Vixen

Vixen

Track Listings

1. Edge of a Broken Heart

2. I Want You to Rock Me

3. Cryin'

4. American Dream

5. Desperate

6. One Night Alone

7. Hell Raisers

8. Love Made Me

9. Waiting

10. Cruisin'

11. Charmed Life

Vixen,Vixen,Capitol,Hair Metal,Hard Rock,Heavy Metal,Popular Music,Rock

The Best of Vixen: Full Throttle
Average customer rating:

Jan's New Band

Normally, compilations are sloppy. The one exception: Vixen

Great compilation from one of the best hard rock bands

Vixen really rocks!

First, the compilation, now they need to follow through.

The Best of Vixen: Full Throttle
Vixen
Manufacturer: Razor & Tie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music
General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Pop Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
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Glam | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
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Vixen

ASIN: B00000I0OY
Release Date: 1999-03-09

Tracks:

How Much Love
Love Made Me
Cryin'
Not A Minute Too Soon
Charmed Life
Love Is A Killer
Edge Of A Broken Heart
Streets In Paradise
I Want You To Rock Me (Live)
Fallen Hero
Bad Reputation
Give It Away
Cruisin'

Customer Reviews:

Jan's New Band.......2005-10-08

Drawing Down the Moon is Jan Kuehnemund's new all-girl group. I listened to their new CD, "Angel In My Dream," last night and Jan is still wonderful. Like Vixen, there's more than one lead singer and it's straight-ahead guitar rock - -but with superlative lyrics. A definite buy!

Normally, compilations are sloppy. The one exception: Vixen.......2003-03-30

The Best Of Vixen: Full Throttle(1998). Compilation comprising of the best tracks from Vixen's first two albums: Vixen(1988) and Rev It Up(1991), plus a couple of unreleased tracks.

Hard Rock and Glam Metal. In those two genres normally dominated by male bands such as Motley Crue, Scorpions, Poison, and Def Leppard, one band rose up and proved that "Female hardrock can play with the best of them." Vixen was that band. Sporting a style that sounds like a combination of Heart and Lita Ford, Vixen launched a very brief career with only 3 real hits: Cryin', Love Is A Killer, and Edge Of A Broken Heart. However, even in that short time these hot girls showed that they could really rock the house down with passion! The best part about them is that their other material is equally great, and most of it could've easily become hits, given the proper airplay attention.
Here's the breakdown according to albums:

VIXEN (self-titled debut)-1988
tracks: Edge Of A Broken Heart, Cryin', Love Made Me, Charmed Life, and Cruisin'
comments: Great songs. American Dream and One Night Alone are also good too, but the ones chosen for this compilation are still the better picks.

REV IT UP-1991
tracks: How Much Love, Love Is A Killer, Not A Minute Too Soon, Streets In Paradise, Bad Reputation, and Fallen Hero.
comments: Much more emphasis on this album, though it is the better of the two. Hard 16 is another good track that could've been on here, but once again the song choices made were perfect for representing the album. Fallen Hero is a major standout track as it shifts from a melodic ambient verse to an all-out rocking chorus.

UNRELEASED (new tracks)-exact years unknown
tracks: Give It Away(b-side), and I Want You To Rock Me(live)
comments: Give It Away proves to be a decent melodic fast song that should have made the cut for the debut album, though the other songs on here outshine it a bit. I actually like the studio version of I Want You To Rock Me better, though it's not bad at all. Still, its inclusion on here is perfectly appropriate and shows that Vixen can pull off a real performance well.

Overall, I am EXTREMELY impressed with how well this compilation is put together. There isn't a single song that I don't like on here, though my favorites are Fallen Hero, Streets In Paradise, Edge Of A Broken Heart, and How Much Love. Full Throttle easily gets five stars hands down. Before you look at the tracklist and suddenly don't remember most of these songs being famous at all, keep in mind: THIS IS A BEST OF COMPILATION, NOT A GREATEST HITS COLLECTION. Plus, even though it takes many songs off of only two albums, BOTH OF THEM ARE NOW OUT OF PRINT, SO THIS COLLECTION IS THE ONLY REAL WAY TO GET THEM. Both of these facts boost the quality of this collection even more. If you're a fan of Heart, Lita Ford, Pat Benatar, or any other female 80s hard rock bands, then by all means PICK THIS UP NOW. It is guarunteed not to disappoint. If you're not, then I at least recommend giving it a try. To this day, it is one of my favorite cds, and one of the few compilation discs that truly captures a band in their prime.

Also, Vixen apparently released another album many years later, titled Tangerine(1997). I haven't heard any of it, though I've been told that it sounds much different than the music on this collection.

Great compilation from one of the best hard rock bands.......2002-12-20

I decided to purchase this greatest hits a year and a half ago because I really like hard rock/heavy metal bands. I definitely wasn't disappointed with Vixen. I now have all of their albums, and they have remained one of my favorite bands of all time. If you can come across their first two albums, which are out of print, and the 1998 Tangerine, be sure to try them as well. I really hope they release another one someday. My favorite tracks on Full Throttle are: "How Much Love," "Cryin'," "Love is a Killer," "Streets in Paradise," "I Want You to Rock Me (Live)," "Fallen Hero," and "Cruisin'." Purchase this if you're like me, and love hard rock/heavy metal. You won't be disappointed.

Vixen really rocks!.......2001-12-02

Full Throttle is loaded up with good material. You just gotta have it. If you like Heart, Lita Ford, and Doro Pesch, there's no doubt about it--Vixen's gonna be one of your favorite purchases. And guys, this would make an excellent x-mas gift for your girlfriends.

First, the compilation, now they need to follow through........2000-10-06

It's sad, really. A great female rock band release one really ungodly lousy album called 'Tangerine', and only one year later they release a compilation of they're obviously better stuff from the late 80s early 90s. Even though this is just a compilation, take into consideration that they're first two albums are out-of-print in the USA, and probably cost too much money to buy as imports. So if you REALLY want to know what true Vixen is, buy this compilation; don't waste money on 'Tangerine.'

Tracks:

Edge Of A Broken Heart
I Want You To Rock Me
Cryin'
American Dream
Desperate
One Night Alone
Hell Raisers
Love Made Me
Waiting
Cruisin'
Charmed Life

Customer Reviews:

Power Rock From Power Chicks.......2007-06-07

The quality of the item purchased was wonderful. It arrived in a timely manner and I have no complaints about Amazon and their services. The music on the C.D. was excellent. Amazingly my 15 year old daughter discovered the wonders of power rock "girl" style. A new generation has been born.

Vixen (1988).......2006-03-27

In 1988, during the height of the 80's hairmetal trend, along came the all woman band "Vixen." There weren't a lot of female hairbands, so Vixen is really the only one that comes to mind. This, their debut album houses their best known song "Edge of a Broken Heart." Probably their best song! The album as a whole is listenable, but nothing is as strong as the single Edge of a Broken Heart, and the song Crying. If you enjoy this type of music give Vixen a try.

EVERYTHING'S WORKIN' OUT RIGHT.......2006-01-24

When this album came out, we were in another dimension and another times. All the bands were trying to have a good time. So is no wonder that there were much more rock fans than today.

The first time I knew about VIXEN was in a CIRCUS magazine (which I still have) specifically in the back cover of it. Then I bought the tape and saw the video on MTV. Even when I haven't heard them I knew that they couldn't be that bad (at least you have the looks!!!!!!!!).

To my surprise this is a very good album, very enjoyable and very catchy. It's repetitive to keep saying that the glam metal, hair metal, soft rock, hard rock, 80's, soft metal and we can go on & on & on & on (yes, like RAVEN). I don't know if this fits in any style but it's good. It's pretty much the same music you kept hearing at the end of the eighties. I mean, WHITESNAKE, WHITE LION, KISS, DEF LEPPARD, ETC.

The three singles did a decent job on the lists (for a first album was great) "Edge Of A Broken Heart", "Cryin", "Love Made Me". The rest of the songs are quite surprising too. My personal favorite is "Desperate" which combines a great slow acoustic intro with a great deep rock at the middle and in the end of the song.

The girls are quite hot, very good looking (specially Janet Gardner). Janet is a very good singer and Jan Kuehnemund is almost as good guitarist as Lita. Roxy Petrucci, the drummer started her career with a band called MADAM X which is were Sebastian Bach from SKID ROW came from. Ironically, SKID ROW was very hot at the same time. ENOUGH TRIVIA!!!

If your are into this kind of music, this is a winner. Maybe a little pop, but definitely a winner.

Highlight: Edge of A Broken Heart, Desperate, Love Made Me.
Lowlight: MHMHMHMHM, I don't know....................Have to think a little bit longer this one.

these girls ROCK!.......2005-09-13

Vixen is an awesome grrl rock band from the late 80's. standout tracks on this s/t debut are "Edge Of A Broken Heart" and "Cryin'". this CD is triumphant. no metal collection should be without these grrls. for other hard rockin grrls that are show AND go, Pat Benatar, Joan Jett, Lita Ford are leaders of the pack. for more pop metal, listen to Winger, Motley Crue, Danger Danger, Steelheart, Poison, Warrant, etc

Jan Kuehnemund's NEW band!!!.......2005-07-07

I just found out that Jan Kuehnemund has a new all-girl band, Drawing Down the Moon!!! Their debut CD, "Angel In My Dream," came out a few months ago and it is AWESOME!

Even though it has a pagan-inspired band name, it isn't celtic rock, but more female-enpowerment rock. There's as much diversity as Jan's band Vixen offered, with guitar-driven pop and some introspective bluesy ballads. There's a coupla lead singers, just like in Vixen, and Jan's guitar playing and vocals are as superb as they ever were!!!

It's so cool to see her reinvent herself in the new millineum with a nod to the classic-rock sound. I just don't understand why there's so little publicity surrounding "Angel's" release! You can buy it on Amazon though, and I guess that's gonna have to be good enough for now.

Good Job Jan!!!

Average customer rating:

Vixen - back with a vengeance

Extended Versions
Vixen
Manufacturer: Sony Custom Marketing Group
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Live & Learn
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From Conception: Live 1981
Vixen

ASIN: B000H0MMWW
Release Date: 2006-06-06

Tracks:

Rev It Up
On the Streets in Paradise
How Much Love
Love Made Me
Love Is a Killer
Little Voice
Cryin'
I Want You to Rock Me
Cruisin'
Edge of a Broken Heart
Bad Reputation

Customer Reviews:

Vixen - back with a vengeance.......2006-11-08

Outrageously great. Guitar ace and original member Jan Kuehnemund has put together a killer band, with superb and powerful vocals from Jenna Sanz-Agero, solid and tight bass from Lynn Lowry, and spot-on drumming from Kat Kraft, plus some good keyboard work from Chris Fayz.

Every song on this "live at Sweeden Rock Festival" CD is good, but Edge of a Broken Heart, How Much Love, Cryin', and Love is a Killer are standouts. The quality of the performances is so high that it's hard to believe it is a live album.

Average customer rating:

Vixen Returns, Sorta Kinda
An All Female Rock band that proves woman can play hard too!
The culmination of all that was great about 80's rock.
Vixen's powerful follow up

Rev It Up
Vixen
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Best of Vixen: Full Throttle
Lita
Danger Danger

ASIN: B0000075WM
Release Date: 2004-11-02

Tracks:

Rev It Up
How Much Love
Love Is A Killer
Not A Minute Too Soon
Streets In Paradise
Hard 16
Bad Reputation
Fallen Hero
Only A Heart Beat Away
It Wouldn't Be Love
Wrecking Ball

Customer Reviews:

Vixen Returns, Sorta Kinda.......2004-12-27

From www.MaximumMetal.com

It seems as thought EMI wanted to take advantage of the VH1 Program "Bands Reunited" when it thought to re-issue the two albums by the all-girl "Metal" band Vixen. The sophomore effort by the band really was nothing all that special, and simply contained more of the same thing that the band featured on their self-titled release. Granted the girls knew how to play, but it was simply just "nice rock" if you needed a title. This record suffers from sounding a little too much like the manner of music that Heart had been playing for a couple of years so it loses a little based on that. Also when you held them up against the Pat Benatar or Lita Ford's and Joan Jett's, it simply did not cut the mustard.

There are a couple of numbers that do stand out such as "Love Is A Killer" and "Hard 16", yet nothing that is the hit material of the "Edge Of A Broken Heart" which broke some ground for these young ladies. While it was a nice blast from the past to hear them again, I really think only their die-hard followers from way back when would look to pick this up. Maybe to replace a worn out vinyl copy of the same piece. New fans from the show might be best served by a hits piece as I know one is around.

As mentioned, the band was recently featured on the VH1 show, and they got together for one night and performed. The show really only shows one song and not the rest of any music that is played which is a shame since they should really showcase the whole thing for some of these bands might never do this again. I am thinking some bands from the 80's are better left to the fond memories. Vixen - while a rocking group of girls is probably one of those bands. The music sounds too dated after the years.

An All Female Rock band that proves woman can play hard too!.......2004-11-26

If you're not afraid to admit that you LIKE 80's hair metal & hard rock bands like Ratt, Bon Jovi, and Poison then this is an album you will more then appreciate! I have all 3 of Vixen's releases (Vixen, Rev It Up, & Tangerine) on cd and they were all worth whatever it was I paid for them! While their first album was jammed full of your stereotypical 80's party tunes this 2nd release is a little more edgey! Don't get me wrong there are still catchy songs like Not A Minute Too Soon & Bad Reputation, but songs like Love Is A Killer & Fallen Hero make this album much more enjoyable.

The culmination of all that was great about 80's rock........1999-05-20

Vixen's second album is the strongest "second album" ever released by an 80's rock band. The guitar work is first rate, the bass and drums fit perfectly, and the vocals are astonishing. Rev It Up has remained one of my favorites over the last decade and will continue as such. Whether you're driving, catching some rays, or anything in between, nothing will keep your blood pumping like Rev It Up. Thanks to Vixen for a timeless rock album!

Vixen's powerful follow up.......1998-11-12

I think with the first record Vixen was trying to break into a male controled metal field. With this second album they break even more ground. Start to finish this album rocks hard and fast. Songs like "Rev It Up," "Streets In Paradise" and "How Much Love" are all personal favorites.

Average customer rating:

Great comeback

Live & Learn
Vixen
Manufacturer: Warcon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Extended Versions
Tangerine
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ASIN: B000LPR55M
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Tracks:

Anyway
Live & Learn
I Try
Little Voice
Pacifist
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Love Song
Angry
I'm Sorry
You Wish
Suffragette City
Give Me Away

Customer Reviews:

Great comeback.......2007-04-13

Definitely a melodic rocker of an album. Jan Kuehnemund doesn't have to worry about the legacy of the band she founded, which was screwed up by the third album (which didn't include her).

Live and Learn starts out very strong with "Anyway" and the title track. "Anyway" has a little bit of Reb Beach's riff on "One Track Mind" from The Mob in it, which is cool sounding but I think that's coincidental. "Little Voice" will be familiar to anyone who got the live album. The songs range from solid to great in quality, without a bad one among them. While I think Tangerine might have had 3 or four adequate songs. Even the first two albums, while good, had one or two clunkers on each.

Jenna Sanz-Agero has a strong voice that has hints of Natalie Merchant in it. Though I think she sounds much more like Jewel on the live album for some reason. So if you ever were curious of how those two would sound with more rocking music, this is sort of an indication. Jenna doesn't have that sexiness in her voice that Janet Gardner had. Not good or bad, just an observation.

The drumming and bass work is good and fits the music very well. Lynn Louise Lowrey (I think) has a very sweet sounding tone to her voice in the background vocals. And then there's Jan, who sounds much improved in chops and songwriting. I really like the solo in "Don't Want It Anymore." This album is a great sign of things to come.

Average customer rating:

May be english, but it is excellent
A Splendid Remastering of the 1991 EMI Session

Janácek: The Cunning Little Vixen

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Czech | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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The Cunning Little Vixen
Berg: Lulu
Janácek: Jenufa

ASIN: B0000C83YR
Release Date: 2003-10-21

Tracks:

Prelude
'Going To Be A Storm Soon'
'Come On, Old Lady, And Let's Get The Show Started'
'Mummy! Mummy! What Is That?'
Pantomime
Interlude
'Look At How Big She's Grown!'
'I'm Just the Same Too'
'Look What We've Got Down 'Ere'
Interlude (Beginning) ('Ou, Ou!')
Interlude (Conclusion)
'You Should Take A Lesson From Me!'
'Sisters! Comrades!'
'Come On Then, Don't Be Frightened!'
Prelude
'Ah!' - 'Who's That Out There Screaming?'
Interlude
'In My New Parish Things Have Got To Be Better!'
'Once Long Since, Long Ago'
'Home Now?'
Interlude
'Something Is Wrong With My Equilibrium'
'Staccato! Flageoletti!'
'So Remember To Be A Good Man!'
'Memnestho Aner Agathos Einai'
Interlude
'O My God! He's So Handsome!'
'One Dark Night'
'Fox Goldenstripe'
'Can It Be That I Am Lovely?'
'Let Me Go! I Am Afraid of You!'
'If You Had Only Seen What I Saw Just Now'
'That's How It Is!'

Tracks:

Prelude
'In The Month Of May'
'Hey There, Harasta, How's It Going?'
'Little Foxes Running Fast'
'How Many Children Do We Have?'
'Put It Down Fast! Harasta, Harasta!'
Interlude
'Where Is Old Man Pasek?'
'Well I'm Damned!'
Interlude
'Spring Is Here At Last'
'When Evening Arrives, I Welcome The Rays'
'Hey! But I Can't See The Vixen There!'
'Tha-that Wasn't Me'

Customer Reviews:

May be english, but it is excellent.......2005-03-01

There is nothing like the Cunning Little Vixen. It's a masterpiece, and it's not even Janacek's best Opera! This recording, sung in english, serves the work well.

The orchestra and chorus are very well lead by Rattle. The vixen's dream in the first act is beautifully played. The translation is easy on the ears, fits the music well, and all the singers have excellent diction. Lillian Watson's Vixen is well sung, a nice lyric voice that suits the part very nicely. "Can it be that I am beautiful?" is heart-stoppingly beautiful. Sir Thomas Allen is his usual peerless self. As far as I'm conserned, he is the Forester. His wonderful song in the Tavern is so incredably well sung it should be entered into the hall of fame. Diana Montague is an excellent fox, and Gwynne Howell and Robert Tear are touching and wonderfull as the priest and the Schoolmaster. Howell also is a properly Pompus badger, and Tear is a humoros Mosquito. Nicholas Fowell is a creepy Harasta and Karen Shelby makes a nice Dog. 5/5

A Splendid Remastering of the 1991 EMI Session.......2004-03-24

This underrated modern opera, this time in English and conducted by Simon Rattle, is one most opera-lovers should own. I found this English performance warmly dramatic and listenable. Rattle's reading is more romantic and well-rounded than the Decca classic. Should the translation dissuade the buyer? Not at all. Some of the translated expressions are Brit expressions, but they work beautifully. When in doubt, just but the Mackerras version too.

The remastering here has opened up the acoustic of the original recording so the performance sounds as though it might have happened yesterday. The orchestra is alert and playful. The singers cannot be bettered. Lilian Watson is a superb, characterful Vixen Sharp-Ears, Diana Montague is a Fox to die for and Thomas Allen is -- well -- Thomas Allen. Did the man ever cut a bad record?

At roughly 100 minutes, and in a superbly packaged set with an all-new booklet with helpful notes and libretto, what are you waiting for?

Customer Reviews:

SUMMATION OF A LIFETIME'S DEDICATION TO JANACEK.......2006-04-12

Maybe these two discs are to be Sir Charles' farewell to recording Janacek. I wouldn't bet the house on it, though, because he still shows amazing energy levels at 80 years of age and is to conduct Makropoulos at the ENO next month. Nevertheless, you could certainly argue that these performances provide us with a summation of a lifetime's love and scholarly work on these scores from Janacek's greatest proselytiser.

Many of these works have been recorded by Sir Charles before, notably on his ground-breaking Pye recording from the 50's. There was a certain rawness about that recording (partly because of the musicians' unfamiliarity with the music and their sense of discovery, partly because of the dry acoustic) that suited this music particularly well - better, I think, than the plushness and greater security of the later Vienna Philharmonic performances.

The Sarka and Katya excerpts here come from Mackerras' complete Supraphon recordings of the operas. The Katya interludes really exist only as a result of Sir Charles' research and this is wonderful music that we (and the opera) would now be much poorer without.

Most of the other performances are taken from live performances in Prague. They are consistently fine and carry a strong feeling of authenticity when played, as here, by a Czech orchestra. The Jealousy Overture is a great opener, much better in a concert context than in Jenufa for which it was originally written. The Vixen Suite is just gorgeous. There are none of the humans in this Suite, not even the Forester's pantheistic final aria. It is all about the animals and includes the inspiring ballet in which the Vixen dreams of her freedom. Sir Charles and his Czech players give a truly uplifting performance.

Perhaps the most intriguing piece here is the rarity, the orchestral music Janacek wrote for the play, Schluck und Jau. This is the last orchestral music that the composer ever wrote. There are echoes in it of the imperial fanfares from the Makropoulos Affair and of passages from the House of the Dead but it also shows him still questing for new sonorities, fully brought out in this definitive performance.

The two big pieces on these discs - Taras Bulba and the Sinfonietta - are both great live performances. In the former, Sir Charles really gives the graphic and illustrative instrumentation full reign - the integrated organ sounds, the strangulated clarinet, the ideally crisp timps, the solo horn way up high in its register and the full rich brass ensemble of Taras' final apotheosis. The Sinfonietta, too, is as near definitive as you'll get. The full compliment of brass for the opening and closing fanfares are there and the tiered effects the composer demands are ideally realised. I suspect a bit of textual tidying up here and there from Sir Charles the scholar. Certainly the results are as clear and crisp as you could ask, whether in chattering woodwind, crystal bright trumpet playing or perfectly intonated string playing whether at speed or at rest.

All in all, these discs represent a wonderful summary of a lifetime's dedication the Janacek. Worth every penny.

Sir Charles in Prague.......2005-02-16

Charles Mackerras is probably the greatest exponent of Janácek's music of all time. This fine Supraphon set collects his excellent Prague recordings from the recent years. It appears to be his testimony to Janácek's fans. The set includes not only the famous workds but also some of the rarely performed pieces (it is not a complete set, however).

Taras Bulba and the Sinfonietta are recorded live, which adds to the dramatic thrill of these masterworks. Czech Philharmonic plays them marvellously, and the interpretations are second to none.

Some of the material have already appeared in opera boxes: the ouvertures and other music from Kát'a kabanová and Sárka. But the Suite from The Cunning Little Vixen is a fresh recording, in Janácek's original orchestration. The performance is nothing but superb.

Schluck & Jau was Janácek's last orchestral score. It is a fascinating piece, wonderfully scored, and performed with precision and enthusiasm. The performance of the Jealousy Overture - the original Jenufa ouverture - is also very fine.

Moreover, recording quality is state of the art.

Warmly recommended!

Average customer rating:

Back 2 Back Hits
Vixen , and Helix
Manufacturer: EMI Special Products
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rev It Up
Icon
Vixen
Classic Masters
...Twice Shy

ASIN: B00004TGZG
Release Date: 2000-05-04

Tracks:

Edge Of A Broken Heart
How Much Love
Cryin'
Love Is A Killer
I Want You To Rock Me (Live)
Heavy Metal Love
Rock You
Deep Cuts The Knife
Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'
Wild In The Streets

Average customer rating:

Lives up to the rave review by Mr. Hollingsworth
Serebrier at his finest: The best Janacek discs!

Janácek: Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: Reference Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Rimsky-Korsakov: SCHEHERAZADE

ASIN: B00005RDB2
Release Date: 2001-10-30

Tracks:

Sinfonietta: Fanfares
Sinfonietta: The Castle
Sinfonietta: The Queen's Monastary
Sinfonietta: The Street
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Taras Bulba: Prophecy And Death Of Taras Bulba

Tracks:

The Cunning Little Vixen - Ste: Part One
The Cunning Little Vixen - Ste: Part Two
Jealousy (Original Prld To Jenufa)
From The House Of The Dead: Prld
The Makropulos Case: Act I
The Makropulos Case: Act II
The Makropulos Case: Act III

Customer Reviews:

Lives up to the rave review by Mr. Hollingsworth.......2003-01-24

I've become a recent devotee of Janacek's music, in particular with regards to his most folk-inspired works (Lachian Dances and Rakos Rakoczy). I'm always on the lookout for worthy recordings of the Lachian Dances and the previous review seemed positive. I was not disappointed. Compared to the Decca Double Decker with Mackerras and Huybrechts, Srebenier extracts a bit more verve and fun from his players. The Decca recording is indeed impressive in its own right (I'd give it 4-and-a-half stars), but the Czech State Philharmonic and Srebenier seem to be genuinely enjoying themselves playing on "home turf" as it were. In other words, although the Decca recording sounds more polished from a technical standpoint, the playing sounds a little stately or "officious" (for lack of a better word) compared to the Reference recording. If you already have the Decca recording, by all means, go for this one as well.

Serebrier at his finest: The best Janacek discs!.......2002-07-19

For decades, Mackerras' recording of Janacek's Taras Bulba and Sinfonietta has been deemed the best in the catalogue, against which all others have been measured. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (VPO), which knows as much of Janacek as they do of Bruckner, played the works with authority and with real feeling. The strings are of real bloom and weight, the woodwinds crispy, the brass blazen and glorious, and the percussion mesmerizing. Sir Charles Mackerras, among the best of Janacek's interpreters (along with Bretislav Bakala, Frantisek Jilek, & Vaclav Neumann earlier), gives the renditions of vividness and imagination and the phrasings are as genuine and ideal as expected.

But,...here comes this recording! Let me say upfront that Serebrier measures up to Mackerras in every way. And the Czech State Philharmonic (of Brno) is as authoritative as the VPO, with every bar & every detail so well caught and conveyed even at higher levels than its Viennese rival. Furthermore, the Czech State Philharmonic brings out more authenticity of these works, thanks in some part to the recording. For example, listen to the second movement of Sinfonietta "The Castle." Notice how a sense of mystery, after, say 1'35", becomes compellingly restraint and haunting (the strings and woodwinds must be credited for this, as well as Serebrier, who conveys these dimensions more successfully than even Belohlavek). How about the third movement "The Queen's Monastary", which is played with real beauty and eloquence, with a certain feeling of nostalgia and sadness. Exemplary, even in regards to the other works like Taras Bulba and the Lachian Dances. I would hesitate to replace my Decca recording of the Lachian Dances well served by Francois Huybrechts and the London Philharmonic, especially since it's coupled with Janacek's Vec Makropulos-which London Decca foolishly deleted-along with other Janacek's operas extremely well executed by Mackerras, the VPO, and its wonderful casts (remember Elisabeth Soderstrom?). Instead, Serebrier's edition is well worth having: it has plenty of vitality and enjoyment. And the way Serebrier brings out the tragic menance and drama of Taras Bulba is idiomatic and purely exciting. The closing of Taras Bulba is done triumphantly and with appropriate grandioseness, although the organ should have more of an imposing presence.

Reference Recordings (RR), which compiled the original 1995-1996 recordings of these works, includes the second disc (under the two for the price of one scheme). This disc contains selections from Janacek's popular operas: Suite from "The Cunning Little Vixen", preludes to "Jenufa" (entitled "Jealously") and "From the House of the Dead", and Serebrier's Symphonic Synthesis of "Vec Makropulos." This second disc is as every bit enjoyable as the first disc containing Sinfonietta, Taras Bulba, and the Lachian Dances. The "Cunning Little Vixen" Suite (in the Talich/Smetacek edition) is done with upmost vividness and flair. But the Vec Makropulos synthesis is every bit as paradigmatic. Serebrier, a very successful composer in his own right, confessed the challenge he faced in coming up with the synthesis, which no one has done before. Well, it pays off. The synthesis upholds the essence of Janacek's very demanding opera, while not minimizing its emotional and musical impact. Moreover, the Czech State Philharmonic comes up huge again (the prelude comes off well and with fire under their musicianship).

So, an highly enjoyable two-disc set that in many ways outshine Mackerras' Decca recording. As alluded to earlier, the quality of the recording is part of this album's success. The sound is more "Czech" in feeling and extremely well focused. You might be tempted to buy Belohlavek's Chandos recording of especially the Sinfonietta and Taras Bulba. Chandos likewise offer, for the price of one, a two-disc (compiled) set of these works, plus Fiddler's Child as well as Idyll and Suite (both for Strings idiomatically played by Gregory Rose and the Jupiter Orchestra), but minus the "House of the Dead" prelude and "Vec Makropulos." The Chandos album is well worth having, though Belohlavek's approach to Sinfonietta and Taras Bulba is not as ideal as Serebrier or Mackerras (the brass of the Czech Philharmonic is surprisingly not as glorious and blazen as the Czech State Philharmonic or the VPO and their strings lack tonal radiance and body comparatively speaking). Otherwise, Belohlavek is better on the other works, like Fiddler's Child and the "Cunning Little Vixen" Suite.

But, Serebrier's recordings of Janacek's masterpieces can now be deemed as the benchmark recordings against which all others will be measured! Will Serebrier record Janacek's operas as a just compensation for the deleted Decca/Mackerras recordings (still held as the best in the catalogue)? Oh boy I dare hope so!

Leos Janácek: The Cunning Little Vixen - Lucia Popp / Eva Randová / Dalibor Jedlicka / Vienna Philharmonic / Vienna State Opera Chorus / Sir Charles Mackerras
Average customer rating:

Mackerras champions Janacek brilliantly!

Cunning Little Recording

A wonderful animal opera

Leos Janácek: The Cunning Little Vixen - Lucia Popp / Eva Randová / Dalibor Jedlicka / Vienna Philharmonic / Vienna State Opera Chorus / Sir Charles Mackerras
Leos Janacek , Sir Charles Mackerras , Lucia Popp (Vixen) , and Vienna Philharmonic
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Janacek - From the House of the Dead / Mackerras

Janacek: Jenufa / Mackerras, Soderstrom, et al

Leos Janacek: Vec Makropulos (The Makropulos Case) / Lachian Dances

Janacek: The Diary of One Who Disappeared

The Bartered Bride

ASIN: B0000041RA
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Prelude - Vienna PO/Sir Charles Mackerras
Act One: 'Donstaneme bourku' - Dalibor Jedlicka
Act One: 'Kmotrenka zakoncertovala si take?' - Miriam Ondraskova
Act One: 'Mami!' - Lucia Popp
Act One: Pantomime - Dalibor Jedlicka
Act One: Na dvore jezerske - Dalibor Jedlicka
Act One: 'To cucis Lapaku' - Dalibor Jedlicka
Act One: Ze nevis, co mame?' - Zuzana Hudecova
Act One: Pantomime - Vienna PO/Sir Charles Mackerras
Act One: 'Melas delat podliva mne!' - Libuse Marova
Act One: 'Hled'te sestry jakeho mate vudce!' - Lucia Popp
Act Two: 'Ach!' - Lucia Popp
Act Two: 'Ano, ve Strani bude daleko lepe' - Richard Novak
Act Two: 'Domu? Pro ten snupec tveho spani? - Dalibor Jedlicka
Act Two: 'Bud'to mam teziste pohyblive' - Vladimir Krejcik
Act Two: 'Pomni, abys byl dobrym muzem!' - Richard Novak
Act Two: 'Bozinku, ten je hezke!' - Lucia Popp
Act Two: 'Kradla jsem!' - Lucia Popp
Act Two: 'Zlatohrbitek, lisaks krouzkovymi pesky' - Eva Randova
Act Two: 'Kdybyste vedeli, co ja videla' - Eva Zigmundova

Tracks:

Act Three: 'Dez sem vandroval, mozeka hrala' - Vaclav Zitek
Act Three: 'Bezi liska k Taboru' - Bratislava Children's Chor/Elena Sarajova
Act Three: 'Kolik jsme uz meli deti?' - Eva Randova
Act Three: 'Nusu dule!' - Vaclav Zitek
Act Three: 'A kde otec Pasek?' - Dalibor Jedlicka
Act Three: 'To uz ne!' - Vladimir Krejcik
Act Three: 'Nerikal jsem to?' - Dalibor Jedlicka
Act Three: 'Hoj! Ale neni to Bystrousky!' - Dalibor Jedlicka
Act Three: 'Totok nejesem ja' - Peter Saray
Orch Suite: I. Andante - Vienna PO/Sir Charles Mackerras
Orch Suite: II. Andante - Vienna PO/Sir Charles Mackerras

Customer Reviews:

Mackerras champions Janacek brilliantly!.......2003-04-07

What a combo Amazon offers Janacek fans. "Jenufa" and "The Cunning little Vixen" are absolute masterpieces and in the hands of the composer's greatest interprepter, Mackerras, these recordings are non-pareil. The singing of Soderstrom and Lucia Popp make any other recordings a redundancy and an act of futility. Ravishingly beautiful is the only way to describe their performances. These superb recrodings are in the case of "Vixen" , a momument to the healing power of the act of creation. and in the case of "Jenufa" a monument to the victory of human compassion and its power of heallng.. All singers bring glory to the music and the Vienna Philarmonic plays as one born to perform this music as no other orchestra. These cds belong in your collection: deeply moving experiences that only improve upon contnued listering. Bravo to Mackerras for his one man renaissance of Janacek's masterpieces. Let us not forget "Katya Kabanova" a third member of this holy trio. As in "Jeunfa" Sodertsrom triumphs in this work as well.

Cunning Little Recording.......2003-01-19

Excellent recording of an intruguing work. I bought this particular recording because of the strong lineup of musicians: Sir Charles Mackerras conducts- he seems to be one of the reigning Janacek experts these days, and Lucia Popp is a very highly charged Vixen. Of course, the orchestra (Vienna Philharmonic) deserves recognition, too- they did a fine job on this recording. I don't know many different interpretations of this opera, having mainly just listened to this CD set countless times, but it's definitely worth owning.

If you don't feel like spending the money for CD's of the entire opera, the condensed [orchestral] version is also well-written, but it does leave out some fine musical moments. The orchestral version has been recorded many times by different people, and it's relatively easy to find.

A wonderful animal opera.......2002-05-29

Czech composer Leos Janacek wrote a series of operas late in his life: Kat'ia Kabanova, Cunning Little Vixen, The Makropoulos Affair, and From the House of the Dead, in that order. All are magnificent, standing with the very best work of the Czech masters Smetana and Dvorak. Even among those late operas, though, Vixen stands out because of its vibrant orchestration and easy approachability. It is quite popular, and it has even been featured in an animated version for TV by Geoff Dunbar of Peter Rabbit fame.

The story revolves around the Vixen, who is a real fireball, always gracefully foxing her way in and out of tough situations with the force of her personality. This character is played by a soprano in a fox costume, in this case Lucia Popp. I'm not sure if she wore the costume in the studio, but she may well have, because she gives her part a wonderful vivaciousness and gusto - you can almost imagine glistening fangs as she heatedly preaches to the hens about oppression. Her spirited tone adds immeasurably to the recording as a whole.

The adult male leads, who play human parts (the Schoolmaster, the Forester, and the poacher Harasta), also do a very fine job. In particular, their Czech diction is exemplary, though with the sound of the Vixen resonating in the ears they sometimes sound Germanic by comparison.

And the children! The dance at the beginning of Act III, which depicts the Vixen with her cubs recognizing and defusing a trap, is one of the greatest examples of synthesized folk music I've ever encountered. The children's choir hired for this recording sing the melody, built on the Lydian mode and the whole-tone scale, flawlessly, vigorously and rhythmically.

Through all this, Mackerras shows the utmost sympathy to the bright colors and poignant orchestrational details. And the Vienna Philharmonic, often among the most conservative of ensembles, play brightly and faithfully, with solo passages that sound exotic and brilliantly evoke animal sounds.

This is simply a great recording. Not to be missed.

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