Century Child [Import]

Century Child [Import]

Track Listings

1. Bless The Child

2. End Of All Hope

3. Dead To The World

4. Ever Dream

5. Slaying The Dreamer

6. Forever Yours

7. Ocean Soul

8. Feel For You

9. Phantom Of The Opera

10. Beatuy Of The Beast

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
2002 Outing from the Symphonic Goth-metal Band from Finland.

Tracks:

Bless The Child
End Of All Hope
Dead To The World
Ever Dream
Slaying The Dreamer
Forever Yours
Ocean Soul
Feel For You
The Phantom Of The Opera
Beauty Of The Beast

Album Description

"NIGHTWISH could very well have cloned their last full studio album, Wishmaster, and would have been guaranteed to sell as many copies without the fanbase batting an eyelash. Simply put, the band is that good. NIGHTWISH is not stupid, firmly believing in artistic integrity over sales and clearly having the balls to branch out, explore and experiment with their craft. For a start, the level of bombast seems to have been turned down a notch on Century Child in favour of a more metal approach, even singer Tarja toning down her all-out opera vocals somewhat and using her voice with much broader scope. Ironically, the band has become more operatic at the same time with the addition of bassist Marco Hietala - recently stolen from Sinergy - who acts as Tarja's male lead vocal counterpart on several tracks, making a huge impact on the band's sound. No question that NIGHTWISH would be just another band with out Tarja though, who shines brighter than she ever has before. ! Century Child is yet another firm step towards greatness." (9 out of 10 review) - BRAVE WORDS & BLOODY KNUCKLES

-1st new album in over two years! Massive anticipation! -Fourth full-length from one of gothic metal's leading acts. -NIGHTWISH have already received double platinum and gold album awards in their native Finland, as well as winning two Emma Awards (the Finnish equivalent of a Grammy) and scoring four Top 10 hits at radio. -Produced by Tero Kinnunen (Nightwish) and Mikko Karmila (Amorphis, Stratovarius, Avantasia) at Caverock and Finnvox Studios in Finland.

Album Description

2003 album from the female fronted Finnish symphonic goth/metal super group. 10 tracks including, 'Bless The Child', 'End Of All Hope' & 'Dead To The World'. Century Media.

Customer Reviews:

They Can Do Better... And Have.......2007-06-20

It is almost painful for me to give this album such an "awful" review. I love Nightwish -- They are one of my favorite bands and I listen to every one of their CDs fanatically. However, unlike most of their other albums, I had to delete some tracks when I copied this to my computer using iTunes. This simply isn't one of their better albums, and it's a shame, because it easily could be.

This is the album where Nightwish started to get darker, harder, and faster (Faster Harder Nightwish, anyone?). That's perfectly okay, but this album is the transition point, and thus mediocre. It has some great songs, but it also has ones -- the ballades, mainly -- that fall flat. Some of the lyrics aren't up to par with other works; some the songs don't sound as good; some are just out-right boring. The others are absolutely beautiful, but as a result, make the other ones sound that much worse.

Like my Once review, I will now go into a song-by-song review, before summarizing my thoughts. If you don't care about the songs individually, you may of course skip through it.

---

Bless the Child (4/5) - A wonderful way to start off the album. The lyrics are excellent, the song itself is beautiful, and it leads perfectly into the next song. The only reason it isn't 5/5 is because it gets dull. The song is six minutes long, but unlike some of Nightwish's song, after a while one begins to notice how long it is and get a little bored with it. For the occasional listen, however, it sounds lovely.

End of All Hope (4/5) - This song is almost half the length of Bless the Child, not to mention heavier and more "metal". I don't think it needs to be said that the lyrics are a tad cheesy -- just look at the title -- but it doesn't detract from the song; there is some decent imagery in it if one ignores how obvious the meaning is. The melody and Tarja's singing match perfectly, making up for the so-so lyrics and making it one of my favorite songs on the album.

Dead to the World (4/5) - The lyrics to this song are positively beautiful, and some of the keyboard pieces are insanely awesome. However, I am not fond of Marco's voice, and seeing as he sings most of this song, that detracts from the track in my opinion. The fast tempo and melody are brilliant, however, and Tarja's voice makes the song more tolerable. I just couldn't give this song below 4/5, all things considered.

Ever Dream (5/5) - I don't know what it is about this song, but one day I feel in love with it, and have listened obsessively to it since. The lyrics aren't that great, but the song itself is gorgeous. It's one of Nightwish's heavier "ballades", with a piano and strings complementing the guitars very well and producing a gorgeous melody. Tarja sounds heavenly, and the last minute or so of the song is chilling in how gorgeous it sounds. I normally don't like a song that has mediocre lyrics, but this is wonderful enough to make an exception.

Slaying the Dreamer (4/5) - One of those standard heavy songs that you have to love. The lyrics are strangely interesting, and it took me a lot longer than it should have to figure out what they're about; that's normally a good thing for me. Marco, when he appears for a brief moment, sounds better than he did before, and adds to the song. The melody itself is standard metal -- crazy guitar riffs and the works -- but it fits the song, so it's all good.

Forever Yours (2/5) - Nightwish can produce some great ballades. This is not one of them. It's very slow, but the melody is dull, the lyrics are uninteresting, and Tarja doesn't sound nearly as beautiful as she usually does. Also, I prefer heavy metal to wake me up, not put me to sleep. I have listened to this song so little that I can't say much more than that.

Ocean Soul (3/5) - It's better than Forever Yours, at least, but that may only be because it's heavier. I used to love this song, and indeed the beginning is rather pretty. However, the melody and Tarja sound standard, and the lyrics don't help it, being they are too dry and, well, standard. It's not bad, but there is nothing that stands out, dropping its rating.

Feel for You (2/5) - A Forever Yours clone, except with better lyrics. The only problem is that they're about very similar, if not identical, topics. So while Feel for You does have pretty imagery, it feels as if one has heard it before.

The Phantom of the Opera (3/5) - Sometimes I like it, sometimes I don't. It's like Ocean Soul; nothing in particular stands out. Tarja sounds good and hits the high notes as expected, Marco actually sounds pretty decent, and the melody is what I imagine a heavier version of the Broadway song sounds like. However, like Bless the Child, it gets dull after a while, and is only good for the occasional listen.

Beauty of the Beast (4/5) - The middle part of this song is the best, shortly followed by the third. The first part is pretty, but a tad slow, and generally it's not a good idea to start a ten-minute song off slowly. However, once beyond that part, one forgets it's so long because it turns fast and spectacular. I love the lyrics and many times have been tempted to sing them down the hallway of my high school to see what happens.

--

Overall, six of the ten songs are a good listen, which is a little lower than normal Nightwish quality, but not bad. Here are some of its main flaws:

Variety: Once has the same issue; for some reason, Nightwish's modern albums have variety problems. The two ballades on the album sound nearly identical. Bless the Child and Beauty of the Beast are somewhat similar, and some of the faster tracks also sound rather similar, or even "standard" for metal. The only song I can think of that stands on its own is Ever Dream (I'm not counting Phantom of the Opera seeing as it isn't theirs).

Lyrics: One of my favorite aspects of Nightwish is their lyrics; even when they about something as pointless as a bad day they still sound wonderful. However, in this album, many of the lyrics aren't very poetic, and in some cases are just dry and dull. Lyrics are very important for me in a band; a band or song has to be just plain brilliant for me to even remotely consider listening to them if they have cheap lyrics. Some of the songs on this album don't have that brilliance to counteract the lyrics.

That is it for glaring flaws; I also mentioned minor ones before and during the song reviews. As for the positive aspects? Tarja and Marco sing very well in this album. The band itself sounds wonderful in many of the songs, complementing the orchestra. I'm fairly certain this is the first album of Nightwish's to feature an orchestra, so they did well on the first try. Speaking of first tries, considering how different this is from their other albums, Nightwish did very well making it sound great without losing their style.

It is, in the end, not an awful album. It has its great songs that one may listen to obsessively, and it is a pretty good transition point to a different Nightwish style. If it weren't for those few songs that detract from it, I would happily give the album four stars, but alas, I am a perfectionist and those few songs lower the rating.

I would recommend the album to people who are already familiar with Nightwish, but Oceanborn or Wishmaster may be better for people who are just trying out the band.

Thank you for reading, and happy listening!

Excellent.......2007-05-13

Just discovered this group and really love them. This disc is the best of the three that I purchased. Their earlier stuff is pretty good but the later music is really outstanding.
I recommend them to anyone.
It's like Enya meets heavy metal.

Stunning.......2007-04-02

Let me start by saying that I am not your typical GOTH fan. I am a 49 year old male, not the typical 17 year old female. Having said that, if you know who Queensryche and Charlotte Church are, this CD might just be for you. This CD is intricately arranged and very well done. The songs go from Heavy Metal to Opera while mixing in some songs that any pop diva would be happy to call her own. That is what makes this CD so facinating. The fact that the band is talented enough to pull this all off is what makes this CD a remarkable achievement.

Better Than Angels Fall First, Not Better Than Their Others.......2007-03-02

I own five Nightwish albums and love them all, but Century Child is not my favorite. It still is good enough to warrant a five star rating though. Wishmaster, Oceanborn, and Once are in the top 3 for me, then Century Child, then Angels Fall First. If you like the operatic metal style and Tarja Turunen's amazing voice, you really can't go wrong with this band. I would recommend you start with Wishmaster, Oceanborn, and Once, and if you still want more, then get the other two. Nightwish makes some kick a** beautiful music!

Awsome.......2007-02-10

I first came across this music from trying to download it.After I actually listened to the music, I realized that this band was to come one of my favorite and most recommended cd's that I told my friends about it. Theirs something about this band that makes you want to listen to any song over and over. The century child does have it's occational song that doesn't apeal to everyone, but all in all this band and cd just flat out rock and would be an exelent to any rocker's collection. When I say rocker, I mean all types of rock

Average customer rating:

The Who Classic Masterpiece AS YOU NEVER HEARD BEFORE
A Landmark Classic Now Made Even Better.
A Milestone of Early Rock!
I Love it !
The Who's classic rock opera gets a 35th birthday celebration fit for a king!

Tommy

Manufacturer: Geffen Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Who's Next (Deluxe Edition)
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ASIN: B0000DJZAH
Release Date: 2003-10-28

Tracks:

Overture
It's A Boy
1921
Amazing Journey
Sparks
Eyesight To The Blind (The Hawker)
Christmas
Cousin Kevin
The Acid Queen
Underture
Do You Think It's Alright
Fiddle About
Pinball Wizard
There's A Doctor
Go To The Mirror!
Tommy Can You Hear Me?
Smash The Mirror
Sensation
Miracle Cure
Sally Simpson
I'm Free
Welcome
Tommy's Holiday Camp
We're Not Gonna Take It
See Me Feel Me/Listening To You

Tracks:

I Was
Christmas (Out-Take 3)
Cousin Kevin Model Child
Young Man Blues (Version 1)
Tommy Can You Hear Me? (Alternate Version)
Trying To Get Through
Sally Simpson (Out-Takes)
Miss Simpson
Welcome (Take 2)
Tommy's Holiday Camp (Band's Version)
We're Not Gonna Take It (Alternate Version)
Dogs (Part 2)
It's A Boy
Amazing Journey
Christmas
Do You Think It's Alright?
Pinball Wizard

Customer Reviews:

The Who Classic Masterpiece AS YOU NEVER HEARD BEFORE.......2007-06-12

The Album is a masterpiece of all time rock n roll, even if this is "the less Who album" of the Who... but nevermind!
The Sound in both Stereo (from the original master tape discovered in the vault of UMG) and 5.1 (mixed by Pete Townshend himself) is great...
As you put the disc in your player you'll hear the great differences from the 1996 reissue even if you have only a "simple" CD player..
If You're a great Who fan and you a have SACD player buy ABSOLUTELY this album and enjoy it 'til the laser of your player won't work anymore...
The second disc is clearly for fans only but the quality of some track even if are demos or outtakes is very very good!!

A Landmark Classic Now Made Even Better........2006-12-26

One of the most important, groundbreaking amd influential albums in the history of rock and roll, The Who's 1969 magnum opus "Tommy", a rock opera about a deaf, dumb and blind kid who sure plays a mean pinball, is now better than ever thanks to the brilliance of SACD and DSD remastering techniques.

Every song on the cd sounds like it was recorded just yesterday. It is 100 % crystal clear, perfectly remixed and remastered. It gives you a clearer view of the story as well as a more pleasurable than ever listening experience. Pete Townshend and the people involved in this truly put their hearts into making "Tommy" better than ever.

The bonus disc is also worth it. A lot of awesome raritis. The liner notes are an interesting read, and the album itself is of course a masterpiece nobody should be without.

A Milestone of Early Rock!.......2006-09-29

"Tommy" is beyond question one of the big milestones of early rock. Musically the band were at the peak of their creativity.

All band members were obviously extremely talented musicians and both Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend were/are great singers. Apart from few exceptions like "Cousin Kevin" all songs are outstanding; and it's really great to have the whole story on one CD - compared to the old double vinyl album.

Though the storyline may seem a little weird today ( to me it always did ), there is so much great music on this album.

The second bonus CD gives a very interesting insight in the developement of some of the songs. Though the sound quality is exellent CD 2 will mainly be of interest to hard-core Who fans. None of these alternate versions are better than the ones chosen for the album, though a few come close. The studio version of "Young Man Blues" which did not appear on the original album is a nice addition too!

I Love it !.......2006-09-06

I was so blind-sided by this reissue - really. I have looked at this for a few years now, but I never picked it up. My impression of this was that it had some very good music along with some dated sounding tracks, so it wasn't a high priority. I'd been having very good luck buying hybrid SACD's even though I don't own a SACD player; the CD layers benefit greatly from the DSD mastering, making them stand head and shoulders above the latest PCM remasters (there are a few exceptions), so I decided to take the plunge.

The CD layer is stunning. I must have been sitting there with my mouth open after "Overture" began. I experienced emotion that wasn't there on previous listens to this on CD and vinyl. Yes, some of the tracks still sound dated, but most of this album is very good indeed, and this remaster is so incredible. If you own a great stereo rig, I highly recommend buying this - in fact, even if you don't have a great rig, I recommend it!

The Who's classic rock opera gets a 35th birthday celebration fit for a king!.......2006-08-13

The Who's fourth studio(and fifth overall) album Tommy was released in May of 1969.
The Tommy album by The Who was the make or break for the group because if Tommy had failed, The Who would have probably disbanded due to lack of funds despite their concerts selling out based on Pete Townshend's guitar smashing and Keith Moon's drum kit demolishing at the end of each gig.
Guitarist Pete Townshend, under the gun after I Can See For Miles failed as a single in the UK(although it was their biggest ever hit here in the US) came up with a rock opera about a deaf, dumb and blind kid named Tommy whom becomes those aforementioned things after witnessing an event as a child that traumatized him(his father killing his step-father whom he considered his father).
Originally considered to be a single length album, the band felt it didn't make sense so they expanded it into a double album and the result is one of rock's Top 10 greatest double studio albums in history(alongside other classic double albums like the then-already released Jimi Hendrix's Electric Ladyland and The Beatles' White album and would help pave the way for more classics like The Rolling Stones' 1972 masterwork Exile on Main Street, The Who's 1973 release Quadrophenia, Elton John's 1973 classic Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Genesis' 1974 masterwork The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Led Zeppelin's 1975 classic Physical Graffiti, Pink Floyd's 1979 masterpiece The Wall and Bruce Springsteen's 1980 classic The River among many others).
Alot of classics appear on this album like the Overture, the classic Top 20 hit Pinball Wizard, Amazing Journey, the Underture(best instrumental on here which is basically a repeat of the album's other instrumental Sparks), Go to the Mirror, I'm Free, Cousin Kevin(one of bass player John Entwistle's greatest compositions), Fiddle About(about the perverted Uncle Ernie), Tommy's Holiday Camp(another excellent ditty written by drummer Keith Moon whom did an excellent rendition in the film version of Tommy in 1975) and the classic finale We're Not Gonna Take It/See Me Feel Me.
The other tracks on the album It's a Boy, 1921(You Didn't Hear It), Eyesight to the Blind, Christmas, The Acid Queen, Do You Think It's Alright, There's a Doctor I've Found, Tommy Can You Hear Me?, Smash the Mirror, Sensation, Miracle Cure, Sally Simpson and Welcome are all great pieces as well though tend to be overlooked.
The album made The Who legends for good and peaked at #4 on the Billboard chart and was their first Gold seller(eventually Platinum).
In 1996, the album was re-released as a remastered CD but used different masters for the remixed reissue.
In October of 2003(just in time for Tommy's 35th Anniversary), Geffen Records(formerly known as MCA) re-released the album as a 2-disc Hybrid SACD with the original mix on the CD layer and a killer 5.1 mix on the SACD layer and this version uses the very original tapes that were found in Universal's vault after being said that the original tapes were destroyed by Kit Lambert in a fire. As a result of the discovery of the original tapes, the sound quality is amazing on here.
Disc two has great outtakes and demos like I Was, The Who trying to record Sally Simpson with hilarious results and instrumental versions of Tommy Can You Hear Me and Tommy's Holiday Camp among many other rarities plus a cool booklet with rare photos.
Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Only half the songs of the original set!!
Its all Christmas
A Good Basic Collection
cd reviews
Poor Quality

The Time-Life Treasury of Christmas

Manufacturer: Time Life Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Time-Life Music: Treasury of Christmas - Holiday Memories
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ASIN: B00005NOZH
Release Date: 2001-09-11

Tracks:

Home For The Holidays - Perry Como
White Christmas - Bing Crosby
Jingle Bells - Ella Fitzgerald
Do You Hear What I Hear? - Andy Williams
Carol Of The Bells/Deck The Halls - The Robert Shaw Chorale
I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day - Harry Belafonte
Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
My Favorite Things - Eddie Fisher
Joy To The World - Julie Andrews
Here We Come A-Caroling - The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
March Of The Toys - The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
O Holy Night - Luciano Pavarotti

Tracks:

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry
It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - Andy Williams
The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Roger Whittaker
Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy - The Boston Pops Orchestra
Mary's Boy Child - Harry Belafonte
I'll Be Home For Christmas - Elvis Presley
Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
Sleigh Ride - Johnny Mathis
Tennessee Christmas - Alabama
Baby's First Christmas - Connie Francis
The Little Drummer Boy - Harry Simeone Chorale
Auld Lang Syne - Guy Lombardo

Customer Reviews:

Only half the songs of the original set!!.......2007-01-17

Although I love the CDs, I was disappointed that there were only about half of the songs I thought there would be. I bought the original double cassette set back in the early 90's and when I found the CDs with the same name and cover, I thought I was getting the same thing only on CD. But the Cassettes had twice as many songs, including Let it Snow,Have Yourself a merry Little Christmas,The First Noel, Jingle Bells by Jim Reeves, The Christmas song by the Carpenters and so many others!!

Its all Christmas.......2007-01-09

It reminded me of Christmas as a child. I played this all throughout the holidays.

A Good Basic Collection.......2006-02-11

This is a good, basic collection of Christmas Music. As a general rule, Time-Life has selected what is probably the definative artist/arangement of each song.

My only complaints are that there are only 24 songs on two disks and one or two of them are not ones that I would have picked (not my style).

Overall, it's a good set that I would recommend to anyone who wants to start a collection.

cd reviews.......2006-01-15

this cd was very good, much recommended

Poor Quality.......2005-12-05

The only good thing about this collection is the inclusion of so many Christmas standards. I was very disappointed in the quality of the recordings, they obviously need digital inhancement.

Average customer rating:

Choral perfectionists.
Sublimely beautiful!

Christmas Present From Polyphony
Polyphony , and Stephen Layton
Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00030NU4A
Release Date: 2004-10-12

Customer Reviews:

Choral perfectionists........2007-02-19

This is an essential Christmas choral CD. The program itself is fabulous and unique, lacking the tacky "favorites" found on most recordings of this type. Entirely a cappella except for two Rutter arrangements with orchestra. Not a single track is lacking in depth and sincerity.

Polyphony is one phenomenal choir. For its small size, it has truly unmatched sustaining power and control (demonstrated most astonishingly in Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium and the end of Howells' A Spotless Rose). The only disappointment on the entire disc is Grieg's gorgeous "Ave Maris Stella" in which, for whatever reason, the men sing with a rather unblended and even wobbly sound while the women are almost entirely straight-tone. "Sing Lullaby" by Howells is a priceless gem worth several times the cost of this CD....a powerfully haunting piece performed here to utter perfection and taste. You will also find what is most assuredly the most perfect and definitive recording of "O Magnum Mysterium" to be found anywhere. The balance and length of line this incredibly gifted ensemble achieves in this too-often-performed piece will leave you breathless.

Sublimely beautiful!.......2005-02-01

Heavenly music, beautifully captured in a location with fantastic acoustics. This is music that needs to be heard on headphones or outstanding surround sound to be really appreciated. Here I am in February still listening to this CD of Xmas music... it's very calming to the soul. I can't recommend this highly enough.

Average customer rating:

Nice Voice
a voice teacher and early music fan
Sumi Jo- coloratura supreme
Prayerful and beautiful
A spectalce of voice and vocalization

Sumi Jo - Prayers / James Conlon
Gioachino Rossini , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Richard Strauss , Giulio Caccini , Maurice Ravel , Gabriel Fauré , Anonymous , Franz Schubert , Charles Gounod , Gaetano Donizetti , Zbigniew Preisner , Leonard Bernstein , Johann Strauss II , Frederick Loewe , James Conlon , Sumi Jo , and Susan Graham
Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000560N6
Release Date: 2001-03-20

Tracks:

Kaddisch
Laudate Dominum
Ave Maria
Amazing Grace
Breit' Uber Mein Haupt
L'assedio Di Corinto: L' Ora Fatal S'appressa... Guisto Ciel !
Pie Jesu
Der Vierjahrige Posten: Gott! hore Meine Stimme!
Sanctus
Maria Stuarda: Preghiera Di Maria
Lacrimosa
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: Take Care Of This House - Sumi Jo/Phil Chor Koln/Susan Graham
Nun's Chor/Casanova: Laura's Song
Gigi: Say A Prayer For me Tonight
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child

Amazon.com

This program seems designed primarily to display soprano Sumi Jo's fabulous singing and famous stylistic eclecticism. However, it also exhibits an admirable religious inclusiveness, encompassing expressions of faith from the Latin liturgy to Negro spirituals; there is even a Richard Strauss song that is essentially a paean to love. An incongruous note is struck by a nun's song from an operetta by Benatzky that is a corny Viennese waltz and by a soundtracklike arrangement of a 16th-century Ave Maria. Ranging from Mozart to Broadway, this musical mix is held together by Sumi Jo's ravishingly beautiful, pure, warm voice and the way she can color and inflect it, and by her mastery of every style (though not every language; her German in particular is unintelligible). Her intonation is impeccable, her breath control incredible. Jo's top notes soar triumphantly, and she can sustain them indefinitely, with enough power left to make a crescendo at the end. Highlights include Ravel's "Kaddisch," which sends shivers down the spine; arias from operas by Rossini and Donizetti; and arias from sacred works by Gounod and Fauré. Of two spirituals, the second one is simpler and more convincing. The accompanying forces are excellent; James Conlon doubles as pianist when not conducting. Susan Graham also makes an appearance in the moving invocation "Take Care of This House" from Bernstein's 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Nice Voice.......2007-05-06

Sumi Jo has a beautiful voice but her renditions of Motherless Child and Amazing Grace were not impressive at all. The vibrato was too uncontrollable. The Ave Maria was so,so. I did not hear the richeness others have declared in their assesments. Don't get me wrong, the instrument is quite beautiful but only in some selected selections.

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2007-02-17

"Music and poetry emerge from man's desire to give thanks, to praise and to pray to his gods. One of the magical powers of the human voice is that it can fly, on the wings of songs (a la Mendelssohn) to heaven and appear to be in direct communication with God." Therefore, it is no surprise that prayer is omnipresent throughout the history of music. Sumi Jo has chosen an excellent representation of songs including most styles and periods which include : Baroque (Caccini)-Classical (Mozart)-Contemporary (Preisner)-Romantic Opera (Rossini,Donizetti)-German 'Singspiel'(Schubert)-Lieder (Richard Strauss)-French church music (Gounod ,Faure)-traditional music (spiritual)-Jewish melodies (Ravel)-Viennese operetta (Johann Strauss) and the American musical (Bernstein).

Sumi Jo, born in Korea,is a much sought after coloratura soprano, having triumphed on stage, and in recitals all over the world. Not being fond of coloraturas, I make an exception for her voice, because of its depth along with the very high register. She shows a great deal of sensitivity to all of her varied selections on this disc, and each delivery is a 'gem' unto itself.

I must personally comment on those works that I particularly enjoy. Hearing her sing Mozart's 'Laudate Dominum' was a real treat; it doesn't matter how often one hears that lovely piece, just like all of his music, it 'wears' well. The 'Pie Jesu' was absolutely stunning as Sumi Jo sang it, and it is a pleasure for me to hear the selection from "GIGI" by Lerner & Loewe; not being a great broadway fan, I have always liked that specific musical. I think because it was well-done when I saw it years and years ago.

This disc is abolutely totally enjoyable. There is something for all musical tastes, and the conductor/pianist James Conlon does a great job pulling it together!!!!!

Sumi Jo- coloratura supreme.......2006-04-09

One word: Lacrimosa. It haunts you and will stay with you long after you hear it. I actually forced several if my coworkers to listen to it many of which are not opera fans and even they could not argue the beauty of it. One of my coworkers was actual on the verge of tears by the end of the song.

The rest of the album is enchanting as well as breath taking. I am a harsh critic when it comes to singers so I do not give those compliments very often, nor am I easily moved by singers but Sumi Jo has certainly done that with this album.

My only complaint is that I would have liked to hear her take of "Ave Maria" by Schubert which, while recorded many times over, would complimented her voice perfectly due to it's simplicity. "Sing low sweet chariot" would have been another great one to hear but as far as spirtuals are concerned I was very happy with her acepella version of "Amazing Grace." I was never a huge fan of "Amazing Grace" since it's been done a thousand times over but she brought such seetness and emotion to it. Of course I am kind of biased becuase I offically hate the "belting" version of this song and that's how it's usually done. It's nice to hear a simple, straight forward version.

My last comment is that it's nice to hear Sumi Jo sing less operatic pieces considering most opera singers are rarely bold enough to sing anything other than classical pieces, excluding Renee Fleming of recent.

Prayerful and beautiful.......2005-11-14

It is a refreshing change to have a collection of arias on a CD with a title that actually bears some relevance to the contents. This is indeed a prayerful collection. That means, of course, that you have to be in the appropriately contemplative mood in order to appreciate it.

Another nice change is that the orchestral accompaniment enhances the singing rather than just tagging along as an afterthought, which often seems to be the case. It is fitting that James Conlon gets equal billing here. This is splendid singing to splendid music.

Sumi Jo is comfortable in any language and in a broad range of styles. I was uncertain how she would tackle songs like Amazing Grace and Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child. I need not have worried. In the latter she reveals a soulfulness that fits the lyrics perfectly.

The only track not worthy of this collection is Bernstein's Take Care of This House. I suppose, as it is a prayer, it was an obvious song to include, and Jo sings it very well, but it is just a very poor song. That still leaves 14 excellent tracks that, if you are a lover of good singing, you will want in your collection.

A spectalce of voice and vocalization.......2004-12-29

I bought this used from an Amazon.com dealer and it came with a cutout on the left side of the CD box. Can this specacular CD possibly have gone out of print by Christmas 2004? If so we have lost one of the benchmark recordings of this splendid artist.

Never is there a weak moment in this incredibly beautiful collection of classical bleeding chunks and spirituals. I don't think you'll confuse Sumi for your favorite spiritual singer in "Amazing Grace" and "Sometimes I feel like a motherless child" but she is magnificent singing the complete and incomplete tunes elsewhere on the CD by famous classical composers including Mozart, Richard Strauss, Rossini, Schubert and Donizetti, to name some of them.

She is in wonderful voice and fresh-faced for the Loewe-Lerner "Say a prayer for me tonight" and does an equally nice job with Susan Graham accompanying Leonard Bernstein's "Take care of this house" from "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue". I'm not much for this kind of music -- I bought this exclusively for her rendition of Mozart's "Laudate Dominum" -- but it adds a dimension to the concert that brings it into the realm of popular Broadway tunes.

This is a wonderful concert of familiar and not so familiar songs from a singer whose voice is eloquent, beautiful and rich, with significant range and span from PPP to FFF. Sumi Jo controls her voice well throughout the concert, giving everyone something to think about regardelss of musical preference. This might have been improved if she'd included a Beatles tune -- maybe "Elenor Rigby" or "Yesterday" -- accompanied by the orchestra and James Conlon's direction. But it stands with any similar collection by any singer as it is.

Average customer rating:

Almost angelic
Great choir, but mostly recycled material
Glittering Chrismas Music
The Spirit of Christmas On CD
Superb voices!

Cambridge Singers Christmas Album

Manufacturer: Collegium
ProductGroup: Music
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The John Rutter Christmas Album
Christmas Star
Christmas Night: Carols of the Nativity
The Holly and the Ivy: Carols from Clare College
John Rutter Collection

ASIN: B0000DJEOL
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Tracks:

The holly and the ivy (arr. H. Walford Davies)*
Blessed be that maid Mary (arr. David Willcocks)
Somerset Wassail (arr. John Rutter)
Shepherds, in the fields abiding (French, arr. Willcocks)*
The Infant King (Basque, arr. Willcocks)
What is this lovely fragrance? (French, arr. Healey Willan)
Gabriel's message (Basque, arr. Willcocks)*
Still, still, still (German, arr. Rutter)
Quittez, pasteurs (French, arr. Rutter)
Un flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle (French, arr. Rutter)
Personent hodie (German, arr. Rutter)
The shepherds' farewell (Hector Berlioz)
O holy night (Adolphe Adam)
O magnum mysterium (T. L. de Victoria)
Hodie Christus natus est (J. P. Sweelinck)
For unto us a child is born (G. F. Handel)
In dulci jubilo (Samuel Scheidt)
Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child (Kenneth Leighton)*
A New Year Carol (Benjamin Britten)
Balulalow (Peter Warlock)
I saw a fair maiden (Peter Warlock)
The Lamb (John Tavener)
Fantasia on Christmas Carols (Ralph Vaughan Williams)

Album Description

Christmas Never Sounded So Good!

For more than a decade, John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers have shared the Joy of Christmas with the world. The ethereal sound of perfectly blended voices, singing the most beautiful seasonal music ever composed never fails to touch the heart or lift the spirit. This year, John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers have assembled a NEW collection - compiled from the archives, including FOUR NEVER BEFORE RELEASED TRACKS! This is a holiday feast you will NOT want to miss!

Customer Reviews:

Almost angelic.......2007-01-18

Choral music by the Cambridge Singers is always top-notch. An older album that might have sounded better with newer technology but no complaints. Has great vocals and orchestral support.

Great choir, but mostly recycled material.......2005-12-16

I have the utmost respect for John Rutter and his Cambridge Singers, probably the best choir in the world (at least, the English-speaking world). I have almost all their CDs. Two of their Christmas CDs are "desert-island" class for this listener.

Unfortunately, I cannot give this otherwise excellent CD the same high marks. If they wanted to release a "best of Cambridge Christmas" CD, this would not be it. It does a few of the absolute best Christmas selections, including Sweelinck's "Hodie", Willcocks's breathtaking arrangement of "The Infant King", and Rutter's own quirky reading of "Personent Hodie". And it does contain a few tracks not previously released.

However, if you want the best of Cambridge and Christmas, start with "Christmas Night", which is always the first CD I pull out the day after Thanksgiving. The sound of the famliar Persall setting of "In Dulci Jubilo" sets my holiday in motion. And that CD also has Rutter's own magical "There is a flower". After that CD, get "Christmas with the Cambridge Singers", which has "The Infant King" and some other treasures.

So, you can't really go wrong with this CD, especially if you just want an introduction to how this fine ensemble addresses the most choir-friendly holiday of all. But if you're serious about getting all the good stuff, start with the other two mentioned above, then add "Christmas Day in the Morning" and the early "Christmas Star".

Glittering Chrismas Music.......2005-11-15

I own virtually all of the CD's of John Rutter (whom I greatly admire) and the Cambridge Singers, and I am a fan of English Choral music in general. If I were asked to recommend only one of the many Cambridge Singers Christmas albums, or indeed one of any English Christmas album, a hard choice, this would be it. As others have noted, this CD is a compilation of songs from previous cds with four new releases. It is, I believe, longer playing than the other Cambridge albums. In style, it is a mostly quiet sounding collection--in fact several carols are sung a cappella-- with pieces ranging from carols such as "The Holly and the Ivy" to the more robust "Fantasia on Christmas Carols". In sum, this is a sensitively arranged and performed collection of beautiful Christmas music.

The Spirit of Christmas On CD.......2005-06-02

I have never been disappointed by any Cambridge Singers release, so it isnt surprising that I thoroughly enjoyed this offering as well. This CD is a compilation of songs from previous cds with one or two new tracks, so check your library to make sure you arent duplicating your collection in the order to complete your collection. I purchased this disk to obtain a copy of the Fantasia On Christmas Carols by Ralph Vaughn Williams which was originally released on Christmas Day In The Morning. As usual, every song is performed in a precise yet heartfelt manner. If you dont own any cds by the Cambridge singers I would personally recommend Christmas Night as the first disk to own, but if you know and love the Cambridge Singers as I do, then you will enjoy having this wonderful addition to your library.

Superb voices!.......2003-12-22

This CD was beautifully sung by the Cambridge Singers, a boys/mens choir, mostly a' capela. It's the first Christmas CD I've bought that really tempts me to crank up the volume so I can revel in every note.

Songs of Free Men/ A Paul Robeson Recital

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Robeson on wax
The voice, the sound quality and the interpretation
A Voice from the 40s, often dated, often moving
Robeson at his best
some of the greatest songs of the last century

Songs of Free Men/ A Paul Robeson Recital

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Paul Robeson Live at Carnegie Hall
Ballad for Americans
Ol' Man River: His 25 Greatest
Paul Robeson - Here I Stand
Spirituals

ASIN: B0000029YJ
Release Date: 1997-12-09

Tracks:

Balm in Gilead
Chassidic Chant
Quiet Flows The Don: From Border To Border
Quiet Flows The Don: Oh, How Proud Our Quiet Don
Elijah, Op. 70: The Lord God Of Abraham
The Purest Kind Of Guy
Joe Hill
The Peat-Bog Soldiers
The Four Insurgent Generals
Native Land
Song Of The Plains
Cradle Song
Within Four Walls
By An' By
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
John Henry
Water Boy
My Curly Headed Baby
Mah Lindy Lou
Wagon Wheels
The House I Live In
Showboat: I Still Suits Me
Sylvia
Showboat: Ol' Man River
Porgy And Bess: It Ain't Necessarily So

Amazon.com

There was nothing like the Robeson sound, ever. To describe his deep, rich, perfectly equalized instrument is futile. Go instead to "Balm in Gilead," the opening track, and see if you can listen to the last pianissimo phrase without falling to pieces. Robeson was at his best when the music was slow and the words contained spiritual or social messages. Faster, lighter fare like Kern's "I Still Suits Me" or Gershwin's "It Ain't Necessarily So" find the serious-minded singer out of his element, lacking irony and swing. "Old Man River," though, gets a simple, dignified treatment. It's Songs of Free Men, though, that will just keep Robeson's artistry rolling along, especially in Sony's astonishing transfers. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Robeson on wax.......2007-06-19

I found this album in a thrift store last week, for a couple of dollars. It's the original pressing on four 78 RPM records, in a gatefold format. It's in pristine condition. I really bought it for the incredible cover art, although I hope to be able to listen to it in this format at some point.

The voice, the sound quality and the interpretation.......2004-09-24

Put this on your stereo and if it is good enough the depth and richness of Robeson's voice will make your fillings rattle and your chest rumble. The power of his voice is awesome. This CD is superbly recorded with no audible noise at normal listening levels.

A Voice from the 40s, often dated, often moving.......2002-09-01

"Red diaper babies" have greeted this disc with nostalgic joy, and it captures a time and an aesthetic and a political belief with precision. Anyone interested in the emotional life of the pro-Soviet left of the 1940s should buy this disc. It's something like Henry Wallace set to music. There is much more to Robeson than that, however, and Sony has given us Robeson whole: there are songs by American masters of the musical, there are labor songs, religious songs, as well as the kind of faux-folk songs which the butcher supreme Josef Stalin encouraged and which were not taken seriously inside the USSR (except at gunpoint!!) but which were taken up by dupes around the world. This is Robeson at his least savory - willing propagandist for a vile mass murderer. Songs such as "Native Land" (fittingly, Robeson is referring to the Soviet Union) and the Red Army song are the equivalent of the "Horst Wessel Song", anthems of murder, and it is difficult to listen to the worst of them without retching. On the other hand, Robeson's commitment to American folk culture was real. "Balm in Gilead" is deeply beautiful; "John Henry" is heroic; "By an' By" is both resigned yet hopeful. "Joe Hill" captures an era in labor history. Anyone interested in American popular song should hear these. Turning to Broadway, his "Old Man River" is very fine, though Robeson changed the lyrics for political reasons and Leonard Warren has done the song better. I disagree with the editorial reviewer: "I Still Suits Me" is wonderfully playful and shows Robeson using his gorgeously rich voice to tease and poke fun. However, Marc Blitzstein's "Purest Kind of a Guy" is beyond saving - another example of Robeson recording an unworthy song by a political fellow-traveller. Ugh. But for every miss there are two hits. Robeson performs Mendelssohn's Elijah with nobility, and sings his favorite song, "Water Boy", with joyous pride: "There ain't no hammer that's on these mountains that rings like mine, boys, that rings like mine."
No one need have any fears about the mono sound quality. The orchestra in the second half of the program is at times a little dwarfed by Robeson's voice, but it generally sounds clean and colorful, and the great artist's voice rings like no other.

Robeson at his best.......2000-05-12

It's hard to believe that most of these recordings pre-date the advent of magnetic tape: the CD transfer is superlative. The songs and performance are beyond reproach. Notable is the imaginative packaging in miniature 'record album' format, complete with the original cover art, and a replica of the original Columbia record label applied to the CD.

In response to a previous question: Robeson's performance of Danny Boy (Londonderry Air) can be found on the Vanguard LP entitled "Robeson" (VRS-9037).

some of the greatest songs of the last century.......2000-05-05

In the 1940s, before rabid McCarthyism and racism had taken its toll on him, Robeson made these wonderful recordings of spirituals, classics and pop tunes. Accompanied by the solo piano of the incomparable Lawrence Brown, or by an orchestra, the songs ring out with pride, dignity, skill and unmatched integrity. The shameful treatment that Robeson was subject to from American authorities certainly seem grotesquely absurd to a modern listener. The wonderful version of "The House I Live In" included on this cd should forever kill off any suspicion that Robeson did not love his country deeply. This album ought to be heard by millions of people, world wide. Robeson's voice is nothing less than a glorious high point in 20th century music, and it's hard to think of any recording capturing it to greater advantage.

Average customer rating:

Kathy Rocks Ever!
A wide presentation of the work of an amazing artist
A Great Coloratura Soprano
Great compilation of Kathleen Battle's work
Beautiful Voice

The Best of Kathleen Battle

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Kathleen Battle at Carnegie Hall
So Many Stars
Kathleen Battle Sings Mozart
A Christmas Celebration: Kathleen Battle
Kathleen Battle & Christopher Parkening ~ Pleasures of Their Company

ASIN: B00068CVF8
Release Date: 2004-11-09

Tracks:

Summertime
I loves you, Porgy
Porgi amor
Welche Wonne, welche Lust
S'altro che lagrime
Una donna a quindici anni
Depuis le jour
E pur cosi / Piangeri la sorte mia
Oui! pour ce soir... Je suis Titania
Ah! tardai troppo... O luce di quest'anima
4. Pie Jesu (Sopran)
Voices of Spring, Op.410 (Frohlingsstimmen) - vocal version
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot / Ride Up in the Chariot
Witness "Oh, Lord, what manner of man is dis?"
Talk About a Child
He's got the whole world in His hands

Customer Reviews:

Kathy Rocks Ever!.......2006-01-01

Oh,yeah!Also here in Brazil she commanded,complained,got her tantrums as well but,she is Kathy;highly gifted,charmingly glamourous,her elegant golden singing beautifully soaring over brazilian audiences and so on.About this cd,I would prefer a completely new one.However,this is a gorgeous compilation,just perfect to Battle beginners or her fans,especially these spirituals that belongs incontestablely to her heavenly throat.I hope much more from Miss Battle just 'cause she is a great performer,in fact nobody or nothing couldn't denies that no matter she's doing backstage.Cowardly,poisonous "kid's rewiews" show us solely how empty is this quarrel.I hope a DG reissue of her beloved,out of print Schubert recital as well.

A wide presentation of the work of an amazing artist.......2005-12-23

This CD provides a sampling of Kathleen Battle's voice and interpretive abilities from coloratura virtuousity (Voices of Spring) to the simple, heartfelt spiritual (Talk about a child).

First of all, there's THAT voice. You hear a voice that is uniquely angelic and capable of expressing a wide range of moods. You hear a voice that glitters like a diamond, skips happily and effortlessly (and in impeccable tune) from note to note like it's nobody's business, one that that reminds you of moonbeams and early morning dew on pink rose petals. You've simply got to her it to believe it.

On this CD, the listener is provided with the the works/composers for which she's well known: Handel Opera (E pur cosi / piangero la sorte mia), Mozart Opera (S'altro che lagrime), Bel Canto Opera (Ah, tardai troppo...), French Opera (Depuis le jour), spirituals, and a few popular songs for sopranos such as Gershwin's Summertime and Faure's Pie Jesu

If you're just popping the CD in, try: (1) Ah, tardai troppo, (2) Voices of Spring, (3) Talk about a child, (4) I loves you, Porgy, and (5) Pie Jesu.

I suppose if you are a fan of heavy, dramatic voices, Kathleen Battle may not be to your liking. But I suspect that if you listen to her, you still might be amazed...

A Great Coloratura Soprano .......2005-04-03

Coloratura sopranos are a dying breed today. The era of Lily Pons and Beverly Sills is long gone and opera audiences favor a more "heavy" coloratura sound- or at least a full lyric one, such as the voice types of Kiri Te Kenawa, Carol Vanness and Renee Fleming. Kathleen Battle was in many ways an artist who payed homage to the coloratura queens of olden days. Only Natalie Dessay, of late, represents that kind of singer. much This album showcases her best work, and she is in fine voice, bringing a luminous and sunny quality to her interpretations, while keeping the dramatic appeal of the text. She was at best a Handel/Mozart/Strauss/Gounod singer, and never fared well in the more dramatic reperotoire of Verdi or Puccini heroines. She never sang Madame Butterfly, which if she had gone through training, she could have nailed, especially because her dramatic aspirations coupled with her soft, vulnerable sound would have suited her as Ciao Ciao San, in the way that Ying Huang interpreted the role. Verdi opera must have frightened her and she could never dream of taking on the roles that Leontyne Price performed, surely an influence in her student days made all the more credible because Leontyne Price was a "sister" African-American. So Leonora, Aida and Suor Angelica were out of her reach. While she sang with Jessie Norman in concert and recitals (like the Spirituals Concert), she must have been secretly or overtly ? jealous of the fact that Jessye Norman had a voice that could swallow the world!! A big, beautiful voice such as Ms. Norman's is closer to the true goddesses of operas in the tradition of Maria Callas, while Battle is more of the "tiny, bright, canary" voice. She ranks among the best of the lighter sopranos- Beverly Sills, and like Sumi Jo today. Her fellow co-artists used to call her the "Singing Mosquito". But she is marvelous in singing Handel oratorio(the only times I've heard her sing live), Mozart- Sussannah, Zerlina, the Countess in Figaro, Gounod- Juliette, Bizet- Micaela, but could never truly master the more difficult Mozart heroines- Dona Ana in Don Giovanni or Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan Tutte or even Konstanza in Die Entfurung, though try she did. In Strauss operas, she made a fine Zerbinetta, though she always oozed a confidence that made it seem as if these difficult pieces were a piece of cake for her. Some arias in this collection appear that way too.

Kathleen Battle has long since disappeared from the opera world, singing off and on. Her last singing engagement was for the soundtrack to the Japanese action saga "House of Flying Daggers" in which she sings in a very Japanese/poetic style. Before that she sang in Mythodea opposite Jessie Norman in a massive choral work by Vangelis, and also in Disney's Fantasia 2000. Her constant bitchiness, diva antics and disrespect to conductors and singers became too much and finally Joseph Volpe fired her from the Met. She had stayed there for so long because James Levine took a shine to her. As a singer, she was a perfectionist and in her body of work it shows. But she displayed a nasty diva temperament that does not sit well today. In the 80's, she would come to rehearsals late, would criticize everyone from conductor to costuma makers and even once disrespected the much older and experienced Rosalind Elias, a beloved mezzo at the Met. While I think that Volpe did the right thin in firing Battle, I think that Battle's voice is glorious and would buy her albums, even if she mostly poses as if she were in Vogue cover shots.

Great compilation of Kathleen Battle's work.......2005-03-26

This is a great compilation CD of recordings made by Battle, which are currently deleted by Universal Music.
The selections are first rate and capture the artistry of Kathleen Battle perfectly, a shimmering, silvery, clean and clear voice which has captivated millions of people worldwide

Beautiful Voice.......2005-02-24

I find it hard to give anything under 5 stars for any work including Miss Battle. Her technique and mastery of the female voice is quite remarkable. I am a HUGE fan of the soprano voice and I have found no one who posses the talents, skills, and interpretations of Battle. I would like to have seen more variety in this compilation CD. Her Rosina, Zerbinetta, Semele, other such roles were obviously ignored in the making of this CD. I think anyone will be hard pressed to find any lyric/coloratura soprano who amounts to the skill level of Miss Battle. Talent is talent, and she's got plenty of it. A person's attitude has nothing to do with their abilities as a performer, and I am tired of people knocking Miss Battle because of the stigma with which she is attached. Personally, she has never done anything to me nor the number of others who criticize her for her actions which took place over a decade ago. You cannot say that this woman does not posses mad skills. She is a lovely woman who has accomplished great things. I would gladly buy any CD that carries the name "Kathleen Battle".

The King's Noyse, dir. David Douglass: Royal Delight: 17th Century Ballads & Dances

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The King's Noyse, dir. David Douglass: Royal Delight: 17th Century Ballads & Dances

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Lusty Gallant: England's Golden Age
Seaven Teares
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Italian Renaissance Dances
Italian Renaissance Dances, Vol. 2

ASIN: B00099FVD8
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

The King's Delight
All In A Garden Green
Gathering Peascods
Blew-Cap For Me
Fortune My Foe
Browning
Jog On
Courante - Packington's Pound
Daphne
Huntsuppe
The Lovely Northerne Lasse
Tantz
O Nachbar Roland
Dulcina
As Att Noone Dulcina Rested
Grimstock
Robin Is To The Greenwood Gone
Ricercar - Bonny Sweet Robin
A Light Hearts A Jewell
Child Grove
Easter Thursday
The Beggar Boy
Mr. Isacc's Maggot
The Little Barley-Corne

Tracks:

The Happy Meeting
Boatman
Trip And Go
Barbara Allen's Cruelty
Preludium
Browning My Dear
Hollis Berrie
New Castle
Newmarket
Now, O Now, I Need Must Part
Coockow As I Me Walked
Sing Care Away
Souches Marche
Emperor Of The Moon
Tickle My Toe
I Smell A Rat
Wilson's Wilde
Walsingham
Begone, Sweit Night
Strawberries And Cream
The Queen's Delight
Half Hanniken
Nottingham Ale

Joy to the World - Eugene Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra

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Joy To The World........a joy indeed!
If you like classical Christmas music, this is for you
"Joy To The World . . . The Lord Has Come . . . And Heaven And Nature Sing"
Christmas music done in Ormady's rich "Philadelphia Sound"
A Timeless Christmas Classic

Joy to the World - Eugene Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Joy of Christmas

ASIN: B000003EPC
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Hark! The Hearld Angels Sing
Away In The Manger
The Little Drummer Boy
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
Waltz of the Flowers
What Child Is This
Sleigh Ride
The First Nowell
Carol of the Bells
O Come, All Ye Faithful
Joy to the World
I Wonder As I Wander
Good King Wenceslas
Silent Night
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Angels We Have Heard On High
Silver Bells
Messiah: Pastoral Symphony (Messiah)
Messiah: Hallelujah Chorus

Customer Reviews:

Joy To The World........a joy indeed!.......2007-03-16

This wonderful CD has everything to celebrate the great joy of the Christmas season. Recorded in the early 1970's it still sounds as fresh and timeless as it did way back then.
The orchestrations are majestic and imaginative without being mushy or too symphonic in structure.The addition of the chorus in most of the carols is an added bonus. The singers and orchestra blend wonderfully without either dominating the other too much. The programme of selected songs is excellent and with some lovely orchestra only tracks the CD is not tiring to listen to creating a well balanced programme.
Maestro Eugene Ormandy conducts the Philadelphia Orchestra with great zeal and a passion for the music that is felt by the listener.The chorus master is the very talented Robert Page and the carols are arranged and orchestrated by the great Arthur Harris.
The sound quality is excellent and the CD has been beautifully remastered without any loss of crispness or dynamics.The stereo balance and instrument placement sound superb with the singers centre stage.
This is a remarkably good CD from the RCA Gold Seal range and is a must for lovers of really good seasonal music played with love and passion for the joys of the Christmas season.
Thank you for taking the trouble to read my review and I wish one and all much enjoyment from this lovely CD.

Happy listening!

If you like classical Christmas music, this is for you.......2007-01-13

A truly great collection of classical Christmas music. Highly recommended.

"Joy To The World . . . The Lord Has Come . . . And Heaven And Nature Sing".......2006-12-15

For those of you who, like me, love traditional and old-fashioned Christmas carols with a chorus and a full orchestra, this album is just a perfect listen this Yuletide season. It's always been a delight listening to this classic Christmas CD, "Joy to the World with Eugene Ormandy and The Philadelphia Orchestra and Chorus." It creates a nostalgic feeling and an atmosphere of an old-fashioned Christmas that reminds me so much of the past Christmas celebrations I had with my late parents. This is the kind of Christmas music they so loved.

The Philadelphia Orchestra and Chorus under the direction of Robert Page performed ten of the nineteen tracks and The Philadelphia Orchestra performed the rest of the tracks without the Chorus under the baton of one of the most respected names in conducting and orchestration, Eugene Ormandy. Arthur Harris beautifully and traditionally arranged all the songs. This is one of the greatest Christmas albums ever recorded and a worthy addition to your Christmas collection.

The true essence of Christmas is captured by the artful blend of voices from the chorus combined with the sublime orchestration from the first carol, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" to the last piece, Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah."

Each and every track is a highlight and sacredly performed. My top favorites are "Silent Night," Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers" from "The Nutcracker," "Angels We Have Heard On High," "Away In A Manger," "What Child Is This? (Greensleeves), and "Joy To The World."

"Joy to the world
The Lord has come
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing."

Joyfully recommended!

Christmas music done in Ormady's rich "Philadelphia Sound".......2004-12-04

"Joy to the World" has Eugene Ormandy with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Chorus providing a rich selection of Christmas songs, both classical and traditional, arranged by Arthur Harris. It is the former that are most impressive, although there are fewer of them, starting with Mendelssohn's "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers" from "The Nutcracker," then ending with Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desire," and the "Pastoral Symphony" and "Hallelujan Chorus" from Handel's "Messiah."

Eugene Ormandy (born Jenö Blau in Budapest) was one of the most famous of the popular American conductors of the 20th century, known best for his long time relationship with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Originally gaining public notice with the orchestra when he served as a last-minute replacement for an ill Arturo Toscanini in 1931, Ormandy would serve as Musical Director in Phialdelphia from 1938 until 1980. Under his baton the Philadelphia Orchestra became known for its warm tones, textured romantic "Philadelphia Sound," which is well represented on this Christmas album. I always thought Ormandy's interpretation of Rachmaninoff was particularly strong, although I do not know enough about classical music to articulate a coherent defense of that position beyond noting that when Vladimir Horowitz played Rachmaninoff's Third Concerto on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his Carnegie Hall debut, he picked Ormandy as the conductor of the orchestra that night.

There is over an hour's worth of music here for you to enjoy if you like more of the classical approach to your Christmas music. But Ormandy's work is always marked by an ability to bring out the emotions of music being played by a symphonic orchestra. That is why the standout tracks here are "The Little Drummer Boy," "I Wonder as I Wander," and "What Child Is This?" You would not normally think of these songs as working as well song by a chorus that by a single individual, but this album will get you to rethink your position. In terms of choirs at Christmas I still have a preference for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Ray Conniff Singers (I embrace the extremes), but in terms of listening to an orchestra play Christmas music, this is as good as it gets.

A Timeless Christmas Classic.......2003-12-08

I'm a lover of traditional Christmas music and I've acquired about 20 CDs of it. There's nothing my family likes better in December than putting on some good Christmas music and getting in the mood for the season, hearing once again the old favorites you've known since childhood. Of all the Christmas music CDs I've tried, I have two desert-island favorites, the two I always reach for first. This is one of them. I think it's one of the greatest recordings of traditional Christmas music ever made. The arrangements (by Arthur Harris) are joyous, beautiful, and soul-stirring; the performances are heartfelt and magnificent. If you can listen to this CD and not feel filled by the Christmas spirit, you must be (a) named Ebeneezer Scrooge, or (b) deaf. This one is a timeless Christmas classic, not to be missed. Warmest recommendation.

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