Life Is Beautiful

Life Is Beautiful

Track Listings

1. The Feather Theme (Forrest Gump)
2. The Days of Wine and Roses
3. The Green Leaves of Summer
4. Looking Through the Eyes of Love
5. Theme From M*A*S*H
6. Moonlight Becomes You
7. Theme From Schindler's List
8. My Heart Will Go On (Titanic)
9. The Impossible Dream
10. Claudia's Theme (Unforgiven)
11. Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
12. Misty
13. New York, New York
14. Buongiorno Principessa (Life is Beautiful)
15. Anne's Theme (Anne of Green Gables)

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist
Bronn Journey, gentle master of the classical harp. Encouraged by his Welsh mother, he began studying harp, the national instrument of Wales, together with piano at an early age. Although he can play almost any instrument, he admits that “Harp is the only instrument I’d dare to play for anyone,” and adds that in choosing music to play, “It’s important to put the listener’s feelings first. I try to do things that others want to hear.”

Product Description
Life is Beautiful consists of songs of romance from the Silver Screen. It is a follow-up to Bronn Journey's successful CD A Time For Us. These are favorites from Hollywood including favorites such as My Heart Will Go On and Misty. Tender accompaniment to the harp is througout the CD, but never hiding the warmth of the harp.

Life Is Beautiful,Bronn Journey


Somewhere over the Rainbow: The Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • They were right--there is NO business like the show business they did way back when !!!
  • One of the best cds I ever bought.
  • Never Sounded Better
  • Somewhere Over The Rainbow
  • "Hollywood Musicals of the Golden Age are still among us"
Somewhere over the Rainbow: The Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000066RO5
Release Date: 2002-06-04

Tracks:

  1. Singin In The Rain - Gene Kelly
  2. Theres No Business Like Show Business - Betty Hutton, Howard Keel, Keenan Wynn & Louis Calhern
  3. 'S Wonderful - Gene Kelly & Georges Guetary
  4. Thats Entertainment! - Fred Astaire, Jack Buchanan, Nanette Fabray & Oscar Levant
  5. Stranger In Paradise - Ann Blyth & Vic Damone
  6. Easter Parade - Judy Garland & Fred Astaire
  7. Lullaby Of Broadway - Winifred Shaw, Dick Powell & Chorus
  8. Get Happy - Judy Garland
  9. Night And Day - Fred Astaire
  10. True Love - Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly
  11. Honeysuckle Rose - Lena Horne w/ Benny Carter & His Orchestra
  12. They Cant Take That Away From Me - Fred Astaire
  13. Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet - Nancy Walker & The M-G-M Studio Chorus w/ Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra
  14. Baby, Its Cold Outside - Esther Williams & Ricardo Montalban
  15. For Me And My Gal - Gene Kelly & Judy Garland
  16. Puttin On The Ritz - Clark Gable & Co.
  17. Hallelujah! - Tony Martin, Vic Damone, Kay Armen, Ann Miller, Debbie Reynolds, Clark Burroughs & Co.
  18. Bless Yore Beautiful Hide - Howard Keel
  19. Taking A Chance On Love - Ethel Waters & Eddie "Rochester" Anderson
  20. As Time Goes By - Dooley Wilson w/ Elliot Carpenter (Bonus Track)
  21. Laras Theme (Main Title) - The M-G-M Studio Orchestra (Bonus Track)

Tracks:

  1. Over The Rainbow - Judy Garland
  2. Its A Most Unusual Day - Jane Powell
  3. Wunderbar - Kathryn Grayson & Howard Keel
  4. Cant Help Lovin Dat Man - Ava Gardner
  5. Going Hollywood - Bing Crosby
  6. The Trolley Song - Judy Garland, The M-G-M Studio Chorus
  7. Gigi - Louis Jourdan
  8. I Got Rhythm - Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney & Co.
  9. Aba Daba Honeymoon - Debbie Reynolds, Carleton Carpenter & M-G-M Studio Chorus
  10. The Lady Is A Tramp - Lena Horne
  11. The Best Things In Life Are Free - June Allyson & Peter Lawford
  12. Cheek To Cheek - Fred Astaire
  13. A Kiss To Build A Dream On - Louis Armstrong
  14. Put 'Em In A Box - Doris Day & The Page Cavanaugh Trio
  15. If Swing Goes, I Go Too - Fred Astaire
  16. Almost Like Being In Love - Gene Kelly
  17. Lets Face The Music And Dance - Fred Astaire
  18. Be A Clown - Gene Kelly & Judy Garland
  19. Embraceable You - Connie Francis
  20. On The Atchison, Topeka And The Santa Fe - Judy Garland & Co.
  21. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) - Fred Astaire

Amazon.com

The "Golden Age" referred to here spans The Jazz Singer and the advent of the talkies to the death throes of the old studio system in the 1960s. So vast was the era's musical landscape that even this 42-track, double-disc anthology can't encompass all its peaks. Not surprisingly, the bulk of this collection originated with the Tiffany's of the screen musical, M-G-M, a body of work whose riches here encompass both pop-cultural bedrock ("Over the Rainbow," "Singin' in the Rain," "There's No Business Like Show Business," etc.) and some less familiar, if equally delightful star turns: Clark Gable gamely "Puttin' On the Ritz"; the sassy, 1948 original of "The Lady Is a Tramp" by Lena Horne; and a loopy duet of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" by Esther Williams and Ricardo Montalban. Fred Astaire's elegant, epochal reign at RKO and M-G-M is represented by "Night and Day," "Let's Face the Music and Dance," and three others, while Metro mainstays Gene Kelly and Judy Garland share equal time and billing. It's not perfect--Cagney's "Yankee Doodle Boy" and/or some Sinatra seem more logical choices than the odd "bonus" duet of Casablanca's "As Time Goes By" and "Lara's Theme" from Dr. Zhivago that close out disc one--but it's a stunning, surprisingly comprehensive primer on the Hollywood film musical nonetheless. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars They were right--there is NO business like the show business they did way back when !!!.......2006-11-18

Everything that happens in life
Can happen in a show
You can make 'em laugh
You can make 'em cry
Anything
Anything can go....

The clown with his pants falling down
Or the dance that's a dream of romance
Or the scene where the villain is mean
That's entertainment!

The lights on the lady in tights
Or the bride with the guy on the side
Or the ball where she gives him her all
That's entertainment!

The plot and the hot simply teeming with $ex
A gay divorcee who is after her ex
It could be Oedipus Rex
Where a chap kills his father
And causes a lot of bother

The clerk who is thrown out of work
By the boss who is thrown for a loss
By the skirt who is doing him dirt

The world is a stage,
The stage is a world of entertainment!

This two CD set amply proves that the musical melodies and lyrics from the golden age of the Hollywood musical remain unsurpassed to this day. This generous two CD set offers 42 incredible songs from Hollywood classic musicals. Most of these fine numbers are indeed from MGM, as Amazon correctly notes; but there are some RKO numbers and even a little from Warner Brothers. Thank goodness, though, that most of these songs came from MGM movies; MGM was the only studio that could boast that it truly had "more stars than there are in the heavens."

I love so many songs on these two CDs. Of course, there's the unforgettable classic "Over The Rainbow" sung by Judy Garland; she also performs "Easter Parade" and "Get Happy" on this two CD set and she carries most of the tune for "I Got Rhythm" even though Mickey Rooney helps her a little. I love "Baby, It's Cold Outside" for its' romantic overtones; and Lena Horne's "The Lady Is A Tramp" is flawless! We also get a rare chance to hear Clark Gable sing in "Puttin' On The Ritz;" and Bing Crosby's "Going Hollywood" may be brief but it's a fun song anyway.

There are two "bonus" tracks on the first CD: "As Time Goes By" from Casablanca and "Lara's Theme" from Doctor Zhivago. "As Time Goes By" is a good choice; it is another unsurpassed classic song that brings back memories and touches even the hardest of hearts. "Lara's Theme," however, is from the mid 1960s and I don't consider this period to be part of the "golden age" of Hollywood musicals.

The liner notes are excellent and they offer wonderful photos of the stars as well. The cover art is well done and the reverse cover art tells which movie each song is from and who is performing each song. Moreover, the quality of the sound is excellent especially when you consider that these numbers were recorded quite a few decades ago.

In short, this superlative two CD highlights the glory of the Hollywood musical when a certain type of sophistication dominated professional movie production. I highly recommend this CD for fans of Hollywood musicals, classic pop vocals and fans of the artists and actors who perform on this two CD set.

5 out of 5 stars One of the best cds I ever bought. .......2006-06-07

What an amazon collection of songs! This is bar none my favorite cd just because of the variety and the quality of songs on it. I love music from this era, and this cd is the perfect companion to my life. Love it! Buy it, you won't regret it for a moment!

1 out of 5 stars Never Sounded Better.......2006-03-16

Apart from the great selection of soundtracks, what really makes this compilation top value is the quality of the sound processing. Executed with finesse, these tracks sound better than when first issued and many are unedited, fuller versions: like "Singing In The Rain", for example. Throw in the great price, and this double disc set is a "must have" for all lovers of classic movie music.

5 out of 5 stars Somewhere Over The Rainbow.......2006-02-24

A Sensational CD with Lots of Showtunes that Keep You Happy and makes You Want To Sing Along With!!!

5 out of 5 stars "Hollywood Musicals of the Golden Age are still among us".......2005-07-13

Rhino Records and Turner Classic Movies Music present - "SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW: THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD MUSICALS", some of the long ago musicals and stars that will never be forgotten...a 2-CD-Set covering several decades from 1935-1965 with many of the show stoppers of that time...some rare moments from entertainers that you haven't heard or thought of in sometime.

The lineup is fantastic and gives the listener a variety of what musicals were all about in the "Golden Age of the Hollywood Musicals"
June Allyson, Kay Armen, Louis Armstrong, Fred Astaire, Ann Blyth, Jack Buchanan, Louis Calhern, Bing Crosby, Vic Damone, Doris Day, Nanette Fabray, Connie Francis, Ava Gardner, Judy Garland, Kathyrn Grayson, Georges Guetary, Lena Horne, Betty Hutton, Louis Jourdan, Howard Keel, Gene Kelly, Grace Kelly, Peter Lawford, Oscar Levant, Ann Miller, Ricardo Montalban, Page Cavanaugh Trio, Debbie Reynolds, Winifred Shaw, Nancy Walker, Ethel Waters, Esther Williams, Dooley Williams and Keenan Wynn.

On Disc One 21 Classic Songs from great musicals with songs in alphabetical order:
AS TIME GOES BY - Dooley Wilson with Elliot Carpenter, pianist (1942)
BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE - Esther Williams & Ricardo Montalban (1949)
BLESS, YORE BEAUTIFUL HIDE - Howard Keel (1954)
EASTER PARADE - Fred Astaire & Judy Garland (1948)
FOR ME AND MY GAL - Gene Kelly & Judy Garland (1942)
GET HAPPY - Judy Garland (1950)
HALLELUJAH! - Tony Martin, Vic Damone, Kay Armen, Ann Miller, Debbie Reynolds, Clark Burroughs (for Russ Tamblyn) (1955)
HONEYSUCKLE ROSE - Lena Horne with Benny Carter & His Orchestra (1943)
LARA'S THEME (MAIN TITLE) - M-G-M Studio Orchestra (1965)
LULLABY OF BROADWAY - Winifred Shaw & Dick Powell (1935)
MILKMAN, KEEP THOSE BOTTLES QUIET - Nancy Walker with Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra (1944)
NIGHT AND DAY - Fred Astaire (1934)
PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ - Clark Gable & Company (1939)
'S WONDERFUL - Gene Kelly & Georges Guetary (1951)
SINGIN' IN THE RAIN - Gene Kelly (1951)
STRANGER IN PARADISE - Ann Blyth & Vic Damone (1955)
TAKING A CHANCE ON LOVE - Ethel Waters & Eddie "Rochester" Anderson (1943)
THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT - Fred Astaire, Jack Buchanan, Nanette Fabray & Oscar Levant (1953)
THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS - Betty Hutton, Howard Keel, Keenan Wynn & Louis Calhern (1950)
THEY CAN'T TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME - Fred Astaire (1949)
TRUE LOVE - Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly (1956)

On Disc Two more memorable performances from the Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals:
A KISS TO BUILD A DREAM ON - Louis Armstrong (1951)
ABA DABA HONEYMOON - Debbie Reynolds & Carleton Carpenter (1950)
ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE - Gene Kelly (1954)
BE A CLOWN - Judy Garland & Gene Kelly (1948)
BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE - June Allyson & Peter Lawford (1947)
CAN'T HELP LOVIN' DAT MAN - Ava Gardner (beautiful woman, who my youngest grandaughter is named after...Avalon) (1951)
CHEEK TO CHEEK - Fred Astaire (1935)
EMBRACEABLE YOU - Connie Francis (1965)
GIGI - Louis Jourdan (1958)
GOING HOLLYWOOD - Bing Crosby (1933)
I GOT RHYTHM - Judy Garland & Mickey Rooney (1943)
IF SWING GOES, I GO TOO - Fred Astaire (1946)
IT'S A MOST UNUSUAL DAY - Jane Powell (1948)
LADY IS A TRAMP - Lena Horne (1948)
LET'S FACE THE MUSIC AND DANCE - Fred Astaire (1936)
ON THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA AND THE SANTA FE - Judy Garland & Company (1946)
ONE FOR MY BABY (AND ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD) - Fred Astaire (1943)
OVER THE RAINBOW - Judy Garland (became her theme song for the rest of her life) (1939)
PUT 'EM IN A BOX - Doris Day & the Page Cavanaugh Trio (1948)
THE TROLLEY SONG - Judy Garland & MGM Studio Chorus (1944)
WUNDERBAR - Kathryn Grayson & Howard Keel (two of MGM's favorite singing duos) (1953)

It was once said by the songwriters of that era - "There are two artists you want perform your songs on the big screen, they are Fred Astaire and Judy Garland they sing it just the way we wrote it, for which you will have a guaranteed hit on your hands"...well, this collections certainly has some merit to that statement...because with Judy Garland and Fred Astaire performing seven songs each, there must be something to it.

This collection of musicals still has the magic that we remember from those bygone years...but as long as we have the labels and networks who play and show these wonderful films of yesteryear, they will never be forgotten...hats off to Rhino Records, George Feltenstein (producer) and Doug Schwartz (engineer) and Turner Classic Movies for sharing those 42 selections from 42 films...celebrating decades of the tunes and artists that gave it their all...from what it commonly called "The Hollywood Dream Factory"...The Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals is still among us...gotta love it!

Total Time: 2-CD-Set ~ Rhino Records 78323 ~ (6/02/2002)
Instruments of the Orchestra
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!
  • Beginner or Expert
  • Very Informative and Enjoyable
  • Frank's view
  • Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra
Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  5. What to Listen for in Music

ASIN: B00006O0NT
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

  1. Overture To 'Tannhauser'
  2. Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
  3. We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
  4. Hungarian Dance No.7
  5. The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
  6. Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
  7. But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
  8. The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
  9. The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
  10. Csardas Music
  11. The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
  12. The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
  13. Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
  14. The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
  15. Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
  16. Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
  17. The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
  18. Tzigane
  19. Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
  20. Caprice No.24
  21. The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
  22. Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
  23. Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
  24. Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
  25. Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
  26. The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
  27. The Violin Muted
  28. Clair De Lune
  29. The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
  30. Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
  31. The Pizzicato Violin
  32. Pizzicato Polka
  33. In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
  34. Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
  35. Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
  36. The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
  37. The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
  38. Hungarian Dance No.4
  39. Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
  40. The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
  41. Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
  42. Bolero
  43. Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
  44. Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
  45. Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
  46. Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
  47. Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
  48. Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
  49. And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
  50. Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
  51. The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
  52. Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
  53. The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
  54. Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
  55. Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
  56. The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
  57. Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
  58. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
  59. Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
  60. The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
  61. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
  62. Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
  63. Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
  64. Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
  65. Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
  66. To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
  67. Elfenreigen

Tracks:

  1. Introduction To The Viola
  2. Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
  3. Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
  4. Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
  5. Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
  6. Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
  7. The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
  8. Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
  9. The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
  10. Cypresses (No.9)
  11. The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
  12. Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
  13. The 'Period' Viola In Bach
  14. Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
  15. The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
  16. Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
  17. Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
  18. Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
  19. Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
  20. Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
  21. In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
  22. Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
  23. But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
  24. Elfentanz, Op.39
  25. Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
  26. The Protecting Veil (Opening)
  27. A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
  28. Flamenco
  29. Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
  30. Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
  31. It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
  32. Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
  33. It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
  34. Symphony No.9 (Finale)
  35. Introduction To The Double-Bass
  36. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
  37. But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
  38. Elegy No.1 In D Major
  39. The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
  40. Capriccio Di Bravura
  41. Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
  42. The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
  43. Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

  1. The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
  2. Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
  3. The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
  4. Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
  5. The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
  6. Sa'Dawi
  7. Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
  8. Chamber Music No.II
  9. The Piccolo - Aptly Named
  10. La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
  11. From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
  12. Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
  13. A Variety Of Techniques
  14. Chamber Music No.II
  15. Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
  16. The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
  17. From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
  18. Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
  19. An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
  20. Naelden, Naelden
  21. The Bachian Oboe
  22. Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
  23. Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
  24. Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
  25. The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
  26. The Swan Of Tuonela
  27. The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
  28. Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
  29. Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
  30. Bolero
  31. The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
  32. Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
  33. As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
  34. Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
  35. The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
  36. The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
  37. The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
  38. ...And Quite Low.
  39. Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
  40. The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
  41. Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
  42. But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
  43. Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
  44. Introduction To The Saxophone
  45. Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
  46. The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
  47. L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
  48. The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
  49. Bolero
  50. The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
  51. Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
  52. The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
  53. Sax-O-Phun
  54. The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
  55. Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
  56. The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
  57. Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
  58. Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
  59. And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
  60. Bolero
  61. The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
  62. Symphony No.3 (Opening)
  63. The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
  64. The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
  65. Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
  66. The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
  67. The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
  68. Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
  69. The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
  70. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
  71. The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
  72. Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
  73. Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
  74. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
  75. The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
  76. Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

  1. The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
  2. Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
  3. The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
  4. Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
  5. The Ceremonial Trumpet
  6. Fanfare For The Common Man
  7. Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
  8. Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
  9. The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
  10. Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
  11. The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
  12. Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
  13. The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
  14. Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
  15. The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
  16. Billy The Kid
  17. The Trumpet As Character Actor
  18. Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
  19. The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
  20. Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
  21. The Birth Of The Trombone
  22. Aenmerckt Nu Hier
  23. The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
  24. Canzon 12 In Double Echo
  25. The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
  26. Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
  27. The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
  28. Hosannah
  29. The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
  30. Symphony No.5 (Finale)
  31. The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
  32. The Trombone As Caricaturist
  33. Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
  34. The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
  35. The Horn And The Hunt
  36. Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
  37. The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
  38. Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
  39. The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
  40. Walter Music (Minuet 1)
  41. The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
  42. Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
  43. Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
  44. The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
  45. Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
  46. The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
  47. Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
  48. The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
  49. Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
  50. The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
  51. Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

  1. Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
  2. Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
  3. At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
  4. Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
  5. Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
  6. Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
  7. The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
  8. The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
  9. Den Hoboecken Dans
  10. Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
  11. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
  12. No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
  13. Gymnopedie No.2
  14. The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
  15. Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
  16. More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
  17. Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
  18. Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
  19. Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
  20. A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
  21. Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
  22. The Birth Of The Bongo
  23. Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
  24. From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
  25. Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
  26. From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
  27. Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
  28. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
  29. But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
  30. Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
  31. Taking Advantage Of Tunability
  32. Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
  33. The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
  34. Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
  35. Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
  36. The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
  37. Ravel And The Xylophone
  38. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
  39. Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
  40. Introducing The Vibraphone
  41. The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
  42. The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
  43. Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
  44. Folk Dances
  45. The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
  46. Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
  47. Introducing The Tubular Bells
  48. Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
  49. A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
  50. Carmen Suite (Introduction)
  51. But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
  52. Introducing The Celeste
  53. The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
  54. Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
  55. Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
  56. Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
  57. A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
  58. The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
  59. Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
  60. The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
  61. Petrushka (Russian Dance)
  62. The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
  63. Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

  1. Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
  2. Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
  3. But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
  4. Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
  5. The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
  6. An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
  7. Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
  8. Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
  9. Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
  10. Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
  11. Mahler's Sleighbells
  12. Symphony No.4 (Opening)
  13. A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
  14. Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
  15. Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
  16. Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
  17. National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
  18. And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
  19. And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
  20. The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
  21. The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
  22. The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
  23. The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
  24. The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
  25. The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
  26. The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
  27. The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
  28. There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
  29. The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
  30. Nocturnes
  31. Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
  32. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
  33. The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
  34. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
  35. The Oboe As Duck
  36. Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
  37. The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
  38. The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
  39. The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
  40. Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
  41. Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
  42. Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
  43. Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
  44. The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
  45. A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
  46. Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
  47. A Thunderstorm In A Million
  48. Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
  49. the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
  50. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
  51. Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
  52. The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

  1. The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
  2. Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
  3. A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
  4. Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
  5. Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
  6. String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
  7. The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
  8. String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
  9. The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
  10. String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
  11. The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
  12. String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
  13. The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
  14. String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
  15. The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
  16. Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
  17. Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
  18. String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
  19. The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
  20. Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
  21. Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
  22. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
  23. In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
  24. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
  25. In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
  26. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
  27. In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
  28. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
  29. Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
  30. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
  31. And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
  32. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
  33. The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
  34. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
  35. Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
  36. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
  37. A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
  38. Octet In F (Mvt 3)
  39. The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
  40. Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
  41. Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
  42. Canzon 28
  43. Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
  44. Symphony No.5 (Finale)
  45. From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
  46. Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
  47. Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
  48. The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
  49. Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
  50. When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
  51. Images (Gigues)
  52. A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
  53. Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
  54. The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
  55. Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
  56. Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
  57. Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
  58. A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

5 out of 5 stars Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

5 out of 5 stars Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

3 out of 5 stars Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

The one complaint I have is the last CD. This deals with the orchestra. I wanted more of a tour of how the orchestra has been used through history up to the present. Instead, it was a tour of how different groups of instruments sound. I thought it could have been better. The other 6 CDs are excellent.
Sometimes I Dream
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • One just isn't enough
  • A first - rate recital!
  • A Star Performance
  • Sometimes I Dream
  • Add this to your Andrea/Josh collection!
Sometimes I Dream
Mario Frangoulis
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Follow Your Heart
  2. Alessandro Safina
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  4. Mario Frangoulis - Sometimes I Dream (Live in Concert)
  5. The Italian

ASIN: B00006FRN6
Release Date: 2002-09-17

Tracks:

  1. Vincero, Perdero
  2. Buongiorno Principessa
  3. Sometimes I Dream
  4. Luna Rossa
  5. Naturaleza Muerta
  6. Nights in White Satin (Notte Di Lucce)
  7. Ton Eafto Tou Paidi
  8. Non Sara'
  9. Hijo De La Luna
  10. Night Wants To Forget
  11. Canzone Arrabbiata
  12. A La Luna De Valencia
  13. Vincero, Perdero

Amazon.com

Forget the age of battling boy bands, the era of dueling young tenors is upon us. Hot on the heels of Josh Groban's dizzyingly successful, Ally McBeal-fueled debut comes this first international release from African-born, Greek-raised tenor Mario Frangoulis. There are some clear parallels between Groban's debut and this Frangoulis release, but some distinctive differences as well. While Groban coated his slick, David Foster-molded pop sense with a veneer of classical respectability, Frangoulis has effectively turned the formula inside out. With similar classical training--but a few crucial years of experience on his American rival--Frangoulis treats the classics reverently but not slavishly, with the title track effectively turning an aria from Puccini's Tosca into romantic Europop. Elsewhere, the international flavor is further expanded by three melody-rich songs ("Hijo de la Luna," "La Luna de Valencia," and "Naturaleza Muerta") by Spanish singer-songwriter Jose Maria Cano and a sing-along-ready take on the 1950s Neapolitan chestnut "Luna Rossa."

Like Groban, Frangoulis and producer Steve Woods also plumb the music of la cinema italiana for inspiration, turning Nicola Piovani's bittersweet Life Is Beautiful theme into the ponderous "Buongiorno Principessa," but faring better with a moody, dramatic take on Rota-Wertmuller's "Canzone Arribiata." The obligatory rock-pop cover here is the flamenco-inflected "Nights in White Satin", with Frangoulis joined in a bilingual duet with original Moody Blue Justin Hayward that's surprisingly effective. Less showy perhaps than Groban's debut, but a more nuanced and emotionally satisfying album overall. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars One just isn't enough.......2007-08-01

We had to buy two of these CD's. One for the car and one for the house!

5 out of 5 stars A first - rate recital!.......2007-07-28


Mario Frangoulis, faithful to the Romantic traditin, this young raising talent made his international debut in the beautiful outdoor Theatre of Thessaloniki, with a vivd and charismatic presence, an absolute domain about every piece he sang, conferring them an imaginative lyric flight with that special candor and sublime expressiveness.

Particularly emotive was the nice surprise he had reserved the viewer and spectators when just in the final coda of Nights in white stain, he Justin Hayward, the original member of Moody Blues making with Mario a very emotive duo, loaded of vibrant emotion and rewarding memories.

The orchestra, support accompaniment, and enlightenment was superb. The repertoire included three recital!well known pieces of Mecano: the sensitive A la luna de Valencia, Hijo de la luna and Naturaleza muerta, sung with passionate ardor, but there were admirable entries such as Buongiorno Principesca from the film "Life is beautiful", the classic Luna Rossa and Night wants to forget was croned with a adaptation of Tosca "sometimes I dream."

The Italian people have a smart word when they are happy and wish you the best they can; they say Auguri , so I would wish from this humble position, the same hopes for this new promise of the song; Mario Frangoulis.

5 out of 5 stars A Star Performance.......2007-02-28

When I purchased Mario's DVD I had never heard of him. I was actually browsing Josh Groban items when I noticed the [...] suggested items below and had a look.
What a find. Mario Frangoulis is an outstanding performer with an incredible voice. The quality of his concert is excellent with a full orchestra and top notch audio quality. I have watched this performance 7 times and can't wait to see it again.



5 out of 5 stars Sometimes I Dream.......2007-01-19

A wonderfull full tenor voice with the ability to sing, popular, ethnic and opera. You cannot go wrong with this album.

5 out of 5 stars Add this to your Andrea/Josh collection!.......2007-01-16

I had borrowed this CD from a co-worker a couple of years ago and was so thrilled to find it available here. Mario is wonderful and so easy to listen to. If you like Josh Groban, Russell Watson, Andrea Boccelli than you'll love Mario Frangoulis.
Life Is Beautiful (La Vita E Bella)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • La Musica E Bella
  • This is a great cd for a great movie!
  • Absolutely Charming and Memorable
  • Lo mejor de las BSO
  • Exceptional soundtrack!
Life Is Beautiful (La Vita E Bella)
Nicola Piovani
Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  5. Malena (2000 Film)

ASIN: B00000DCES
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Tracks:

  1. Buon Giorno Principessa
  2. La Vita E Bella
  3. Viva Giosue
  4. Grand Hotel Valse
  5. La Notte Di Favola
  6. La Notte Di Fuga
  7. Le Uova Nel Cappello
  8. Grand Hotel Fox
  9. Il Treno Nel Buio
  10. Arriva Il Carro Armato
  11. Valse Larmoyante
  12. L'Uovo Di Struzzo-Danza Etiope
  13. Krautentang
  14. Il Gioco Di Giosue
  15. Barcarolle
  16. Guido E Ferruccio
  17. Abbiamo Vinto

Amazon.com

One of 1998's better soundtracks also follows the most simple of formulas. Nicola Piovani's score for Life Is Beautiful is an impressionistic soundtrack at its finest--a delicious mix that sounds inspired by both simple folk melodies and Morricone's Cinema Paradiso score. Throughout, Piovani's themes are like a kid in candy store: bright-eyed and innocent. Tension is gradually introduced on tracks like "Il Treno Nel Buio," but ultimately this score is light and pleasant. The lone vocal cut, Monserrat Caballe singing on "Barcarolle," just makes this disc seem all the more Italian. Piovani hasn't created an epic score, but he has accentuated the difficult themes of Life Is Beautiful exceptionally well. --James Hendrickson

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars La Musica E Bella.......2005-07-01

Piovanni made a masterpiece with this soundtrack. This music won the Oscar of Best Dramatic Music in 1998. All the tracks of the CD have a special feeling. Through the seventeen tracks the CD shows a great range of feelings. It serves to create a perfect atmosphere for an Italy of the SWW. Next the highlights of the soundtrack:

*BUON GIORNO PRINCIPESSA shows a lethargic, romantic and beautiful theme for the movie, the solo of guitar are really nice. This is one of my favorites.
*LA VITTA E BELLA, well this track is a masterpiece, the main theme of the movie. It shows a colorful atmosphere, it demonstrates a pretty sense of the italic provinces of that time. It is wonderful, and it is one of my favorites.
*VIVA GIOSUE is a really nice variation of the main theme, with a little bit of innocence feeling. This variation appears also in IL GIOCO DI GIOSUE and GUIDO E FERRUCCIO, this second with a piano addition really nice.
*GRAND HOTEL VALSE, this is the first dancing track of the CD. This waltz uses an orchestra, so the music is more colorful, also it has a bit of magnificence. The track has a very good rhythm, and it is one of my favorites.
*GRAND HOTEL FOX, the second dancing track, a really good fox trot. This melody initiates the dance in the Grand Hotel. Is a really nice piece, it has all the elements to be an excellent track. This is another of my favorites.
*ARRIVA IL CARRO ARMATO is a piece that gives a winner feeling. It is a march variation of the main theme. Also it serves as a tribute to the American soldiers that ended the cruelty of the fascism. The innocence feeling appears again, one of my favorites.
*VALSE LARMOYANTE is another masterpiece of the CD. It is a more lethargic and romantic variation of GRAND HOTEL VALSE, with more string instruments. The opening with the violins is really beautiful and romantic. It is marvelous and beautiful, one of my favorites.
*L'UOVO DI STRUZZO (DANZA ETIOPE) this track makes a really oriental atmosphere. It is so colorful and beautiful, and the magnificence appears again. It is one of my favorites.
*KRAUTENTANG, this track shows a German march. It makes a really Germanic atmosphere. It is a really good track, and one of my favorites.
*BARCAROLLE, the Offenbach's piece has a good arrangement.
*ABBIAMO VINTO, the final track in the CD and in the film. It is a variation of the main theme with a peaceful and hope sense. The first part is really moving, and the second part is the main theme. It is a masterpiece and one of my favorites.

5 out of 5 stars This is a great cd for a great movie!.......2002-02-07

My Grade 9 English class just watched this movie in class, and the music caught my attention. I'm an ice skater and i thought hey, maybe I'll skate to this. I think this is a wonderful cd, the music conveys the emotion of the movie excellently, and the movie was very good too. I recommend seeing the movie, and buying the cd!

5 out of 5 stars Absolutely Charming and Memorable.......2001-12-27

Before I listened to this, I held Edward Scissorhands in high esteem as the most beautiful score of all time. Life is Beautiful proved otherwise. Nicola Piovani made a charming score with heartfelt themes while still retaining the Italian nature of the film and its controversial subject. There are two innocent-sounding main themes that make up the film, one which is a deep somber theme for the theme of the film, and the other which is a light-hearted charming theme for Benigni's character. Both are used equally in the film and with great effect. Besides listening to the wonderful themes, I enjoyed listening to the Italian-influenced music, such as "Grand Hotel Valse" or "Grand Hotel Fox", which create the time and place of the movie without being intrusive. The music throughout the film is happy but tracks such as "La Notte Di Fuga", "Il Treno Nel Buio", and "Il Gioco Di Giosue" still remind the listener of the Holocaust-influence in the film. After the dark music, the CD ends with an absolutely moving rendition of the main theme, the best rendition of it in the whole film. Anyone who holds foreign films and their music in disregard should see Life is Beautiful. It's the perfect marriage between music and visuals, and it is not the same without Piovani's wonderful score.

5 out of 5 stars Lo mejor de las BSO.......2001-10-09

La mejor banda sonora, para la mejor película. No hay calificativos para esta preciosidad. Roberto Benigni es nada más que un simple genio del 7º arte.

Muy recomendado

5 out of 5 stars Exceptional soundtrack!.......2001-08-16

One of 1998's best soundtracks following the most simple of formulas. Piovani's score is an impressionistic soundtrack at its finest, not necessarily an epic score, but he has accentuated the difficult themes of Life Is Beautiful exceptionally well. This soundtrack goes hand in hand with the one for Schindler's List by John Williams.
André Rieu - La vie est belle (Life is Beautiful)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Romantic
  • andre rieu
  • Andre Rieu
  • Music is beautiful
André Rieu - La vie est belle (Life is Beautiful)

Manufacturer: Sin-Drome Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Romantic Moments
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ASIN: B00005NNOW
Release Date: 2001-09-04

Tracks:

  1. La Vie Est Belle
  2. You Are My Hearts Desire
  3. Juliska From Budapest
  4. Danube Love
  5. Ole Guapa
  6. Kalinka
  7. Ramona
  8. Heia In The Mountains
  9. Stenka Rasin
  10. I Want To Dream Of You, My Darling
  11. Lara's Theme
  12. Snowwhite
  13. Amazing Grace
  14. Poliushko Polka
  15. Glenn Miller Melody
  16. The Andre Sisters
  17. Bolero

Amazon.com

The Viennese waltz is never far from violinist Andre Rieu's heart, but you won't find a single work from Johann Strauss on Life Is Beautiful. This time around, Rieu is globetrotting for his hummable, danceable melodies--to solid results. "Ole Guapa" is a tango featuring accordion; "Kalinka" is a familiar Russian tune; and "Amazing Grace," "Snow White," and Rieu's "Glenn Miller Melody" are tried-and-true American. Throughout, Rieu and his orchestra perform these works with plenty of style and polish; it's easy to see why he's such a hit with public-television audiences. His shortened version of Bolero may not be the sexiest available, but it is fun. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Romantic.......2003-09-10

Andre Rieu captures the romantic's heart once again in this, what is for the most part, a passionate album.

I feel the best tracks on this album are the russian-themed ones, like the title track (which I listen to on REPEAT when I am looking through my russian countryside or Romanov family album books). I feel that this and "Lara's Theme" (Maurice Jarre's love theme from the film DR. ZHIVAGO (a wonderful book and DVD)! conveys the passion for homeland which I strongly feel beats strongest in the hearts of all russians, more than than any other people). These compositions are so beautiful that it brings tears to the eyes if one surrenders oneself to them.

5 out of 5 stars andre rieu.......2002-09-04

all i can say about andre,s music is i have over 15 cd,s and love ever one and rate them 5 stars.

4 out of 5 stars Andre Rieu.......2001-09-28

I am a big fan of Andre Rieu but didnot enjoy this as much as several of his earlier recordings. It didn't have quite the zip as "Andre Rieu Live" or "The Holland I Love".

5 out of 5 stars Music is beautiful.......2001-09-11

As soon as I saw Ravel's Bolero performed by Andre Rieu on PBS I wanted to have a copy of this beautiful album.. classical music that makes you get up and dance..
Bless Yore Beautiful Hide
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Bravos belong to beloved baritone Howard Keel
Bless Yore Beautiful Hide

Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0007KTBH6
Release Date: 2005-03-08

Tracks:

  1. My Defences Are Down - Adolph Deutsch, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra
  2. Girl That I Marry [From Annie, Get Your Gun] - Adolph Deutsch, Betty Hutton, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra
  3. They Say It's Wonderful [From Annie, Get Your Gun] - Adolph Deutsch, Betty Hutton, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra
  4. Anything You Can Do [From Annie, Get Your Gun] - Adolph Deutsch, Betty Hutton, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra
  5. Pagan Love Song [From Pagan Love Song] - Adolph Deutsch, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra
  6. House of the Singing Bamboo [From Pagan Love Song] - Adolph Deutsch, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra
  7. Tahiti [From Pagan Love Song] - Adolph Deutsch, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra
  8. Make Believe [From Show Boat] - Adolph Deutsch, Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra
  9. You Are Love [From Show Boat] - Adolph Deutsch, Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra
  10. Why Do I Love You? [From Show Boat] - Adolph Deutsch, Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra
  11. Young Folks Should Get Married [From Texas Carnival] - Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra,
  12. Lovely to Look At [From Lovely to Look At] - Carmen Dragon, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra
  13. You're Devastating [From Lovely to Look At] - Carmen Dragon, Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra
  14. Touch of Your Hand [From Lovely to Look At] - Carmen Dragon, Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra
  15. Higher Than a Hawk [From Calamity Jane] - Ray Heindorf, Howard Keel,
  16. I Can Do Without You [From Calamity Jane] - Doris Day, Ray Heindorf, Howard Keel,
  17. So in Love [From Kiss Me, Kate] - Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra, Andrrevin,
  18. Were Thine That Special Face [From Kiss Me, Kate] - Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra, Andrrevin,
  19. Wunderbar - Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra, Andrrevin,
  20. I've Come to Wive It Wealthily in Padua [From Kiss Me, Kate] - Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra, Andrrevin,
  21. Where Is the Life That Late I Led? [From Kiss Me, Kate] - Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra, Andrrevin,
  22. Right Place for a Girl [From Rose Marie] - Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra, Georgie Stoll's Trio
  23. Rose Marie [From Rose Marie] - Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra, Georgie Stoll's Trio
  24. Bless Yore Beautiful Hide [From Seven Brides for Seven Brothers] - Adolph Deutsch, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra
  25. Sobbin' Women [From Seven Brides for Seven Brothers] - Adolph Deutsch, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra
  26. When You're in Love [From Seven Brides for Seven Bothers] - Adolph Deutsch, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra, Jane Powell
  27. Your Land and My Land [From Deep in My Heart] - Adolph Deutsch, Howard Keel, MGM Studio Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Bravos belong to beloved baritone Howard Keel.......2005-08-30

Travel back in time to an era when songs were created to enjoy like a rich desert that your mom would make. Howard Keel and his various duet partners have done just this! This CD has a wonderful selection from the great musicals of the 1950's and makes you smile....sigh....and seek to hear them again and again. I would encourage you to add this to your collection as I have. I've even shared it with many of my friends who have come back with the same remarks of great music from one of the great singers of our recent past.
Life: Living in Fearless Emotion
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Great NeoSoul
Life: Living in Fearless Emotion
Havana
Manufacturer: Skoolcraft Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000BGQXPE
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Tracks:

  1. Intro/Free to Be Me
  2. Shine
  3. A Few Words
  4. Yeah
  5. Life
  6. Search In
  7. Prelude to...
  8. Feel My Love
  9. Caught Up
  10. True Luv
  11. Tangled
  12. Shine (Nic's Remix)

Product Description

INDEPENDANTLY Selling over 3,500 copies of her debut single Shine', soul vocalist, Havana, is set to release her debut album Life: Living in Fearless Emotion' (Skoolcraft Music) on September 20th, 2005. This much anticipated release showcases production from some of the underground's illest beatsmith's including Nicolay (Foreign Exchange), Symbolic One (Strange Fruit, Onemind) & Waajeed (Bling 47, Platinum Pied Pipers). Life', touches on situations we can all relate too and also offers inspirational tunes that are based on overcoming adversity and living life to the fullest. Raised by her Grandmother in a gang infested area of Southern California, Havana, used her love of music to zone out the negative aspects of her childhood. A new staple in Cali's underground soul culture, HAVANA, has performed live shows alongside other soul acts such as Adriana Evans, Dwele, Slum Village, Platinum Pied Pipers and The Rebirth. A project that is destined to shine,Life will give you musical pleasure and open your soul to the sounds of Havana. Make sure to pick up this album, it will be one of the top choices of 2005.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Great NeoSoul.......2006-04-18

Havana's debut album Life - Living In Fearless Emotion (Skoolcraft Entertainment) deals with life and love situations we can all relate too, while also touching on issues surrounding her difficult upbringing. L.I.F.E. features production from up and coming producers Nicolay, Waajeed, S1 and others. A project that is destined to shine, L.I.F.E, will give you musical pleasure and open your soul to the sounds of Havana. On the inspirational title track "Life" Havana sings, "Life keeps passing by, don't blink or close your eyes, don't sleep on today, cause tomorrows not guaranteed". Havana has a story and she wants the world to hear it.

[...]
Overall I rate this album 4 stars.

5 Stars~Classic/Trend setting
4 Stars~Strong Album worth the $[...]plus dollars
3 Stars~Strong Album that will be replayed over and over.
2 Stars~Buy it used for under $[...]or find on clearance.
1 Star ~Just buy single songs or D/L songs from online.
The Essential Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber
Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
  • Okay, but kind of disappointing
  • Not quite what I expected...
  • Some great performances, some not so great...
  • Disappointed
  • Musical Talent at Its Best
The Essential Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber

Manufacturer: Metro Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005Y47E
Release Date: 2002-02-22

Tracks:

  1. Any Dream Will Do
  2. Close Every Door
  3. Heaven On Their Minds
  4. Everything's Alright
  5. Gethsemane
  6. I Don't Know How To Love Him
  7. Jesus Christ Superstar
  8. Could We Start Again Please?
  9. Don't Cry For Me Argentina
  10. Another Suitcase In Another Hall
  11. Buenos Aires
  12. Rainbow High
  13. High Flying Adored
  14. Memory
  15. Jellicle Cats
  16. Mister Mistofeles
  17. Unexpected Song
  18. Last Man In My Life
  19. Rolling Stock
  20. U-N-C-O-U-P-L-E-D

Tracks:

  1. Only You
  2. Starlight Express
  3. There's Me
  4. Pie Jesu
  5. Angel Of Music
  6. Masquerade
  7. Wishing Somehow You Were Here Again
  8. All I Ask Of You
  9. The Phantom Of The Opera
  10. Music Of The Night
  11. Love Changes Everything
  12. The First Man You Remember
  13. Seeing Is Believing
  14. As If We Never Said Goodbye
  15. Sunset Boulevard
  16. With One Look
  17. Too Much In Love To Care
  18. Half A Moment
  19. Whistle Down The Wind
  20. Our Kind Of Love

Album Description

Full title, 'Essential Songs Of Andrew Lloyd Webber'. UK budget-price compilation. 40 superlative performances featuring songs from every one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit musicals. Guest artists include John Barrymore, Issy Van Randwyck, Dave Willetts, Maria Friedman, Kim Criswell, Graham Bickley and the National Symphony Orchestra. Housed in a slipcase. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Okay, but kind of disappointing.......2006-04-17

This isn't a bad recording, but the tracks are not the actual performances off of any cast recording of any of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musicals. The reditions of the songs on the disc are of varying quality. Some are pretty good. Some are borderline awful.
It is a good collection for inexpensively getting a lot of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most popular songs in one place and having them there to be able to listen to get the idea of what a certain song sounds like and is about. It isn't the collection of definitive recordings for certain roles. In fact in a couple examples, I wonder if the performer fully understood the context of the song he or she was singing &/or what it was about. Overall, the album is good, for the most part, if not excellent.

However, the liner notes for "The Essential Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber" is another matter. I don't mean to be unkind, but the author of the comments on the different tracks (one Rexton S. Bunnett) is blatantly WRONG in multiple instances. I don't mean just in nit-picky details, but in major plot details/context of songs, like the fact that Bunnett identifies "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" as being sung by "our heroine" (who he does not even identify by name as Christine Daae) as she thinks about her lover, not as being sung about Christine's dead father. He also says that the Phantom has found his perfect love and "Angel of Music" in Christine... because HE is the Angel of Music who Christine believes has been sent to her by her dead father, and because although the Phantom is obsessed with Christine, that relationship is far from "loving" (even if Christine shows him compassion. I feel like these (and a couple other mistakes) are major plot points to get wrong. A good amount of the commentary reads as if Bunnett might have written it at the last minute, fudging his way through entries on musicals of which he had little knowledge; like what an essay I might write on a book I never read for my college class but had quickly looked up on Cliff's Notes would sound like. In terms of sheer editing, there are spelling mistakes, run-on sentences and spacing errors ("Any DreamWill Do")in the liner notes. Where was the copy editor?
And the most frightening fact of all, under Bunnett's credentials, it says "Harper Collins has just published his revision and updating of the Collins Book of the Musical."
I am being very critical, but I think that for a widely-released CD it is reasonable to expect the liner notes to be at a professional level, as they were most likely supposed to be.

3 out of 5 stars Not quite what I expected..........2005-04-23

I was looking for a CD of the original performances and this CD doesn't have them. I suppose it was my fault for not looking closer, but the songs just weren't the same. Personally, I was not impressed. If you don't care that they aren't the originals then it is nice to listen to.

4 out of 5 stars Some great performances, some not so great..........2005-04-18

This CD is actually pretty good, considering you get 40 songs for less than $16. Let's evaluate the pros and cons.

Pros:

Two classic songs that are performed excellently are Phantom of the Opera and I Don't Know How to Love Him.

Of course you want to compare Phantom to the classic Michael Crawford/ Sarah Brightman version. Well, guess what? This version is BETTER. The woman has a deeper voice than Brightman, and her singing style is just awesome. The ending of this version (you know, the "Sing, my angel of music, sing for me!") is different, but in a good way... I think.)

And of course, the standard for I Don't Know How to Love Him is Yvonne's version. This version is different, but it grew on me quickly. This version has a country feel to it, almost. Somehow it works and sounds great.

There are a lot of great performances in this collection. My favorites include: Heaven on Their Minds, Everything's Alright, Could We Start Again Please, Another Suitcase in Another Hall, Buenos Aires, Rainbow High, Only You, Starlight Express, Angel of Music, Masquerade, All I Ask of You, Half a Moment, and Whistle Down the Wind. I think they're all great versions of their more famous counterparts.

Cons:

First of all, there are some technical problems that are kind of disappointing. A few of the songs have a very echoey sound. Any Dream Will Do, Another Suitcase in Another Hall, Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again, and There's Me are the songs that come to mind that are the worst in this regard. It isn't really bad, just enough to be slightly annoying, more so when the volume is turned way up on your CD player.

A few songs are worthy of skipping over when listening to this collection. In my opinion, Superstar, Sunset Boulevard, and Gethesmane are the biggest disappointments.

Superstar just doesn't cut it for me. The singer really overdoes it, making it overstylized... really makes you yearn for Murray Head. I can't stand listening to it. Just my opinion.

Sunset Boulevard is one of my very favorite musicals, so I was really hoping that the singer would do justice to its title song. Unfortunately I don't think he did. You can't help but compare it to Alan Campbell's fantastic version. This guy has a very choppy way of singing, when I'm used to it being sung so smoothly. Maybe it would grow on me, but I don't think I'll give it a chance to. However, that last note is much stronger than Alan Campbell's. It doesn't make up for the rest of the song, though.

Finally, Gethsemane. The inevitable fact is that NO ONE can sing this song like Michael Ball. This guy tries, he really does. But he doesn't have the right voice or the right style. So please listen to Michael Ball's performance of Gethsemane if you want to know how breathtaking of a song it can be. It's on the Royal Albert Hall DVD, and I'm sure he's got it on one of his CDs.

Anyway, overall, this is a good CD if you like quantity over quality. Don't buy it for the classics, you'll probably end up disappointed with many of them. Buy it for the lesser known songs. You probably won't like every song, especially if you're a big ALW fan, but for the price, it's worth it.

If you want classic versions of classic ALW songs, you might prefer something like "The Very Best of Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Broadway Collection".

1 out of 5 stars Disappointed.......2005-03-11

The singer(s)does not do justice for the lyrics. It was grating to the ears. Save your money for the originals.

5 out of 5 stars Musical Talent at Its Best.......2003-01-03

What a pleasure to hear a collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber's beautiful music from such wonderful voices accompanied by an outstanding symphony. This sensational CD is a treasure to own.
Love Is Blue
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Decidedly Dorian
  • the afternoon starts sunny, then gets dark
  • It's not jazz; but it's really good
  • One of Best Jazz Singers You Never Heard Of
  • A Concept Album with Emotional Impact
Love Is Blue
Jackie Allen
Manufacturer: A440 Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop GeneralBebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00025ET82
Release Date: 2004-06-08

Tracks:

  1. Lazy Afternoon
  2. Go
  3. The Performer
  4. Love Is Blue
  5. Moon of Deception
  6. Pavement Cracks
  7. Here Today
  8. Turnin' Round
  9. Taste of Honey
  10. You Become my Song
  11. I'll Be Around

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Decidedly Dorian.......2005-10-23

Jackie Allen's is one of the most distinctive, inimitable voices on the scene today, as musicianly and versatile as it is intimate and sexy. If a program and instrumentation such as this wins her the larger audience she richly deserves, I'm all for it.

As for the program, it's of a decidedly monochromatic blue hue--owing much to the influence of Joni Mitchell, Melissa Manchester, Tori Amos, Carly Simon, and singers in that eclectic area outside of the "Great American Songbook." Nothing necessarily wrong with that. Sinatra could put out albums made up exclusively of "suicide songs" ("Only the Lonely," "In the Wee Small Hours," "No One Cares," "September of My Years") and transform them into breathtaking elegy. But he was also served by the ingenious harmonic ambivalence of Cole Porter and Harold Arlen, the lyric poetry of Lorenz Hart and John Mercer, the orchestral expressiveness of Nelson Riddle and Gordon Jenkins. Consequently, the mood did not begin to wear on me as I confess it does on the present collection, where modality replaces shifting harmonies and recitative supplants verse.

In all fairness, Jackie does include a couple of genuine standards ("Lazy Afternoon" and "I'll Be Around") and a couple that probably don't deserve to be ("Love Is Blue" and "Taste of Honey"). But the arrangements, orchestrations, and approach tend to minimize differences, contrasts and tensions in the material.

There's a jazz sensibility about her approach to all of the songs, as rightly recognized by those reviewers familiar with her previous work. But perhaps in the interest of catching the attention of new and younger ears, it's best not to tell.

4 out of 5 stars the afternoon starts sunny, then gets dark.......2004-09-09

The afternoon starts sunny, then gets dark.

Now here is a Pop Jazz Vocal that draws me in. Sensual. Sexy. I think it's Jazz! Now why did she say that?

Really a concept album, but it's hard to say what the concept is - relationships gone wrong? Love the first track, about love in the afternoon, it's warm and sunny like brandy. The mood seems to get darker throughout. "Moon of Deception" is moody, By "Turnin Round" she sounds obsessive, almost like Patricia Barber. A slowed down "Taste of Honey", miles from the Beatles. Ends with a torchy rendition of the ultimate torch song, "I'll be Around".

For the life of me I can't understand why this album isn't more popular. I guess people haven't heard it and it doesn't get airplay. So it's a vicious circle.

Contrary to what's said below, this CD is a much more energy, more involving and captivating album than Diana Krall's listless "Girl in the Other Room". In fact, it has everything DK's new album is missing. Slowed, without dropping off. Has a lot more heart!

4 1/2 to 5 stars performance, on my tough grading system. well recorded. Would get 5 stars, if it were more popular. One of the best of the year. It grows on you. A find! See my recommended list!

5 out of 5 stars It's not jazz; but it's really good.......2004-08-12

Sometimes the line between jazz and progressive rock is really thin. Consider, for example, Ginger Baker's album, ca. 1994, with Bill Frisell and Charlie Haden ("Goin' Back Home"): jazz or rock? Or consider Joni Mitchell's "Night Ride Home" and "Turbulent Indigo" albums from the early '90's: jazz or rock?

This album straddles the same thin line. But I'm no purist: I really like the Ginger Baker and Joni Mitchell albums; and I really like this one, too.

Jackie Allen is a singer who usually sounds like Sheryl Crow, but when in her upper register, sounds purer than that. Her performance is enhanced by her band, a group of superb musicians. In "Men in My Life", John Moulder (g), Hans Sturm (b) and Dane Richeson (per) proved themselves to be very proficient jazz musicians. Here, they prove themselves to be very proficient rock musicians. Let's just say they are very proficient.

And whereas the pianist in "Men" was the wonderful Ben Lewis, here the pianist is the wonderful Laurence Hobgood, ordinarily Kurt Elling's accompanist. He provides the highlight of the album, an arrangement of the title track complete with his wispy solo. The original popular version was that soupy thing done by the Paul Mariat Orchestra, ca. 1968. This version is so dark that it takes awhile to figure out the song; but the darkness fits the words to a tee. To say the least, it is a vast improvement over the popular original.

Other highlights: a similar treatment of "A Taste of Honey", which is likewise a quantum improvement over the familiar version done in the '60's by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass; Hans Sturm's "Turnin' Round," a Wallace Stephens type of poem with variations on the word and syllable "turn" in just about every imaginable concept to a heavy bass backbeat in A minor; the one jazz standard, Alec Wilder's wonderful "I'll Be Around," complete with some very tasteful guitar licks from Moulder; and a terrific original, Jackie Allen's "Moon of Deception." The more I listen to this album, the more I may be convinced that this is actually its highlight: it ought to be a "standard in the making."

Truthfully, this whole album initially hit me at 4 and 1/2. But I like it the more I hear it; and until Ms. Allen becomes better known, I'll upgrade her to 5. If you liked Diana Krall's recent "The Girl in the Other Room", you'll probably like this album even more, given the similarities between the two. One thing I guarantee you: if you play this c.d. for someone who has never heard it and never heard of Jackie Allen, they'll never guess it in a million years. RC

5 out of 5 stars One of Best Jazz Singers You Never Heard Of.......2004-06-28

As a Jazz DJ on community radio constantly searching to avoid the too familiar, I have my finger on the pulse of female jazz singers throughout the United States, and the current crop, most of whom are unknown to the general public, is really outstanding. I mean real jazz singers, not Nora Jones. Jackie Allen is awfully close to the top of the list. This latest album only reaffirms the emotional depth, style, inventiveness, and sophistication of this marvelous artist who, after many years honing her craft in the mid-west, is beginnng to get a little of the recognition she deserves. Highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars A Concept Album with Emotional Impact.......2004-06-26

It's been so long since I've heard a "concept album" of the kind the (...) used to produce that LOVE IS BLUE caught me completely off guard. After her success with THE MEN IN MY LIFE, which featured fresh interpretations of some very well known pop tunes, the song selections on Allen's new CD: a couple of '60s instrumentals, a new Annie Lennox song, the chestnut "I'll Be Around" and originals by Allen and members of her ensemble struck me as eccentric. But anyone who has heard Jackie Allen perform live can attest to the way she commands a room with a Largo tempo and a meditative lyric. The combination of emotional vulnerability, instinctive musicality and the sheer beauty of her voice is a potent combination. Producer Rob Mathes, who has worked with Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, Sade, and a host of other pop performers has capitalized on that strength for a first person narrative of a doomed love affair told from the perspective of the woman left behind. The romance that begins with the temptations of a "Lazy Afternoon" and ends with the stiff-upper-lip farewell of "I'll Be Around" is so compelling because its protagonist is seductive ("You Become My Song"), sensual ("Taste of Honey"), independent ("Go"), optimistic ("Here Today"), playful ("The Performer", "Turnin' Round"), self-aware ("Pavement Cracks", "Love is Blue"), and incurably romantic ("Moon of Deception"). Give yourself the time to listen to this CD from start to finish and, far from blue, you will be exhilarated by its emotional impact.
Circle of Fire
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Lilting, Lovely, Inviting and Hopeful
  • Very inspired - Eloquent
  • Beautiful
  • A Voice of Heaven
  • DANCE YOUR WAY TO LOVE , HEALING, CELEBRATION
Circle of Fire

Manufacturer: Amber Allen Publishing
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Folk | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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  5. Beyond Fear: A Toltec Guide to Freedom and Joy - The Teachings of Don Miguel Ruiz

ASIN: B00006JKZ7
Release Date: 2002-08-15

Tracks:

  1. Beautiful Life
  2. Whenever the Time is Now
  3. The Circle of Fire Prayer
  4. Teo
  5. A Million Kisses
  6. Heaven
  7. There is Love in You
  8. Only Truth Knows
  9. I'm Ready
  10. The Lord's Prayer

Album Description

Inspired by the teachings of don Miguel Ruiz, singer/songwriter Cari Cole infuses her music with a spiritual message to create a powerful, transformative effect. Featured on this compact disc are ten original songs, including a musical version of The Circle of Fire prayer written by Ruiz, and a beautiful rendition of The Lord's Prayer.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Lilting, Lovely, Inviting and Hopeful.......2007-05-06

I was introduced to this artist through the work of Don Miguel Ruiz. I love his message and the hopeful honesty that peppers his work. I figured if he endorsed it, it would be worth trying out. OMG... nothing prepared me for the sheer quality in Cari Cole's voice and the inviting sound of her music. Not only is the message something I enjoy hearing in each song, but it is music I really look forward to putting on the CD and being taken on a journey. Incredible voice. Inviting music. Hopeful Message!

4 out of 5 stars Very inspired - Eloquent.......2007-02-07

Cari has captured some of our common experience in this recording. Beautiful words and harmonies. As I continue to listen, I continue to appreciate. Several speak to my soul with reminders like, "I will respect my body" and other affirmations which reinforce loving our Selves. Always gold to be found and appreciated in Cari's creativity.

5 out of 5 stars Beautiful.......2007-01-08

Cari Cole is uplifting and inspiring. Her music is a wonderful way to relax and be at peace. Cari has a beautiful voice that just empowers the words she sings so gracefully.

5 out of 5 stars A Voice of Heaven.......2004-11-08

This is absolutely a piece of jewel to keep. I do not understand why our pop culture do not play the music in regular radio channels (well, maybe I just have not listened to the radio enough). The songs Cari Cole sing in this album is something you enjoy when you re-listen. Cari Cole truly has a beautiful voice. For some people, singing the prayers sometimes help them experience the words in a more powerful way because it involves more senses. This album truly helps us to experience love and peace.

My favorites are "Whenever the Time is Now", "The Circle of Fire Prayer" and "The Lord's Prayer", though all others are wonderful as well. All songs are mellow yet suthing.

For "Whenever the Time is Now", I especially like the part about "Whoever you are is enough, Whatever you have is perfection, Whoever you are with is the one". These are the words we need to be reminded when turbulent times come when we always need to have more and better. For "The Circle of Fire", I will always remember the four words we want to bear in mind, which is gratitude, love, loyalty and justice... and these words begin with us.

Some songs are beautiful in melodies but not in words. However, these 10 songs are beautiful in melodies and artistic in words. May you experience love and peace while listening to this CD as well?

5 out of 5 stars DANCE YOUR WAY TO LOVE , HEALING, CELEBRATION.......2004-06-18

Both Cari's voice and the instruments on this CD are pure and powerful- shamanic,religious,sweet,heart-opening and healing - combined with the beautiful healing messages of Don Miguel Ruiz. Will be using this CD for dance events and healing workshops. Here in Brazil,paid $10 customs fee on top of price for CD. That hurt until I listened - I would pay $300 for this CD if I had to! Sakanta Running Wolf,Brazil

Meditation Music:

  1. Listen to What the Man Said: Popular Artists Tribute to Paul McCartney
  2. Lose My Breath/Game Over [CD-single]
  3. Maximum Maroon 5
  4. Mmmbop: the Collection [Import]
  5. Musique de Paradiso
  6. No Easy Answers
  7. Not Today
  8. Now the Christmas Album [Import]
  9. On This Night
  10. One in a Million [Import]

Meditation Music

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Meditation Music

Creatures

Song Cycles for Bass and Piano

Strathclyde Concertos, Vol. 1

Music: Ice Acoustik

The Last Assassin feat. Chace Infinite [Explicit Lyrics]

Spliffs [Import]

Por Siempre Aragon [Import]

Tug of War [Original recording remastered] [Import]

Tales of Digression

Schumann, Brahms: Piano Quintets

Sunny Side Up [Import]

Navidad Criolla [Import]

Say No More [Import]

Gospel's Finest

Nuclear Daydream