| 1. You are my child |
| 2. Give myself away |
| 3. Mended |
| 4. Greatest love story |
| 5. New life |
| 6. Gift of grace |
| 7. Cleanse me |
| 8. It's showing |
| 9. Let it rise |
| 10. Turn |
| 11. My song is my prayer |
Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Contemporary Christian Music
In "Songs of Angels" recorded in 1994 he shows us that even in later years he just kept going and going. Giving us stellar performances of masterpieces such as "Elijah","The Creation" and other large choral works. Yet in this album he shows the same attention to detail and
enraptures us with that special beauty of tone and ensemble which was
was to be Shaw's watermark on his life's offering.
However, I do have one bone to pick with this recording. There just isn't enough of it. With material as good as this, that is a real loss!
Specifically: John Tomlinson sings like he thinks he IS God, instead of singing about Him. Heavy, cumbersome, and overblown. May I add boorish?
Arleen Auger has a very sweet voice. And??
Despite the program notes insisting that certain segments of this Messiah are given to "the contralto", Anne Sofie von Otter is NOT a contralto. Not even close.
The male alto can barely sustain a legato line - why he insists upon throwing in those complicated, badly-performed embellishments I can't figure. Well, I can, but I'd really rather not say.
Wake up, choristers!! It's 'For Unto Us A Child Is Born," not "Oy, I have to go to the grocery store today."
Boy do I regret having spent almost $40 on this one. Thank goodness I have the Colin Davis to console me.
This 1988 recording sits between the euqally English, euqally period-ifnluenced Hogwood and Garidner. Of the three, Hogwood sounds more 'authentic' because it uses boys in the chorus and singers schooled period practice. By comparison, Pinnock's soprano, Arleen Auger, and mozeeo, Von Otter, are essentially modern singers--gorgeous ones, of course, Gardiner is far more anemic in his conducting and uses a scrwny-sounding orchestra, so if that's more authentic, so be it. Of the three, Pinnock gives us more traditional music values in his emotional expression and instrumental timbres.
The competiiton is mushc stiffer now than in 1988, but Pinnock's reading has survived the test of time. He is not a genuinely inspired conductor--sadly, Messiah has become a cottage industry that excludes most big-name talents--but neither are Gardiner and Hogwood. (For sheer musicality, I tend to put my money on Andrew Parrott, Robert King, Marc Minkowski, Niklaus Harnoncourt, and Rene Jacobs.) But he's certainly good eough. The reason I haven't given five stars is that the male soloists aren't first-rate, and in particular the Wotan voice of John Tomlinson sounds cavernous in the bass arias. Add to that Pinnock's tendency toward tepidness, and what you end up with is a very good but not great performance.
This performance has been debated for 40 years as to whether it is musically adept, musically correct, an exemplar of the English choral tradition, or just a big old batch of fun at Handel's expense. I first owned this during a time when I also owned a recording Handel's "Royal Fireworks Music" featuring 40 woodwinds. The two made roughly an equal amount of noise.
There isn't much question this performance is completely out of step with the way Handel is performed in most venues today. Check out the wonderful Jon Vickers' highly operatic opening aria, "Comfort ye", then compare that to any leaned-out period group you've heard. You'll get another idea of the dimension of Beecham's project.
While not on the agenda of the Flat Earth Society, the only real interest in a performance like this -- especially having to endure it on three CDs when just about everyone else puts it on two -- is nostalgia or history, whichever happens to be the case for you.
My personal favorite version is in the 4-CD box of "Messiah" and "Israel In Egypt" where Andrew Parrott leads his Taverner Choir & Players and some of the best early music singers including Emma Kirkby, Emily van Evera, Margaret Cable, David Thomas, and Joseph Cornwall. HIs Messiah isn't perfect -- it uses a countertenor for a bass in one aria -- but it is more moderate than most PPP recordings and has a wonderful romantic edge to most of the score. It comes with a top notch recording of "Israel in Egypt" and still costs less than the Beehcham.
Beecham goes all out with an orchestration, while attributed to Sir Eugene Goosens is also probably some of Beecham's own inimitable tinkering, that adds instruments not only in numbers but also in color and depth of sound. Winds double strings, percussion includes the full battery instead of just tympani, the big cello and viola sound stand equally with the big violin sound, etc. The chorus is huge, and while this allows the big dramatic moments to be intense, the fine diction Beecham demanded remains solidly intact.
The soloists are in an operatic class of their own. Jennifer Vyvyan and Monica Sinclair were major singers when this recording was made and their singing is big and well ornamented. Jon Vickers and Giorgio Tozzi bring Verdi into the room and he is a welcome visitor to Beecham's vision of this work.
For this listener, who prefers the 'correct, authentic' performance, this recording and others even older that celebrate the BIG Messiah are a delight. And that just proves that performance standards, no matter the interpretation of the conductor, are paramount: Beecham gives a solid, convincing interpretation to the operatic Messiah. It is lush, and huge, and absolutely wonderful to hear again! Grady Harp, December 06
In the forty some recordings I own (and the many performances I've attended) there's no best and no definitive. This is one I respect but don't care to hear very often.
I'm just ending up with "Thanks to Jon!"
There are actually two versions of this live performance, the one here and the other is available on LaserDisc. I believe that they were recorded on two different performance time, for on some arias the soloists have different style in singing the cadenza. Whichever you prefer, this is a recording you must simply own - even when your music library boasts a dozen or so of Handel's Messiah!!
Refreshing stuff, but seldom flippant. Other than the X-rated Honegger song (who'd have thought sober-sided Artur H had a bawdy streak in him?) and the subtler but still eyebrow-raising Maurice Yvain number "Yes", the prevailing atmosphere is often surprisingly operatic. Surprising at any rate to me, since I can't recall hearing most of this material before. Reynaldo Hahn sometimes does a rather good Richard Strauss impersonation, as in "O mon bel inconnu", which suggests a Gallic version of ROSENKAVALIER's final trio.
Presumably Miss Graham sings all the vocal parts of this piece in a multi-tracking arrangement, but it would be nice to have been told in the booklet note whether this was the case. The short playing time deplored by Joy Fleisig is also a nuisance, since one wants even more of the same. Miss Fleisig rightly censured, in addition, the white-print-on-purple-background design which some graphic-design-school genius decided to employ for the lyrics' translations. So no fifth star for this review. The release remains a pretty enchanting (not to say enchanté) production, even if a native French singer would have cultivated - as native French singers will - an edgier, more acidic timbre than Miss Graham's warm, sonorous, very slightly cloudy tone. Altogether a splendid supplement to heftier and more austere listening.
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 Rhinegold (Part 1): Wagner: The Rhinegold
-The Valkyrie (Part 2): Wagner: The Valkyrie
-Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
For me, this whole cycle is desert island material because the English translation is just superb. Fine singing and marvellous playing from the ENO orchestra.
Contemporary Christian Music
You Are My Child,Jeff Lennberg,Genesis Productions,Miscellaneous,Pop
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Songs of Angels - Christmas Hymns and Carols
Robert Shaw , and Robert Shaw Chamber Singers Manufacturer: Telarc ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD  General
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ASIN: B000003D0G Release Date: 1994-10-18 |
Tracks:
- God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen
- Angels We Have Heard On High
- O Come, O Come Emmanuel
- How Unto Bethlehem?
- The Boar's Head Carol
- O Tannenbaum
- Masters In This Hall
- My Dancing Day
- Away In A Manger
- Good Christian Men, Rejoice
- The Holly And The Ivy
- Good King Wenceslas
- Wassail Song
- Bring A Torch, Jeannette, Isabella
- Fum, Fum, Fum
- Mary Had A Baby
- Hacia Belen Va Un Borrico
- Christ Was Born On Christmas Day
- March Of The Kings
- Coventry Carol
- Deck The Halls
- The Cherry Tree Carol
- We Three Kings Of Orient Are
- Toruo-Louro-Louro!
- So Blest A Sight
- I Saw Three Ships
- What Child Is This?
- Susanni
- In The Bleak Midwinter
Customer Reviews:
Much Anticipated.......2007-01-26
A Taste of Heaven.......2007-01-18
The Energizer Bunny.......2007-01-18
In "Songs of Angels" recorded in 1994 he shows us that even in later years he just kept going and going. Giving us stellar performances of masterpieces such as "Elijah","The Creation" and other large choral works. Yet in this album he shows the same attention to detail and
enraptures us with that special beauty of tone and ensemble which was
was to be Shaw's watermark on his life's offering.
Great Seasonal Album.......2006-01-16
The Most Beautiful Sounds I Have Ever Heard.......2003-02-04
Several of the songs were not traditional Holiday songs (at least for my generation), yet they were intriguing to learn and now I feel I know them just like the traditional ones. This CD offers a healthy mix of traditional and non-traditional songs on this CD.
If you can picture the most beautiful sounds you have ever heard you can come close to the joy this CD will bring you. It is February and I can't stop listening to it. You will not regret purchasing it&the only regret you may have is not buying all of Robert Shaw's holiday CDs.
I am writing this review to share the joy with you!
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Handel: The Masterworks (Box Set)
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ASIN: B00062FLI8 Release Date: 2004-11-30 |
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A Festival Of Carols / Robert Shaw Chorale
Robert Shaw Chorale Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General
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ASIN: B000003EPA Release Date: 1990-10-25 |
Tracks:
- Medley: Good Christian Men - Rejoice - Silent Night - Patapan - O Come - All Ye Faithful
- It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
- O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
- Shepherd's Carol
- Go, Tell It On The Mountain
- Medley: O Sanctissima - Joy To The World - Away In A Manger - Fum, Fum, Fum - March Of The Kings
- I Wonder As I Wander
- We Three Kings
- My Dancing Day
- Medley: What Child Is This? - Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Bring A Torch - Jeanette - Isabella - Angels We Have Heard On High
- Coventry Carol
- God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen
- Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming
- Carol Of The Bells
- Medley: Break Forth - O Beauteous Heavenly Light - The First Nowell - O Little Town Of Bethlehem - I Saw Three Ships - Deck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly
Customer Reviews:
Traditional Christmas Music .......2007-01-24
The quintessential Christmas recording.......2005-12-09
However, I do have one bone to pick with this recording. There just isn't enough of it. With material as good as this, that is a real loss!
A Top List Christmas CD.......2004-12-28
The best.......2004-01-02
How do you describe perfection?.......2003-12-14
Interspersed with the medleys are a cappella carols.
All of this music is wonderfully performed by the Robert Shaw Chorale, the a cappella selections recorded in 1957 and the medleys in 1963.
Four decades have proven that this is the standard in choral music. The clarity of text, the richness of tone, the beauty of harmony combine to present the message of Christmas in the manner that only music can do.
These words are no surprise to those familiar with choral music in the United States. If you are not so familiar, but would like to enjoy Christmas music at its most beautiful, you can do no better than acquiring this CD.
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Handel - Messiah / Augér, von Otter, Chance, Crook, Tomlinson, English Concert, Pinnock
George Frideric Handel , Arleen Auger , Anne Sofie von Otter , Trevor Pinnock , The English Concert & Choir , Michael Chance , Howard Crook , and John Tomlinson Manufacturer: Archiv Produktion ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Handel
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ASIN: B0000057DB Release Date: 1990-10-25 |
Tracks:
- Messiah: Part One - 1. Sinfony (Grave - Allegro moderato)
- Messiah: Part One - 2. Accompagnato : Comfort Ye My People
- Messiah: Part One - 3. Air : Ev'ry Valley Shall Be Exalted
- Messiah: Part One - 4. Chorus : And The Glory Of The Lord Shall Be Revealed
- Messiah: Part One - 5. Accompagnato : Thus Saith The Lord Of Hosts
- Messiah: Part One - 6. Air : But Who May Abide The Day Of His Coming
- Messiah: Part One - 7. Chorus : And He Shall Purify
- Messiah: Part One - 8. Recitative : Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive
- Messiah: Part One - 9. Air and Chorus : O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings
- Messiah: Part One - 10. Accompagnato : For Behold, Darkness Shall Cover
- Messiah: Part One - 11. Air : The People That Walked In Darkness
- Messiah: Part One - 12. Chorus : For Unto Us A Child Is Born
- Messiah: Part One - 13. Pifa (Pastoral Symphony)
- Messiah: Part One - 14. Recitative: There Were Shepherds Abiding In The Field - Accompagnato: And Lo, The Angel Of The Lord - 15. Recitative: And The Angel Said Unto Them - 16. Accompagnato: And Suddenly There Was With The Angel
- Messiah: Part One - 17. Chorus : Glory To God In The Highest
- Messiah: Part One - 18. Air : Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter Of Zion
- Messiah: Part One - 19. Recitative : Then Shall The Eyes Of The Blind
- Messiah: Part One - 20. Air : He Shall Feed His Flock
- Messiah: Part One - 21. Chorus : His Yoke Is Easy, His Burthen Is Light
- Messiah: Part Two - 22. Chorus : Behold The Lamb Of God
- Messiah: Part Two - Air : 23. He Was Despised
Tracks:
- Messiah: Part Two - 24. Chorus : Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs
- Messiah: Part Two - 25. Chorus : And With His Stripes We Are Healed
- Messiah: Part Two - 26. Chorus : All We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray
- Messiah: Part Two - 27. Accompagnato : All They That See Him
- Messiah: Part Two - 28. Chorus : He Trusted In God
- Messiah: Part Two - 29. Accompagnato : Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart
- Messiah: Part Two - 30. Arioso : Behold, And See If There Be Any Sorrow
- Messiah: Part Two - 31. Accompagnato : He Was Cut Off Out Of The Land
- Messiah: Part Two - 32. Air : But Thou Didst Not Leave His Soul
- Messiah: Part Two - 33. Chorus : Lift Up Your Heads, O Ye Gates
- Messiah: Part Two - 34. Recitative : Unto Which Of The Angels
- Messiah: Part Two - 35. Chorus : Let All The Angels Of God Worship Him
- Messiah: Part Two - 36. Air : Thou Art Gone Up On High
- Messiah: Part Two - 37. Chorus : The Lord Gave The Word
- Messiah: Part Two - 38. Air : How Beautiful Are The Feet
- Messiah: Part Two - 39. Chorus : Their Sound Is Gone Out
- Messiah: Part Two - 40. Air : Why Do The Nations So Furiously Rage
- Messiah: Part Two - 41. Chorus : Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder
- Messiah: Part Two - 42. Recitative : He That Dwelleth In Heaven
- Messiah: Part Two - 43. Air : Thou Shalt Break Them
- Messiah: Part Two - 44. Chorus : Hallelujah
- Messiah: Part Three - 45. Air : I Know That My Redeemer Liveth
- Messiah: Part Three - 46. Chorus : Since By Man Came Death
- Messiah: Part Three - 47. Recitative : Behold, I Tell You A Mystery
- Messiah: Part Three - 48. Air : The Trumpet Shall Sound
- Messiah: Part Three - 49. Recitative : Then Shall Be Brought To Pass
- Messiah: Part Three - 50. Duet : O Death, Where Is Thy Sting?
- Messiah: Part Three - 51. Chorus : But Thanks Be To God
- Messiah: Part Three - 52. Air : If God Be For Us
- Messiah: Part Three - 53. Chorus : Worthy Is The Lamb That Was Slain --- Amen
Amazon.com essential recording
This is a terrific performance of Messiah. Not only are the soloists all superb, but Trevor Pinnock completely contradicts the image of many period instrument performances as small-scale, scrappy affairs. Indeed, he invests the choruses with as much genuine Handelian pomp as Beecham at his most extravagant. The trumpets really blaze, and the timpani thunder, and everyone simply has a great time. A joyous performance, just right for the holiday season. --David HurwitzAmazon.com
Trevor Pinnock meets with mixed success in this account of the Messiah with the English Concert & Choir and soloists Arleen Auger, Anne Sofie von Otter, Michael Chance, Howard Crook, and John Tomlinson, recorded and released in 1988. Its strengths are the strengths of the early-music movement in general. The size and distribution of the instrumental and vocal forces are optimal, which means that textures are clear and balances apt. Rhythms are nicely pointed, though often, in Pinnock's case, not quite well enough sprung. Tempos are well chosen; for example, "All we like sheep"--which turns out to be one of the set's best numbers--is a real bourré, and Pinnock animates it in just the right way. But the performance often seems workmanlike and unemotional, weighed down in too many instances by the humdrum work of the chorus. The alto section in particular, which is half male and half female, sings timidly and is constantly swallowing its entrances. Bass soloist John Tomlinson is a further drag on the effort. He has the right idea--that there's an Italian opera hiding behind all this biblical imagery--but his cottony sound is out of place, a misguided attempt to mimic Nicolai Ghiaurov. His usable range is less than a tenth (he croaks the low G's and F-sharps), and his diction is horrible. "Thus spake the Lord" is strangled, and when, in "The trumpet shall sound" Tomlinson gets to the words "we shall be changed," one can't help wishing that he had been changed too, right before the sessions started. --Ted LibbeyCustomer Reviews:
Ladies & gentleman: The Lord'n Savior, God Almighty.......2007-06-13
So Fashionable, and So Disappointing.......2007-02-01
Specifically: John Tomlinson sings like he thinks he IS God, instead of singing about Him. Heavy, cumbersome, and overblown. May I add boorish?
Arleen Auger has a very sweet voice. And??
Despite the program notes insisting that certain segments of this Messiah are given to "the contralto", Anne Sofie von Otter is NOT a contralto. Not even close.
The male alto can barely sustain a legato line - why he insists upon throwing in those complicated, badly-performed embellishments I can't figure. Well, I can, but I'd really rather not say.
Wake up, choristers!! It's 'For Unto Us A Child Is Born," not "Oy, I have to go to the grocery store today."
Boy do I regret having spent almost $40 on this one. Thank goodness I have the Colin Davis to console me.
A nice combination of period nad tradiitonal.......2006-12-17
This 1988 recording sits between the euqally English, euqally period-ifnluenced Hogwood and Garidner. Of the three, Hogwood sounds more 'authentic' because it uses boys in the chorus and singers schooled period practice. By comparison, Pinnock's soprano, Arleen Auger, and mozeeo, Von Otter, are essentially modern singers--gorgeous ones, of course, Gardiner is far more anemic in his conducting and uses a scrwny-sounding orchestra, so if that's more authentic, so be it. Of the three, Pinnock gives us more traditional music values in his emotional expression and instrumental timbres.
The competiiton is mushc stiffer now than in 1988, but Pinnock's reading has survived the test of time. He is not a genuinely inspired conductor--sadly, Messiah has become a cottage industry that excludes most big-name talents--but neither are Gardiner and Hogwood. (For sheer musicality, I tend to put my money on Andrew Parrott, Robert King, Marc Minkowski, Niklaus Harnoncourt, and Rene Jacobs.) But he's certainly good eough. The reason I haven't given five stars is that the male soloists aren't first-rate, and in particular the Wotan voice of John Tomlinson sounds cavernous in the bass arias. Add to that Pinnock's tendency toward tepidness, and what you end up with is a very good but not great performance.
Wait! Before you buy..........2006-05-28
La mas bella y fidedigna interpretacion que se pueda obtener.......2004-12-29
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Handel - Messiah / Vyvyan · Sinclair · Vickers · Tozzi · Royal PO · Beecham
George Frideric Handel , Sir Thomas Beecham , Jennifer Vyvyan , Monica Sinclair , Royal Philharmonic Orchestra , Jon Vickers , and Giorgio Tozzi Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Handel
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ASIN: B000003FB8 Release Date: 1992-07-14 |
Tracks:
- Messiah: Overture - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
- Messiah: Recit: Comfort Ye, My People (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
- Messiah: Air: Every Valley Shall Be Exalted (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
- Messiah: Chorus: And The Glory Of The Lord - John McCarthy
- Messiah: Recit: Thus Saith The Lord Of Hosts (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
- Messiah: Air: But Who May Abide (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
- Messiah: Chorus: And He Shall Purify - John McCarthy
- Messiah: Recit: Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive (Contralto) - Monica Sinclair
- Messiah: Air & Chorus: O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings (Contralto) - John McCarthy
- Messiah: Recit: For, Behold, Darkness Shall Cover (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
- Messiah: Air: The People That Walked In Darkness (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
- Messiah: Chorus: For Unto Us A Child Is Born - John McCarthy
- Messiah: Pastoral Symphony - Royal Philharmonic Chorus
- Messiah: Recit: There Were Shepherds Abiding (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
- Messiah: Recit: And The Angel Said Unto Them (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
- Messiah: Recit: And Suddenly There Was (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
- Messiah: Chorus: Glory To God In The Highest - John McCarthy
- Messiah: Air: Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
- Messiah: Recit: Then Shall The Eyes (Contralto) - Monica Sinclair
- Messiah: Air: He Shall Feed His Flock; Come Unto Him (Contralto & Soprano) - Monica Sinclair
- Messiah: Chorus: His Yoke Is Easy - John McCarthy
Tracks:
- Messiah: Chorus: Behold The Lamb Of God - John McCarthy
- Messiah: Air: He Was Despised (Contralto) - Monica Sinclair
- Messiah: Chorus: Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs - John McCarthy
- Messiah: Chorus: And With His Stripes We Are Healed - John McCarthy
- Messiah: Chorus: All We Like Sheep Have Gone Astray - John McCarthy
- Messiah: Recit: All They That See Him (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
- Messiah: Chorus: He Trusted In God - John McCarthy
- Messiah: Recit: Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
- Messiah: Air: Behold, And See If There Be (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
- Messiah: Recit: He Was Cut Off Out Of The Land (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
- Messiah: Air: But Thou Didst Not Leave (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
- Messiah: Chorus: Lift Up Your Heads - John McCarthy
- Messiah: Air: How Beautiful Are The Feet (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
- Messiah: Chorus: Their Sound Is Gone Out Into All Lands - John McCarthy
- Messiah: Air: Why Do The Nations So Furious Rage (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
- Messiah: Chorus: Lets Us Break Their Bonds Asunder - John McCarthy
- Messiah: Recit: He That Dwelleth In Heaven (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
- Messiah: Air: Thou Shalt Break Them (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
- Messiah: Chorus: Hallelujah! - John McCarthy
- Messiah: Part III - Air: I Know That My Redeemer Liveth (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
- Messiah: Chorus: Since By Man Came Death - John McCarthy
- Messiah: Recit: Behold, I Tell You A Mystery (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
- Messiah: Air: The Trumpet Shall Sound (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
- Messiah: Chorus: Worthy Is The Lamb - John McCarthy
Tracks:
- Messiah: Recit: Unto Which Of The Angels (Tenor) - Jon Vickers
- Messiah: Chorus: Let All The Angels Of God Worship Him - John McCarthy
- Messiah: Air: Thou Art Gone Up On High (Bass) - Giorgio Tozzi
- Messiah: Chorus: The Lord Gave The Word - John McCarthy
- Messiah: Recit: Then Shall Be Brought To Pass (Contralto) - Monica Sinclair
- Messiah: Duet: O Death, Where Is Thy Sting? (Contralto & Tenor) - Monica Sinclair
- Messiah: Chorus: But Thanks Be To God - John McCarthy
- Messiah: Air: If God Be For Us (Soprano) - Jennifer Vyvyan
Amazon.com essential recording
Sir Thomas Beecham's Messiah has become notorious among baroque purists (like this writer) for embodying the worst excesses of pre-1960 Handel performance: ponderous tempos, stentorian opera singers, huge lumbering choruses and orchestras, crashing cymbals, clanging triangles.... Well, we'll need a new straw man: this performance is WONDERFUL. Jon Vickers and Giorgio Tozzi negotiate Handel's writing surprisingly well; Jennifer Vyvyan takes to it naturally. The chorus and orchestra (yes, including trombones, tuba, triangle, and cymbals) may obscure the part-writing, but they fill the music with power, grandeur, and faith. If Mozart could re-orchestrate Messiah, why not Beecham? This may not be Handel's Messiah as such, it may even be a period piece itself--but it's magnificent. --Matthew WestphalCustomer Reviews:
Beecham's noisy Messiah.......2006-12-23
This performance has been debated for 40 years as to whether it is musically adept, musically correct, an exemplar of the English choral tradition, or just a big old batch of fun at Handel's expense. I first owned this during a time when I also owned a recording Handel's "Royal Fireworks Music" featuring 40 woodwinds. The two made roughly an equal amount of noise.
There isn't much question this performance is completely out of step with the way Handel is performed in most venues today. Check out the wonderful Jon Vickers' highly operatic opening aria, "Comfort ye", then compare that to any leaned-out period group you've heard. You'll get another idea of the dimension of Beecham's project.
While not on the agenda of the Flat Earth Society, the only real interest in a performance like this -- especially having to endure it on three CDs when just about everyone else puts it on two -- is nostalgia or history, whichever happens to be the case for you.
My personal favorite version is in the 4-CD box of "Messiah" and "Israel In Egypt" where Andrew Parrott leads his Taverner Choir & Players and some of the best early music singers including Emma Kirkby, Emily van Evera, Margaret Cable, David Thomas, and Joseph Cornwall. HIs Messiah isn't perfect -- it uses a countertenor for a bass in one aria -- but it is more moderate than most PPP recordings and has a wonderful romantic edge to most of the score. It comes with a top notch recording of "Israel in Egypt" and still costs less than the Beehcham.
The Big Victorian Handel 'Messiah': Indulge Yourself!.......2006-12-16
Beecham goes all out with an orchestration, while attributed to Sir Eugene Goosens is also probably some of Beecham's own inimitable tinkering, that adds instruments not only in numbers but also in color and depth of sound. Winds double strings, percussion includes the full battery instead of just tympani, the big cello and viola sound stand equally with the big violin sound, etc. The chorus is huge, and while this allows the big dramatic moments to be intense, the fine diction Beecham demanded remains solidly intact.
The soloists are in an operatic class of their own. Jennifer Vyvyan and Monica Sinclair were major singers when this recording was made and their singing is big and well ornamented. Jon Vickers and Giorgio Tozzi bring Verdi into the room and he is a welcome visitor to Beecham's vision of this work.
For this listener, who prefers the 'correct, authentic' performance, this recording and others even older that celebrate the BIG Messiah are a delight. And that just proves that performance standards, no matter the interpretation of the conductor, are paramount: Beecham gives a solid, convincing interpretation to the operatic Messiah. It is lush, and huge, and absolutely wonderful to hear again! Grady Harp, December 06
Comfort Ye!.......2006-10-30
Familiarity hasn't bred much affection.......2005-11-02
In the forty some recordings I own (and the many performances I've attended) there's no best and no definitive. This is one I respect but don't care to hear very often.
Thanks to Jon!.......2005-03-08
I'm just ending up with "Thanks to Jon!"
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Handel - Messiah / McNair · von Otter · Chance · Hadley · Lloyd · Marriner
George Frideric Handel , Neville Marriner , Anne Sofie von Otter , Michael Chance , Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields , Sylvia McNair , Jerry Hadley , and Robert Lloyd Manufacturer: Philips ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Handel
| Handel, George Frideric
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ASIN: B00000414Y Release Date: 1992-11-17 |
Tracks:
- Messiah: Part I: Symphony
- Messiah: Part I - No. 1 Accompagnato: Comfort Ye, Comfort Ye, My People
- Messiah: Part I - No. 2: Air Ev'ry Valley Shall Be Exalted
- Messiah: Part I - No. 3 Chorus: And The Glory Of The Lord
- Messiah: Part I - No. 4 Accompagnato: Thus Saith The Lord
- Messiah: Part I - No. 5 Air: But Who May Abide The Day Of His Coming
- Messiah: Part I - No. 6 Chorus: And He Shall Purify The Sons Of Levi
- Messiah: Part I - No. 7 Recitative: Behold, A Virgin Shall Conceive
- Messiah: Part I - Nos. 8-9 Air And Chorus: O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings
- Messiah: Part I - No. 10 Accompagnato: For Behold, Darkness Shall Cover The Earth
- Messiah: Part I - No. 11 Air: The People That Walked In Darkness
- Messiah: Part I No. 12 Chorus: For Unto Us A Child Is Born
- Messiah: Part I No. 13 Pifa: Pastoral Symphony
- Messiah: Part I No. 14 Recitative: There Were Shepherds - And Lo, The Angel Of The Lord - And The Angel Said Unto Them - And Suddenly There Was
- Messiah: Part I No. 15 Chorus: Glory To God In The Highest
- Messiah: Part I No. 16 Air: Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter Of Zion
- Messiah: Part I No. 17a Recitative:Then Shall The Eyes Of The Blind
- Messiah: Part I No. 18a Duet: He Shall Feed His Flock
- Messiah: Part I No. 19 Chorus: His Yoke Is Easy
- Messiah: Part II No. 20 Chorus: Behold The Lamb Of God
- Messiah: Part II No. 21 Air: He Was Despised
- Messiah: Part II No. 22 Chorus: Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs
- Messiah: Part II No. 23 Chorus: And With His Stripes We Are Healed
- Messiah: Part II No. 24 Chorus: All We Like Sheep
Tracks:
- Messiah: Part II No. 25 Accompagnato: All They That See Him
- Messiah: Part II No. 26 Chorus: He Trusted In God
- Messiah: Part II No. 27 Accompagnato: Thy Rebuke Hath Broken His Heart
- Messiah: Part II No. 28 Arioso: Behold, And See
- Messiah: Part II No. 29 Accompagnato: He Was Cut Off
- Messiah: Part II No. 30 Aria: But Thou Didst Not Leave
- Messiah: Part II No. 31 Chorus: Lift Up Your Heads
- Messiah: Part II No. 32 Recitative: Unto Which Of The Angels
- Messiah: Part II No. 33 Chorus: Let All The Angels Of God
- Messiah: Part II No. 34a Air: Thou Art Gone Up On High
- Messiah: Part II No. 35 Chorus The Lord Gave The Word
- Messiah: Part II No. 36 Air: How Beautiful Are The Feet
- Messiah: Part II No. 37a Arioso: Their Sound Is Gone Out
- Messiah: Part II No. 38 Air: Why Do The Nations
- Messiah: Part II No. 39 Chorus: Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder Let us break their bonds asunder
- Messiah: Part II No. 40 Recitative: He That Dwelleth In Heaven
- Messiah: Part II No. 41 Air: Thou Shalt Break Them
- Messiah: Part II No. 42 Chorus: Hallelujah
- Messiah: Part III No. 43 Air: I Know That My Redeemer Liveth
- Messiah: Part III No. 44 Chorus: Since By Man Came Death
- Messiah: Part III No. Accompagnato: Behold, I Tell You A Mystery
- Messiah: Part III No. 46 Air: The Trumpet Shall Sound
- Messiah: Part III No. 47 Recitative: Then Shall Be Brought To Pass
- Messiah: Part III No. 48 Duet: O Death, Where Is Thy Sting?
- Messiah: Part III No. 49 Chorus: But Thanks Be To God
- Messiah: Part III No. 50 Air: If God Be For Us
- Messiah: Part III No. 51 Chorus: Worthy Is The Lamb - Blessing And Honour
- Messiah: Part III: Amen
Customer Reviews:
a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-10-21
I really love this recording.......2005-03-26
Some very good parts.......2002-12-14
The best Messiah for me is still Marriner's 1976 disk, much better overall rendition.
Great mezzo and trumpet.......2002-05-17
Its world-beater aspects include mezzo Anne-Sophie von Otter, whose "He was despised" is well north of magnificent: Warmly mournful in the slow sections, snarling and spitting in the center section.
Trumpeter Mark Bennett does by far the best trumpeting on any of my 30 complete Messiahs. "Glory to God" and "Hallelujah" are as good as it gets -- no, better than any other recording gets.
Countertenor Michael Chance is quite good in "If God be for us" -- I say that as someone who doesn't like countertenors.
Some of the other choruses are also well done. But tenor Jerry Hadley seems to have thought he had more lucrative things to do with his time than to think about Messiah.
And He Shall Reign Forever and Ever, Amen........2002-01-01
There are actually two versions of this live performance, the one here and the other is available on LaserDisc. I believe that they were recorded on two different performance time, for on some arias the soloists have different style in singing the cadenza. Whichever you prefer, this is a recording you must simply own - even when your music library boasts a dozen or so of Handel's Messiah!!
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"C'est ca la vie, c'est ca l'amour": French Operetta Arias
Reynaldo Hahn , Andre Messager , Susan Graham , Yves Abel , and City of Birmingham Symphony Manufacturer: Erato ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Honegger
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ASIN: B00005UW0Z Release Date: 2002-04-02 |
Tracks:
- "C'est ca la vie, c'est ca l'amour" (Moises Simons, from Toi c'est moi, 1934)
- "J'ai deux amants" (Andre Messager, from L'Amour masque, 1923)
- "Yes" (Maurice Yvain, from Yes, 1928)
- "Si vous saviez" (Arthur Honegger, from Les Aventures du roi Pausole, 1930)
- "O mon bel inconnu" (Reynaldo Hahn, from O mon bel inconnu, 1933)
- "Je ne vois rien..Lorsque je n'etais qu'une enfant" (Andre Messager, from Fortunio, 1907)
- "Les hommes sont biens tous les memes" (Andre Messager, from Coups de roulis, 1928)
- "Air de la Lettre" (Reynaldo Hahn, from Brummell, 1931)
- "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle" (Andre Messager, from Passionnement, 1926)
- "Vois-tu, je m'en veux" (Andre Messager, from Les P'tites Michu, 1897)
- "Etre adore" (Reynaldo Hahn, from Mozart, 1925)
- "Je regrette mon Pressigny" (Andre Messager, from la Petite Fonctionnaire, 1921)
- "Amour, amour, quel est donc ton pouvoir" (Andre Messager, from Les Dragons de l"Imperatrice, 1905)
- "Mon reve" (Andre Messager, from L'Amour masque, 1923)
- "C'est tres vilain d'etre infidele" (Reynaldo Hahn, from O mon bel inconnu, 1933)
- "C'est pas Paris, c'est sa banlieue" (Reynaldo Hahn, from Ciboulette, 1923)
- "Vagabonde" (Moises Simons, from Toi c'est moi, 1934)
Amazon.com
This record presents the esteemed opera singer and French music specialist Susan Graham in a new light. French operetta began with Jacques Offenbach (creator of The Tales of Hoffmann) in the 1850s; his ability to blend sweet lovely melodies with bitter political satire made him and the form famous, and composers all over the world have emulated him ever since, including those represented on this disc. Most of them, though popular during their lifetime, are hardly known today. The most familiar are Arthur Honegger and Reynaldo Hahn, though not primarily as operetta composers; the latter contributes some of the loveliest music.The arias on this program are thoroughly appealing and very different, ranging from frothy creampuffs to almost operatic dramas, from ingenuous simplicity to ironic sophistication. As one might expect, the texts, all written from a woman's point of view, focus on the relationships between men and women in all their infinite, subtle variety. Susan Graham uses her very beautiful voice and captivating charm to bring out the teasing humor, the intimacy, passion, joy, and regret in words and music. One song is a trio, but since no other singers are mentioned, one assumes that she covers all three parts! The first song is the only one in which the singing is artificial and exaggerated, as if Graham were feeling her way into the style. The orchestra is very good, but some of the arrangements are overloaded. --Edith Eisler
Customer Reviews:
Enchanté, Mlle Graham!.......2004-11-13
Refreshing stuff, but seldom flippant. Other than the X-rated Honegger song (who'd have thought sober-sided Artur H had a bawdy streak in him?) and the subtler but still eyebrow-raising Maurice Yvain number "Yes", the prevailing atmosphere is often surprisingly operatic. Surprising at any rate to me, since I can't recall hearing most of this material before. Reynaldo Hahn sometimes does a rather good Richard Strauss impersonation, as in "O mon bel inconnu", which suggests a Gallic version of ROSENKAVALIER's final trio.
Presumably Miss Graham sings all the vocal parts of this piece in a multi-tracking arrangement, but it would be nice to have been told in the booklet note whether this was the case. The short playing time deplored by Joy Fleisig is also a nuisance, since one wants even more of the same. Miss Fleisig rightly censured, in addition, the white-print-on-purple-background design which some graphic-design-school genius decided to employ for the lyrics' translations. So no fifth star for this review. The release remains a pretty enchanting (not to say enchanté) production, even if a native French singer would have cultivated - as native French singers will - an edgier, more acidic timbre than Miss Graham's warm, sonorous, very slightly cloudy tone. Altogether a splendid supplement to heftier and more austere listening.
excellent singing, not so great programming.......2002-10-02
A CD full of scrumptious French chocolates!.......2002-09-03
Graham is a singer very much in the mold of Frederica von Stade - like von Stade, she is best known for trouser roles such as Octavian and Cherubino, but she has done some wonderful work in French music, especially as a recitalist. Her voice is firm and lustrous with an easy, sopranoish top, her phrasing is exquisite, and her French is excellent. By turns Graham is funny, ironic, sensual, wistful, charming, and heroic.
Most of the music on this CD was written between 1920 and 1935, although one selection here is from as early as 1897. The music actually has greater similarity to 'modern' musical comedy than to traditional operetta. Of course, the primary theme of these works is the travails of women in love - either they struggle with their (often illicit) passions - in one case attempting to invoke Joan of Arc! - or muse on the perfidy of men. My favorite song on the disc is the title track, a delightful samba take on 'Carmen' (from Cuban-born Moises Simons' 'Toi c'est moi') with a verse that sounds quite a bit like the 'Habanera' - only in this version, Carmen murders Escamillo! It actually occurred to me while listening to this disc that Graham might make an excellent Bizet Carmen on records or in a small theater. By the way, the 'Carmen' connection shows up again in a song entitled - you guessed it - 'L'amour est un oiseau rebelle'!
Other tracks which I love are `Yes', wherein a French woman goes to England knowing only that word and gets her self married - and more, and `O mon bel inconnu', where three women get letters from the same man (their husband, father, and employer respectively) through the lonelyhearts column. Thanks to the miracle (?) of multi-tracking, Graham gets to sing all three roles, and her `voices' blend together gorgeously. And in the final track, 'Vagabonde' (also from 'Toi c'est moi') is a delightfully whirling 'impatient, quivering, impulsive' plea from a woman who wants to find a man willing to marry before her 'orange-flower' wilts (wink, wink).
Despite the light tone of most of this music, there are several moments of high drama. `Lorsque je n'etais que enfant' is an aria from Messager's `Fortunio' where the heroine, berating herself for toying with her boyfriend, reminisces of her purer and more innocent childhood. Graham is back in her usual trouser-role territory for the heroic `Etre adore' from Hahn's `Mozart', where the composer effuses over Paris and willingly sacrifices his soul to be adored by its people. There is also sweet nostalgia and regret, such as in 'Je regrette mon Pressigny', 'Vois-tu, je m'en veux' and 'C'est pas Paris, c'est sa banlieu'.
Actually, the only track that I don't like is 'Si vous saviez' from Honneger's 'Les Aventures du Roi Pausole', which ironically enough is Graham's favorite. The aria, where the wife of a polygamous potentate begs her husband to sleep with her more than once a year, is meant to be sensuous but just drags. I suspect this his Honneger's fault, not Graham's.
The French-Canadian Yves Abel is an ideal conductor for this repertory. He has a strong affinity not only for French opera but also for comedy and light music in general; the latter two qualities were very evident at a Metropolitan Opera `Il Barbiere de Siviglia' this year. I also remember a fine performance of `La Grande-Duchesse de Gerolstein' he conducted with his company L'Opera Francais de New York and Stephanie Blythe. Under his baton the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra plays just like a French ensemble.
The documentation has full texts and translation of all the material and a fine essay on the works and the composers by Patrick O'Connor. Unfortunately, there is no biographical information for either Graham or Abel. Also, some people might have problems reading the white type on purple background for the translations (the type for the essay is the normal white-on-black), although I did not. As usual, my complaint about many modern CDs, especially those produced by Erato, applies here - there is less than an hour of music on a medium that can hold almost 80 minutes. I think it is unlikely that Graham and Abel couldn't find more good music in this vein, or even that they ran out of recording time. And speaking of Erato, I think it is a crime that that parent company Warner Classics dismissed not only Graham but many other fine operatic artists like Jose Cura, Daniel Barenboim, and Barbara Frittoli. At least the man now in charge of Warner regrets Graham's dismissal and is negotiating a new contract with her.
I am glad that so many star singers today are championing French rarities - not only Graham but also Roberto Alagna and Vesselina Kasarova, among others. I would recommend this not only to lovers of opera and operetta but also to fans of more 'popular' French music like Edith Piaf's and Jacques Brel's, or even to admirers of the American musical. It doesn't matter by which road you come to it - this material is delightful and the presentation is flawless. Most importantly, it is clear that everybody involved with the making of this disc had a great time, and anyone who listens to it will as well.
REYNALDO AND SOME LIGHT STUFF.......2002-08-02
C'est magnifique!!.......2002-06-29
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Siegfried (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
English National Opera Manufacturer: Chandos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Wagner
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ASIN: B000056KNC Release Date: 2001-02-27 |
Tracks:
- Act I.: Prld - Barry Tuckwell
- Act I., Scene 1: Wearisome Labour! - Gregory Dempsey
- Act I., Scene 1: Hoiho! Hoiho! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
- Act I., Scene 1: Well, There Are The Pieces - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
- Act I., Scene 1: A Whimpering Babe - Gregory Dempsey
- Act I., Scene 1: Much You've Taught To Me, Mime - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
- Act I., Scene 1: I Found Once in The Wood - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios
- Act I., Scene 1: And Now These Fragments - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
- Act I., Scene 1: He Storms Away! - Gregory Dempsey
- Act I., Scene 2: Hail There, Worthy Smith! - Norman Bailey/Gregory Dempsey
- Act I., Scene 2: I Sit By Your Hearth - Norman Bailey/Gregory Dempsey
- Act I., Scene 2: What You Needed To Know - Norman Bailey/Gregory Dempsey
- Act I., Scene 2: The Fragments! The Sword! - Gregory Dempsey/Norman Bailey
Tracks:
- Act I., Scene 3: Accursed Light! - Gregory Dempsey
- Act I., Scene 3: Hey There! You Idler! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
- Act I., Scene 3: Have You Not Felt Within The Woods - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios
- Act I., Scene 3: Give Me These Pieces - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
- Act I., Scene 3: Notung! Notung! Sword Of My Need! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
- Act I., Scene 3: Hoho! Hoho! Hohi! - Alberto Remedios/Gregory Dempsey
- Act II.: Prld - Barry Tuckwell
- Act II., Scene 1: In Gloomy Night By Fafner's Cave I Wait - Derek Hammond-Stroud
- Act II., Scene 1: To Neidhohl By Night I Have Come - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud
- Act II., Scene 1: Not My Plan! - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud
- Act II., Scene 1: Fafner! Fafner! You Dragon, Wake! - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud/Clifford Grant
- Act II., Scene 1: Now, Alberich! That Plan Failed! - Norman Bailey/Derek Hammond-Stroud
- Act II., Scene 2: We Go No Further! - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios
- Act II., Scene 2: So He's No Father Of Mine - Alberto Remedios
Tracks:
- Act II., Scene 2: Could I But Know - Alberto Remedios
- Act II., Scene 2: See My Mother - Alberto Remedios
- Act II., Scene 2: Ha Ha! At Last With My Call - Alberto Remedios/Clifford Grant
- Act II., Scene 2: Who Are You, Youthful Hero - Clifford Grant/Alberto Remedios
- Act II., Scene 2: The Dead Can Tell No Tidings - Alberto Remedios/Maurine London
- Act II., Scene 3: Hehe! Sly And Slippery Knave - Derek Hammond-Stroud/Gregory Dempsey
- Act II., Scene 3: Tarnhelm And Ring, Here They Are - Alberto Remedios/Maurine London/Gregory Dempsey
- Act II., Scene 3: Be Welcome, Siegfried! - Gregory Dempsey/Alberto Remedios/Derek Hammond-Stroud
- Act II., Scene 3: You Lie There Too, Mighty Dragon - Alberto Remedios/Maurine London
- Act III.: Prld - Barry Tuckwell
- Act III., Scene 1: Waken, Wala! Wala! Awake! - Norman Bailey
- Act III., Scene 1: Strong Is Your Call - Anne Collins/Norman Bailey
- Act III., Scene 1: You Unwise One, Learn What I Will - Norman Bailey
- Act III., Scene 2: I See That Siegfried's Near - Norman Bailey
Tracks:
- Act III., Scene 2: My Woodbird Fluttered Away - Alberto Remedios
- Act III., Scene 2: Young Man, Hear Me - Norman Bailey/Alberto Remedios
- Act III., Scene 2: Child, If You Knew Who I Am - Norman Bailey/Alberto Remedios
- Act III., Scene 2: With His Spear in Splinters - Alberto Remedios
- Act III., Scene 3: Here in The Sunlight - Alberto Remedios
- Act III., Scene 3: Come, My Sword! - Alberto Remedios
- Act III., Scene 3: Hail, Bright Sunlight! - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
- Act III., Scene 3: Siegfried! Siegfried! Glorious Hero! - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
- Act III., Scene 3: And There Is Grane, My Sacred Horse - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
- Act III., Scene 3: Oh! I Cared Always - Rita Hunter/Alberto Remedios
Customer Reviews:
Goodall's Siegfried.......2007-06-22
"Do you know what Wotan wills?".......2007-06-12
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 Rhinegold (Part 1): Wagner: The Rhinegold
-The Valkyrie (Part 2): Wagner: The Valkyrie
-Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)
Slow and steady wins the race.......2007-02-07
For me, this whole cycle is desert island material because the English translation is just superb. Fine singing and marvellous playing from the ENO orchestra.
Absolutely better than you think, the best of Goodal's Ring!.......2005-05-03
Better than you might think...........2002-03-17
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The Song of Luke: An Oratorio by Cyprian Consiglio
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ASIN: B00081U74K Release Date: 2005-04-26 |
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Messiah Arias & Choruses
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ASIN: B0000041X1 Release Date: 1991-09-13 |
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- Messiah No. 2: Comfort Ye My People - Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Keith Lewis
- Messiah No. 3: Every Valley Shall Be Exalted - Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Keith Lewis
- Messiah No. 4: And the Glory of the Lord
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- Messiah No. 14: And Suddenly There Was With the Angel/Messiah No. ...
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- Messiah No. 17: He Shall Feed His Flock - Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
- Messiah No. 19: Behold the Lamb of God
- Messiah No. 30: Lift Up Your Heads
- Messiah No. 34a: How Beautiful Are the Feet - Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus,
- Messiah No. 36: Why Do the Nations So Furiously Rag ...
- Messiah No. 39: Hallelujah
- Messiah No. 40: I Know That Redeemer Liveth - Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus,
- Messiah No. 42: Behold, I Tell You a Mystery/Messiah No. 43: The ... - Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Gwynne Howell
- Messiah No. 47: Worthy Is the Lamb - Amen
Customer Reviews:
A fine edition of 'Messiah'.......2007-07-11
Another hit for Solti!.......1999-05-20
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