta" and Sleepwalking Scene is here, sung gloriously with flair. She was singing the heavy part of Lady Macbeth in 1964, even as she was still taking on mezzo roles like Carmen!! Further, we hear the live event of her career- the one role that began it all- Venus in Wagner's Tannhauser, hear singing opposite tenor Wolfgang Windgassen. The final cd contains gorgeous Lieder she must have graced recitals with - Brahms, Schubert, Liszt, Wolf and Strauss. Each Lieder is a bright jewel in a divine chain when sung by the incomparable Grace Bumbry.

Fans of Grace Bumbry -Buy this album!!!

Bumbry At Her Best: An Amazing Collection.......2005-06-13

I am so proud to be the first critic to submit a review for this outstanding Deutsche Grammophone album: Grace Bumbry- Early Recordings. Fans of the diva will not want to be without this brilliant 3-cd box set, containing juicy, virtuosic arias for mezzo soprano as well as dramatic soprano that capture Grace Bumbry at her youngest. The career of Grace Bumbry was an impressive and lengthy affair. She started off singing the dramatic mezzo soprano roles in the grand tradition- Azucena from Verdi's Trovatore, Princess Eboli in Don Carlo, Amneris in Aida, Carmen (naturally) and then she transitioned into soprano territory when she astonished the world by singing the diva roles of Aida, Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana, Lady Macbeth, Elisabeth in Don Carlo, Norma and even Strauss Salome, said to be an incredible performance but lamentably never recorded or taped. Her career lasted for several years throughout the 60's, 70's and 80's. She gained world recognition in the opera scene when she broke the "color" barrier at Bayreuth, Germany, which had hitherto accepted only Aryan-German or European white singers because of Wagner's rabid Supremacist sentiments. She sang Venus in Tannhauser (in the dramatic soprano interpretation rather than the mezzo) and she became a legend. That was back in August of 1962. That moment is captured on the last two tracks of CD 2.

The first recordings are from December of 1957, recorded in Salt Lake City, Utah, under the baton of Maurice Abravanel, originally from the Westminster LP label. The opening arias here are excerpts from Handel's oratorios - Judas Maccabeus and the more famous Messiah. Her deep, rich, warm mezzo voice perfectly embodies the Handelian contralto voice, as evidenced in "Their land brought frogs" in "Israel in Egypt" and in "He Was Despised" from the Messiah, which was conducted by Sir Adrian Boult in London. The rest includes two arias from Gluck's masterpiece Orfeo. Bumbry sings in a regal manner, with a divine voice that further re-inforced her Baroque/Gluck style at this time. I have never heard Che Faro Sensa Eurydice sang with such beauty and passion. The first cd for me, the best example and outpouring of her mezzo soprano repertoire. Here we find what I consider her greatest role- Carmen. At this time, Shirley Verrett, another successful black singer, was the most sought after Carmen in opera houses. But Grace Bumbry, for me, is and always will be Carmen. I first heard the voice of Bumbry on the EMI recording of Carmen she sang opposite Jon Vickers and Mirella Freni. Karajan conducted her in a fine Carmen in the Salzburg Festival. As Carmen, she's playful, liberated, subtle, wickedly funny, strong and dramatic and even a bit cynical and tragic. She colors her voice and character to make Carmen a character that most encompassed the originality of Bizet's intention. The Habanera, Seguidilla and the Card Song, which is Bumbry at her best mezzo voice. She sings the scene, in which Carmen reads her own impending death in the tarot card, with such gravitas and nobility and resignation to her fate with the greatest prowess of voice and acting ability. The rest of the second cd features the arias "O Ma Lyre Immortale" a brilliant vocal feat from the opera Sappho by Charles Gounod, a rarely staged opera today - and the aria Mon Coeur from Saint Saens Samson and Delilah. The role of Joan of Arc from the Tchaikovsky opera is another rare jewel and here she sings so wonderfully that one wishes this opera was revived today. The cd concludes with masterful Spanish bravura in Fallas' Amor Brujo.

The second cd documents her rise to soprano heaven. She is able to reach up from her mezzo earth to the strata of soprano dramatic power. Though even as a soprano Bumbry still sang the mezzo roles of Ulrica from Un Ballo and her prized Eboli. Her "O Don Fatale" captured here at its earliest, is simply the best without question. Tracks 7-9 is the infamous Sleepwalking Scene from Verdi's Macbeth. As Lady Macbeth, she is icy, "mad" and very dramatic without delving into the hysteria that other mezzos, most famously Fiorenza Cossotto, would do. She may be "mad" or sleepwalking but she is still the Queen. The last cd are gorgeous, elegant and virtuosic Lieder songs from Schubert, Brahms, Liszt and Strauss.

The best album of Grace Bumbry to be re-issued!! I'll cherish this album for years. Thank you Amazon.com and Deutsche Grammophone. Now please keep re-issuing lost and rare recordings and continue to amaze us the opera lovers.