This Is Me...Then

Amazon.com
Between her first and second albums, Jennifer Lopez moved from sharp hip-hop to a slicker sound that captured the sass and heat of the streets, thanks mainly to the production acumen of her erstwhile boyfriend Sean "Puffy" Combs. On her third album, This Is Me ... Then, Lopez shows she's just as facile as her ex in changing names as well as musical personas. She abandons the impish J-Lo moniker for a more benign, and less interesting, Jenny, who makes an appearance on "Jenny from the Block." Here, Lopez insists she is still the same down-to-earth girl who emerged from the Bronx a decade before mega-stardom hit: "I used to have a little/ Now I have a lot," she chirps before cautioning, "Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got/ I'm still Jenny from the block." The claim stretches credibility given her well-documented status as a diva, but "Jenny" shows more pizzazz and humor on the album than anything else, except for her saucy duet with LL Cool J on "All I Have." Elsewhere, the album--which includes nine songs cowritten by Lopez--serves up a recycled paean to '70s soul, an anemic cover of Carly Simon's vituperative "You Belong to Me," and cloying ballads inspired by her new fiancé, actor Ben Affleck. Lopez dedicated the disc to the actor and includes a far-too-personal and gooey love song to him titled "Dear Ben." In it, she declares: "You'll always be my lust, my love, my man, my child, my friend and my king." There's plenty of love here, but what's missing is the verve and crackle of Lopez's earlier stuff. --Jaan Uhelszki

This Is Me...Then,Jennifer Lopez,Sony,Adult Contemporary,Club/Dance,Dance-Pop,Latin Pop,Pop,Pop Vocals,Popular Music,Rock/Pop,Urban

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Average customer rating: The greatest songs ever? A musical treasure-box a beautiful journey into melancholy

Dowland - The Collected Works / The Consort of Musicke, Rooley John Dowland , Anthony Rooley , Emma Kirkby , Christopher Wilson , The Consort of Musicke , Colin Tilney , Anthony Bailes , Jakob Lindberg , Nigel North , Glenda Simpson , Peter Holman , and John Donne Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music Byrd, William | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Dowland | Dowland, John | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Holborne, Anthony | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by White | White, Robert | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Sacred & Religious | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems Ballets & Dances | Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Recorder | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Lute | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Solo Instrumental | New Age | Styles | Music Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Byrd, William | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Dowland, John | ( D ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Holborne, Anthony | ( H ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music White, Robert | ( W ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Bargain Box Sets | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Bargain Box Sets | Opera & Vocal General | Opera & Vocal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Opera & Vocal General | Opera & Vocal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Dowland: Complete Lute Works, Vol.1-5 William Byrd: Consort Songs Bach: The Landowska Recordings Britten Conducts Britten Janácek: Operas ASIN: B000004CYV Release Date: 2007-03-13

Tracks:

1. First Booke Of Songes: I. Unquiet Thoughts
2. First Booke Of Songes: II. Who Ever Thinks Or Hopes Of Love
3. First Booke Of Songes: III. My Thoughts Are Wing'd With Hopes
4. First Booke Of Songes: IV. If My Complaints Could Passions Move
5. First Booke Of Songes: V. Can She Excuse My Wrongs
6. First Booke Of Songes: VI. Now, O Now, I Needs Must Part
7. First Booke Of Songes: VII. Dear, If You Change
8. First Booke Of Songes: VIII. Burst Fourth My Tears
9. First Booke Of Songes: IX. Go Crystal Tears
10. First Booke Of Songes: X. Think'st Thou Then By Thy Feigning
11. First Booke Of Songes: XI. Come Away, Come Sweet Love
12. First Booke Of Songes: XII. Rest Awhile, You Cruel Cares
13. First Booke Of Songes: XIII. Sleep, Wayward Thoughts
14. First Booke Of Songes: XIV. All Ye, Whom Love Or Fortune Hath Betray'd
15. First Booke Of Songes: XV. Wilt Thou Unkind Thus Reave Me
16. First Booke Of Songes: XVI. Would My Conceit
17. First Booke Of Songes: XVII. Come Again: Sweet Love Doth Now Invite
18. First Booke Of Songes: XVIII. His Golden Locks
19. First Booke Of Songes: XIX. Awake, Sweet Love
20. First Booke Of Songes: XX. Come, Heavy Sleep
21. First Booke Of Songes: XXI. Away With These Self-Loving Lads

Tracks:

1. Second Booke Of Songs: I. I Saw My Lady Weep
2. Second Booke Of Songs: II. Flow My Tears
3. Second Booke Of Songs: III. Sorrow, Stay
4. Second Booke Of Songs: IV. Die Not Before Thy Day
5. Second Booke Of Songs: V. Mourn, Mourn, Day Is With Darkness Fled
6. Second Booke Of Songs: VI. Time's Eldest Son
7. Second Booke Of Songs: VII. Then Sit Thee Down
8. Second Booke Of Songs: VIII. When Others Sing Venite
9. Second Booke Of Songs: IX. Praise Blindness Eyes
10. Second Booke Of Songs: X. O Sweet Woods
11. Second Booke Of Songs: XI. If Floods Of Tears
12. Second Booke Of Songs: XII. Fine Knacks For Ladies
13. Second Booke Of Songs: XIII. Now Cease My Wand'ring Eyes
14. Second Booke Of Songs: XIV. Come Ye Heavy States Of Night
15. Second Booke Of Songs: XV. White As Lilies Was Her Face
16. Second Booke Of Songs: XVI. Woeful Heart
17. Second Booke Of Songs: XVII. A Shepherd In A Shade
18. Second Booke Of Songs: XVIII. Faction That Ever Dwells
19. Second Booke Of Songs: XIX. Shall I Sue
20. Second Booke Of Songs: XX. Toss Not My Soul
21. Second Booke Of Songs: XXI. Clear Or Cloudy
22. Second Booke Of Songs: XXII. Humour Say What Mak'st Thou Here

Tracks:

1. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: I. Farewell, Too Fair
2. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: II. Time Stands Still
3. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: III. Behold A Wonder Here
4. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: IV. Daphne Was Not So Chaste
5. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: V. Me, Me, And None But Me
6. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: VI. When Phoebus First Did Daphne Love
7. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: VII. Say, Love, If Ever Thou Didst Find
8. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: VIII. Flow Not So Fast, Ye Fountains
9. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: IX. What If I Never Speed?
10. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: X. Love Stood Amazed
11. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XI. Lend Your Ears To My Sorrow
12. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XII. By A Fountain Where I Lay
13. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XIII. O What Hath Overwrought
14. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XIV. Farewell, Unkind
15. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XV. Weep You No More, Sad Fountains
16. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XVI. Fie On This Feigning!
17. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XVII. I Must Complain
18. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XVIII. It Was A Time When Silly Bees
19. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XIX. The Lowest Trees Have Tops
20. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XX. What Poor Astronomers Are They
21. Third Booke Of Songs 1603: XXI. Come When I Call

Tracks:

1. A Pilgrimes Solace: I. Disdain Me Still
2. A Pilgrimes Solace: II. Sweet Stay Awhile
3. A Pilgrimes Solace: III. To Ask For All Thy Love
4. A Pilgrimes Solace: IV. Love, Those Beams That Breed
5. A Pilgrimes Solace: V. Shall I Strive Wih Words To Move?
6. A Pilgrimes Solace: VI. Were Every Thought An Eye
7. A Pilgrimes Solace: VII. Stay, Time, Awhile Thy Flying
8. A Pilgrimes Solace: VIII. Tell Me, True Love
9. A Pilgrimes Solace: IX. Go Nightly Cares
10. A Pilgrimes Solace: X. From Silent Night
11. A Pilgrimes Solace: XI. Lasso vita mia
12. A Pilgrimes Solace: XII. In This Trembling Shadow Cast
13. A Pilgrimes Solace: XIII. If That A Sinner's Sights
14. A Pilgrimes Solace: XIV. Thou Mighty God
15. A Pilgrimes Solace: XV. When David's Life
16. A Pilgrimes Solace: XVI. When The Poor Cripple

Tracks:

1. A Pilgrimes Solace: XVII. Where Sin Sore Wounding
2. A Pilgrimes Solace: XVIII. My Heart And Tongue Were Twins
3. A Pilgrimes Solace: XIX. Up Merry Mates
4. A Pilgrimes Solace: XX. Welcome Black Night
5. A Pilgrimes Solace: XXI. Cease, Cease These False Sports
6. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Lachrimae Pavane
7. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Can Shee
8. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Paduana
9. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: The Frogge
10. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Frog's Galliard
11. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Pavana And Galiarda
12. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Paduana Lachrymae
13. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Can She Excuse
14. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Pavion Solus cum sola
15. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Dowland's Almayne
16. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Piper's Paven And Galliard
17. Keyboard Transcriptions Of Dowland's Music By Other Musicians: Pavan Lachrymae

Tracks:

1. Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: I. The Lamentation Of A Sinner
2. Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: II. Domine ne in furore
3. Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: III. Miserere mei Deus
4. Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: IV. The Humble Suit Of A Sinner
5. Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: V. The Humble Complaint Of A Sinner
6. Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: VI. De profundis
7. Mr. Henry Noell Lamentations: VII. Domine exaudi
8. Lachrimae: Lachrimae Antiquae
9. Lachrimae: Lachrimae Antiquae Novae
10. Lachrimae: Lachrimae Gementes
11. Lachrimae: Lachrimae Tristes
12. Lachrimae: Lachrimae Coactae
13. Lachrimae: Lachrimae Amantis
14. Lachrimae: Lachrimae Verae
15. Lachrimae: Mr. John Langton's Pavan
16. Lachrimae: Mr. Nicholas Gryffith His Galiard
17. Lachrimae: Sir John Souch His Galiard
18. Lachrimae: Semper Dowland Semper Dolens
19. Lachrimae: Mr. Giles Hobies Galiard
20. Lachrimae: The King Of Denmark's Galiard
21. Lachrimae: Sir Henry Umpton's Funerall
22. Lachrimae: Mr. Henry Noell His Galiard
23. Lachrimae: The Earl Of Essex Galiard
24. Lachrimae: Mr. Bucton His Galiard
25. Lachrimae: Mr. George Whitehead His Almand
26. Lachrimae: Captain Digorie Piper His Galiard
27. Lachrimae: Mr. Thomas Collier His Galiard
28. Lachrimae: Mrs. Nichols Almand

Tracks:

1. Sacred Songs: Sorrow, Come!
2. Sacred Songs: I Shame At Mine Unworthiness
3. Sacred Songs: An Heart That's Broken And Contrite
4. Psalms: Psalm 100: All People That On Earth Do Dwell
5. Psalms: Psalm 38: Put Me Not To Rebuke O Lord
6. Psalms: Psalm 130: Lord To Thee I Make My Moan
7. Psalms: Psalm 104: My Soul Praise The Lord
8. Psalms: Psalm 100: All People That On Earth Do Dwell
9. Psalms: Psalm 134: Behold And Have Regard
10. A Prayer For The Queen's Most Excellent Majesty
11. Instrumental Music: Solus cum sola pavan
12. Instrumental Music: Lachrimae
13. Instrumental Music: Galliard
14. Instrumental Music: Pipers Pavan
15. Instrumental Music: Lachrimae
16. Instrumental Music: Lady Rich Galliard
17. Instrumental Music: Earl Of Essex Galliard
18. Instrumental Music: If My Complaints
19. Instrumental Music: Lachrimae Doolande
20. Instrumental Music: Lord Willoughbie's Welcome Home
21. Instrumental Music: My Lord Chamberlaine His Galliard
22. Instrumental Music: Comagain
23. Instrumental Music: Pavan Lachrymae
24. Instrumental Music: Sorrow Stay

Tracks:

1. Lute Music: Preludium
2. Lute Music: Lachrimae
3. Lute Music: Can She Excuse
4. Lute Music: Dr. Case's Pavan
5. Lute Music: Melancholy Galliard
6. Lute Music: Sir John Smith, His Almain
7. Lute Music: Fantasia
8. Lute Music: A Dream
9. Lute Music: Almain
10. Lute Music: The Queen's Galliard
11. Lute Music: Coranto
12. Lute Music: Resolution
13. Lute Music: Mrs. Vaux Galliard
14. Lute Music: Almain
15. Lute Music: Mr. Dowland's MIdnight
16. Lute Music: Fantasia
17. Lute Music: Loth To Depart
18. Lute Music: The Most Sacred Queen Elizabeth, Her Galliard
19. Lute Music: The Earl Of Essex, His Galliard
20. Lute Music: Pavan
21. Lute Music: John Dowland's Galliard
22. Lute Music: Aloe
23. Lute Music: The Lady Clifton's Spirit
24. Lute Music: What If A Day
25. Lute Music: Mr. Giles Hobie's Galliard
26. Lute Music: Come Away (Song arrangement)
27. Lute Music: Galliard
28. Lute Music: Fancy (Fantasia)

Tracks:

1. Lute Music: Lachrimae (Basic Version)
2. Lute Music: Galliard To Lachrimae
3. Lute Music: [Jig]
4. Lute Music: Galliard On 'Wasingham'
5. Lute Music: Complaint (Ballad Setting)
6. Lute Music: Mignarda (Galliard)
7. Lute Music: Semper Dowland Semper Dolens (Pavan)
8. Lute Music: The Frog Galliard
9. Lute Music: A Fancy (Fantasia)
10. Lute Music: Fancy (Fantasia)
11. Lute Music: Piper's Pavan
12. Lute Music: Captain Digorie Piper's Galliard
13. Lute Music: Lady Laiton's Almain
14. Lute Music: Dowland's Galliard
15. Lute Music: Dowland's First Galliard
16. Lute Music: Tarleton's Jig
17. Lute Music: Walsingham (ballad Setting)
18. Lute Music: Lord Willoughbie's Welcome Home (Ballad Setting)
19. Lute Music: Sir Henry Guilforde, His Almain
20. Lute Music: Pavan (Related To 'Lachrimae')
21. Lute Music: Mr. Langton's Galliard
22. Lute Music: Mrs. Clifton's Almain
23. Lute Music: Galliard
24. Lute Music: Lady Hunsdon's Puffe (Almain)
25. Lute Music: Galliard
26. Lute Music: Go From My Window (Ballad Setting)
27. Lute Music: Fancy (Fantasia)

Tracks:

1. Lute Music: Pavana Johan Douland
2. Lute Music: Mrs. Brigide Fleetwood's Pavan (Solus sine sola)
3. Lute Music: La mia Barbara
4. Lute Music: Sir Henry Umpton's Funeral (Pavan)
5. Lute Music: Lachrimae
6. Lute Music: Farewell Fancy (Chromatic Fantasia)
7. Lute Music: Farewell (On The 'In Nomine' Theme)
8. Lute Music: The King of Denmark's Galliard
9. Lute Music: Mrs. Vaux's Jig
10. Lute Music: Mrs. Nichol's Almain
11. Lute Music: Galliard
12. Lute Music: Lord Strang's March
13. Lute Music: Mrs. Winter's Jump
14. Lute Music: Can She Excuse (Galliard)
15. Lute Music: The Shoemaker's Wife, A Toy
16. Lute Music: Mrs. Norrish's Delight
17. Lute Music: Galliard
18. Lute Music: Mrs. White's Thing (Almain)
19. Lute Music: Mrs. White's Nothing
20. Lute Music: The Frog Galliard
21. Lute Music: Solus cum sola
22. Lute Music: The Lord Viscount Lisle, His Galliard
23. Lute Music: Orlando Sleepeth (Ballad Setting)
24. Lute Music: Robin (Ballad Setting)
25. Lute Music: Galliard (On A Galliard By Daniel Bacheler)
26. Lute Music: Forlorn Hope Fancy (Chromatic Fantasia)

Tracks:

1. Lute Music: The Lady Russell's Pavan
2. Lute Music: Fancy (Fantasia)
3. Lute Music: Sir John Langton's Pavan
4. Lute Music: Earl Of Derby, His Galliard
5. Lute Music: A Coy Toy
6. Lute Music: Fortune My Foe
7. Lute Music: [Almain]
8. Lute Music: Mr. Knight's Galliard
9. Lute Music: Sir John Souch His Galliard
10. Lute Music: Tarletone's Riserrectione
11. Lute Music: The Lady Rich, Her Galliard
12. Consort Music: Lachrimae Pavan
13. Consort Music: Can She Excuse Galliard
14. Consort Music: Captain Piper's Pavan And Galliard
15. Consort Music: The Frog Galliard
16. Consort Music: Round Battell Galliard
17. Consort Music: Fortune My Foe
18. Consort Music: Dowland's First Galliard
19. Consort Music: Katherine Darcie's Galliard
20. Consort Music: Tarleton's Jigge
21. Consort Music: Almain a 2
22. Consort Music: Mistress Nichols Almain a 2
23. Fullsack And Hildebrandt: Auserlesener Paduanen und Galliarden: Susanna Fair (Galliard)
24. Haussmann: Rest von polnischen und andern Tanzen: Mistress Nichols Alman a 5
25. Opusculum: Mr. John Langton Pavan And Galliard
26. Opusculum: La mia Barbara Pavan and Galliard
27. Opusculum: Lachrimae Antiquae Novae Pavan and Galliard

Tracks:

1. Consort Music: Mistress NIchols Almain
2. Consort Music: Volta a 4 ('Ioh. Douland')
3. Consort Music: Were Every Thought an Eye
4. Consort Music: Lady If You So Spite Me
5. Consort Music: Pavan a 4
6. A Musicall Banquet: I. My Heavy Sprite (Anthony Holborne)
7. A Musicall Banquet: II. Change Thy Mind Since She Doth Change (Richard Martin)
8. A Musicall Banquet: III. O Eyes, Leave Off Your Weeping (Robert Hales)
9. A Musicall Banquet: IV. Go, My Flock, Go Get You Hence (Anon.)
10. A Musicall Banquet: V. O Dear Life, When Shall It Be? (Anon.)
11. A Musicall Banquet: VI. To Plead My Faith (Daniel Bacheler)
12. A Musicall Banquet: VII. In A Grove Most Rich Of Shade (Guillaume Tessier)
13. A Musicall Banquet: VIII. Far From Triumphing Court
14. A Musicall Banquet: IX. Lady, If You So Spite Me
15. A Musicall Banquet: X. In Darkness Let Me Dwell
16. A Musicall Banquet: XI. Si le parler et le silence (Pierre Guedron)
17. A Musicall Banquet: XII. Ce penser qui sans fin tirannise ma vie (Pierre Guedron)
18. A Musicall Banquet: XIII. Vous que le Bonheur rappelle (Pierre Guedron)
19. A Musicall Banquet: XIV. Passava Amor su arco desarmado (Anon. Spanish)
20. A Musicall Banquet: XV. Sta notte mi sognava (Anon. Italian)
21. A Musicall Banquet: XVI. Vuestros ojos tienen d'Amor (Anon. Spanish)
22. A Musicall Banquet: XVII. Se di farmi morire (Domenico Maria Megli)
23. A Musicall Banquet: XVIII. Dovro dunque morire? (Giulio Caccini)
24. A Musicall Banquet: XIX. Amarilli mia bella (Giulio Caccini)
25. A Musicall Banquet: XX. O bella piu (Anon, Italian)

Customer Reviews:

The greatest songs ever?.......2007-07-26

I heard 'clear or cloudy', from this recording, on the radio recently and had to purchase it. It is strange but it is the sort of song that makes life prior to listening to it different from life after. I find it sad that so many people haven't heard it. There are also many other wonderful works in this collection. Given you get twelve well recorded CDs with top quality performances, this has to be one of the bargains of the age.

Please buy it.

A musical treasure-box.......2006-09-10

Both the music and this actual product are masterpieces. John Dowland's collected works here - covering 12 compact discs - exhibit the depth and power of this composer, a composer who many now regard as suffering from clinical depression. I doubt that the issue of the diagnosis of Dowland's depression can ever be settled, however, it is certainly obvious from his music, so completely on display here, that he was a man with very dark depths and corners in his mind. Dowland's various manifestations and "takes" on his own tune, "Flow my tears"/"Lachrimae" are here. This tune has haunted me ever since I first heard it when I was a child. It seems to sum up Dowland's feelings - at least Dowland seems to have thought so.

The First, Second, Third and Fourth Bookes of Songes, A Musicall Banquet, the keyboard transcriptions, all the lute music, consort music are here and virtually everything else written or supposedly written by John Dowland. Anthony Rooley and The Consort of Musicke perform this music with style and feeling throughout. This 12 CD set is something of a monument to the ensemble - I only wish they'd finished their collection of Monteverdi madrigals, which was equally good (La Venexiana are currently doing a magnificent job of recording all Monteverdi's books of madrigals for the GLOSSA label).

This is an expensive set, however, you will probably never need to buy another John Dowland CD again after buying and listening to this collection.

I bought this CD set on a mild Summer evening of 1998 and listened to it while sitting in my sun room - which a glorious orange sunset in progress, and a glass of wine. It brought back so many memories.

a beautiful journey into melancholy.......2001-06-15

I'm amazed at how many people tend to associate John Dowland's music with a tragic sense of drama. While no doubt this is art highly based on sadness, the "tragic" sense of it is more a legacy from the Romantic period. During the Renaissance, however, sadness was undestood as a very aesthetic way of approaching life. That is also the reason why Shakespeare's tragedies appear more sophisticated than his comedies.

Dowland, a contemporary of Shakespeare, discovered that meditating on a sad theme is, at the same time, a way of discovering a special beauty that we tend to avoid (maybe because of the "tragic" heritage of the Romantics). So, in the end, meditating on sadness is an uplifting experience! This box set is a journey into melancholy that includes songs, chamber music, pieces for lute, some rare sacred music and -as a highlight- Dowland's beautiful collection of seven pieces for viola which he called "Lachrimae" (Tears).

Average customer rating: "This Is Me...Then" is Jennifer Lopez's Best Musical Album Not Her Best.. Not Her Worst This CD Sucks! just like another paula abdul ehh?

This Is Me...Then Jennifer Lopez Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Similar Items: J.Lo (Explicit) On the 6 Rebirth J to tha L-O! The Remixes The Reel Me (CD & DVD) ASIN: B00006RIO8 Release Date: 2002-11-26

Tracks:

1. Still
2. Loving You
3. I'm Glad
4. The One
5. Dear Ben
6. All I Have
7. Jenny From The Block
8. Again
9. You Belong To Me
10. I've Been Thinkin'
11. Baby I Love U
12. The One (Version 2) (Bonus Track)

Amazon.com

Between her first and second albums, Jennifer Lopez moved from sharp hip-hop to a slicker sound that captured the sass and heat of the streets, thanks mainly to the production acumen of her erstwhile boyfriend Sean "Puffy" Combs. On her third album, This Is Me ... Then, Lopez shows she's just as facile as her ex in changing names as well as musical personas. She abandons the impish J-Lo moniker for a more benign, and less interesting, Jenny, who makes an appearance on "Jenny from the Block." Here, Lopez insists she is still the same down-to-earth girl who emerged from the Bronx a decade before mega-stardom hit: "I used to have a little/ Now I have a lot," she chirps before cautioning, "Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got/ I'm still Jenny from the block." The claim stretches credibility given her well-documented status as a diva, but "Jenny" shows more pizzazz and humor on the album than anything else, except for her saucy duet with LL Cool J on "All I Have." Elsewhere, the album--which includes nine songs cowritten by Lopez--serves up a recycled paean to '70s soul, an anemic cover of Carly Simon's vituperative "You Belong to Me," and cloying ballads inspired by her new fiancé, actor Ben Affleck. Lopez dedicated the disc to the actor and includes a far-too-personal and gooey love song to him titled "Dear Ben." In it, she declares: "You'll always be my lust, my love, my man, my child, my friend and my king." There's plenty of love here, but what's missing is the verve and crackle of Lopez's earlier stuff. --Jaan Uhelszki

Customer Reviews:

"This Is Me...Then" is Jennifer Lopez's Best Musical Album.......2007-04-28

I am not a kid but an adult, however, because this site does not make it easy for me to write an adults' review form, I am using this kids' review form."This Is Me...Then" is Jennifer Lopez's best musical album. "I'm Glad" is a good and a beautiful song. "All I Have" is a great track. The video for that track only contributes to the fact that that track's quality is high,and proves that Lopez is a resourceful singer who can find any idea for a song and sing that song. "Again" is good though it is not strong due to that song's long beginning and an instance of a compressed line in that song."Baby I Love You" is Lopez's best track because it is filled with emotionality and because of the fact that its complexity is proof that Jennifer Lopez had worked hard on that song. Lopez is one of the best representatives of American entertainment. In my opinion, she will have to keep on being the wonderful artist that she is.

Not Her Best.. Not Her Worst.......2007-02-28

There's no denying that Jennifer was not at her best on this album. Its too bland unlike the "J.Lo" album which I actually liked. It has Ben Affleck written all over it, and it gets corny after awhile. The first two singles released were pretty wack but it didn't matter cause the CD sold over 3 million copies. The album is definitely a filler album but the most decent tracks would be the first 2 tracks and "You Belong to Me". I don't recommend this album get J.Lo instead.

This CD Sucks!.......2007-01-31

This has got to be the worst CD she has made....Maybe she should stop wearing Fur!

PETA ROCKS!

just like another paula abdul.......2007-01-08

her career is so similar to paula abdul it's not even funny! Both started out dancing. Paula worked with janet jackson in the mid 80's and appeared in her videos, J LO worked with janet in the mid 90's and appeared in a video of hers. Paula Abdul tried her hand at music in the late 80's as a dance-diva and J LO did the same thing in the late 90's. Both of their debut albums Forever Your Girl and On the 6 sold well, and better than their follow up albums. Early 1991, Paula Abdul released Spellbound and early 2001 J LO released J LO. Both of them had strong first singles and their albums fell off the charts pretty fast although both managed to reach 3 million(instead of 8 million and 5 million like their debuts) and have a lot of hits from their albums. Let's not forget to mention that paula briefly did acting as well and J LO is also an actress. This Is Me Again didn't make a dent in the charts and Rebirth was the final nail in the coffin in 2005, just like paula's Head Over Heels. The first single from their final albums both had good videos(My Love Is For Real & Get Right) but by then it was too late and the public already had enough of them. I expect to see J LO release a compilation album by 2010 and appearing as a host or something 10 years from now.

ehh?.......2007-01-01

2007. (Last day of 2006)

I was looking in my box of CD's, looking for something to listen to, something pretty recent. I found this CD and I remembered it. I liked the first song, kinda...liked the song and instantly by the 3rd song I turned it off. It's NOT the most fantastic album and I appalled by the fact that she talks about sex so many times!

Average customer rating:

Handel: The Masterworks (Box Set) Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Concerto Grossi | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Trio Sonatas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Flute | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Oboe | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Recorder | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Cantatas | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Anthems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Passions | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Brilliant Classics | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Vivaldi: The Masterworks (Box Set) Haydn: The Masterworks [Box Set] Mendelssohn: The Masterworks [Box Set] Dvorák: The Masterworks [Box Set] Schubert: The Masterworks [Box Set] ASIN: B00062FLI8 Release Date: 2004-11-30

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

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

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating: More expensive than the other Essential but worth it. Excellent compilation of an important composer. "film composer Dimitri Tiomkin gave his all and then some"

The Alamo: The Essential Film Music Collection Dimitri Tiomkin Manufacturer: Silva America ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Tiomkin: Red River The Essential Elmer Bernstein Film Music Collection Way Out West: The Essential Western Film Music Collection, Vol. 2 The Wild West: The Essential Western Film Music Collection Giant ASIN: B00022MBNK Release Date: 2004-07-13

Tracks:

1. Night Passage
2. Tension At Table Rock
3. High Noon
4. The War Wagon
5. The Wild Wild West: Main Theme
6. The Wild Wild West: The Ballad Of Jim West
7. Gunfight At The O.K. Coral
8. Rio Bravo
9. Rawhide
10. Red River
11. The Unforgiven: Across The Texas Panhandle
12. The Unforgiven: The Need For Love
13. The Unforgiven: Horse Ballet
14. The Young Land
15. Duel In The Sun

Tracks:

1. The Fall Of The Roman Empire: Overture
2. The Fall Of The Roman Empire: The Fall Of Love
3. The Fall Of The Roman Empire: Pax Romana
4. 55 Days Peking
5. Land Of The Pharaohs
6. Circus World (The Magnificent Showman)
7. Dial M For Murder
8. Strangers On A Train
9. Giant: Main Title
10. Giant: Love Theme
11. Giant: The Jett Rink Theme
12. The High And The Mighty
13. Wild Is The Wind
14. The Guns Of Navarone

Tracks:

1. Cyrano De Bergerac
2. The Well
3. Friendly Persuasion
4. Town Without Pity
5. It's A Wonderful Life
6. Tarzan And The Mermaids
7. The Thing From Another World
8. The Alamo: Overture/Prologue
9. The Alamo: Davy Crockett
10. The Alamo: Tennessee Babe
11. The Alamo: The Battle Of The Alamo
12. The Alamo: The Green Leaves Of Summer
13. The Alamo: Finale

Tracks:

1. Giant: This Then Is Texas
2. Rawhide: Rawhide
3. High Noon: Do Not Forsake Me
4. Night Passage: Follow The River
5. Giant: The Ballad Of Jett Rink
6. Friendly Persuasion: Thee I Love
7. It's A Wonderful Life
8. Wild Is The Wind
9. The High And The Mighty
10. The War Wagon: The Ballad Of The War Wagon
11. Rio Braco
12. The Young Land: Strange Are The Ways Of Love
13. The Wild Wild West: The Ballad Of Jim West
14. The Wild Wild West: The Wild Wild West

Amazon.com

Dimitri Tiomkin was one of the most prominent composers of Hollywood's Golden Age and beyond, his career spanning a half-century and some of America's most classic films. This sprawling, four-disc anthology (its title a marketing nod to the modern remake of one of Tiomkin's notable collaborations with John Wayne) features new digital recordings of full-bodied performances by the City of Prague Orchestra and Festival Chorus, the most ambitious and comprehensive tribute to the composer yet attempted. There's something here for film score buffs (rarities like a suite from his sci-fi genre-defining Thing From Another World and the "Main Theme" for the pilot of TV's Wild, Wild West) and novice alike; indeed one could scarcely ask for a more complete overview of Tiomkin's robust orchestral oeuvre. Divided into four chapters, disc one chronicles how the Ukrainian immigrant concocted a rich Western film heritage (including such genre landmarks as Red River, High Noon, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and Rio Bravo) from largely European traditions, while the next two CD's cover his rousing work for epics and thrillers of every stripe, and collaborations with Hitchcock, Wayne, Capra, Stevens and more. The concluding disc pays homage to Tiomkin the unlikely pop tunesmith, via his hit vocal themes to Rawhide, Wild is the Wind and High Noon's "Do Not Forsake Me." --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

More expensive than the other Essential but worth it........2007-04-22

This is an excellent set of music of Dimitri Tiomkin's music! The 4th disc is short (at just over 30 minutes), but thats because it is just the vocal versions of tracks which appeared in instrumental form throughout the first 3 discs. Whenever you buy a silva screen compilation, the first thing you ask yourself is 'when were these recordings made' and 'do I have these tracks on other compilations? Thankfully, this set has TONS of new recordings, but there is some recycled stuff and they are as follows:

Dial M For Murder is from the 1993 History of Hitchcock Vol. I, while Strangers on a Train is from 1995's History of Hitchcock Vol. II.

Three tracks originate from 1994's "Music From the Films Of John Wayne". They are "The High and the Mighty", "The Alamo - Overture" and "The Alamo - Green Leaves of Summer".


Red River is from 1996's "How The West Was Won: Classic Western Film Scores Vol. One".

The Thing From Another World suite is from the excelllent 1998 set "Alien Invasion: Space And Beyond II"

Many tracks first appeared on "Way Out West: The Essential Western Film Music Collection Vol. Two". They are: "Duel In The Sun", "The Alamo (Davy Crockett)", "Friendly Persuasion", "Giant (Main Theme)", "Gunfight at the OK Corral", "High Noon", "Rio Bravo", and "The Unforgiven (The Need For Love)".

The rest of the tracks are brand spankin new, and most are not available on other discs, so snag this one up in a hurry!

Excellent compilation of an important composer........2004-07-16

This long overdue collection of Tiomkin standards and rarities is a must for any fan of symphonic music; albeit, for film or concert hall. As the liner notes clarify; these recordings are a real labor of love for James Fitzpatrick and the Silva Screen team. Tiomkin is; undoubtedly, one of the most difficult of composers to replicate. This recording comes extremely close to "hitting the nail on the head" particularly with tracks such as: "Across the Texas Panhandle" from the Unforgiven, The Entr'acte from Duel in the Sun, The Guns of Navarone, The War Wagon, and the main title and Jett Rink theme from Giant. This recording is a bargain, particularly for collectors who have sought after many of Tiomkin's composer conducted soundtracks (which are getting harder and harder to obtain). Listeners who enjoy this set should consider seeking out previous cd releases of the soundtracks to "The Guns of Navarone" (SONY, Varese Sarabande), "The Fall of the Roman Empire" (Varese Sarabande, PEG), "55 Days at Peking" (Varese Sarabande), and "The Alamo" :original soundtrack (still available on SONY-Legacy).

"film composer Dimitri Tiomkin gave his all and then some".......2004-07-13

Silva America presents the ultimate in film music during the illustrious career of an icon and legendary composer of film scores ~ "Alamo:Dimitri Tiomkin Essential Film Collection/O.S.T", featuring some long forgotten 53 cues that sent chills and thrills into the pulses of world events ~ selections from a limited collectors edition that would make any "film-score-buff" green with envy.

Tiomkin was born in Ukraine, Russia [1894-1979] attended and graduated from St. Petersburg Academy[studied under the famed composer Glazunov] ~ had a degree in music as well as law ~ came to America in 1925, shown great interest for Native American music early in his film career.

Great fondness for "The Western" ~ "DUEL IN THE SUN" (1946) (Gregory Peck, Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotton, Lionel Barrymore, Lilian Gish and Charles Bickford - one of biggest and successful epic Westerns ever, score & photography was simply breathtaking), "RED RIVER" (1948) (John Wayne, Monty Cliff and Walter Brennan - the Duke should have won an Oscar for his performance as the aging cantankerous cattle baron)"HIGH NOON" (1952)(classic film with Gary Cooper in his Oscar winning performance of Will Kane), "TENSION AT TABLE ROCK" (1956), "GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL" (1957)(Burt Lancaster as Wyatt Earp & Kirk Douglas as Doc Holliday pulled this off with the help of the Main Theme), "NIGHT PASSAGE" (1957), "RIO BRAVO" (1959) (top box office leaders John Wayne, Dean Martin, Walter Brennan and Ricky Nelson), "THE YOUNG LAND" (1959) (young Dennis Hopper), "RAWHIDE" (TV Series) (1959-66) (Eric Fleming as trail boss Gil Favor & Clint Eastwood as Rowdy Yates), "THE UNFORGIVEN" (1960) (Burt Lancaster, Audie Murphy and Audrey Hepburn), "THE WILD, WILD WEST" (TV Series) (1965-69)(Tiomkin's music never saw the light of day), "WAR WAGON" (1967) (John Wayne & Kirk Douglas starred) (beautifully melodic) ~ it's easy to see why Tiomkin loved Western lore.

Second disc contains The Epics ~ "LAND OF THE PHARAOHS" (1955) (Jack Hawkins as Pharaoh Cheops and a beautiful Joan Collins as his scheming wife), "55 DAYS AT PEKING" (1963) (Charlton Heston, David Niven and Ava Gardner is the all star cast), "THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE" (1964) (featuring Alec Guinness as emperor Marcus Aurelius), "CIRCUS WORLD" (1964) (John Wayne, Claudia Cardinale and Rita Hayworth under the big top) ~ next we Hitchcock Thrillers with "STRANGERS ON A TRAIN" (1951) (a masterpiece film featuring Robert Walker and Farley Granger are both very convincing as we learn, never talked to strangers on a train or anywhere), "DIAL M FOR MURDER" (1954) (tense moments come from Grace Kelly, Ray Milland and Robert Cummings - they don't get any better than this) ~ finally Drama and High Adventure with "HIGH AND MIGHTY" (1954) (another outstanding performance by John Wayne, as the co-pilot of an airline whistling the haunting theme), "GIANT" (1956)(another big epic film with Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean and Chill Wills show us what it's like to be a Texan, with oil and money), "WILD IS THE WIND" (1957) (Anthony Quinn, Anna Magnani and Anthony Franciosa), "THE GUNS OF NAVARONE" (1961) (World War II film featuring Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, David Niven and Stanley Baker on a small Greek Island trying to outwit the Germans and a very big gun) ~ some of Tiomkin's most inspiring themes rise to the surface.

On disc three ~ as we continue with Drama and High Adventures "IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE" (1946) (James Stewart, Donna Reed, Thomas Mitchell, Lionel Barrymore and Ward Bond with wholesome warm and endearing themes from our favorite composer), "TARZAN AND THE MERMAIDS" (1948) (in his 12th film as Tarzan, Johnny Weissmuller still had what it takes to swim and defeat the man-god Balu - Weissmuller and Tiomkin the perfect combination for this Tarzan adventure), "CYRANO DE BERGERAC" (1950) (Jose Ferrer stars as Edmond Rostand's famous swordsman with a even more famous nose), "THE WELL" (1951) (intense cues give the film musical triumphs in final scenes), "THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD" (1951) (exciting Howard Hawks film with a score to match), "FRIENDLY PERSUASION" (1956) (director William Wyler shows the life and times of a Quaker family played by Gary Cooper, Dorothy Mcguire and Anthony Perkins during the American Civil War, very touching), "THE ALAMO" (1960) (big budget epic western with Big John Wayne it's producer, director and star as Davy Crockett with a haunting and never to be forgotten "The Green Leaves of Summer"), "TOWN WITHOUT PITY" (1961) (Kirk Douglas in a post-war Germany story, blends jazz themes with Tiomkin signature arrangements) ~ Tiomkin always made the difference when it came to scoring a film.

The last and final disc four ~ The Tiomkin Vocal Songbook featuring "This Then is Texas" (Giant), "Rawhide" (Rawhide), "Do Not Forsake Me" (High Noon), "Follow the River" (Night Passage), "The Ballad of Jett Rink" (Giant), "Thee I Love" (Friendly Percuasion), "It's A Wonderful Life", "Wild Is The Wind", "The High and the Mighty", The Ballad of the War Wagon" (The War Wagon), "Rio Bravo", "Strange are the Ways of Love" (The Young Land), "The Ballad of Jim West" (The Wild Wild West), "The Wild Wild West" (The Wild Wild West) ~ many were hit makers of the day and in the top ten.

Outstanding performances by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra (Nic Raine, Paul Bateman, Mario Klemens - are the conductors), Crouch End Festival Chorus (David Temple - choir master), featuring vocals by Jason Howard and Keith Ferreira ~ hats off to James Fitzpatrick (producer), Reynold da Silva (executive producer), Olilvia Tiomkin Douglas, John Waxman, Rick Clark and Gareth Williams (associate producers) ~ all film producers and directors welcomed the legendary composer with open arms for their forthcoming projects ~ the "film-score-buff" collectors are ecstatic about this four disc release on the essential film music collection of DIMITRI TIOMKIN, the arrangements and performances are top notch inclusive of HDCD/Dolby Surround.

When listening to the music of a film, you had the feeling of the storyline, characters and convictions of the whole picture, they'll never be another to come this way again ~ Silva America has outdone themselves on this one, it is definitely a five star film score box set...gotta love it!

Total Time: 4-CD-Set ~ Silva America 811 ~ (7/13/2004)

Average customer rating: Lopez is amazing! this is jlo...then... I miss the old Jennifer

This is Me... Then ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Latin Music | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Play J.Lo (Explicit) Rebirth On the 6 Como Ama una Mujer ASIN: B0001XLVL8 Release Date: 2004-04-13

Album Description

Limited edition reissue of 2002 album includes a bonus disc with six tracks, 'Jenny From The Block' (Seismic Crew's Latin Disco Trip), 'All I Have' feat. LL Cool J (Ignorant's Mix), I'm Glad' feat. LL Cool J (Paul Oakenfold's Perfecto Remix), 'One' feat. LL Cool J (Bastone & Burnz Club Mix), & 'Baby I Love U' feat. LL Cool J (R Kelly Remix), that were previously only available as part of 'The Reel Me' DVD. Epic. 2004.

Customer Reviews:

Lopez is amazing!.......2007-04-04

I have followed Jennifers career for many years now, and her THIS IS ME THEN album is my favorite. It was at the height of her Bennifer era, and it really reflects her at the time. You have so much passion and love in it, it's relatable and touching at times. Jennifer has mad star quality and this awesome edition of the album is for any JLo fan!!!!

this is jlo...then..........2006-02-23

its over.wonderful music,lovely lyrics,and perfect jlo.i can explaining in 3 word to this album.dont doubt only listen you belong to me or baby i love u.u will see a lot love.and cd 2 is so successful for remix too.maybe not j to tha lo.but there is the one of my fav is the one's remix.only listen u will see real love.forever jlo foreverç

I miss the old Jennifer.......2005-03-20

I love J.Lo since I was 13 old, I know this cd it's too personal for she, but since she was Ben Affleck's girl, I hate her (Marc Anthony is better) I think she needs to take a rest alone.
I have to admit that this cd has good songs.
STILL 5/5
I like it
LOVING YOU +5/5
Surely this is the best song of the album
I'M GLAD +5/5
One of my favorite singles
THE ONE +5/5
It sounds like a R&B Ballad but also has some gospel elements
DEAR BEN 3.5/5
The music and the lyrics are amazing but the name ruins it...
ALL I HAVE +5/5
This is the best song of the album. LL COOL J is featured on it
JENNY FROM THE BLOCK +5/5
This Hip-Hop song its amazing, but not than "All I have"
AGAIN +5/5
My fav ballad
YOU BELONG TO ME +5/5
One of the faves but not the best
I'VE BEEN THINKIN' 4/5
Good, sounds like Mariah Carey's "Underneath the stars"
BABY I LOVE YOU 5/5
The song is good, but the video is not at all
THE ONE 2 +5/5
Better than version 1
I'M GONNA BE ALRIGHT (TRACKMASTERS REMIX FT. NAS) 3/5
I don't like it, the version with 50 Cent is much better, I don't know why she dropped him...

Average customer rating: A Rose By Any Other Name... "Thus I salute the stronghold, safe from dread and dismay! Free at last! I Love This Recording The Goodall Ring - 1975 - Restored and Remastered

Wagner: The Rhinegold English National Opera Manufacturer: Chandos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Wagner | Wagner, Richard | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | 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 Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English) The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English) Wagner: The Valkyrie ASIN: B00005B550 Release Date: 2001-05-22

Customer Reviews:

A Rose By Any Other Name..........2007-07-02

The figure of speach may not be completely correct in this instance, but, well, I hope you get the point. In any case, for a Dutch speaking person, like I, to hear 'The Ring' in a language other than the original German feels - almost shockingly(?) - natural. Certainly, this modern English translation, to me, is as least immediate, and probably even more immediate, than the original (archaic) German text. And in music drama, immediacy is essential. Maybe it is also the wonderfully natural translation, I don't know, but it works for me, the Ring in English.
But most of the credit has to go to the music, the singers, and the recording as such. I believe that this (originally analogue) remastered recording has one of the best recorded sounds and acoustics of any Ring, studio or 'live'. It is wonderfully clear but warm, kind of velvety (very unlike Solti), with beautifully natural balaces between voices and orchestra. Audience noises can be heard (including a delightful little ripple of laughter) but never really obtrusively so, thankfully. And I love the thunderclap-sound effect when Donner strikes his hammer against the rocks - very tastefully done, and lending extra power to the scene.
All the time one reads in reviews everywhere of the very slow speads at which the music is conducted by Sir Reginald Goodall. Well, that may be so, but I, for one, am certainly endeared to Sir Reginald Goodalls 'caressing' of the music, as a result of which wich the Leitmotifs come out more clearly than ever. The slow - but nonetheless very concentrated, and always involved - playing has, to me, an almost mesmerizing effect. Certainly, compared to many other recordings, the music may sound stretched almost beyond breaking point. But in the end, I think it is really just that: a matter of speed, no more. The concentration never falters and the dramatic arc never saggs. There is live 'music magic' going on here, I feel, even if the English National Opera Orchestra may not be (as precise or as diciplined as) a Wiener Philharmoniker or a Bayreuther Festspielorchester. Certainly, Sir Reginald Goodall must have loved this music and these opera's: one feels a slowly beating but constant loving pulse that energizes the drama and the music.
But we also have the singers. And what a great singers! While the best may be yet to come (with Alberto Remedios as Siegmund and Siegfried, and Rita Hunter as Brunnhilde), we here, in The Rhinegold, already have one of the most commanding of Wotans (Norman Bailey, with wonderful burnished timbre). Also, Emile Belcourt stands out as a wonderfully sleek but full-voiced Loge. Derek Hammond-Stroud's Alberich may not be as black as Gunther von Kannen's (for Barenboim), for example, but there is enough anguish, frustration and anger to lend his character a convincing reality and depth. And the giants too, are a winning pair. Especially Fafner (Clifford Grant) is as imposing and powerful as one may ever wish.
With all the rave reviews, here and elsewhere I can't wait to hear The Valkyrie, (especially) Siegfried and Twilight of the Gods. This certainly is a winning 'Ring', to be kept alongside any other 'great' recorded 'Ring' out there, IMHO. To me, it can hold its own alongside any other favorite recordings.
Please, sample this Ring (try for example the Chandos website for fragments of all of the music) and decide for yourself. Highly recommended.

"Thus I salute the stronghold, safe from dread and dismay!.......2007-06-12

Okay, so we have the Solti, Bohm, Karajan, Goodall, Boulez, Janowski, Levine, Haitink, and Sawallisch Rings on the market (I haven't listened to the other Ring recordings yet, sorry to say). And all of these leave me to one conclusion: the many differences lead me to believe that all of these ring sets have their own authenticities and setbacks. And here they are:

TIMING (Estimate):
Solti's Ring: 14 hours, 30 minutes
Bohm's Ring: 13 hours, 30 minutes
Karajan's Ring: 14 hours, 50 minutes
Goodall's Ring: 16 hours, 50 minutes
Boulez's Ring: 13 hours, 40 minutes
Janowski's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes
Levine's Ring: 15 hours, 20 minutes
Haitink's Ring: 14 hours, 10 minutes
Sawallisch's Ring: 14 hours, 0 minutes

CONDUCTING:
Solti: Solti's conducting is driven with sheer muscle, but sometimes he makes the Ring overemotional. His Walkure & Gotterdammerung Preludes are clear examples: they're annoyingly bombastic. Nonetheless he almost seldom loses control with anything. His clear focus on the drama is astonishing.

Bohm: I must say his live Bayreuth recording brings out some of the best. He puts more faith in the orchestral score, but he also gives it more intensity. His tempi are some of the quickest, but they still don't seem rushed at all (except maybe "Wohin schleich'st du eilig und schlau"). I especially like his "Forging Scene" & "Hagen Summons the Vassals"; both are the most energetic on disc.

Karajan: Karajan's chamber approach is very interesting. Instead of going for the drama or the energy, the conductor goes for the beauty. Almost everything in his Ring sounds very ethereal because of his excessive use of lyricism. His orchestral preludes (except Walkure Act 1) sound more beautiful than others, and much of the soft parts (such as Siegfried Act Three Scene Three) are controlled nicely. His "Funeral March" and "Immolation" are recommendable. Siegfried Act Three Scene Two could have improved with more tension.

Goodall: Oh, boy. While I do praise Goodall with his amazing attention to detail, his ridiculously sluggish tempi will tick some Wagnerites off: nothing is faster than andante. But I did enjoy listening to the slow beauty of his "Wotan's Farewell/Magic Fire Music". This was recorded live and sung in English.

Boulez: Here it is, folks - the controversial Centennial Ring. To fit the Ring Cycle in the industrial age, Boulez gives it a very Schoenbergian, Bartokian atmosphere. Much of his tempi are very quick, very Bohm-like, though they're still not as fast as Bohm. Keep in mind, though, this live Ring works only if you hear AND see it (the DVD's work best).

Janowski: This is a very classical Ring. Instead of bombast, spacious, or lyrical passion, maestro Janowski gives us the straightforward approach. He goes straight for Wagner's original intentions (precise tempi, dynamics, flow of leitmotivs, etc.), which makes this another exquisite Ring. "Hagen Summons the Vassals" is probably the fastest I've ever heard (along with Sawallisch's). Rheingold Scene Four can be best described as "sensational".

Levine: While he does stay true to the score like Bohm, this conductor makes for a somewhat dull Ring. His handling of the orchestra is nice, but the moderately slow tempi he chooses is flawed. It should be more animated. His beautiful "Funeral March" and "Erda's Warning" are two of the few flawless features.

Haitink: This might be seen as a disappointment. If you want great conducting, then this is for you. If you want a persuasive array of singers, look somewhere else. Haitink's conducting saves this work from being a total flop. There is nothing quite like his Rheingold & Gotterdammerung ("Siegfried's Rhine Journey" is a bit forced, but magnificent nonetheless).

Sawallisch: I guess you can say that Sawallisch is half-Karajan, half-Janowski. While he does stay true to the orchestral score like Janowski, he also puts in a little Karajan-like lyricism. At some points he loses track with orchestra and singers (as does every live recording) but Bohm has more control. This was also recorded live.

ORCHESTRA:
Solti's Vienna Philharmonic: The woodwinds are the most beautiful in Solti's Ring (the "Forest Murmurs" is clear evidence of that). French horns and Wagner tubas make this a recommended listening. The strings in "Heda Heda Hedo" could've added a bit more work, but they are strikingly spectacular everywhere else. The orchestra gives it their all in Siegfried Act Two & Three, but they are at their weakest in Walkure Act One & Three (Bohm's Bayreuth does it better). Overall, it's the loudest and certainly most bombastic out of all the Ring orchestras combined.

Bohm's Bayreuth Festival: The ultimate Wagnerian orchestra gives it their all. The brass both high and low are the most powerful, while the woodwinds are the most delicate. The strings are muffled only a few times, otherwise the eighteen anvils are perfectly loud and clear. Erda's scenes aren't as effective as Janowski's, but the entire Walkure is more successful than Janowski's when it comes to tone & technique. Overall, this orchestra is the most dramatic.

Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic: The entire orchestra sounds polished, not to say that it is bad. Indeed the drama is still there, but much of the suspense is lacking (the scenes with Fasolt and Fafner come to mind). The brass sometimes overpowers the strings, which can be a serious problem. Gotterdammerung "Three Norns" Scene sounds very mysterious, very eerie.

Goodall's English National Opera: This orchestra sounds nice, even if the sluggishness can bring them down at times. The Flight of the Valkyries doesn't sound too good in a slow tempo, but the entire orchestra does sound lucid here. Siegfried Act Two Prelude is the creepiest. All of the leitmotivs are heard loud and clear, just like in Janowski's version.

Boulez's Bayreuth Festival: While it doesn't really pack the same punches as Bohm's Bayreuth, it still delivers a stunning performance. Orchestral interaction between characters (Ex. Siegfried's motifs mixed in with Mime's motifs) fares better than Berlin's and English National's. Rhine maiden motifs are given more wit, while the Dragon motifs are played with less eeriness. Beauty makes up for the irritatingly quick "Wotan's Farewell".

Janowski's Staatskapelle Dresden: This orchestra has the same force & flair as does Boulez's Bayreuth Festival, only Dresden sounds much clearer due to the fantastic digital sound. Even minor details are heard clear in this Ring. The strings imitate the Siegfried forest very well, while the woodwinds representing the songbird are wonderful (but not as wonderful as Solti's songbird). Dresden's "Magic Fire Music" (along with Berlin's) is the most extravagant.

Levine's Metropolitan Opera: The brass and woodwinds are the true stars. The strings sound too tired to continue on in Siegfried & Gotterdammerung. The Finale to Rheingold is absolutely stunning (the trumpets and trombones will not disappoint), and the Second Act of Walkure is the most impressive, the most refined.

Haitink's Bavarian Radio Symphony: This may very well be like Metropolitan, only this sounds much more poignant. The strings sound better and the percussion sound clearer. The leitmotivs are almost never screwed up. First scene of Rheingold will take one's breath away.

Sawallisch's Bavarian State: Wrong notes in this live recording won't matter, as the entire orchestra gets everything going in all four nights at the opera. The strings never surrender to imperfection, and the winds are marvelously aligned. I just wish that some of the singers would keep up with the orchestra.

SINGERS:
-Wotan
Solti: Hans Hotter is the superior Wotan. He sounds powerful throughout the Ring (except Rheingold, in which a less stellar George London performs).

Bohm and Janowski: Theo Adam in Bohm's live recording is another treat. While he is not as equally impressive as Hotter, he can certainly conjure up everlasting emotions. Adam sounds weaker in Janowski's studio recording, but he still doesn't disappoint.

Karajan: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau plays Wotan in "Rheingold," while Thomas Stewart replaces Fischer-Dieskau in "Walkure" and "Siegfried". I don't think Fischer-Dieskau was a good choice; he sounds too humane and too light. Stewart makes an astounding improvement in both "Walkure" and "Siegfried".

Goodall: Norman Bailey has that divine spark that Hotter used to cherish. He's heavy and unblemished, and he handles the English text with flair and sheen.

Boulez: If you watch Donald McIntyre on the Centennial Ring production, then you can tell that he's a fine "industrial" Wotan. If you just hear him on CD, then you'll be disappointed. His diction is weak, his emotions are forced, and his voice sounds robotic. The DVD's will do.

Levine and Haitink: James Morris is a notch below Hotter, Adam, and Bailey, but he overpowers Fischer-Dieskau pretty much throughout the Levine's and Haitink's Ring.

Sawallisch: I may be biased, but Robert Hale just didn't do it for me. He sounded dull and tedious, and his Wotan's Farewell wasn't enough to sadden me.

-Brunnhilde
Solti and Bohm: Birgit Nilsson is the best Brunnhilde on the market. Her Valkyrie cry is delightful, and her final scene in Gotterdammerung is brilliant beyond belief.

Karajan: Regine Crespin is without a doubt one of the finest Brunnhildes after Nilsson. She's fantastic in Walkure Act Three. I just wish she stayed on as the Valkyrie later on in the Ring (Helga Dernesch is no good in Gotterdammerung, sorry to say).

Goodall: Rita Hunter is at her strongest in Walkure and Siegfried. She is at her weakest in Gotterdammerung. What may have caused her downfall in the fourth installment? "The world may never know."

Boulez: How can anyone not be impressed by the Brunnhilde of Gwyneth Jones? One can almost feel her excitement during Siegfried Act Three, and her fear in Walkure Act Three. Her weakest point is probably during her Gotterdammerung Prologue (a bit too stressed).

Janowski: Jeannine Altmeyer is basically the most controversial Brunnhilde on CD. Some people say that she's too light and weak, while others say she sounds young and very enchanting. I'm with those who think Altmeyer was a good choice, but you yourself (the shopper) are going to have to decide whether she's good or not.

Levine and Sawallisch: Hildegard Behrens is just like Nilsson and Crespin: while she's not the best, she is definitely another perfect Brunnhilde of choice. She's at her most dazzling when she performs Walkure (Levine) and Siegfried (Sawallisch).

Haitink: Hmph. I was hoping that Eva Marton would do well here. I was seriously let down by her strained singing. She does okay in "Annunciation of Death", but she is at her worst in "Immolation".

-Siegmund & Sieglinde
Let's see. For the Siegmunds, we have James King for Solti and Bohm, Jon Vickers for Karajan, Alberto Remedios for Goodall, Peter Hoffman for Boulez, Siegfried Jerusalem for Janowski, Gary Lakes for Levine, Reiner Goldberg for Haitink, and Robert Schunk for Sawallisch. For the Sieglindes, we have Regine Crespin for Solti, Leonie Rysanek for Bohm, Gundula Janowitz for Karajan, Margaret Curphy for Goodall, Jeanine Altmeyer for Boulez, Jessye Norman for both Janowski and Levine, Cheryl Studer for Haitink, and Julia Varady for Sawallisch. Hmm . . . Jerusalem is good . . . and so is Vickers . . . Janowitz is charming, and so is . . . Oh, what the heck? All the singers for Siegmund and Sieglinde are fantastic. Three exceptions, though: Goldberg and Schunk don't sound heroic enough, and Norman for Levine doesn't sound young and innocent enough.

-Siegfried
Solti and Bohm: Wolfgang Windgassen may very well be the best Siegfried for the ages. His `Forging Scene" in both renditions are defiantly inspiring. His last scene in Gotterdammerung is celestial and overwhelming.

Karajan: Jess Thomas (Siegfried) and Helge Brilioth (Gotterdammerung) may not be as ideal as Windgassen, but they do know how to be a magnificent heldentenor. Thomas pulls it off with Act One and Three.

Goodall: Wow! What a singer that Alberto Remedios! He never drags in either of the last two installments, and he uses the correct emotions in every scene that he is in.

Boulez: Is Manfred Jung a good tenor? Yes. Is he a good Heldentenor? NO. He doesn't have that heroic voice like Windgassen and Remedios. Again, the DVD's are your safest bet.

Janowski and Sawallisch: Rene Kollo's Siegfried is a poetically expressive one. In Janowski's version he sounds playful when he's in Mime's home, and he sounds willed when he's in the Gibich Hall. He is not good enough in Sawallisch's version, however. His tiresome "Forging Scene" is obvious evidence of that.

Levine: Oh, Reiner Goldberg. At least you tried. Seriously, he sounds too tedious (especially in Gotterdammerung Act Three Scene Two) and too old. Levine should've chose Kollo or Jerusalem when he recorded his studio Ring.

Haitink: Have you ever seen Siegfried Jerusalem on the Levine/Metropolitan DVD? Well, here he is again, and this time, he sings with more valor and enthusiasm. Bravo!

-Alberich
Solti and Bohm: Gustav Niedlinger has a heaviness that overwhelms a few other baritones. When he sings his only sequence in Gotterdammerung Act Two Scene One, his emotion is so pure that his son Hagen would've drowned himself in tears (Too melodramatic? Sorry about that.). The only problem is that his character sounds too one-dimensional. Alberich isn't just some cardboard-cutout bad guy. He has a very good reason why he wants to take revenge on the world. Overall, Niedlinger is amazing throughout Wagner's Ring (He deserves many awards for "Bin ich nun frei?").

Karajan: I guess you can say that Zoltan Kelemen tries his best throughout. He is not good in Rheingold, but he gets better in Siegfried and Gotterdammerung.

Goodall: Derek Hammond-Stroud is three-dimensional, but not that much. Still, he can sound very demanding in Rheingold Scene One and Siegfried Act Two Scene One.

Boulez: What we have here is the weak Alberich of Hermann Becht. When he's in Nibelheim, the authority isn't there. When he's in the Neid-Hohle forest, the creepiness isn't there. And when he's near the Gibich house, the misery isn't there. Even on DVD he's unsatisfactory.

Janowski: Siegmund Nimsgern may be the most humane Alberich yet, but it's all good. He sings with more passion than Kelemen and more robustness than Hammond-Stroud. Niedlinger's ferociousness puts him below, however. "Schaf'st du, Hagen, mein sohn?" is noteworthy.

Levine and Sawallisch: Ekkehard Wlaschiha is one hell of a vigorous Alberich. I praise him in Rheingold Scene One and Three. His performance in Siegfried (both versions) could've improved with more distrustfulness towards Mime and the Wanderer.

Haitink: No offense, but Theo Adam as Alberich? Come on . . .

-Mime
Solti and Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is the creepiest Mime ever known to humankind. This dwarf outsings other Mimes on the market. When he sings "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" his anger and fear is the most effective to almost all Ring listeners.

Bohm: Erwin Wohlfahrt wins second place. He gives a first-rate performance in Siegfried Act One, but loses some of his edge in Act Two. He is an exceptional Mime nonetheless. Look for him in Karajan's Rheingold, also.

Goodall: Gregory Dempsey isn't emotional enough. He doesn't sound fearful or depressed at all, which makes him the dullest Mime for the Ring.

Boulez and Levine: Heinz Zednik is yet another excellent Mime, VERY fun to listen to. There is much humor and eccentricity in his voice, and that's what makes his dwarf much more compelling than Dempsey's dwarf. His performance in Rheingold Scene Three is pure gold, while his performance in Siegfried (particularly "Willkommen, Siegfried!") is a stunning achievement.

Janowski: Peter Schreier is for Siegfried, while Christian Vogel is for Rheingold. Vogel is less than perfect, while Schreier is way beyond outstanding. Schreier is less ghoulish and more benevolent, more three-dimensional than Stolze and Wohlfahrt. He is equal to Zednik when it comes to humaneness and lyricism. The only flaw I can find is his handling of "Die stucken! Das Schwert!" He could've added a bit more fear in that sequence.

Haitink: Peter Haage sounds like he's entertaining young kids. His version of Mime is a bit childish, and the dark humor that the dwarf brings out sounds-over-the-top here. Nonetheless, he is still entertaining to listen to ("Wer halfe mir?" has never sounded better).

Sawallisch: Helmut Pampuch is just like Schreier and Zednik: he's very VERY good. Nuff said.

-Loge
Solti: Set Svanholm may be the weakest Loge. He is not very ominous throughout all of his scenes, and his lack of a sinister atmosphere is greatly affects the entire Rheingold. But he'll soon be forgotten later on during the Trilogy.

Bohm: Why the heck would the conductor have Wolfgang Windgassen play both Siegfried AND Loge? The demi-god needs to sound different from a son of a Walsung. Again, another Loge that's marred by lack of cunning.

Karajan: Gerhard Stolze is easily the most entertaining Loge to listen to. He has the wit, the craftiness, and the untrustworthiness that the character deserves. His scenes in Scene Three are delightful.

Goodall: Emile Belcourt isn't as good as Stolze, but he certainly can make some of the best of an English-speaking Loge.

Boulez and Haitink: I can summon Heinz Zednik's performance in just three words: Brilliant Beyond Belief!

Janowski: Peter Schreier is the most eccentric out of all of them, and that's a fact. Much of his singing involves imagination, peril, vengeance, and deviousness. Belcourt and Zednik depend only on vengeance and deviousness, Stolze only imagination and deviousness, Windgassen and Svanholm only peril. His odd conversations with Alberich and the gods/goddesses are classic.

Levine: Siegfried Jerusalem doesn't seem like a good choice for Loge. He's better off playing Siegmund or Siegfried, but not a demi-god.

Sawallisch: Robert Tear is on par with Stolze and Zednik. Sometimes he takes things too low, but all is forgiven with his management of character development.

-Everyone Else
Uh-huh, what can I say? Everyone else does a good job in all Ring recordings. Matti Salminen is the perfect Hagen (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch), while Kirsten Flagstad is the most brilliant Fricka (Solti). Anja Silja is the most memorable Freia (Bohm), while Kurt Moll makes the most fabulous Hunding yet (Janowski, Levine, and Sawallisch). The Norns and Rheinmaidens do a splendid job in Solti, Janowski, and Levine. The Vassals (male choir) are at their unsurpassed in Bohm, Goodall, and Boulez. The only flawed Erda is Anne Collins (Goodall), maybe too light and too heavy at times. All in all, no one here is graded C or lower.

CONCLUSION: I have yet to listen to Barenboim's Bayreuth presentation, Neuhold's Badische version, and the essential mono recordings (Furtwangler, Krauss, etc.), but I'm pretty sure that have their advantages and disadvantages. So there you have it. We have the histrionic Solti, the energetic Bohm, the otherworldly Karajan, the spacious Goodall, the industrialized Boulez, the truthful Janowski, the unhurried Levine, the abnormal Haitink, and the serious Sawallisch Rings. They have their own authenticities and setbacks, and they certainly have their own significances for Ring listeners everywhere.

The Box Set: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)
-The Valkyrie (Part 2): Wagner: The Valkyrie
-Siegfried (Part 3): Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
-Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

Free at last!.......2004-09-18

I've enjoyed listening to the Ring cycles by Solti, Bohm, and Furtwangler, but my pleasure has always been dampened by the necessity to follow the dramas with a German/English libretto. This performance freed me from that burden and allowed me to listen to the Ring with my ears alone for the first time. And what a delightful experience it was! I found I could understand about half the words the first time through. but that was enough for me to understand what the characters were saying and concentrate on Wagner's great music. Some of the characters (Loge and Alberich, for example) are almost perfectly comprehensible, while others (Fricka in particular) might as well be singing in German. The sound itself is superb, with perfect balances between orchestra and voices. Goodall's conducting is famously slow (about half an hour longer than usual), but he is never slack and he reveals a wealth of detail in the orchestration. The singers are a mixed lot, with Loge, Alberich, and Mime particularly effective. Bailey is hardly the grandest of Wotans, but he is solid and convincing. In any event, for us non-German listeners, this recording is a real treat. I would not recommend it as a first Ring (Bohm is a good choice, though some of his tempi are rather hectic), but as a supplement to a recoding in the original language, it is hard to beat. Give it a try! As for me, I'm ready to go on to "Die Walkure" (pardon me, "The Valkyrie").

I Love This Recording.......2002-04-05

I was a little suspicious when approaching this English-language version of Das Rhinegold. I was considering assembling this as my third RING set (behind Solti and Levine) and had listened to THE VALKYRIE (Die Walkure) with a little initial disappointment. Although the live sound quality was very interesting, the tempo was much slower than I was used to and thus a little disconcerting, and the English words were harder to understand than I had hoped. Nevertheless, I persevered and listended to THE RHINEGOLD (probably my favorite of the four RING operas, although I know this puts me in a minority) and was amazed. Best of all, after listening to this album I revisited the Goodall VALKYRIE and discovered a new appreciation! Now the Goodall set ranks as one of the best I've heard. It just needed to get under my skin a bit.

What's so good about it? Three things stand out for me: First, the slow tempi that were a litle rough at first actually allow, upon repeated listenings, a new discovery and understanding of Wagner's unfathomable genius. Every nuance is slowed down just enough to be fully accessible. Second, the modern English translation really does make this a different experience...my initial mistake was thinking that English lyrics could allow me to listen to this as background music, and that's not the case. However, if one devotes the same attention to this as a German recording, the time wil be richly rewarded. Finally, the smaller orchestra creates an almost chamber music-esque setting, which compliments the music in an undefinable way. Despite being in English, this is almost more Germanic than original-language recordings.

I still probably wouldn't get this as the first foray into Wagner's RING (I still think Solti or Levine are the choices for that). But for someone who already has some familiarity with the work, this will provide a lifetime's enjoyment. Cudos to Chandos for resurrecting these recordings!

The Goodall Ring - 1975 - Restored and Remastered.......2001-06-08

I have been curious about this for years. When I saw the packaging, I wondered whether this was the same Ring that has been kicking around for a couple of decades from the Sadler's Wells performances of the mid-70s. News flash: It's the same. However, the box says that it's been re-mastered with something called 24-bit digital mastering. Since I never heard the old records, I have no idea if this is better. Judged on its own, the sound is terrific. This live recording really places the listener in the theater with clarity and authentic spaciousness. So often, a live recording will capture the audience up close, then the orchestra, then the singers, cataloguing every throat being cleared and every bow being tapped. Somewhere in the distance, the singers voices follow their heavy tread over the stage. Not here. There is an intimacy to the sound here that approximates sitting in about the tenth row back in a large hall. It doesn't sound like the opera's being played in your room; it sounds as though your room has been transformed into a medium sized theater. I found it uncanny.

As to the experience of the drama in English, that too is remarkable, at least for someone like me whose home-tongue is English. The drama takes on an immediacy that I have never experienced before. This factor alone is why you should explore this Ring. I can't overemphasize the impact on me that this recording had on me because it was in English and because it was well-acted. Surely this is what Wagner meant, at least dramaturgically (obviously allowing that you can't actually see the action).

Overall, the singing is competent, and in some places, it's excellent. None of the cast really stands out musically. Norman Bailey's wobbly Wotan could have certainly benefitted from a deeper, richer tone. Still, and perhaps more importantly, he creates a god who is clearly unsure of where the moral highground is, even when he's standing on "an open space on a mountain summit." Everyone, for that matter, is dramatically convincing, especially Emile Belcourt (Loge) and Derek Hammond-Stroud (Alberich) and Robert Lloyd (Fasolt), all of whom, by the way, have excellent diction. And speaking of diction, I almost could have done without the libretto when the men were singing. Not so with the women, whose diction was uniformly wanting.

Goodall's pace is notoriously glacial. Still, it's interesting to hear it parsed in this way, and I never had the feeling that I was going to fall off the world. Which is to say that the tempos were deliberate, not affected. This was definitely a labor of love for RG and the English National Opera. The orchestra is a little thin sounding, and perhaps, not entirely up to the score. Occasionally a horn mis-blew and a cello creaked. This is unavoidable in live performances, I suppose. Still, there is a surprising sense of smallness to the ensemble, even though there's never a moment when the balance between singers and players is lost. As a result, the overall effect is a balance of clarity and urgency that is clearly the upside of Goodall's idiosyncratic "vision" of the score. Not a huge or "erotic" sound, but always committed, intelligent, and sometimes impassioned.

For all of its flaws, this is an astonishing and, for me, an indispensible recording because it made me listen to this opera with new ears. While it's not the most lyrically pleasing recording (Karajan) or musically authoritative (that would be Solti, IMHO), dramatically, this Rhinegold excells any recording I know of. I will definitely buy the rest of the set.

Average customer rating: Moravian songs, via Janacek, Godar, Bittova and Skampa Skampa Quartet is great - the singer... yikes

Janácek: Moravian Folk Poetry in Songs Leos Janacek , Iva Bittová , ¿kampa Quartet , Vladimír Godár , and Skampa Quartet Manufacturer: Supraphon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Janácek, Leos | ( J ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Folk Songs | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Similar Items: Elida Cikory Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs ASIN: B00061X9YC Release Date: 2005-03-01

Tracks:

1. Tuzba (Desire)
2. Stst'/Steadiness
3. Lavecka (Bench)
4. Stesk (Woe) - Skampa Quartet
5. Obrk Mileho (Lover's Likeness)
6. Svatba Kom (Gnats Wedding)
7. Kouzlo (Charm)
8. Slib (Promise)
9. Orisek Lovy (Hazel Nut) - Skampa Quartet
10. La (Love)
11. Jablunka (Apple Tree)
12. Jabucko (Sweet Apple)
13. Co Je to Za Nebe (What Sky)
14. Safva C (Alderman's Daughter)
15. Cervenab(Little Red Apples)
16. Dobr(Good Hunt)
17. He Warden)
18. Kony Mil [My Lover's Horses]
19. Kv MilodejnLove Herbs)
20. Pcko (Posy)
21. LoucenMilou
22. Jindy a NynThen and Now)
23. T (Uneasy)
24. VzknMessage)
25. Belegrade (Belgrade) - Skampa Quartet
26. Milenec Vrah (Lover Killer)
27. Pomluva (Calumny)
28. LoucenParting)
29. Sirota (Lonely Soul)
30. Osamel Alone)
31. Komu Kytka (For Whom the Posy)
32. Z Od Mil (Love Shining)
33. Polajka (Thyme)
34. Kol(KolTown)
35. Psano (Love Letter)
36. Karafi(Carnation)
37. Rozmarsemary)
38. Pamy (Mementos)
39. Zpevulenka (Tender Little Tune)
40. Nejistota (Uncertainty)
41. Kukacka (Cuckoo)
42. Zahrcka (Fence)
43. Muzikanti (Musicians)
44. Vernost' (Faithfulness)
45. Bolavlava (Headache)
46. Osud (Fate)
47. Daleko ProvdanWedded Far Away)
48. Budk (Wakening)
49. Dobrada (Sound Advice)
50. Slzy echou (Tears of Comfort)
51. Koukol (Corncockle)
52. Kalina (Guelder Rose)
53. Pohreb Zbojnv

Customer Reviews:

Moravian songs, via Janacek, Godar, Bittova and Skampa.......2006-05-09

This is a unique recording of Janacek's transcriptions of Moravian folk songs. Originally for piano and voice, they have been transcribed by Slovak composer Vladimir Godar for string quartet and (occasionally) three-voice male chorus. Here they are performed by renowned Czech singer and violinist Iva Bittova, accompanied by the Skampa Quartet and chorus. The effect is not so much of classical liede, but of authentic eastern European "popular" songs - the sonority of the string quartet adds to this in no small part. Janacek would be proud.

Skampa Quartet is great - the singer... yikes.......2005-07-28

I honestly did not know what I was getting myself into when I bought this CD. I love Janacek, I love folk songs... how could I go wrong? Iva Bittova! I was concerned that she would have a 50yr old woobly voice, but instead what exists is a thin VERY nasal tone... perhaps she should be singing traditional Bulgarian music! The voice is expressive, just ugly.
The recording quality is not very good, either. On many of the tracks, Iva seems to be muffled and in the background of the recording.
Really - dont waste your time and money, unless you really would just like to have a recording of over 50 Janacek songs.

Average customer rating: Skip this Savitri Unexpected treasure

Holst: Savitri; The Dream-City Manufacturer: Hyperion UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Holst | Holst, Gustav | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Operas | Opera & Vocal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Operas | Opera & Vocal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B00004TQP8 Release Date: 2000-07-11

Tracks:

1. Savitri. An Episode From The Mahabharata: Savitri: Savitri! Savitri! I Am Death
2. Savitri. An Episode From The Mahabharata: Savitri: Greeting To Thee, My Loving Savitri!
3. Savitri. An Episode From The Mahabharata: Savitri: The Forest Is To Me A Mirror
4. Savitri. An Episode From The Mahabharata: Savitri: Love To The Lover
5. Savitri. An Episode From The Mahabharata: Savitri: Once I Knew Maya
6. Savitri. An Episode From The Mahabharata: Savitri: Savitri, Savitri! Mine Arm Is Pow'rless
7. Savitri. An Episode From The Mahabharata: Savitri: I Am With Thee
8. Savitri. An Episode From The Mahabharata: Savitri: Savitri! I Am Death
9. Savitri. An Episode From The Mahabharata: Savitri: Welcome, Lord!
10. Savitri. An Episode From The Mahabharata: Savitri: Thine Is The Holiness
11. Savitri. An Episode From The Mahabharata: Savitri: Then Enter, Lord
12. Savitri. An Episode From The Mahabharata: Savitri: Stay! Grant Me This Boon!
13. Savitri. An Episode From The Mahabharata: Savitri: Ah! Death, The Just One
14. Savitri. An Episode From The Mahabharata: Savitri: Loneliness And Pain Are Ended
15. Savitri. An Episode From The Mahabharata: Savitri: Savitri! Is It Thou?
16. Savitri. An Episode From The Mahabharata: Savitri: Unto His Kingdom
17. Savitri. An Episode From The Mahabharata: Savitri: I Am With Thee
18. The Dream-City: I. Persephone
19. The Dream-City: II. Things Lovelier
20. The Dream-City: III. Now In These Fairylands
21. The Dream-City: IV. A Little Music
22. The Dream-City: V. The Floral Bandit
23. The Dream-City: VI. The Dream-City
24. The Dream-City: VII. Envoi
25. The Dream-City: VII. Rhyme
26. The Dream-City: IX. Journey's End
27. The Dream-City: X. Betelgeuse

Customer Reviews:

Skip this Savitri.......2005-09-24

Holst was a great devotee of Hind mythology, and his chamber opera Savitri was the best thing he did in that vein. I've loved it for forty years, and the classic performance under Imogen Holst, the composer's daughter, is out on London/Decca with the amazing Janet Baker and Robert Tear. compared to it, this performance is clumsy and awkwardly sung by the female lead.

Unexpected treasure.......2001-04-21

Like most people, I only knew Holst from 'The Planets'. Wanting to expand my horizons, I bought this disc on a whim. What a suprise! Savitri, a half-hour chamber opera, is exotic, highly original and hauntingly beautiful. The performance is superb. All fans of late-romantic exotica should give it a try

Average customer rating:

Gilbert & Sullivan: The Gondoliers Manufacturer: Polygram Int'l ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Sullivan | Sullivan, Arthur | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Sullivan: Yeomen Of The Guard/Trial By Jury ASIN: B0000041VC Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

1. Ov
2. Act I: List And Learn
3. Act I: Good Morrow, Pretty Maids
4. Act I: For The Merriest Fellows Are We
5. Act I: See, See At Last They Come To Make Their Choice
6. Act I: Buon Giorno, Signorine!
7. Act I: We're Called Gondolieri, But That's a Vagary
8. Act I: And Now To Choose Our Brides!
9. Act I: Are You Peeping?
10. Act I: Thank You Gallant Gondolieri
11. Act I: From The Sunny Spanish Shore
12. Act I: In Enterprise Of Martial Kind
13. Act I: O Rapture, When Alone Together
14. Act I: There Was A Time, A Time For Ever Gone
15. Act I: I Stole The Prince
16. Act I: But, Bless My Heart, Consider My Position!
17. Act I: Try We Life-Long We Can Never
18. Act I: Bride-Groom And Bride!
19. Act I: When A Merry Maiden Marries
20. Act I: Kind Sir, You Cannot Have The Heart, Our Lives To Part
21. Act I: Do Not Give Way To This Uncalled-For Grief
22. Act I: Then One Of Us Wiil Be A Queen

Tracks:

1. Act I: Now Pray, What Is The Cause Of This Remarkable Hilarity
2. Act I: Replying, We Sing As One Individual
3. Act I: For Ev'ryone Who Feels Inclined
4. Act I: Come Let's Away-Our Island Crown Awaits Me
5. Act I: Now, Marco Dear, My Wishes Hear
6. Act I: Then Away They Go To An Island Fair
7. Act II: Of Happiness The Very Pith
8. Act II: Rising Early In The Morning
9. Act II: Take A Pair Of Sparkling Eyes
10. Act II: Here We Are, At The Risk Of Our Lives
11. Act II: After Sailing To This Land
12. Act II: Dance A Cachucha, Fandango, Bolero
13. Act II: There Lived A King, As I've Been Told
14. Act II: In A Contemplative Fashion And A Tranquil Frame Of Mind
15. Act II: With Ducal Pomp And Ducal Pride
16. Act II: This Polite Attention
17. Act II: On The Day When I Was Wedded
18. Act II: To Help Unhappy Commoners
19. Act II: Small Titles And Orders For Mayors And Recorders
20. Act II: I Am A Courtier Grave And Serious
21. Act II: Here Is A Case Unprecedented!
22. Act II: Now Let The Loyal Lieges Gather Round
23. Act II: Speak Woman Speak, We're All Attention!
24. Act II: The Royal Prince Was By The King Entrusted
25. Act II: Luiz! Casilda
26. Act II: One More, Gondolieri

Meditation Music:

1. This Is the Remix
2. Top Tunes Karaoke CDG The 80's FunPack TTFP-33&34 (Vol. 1) [Enhanced] [Karaoke]
3. Top Tunes Party FunPack: Karaoke CDG TTFP-3&4 v2 Smokey Robinson, Roy Orbison and The Troggs [Karaoke]
4. Try This [Limited Edition w/ Bonus DVD] [Enhanced] [Explicit Lyrics] [Limited Edition]
5. Tuesdays Child
6. Uppers & Downers
7. VH1 Storytellers [Live]
8. Victoria Beckham [Import]
9. Voulez-Vous [Extra tracks] [Original recording remastered]
10. Westlife - Unbreakable: Greatest Hits V.1 (+1 Bonus [Enhanced] [Import]

Meditation Music

meditation music

Meditation Music

Best of Billy Fury [Import]

François Dufault/ Jacques Gallot: Pièces Pour Luth

Buxtehude: Complete Chamber Music Volume II

Music: Mic Motsu DJ [Import]

Club Classics: Deep Garage and Disco House

Bring It Back

Ao Vivo No Ccb [Import] [Live]

Curtains

Designing a Nervous Break Down [Import]

Brahms: Concertos for Piano No. 1 & 2, Fantasia Op. 116

Crescent City Music: St. Louis Blues

Amore

Coleccion Chalino Sanchez Y Sus Amigos, Vol. 1

Jennifer Knapp/ 8 Great Hits

Piano Man