Alone With the Night

About the Artist
Desert Moon has its roots in El Paso, Texas, where five years ago guitarist Adam Schydlower and violinist the late Alan McChesney first became friends and then musical collaborators. The two performed frequently with various groups, and in the studio created the album "Alone With the Night". McChesney's untimely passing gave the release of the album a much deeper meaning for Schydlower and vocalist Marisa Alexander. "Alone With the Night" is their tribute to a beloved friend. Desert Moon is carrying on with new members and new music. Schydlower is currently writing the group's next album, which will hopefully be just the next step in a long tradition of spiritual music from the Desert Moon. BAND_MEMBERS: Adam Schydlower is Desert Moon's founder and composer. His unique style of guitar provides the rhythmic backdrop for Desert Moon's music. As the group's lyricist, he creates words and ideas that reflect his love for the desert, his devotion to his loved ones, and his desire for knowledge and truth.

Marisa Alexander delivers the songs of "Alone With the Night" with sensuality, expressiveness, and brilliant vocal technique. Her soothing voice is the highlight of the album, captivating listeners and drawing them into each song. She is also a talented actress and dancer, having appeared in many productions as well as television commercials.

The late Alan E. McChesney was a true renaissance man, and was our mentor and friend. His inspiration will always carry us.

Product Description
Sensual vocals, rhythmic world guitar and gypsy violin combine to create the sound of Desert Moon's first CD, "Alone With the Night". The album, which has been called "mesmerizing" by critics, is replete with passionate songs about the desert, love, and personal redemption. With beauty as the ultimate goal in its creation, "Alone With the Night" delivers an unforgettable listening experience that is sure to touch the listener.

Alone With the Night,Desert Moon

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Average customer rating:

Jerry Hadley - Golden Days - Tenor hits from the Golden Age of Operetta Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Herbert | Herbert, Victor | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romberg, Sigmund | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Hadley, Jerry | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Similar Items: In the Real World Standing Room Only Jerry Hadley and Thomas Hampson - Famous Opera Duets (Tenor/Bass) Show Boat (1988 Studio Cast Highlights) A Song of Naples - Neapolitan Songs ASIN: B000003FQQ Release Date: 1994-08-16

Tracks:

1. Song of the Vagabonds
2. I'm Falling in Love With Someone
3. Streets of New York
4. Neapolitan Love Song
5. Desert Song/One Alone
6. Every Day Is Ladies' Day with Me
7. Donkey Serenade
8. Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise
9. Drinking Song
10. When You're Away
11. I Love to Go Swimmin' With Wimmin
12. I Might Be Your Once-In-A-While
13. Marianne
14. Serenade
15. Indian Summer
16. When I Grow Too Old to Dream
17. Gypsy Love Song
18. Golden Days - Jerry Hadley, Mario Lanza

Average customer rating: Wonderful songs

Send in the Clowns: The Ballads of Stephen Sondheim Manufacturer: RCA Victor 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 | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Comedy Tonight: Stephen Sondheim's Funniest Songs Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (1992 Concert Cast) The Sondheim Collection (Studio Cast Re-recordings) Sondheim: The Stephen Sondheim Album Sondheim, Etc.: Bernadette Peters Live at Carnegie Hall ASIN: B00006LSQJ Release Date: 2002-10-22

Tracks:

1. Send In The Clowns (From 'A Little Night Music') - Cleo Laine
2. Losing My Mind (From 'Follies') - Barbara Cook
3. I Remember (From 'Evening Primrose') - David Korman
4. Liasons (From 'A Little Night Music') - Hermione Gingold
5. With So Little To Be Sure Of (From 'Anyone Can Whistle') - Jerry Hadley
6. Not A Day Goes By (From 'Merrily We Roll Along') - Bernadette Peters
7. Pretty Women (From 'Sweeney Todd') - Michael Rupert
8. In Buddy's Eyes (From 'Follies') - Barbara Cook
9. No One Is Alone (From 'Into The Woods') - Cleo Laine
10. Johanna (From 'Sweeney Todd') - Victor Garber
11. So Many People (From 'Saturday Night') - Suzanne Henry
12. Sorry-Grateful (From 'Company') - Stephen Collins
13. Too Many Mornings (From 'Follies) - Barbara Cook
14. Finishing The Hat (From 'Sunday In The Park With George') - Mandy Patinkin
15. Not While I'm Around (From 'Sweeney Todd') - Angela Lansbury
16. Like It Was (From 'Merrily We Roll Along') - Julie Andrews
17. Unworthy Of Your Love (From 'Assassins') - Annie Golden
18. Anyone Can Whistle (From 'Anyone Can Whistle') - Cleo Laine

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful songs.......2003-02-07

If you're a Sondheim ballad fan, this a must-have. While there are a few renditions that aren't great (Not a Day Goes By is way overdone), the selections from Follies sung by Barbara Cook are outstanding. The Cleo Laine version of "Send in the Clowns" is lovely and Stephen Collins does an amazing good job on "Sorry-Grateful" from Company. Still, it's the Follies songs that truly shine!

Average customer rating: An excellent version for the poetry Music of Power, Majesty, and Melodic Beauty Vast, Fresh and Wild as the Sea Itself Behold ! The Symphony itself . . . Actually 4.75 Stars is what I wanted to give

Vaughan Williams: A Sea Symphony Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Vaughan Williams, Ralph | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Vaughan Williams, Ralph | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Vaughan Williams: Sinfonia Antartica/The Wasps Ralph Vaughan Williams: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 5 Vaughan Williams: An Oxford Elegy/ Flos Campi/ Sancta Civitas/ etc. Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony; Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis Vaughan Williams: Serenade to Music; The Lark Ascending; Fantasia on Greensleeves; English Folk Song Suite; In the Fen Country; Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1 ASIN: B000002S2N Release Date: 1991-09-12

Tracks:

1. A Sea Symphony: Behold, The Sea Itself
2. A Sea Symphony: Today A Rude Brief Recitative
3. A Sea Symphony: Flaunt Out, O Sea, Your Separate flags Of Nations!
4. A Sea Symphony: Token Of All Brave Captains
5. A Sea Symphony: A Pennant Universal
6. A Sea Symphony: On The Beach At Night, Alone
7. A Sea Symphony: Alone A Vast Similitude Interlocks All
8. A Sea Symphony: III. Scherzo: The Waves (Allegro Brillante)
9. A Sea Symphony: O Vast Rondure, Swimming In Space
10. A Sea Symphony: Down From The Gardens Of Asia Descending
11. A Sea Symphony: O We Can Wait No Longer
12. A Sea Symphony: O Thou Transcendent
13. A Sea Symphony: Greater Than Stars Or Suns
14. A Sea Symphony: Sail Forth
15. A Sea Symphony: O My Brave Soul!

Customer Reviews:

An excellent version for the poetry.......2005-10-04

I admire this recording as much as all the other reviewers, but it has a special quality that isn't present on, for example, the Slatkin version on RCA. You can understand the poetry sung by the soloists. This clarity results because EMI has put the singers far forward, a wise decision. When the soprano and baritone are imbeddded sonically halfway betwee the chorus and orchestra--the usual practice--the vast forces arrayed against htem drown out the words.

Not here. VW had a deep feeling for Walt Whitman, nad it's crucial to hear the verses. Try the second movement "On the Beach At Night, Alone," where the sensitive singing of John Carol Case can be deciphered word for word without a libretto. Now listen to Thomas Allen on the Slatkin recording, and barely a word can be heard at times. (Because of her ample vibrato, Sheila Armstrong, sadly, is not nearly as clear, but putting her forward at least allows her to sing without strain.) As a lover of Whitman's verse, I consider this an important feature of the Boult reading.

Music of Power, Majesty, and Melodic Beauty.......2002-09-01

I fell asleep at a performance of Vaughan Williams' "A Sea Symphony" some years ago. It is a LONG piece. I would not recommend it as a first Vaughan Williams purchase, unless you are a particular fan of choral music.
On the other hand, I couldn't ignore it. Robert Shaw (America's "Mr. Choral Music") described this symphony on the radio as "the most beautiful piece of choral music written in the 20th century". Wow! That covers 100 years, you know. And I deeply enjoy other pieces by RVW, including his Four Hymns and Five Mystical Songs.
So I bought this CD and now, instead of listening to this 70-minute symphony in one very long sweep, I listen to songs and sections.
The symphony is a setting of poems by Walt Whitman that celebrate human daring, and RVW matched that by writing an immense symphony. If you have not heard this symphony before, you could not imagine the sonic images Vaughan Williams creates for ships, sailors, and the sea. The first notes at the music's very beginning have the full chorus and orchestra at top voice
singing "Behold, the Sea itself!" It is startlingly majestic, and yet it is followed by an almost vulgarly pop and spiky little tune for male voice (baritone) and bassoon that I now sing everyday while shaving "today, a rude brief recitative about ships sailing the sea ..." The diversity is wonderful - Vaughan Williams must have oozed all kinds of music, since he composed the hushed hymn-like Tallis Fantasia at about the same time.
If you are new to Vaughan Williams, I would suggest you purchase Boult's wonderful collection of short RVW compositions first. It is also in EMI's British Composers series. It has the lovely and songful "Serenade to Music", the tune-filled and simple "English Folk Song Suite", and the lovely beyond words and soul-filled "The Lark Ascending." As a first symphonic purchase, the "London Symphony" (#2) is wonderful. But if you know Vaughan Williams already and just don't know "the Sea Symphony", fear not: It is a great score. The quality and variety of the melodies is deeply satisfying; the rhythms swing and stride at one moment and are raptly processional at another; the harmonies are rich and can be colorful or strange and foreboding; the orchestra is used idiosyncratically. The sonic range is enormous: the baritone sings quietly in meditation of the sea at night at one point, and at another the entire chorus calls out in joy, "Sail forth!"
There are several recordings of this symphony. Which to choose? You cannot go wrong with this CD. This performance has been admired for a generation. I might prefer Thomas Allen's "rude brief recitative" for Leonard Slatkin, but the composer himself admired John Carol Case's singing (in "The Pilgrim's Progress") and Adrian Boult had been performing Vaughan Williams' music for 40 years when this recording was made. He premiered major pieces. He knew Vaughan Williams' music as few others and he captures every mood. He sings and dances, meditates and exults.

Vast, Fresh and Wild as the Sea Itself.......2002-07-11

The combination of Whitman's wonderful poetry with Vaughan Williams' music is one of the happiest of artistic events; they each own the freshness of the outdoors, and a voice as strong as sunshine, and an effortless candor which must speak to any soul on the planet. Whitman's poetry WORKS in a way that all too little free verse works; think of it not as poetry, but as a poet singing his soul to you, and hear the music in the ideas and in the words, a music that runs deeper than simple meter and rhyme.

It were hard to imagine a performance which could do Vaughan Williams' Sea Symphony better justice than this one under Sir Adrian Boult (hard to imagine, but if it's out there, reserve me a seat). The immensity of the opening chorus, the plain honest sea-shanty which John Carol Case makes look easy, the purity of Sheila Armstrong's voice - a choir and orchestra whose love for the music shines through every bar ... "All lives and all deaths, all of the past, present, future, / This vast similitude spans them, and always has spanned, / And shall forever span them and shall compactly hold and enclose them."

Behold ! The Symphony itself . . ........2002-03-27

THE FIRST SYMPHONY created by the great British musician, arranger, conductor and composer, is a complete choral symphony. It was perhaps the first of it's kind since Sibelius's earlier `Kullervo', a choral symphony of 1892 (often referred to as a "symphonic cantata" or "symphonic poem"), and Beethoven's Ninth---taking into account that the latter is a "choral" work in part, not entirely. It was in 1910 that the first performance of A Sea Symphony took place. The English composer Granville Bantock conceived the bold idea of symphonies "for voices only" ; he wrote his unusual "choral symphonies" in 1911 and 1913. Gustav Holst's First Choral Symphony (with words by Keats) was given its premiere in Leeds Town Hall on 7 October 1925. It was created for soprano solo, chorus and orchestra, but was admittedly of lesser scope than that of his counterpart. In fact, Vaughan Williams---like Holst---was an innovator in his use of the materiau on the symphonic terrain, fusing large choral parts with the prevalent forms of orchestral music---in any case, this could serve also to reveal how both were partially indebted to Parry and Elgar. In an immensely interesting article, Dr. Jack Sullivan wrote of A Sea Symphony : "Like the poetry, the music has a little of everything. It is part symphony, part oratorio, part opera, and part `fantasia' (a favorite Vaughan Williams form). The slow movement and Scherzo have traditional ABA formats, but the huge outer movements (even with the hidden sonata form in the first) seem to invent their forms as they proceed, echoing the `organic' principle of Whitman's free verse. The hymn-like finale, aptly subtitled `The Explorers', is almost a symphony in itself, one without closure. Refusing to end, it fades `farther' and yet `farther' out to a sea whose depths are subliminally suggested by whispers in the lower strings". (Please note that ABA is symbolizing ternary form in which the first section A precedes and follows a second section B, a form so common in classical song that its also called 'song form' -or sonata form- while AB is a musical form that has two sections, A followed by B, and is known as 'binary form')

For a very first attempt at writing a symphony, in such a huge scale, the result was far from a failure. Quite to the opposite, the fascinating verses of Whitman are well integrated to the orchestral element ; by means of almost seamless musical procedures, what i am tempted to term "the sailcloth of the symphony," VW developed a singular way in constructing an orchestral edifice. Thanks to the lyrics, the work has a mystical feel to it---since Whitman's poems are like the footpath to a sort of initiation, much like a ritual, a "rite of passage" for the soul pointing perhaps `toward the unknown region' of immortality :

Darest thou now O soul,
Walk out with me toward the unknown region,
Where neither ground is for the feet
nor any path to follow.

- Excerpts from Toward the Unknown Region (1906) ; from `Leaves of Grass'.

I think it is significant that VW took inspiration from the great American writer, for not only did he used texts for A Sea Symphony and Toward the Unknown Region, but also for `Dona nobis pacem' and some songs such as `Nocturne', `A Clear Midnight' and `Joy, shipmate, joy'. Perhaps i should quote a reviewer for classical.net : "Here is a composer who apparently loved Whitman. He used Whitman's works as a basis for his First Symphony - `The Sea' and `Toward the Unknown Region'. It is interesting that this English composer seems to so deeply understand the poetry of Walt Whitman. [...] The music flows from the rhythm inherent in the language." Incidentally, in the same tone is the poem `A Clear Midnight' - excerpt from `Leaves of Grass' (1900) :

This is thy hour, O soul,
thy free flight into the wordless . . .

Attempts at describing the composer as either a "visionary" or a sort of "seer", not quite in conformity with his humble and candid personality, fits a lot more with the mystic literary works of Whitman. Therefore, we can assume a kind of complementary connection took place between Whitman and VW, binding together unrelated (though neighbored) art forms in the best interest of both---such was the case, to great effect, with A Sea Symphony.

If i'd have to point toward the unknown regions of favorite traversals of this symphony, i'd go for Thomson and Boult. Bryden Thomson with the London Symphony brought what i hear as a tightly refined, let's say "well-balanced" reading. His opening, 'A Song for all Seas, all Ships', is resolute and really provides a subjective impression of huge waves and sail-ships. Other than Thomson's brilliant rendering, sir Adrian Boult's glorious account with the LPO (the EMI album), remains a grand interpretation. The very opening reveals poignant, mellifluous sounds that proclaim the greatness of seas through a sort of hymnic fanfare---a common trait of the "lyrical" Boult of the 1960's. This is a strong presentation. Vernon Handley with RLPO (EMI) offers an enticing version, still somewhat on the lower side of the chorus performance but otherwise excellent. Robert Spano's direction (Telarc) is one of the finest, and sound quality excels : Clearly a serious challenge for Boult's version. Spano's strength resides especially in his high-magnitude finale, probably unmatched on record. Paul Daniel (Naxos) offers a very good account on it's own but, still, not with quite the best sonics---at least when put side-by-side with the records i've mentioned earlier. Here, the Bournemouth and their conductor have taken a "safe" approach, managing adequately the orchestral balance and handling with care the numerous climaxes and contrasts of the score. Notwithstanding there are quite a few inspired moments, performance and sound aren't exactly on par with their gorgeous reading of the Fourth Symphony (also on Naxos).

There's a great deal of value in this reading from Boult, not to mention the almost unparalleled singing of Sheila Armstrong and John Carol Case. The London Philharmonic chorus is effective, and it is audibly more immersing than most other choruses (i've been a bit deceived by Andrew Davis's rendering of this symphony, mainly because of that). Needless to say, A Sea Symphony is very demanding on both musicians and singers. In a certain way, the work shares some features with the `Sinfonia antartica', even though there's no profound similitude pertaining to the "cinematic quality" of the latter ; instead, it is in terms of a bold, at times grandiose-sounding music where a connection exists. Boult's rendering portrays vividly those facets of the symphony.

Considering that there's a variety of very good recordings on cd's (i recommend you check out Slatkin, by the way), i think you cannot go wrong with any of them. Although it isn't the strongest record of A Sea Symphony, Andrew Davis (with the BBC, Teldec) has done a very good job ; his orchestration is refined (i like the way he dealt with the vocal quality of the music in 'On The Beach At Night Alone', in particular). And, perhaps, you shouldn't overlook Previn, as it is a very good account indeed (RCA). In order to get the best you should perhaps consider first Thomson, Spano, Handley and this fine version from Boult. If you don't mind monophonic sound, then the younger and perhaps tauter Boult on Decca should satisfy on its own : "Walt Whitman's soulful evocation of Man's relationship to the sea is fully realized. There is sincerity, commitment, adulation--but not vain self-importance. The chorus is especially fine."

A Sea Symphony was---and still is---a truly unique musical venture. Whitman's words sit perfectly on the surprisingly mature score, which is a fairly complex composition for a "first" symphonic essay. You'll hear the influence of Elgar somewhere (think about parts of Gerontius) as well as many other "flashes" that hark back to so many things. On the one hand, this is certainly a major symphonic work of the 20th century, not to mention that this could be one of the greatest choral works in history ; on the other hand, the work appears to age very well and the different recordings i've referred to have just proven how fresh and vital that work of art can appear today.
*****

Actually 4.75 Stars is what I wanted to give.......2000-02-05

Sir Adrian Boult.......he knew his Vaughn Williams. It is quite apparent when the chorus proclaims, "Behold, the Sea itself....." that this recording will bring a sense of fulfillment to the listener. There is something about the music of Vaughn Williams that says, "I am one of the most important composers of the 20th century. There are still valid things to say. The symphony is not dead, and I will prove that". This symphony demonstrates that even in the 20th century important music was being written. This recording demonstrates that important music was being performed and captured for future generations beautifully.

Average customer rating: Selections from the Greatest Voice of the Last Hundred Years A Must Have The Mario Lanza Collection The MARIO LANZA Collection WONDERFUL!!!!!

The MARIO LANZA Collection Manufacturer: RCA Victor ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Lehár, Franz | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Leoncavallo | Leoncavallo, Ruggiero | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mascagni | Mascagni, Pietro | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romberg, Sigmund | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | 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 Lanza, Mario | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Kern, Jerome | H to L | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Hardelot, Guy d' | H to L | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Lara, Agustin | H to L | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Brodszky, Nicholas | A to B | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Buzzi-Peccia, Arturo | A to B | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Capua, Eduardo di | C to G | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Mario Lanza: At His Best! Christmas with Mario Lanza Mario Lanza ~ Opera Arias & Duets, from Andréa Chenier · La Bohème · I Pagliacci · Madama Butterfly · Otello American Caruso Lanza: Greatest Hits ASIN: B000003F6V Release Date: 1991-11-12

Tracks:

1. Be My Love
2. I'll Never Love You
3. Because You're Mine
4. The Song Angels Sing
5. Drink, Drink, Drink
6. Serenade
7. The Loveliest Night of the Year
8. La Donna E Mobile
9. Because
10. For You Alone
11. Golden Days
12. Deep In My Heart, Dear
13. If I Loved You
14. Yours Is My Heart Alone
15. One Night Of Love
16. Beloved
17. Beautiful Love
18. With A Song In My Heart
19. You Are My Love
20. Call Me Fool

Tracks:

1. All The Things You Are
2. My Song,My Love
3. Love Is The Sweetest Thing
4. Will You Remember
5. Granada
6. Lolita
7. Serenade
8. Temptation
9. Lygia
10. Lady of Spain
11. This Land
12. Lee-Ah-Loo
13. Tina-Lina
14. Boom Biddy Boom Boom
15. The Bayou Lullaby
16. The Lord's Prayer
17. And Here You Are
18. Song of Songs
19. Somewhere A Voice Is Calling
20. I Never Knew

Tracks:

1. Ciribiribin
2. Wonder Why
3. Come Dance With Me
4. O Sole Mio
5. Younger Than Springtime
6. For the First Time (Come Prima)
7. Never Till Now
8. Arrivederci, Roma
9. If You Were Mine
10. Behold!
11. A Night to Remember
12. Love in a Home
13. Do You Wonder
14. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
15. One Alone
16. Aida:Celeste Aida
17. Carmen: Flower Song
18. La Traviata: Brindisi
19. Rigoletto:Questa O Quella
20. Pagliacci:Vesti La Giubba
21. Cavalleria Rusticana: Addio Alla Madre

Customer Reviews:

Selections from the Greatest Voice of the Last Hundred Years.......2007-03-13

Mario Lanza was, arguably, the greatest tenor and greatest singer of this and the last century. It is difficult to appreciate him without listening to a variety of selections. This collection has some of his best recordings and exhibits the versatility and variety that he possessed that permitted him to "crossover" from opera to popular music with a ease.

I recommend this for those who already know Lanza to some extent but want to go into more depth and understand his marvelous skills.

A Must Have .......2006-12-12

I had forgotten what a beautiful voice Mario Lanza had. This collection contains opera and pop selections that exhibit the power yet sweetness of his voice. Fortunately, we have his CD's and videos so we can remember and listen to his gorgeous, vibrant voice and personality. I highly recommend this collection along with his wonderful movies, especially The Great Caruso.

The Mario Lanza Collection.......2006-11-10

I had forgotten just how beautiful a voice from the past was. It is a wonderful collection

The MARIO LANZA Collection.......2006-08-19

extract from most important LPs. Brilliant sound quality from RCA. Also included are soundtrack recordings from some of his movies. The are several reissues from Mario Lanza but this one is a collection you should have.

WONDERFUL!!!!!.......2005-10-19

The Mario Lanza Collection is a three CD set and it has 61 songs and they all sound great. The mastering on this set is excellent and the song choice is very very good. It would have been perfect if they added a forth CD with more Arias, Italian songs and Sacred Arias. BUT still this set is a great introduction to Lanza. Lanza's voice was powerful and beautiful; if you are a fan of great singing, you will love Lanza. Highlights on this CD set are; Be my Love, Because your Mine, Serenade, With a Song in My Heart, Temptation, The Lord's Prayer, Ciribirbin, O Solo Mio, Ariverducci Roma, and on and on. They are many many great songs on this set, and I highly recommend it.

Average customer rating: Great CD Simply the Best Inconsistent, but mostly excellent "Celebration" is not strong enough a word A maginificent evening, a magnificent album

Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (1992 Concert Cast) Stephen Sondheim , Betty Buckley , Paul Gemignani , Patti LuPone , Liza Minnelli , and Bernadette Peters Manufacturer: RCA Victor Broadway ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music 1990s | By Decade | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Hadley, Jerry | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music 1990s | By Decade | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music 1990-1999 | Decades | Compilations | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Side By Side By Sondheim (1976 Original London Cast) Sondheim Evening: A Musical Tribute (1973 Concert Cast) Send in the Clowns: The Ballads of Stephen Sondheim Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall / Liza Minnelli, Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters, Glenn Close Sondheim, Etc.: Bernadette Peters Live at Carnegie Hall ASIN: B000003FDW Release Date: 1993-02-23

Tracks:

1. Symphonic Sondheim: Sweeney Todd--orchestra, Jerry Hadley ("Johanna"), Eugene Perry,Herbert Perry ("Pretty Women")
2. Evening Introduction--Bill Irwin
3. Loveland/Getting Married Today--Ensemble, Jeanne Lehman, Mark Jacoby, Madeline Kahn
4. Waiting for the Girls Upstairs--George Lee Andrews, Michael Jeter, James Naughton/Love, I Hear--Michael Jeter/Live Alone and Like It--James Naughton
5. Someone Is Waiting--Richard Muenz/Symphonic Sondheim: Barcelona--orchestra
6. Being Alive--Patti LuPone
7. Good Thing Going--The Tonics
8. Losing My Mind/You Could Drive a Person Crazy--Dorothy Loudon
9. Our Time--Boys Choir of Harlem/Children Will Listen--Betty Buckley
10. Anyone Can Whistle--Billy Stritch
11. Water Under the Bridge--Liza Minnellli, Billy Stritch
12. Back in Business--Liza Minnellli, Billy Stritch, Ensemble

Tracks:

1. Symphonic Sondheim: Comedy Tonight--Bill Irwin, orchestra
2. Sooner or Later--Karen Ziemba
3. Pretty Lady--Mark Jacoby, Eugene Perry, Herbert Perry
4. Green Finch and Linnet Bird--Harolyn Blackwell
5. The Ballad of Booth--Patrick Cassidy, Victor Garber
6. Broadway Baby--Daisy Eagan
7. I Never Do Anything Twice--BETTY
8. With So Little to Be Sure Of--Jerry Hadley, Carolann Page
9. Not a Day Goes By--Bernadette Peters
10. Remember?--Ron Baker, Peter Blanchet, Carol Meyer, Bronwyn Thomas, Blythe Walker (Quintet)/A Weekend in the Country--Kevin Anderson, George Lee Andrews, Mark Jacoby, Beverly Lambert, Maureen Moore, Susan Terry, Quintet
11. Send in the Clowns--Glenn Close
12. Old Friends--Liza Minnelli
13. Sunday--Bernadette Peters, Broadway Chorus

Customer Reviews:

Great CD.......2006-08-06

This is a wonderful double CD of fabulous musical numbers performed by theatre greats and directed by a legandary musical director.

Simply the Best.......2005-06-29

First, to the person who criticizes the recording b/c of "Broadway Baby." Daisy Egan (who sings in in this recording) sounds like she's 10 becuase she IS young. She had just appeared on Braodway in Secret Garden and won a Tony for it. It's a joke...Broadway BABY...hello, it's a joke.

In a compilation of songs like this you're always going to have tracks that you prefer over others, but the majority of the renditions in this CD are great. This is simply one of the best collections of Sondheim out there. You get interpretations that span from "classical" (Green Finch), to bordering on insane (Anything Twice). This is to demonstrate how versatile this composer really is.

In my opinion, some of the best renditions are "Not a Day Goes By," "Anyone Can Whistle", "Girls Upstairs Medley," "Losing My Mind/Drive a Person Crazy," and "Weekend inthe Country." Makes me wish I had been there to witness it first hand.

If you love Sondheim and enjoy hearing Broadway performers, get this CD. A great recording.

Inconsistent, but mostly excellent.......2004-03-21

I am sure no knowledgeable person would deny how absolutely perfect all these songs are. However, the performances on this album are extremely inconsistent. It will go from an excellent rendition (Waiting for the Girls medley, Sunday, With So Little To Be Sure Of, Sooner or Later, Green Finch, Send in the Clowns, Pretty Lady) to the weird (I never Do Anything Twice), to the bad (Broadway Baby, Our Time). I still have absolutely no idea how they managed to butcher one of the best songs ever written--Good Thing Going--and turn it into smooth jazz elevator music. Why would they give Broadway Baby to someone who sounds like she's 10? That said, Liza Minelli, Glenn Close, Karen Ziemba, Dorothy Laudon and the "Waiting for the Girls" performers are all very good. And ending with Bernadette Peters and "Sunday" ends the set on a absolutley fabulous note.

"Celebration" is not strong enough a word.......2003-04-30

This review is by Crosley.

I have been a major Sondheim fan for quite some time, and I finally obtained a copy of this album. I was blown away by the excellent cast and phenomenal selection of music. It is obvious how much work went into this production, considering that this is the live recording of a one time show, and it's flawless. The songs cover all of his shows with the exception of "Passion," which was released 3 years after this show. Also, the shows for which he wrote only lyrics are ommited, like West Side Story, Gypsy, etc. Thus, you can find material from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Anyone can Whistle, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Merrily we Roll Along, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, and Assassins.

There are two striking things about this CD (besides the music and performers themselves). First of all, some of the songs are completely stylistically reworked. The most obvious are "Good Thing Going" and "I Never do Anything Twice." Both are traditionally very ballady with a piano accompaniment, but here they have been redone as jazzy tunes. The result is excellent. Such reworkings demonstrate that Sondheim writes music for virtually any style, and in these cases, across several styles. It's a great example of his variety. The other interesting thing is how many songs have overlapping melodies of songs from different shows. Case in point, "Our Time" and "No one is Alone" are sung seperately by the Harlem Boys Choir and Betty Buckley (the original Grizabella in Webber's atrocious "CATS," although Buckley was excellent) respectively, and then combined. Putting these two songs together offer different meanings to each, and the music is only enhanced. Another example, the trio of "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs," "Love, I Hear," and "Live Alone and Like It" are sung in that order, and then the latter two are combined. Again, the meanings of the songs change, this time in an almost narrative style, and offering different takes on love in the same montage. Lastly (at least for this review, there are more), Dorothy Laudon's (the original Ms. Hannigan in Annie) combination of "Losing my Mind" and "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" is brilliant. Those who are familiar with these songs will wonder how exactly they fit, but trust me, they do. She swtiches back and forth between melodies to create a number that starts poignant and beautiful, and soon moves to become uproariously funny. Both the song reworkings and overlapping melodies of unrelated songs are all for the better.

I recommend this recording to anyone wanting to get better acquainted with some of Sondheim's best work, or those already familiar who want to hear a tour de force of phenomenal music. It has been said that Sondheim is a masterful lyricist (which he is), but lacks real talent for music. This CD is the final proof that such critics are wrong. His music may take a few listenings to get into, contrary to Webber or Wildhorn, but unlike those two, he doesn't cater to the audience. He challenges them to think outside of traditional musical theater in a glorious repertoise of shows that reach for a smarter, more sophisticated form.

A maginificent evening, a magnificent album.......2001-12-16

There's something to be said for the first concert you ever see at Carnegie Hall. I was fortunate enough to have this be my first. This entire evening was devoted to his genius and the performers did not disappoint.

This wonderful double CD shows off the best and brightest of the musical theatre composer and it is, as one person put it, "an embarassment of riches." With songs from his finest works done in amazing arrangements (listen to that harmony in "We Had a Good Thing Going"!) combined with fabulous performers this is a Sondheim lovers delight.

My favorite song is, without a doubt, Dorothy Louden and her wonderful medley of "Losing My Mind" into "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" followed very closely by the recently departed Madeline Kahn singing "Getting Married Today."

Average customer rating: Irresistible "Some Enchanted Evening" with Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Excellent! Great Arrangments

Rodgers & Hammerstein: Songbook for Orchestra (Orchestral Suites) Manufacturer: Telarc ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Similar Items: Lerner & Loewe Songbook for Orchestra Rodgers & Hammerstein - The Complete Overtures ~ Opening Night / Hollywood Bowl Orchestra · Mauceri Puttin' on the Ritz: The Great Hollywood Musicals The Sound Of Music (1987 Studio Cast) Classics of the Silver Screen ASIN: B000003CXQ Release Date: 1992-01-28

Tracks:

1. Oklahoma!
2. Carousel
3. State Fair
4. South Pacific
5. The King And I
6. Cinderella Waltz
7. Flower Drum Song
8. The Sound Of Music

Customer Reviews:

Irresistible.......2005-07-29

From beginning to end this CD is pure delight. A great recording has great music, a great performance, and great sound; this one scores on all three counts.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's musicals dominated Broadway in the 1940s and 1950s, and American musical theater has produced no more consistently eloquent and durable voice than Richard Rodgers. From his fertile genius flowed a surprising number of memorable songs, many of which have passed into and become an accepted and beloved part of modern American culture.

This well-filled CD (77:36) features symphonic arrangements (all but two by Robert Russell Bennett) of the music from Oklahoma (1943), Carousel (1945), State Fair (1945), South Pacific (1949), The King and I (1951), Flower Drum Song (1958), and The Sound of Music (1959). All the great tunes are here in suites from each musical that average 10-12 minutes in length. The arrangements are expert: rich, varied, and colorful. The performances are polished, idiomatic, and irresistible; Kunzel and this orchestra are thorough masters of this kind of material. And Telarc's sound (recorded 1991) is state-of-the-art (engineer Michael Bishop deserves to take a bow).

In short, there's nothing here to cloud your listening pleasure (the only quibble I can imagine is that some of your favorites may not last long enough), so it's hard for me to envision anyone with ears and a taste for music who wouldn't enjoy this CD. Warmly recommended. Finally, if you like this one as much as I do, you might want to know that the same team has produced a companion volume, the Lerner & Lowe Songbook for Orchestra.

"Some Enchanted Evening" with Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops.......2003-12-26

Erich Kunzel's Rodgers and Hammerstein anthology with the Cincinatti Pops Orchestra is one of the best and most ravishing instrumental Rodgers and Hammerstein albums of all time. With sumptuous arrangements and warm, natural Telarc recording, this glorious 77-minute CD presents sweeping, melodic arrangements of over 60 Rodgers and Hammerstein selections, spanning eight scores, and Kunzel allows the Pops to play with a characterful and polished understanding of the Rodgers and Hammerstein idiom. The disc is enough to cheer you up on a dull day and make you smile, and it might even want to make you feel like a convert to Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals.

This CD has all the scores arranged chronologically. The OKLAHOMA! suite that opens this disc promises a feast for the senses, Kunzel ably evokes the territory's "bright, golden haze" in the way he conducts the various excerpts, until you feel the atmosphere of the country charm of the show, and the love-affair between Curly and Laurey. Then, in CAROUSEL, he ably evokes the pathos of this tragic R&H masterwork, especially in the truncated Waltz, but he leads a wonderfully melodic "June is Bustin' Out All Over" and a devotional "You'll Never Walk Alone." Although this suite does not include Billy's pivotal Soliloquy, it includes "If I Loved You" as an expression of his love for Julie, and within minutes you could be soaked in the ups and downs of the show's mood.

After a brief STATE FAIR suite, with sweeping renditions of "It Might As Well Be Spring" and "It's a Grand Night for Singing", we are brought into the disc's showstopping highlights. These highlights are the excerpts from SOUTH PACIFIC, THE KING AND I, and THE SOUND OF MUSIC. But yet Kunzel conducts the rest of the disc until the various suites amount to a series of showstoppers. These three suites present wonderfully-arranged versions of their many familiar classic songs, with well-played solos. The SOUTH PACIFIC suite presents the songs in chronological order, yet preserves the atmosphere of the show at the same time. Kunzel ably brings out the romance in "Some Enchanted Evening" and "Younger than Springtime," and contrasts it with the exotic and dreamlike "Bali Hai'i" and the comic "There is Nothing like a Dame" and "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair". Although the suite ends quietly with a reprise of "Dites-Moi" rather than the reprise of "Some Enchanted Evening," within minutes we are swept into the KING AND I suite. Kunzel ably brings out the Oriental pathos in this score, and he captures the warmth of Anna's rapport with the King's Siamese children in "Getting to Know You", and with the King himself in "Shall We Dance." There is also romance in the love ballads "I Have Dreamed" and "We Kiss in a Shadow." Similarly, in the selection from THE SOUND OF MUSIC, Kunzel conducts this until the orchestra soaks itself in the atmosphere of this Austrian R&H score. This SOUND OF MUSIC suite has more of a feel of the score compared to the bonus track on Sony's reissued version of the Broadway recording. You can almost feel as if you are following the progress of the Trapp family and how it lifts its spirits with the joy of music. Kunzel gives us a soaring version of the title song, and spirited versions of "Do-Re-Mi" and "My Favourite Things." He balances it with the open-air quality of "Edelweiss" and "The Lonely Goatherd." Although this suite could have included "Something Good," the love ballad written for the film, the three recollections of the songs that were cut from the movie only last for a while. And, the towering version of "Climb Every Mountain" crowns this portion of the disc, and this sumptuously-produced recording. But, I should also mention the infectuous FLOWER DRUM SONG medley, where Kunzel turns this underrated score into a work of art, until it convinces you to buy the cast recording. And, don't forget about the brief CINDERELLA WALTZ, too, when Kunzel conducts it magically, until you feel like you are in the company of Cinderella and the Prince. He is able to show how this R&H score marked a comeback for R&H after the failiures of Me and Juliet, and Pipe Dream.

Overall, this glorious Rodgers and Hammerstein recording is guarunteed to make you want to pucker your lips out for a whistle or sing along (to paraphrase another revew for Kunzel's Disney Spectacular disc) - even if this recording is music only, and as long as you know the words to the songs (and you might know a large handful of them already.) There is always a certain magic in this fine CD that makes you feel like you're sitting in the theatre watching these musicals, until it makes you feel like it is truly, to borrow two R&H song titles, "Some Enchanted Evening" and "Something Wonderful" to be in Kunzel's company for this R&H offering. It would certainly be one recording that could make you feel willing to buy the complete cast recordings of the shows. And I guaruntee that it will make you feel willing to pull out your existing copies of the cast recordings to listen to them again. I also guaruntee that it will be a cornerstone in any Rodgers and Hammerstein collection, just as it is in mine. Recommended heartily to any Rodgers and Hammerstein enthusiast and to fans of Erich Kunzel's work. And, you can play it while reading the Richard Rodgers biography, Musical Stages, until Rodgers himself would count this as his favourite disc in the afterlife.

By the way, most of the arrangements for the suites on this CD were done by the veteran R&H orchestrator Robert Russell Bennett, and it surely adds to the appeal of this recording. This itself is enough to amount to the icing on the cake, since Kunzel conducts them well on here, and since this recording still allows the suites to have the original theatrical atmosphere. And, although this recording is like the Mauceri collection of the Rodgers & Hammerstein overtures in compiling orchestral suites of Rodgers & Hammerstein, I think that I like the Kunzel recording even more because Kunzel has more magic in his conducting of these suites.

Excellent!.......2003-04-08

This is one of the best Erich Kunzel/Cincinnati Pops collections we own! A must for Rodgers and Hammerstein fans, too.

Great Arrangments.......2001-09-02

This is a first rate album with great arrangments and orchestrations. If you're a Rodgers and Hammerstein fan, you can't afford to miss this specatacular album

Average customer rating: He should have stayed with Irish music. My Life Belongs to You Ronan Tynan Ronan at his most Emotional greatest living tenor

My Life Belongs to You Ronan Tynan Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | 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 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 Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Classic | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Impossible Dream Ronan The Dawning of the Day Halfway Home: My Life 'Til Now Home for Christmas ASIN: B00005TQ18 Release Date: 2002-01-08

Tracks:

1. My Life Belongs To You
2. Shine Through My Dreams
3. Sorrento
4. You'll Never Walk Alone
5. Roses Of Picardy
6. Because You're Mine
7. The Holy City
8. Ave Maria
9. If I Loved You
10. Funiculi Funicula
11. La Vie En Rose
12. Sail Away
13. Beloved
14. Because
15. And This Is My Beloved
16. I'll Walk With God

Amazon.com

It seems pretty clear that Ronan Tynan has no intention of resting on his laurels. Despite a stunning string of world-dominating, top-selling releases as a member of the much-loved Irish Tenors--not to mention his accomplishments as a champion athlete, an M.D., and a memoirist (see his recently published Halfway Home: My Life 'til Now)--the singer has now released his debut solo effort on Sony Classical. No matter which member of the Irish Tenors happens to be your favorite, My Life Belongs to You is a treat, affording as it does a chance to bask in the deeply expressive, mellifluous voice of Tynan. He has chosen his selections well and is equally poised and tender in classics from Mario Lanza ("Because You're Mine," "I'll Walk with God"), Broadway, and sacred music. What's especially wonderful is the opportunity to hear Tynan's emotionally gripping vocalism from so many angles. The mixing by Frank McNamara gives a lovely old-time feeling to the orchestral playing--a bit like a treasured old sepia photograph. A bonus track of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America" is included. --Sarah Chin

Customer Reviews:

He should have stayed with Irish music........2007-04-04

Ronan Tynon was my favorite of 'The Irish Tenors;' so I was excited when I saw this cd. But, it was a big disappointment. The singing is mechanical; there is no personality, no emotion. The 'bonus track,' an unaccompanied "God Bless America," serves only to accentuate the absence of feeling. He should have stayed with Irish music.

My Life Belongs to You.......2007-03-08

A real sleeper in the Ronan Tynan series. First rate.

Ronan Tynan.......2007-01-10

I assume this is a great cd, since we own 3 Ronan Tynan cd's. This however was a gift for a friend , bought specifically for the song "God Bless America." He did, however rave about it to us, so it must be terrific.

Ronan at his most Emotional.......2005-11-26

This cd "My Life Belongs to You" is Ronan at his greatest. Each song he sings shows the great emotion he has in his voice. Ronan can sing each one of these to me anytime. He has great clarity and emotion as he sings. Love the CD "My Life Belongs to You."

greatest living tenor.......2005-03-22

Ronan Tynan is an amazing vocalist, and an amazing man. I'd never heard of him until, in the 2001 World Series, he sang "God Bless America," at Yankee Stadium. From then on, my husband was hooked. He bought this album as soon as he heard of it, and his culture level, musically speaking, is usually -----. But this is the exception that proves every rule. "my Life Belongs to You," "You'll Never Walk Alone," and above all else "The Holy City," are faves of his. This is easily the best recording of "Holy City," still in print. Nelson Eddy did the original, but sadly, no recording of it is known to exist. if only, lord, if only ... but until then, this is a masterpiece. "Roses of Picardy," is a thousand times better than the jazzed-up version of it Frankie Layne did. who was he kidding? This is a slow, tender ballad, and Tynan brings it off with spectacular flair. There's none like him--and where would we put one if there was?

Average customer rating:

Land of My Fathers: 100 Great Welsh Choir Favourites Manufacturer: Castle Pulse ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Boito, Arrigo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Foster, Stephen | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gounod | Gounod, Charles | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Offenbach | Offenbach, Jacques | ( O ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Porter | Porter, Cole | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Puccini | Puccini, Giacomo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rutter | Rutter, John | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Sibelius | Sibelius, Jean | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Sullivan | Sullivan, Arthur | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mancini | Mancini, Henry | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | 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 | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Folk Songs | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Noels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Favourite Welsh Choirs Land of Song Welsh Choral Classics Welsh Choirs: Wonderful Welsh Choirs Bryn Terfel - We'll Keep a Welcome Traditional Songs of Wales ASIN: B0009SOFXG Release Date: 2005-08-01

Tracks:

1. Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer (CWM Rhondda) - Caerphilly Make Voice Choir
2. Land of My Fathers - Caerphilly Make Voice Choir
3. Dies Irae
4. Men of Harlech
5. You'll Never Walk Alone
6. Cadwyn O Emyn Donau Cymreig: Joanna (Trad./Elfion Wyn)/Crugybar (Trad.
7. Old Folks at Home
8. Il Liza Jane
9. Faust/Soldier's Chorus - Caerphilly Make Voice Choir
10. Vergine Degli Angeli
11. Ballard of Rourke's Drift - Cwt-Y-Collen Choir
12. My Hero
13. God Bless the Prince of Wales - Caerphilly Make Voice Choir
14. German Mass/Gloria
15. German Mass/Sanctus
16. Misbles/Master of the House/On My Own/Drink with Me/Empty Chairs at
17. All Through the Night - Caerphilly Make Voice Choir
18. Arwelfa
19. Invictus
20. Softly as I Leave You

Tracks:

1. Diolch l'R L
2. Hine E Hine (Maori Lullaby)
3. Pererin Wyf (Amazing Grace)
4. Tribute to the USA: America the Beautiful (Ward/Bates)/God Bless ...
5. Memories of Martha
6. I Lombardi/The Crusaders' Chorus - Treorchy Male Choir
7. Myfanwy - Treorchy Male Choir
8. Tales of Hoffman/Barcarolle
9. Creation's Hymn
10. In the Spirit!
11. Shall We Gather at the River
12. Nos a Bore
13. Very Best Time of Year
14. Soon Ah Will Be Done
15. Thanks Be to God
16. Flower That Shattered the Stone
17. Rhys - Treorchy Male Choir
18. Where Shall I Be?
19. Bywyd y Bugail
20. Lord's Prayer

Tracks:

1. Ave Maria
2. Pearl Fishers/Divine Brahma
3. She Was Beautiful (Cavatina) - Treorchy Male Choir
4. Cymru Fach
5. Nidaros
6. Jacob's Ladder - Treorchy Male Choir
7. Watching the Wheat
8. Pan Ddaw y Saint (When the Saints Go Marching In)
9. Misbles/Stars
10. Rachie
11. Pirates of Penzance/With Cat-Like Tread - Treorchy Male Choir
12. There Is a Balm in Gilead
13. Rise Up Shepherd and Foller
14. My Lord, What a Mornin'
15. Bryn Myrddin
16. Jesus Christ Superstar/Medley: Jesus Christ Superstar/Hosanna/The Last
17. Finnish Forest (Suomen Salossa)
18. Nabucco/The Glory of Israel
19. Ride the Chariot
20. Tydi a Roddaist - Treorchy Male Choir

Tracks:

1. Y Nefoedd
2. Phantom of the Opera/Think of Me
3. Morte Christe (When I Survey the Wondrous Cross)
4. By Babylon's Wave
5. I'm Gonna Sing
6. Where Could I Go But to the Lord?
7. Holy City - Treorchy Male Choir
8. Mefistofele: Ave Signor, Degli Angeli
9. Senzenina (Zulu Chant)
10. That's All I Want from You
11. Deep Harmony - Treorchy Male Choir
12. Give Me Jesus
13. Just a Closer Walk with Thee
14. My Wish for You
15. Jeptha/Waft Her Angels
16. Mose in Egitto/Prayer
17. Be Still My Soul (Finlandia Hymn)
18. God's Choir in the Sky
19. Floral Dance - Treorchy Male Choir
20. Smilin' Through

Tracks:

1. Calon Lan
2. True Love
3. Mor Fawr Wyt Ti (How Great Thou Art)
4. Aberystwyth
5. Comrades in Arms
6. Cats/Memory
7. They Led My Lord Away
8. State Fair/It's a Grand Night for Singing
9. When I Fall in Love
10. Let's Face the Music and Dance
11. Windmills of Your Mind
12. How Soon
13. Non Nobis Domine
14. Rhythm of Life
15. Kalinka
16. Sound an Alarm
17. Neapolitan Trilogy: It's Now or Never (Di Capua/Schroeder/Gold)/Mo ...
18. Turandot/Nessun Dorma
19. Christus Redemptor
20. Ann Evening's Pastorale

Album Details

Choirs Include the Morriston Orpheus Choir, the Pontadrddulais Male Voice Choir, the Caerphilly Male Voice Choir, the Cwrt-y-gollen Choir, the Treorchy Male Choir and the Lucknow Male Voice Choir.

Average customer rating: Patinkin Live Sondheim recital Also a very dissapointed fan Adequate performance; poor entertainment a very disappointed fan

Sings Sondheim Mandy Patinkin Manufacturer: Nonesuch ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Similar Items: Dress Casual Mandy Patinkin Experiment Oscar & Steve Kidults ASIN: B00006JP2C Release Date: 2002-10-29

Tracks:

1. Opening
2. Lesson #8
3. Another Hundred People
4. When?
5. Someone Is Waiting
6. Johanna
7. Green Finch and Linnet Bird
8. Pretty Women
9. Finishing the Hat
10. If You Can Find Me, I'm Here
11. Live, Laugh, Love
12. Live Alone and Like It
13. Everybody Says Don't
14. Rich and Happy, Part 1
15. Our Time
16. Broadway Baby
17. Rich and Happy, Part 2
18. Uptown, Downtown
19. Liaisons
20. Send in the Clowns
21. Live, Laugh, Love (reprise)
22. You Could Drive a Person Crazy

Tracks:

1. Free
2. Company
3. Waiting For The Girls Upstairs
4. Pleasant Little Kingdom/Too Many Mornings
5. Not While I'm Around
6. All Things Bright and Beautiful
7. It Takes Two
8. In Someone's Eyes
9. Beautiful
10. Losing My Mind
11. Take the Moment
12. Sunday

Amazon.com

Recorded live at the Prince Music Theater in Philadelphia, this double CD is one heck of an extensive tribute to Stephen Sondheim. Backed only by Paul Ford on piano, Mandy Patinkin gets through nearly three dozen songs penned by the Broadway master. Some are obvious (excerpts from Sunday in the Park with George, in which the singer created the title role), others less so ("If You Can Find Me I'm Here" from Evening Primrose). Patinkin is often mocked for his shivering falsetto, but here, it's actually when his voice explores a lower register that it falters. What's more interesting is when he tackles songs usually sung by women, such as Follies' "Broadway Baby" and Company's "Another Hundred People" and "You Could Drive a Person Crazy"--the latter hammed up so much that you can hear the chewing of the scenery. A distinctively mannered interpreter, Patinkin remains an acquired taste, but fans of his will be in heaven with this set. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Patinkin Live.......2007-07-19

I am a huge Mandy Patinkin fan, and this is, without a doubt, one of the best CDs in my collection. The transitions between songs are excellent and seamless, plus the song selection was top-notch.

Sondheim recital.......2007-01-22

Probably the best way to approach these disks is to treat them like a recital in a concert hall. Rather as you would listen to a Schubert or Schumann song cycle. Taken together this way, we come to hear Sondheim as one of our finest composers, serious, comic, manic, depressive, always dead on target no matter what the subject matter. And Patinkin is perfect for these songs; he understands the meaning and value of every note and every word, just as a fine concert singer would do, and he makes his listeners understand, too. One of the most intriguing concept albums in recent memory, and a joy all the way through. Bob Finley, Palm Springs, CA.

Also a very dissapointed fan.......2003-08-22

I too LOVE Mandy and Stephen Sondheim and own just about everything both has ever made! I also have been to 6 of Mandy's live performances. This was truly a big dissapointment to me. Every concert I have seen Mandy in has been filled with emotion and his personality just grabs hold of you for an evening of wonderful escape-ism. This to me was very un-entertaining and I actually became irritated after awhile of listening to it. It seemed to drone on with out the wonderful feelings and emotions and soaring voice that Mandy typically puts into his music. I gave this as a gift too (since my friend and I had missed Mandy at his Sondheim review in DC last year) and felt badly that I had. There are so many other great recordings of Mandy...Kidults, Saturday in the Park with George, The Secret Garden, Mandy sings Rogers & Hammerstien and Sondheim. This one has just sat on my shelf after I played it through twice hoping to warm up to it...while my other recordings are very worn out with years of playing!

Adequate performance; poor entertainment.......2003-05-04

I received this disc the same day a "Philip Quast Live at the Donmar". The Quast disc has its own flaws (and I dont wish to compare the two performers) but it has been strung together in a more thoughtful manner, with witty imagination and using a more dangerous in the choice of songs, which is really where this disc fails. The songs here are generally enjoyable though rather standard, and the lack of cohesion (running the songs together doesnt count) means I just dip into the discs listening to a few favourites, rather than enjoying the whole show.

a very disappointed fan.......2003-02-05

I have every recording Patinkin appears on, even if he's only on one track; I adore his voice, his flair, his emotion, his ability to deliver a song.

But (much of) this recording is disappointing, mainly because Mr. Patinkin's voice in the lower range sounds muddled and forced, as though he's lost ability to control it (however, the more falsetto sounds are as clear and sharp as ever).

And I don't care for the format of this performance. Live recordings should have live audience reactions: one (often unrelated) song after another without applause had me wondering when--if ever--was the audience was going to be allowed to react.

Also, while I've never had the privilege of attending a Patinkin concert, I imagined that--above all-- he would be passionate. Perhaps he was. But what (mostly) comes across on the CD is a somber--almost technical--performance.

I hope he's healthy, that mixed quality of singing on this recording was just a fluke, and that his next CD will be a Five-star as all his previous ones have been

Average customer rating: Music for the masses Beautiful but perhaps overly solemn for some selections A tasteful and beautiful collection

Olde English Madrigals & Folk Songs at Ely Cathedral Manufacturer: American Gramaphone ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Gibbons, Orlando | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Holst | Holst, Gustav | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Folk Songs | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Madrigals | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: All At Once Well Met: English Madrigals; The King's Singers English and Italian Renaissance Madrigals English Madrigals and Songs The Fairie Round Madrigal History Tour ASIN: B0000005MB Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Come Away, Sweet Love
2. Weep, O Mine Eyes
3. Fair Phyllis I Saw
4. Now Is The Month Of Maying
5. Fairwell, Dear Love
6. April Is In My Mistress' Face
7. Draw On, Sweet Night
8. Sing We At Pleasure
9. My Bonnie Lass She Smileth
10. The Silver Swan
11. Mother, I Will Have A Husband
12. Dainty Fine Bird
13. As Vesta Was From Latmos Hill Descending
14. I Love My Love
15. My Sweetheart's Like Venus
16. Bushes And Briars
17. The Turtle Dove
18. The Three Ravens
19. Dashing Away With The Smoothing Iron
20. O Waly, Waly
21. Greensleeves

Customer Reviews:

Music for the masses.......2005-09-25

This disc is a bit different from many of the Cambridge Singers' discs in that it is exclusively secular songs. They have retained one of their favourite recording spaces, the Lady Chapel at Ely Cathedral, a structure well atuned to a capella singing (it has a natural nine second delay in the cathedral). This recording was John Rutter's first album on American Gramaphone Records.

--Music--
Madrigals are songs that have various purposes. They can be for private or public entertainment; they can be together with dramatic performances or played on their own. Petrarch is the inspiration of many madrigal texts, and folk songs also feature significantly. The English Madrigal School took full bloom during the golden age of Elizabeth; by the middle of the seventeenth century, the era of composition of the madrigal was essentially over. However, they have remained a popular pieces for performance, and many modern composers have arranged them, including on this disc Holst, Vaughan Williams and the Cambridge Singers director, Rutter.

Madrigals are often upbeat, happy, sometimes poignant, and lively. Some madrigals incorporate humour and jokes. There are exceptions to all of these, to be sure, including among the songs on this disc. Perhaps the best known madrigal in modern times, Greensleeves, is presented as the last piece on this disc, here in an arrangement by Vaughan Williams. There are lively emotions and sombre tones here, all sung with grace and consistent quality.

--Liner Notes--
Unlike many of the Cambridge Singers' CDs' liner notes, this one has a biographical sketch of John Rutter, a description of the setting at Ely Cathedral, a listing of the singers, and an essay about madigrals. Also unlike other CDs of theirs, this one does not include the words to the songs, a missing piece that would be helpful for many of the songs.

--John Rutter--
Rutter was born in London and educated at Clare College, Cambridge. This was where his career as a composer, arranger and conductor began. His early work was with groups at King's College Chapel at Cambridge as well as the Bath Choir and Philharmonic Orchestra. He has worked for the BBC providing music for educational series such as 'The Archaeology of the Bible Lands', until in 1979 he began forming the Cambridge Singers, and has continued a remarkable career of performance and recording as their director ever since.

--The Cambridge Singers--
The Cambridge Singers are a mixed choir of voices, many of whom were members of choir of Rutter's college, Clare College, Cambridge. While they specialise in English and Latin liturgical pieces, they have a wide range of recordings that span from modern compositions (including a remarkable requiem by Rutter) to English folk songs of the Middle Ages. Many are former members of the choir of Clare College and other Cambridge collegiate choirs (hence the name, Cambridge Singers). In the quarter-century since the founding, the Cambridge Singers have produced an impressive body of recordings.

This is a fun and fabulous recording.

Beautiful but perhaps overly solemn for some selections.......2002-10-19

The splendor of these arrangements and the setting confer on all of these traditional madrigals (and some newer arrangements: Side B is dominated by twentieth century arrangements) a certain solemnity and a certain stately pace (so the lyrics are not lost in the echo of the cathedral).

This leaves a strange effect on some selections, such as "Now Is The Month of Maying," which is about, um, springtime urges and here sounds oddly like a mass.

A tasteful and beautiful collection.......2001-08-21

This disc furthers my belief that madrigals are the best forum for a capella voice. Each song is unique and beautiful, and the sequencing allows a very smooth flow. Better-known works such as "Month of Maying" or "April is in my Mistress' Face" are perhaps most representative of the style, but included here are many lesser-known gems that you're sure to enjoy. The Cambridge Singers use their obviously well-honed skills to great results, from the more frivolous tracks to the darker, more solemn ones. Very highly recommended.

Meditation Music:

1. Amelia
2. Archive
3. Asana Sangit: Music for Yoga & Rejuvenation
4. Awakening
5. Awakening
6. Awakening Light
7. Being with Yourself
8. Bestimmung New York
9. Big Weather
10. Bones

Meditation Music

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