Julius Caesar

1. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17
   Composed by George Frideric Handel
   with Malin Fritz, David Sabella
   
   

Julius Caesar,George Frideric Handel,David Sabella,Malin Fritz,Koch Int'l Classics,Classical,Classical Music,Italian Baroque Opera,Opera,Opera / Operetta / Oratorio,Opera/Operetta

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Average customer rating: forget the "purists" and enjoy! Beverly Sills, American Legend: Ave Atque Vale beverly sill Classic performance Fine performances, flawed recording quality

Handel - Julius Caesar / Treigle · Sills · Forrester · Wolff · NYCO · Rudel George Frideric Handel , Julius Rudel , Beverly Sills , Norman Treigle , Maureen Forrester , Spiro Malas , Michael Devlin , Eugenia Earle , Beverly Wolff , William Beck , Dominic Cossa , and New York City Opera Chorus and Orchestra Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: Complete Opera (with full libretto and translation) Massenet: Manon Verdi: La Traviata / Sills, Gedda, Panerai; Ceccato Rossini: L'Assedio di Corinto Bellini: I Capuleti e i Montecchi ASIN: B000003EOP Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Julius Ceasar: Overture - Wolff
2. Julius Ceasar: Viva, viva il nostro Alcide! - Wolff
3. Julius Ceasar: Presti omai l'Egizia terra - Wolff
4. Julius Ceasar: Curio, Cesare venna e vide e vinse - Wolff
5. Julius Ceasar: Sua reggia tolomeo - Wolff
6. Julius Ceasar: Giulio, che miri? - Wolff
7. Julius Ceasar: Empio, diro, tu sei - Wolff
8. Julius Ceasar: Gia torna in se - Wolff
9. Julius Ceasar: Priva son d'ogni conforto - Wolff
10. Julius Ceasar: Vani sono i lamenti - Wolff
11. Julius Ceasar: Regni Cleopatra - Wolff
12. Julius Ceasar: Vanne, e torna omai - Wolff
13. Julius Ceasar: Sire, Signor! - Wolff
14. Julius Ceasar: Alma del gran pompeo - Wolff
15. Julius Ceasar: Qui nobile donzella - Wolff
16. Julius Ceasar: Avanti al tuo cospetto - Wolff
17. Julius Ceasar: Sfortunata donzella - Wolff
18. Julius Ceasar: Ahime! Vile e negletta - Wolff
19. Julius Ceasar: Cara speme - Wolff
20. Julius Ceasar: Oh, quanto bella gloria - Wolff
21. Julius Ceasar: Va tacito e nascosto - Wolff
22. Julius Ceasar: Dove, dove, inumani - Wolff

Tracks:

1. Julius Ceasar: E seguisti, o Niren - G.F. Handel
2. Julius Ceasar: Taci! -- che fia? - G.F. Handel
3. Julius Ceasar: V'adoro, pupille - G.F. Handel
4. Julius Ceasar: Non ha in cielo - G.F. Handel
5. Julius Ceasar: Piu amabile belta - G.F. Handel
6. Julius Ceasar: Deh, piangete, o mesti lumi - G.F. Handel
7. Julius Ceasar: Se a me non sei crudele - G.F. Handel
8. Julius Ceasar: Si spietata - G.F. Handel
9. Julius Ceasar: Madre! Ferma! - G.F. Handel
10. Julius Ceasar: Cessa omai di sospirare! - G.F. Handel
11. Julius Ceasar: Figlio non e - G.F. Handel
12. Julius Ceasar: Bella Lidia - G.F. Handel
13. Julius Ceasar: Mora, mora, mora - G.F. Handel
14. Julius Ceasar: Se pieta di me non senti - G.F. Handel
15. Julius Ceasar: Sinfonia - G.F. Handel
16. Julius Ceasar: Vinta cadesti al balenar - G.F. Handel
17. Julius Ceasar: Dall'ondoso periglio - G.F. Handel
18. Julius Ceasar: Cerco in van Tolomeo - G.F. Handel
19. Julius Ceasar: Lascia questo sigillo! - G.F. Handel
20. Julius Ceasar: Voi, che mie fide ancelle - G.F. Handel
21. Julius Ceasar: Cesare, o un'ombra sei? - G.F. Handel
22. Julius Ceasar: Da tempeste il legno infranto - G.F. Handel
23. Julius Ceasar: Cornelia, e tempo omai - G.F. Handel
24. Julius Ceasar: La vendetta del padre - G.F. Handel

Customer Reviews:

forget the "purists" and enjoy!.......2007-07-17

In the last 20-30 years with all of the emphasis on "early music" and "authentic" versions that are not edited, there have been many opera fans who dismiss this performance/production somewhat condescendingly. Ignore them! Here's what caused her to become the people's prima donna, and led to her debuts at La Scala and the Royal Opera in London. Certainly there have been other sopranos in the 20th century with brilliant coloratura (Sutherland, Caballe, Callas) but few were as effective dramatically, as heartfelt, or had the Brooklyn "razzle-dazzle" that made opera fans on both side of the Atlantic fall in love with her. It may sound like a cliche, but we lost a national treasure!

Beverly Sills, American Legend: Ave Atque Vale.......2007-07-04

The world is diminished with the news of the death of Beverly Sills. Her impact on American Opera will never be matched. She was an Original, a woman of great beauty, creative intelligence not only in her vocal production, pyrotechniques, and range, but also in her commitment to acting and drama, bringing a far larger audience to the opera houses with both her gifts as an artist and her compassion for those experiencing opera for the first time. Her performances were full of life, uncannily beautiful in singing and deportment, and aided by her own insistence on the use of supertitles above the proscenium arch, a gracious bow to her audiences to draw them into the stories of the works. La Sills had the intelligence to make her final bow on the stage when signs of vocal weakness began to show. Everything she did was form her heart and her brain and her humanity.

Finding a work to call a signature role for her wide repertoire is difficult, but for most of us her creation of Cleopatra as captured in this recording of Handel's 'Giulio Cesare' is a zenith. She sparkles and stuns with her effortless singing and embellishments and she is accompanied by her old friends Norman Treigle, Spiro Malas, Michael Devlin, Maureen Forrester, Beverly Wolff, Dominic Cossa and of course, Julius Rudel who with Sills brought the New York City Opera to importance.

Yes, the recording is old and now dated and now that Handel's jewel is a frequently performed opera in the original style (countertenors, original instrumentation, etc), the performance does sound a bit florid and thick. But Beverly Sills shines brightly and this is the great selfless star we will all remember. Grady Harp, July 07

beverly sill.......2007-05-18

beverly is enchanting as cleopatra. i have started a beverly collection of operas which i am sure will rival my callas collection

Classic performance.......2007-05-13

If you like this opera, this recording is a must have. Good sound quality, amazing performance. Yes, this is one of the productions that launched Beverly Sills' career. I have yet to see or hear a performance of Cleopatra that comes close.

Fine performances, flawed recording quality.......2007-05-05

The women steal the show here--Forrester's voice lush and gorgeous, Sills at her mindblowing coloratura best. I imagine Treigle's booming, grainy voice was powerful on stage, but at times it sounds coarse and a bit wobbly here in the more difficult passages. All in all this is a fine disc, true to Handel without period instrument nonsense, though the recording quality is bad for 1967 (distortion on high notes and forte voice passages), when EMI and Decca and DG were turning out superb sounding operas on a regular basis.

Average customer rating: Handel Would Have Been Pleased: A Great English Opera Speak English? Great recording! Handel fans, this is a must! Unauthentic performance, authentic voices Baker is simply the best Caesar!

Handel - Julius Caesar / Dame Janet Baker · Masterson · S. Walker · D. Jones · J. Bowman · Booth-Jones · Thomlinson · D. James · ENO · Mackerras George Frideric Handel , Sir Charles Mackerras , Janet Baker , Valerie Masterson , James Bowman , John Tomlinson , Della Jones , Christopher Booth-Jones , Sarah Walker , and Choir and Orchestra of the English National Opera Manufacturer: Chandos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Handel - Alcina / Fleming, Graham, Dessay, Kuhlmann, Robinson, Naouri, Lascarro, Les Arts Florissants, Christie Carmen (Sung in English) Handel: Belshazzar Handel - Ariodante / von Otter, Dawson, Cangemi, Podles, Croft, Sedov, Coadou, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Minkowski Verdi: La Traviata ASIN: B00000IYML Release Date: 1999-05-18

Tracks:

1. Julius Caesar: Overture
2. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 1: 'Caesar! Caesar! Egypt Acclaims Thee'
3. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 1: 'Kneel In Tribute, Fair Land Of Egypt' (Caesar)
4. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 1: 'Curio, Caesar Has Come ...' (Caesar, Achillas)
5. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 1: 'Tyrant, Avoid My Sight' (Caesar)
6. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 1: 'Mother!' 'Cornelia!'
7. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 1: 'Grief And Woe All Hope Deny Me'
8. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 1: 'The Time For Tears Is Over'
9. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 1: 'Come Rouse Yourselves To Vengeance'
10. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 2: 'You Shall Be Queen, Cleopatra' (Cleopatra)
11. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 2: 'Yet Why Despair?' (Cleopatra)
12. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 2: 'Pharaoh, My King' (Achillas)
13. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 2: 'Upstart, Barbarian And Traitor!'
14. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 3: 'Spirit Of Mighty Pompey' (Caesar, Cleopatra)
15. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 3: 'Here Within Thee, O Friendly Marble'
16. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 3: 'Alas! Reviled And Neglected, Must I Remain Here For Ever?' (Cleopatra)
17. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 3: 'O Star Of My Desire' (Cleopatra)
18. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 4: 'Caesar! A Generous Destiny...' (Caesar)
19. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 4: 'How Silently, How Slyly' (Caesar)
20. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 4: 'Sire, With Sextus Her Son, The Lady Cornelia'
21. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 4: 'Ne'er Reject A Tender Lover' (Achillas)
22. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 4: 'Mother!' 'My Dearest!'
23. Julius Caesar: Act I - Scene 4: 'Condemn'd To Grieve And Cry, My Love'

Tracks:

1. Julius Caesar: Act II - Scene 1: 'Have You Done As I Ordered, Faithful Nirenus?' (Cleopatra, Caesar)
2. Julius Caesar: Act II - Scene 1: 'Lamenting, Complaining Of Caesar's Disdaining' (Cleopatra, Caesar)
3. Julius Caesar: Act II - Scene 1: 'Fly Then, Fly, O My Heart' (Caesar)
4. Julius Caesar: Act II - Scene 1: 'Fleet O'er Flowery Meadow Gliding' (Caesar)
5. Julius Caesar: Act II - Scene 2: 'Still Despairing, Still Lamenting'
6. Julius Caesar: Act II - Scene 2: 'Lady, Forget Your Grieving' (Achillas)
7. Julius Caesar: Act II - Scene 2: 'Deep Within My Bosom Burning'
8. Julius Caesar: Act II - Scene 2: 'So Why Delay?'
9. Julius Caesar: Act II - Scene 2: 'Sigh No More, Forget Lamenting!'
10. Julius Caesar: Act II - Scene 2: 'He Is No Son Who Seeks Not Full Revenge...'
11. Julius Caesar: Act II - Scene 2: 'Wounded, The Sepent Ne'er Reposes'
12. Julius Caesar: Act II - Scene 3: 'Soon He Will Come To Find Me' (Cleopatra)
13. Julius Caesar: Act II - Scene 3: 'Venus, Fair Lady, One Favour Send Me' (Cleopatra)
14. Julius Caesar: Act II - Scene 3: 'Ah Gods! What Do I See?' (Caesar, Cleopatra)
15. Julius Caesar: Act II - Scene 3: 'In Anger And Fury I'll Turn On The Foe' (Caesar)
16. Julius Caesar: Act II - Scene 3: 'They Will Kill Him' (Cleopatra)
17. Julius Caesar: Act II - Scene 3: 'Hear My Prayer, O Gods, Relenting' (Cleopatra)

Tracks:

1. Julius Caesar: Symphony
2. Julius Caesar: Act III - Scene 1: 'So! You Are Beaten!' (Cleopatra)
3. Julius Caesar: Act III - Scene 1: 'I Shall Tame Your Pride Unbending'
4. Julius Caesar: Act III - Scene 1: 'And So In One Brief Hour All My Glory Is Gone?' (Cleopatra)
5. Julius Caesar: Act III - Scene 1: 'Flow, My Tears' (Cleopatra)
6. Julius Caesar: Act III - Scene 1: 'From The Perils Of The Ocean' (Caesar)
7. Julius Caesar: Act III - Scene 1: 'Zephyrs! Zephyrs, Come To Mine Aid!' (Caesar)
8. Julius Caesar: Act III - Scene 1: 'Nirenus, The Battle Is Fought And Lost' (Achillas, Caesar)
9. Julius Caesar: Act III - Scene 1: 'See In Spate The High Cataract Storming' (Caesar)
10. Julius Caesar: Act III - Scene 2: 'Ladies, My Faithful Servants' (Cleopatra, Caesar)
11. Julius Caesar: Act III - Scene 2: 'Stormy Winds My Ship Had Shaken' (Cleopatra)
12. Julius Caesar: Act III - Scene 3: Symphony
13. Julius Caesar: Act III - Scene 3: 'Here, Curio And Your Legions' (Caesar, Cleopatra)
14. Julius Caesar: Act III - Scene 3: 'Dearest! Fairest!' (Cleopatra, Caesar)
15. Julius Caesar: Act III - Scene 3: 'Long, Long May Egypt Continue' (Caesar)
16. Julius Caesar: Act III - Scene 3: 'Proclaim We All Great Caesar's Glory'
17. Julius Caesar: Act III - Scene 3: 'A Vow I Give You' (Caesar, Cleopatra)
18. Julius Caesar: Act III - Scene 3: 'Proclaim We All Great Caesars Glory'

Customer Reviews:

Handel Would Have Been Pleased: A Great English Opera.......2005-08-01

The English National Opera is well known for its English-sung versions of Italian operas and this recording of the Baroque masterpiece Julius Caesar stars Janet Baker, Valerie Masterson, John Tomlinson, Christopher Booth-Jones, James Bowman, David James, and Della Jones. Sir Charles Mackerras conducts. Recorded in the early 80's it seems, this studio recording is phenomenal, and though its not the original Italian work by Handel, it is still as dramatic and as musically satisfying. The ENO perfectly captures the same spirit of the original piece and technically, the music is brilliant, with passionate strings on fire in the dramatic scenes and laid back in spiritual and gentle lyricism in the slower arias and scenas. Now the immediate attraction to this recording is the great Janet Baker as the eponymous Julius Caesar. A brilliant mezzo-soprano, she famously took on the "male" roles not given to tenors - Aenas from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas and Romeo in Bellini's Capuleti e Montechi are one of them. This comes from the tradition in modern times that the castrati roles of the Baroque Era (1600-1750)- which included all the juicy male leads - Ceasar, Nero, gods, warriors and the like - were subsequently given to contralto female singers or mezzo-sopranos. Janet Baker is sensational, really immersing herself in the role of Caesar, with real dramatic force and absolutely beautiful and fiery voice. These performances, which were staged in London, must have been sold out and understandably so. Janet Baker's performance is top-notch and unsurpassed, even if newer countertenors (who are male) have sung recent Caesars with success. They cannot equal what she delivers in this performance. For those who might want to know, this same performance is captured on DVD which is also available on Amazon.com and also stars the remarkable Valerie Masterson

The music remains true to the original score, with the English words matching the original Italian text word for word. In the hands of the lead singers Baker and Masterson, who have great chemistry together, this operatic performance ranks right up there with great performances, the kind that operaphiles continue to admire fondly. British soprano Valerie Masterson, more so than Janet Baker, sang in English version operas. She enjoyed immense success in the latter part of the 60's with the Doyle Carte Opera Company singing all the lead heroines in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. Furthermore, she sang as Gilda in Verdi's Rigoletto, Juliette in Gounod's Romeo et Juliette, Lucia Di Lammermoor and Violetta in Verdi's Traviata. Hers was a crystal, refined, lyric voice that had an impressive upper register and magical coloratura abilities. High F's, high C's, you name it. As Cleopatra, she is remarkably similar to Beverly Sills, who is hailed as the greatest interpreter of this role, winning overnight fame in a New York City Opera series of performances back in 1965-1966. Though not note for note the same as Sills, who had the best dramatic prowess, coloratura and pianissimi in the characterization of Cleopatra, Masterson went above and beyond herself as Cleopatra, providing a human warmth to the role, singing her as if she were a poor victim of historic fate. Get this recording if you're a fan of Janet Baker and Valerie Masterson. Truly this is a document of both artists at their very best.

Speak English?.......2004-04-02

I have to second the favorable reviews of the other Handel, Baker and Mackerras fans. Nobody mentioned, however, that this performance is in English instead of the original Italian. Frankly, I'm not sure the transition works in other works attempted like the "Barber." But the structure of baroque "Italian" opera gives the approach great merit. Basically an Opera Seria of this period was a large number of pretty simple arias held together by a lot of recitatives. Many of the arias are lovely regardless of the language used. But the recitatives would, in my view, be a dreadful bore in such a long piece. They're very short on musical interest. So, the listener might as well know what's going on. (It's very easy to understand the recitatives.) By doing so, the impact Handle and his contemporaries tried to make with this often maligned style of music becomes very clear adding greatly to the interest. This is a really good effort and deserves serious consideration.

Great recording! Handel fans, this is a must!.......2003-06-09

Having not actually listened to the CD, I have; however, viewed the DVD version of this cast and recording. After listening to the other two offerings of this opera on Amazon's website, I am thoroughly convinced that this is indeed the way to go.

Firstly, Sir Charles Mackerras does a wonderful job with this. I am a fan of most of his recording from many Gilbert & Sullivan recordings (if you like Caesar, you will probably like Gilbert & Sullivan - I know I do...). The tempos are good, the orchestra sounds wonderful and the ornamentation sounds appropriate and quite nice.

Second, Dame Janet Baker is absolutely amazing. My favorites are 'Tyrant, Avoid My Sight' and 'How Silently, How Slyly'. She is quite a nimble and accurate singer.

Also notable is Masterson (Cleopatra), Walker (Cornelia), and Bowman (Pharoah). I greatly enjoy all of their performances and feel that each of them contribute wonderfully to the overall recording on certain songs: Masterson - 'Yet Why Despair?', Walker - 'Grief And Woe All Hope Deny Me', Bowman -'Upstart, Barbarian And Traitor!'. All are very wonderful songs and Walker is absolutely heart wrenching in 'Grief & Woe'...

Overall, the recording is fabulous musically. However there are some oddities as far as cracks, thumps on stage, etc., but I think these are quite forgiveable where as the music is absolutely amazing.

Bottom line... Pick this up. If you are a Handel fan of any sorts you will greatly enjoy the first act of the opera. I haven't really found any songs that I like from the second act, but I was rushed through the second half of the opera.

Enjoy!

Unauthentic performance, authentic voices.......2001-05-05

I recently had an e-mail from a friend who's also an opera critic, asking if I'd seen the "deadly boring" Ariodante at the Paris opera. "The return of the voiceless wonders - come back Dame Janet!" This is the recording (and the ENO performance) he had in mind. It seems to be a paradox that, as "authentic" Baroque performances become instrumentally ever more perfect (just think back to the wrong notes and rotten tuning of 25 years ago!) the voices get worse and worse - even Emma Kirkby sounds full-blooded in comparison.

This, then, is unauthentic Händel, shamelessly incomplete, with a puddingy ENO orchestra and plenty of stage thuds and bangs. But what a festival of Händel singing of the not-so-old school, what a bunch of British troopers, Dame Janet as virile a Julius as they come, Sarah Walker wonderfully moving as Cornelia, Della Jones an impassioned Sextus complete with Welsh accent, Valerie Masterson indulging in the most amazing vocal fireworks as Cleopatra... Buy it, and if you like it, buy also the camp and kitschy ENO video, and - also I see available on this site - buy the equally un-PC Somary performance of Semele, with more Händel stalwarts of the same period (and a thundering harpsichord that must have been built by Bösendorfer).

To go back to the recent Ariodante at the Paris opera: when the hero/heroine lost her voice, who was it sang the part full-voice from the pit and got an ovation? None other than our Sextus, Della Jones (still going strong, then), in town for the role of Mrs Sedley in Peter Grimes. Lucky folks who were at the Palais Garnier that night!

Baker is simply the best Caesar!.......2000-10-02

I saw this production at the English National Opera when it was new. I was only in my teens and fairly new to opera, but Janet Baker just blew me away. What an artiste! Her technique is virtually flawless and, considering that this is a live recording, her stamina is formidable. Valerie Masterton makes a wonderful Cleopatra and James Bowman and Sarah Walker make admirable contributions. If you like Handel, buy this recording.

Average customer rating: dc31cd Up the garden path Primo Early Smog...meet Strawberry Rash

Julius Caesar Smog Manufacturer: Drag City ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Lo-Fi | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music Indie & Lo Fi | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Sewn to the Sky A River Ain't Too Much to Love Woke on a Whaleheart Kicking a Couple Around I Could Live in Hope ASIN: B0000019PM Release Date: 1994-08-31

Tracks:

1. Starwberry Rash
2. Your Wedding
3. Push Ups
4. Stalled On The Tracks
5. One Less Star
6. Golden
7. When You Walk
8. I Am Star Wars!
9. Connections
10. When The Power Goes Out
11. Chosen One
12. What Kind Of Angel
13. Stick In The Mud

Customer Reviews:

dc31cd.......2005-05-22

smog really means bill callahan, who is a weird sort of guy who writes songs about his emotions and other things he likes. this is one of his first albums and i happen to like it a good deal. at first i thought it was kind of silly, but then i listened to it some more and still thought it was silly but liked it a lot better too. plus i like the title and the cover and everything.

Up the garden path.......2000-06-10

Julius Caesar was my point of entry to the music of Bill Callahan. Chan Marshall (who moonlights as Cat Power), on her record par excellence What Would The Community Think, covered Callahan's song Bathysphere, upon listening to which it was my firm (and perhaps foolhardy) resolution to go out an album - any album - by the guy. This I did, my record of choice being Julius Caesar (though "choice" is perhaps the wrong word to use here, given that the aforementioned was the only Smog album in the shop).

My first experience of Julius Caesar was somewhat bewildering - I wondered how someone who had written a song of such claustrophobic melancholy as that in which Bathysphere is drenched could make a record that on first listening seemed to be a farrago of smart-arsed tomfoolery. I soon learnt, however, that blithely making such an assumption had been the easy way out. On scraping away the veneer of snide wordplay and toppling the daunting sonic barrier that the evidently budget recording had erected around the record, I began to fully realise Callahan's gift as a songwriter and the strange and terrible power that his music with which his music would eventually grip my heart.

The journey began with Chosen One (which, it could be argued, is possibly the record's most accessible piece) and continued by way of the eerily suffocating Stalled On The Tracks and the heart-on-sleeve simplicity of Golden, finally reaching its conclusion with my realisation that, goodness me, while I Am Star Wars! and When The Power Goes Out might be arrant musical pranks, they were nonetheless fine songs. I in fact should to like to take this opportunity to heartily exhort God to bless Mr Callahan for, by gum, he has a sense of humour that is a welcome blessing in today's world of pretentious artistes and that has survived seemingly intact from the early days of Julius Caesar until the present (q.v. his hilarious explanation of Knock, Knock's cover art - featuring a fierce-looking feline against a background of lightning - as designed to appeal to his teenage audience).

While Julius Caesar may for me lack the jaw-dropping emotional clout of such works as The Doctor Came At Dawn, Kicking A Couple Around or Red Apple Falls, it is yet an album that I treasure and into which I delve time and again. I have yet to find a record that so deftly admixes witty cynicism with brittle, uneasy melancholy.

Primo Early Smog...meet Strawberry Rash.......2000-05-30

Bill Callahan is a genius. You will not like Julius Caesar at first. I promise. Why? Well, at first it just seems annoying. You feel like asking yourself what the hell this guy was thinking when he made this. You had better have some tolerance for lo-fi. From all that I've heard, Callahan recorded this album at home on a four-track, and it sounds like it. But once you get used to that (unless you love lo-fi, like me) you find some songs that are just wonderful. Callahan is one of the unspoken poets of our generation.

Average customer rating:

Hans Rott: Symphony No. 1; Orchestral Works Manufacturer: Arte Nova Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Gernsheim: Complete Symphonies Furtwangler: Symphony No. 3 Symphony in E Major Kurt Atterberg: The Symphonies (Box Set) Melartin: The Six SYMPHONIES ASIN: B00096S2U0 Release Date: 2005-05-10

Tracks:

1. I. Alla Breve
2. II. Sehr Langsam
3. III. Scherzo: Frisch Und Lebhaft
4. IV. Sehr Langsam. Belebt
5. Orchestra Prelude
6. A Prelude To 'Julius Caesar'

Average customer rating: "Bateman & Temple...double the listening pleasure"

Shakespeare at the Movies Manufacturer: Silva America ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Mascagni | Mascagni, Pietro | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Rota, Nino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Walton | Walton, Sir William | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Shostakovich | Shostakovich, Dmitri | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music | Baroque | Classical | General | Modern & 20th Century | Romantic | Sinfonia | Sinfonia Concertante General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Twelfth Night William Shakespeare's Hamlet (Two-Disc Special Edition) Shakespeare in Love (Miramax Collector's Series) Becket The Prestige ASIN: B00005B1EF Release Date: 2001-05-22

Tracks:

1. Twefth Night: I'll Tell Thee A Tale - Ben Kingsley
2. Henry V: Overture - The Globe Theatre - Crouch End Festival Chorus/Paul Bateman
3. Henry V: Passacaglia - The Death Of Falstaff - Paul Bateman
4. Henry V: 'This Day Is Called The Feast Of St. Crispian' - Ioan Gruffudd
5. Henry V: Battle And Charge - The French Court - Paul Bateman
6. Henry V: 'Touch Her Soft Lips And Part' - Paul Bateman
7. Henry V: Finale - The Agincourt Song - Crouch End Festival Chorus/Paul Bateman
8. Hamlet: Prelude - Paul Bateman
9. Hamlet: Ball At The Ballet - Paul Bateman
10. Hamlet: 'To Be, Or Not To Be, That Is The Question - Derek Jacobi
11. Hamlet: 'Sweets To The Sweet Farewell' - Kenneth Alwyn
12. Much Ado About Nothing: Overture - Kenneth Alwyn
13. Much Ado About Nothing: Goddess Of The Night/Strike Up, Pipers - Crouch End Festival Chorus/Paul Bateman
14. Antony And Cleopatra: Suite - Jenny Agutter/Bruce McGregor
15. Antony And Cleopatra: Suite - Crouch End Festival Chorus/Paul Bateman/Nick Raine
16. Julius Caesar: Overture - Paul Bateman
17. Julius Caesar: Caesar's Triumphant Entry Into Rome - Paul Bateman
18. Julius Caesar: 'Friends, Romans, Countrymen, Lend Me Your Ears' - Derek Jacobi
19. Julius Caesar: 'Caesar Now Be Still/Finale' - Paul Bateman

Tracks:

1. The Taming Of The Shrew: 'Good Morrow, Kate' - Derek Jacobi/Jenny Agutter
2. The Taming Of The Shrew: Overture - Paul Bateman
3. Richard III: 'Now Is The Winter Of Our Discontent' - Derek Jacobi
4. Richard III: Prelude - Paul Bateman
5. Romeo + Juliet: The Balcony Scene - Paul Bateman
6. Romeo And Juliet: 'But Soft, What Light Through Yonder Window Breaks?' - Ioan Gruffudd/Jenny Agutter
7. Romeo And Juliet: Suite - Kenneth Alwyn
8. Love's Labour's Lost: 'Love's Labour's Lost/Arrival Of The Princess' - Paul Bateman
9. A Midsummer Night's Dream: 'If We Shadows Have Offended' - Jenny Agutter
10. A Midsummer Night's Dream: Intermezzo From Cavalleria Rusticana - Paul Bateman
11. Shakespeare In Love: Suite - Paul Bateman
12. Henry V: Prelude - 'O For A Muse Of Fire' - Paul Bateman
13. Henry V: St Crispian's Day - Paul Bateman
14. Henry V: 'Once More Unto The Breach, Dear Friends, Once More' - Ioan Gruffudd
15. Henry V: Non Nobis Domine - Couch End Festival Chorus/Paul Bateman
16. Twelfth Night: If Music Be The Food Of Love - Shaun Davey
17. Twelfth Night: The Wind And The Rain - The Irish Film Orchestra/Fiachra Trench

Customer Reviews:

"Bateman & Temple...double the listening pleasure".......2001-06-29

Paul Bateman and "The City Of Prague Philarmonic Orchestra" extend their listening pleasure with this latest release ~ "Shakespeare At The Movies"...backed by the world renown "Crouch End Festival Chorus" led by their Choir Master - David Temple. Also appearing...Kenneth Alwyn and Nic Raine to this already "blue-ribbon" 2-CD-Set of the finest music ever to grace the big screen.

Composers who's who is the marquee'...Miklos Rozsa & Sir William Walton from the '40s & '50s...Michael J. Lewis, Nino Rota, Dimitri Shostakovich from the '60s...John Scott from the '70s...Craig Armstrong, Patrick Doyle, Pietro Mascagni & Stephen Warbeck from the '80s, '90s & 2000...each sharing their God-given-talent with the masses, the love of film scoring.

Must mention a highlight in this awesome collection..."ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA" (1972), haunting in content, mixed with heavenly voices and a wonderful flute solo, strings sweeping as a flowing breeze centering around the brass section...over six minute suite in length...composed, arranged and orchestrated by John Scott...conducted by Nic Raine, excels with a love theme pouring generously in each measure, followed by passionate counterpoint, overlayed with a veil of sweet melody.

The entire collection is a film-score-buffs "pot of gold", just waiting at the end of your rainbow...powerful, overwhelming and outstanding performances from all who contributed...James Fitzpatrick (Producer) never fails with each endeavor, Reynold da Silva (executive producer), Paul Bateman, Rickie Clark and Nic Raine (associate producers)...you might try other albums from Silva, all worthy of a good listen ~ "Crimson Pirate:Swashbucklers Of The Silver Screen" (SSD-3009)..."The Mark Of Zorro" (SSD-3010)..."Cinema Century 2000" (STD-5023)..."Alien Invasion:Space & Beyond 2" (SSD-1083)..."Space 3:Beyond The Final Frontier" (SSD-1112)..."Cinema's Classic Romances" (SILKD-6018)..."Bond Back In Action 2" (SSD-1119)

Total Time: Disc One 70:51 on 19 Tracks & Disc Two 70:25 on 17 Tracks ~ Silva Screen SILKD-6024 ~ (2001)

Average customer rating:

Music from Estonia Manufacturer: Chandos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Part | Part, Arvo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tormis | Tormis, Veljo | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Tone Poems | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music ASIN: B0009SC7IG Release Date: 2005-07-26

Tracks:

1. Overture
2. I Andante
3. II Andante
4. III Scherzo - Trio
5. IV Finale. Moderato Assai
6. Twilight (Tone Poem)
7. Dawn (Tone Poem)
8. Elegia

Tracks:

1. I Funebre, Energico
2. II Vivace, Meno Allegretto
3. III Andante, Poco Maestoso
4. I Andante Con Moto
5. II Allegretto Moderato
6. III Vivo
7. IV Lento Assai Poco Rubato
8. V Cantando Espressivo
9. Overture No.2
10. Cantus In Memoriam Benjamin Britten

Average customer rating:

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare Orson Welles Manufacturer: Pearl ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Poetry, Spoken Word & Interviews | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Spoken Word | Poetry, Spoken Word & Interviews | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Similar Items: Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare Julius Caesar ASIN: B00000I0G3 Release Date: 1999-02-16

Tracks:

1. Julius Caesar: Act I Scene 1: Rome-A Public Place
2. Julius Caesar: Act I Scene 2: Rome-A Street
3. Julius Caesar: Act II Scene 1: Rome-Brutus/Orchard
4. Julius Caesar: Act II Scene 2: Caesar's House
5. Julius Caesar: Act III Scene 1: The Capitol
6. Julius Caesar: Act III Scene 2: The Forum
7. Julius Caesar: Act III Scene 3: A Street

Tracks:

1. Julius Caesar: Act IV Scene 1: A House In Rome
2. Julius Caesar: Act IV Scene 2: Brutus' Tent
3. Julius Caesar: Act V Scene 1: The Plains Of Philippi
4. King Richard II: Four Scenes: Act III Scene 2: The Coast Of Wales 'Landing Scene'
5. King Richard II: Act III Scene 3: Before Flint Castle
6. King Richard II: Act IV Scene 1: Westminster Hall
7. King Richard II: Act V Scene 5: Pomfret Castle
8. Richard II, Act II Scene 1: This Royal Throne Of Kings...

Average customer rating:

Music from Great Shakespeare Films Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Walton | Walton, Sir William | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Shostakovich | Shostakovich, Dmitri | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music ASIN: B0000042GH Release Date: 1997-11-11

Tracks:

1. Hamlet - Introduction
2. Hamlet - Ball At The Palace
3. Hamlet - The Ghost
4. Hamlet - Scene Of The Poisoning
5. Hamlet - The Arrival & Scene Of The Players
6. Hamlet - The Duel & Death Of Hamlet
7. Richard III - Prelude
8. Julius Caesar - The Ides Of March
9. Julius Caesar - Caesar's Ghost
10. Julius Caesar - Approach Of Octavian's Army & Death Of Brutus

Average customer rating:

Robert Kurka: Symphony No. 2; Julius Caesar; Music for Orchestra; Serenade for Small Orchestra Manufacturer: Cedille ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B0002LGX62 Release Date: 2004-01-01

Average customer rating: Exciting music A Useful Compendium-but It Could Have Been More than That

Schumann: Overtures Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Robert Schumann | Schumann, Robert | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Incidental Music | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Opera & Vocal | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Tchaikovsky: Complete Suites for Orchestra ASIN: B0000013US Release Date: 1994-02-15

Tracks:

1. Overture, Scherzo And Finale, Op.52
2. Genoveva, Op. 81
3. Bride of Messina, Op. 100
4. Julius Caesar, Op. 128
5. Herman and Dorothea, Op. 136
6. Faust
7. Manfred, Op. 115

Customer Reviews:

Exciting music.......2006-10-08

Robert Schumann was one of the less well known of the romanticists of classical music. Yet his music is quite impressive, and this CD includes some of his best overtures. The pieces range from 5 - 15 minutes in length, are all orchestral pieces, and are quite lively and melodic. The CD quality is good, and the orchestration is fine. For the price of this CD, it is a great buy and I recommend it.

A Useful Compendium-but It Could Have Been More than That.......2006-03-31

It was a nice idea to include most of the pieces of music by Schumann that have "overture" in their name. Missing is a choral overture on the Rheinweinlied, but otherwise, this CD covers the topic. However, the performances and recording leave something to be desired. The best performances here--of the little-known "Bride of Messina" and "Hermann und Dorothea"--are maybe fueled by the element of discovery. The tempos seem judiciously handled, and Johannes Wildner does everything he can to get the lumbering, four-square rhythm of the "Bride" to move. Not much he can do about those squeals from the piccolo, though--Schumann for some reason wrote them into the score thinking, I guess, that they added an element of doom and terror to the "curse" motif that dominates the overture. No such problem with the more successful "Hermann und Dorothea," an atmospheric little piece with (as far as I know) Schumann's one concession to the extra color that a snare drum could add to his often opaque scoring.

The other performances, unfortunately, suffer from a variety of ails, including a very much off-pitch clarinet in the lovely second melody of the "Faust" Overture (plus uncalled for dissonances from the brass at the start of the coda--let's tune it, gentlemen!); a lumbering gait to the opening of the "Julius Caesar" Overture (one of Schumann's least inspired works, it must be said); a labored trio section in the Scherzo of the "Overture, Scherzo, and Finale" (though this is a pretty good performance for the most part); a strange pause (a bad edit?) before the final dash in the coda of the "Genoveva" Overture (one of Schumann's real triumphs); and a bit of slap-dash in the faster passages of "Manfred" despite a general trend toward sclerotic rhythms (though this fine overture is hard to kill and emerges mostly unscathed in a decent performance overall).

The recording has good stereo spread and depth and a definite sense of the concert hall but is a tad too distant for the kind of definition that Schumann's thick scoring cries out for.

So if you want this music--some of it obscure but worth hearing--the current CD is an OK way to acquire it, but we could have hoped for more than that.

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